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Preview: Fremantle v RichmondBy Nathan Schmook and Paul Daffey
Tue 14 Aug, 2012WHERE AND WHEN: Patersons Stadium, Saturday August 18, 2.40pm
LAST TIME: Richmond 9.12 (66) lost to Fremantle 12.6 (78), round 11, 2012 at the MCG
Fremantle was admirable but just not good enough against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, with its 28-point loss ending a five-game winning run. The team's finals hopes remain alive, but this is a must-win game against Richmond. The Tigers, who beat the Western Bulldogs by 70 points in round 20, have a strong midfield group in good form and won't be easy prey.
THE FOUR POINTS
FREMANTLE1. Ruckman Aaron Sandilands is on the cusp of returning from injury, posing an interesting selection dilemma for Ross Lyon. In the eight games ruckman Jon Griffin has played without Sandilands, Fremantle has a clearance differential of -2. In the seven games Sandilands has played without Griffin, the team has a differential of -24. Lyon has a stated aim to play both ruckmen as a duo, which has only happened once this season, against West Coast in round nine (Sandilands was injured in the opening minutes against Richmond in round 11). Will it be a success at the business end of the season?
2. An almost weekly dilemma for Lyon is who to send run-with specialist Ryan Crowley to - the inside distributor or the outside runner? Against Adelaide, Crowley went to clearance specialist Scott Thompson and was effective. However, Patrick Dangerfield got off the chain and was a match-winner. The Tigers boast two potential targets for Crowley this week - in-form Brownlow Medal fancy Trent Cotchin and Brett Deledio. In round 11, Crowley held Deledio to 15 possessions in a pivotal match-up.
3. Lyon was openly disappointed with his defenders against Adelaide, with the Crows scoring 34 times from 49 forward entries. Zac Dawson was caught out of position a number of times against Taylor Walker, while Michael Johnson was thrust into a key role after Alex Silvagni was withdrawn with illness. Luke McPharlin is a big inclusion this week to take on Jack Riewoldt, who kicked five goals last week, and Fremantle will hope his return from suspension lifts those around him.
4. Captain Matthew Pavlich was well held by young Adelaide defender Daniel Talia, but his form graph suggests he'll be quick to bounce back. The Coleman Medal leader this week equals West Coast champion Glen Jakovich's record of 276 games as the most by a WA-based player. He is set to break the record against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium in round 22. Lyon has compared the durable Pavlich to Fitzroy 'superboot' Bernie Quinlan, who won a Brownlow Medal at 30 and played until he was 35.
RICHMOND1. After infamously losing three consecutive games by less than a goal, the Tigers have shown excellent form over the past fortnight and go into this match in ripping nick. Their victims over the past two weeks have been the Brisbane Lions (48 points) and Western Bulldogs (70 points). In seeking to banish the disappointment of a season in which they’ve lost eight games by 21 points or less, they've played with passion and purpose — and even poise — over the past fortnight, and they'll be keen at atone for the 12-point loss to Fremantle in round 11. A small injury list helps their cause.
2. The footy world is discovering what Richmond fans have known for a long time: that midfielder Trent Cotchin is one of the best players in the competition. Cotchin earned rave reviews for his 35-disposal performance against the Bulldogs; the thing is, he's played like that for much of the season. As Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said after the match, he'd have to be a chance for the Brownlow Medal. Hardwick more than once this season has likened Cotchin to Chris Judd in that he's equally good inside and outside. At 22, the footy world is at Cotchin's feet. His likely opponent this Saturday is Ryan Crowley.
3. By kicking five goals against the Bulldogs, Riewoldt became the fifth player in the Tigers' history to kick 50 or more goals in three consecutive seasons. The others are Jack Titus, Dick Harris, Michael Roach and Kevin Bartlett. Riewoldt's tallies since 2010 have been 78, 62, and 54 and counting. With three games to go, it seems likely that he'll move past last year's tally. He might even move past Pavlich, the competition's leading goalkicker, who's on 57 goals. The battle between the two spearheads will provide a tantalising subplot for Saturday's game.
4. Richmond fans have fond memories of at least one particular match against Fremantle at Patersons Stadium. It was round four, 2008. After playing as a key forward for his entire career, Matthew Richardson was sent to a wing, and so began an amazing odyssey that, at 33, almost netted him a Brownlow Medal. Richardson had 25 disposals and kicked four goals as Richmond defeated Fremantle by 64 points. He continued to play on a wing for most of the season, culminating in the extraordinary Brownlow count in which most of those present were willing on a Richo victory. He finished equal third behind the Bulldogs' Adam Cooney and Simon Black of the Lions.
AFL.com.au prediction: Fremantle by 18 pointshttp://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/144600/default.aspx
