Opposition Analysis: Midfield battle imminentwesternbulldogs.com.au
4:48pm AEST Friday, June 21, 2013Western Bulldogs vs Richmond
Saturday 22 June 2013, 7:40pm
Venue: Etihad Stadium
Head-to-head:Round 3, 2013: Richmond 20. 15. (135) defeat Western Bulldogs 10. 8. (68), Etihad Stadium
Round 20, 2012: Richmond 22. 18. (150) defeat Western Bulldogs 12. 8. (80), MCG
Round 8, 2011: Western Bulldogs 23. 15. (153) defeats Richmond 18. 10. (118), Etihad Stadium
Round 2, 2010: Richmond 7. 6. (48) defeated by Western Bulldogs 17. 18. (120), MCG
Round 11, 2009: Richmond 14. 5. (89) defeated by Western Bulldogs 24. 13. (157), Etihad Stadium
Last time they met:* Trent Cotchin (36 disposals), Dustin Martin (35 disposals, two goals) and Jack Riewoldt (five goals) were dominant for the Tigers, while Ryan Griffen (30 disposals, eight clearances, one goal) and Liam Jones (four goals) fired for the Bulldogs
* Richmond controlled the play for much of the game, collecting 108 more disposals than the Western Bulldogs
* Will Minson dominated the hitouts with 32 to Ivan Maric’s 16
* The Bulldogs played one man down for much of the match with Easton Wood injuring his hamstring and forcing the Bulldogs to substitute Clay Smith on in the first quarter
Recent FormWestern BulldogsThe Bulldogs need a solid start to make amends for the first half against Collingwood last week. While the Dogs have shown they can be competitive against quality opposition, their downfall has been in short lapses which allow their opponent to break the game open. Seven of the Bulldogs players named against Richmond have played less than 15 games, however the performances of Michael Talia, Brett Goodes, Jason Johannisen and the 2012 draftees justifies the selection. Senior Coach Brendan McCartney has been clear in his focus on development and youth this season and the injection of pace and polish from the young pups has been more than promising.
RichmondSitting one game clear in the top eight, Richmond will be determined to get the win on Saturday and further their crusade towards finals. Winning four of their past five appearances, the Tigers are stamping their authority on the competition and finding form towards the business end of the competition. Forward Powerhouse Jack Riewoldt sits comfortably in second place in the Coleman race, while their midfield is proving explosive. After a number of years on the fringe of a finals, Richmond are more adamant than ever in making an appearance this September.
Key matchups and game breakers* In round three, Richmond kept Tom Liberatore from having his usual influence around the stoppages with just two clearances. The competition’s current leading clearance winner’s ability to work his way into tomorrow’s game will be vital in the Bulldogs’ gaining first touch.
* The Bulldogs have put a lot of faith in their most recent draftees, with Lachie Hunter the fifth to make his debut this season. The father-son selection joins Nathan, Hrovat, Jake Stringer, Jack Macrae and Brett Goodes to have been blooded this year, who are also named in the round 13 lineup.
* Richmond’s midfield depth has posed headaches for a number of opposition sides this year with Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin and Brett Deledio in fine form. The Bulldogs’ must apply pressure across the midfield to restrict their forward entries and prevent them from finding space to play on their own terms.
What we said:"They remember the start where they got us, how non-thinking we were around the ball and how they were able to play the way they wanted. They gave us a pretty good working over so it's our challenge to deal with that. They have a perception of us and how they think they can beat us and we've got to be able to deal with it and play well."
- Bulldogs Senior Coach Brendan McCartneyWhat they said:“Contested ball, they’re very, very good. Their ability to win clearances is very good. We’ve got to make sure we combat them in those two areas, and it’ll give us a good chance to win. It’s going to be a tough game. Every week is a challenge, and this week is no different. We just need to worry about what we can control, and that’s playing good, solid football for a consistent four quarters.”
- Richmond Senior Coach Damien Hardwickhttp://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2013-06-21/opposition-analysis-midfield-battle-imminent
