All Betts are on for an upset in the blockbuster season-openerBen Collins
afl.com.au
8 December 2019HE'S 33 and he's coming off two quiet seasons by his lofty standards, but could Eddie Betts be Carlton's good-luck charm in its bid to finally break its hoodoo against reigning premier Richmond in round one?
The veteran small forward, who has returned to the Blues after six seasons with Adelaide, boasts an extraordinary 16-3 record against the Tigers over the past 12 seasons.
What's more, Betts' average winning margin against Richmond is an emphatic 45 points.
Most tellingly, the last time Betts played for the Blues against the Tigers – in the 2013 first elimination final – resulted in Carlton's most recent victory over its old rival.
In their six seasons without Betts, the Blues haven't played another final and haven't beaten Richmond.
In fact, Carlton is enduring its longest losing streak against Richmond, succumbing in each of its past nine clashes by an average of 26 points.
In their past two encounters the Blues have been goalless at quarter-time, an area Betts might well rectify himself given he has kicked first-quarter goals in 10 of his previous 19 games against Richmond.
The little genius also enjoyed a strong record against the Tigers as a Crow, winning five of seven games. However, it must be pointed out that five of these contests were fought at Adelaide Oval, where the Crows prevailed 4-1.
The Crows' only other loss to the Tigers in this period was, of course, the crushing 48-point capitulation in the 2017 Grand Final.
Over the past 12 years Betts has been held goalless against Richmond just once, and that was in a winning team in round two, 2018, when Adelaide triumphed by six goals and exacted some degree of revenge for the Grand Final defeat.
Now that the popular Betts is back at Carlton and he has slipped back into his old No.19 guernsey, the Blues hope he can also recapture some of his old magic, while providing his young team with crucial leadership and big-game experience.
And it certainly promises to be a big game against the Tigers in round one.
Betts v Richmond while at Carlton 2008-2013Result Margin When Venue Betts
W 30 R1, 2008 MCG 2.1
W 30 R14, 2008 MCG 2.1
W 83 R1, 2009 MCG 5.0
W 20 R15, 2009 MCG 1.1 & 3 GA
W 56 R1, 2010 MCG 3.3 & 2 GA
W 89 R20, 2010 MCG 2.2 & 3 GA
W 20 R1, 2011 MCG 3.3 & 3 GA
W 103 R15, 2011 MCG 5.2 & 2 GA
W 44 R1, 2012 MCG 2.3 & 2 GA
W 4 R18, 2012 MCG 4.1
L 5 R1, 2013 MCG 2.0
W 20 EF, 2013 MCG 3.2 & 1 GA
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11-1 45 ave. 34.19 & 16 GABetts v Richmond while at Adelaide 2014-19Result Margin When Venue Betts
L 10 R21, 2014 AO 2.0
W 36 R19, 2015 AO 2.3
W 36 R3, 2016 Docklands 3.1 & 2 GA
W 76 R6, 2017 AO 1.1
L 48 GF, 2017 MCG 1.2
W 36 R2, 2018 AO 0.0 & 2 GA
W 33 R13, 2019 AO 2.0 & 1 GA
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5-2 43 ave. 11.7 & 5 GA
*GA – goal assists
Carlton v Richmond 2014-19Result Margin When Venue
L 12 R2, 2014 MCG
L 27 R1, 2015 MCG
L 30 R15, 2015 MCG
L 9 R1, 2016 MCG
L 43 R1, 2017 MCG
L 26 R14, 2017 MCG
L 26 R1, 2018 MCG
L 33 R1, 2019 MCG
L 28 R21, 2019 MCG
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0-9 26 ave. Information supplied by AFL statistician and historian Stephen Rodgers.https://www.afl.com.au/news/266501/all-betts-are-on-for-an-upset-in-the-blockbuster-season-opener
