Richmond vs Carlton --- Round 1, March 18, 2021

[one-eyed]

AFL pushing for 75 per cent capacity at MCG to start 2021 season

Josh Garlepp
The West Australian
Wed, 10 February 2021 11:35AM

The AFL is believed to be pushing for 75 per cent capacity at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to start the 2021 season.

SEN Radio’s Sam Edmund reported this morning that league officials and MCG administrators will put a proposal to the Victorian government to increase capacity for the season opener between Carlton and Richmond on March 18 from 50,000 to 75,000.

The proposal would be a massive financial win for clubs, the league and the MCG after the 2020 season saw zero crowds in Victoria as the state battled to stop the spread of coronavirus.

https://thewest.com.au/sport/afl/afl-pushing-for-75-per-cent-capacity-at-mcg-to-start-2021-season-ng-b881792445z

[one-eyed]

Callum Moore was the ruckman in the Blues intra-club today.


Levi Casboult was another casualty from morning session, limping from the field midway through the encounter before returning to the sidelines with ice on his knee.

With Marc Pittonet (concussion) and Tom De Koning (back) also absent, the ruck duties then fell on the shoulders of train-on player Callum Moore throughout the remainder of the contest.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/547841/bigger-harry-dominates-carlton-intraclub-zac-s-scare

[one-eyed]

Round 1 bolters? The young players at every AFL club pushing for an early debut

Ben Waterworth
Fox Sports
February 17th, 2021 2:04 pm

As several coaches have pointed out over the summer, more AFL draftees are exposed at senior level earlier in a season than ever before.

Expect that to again be the case come Round 1 in 2021, with some clubs likely to unleash their prized young guns as soon as possible.

Foxfooty.com.au assesses every club and the uncapped players most likely to debut in Round 1.

RICHMOND

It’s a darn hard team to break into, but Riley Collier-Dawkins is a chance to be named in Richmond’s Round 1 team after a “fantastic pre-season”, according to coach Damien Hardwick. After being close to playing last year, Collier-Dawkins has matured a lot over the off-season, putting himself in a great position for an early debut after being drafted with Pick 20 in 2018. Speaking about Collier-Dawkins, Hardwick told SEN Breakfast this week: “He’s very explosive, he’s very powerful, his fitness base has really improved and he’s matured. I think he’s going to be a really, really good player for us.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-news-2021-round-1-teams-debuts-riley-collierdawkins-richmond-james-rowe-adelaide-nick-cox-essendon/news-story/dd18691673f7e1dc3950a1bb7755443d

[one-eyed]

Exactly 4 weeks to go  .

[mightytiges]

So Prestia & Houli are outs from our premiership 22.

Who replaces them for round 1?

Prestia --> Ross/RCD?
Houli --> ?

[mightytiges]

Having watched the intra-club, Ross will come in for Prestia. A lock for round 1 barring injury (touchwood).

[one-eyed]

https://twitter.com/Richmond_FC/status/1364742401055596544

[WilliamPowell]

Just confirmed, 50% crowds for round 1

Means for our game = 50k

Waiting to see the break up

[mightytiges]

Just confirmed, 50% crowds for round 1

Means for our game = 50k

Waiting to see the break up

As mentioned in the other thread, Benny Gale said both 2019 & 2020 flags will be unfurled in round 1.

[one-eyed]

Club members the priority as 50 per cent capacity for MCG

By Anthony Colangelo and Michael Gleeson
The Age
Updated February 26, 2021

Victorian AFL clubs have given assurances to the league that they will prioritise their members when allocating tickets for the start of the season, after it was announced on Friday that crowds will be capped at 50 per cent capacity at the MCG and Marvel Stadium for round one.

The news prompted Richmond to decide to unveil the 2019 and 2020 premiership flags at the MCG in round one against Carlton.

At the MCG 11,517 tickets of the 50,000 would go to MCC members, with the rest going to clubs.

“The clubs will own that process [of allocating tickets] but I have a commitment from them that they will unsurprisingly prioritise their members,” Auld said.

... the Richmond-Carlton game would likely be broken down as follows: the MCC (capacity 22,700) would have a little over 11,000, the AFL members’ area (22,000), would be about 11,000, and there would be an estimated 2000 corporate tickets.

The balance of the about 50,000 - 25,000-26,000 - allowed into the MCG would be given to the clubs’ members, with Richmond having the overwhelming share because the Tigers are the home team.

Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale confirmed the Tigers would now get the chance to unfurl their two premiership flags given the return of crowds.

Richmond did not last year unveil their 2019 flag, waiting instead until they could do so at home in front of a crowd.

The Tigers will use a ballot system to decide which of their roughly 100,000 members gets the chance to attend a game in the reduced capacity venues.

“It is a really difficult thing, we have a ballot system in place so 50 per cent capacity does not mean 50,000 members. You take out MCC members, AFL members, we think we have half. We have about 100,000 members and a lot of those are reserved seat holders.

“We have a ballot system to spread as equitably as possible access to the games.”

Gale said there was now hope that if rules and protocols are observed that crowds could return in full at some stage during the season.

“There is every likelihood things might be revised upwards. That is up to the AFL they have done a power of work with the government so we will be guided by them but that is our hope,” he said.

https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/afl/50-per-cent-capacity-at-mcg-marvel-for-start-of-afl-season-20210226-p5764e.html

[one-eyed]

Round 1 is getting closer by the day.

And some players have produced dazzling performances to push their case for selection in the club’s best 22.

Foxfooty.com.au outlines every club’s bolter for selection after the latest weekend of practice match action.

RICHMOND

Hugo Ralphsmith could help the Tigers plan for life after Bachar Houli. The 2019 pick No.46 can serve as both a winger or rebound defender and could challenge Marlion Pickett for a spot when Houli comes back into the side.

That Pickett played in the ‘B’ game on Friday rather than most of the ‘A’ hitout could suggest the spot is there for the taking.

Ralphsmith looks to have developed his frame over the off-season, making him a more sturdy fit at AFL level.

After missing out on a flag, Jake Aarts once again proved what a valuable asset he is at AFL level with three goals and likely cementing his spot in the senior side for round one.

Young midfielder Will Martyn spent a fair bit of time in the middle along with Jack Ross and both showed promising signs.

Late in the game, Callum Coleman-Jones was given a run in the ruck, with club CEO Brendon Gale telling the broadcast the Tigers had big plans for the 21-year-old, who could prove invaluable while Ivan Soldo recovers from a long-term injury.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-news-2021-afl-2021-round-1-teams-afl-team-news-selection-bolters-scratch-match-report-afl-draft/news-story/6f43d3ffbab62f998cfd6d09ac00c5ba

[one-eyed]

Round 1 teams

There are plenty of big calls to make at team selection ahead of round one.

Matt Balmer and David Zita
Fox Sports
March 1, 2021

With the 2021 season just around the corner, some enormously tough calls are looming at the selection table for round one.

New gun recruits and draftees have shaken up the established best 22, while former fringe players are threatening to become breakout stars and cement a place in their sides.

Taking into account injuries and form, here’s how every club’s starting lineup could look for round one of the AFL season.

RICHMOND

B: David Astbury, Dylan Grimes, Nick Vlastuin

HB: Jayden Short, Noah Balta, Bachar Houli

C: Kamdyn McIntosh, Dion Prestia, Shane Edwards

HF: Kane Lambert, Jack Riewoldt, Dustin Martin

F: Jason Castagna, Tom Lynch, Daniel Rioli

FOLL: Toby Nankervis, Trent Cotchin, Shai Bolton

I/C: Jack Graham, Jake Aarts, Liam Baker, Nathan Broad

The Tigers look pretty well settled for the season ahead barring the long-term injury to Ivan Soldo. The competition for spots makes Marlion Pickett’s season interesting - it wouldn’t beyond Damien Hardwick to make him work his way back into the side and take the place of someone else after round one. Jake Aarts proved with his three goals in the scratch match that he remains a forward force and is keen to avoid omission like the one he was dealt after last year’s finals loss to Brisbane. Underpinning all of this, however, is that Richmond have so often shown they can replace one soldier with another almost seamlessly when needed.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2021-round-1-teams-every-club-best-22-predictions-lineups-injury-list-marlion-pickett-eddie-betts-jeremy-cameron/news-story/47457c13027695f586626790670976c3

[Tiger Khosh]

Would be good if these guys did some research or at the very least ran their eyes over the AFL injury list. Bachar isn’t playing round 1 and I doubt prestia will either. Ross and Ralphsmith looking the most likely to replace them I’d say.

[one-eyed]

Richmond development coach Sam Lonergan said Lynch and Prestia were both on track for round one, and insisted the Tigers were being “ultra-conservative” with the star pair.

“It’s just a conservative approach leading into this time of year,” Lonergan said on Thursday. “Dion’s tracking really well to be right for round one.”

Lynch and Prestia join defender Bachar Houli in the medical room, who will not feature in the season-opener as he recovers from a calf tear sustained in last year’s grand final.

With Richmond set be hunted again this year in the premiership stakes, Lonergan said the Tigers would back in their system.

“At this stage, we’re very familiar with how we play. We’ll continue to adapt and adjust and look at things as they arise, but at this stage we’re pretty confident in the program we run.”

Source: The Age

[pmac21]

Blues not much chop so far.  Leaky in defence and their kicking hasn't improved much. 
I'll give them a chance because it's early.