Richmond vs Carlton @ the MCG --- Round 14, 2022

[one-eyed]

JUST a week after his long-awaited AFL return, unlucky Carlton defender Caleb Marchbank is expected to be sidelined for another two months after suffering yet another knee injury.

His return had initially aided a heavily depleted Carlton backline group that is also without Jacob Weitering (shoulder), Oscar McDonald (back), Mitch McGovern (hamstring) and Luke Parks (foot) to long-term injuries.

The Blues will also be without gun midfielder Adam Cerra for the next fortnight after scans confirmed a low-grade hamstring injury, but veteran Ed Curnow is closing on a return from a long-term calf problem.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/780302/luckless-blue-set-for-another-stint-on-the-sidelines

[one-eyed]

Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy is backing the Tigers to overcome Carlton at the MCG on Thursday night.

“I said on Friday night that I’d be tipping the Tigers,” Healy said.

“I think the Blues are too injured in the defensive area.

“If (Tom) Lynch is in, I just think they’re too good around the ball. They’re also fantastic at the intercept and they’re really quick.

“I think they’ve got a shade more depth, the Tigers, and I’d be surprised if they don’t win.”

Source: SEN

[Hard Roar Tiger]

I’m amazed we are still favourites. Port proved our ruck advantage can be exploited on 2 levels - oppo mids sharking our tap outs and on the ground by the second ruck.

[lamington]

If it hasn’t been said already…. 8 POINT GAME!

[Andyy]

Tipping Blues.

They have bad outs but unless Lynch comes out and kicks 6 I don't see how our midfield can match it even without Cerra, Weitering etc.

[pmac21]

I see Sam Durdin will debut for them. Will probably come out and keep Tom goalless knowing us. 

We will beat Carlton.  Convincingly. 

[one-eyed]

Carlton’s mid-season draftee Sam Durdin will make his debut after luckless defender Caleb Marchbank went down with a knee injury to add to a long list.

But it’s not enough to sway Hardwick into thinking his team will have an easier night.

“They are (undermanned) but they have been for a couple of weeks and done a stellar job,” he said.

“Their system is really strong. Once again, if we feel we get enough supply, we’ll kick a winning score.”

Revenge isn’t any sort of theme for the Tigers, who had an 11-match winning streak against Carlton ended in the opening round.

But Hardwick is well aware of the improvements necessary to beat the Blues who have stormed into the top four.

“Last time we played them we were disappointing in the contested ball and they beat us handsomely, so we just have to make sure we match them in that,” he said

“We went down minus-15 in the clearances in the last quarter and gave away eight 50m penalties, so that’s a start.”

But Hardwick expected the match could be a “dour” affair.

“These months are really hard, it’s a bit dour, it’s cold, the grounds are a bit dewy, so it’s hard to score,” he said.

“Sometimes the games are a little bit closer than that should be.

“Our level of consistency and our KPIs would indicate we are playing a better brand of football. But sides go up and down, you have to ride the bumps and hopefully scrape a few wins along the way and ride it out.

“We, like most sides, are hanging in there and we just have to win more games than we lose.”

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-star-dustin-martin-wont-play-in-mcg-blockbuster-against-carlton/news-story/339aa6b2cd036e6ce89f1c65f21689a5

[one-eyed]

Richmond v Carlton Preview

Lachlan Geleit
SEN
16 June 2022

A mouth-watering clash awaits footy fans as rivals and finals hopefuls Richmond and Carlton do battle on the MCG.

Looking back to their last meeting which came in Round 1, the Blues were able to run over the top of a Tigers side that had their chances to assert their dominance earlier in the game.

With a see-sawing contest to go off just a few months ago, you’d expect this clash to also be a tight affair.

In that fixture, Richmond talls Jack Riewoldt and Tom Lynch were kept to just three goals combined, but none of the Carlton tall defenders that they faced in Jacob Weitering, Oscar McDonald and Mitch McGovern will be there this time around.

While the Blues sit fourth with a 9-3 record and Richmond outside the eight at 7-5, it’s the Tigers who enter as slight favourites on the back of their Round 13 win over Port Adelaide.

Although Carlton would expect to get the upper hand on-ball, the aerial discrepancy could be what decides this clash, particularly in Richmond’s forward 50.

For the Blues to get the job done, they’ll need Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow to at the very least equal the impact of Riewoldt and Lynch, and that looms a tough task with a weakened Carlton defence set to be their direct match-ups.

It’ll be a close one, but this could be the week that Carlton’s injury woes catch up with them.

Tip: Richmond by 10 points.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/06/15/who-will-win-and-why-the-predictions-and-tips-for-round-14/

[Fluffy Tiger]

I have changed my mind. Going with the Tigers with Carlton's backline outs. Still think the will beat us in the middle so it probably will be very close.

[torch]

It will be wet ... 6 hours from match time, it sure is raining steadily.

[one-eyed]

Ross Lyon and Matthew Lloyd's preview of Richmond vs Carlton:

Watch here: https://twitter.com/FootyonNine/status/1537055243720065024

[one-eyed]

THE FOUR CERTAINTIES FOR RICHMOND VERSUS CARLTON

Alex Zaia & Andrew Slevison
SEN
16 June 2022

Labelling something a ‘certainty’ in any sport is fraught with danger.

But we’ll attempt to find some anyway.

Here is what we consider certainties for Friday night’s clash between Richmond and Carlton:

Lynch and Riewoldt to kick multiple goals

The Richmond forwards will be licking their lips coming up against a depleted Carlton defence.

Tom Lynch’s return from a hamstring injury is bad news for the Blues and their makeshift backline.

The Tigers spearhead has kicked 31 goals in 10 games and remains in Coleman Medal contention despite missing two matches.

Jack Riewoldt has booted 22 goals at an average of just over two per game so far in 2022.

The three-time Coleman Medallist has kicked at least one goal in every game he’s played this season.

Bolton to finish with 15+ disposals and a goal

Shai Bolton is having a terrific season as a dangerous forward who can play through the midfield.

In last week’s win over Port Adelaide, Bolton finished with a wayward 0.5, just the second time this season he’s gone goalless in a game.

The 23-year-old is averaging a tick over 18 disposals and just under two goals a game this season.

Bolton is a match-winner and looms as a massive threat to Carlton.

Docherty to have 20+ touches and 4+ rebound 50s

Sam Docherty is putting together some sort of season.

He is averaging a career-best 28.5 disposals highlighted by his equal season-high 33 in last weekend’s win over Essendon.

The former co-captain has hit the 25-disposal mark in 10 of his 12 appearances this season, so it’s fairly safe to assume he’ll pick up at least 20 on Thursday night.

Docherty has also been a key driver for Carlton in terms of rebounding out of defence.

He leads the club for rebound 50s, averaging five per game, so four seems a fair assessment.

Cripps and Hewett to combine for 10+ clearances

Skipper Patrick Cripps and off-season recruit George Hewett are Carlton’s best clearance players.

They both sit in the league’s top 10 for average clearances with Cripps averaging 7.5 and Hewett 7.1 per game.

Given that Richmond rank 17th in the league for overall clearances, these two can fill up around the stoppage on what promises to be a wet night.

Cripps and Hewett can combine for at least 10 clearances against the Tigers.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/06/16/the-four-certainties-for-richmond-versus-carlton/

[one-eyed]

BUCKLEY’S “KEY” BATTLE BETWEEN RICHMOND AND CARLTON ON THURSDAY NIGHT

By Seb Mottram
SEN
16 June 2022

Nathan Buckley is intrigued by what Richmond’s tall forward line could mean for Carlton when the two sides clash on Thursday night at the MCG.

Both clubs have lost just one of their last five games and are finding form at the right time of the year.

Key forward Tom Lynch returns for the Tigers, while mid-season draftee Sam Durdin will play his first game for the Blues in defence.

Lynch will be joined by fellow talls Jack Riewoldt (194cm) and Noah Balta (195cm), while ruckman Toby Nankervis (199cm) could also push forward.

“Richmond have got some of their strengths back, and they’re going to be missing a few as well, (but) they seem a little bit unbalanced,” Buckley told SEN’s Whateley.

“They’re very tall, there’s a few question marks I have with their side. What do they do with Balta, does he go back or forward? He’s probably their second ruck, but they’re quite tall and whether that’s an advantage or not I’m not sure.”

The former Collingwood coach outlined two main battles for the clubs on the field on Thursday night, the first being for clearance and contested ball, and therefore field position.

However, it was in Richmond’s forward line that Buckley suggested would be “key” to the result.

The Tigers are averaging 11.7 contested marks per game in 2022, similar numbers to Carlton’s 11.2.

But Damien Hardwick’s men have taken 14 and 15 contested grabs in their last two wins, while they also beat Carlton 8-4 in that stat in Round 1.

“The other main one is for Richmond, if they do get field position, they’re going to have some dominance in the air,” Buckley stated.

“They’ve got Lynch and Riewoldt, potentially Balta and these guys are up again Carlton light (missing key players through injury).

“I think Lewis Young has been brilliant, but he’s probably a third tall, a second or third tall defender.

“Durdin comes in, thrown to the wolves, and he’ll be given a challenge. And Lachie Plowman is probably going to have to play as a key defender at times as well.

“Those three key players, who I think for all intents and purposes are third tall defenders, are going to have to play as key defenders.

“So Lynch, Riewoldt and Balta potentially and Nankervis if he finds himself down there, can they have a dominance in the air?”

Buckley continued: “and they did have it, they’ve had it in their last month and they’ve been pretty much the dominant side in the air if you look at statistics, so that’s an area of opportunity for them.

“The irony is at ground ball; they’ve actually been sieved. They haven’t done that well at winning ground ball in their forward 50, but Carlton’s small defenders have been brilliant at being able to win it there.

“So the air versus ground battle in Richmond’s front half will be key, and if the Richmond forwards get on top, it’s going to be really hard for Carlton to do what it needs to do defensively, especially in rebounding out of its back 50.”

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/06/16/buckleys-key-battle-between-richmond-and-carlton-on-thursday-night/

[Rampsation]

Richmond by 15 points. Itll be close but we should win ttonight

[one-eyed]

7news saying a crowd of just 52k expected tonight.

If it was a weekend game it would be 70k+.