Richmond vs Fremantle @ the MCG --- Round 8, 2024

[one-eyed]

AFL Round 8

RICHMOND vs Fremantle

Sunday, 5th May @ the M.C.G.

Start time:  1:00 PM


Odds: (Sportsbet)
Richmond  $2.71
Fremantle  $1.47

https://www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/5964

[one-eyed]

Richmond v Fremantle Preview

Martin Pegan
afl.com.au
1 May 2024

Last time: Richmond 12.13 (85) d Fremantle 10.10 (70), R13 2023

What it means

Richmond (1-6) has continued to battle hard without quite getting its just reward on the scoreboard, especially when on its home turf at the MCG. The injury-ravaged Tigers will have to call on yet more reinforcements as they look to prove that they can still compete with clubs hovering around the middle of the ladder even while gradually refreshing their own side.

Fremantle (4-3) might have suffered the wake up call it needed two rounds ago against West Coast. The Dockers released the shackles to bounce back from their Western Derby defeat with a victory over Western Bulldogs, but now need to show it was more than just a once off while taking on the Tigers at a venue where they have won three of their past five matches.

Game shapers

Dustin Martin has looked like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode this season as the triple Norm Smith medallist has averaged 18.6 disposals and only booted four goals in five matches. But with onball bull Jacob Hopper the latest addition to the Tigers' lengthy injury list, the time is now for Martin to return to his familiar role at the coalface and take a game by the scruff of the neck.

Nat Fyfe turned back the clock with 37 disposals, including 18 contested, against Western Bulldogs last week. The former Dockers skipper had been building towards having that sort of impact again, and gathered 13 clearances a week earlier against the Eagles, but now looms as a not-so-secret weapon in the midfield that can already turn to its strength around the stoppages.

Early tip: Fremantle by 17 points

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1119570/r8-preview-rivalries-reignited-dees-cats-in-monster-saturday-night-clash

[one-eyed]

Richmond v Fremantle Preview

Andrew Slevison
SEN
1 May 2024

Richmond enters this Sunday afternoon fixture off the back of a 43-point loss to Melbourne where they were more than competitive for almost three quarters.

Fremantle got back on there winners’ list by beating the Bulldogs by 24 points in Perth in Round 7. It was a much-needed result after three straight defeats.

The fact that this match is at the MCG would hold no fears for the Dockers who have three of their last five at the venue, including two big wins over Melbourne.

They get a Tigers side that is devoid of a lot of senior players with the likes of Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper, Dion Prestia, Tom Lynch and Noah Balta, plus a few more, sidelined.

One major issue facing Adem Yze is a somewhat makeshift forward line that has been unable to hit the scoreboard regularly enough across 2024, and in the last three weeks in particular. The Tigers have averaged just 57 points in those three consecutive defeats and are the second lowest scoring side in the AFL so far.

What makes that scenario even more difficult for Richmond is that Freo boasts the third measliest defence (conceding an average of 70 points per game) in the league.

Where do the Tigers get their goals from? Shai Bolton leads the way with 15, so you can pencil him in for one or two, but next on the list is Liam Baker (7), Mykelti Lefau (7) and Maurice Rioli (6). It doesn’t scream a winning score.

The Tigers are also down on quality midfielders so expect the likes of Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw and Nat Fyfe to get busy in the middle and dominate clearance.

It’s hard to trust the Dockers, who have a fondness for swiftly mixing their form, but it’s just hard to see them not being able to stymy Richmond’s undermanned attack.

The expected return of Jye Amiss, plus Josh Treacy, Luke Jackson and co. should create enough headaches for Richmond’s defence, and although the Tigers will likely be competitive for large portions, they just lack the star power.

On the flip side, the Dockers have enough good players playing well enough to see this one out.

Tip: Fremantle by 16 points.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2024/05/01/who-will-win-and-why-the-tips-and-predictions-for-afl-round-8/

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Yze's presser:

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/1544097/we-wanna-play-an-exciting-brand-of-footy-on-offence-yze

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Without Lynch and Balta the Tigers have struggled to produce a competitive score, but Yze said they remained committed to playing attacking, exciting football regardless of personnel or facing strong opposition.

“We have no issue with wanting to play an aggressive brand of footy … we have a go, we want to win the ball back really quickly and take the game on,” he said.

“We want to play an exciting brand of footy on offence, so we want to bring that out on Sunday.”

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-2024-jayden-short-returns-but-richmond-wont-risk-dion-prestia/news-story/9cf982150da653b77955cf7beff725cf

[one-eyed]

The certainties for Round 8 - Richmond versus Fremantle

Andrew Slevison
SEN
4 May 2024

D.Rioli to have 20+ disposals

Daniel Rioli has been one of Richmond’s most consistent performers in recent weeks.

He had 23 disposals in last week’s loss to Melbourne, making it the fourth time he has hit the 20-touch mark from seven matches in 2024.

His record against Fremantle over the years isn’t flash (averaging 15.8 disposals), but much of that time was spent as a small forward.

If the Tigers are a chance of winning, Rioli must provide plenty of run and carry so we’re with him to pick up at least 20 touches at the MCG.

Serong to have 25+ disposals, 5+ clearances

Caleb Serong is one of the most prolific midfielders in the AFL in 2024.

He averages over 32 disposals and more than eight clearances, and against the Dogs last weekend he filled up with 37 touches and a remarkable 17 clearances.

He has loved playing against Richmond over the course of his career, averaging 25 touches and over five clearances across four games.

Given the Tigers remain thin in the midfield, Serong could feast at the ‘G on Sunday and we’re with him to get a fair bit of the ball.

The 23-year-old should have at the very least 25 disposals and five clearances, and could quit easily tip over the 30-disposal mark.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2024/05/03/the-14-certainties-for-the-rest-of-round-8/

[one-eyed]

Kmac is the sub. Fyfe is surprisingly Freo's sub (they have a 5-day break apparently).

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NO LATE CHANGES

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Kamdyn McIntosh
Fremantle: Nat Fyfe

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1119774/follow-it-live-richmond-tigers-v-fremantle-dockers-western-bulldogs-v-hawthorn-hawks-brisbane-lions-v-gold-coast-suns

[mightytiges]

Both Riolis do well on the wing. Dusty nice pass to Lefau. Goal! 

[mightytiges]

Basic errors just kill us  . Cost us goals at one end and gift the opposition soft ones at the other.

[mightytiges]

Baker clearly taken high and the fluro muppett pays HTB  .

[mightytiges]

Terrible defending. No one in the space in front of Amiss. Schoolboy stuff.

[mightytiges]

Dusty with 3 possies in that coast to coast run. Lefau misses from the pocket.

8 - 15

[mightytiges]

Nank misses a gettable one. Got to kick those. No momentum in the kicking action.

9 - 15

[mat073]

Question- is Fremantle’s tactic to bore opposition teams to death  ??

[WilliamPowell]

Terrible miss by Nank, for it to be the Captain makes it a helluva lot worse

Dusty sensational that qtr. Reminded me of 2017

[Tigeritis™©®]

We are absolutely rubbish.   

We would be a pretty good VFL team though if the players  could learn how to kick and handball correctly, ya know, the fundamentals of the game.