Elimination Final - Richmond vs North Melbourne @ the M.C.G. - Sunday, Sept. 13

[WA Tiger]

Must win game!

About the only time during the entire year that this stupid saying actually has meaning. Of course it is, if we don't, what do you think is left?? There is no week after that.

[WA Tiger]

8 point game.

That's ridiculous!!!

[Muscles]

Booked my flights from/to Sydney, but not before the airlines put the price up.  I'm assuming that I get from the G to Tulla in plenty of time for the 8:35 flight to Sydney.  I'm wondering if I'll have time for a celebratory beer at the MRC after the game?

[Hes My Hero]

Not to put the cart before the horse .....But who do we potentially play in the second week of the finals ?

Loser of Freo & Sydney , @ their ground

If played in Sydney it will be at ANZ stadium.

[cub]

Not to put the cart before the horse .....But who do we potentially play in the second week of the finals ?

Loser of Freo & Sydney , @ their ground

If played in Sydney it will be at ANZ stadium.

Hope so

[1965]

I'll be watching from the Hoi An Sports bar.

 

[Yeahright]

Booked my flights from/to Sydney, but not before the airlines put the price up.  I'm assuming that I get from the G to Tulla in plenty of time for the 8:35 flight to Sydney.  I'm wondering if I'll have time for a celebratory beer at the MRC after the game?

Should have plenty of time for 5!

[cub]

Not to put the cart before the horse .....But who do we potentially play in the second week of the finals ?

Loser of Freo & Sydney , @ their ground

If played in Sydney it will be at ANZ stadium.

[one-eyed]

AFL Finals 2015: we look at the first week of AFL finals and who will win?

Herald-Sun
September 06, 2015


FIRST ELIMINATION FINAL

RICHMOND V NORTH MELBOURNE

Burning questions

1. Just how big is this game for Richmond?

Let’s not beat around the bush, it’s absolutely enormous. This is a big club, with a big fan base and they haven’t won a final since 2001.

Damien Hardwick has had plenty of time to cultivate a list and a winning culture and they’ve had as good a season as they’ve had under his tenure.

But the last two elimination final defeats — to Carlton and Port Adelaide — have been painful, to say the least. If a third consecutive was to follow against the Roos on Sunday, it would be the most bitter of pills to swallow.

2. Can Ivan Maric cope with Todd Goldstein?

Big Ivan has had a solid year, but Goldstein has been on another planet for much of it. The pair last met in Tassie way back in Round 6, where Goldstein got the chocolates with 11 disposals 36 hit-outs.

It’s Goldstein’s enormous engine and work ethic around the ground that has put most opponents to the sword. But if there’s one ruckman who has the desire and mobility to counter that, perhaps it’s Maric.

It promises to be a fascinating contest, not just to see which midfield gets first use, but which big man can push forward to make a fool of the other one and hit the scoreboard.

3. How will North’s stars return from their contentious week off?

The great unknown. What is known, however, is that if North get rolled those screaming ‘Told you do’ may deafen Brad Scott.

His overworked midfield would have appreciated the rest, along with the nine days between the Round 23 game and this elimination final. It’s difficult to blame him.

But this is a side that has had to keep every hand to the wheel to feature in this year’s finals. How will they handle the pressure-cooker atmosphere of a final against Richmond and its rabid fans after so many days between hit-outs?

4. Can Robbie Tarrant contain Jack Riewoldt?

Needless to say, a critical match-up. But Tarrant will go in quietly confident after a promising performance on Friday night.

The young Roo kept a tight leash on the matchwinning Tiger in the first half of that bizarre Round 23 meeting, keeping him goal-less and to zero influence.

Riewoldt, like many of his teammates, responded with vengeance in the second hour, marking well in the third quarter and setting up opportunities before kicking two goals himself in the last quarter when the floodgates opened.

You’d think Tarrant will get the job again, with the returning Scott Thompson normally assigned a less-difficult assignment so he can peel off and intercept mark.

If Tarrant can somehow keep Richmond’s leading goalkicker under control, it will go a long way to sending the Roos into a semi-final.

Past meetings:

Richmond 16.12 (108) def North Melbourne 10.7 (67), Round 23, Etihad Stadium

North Melbourne 16.13 (109) def Richmond 10.14 (74), Round 6, Bellerive Oval

Casualty Room

Richmond: Reece Conca (hamstring) test, Corey Ellis (foot) 2-3 weeks, Ben Griffiths (finger) 4 weeks

North Melbourne: Kayne Turner (concussion) test, Daniel Wells (calf) test


TIP: Richmond by 18 points


http://www.news.com.au/national/afl-finals-2015-we-look-at-the-first-week-of-afl-finals-and-who-will-win/story-e6frfkp9-1227515369629

[one-eyed]

The Age's preview is also tipping us by 18 points.


AFL finals preview: More mature Tigers will down rested Roos
Matt Murnane
The Age
September 7, 2015

First elimination final
Richmond v North Melbourne
MCG
Sunday, September 13, 3.20pm

Selection table:

You didn't hear? North Melbourne have nearly half a team to come back from a week's rest. Key players Todd Goldstein, Andrew Swallow, Shaun Higgins, Scott Thompson, Nick Dal Santo, Jarrad Waite, Ben Cunnington, Michael Firrito and Sam Wright all missed Friday night's elimination final preview against Richmond, while Lindsay Thomas, who has missed the past three games with a foot injury, will also come into the frame. Of the replacements who might have earned the chance to keep their spot for the real thing, youngster Kayne Turner seems the most likely after a spirited three-goal performance on Friday night. However his potential selection will be affected by how he recovers from the head knock he received in a marking contest which caused him to be stretchered from the ground. Jack Ziebell will also be monitored this week for the effects of a high knock he sustained late in the match, but early indications are he will be OK. The Tigers, meanwhile, were the only finals-bound team that did not have an injury concern arising from the final round and are virtually at full strength.

2015 meetings

What do you make of Friday night's game? The Tigers won by 41 points but it was essentially against the "Roos Twos". North gave the favourites a scare in the first half, and were able to implement a defensive set-up that restricted Richmond's ball movement. But it didn't last, with star Tigers Brett Deledio (26 disposals and nine inside 50s) and Trent Cotchin (30 disposals and six inside 50s) providing the spark, Alex Rance blanketing the Roos key forwards and Ty Vickery and Dustin Martin hitting the scoreboard with three goals each. The first meeting between the two clubs, down in Hobart back in round six, was the opposite in terms of game flow, with the Roos breaking free via a six-goal third quarter. Significantly, Thomas was a major factor with an equal season-high five goals. The Roos had won 6 of their past seven against the Tigers before Friday night.

Who will win and why

The pros of giving key players an extended break measured against the cons of potentially losing momentum and gifting your opposition the confidence of beating you just a week before such a high-stakes match will be the main storyline out of this match. Regardless of the actual reasons the Roos win or lose this match, from a public perception point of view, Brad Scott will be judged on the controversial "rest your best" decision – an unfair reality he is acutely aware of. The Tigers will be judged just as harshly in the event of a loss, for it would be the club's third consecutive week-one exit under Hardwick. That the Tigers get an extra two days rest – from last Friday to this Sunday – could help offset the perceived advantage the Roos have in terms of resting key players. In short, it's difficult to see the Tigers succumbing to another early elimination. They are a more mature and consistent all-round team this year.

Richmond by 18 points

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-finals-preview-more-mature-tigers-will-down-rested-roos-20150906-gjg70n.html

[crannyvegas]

Have to say I am  that we are playing Sunday

But avian who cares, we're in the finals that's all that matters

The only time slot i can't get to, Sunday afternoon. Fly out Sunday morning to KL.

Anyone got suggestions of places to watch it in KL?

[Yeahright]

Have to say I am  that we are playing Sunday

But avian who cares, we're in the finals that's all that matters

The only time slot i can't get to, Sunday afternoon. Fly out Sunday morning to KL.

Anyone got suggestions of places to watch it in KL?

Don't let them hear you can't make a game

[Muscles]

Have to say I am  that we are playing Sunday

But avian who cares, we're in the finals that's all that matters

The only time slot i can't get to, Sunday afternoon. Fly out Sunday morning to KL.

Anyone got suggestions of places to watch it in KL?

The Australian Consulate in KL usually puts on an event for each final.  Search for MANZA on fhe internet.

[one-eyed]

Matthew Richardson backs Tigers for long-overdue September joy
Herald-Sun
September 8, 2015

MATTHEW Richardson says a finals win this weekend could set up his beloved Tigers for an almighty winning streak.

The Hall of Famer said the club had finally developed a formula that would deliver results for years to come — and the kind of footy joy Richmond fans had been waiting for.

“It’s been an educated progression under Damien Hardwick but the fans are obviously pretty ready for it,’’ the former champion forward said.

“If you look at the key numbers — it has been the number one defensive squad since Round 6, when they really stepped it up and changed the way they played.

“What they have been doing is fantastic. To win a premiership you have to be able to score 100 points. The Tigers have been able to do that consistently.’’

But Richo admitted it would be tough watching on from the sidelines in his role as a Channel 7 commentator.

The 40-year-old played 282 senior games with the Tigers until he retired in 2009.

“I’m just another footy supporter at the end of the day, but the Richmond fans are passionate and we all really want the team to have some success. It’s going to be difficult to watch but it will be a ripper.’’

The Tigers go in favourites to win against North Melbourne in the first elimination final at the MCG on Sunday.

It will be the third consecutive year the team has made the first week of finals.

Richmond was thrashed by Port Adelaide last year and gave up a 32-point halftime lead against Carlton the year before.

“The burden of dropping the two previous finals really weighs heavily on us,’’ diehard fan Brett “Trout’’ Beattie said on Monday.

“But I think we have matured a lot more and are playing a lot better. We are going to give it a good shot.’’

Even though Richmond goes in favourite, on Monday punters still weren’t convinced.

“Sixty per cent of the money has been for North Melbourne, but they are still rated the outsiders at $2.25, with Richmond $1.65,’’ Tabcorp spokesman Trent Langskaill said.

http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/matthew-richardson-backs-tigers-for-long-overdue-september-joy/story-fnii5sms-1227516974122

[one-eyed]

North getting desperate rushing Wells back?

Daniel Wells could be a shock inclusion for North Melbourne's elimination final against Richmond on Sunday, according to Roos coach Brad Scott.

But Scott told reporters on Tuesday that small forward Lindsay Thomas remained in doubt for Sunday's clash after missing the past two weeks with a foot injury.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-09-08/roos-consider-shock-in-for-final-against-tigers