1st SEMI FINAL: RICHMOND vs ESSENDON
Saturday September 8, 12.40pm @ Stannards Stadium (North Port Oval)
Broadcasts: Channel 7 / Aussie Digital
2 Likes
So when we win (vfl lid off) we play Casey?
Yes.
Tickets on sale. We outnumbered the Pies, let’s crush Richmond.
1 Like
Liam Baker – Richmond
AFL Victoria’s Match Review Panel charged player Baker for rough conduct against Williamstown player Peter Faulks during the first quarter of the VFL 1st Qualifying Final between Richmond and Williamstown on Saturday 1st September 2018 at the Swinburne Centre (Punt Road Oval).
Based on the available video and medical report, the incident was assessed as intentional conduct with medium impact and body contact. The incident was classified as a two match base sanction. The player has no applicable record which impacted the penalty. An early guilty plea enables the player to accept a one match sanction.
4 Likes
If it’s either Stannard’s Stadium, or North Port Oval, why the hell does Google insist its Port Melbourne Cricket Club!!!
Does everyone stand in the DJR flank?
Liam Baker – Richmond
Outcome – accepted one match sanction and will be unavailable for selection at AFL/VFL level until after this weekend’s VFL Semi Final on Saturday 8th September.
3 Likes
We owned the DJR flank on Sunday. It’s a bit of a walk to the beer shed but apart from that it’s excellent viewing.
I miss having the Jarmies behind the goals. Whatever happened to those fine fellows?
4 Likes
We need to be at full strength in the midfield. Keep fingers crossed that Clark is OK to play. At the time he went off in the second quarter, he was our leading possession player on 9, and had 2 score involvements with incisive handballs.
3 Likes
Was in Richmond’s best on Saturday night in a pretty disappointing display. From watching that game, it confirms my thoughts that they really aren’t as deep as everyone likes to suggest. They’re very even from 5-20 on the list but not stacked for talent. Dominate in defence like we did against the Pies and we’re a big show knock those mupps out in straight sets.
2 Likes
My plane lands 11am Saturday, will get to see some of the match. 
2 Likes
Brandon Ellis?
having been dropped you’d think he’d play
apparently he’s battling some personal stuff and not in a particularly great space.
1 Like
COME ON BOMBERS!
YOU CAN DO IT.
2 Likes
“Partly cloudy. Light winds becoming northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening.”
(Top of 17 - perfect footy weather. A NW wind is goal-to-goal, to left of screen. We’ve shown pretty good nous handling winds at this ground in recent years.)
4 Likes
Alex Boyse gets his finals chance, with the key forward coming into the side to replace the injured Jayden Laverde.
Dylan Clarke has cleared a mid-week concussion test to be named in the centre after sustaining a collision against Collingwood and sitting out the second half on the pine.
First-year player Joe Harrison has kept his place in the side after replacing Jamieson Sheahan on the eve of the elimination final.
The Bombers will take on the Tigers at Stannards Stadium from 12.40pm on Saturday.
TEAM:
B – Zerk-Thatcher, Hartley, McNiece
HB – A. Heppell, Ridley, Francis
C – J. Merrett, Mynott, Mutch
HF – Long, Boyse, Hind
F – Younan, Stewart, Green
R – Draper, Clarke, Hocking
I/C – Berry, Ottavi, Sheahan, Collins, Harrison, Sibbald, McQueen, Dixon
23P – Lazzaro
2 Likes
I went to the Richmond site to find their team, given the VFL site hasn’t provided it, and their “latest” news is about their final round win against Frankston.
They probably won’t report us bundling them out in straight sets either.
6 Likes
2018 ENCOUNTER
Rd 14 @ Windy Hill: Richmond 13.11 (89) d Essendon 7.15 (57)
The Tigers were missing key VFL regulars like Anthony Miles, Corey Ellis and Jacob Townsend but their team defence held up well in blowy conditions, setting up this win with five first-term goals to one using the breeze.
FORM COMING IN
Minor premier Richmond (14-5) has lost three of its last four games after falling to Williamstown for the third time this season, by 25 points in a qualifying final last week. / Essendon (10-9) continued its season-saving three-match winning streak – following a six-game losing run – with a 34-point triumph over Collingwood in an elimination final.
KEY QUESTION
Are opposition teams finding their way through Richmond’s pressure? The Tigers finished the home-and-away season ranked first for inside-50s per game but ninth for disposals, relying on superior team defence to cause forward-half turnovers and then capitalise on the scoreboard. That hasn’t been happening over the last month though, with Richmond effectively breaking even in inside-50s in losses to Williamstown (twice) and Geelong but conceding a total of 18 more goals in those games. The Seagulls and Cats controlled possession against the Tigers and had the skill to pierce through their structures, but can the Bombers do the same?
KEY STAT
As mentioned above, high-possessing opposition teams have been able to score well against Richmond thanks to quality ball-use. Essendon failed in that regard in Round 14 though, recording 46 more disposals and 14 more clearances than the Tigers but converting only seven goals from 52 inside-50s. If Bombers ruckman Sam Draper wins his battle with Ivan Soldo and allows Essendon playmakers like Kobe Mutch, Nick Hind and Aaron Heppell to drive the ball forward, they need the skill and composure to hit their targets inside 50.
That’s a strong team, and it needs to be in order to match it with the Tigers. What’s the Laverde injury?