Richmond Tigers v Collingwood Magpies: Full preview, teams, odds and how to watch Saturday's AFL action

Mick Stirling

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Richmond Tigers v Collingwood Magpies: Full preview, teams, odds and how to watch Saturday's AFL action image

To quote Brian Taylor: “Boy oh boy, wowee!”

It doesn’t get much bigger than this – arguably the AFL’s two most powerful clubs sitting first and third on the ladder, going head-to-head at the home of football in front of what could well be a record crowd between Richmond and Collingwood, the current best standing at 92,436.

Now cast your mind back 24 months to round 20, 2016 when the same two clubs met at the same venue, but the Pies were sitting in 12th spot, the Tigers 13th and nobody gave two hoots. Well, 49,122 cared enough to get there on a Friday night, but boy how quick can fortunes change in football nowadays?

So enjoy this week’s massive meeting while it lasts!


 

HOW TO WATCH SATURDAY’S AFL ACTION

The Tigers and Magpies get to kick off the dew with an early afternoon start while Gold Coast and Carlton get the premier Saturday night slot. Seriously, the AFL fixture was worked out by one of those traffic control guys on his lunchbreak. Fox Footy (channel 504) starts its coverage from 1.30pm AEST just 15 minutes before the bounce, which is a blessing because it means there’s half an hour less of Dermott Brereton.

Free-to-air? Nah, why would they show the match of the round? I mean, it’s not like anyone’s interested.

CAN I WATCH IT OVERSEAS?

Can you watch it overseas? Probably easier than getting it in East Melbourne! This blockbuster will be free-to-air on BBC4, KremlinTV and Einer Kleiner Nacht Futball … but not on Channel Seven!

None of that’s true. Apart from the bit about Channel Seven.

If you want to see this while drinking Schnapps at the Brandenberg Gate you’ll need the Foxtel app or AFL Live Pass.


 

AND THE RADIO?

The footy’s on the radio with Triple M putting all the big guns (and big tums) behind the mic.

WHAT TIME IS THE GAME ON?

The ball is bounced at 1.45pm AEST, 11.45am AWST for Eagles fans wanting to know if they’ll be sitting in top spot by the end of the weekend.

RICHMOND TIGERS’ LIKELY LINEUP

B: D.Grimes 2, A.Rance 18, J.Short 15
HB: N.Vlastuin 1, D.Astbury 12, N.Broad 35
C: D.Prestia 3, T.Cotchin 9, S.Grigg 6
HF: J.Castagna 11, C.Moore 36, D.Rioli 17
F: J.Caddy 22, J.Riewoldt 8, J.Higgins 28
R: T.Nankervis 25, D.Martin 4, K.Lambert 23
Int: B.Ellis 5, S.Edwards 10, K.McIntosh 33, L.Baker 48

WHAT’S IN THIS GAME FOR THE TIGERS?

Same old, same old for the team sitting top of the ladder with last year’s cup in the trophy cabinet – maintain the hunger and knock down another challenger to the throne. But this isn’t just another mob trying to get to the top, it’s Collingwood! The despised arch-enemy with just as many feral fans as Richmond. This isn’t a battle for a ladder position, it’s a war for the AFL kingdom.


 

KEY RICHMOND PLAYERS

The Magpies’ scoring strength comes from their mid-sized forwards, so the Tigers defenders are going to have their work cut out. Short, Ellis, Broad and Grimes will be worked off their feet throughout, leaving Rance and Astbury to try and cover Mason Cox. The big American gave them headaches early on the last time these teams met.

COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES’ LIKELY LINEUP

B: B.Maynard 37, B.Mihocek 41, J.Crisp 25
HB: T.Langdon 8, M.Scharenberg 12, J.Howe 38
C: C.Mayne 16, S.Pendlebury 10, T.Phillips 21
HF: W.Hoskin-Elliott 32, J.De Goey 2, T.Varcoe 18
F: J.Thomas 24, M.Cox 46, J.Stephenson 35
R: B.Grundy 4, S.Sidebottom 22, T.Adams 13
Int: S.Murray 9, B.Sier 36, L.Greenwood 19, J.Daicos 26


 

WHAT’S IN THIS GAME FOR THE MAGPIES?

Beating North Melbourne convincingly last round was good but there’s still question marks over the quality of Collingwood’s victories this year. Knock off Richmond - at the MCG - and there can be no doubt left that the Pies are genuine contenders in 2018.

KEY COLLINGWOOD PLAYERS

With Dustin Martin seemingly revving up the engines week by week, tagger Levi Greenwood could become the most important man on the MCG this Saturday. Cox will also go a long way to deciding the result, either clunking grabs and kicking goals or getting the ball to ground for the Pies’ smaller forwards. Or getting his ass whooped by the best defence in the comp.


 

LAST FOUR MEETINGS

Rd6, 2018, Richmond Tigers 16.17 (113) d Collingwood Magpies 10.10 (70) at the MCG
Rd2, 2017, Richmond Tigers 14.15 (99) d Collingwood Magpies 11.14 (80) at the MCG
Rd20, 2016, Richmond Tigers 14.8 (92) d Collingwood Magpies 11.11 (77) at the MCG
Rd2, 2016, Collingwood Magpies 13.9 (87) d Richmond Tigers 12.14 (86) at the MCG

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

The sheer volume, simplicity and financial recklessness of Collingwood fans can usually shorten the Magpies’ odds unrealistically, but this week the black and white masses are outnumbered and the Tigers start warm favourites at $1.46 to the Pies $2.75.

Daniel Rioli looks to have come back to senior football on a mission and is doing the family name proud. I quite fancy his chances of kicking the first goal of the game, paying $13.00.


 

WHO WILL WIN?

Who knows where this game will go. It could be a classic, it could be a one-sided smashing. One thing’s for sure – the sound levels are going to be off the scale when the first ball is bounced.

Whatever happens after that is in the lap of the gods, but it’s hard to go against the Tigers at the ‘G.

Richmond by 27 points.

 

Mick Stirling