Round 8
North Melbourne v Richmond
Sunday, May 13
Etihad Stadium
First bounce: 1.10pm (AEST)

Storyline

It’s shaping as one of the matches of the round, with North returning to the confines of Etihad Stadium to face the reigning premiers.

At the start of the season, many would have overlooked this fixture, however North’s recent form has made this game a must-watch.

North returned from Sydney with the points after a two-point win over the Swans. Shaun Higgins starred with 31 touches, while Mason Wood returned to the AFL in style, kicking four majors, including the decisive goal.

Richmond’s premiership defence has only gone from strength to strength in recent weeks, with another comprehensive win, this time over Fremantle by 77 points.

It goes without saying, both teams would love to secure the win on Sunday afternoon, however, a victory in this fixture may just mean that little bit more.

Outstanding defences face-off

When it comes to the best defences in the competition, Richmond and North rank first and second respectively.

Richmond has conceded an average of just 68 points this season, which included keeping Fremantle to 33 points, and Brisbane to just 17.

North has allowed only one point more than the Tigers this season, thanks to the outstanding work of key defenders Robbie Tarrant and Scott Thompson.

A key reason for these defensive performances comes off the back of the outstanding pressure placed higher up the field by midfielders and forwards.

The willingness to push up on the ball carrier from the likes of Shaun Atley and Kayne Turner for North, and Jason Castagna and Dan Butler for Richmond, forces crucial turnovers before the ball enters their respective defensive 50s.

No trouble scoring

As well as both sides having strong defensive structures, the Roos and Tigers have no issue finding the goals.

For the reigning premiers, they sit atop the ‘points for’ rankings, averaging 106 points per match, assisted by four scores of 110 or more.

Dual Coleman Medallist Jack Riewoldt is leading his side’s goalkicking through seven rounds, with 17 goals to his name already.

As for North, that stats don’t provide an accurate indication of its attacking prowess, yet it is still not one to underestimate.

Ben Brown is leading the Coleman Medal race with 24 goals, and has often been joined by his partner in crime, Jarrad Waite, who has been brought into the squad after being rested against Sydney.

Skipper Jack Ziebell has also made an impact in the forward 50 following his increased time in front of goals, while Mason Wood was the talk of the town following a four-goal performance after a stint in the VFL.

Putting two potent offences against two stingy defences, means fans are set for a fascinating contest.

Under the roof

North will be very happy to return to Etihad Stadium after a trip to Sydney, with the Roos playing the fast surface as well as anyone in the competition.

Despite the Round 6 loss to Port, North has upset St Kilda and Hawthorn under the roof, with the ground suiting the young Roo side’s fast-paced, energetic style of play.

For Richmond, it’s somewhat foreign territory for it, with the Tigers playing just six games at the ground in the past three years.

The away side also play a quick brand of football, so it’ll be interesting to see how the game pans out.

Richmond squad

B Alex Rance, David Astbury, Dylan Grimes
HB Bachar Houli, Nathan Broad, Nick Vlastuin
C Sam Lloyd, Trent Cotchin, Kamdyn McIntosh
HF Jason Castagna, Josh Caddy, Jacob Townsend
F Shane Edwards, Jack Riewoldt, Dan Butler
FOL Toby Nankervis, Kane Lambert, Dustin Martin
I/C Jack Higgins, Jack Graham, Jayden Short, Reece Conca, Brandon Ellis, Anthony Miles, Ivan Soldo, Ryan Garthwaite
 
In: Trent Cotchin, Brandon Ellis, Anthony Miles, Ivan Soldo, Ryan Garthwaite
Out: Dion Prestia (Injured)

Burning questions

Who receives the Jacobs tag?
Last time Ben Jacobs faced Richmond, he kept captain Trent Cotchin to just nine disposals. However, Brownlow Medallist Dustin Martin is another obvious option given his ability to impact games. In the second JLT Community Series match, Jacobs split his time between the pair, thus making Sunday’s match-ups a must watch.

Does David Astbury or Alex Rance go to Ben Brown?
Ben Brown may well be the toughest defensive task in football at the moment, so plenty of thought will no doubt go into how to stop the competition's leading goalkicker. Is it All-Australian defender Alex Rance? Or do Richmond send David Astbury to Brown and allow Rance to have a greater impact offensively?

How will the tall Roos handle the small Tigers?
North has added two talls to its squad for Sunday, with Majak Daw and Jarrad Waite a chance to return. It comes as somewhat of a surprise given the talent of Richmond’s mosquito fleet.

With the likes of Brown, Wood, Tarrant, Thompson and Goldstein, it will be interesting to see how Waite and Daw will slot in, if selected.