Who: North Melbourne v Richmond
Where and when: Saturday June 3, Etihad Stadium, 7:25pm EST
TV and radio: Broadcast guide
Tickets: Purchase tickets
Storyline
It looms as a high-quality encounter between North and Richmond on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium.
The Roos have won four of their last five matches, while the Tigers are inside the eight after 10 rounds.
Despite North owning a promising record against Richmond in recent years – seven wins from the last eight matches – both sides are vastly different from previous encounters.
It’s also a battle of the two highest scoring first quarter teams in the competition.
Hot topics
Battle of the full backs
While the state of full backs across the competition is extremely healthy, the best two in the AFL will be at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
Robbie Tarrant and Alex Rance will be at opposite ends of the ground, yet their efforts in their respective matchups against Jack Riewoldt and Ben Brown will go a long way towards determining the outcome of the match.
Brown and Riewoldt have both kicked 27 goals this season, sitting inside the top 10 for the Coleman Medal.
The pressure factor
Both sides have based their game around fanatical pressure and with promising results.
With games at Etihad Stadium tending to be fast, pressure-packed affairs, in theory it’ll play to the strengths of North and the Tigers.
Richmond was unlucky not to win its only game at Etihad for the year, falling in the final stages to the Bulldogs by less than a goal.
Heading into the bye
Both sides will have their well-earned week off after Saturday night, and a win could help set up their season.
For North, a win – its third in a row – would bring it right to the fringes of the top eight. But a loss would leave them for little margin for error in the second half of the season.
A Tigers win would propel the yellow and black into a possible top-four conversation, while a fourth loss in five games would bring it back to the pack around the middle of the table.
The burning questions
Which side will start faster?
Both North and Richmond have made a habit of getting the jump on opposition sides this season.
How will the midfield matchups be decided?
North has tagged Trent Cotchin in the past, but Ben Jacobs will be unavailable for Saturday’s clash. Will Dustin Martin be left to roam free?
Who will hold their nerve if it gets close?
Both sides have been involved in multiple close finishes already this season.
Teams
North Melbourne
B: Marley Williams, Robbie Tarrant, Ed Vickers-Willis
HB: Lachlan Hansen, Scott Thompson, Jamie Macmillan
C: Sam Gibson, Ben Cunnington, Aaron Mullett
HF: Kayne Turner, Jarrad Waite, Taylor Garner
F: Nathan Hrovat, Ben Brown, Trent Dumont
Fol: Todd Goldstein, Jack Ziebell, Shaun Higgins
Int: Luke McDonald, Ryan Clarke, Shaun Atley, Mason Wood
Emer: Andrew Swallow, Braydon Preuss, Josh Williams
Unchanged
Richmond
B: Alex Rance, David Astbury, Dylan Grimes
HB: Brandon Ellis, Bachar Houli, Kamdyn McIntosh
C: Jason Castagna, Dion Prestia, Shaun Grigg
HF: Daniel Rioli, Sam Lloyd, Shane Edwards
F: Dustin Martin, Jack Riewoldt, Dan Butler
Fol: Toby Nankervis, Trent Cotchin, Kane Lambert
Int: Jayden Short, Josh Caddy, Shai Bolton, Connor Menadue
Emer: Anthony Miles, Taylor Hunt, Todd Elton
In: Dan Butler
Out: Todd Elton (omitted)
