The last game on sunday for AFL Finals Week 1 is between Richmond Tigers and Carlton Blues. The match is to be played at MCG with the opening bounce set to commence at 3:20pm local time with home team Richmond Tigers currently holding favouritism in the market.
View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Richmond Tigers and Carlton Blues.
The Richmond Tigers meet the Carlton Blues at the MCG tonight, in what has become a traditional christening match for the home of footy. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7.45pm (AEDT).
Last year the Tigers clinched a narrow victory against the Blues in Round 1, recording their first win over them since 2008.
It was seen as a sign that the Tigers would do big things in 2013, and while they did, it was the Blues who had the last laugh, bundling the Tigers out of finals by 20 points in the first week of September.
The Tigers, heavily favoured to win on that day, now seek redemption for their loss, and the need for redemption has been made all the greater by their first round loss to the Gold Coast Suns.
The Blues are also looking to bounce back after a loss, having been flattened by Port Adelaide in the final quarter last round despite keeping pace for the majority of the match.
Only one of these teams will walk away with the soothing victory they so badly crave.
The Tigers have made a forced change, with a foot injury preventing tall defender Alex Rance from lining up tonight.
It brings to an end a streak of 64 consecutive games for Rance, which was the eighth-longest current streak until tonight.
Dylan Grimes is in as his replacement and while he is capable, the change definitely works in favour of Carlton’s tall forwards Jarrad Waite and Lachie Henderson.
The Tigers have also dropped Matthew McDonough and brought in controversial small forward Jake King – no doubt hoping to add some punch to the forward line that could manage only 10 goals against the Suns.
The Blues have also made a forced change with Andrew Walker serving a one-match ban for hurling Angus Monfries into the fence in Carlton’s Round 1 encounter with Port Adelaide. His rebounding ability out of defence will surely be missed.
The Blues have also omitted Andrew McInnes and brought in Kane Lucas and Simon White.
It’s a big night for goalsneak Jeff Garlett who is playing his milestone 100th game of AFL after being taken in the rookie draft back in 2008. Since then Garlett has kicked 172 goals at AFL level including 43 last year.
It’s also a milestone of sorts for Shaun Hampson as he plays his first game against his old club after being traded to Richmond in the off-season last year. With a little help from Ben Griffiths, he’ll go head to head with former teammates Robbie Warnock and Matthew Kreuzer in the ruck.
Prediction:
Both teams are desperate to win this one and I think Rance being out will let either Waite or Henderson, or both, kick a few goals.
A bit of scoreboard contribution from their tall forwards is just what the Blues need to win. That said, if Jack Riewoldt or Tyrone Vickery are able to kick a bag, things could easily go the other way.
Carlton by 12 points.
Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7.45pm (AEDT).
Carlton Blues vs Richmond Tigers, Melbourne Cricket Ground Melbourne, Thursday April 2, 2015
Tickets for Carlton Blues vs Richmond Tigers on April 2, 2015 in Melbourne Cricket Ground. Be sure to get your tickets on time before it has been sold out. You can check the availability or order your tickets for Carlton Blues vs Richmond Tigers in Melbourne right now.
Previously accustomed to opening the new season, Carlton and Richmond have the honour of battling for the first 4 points decided on Victorian soil.
On one hand you’ve got Carlton, who you feel must win to validate their season intentions, yet on the other hand you’ve got Richmond, who you feel must win to validate their seasons intentions. Anything less than a win for either team will carry more weight than simply being seen as a setback.
But you get the feeling the stakes are high for the Blues. Following the highly publicised (anticipated?) appointment of Mick Malthouse, Carlton will be under added pressure to produce a result. The early signs are promising, despite suggestions that Mick’s ‘ideal’ gameplan hasn’t yet sunk in. Mick hasn’t hit the panic button however, these players need time to adjust.
Loosely translated from Mick-speak, I suspect that message reads “It’s my way or the highway”.
With games against Collingwood, Geelong, West Coast and Adelaide in the following weeks, Father Time isn’t likely to show much sympathy for Carlton. They must display their intent from this game.
Carlton made few changes over the summer, none of which were surprising. Paul Bower and Bret Thornton were asked to seek new direction (the latter picked up by GWS), while Jordan Russell was traded to Collingwood at the 11th hour. In comes Jarryd Cachia; delisted by the Blues after the 2011 season, he returns to the club through the Rookie Draft after a solid season for Norwood.
It’s no secret that Carlton’s terrible run of injuries to defenders was significant in the disappointment that was Season 2012. As most in professional team sports would know, it’s hard to remain competitive when you can’t nail down successful combinations. So much comes down to the fitness of Michael Jamison. Gangly and capable, he’s the Jarrad Waite of Carlton’s backline.
Like most teams, there are concerns that centre around the wounded. Chris Judd looked rusty in his first competitive match in the NAB Cup final, and Jarrad Waite, central to Carlton’s forward structures, looks to be several weeks from returning in any form. Look out for Casboult as the marking target, with cameos from Hampson and Kreuzer.
But the recurring question in the lead up to this fixture each year is still relevant – will the 2013 Richmond Tigers have what it takes to participate in finals footy for the first time since 2001?
Tigers management had a busy off season. Brad Miller and Kelvin Moore hung up the boots, while there were the usual trades and delistings. It’s the “In’s” that will provide the talking point however, with key defender and 140 gamer Troy Chaplin joining from Port Adelaide, along with Sam Lonergan (Essendon), Aaron Edwards (North), Chris Knights (Adelaide). Ricky Petterd (Melbourne) and Orren Stephenson (Geelong) in the Rookie Draft.
It’s Petterd that looks the interesting acquisition, and his reinvention as a defender in the NAB Cup. Perhaps a tantalising prospect of what’s to come for the Tigers this year. Perhaps influence from another experienced head in the Tigers coaches box, as Mark Williams joins from his stint under Kevin Sheedy at GWS.
In selection news, the only new Tiger we’ll see tonight is Troy Chaplin, who is likely to get the job on exciting forward prospect Levi Casboult.
The Tigers dynamic this year is quite broad. Captain Cotchin is a superstar who relishes the big stage. Jack Riewoldt is the current Coleman Medalist and a good chance of repeating. But there are 2 more who could make or break the Tigers 2013 performance – Ivan Maric stamped his authority in the team and as a hard, honest footballer.
The other is Dustin Martin – brilliant on field, questionable off. The world footy audience is polarised. Martin can keep his mind on the job, he could go along way in helping Tigers get beyond that mental barrier – the perforated line between the numbers 9 and 8 on the ladder.
They will be motivated by 2 things going into their opening game – breaking Carlton’s current strangehold over them, and booking the season trip for sometime later than the first week of September.
The Tigers have the cattle and will be looking for a big improve on last year, coming off a season that was agonisingly disappointing. It was a season where six of their losses were by a margin of 2 kicks or less, and a final round draw with Port. The Tigers never set foot inside the Top 8 for the entire season.
In other matters, new captain Cotchin has elected to keep his #9 guernsey, shunning a 10 year ‘tradition’ of the captain assuming Jack Dyer’s famous #17. Just shy of his 23rd birthday, it’s already clear the man they call ‘Cotch’ is already asserting his way around the club.
Carlton have owned this fixture for several years, with an alarming average winning margin of around 8 goals, yet there seems to be a sense of optimism and unity among the Tigers. Unsure of what my head or heart is saying, I think it will be a lot closer than in previous years.
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Daniel Cohen
Daniel Cohen
Living in the harbour city, born in Melbourne. Daniel’s favourite childhood memories include camping in front of a TV from 1:55pm Saturday’s to watch the footy. I love to talk about sport, my young family, sport, technology, sport and footy. And sport.
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Responding to AFL supporters’ desire to access live coverage of all 27 NAB Challenge matches, the AFL today announced that live online streaming of six non-televised NAB Challenge matches would be available via competing club websites and club apps following extensive work to repurpose AFL Media resources at six venues around the country.
For those six matches, AFL Media vision will be used in conjunction with Crocmedia radio commentary to provide live online full match streams.
Customary match centre statistics, live radio commentary streams, post-match media conferences and in-match highlights for all 27 NAB Challenge matches will continue to be available throughout the NAB Challenge series via www.afl.com.au and the Official AFL App.
AFL General Manger of Broadcasting, Scheduling and Major Projects, Simon Lethlean said the decision to live stream non-televised matches was made following significant work with AFL Media to augment the highlights-packaging resources already allocated to those six matches.
“We’ve listened to the concerns of those supporters who don’t want to miss a minute of their club competing in this year’s NAB Challenge which is why we’re pleased to have overcome a number of significant hurdles to ensure every fan has the opportunity to watch their team compete in every NAB Challenge match,” Mr Lethlean said.
“This year we have worked with our broadcast partner Fox Footy to expand NAB Challenge live coverage from 18 to 21 games and we have also increased the number of NAB Challenge matches played in regional and suburban communities around Australia.
“As a result we have encountered some significant logistical, technical and signal delivery issues at some venues but through a great deal of work with AFL Media we’ve been able to repurpose resources originally slated to produce match highlights to provide live streaming from those venues for the respective club websites and apps.
“While there may still be some technical issues in the delivery of these matches we are satisfied that being able to provide a live stream of these six matches to competing club websites and club apps will please those supporters’ wanting to follow their clubs’ progress across all 27 matches of the NAB Challenge.”
Live online streaming via competing club websites and apps will be available for the following 2015 NAB Challenge fixtures:
– Brisbane Lions v St Kilda, Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex, Saturday February 28 at 3.10pm EST
– Adelaide v North Melbourne, Centenary Oval, Sunday March 1 at 4.10pm CDT
– GWS v Gold Coast, Spotless Stadium, Saturday March 7 at 4.10pm EDT
– Port Adelaide v West Coast, Norwood Oval, Sunday March 8 at 4.10pm CDT
– Western Bulldogs v Melbourne, Eureka Stadium, Saturday March 14 at 4.10pm EDT
– Sydney v Fremantle, Drummoyne Oval, Sunday March 15 at 4.10pm EDT
