It will be a battle of the Cats when Geelong plays Richmond in a Friday night Blockbuster at Metricon Stadium from 7.50pm AEST.
Sitting third and fourth on the ladder respectively with only two rounds to go, this game is an old fashioned eight-pointer, with the winner keeping their chances of a top two finish alive.
In-form midfielder Sam Menegola is expecting the Tigers to bring their A-game.
“Whenever we play Richmond, we just expect their best football, they’ve created a really strong brand of producing that just about every week,” Menegola said.
“It will certainly be a big game, so we are excited.”
For and Against: Played 196 games | Won: 104 | Drawn: 3 | Lost: 89
Last time they met: PF, 2019 – Geelong 9.12 (66) def by Richmond 12.13 (85)
Broadcast & Match Details
Friday 11 September from 7.50pm AEST.
Watch: Seven, Fox Footy, Kayo
Listen: K Rock Football
Control v Chaos
It will be fascinating to see which game style prevails with the Tigers quick ball movement up against Geelong’s more controlled approach.
“It is always a challenge to get the game on your terms against the best opposition and that’s why they have been so good,” Menegola said.
“We have played each other a few times now over the last few years – I think we have a pretty good idea of how they play, but stopping it is easier said than done.”
Coach Chris Scott believes the two teams are more similar than some might think.
“With the better teams or the teams towards the top of the ladder you tend to narrow in on the things that make them different when in reality the things that make them good, the fundamentals of the game tend to be pretty similar,” Scott said.
“There certainly are some contrasting parts to our game style, but the games against the best teams are always a product of who can get the game played more in their style and then who can adapt to whatever the conditions present or the changes within the game, because I suspect the way the game starts won’t be the way the game finishes.”
Warrior set to celebrate milestone
Zach Tuohy will become just the second Irishman to play 200 games.
“He has been huge for us,” Scott said.
“I think our football club in general has done a really good job of integrating players from non-traditional football backgrounds and Mark O’Connor came over, Mark Blicavs, there are a range of players that hadn’t played much footy that we have been able to develop.
“Now Zach wasn’t one of those being he was already an established player in the AFL, but the influence he has had over our team, but specifically those guys has been huge for us and we now have a track record of developing players from non-traditional backgrounds off the back of the work that people like Zach Tuohy have done.”
“Zach has been a warrior. I can’t speak to how much I value what he has done and he is so committed to team success now – he’s at that stage of his career where he has ticked off a few things as an individual but he is just driven my team success and that can be really infectious within a group.”
