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Where: Melbourne Cricket Ground
When: 10.40am (BST)
Watch live: Click here to watch online with AFL Global Pass!
Richmond are a mathematical chance of playing finals football and all the sudden the Tiger Army are up and about dreaming of September, but tonight is a must win or Damien Hardwick’s men can kiss finals goodbye.
If the Tigers do claim their sixth straight win, they’ll sit just four points outside the top eight with three games remaining.
Richmond’s task will be made all the more harder without Reece Conca after he was suspended for an elbow to the back of the head of GWS player Devon Smith last week.
Meanwhile, Essendon will come into the match looking to get back to winning ways after going down to the Swans last week and a win over the Tigers would mean one less finals contender to deal with.
Mark Thompson has rushed young beanpole forward Joe Daniher back into the side just two weeks after undergoing surgery on his clavicle, while Jake Carlisle has been named despite suffering from soreness.
With both sides needing a win to maintain a grip on a finals position, this match promises to be a cracker.
Tune in!
Match facts:
1. The Essendon midfield proved the difference last time the sides met. While Jobe Watson won’t be there this time, David Zaharakis, Brendon Goddard and Brent Stanton were all significant in round 11.
2. The Bombers’ May win could see a strange pattern continue. They haven’t recorded consecutive victories over Richmond since 2008.
3. Since round 15, the Tigers are one of two undefeated sides – Geelong being the other – and have risen from 16th to 12th.
4. The Tigers are on their longest winning streak in 14 years. The last time they won five in a row was in early 2000 and they haven’t won six straight since the opening six weeks of 1995.
5. Alex Rance, fresh from beating Jonathon Patton, sits at a career-high 96th in the Official AFL Player Ratings, brought to you by Gatorade.
6. Essendon’s Ben Howlett kicked a career-high haul of five goals last time the sides met.
(Source: AFL.com.au)
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