SUMMARY
There wasn't much convincing about Richmond's 31-point win over the Brisbane Lions and a significant lift will be required to get past Greater Western Sydney in a crunch game for both clubs. It hasn't been a good fortnight for the Tigers, who are struggling to turn their inside 50s into quality scoring opportunities and putting their top-four ambitions at risk. Another brilliant performance from a rampaging Dustin Martin made sure the Lions never seriously challenged, but there are cracks the Tigers need to address. A win against the Giants would get their season back on track in a big way, while putting the Giants' top-four prospects on shaky ground. GWS has not won a game for three weeks, drawing with Geelong and Hawthorn before a 13-point loss to Sydney. The Giants need a confidence-boosting win as much as the Tigers, which should make for an absorbing, high-stakes clash at the MCG. The winner will emerge buoyed going into the final five rounds.
LIVE match coverage and statistics
WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, Sunday, July 23, 1.10pm AEST
TV AND RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide
LAST FIVE TIMES
R9, 2017, GWS 11.12 (78) d Richmond 10.15 (75) at Spotless Stadium
R19, 2016, GWS 17.9 (111) d Richmond 3.5 (23) at Manuka Oval
R14, 2015, Richmond 10.18 (78) d GWS 10.9 (69) at the MCG
R19, 2014, Richmond 13.11 (89) d GWS 8.14 (62) at the MCG
R10, 2014, Richmond 24.10 (154) d GWS 5.11 (41) at Spotless Stadium
THE SIX POINTS
1. Jeremy Cameron kicked the match-winning goal for the Giants when these sides last met in round nine with less than a minute left. Richmond led by 21 points at half-time and 25 at three-quarter time before the Giants kicked five unanswered goals in the final quarter.
2. The Giants' form has dropped away in recent weeks and since round 12 they have registered one win, two losses and two draws with an average score of 92 points. In rounds 1-11 they averaged 102 points.
3. The Tigers remain one of the best defensive teams this season, ranking No.4 for points conceded. They have conceded 100 points in a game only twice.
4. The Giants last played at the MCG in round one, 2016, losing to Melbourne. They’ve played 10 games at the venue for just one win, beating Melbourne in round 21, 2014.
5. Richmond is one of the lowest disposal teams in 2017, ranked No.16 with an average of 364.9 a game. Dustin Martin is the team's leading disposal-winner, ranking No.9 in the AFL for total disposals this season (477).
6. Dustin Martin has climbed every week in the Schick AFL Player Ratings since round three, moving from No.21 overall to No.4. Only Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong), Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood) and Josh Kennedy (Sydney) are ahead of him.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR … Toby Nankervis
The ruckman will be coming up against Shane Mumford in a battle of two big men who thrive on the contest. Mumford has had fewer than 30 hit-outs only once this season and averages 5.2 tackles (No.2 among ruckmen). Nankervis has been a quality recruit for the Tigers, often rucking solo and averaging 24.5 hit-outs. He had support from Ivan Soldo in round 17 and it will be interesting to see if the Tigers might decide a two-man approach is needed against the Giants or if a small forward line takes priority.
PREDICTION: GWS by six points
