Richmond will be out to break an eight-game losing streak against Sydney, when they take on the Swans in Sunday’s Round 14 clash at the MCG.

The last time the Tigers defeated Sydney was Round 14 of the 2005 season, when they hung on to win a thriller by one-point, after leading by 33 points at three-quarter time, in front of 34,572 fans at the MCG.

Matthew Richardson was Richmond’s leading goalkicker that day with four, while Andrew Krakouer booted three, and the three Brownlow votes went to Tiger captain, Kane Johnson (15 kicks, 7 handballs, 7 marks).

It’s interesting to note that from the Richmond team which played in that match, only five players remain on the Club’s senior list in 2010 - current captain Chris Newman (who was playing his 68th game), Shane Tuck (in his 17th game), Brett Deledio (14th game), Richard Tambling (5th game) and Will Thursfield, who was making his senior league debut.  Thursfield was impressive in an extremely tough first-up assignment on Sydney Swans star forward Michael O’Loughlin.

Just 12 weeks later, the Swans won their first premiership in 72 years, making the Tigers’ performance that early July Saturday all the more meritorious.

Since then, the two teams have played eight times for eight Sydney wins.  The Swans’ average winning margin in those eight games has been 57 points. 

In the Round 3 encounter this season, Sydney beat Richmond by 55 points, after leading 10 goals to one at half-time.  So, Sunday’s game will be an interesting gauge of how the young Tiger team has progressed since then.