Tonight’s AFL Round 5 match is between Fremantle Dockers and Richmond Tigers. The opening bounce is set to commence at 8:45pm AEST time with the game to be played at Patersons Stadium. The home team Fremantle are the current favourites for the match in the market. View our preview and teams for the game between Fremantle Dockers and Richmond Tigers.
Round: Round 5 6:45 PM April 26, 2013
Stadium: Patersons Stadium
Weather: 26° Mostly sunny.
Featured Bookmakers:
Fremantle Dockers $1.51 vs Richmond Tigers $2.57 at Sportsbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match
Fremantle Dockers $1.48 vs Richmond Tigers $2.65 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match
Odds Comparison:
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| Fremantle Dockers | 1.51 | 1.50 | 1.48 | 1.50 | 1.51 | 1.52 |
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Richmond Tigers
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2.57 | 2.60 | 2.65 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.60 |
Preview:
Fremantle (9th on the ladder) host the Richmond Tigers (6th) in Friday night’s game.
Richmond have posted their best start to a season in recent memory by winning their opening three matches over Carlton, St. Kilda and Western Bulldogs and came out all guns blazing against Collingwood last week, leading a the major break.
Collingwood however posted a seven goal third quarter and were too good for the Tigers late, winning by 34 points.
Despite the loss, there is still plenty of positives to be taken from the game for the Tigers who will be keen to bounce right back into the winner’s circle and a trip to WA taking on the Dockers, will be a good test.
The Dockers recorded comfortable victories over West Coast and Wester Bulldogs in the opening two rounds before capitulating against the Bombers (to lose by 4) and were no match for Hawthorn last week, losing by 42 points.
They’ll be keen to get home and right the wrongs of the Essendon match but will have to be more resilient than they have been in recent weeks to account for a Richmond side with good momentum.
It should be a great game and would think be closer than current market suggests.
Teams:
Fremantle Dockers:
B: Lee Spurr, Zac Dawson, Michael Johnson
HB: Clancee Pearce, Luke McPharlin, Paul Duffield
C: Tendai Mzungu, Ryan Crowley, Danyle Pearce
HF: Hayden Ballantyne, Kepler Bradley, Nat Fyfe
F: Jack Hannath, Chris Mayne, Michael Walters
Foll: Jon Griffin, David Mundy, Stephen Hill
I/C: Michael Barlow, Lachie Neale, Matt De Boer, Garrick Ibbotson
Emg: Hayden Crozier, Alex Silvagni, Nick Suban
IN: Luke McPharlin, Garrick Ibbotson, Jack Hannath
OUT: Nick Suban, Cameron Sutcliffe, Tanner Smith (hamstring)
New: Jack Hannath
Richmond Tigers:
B: Jake Batchelor, Alex Rance, Brad Helbig
HB: Dylan Grimes, Ricky Petterd, Bachar Houli
C: Chris Newman, Trent Cotchin, Matt White
HF: Brett Deledio, Shane Edwards, Dan Jackson
F: Luke McGuane, Jack Riewoldt, Ty Vickery
Foll: Ivan Maric, Dustin Martin, Nick Vlastuin
I/C: Brandon Ellis, Jake King, Shaun Grigg, Chris Knights
Emerg: Aaron Edwards, Robin Nahas, Matt Dea
IN: Matt White, Jake Batchelor, Brad Helbig, Nick Vlastuin
OUT: Shane Tuck (rested), Troy Chaplin (calf), Steven Morris (suspension), Reece Conca (foot)
New: Nick Vlastuin
Dockers aim to tame Tigers’ AFL midfield
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon admits his team can’t afford another mental lapse if they are to tame Richmond’s talented midfield in Friday night’s AFL blockbuster at Patersons Stadium.
The Dockers (2-2) are yet to put together a consistent four-quarter effort this season, with a horrible third term against Essendon in round three and a similarly bad opening stanza against Hawthorn last week costing them dearly.
Lyon is well aware of the threat Richmond’s midfield poses, with the likes of Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Shane Tuck and Shaun Grigg able to tear the game wide open, with the help of ruckman Ivan Maric.
Fremantle possess their own midfield match-winners in the form of David Mundy, Nat Fyfe, Michael Barlow and Stephen Hill, but Lyon said consistency would be the key to victory.
“Richmond have got real speed. That midfield they’ve invested in over five or six years now is really strong,” Lyon said.
“So we understand what we’re up against is very impressive. And there’s a reason everyone’s talking about Richmond, because their best is very good.
“We think we’re quite a good team, but we’ve been a bit inconsistent, which concerns us. But we get a real opportunity to fix that.”
Lyon said the club’s annual Len Hall tribute match was a good chance to honour Anzac Day.
But given sport wasn’t a life-and-death scenario, Lyon said it would be disrespectful to compare footballers to soldiers.
“The Australian and New Zealand forces over a long period of time have been sent to battle by their governments to protect the country and represent the free world,” Lyon said.
“But for our players, I don’t ask them to play like the Anzacs and live like the Anzacs because that, to me, would almost be disrespectful.
“What we ask is an effort that honours that day.
“(Anzac Day) is a lot about mateship and the view on mates and trust, and where it originated from under real pressure.”
Fremantle utility Matt de Boer, whose grandfather served in World War II, echoed Lyon’s thoughts.
“It’s silly to try to compare us to the bravery and the actions the Anzacs did for us to ensure that we live today the way we do,” de Boer said.
“But we’ll go out there and do our best job to honour them in our special way.”
