Preview: Essendon v Richmond

VENUE & TIME: MCG, Sunday July 26, 2.10pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 185, Essendon 99, Richmond 82, Drawn 4
LAST TIME: Essendon 19.11 (125) def Richmond 12.13 (85), Round 9, 2009 at the MCG.

WALKING WOUNDED: Matthew Richardson (Achilles) will be assessed while Ben Cousins (flu) and Trent Cotchin (illness) should play after missing the drawn Kangaroos’ clash. For the Bombers, Angus Monfries (hamstring) faces a fitness test.

FORM: The Bombers have been solid, winning three of their past five games. While they were eventually crunched by the Bulldogs in Round 16, they remain a team on the rise. For the Tigers, it’s a different story. Caretaker coach Jade Rawlings had a first-up win against the Eagles but has since tasted three defeats and a draw. That result may as well have been a defeat for the Tigers who squandered a 43-point lead in the third quarter.

WHO'S HOT: The Bombers have been hot at the MCG this season, winning four of their five games. Jobe Watson was quiet against the Bulldogs but he has enjoyed a stellar year. Brent Prismall has been one of the recruits of the year, while defender Tate Pears continues to impress. Youngster Colin Vickery has been a revelation for the Tigers, Robbie Nahas is exciting while Richard Tambling – who has historically struggled against the Bombers – hasn’t had a bad game under Rawlings.

WE THINK: Essendon will win – and easily. There is too much on the line for the Bombers, with a place in the top eight still in their hands. Recent wins against Carlton and Sydney have showed they remain a developing mid-table team, while the Tigers….well, the less said the better. Their best chance is to turn this into a battle of attrition and hope the likes of Shane Tuck, Daniel Jackson and Brett Deledio outmuscle the Bombers. That’s unlikely to happen, as the Bombers will have too much run. Essendon by 22 points.