ROUND 19 MCG - 2:10PM AEST, SUNDAY, 8 AUGUST 2004

GEELONG

BEN GRAHAM LOVES PLAYING THE TIGERS

RICHMOND

RICHMOND FORWARD MATTHEW RICHARDSON WANTS TO HIT SOME FORM BEFORE THE SEASON'S OUT

GEELONG SQUAD

IN: Peter Riccardi, David Spriggs, James Rahilly, Kane Tenace
OUT: Corey Enright (broken jaw)

B: Corey, Scarlett, Milburn
HB: Hunt, Harley, D.Johnson
C: Wojcinski, Ling, Riccardi
HF: Kingsley, Mooney, Bartel
F: S.Johnson, Graham, Gardiner
FOLL: King, Chapman, Ablett
I/C: Playfair, Koulouriotis, Byrnes, Tenace
EMER: Rahilly, Spriggs, Callan

RICHMOND SQUAD

IN: Brown, Schulz, Jackson, Morrison
OUT: Ottens (ankle), Pettifer (leg), Dragicevic, Kellaway

B: Zantuck, Gaspar, Chaffey
HB: Newman, Jackson, Bowden
C: Hartigan, Campbell, Fleming
HF: Tivendale, Schulz, Hyde
F: Krakouer, Richardson, Rodan
FOLL: Hall, Johnson, Brown
I/C: Houlihan, Morrison, Moore, Fiora
EMER: Marsh, Tuck, Fletcher

Last time around Geelong took the Tigers to town for their first win of the season. This time, Geelong plays the Tigers at the MCG (about time!), a certain finalist looking to shore up their top five position and push for top four. Peter Riccardi returns from a hamstring injury (sustained against Sydney in Round 15), in a probable straight swap for Corey Enright. Other inclusions include David Spriggs, James Rahilly and Kane Tenance.

Spriggs will surely be seriously considered for his first game since Round 3, in the narrow loss to the Sydney Swans at the SCG. Tenace has been in the VFL since Round 11. Tenace didn't quite recapture the form he displayed to be named the Rising Star nominee for Round 6. Rahilly last played in Round 14, against West Coast at Subiaco. As a close checking midfielder-defender, Rahilly may be an ideal replacement for Corey Enright.

Tim Callan and Riccardi would be in some doubt to play; Callan sustained a neck injury after being bumped by St Kilda's Robert Harvey in Geelong's win over the Saints last Sunday. Riccardi tore his hamstring just three weeks ago and is no certainty to play.

For the Tigers, well, the list of inclusions is almost too big to download unless you're on broadband. Messer's Brown, Tuck, Schulz, Jackson, Fletcher, Morrison, Marsh all come into the side, at the expense of Brad Ottens, Kane Pettifer, Marco Dragicevic, Andrew Kellaway, the latter two being omitted. Out of those six, Brown, Schulz, Jackson have been named in the starting side.

Sunday's game is an important one for Geelong; the obvious reason of getting their thirteenth win and maintaining the four Premiership point buffer ahead of Sydney, as well as some match practice at the former home of football, the MCG. Geelong has not played at game on the hallowed turf at all this season. Instead, Geelong's played six games at Skilled Stadium, made road trips to Perth (twice), Adelaide and Sydney, played one game at Optus Oval and played the remainder at Telstra Dome. Except in the event of a non-Victorian final, Geelong's finals will be played at the MCG, thus it is critical the team takes this game seriously.

LAST TIME

GEELONG: 7.0 11.1 15.5 19.13 (127) DEFEATED
RICHMOND: 1.4 3.7 7.10 11.12 (78)

MATCH STATSs

GOALS: Geelong: Graham 6, Kingsley 3, Haynes, Playfair, Mackie 2, Ling, Riccardi, Tenace, Mooney 1
Richmond: Brown 4, Ottens, Coughlan 2, Fiora, Gaspar, Tivendale 1

Relive the Match Report from last time.

Tip? GEELONG by 34 points