Match day guide and preview for the 2022 round 11 game between the Sydney Swans and Richmond Tigers as part of Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
Match details
Who: Sydney Swans vs Richmond Tigers
When: Friday 27 May, 7.50pm
Where: SCG, NSW
Weather: Min 11, Max 21, Chance of rain 10%
Head-to-head record since 1980: Played 68. Swans 34 wins. Tigers 34 wins.
Teams
Swans
IN: James Rowbottom, Matt Roberts, Sam Reid
OUT: Colin O’Riordan (omitted), James Bell (omitted), Josh Kennedy (injured), Tom Hickey (injured)
DEBUT: Matt Roberts
18-year-old Roberts will make his AFL debut after some impressive VFL performances. Rowbottom returns from suspension while Reid comes in to play as the second ruck/forward. Hickey is a big loss for the Swans, while Kennedy will spend 8-10 weeks on the sidelines after a nasty hamstring injury.
Tigers
IN: Jack Graham, Marlion Pickett
OUT: Jake Aarts (omitted), Kane Lambert (injured), Tom Lynch (injured)
The Tigers have two big outs in Lambert and Lynch, but two handy inclusions in Graham and Pickett.
Click here for complete team line-ups.
Season so far
Sydney Swans 7th – 120.4% | 937 points for | 778 points against | 6 wins 4 losses | LWLLW
After a strong start to the season, the Swans have stumbled recently, losing three of their last four matches.
They once again came up short in their latest test against a top side, losing by 15 points to the top 4 Blues last Friday night.
Sydney had no answers for Carlton in the second quarter as the Blues kicked 9 goals to set up a match-winning break. To the Swans’ credit, they fought back in the second half and had their chances to record an unlikely comeback win, but just couldn’t capitalise.
The Swans have still only beaten one side in the top 8 (Geelong – 6th) and would love to claim another scalp in the Tigers here.
Richmond Tigers 8th – 120.4% | 979 points for | 813 points against | 6 wins 4 losses | WWWWL
After an indifferent start to the year, the Tigers have come roaring back into finals calculations, winning their last four straight.
Their attack has looked incredibly dangerous in those four wins, with the club averaging 118.75 points per game. However, it must be said that those victories came against the sides ranked 10th, 12th, 16th and 18th on the ladder.
The Tigers are 0-3 against teams currently in the top 8, so they would love to really announce their comeback with a win over the Swans in Sydney.
Last 5 meetings and SCG history
- 2021 round 3 – Tigers 10.12 (72) lost to Swans 17.15 (117) at MCG
- 2020 round 6 – Tigers 4.10 (34) defeated Swans 3.8 (26) at Gabba
- 2019 round 5 – Tigers 13.11 (89) defeated Swans 10.7 (67) at Marvel Stadium
- 2018 round 15 – Tigers 14.9 (93) defeated Swans 11.1 (67) at Marvel Stadium
- 2017 round 13 – Tigers 10.11 (71) lost to Swans 12.8 (80) at MCG
The Tigers hold a slight 3-2 edge over the last five matches, however the Swans did win their previous meeting early last season.
Four of the last five matches have been played in Melbourne, with the other played in Brisbane during the COVID impacted 2020 season which was one of the worst games of AFL in recent memory.
This will be the first meeting at the SCG since round 23 2016 clash that saw the Swans belt Richmond 25.14 (164) to 7.9 (51). It was the loss that had people calling for Damien Hardwick’s sacking, but it was quite possibly the catalyst for the Tigers dynasty over the next four years.
Over their last ten matchups at the SCG dating back to 2005, the Swans hold a comprehensive 8-2 record over the Tigers.
Sir Doug Nicholls Round and Marn Grook at the SCG
Round 10 and 11 of the AFL season are Sir Doug Nicholls Round which celebrates the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contribution to the game.
Both teams will wear their Indigenous jerseys for the game that they wore last weekend as well.
Sydney will host the Marn Grook match at the SCG against Richmond, another special tribute to the First Nations people and culture.
The First Marn Grook game was played at the SCG in 2002, some five year’s before the AFL’s first full Indigenous Round.
The match is called Marn Grook due to the belief that Australian Football originated from an Indigenous game called ‘Marn Grook’, traditionally played with a possum-skin ball.
There will be a pre-game ceremony at 7.30pm and a Welcome to Country at 7.35pm
Indigenous artist and rapper Baker Boy will perform at half time.
The Marn Grook Trophy will be presented to the winning team after the game, while the Good-O’Loughlin Medal will be handed to the player adjudged best on ground. The Medal is of course named after two Sydney Swans Indigenous champions in Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin.
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