Match day guide and preview for the 2022 AFL Elimination Final between the Brisbane Lions and Richmond Tigers.
Match details
- Who: Brisbane Lions vs Richmond Tigers
- When: Thursday 1 September, 7.20pm
- Where: Gabba
- Click here to buy tickets
- Head-to-head record since 1997: Played 36. Lions 10 wins. Tigers 25 wins. 1 draw.
Teams
Lions
IN: Deven Robertson, Darcy Wilmot
OUT: Noah Answerth (suspension), Jarryd Lyons (injured), Cam Rayner (suspended)
The Lions have been dealt three big blows with Rayner and Answerth rubbed out due to suspension, while Lyons will miss with groin soreness. Young defender Wilmot becomes the first Lions player to debut in a final.
Tigers
IN: Dustin Martin
OUT: Shane Edwards (omitted), Jason Castagna (medi-sub)
Dusty returns in a huge boost for the Tiges with veteran Edwards making way.
Click here for complete team line-ups.
Season recap
Brisbane Lions 6th – 119.3% | 2147 points for (2nd) | 1799 points against (10th) | 15 wins 7 losses | LWWLW
The Lions looked like a genuine heavyweight of the competition after starting the season 8-1, but they dropped away and went 7-6 over their last 13 matches to miss the top four.
Recent form: While the Lions have won three of their last five, their two losses were against fellow top 8 sides while their wins were against teams that missed the finals.
Best win: The Lions best performance came back in round 7 where they registered at 24-point win against the Swans at the SCG. They also had a good win over the Bulldogs in round 16 where they held the Dogs to just 67 points.
Worst loss: Both losses against the Demons were dreadful, but the 58-point defeat at home with a top four spot on the line was clearly their worst performance of the year.
Best player: Lachie Neale has had another brilliant season for the club and is in contention for his second Brownlow Medal. He’s averaged 30.1 disposals, 7.3 clearances, 4.5 tackles and kicked 11 goals while playing all 22 matches this season.
Strength: When the Brisbane forwards are on song and getting enough supply, the Lions are very hard to stop. Joe Daniher and Charlie Cameron are the two that need to step up in this clash to kick a score big enough to beat Richmond.
Weakness: The club had some defensive issues over the latter stages of the season. With the Tigers boasting stars Tom Lynch and Shai Bolton, the Lions need their pressure to be elite to help out their struggling back six. Another weakness is the Lions’ recent finals record, with the club having won just one of six finals over the past three years, including one win and four losses at home.
Richmond Tigers 7th – 121.6% | 2165 points for (1st) | 1780 points against (9th) | 13 wins 8 losses 1 draw | WWWWD
Despite some bumps along the way, the Tigers have emerged as a serious dark horse for the premiership. After starting the season 2-4, the Tigers won 11 of their last 16 matches. They also had a draw against Fremantle, while their four losses were by a combined 15 points, with the largest loss by 6 against the Swans.
Recent form: After their draw against Freo in round 19, the Tigers have won four straight against Brisbane, Port Adelaide, Hawthorn and Essendon. They have been nearly unstoppable in attack during their current win streak, scoring over 100 points in each game at an average of 122.25 points per game.
Best win: Richmond have had a few to choose from including a 27-point win over the Pies in round 8, but the comeback win over Brisbane in round 20 was so vital to their season that it has to be that one. With their finals place looking shaky, the Tigers stormed back from 42 points down to claim a 7-point win in front of a raucous MCG crowd.
Worst loss: The Tiges have had a few gut-wrenching losses this season, but it’s hard to go past the shock loss to the Kangaroos in round 18. Richmond had 11 more scoring shots than North, but easy misses became contagious as they kicked 11 goals and 22 behinds to suffer a 4-point loss.
Best player: While Tom Lynch has been brilliant late in the season, Shai Bolton has been the club’s standout this year and was a deserving All-Australian. He’s been used to good effect in the centre bounce this year, but does his best work inside 50 and is a nightmare matchup for any defender given his ability both in the air and on the ground.
Strength: The Tigers have become an attacking juggernaut this season and were the top scoring team over the course of the season. Lynch and Bolton have been the stars of the show with 60 and 41 goals respectively, while Jack Riewoldt has also booted 37 goals for the year. Noah Cumberland has added another dimension and is a difficult match up for the opposition and Maurice Rioli’s pressure has been ourtstanding. Oh, and a bloke called Dusty will likely spend a lot of time up forward so the Lions back six will need to be at their absolute best.
Weakness: There aren’t too many glaring weaknesses with the Tigers at the moment, but they will miss Dylan Grimes down back, especially coming up against a tall Lions side. Their midfield also may not bat as deep as the top sides.
Last 5 meetings
- 2022 round 20: Tigers 15.14 (104) defeat Lions 14.13 (97) at MCG
- 2021 round 18: Tigers 16.10 (106) defeat Lions 13.8 (86) at Metricon Stadium
- 2021 round 10: Lions 15.12 (102) defeat Tigers 11.8 (74) at Gabba
- 2020 Qualifying Final: Lions 10.9 (69) defeat Tigers 8.6 (54) at Gabba
- 2020 round 10: Tigers 12.10 (82) defeat Lions 4.17 (41) at Metricon Stadium
The Tigers have won four of the last five meetings, including the thrilling victory earlier this year.
These sides have played each other twice in finals at the Gabba recently, with the Tigers winning in 2019 and the Lions getting the victory in 2020.
Pre match predictions
Daniher delivers: Joe Daniher to boot four goals for the Lions.
Tigers of old: Richmond to replicate their 2019 finals win at the Gabba to beat the Lions by three goals.
Have any pre match predictions of your own? Let us know in the comments below.
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