The changes
In: Prestia, Lennon, Graham
What to expect
Richmond are one of the in-form teams of the competition, having won five of their last six games.
Currently sitting in fourth spot, the Tigers enter the final month of the home and away season well and truly in the hunt for a double chance.
Having finished 13th in 2016, Richmond’s revival has been affected by playing a more direct brand of football this season.
Despite being one of only three teams to have won 12 or more games this year, the Tigers rank 17th in disposals per game, 18th in uncontested possession and 17th for marks in the competition.
Where Richmond are excelling is in the way they are using the ball, rating first in the league for disposal efficiency.
Their lack of high disposal numbers doesn’t interrupt their inside 50 production either with the fourth highest inside 50 average and the second greatest marks inside 50 tally.
The Tigers are playing a unique brand of footy this season, but it has held them in good stead to this point in the year.
The midfield battle on Sunday will be where this game is won and lost and the Hawks’ intent will be placed on stopping the Tigers at the source and not allowing them to have control over the pace of the game.
Players to watch
Dustin Martin is an almost unbackable Brownlow Medal favourite.
One of only 10 players to be averaging 30 possessions this season, Martin is the Tigers’ key cog inside the contest, also being one of only seven players to be averaging at least 14 contested possessions per game.
The 26-year old leads the competition in inside 50s this year with his career-best season revolving around his ability to influence the game at the attacking end, having also kicked 24 goals from his 18 games.
One of the premiere key defenders of the competition, Alex Rance is arguably the Tigers’ most important player.
Anchoring a defence that has allowed the second lowest scores against, the three-time All Australian has enjoyed another stellar year this season.
The key aspect of Rance’s game is his way of impacting both defensively and offensively.
Rance is the number one player in the game for one-percenters this season, averaging 10.1 per game.
But his effect is also felt with ball in hand, averaging 16.1 disposals, with many teams having opted to send a defensive forward to the Richmond star this season.
