The last time Richmond and Hawthorn met, almost exactly 12 months ago, the scene was dramatically different.

It was Round 18 of the 2016 season, Hawthorn were in pole position atop the league ladder heading into the final six rounds as they hunted an historic fourth consecutive premiership.

While Richmond, having won one of their first seven games, had enjoyed a mini mid-season revival before flailing back towards the peloton to find themselves 13^th on the ladder.

On the day, an even first half was quickly forgotten after the Hawks kicked 12 second-half goals to the Tigers’ two to come away 70-point victors.

Hawthorn maintained their two-win buffer ahead of second place, while Richmond kept their 13^th spot, remaining there for the rest of the season.

But fast forward 12 months and the two rivals’ seasons’ fortunes have almost directly swapped.

The Hawks sat bottom of the competition after a winless opening month and won just two of their first seven matches.

Yet a post-bye run of four-and-a-half wins from six games has reinstalled league-wide respect for the Hawks, who are now one of the in-form sides in the competition heading into the final phase of the home and away season.

Winning their first five games, the Tigers have been one of the year’s most consistent performers and are now in a strong position to earn a finals’ double chance.

Read: Last time we met Richmond

Last weekend, both sides entered their respective clashes with 10 changes to the personnel that played for them in Round 18 last year (see below). 

Eight of those 10 absent Hawks are premiership players, with six of their replacements having not yet reached 70 senior games.

While much of Richmond’s changes revolve around a revitalised forward line mix. 

Having won just four of their last 13 encounters with Hawthorn, the Tigers have the chance to exact some revenge on the Hawks, with a yellow and black win almost definitely extinguishing any chance of a brown and gold finals appearance.

Richmond

Ins: Nathan Broad, Josh Caddy, Kane Lambert, Toby Nankervis, Kamdyn McIntosh, Dan Butler, Ivan Soldo, Bachar Houli, Corey Ellis, Shai Bolton (10)

Outs: Liam McBean, Nathan Drummond, Oleg Markov, Shaun Hampson, Ben Griffiths, Jack Riewoldt, Reece Conca, Sam Lloyd, Taylor Hunt, Jayden Short (10)

Hawthorn

Ins: Blake Hardwick, Ryan Burton, Tom Mitchell, Ryan Schoenmakers, Ricky Henderson, Jarryd Roughead, Will Langford, Daniel Howe, Billy Hartung, Conor Glass (10)

Outs: James Frawley, Ben Stratton, Josh Gibson, Grant Birchall, Jordan Lewis, Bradley Hill, Cyril Rioli, Paul Puopolo, Jonathan Ceglar, Sam Mitchell, Jonathan O’Rourke (10)