AFL Friday West Coast vs. Richmond: Who will kick the first goal?

Ladder position
West Coast Eagles: Seventh
Richmond Tigers: 12th

Season record:
West Coast Eagles: 2-1
Richmond Tigers: 1-2

Head to head odds
West Coast Eagles: $1.22 with CrownBet.com.au
Richmond Tigers: $4.75 with WilliamHill.com.au

Line betting
West Coast Eagles: -32.5 ($1.91 with CrownBet.com.au)
Richmond Tigers: +34.5 ($1.91 with WilliamHill.com.au)

COULD Richmond’s AFL season be shot, four rounds in?

Up against the fire power of the West Coast Eagles, in Perth – where they are all but unbeatable – the Tigers could be 1-3 and in all sorts of trouble.

The yellow and black army failed to fire last week, falling by six goals to Adelaide 19.14 (128) to 13.14 (92), despite the home comforts of Etihad Stadium.

Many expected a bounce back after their defeat from the jaws of victory loss against Collingwood a week earlier, the Tigers did not fire a shot, falling behind by 40 points in the second quarter before the lead blew out to 52 in the last. They kicked four of the last five – when the game was already over – to make the scoreboard look a little respectable.

Unlike the Tigers, the Eagles bounced back with a vengeance after being humbled by reigning premier Hawthorn last week, taking out their frustrations on Fremantle with a dominant 33 point win.

It should have been far more, with inaccurate kicking costing them a percentage booster in the 12.20 (92) to 8.11 (59) win.

The Eagles ended a two game Richmond run with a 20 point win in their only meeting last season, but the Tigers have enjoyed some success at the venue, with both those wins coming at Domain.

The midfield battle could decide the contest, with under fire Richmond captain Trent Cotchin, hard nut Dustin Martin and Shane Edwards all needing big games to combat the likes of Luke Shuey, Andrew Gaff and Matt Priddis – Who won the Glendinning Medal for best player on the park against the Dockers last week, gathering another 31 touches to go with eight tackles.

The Tiger faithful will be buoyed by the fact they have won in their last two visits to Domain Stadium, but the way they are travelling, it’s very hard to see them coming away from Perth with any thing but another defeat.

Our tips for first goal scorer

West Coast Eagles:

Josh Kennedy ($7 with sportsbet.com.au)

It’s not like we have to write anything here. Kennedy is the most dominant forward in the game and has the 2015 Coleman Medal to show for it. He is almost always the favourite to kick the first goal, because he does it so often. He commands the footy and has a booming boot. Your money is safer with this bloke than almost any other.

Richmond Tigers:

Sam Lloyd ($14 with WilliamHill.com.au)

The mature age recruit is a bit of a one trick pony. But what a trick it is. Has supreme goal sense and absolutely loves a goal. Might be the king of banging them across the body, despite his career being in its infancy. Booted three goals against the Crows last week to be the Tigers’ most dangerous forward. Lloyd has a habit of bobbing up out of the pocket and finding space where there really should not be any and, if the ball hits the deck early, he will be there to swoop.

Dustin Martin ($14 with WilliamHill.com.au)

What, no Jack Riewoldt. Yes, Jack is a gun, and we could tip him to kick the first goal in every Richmond game and we’d probably go pretty well. But we feel like this game is a tough ask against the bruising West Coast defence. So it could be left up to Martin to carry some of the goal kicking load. He hasn’t yet hit the scoreboard hard in 2016, with just the one goal against the Pies, but is capable of kicking big bags and ill need to do so if the Tigers are to get anywhere near the Eagles.

First goal scorer markets

Josh J. Kennedy ($7)

Jack Riewoldt ($8)

Tyrone Vickery ($10)

Jack Darling ($11)

Sam Lloyd ($14)

Dustin Martin ($14)

Josh Hill ($15)

Shane Edwards ($15)

Mark LeCras ($15)

Jamie Cripps ($15)

Daniel Rioli ($16)

Scott Lycett ($18)

Luke Shuey ($18)

Jayden Short ($21)

Lewis Jetta ($21)

Nic Naitanui ($23)

Kane Lambert ($23)

Ben Lennon ($26)

Andrew Gaff ($26)

Trent Cotchin ($26)

Elliot Yeo ($34)

Kamdyn McIntosh ($34)

Brandon Ellis ($34)

Jeremy McGovern ($34)

Bachar Houli ($41)

Chris Masten ($41)

Shannon Hurn ($41)

Matt Priddis ($41)

Anthony Miles ($41)

Shaun Grigg ($41)