Carlton v Richmond

So, the AFL season kicks off on Thursday night, with the Carlton Blues taking on the Richmond Tigers. The clash promises to be one of interest, albeit not a game that will be watched on highlight reels for years to come. There are many questions that will be asked of both these sides during the 2010 AFL Premiership Season, and this game should begin to provide at least a few answers.


So who is going to win? Well - I'd be fairly confident in saying that Carlton look the goods. Yes, they are now without Fevola (Brisbane Lions) and Captain Chris Judd will not take part in the first 3 rounds of the Home and Away season. They were both crucial cogs which saw Carlton make a finals appearance last season, both senior players, and both superstars of the AFL.

Richmond will also be missing some crucial cogs, including captain Matthew Richardson who has finally hung up the boots after an amazing career. They will also be without former Bulldog Nathan Brown, and a host of other senior players. It will also be new coach, Damien Hardwick (Essendon and Port Power player) showcasing his coaching abilities in his first game as senior coach in the real stuff.

So there are plenty of unknowns.

Murphy and Gibbs for me are the standouts who will send this game into Carlton's favour. Also of note, will be the comeback of Waite. He's someone who I heavily considered for my Super Coach side this season, and is definitely a very good player at his best. He's coming back from a serious knee injury though, and these injuries typically prevent players from enjoying their best form - not only for the duration on the sidelines, but also during their comeback season.

Richmond have some good younger players, and will be hoping the likes of Deledio, Cotchin and new recruit Dustin Martin can provide the foundation for their future midfield. It's a pretty handy crop of players, and all 3 will be aiming for big seasons.




My tip.... Carlton by 27 points.