VENUE & TIME :
Subiaco, 5.40pm (WST), Saturday August 18

HEAD TO HEAD :
West Coast 19 Richmond 11 Drawn 0

LAST TIME :
West Coast 14.15 (99) bt Richmond 11.10 (76)
Rund 5, 2007, MCG

Team Changes

West Coast :
IN - Fletcher.
OUT - Embley.

Richmond :
IN - Riewoldt.
OUT - Graham.

Preview :

The Eagles are beginning to look ominous, winning three of their past four games to surge back into the top four with last week's hard-fought 17-point win over the high-flying Kangaroos one of their best wins of the season.

Eagles ruckman Dean Cox has begun to hit his All-Australian form of the past two years in recent weeks. Against the Kangaroos last week he was magnificent with 19 possessions, nine marks, 30 hit-outs and a fantastic goal in the final quarter.

The Tigers effectively smashed Collingwood last weekend on their way to gathering 111 more possessions. Perhaps the twenty point deficit flattered the ‘Pies. West Coast, however, is another story entirely. Rarely does this team put in a performance like that and certainly not on their own stomping ground.

Young midfielder Nathan "Axel" Foley continued his incredible season last week when he destroyed Collingwood with 27 disposals as well as a great running goal in the final term which sealed a rare Tigers win.

Verdict :

Richmond supporters celebrated just their second win of a long, long year over Collingwood last week. Highly unlikely they'll be celebrating two in a row as the Eagles should do this on the bit.

The Tigers go in with just one fit ruckman after Troy Simmonds and Angus Graham joined Trent Knobel and Ray Hall on the sidelines. Expect Eagles' ruck tandem Dean Cox and Mark Seaby to give Adam Pattison the stuff of nightmares, with pinch-hitters Graham Polak and Shane Tuck likely to share the youngster's pain.

The Eagles have too much class and can go a long way to wrapping up second place if they resist the temptation to go easy and go for the percentage boost.

The Pick :

West Coast easily by 60 points.

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Eagles -39.5 @ 1.90 (best bet)
Eagles over 60 @ 2.70