Richmond v Geelong AFL R9 tips & same game multi – 12/5/2023

After securing a much-needed win last weekend, the Richmond Tigers host the red-hot Cats at the MCG for a Friday night thriller to kick off round nine of the 2023 AFL Premiership.

Richmond broke their five-game losing streak with a laborious win over the lowly West Coast Eagles that did not inspire any great confidence. Scores were level midway through the third quarter, but the Tigers finally broke free with a seven-goal blitz to end the contest.

Richmond rank fifth in the competition for inside 50s but only 15th for goals with an average of under 11 major scores per game. The Tigers have been hit hard by injuries to key players but look deserving of their 2-6 record and will need to find another gear if they hope to trouble the defending champions.

After overcoming an early premiership hangover, the Geelong Cats are now back to their imperious best with five straight wins. They were forced to work early against the determined Crows but appeared to cruise to the final whistle with plenty in reserve.

Geelong average more than 16 goals per game, second only to Melbourne, and top the competition on goal assists with an average of 12.6 per outing. Their ability to capitalise on forward entries is led by Jeremy Cameron, who is in career-best form and heads the Coleman Medal race with 33 goals from eight appearances.

Key matchup: Taranto v Holmes

Tim Taranto vs Max Holmes

Richmond midfielder Tim Taranto has been their best player in 2023. He averages 30.6 disposals, 6.8 tackles, 6.6 clearances, and 118 AFL Fantasy Points per game – elite numbers. The former Giant has been a godsend for the depleted Tigers, who have previously relied on the likes of Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin to generate their contested possessions. But with the veterans now starting to fade, the pressure falls on young players like Taranto to step up and take charge.

Young Geelong midfielder Max Holmes played a blinder against the Crows in round eight, grabbing 22 disposals, eight tackles, five clearances, and one goal. The speedy 20-year-old, who was picked up at number 20 in the 2020 draft, looks to have a bright future and will be full of confidence after playing every game so far this season and posting big improvements in every major statistic.

Richmond v Geelong R9 betting strategy

The Cats go in as warm favourites with the early line set at 20.5 points. This looks too tempting to pass up and we will be taking a slice of that action given Richmond’s inability to hit the scoreboard. The Tigers were beaten by 44 points by the Swans at the MCG in round five, and by 24 points by the Suns at the same venue in round seven. The Cats are travelling better than both those sides, so this seems an obvious selection.

Richmond v Geelong AFL same game multi

For those chasing additional value, we suggest linking Geelong -20.5 points into Sam Simpson to score two or more goals, into Max Holmes to get 20 or more disposals. This combo is paying $6.68 on BetOnline.

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