Tigers see skinny oval as narrow advantage

RICHMOND believes the “skinny” confines of Geelong’s Simonds Stadium will be well suited to its game style as it tries to end one of football’s biggest losing streaks.

The Tigers have lost their past 12 contests with the Cats, dating back to Round 9, 2006.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick, who took the reins in 2010, has celebrated at least three wins against every other club and only two Richmond-listed players — Dion Prestia and Shaun Hampson — have played in victories against Geelong.

However, fresh off four straight wins and building momentum towards the finals, the Tigers are quietly confident they can end the streak tomorrow.

Simonds Stadium is 10m longer than the MCG but 26m narrower, which Hardwick expects to help a Richmond game plan built around pressuring its opponents.

“The great thing about the confines of Simonds Stadium is it probably helps us,” Hardwick said.

“If anything it’s a smaller, skinnier-size ground and Geelong’s pressure there is very, very good, but ours is very good on a regular basis — but we think it will go up again so we’re excited to see how that works for us.”

The Tigers will welcome back key forward Jack Riewoldt, who has missed the past two weeks with an eye injury but completed a training session with teammates at Punt Road yesterday morning.

Riewoldt, 28, could be set to play a slightly different role after Hardwick was impressed with how Richmond’s small and mobile forward line worked in his absence.

“We’re really pleased with what the guys were able to produce and I think Jack was really proud of the group itself,” Hardwick said.

“It gives us some things to think about where we can utilise him [Riewoldt], as well. You’ve only got to look at a guy like [Hawthorn’s] Jarryd Roughead last weekend, who’s playing a little bit on-ball. Do we explore that and change up our forward line as well? It’s exciting for us.”