Event of the Day: West Coast Eagles versus Richmond Tigers
Our event of the day is the AFL clash between the West Coast Eagles and the Richmond Tigers at the Perth Stadium in Burswood. With seven victories in the first eight rounds of the league, these two sides share the top spot in the ladder, with 28 points each, Richmond currently in front thanks to a better point percentage. After losing to the Sydney Swans in the opening round, West Coast have gone on an amazing seven-game winning streak and today they could win their eighth in a row for the first time since 2005. In their last match, which was last Saturday, they beat Greater Western Sydney Giants 86-61 away from home at the Sydney Showground Stadium.
The Tigers have six consecutive wins, with their last victory coming at the North Melbourne Kangaroos last Sunday – 82-72. Richmond are the reigning champions, having won their 11th Premiership title last year, which was their first since 1980. West Coast and Richmond are the highest scoring teams of the campaign so far – the Eagles averaging 99.625 points per game, while the Tigers score on average 102.75 points per game. Hosts’ ruckman Nic Naitanui returns from his one game suspension and Jeremy McGovern could also be back after a calf injury. West Coast forward Jack Darling has the third highest goal total in the league with 22 and his teammate Shannon Hurn has the third highest amount of marks with 70. However, the Eagles will have a tough task to stop the quick forward line of Richmond and Dustin Martin, winner of the Brownlow Medal last season. We’re in for an exciting top-of-the-table clash in Perth today.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the NBA Playoffs match between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets at the Oracle Arena in Oakland. The series is tied 1-1 after the first two games in Houston. In the Royal London One Day Cup, Yorkshire host Warwickshire at Headingley; while in the Indian Premier League the Delhi Daredevils take on the Mumbai Indians at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi. The 2018 Giro d’Italia continues with the 176km long stage 15 from Tolmezzo to Sappada. It’s the final day at the European Tour’s Belgian Knockout at the Rinkven International Golf Club in Schilde. The French Moto GP takes place at Le Mans with Johann Zarco starting in pole position. In the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, it’s Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals between the Winnipeg Jets and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg. It’s the final day of both the ATP World Tour and the WTA World Tour Internazionali BNL d’Italia at the Foro Italico in Rome. In Serie A, Lazio clash with Inter Milan at the Stadio Olimpico in a battle for Champions League football next season.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Fixture
Photos by AFL