Geelong round out their 2026 home-and-away season on Saturday night, set to take on Richmond at GMHBA Stadium. 

The Cats will be searching for a sixth consecutive victory, with hopes of solidifying their spot in the top six on the ladder and avoiding the Wildcard Weekend. 

This week's challenge is a rising Richmond team full of young talent, who will be looking to finish their year on a strong note. 

Take a look through some of the strengths in their game ahead of Saturday's clash, proudly presented by Deakin University. 

2026 Ladder 

Geelong Cats: 6th (14-8)
Richmond: 17th (3-19)

Recent Games

2025, Round 24 - Richmond 9.10 (64) def. by Geelong 14.19 (103)
2025, Round 17 - Geelong 18.16 (124) def. Richmond 7.10 (52)
2024, Round 12 - Geelong 15.9 (99) def. Richmond 10.9 (69)

Deakin Performance Stat of the Week 

Handling the Pressure

If there is one thing that Geelong has been susceptible to over an extensive period of time, it is teams that can bring elite pressure and drag them away from the style of game that they want to play. 

That was particularly evident last week, with North Melbourne applying plenty of heat around the ball in the opening term en route to a 38-point lead, before the Cats were able to steady and the game back on their terms. 

Richmond have been rock solid in this area across the 2026 season, sitting near the AFL average for pressure acts and ranking fifth in the AFL for defensive pressure acts. 

The Tigers also rank sixth in the competition for spoils, able to apply pressure in defence and making it harder for teams to score, something that Geelong will need to be aware of. 

Not letting Tim Taranto loose

Despite Richmond's record this year, it does not detract from the incredible campaign that Tim Taranto has pieced together. 

Even after missing two games, the star on-baller leads the Tigers for total disposals, inside 50s, tackles and score involvements. 

But what has been most impressive is his work around stoppages, with Taranto ranking 11th in the AFL for total clearances this year and 12th for contested possessions. 

He has also been able to push forward and impact the scoreboard, kicking 14 goals in what has been a well-rounded season for the impressive Tiger. 

Tim Taranto's 2026 Stats

Nullifying the Ruck

Richmond have impressed in their ability to win ruck contests and then turn that into clearances, something that has been particularly relevant in their victories across the 2026 season. 

The Tigers rank sixth in the AFL this year for the proportion of hit outs resulting in a teammate obtaining first possession, and above the AFL average for the proportion of hit outs where the team won the clearance.

Three of Richmond's top five scores from stoppages came in their trio of wins this year, showing how important it is to their style. 

It is led in particular by Toby Nankervis who continues to perform strongly, but they also have a number of other players who can roll through the ruck and have an impact.