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Richmond vs West Coast Eagles AFL Round 21 Tips - Eagles to edge past Richmond at the MCG

Adam Cusworth

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Last updated: Fri. 31 Jul. 2026 07:52

Adam Cusworth 31 Jul. 2026

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The game will be played at MCG on Sunday, 2nd August, with the bounce at 1:10 PM (AEST)
Can the Tigers win in bid to avoid wooden spoon?
Preview, expert analysis, stats, team news & best bet

Richmond vs West Coast Eagles, Round 21 2026 - Expert Prediction

West Coast will chalk up their fifth win of the season, cementing Richmond's spot on the bottom of the ladder and an impending wooden spoon.

The Eagles have lost their past seven matches, but there have been plenty of positives beneath the surface. Those defeats have come by an average of just 28 points and they have pushed the likes of Brisbane, Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs for long periods before falling away against far more experienced opposition.

This shapes as their best opportunity in some time to claim a scalp, up against a battling Richmond outfit that remain anchored to the bottom of the ladder.

Harley Reid is in career-best form, producing 30 disposals and 12 clearances against the ladder leaders, Fremantle, while up forward, Jake Waterman and Jobe Shanahan have given the Eagles genuine aerial presence, a combination that can expose Richmond's undermanned key defensive stocks.

The Tigers biggest issue continues to be its inability to capitalise on effort. Costly turnovers, poor skill execution and decision-making undo their hard work and they have now lost eight straight matches by an average of 49 points. Tom Lynch will provide a target and has a strong record against the Eagles, while Tim Taranto is set to continue his strong run.

But West Coast's young list has shown greater growth over the past month and looks far closer to breaking through than the results suggest. If Harley Reid and the Eagles can gain first use around the contest and give Waterman and Shanahan quality supply inside 50, they have the firepower and confidence to claim a long-awaited victory at the MCG.

Richmond have lost their past eight matches by an average of 49 points
The Eagles have lost their past seven by an average of 28.
Tom Lynch has kicked 18 goals in his past seven matches against the Eagles
Harley Reid comes off 30 disposals and 12 clearances against Fremantle.

Head to Head Stats

Richmond have won the past three against West Coast and were 11 point winners earlier this season at Optus Stadium in Perth, while they were two point winners the last time the two sides played at the MCG, with that coming in Round 9 last season. The Tigers have won the past five at the ‘G’.

Standout player performances in the recent head to heads have come from:

Harley Reid (Eagles)- 25+ disposals and twp goals in his past two against Richmond.
Tim Taranto (Tigers)- 25+ in each of his past five against the Eagles.
Kane McAuliffe (Tigers)- 28 disposals in the most recent meeting.
Tom Lynch (Tigers)- 18 goals from his past six against the Eagles

Richmond Form Analysis

Richmond have won just two matches this season - an 11-point win over West Coast in Round 8, as well as an 18-point triumph against Essendon in Round 11. They have lost lost eight in a row and come off a 57-point loss to the Western Bulldogs last weekend. They have lost their past three by 46 points or more.

They have been competitive in patches in recent weeks but are struggling to maintain intensity and execution across four quarters against quality opposition, while injuries continue to take a hold, while their young players are looking fatigued after a long season.

Tim Taranto continued his run of 25+ disposals matches against the Bulldogs, while Nick Vlaustin, Jayden Short and Jack Ross also hit the 25+. Tom Lynch and Mykelti Lefau booted two goals each with the Tigers managing just seven for the match.

West Coast Eagles Form Analysis

West Coast have a win-loss record of 4-15 and have lost their past seven matches, coming off a 70-point defeat to their local rivals, Fremantle. However, the Eagles have been much more competitive in 2026 with massive losses becoming rare, rather than the norm.

Five of the seven straight losses have been by 25-points or less with two of those decided by three points or less.

Against the Dockers, the mid-season rookie, Lucas Herbert, had 36 disposals, while Tim Kelly and Harley Reid also hit 30+ with the Eagles having more disposals than their rivals, while being dominated in clearance and inside 50s. Jack Williams was their only multiple goalkicker with two of the Eagles six goals for the night.

In their seven straight losses, the Eagles are averaging less than 70 points per game. They have one just once outside of Perth in 2026 with that coming against Port Adelaide way back in Round 3.

Richmond vs West Coast Eagles Team List & News

Richmond Team News

Ben Miller returns from injury, while Steely Green is back in contention after missing last week. Jack Clarke and Sam Ryan have also been added as Richmond looks to rebound. Rhyan Mansell misses through injury.

West Coast Eagles Team News

Jack Graham returns to face his former club after missing last week's derby, while Clay Duff-Tytler, Matt Flynn and Tom Gross have also been added. Oli Francou is unavailable through injury.

Richmond	POS	West Coast Eagles
N. Broad, B. Miller, K. Annand	B	L. Duggan, R. Bazzo, B. Starcevich
T. Brown, S. Banks, N. Vlastuin	HB	T. McCarthy, T. Young, B. Hough
P. Retschko, T. Taranto, T. Sonsie	C	W. Duursma, E. Yeo, B. Allan
S. Campbell, D. Prestia, H. Ralphsmith	HF	T. Cole, J. Shanahan, J. Graham
T. Lynch, T. Hotton, M. Lefau	F	M. Murdock, J. Waterman, C. Duff-Tytler
T. Nankervis, J. Ross, S. Lalor	FOLL	B. Williams, H. Reid, T. Kelly
J. Short, S. Grlj, S. Cumming, J. Clarke, S. Green, S. Ryan, L. Trainor, Z. Peucker	I/C	R. Maric, H. Johnston, M. Flynn, T. Gross, S. Brock, M. Herbert, H. Davis, J. Williams

Richmond vs West Coast Eagles AFL 2026 Round 21 FAQ’s

How to watch Richmond vs West Coast Eagles AFL 2026 Round 21?
You can watch the Richmond vs West Coast Eagles AFL 2026 Round 21 game via Fox Sports or Kayo Sports. If you are watching from outside of Australia the WatchAFL app is the perfect solution.
How to buy tickets to Richmond vs West Coast Eagles AFL 2026 Round 21?
To buy tickets to the Richmond vs West Coast Eagles AFL 2026 Round 21 game check the AFL website or the official Richmond site.

Verdict

Richmond v West Coast Eagles

Take the Eagles in the head to head with Reid and Lynch best options in player props

West Coast

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