GEELONG and Richmond will clash on Friday night in the latest instalment of their fierce rivalry, but it will be two very different midfields than we've seen in the past.

The two clubs have won four of the past six flags between them and faced off in the 2017 qualifying final, the 2019 prelim and the 2020 Grand Final, with the Tigers winning all three contests.

The Cats and Tigers share a curious rivalry, driven by Geelong's dominance over Richmond before their premiership treble (the Cats won 20 of 21 games against the Tigers prior to the 2017 qualifying final), the subsequent finals face-offs, Tom Stewart's late hit on Dion Prestia last year and a passionate dislike between supporter groups.

Throwing back further, Tiger fans of a particular vintage speak of the dominance of Gary Ablett snr with a slightly pained look, with the champion Cat kicking 118 goals at an average of 5.9 against the Tigers, his highest tally against any club.

Currently, the Cats are purring despite their injury issues, but the Tigers are somewhat spluttering and appear to have started their post-flag transition while they've been hit by injuries to key talls.

Driven by injury and recruitment, we take a look at how much have the engine rooms of both clubs have evolved in less than a year, and what the numbers say ahead of Friday night.

New year, new look

Comparing both clubs' midfields from the last time they faced off - round 15, 2022, a nail-biting affair capped off by a winning goal from Jack Henry - with how they lined up last week tells the story of the evolution at both clubs.

Rucks have also been included in the below centre bounce attendance numbers, given the difficulty in separating the ever-versatile Mark Blicavs' ruck and midfield time.

It's also worth noting that former Tigers skipper Trent Cotchin did not play in either of the below two matches, but will return to face the Cats this week.

Richmond Centre Bounce Attendance Percentage, minimum 20

*subbed off due to concussion

Geelong Centre Bounce Attendance Percentage, minimum 20

*subbed off due to injury

Essentially, it will be two entirely different midfields that go head-to-head on Friday night, and both teams have also been running with completely new ruck pairings due to injury.

The Tigers have brought in Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper, pushing Jack Ross and Jack Graham to the wing and half-forward respectively, while Shai Bolton played greater midfield time last week against West Coast than he did against Geelong last year.

For the Cats, Tanner Bruhn has crossed from GWS, filling the retired Joel Selwood's spot in the 22, and in the absence of Cam Guthrie and Patrick Dangerfield (second half last week), the explosive Max Holmes and Blicavs have increased their time on the ball.

Brandan Parfitt and debutant Jhye Clark will also face the Tigers this week, adding yet another new dimension to the Cats' side.

What does this mean in terms of raw numbers?

One area Richmond should have the edge on Friday night is contested possessions. The Tigers are sitting fourth overall for contested possessions so far this year, while Geelong is 15th.

Of extra concern for the Cats will be the absence of Dangerfield – clearly their best contested player this year – and the fact key forward Hawkins makes their top five. It's a big tick for the key forward's work in attack, but a little worrying for their midfield depth.

Top total contested possession winners, 2023

When it comes to clearances, though, the numbers are flipped; the Cats are sixth and the Tigers 13th, with this metric a traditional Achilles heel for Damien Hardwick's side.

While Geelong has been a better clearance side than Richmond this year, Dangerfield is out of the equation, while fifth-ranked Guthrie is also sidelined having played six of eight games this year.

Nankervis' impact on Richmond's clearances can't be understated either; he sits fourth overall at the club despite having only played four of eight matches, and will miss again this week.

Top total clearance winners 2023

Who could break the game open?

For the Tigers, the obvious answers are the former Giants pairing of Taranto and Hopper, while Bolton possesses a spark that few can match. If Dion Prestia is up and running freely, he also provides steel around the contest that can sometimes be lacking.

The young Bruhn had a final 10 minutes to remember against Adelaide last week, but it would be rough to put the weight of an entire game on him. But with the support of Holmes – who the Tigers don't quite have an answer for defensively if he's in top gear – the duo could be dangerous.

And then there's Blicavs. Samson Ryan may have the mobility to run with the star Cat, but at 22, doesn't yet have the strength to physically match the man who's a decade older. He could be the Cats' match-winner, both in the ruck and as a midfielder.

Whatever happens, it's a new-look chapter in the long, long history between these two famous clubs.