Richmond opens its 2026 campaign against Carlton on Thursday night in a blockbuster MCG contest.

Ahead of the game, we assess some burning questions that could help determine the result of the match.

How much does Round 1 last year matter?

No Richmond fan needs a reminder of what happened in this corresponding fixture last year, as the Tigers delivered one of their most famous comeback victories in recent memory. 

While knowledge of that game exists, coach Adem Yze is taking a measured approach, focusing more on the process than the result.

“The highlights, it was an amazing game, but we were 41 points down, so we've got to be really mindful that we didn't start the game the right way, and the way we reviewed that game was the fact that we probably shouldn't have won it, based on numbers,” Yze said about last year’s Round 1 clash. 

“There's some excitement around it, we understand that when we do play our best footy, we're a show, but we'll be thinking about the process and not the result of last year."

Who controls the ruck?

On this week’s Talking Tigers podcast, Richmond legend Matthew Richardson highlighted the ruck battle between Toby Nankervis and Marc Pittonet as “crucial” and the “key match-up in this game”.

Pittonet is coming off a strong performance in the Blues’ Opening Round match against Sydney, as he kicked three goals and amassed 18 disposals, while the Tigers’ inspirational captain is ready to test himself against the AFL’s new ruck rules.

“I'm really excited for the challenge to really grasp this rule and see what advantages I can take from it,” Nankervis said.

“I need to get better at the rule, and I'm really excited to see what I can do and really take myself probably out of my comfort zone in a lot of ways to really match it with some of the more athletic guys.”

Along with the main battle between the starting rucks, Richmond’s Campbell Gray and Carlton’s Hudson O’Keeffe could also spend some time in the ruck.

Which midfield will dominant contest?

One of Carlton’s strengths has always been its brute force in the contest, and that was once again on display in last week’s game, as the Blues won contested possessions 151-134 against the Swans. 

Last year, Carlton ranked first in the competition for contested possessions per game (137.7), and fifth in both centre clearances (12.6) and total clearances (39.3).

The Tigers have an exciting midfield mix, with Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper both coming off their best seasons in the yellow and black, new leadership group member Jack Ross elevating his game, and Sam Lalor set to gain more midfield exposure.

How Richmond’s group combats Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh, George Hewett and Jagga Smith will be pivotal.