Richmond’s final game of their 2026 campaign is set for Saturday night against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.

Here are some burning questions that could determine the result of the match.

Who wins the battle of the wingers between Patrick Retschko and Ollie Dempsey?

The battle of the wingers will be on show, and for the first time, former Cat turned Tigers' young star Patrick Retschko will be unleashed on GMHBA Stadium.

After being traded to his childhood club, Richmond, at the end of 2025, Retschko has gone on to play 17* games, also nominated for the AFL Rising Star in Round 11's win over Essendon.

Retschko has been highly-touted as one of the Club's best runners, averaging 18.8 disposals, an above-average 11.4 kicks and an elite 4.9 marks in his debut season.

Most importantly, the 20-year-old was Richmond's leader last week in metres gained, with 565 to his name. It shows just how much emphasis is on his run-and-carry game.

He will likely be matched with Dempsey, who is one of the Cats' fittest players, finding himself dominating the wing this season. But Retschko knows the tricks of the trade down at Geelong, says coach Adem Yze.

"Their wingers are in really good form. We'll have Sam Banks, Pat and Judson Clarke on the wing. We understand the way they play. We get some insight from Pat from being there. Hopefully he's a step ahead," Yze said.

"Pat will be nervous. He knows a lot of the [Geelong] boys. But he's in good form. We expect him to play our way, not get overawed by that and be really consistent with what he's thinking game day and have an impact."

Can Tigers beat Geelong in the clearance game?

Richmond's clearance work has improved as the season has progressed and it will be hoping to bounce back from last week's performance in that area.

While the Tigers and Saints broke even on centre clearances last weekend, St Kilda held a 45-31 edge in total clearances, which broke a run of impressive efforts in that area from Richmond.

Before last week's game, the Tigers had won the clearance battle in five of their last seven matches.

Last week, Geelong lost the centre clearances battle 21-11 against North Melbourne, and Richmond's young midfield has the opportunity to test themselves against the seasoned Cats mids.

Vice-captain Tim Taranto will lead the middle men charge, still averaging an elite 6.2 clearances a game this season. The likes of Taj Hotton and Jack Ross (three clearances last week) will also have the chance to finish strong in 2026.

How can Tigers end the season on a high?

Despite Geelong having plenty to play for in terms of finals positioning, Yze has the confidence and moldability of a young playing group, who will want to stand tall and finish their 2026 campaign proudly for the Tiger Army.

The Cats have won the past three meetings between the sides, with the Tigers last getting the job done over Geelong back in 2023, but Yze's side will be fuelled by the "disappointment" of the loss to the Saints in Round 23.

"It's a big game for them [Geelong]. They're fighting for a certain spot on the ladder. We understand they play the ground really well and we're looking forward to the opportunity to play against a really strong team. [We want to play] similar to the way we did against Adelaide, a hostile environment and put on a performance that our Tiger Army are proud of...and finish the right way," Yze said.

"The boys are disappointed with the way we sent off a couple of our superstars last week. We've got to rectify that...with our attitude and effort."

The Tigers will also look to nullify the impact of returning Geelong star Jeremy Cameron, who the coach has studied heavily upon recall to the side.

"He's a terrific player. We've got to make sure he doesn't hit the scoreboard and impact the game. If he's a fit player and the contest is there, we'll go as hard as we can," Yze said.