CONSOLIDATION by Whispering Jack

The fans who turned up to the MCG for Melbourne’s Anzac Day Eve clash against Richmond would have been disappointed if they turned up to see a great spectacle. 

As much as this was a night for the 71,635 in attendance to commemorate heroes of the nation’s past wars, it was also a time for the Melbourne Football Club to consolidate upon its first win after a horrific start to the 2025 season. On this basis, despite the fact that it was an uninspiring and dour struggle for most of its 100 minutes, the night will be one for the fans to remember.

They certainly got value out of the pre match activity honouring those who fought for their country. The MCG and the lights of the city as backdrop was made for nights such as these and, in my view, we received a more inspirational ceremony of Anzac culture than others both here and elsewhere around the country. 

They were also treated to one quarter of brilliant football from Melbourne — the third when the team scored 6.3 to 1.2, but that was all she wrote.

The rest of the evening was a rather drab affair that generated little excitement apart perhaps from the opening when the Demons jumped out to an early three goal lead with majors to Ed Langdon, Bayley Fritsch and Kade Chandler before the Tigers reigned them in with two late goals. There was also room for some more excitement later on, when the final siren sounded to signal a second victory in a good week for a club with its back to the wall.

Both sides fumbled away in the second term arm wrestle that was not pretty, filled with skill errors and some lapses in discipline. The frustration was evident on both sides as the Demons went into the rooms at half time only four points in front.

All that changed in the third quarter when the Demons decided to pick up the pace. They played in the same dashing vein that a week earlier had lifted them out of the rut in which they subsisted in the opening month or so of the  season. Their pressure rating went through the roof as they monstered the tiring young Tigers all over the ground. 

Some of the team’s key players such as Clayton Oliver and Kysaiah Pickett had been held mainly in check in the first half. They suddenly came to life and joined in the mayhem.

But the true Melbourne Anzac heroes this year were to be found in an unusual pairing of tall and small that for the second week in a row set the stage for an overwhelming performance in terms of how the team was able to maintain control of the match. 

They were skipper Max Gawn who led the team and dictated the course of the game for 3½ quarters on his way to a second consecutive Frank 'Checker' Hughes Medal racking up 25 disposals, 34 hitouts, nine marks and six clearances in the time he spent on the field. His partner in crime was defender Jake Bowey who despite being one of the shortest players on the ground, grows in stature each week as he returns to full fitness after a tough 2024. His 32 pinpoint disposals were  pivotal time and again in generating attack from defence and securing his team’s match winning burst to victory. 

Gawn and Bowey had a few others who were consistent in their contributions throughout the game — premiership players in Christian Petracca, Christian Salem, Trent Rivers and Ed Langdon who set the tone with their dash and movement. Petracca is leading a charge for his redemption at the club and it’s not an inconsequential in the team’s changing fortunes.

Meanwhile, coach Simon Goodwin would have been pleased with the contributions of his teenage contingent in Xavier Lindsay, Harvey Langford and Caleb Windsor, all of who moved into the 20 possessions per match category. Their disposal and decision making skills are welcome additions to the club. Goody would also be very happy with the excellent first up game of Judd McVee after a long lay off with a bad hamstring injury incurred during the preseason. 

But in the end it was the skipper’s night. He remained the topic of conversation even when given a well earned rest for the last half of the final term after the lead hit a game high 44 points.

Some might bemoan the fact that Gawn’s absence from the ground late in the piece allowed a dent in the team’s percentage as Richmond scored the last four goals of the game. However, it was coming off a five day break and the big man was deserving of a rest which will pay dividends in the weeks to come as the Demon revival continues to consolidate.

MELBOURNE 3.2.20 5.4.34 11.7.73 12.11.83

RICHMOND 2.3.15 4.6.30 5.8.38 9.9.63 

GOALS

MELBOURNE Chandler Fritsch Petracca Petty 2 Langdon Pickett Sparrow Tholstrop 

RICHMOND Lynch 3 Taranto 2 Green Lalor Mansell Nankervis

BEST

MELBOURNE Gawn Petracca Bowey Salem Rivers Langdon May

RICHMOND Taranto Hopper Dow Ross Short Nankervis 

INJURIES 

MELBOURNE Nil

RICHMOND Nil

REPORTS

MELBOURNE Nil

RICHMOND Nil

SUBSTITUTIONS

MELBOURNE Harry Sharp (replaced Koltyn Tholstrup in the fourth quarter)

RICHMOND Tom Brown (replaced Campbell Gray in the third quarter)

UMPIRES Nick Jankovskis Leigh Fisher Paul Rebeschini Eleni Tee

CROWD 71,635 at the MCG