Search the Community

Two weeks ago, when the curtain came down on Melbourne’s game against the Brisbane Lions, the team trudged off the MCG looking tired and despondent at the end of a tough run of games played in quick succession. In the days that followed, the fans wanted answers about their team’s lamentable performance that night and foremost among their concerns was whether the loss was a one off result of fatigue or was it due to other factor(s) of far greater consequence. As it turns out, the answer to the major question is still blowing in the wind after the traditional Anzac Day Eve clash between the Demons and the Tigers with the fans forced to wait a little longer for the big reveal. Not surprisingly, the match up between teams in different stages of development was never going to be a definitive guide to those perplexed by the team’s reversal of fortune after such a good week in Adelaide. There were however, some encouraging signs of work in progress towards resolving some of the puzzles presented lately to Simon Goodwin and his coaching panel. Admittedly, they only came later in the game. Circumstance made this event one that most of the 72,840 fans who turned up to the MCG would rather forget. Given the plight of the Richmond Football Club and its ever-expanding injury list and the fact that new Tiger coach Adem Yze was intimately familiar with the way the Demons play, it was inevitable that the game would turn into a slog which is precisely how the first half turned out. The crowd was treated to congested play, skill errors in abundance and a low scoring battle of the defences. A single point favoured the Tigers when the major break delivered us all to twenty minutes of respite. There was nothing more to say other than that Demon fans were entitled to feel a little despair. They had come to the football after a fortnight reflecting on a truly abysmal effort from its much vaunted midfield engine room and even worse from its forwards. Skipper Max Gawn had again been solid and key defenders Jake Lever and Steven May, their usual dependable selves as they marshalled the backline but overall, the team was faltering. Leaving aside the final term against the Lions who slammed on the brakes with the game well and truly won, scoring had seemingly stopped to a trickle. The line of attack was once again looking helpless and impotent. Whatever Goodwin said or did at half time, it worked to great effect. Or perhaps, it was simply his regular game style finally forcing the Tiger hand. The team was suddenly imbued with something - call it the Anzac Spirit if you like - but they lifted their intensity and produced an inspirational ten goal to two second half that witnessed the arrival in football terms of a new key forward. Daniel Turner will definitely be one of the few who will remember this match, along with Jason Taylor who recruited him with a late selection in the midseason draft almost three years ago. The man they call “Disco” announced himself with his three goals on a night when both his side and the opposition managed just three each in the first half. He could hardly be described as an overnight sensation. His progress since he was drafted mainly as a defender has been slow and painful, marred by injuries and a measure of disappointment along the way. And he was almost there when the club prepared him to go forward on the eve of last year’s finals but, alas, others were preferred. Then came another injury setback in the month before the start of this season. Fans will be hoping that he’s not going to be a one hit wonder. The Melbourne cause was aided by two goals each from Bayley Fritsch, Kysaiah Pickett and another newcomer to the club’s goal kicking ranks in the tactical sub, Bailey Laurie, who also will likely not forget the night. Suddenly, there was some versatility in the forward set up adding to the undoubted talent of Fritta and Kozzie. Now for a repeat of that for the full four quarters against the big guns! What we witnessed after half time was a bolder Melbourne emerging upon Max Gawn’s Frank 'Checker' Hughes medal-winning performance in wearing down Toby Nankervis and thereby, the rest of the brave Richmond line up who were by now constantly turning the ball over under pressure. Gawn finished with 23 disposals and 10 marks to go with his 26 hit outs and a goal when it really mattered to start the scoring with the match still an arm wrestle six minutes into the second half. Jake Lever’s game in defence built up to a crescendo and his 26 disposals, 11 marks and 15 intercept possessions were sublime. There’s also a lot to like about how Trent Rivers is maturing into a player of high quality. The Demons got out of the night with a percentage booster and now sit on a 5 - 2 record. They hold a much happier disposition than the one they had at half time. The midfield is still nowhere near its best but no injuries were reported either, which augurs well for their next two matches against two of the competition’s best performed clubs. Perhaps then, supporters will finally discover the answer to the big question troubling them since that problematic game against the Brisbane Lions. Bring it on! MELBOURNE 2.3.15 3.5.23 8.7.55 13.7.85 RICHMOND 1.3.9 3.6.24 4.8.32 5.12.42 GOALS MELBOURNE Turner 3 Fritsch Laurie Pickett 2 Gawn Petracca van Rooyen Windsor RICHMOND Rioli 2 Bolton Lefau Martin BEST MELBOURNE Lever Gawn Turner May Langdon Oliver RICHMOND Lefau Broad Dow Hopper Baker INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil RICHMOND Jacob Hopper (hamstring) REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil RICHMOND Nil SUBSTITUTIONS MELBOURNE Bailey Laurie (replaced Caleb Windsor in the final quarter) RICHMOND Kamdyn McIntosh (replaced Jacob Hopper in the third quarter) UMPIRES Fisher, Stevic, Broadbent, Adair CROWD 72,840 at the MCG

There’s a touch of irony in the fact that Adem Yze played his first game for Melbourne in Round 13, 1995 against the club he now coaches. For that game, he wore the number 44 guernsey and got six touches in a game the team won by 11 points. The man whose first name was often misspelled, soon changed to the number 13 and it turned out lucky for him. He became a highly revered Demon with a record of 271 games during which his presence was acknowledged by the fans with the chant of “Oozee” whenever he had his hands on the football. Oozee notched up many achievements in his day but fell short of a premiership in the club’s grand final year of 2000. Some years after he retired as a player and with success as Alastair Clarkson’s back up at the Hawks, he came back home as an assistant coach in 2021 and, as such, he was a key architect in the club’s historic premiership win. He coached them to a win in the following season when Simon Goodwin had to sit out the game with Covid19. We all wished him well when he was appointed coach of the Tigers and look forward to greeting son Noah as a father/son pick at the draft later this year but that’s where the friendship ends. On Wednesday night, it will be all out war on Oozee. That’s not good news for the man whose first season at Punt Road has been severely impacted by player unavailability with the Tigers dealing with the longest injury list in the AFL. This should be nothing new for the man as the Demons were often plagued by injuries during his tenure as a player and believe me, those injuries hurt badly. I think the Tigers would have struggled anyway against the Demons who should be well refreshed from the bye while still smarting from their last up tired and insipid display against Brisbane. The Tigers also had a bye, but they will lose the dangerous Jayden Short and could regain former captain Dylan Grimes and midfielder Jacob Hopper (knee), with the pair needing to pass fitness tests. The issue is that they are both desperately short of match fitness which will be problematic against the Dees. Melbourne may well have had an excuse of their own after an exacting schedule saw them play with so very little in their tank. At least they are seeing some respite with players coming back from their early season injuries. There will be absolutely no excuses against the Oozee-led Richmond which is so badly hurt that it doesn’t even have a tank. Hence, I expect that our battle-hardened soldier will leave his beloved MCG on Anzac Day Eve with the same number of victories as a Richmond coach that he had with Melbourne - just the one. Demons by 49 points. THE GAME Richmond v Melbourne on Wednesday 24 April 2024 at 7.25pm at the MCG HEAD TO HEAD Overall Richmond 107 wins Melbourne 79 wins Drawn 2 At the MCG Richmond 72 wins Melbourne 67 wins Drawn 1 Past five meetings Richmond 1 win Melbourne 4 wins The Coaches Yze 0 wins Goodwin 0 wins THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 20.10.130 defeated Richmond 15.8.98 at the MCG, Round 20, 2023 The Tigers gave it their best shot pushing the Demons throughout the game and remained threatening until a fare more accurate than usual Melbourne prevailed at the end through the agency of Harry Petty (6 goals), Jake Melksham and Jacob van Rooyen (4 each) who didn’t miss a shot for goal all day. Their six-goal final quarter blew Richmond out of the game and dampened their finals hopes. THE TEAMS RICHMOND B T. Young, N. Broad, D. Grimes HB N. Vlastuin, T. Brown, D. Rioli C H. Ralphsmith, J. Graham, M. Pickett HF S. Campbell, R. Mansell, M. Rioli F M. Lefau, S. Bolton, D. Martin FOLL T. Nankervis, L. Baker, T. Dow I/C S. Banks, J. Hopper, B. Miller, S. Naismith SUB K. McIntosh EMG J. Koschitzke, K. McAuliffe, T. Sonsie IN D. Grimes, S. Naismith, J. Hopper, S. Banks OUT J. Koschitzke (omitted), K. McAuliffe (omitted), J. Short (calf), T. Sonsie (omitted) MELBOURNE B T. Rivers, S. May, T. McDonald HB B. Howes, J. Lever, J. McVee C E. Langdon, C. Petracca, J. Billings HF K. Chandler, J. Van Rooyen, K. Pickett F A. Neal-Bullen, B. Fritsch, H. Petty FOLL M. Gawn, J. Viney, C. Oliver I/C T. Sparrow, D. Turner, C. Windsor, T. Woewodin SUB B. Laurie EMG B. Brown M. Hore, K. Tholstrup IN B. Laurie, K. Pickett, S. Turner OUT B. Brown (omitted), C. Salem (hamstring) K. Tholstrop (omitted) Injury List: Round 7 Marty Hore — thumb / available Shane McAdam — hamstring / available Clayton Oliver — finger / available Jake Bowey — shoulder / 3 - 4 weeks Charlie Spargo — Achilles / 3 - 4 weeks Christian Salem — hamstring / 3 - 5 weeks Jake Melksham — knee / 7 - 9 weeks

The persistent Tigers held on for three quarters before the Demons, powered by some accuracy in front of goal (for once), ran away at the end of the game. Harry Petty kicked 6.0 while Jake Melksham and JvR managed 4.0 each. Unfortunately, all three were missing when the team was ousted from the finals in September. MELBOURNE 3.5.23 8.5.53 14.6.90 20.10.130 RICHMOND 5.4.34 9.7.61 13.8.86 15.8.98 THE TEAMS RICHMOND B N. Balta, D. Grimes T. Young HB N. Vlastuin N. Broad D. Rioli C K. McIntosh T. Taranto J. Ross HF J. Graham J. Hopper L. Baker F J. Riewoldt D. Martin M. Pickett FOLL I. Soldo D. Prestia S. Bolton I/C S. Banks, T. Cotchin R. Mansell B. Miller SUB M. Coulthard EMG N. Cumberland H. Ralphsmith S. Ryan No Change MELBOURNE B T. Rivers, S. May, J. Lever HB C. Salem A. Tomlinson J. Bowey C L. Hunter J. Viney E. Langdon HF K. Chandler J. Melksham J. Jordon F A. Neal-Bullen J. Van Rooyen K. Pickett FOLL M. Gawn A. Brayshaw C. Petracca I/C J. Harmes J. McVee H. Petty T. Woewodin SUB J. Smith EMG B. Grundy M. Hibberd C. Spargo IN J. Harmes H. Petty OUT B. Brown T. Sparrow

The Tigers made the running for most of the night but the Demons worse them down particularly with thanks for their accuracy in front of goal. Youngster Jacob van Rooyen announced himself with three final quarter goals. MELBOURNE 2.2.14 6.2.38 10.5.65 15.6.96 RICHMOND 5.2.32 8.4.52 10.7.67 11.12.78 
 
 THE TEAMS 
 
 MELBOURNE B H. Petty S. May T. Rivers HB K. Chandler J. Lever E. Langdon C A. Brayshaw C. Oliver L. Hunter HF J. McVee B. Grundy A. Neal-Bullen F K. Pickett J. van Rooyen B. Fritsch FOLL M. Gawn J. Viney C. Petracca I/C J. Bowey M. Hibberd J. Jordon T. Sparrow SUB B. Laurie EMG L. Dunstan J. Schache D. Turner IN M. Gawn M. Hibberd B. Laurie J. Lever OUT J. Melksham (omitted) T. McDonald (omitted) C. Spargo (concussion) A. Tomlinson (omitted) RICHMOND B N. Balta D. Grimes T. Young HB L. Baker N. Vlastuin D. Rioli C K. McIntosh T. Taranto M. Pickett HF M. Rioli D. Martin R. Mansell F B. Miller N. Cumberland J. Riewoldt FOLL S. Ryan S. Bolton J. Hopper I/C J. Clarke T. Cotchin D. Prestia J. Short T. Sonsie SUB H. Ralphsmith EMG J. Bauer J. Ross T. Sonsie IN J. Short OUT T. Sonsie (omitted)

Normally when one side outpoints the other, it is because of an emphatic victory. Against Richmond in the annual ANZAC Eve Blockbuster, the win by Melbourne was anything but emphatic, as they managed to miss the “big sticks” an incredible 22 times! The groans from around the ground as the Demons failed to put the Tigers away, eventually turned into ironic cheers for each successive point on the scoreboard. However, this irony from the fans was only possible because Melbourne had complete control of the game across the whole ground. They just couldn’t deliver the coup de grace on the scoreboard. The evening was spectacular, as it is every year with the lights dimmed for the solemn ANZAC memorial. Surely the players from Melbourne would have been impressed by the experience of playing in front of 70,000 at the G on this night. If it was this good, imagine what a GF experience will be like in front of their own fans. Something to look forward to? Unfortunately, what the game had in pre-match spectacle, it lacked in on-field performance. Richmond are a mere shell of the team which won 3 out of 4 Premierships, and are facing further decline as they try to hold it all together with old stagers in Riewoldt, Cotchin and Edwards. Only 7 touches to Edwards and with no Dusty, Grimes or Houli from the glory days, they are absolutely no chance to challenge again in 2022, as many thought in the pre-season. The Demons were just as ruthlessly overpowering as they were in their own GF appearance from last year, except on the scoreboard. The defensive unit once again held the opposition to below sixty points, with May, Bowey and Petty just racking up the intercepts when the ball came down their end. Nine each to May and Bowey with Petty chiming in for 8. No Lever? It didn’t matter, as the others just filled in with his absence. Jayden Hunt probably played his best game for the side this season in his 100th game, and importantly played defensively, not his attacking mode. He used his speed to shut down his opponent and let others do the ball movement upfield. In the middle, Petracca had a quiet game … but only because it was measured against an incredible performance from Clayton Oliver who was judged best afield on the night. Petracca’s mere 25 touches with 7 contested possessions was simply eclipsed when Oliver turned on the jets to produce 41 touches and an astounding 22 contested posssessions! Tom Sparrow is establishing himself as the third rock in the centre square as the coaches give him more time in the engine room. Twenty-four disposals in the hardest section of the ground, and still just 21 years of age. Then the side has a couple of reliable backups in Harmes and Dunstan and let’s not forget that Jack Viney is due to return next week. As noted last week, opposition sides should be very, very afraid. But the whole night was summed up by the enigma of the forward line. Sam Weideman received another chance, and despite three goals, they all came from fortuitous circumstances, not his own efforts. A solitary uncontested mark for the whole game is not what should be coming from a forward in his seventh year at the club. He will probably be given another chance to show if he has a future, but we keep revisiting this hope without an emphatic answer. Finally, in the third quarter Bayley Fritsch showed the side that someone up forward could kick straight and started a 5 goal streak that put the game beyond any doubt. Was it Christian Salem’s boots that he wore this week, and if so, the rest of the side needs to be issued with whatever Salo has sitting in the back of his locker. Hopes of a better game from therein for the fans however, was dashed as both teams could only manage a solitary goal each in the final quarter. And the Demons managed to out-point the Toiyges yet again in that quarter with three more minor scores to their two. It was just enthralling football to watch. Not! Next week the Hawks who are experiencing an up and down season. They are missing major components of their side particularly in the ruck and up forward. The Demons yet again face selection table problems with Lever and Viney available, while Tom McDonald put in a more than credible performance at Casey with three goals. The Demons certainly out-pointed Richmond and probably will do the same to the Hawks, but it is worth pointing out the winning streak is now out to 13, and Jake Bowey continues to know no other match result. Point made!  MELBOURNE 2.6.18 3.12.30 8.19.67 9.22.76 RICHMOND 2.2.14 5.3.33 7.4.46 8.6.54 GOALS MELBOURNE Weideman 3 Fritsch 2 Brown Langdon Petracca Spargo RICHMOND Lynch Riewoldt 2 Baker Bolton Graham Rioli BEST MELBOURNE Oliver Hunt Langdon May Gawn Petty RICHMOND Vlastuin Nankervis Gibcus Short Graham D Rioli INJURIES MELBOURNE Dunstan (head) RICHMOND Dow (leg) REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil RICHMOND Nil SUBSTITUTES MELBOURNE T Bedford (not used) RICHMOND Parker (replaced Dow) UMPIRES Leigh Fisher Andrew Stephens Robert Findlay CROWD 70,334 at The MCG

The ANZAC Eve blockbuster between Melbourne and Richmond has become something of a bellwether event for the two clubs. The winner has gone on to collect the premiership flag on four out of five occasions since the Tigers overran an injury-stricken Demons side late in their 2017 encounter. The outlier was 2018 when Richmond dominated the season but like Melbourne, it stumbled at the final hurdle and failed to make the Grand Final. The 2022 version might turn out be just another game but there’s a fair amount at stake here. The Demons came into last year’s encounter with five wins from five matches but the football experts were as yet unconvinced. It was the win and the ruthless manner in which it was achieved that gave them legitimacy in the eyes of the pundits. It also reversed the roles of the respective teams. Melbourne was not longer the hunter; it became the hunted. Richmond slowly fell away as the season wore on and eventually lost touch with the top eight. Their dynasty was over, our day had come. Twelve months down the track, it’s the Tigers who are still battling for legitimacy in the eyes of their supporters and the football public while the Demons are riding high. Not high enough to develop complacency because fortunes can change quickly and dramatically in this day and age. However, they do seem to have the wood on Richmond who would gladly welcome back superstar Dustin Martin from personal leave and co-captain Dylan Grimes from a hamstring issue. Melbourne have developed a high level of efficiency and proficiency in everything it does. Last week for instance, they broke even statistically with their opposition counterparts in the rucks. The number of hit outs was 34 each but GWS “won” the clearances by 41 to 33. But the quality of the clearances that went in favour of the Demons was by far the greater and this allowed them to break loose in that third quarter and apply maximum damage on their opponents. Once they had control of the football, they ran with vigour and I’m not just talking about the player with the football. So much of that athletic advantage can’t even be quantified in terms of statistics, other than the really important one that we see on the scoreboard. The result was a 10 goal quarter that left their prey shattered and gasping for breath. Vanquished. This is why Melbourne is traveling along so nicely at the moment. The players are fit, focused and invested in a total team effort. Of course it helps to have midfielders like Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney playing at the top of their game with the likes of Angus Brayshaw, Ed Langdon, James Jordon, James Harmes and Tom Sparrow as a sparkling support base. By way of contrast, Richmond’s very best is a fading memory of the past. Some of the characters are still there but they’re worn down and weary. A few are past their prime but there isn’t the same attacking spirit that we see from Melbourne and they can’t match the iron clad defence that has left opposition attacks frustrated and in despair. Even so, Nathan Buckley insists the Demons are still not playing the way they want to play. "They're going to ramp that up over the next couple of weeks, I think there's better to come." Heaven help the rest of the competition if he’s right and heaven help the Tigers on Blockbuster Night. Melbourne to win by 45 points. THE GAME Richmond v Melbourne on Sunday 24 April, 2022 at 7.25pm at the MCG HEAD TO HEAD Overall Richmond 107 wins Melbourne 76 wins Drawn 2 At MCG Richmond 72 wins Melbourne 64 wins Drawn 1 Past five meetings Richmond 4 wins Melbourne 1 win The Coaches Hardwick 4 wins Goodwin 1 win MEDIA TV live and on demand on Kayo and live on Foxtel. Check your local guides for free-to-air. Radio - check your local guides. THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 12.10.82 defeated Richmond 6.12.48 in Round 6, 2021 at the MCG The Tigers were out of the blocks early but when the light drizzle turned to rain, the Demons edged past them and with the Christians (Petracca and Salem) and Clayton Oliver all picking up possessions at will, it was Melbourne all the way after half time. THE TEAMS RICHMOND B: N.Broad 35 R.Tarrant 6 J.Gibcus 28 HB: J.Short 15 N.Vlastuin 1 D.Rioli 17 C: J.Ross 5 T.Cotchin 9 K.McIntosh 33 HF: J.Castagna 11 L.Baker 7 S.Edwards 10 F: T.Lynch 19 J.Riewoldt 8 N.Balta 21 Foll: T.Nankervis 25 D.Prestia 3 T.Dow 27 I/C: S.Bolton 29 R.Collier-Dawkins 26 J.Graham 34 R.Mansell 31 Sub: M.Parker 37 Emerg: S.Banks 41 M.Rioli 49 T.Sonsie 40 In: R.Collier-Dawkins J.Gibcus K.McIntosh R.Mansell Out: J.Aarts (omitted) B.Miller (omitted) M.Pickett (injured) H.Ralphsmith (ribs) MELBOURNE B: J.Hunt 29 S.May 1 H.Petty 35 HB: J.Bowey 17 J.Smith 44 T.Rivers 24 C: A.Brayshaw 10 C.Petracca 5 E.Langdon 15 HF: K.Pickett 36 S.Weideman 26 A.Neal-Bullen 30 F: B.Fritsch 31 B.Brown 50 C.Spargo 9 Foll: M.Gawn 11 C.Oliver 13 T. Sparrow 32 I/C: L.Dunstan 27 J.Harmes 4 L.Jackson 6 J.Jordon 23 Sub: T.Bedford 12 Emerg: J.Melksham 18 A.Tomlinson 20 T.McDonald 25 In: B.Brown L.Dunstan J.Smith Out: J.Lever (H & S Protocols) T.McDonald (omitted) J.Viney (H & S Protocols) Injury List: Round 6 Michael Hibberd - Calf | 1 week Daniel Turner - Foot | 3-4 weeks Christian Salem - Knee | 4-5 weeks Blake Howes - Foot | TBC

Strangely enough, the game was played 12 months ago on Anzac Day Eve. MELBOURNE B: A. Tomlinson 20 S. May 1 T. Rivers 24 HB: C. Salem 3 J. Lever 8 J. Hunt 29 C: E: Langdon 15 Christian Petracca 5 Angus Brayshaw 10 HF: K. Pickett 36 T. McDonald 25 A. Neal-Bullen 30 F: J. Melksham 18 L. Jackson 6 B. Fritsch 31 Foll: M. Gawn 11 C. Oliver 13 J. Viney I/C: M. Hibberd 14 N. Jones 2 J. Jordon 23 C. Spargo 9 Sub: K. Chandler 37 Emerg: H. Petty 35 T. Sparrow 32 S. Weideman 26 In: K. Chandler B. Fritsch S. May Out: M. Brown (omitted) H. Petty (omitted) T. Sparrow (omitted) RICHMOND B: D. Astbury 12 N. Balta 21 D. Grimes 2 HB: N. Broad 35 B. Houli 14 J. Short 15 C: K. McIntosh 33 T. Cotchin 9 M. Pickett 50 HF: D. Rioli 17 K. Lambert 23 J. Castagna 11 F: T. J. Lynch 19 D. Martin 4 J. Riewoldt 8 Foll: T. Nankervis 25 S. Edwards 10 J. Graham 34 I/C: J. Aarts 16 L. Baker 7 S. Bolton 29 R. Mansell 31 Sub: J. Ross 5 Emerg: C. Coleman-Jones 40 R. Collier-Dawkins 26 M. Rioli 49 No change

Over 50 inside 50s for 1 goal since quarter time is not acceptable for any line coach. Watching the tigers jog out time and time again with little to no pressure is not acceptable. Obviously Rooke is not up for it. Needs to be moved on.

Your choices for the best six players on the night please - 6,5,4,3,2,1 ...

I don’t often agree with Dermott Brereton but he came close to the mark last week when he labelled Melbourne a “team of downhill skiers” that works much harder offensively than it does defensively. And he was looking at the bright side of the team’s game plan. That proposition has been clear since before the season started. It was obvious from the first JLT game against Richmond when the team leaked multiple goals in a short space of time as players gave metres away to opposition forwards. The same thing applied when the team went forward - there were no desperate acts to keep the ball in the forward regions. This has been a feature of Melbourne’s game ever since. And nothing was more emblematic of that style of play (or embarrassing) than the way the Demons finished off their game last Saturday against the Saints. With 1 minute and 10 seconds left on the clock, the St Kilda was leading by 28 points. The ball was kicked into the Saints’ forward pocket where the two tallest Demons, Max Gawn and Braydon Preuss, were standing among a group of half a dozen as the ball descended on the waiting pack. Now, the game was all but over and the four premiership points were already in St Kilda’s pocket but that doesn’t mean that the defence suddenly had the licence to be the bystanders as Tim Membrey marked without the pressure of the two tall Demons, one punching from behind and the other moving across to force a contest. But it didn’t happen and what made it worse was the lapses in the following minute that enabled a mark on the siren and another goal to Jack Billings. That was the difference between Melbourne and St Kilda - the lack of concentration and application for the full 100 minutes. It also marked the difference between the team Friday night performances last September and what is the shell of that side today. It was hard to watch the Easter Sunday game between Geelong and Hawthorn and to realise that what is virtually the same team personnel wise, eliminated both of them from the finals last year. Despite all this, the result of this game is not cut and dried. The Tigers only beat the Swans by 22 points at Marvel Stadium which was also Melbourne’s winning margin against the same team on their dung heap. Miracles have been know to happen at this time but only to those who look on the bright side and make them happen. In Melbourne’s case that might be the case if every player reverted to their 2018 mindset and worked harder defensively when the ball is in both halves of the ground. THE GAME Richmond v Melbourne on Wednesday 24 April 2019 at 7.35pm at the MCG HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 75 wins Richmond 105 wins Drawn 2 At MCG Melbourne 63 wins Richmond 70 wins Drawn 1 Past five meetings Melbourne 2 wins Richmond 3 wins The Coaches Hardwick 2 wins Goodwin 0 wins MEDIA TV - Channel Seven Mate Fox Sports Live at 7.00pm Radio - TBA THE LAST TIME THEY MET Richmond 15.12.102 defeated Melbourne 8.8.56 in Round 5, 2018 at the MCG The Tigers played with the Demons for three quarters and then turned on the afterburners in a matter of moments to win by 46 points. THE TEAMS RICHMOND B Nathan Broad David Astbury Dylan Grimes HB Nick Vlastuin Shane Edwards Bachar Houli C Brandon Ellis Dion Prestia Kamdyn McIntosh HF Daniel Rioli Jack Ross Jason Castagna F Jack Riewoldt Tom J Lynch Dustin Martin FOLL Toby Nankervis Josh Caddy Kane Lambert I/C Liam Baker Noah Balta Jack Higgins Sydney Stack EMG Shai Bolton Jack Graham Connor Menadue Ivan Soldo IN Jack Riewoldt OUT Shai Bolton (Omitted) MELBOURNE B Marty Hore Sam Frost Jordan Lewis HB Bayley Fritsch Michael Hibberd Christian Salem C Nathan Jones Jack Viney Jayden Hunt HF James Harmes Sam Weideman Christian Petracca F Alex Neal-Bullen Tom McDonald Jake Melksham FOLL Max Gawn Clayton Oliver Angus Brayshaw I/C Jeff Garlett Jay Lockhart Tim Smith Billy Stretch EMG Declan Keilty Oscar McDonald Tom Sparrow Corey Wagner IN Jeff Garlett Jay Lockhart Alex Neal-Bullen Tim Smith Billy Stretch OUT Neville Jetta (knee) Braydon Preuss (shoulder) Charlie Spargo (omitted) Corey Wagner (omitted) Josh Wagner (omitted) Injury List: Round 6 Braydon Preuss (shoulder) – 1 week Steven May (groin) – 4 weeks Mitch Hannan (knee) – 4-5 weeks Jake Lever (knee) – 4-5 weeks Jay Kennedy Harris (knee) – 4-6 weeks Joel Smith (groin) – 4-6 weeks Aaron vandenBerg (foot) – 4-6 weeks Neville Jetta (knee) – 10-12 Kade Kolodjashnij (concussion) – TBA Guy Walker (shoulder) – indefinite Aaron Nietschke (knee) – season

The Dees travel out of the city for game one of two JLT Community Series practice matches before the season proper. Our first match takes us to the floodplains of the Goldburn River in Northern Victoria to the city of Shepparton. We take on the Tigers for the first of at least 3 encounters with the 2017 Premiers this year. The game will be played in scorching temperatures so expect plenty of rotations, ice vests, fans running overtime and extra water carriers. The Demons are coming off a win against Collingwood in it’s first practice hit out of the season. We went into that game with a strong lineup despite about a 1/3 of the best 22, including Nathan Jones, Jack Viney, Clayton Oliver, Tom McDonald, Jake Melksham, Jake Lever, Mitch Hannan and new recruits Steven May and Kade Kolodashnij, sitting out the match for various reasons. In a club presser on Thursday Tom McDonald stated that he should be right to play this week as long as he doesn’t have any soreness from the match simulation at training. He indicated that it was unlikely that Viney, Melksham, May and Kolodjashnij would line up against the Tigers but all would be looking towards JLT 2 to build up match fitness heading into Round 1. The Demons have rested Max Gawn possibly to gage how well new recruit Braydon Preuss goes solo. They have also decided to rest some of the older brigade with Michael Hibberd and Neville Jetta listed as emergencies along with Aaron vandenBerg. Jordan Lewis will not be making the trip up state. Bayley Fritsch makes his return to the team after missing last week due to AFLX commitments. After off season surgeries to both shoulders, Clayton Oliver returns to strengthen the midfield. James Jordon joins Tom Sparrow as the only rookies picked for the hit out. Harrison Petty and Declan Keilty who missed last week have been recalled to the team that will have a larger bench to accommodate the sweltering conditions. Demonland trackwatchers observed Tim Smith leaving the track early with a leg complaint so he too has been omitted. Boom Richmond recruit Tom Lynch will not be lining up against the Dees as he races the clock to be ready for Round 1. Other Tigers sidelined through injury include Josh Caddy, Jason Castagna, Shaun Grigg and Jacob Townsend. Despite these injuries Richmond have named a strong line up for the game including Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Jack Riewoldt & Alex Rance. Players to watch for the Demons include Jayden Hunt, Billy Stretch, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Brayden Preuss and rookie Tom Sparrow. Jayden Hunt made an impressive return to the half back line at Olympic Park Oval. From all reports he has had a great preseason and I expect he will be working hard to cement his spot over the JLT series after a disappointing 2018. Preuss was also imposing in his first hit out for his new club. He kicked two goals and took some strong marks and played his role as back up to Max perfectly. It will be interesting to see how the Demons' new big man goes rucking alone in the heat but he will no doubt be backed up by Tom McDonald and Sam Weideman. Billy Stretch returned from injury and got his hands on the ball a lot. Prior to his injury last year his form was picking up so I expect that he will continue to push hard for a spot on the wing. Likewise Jay Kennedy-Harris attacked the ball well and got a fair bit of it. He too showed glimpses in stages last year but wasn’t able to cement a place in the side. No doubt he will take on these JLT games to stake his claim. New recruit Tom Sparrow had limited game time last week but was thrown in the middle on quality opposition and showed that he can get a couple of touches and also kicked a beautiful goal. I anticipate more game time for him over the JLT series and tip that he will play seniors at some point in 2019. Expect plenty of rotations and full use of the extended bench. Melbourne B: Josh Wagner, Sam Frost, Jayden Hunt HB: Marty Hore, Oscar McDonald, Harrison Petty ? Bayley Fritsch, James Harmes, Jay Kennedy-Harris HF: Alex Neal-Bullen, Tom McDonald, Joel Smith F: Chalrie Spargo, Sam Weideman, Jeff Garlett R: Braydon Preuss, Angus Brayshaw, Clayton Oliver IC (from): Christian Salem, Christian Petracca, Billy Stretch, Corey Maynard, Tom Sparrow, James Jordon, Corey Wagner, Declan Keilty Emergencies: Max Gawn, Michael Hibberd, Aaron Vandenberg, Neville Jetta Richmond B: Alex Rance, David Astbury, Dylan Grimes HB: Nick Vlastuin, Bachar Houli, Jayden Short ? Dion Prestia, Shane Edwards, Trent Cotchin HF: Daniel Rioli, Riley Collier-Dawkins, Jack Higgins F: Jack Riewoldt, Dustin Martin, Daniel Butler R: Toby Nankervis, Kane Lambert, Ivan Soldo IC (from): Oleg Markov, Nathan Broad, Jack Ross, Liam Baker, Jack Graham, Brandon Ellis, Maverick Weller, Noah Balta, Callum Moore, Connor Menadue, Fraser Turner, Callum Coleman-Jones JLT Community Series Richmond v Melbourne Sunday, March 3, 4.40pm AEDT Deakin Reserve Shepparton Gates open: 3.10pm General admission Tickets can be purchased via Ticketek. TICKET TYPE GENERAL ADMISSION Adult $20.00 Concession $15.00 Junior $5.00 Family (2 adults, up to 4 juniors under 15) $40.00 Adult Member Upgrade $5.00 Concession Member Upgrade $5.00 Junior Member Upgrade $3.00 All prices are subject to additional ticket agent fees. Members Melbourne Members with Premiership Season entry entitlements will have free general admission access by scanning in at the ground (subject to availability, upgrade fees may be applicable). However, entry is not guaranteed and it is recommended that Members upgrade to a reserved seat or register for a general admission ticket in order to guarantee entry. Membership upgrades and registrations are subject to availability on a first come, first serve basis and subject to an additional fee. Transaction fees may also apply. To register, visit Ticketek. Car Deakin Reserve is situated on Nixon St in Shepparton. Off-street parking may be available in surrounding streets. Public transport Deakin Reserve is located a 10 minute walk from Shepparton Train station. TV The match will be televised live nationally on Fox Footy live from 4.30pm AEDT. Mobile app Live scores, stats and match highlights are available at the tap of a finger in the club's mobile app. Download it for iOS or Android. Social media Match hashtag: #JLTTigersDees Follow the club on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for live match coverage and a behind-the-scenes insight into match day.

DEMON BATTLES by George on the Outer While there really should never be any comparisons between what happens in a football match and what soldiers have to endure in battle, the Melbourne team at the end of their ANZAC Day eve match against the Tigers looked very much like they had just been through the wars. Before the half-time break, the Demons had lost their replacement ruck in Jake Spencer to a shoulder injury, forward Tim Smith to a rib injury and then had Christian Petracca and co-captain Jack Viney sidelined for long periods with what were reported as knee complaints. Yet despite these setbacks, Melbourne outplayed Richmond in all facets of the game to lead by 20 points at ¾ time. With only two bench rotations but effectively none because Petracca and Viney had to be parked away from the action, it was inevitable that the Demons would eventually run out of steam. They held on until the last few minutes but were exhausted and fell by 13 points. Many would only look at the scoreline and the final quarter capitulation to criticise the Demons. After all, they had only two (both of them points) of the last 15 scoring shots. However, when you have to conscript Jack Watts yet again, to ruck for virtually the whole game, this instantly leaves you with one less capable player in the forward line but with Tim Smith also gone, Jesse Hogan playing his first game in three weeks was left as the solitary forward target. And the coach probably would have like to put him in the middle, as he has done before, to get his hands on the ball, but that would have left him with absolutely nothing up front. Small wonder the Demons could only manage 4 goals after ½ time and none in the final term. Without the opportunity for reasonable interchange rotations, the mids just stopped being able to get to contests or cover the Richmond on-ball team in the latter stages of the match. There were numerous occasions in that critical last quarter when the ball just popped outside to see the likes of Cotchin and Martin alone and with free movement. It hadn’t happened previously. but the Demon legs were just shot. While the battle was lost there were plenty of small victories. Clayton Oliver was magnificent again with 32 touches, and we need to keep reminding ourselves that he is only 19 and has played less than 20 games. Jayden Hunt set the ground alight multiple times, and is also brave beyond his slightly built frame. Michael Hibberd was a rock in defence, and with a left foot that is like a missile when used. In this, his first game for the Demons he racked up 27 touches and will provide that long term stability down back that has been missing for too long. The loss puts Melbourne in a difficult position now. The season is in dire risk of slipping away. The injuries to the two ruckmen in Gawn and Spencer are devastating, not only because of the lack of drive that comes from the middle, but the imbalance that it causes across the rest of the side. The ANZACS faced such horrors, bloodshed and conditions that were indescribable to those that weren’t there. It is for their heroism and sacrifice in battle that we remember them on this day. We have lost this battle, another that was within the grasp of victory. How the team can regroup to face up again next week, and whether they can make a stand to keep the ultimate objectives in focus remains to be seen. The new coach is facing conditions that he probably never expected. Can he marshall his troops? Can he find the troops to fill the gaps now appearing in his list? Can he find a way where there may not be one that is obvious? The Demons are now, without a doubt a competitive unit. That is what we fans have longed for. What is needed in the coming weeks are positive results, when the resources are at their lowest. Losing battles happens, we cannot lose the war. Melbourne 3.4.22 7.6.48 11.7.73 11.9.75 Richmond 3.1.19 6.6.42 7.11.53 12.16.88 Goals Melbourne Hogan 3 Garlett 2, Hibberd, Hunt T McDonald, Petracca, Salem Watts Richmond Riewoldt 6 Butler Caddy Castagna, Grigg Martin Rioli Best Richmond Riewoldt Nankervis Martin Houli Grigg Caddy Cotchin Melbourne Oliver Hibberd Hunt Watts Jones Frost Petracca Changes Melbourne Nil Richmond Nil Injuries Melbourne Petracca (left knee) Spencer (right shoulder/right knee) T Smith (ribs) Viney (right knee) Richmond Nil Reports Melbourne Nil Richmond Nil Umpires Donlon Fisher Stevic Official crowd 85,657 at the MCG

Cast those votes please folks ... 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...

While there really should never be any comparisons between what happens in a football match and what soldiers have to endure in battle, the Melbourne team at the end of their ANZAC Day eve match against the Tigers looked very much like they had just been through the wars. Before the half-time break, the Demons had lost their replacement ruck in Jake Spencer to a shoulder injury, forward Tim Smith to a rib injury and then had Christian Petracca and co-captain Jack Viney sidelined for long periods with what were reported as knee complaints. Yet despite these setbacks, Melbourne outplayed Richmond in all facets of the game to lead by 20 points at ¾ time. With only two bench rotations but effectively none because Petracca and Viney had to be parked away from the action, it was inevitable that the Demons would eventually run out of steam. They held on until the last few minutes but were exhausted and fell by 13 points. Many would only look at the scoreline and the final quarter capitulation to criticise the Demons. After all, they had only two (both of them points) of the last 15 scoring shots. However, when you have to conscript Jack Watts yet again, to ruck for virtually the whole game, this instantly leaves you with one less capable player in the forward line but with Tim Smith also gone, Jesse Hogan playing his first game in three weeks was left as the solitary forward target. And the coach probably would have like to put him in the middle, as he has done before, to get his hands on the ball, but that would have left him with absolutely nothing up front. Small wonder the Demons could only manage 4 goals after ½ time and none in the final term. Without the opportunity for reasonable interchange rotations, the mids just stopped being able to get to contests or cover the Richmond on-ball team in the latter stages of the match. There were numerous occasions in that critical last quarter when the ball just popped outside to see the likes of Cotchin and Martin alone and with free movement. It hadn’t happened previously. but the Demon legs were just shot. While the battle was lost there were plenty of small victories. Clayton Oliver was magnificent again with 32 touches, and we need to keep reminding ourselves that he is only 19 and has played less than 20 games. Jayden Hunt set the ground alight multiple times, and is also brave beyond his slightly built frame. Michael Hibberd was a rock in defence, and with a left foot that is like a missile when used. In this, his first game for the Demons he racked up 27 touches and will provide that long term stability down back that has been missing for too long. The loss puts Melbourne in a difficult position now. The season is in dire risk of slipping away. The injuries to the two ruckmen in Gawn and Spencer are devastating, not only because of the lack of drive that comes from the middle, but the imbalance that it causes across the rest of the side. The ANZACS faced such horrors, bloodshed and conditions that were indescribable to those that weren’t there. It is for their heroism and sacrifice in battle that we remember them on this day. We have lost this battle, another that was within the grasp of victory. How the team can regroup to face up again next week, and whether they can make a stand to keep the ultimate objectives in focus remains to be seen. The new coach is facing conditions that he probably never expected. Can he marshall his troops? Can he find the troops to fill the gaps now appearing in his list? Can he find a way where there may not be one that is obvious? The Demons are now, without a doubt a competitive unit. That is what we fans have longed for. What is needed in the coming weeks are positive results, when the resources are at their lowest. Losing battles happens, we cannot lose the war. Melbourne 3.4.22 7.6.48 11.7.73 11.9.75 Richmond 3.1.19 6.6.42 7.11.53 12.16.88 Goals Melbourne Hogan 3 Garlett 2, Hibberd, Hunt T McDonald, Petracca, Salem Watts Richmond Riewoldt 6 Butler Caddy Castagna, Grigg Martin Rioli Best Richmond Riewoldt Nankervis Martin Houli Grigg Caddy Cotchin Melbourne Oliver Hibberd Hunt Watts Jones Frost Petracca Changes Melbourne Nil Richmond Nil Injuries Melbourne Petracca (left knee) Spencer (right shoulder/right knee) T Smith (ribs) Viney (right knee) Richmond Nil Reports Melbourne Nil Richmond Nil Umpires Donlon Fisher Stevic Official crowd 85,657 at the MCG

ANZAC EVE - THE SPIRIT by The Oracle The nine day break between Melbourne's unexpected loss at the hands of the Fremantle Dockers and this week's ANZAC Eve blockbuster against Richmond couldn't have come at a better time. The result of last week's game raised a number of questions about the team's ability to withstand the sort of pressure it can expect from the stronger clubs in the competition and, make no mistake about it, the Tigers have proven so far this year to be considered just that - a strong club. They have taken on and beaten every foe they've faced to date, their stars are playing at the top of their game and they're brimful of confidence. One can only hope that the extra day or two between games is used to reflect on this and to learn the lessons of a game in which Melbourne played like millionaires and threw away the four points on offer as if they weren't worth a single cent. You can hardly say the Demons deserve to be over-confident despite what some might describe as gallant performances with a number of key players missing through suspension and injuries. They have failed this year to produce consistent form throughout games, often inexplicably wavering between brilliance to sheer incompetence seemingly at the drop of a hat. The Melbourne that stormed to a 27 point lead late in the second quarter last week could barely be recognised as the same team that conceded goal after goal and barely troubled the scorers in the third. Then, after making a brilliant run to hit the lead late in the game, those final two and a half error-riddled minutes were just awful. The Demons have had the wood on the Tigers since the ANZAC Eve game became a fixture on the AFL's calendar but this time, they go into the game as the underdogs and rightly so. One hopes that they can summon up some true grit and ANZAC spirit because a loss will send their 2017 hopes spiralling. I think they can do it, and once the teams are selected, I will come back and tell you how and why. THE GAME Richmond v Melbourne on Monday 24 April 2017 at 7.25pm at the MCG HEAD TO HEAD Overall Richmond 103 wins Melbourne 75 wins Drawn 2 At MCG Richmond 68 wins Melbourne 63 wins Drawn 1 Past five meetings Richmond 2 wins Melbourne 3 wins The Coaches Hardwick 0 wins Goodwin 0 wins MEDIA TV - Fox Footy Channel Channel 7 live at 7.25pm Radio - Triple M 3AW SEN ABC ABC Grandstand THE BETTING Richmond to win - $1.71 Melbourne to win - $2.15 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 20.9.129 defeated Richmond 14.12.96 in Round 5, 2016 at the MCG The Demons led from the start and were clearly the superior team on a stellar night for the club. Leaving aside the Hawthorn victory later in the season, many believed this to be the club's finest performance for the year. Max Gawn starred with 47 hit outs and seven marks while Jack Viney was brilliant with 37 touches and some heroics in the last quarter. THE TEAMS RICHMOND B: Alex Rance, David Astbury, Dylan Grimes HB: Reece Conca, Bachar Houli, Brandon. Ellis C: Kamdyn McIntosh, Dion Prestia, Trent Cotchin HF: Dustin Martin, Daniel Rioli, Jason Castagna F: Jack Riewoldt, Todd Elton, Daniel Butler FOLL: Toby Nankervis, Shaun Grigg, Josh Caddy I/C: Kane Lambert, Olen Markov, Conor Menadue, Jayden Short EMG: Sam Lloyd, Anthony Miles, Jacob Townsend IN: Oleg Markov OUT: Nick Vlastuin (concussion) MELBOURNE B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Jake Melksham HB: Jayden Hunt, Sam Frost, Bernie Vince C: Billy Stretch, Nathan Jones, Christian Salem HF: Christian Petracca, Jesse Hogan, Alex Neal-Bullen F: James Harmes, Jack Watts, Jeff Garlett FOLL: Jake Spencer, Jack Viney, Clayton Oliver I/C: I/C: Michael Hibberd, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Tim Smith, Dom Tyson EMG: Tom Bugg, Mitch Hannan, Oscar McDonald IN: Michael Hibberd, Jesse Hogan, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Tim Smith OUT: Tom Bugg, Dean Kent, Mitch Hannan, Sam Weideman CROSSROADS The 2017 season is one month old and the Demons are already at the crossroads. After the opening round promise shown by their big victory over the Saints at Etihad Stadium, they seem to have moved from one accident to another. It all started in that game when Bernie Vince incurred the wrath of the MRP thus missing the round two match where the team managed to get of gaol with the four points over the lowly Blues but lost two more key players through suspension. Against the Cats, it was poor kicking and another accident that will eventually cause the club the loss of All Australian ruckman Max Gawn. All of these individual accidents conspired to cause an all mighty smash at the hands of Fremantle at home by two points a week ago when a lack of concentration and fumbling under pressure caused their second successive defeat. Meanwhile, the normally accident prone Tigers have navigated their start to the season without a hitch, beating all and sundry thanks to an outstanding month from Dustin Martin, their team leadership and their star recruits. Everything has gone right for them from the very beginning and they sit comfortably in the top four, undefeated and with a percentage of 141.5%. The cynics would ask, "but who have they played?", to which I would answer that they have beaten teams better than Fremantle who Melbourne were guilty of succumbing to on the back of a single quarter in which the Dockers booted 7.4.46 to 0.3.3. That is the gist of the problem. Without those three key players and a few subordinates, Melbourne simply has demonstrated an inability to string together four quarters of football and worse still, its poor quarters are simply woeful. To turn that around, the Demons need their leaders to stand up and be counted which is something we have yet to see from the club's leadership which has been stung by a drop off of form, injuries and suspension. Nathan Jones has been a great leader for the club and I will give him credit for trying last week and the fact that he suffered from a bad knock. I'm not sure whether others noticed but in those crucial moments late in the game last week, he came off the ground, a clear sign that all was not well with him. Jack Viney is miles off the player who won last year's club championship. So it's the leadership to who Melbourne will be looking to turn things around in this crossroads game - and to "Smokin" Jesse Hogan - who also owes his club and teammates a major debt after missing those last two matches. We've already seen some major turnarounds in the past few weeks. It's time for the Demons to do it this week and to make a positive move that will lead them away from those dangerous crossroads where accidents happen. Melbourne by 20 points.

Almost forgot but it is a work day after all.

ANZAC EVE - THE SPIRIT by The Oracle The nine day break between Melbourne's unexpected loss at the hands of the Fremantle Dockers and this week's ANZAC Eve blockbuster against Richmond couldn't have come at a better time. The result of last week's game raised a number of questions about the team's ability to withstand the sort of pressure it can expect from the stronger clubs in the competition and, make no mistake about it, the Tigers have proven so far this year to be considered just that - a strong club. They have taken on and beaten every foe they've faced to date, their stars are playing at the top of their game and they're brimful of confidence. One can only hope that the extra day or two between games is used to reflect on this and to learn the lessons of a game in which Melbourne played like millionaires and threw away the four points on offer as if they weren't worth a single cent. You can hardly say the Demons deserve to be over-confident despite what some might describe as gallant performances with a number of key players missing through suspension and injuries. They have failed this year to produce consistent form throughout games, often inexplicably wavering between brilliance to sheer incompetence seemingly at the drop of a hat. The Melbourne that stormed to a 27 point lead late in the second quarter last week could barely be recognised as the same team that conceded goal after goal and barely troubled the scorers in the third. Then, after making a brilliant run to hit the lead late in the game, those final two and a half error-riddled minutes were just awful. The Demons have had the wood on the Tigers since the ANZAC Eve game became a fixture on the AFL's calendar but this time, they go into the game as the underdogs and rightly so. One hopes that they can summon up some true grit and ANZAC spirit because a loss will send their 2017 hopes spiralling. I think they can do it, and once the teams are selected, I will come back and tell you how and why. THE GAME Richmond v Melbourne on Monday 24 April 2017 at 7.25pm at the MCG HEAD TO HEAD Overall Richmond 103 wins Melbourne 75 wins Drawn 2 At MCG Richmond 68 wins Melbourne 63 wins Drawn 1 Past five meetings Richmond 2 wins Melbourne 3 wins The Coaches Hardwick 0 wins Goodwin 0 wins MEDIA TV - Fox Footy Channel Channel 7 live at 7.25pm Radio - Triple M 3AW SEN ABC ABC Grandstand THE BETTING Richmond to win - $1.71 Melbourne to win - $2.15 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 20.9.129 defeated Richmond 14.12.96 in Round 5, 2016 at the MCG The Demons led from the start and were clearly the superior team on a stellar night for the club. Leaving aside the Hawthorn victory later in the season, many believed this to be the club's finest performance for the year. Max Gawn starred with 47 hit outs and seven marks while Jack Viney was brilliant with 37 touches and some heroics in the last quarter. THE TEAMS RICHMOND B: Alex Rance, David Astbury, Dylan Grimes HB: Reece Conca, Bachar Houli, Brandon. Ellis C: Kamdyn McIntosh, Dion Prestia, Trent Cotchin HF: Dustin Martin, Daniel Rioli, Jason Castagna F: Jack Riewoldt, Todd Elton, Daniel Butler FOLL: Toby Nankervis, Shaun Grigg, Josh Caddy I/C: Kane Lambert, Olen Markov, Conor Menadue, Jayden Short EMG: Sam Lloyd, Anthony Miles, Jacob Townsend IN: Oleg Markov OUT: Nick Vlastuin (concussion) MELBOURNE B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Jake Melksham HB: Jayden Hunt, Sam Frost, Bernie Vince C: Billy Stretch, Nathan Jones, Christian Salem HF: Christian Petracca, Jesse Hogan, Alex Neal-Bullen F: James Harmes, Jack Watts, Jeff Garlett FOLL: Jake Spencer, Jack Viney, Clayton Oliver I/C: I/C: Michael Hibberd, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Tim Smith, Dom Tyson EMG: Tom Bugg, Mitch Hannan, Oscar McDonald IN: Michael Hibberd, Jesse Hogan, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Tim Smith OUT: Tom Bugg, Dean Kent, Mitch Hannan, Sam Weideman CROSSROADS The 2017 season is one month old and the Demons are already at the crossroads. After the opening round promise shown by their big victory over the Saints at Etihad Stadium, they seem to have moved from one accident to another. It all started in that game when Bernie Vince incurred the wrath of the MRP thus missing the round two match where the team managed to get of gaol with the four points over the lowly Blues but lost two more key players through suspension. Against the Cats, it was poor kicking and another accident that will eventually cause the club the loss of All Australian ruckman Max Gawn. All of these individual accidents conspired to cause an all mighty smash at the hands of Fremantle at home by two points a week ago when a lack of concentration and fumbling under pressure caused their second successive defeat. Meanwhile, the normally accident prone Tigers have navigated their start to the season without a hitch, beating all and sundry thanks to an outstanding month from Dustin Martin, their team leadership and their star recruits. Everything has gone right for them from the very beginning and they sit comfortably in the top four, undefeated and with a percentage of 141.5%. The cynics would ask, "but who have they played?", to which I would answer that they have beaten teams better than Fremantle who Melbourne were guilty of succumbing to on the back of a single quarter in which the Dockers booted 7.4.46 to 0.3.3. That is the gist of the problem. Without those three key players and a few subordinates, Melbourne simply has demonstrated an inability to string together four quarters of football and worse still, its poor quarters are simply woeful. To turn that around, the Demons need their leaders to stand up and be counted which is something we have yet to see from the club's leadership which has been stung by a drop off of form, injuries and suspension. Nathan Jones has been a great leader for the club and I will give him credit for trying last week and the fact that he suffered from a bad knock. I'm not sure whether others noticed but in those crucial moments late in the game last week, he came off the ground, a clear sign that all was not well with him. Jack Viney is miles off the player who won last year's club championship. So it's the leadership to who Melbourne will be looking to turn things around in this crossroads game - and to "Smokin" Jesse Hogan - who also owes his club and teammates a major debt after missing those last two matches. We've already seen some major turnarounds in the past few weeks. It's time for the Demons to do it this week and to make a positive move that will lead them away from those dangerous crossroads where accidents happen. Melbourne by 20 points.

MELBOURNE B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Tomas Bugg HB: Lynden Dunn, Heritier Lumumba, Christian Salem C: Bernie Vince, Dom Tyson, Josh Wagner HF: Jack Watts, Sam Frost, James Harmes F: Dean Kent, Jesse Hogan, Angus Brayshaw FOLL: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney I/C: Jeff Garlett, Jayden Hunt, Ben Kennedy, Cameron Pedersen EMG: Colin Garland, Alex Neal-Bullen Christian Petracca IN: Jeff Garlett, Bernie Vince OUT: Matt Jones (soreness) Clayton Oliver (rested) RICHMOND B: David Astbury, Alex Rance, Brett Deledio HB: Corey Ellis, Bachar Houli, Kamdyn McIntosh C: Brandon Ellis, Shaun Grigg, Daniel Rioli HF: Kane Lambert, Dustin Martin, Ty Vickery F: Jack Riewoldt, Sam Lloyd, Connor Menadue FOLL: Ivan Maric, Shane Edwards, Trent Cotchin I/C: Jake Batchelor, Troy Chaplin, Anthony Miles, Steven Morris EMG: Taylor Hunt, Ben Lennon, Jacob Townsend IN: Jake Batchelor, Brett Deledio, Ivan Maric, Anthony Miles, Steven Morris OUT: Shaun Hampson (leg), Taylor Hunt (omitted), Ben Lennon (omitted), Andrew Moore (omitted), Nick Vlastuin (leg)

Put your votes in after the final siren sounds. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Thanks

RESURRECTION by Whispering Jack Albert Einstein once defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." This is in many ways the story of the Melbourne Football Club which has lurched from failure to failure in the quest to resurrect itself over the past decade. Last night we saw a touch of sanity return to herald the dawn of a new era as almost every cog in the Paul Roos machine worked bravely to undermine Richmond's hopes and to inspire an upset 32-point victory on the hallowed turf of the MCG as the football world honoured bravery in a different time and a different part of the world. To be clear, the Demons won this game because, on a night that required a hard, tough, relentless brand of football they were harder, tougher and more relentless than the Tigers. They bored in for the ball, they tackled and hustled and wanted to win more than the enemy and when the rain came in the third quarter, they redoubled their efforts under the leadership and the example of their hard nosed captain. Nathan Jones is not your handsome and elegant leader in the mould of his counterpart but as usual, he was both fearless and fearsome and he broke the spirit of the Tigers crashing through packs with team lifting efforts such as his inspirational goal at the nineteen minute mark of the third quarter which snuffed out the opposition resistance for the night. There was no repetition of the past when he was often forced to do it all on his own. Last night Jones was not alone - he had an entire battalion fighting with him tooth and nail. Many of his foot soldiers were new to the campaign at the club, introduced in the short space of time that Roos has been at the helm. The 58,175 people at the MCG were awed by the performance of a player in only his fourth AFL game who is surely the most exciting young key forward in the game. From his first contest in early proceedings, Jesse Hogan brushed aside a seasoned opponent in Alex Rance and strode with confidence on the stage bustling and crashing through packs and putting the fear of god through the minds of anyone in his vicinity who wore the yellow and black. He capped off the game with a big contested pack mark in the last quarter, following it up with a straight shot from the boundary and the celebrations were on for young and old. Other youngsters making their marks in the early days of their careers are Christian Salem and Angus Brayshaw while another fourth gamer in mature recruit Aaron vandenBerg tackled and harassed the Tigers in the best game of his short career. Viv Michie also had a stunning breakout game after coming on midway through the second term and picking up 19 touches and Ben Newton made a solid if not spectacular contribution. Everywhere you looked, there were new age Demons introduced under the Roos regime causing havoc. Bernie Vince took a second scalp in successive weeks, Dom Tyson linked up beautifully, Daniel Cross put in his usual workmanlike effort, Jeff Garlett and Jay Kennedy-Harris were crumbing and running all over the forward fifty and beyond and Heritier Lumumba was sheer excitement wherever he roamed the ground. A couple of big men in Mark Jamar and Chris Dawes were also very handy on the night and of course, when you keep your opposition down to just six goals (and that was just about unthinkable two years ago) then kudos must go to your defence. Tom McDonald did the job on Jack Riewoldt and he had great support from Col Garland, Jeremy Howe, Lynden Dunn, Salem and, until enervated by his suspected hamstring injury, Nev Jetta, another player whose career has been revived in the past year or so. So the resurrection continues in much the same way as it does in nations after wars end, slowly and stolidly until the work is completed and one day you suddenly wake up fully restored. Melbourne 4.2.26 6.5.41 10.9.69 12.11.83 Richmond3.5.23 5.9.39 6.13.49 6.15.51 Goals Melbourne Dawes Garlett Hogan 2 Brayshaw N Jones Kennedy-Harris vandenBerg Vince Watts Richmond Edwards 2 Arnot Gordon Griffiths Hunt Best Melbourne N Jones Hogan Vandenberg T McDonald Vince Tyson Richmond Edwards Miles Ellis Maric Cotchin Vlastuin Changes Melbourne Nil Richmond Nil Injuries Melbourne Jetta (concussion) Kent (hamstring) Richmond Drummond (knee) Griffiths (calf) Substitutions Melbourne Viv Michie replaced Dean Kent in the second quarter Richmond Matt McDonough replaced Nathan Drummond in the second quarter Reports Melbourne Nil Richmond Nil Umpires Scott Jeffery Luke Farmer David Harris Official crowd 58,175 at the MCG Demons defeat Tigers in the wet FOOTNOTE: I have no inclination to comment on the standard of officiating but think it would be remiss to omit this photograph of the little fella that sat quietly behind me for much of the game and then escorted the umpires home after it was all over.

Albert Einstein once defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." This is in many ways the story of the Melbourne Football Club which has lurched from failure to failure in the quest to resurrect itself over the past decade. Last night we saw a touch of sanity return to herald the dawn of a new era as almost every cog in the Paul Roos machine worked bravely to undermine Richmond's hopes and to inspire an upset 32-point victory on the hallowed turf of the MCG as the football world honoured bravery in a different time and a different part of the world. To be clear, the Demons won this game because, on a night that required a hard, tough, relentless brand of football they were harder, tougher and more relentless than the Tigers. They bored in for the ball, they tackled and hustled and wanted to win more than the enemy and when the rain came in the third quarter, they redoubled their efforts under the leadership and the example of their hard nosed captain. Nathan Jones is not your handsome and elegant leader in the mould of his counterpart but as usual, he was both fearless and fearsome and he broke the spirit of the Tigers crashing through packs with team lifting efforts such as his inspirational goal at the nineteen minute mark of the third quarter which snuffed out the opposition resistance for the night. There was no repetition of the past when he was often forced to do it all on his own. Last night Jones was not alone - he had an entire battalion fighting with him tooth and nail. Many of his foot soldiers were new to the campaign at the club, introduced in the short space of time that Roos has been at the helm. The 58,175 people at the MCG were awed by the performance of a player in only his fourth AFL game who is surely the most exciting young key forward in the game. From his first contest in early proceedings, Jesse Hogan brushed aside a seasoned opponent in Alex Rance and strode with confidence on the stage bustling and crashing through packs and putting the fear of god through the minds of anyone in his vicinity who wore the yellow and black. He capped off the game with a big contested pack mark in the last quarter, following it up with a straight shot from the boundary and the celebrations were on for young and old. Other youngsters making their marks in the early days of their careers are Christian Salem and Angus Brayshaw while another fourth gamer in mature recruit Aaron vandenBerg tackled and harassed the Tigers in the best game of his short career. Viv Michie also had a stunning breakout game after coming on midway through the second term and picking up 19 touches and Ben Newton made a solid if not spectacular contribution. Everywhere you looked, there were new age Demons introduced under the Roos regime causing havoc. Bernie Vince took a second scalp in successive weeks, Dom Tyson linked up beautifully, Daniel Cross put in his usual workmanlike effort, Jeff Garlett and Jay Kennedy-Harris were crumbing and running all over the forward fifty and beyond and Heritier Lumumba was sheer excitement wherever he roamed the ground. A couple of big men in Mark Jamar and Chris Dawes were also very handy on the night and of course, when you keep your opposition down to just six goals (and that was just about unthinkable two years ago) then kudos must go to your defence. Tom McDonald did the job on Jack Riewoldt and he had great support from Col Garland, Jeremy Howe, Lynden Dunn, Salem and, until enervated by his suspected hamstring injury, Nev Jetta, another player whose career has been revived in the past year or so. So the resurrection continues in much the same way as it does in nations after wars end, slowly and stolidly until the work is completed and one day you suddenly wake up fully restored. Melbourne 4.2.26 6.5.41 10.9.69 12.11.83 Richmond 3.5.23 5.9.39 6.13.49 6.15.51 Goals Melbourne Dawes Garlett Hogan 2 Brayshaw N Jones Kennedy-Harris vandenBerg Vince Watts Richmond Edwards 2 Arnot Gordon Griffiths Hunt Best Melbourne N Jones Hogan Vandenberg T McDonald Vince Tyson Richmond Edwards Miles Ellis Maric Cotchin Vlastuin Changes Melbourne Nil Richmond Nil Injuries Melbourne Jetta (concussion) Kent (hamstring) Richmond Drummond (knee) Griffiths (calf) Substitutions Melbourne Viv Michie replaced Dean Kent in the second quarter Richmond Matt McDonough replaced Nathan Drummond in the second quarter Reports Melbourne Nil Richmond Nil Umpires Scott Jeffery Luke Farmer David Harris Official crowd 58,175 at the MCG Demons defeat Tigers in the wet FOOTNOTE: I have no inclination to comment on the standard of officiating but think it would be remiss to omit this photograph of the little fella that sat quietly behind me for much of the game and then escorted the umpires home after it was all over.

GHOSTS OF THE PAST by The Oracle Melbourne and Richmond are seeking to take ownership of the Anzac Day eve time slot but the clubs that had arguably the two longest football dynasties of the post war years each have a lot of work to do if they want their meetings to attain blockbuster status. The Tigers at least have been visible on the Friday night stage from time to time but for the Demons, it's almost two years since they graced an AFL venue on a Friday night. The reason the AFL gives for this apparent aberration is Melbourne's poor form but that excuse doesn't really hold because Carlton is a regular feature on the Friday night scene despite recent inferior form to that of Richmond and barely superior to Melbourne. Still, the fact remains that the Demons and the Tigers are burdened by their own ghosts of the past. They meet at the MCG on Friday night with long histories of modest achievement over the past thirty years. It's a long time since either won a finals match and while the Tigers have made it to the top eight twice in a row, they have not been particularly impressive in reaching that status. So far this year, neither team has set the world on fire with all their victories recorded against others who are currently winless. On paper, the Tigers look the winners. They demolished a rudderless Brisbane team that gave up without a yelp (and certainly not a roar) and they have the midfield weapons that could overpower the Demons in a similar fashion to how the Giants and the Crows have managed to fight back against them after poor starts in the past two games. Melbourne simply cannot afford to lose this game and Friday night will therefore be a true test of this team. THE GAME Richmond v Melbourne on Friday 24 April 2015 at 7.50pm at the MCG HEAD TO HEAD Overall Richmond 103 wins Melbourne 73 wins Drawn 2 At MCG Richmond 68 wins Melbourne 61 wins Drawn 1 Past five meetings Richmond 4 wins Melbourne 1 win The Coaches Hardwick 0 wins Roos 1 win MEDIA TV - Channel 7 and Fox Footy Channel at 7.30pm (live) Radio - Triple M 3AW SEN ABC ABC Grandstand THE BETTING Richmond to win - $1.30 Melbourne to win - $3.50 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 14.7.91 defeated Richmond 9.20.74 Round 9, 2014 at the MCG Nathan Jones and Jack Watts were the heroes for Melbourne and while it was lucky to strike an inaccurate Richmond on this occasion, the team took advantage of its good fortune and powered home to a well fought win. THE TEAMS RICHMOND B: David Astbury, Jake Batchelor, Alex Rance HB: Bachar Houli, Nick Vlastuin, Nathan Drummond C: Brandon Ellis, Trent Cotchin, Kamdyn McIntosh HF: Steven Morris, Shane Edwards, Anthony Miles F: Jack Riewoldt, Ben Griffiths, Sam Lloyd FOLL: Ivan Maric, Dustin Martin, Taylor Hunt I/C: Matt Arnot, Nathan Gordon, Shaun Grigg, Matt McDonough EMG: Todd Elton, Ben Lennon, Ty Vickery IN: Matt Arnot, Nathan Drummond, Matt McDonough OUT: Chris Knights (hamstring), Troy Chaplin (calf), Chris Newman (back) NEW: Nathan Drummond MELBOURNE B: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta HB: Jeremy Howe, Tom McDonald, Christian Salem C: Daniel Cross, Nathan Jones, Heritier Lumumba HF: Ben Newton, Jesse Hogan, Jeff Garlett F: Dean Kent, Chris Dawes, Jack Watts FOLL: Mark Jamar, Dom Tyson, Bernie Vince I/C: Angus Brayshaw, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Viv Michie, Aaron vandenBerg EMG: Jack Grimes, Cameron Pedersen, Jimmy Toumpas IN: Viv Michie OUT: Sam Frost (injured) Almost every preview of every game played at this level starts with the adage about the result being determined by the outcome of the midfield contests and for years it has been said that Melbourne is in the third world when it comes to its on ball division. A large measure of this is due to to its monumental recruiting and player development failures over the past decade and this was clearly recognised Paul Roos when he assumed the coaching reins. It shouldn't be underestimated that almost the totality of the club's recruiting since the end of the 2013 season has been aimed at improving the club's midfield stocks and a look at the side for the vital round four match bears this out. Moreover, it's clearly evident that over the past 25 matches, Melbourne's output in terms of winning contested possessions has Melbourne improved dramatically and, in this game - the club's first on a Friday night under Roos - provides it with the opportunity to show the football world in its main showcase time slot that it has the team to provide a contest not only in the midfield but all over the ground. The key contest will no doubt be the one between the two skippers. Hard nosed Nathan Jones hasn't been at his dominant best yet this season and he faces a big challenge against the talented and skillful Trent Cotchin but in a sign of the times, Jones no longer has to be THE dominant on baller because he has so much more support in this area and all over the ground than he did, say two years ago. He now has Bernie Vince and Dom Tyson. He has the enigmatic Heritier Lumumba, the young Angus Brayshaw, the canny Daniel Cross and the unknown warriors Ben Newton and Aaron vandenBerg all floating around to provide support and variety. The ruck duels should also be pivotal with Mark Jamar and Ivan Maric in good form. Whichever of these two gets on top and wins possession around the ground will go a long way to determining the dominance of his team's midfield. The contest between Tom McDonald and Jack Riewoldt should also be worth watching as well as the battle in Melbourne's forward line where Jesse Hogan is quickly catching the eye for his tireless running and strength in the marking contests. If he and Jeff Garlett can capitalise on the improvement in supply to the forward line and find their targets going goal wards, the Demons could win their first Friday night game in several years and start their movement out of the ghostly time slots they usually occupy on most weekends during the football season. Melbourne by 15 points

Not sure which thread to put this so mods please merge somewhere if you wish. Thought it was worth highlighting the significance of this game for us. Story in todays's HS http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ron-barassi-to-light-flame-at-mcg-before-richmond-melbourne-anzac-day-eve-clash/story-fni5f22o-1227312458012?from=herald%20sun_rss Just reading this was spine tingling: "The eternal flame at the Shrine of Remembrance will be used to light a torch which will be ridden to the stadium by the Creswick Light Horse Troop. After a lap of the ground, the torch will be handed to Barassi who will light a cauldron on an MCG stage to burn for the duration of the match...The Friday night crowd will become a part of the pre-match ceremony with 50,000 finger lights to be distributed and held aloft in silence, in memory of those who served Australia in armed conflict. Players from both sides will line up near the flame alongside returned service men and women for the playing of the Last Post and National Anthem." It seems such a dignified way to honour the occasion without the commercialism that often accompanies the ANZAC Day game. MFC/RFC hope the ANZAC Eve game will become an annual tradition for both teams. It has the support of the RSL and the Shrine of Remembrance. All it needs is for the fans to turn up! Hope to drag a few extra Dee fans there this week. Oh, and our membership card shows entry is free for all members. Footnote: a few months ago there had been talk of a Checker Hughes cup/medallion because of his history at both clubs. Didn't see anything about that so idea may have been shelved. Like that. Keeps the event purely about honouring the ANZAC's without shining glory on a player or team. And what a great photo in the article. Notice how quickly that photo found its way into my profile

Melbourne and Richmond are seeking to take ownership of the Anzac Day eve time slot but the clubs that had arguably the two longest football dynasties of the post war years each have a lot of work to do if they want their meetings to attain blockbuster status. The Tigers at least have been visible on the Friday night stage from time to time but for the Demons, it's almost two years since they graced an AFL venue on a Friday night. The reason the AFL gives for this apparent aberration is Melbourne's poor form but that excuse doesn't really hold because Carlton is a regular feature on the Friday night scene despite recent inferior form to that of Richmond and barely superior to Melbourne. Still, the fact remains that the Demons and the Tigers are burdened by their own ghosts of the past. They meet at the MCG on Friday night with long histories of modest achievement over the past thirty years. It's a long time since either won a finals match and while the Tigers have made it to the top eight twice in a row, they have not been particularly impressive in reaching that status. So far this year, neither team has set the world on fire with all their victories recorded against others who are currently winless. On paper, the Tigers look the winners. They demolished a rudderless Brisbane team that gave up without a yelp (and certainly not a roar) and they have the midfield weapons that could overpower the Demons in a similar fashion to how the Giants and the Crows have managed to fight back against them after poor starts in the past two games. Melbourne simply cannot afford to lose this game and Friday night will therefore be a true test of this team. THE GAME Richmond v Melbourne on Friday 24 April 2015 at 7.50pm at the MCG HEAD TO HEAD Overall Richmond 103 wins Melbourne 73 wins Drawn 2 At MCG Richmond 68 wins Melbourne 61 wins Drawn 1 Past five meetings Richmond 4 wins Melbourne 1 win The Coaches Hardwick 0 wins Roos 1 win MEDIA TV - Channel 7 and Fox Footy Channel at 7.30pm (live) Radio - Triple M 3AW SEN ABC ABC Grandstand THE BETTING Richmond to win - $1.30 Melbourne to win - $3.50 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 14.7.91 defeated Richmond 9.20.74 Round 9, 2014 at the MCG Nathan Jones and Jack Watts were the heroes for Melbourne and while it was lucky to strike an inaccurate Richmond on this occasion, the team took advantage of its good fortune and powered home to a well fought win. THE TEAMS RICHMOND B: David Astbury, Jake Batchelor, Alex Rance HB: Bachar Houli, Nick Vlastuin, Nathan Drummond C: Brandon Ellis, Trent Cotchin, Kamdyn McIntosh HF: Steven Morris, Shane Edwards, Anthony Miles F: Jack Riewoldt, Ben Griffiths, Sam Lloyd FOLL: Ivan Maric, Dustin Martin, Taylor Hunt I/C: Matt Arnot, Nathan Gordon, Shaun Grigg, Matt McDonough EMG: Todd Elton, Ben Lennon, Ty Vickery IN: Matt Arnot, Nathan Drummond, Matt McDonough OUT: Chris Knights (hamstring), Troy Chaplin (calf), Chris Newman (back) NEW: Nathan Drummond MELBOURNE B: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta HB: Jeremy Howe, Tom McDonald, Christian Salem C: Daniel Cross, Nathan Jones, Heritier Lumumba HF: Ben Newton, Jesse Hogan, Jeff Garlett F: Dean Kent, Chris Dawes, Jack Watts FOLL: Mark Jamar, Dom Tyson, Bernie Vince I/C: Angus Brayshaw, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Viv Michie, Aaron vandenBerg EMG: Jack Grimes, Cameron Pedersen, Jimmy Toumpas IN: Viv Michie OUT: Sam Frost (injured) Almost every preview of every game played at this level starts with the adage about the result being determined by the outcome of the midfield contests and for years it has been said that Melbourne is in the third world when it comes to its on ball division. A large measure of this is due to to its monumental recruiting and player development failures over the past decade and this was clearly recognised Paul Roos when he assumed the coaching reins. It shouldn't be underestimated that almost the totality of the club's recruiting since the end of the 2013 season has been aimed at improving the club's midfield stocks and a look at the side for the vital round four match bears this out. Moreover, it's clearly evident that over the past 25 matches, Melbourne's output in terms of winning contested possessions has Melbourne improved dramatically and, in this game - the club's first on a Friday night under Roos - provides it with the opportunity to show the football world in its main showcase time slot that it has the team to provide a contest not only in the midfield but all over the ground. The key contest will no doubt be the one between the two skippers. Hard nosed Nathan Jones hasn't been at his dominant best yet this season and he faces a big challenge against the talented and skillful Trent Cotchin but in a sign of the times, Jones no longer has to be THE dominant on baller because he has so much more support in this area and all over the ground than he did, say two years ago. He now has Bernie Vince and Dom Tyson. He has the enigmatic Heritier Lumumba, the young Angus Brayshaw, the canny Daniel Cross and the unknown warriors Ben Newton and Aaron vandenBerg all floating around to provide support and variety. The ruck duels should also be pivotal with Mark Jamar and Ivan Maric in good form. Whichever of these two gets on top and wins possession around the ground will go a long way to determining the dominance of his team's midfield. The contest between Tom McDonald and Jack Riewoldt should also be worth watching as well as the battle in Melbourne's forward line where Jesse Hogan is quickly catching the eye for his tireless running and strength in the marking contests. If he and Jeff Garlett can capitalise on the improvement in supply to the forward line and find their targets going goal wards, the Demons could win their first Friday night game in several years and start their movement out of the ghostly time slots they usually occupy on most weekends during the football season. Melbourne by 15 points

It was one of the most satisfying wins in recent times because the team played good footy for most of the game. THE TEAMS RICHMOND B: Troy Chaplin, David Astbury, Alex Rance HB: Bachar Houli, Ben Lennon, Steven Morris C: Shaun Grigg, Daniel Jackson, Reece Conca HF: Dustin Martin, Ben Griffiths, Brett Deledio F: Shane Edwards, Jack Riewoldt, Ty Vickery FOLL: Shaun Hampson, Brandon Ellis, Trent Cotchin I/C: Nathan Foley, Sam Lloyd, Matt McDonough, Nick Vlastuin EMG: Jake Batchelor, Nathan Gordon, Ricky Petterd IN: Nathan Foley, Ben Griffiths, Ben Lennon OUT: Aaron Edwards (omitted), Nathan Gordon (omitted), Chris Newman (calf) NEW: Ben Lennon (Northern Knights) MELBOURNE B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Colin Garland HB: Dean Terlich, Lynden Dunn, Jack Grimes C: Bernie Vince, Jack Viney, Daniel Cross HF: Jack Watts, Max Gawn, Jeremy Howe F: Cam Pedersen, Chris Dawes, Rohan Bail FOLL: Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson I/C: Matt Jones, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Aidan Riley, Christian Salem EMG: Alex Georgiou, Jordie McKenzie, Jimmy Toumpas IN: Max Gawn, Aidan Riley OUT: Shannon Byrnes (foot), James Frawley (hamstring)