Melbourne have been made to work to overcome Richmond 96–78 in an enthralling Anzac Eve clash at the MCG.
With both sides coming off Gather Round defeats, the intensity was up from the first bounce with the 83,985-strong crowd creating a finals-like atmosphere.
While many were expecting the Demons to come out firing, it was the Tigers who began to hold sway early with exciting forward Noah Cumberland sparking his side with three first-quarter goals.
Three in the first quarter for Cumberland 🔥#AFLDeesTigers pic.twitter.com/K9yMc0IjlS
— AFL (@AFL) April 24, 2023
That dominance continued into the second term with veteran Jack Riewoldt joining the party as the Tigers were smart with their inside 50 entries, keeping the ball off the likes of Steven May and Jake Lever as they bridged a 25-point late in the term.
While the Demons would hit back with two late goals before half-time, the Tigers still went into the main break with a 14-point lead and would have been thrilled with their performance as recruits Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper outduelled Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver.
The third term was probably the best of the lot for the viewer, and not because of any clean football as the ball pinged from end to end with turnovers happening at a breakneck speed.
As Oliver and Petracca began to work into the game, the Demons snatched the lead early in the fourth before young forward Jacob Van Rooyen made an impact.
BIG grab from van Rooyen 😍#AFLDeesTigers pic.twitter.com/b691Sfkw0g
— AFL (@AFL) April 24, 2023
In a fourth-quarter burst, the 20-year-old kicked 3.1 to give the Demons some breathing room and AFL Nation’s Nick Dal Santo heaped praise on the youngster.
“It’s a brilliant sign of maturity for this young man,” Dal Santo said.
“Things haven’t gone his way, he hasn’t had any impact on the game (until now).
“When he’s had his moment, he hasn’t hesitated to launch at the football, two big marks and a free kick because he was in the right place at the right time.
“He loves a goal as much as anybody in this competition.”
Once they grabbed the lead, the Demons never looked back as they iced the game late with the Tigers held to just one final-term goal.
Jack Viney was awarded the Frank ‘Checker’ Hughes medal for best afield for his performance which included one goal and 30 disposals.
While the Demons picked up the four points, Dal Santo feels they’re nowhere near firing on all cylinders.
“Well done to the Dees,” Dal Santo said on AFL Nation.
“But I don’t think they’re firing anywhere near their best.
“They’re not consistent enough to be anywhere near where I think they can be.
“But I still have them as the premiership favourites, because I know what they’re capable of.”
Without dominating, the Demons can credit their win to kicking well in front of the big sticks with 15 goals and six behinds as well as winning the disposal (383-349), mark (103-81) and clearance (35-29) counts.
Viney was everywhere for Melbourne and he was helped by the likes of Petracca (26 disposals) and Oliver (one goal, 32 disposals), while Max Gawn (one goal, 17 disposals, 18 hitouts) threatened to break the game open on occasion.
For Richmond, Taranto was everywhere with 33 disposals and 10 tackles while Jayden Short (30 disposals), Jack Riewoldt (four goals) and Hopper (one goal, 23 disposals) fought valiantly.
Melbourne is now 4-2 and should win their fifth game of the season when they host North Melbourne at the MCG next Saturday, while the 1-1-4 Tigers will hope to pick up their second win of the season when they host the Suns at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
FULL SCORE
Melbourne: 2.2, 6.2, 10.5, 15.6. (96)
Richmond: 3.2, 8.4, 10.7, 11.12. (78)
GOALS
Melbourne: Van Rooyen 3, Chandler 3, Gawn, Neal-Bullen, Petty, Pickett, Fritsch, Jordon, Langdon, Oliver
Richmond: Riewoldt 4, Cumberland 3, Martin, Ryan, Hopper, Mansell
BEST
Melbourne: Jack Viney, Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, Max Gawn, Jacob Van Rooyen
Richmond: Tim Taranto, Jack Riewoldt, Jacob Hopper, Jayden Short
INJURIES
Melbourne: N/A
Richmond: N/A
CROWD: 83,985 at the MCG