Melbourne march on, deliver under Anzac eve spotlightCourtney Walsh
The Age
April 24, 2022 — 10.35pmMelbourne overcame a bout of self-sabotage in attack to overwhelm Richmond by 22 points in the annual Anzac Day eve clash at the MCG to maintain their unbeaten run this year.
The Demons seized complete control with another dominant third term to break open the match after a particularly wasteful first half when kicking for goal.
In a clash pitting the reigning premiers against the champions who preceded them, Melbourne kicked five goals in a row to break Richmond’s resistance.
The Tigers were gallant, scrapping with all their might to hold Melbourne and producing moments of magic that were reminders of their three recent premierships.
But the Demons, who confirmed themselves as a legitimate contender in the corresponding clash last year, are now the competition’s dominant side, with a midfield led by best afield Clayton Oliver, and Christian Petracca providing great drive again.
RESILIENT RICHMOND PROVIDE EARLY ROARThe Demons had not conceded a goal in the opening term in their three previous wins through April.
Nor had they trailed at quarter-time this season leading into the Anzac Day eve clash, and they managed to maintain that record, but not without a scare.
Adrift of the eight and with only two wins, but perhaps boosted by the return of Dustin Martin to Punt Road after a break, Richmond started the match with rare ferocity.
Shai Bolton set the early tone, kicking the first goal of the match before laying a crunching tackle on Jake Bowey soon after and held sway for much of the term.
But Ben Brown and Sam Weideman managed goals in the last minute to secure the Demons an early lead.
MELBOURNE SUFFER A BOUT OF THE BEHINDSBad kicking is bad football, no matter the quality of the team responsible.
Melbourne is the best team in the competition, but their inability to convert when dominating throughout the second term kept the Tigers alive.
The Demons started the second term with five straight behinds, which took their score to 2.11, before Charlie Spargo roved a pack to break a run of outs.
To the credit of the Tigers, the pressure they were applying played a part, with Melbourne not the only side afflicted this year.
Carlton and the Giants kicked more points than goals in the first fortnight of the season against Richmond, while the Bulldogs managed a lamentable 7.19 (61) in Round 4.
The Tigers were good enough to make the most of rare opportunities late in the term, much to the delight of Ash Barty, who was among the 70,334 fans in attendance.
Jack Graham started a three-goal surge that saw them take a surprising lead into half-time when showing tremendous will at the 20-minute mark.
He was at the fall of the ball when Max Gawn dropped a mark on Melbourne’s half-forward line and cleared the ball for the Tigers, only to finish the passage with a fine set shot.
FORMER SUNS CO-CAPTAINS SHARE CENTRE STAGERichmond spearhead Tom Lynch and Melbourne full-back Steven May share a bond dating back to their time as co-captains of the Gold Coast.
Their decision to pursue team success elsewhere has worked for both men given their starring roles in premierships for the Tigers and the Demons.
Not long after their old club was beaten by Brisbane by 52 points, May and Lynch stood opposite each other during the moving Anzac ceremony prior to the clash.
May was prolific, again, in possession in defence, while Lynch appealed as an opportunist and was the beneficiary of a couple of Melbourne mistakes.
After Lynch received a gift from Joel Smith at the start of the third term to extend their lead to nine points, an upset seemed possible despite the evidence in general play.
But when Melbourne finally found their range in front of goal, the result was soon beyond doubt, with Petracca able to snap a goal with minimal pressure to cap the five-goal streak that proved the difference.
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Melbourne 2.6 3.12 8.19 9.22 (76)
Richmond 2.2 5.3 7.4 8.6 (54)
GOALS
Melbourne: Weideman 3, Fritsch 2, Brown, Langdon, Petracca, Spargo.
Richmond: Lynch 2, Riewoldt 2, Baker, Bolton, Graham, Rioli.
BEST
Melbourne: Oliver, May, Langdon, Brayshaw, Sparrow, Petracca.
Richmond: Vlastuin, Broad, Cotchin, Nankervis, Short.
VOTESClayton Oliver (Melbourne) 8
Steven May (Melbourne) 7
Ed Langdon (Melbourne) 6
Nick Vlastuin (Richmond) 6
Nathan Broad (Richmond) 5
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-march-on-deliver-under-anzac-eve-spotlight-20220424-p5afqf.html
