Melbourne v Richmond PreviewJack Makeham
SEN
20 April 2023This year’s Anzac Eve clash between the Tigers and Demons has plenty of weight behind it.
Richmond comes into the match desperate for a win to get their season back on track, having secured just one win so far this season.
These early struggles come as a surprise to many who expected the Tigers to return to the top of the competition in 2023, however their lack of cohesion combined with a string of injuries has resulted in a side that can’t get themselves over the line.
Meanwhile, Melbourne’s hot start to the season hit yet another snag last week, as the Demons were completely outworked by a fiery Essendon side.
Melbourne have largely looked like the juggernaut we’ve come to expect them to be for the majority of the year, yet teams like the Bombers and Lions have shown that these Demons are gettable.
While the Demons have had injury issues of their own, they look to be almost out of the woods, something which cannot be said for the Tigers.
Richmond still has holes all over the ground, but by far the one that will have the biggest impact on this matchup is the absence of Tom Lynch.
Without their centrepiece going forward, Richmond’s attack has had its fair share of struggles, relying on a 34-year-old Jack Riewoldt and rookie Samson Ryan to pick up the slack.
Without Lynch to worry about, Melbourne’s star defensive duo of Steven May and Jake Lever could have their way with this banged-up Richmond unit, a matchup which the Tigers have to be concerned about.
In order to keep things competitive, Damien Hardwick will want to turn this into a scrappy affair, similar to Richmond’s Round 3 match against Collingwood.
Yet with their issues piling up week after week, right now the Tigers look outgunned heading into the clash and will need to put together their best performance all season if they’re to upset the Demons on Monday night.
Tip: Melbourne by 16 points.
https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/04/20/who-will-win-and-why-the-predictions-and-tips-for-round-623/