AFL 2021 season: undefeated Demons stun Richmond – as it happened
Richmond #Richmond
8.20am EDT 08:20
Summary 
Melbourne entered this clash against the reigning premiers undefeated but still with questions to answer. If round six was a test for the Demons they passed it with flying colours, brushing aside Richmond with even greater ease than the 34-point margin would suggest.
After being shaded in the first quarter, it was all Melbourne thereafter with the Demons’ high-pressure, high-possession game proving too hot for Richmond to handle. Christian Petracca was facing a test of his own and he too passed it as best afield to cement his arrival in the game’s elite. But the Dees had winners on every line in a thoroughly convincing performance.
They are now 6-0 for the first time since 1965. It was the perfect way to celebrate Nathan Jones’s 300th game, and Angus Brayshaw’s 100th, but for Richmond there was no fairytale 250th appearance for Dustin Martin. The triple Norm Smith medalist was one of many quiet Tigers before he suffered a knock to the eye that saw him taken from the field with concussion, ruling him out of Friday’s game against Western Bulldogs. The loss of Kane Lambert to injury was another blow for the Tigers, who finished the game a man down but well beaten all the same.
This result likely says far more about Melbourne than it does Richmond. The Tigers will lick their wounds and come back from this, but they now have another challenger in their quest to win three straight premierships. This match should leave nobody in doubt that the Demons are legitimate title contenders.
8.02am EDT 08:02
FT: Melbourne 12-10 (82) beat Richmond 6-12 (48)
For the first time since 1965 Melbourne are unbeaten after six rounds. This was an emphatic victory against the benchmark of the competition. There is a new player in town.
Updated at 8.21am EDT
7.59am EDT 07:59
Q4: 1 min remaining: Melbourne 12-10 (82) vs Richmond 6-12 (48) Some Tigers fan are leaving the MCG. No Melbourne are. The players continue to scrap as the last rites are read on this match. It’s been a big one for the undefeated Dees.
7.57am EDT 07:57
Q4: 2 mins remaining: Melbourne 12-10 (82) vs Richmond 6-12 (48) And from said melee, Oliver hits the deck after a “push” from Bolton, is given a free kick but can’t punish Richmond as his set shot misses to the right.
7.56am EDT 07:56
Q4: 4 mins remaining: Melbourne 12-9 (81) vs Richmond 6-12 (48) Goal! Lever is again where he needs to be as Melbourne repel Richmond’s latest attempt to go forward. Attempt is a kind word. More half-hearted. The sting is out of this game. But as I write that it’s on in front of the Melbourne goal. Pickett is involved, Jones is involved, Mansell is involved. Free kick for Pickett. Goal for Melbourne. And that looks decidedly like a melee forming.
7.51am EDT 07:51
Q4: 6 mins remaining: Melbourne 11-9 (75) vs Richmond 6-12 (48) Bolton finds space inside-50 and latches onto a neat chest mark but overcorrects on his checkside shot on goal, missing to the right.
7.47am EDT 07:47
Q4: 9 mins remaining: Melbourne 11-9 (75) vs Richmond 6-10 (46) Goal! The Tigers get one back as Lynch runs onto a loose ball inside-50 and dishes out a handpass to Bolton, who strolls in on an open goal. A consolation, no more.
7.44am EDT 07:44
Q4: 10 mins remaining: Melbourne 11-9 (75) vs Richmond 5-10 (40) Pickett has a chance to put one of likely several cherries on top for Melbourne but misses his set shot. And now Grimes is off for Richmond. Either they are having rotten luck with injuries or their cue is in the rack. Or both.
7.41am EDT 07:41
Q4: 12 mins remaining: Melbourne 11-8 (74) vs Richmond 5-9 (39) Richmond work their way forward and Lever aids their cause courtesy of a holding free but a not-so-thinly-disguised throw from Lynch hands the ball back to Melbourne and it’s as you were.
7.38am EDT 07:38
Q4: 15 mins remaining: Melbourne 11-8 (74) vs Richmond 5-9 (39) Broad and Rioli combine on centre wing but Gawn slides back to take a timely mark in defence. Moments later May does the same. The Dees have all the answers. They’ve been impressive tonight.
7.36am EDT 07:36
Q4: 17 mins remaining: Melbourne 11-8 (74) vs Richmond 5-9 (39) Goal! And that conjuring looks nigh on impossible as Petracca savages a hard ball, beats a defender and snaps from the right to put the Dees six goals in front. He’s been big tonight, Petracca. Big all year.
7.34am EDT 07:34
Q4: 19 mins remaining: Melbourne 10-8 (68) vs Richmond 5-8 (38) We start the last quarter with the news Martin is dusted for the night, off with concussion after that knock to the eye. With Lambert already off and the medical sub taken, Richmond are down a man for the last term. Not a fairytale 250th for Martin. Unless Richmond can conjure a win somehow from here, that is.
7.29am EDT 07:29
3QT: Melbourne 10-8 (68) vs Richmond 5-8 (38)
Melbourne continued their dominance in the third term and started to get on top in inside-50s while maintaining their edge in possessions and pressure on the opposition. Lambert is done for the night and Martin is struggling with an eye injury. There is “only” five goals in it, but the Dees are up and about while the Tigers look tired and short on ideas.
Updated at 7.31am EDT
7.26am EDT 07:26
Q3: 1 min remaining: Melbourne 10-8 (68) vs Richmond 5-8 (38) May and Lever spoil each other on centre wing and this gives Richmond a sniff. But an attempted ball inside-50 flies high, wide, ugly and out-of-bounds on the full. Nothing doing and not much doing at all for Richmond.
7.22am EDT 07:22
Q3: 2 mins remaining: Melbourne 10-8 (68) vs Richmond 5-8 (38) Nice intercept mark from Broad, who sends the ball inside-50 for Bolton to take a smart contest mark leaping high above the pack. It looks an easy enough set shot from about 35 metres out but he fluffs it to the right. Not what Richmond need right now.
7.20am EDT 07:20
Q3: 4 mins remaining: Melbourne 10-8 (68) vs Richmond 5-7 (37) Salem is again important as Melbourne work the ball inside-50 yet another time. But this time the Tigers defence stands firm. Lambert is done for the Tigers and Martin is still off. Perhaps that eye is giving him grief.
7.17am EDT 07:17
Q3: 6 mins remaining: Melbourne 10-7 (67) vs Richmond 5-7 (37) Goal! The two teams are trading goals thick and fast and now McDonald takes a strong contested mark close to goal before converting with ease. The Tigers are trying desperately to get back on terms but Melbourne have all the answers. Martin again leaves the field. Something’s up with the champ.
Updated at 7.20am EDT
7.15am EDT 07:15
Q3: 8 mins remaining: Melbourne 9-7 (61) vs Richmond 5-7 (37) Goal! Instant reply from Richmond, who win the ball out of the centre and go direct before Aarts gets onto the end of a handpass and snaps nicely.
Updated at 7.17am EDT
7.13am EDT 07:13
Q3: 8 mins remaining: Melbourne 9-7 (61) vs Richmond 4-7 (31) Goal! Some lovely intercept work from Melbourne paves the way for another move forward and Neal-Bullen wins a free kick for high contact before kicking truly from close range.
7.11am EDT 07:11
Q3: 9 mins remaining: Melbourne 8-7 (55) vs Richmond 4-7 (31) Goal! That’s more like it from the Tigers. Melbourne fail to deal with a long ball forward before McIntosh finds Edwards with a handpass and finally Richmond manage another goal, breaking a run of seven unanswered from the Dees.
7.09am EDT 07:09
Q3: 10 mins remaining: Melbourne 8-7 (55) vs Richmond 3-7 (25) The weight of numbers is showing. Richmond might have bossed the inside-50 count in the first half – and were still outplayed – but Melbourne are leading the way 9-2 in this third quarter. And it’s all the Dees. Long way to go but hard to see Richmond getting back into this one. And now Lambert is off for Richmond! On a positive note, Martin is warming up on the sidelines and looks good to return.
7.05am EDT 07:05
Q3: 13 mins remaining: Melbourne 8-7 (55) vs Richmond 3-7 (25) Goal! The Dees force the ball forward again – Petracca again was instrumental in the contest – and Fritsch takes a chest mark just inside-50 before going back and slotting another one through. Martin limps off the ground. The Tigers look shot.
7.03am EDT 07:03
Q3: 15 mins remaining: Melbourne 7-7 (49) vs Richmond 3-7 (25) Richmond try to manufacture something from nothing. Lynch flicks one out to Bolton at centre half-forward and Dusty looks dangerous but his shot on goal falls short. Meanwhile, McDonald gives away a free for a clip to the ears on Grimes. “I was just trying to get past him,” McDonald pleads to the umpire. Nice try. The MRO might look at that.
6.59am EDT 06:59
Q3: 18 mins remaining: Melbourne 7-7 (49) vs Richmond 3-7 (25) Goal! We’re back for the second half. It’s still wet at the MCG but Melbourne are showing a clean set of heels as Petracca initiates a forward thrust. Spargo makes a mess of his one-on-one opportunity but Jackson swoops on the loose ball and soccers the ball through from point-blank range. That’s six in a row for the Dees. And to add injury to insult, Martin looks to be struggling after copping a finger in the eye.
6.51am EDT 06:51
Heartfelt condolences, 20CNS. I hope you can find a way to celebrate your father’s life and cherish the good times while mourning his passing.
6.42am EDT 06:42
HT: Melbourne 6-6 (42) vs Richmond 3-7 (25)
The heavens opened in the second quarter and it was Melbourne who rained goals, nailing four-to-nil in that term to make it five unanswered goals for the match. The Demons continue to lead the way in inside-50s – the count stands at 31-26 their way – but Melbourne are setting up well defensively and possessing the ball jealously when they have it. They show the way 236-156 in possessions – and 143-72 in uncontested possessions. At times in the second stanza, Richmond could barely get their hands on the ball. The Tigers will need to find another gear but they are capable of that.
Updated at 6.42am EDT
6.35am EDT 06:35
Q2: 1 min remaining: Melbourne 6-6 (42) vs Richmond 3-7 (25) Aarts can do nothing with his chance from another “insufficient intent” out-of-bounds free and Melbourne rebound with ease.
6.30am EDT 06:30
Q2: 3 mins remaining: Melbourne 6-5 (41) vs Richmond 3-6 (24) Goal! It’s all Melbourne. Five goals in a row. The Dees win the ball out of the middle and though the ball forward is chaotic Melbourne’s forward’s are first to it, with Oliver’s clean hands releasing Jackson for a walk-in goal. Response needed now, Richmond. The Tiges can’t get their claws on the ball.
6.26am EDT 06:26
Q2: 5 mins remaining: Melbourne 5-5 (35) vs Richmond 3-6 (24) Goal! Pickett straight out pushes McDonald in the back at a ball-up inside Melbourne’s forward-50 and the Melbourne man kicks truly to make it two goals in as many minutes. The pendulum has swung. The Dees are well and truly on top now.
6.25am EDT 06:25
Q2: 6 mins remaining: Melbourne 4-5 (29) vs Richmond 3-6 (24) Pickett beats Gawn in the ruck – yes, really! – paving the way for Edwards to find the chest of Riewoldt. It all adds up to a Richmond goal but Jack misses to the right. Only five points in it but Richmond could do with a goal here.
6.23am EDT 06:23
Q2: 7 mins remaining: Melbourne 4-5 (29) vs Richmond 3-5 (23) Goal! A Melksham behind levels the scores before McDonald takes a strong pack mark from Lever’s searching ball inside-50 … and he converts to put the Demons in front. Really nice period this is for Melbourne.
6.19am EDT 06:19
Q2: 9 mins remaining: Melbourne 3-4 (22) vs Richmond 3-5 (23) Goal! Neal-Bullen is awarded a set shot thanks a deliberate out-of-bounds and he makes no mistake, splitting the uprights from about 35 metres out hard on the boundary. Exquisite. Now there’s one point in it.
6.17am EDT 06:17
Q2: 11 mins remaining: Melbourne 2-3 (15) vs Richmond 3-5 (23) Richmond get the switch on but the Dees defend resolutely to rebound the ball from inside the Tigers’ 50. Hunt is active for Melbourne and so is Jones. There continue to be no shortage of inside-50s for Richmond but the Demons are dealing with it well. No goals yet for either team in this second quarter. Oliver leaves the field after a heavy knock.
6.13am EDT 06:13
Q2: 13 mins remaining: Melbourne 2-3 (15) vs Richmond 3-5 (23) The game become scrappy in slipper conditions but both teams are well equipped to deal with it. Martin shows clean hands to find a teammate in space and now Pickett has a set shot from just inside-50, but he misses to the left.
6.09am EDT 06:09
Q2: 16 mins remaining: Melbourne 2-3 (15) vs Richmond 3-4 (22) A rushed, long ball forward by Melbourne spills over the back and into the path of Petracca, who gets good purchase off the ground but misses his soccer to the right.
6.07am EDT 06:07
Q2: 19 mins remaining: Melbourne 2-2 (14) vs Richmond 3-4 (22) The second quarter commences under a heavy blanket of rain. Not that it dulls Richmond’s purpose or skills. Martin is pivotal and so is Cotchin as Lambert winds up with a set shot that falls just short and is rushed through for a behind.
Updated at 6.09am EDT
6.01am EDT 06:01
QT: Melbourne 2-2 (14) vs Richmond 3-3 (21)
The Tigers seemed on top for most of the quarter – 19 inside-50s to 11 was indicative of that – but Melbourne finished the term strongly and showed up favourably by most statistical measures. A late goal keeps them well and truly in the contest.
5.57am EDT 05:57
Q1: 1 min remaining: Melbourne 2-2 (14) vs Richmond 3-3 (21) Goal! Oliver is instrumental in releasing Pickett, who finds Fritsch with a lovely centring pass from the right pocket. The set shot from 30 metres out poses no problem and the Dees get one late.
5.55am EDT 05:55
Q1: 2 mins remaining: Melbourne 1-2 (8) vs Richmond 3-3 (21) Goal! The Dees try to clear from the last line but a rushed kick is intercepted by Edwards and from 25 metres out directly in front the outcome is a formality. Good, quick response from the Tigers.
5.52am EDT 05:52
Q1: 4 mins remaining: Melbourne 1-2 (8) vs Richmond 2-3 (15) Goal! Great rebounding work and carry from Hunt speeds Melbourne forward. The ball soon becomes loose but the Dees keep it in their possession and Salem gets on the end of a handpass just outside 59 before drilling his shot on the run. The Demons are back in it on the scoreboard and in general play.
5.48am EDT 05:48
Q1: 5 mins remaining: Melbourne 0-1 (1) vs Richmond 2-3 (15) Better from Melbourne. Quicker, cleaner ball inside-50 finds its way into the hands of Fritsch but his set shot is a crooked one and misses to the left.
5.46am EDT 05:46
Q1: 7 mins remaining: Melbourne 0-0 (0) vs Richmond 2-3 (15) Lever gets nailed in a gang tackle but the entry inside-50 is a messy one for Richmond and May mops up. But it’s only temporary relief for Melbourne before another foray forward for Richmond is foiled by Riewoldt’s infringement on May in a marking contest. Jack is aghast at giving away a free. Isn’t he always?!
5.42am EDT 05:42
Q1: 10 mins remaining: Melbourne 0-0 (0) vs Richmond 2-3 (15) The Dees finally get the ball forward on the back of a stunning run-down tackle but McDonald can do no more with his set shot from the right pocket than slam the ball into Grimes’s outstretched hands.
Updated at 5.53am EDT
5.40am EDT 05:40
Q1: 12 mins remaining: Melbourne 0-0 (0) vs Richmond 2-3 (15) Goal! The Tigers aren’t letting up. Lynch outmuscles May in a one-on-one and releases Riewoldt, who dribbles one through for his and Richmond’s second goal. All Richmond at the moment. Just the one inside-50 for Melbourne compared to plenty for Richmond.
5.38am EDT 05:38
Q1: 13 mins remaining: Melbourne 0-0 (0) vs Richmond 1-3 (9) Free kick for Grimes at centre half-forward for Richmond – Fritsch was very stiff there … in the back? Really? – and from the resultant play Nankervis has a set shot from the left flank, which he cannons into the post for a behind.
5.35am EDT 05:35
Q1: 15 mins remaining: Melbourne 0-0 (0) vs Richmond 1-2 (8) Goal! Chaos balls galore in the Richmond forward line and it takes an individual piece of brilliance to gain some reward for Richmond, with Riewoldt chasing down a loose ball in the left pocket and soccering one through with his left boot. Delightful and quite classy.
5.33am EDT 05:33
Q1: 16 mins remaining: Melbourne 0-0 (0) vs Richmond 0-1 (1) Richmond keep the ball inside their forward arc – Short and Rioli combine nicely – but Lever is looming large for the Dees. A couple of timely touches early for the former Crow. The ball, however, is staying at one end of the ground in the opening exchanges.
5.30am EDT 05:30
Q1: 17 mins remaining: Melbourne 0-0 (0) vs Richmond 0-1 (1) The Tigers are looking dangerous near goal – McIntosh seemed likely but wasn’t clean enough – before Edwards gets the scoring under way with a snapped behind that misses to the left.
5.28am EDT 05:28
Q1: 19 mins remaining: Melbourne 0-0 (0) vs Richmond 0-0 (0) And we are away. Early centre clearance for Melbourne but Fritsch butchers his inside-50 and kicks it out on the full.
5.27am EDT 05:27
Carlton-Brisbane has only just finished. The Lions won by 18 points. And we’re not far off at the MCG.
5.24am EDT 05:24
A nice touch from the Demons. Thank you to these 30 men, and thank you to all the diggers. Lest we forget.
5.21am EDT 05:21
The big 300 is a big deal, always. Well done, Nathan Jones, just the second Dee to get there after David Neitz. A man who bleeds red-and-blue and one who has squeezed every last drop of his God-given ability.
5.15am EDT 05:15
Just on Dusty, Perhaps there have been “better” players – whatever that means – but I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone who can impact a game with such arrogant ease. And he does it in the big matches. His output in last year’s grand final was next level but entirely unsurprising.
Three flags. Three Norm Smiths. A Brownlow. Countless other gongs and accolades. An all-time great. You can’t argue with that.
5.10am EDT 05:10
It’s been a bit wet in Melbourne today, a couple of millimetres here and there, but conditions should be OK come game time.
5.04am EDT 05:04
No late team changes
Melbourne
B: Adam Tomlinson, Steven May, Trent RiversHB: Christian Salem, Jake Lever, Jayden HuntC: Ed Langdon, Christian Petracca, Angus BrayshawHF: Kysaiah Pickett, Tom McDonald, Alex Neal-BullenF: Jake Melksham, Luke Jackson, Bayley FritschFOLL: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, Jack VineyI/C: Nathan Jones, Michael Hibberd, Charlie Spargo, James Jordon
Sub: Kade Chandler
Richmond
B: David Astbury, Noah Balta, Dylan GrimesHB: Nathan Broad, Bachar Houli, Jayden ShortC: Kamdyn McIntosh, Trent Cotchin, Marlion PickettHF: Daniel Rioli, Kane Lambert, Jason CastagnaF: Tom Lynch, Dustin Martin, Jack RiewoldtFOLL: Toby Nankervis, Shane Edwards, Jack GrahamI/C: Rhyan Mansell, Shai Bolton, Jake Aarts, Liam BakerSub: Jack Ross
Have a look at that full-forward line for Richmond. Absurd. Good luck messrs Tomlinson, May and Rivers if indeed teams line up this way.
4.55am EDT 04:55
Preamble
Hello and welcome to what is unquestionably the match of the round and quite likely match of the season to date. The Victorian government has done footy fans a solid by allowing the MCG to be at 85 per cent capacity this weekend. Now all said fans need to do is fill every seat available for tonight’s game (shouldn’t be a problem; it’ll be a cracking contest) and then again tomorrow (again, shouldn’t be an issue given the occasion but right now I’d have to think twice given the option of watching Collingwood versus Essendon or paint drying).
But to tonight’s, ahem, blockbuster. After five wins to commence the 2021 campaign, the time has come to see where the Demons are really at. Four of those wins have come against sides sitting outside the top eight while the other victory came against Geelong, who started round six no higher than eighth but today franked the form of their loss to Melbourne with a humungous win over West Coast.
None of which is to diminish the Dees’ flying start – you can, after all, only beat what’s in front of you – but Saturday night at the ‘G against the reigning premiers will give us a much clearer view of just how far Simon Goodwin’s men have come. That blip against the Swans aside, Richmond have done little to suggest they won’t give a third premiership in three seasons an almighty shake.
It’s also a game of milestones. Congratulations to Nathan Jones (300th game), Angus Brayshaw (100th) and Daniel Rioli (100th) on getting this far. It’s a hell of an achievement to play even one game at this illustrious level.
Oh, and a bloke called Dustin Martin is making his 250th senior appearance. What in incredible player. We’re not worthy.
Updated at 4.57am EDT