Melbourne Demons vs Richmond Tigers Verdict
Melbourne are in hot form with seven straight wins and that should be extended. But Richmond have been given a 40+ start on the line and can stay within it. Kozzie Pickett shapes as the game's biggest difference-maker for the Dees.
- Richmond have lost six of their past eight matches, but only one of those defeats has been by more than 40 points.
- Kozzie Pickett booted four goals in the ANZAC Eve clash earlier this season.
- Tim Taranto has had 25+ disposals in his past two matches and in seven of his past nine at the MCG.
- The Tigers kicked four of the last five goals against Carlton last weekend, while Melbourne conceded 12 of the last 14 against Hawthorn.
Head to Head Stats
Melbourne have won seven in a row against Richmond, with those victories coming at an average margin of 30 points.
Melbourne Form - Seven Straight
Melbourne remain firmly in the top-four hunt with a 10-6 record and head into Round 18 after a 35-point victory over Hawthorn. The final margin, however, failed to tell the full story.
The Demons led by as many as 96 points before allowing the Hawks to kick 12 consecutive goals, exposing an inability to completely close out the contest despite dominating for much of the afternoon.
Max Gawn continued his remarkable season with 22 disposals, 31 hitouts and 10 clearances after collecting 28 disposals and 31 hitouts the previous week against Adelaide.
Jacob van Rooyen and Bailey Fritsch each kicked five goals, with van Rooyen now booting eight across his past two matches.
Tom Sparrow gathered 25 disposals for the second consecutive week, while Kozzie Pickett recorded 25 touches for the third time in his past four matches and continues to impact games both through the midfield and inside forward 50.
Melbourne Demons Team News
The Demons have added Tom McDonald, Paddy Cross and Aidan Johnson to an extended bench and could head into Sunday's clash unchanged.
Richmond Tigers Form Analysis
Richmond head into Round 18 with a 2-14 record but have shown significant improvement in recent weeks despite the results.
The Tigers pushed Carlton to within two points last weekend after surging home with four of the final five goals, showing far greater resilience than they displayed earlier in the season.
The Tigers have won only two matches this year, defeating West Coast in Round 8 and Essendon in Round 11, but they have become increasingly competitive despite an injury-hit list.
Their younger players continue to gain valuable experience, while the return of key personnel has improved their structure at both ends of the ground.
Tim Taranto continued his outstanding form with 25 disposals after producing 26 disposals and four goals against Collingwood the previous week. Rhyan Mansell, Mykelti Lefau and Seth Campbell each kicked two goals against Carlton, with Mansell now kicking multiple goals in three consecutive matches.
Tom Lynch returned from injury and, despite inaccurate finishing, provided an important aerial presence and has kicked two or more goals in three of his past four appearances.
Richmond's ability to stay in games has improved considerably, and they have now shown across several weeks they are capable of challenging quality opposition for extended periods.
Richmond Tigers Team News
Dion Prestia headlines the Tigers' inclusions after recovering from injury. Tom Burton, Samson Ryan and Sam Grlj have also been added, while Jack Ross is unavailable after suffering an injury last week.