Round 7 – Richmond v Melbourne: The exuberance of youth always excites sport

Round 7

Richmond v Melbourne

7.40pm, Friday 24th April 2026

MCG

By Dan Lonergan

Anzac Day Eve has become a big part of the AFL calendar with Melbourne playing Richmond. This year saw tons of youngsters from both teams in action with all impressing in the first half.

Richmond we know have adopted a youth policy after several years of success, which netted three flags. Some can certainly play, like Seth Campbell and the Sams, who in the words of Humphrey Bogart from the famous movie, Casablanca (which was my mother’s favourite film), “play it again Sam”. And we have to play it three times with Sam Lalor, Sam Cumming and Sam Grilj. The Tigers also have a steely in Green, as well as Mykelti Lafau. Both have shown plenty of promise.

The Demons though, are well served in that department as well and I reckon it’s a case of Oliver and Petracca who? The two stars for several years seem to be well replaced. Harvey Langford from that fertile breeding ground, Mt Martha, which is the first footy home of many current AFL players such as Nic Newman and the De Koning brothers. Throw in Caleb Wilson and Xavier Lindsay, along with big improver Jacob Van Rooyen, the speedy trio of Harry Sharp, Kane Chandler and Latrelle Pickett, and the Demons are reborn and exciting, especially at the MCG where they are undefeated and playing great footy.

New coach, Steven King, I reckon has served the perfect apprenticeship, brief stints at the clubs he played for in St Kilda and Geelong. He was an integral part of the coaching panel when the Bulldogs broke their premiership drought and he was also at the Gold Coast, where he got a taste of senior coaching as interim coach late in the 2024 season when Stewie Dew was axed.

I have always been a firm believer that you need to experience how other clubs you didn’t play for operate from a football or coaching sense and gain some different experience and learn about other clubs’ cultures – and King has done that. He has come in and completely overhauled the way the team plays with exciting ball movement and an intoxicating ability to take on the game with the right players to adopt this style including Kosi Pickett, who is having a sensational season. On Friday night, if possible, he took his game to another level, kicking a couple of ripping goals slicing through the middle of the ground and then taking a screamer.

Kosi has gone from a clever small forward, who could kick miracle goals, to an excellent midfielder helping alleviate the loss of Oliver and Petracca and the long term injury to Jack Viney. He gives something different than that trio and has the hardened body of Jack Steele, who was surprisingly moved on from St Kilda and has seemlessly taken over the role as the inside bull and seems to have found a new lease of life in his footy. He is an experienced body along with Jack Lever and Christain Salem down back, and then there is old man river, Max Gawn. He just keeps getting better and you look at him on the field and outwardly he seems so relaxed in my opinion. When he goes to every contest, which he does week in and week out, he tends to win most of them. His determination to win and carry his team on his back is one of many great characters of this outstanding player.

Richmond had veteran, Tom Lunch back, but the midfield was thin without Tim Tarranto and big ‘’Nank’’ Toby Nankervis continues to be sidelined by injury. Nick Vlaustin, Jayden Short and Nathan Broad, all multiple premiership players, still hold the backline together, but they don’t have enough of that vital group of players in their prime aged between 24 and 28 to be more competitive.

Even though Melbourne was in front at half time, I thought the Tigers put up a good fight with Lynch having an influence as a big target up forward and the youngsters having their moments, but they were not as polished as the in-form Demons, who took over in the second half to win easily by nine goals and by the end of the round they were in 4th with a very impressive 5-2 win loss record. You could have added any money you like – provided you gamble responsibly – on Melbourne being top 4 at any time during the season.

This youth policy reminded me of the soccer match I commentated for Football Victoria, the major division NPL womens competition, with Spring Hills at home at Caroline Springs in Melbourne’s west taking on the Melbourne Victory under 23 team on the same night. The game contained in many ways future stars of the sport, who without putting pressure on them have the potential to one day represent
the Matildas.

Melbourne City from the W League have also included an under 23 team with the Football Victoria emerging side again made up mainly of teenagers being replaced by these two teams. Spring Hills had some youngsters but heaps of experienced and older players and the Victory were just too quick and at times too skilful for Spring Hills, who were outplayed 4-1. The similarities of this young Victory side compared well certainly with Melbourne and to some extent a very raw Richmond unit. They were made up of many teenagers including Poppy O’Keefe aged just 17, who is already in the Melbourne Victory senior squad and many of them have tasted international football through the Young Matildas.

I found out Melbourne put Richmond away in the second half going for the kill with outstanding success. The Victory whose form had fallen away after a promising start, where they were undefeated in their first three rounds, had only tasted victory once in their next five and that was a 5-1 belting of arch rivals, Melbourne City doing the same to Spring Hills, who were flat as a night carters hat.

The Victory, with their numerous young guns dominating, took over this match and were too good for the home team. I know it’s a small sample, but the future of the code is looking pretty promising. You can’t help get excited by young athletes performing well at senior level no matter the sport, and like Football Victoria Emerging, the Melbourne Victory and City players given a chance to play against older and more experience opposition is something you just can’t buy.

The same can be said in the AFL, but as we know it’s age restrictive when teenagers can be drafted. In the NPL they have been exposed at senior level if good enough at 14 and 15. The draft has played a big part in the AFL constantly attracting and developing sublimely talented young players, Many of whom have reached or are exceeded their promise. Melbourne, with this great start to the season – just two losses in seven games and yet to lose at the home of footy – is a prime example of that.

As far as the Tigers are concerned they are certainly battling collectively with one good performance against Carlton, which they should have won, but the future and a decent one at that, is still on the cards with their plethora of youngsters.

Many sports can at times unintentionally go through the motions, but the young players ensure sport, so integral to the fabric of society, continue to drive our future and keep it fresh and fun. And you have to be delighted with that!

RICHMOND 3.1 7.2 10.5 11.6 (72)
MELBOURNE 4.4 10.5 13.9 19.12 (126)

GOALS
Richmond: Lefau 2, Campbell 2, Faull, Green, Cumming, Ralphsmith, McAuliffe, Lynch, Lalor
Melbourne: K.Pickett 4, Mihocek 3, Jefferson 2, Windsor 2, Fritsch 2, Chandler, Sparrow, Sharp, Laurie, Langford, Gawn

BEST (Dan’s best)
Richmond: Grilj, Lynch, Short
Melbourne: Pickett, Gawn, Sparrow, Chandler

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Melbourne: Culley (knee)

LATE CHANGES
Richmond: Jayden Short (personal reasons) replaced in selected side by James Trezise
Melbourne: Nil

Crowd: 67,364 at the MCG