- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Richmond get the opportunity to continue their move up the AFL ladder when they meet lowly Melbourne at the MCG this afternoon. We’ll have live scores and commentary from 3.20pm AEST.
It was Saturday June 25, 2011. 61,900 people flocked to the MCG that day to see ninth-placed Melbourne face Richmond, perched one spot below them on the ladder.
The teams (along with North Melbourne) were considered to be in the same stage of development and the match was billed as a season-defining test for both sides.
Melbourne took an early lead and comfortably held the Tigers at bay for the rest of the afternoon, eventually prevailing by 27 points to move into a top eight spot.
Finals loomed as a possibility that year and, as a team considered to be full of potential, a probability by 2013.
I’m sure you don’t need me to detail the painful litany of dramas and crises to befall the club since.
Recent displays have prompted club great David Schwarz to publicly utter the F word – Fitzroy – and today the question appears to be not ‘which team will win’, but how big the margin will be.
That said, the opponent today is Richmond – and if any side is capable of finding a slapstick way of losing to the Demons, it is them.
Both clubs have brought six players into their extended, 25-man squads.
Aaron Edwards has been named for his first match in Tiger colours and skipper Trent Cotchin returns from injury. Matt White, Tyrone Vickery, Matthew Arnot and Matt Dea are also in the squad.
Tigers Shane Tuck, Chris Knights and Ivan Maric have all been struck out by injury.
For Melbourne, Shannon Byrnes (wrist), Colin Sylvia (suspension) and, perhaps most crucially of all, Jack Viney (toe) all go out.
Captains return on both sides, with Jack Trengove named on a wing. The Dees’ other returnees are Mark Jamar, James Magner, Neville Jetta, Troy Davis and Jimmy Toumpas.
Be on The Roar from 3.20pm AEST for minute-by-minute updates.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.