Sunday’s second AFL Round 8 match is between Richmond Tigers and Melbourne Demons with the game to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The opening bounce is set to commence at 3:20pm local time with home team Richmond Tigers currently holding favouritism. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Richmond Tigers and Melbourne Demons.
WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, Sunday May 19, 3:20pm
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Preview:
Richmond take on Melbourne at the MCG, 3.20pm on Sunday. The Tigers are big favourites to win this match, with Melbourne struggling in a big big way. Not only are the Demons the lowest scoring team in the comp, they also have the least disposals and the fewest contested possessions. All signs point to a big Tigers win, especially after their return to the winner’s list in a good display against Port Adelaide last week.
Teams:
Richmond Tigers:
B: Steven Morris, Alex Rance, Troy Chaplin
HB: Chris Newman, Brandon Ellis, Bachar Houli
C: Shaun Grigg, Trent Cotchin, Dan Jackson
HF: Brett Deledio, Shane Edwards, Jake King
F: Luke McGuane, Jack Riewoldt, Dustin Martin
Foll: Orren Stephenson, Nathan Foley, Nick Vlastuin
Int: Robin Nahas, Jake Batchelor, Matthew Arnot, Matt Dea, Aaron Edwards, Ty Vickery, Matt White
In: A. Edwards, White, Cotchin, Vickery, Arnot, Dea
Out: Tuck, Knights, Maric
Melbourne Demons:
B: Neville Jetta, James Frawley, Dean Terlich
HB: Daniel Nicholson, James Sellar, Colin Garland
C: Jack Trengove, Jordie McKenzie, Michael Evans
HF: Luke Tapscott, Lynden Dunn, Jeremy Howe
F: Max Gawn, Chris Dawes, Jimmy Toumpas
FOLL: Mark Jamar, Matt Jones, Nathan Jones
I/C (from): James Strauss, James Magner, Dean Kent, Aaron Davey, Troy Davis, Jake Spencer, Rohan Bail
In: Jamar, Magner, Trengove, Jetta, Davis, Toumpas
Out: Byrnes, Sylvia, Viney
It could take five years: Demons coach
Melbourne coach Mark Neeld has warned frustrated supporters it could be up to five years before the Demons are competitive in the AFL.
Melbourne sunk to a low point when they were whipped by the Gold Coast Suns last week and face another hammering on Sunday when they meet Richmond at the MCG.
Neeld admitted on Saturday that not only was there little that could be done to turn the players’ performance around in a week, but that the young side could take a minimum of three years to realise their potential.
The Demons have won just once this year and after Richmond face massive tasks over the next month against Fremantle, Hawthorn and Collingwood.
“There’s no short term fix, it’s a long term fix,” Neeld said.
“We’re doing exactly what everyone said the football club needed to do two to three years ago.
“We’ve got an unbelievably inexperienced list, so it’s not about from week-to-week.”
But he said there were already early signs of improvement.
“If you look at our past month, three of those games, the effort and all the combative stats have been particularly good and world knows that when you’re dealing with inexperienced groups you’re going to have weeks where it’s not so good.”
Neeld said it was also impossible to tell how many players were performing to their potential due to their inexperience.
“We’ve got 13 players out there tomorrow who have played under 50 games … how many players with under 50 games play to their full potential?”
Neeld said Richmond players had around 90 games under their belts and even a win would not turn the situation around quickly.
“We’re blooding a whole heap of players at the one time and we’ve got probably seven of our first choice selected players out (injured and suspended).
“Our aim is to be competitive for as long as we possibly can and that’s where we’re at,” he said.
He said the club’s plan of a complete facelift would take between three to five years to complete.
“It normally takes between three and five years, depending on the player, until they fully understand AFL footy and what it’s like, so that’s somewhere between 60 and 100 games.
“Over the last 25 years the team that wins the premiership has averaged about 110 games (per player).”
Melbourne have regained co-captain Jack Trengove, who is over a calf injury, for the clash with richmond.