A poor third quarter has seen Richmond suffer a 20-point defeat to Melbourne in the 10th edition of the traditional Anzac Day Eve clash at the MCG on Thursday night. 

The Tigers trailed by just four points at half-time after a tough, contested battle between both sides, before the Demons kicked away, booting six goals to Richmond’s one in the third term.

Adem Yze’s men fought until the very end, kicking the last four goals of the game through Tom Lynch, Tim Taranto and Toby Nankervis, to close the final score to 12.11 (83) to 9.9 (63).  

Thomson Dow had an impressive performance for the Tigers, collecting a career-high 28 disposals, with other major ball-winners being Jayden Short (25), Jack Ross (24), Jacob Hopper (23), Nick Vlastuin (22) and Taranto (22).

08:12

Round 7: Match Highlights

Watch all the highlights from the Anzac Day Eve clash between Richmond and Melbourne.

Lynch finished the night with three goals, Taranto booted two majors, with goals also coming from Nankervis, the returning Rhyan Mansell, Sam Lalor and Steely Green. 

On debut, Campbell Gray showed promising signs throughout the game before being subbed out.

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A crowd of 71,635 attended the game and saw a moving pre-game Anzac Ceremony, which included the Shrine guards entering the arena to hand the Eternal Flame from the Shrine of Remembrance to the Corangamite Light Horse Troop, before a lap of honour around the MCG.

Both teams then lined up to watch the Eternal Flame be lit, before the Ode to the Fallen, Last Post, and New Zealand and Australian national anthems. A joint banner was then raised which Richmond and Melbourne players ran through together. 

The Tigers remain at the MCG in Round 8, facing Hawthorn next Sunday at 3:20pm.

MELBOURNE 3.2 5.4 11.7 12.11 (83)
RICHMOND 2.3 4.6 5.8 9.9 (63)

GOALS
Melbourne: Petty 2, Petracca 2, Fritsch 2, Chandler 2, Tholstrup, Sparrow, Pickett, Langdon
Richmond: Lynch 3, Taranto 2, Nankervis, Mansell, Lalor, Green

BEST
Melbourne: Gawn, Petracca, Bowey, Salem, Rivers, Langdon, May
Richmond: Taranto, Hopper, Dow, Ross, Short, Nankervis

INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Richmond: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Harry Sharp (replaced Koltyn Tholstrup in the fourth quarter)
Richmond: Tom Brown (replaced Campbell Gray in the third quarter)

Crowd: 71,635 at the MCG