AFL Melbourne v Richmond deep dive: Max Gawn saves the Demons again

There wasn’t much to learn from an Anzac Eve clash that didn’t go anywhere near justifying the occasion. But there was one question on Scott Gullan’s mind post game. See his analysis here.

Can Max Gawn carry Melbourne back to relevance?

That’s the only worthwhile question to come out of an Anzac Day Eve game that didn’t go anywhere near justifying the big occasion.

Over the past two weeks Gawn has carried Melbourne out of the sewer with back-to-back best-on-grounds to get his team finally heading in the right direction after a 0-5 start.

Max Gawn with his Checker Hughes medal for best on ground. Picture: Michael Klein

But how long can he keep doing it?

If you weren’t clear about Gawn’s influence on this game, when he sat out the final 15 minutes of the last quarter Richmond kicked the final four goals of the game. They had only kicked five goals in the previous 100-odd minutes.

Last week he dominated Fremantle’s Sean Darcy to get Melbourne its first win. This time it was three-time premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis who had no answers to the Demons skipper.

In the end his haul was 25 disposals, 34 hit-outs, 12 score involvements and nine marks (five contested) in a performance which reminded everyone why he’s still the No.1 ruckman in the AFL.

Gawn playing well and Melbourne winning is not a new thing. The problem is at the age of 33, at some stage in the near future he is going to cycle off into the sunset and then what.

Former North Melbourne premiership wingman David King summed it up best in the Fox Footy commentary box: “You have to change so much of what you want to do as a team to go around him or try to rove around his tapwork. He’s just a one-man wrecking machine.

“What a player, what a star of our competition. It’s worth coming just to watch Max and how hard he works forward of the ball and behind the ball. Everything the team needs … jeez he’s been a force.”

The win had a familiar feel about it for Melbourne. After an almost unwatchable first half, the Dees bounced out of the blocks in the third quarter with the usual suspects Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, Jack Viney and Kysaiah Pickett going up a cog.

There were a few others around the edges – Jake Bowey’s 32 possessions, Ed Langdon (28), Trent Rivers (28) and Christian Salem (34) – who played their part but it’s hard to shake the sense that for Melbourne to win the same old faces have to play well.

Is that sustainable in the big picture?

The next month has West Coast in Perth, Hawthorn at the MCG, Brisbane at the Gabba and Sydney at the MCG. The Demons have to find a way to win three of those four games or a season that has already been off the rails could relapse again.

HARD TIMES, HARD MAN

It’s no surprise to anyone at Melbourne that the change in fortunes over the past fortnight has coincided with a change in focus by Jack Viney.

The much-loved warrior has wound back the clock and become the hunter again, lining up on the opposition’s best inside midfielder and taking them out of the game.

Last week it was Fremantle star Caleb Serong, on Thursday night it was Richmond ball magnet Tim Taranto who was coming off 35 possessions and a goal in the Tigers upset of the Gold Coast.

Jack Viney hunted the Tigers all night. Picture: Getty Images

And the result was the same on both occasions. Viney not only kept his opponent quiet, he found a way to influence the contest and against the Tigers it was an extraordinary 15 tackles to go with his 19 touches. Tarranto had 22 possessions and two goals, the second in last-quarter junk time.

“It has been good, just trying to limit some of those really strong clearances players around stoppage and clearance,” Viney said. “I really relish that role, I enjoy going head-to-head with people trying to beat them.

“It has been an enjoyable role and the team really value it. The coaches trust me to do those roles obviously and we continued to tinker with a few things after the first few rounds of the season.

“Last week Serong was a super clearance player, the No.1 clearance in the comp so we thought to be able to get the win we had to limit his influence, I relished the role and it was a similar job tonight.”

Viney says the club’s leaders have been working on remaining consistent in their messaging despite the losses piling up.

“You just stick at it, we know it’s a competitive industry,” he said. “We were still super confident with what we are able to produce and the people we have got at the footy club.

“So we say not to be too disheartened with what was happening and stick at it. We have got enough experience at the club to know that things eventually change if you stay consistent.

“It’s good to get a shift in the last couple of weeks but we have to keep it going.”

There’s still a lot to like about the future of Richmond. Picture: Getty Images

TIGER GLASS HALF FULL

It probably wasn’t the night to raise it if you were a Tigers fan given how ordinary they were for much of the game but there is an argument that could be mounted about which team will be better placed in three years time.

Melbourne is in the window now while Gawn, Petracca, Oliver, Viney, Steven May and Jake Lever are still operating somewhere near full capacity.

So there is a fair bit of urgency around the next couple of years to snare another flag with this group because after that things might get very tough, particularly if Pickett heads home west as is widely speculated.

While the Demons will be desperately trying to manufacture a September miracle, Richmond will be coming from a very different direction in the next couple of years.

They’re not playing finals this year, not in 2026 either but when they hit 2027, look out.

Each week there are small moments with all of these kids Adem Yze is playing where you go, ‘Yep, he can play’.

That happens almost every time No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor touches the ball (how good was his set shot from 50m to steady the ship in the first quarter).

Lalor kicks the Tigers' first of the night 🎯#AFLDeesTigerspic.twitter.com/0cpNbaLuuP

— AFL (@AFL) April 24, 2025

But there is something about a few of the others like Luke Trainor, Sam Banks, James Trezise and Seth Campbell. Tall forward Jonty Faull had flashes which showed he belongs while even debutant Campbell Gray did some things in the defence before he was subbed off that suggested there is a future.

So does Melbourne have that sort of undergrowth?

Judd McVee and Caleb Windsor are jets while Harvey Langford and Xavier Lindsay are showing some promise on the wings. Koltyn Tholstrup is a work in progress and Harry Sharp did a couple of nice things when he took off the subs vest against the Tigers.

Obviously Richmond has had access to more higher draft picks so it makes sense they should have the better talent spread but you still have to pick the right ones.

The Tigers look like they might have just done exactly that.

Originally published as AFL Melbourne v Richmond deep dive: Max Gawn saves the Demons again