Richmond youngsters Brandon Ellis and Nick Vlastuin were awesome in the win against Melbourne

MATCH REPORT: IT took longer than expected and yet a Richmond victory always seemed inevitable.

IT took longer than expected and yet a Richmond victory always seemed inevitable.

A combination of Tiger waste, particularly inside the forward 50, and Melbourne's improved intensity maintained the intrigue until early in the last quarter at the MCG.

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Really, Richmond's winning margin should have been more pronounced than 34 points. The Tigers' 14 extra scoring shots told a stark tale of their dominance for large slices of a contest that rarely induced more than spirited applause from the 39,148 fans.

Richmond should have put the game beyond reach early in the third quarter - four misses from as many set shots in as many minutes kept the dogged Demons alive.

Toumpas Melbourne Richmond

But the warning signs were flashing as several telling Tiger moves started to stretch Melbourne's elastic-like resistance to breaking point.

Midfielder Dustin Martin went forward to show how its done with three goals, the last early in the final term that effectively sealed the deal.

The Demons desperately needed that first goal themselves, but the depleted forward set up just couldn't find a way.

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Pacy Aaron Davey had provided hope with three goals in a sparkling third quarter display.

But he didn't get a sniff when rugged Tiger defender Steven Morris trotted to his side for the start of the second half.

Melbourne v Richmond

Morris even ran hard to create a target deep inside 50 to help himself to a telling goal when the match was still in the balance midway through the third term.

And Richmond infused even more run when Matt White was subbed on to replace taller forward Luke McGuane early in the third quarter.

A White goal on the run in the last quarter pushed the Tiger scoreboard contributors to impressive double figures to emphasis the flexibility and variation lacking in Melbourne's forward structure.

Tiger belief that they really are on the rise this time was buoyed by the continued improvement from young players like midfielder Brandon Ellis and rebounding half-back Nick Vlastuin.

Melbourne v Richkond

Ellis hunted the ball in a manner as effective as Hawk ace Sam Mitchell to rack up a staggering 39 possessions. Not a bad day's work for a teenager who hasn't reached 30 AFL games yet.

And Vlastuin similarly displayed composure far beyond his years and experience with 25 touches and admirable influence in the back half.

Throw in the steady form of Jack Riewoldt, Trent Cotchin and Brett Deledio and the Tigers can prepare for Saturday night's Dreamtime at the G with confidence and genuine belief.

To no-one's surprise, Melbourne players attacked the ball and the ball-carrier with renewed vigor, a vast improvement on the previous week's meek effort. And most tackles stuck this time in the heartening show of competitiveness.

Melbourne v Richmond

The Demons stayed in the contest for so long through their work ethic. They ran and spread well when they had possession. And they worked to get numbers back when Richmond had the ball.

But, aside from Chris Dawes and Davey's brief burst, the options in attack were limited. At least the former Magpie booting his first goal for his new club late in the opening quarter.

Richmond was wasteful in the first half with just two goals from 15 inside entries in the first term. But they found a better return with varied scoring options, even youngsters Ellis and Vlastuin, as the contest opened up.

Twice, the Tigers threatened to break away in the first half when they edged to 11 points leads, but these more committed Demons toughed it out to stay in touch at the main break.

Richmond v Melbourne

The lead swapped seven times and scores were twice level in the first half of what was an intriguing struggle.

A push and shove involving almost every player after the half-time siren reflected the tone of the day - neither team was going to take a backward step in this one.

But the sheer weight of Tiger scoring opportunities meant they were always going to have the last laugh.