3 minute read
Richmond and Melbourne go head-to-head at the MCG on Anzac Day eve, with the injury-ravaged Tigers in desperate need of a victory to lift morale.
Richmond have picked up just one win so far this season and they are not being helped by a crippling injury list.
New head coach Adam Yze is trying to mastermind a rebuild at the club and it looks like being a long, hard season for them.
The Demons, on the other hand, are going well with four wins from six games and they can be backed at 8.00 to go on and win the 2024 AFL grand final.
Both teams should be refreshed following the bye and both will be keen to bounce back after losing the game before it.
The Tigers went down against West Coast Eagles, while Melbourne suffered a home reverse at the hands of Brisbane Lions.
. What: Richmond v Melbourne
. Where: MCG, Melbourne
. When: 20:25, Wednesday 24th April 2024
. How to watch: Kayo, Foxtel, Channel 9
. Odds: Richmond 4.50, Melbourne 1.21
Tigers injury list hitting hard
Richmond have made a horror start to the season, winning just one of their opening five games.
That victory was a shock five-point success against Sydney Swans, but they went on to lose the next two games against St Kilda and West Coast Eagles.
Just to rub salt into the wounds, the Tigers are having no luck on the injury front as key players are having to sit out.
Half-back Jayden Short is the latest player to be ruled out after suffering a calf injury that will keep him on the sidelines for weeks.
Yze has 14 players on the injury list, which is making a tough rebuilding job even harder.
The Tigers will need to soldier on and they showed what they are capable of with the win over Sydney.
They lost by 39 points against West Coast, but the games against St Kilda and Carton were tight, losing by seven and five points respectively.
If the Tigers are to pull off a shock, it will be tight, and they can be backed at 8.00 to win by 1-12 points.
Demons looking to bounce back
Melbourne had won four games on the bounce until they slipped to a 22-point home defeat against the Brisbane Lions before the bye.
They need to bounce back and do have a good record against the Tigers, winning the last three meetings by 32, 18 and 50 points respectively.
If they are to pick up another convincing win, the Demons are priced at 5.00 to win by 25-36 points.
Bayley Fritsch has been in good form for Melbourne so far this season and kicked two goals in the loss to Brisbane.
The forward can be backed at 8.50 to kick the first goal of the game or 1.05 to score at anytime.
Jack Viney produced 23 disposals against the Lions and 25+ against the Tigers can be backed at 2.15.
