NAB Challenge Match 1, 2014
Melbourne vs Richmond
Friday 14 February
Venue: Docklands
Attendance: 12,024
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 0.1.7 | 1.5.8 | 1.8.9 | 1.13.11.98 |
| Richmond | 1.2.2 | 1.6.7 | 1.7.10 | 1.10.84 |
Melbourne win by 14 points
9 point goalkickers: Cameron Pedersen 1
6 point goalkickers: Jeremy Howe 4, Jay Kennedy Harris 3, Rohan Bail 2, Jack Trengove 1, Sam Blease 1, Max King 1, Jake Spencer 1
The Demons got off to a winning start under new coach Paul Roos in a seesawing game to open the season on Valentine's Day.
Alex Georgiou, Jay Kennedy Harris, Max King made their first appearance in senior company, while Daniel Cross, Viv Michie, Dom Tyson and Bernie Vince all made their Melbourne debuts.
In contrast to previous seasons Melbourne were playing a possession brand of football, and despite conceding the first goal before they'd had a touch they improved through the first quarter and went in behind only because they kicked for goal poorly. It didn't help that they were missing almost all their tall forwards except for Jeremy Howe and Cameron Pedersen - switched from the defensive group before the match because of the shortage.
Richmond continued to threaten in the second quarter, and were gifted a goal after a failed Jake Spencer kick from the last line of defence but a 'supergoal' from Pedersen after a free kick ensured that the margin was less than a goal at the long break - and with Howe starting to fire up front Melbourne snatched the lead at three quarter time thanks to Rohan Bail splitting a pack and kicking a goal with a second on the clock.
Despite conceding a goal from an interchange infringement within the first minute the Tigers were within a goal late before a David Astbury howler handed debutant Kennedy-Harris his third goal. Howe added his fourth shortly afterwards and the Demons enjoyed their first win in any competition since 29 June 2013.
Best were Trengove, Vince and Bail.
Video
Team
Bail, Barry, Blease, Cross, Dunn, Evans, Frawley, Georgiou, Grimes, Howe, M. Jones, N. Jones, J. Kennedy-Harris, King, McDonald, McKenzie, Michie, Nicholson, Pedersen, Spencer, Strauss, Terlich, Toumpas, Trengove, Tyson, Vince
Lists
9 point goals
Links
Demonblog match review
FanFooty scores
Media
melbournefc.com.au - 14/02/2014