"A little bit clunky" - AFL great David King questions Melbourne Demons' 'aggressive' style of play against Richmond Tigers 

Former Australian rules footballer David King raised questions about the aggressive play of the Melbourne Demons against the Richmond Tigers.

At the MCG, the teams faced off on Wednesday, April 24. Melbourne played aggressively and secured an 85-42 victory. However, the team encountered difficulties in the first half due to their aggressive decisions. Following the game, David King discussed in an interview with Fox Footy.

Speaking about Melbourne's performance, King said (via Fox Sports):

“The Dees had 32 clanger kicks for the night – that’s just not Melbourne. I don’t know whether this brand they’re trying to play actually suits them. That’s the overall discussion for me. It’s not like they have weapons across half-back, they’re more intercept players than they are ball users – particularly without Christian Salem there.

"It’s a little bit clunky at the moment, but it’s a work in progress. I like where they’re going, it’s just how far down the track until they get there. It’s much more significant if this is happening at Round 18 … The fact it’s Round 7 is a bonus," he added.

Melbourne recorded a 43-point win over Richmond. The Tigers started well in the first quarter before fading. Melbourne only recorded 357 disposals and 205 kicks, while the Tigers managed 378 disposals and 205 kicks. The goal accuracy of the Tigers was 50.0%, while Melbourne's was 31.3%.

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How the Melbourne-Richmond game unfolded

In Round 7 of the 2024 AFL season, the Melbourne Demons started strong, with Jacob van Rooyen making the first goal.

However, Richmond swiftly rebounded, matching the score at 9-9 through Lefau. Nevertheless, Melbourne regained the lead, ending the first quarter at 15-9.

Richmond tied the score once more as Martin scored at the start of the second quarter. Both teams managed two goals each in the second quarter, but it was the Tigers who led 24-23 at half-time.

In the third quarter, Melbourne surged ahead with three goals, establishing a 41-24 lead. They maintained their dominance throughout the third quarter, leading 55-32. The Demons continued to control the game in the final two quarters, eventually securing a convincing win.