Dashing Dees take care of Tigers as lightning strikes twice in Ballarat practice match

1 week ago 3

Melbourne v Richmond

Mars Stadium, Ballarat
Demons 12.6 (78) d Tigers 6.7 (43) (shortened game)

Bailey Fritsch charges forward for the Dees in Ballarat.

The match

A smoother, slicker Demons outfit under Steven King provided entertainment and a discernible game plan against Richmond on a bizarre day in Ballarat that saw lightning literally strike twice, eventually forcing the game to be abandoned midway through the third quarter.

Harrison Petty returned to defence for Melbourne and was solid.

Melbourne consistently took risks with their ball movement through the middle of the ground, a brand their fans have not been accustomed to. They looked potent up forward, particularly in the first quarter, which stretched to 74 minutes long because players were sent off the field when lightning struck nearby.

Facing a new-look future without Clayton Oliver (now at GWS), Christian Petracca (Gold Coast) and the injured Jack Viney, it was the kids that impressed for the Demons.

It was also a sight for sore eyes for Melbourne fans to see premiership defender Harrison Petty return to the backline, where he looked solid alongside veteran Jake Lever and Daniel Turner.

The Demons kicked seven goals in the elongated opening term, ending the match with 12 when time was called midway through what was supposed to be the third quarter. The shining light up forward for the Dees was key forward Jacob van Rooyen, who contributed three majors.

For the Tigers, veteran forward Tom Lynch was unusually inaccurate in front of goal, finishing with 2.3, while Jayden Short was the leading disposal-getter on the ground with 20.

Xavier Lindsay and Koltyn Tholstrup celebrate a Melbourne goal.

The moment

It was late in the first quarter when raw forward Koltyn Tholstrup marked outside 50m and immediately showed his intentions.

While many Demons fans may not have thought he had the distance in him, the young West Australian used all his skill and power – and a slight breeze behind him – to boot an extremely impressive goal.

The eye-catcher

While 15 disposals and a goal may not usually be described as an eye-catching performance, Melbourne fans have something to look forward to in 2026 when they watch speed demon Caleb Windsor spend more time in the midfield. Windsor, who spent all of last year on the wing, was utilised inside the contest more by King and will provide much-needed speed through the middle of the ground in the absence of Clayton Oliver.

Richmond’s Hugo Ralphsmith warms up for the practice game in ballarat under threatening skies.

The injuries

Luker Kentfield (concussion). Walked off very groggy after a heavy collision while leading out of full-forward early in the game.

Sam Cumming (shoulder). Came off clutching his shoulder with two minutes to go in the first quarter.

What the coaches said

Chris Newman (Richmond): “It was a little bit different, obviously we haven’t been in this situation too many times before [sent off because of lightning], but the players reacted well. They knew they had to stay flexible with what the AFL felt was appropriate at this time. Safety is paramount. They’ve tried to keep the energy up and after the first break we actually came out and played some pretty good footy, so it’s a testament to a young group that they can bounce back.”

Nathan Jones (Melbourne): “The profile of the [midfield] group has absolutely changed in terms of its ability to transition from a running power perspective. We still value winning the ball, but the game’s tweaked a bit in terms of your ability to be able to pressure and strip and win it back, as much as it is win the ball and explode and explore on offence. We’ve put some time into that and we’ve exposed players to that and I think that’s evolving.

“There’s still opportunity for us to continue to get better in there but it’s exciting. Some of the boys in there have got huge upside and aren’t super experienced, but we’ve also got some experience around them.”

The verdict

Lots to like from a Melbourne perspective, but to be honest, it’s hard to know how much to take out of a game that was quite literally abandoned. Richmond had senior stars, including Dion Prestia, Noah Balta and Nick Vlastuin, missing and senior leadership will be required to steer the ship at Punt Road in 2026.

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