Blog log from P1 of 2023: Melbourne vs Richmond

On a slow play, Gawn leads in front of Nankervis to mark a Hunter pass 40m out on the flank but misses. (Q1 1:23)
Melbourne enjoys a small breeze in Q1. (Q1 1:31)
Hopper ducks out of a high challenge on the wing, turns and finds Cumberland 40m out near the boundary who misses to the left. (Q1 2:46)
Taranto is pinged for a throw in a pack, Spargo takes the free 30m out on a slight angle and slots the opening goal of the evening. (Q1 4:46)
Gawn contests in the pocket then gets up to receive from Chandler to snap the first Melbourne goal from the square. (Q1 8:16)
Laurie catches Taranto high 45m out on a slight angle after the next centre bounce. The ex-Giant hooks the set shot left. (Q1 10:24)
McIntosh scrags Spargo high off the ball, McDonald gets the free 40m out on a slight angle and converts. (Q1 12:34)
Chandler misses a flying snap from 50m on a slight angle after a Martin kick clanger. (Q1 16:47)
McDonald fumbles twice in midfield but has time to bump off Grimes, butter up and find Chandler on the lead 40m out on a slight angle. Chandler misses again. (Q1 18:47)
Grundy marks a Pickett pass over Balta in the pocket 15m out and screws through the set shot. (Q1 23:21)
Gawn, McDonald and then Grundy take marks on the end of a rebound from half back, Grundy goals from the top of the square after the QT siren. (Q1 28:30)
Grundy catches McIntosh HTB and gets a 50m for timewasting to bring him to the top of the square for an easy goal. (Q2 0:50)
Martin marks a Dow kick up the guts to 20m one out against McVee, plays on and goals. (Q2 2:40)
Cumberland marks at true CHF, Dow the supplier again. His set shot swings left (Q2 4:26)
Balta uses the breeze to its fullest by roosting a set shot from 55m on a slight angle for a rare goal. (Q2 5:20)
Gawn takes another link mark on the wing and switches inside, the Demons do it a bit too easy as Petracca feeds Neal-BUllen for the goal from 35m. (Q2 6:56)
Riewoldt has two on him but gets a pushing free on May 30m out on the flank, he splits the middle with the set shot. (Q2 11:15)
Hopper misses a mid-range flying snap. (Q2 17:12)
Gawn beats the hapless Young in the air to mark at the hotspot, they are picking on the poor kid. The set shot squeezes inside the left goalpost. (Q2 18:26)
Oliver has Spargo on his own on the HFF on a fast break, Gawn is an option but he goes himself… poster but there’s a free to Chandler… umpies pay it a goal to Spargo, what! (Q2 25:04)
Spargo feeds Neal-Bullen who misses from 20m. (Q2 27:58)
McDonald passes to the lead of Gawn 40m out in front, nothing Balta could do there. Gawn’s chip shot drifts right. (Q2 29:41)
Bolton clears from the first bounce of Q3, May spoils but loses the handle on the crumb allowing his man Lynch to rove and goal from the top of the square. (Q3 0:32)
Hopper marks just inside 50m on a slight angle, his kick lands on a big pack in the square which Gawn splits with a relieving mark. (Q3 3:49)
Petracca gives McDonald a Joe the Goose special after the rebound started by Gawn. (Q3 4:33)
Pickett is front and centre for a contest 20m out, he performs a right-foot step to get clear and finishes off the left. (Q3 6:17)
Clarke passes to the lead of Cumberland 40m out on a slight angle after a rebound started by Balta. Cumberland tugs it right. (Q3 8:58)
Dow converts a set shot from 40m in the corridor with some authority after a 50m penalty for encroachment on Sparrow. (Q3 11:18)
Baker adds to a good game with a goal from 40m on the flank after a feed from Short. (Q3 14:08)
Short snaps a goal from a stoppage in the pocket 20m out. (Q3 15:21)
Oliver tumbles the next centre clearance to green grass near the hotspot, ball bounces past two Tigers for McDonald to feed Sparrow for the goal. (Q3 16:48)
Spargo is dumped by Grimes after shooting from the HFF, free at the spot 45m out results in a pass that doesn’t work. (Q3 21:08)
Pickett leaps to clunk a Bowey pass to 40m on the flank despite a spoil attempt from behind by Vlastuin. He misses. (Q3 26:08)
Bolton gathers his own tap to space at half forward on a fast break then gets dumped after kicking to the hotspot, downfield free to Maurice Rioli jnr who misses. (Q3 27:41)
Pickett misses a flying snap from 40m near the boundary. (Q3 28:11)
Neal-Bullen passes short to Chandler 50m out on a slight angle after the Demons apply fearsome frontal pressure to turn over a rebound. Chandler hits the post. (Q3 30:58)
Taranto sends a high ball towards the hotspot, Bolton is one out with Rivers and beats him playing in front… but then hooks the set shot left. (Q3 32:43)
Taranto passes to Lynch near the boundary 45m out just before the 3QT siren, his set shot is short and doesn’t score. (3 Qtr Time)
Brown gets a holding free on Young going for a Brayshaw kick to 30m on the flank, he misses. (Q4 1:08)
Brown gets another contact free on Grimes 45m out on a slight angle, it was there despite the Tiger gobbing off at the ump. This set shot is good. (Q4 4:32)
Yep, it’s another contact free to Brown, this one on Young 35m out on the boundary… another point. (Q4 6:28)
Ryan draws an arm chop free on an outpositioned Lever 35m out on the flank, runs in right and shoots right. (Q4 7:23)
Taranto marks in space at half forward and feeds Rioli cruising past for the goal. (Q4 10:54)
Petracca passes to Chandler 30m out on the flank, who kicks straight. (Q4 14:23)
Petracca baulks away from Martin with a right-foot step and slams through another one from 45m on a slight angle. (Q4 16:29)
Gawn passes to Spargo deep in the pocket 20m out, he goals. (Q4 19:08)
Taranto kicks a late set shot goal from long range. (Q4 22:02)
Ryan marks the next centre clearance by Bolton 20m out on a slight angle, but misses badly. (Q4 23:24)
Bolton goes long to the square where Ryan is again one out with Petty, he marks and goals. (Q4 24:54)
McDonald converts a set shot from the pocket 25m out. (Q4 27:28)
Pickett roves a Gawn contest and gives outside to Hunter who threads a nice drop punt from the boundary 20m out off his left. (Q4 28:59)