Because this was the first official game of the season there was a lot of publicity about this and it was televised on Channel 9 as their Friday night match. Both sides had kept a lid on their aspirations. Both were a chance to win it. Both wanted to win it, not for any reason other than the fact that the loser got to play their next practice match in Geraldton WA. It was a scrappy and uninspiring affair. Melbourne won it easily, because Richmond simply refused to man up and had difficulty in getting the ball out of a tight spot. Not a great night for the team or young D-Rod. He was prominent in the first quarter and seemed to have been assigned a midfield role. He faded out in the second quarter, but then again with the exceptions of Kane Johnson, Rory Hilton and Darren Gaspar, so did pretty much every other bloke in a yellow and black jumper. He also twisted his ankle in that quarter and spent the rest of the game on the bench. Off to Geraldton next week. Personally to show the AFL how stupid they are to schedule a match involving a Melbourne based side there I'd take a hand picked side of blokes unlikely to get much game time in the regular season just to give them a run. I'd have a decent intraclub scratch match with those that stay over here. Skills work is definitely needed and until somehow, someone can get this simple fundamental of football through those rock hard heads "YOU WILL NOT WIN GAMES IF YOU DO NOT MAN UP!"