Unlikely spark Daniel Turner kicked three goals to help Melbourne to a 43-point win over Richmond and keep the Demons firmly in the AFL top-four race.
Richmond will await news on the severity of a left hamstring injury to midfield gun Jacob Hopper, who had only just returned from knee surgery, suffered in the 13.7 (85) to 5.12 (42) defeat at the MCG.
Melbourne struggled to shake off the tenacious, decimated Tigers before Turner, used as a defender in his previous three games, made his mark across the second and third quarters with his first three AFL goals.
Both teams left plenty to be desired skills-wise in a scrappy affair in the Anzac Day eve match in front of 72,840 fans.
Hopper is set for another stint on the sidelines after leaving the field in distress, kicking a water bottle on the bench before heading straight down the tunnel.
The midfielder had felt for his hamstring earlier but waved away medical staff and played on, only to pull up sore when handballing mere minutes later.
He was replaced by wingman Kamdyn McIntosh.
Jake Lever (15 intercepts, 26 disposals) and Steven May (12 marks) were typically prolific in setting up Melbourne from defence.
For Richmond, Maurice Rioli Jr (two goals) impressed, while Hopper racked up plenty of the ball before his exit.
Marlion Pickett applied a hard tag to Christian Petracca while Toby Nankervis had an entertaining ruck duel with Max Gawn, who was named best on ground.
Melbourne got off to the perfect start when Jacob van Rooyen goaled inside the opening minute.
But the first half was an otherwise scratchy affair with both teams struggling to hit targets or score.
Pickett could come under match review officer scrutiny for hitting Clayton Oliver in the stomach, causing the star Demon to drop to the turf just before quarter-time.
Richmond led by a point at halftime but at the start of the third term Gawn took a crucial contested mark and goaled to restore Melbourne’s lead and kick off a run of four consecutive majors that broke the game open.
That included two to Turner, nicknamed ‘Disco’, who celebrated each of his majors with aplomb.
Richmond hit back through Maurice Rioli Jnr but a catastrophic turnover just before three-quarter time allowed Caleb Windsor to nudge Melbourne’s lead back out to 22 points.
The Demons kicked away in the final term to move to 5-2 and sneak inside the top four ahead of the rest of the round’s games.
Melbourne face Geelong at the MCG next Saturday while 17th-placed Richmond (1-6) host Fremantle next Sunday.
AAP
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