Need games under your belt’: Tigers stay firmly focused on AFL rebuild

The Richmond Tigers failed to end a winless streak at the MCG on May 10, 2026, suffering a 37-point defeat to Adelaide. The result extends a drought at the venue that dates back to July 2025.

Richmond entered the main break with a 10-point lead, but they were unable to maintain the momentum. Adelaide responded in the third quarter by kicking six consecutive goals to secure the victory.

The Crows’ performance was led by Jordan Dawson, Izak Rankine, and Wayne Milera, who combined for 35 disposals during the third quarter to overturn the Tigers’ slender half-time advantage.

The match, played on Mother’s Day, saw an attendance of 22,123 fans. For Richmond, the loss marks the eighth defeat in nine matches, leaving the club in last place on the ladder.

The Tigers are currently managing a league-worst injury list consisting of 17 players. The roster challenges were evident on May 10, 2026, with draftee Sam Grlj listed as a late withdrawal.

Further setbacks occurred during the game when defender Tom Brown suffered a broken forearm in the first quarter.

Despite the result, coach Adem Yze identified signs of improvement in the team’s performance during the first half of the match.

Yze stated that the team was winning all the metrics that you want to be winning while holding a lead against a quality opponent, noting that the advantage was not the result of luck.

However, Yze expressed frustration regarding the availability of his roster, emphasizing that players cannot improve their skills without active time on the field.

He specifically highlighted the situation of Sammy Lalor, stating that Sammy Lalor can’t get better sitting here watching and that the squad needs a volume of games together, both individually and as a unit.

I don’t really care about the noise around rebuilds, and people’s philosophies around that. We know that it can work,

Adem Yze

The current struggle represents a significant shift from the era under Damien Hardwick, during which Richmond achieved a record-setting 22 consecutive victories at the MCG between 2017 and 2018.

Prior to the loss to Adelaide, Richmond had snapped a losing streak the previous week with a victory against West Coast in Perth.