Kysaiah Pickett has produced another masterclass performance on the big stage.
The Yamatji-Noongar man delivered one of the best showings of his AFL career, helping Melbourne to a commanding Anzac Day Eve win over Richmond at the MCG.
Pickett was at his brilliant best on Friday night, finishing with 29 disposals, six clearances and four goals as the Demons defeated the Tigers by 54 points.
The dynamic midfielder-forward claimed the Frank 'Checker' Hughes Medal as best on ground in his team's 19.12 (126) to 11.6 (72) victory.
Pickett's performance also included a spectacular high mark over Richmond's Campbell Gray in the closing stages, which is expected to be among the contenders for the AFL's Mark of the Year.
Speaking to Channel 7 after the match, Melbourne coach Steven King praised Pickett's impact.
"It was pretty epic, you saw it (the mark) coming from a mile away (and thought) surely he's not going to have a crack at this," King told 7.
"He's the complete player, he's magical but he's also hard, he's got elite speed, endurance (and) his game IQ's really high. Just give him opportunity to flourish as a full-time mid and he's just loving that responsibility.
"You often see guys with that skill level maybe not be as comfortable in the contest as what Kozzy is.
"His ability to take the game on, I don't think he'd fear anyone when they chase him — his fast feet and acceleration, he's the complete package."
Pickett's four goals came at important stages of the game.
Two of them arrived before half-time as Melbourne began to take control, while his other two came as the Demons pulled away from Richmond late in the third quarter and early in the final term.
It was also an impressive effort given Pickett had an unusual preparation for the game.
King revealed post-match that Melbourne allowed Pickett to travel to Darwin during the short turnaround so he could spend time with his daughter for her birthday.
"We afforded Kozzy the luxury to go up to Darwin early in the week to see his daughter for her birthday on a five-day break," King said.
"The way he looked after and managed his body, he came back, trained, and then to do that tonight, it's pretty amazing to watch."
The result continued Melbourne's strong start to the 2026 season.
The Demons moved to five wins for the year and remain unbeaten at the MCG, with their latest victory lifting them into the top four, at least temporarily.
Richmond's young team again showed some encouraging signs despite remaining winless.
Debutant Sam Cumming kicked a goal in his first AFL game, while young wingman Patrick Retschko found plenty of the footy.
