Round 6 – Melbourne Vs Carlton

Liam Chambers

I had written Round 6’s report when I heard that the two remaining AFLW Rounds had been cancelled.

It means that Melbourne has made their first final but it’s not the ideal way to have qualified. Having said that with all our injuries and now the departure of the Irish contingent, we probably would have struggled to remain in the top three. Collingwood’s defeat of Brisbane made it essential that we won the last two games.

Anyway, we’re there so lets enjoy it and make the most of the opportunity. Of course the season may yet be suspended or cancelled if COVID 19 continues to throw the sporting world into chaos. That would be a great shame. Whatever happens regarding the virus, it will be beyond the Clubs’ control and probably the control of the AFL.

Back to last Saturday’s match, the Dees started well, again dominating inside 50 but their accuracy let them down. Melbourne’s determination paid off late in the quarter though with a brilliant snap goal from the inspirational Kate Hore. Celebrations were short lived however as Brooke Walker kicked the Blues goal first less than a minute later. The Dees’ advantage was restored when the talented Sarah Perkins kicked a forty metre set shot that never looked like missing. At the other end, Libby Birch kept Carlton at bay and the Dees maintained their lead at the end of the term.

Melbourne continued to play well in the second quarter but Carlton looked in danger of taking control especially after Georgia Gee scored the Blues’ second. To add to the Dees’ woes, Sinead Goldrick hobbled off with an injured leg. With just over a minute to go, Lily Mithen had a chance to score a goal but instead kicked it to the reliable Shelly Scott. Scott’s kick from thirty five metres out sailed through the uprights beautifully for the Dees’ third of the afternoon.

The second half belonged to Carlton and Melbourne’s eight point lead was reduced to three when the legendary Tayla Harris kicked a goal from twenty metres out. Just prior to that goal Melbourne suffered another injury when Darcy Vescio collided with Sarah Lampard resulting in Lampard being stretchered off the pitch. It looks like another ACL injury and will mean Sarah Lampard missing the remainder of the season. Then a lucky bounce from a Grace Egan kick saw the Blues take the lead for the first time in the game. Elise O’Dea had a chance to put Melbourne in front at the end of the third quarter but kicked it wide.

Carlton sensed the game was there for the taking in the last term and when Madison Prespakis kicked a spectacular goal midway through the quarter, their confidence skyrocketed. Melbourne was kept goalless for the second half but Walker’s second for the Blues just rubbed salt into the Dees’ wounds. Her opportunistic kick in front of goal saw the sherrin bounce in favour of the Blues. All the luck seemed to be with Carlton and Melbourne would have to fight another day.

We’ve drawn GWS in our first finals game. Both sides have won four games so it should be a close contest. Of course we have a very sparse bench due to a long list of injuries and the loss of Niamh McEvoy and Sinead Goldrick. I think we will given under dog status which may work in our favour. I’m sure the girls will give it a red hot go whatever happens.

Go the Under Dees!!!

MELBOURNE 2.3 3.3 3.5 3.6 (24)
CARLTON 1.1 2.1 4.1 6.4 (40)
GOALS
Melbourne: Hore, Perkins, Scott
Carlton: Walker 2, Gee, Harris, Egan, Prespakis

Round 5 – Melbourne Vs West Coast Eagles

Liam Chambers

Sunday’s win was a great result for Melbourne. It was a hugely important game in the highly contested Conference B. A loss would have severely hurt our chances of qualifying for the finals in April. Honourable mention goes to Karen Paxman who has been a huge inspiration in driving the Dees’ success this season.

The Eagles came out firing but Melbourne took control early on thanks to a free kick awarded to debutant Sarah Perkins. By the way welcome to the Dees Sarah. We were on the receiving end of some of her brilliant goals in the first two seasons of the AFLW, so it’s nice to have her on our side now. Welcome also to Brenna Tarrant. Perkins perfectly placed kick to Eden Zanker was marked and dispatched for Melbourne’s first goal.

As usual the breeze played a big part at Casey Fields. Melbourne had the advantage in the first term but struggled to make the most of it. Despite dominating inside 50, the Dees were unable to make West Coast pay until Sinead Goldrick crashed through the Eagles’ defence and hand balled the sherrin to compatriot Niamh McEvoy. McEoy ran on to kick Melbourne’s second with two minutes to go in the term.

West Coast knew they got off lightly in the first quarter and started the second determined to take advantage of wind which now favoured their side. That determination paid off when Maddy Collier’s running kick from forty five metres hit the ground in front of goal and bounced over nicely to give the Eagles their first score.

After that Melbourne was able to hold off their opponents but struggled to extend their lead. That was until Shelley Scott marked near the Eagles’ inside 50 and similar to last week kicked it to Jacqui Parry who was uncontested. Parry passed to Kate Hore who passed to Sarah Lampard who kicked the Dees’ third for the match. Melbourne went into the half time break with an eleven point advantage.

The Dees were nicely settled in the drivers seat at the start of the second half. Within a minute, Melbourne had cemented their advantage when a well placed kick from Kate Hore gave them their fourth goal. After that, the major scores started piling up with Zanker getting her second from a free kick in front of goal. Melbourne then applied relentless pressure to the Eagles’ defence which paid off when Shelley Scott’s set shot launched from thirty metres out ended in a perfect goal.

Chantel Emonson got her first when a well placed kick from Tyla Hanks found her unmarked about twenty five metres to the right of the Dees goal. Finally, Tegan Cunningham got her second for the season with a wind assisted kick from forty metres out. Cunningham’s game has been improving recently and looks promising coming into the latter part of the competition.

Melbourne started the last term with a forty four point advantage but were determined to build on the superior percentage count. Tyla Hanks had a chance to score her first major but unfortunately put it wide. Once Hanks gets her goal scoring to match the other aspects of her game, she will be unstoppable. Aliesha Newman also had a chance to goal tally several minutes later but sadly put it through for a minor score.

With three minutes to go, Sarah Perkins kicked a beauty which was disallowed as the Umpire had awarded a free kick for high contact on Jacqui Parry.
Parry made sure of the goal though with the ensuing set shot. In the dying seconds of the game, Lily Mithen dived to mark the ball twenty metres in front of goal. Her kick was unfortunately touched and rushed behind for a point.

The drama wasn’t over yet as a Maddy Gay’s kick from the edge of inside 50 was again marked by Mithen. This time Lily opted to kick wide to her team mates and the ball fell into the waiting arms of Sarah Perkins. Having being denied a couple of minutes prior, it seemed like poetic justice that Perkins should get a second chance right on the siren. She didn’t disappoint. With a perfect kick from thirty five metres out and against the wind, she iced the cake with Melbourne’s tenth goal of the afternoon.

This week is arguably (I would say definitely) the Dees’ most important game of this campaign. If we beat Carlton, we will have gone a long way in securing a spot in the top two. As we play competition favourites Fremantle in Perth in Round 7, we cannot afford a lost in Alice Springs. We are well capable of beating Carlton as we are even with them on points but they will be just as determined to get the win on Saturday night.

Go the Fantastic Dees!!!

Round 4 – Collingwood Vs Melbourne

Liam Chambers

After last week’s somewhat erratic performance, the Dees had rediscovered their winning ways.

It started well with Harriet Cordner on the receiving end of a good run of play from the Dees; her shot sadly bouncing the wrong way for a behind. The Pies piled on the pressure for the first half of the term but then Melbourne found a way back down the field when Shelley Scott was awarded a 50 metre penalty. Scott kicked to new recruit Jacqui Parry who marked it on the edge of inside 50. Parry is no stranger to the big sticks having averaged five goals per game in the Canberra League last season. Her job was made easier by another Collingwood encroachment and Parry kicked her first goal from five metres out.

Kate Hore doubled the advantage a couple of minutes later when she launched a spectacular kick from thirty metres out. Collingwood managed a point late in the quarter but the Dees went to the break up twelve points.

The Pies’ got a boost at the start of the second term when Sharni Layton was awarded a free kick after a push in the back from Eden Zanker. Layton converted from forty metres out to score Collingwood’s first goal. Lambert got the Pies’ second a minute later when a free kick was given for a high tackle twenty metres from goal. Suddenly the outlook was less rosy for the Dees with their advantage whittled away in a matter of minutes.

Luckily Eden Zanker wasn’t paying attention and got one back for Melbourne before anyone noticed that the Pies were trying to take control. Collingwood kept attacking but the Dees defence handled the pressure well and almost scored a fourth with a Tyla Hanks’ effort on the back of some clever play via Chantel Emerson and Shelley Scott. Finally though, the out of form Tegan Cunningham marked the ball forty metres out and kicked a beautifully executed goal to extend Melbourne’s lead to thirteen points; where it stayed until half time.

The Dees went in to the second half determined not to let Collingwood regain the advantage. The quarter remained scoreless until a Kate Hore shot was touched on the line. Then some great play from Melbourne gave the ball to Casey Sherriff who kicked it to an empty goal from thirty metres out to get the Dees’ fifth of the night. Sarah Rowe reduced Melbourne’s lead a few minutes later with a free kick in front of goal. However the amazing Shelley Scott restored the Dees’ twenty point advantage with a minute to go. Unfortunately the Pies suffered a second injury for the night when Ash Brazill was stretchered off with a suspected damaged ACL.

The Dees were well and truly in the driver’s seat at the start of the fourth but they didn’t rest on their laurels. The sight of Zanker hobbling off after a couple of minutes was a worry but it turned out to be just cramp. Despite some high pressure play neither side was able to add to the scoreboard until a minor score from the Dees with five minutes to go. Then a beautifully taken mark by Jacqui Parry from an Elise O’Dea kick had the fans excited. Her ensuing shot across the face of goal was incredibly plucked from the air by Maddie Gay. Incredible because she was surrounded by several taller Collingwood players. Maddison didn’t disappoint when she tapped it in from five metres to extend Melbourne’s lead to twenty seven points.

The Pies did get one back with a minute to go. This marginally reduced our percentage count but overall it was a very pleasing display from Melbourne who now have three wins from four. We still have some tough games ahead, especially Carlton in two weeks time and then Fremantle in Perth in Round 7.

No point in getting ahead of ourselves though as it’s West Coast at home next week. Complacency is the greatest enemy of the ambitious so we can’t take anything for granted. The Eagles just won their first game in Round 4, against an underachieving Bulldogs. West Coast will get a boost from the win but so far are not regarded as a threat in Conference B. However, we don’t want them to soar at Casey Fields.

Interestingly, Melbourne have conceded the least amount of goals of any team in the competition. We may not always hit the target but we are difficult to score against. Just saying.

Go the Incredible Dees!!!