Liam Chambers

Chris Scott thought the Umpire’s decision to award a 50m penalty to Jake Lever when Brad Close hit the ball into the stands after it crossed the boundary was confusing. I think the Geelong coach was more confused about how his team had relinquished a 44 point lead to a side more used to giving up seemingly insurmountable advantages rather than reining them in.

That was the old Demons. The new Demons don’t see obstacles, they only see a pathway to victory. I haven’t been able to discover if any other AFL team in history has overcome a 44 point deficit in the third quarter and then score the winning goal after the siren to claim the minor premiership. With that in mind, I’m willing to bet that Melbourne’s win on Saturday night was unprecedented.

From the opening clearance, I thought it would be a close game. It was in the end but certainly not how I’d imagined it. The players were slow to get points on the board but Kysaiah Pickett collected the ball from the stoppage and made a brilliant run behind to score Melbourne’s first. Luke Dahlhaus returned the favour for the Cats after taking a mark 30m to the left of goal.

The Dees had a few opportunities to score but were unable to add to their goal tally before Joel Selwood added another from a set shot to give the Cats the lead. Ben Brown ensured Melbourne went to the break with a 2 point advantage when he had no bother marking Christian Petracca’s long kick from the centre square.

With the teams evenly balanced, there was no surprises at the start of the second and certainly no hint of the Geelong tsunami to come. When Jack Viney’s perfectly balanced kick sailed through the posts, Melbourne had back to back goals and looked comfortable. Even when Jeremy Cameron marked the ball on the edge of the goal square, it seemed like a minor slip up in defence. Then Tom Hawkins’ opportunistic soccer attempt gave the Cats a slim lead.

Not good, but no great cause for concern. Five minutes later, the floodgates opened. First Hawkins marked in the pocket and kicked round the corner to score. Then he marked again; this time just outside the goal square before he left booted the shot to get his hat trick. Just after the centre clearance, Patrick Dangerfield received the ball, ran on and kicked a goal from 60m. Another centre clearance and Dangerfield was off again. This time he got the ball to Brad Close who put it away, notching up Geelong’s fifth for the quarter.

Yet another centre clearance went the way of the Cats and Gary Rohan was the ultimate beneficiary who poured more salt on the Demon’s wounds. Just before half time, Jeremy Cameron bookended the term with his second goal as he pulled the ball back just before it crossed the goal line then tapped it over.

In Round 12, Melbourne had a famous victory over Brisbane after being 20 points down at half time. Now they were facing a 39 point deficit. How to respond? Max Gawn would later say that they drew inspiration from Port Adelaide’s win the previous night where the Power chipped away at the Bulldogs’ lead.

I remember Serena Williams once saying in a post game interview that she hadn’t wanted to lose the match 0-6, 0-6, which was a possibility half through the second set. She kept saying to herself “if I can win just one more game, it won’t be so bad”. Eventually she chipped away so much that her opponent was the one fighting to stay in the game and Williams finally prevailed.

It appeared that the Dees were about to embark on a similar trajectory. However when Tom Hawkins kicked his fourth to extend the lead to 44 points, even the most optimistic Melbourne supporter must have had their faith sorely tested. Clayton Oliver’s goal from a running 35m kick reignited a small flicker of hope before Gary Rohan tried to extinguish the flame with his second of the night. Margin back to 44 points.

Cue the camera to the unfortunate Simon Goodwin. You could just about make out the contorted facial emotions hidden behind his Covid mask. Still the Dees didn’t give up. The hand passing sequence that preceded to Kossie Pickett’s second goal showed a renewed determination to keep chipping away. With three minutes to go in the third, Oliver kicked the ball to Ben Brown who slipped and lost his footing but kept his head and marked the ball 30m out. When the shot went through, Melbourne were 33 points behind.

The Dees needed the perfect start to final quarter and they got it. Gawn won the clearance and Christian Petracca launched the kick to inside 50 where Pickett marked and claimed his hat trick. A 26 point game. Later Ed Langdon, aka the Running Man, thumped a long kick towards the goal square, seeking out Ben Brown. The ball was knocked to ground level and bounced towards the line where Charlie Spargo got a toe to it just before it crossed.

Margin down to 20 points and a camera shot of Chris Scott looking concerned. Clayton Oliver made it three unanswered goals when he snapped one through amid the frantic Geelong defence. Chris Scott was now shown sweating and sitting on his hands. Melbourne again won the clearance and Tom Sparrow took a nice mark before kicking long to the pack in front of goal. The ball was knocked down and Spargo pounced to snap a second and make it a 7 point game.

So many times in recent seasons, Geelong have whittle away a lead to take the game away from their opponents who’d believed they had it in the bag. So many times, we were that team. When Pickett’s kick soared behind the Cats’ defence, Bailey Fritsch was able to run on and gather the ball, taking it to the goal square edge before tapping it home in the nick of time. Now it was a one goal game as the Dees trailed by 2 points.

So it stayed until the last minute and what a minute that was. The ball was thrown in from the side line and Gawn tapped it down but another stoppage ensued. As the ball came out, Angus Brayshaw was pinged for kicking it over the line. Why would he deliberately kick it out of bounds when Melbourne had 36 seconds to win the game? Come on ump?! Cameron Guthrie took the free and then kicked it out on the full but not before Brad Close hit the ball into the lower stands after it crossed the line and was penalised in the process. Jake Lever got the 50m penalty and ran down towards the 50m line.

All eyes were on Lever and and Max Gawn was able to slip unnoticed behind Gary Rohan (not easy when you’re 208mm tall) before taking the mark. As Gawn walked towards the spot where he would take the potential minor premiership winner, the siren sounded. Later Max confirmed that the sound had calmed and centered him, allowing his mind to solely focus on getting the sherrin through the uprights.

Having missed a similar opportunity at the Cattery three years before and with all the Geelong players calling out to remind him of the error; the “cat calls” must have added to his stress levels. However, he didn’t miss this time and the goal meant the Dees had won their first minor premiership in 57 years.

I’m not religious but I’m convinced that something spiritual was happening on the footy field last Saturday night. I can’t shake the feeling that this is our year and we’ll be picking up a flag in four weeks time. It doesn’t matter where we play, we’ve proved we can beat any team on any ground in any State.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 22 – Demons v Crows

Liam Chambers

Having been the first side to beat the Demons this year, the Crows were keen to repeat the feat. Melbourne however, just needed a win to keep the top spot and potentially take out the minor premiership for 2021. No need for heroics; business as usual would do. Staying injury free would be the main priority.

Jake Melksham opened the scoring for the Dees with a well taken set shot from 45m. Adelaide was in good form early on though and a brilliant run of play culminated with Shane McAdam receiving the ball on the edge of the goal square. From there, he tapped it in easily. Even though their subsequent effort were impressive, the Crows failed to hit the target and Melbourne were lucky to be only 6 points behind at the halfway mark in the term.

Ben Brown continued his run of good form, showing he’s getting into his stride at the perfect time, by taking a nice mark in front of goal and splitting the middle with his set shot. Brown almost had a second in quick succession, but it was deemed touched by the review. He had another chance a minute later and kicked confidently from 45m.

After the break, Bailey Fritsch got his name on the scoreboard with a goal involving a bit of twisting and turning, as well as some candy selling, before he booted the ball through the posts.
Charlie Spargo has had a great year involving numerous goal assists as well as racking up a few of his own. His set shot from the pocket was perfectly hooked and one of his best efforts so far.

Luke Jackson has started putting away the set shots more consistently and he didn’t waste the opportunity when it was presented to him, notching up Melbourne’s six of the afternoon. The Dees looked in danger of running away with the game as they mounted wave after wave of attack in their forward half and threatening to overwhelm their opponents.

Adelaide earned some reprieve though when Paul Seedsman finished perfectly from 55m to score only their second of the game. As is often the case, the goal proved a turning point and a minute later, David MacKay received a handball after a stoppage and was able to run on and score from the goal square. Up the other end and just before half time, Christian Petracca also found some space in the Dees’ goal square to mark the ball before kicking his first.

Despite the Crows’ late rally near the end of the first half, Melbourne was sitting on a comfortable lead and looked in control. A set of affairs that didn’t last long when Adelaide launched a counter offensive. First goal came from Darcy Fogarty, as he took a contested mark and converted. The Crows then started to build on their momentum and applied some desperate pressure to the Dees’ defence; pressure that paid off when Lachlan Murphy took a hand pass from the pack and slotted the ball through to reduce the margin to single figures.

When Shane McAdam took a mark 30m from goal, he found the target and made it a three-point game.

I’m sure there was flashbacks of Round 10 in the collective minds of the Dees but again the lads proved they could remain calm and keep their cool in a crisis. Ed Langdon’s dogged played on the edge of the 50m line was truly brilliant as was subsequent kick towards goal, picking out Petracca. The midfielder was quick to pounce on the sherrin and send it packing for home, easing the fans’ concerns in the process.

If Adelaide was deflated by the turn of events, they didn’t show it as Darcy Fogarty took a contested mark inside 50 and scored from 35m to bring the Crows back within touching distance.
Bailey Fritsch accelerated the Dees away again with his confidently taken set shot from 45m. Already there’d been six goals kicked in the quarter and we were only two thirds of the way through.

Christian Petracca continued to stamp his mark on the game with a perfectly placed kick to Kysaiah Pickett on the edge of the goal square. Pickett thought about stepping back to take the set shot but instead just turned around and slammed it through the uprights. The Crows refused to be scared off and looked determined to make a game of it. Tom Lynch received a hand pass from ground level and snapped it through to rein the lead back to 10 points.

Luke Jackson is fast becoming the Mr Steadfast of set shots and he proved it again while providing the perfect finish to his second goal. Bailey Fritsch was on a hat trick after his shot was ruled a goal when the ARC showed the ball crossing the line before being marked.

After the goal fest of the third quarter, it took over 10 minutes for the first point of the final term. Unfortunately, Kysaiah Pickett’s kick on goal saw the ball bounce the wrong way for a behind. Fritsch got another when he read the ball perfectly in the air and marked it from the back of the pack. With a 30 point lead, the Dees looked like they were cruising to victory but not before Darcy Fogarty got his hat trick after a brilliantly contested mark. It was too little too late though, with only 2 minutes left on the clock.

It wasn’t too late for Bailey Fritsch however as he went about adding some more goals to his already impressive tally for the season. I’m not sure how many players have scored a hat trick in the last 90 seconds of a match, but I wager it’s not many. His first came via a hand pass from Alex Neal-Bullen, which Fritsch snapped through easily. Neal-Bullen was also involved in the second when his kick was marked by Fritsch, 25m to the left of goal. Charlie Spargo provided the kick to the Magnet for his last effort; this time 25m to the right of the goal. The siren sounded just as the ball crossed the line.

Round 23 promises to be a classic showdown between two fierce rivals. Geelong has a slight edge as they’re playing on their home ground. The Cats know a win will guarantee them the minor premiership whereas a Melbourne victory will automatically see them finish top of the table.

I’m an eternal optimist though and believe this is Melbourne’s year; also, because I live in NSW, I will be unable to attend the grand final in person. I’m not saying the footy gods are involved but I’m sure the other NSW Demon fans appreciate the irony.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

All week my brain has been like a swirling red and blue hurricane, but not in a batten down the hatches kind of way, more like a serene bombardment of thoughts and images, that reflect and ‘flag’ the enormity and significance of where we find ourselves as a club, right now in time.

Nigel Dawe

Of all the things that came flooding in, at the forefront was the memory of my two most revered players – Robbie Flower and big Jim Stynes. Should our team take us all the way to the promised land of a premiership in a few weeks: my first emotion will be recalling the wonderful players and people those two legends were, and what a premiership would have meant to these two icons, who don’t worry – will certainly be on their respective wing and centre circle positions in spirit, with hearts ablaze, come that final siren.

Relatedly, not getting ahead of myself (well, maybe just a little) the highlight of a Grand Final win in 2021 would be seeing the great Ron Barassi, up in the stands saluting and savouring his Demons being on top of the football world once again. It would be eerily reminiscent of our team’s 1926 Grand Final victory, which had the club’s ultimate spiritual figure, and the then 90-year-old ‘father of football’ H.C.A Harrison applauding his side’s ‘drought-breaking’ efforts, being Melbourne’s first premiership in 26-years.

In a similar vein, two monumental developments occurred on planet Earth in May 1953. The first was Ronald Dale Barassi’s playing debut for the Melbourne Demons at the MCG on Saturday the 16th; and the second, took place 13 days later on the 29th of May, when Edmund Hillary scaled Mt Everest, the first human being to ever do so. And it’s the imagery and thought-quest of scaling the highest mountain around, that our current-day players need to harness, prepare for and revel in.

Talking mountains scaled, a wonderful outcome of beating the Cats this weekend to claim our first minor premiership in 57 years, would also be the acquisition of the little spoken of – McClelland Trophy (which was first awarded back in 1951). Originally it was given to the club for having achieved the most points/ wins in the top three grades (back when there was a true club reserves and U/19s competition). Interestingly, Melbourne won the ‘last’ McClelland Trophy (along those original combined triple grade lines) back in 1990; since 1991 it has been awarded to the team who finishes the season as minor premier.

Whilst the achievement of a fifth McClelland trophy this year for the Demons (1955, 1956, 1958 and 1990 – being seasons we also previously won) the Melbourne connection to the award does not end there. The award itself was of course named after Dr William McClelland, the former Melbourne captain (1901-1904), 1900 premiership player, club president, and then head of the VFL (for a record setting 30-years) who passed away in the Demons premiership year of 1957.

Not that I’ve ever bought into things like horoscopes, tea readings or tarot cards, but there is something about season 2021 that has an element of ‘stars aligning’ for the Melbourne Football Club, in a very discernible way. As such, if I were to get a precious five minutes with the playing group over the next week or so, I’d flag two points in particular.

The first would be an old American football adage: “We have just four weeks to play, and the REST OF OUR LIVES to think back on it.”

And the second, instructional ‘takeaway’ would be a line by the fire-breathing Frenchman, La Rochefoucauld: “We promise according to our hopes; and perform according to our fears.”

So, just go out there boys and be as fearless, committed, and ferocious as you’ve been for this entire year. The time and the season have arrived… and it is now, right now.

As we head full speed into the approaching month of September, there’s only one more thing left to say, and that’s: “Good luck Melbourne Demons – come what may… it’s been a wonderful season!”

Round 21 – West Coast Eagles V Melbourne

Liam Chambers

With storm clouds gathering, the Dees got ready to face their old enemy from the West. It had been a roller coast fortnight for Melbourne. First, the shenanigans of Round 20, then the trek to Perth encompassing a 7 day stay in quarantine. The Eagles were always going to rise to the occasion at home, after racking up some disappointing away results recently.

However, the first goal was a gift to Ben Brown; awarded a 50m penalty and kicking from point blank range. West Coast hit back though when Jamie Cripps showed what he could do by accurately placing his set shot from outside the 50m line. Almost immediately, Christian Petracca took advantage of the space offer after a stoppage to launch a massive kick from 45m. Both sides were making mistakes but both sides were also applying enormous pressure.

Alex Neal-Bullen was able to collect an easy ball from ground level and tap it in for the Dees’ third. As the rains came down, it was going to be a lot more difficult to be accurate with the ball. Ben Brown made it look easy though as he gathered a thumping effort from Max Gawn and snapped his second. Josh Kennedy showed he’s still a force to be reckoned with when his mark and curling set shot helped his side stay competitive.

At the start of the second quarter, Jack Darling got a free kick when he fell over. I reckon it was a dubious call, but it gave West Coast their third goal. The Eagles looked like a different side from the first term, imposing themselves more and limiting Melbourne’s scoring opportunities. Jamie Cripps made it a 1 point game when his set shot from 40m in front of goal continued West Coast’s comeback.

It looked like the home side would go into the main break with a 2 point lead. Finally though, after having been outplayed for a lot of the quarter, Kysaiah Pickett slotted one through right on the siren and Melbourne finished with a slim lead themselves.

The rain returned with a vengeance in the third term but it didn’t prevent Alex Neal-Bullen from kicking around the corner after picking up the ball from a stoppage in front of goal. Jack Redden responded with a perfectly placed set shot kick from the pocket to keep things interesting. West Coast kept piling on the pressure but were unable to kick any more majors before James Harmes found some space on the 50m line to hit the bullseye.

With a two goal buffer, the Dees looked more in control and started to play their preferred game. Jake Melksham extended the lead when he bent a banana, showing how good he can be on those difficult set shots. Max Gawn kicked high towards the goal square and Melksham was able to get hold of the bouncing sherrin to tap in his second.

The Dees were on a roll and won the centre bounce clearance with Max again getting a kick in towards goal. Ben Brown marked and converted to push the advantage out to 32 points. West Coast were in all sorts of trouble, but nothing was working for them. They needed an intervention or some kind circuit breaker but that looked highly unlikely.

With the final term underway, everything was going well for the visitors until play was halted with sixteen minutes still left on the clock. There was a lightning scare, and all players were ordered off the field until the threat had passed. When play resumed after half an hour, another dubious free was awarded; this time to Josh Kennedy and he didn’t waste the opportunity in giving the Eagles a glimmer of hope.

When Nic Naitanui marked and scored from 30m in front, he typified how much West Coast had turned the game to their advantage. Suddenly the lead was down to 24 points and the Eagles sensed a chance to consolidate their spot for a finals berth. It only got worse for Melbourne as Connor West kick another from advantage in front of goal. The Dees valiantly held on to their 15 point lead until the last 90 seconds when Jack Darling took a mark just outside the goal square and reduced the margin to single figures.

In the end it was a 9 point win for Melbourne but a win nonetheless and we resumed our place at the head of the table. Max Gawn’s post game interviewed showed a relieved Captain who conceded that his team relaxed a little too much after the enforced break. He believes that Melbourne will learn from the experience though hopefully lightning won’t strike twice.

With only two games to go, the Dees are looking like the real deal. Next, we take on the Crows and hopefully a big win to wipe out the memory of that one point loss.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Sally Trevena

Our recent story of Melbourne VFL premiership footballer Corrie Gardner, who was one of only two athletic representatives at the St Louis Olympic Games in 1904, prompted his grandson William Streeton, to share more of Corrie’s story and his passion for the Demons.

William remembers him as a passionate Demons supporter to his death. William has very fond memories of him, despite being very young and remembers going with him to the MCG and watching Ron Barassi, John Lord etc playing. He died watching a televised match of Melbourne playing and winning against Collingwood.

Corrie’s brothers, Mark & Eric also played for Melbourne. Corrie and Eric played together from 1900, 1901, 1902 & 1903, Mark played in1904 and Corrie and Mark in 1905.

I was delighted to hear from William and never cease to be amazed by the ongoing connections between our footy club’s history and members of the NSW Demons audience.

Thank you William

Go Dees.