Round 19 – Western Bulldogs V Melbourne

Liam Chambers

Josh Bruce seems to be a sort of talisman for the Dogs and they raise their game when he’s in the side. The warning signs were there last week with a convincing win over St Kilda. Melbourne, of all the top sides, have had the most difficult draw in the latter half of the competition. If we were expecting a relatively easy win against the Bulldogs though, then we were sadly disappointed. We played some great footy but, yet again, the fourth quarter was our undoing.

On paper, it was a no-brainer. Melbourne, sitting in second spot, were firm favourites to win, potentially quashing the Bulldogs finals aspirations in the process. However, having lost the two previous encounters, the Dogs would be up for a fight. The home side opened the scoring when Marcus Bontempelli marked in the right hand pocket and scored from the set shot. They also got the second when in form Jamarra Ugle-Hagan crumbed the loose ball and kicked from the edge of the square.

The Dees had opportunities but failed to put them away. That was until Bayley Fritsch stooped to collect ball and tap it home. It was a quick response from the Dogs with Aaron Naughton being awarded a free in front of goal. He kicked cleanly to stretch the lead to ten points. Alex Neal-Bullen kicked from a similar position at the other end less than a minute later. It was shaping up to be a tight contest.

Riley Garcia found enough space in the pack, just inside 50, to turn and snap another for the Bulldogs. Then it seesawed back to the Demons again as Jake Melksham went about ensuring his place in the side with a round the corner kick from 25m out. Melksham was also involved in the follow up when his weighted kick from the 50m line bounced nicely in front of Kysaiah Pickett, allowing the small forward to collect and run it into goal for his first of the evening. Another player looking to secure his top flight spot is Sam Weideman. His set shot goal from 30m won’t have damaged his prospects. Neither will his 50m kick after the siren, giving Melbourne a fifteen point advantage at quarter time.

The Dees’ lead increase to twenty one points in the first minute of the second term when Bayley Fritsch marked an impressive centring kick from Ed Langdon on the wing. Then the Bulldogs restored the quarter time margin with Rhylee West was able to catch the falling ball and kick a goal from the edge of the square.

Tim English drew the Dogs closer to Melbourne with his set shot directly in front. Then Cody Weightman was awarded a free kick 20m to the left of goal and it was a three point game. The match started to swing back to the Dees when Jack Viney was straight onto the ball after the centre bounce. It was tapped down inside 50 and Bayley Fritsch pounced, snapping his third.
Tom Sparrow stretched the lead further with his snap from 35m.

Melbourne was in the zone and over running the Bulldogs. When they’re in that sort of form, they’re impossible to stop and Luke Jackson had another chance from a set shot. This time he didn’t miss. Another stoppage and the Dees got the ball inside 50 where Fritsch was again waiting. He grabbed the ball, then turned and snapped for his fourth. It was a twenty seven point lead but the Dogs weren’t lying down.

Cody Weightman did a Fritsch at the other end and snapped one back. That was an important goal for the hosts and basically kept them in the game. Just before halftime, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan kicked his second from a 40m set shot. The quarter finished with both sides scoring equally and the Demons’ fifteen point advantage was back where it started.

Melbourne was having difficulty putting the game to bed. They had seen a twenty one point lead pulled back to three point, then a twenty seven point advantage reduced to fifteen. It was imperative now that the Dees consolidate and build on their dominance. They had the perfect start and a touch of good fortune when Jake Melksham took a mark in the pocket before being awarded a 50m penalty for a late contact. The lead was back to twenty one and Simon Goodwin couldn’t argue he wasn’t getting his Woolies worth from the forward.

Like the Power last week, the Dogs desperately needed the win if they were to secure a finals berth. They were fighting for every point and had a few near misses before Adam Treloar scooped the ball and got enough purchase to send it through the posts. Ominously, the match was swinging back in favour of the Bulldogs again. They eventually got their second of the half when ruckman Tim English kicked a 50m ball on the run. Aaron Naughton got the hosts to within a point when he took clean possession from a stoppage and launch the ball 30m for his second goal.

The Dees needed a quick response and they got it; winning the bounce and getting the ball straight inside 50 where James Harmes took possession, stumbling in the process but still managing to get a kick away and score. Sam Weideman knows he has to keep performing to retain his spot and when he marked 45m from goal, he needed to be accurate. He was and Melbourne was able to pull away again. Bayley Fritsch had another opportunity right on the siren but this time the result was a minor score.

The final quarter has been Melbourne’s Achilles heel many times this season, even when they’ve won the game. They couldn’t afford to allow the Dogs another bite of the cherry. Alas, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan was ready for the taste test when he marked the ball 30m from goal. His accurate set shot racked up his hat trick and reduced the Dees’ advantage to single digits. The scenario was looking uncomfortably familiar and the Bulldogs were sniffing an upset.

There was a reprieve when the hero of Round 18, Kysaiah Pickett collected the ball just outside the 50m line and ran on, kicking and scoring from 40m.

Ugle-Hagan wasn’t finished though and his contested mark and conversion from 35m reeled Melbourne back in. Then disaster struck when a defensive error gave the ball to Marcus Bontempelli, who quickly hand passed to Jack McCrae. The midfielder didn’t hesitate to snapped an unexpected goal. It was now a two point game with seven minutes still left on the clock. The Demon fans were left holding their breath wondering if we could hang on for the win.

That question took on even more urgency when Riley Garcia marked in the pocket and played on before kicking from 25m and putting the Dogs in front by three points. Then, as the final seconds ticked down, Ugle-Hagan sprinkled some salt over Melbourne’s woulds with his running kick from just outside the 50m line.

There’s no sugar coating the situation the Dees’ now find themselves in. We need at least two wins from out final games to have any chance of a top four finish. All the remaining games are against top six sides. Our Round 20 match-up is against Freemantle who currently sit fourth on the ladder. To make matters even more difficult, we have to play them in Perth. One thing I’ve learned this season though is when you’ve written off Melbourne, they turn all expectations on their head.

Congratulations to Angus Brayshaw on signing his new six year contract. A Demon for life.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 18 – Melbourne V Port Adelaide

After last week’s disappointing loss to Geelong, Melbourne were looking for a win to steady the ship. Port Adelaide meanwhile would be fighting for a finals berth and wouldn’t be holding back. Definitely a case of survival of the fittest.

The Dees had a slow start with a few chances going begging. When we were getting inside 50, Port were defending well and getting the ball out quickly. Both sides seemed to be conserving energy in the 25 degree heat; which would feel almost tropical compared to the southern winter chill.

The opening goal was a long time coming but eventuated when Travis Boak took a handpass and found enough space to run and kick from 30m out. The next came much more quickly with key forward Todd Marshall marking and kicking from 45m.

Melbourne don’t get held goalless too often in opening quarters and they would have been hoping to rectify that quickly at the start of the second term. Instead it was the Port Adelaide’s ruck Jeremy Finlayson who took a mark inside 50 and went back to kick his side’s third. Neale Daniher, watching from the seats would have been quietly urging his beloved Demons to make the breakthrough.

It took a few more minutes but finally Melbourne had their first goal after Kysaiah Pickett received the ball in the right hand pocket. He did a 360 degree turn before kicking around the corner. It got the fans going and also fired up the players.

A minute and a messy build up later gave the Dees their second. Bayley Fritsch crumbed the ball close to the square and was just quick enough to turn and dribble it through. Melbourne’s prospects were looking brighter as they took on the Power with a vengeance, lifting their intensity. It paid dividends when Alex Neal-Bullen fought to keep possession and the ball from bouncing out of bounds. Jack Viney took the hand pass and punched the sherrin over his shoulder where Luke Jackson grabbed it and chipped in the Dees’ third to take the lead.

Unfortunately the advantage didn’t last long because Miles Bergman kicked a banana from the pocket. That lead was also fleeting as Port managed a turnover during an attempted clearance inside 50. Christian Petracca didn’t hesitate to kick to an unattended Fritsch, who just walked in his second.

It was becoming a game of goal tag when veteran Charlie Dixon marked the ball, before being awarded a 50m penalty plus a Logie for acting after Max Gawn gently tapped the ball from his grasp. Dixon didn’t waste his gifted opportunity.

The turf is different in Alice Spring as Pickett found out while chasing the ball as it headed for the boundary line. When it bounced back in, Kozzie took the Port defence by surprise, kicking another round the corner and sparking another change of lead. The Demon fans in the stands were getting their money’s worth.

After the energetic previous quarter, the second half start was a fairly pedestrian affair. That was until Connor Rozee was awarded a penalty on the 50m line and hit the target to put Port back on top. After that goal, the visitors starting surging, making the most of their momentum. However, they could only manage a few minor scores until Miles Bergman got another; this time from a 35m set shot.

Fortunately, the Dees were able to absorb Port’s dominance without suffering too much damage. Then right at the halfway mark, Melbourne made their move. They got up the ground to their forward 50 where Max Gawn tapped down the incoming ball. Pickett had run into the pocket but was unable to collect the ball with opposition players quickly closing in. Instead he kicked as the ball was bouncing up and watched it fly through the sticks.

A few minutes later Pickett had his fourth after been taken high in a tackle and accurately kicking a 40m set shot. Ben Brown was able to add to the tally when he marked Charlie Spargo’s kick 30m from the goal line.

After a quarter where Port Adelaide dominated for long periods, the Dees had managed to extend their lead to ten points. Now they needed to build on that score to seal victory. Melbourne’s first of the final term came from some clever creative play, starting with Toby Bedford’s kick along the boundary to Bayley Fritsch, who in turn kicked into the space in front of a goalward bound Jake Melksham. The recently returned Melksham collected the bouncing ball and ran on, hotly pursued by the Port defence but still managing to kick the goal from close quarters.

Ben Brown got his second from a set shot to make it five in a row for the Demons. With a handy twenty point lead, Melbourne still needed to be mindful of Port’s desperation to make the top eight. A loss for the Adelaide side would all but spell the end of their season. When Pickett kicked his unprecedented fifth of the game from just outside the 50m line, it did indeed look like curtains for the Power.

With the clock ticking uncaringly towards full time, Port needed to act quickly and precisely. Theoretically, there was still time but then the final nail was hammered in when Kozzie marked in the pocket and played on round the corner to claim his half dozen.

Port still didn’t sit back though and the Dees couldn’t afford to rest on their laurels as there was still life, so potentially still hope. This was underlined when Travis Boak got his second via a finish from 30m out. The margin was still twenty five points but there was almost ten minutes left to play.

Shortly after that goal, Todd Marshall also got his second when he marked the ball on the goal line. It was an easy conversion and the gap was down to nineteen points. The Dees needed to defend urgently and strongly but were unlucky when William Drew was paid a mark that appeared to have been touched. The midfielder kicked and scored from 45m.

Suddenly a Port comeback threat looked a realistic prospect with three minutes still left to play. There was some frantic toing and froing but Melbourne hung on and finished with a fourteen point margin. Port ate into our percentage in the final minutes but we ended up with an important win.

It’s a tough home run from here, starting with our Grand Final opponents from last season. We’re still not quite back to our best and the team spirit still needs some honing but we can raise our game and be in good position to finish near the top of the table. There’s a good chance the teams we play in the next month will be the same ones we face come finals times.

Kysaiah Pickett showed us the way in Alice Springs; lets grab the momentum and run!

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

NSW Demons Legends Dinner – Noel McMahen – 2004

Michael Peters

Noel McMahen, one of the fine players of Melbourne’s greatest era, has died aged 95. Demon supporters in Sydney will remember Noel for his visit to us in 2004, when he spoke to us in the Sydney Cricket Ground Members Dining Room.

Noel played 175 games with Melbourne from 1946 to 1956. This included membership of the Melbourne Premiership teams of 1948, 1955 and 1956. Noel was a Victorian State representative in 1952 and 1954. He was Melbourne Captain in 1955-56.

Noel was a magnificent Melbourne back man, who repeatedly drove Melbourne into attack from the back line after fierce tackles and with long driving kicks, I had the good fortune of seeing Noel and the team win the 1948 premiership, one would have to say in part because of Essendon’s woeful kicking for goal (7 goals 27) in the first drawn Grand Final; Melbourne comfortably won the replayed Grand Final against the favourite Essendon.

Noel McMahen’s fierce tackling is best exemplified by the his famous “shirt front” tackle of the Collingwood champion Bob Rose in the 1955 Grand Final, which remains one of the best-remembered tackles in the history of the. Game.

Noel was named in the Melbourne Team of the Century in 2001 on the. Half Back Flank. He will be remembered always as one of our All Time Greats

Vale Noel McMahen: from Mordialloc boy to a Melbourne Immortal

Nigel Dawe

GREATNESS, in a game like Australian Football, or more specifically at a club like the Melbourne Demons (the world’s oldest football club) resides not in the retrievability or conciseness of mere statistical facts; in spiffy, well-worded player bios or tables of match possession tallies and totals.

If it did, history would recall the number 35 wearing Noel McMahen as simply the 667th player to appear for the Melbourne Demons in the post-1897/ VFL era; or merely the man to have played the 32nd most games for the club with a tally of 175 between 1946 and 1956.

Even the dictionary definition of Greatness: “the quality of being extremely good in ability or quality and therefore admired by many people” doesn’t really come all that closer to capturing the essence or mercurial quintessence of what true greatness means.

‘Bulldozer’ as Noel McMahen – the feared halfback flanker (and future club hall of famer) was affectionately known, weighing in at 86kg and 184cm as a player, became one of the most revered heart and soul figures to embody and iridescently bleed red and blue, the club has ever seen.

Perhaps the most famous of all snapshots of McMahen is drawn from the opening stages of the 1955 Grand Final. The second of seven-straight Grand Finals the club would appear in; and the first they would win of the overall five premierships from this era. In his first year as club captain, Noel flattened – in fair but brutal shirtfront fashion the magpie star and playmaker Bob Rose, it resulted in a free kick and the first goal of the game. But it also set the tone for a win that went on to forge not just success that day, but the sport’s greatest dynasty, lasting the best part of a decade.

Ironically, it is often not the gleaming periods of success that define or shed the truest light on someone’s career or mettle, but the dark moments of defeat and struggle – dealt with and then surmounted, that tell a tale that can’t be gleaned from amidst the halcyon glare of ultimate triumph and victory.

What makes McMahen special, from a club stalwart perspective is not just the premiership successes he enjoyed (the first as a fresh-faced newbie in 1948) but also the barren seasons he endured in between, where wins were few and the hardships many. One such season was that of 1951 – Melbourne notched just the one solitary win to finish last by a full three games. But it was a year McMahen finished with a club best and fairest, gaining mileage for the rest of his life: “This pretty much meant I was actually the competition’s ‘worst and the dirtiest’, seeing our team were playing so poorly.”

The self-effacement aside, who could ever hope to lead a team in the AFL to premiership glory (as McMahen did) twice in the only two seasons they were made team captain (not to mention that second year, 1956 – an Olympic year – being considered by many as the club’s greatest ever season) is something that will surely remain an unrepeatable feat, for as long as football is played.

As the sun brightly sets on the life of Noel McMahen – a life that commenced in 1926, the very year of the Melbourne Football Club’s most famous premiership win of all, and the same year a young Ernest Hemingway appropriately released his first novel ‘The Sun Also Rises’. It would be no exaggeration to say, the game itself, not to mention the team of the red and the blue, will ever see the shining likes of a Noel McMahen again.

Round 17 – Geelong V Melbourne

Liam Chambers

It was no secret that we were facing the toughest test of the season so far. Geelong had won their previous six outings and would be a different prospect to the team that lost last year’s prelim in Perth.

Straightaway, the Cats started piling on the pressure but it was Bayley Fritsch who kicked the first major when he marked Jack Viney’s superbly placed kick. A minute later and Christian Petracca found the back of the net with his first kick of the night. Geelong hit back when Gary Rohan won a free kick and converted from 45m out. Then they took the lead via Mitch Duncan’s mark on the edge of the goal square. 

Ben Brown’s form has been uneven in recent times but his collect and kick from a tight angle in the pocket, proved he still has plenty of tricks in his armoury. With three minutes to go, Cameron Guthrie scored from an even tighter angle to reclaim the lead for Geelong. It was a two point game in the home side’s favour at quarter time; a reflection of the tight game between the top two competitors.

After an intense first term, the second quarter started just as aggressively. Both teams seemed to be treating the game as a grand final rehearsal; the Cats well aware of how Melbourne had chased them down in recent matches. Max Gawn almost laid claim to his first goal on his return from injury when he appeared to mark Ben Brown’s set shot kick from the pocket before kicking the ball over the line. Unfortunately, the ARC review showed the ball clipping the post’s padding before being marked. Nice try anyway Gawny.

The first goal eventually came halfway through the quarter when Tom Atkins marked the ball 40m out, then hit the target. The Demons’ reply came quickly when Ben Brown showed good vision in spotting Clayton Oliver on the other side of the ground, just inside 50. Oliver marked and went back to score and reduce the gap back to three points.

Both sides were making mistakes but also playing some creative footy. The Cats were playing at a fast pace and getting the ball inside 50, setting up opportunities. It paid off when Brad Close received a hand pass in the pocket and kicked on, scoring Geelong’s fifth goal.

Melbourne’s response was instantaneous after the bounce, with Oliver, Jack Viney and Christian Petracca combining perfectly to get the ball out and up the ground. Petracca’s kick from 55m sailed through and it was again back to three points.

Geelong had doubled their advantage to four points at the end of the second quarter and the game was living up to the pre match speculation of a tight contest. Both sides had settled into the game and now the question was who could better manage the pressure, both physically and mentally.

The Cats got the first of the half when Gary Rohan kicked his second set shot round the corner, much to the delight of the home fans. Geelong now had a two goal margin for the third time in the game. There was a few near misses for the Dees but neither group were running away with the match just yet.

Then Max Holmes received the ball 30m out and found some space to finish, giving the Cats a sixteen point lead. Suddenly Geelong seemed to be playing the game on their terms and gathering momentum. The Dees found themselves defending desperately. They needed a circuit breaker quickly or the game was in danger of escaping their clutches. The situation became even more dire when Isaac Smith’s kick, from right on the 50m line, sailed through and increased the margin to twenty three points.

The dark clouds were gathering for Melbourne but then Alex Neal-Bullen injected a ray of sunshine, that lifted the faithful, when his running kick from 40m crossed the line. We seriously required a follow up goal and quickly. It came when Toby Bedford took an intercepted mark and raced to the 50m line. His kick was meant for Bayley Fritsch but it sailed over the forward’s head and just missed being touched before happily bouncing across the goal line; a case of hit and miss at the same time.

The Demons would have been relieved to be going into the final term only trailing by two goals. The bad news was Geelong hadn’t lost a fourth quarter since Round 6.

Melbourne needed an early goal to build on the momentum from the latter part of the previous quarter. Tom Hawkins had other ideas though when he collected the ball after a stoppage just inside the 50m line. He found enough space to kick and score his only goal of the night.

Another star having a quiet game was Kysaiah Pickett but he seized his opportunity when the ball bounced up to him, then he turned and kicked, scoring from 25m out. Christian Petracca kicked his second a few minutes later from a 45m set shot and it was a seven point game. Then with ten minutes to go, Melbourne were only trailing by five points and still very much in contention.

However the script changed dramatically when Cameron Guthrie’s kick, also from 45m, swung the impetus back in Geelong’s favour. The goals dried up for the Dees and their fate was sealed with late majors from Mitch Duncan (a set shot from 55m) and Tyson Stengle’s opportunistic kick from 30m, putting the home side out of reach.

Overall we played well but the Cats looked hungrier throughout. It’s such a shame that the last ten minutes wasn’t a true reflection of how Melbourne played for the majority of the game.

Round 18 is against Port Adelaide at Traeger Park. The Power have won some quality games this season and if they hadn’t had such a disastrous start to their campaign, would probably be sitting comfortably in the top eight now.

Melbourne’s injuries continues to cause issues with continuity but we have the strength and depth to put those problems behind us and triumph in Alice Springs.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Liam Chambers

After last week’s emphatic win over Brisbane, the contest against the lower ranked Crows was always going to be interesting. Adelaide secured the narrowest of wins last season so the home fans would be hoping for a repeat result.

Initially it looked like it was going to be smooth sailing for the Demons. Ben Brown basically had the ball drop at his feet with all the clear space he needed to dribble it over the line for the first of the evening.

Adelaide was hemmed in behind their 50m line as Melbourne continued to attack the goal. Christian Petracca broke his five game drought when he collected a tap down and snapped the Dees’ second. Mitch Brown completed the trifecta and kicked his first goal of the year from a 50m set shot.

Adelaide finally got their first inside 50 and then kept the pressure up until Ben Keays took a mark 45m out, then turning and kicking the Crows’ first. The goal energised the fans and players alike and within a minute they had a second when Darcy Fogarty found enough space to snap from 30m. The Crows had a third when a dubious umpiring decision gave Tex Walker a free kick 25m from goal. Anyway, them’s the rules and now it was a tied game.

A minute later and Walker marked and kicked his second from 40m and Adelaide had the lead; a lead that was only fleeting though, as James Harmes restored scoreboard parity with his 30m set shot. Then with fifteen seconds to go, Petracca signaled the return of his goal kicking mojo when his 40m set shot sailed through. Bayley Fritsch almost snared another but his shot landed for a behind, just as the siren sounded.

After a high scoring first quarter, second term goals were proving hard to come by as both sides struggled to score a major. Melbourne had a few chances but could only land a couple of minors.

The first goal of the quarter finally came with four minutes to go. Riley Thilthorpe marked in the pocket and took his time to relax before kicking round the corner to bring the Crows back to within two points of Melbourne. The home side got a second within a minute, taking the lead after Wayne Milera was the last link in a handball chain, enabling him to run into an open goal.

Fortunately Clayton Oliver and Petracca combined beautifully again, allowing the Norm Smith medalist to kick from 45m and claim his hat trick.

As Melbourne began the second half with the tightest of leads, they were unlucky early on not to be another two goals up. It was semi permanent sub Toby Bedford who finally kicked the first goal, helping to cement his place in the top flight. The Dees’ had a ten point lead and looked more in control of the match.

Then Mitch Brown took a brilliant contested mark on the edge of the square and doubled his tally for the season. The Crows were making Melbourne play a scrappy game and the next goal exemplified the night’s footy. Bayley Fritsch was chasing the ball with the pack, trying to get a handle on it when Kysaiah Pickett flew in and soccered it off the ground.

Even with a four goal advantage, you knew Adelaide were just itching to hit back. It took until the last three minutes of the quarter but Jordon Dawson’s set shot from 25m had the Crows’ fans on their feet.

Adelaide had the best possible start to the final term as they won the bounce and got the ball to inside 50 where Rory Laird took possession and kicked from 30m to reduce the margin to eleven. The Crows were playing like a team possessed, piling on the pressure. It paid off when Ben Keays was awarded a free kick and converted for his second of the game.

Now it was a five point contest, with a nail biting twenty minutes to go. The Demons kept their composure though and went about chasing the next goal. It came via another superb Oliver handpass. This time Ed Langdon was the recipient and he chipped it from 20m and the ball bounced across the line.

Jack Viney seemed to be involved at nearly every stage of the next goal. He started by getting it out after the bounce, then combined with Charlie Spargo and Pickett to snap it from 30m and score.

Josh Rachelle kept it alive for the for the Crows with his mark and conversion from 25m but it was only a temporary respite. Within a minute, Tom Sparrow scored with a 30m running kick, reflecting the depth of talent in the Melbourne team.

It wouldn’t have been a proper final quarter without a Bayley Fritsch goal and he didn’t disappoint, kicking a set shot from 40m to give the Dees a four goal buffer. Then Ben Brown iced the cake with his set shot kick after the siren.

It had been a nerve racking final twenty minutes as the clock ticked down and the Crows came within touching distance but in the end it was a comfortable win.

We visit the Cattery for Round 17 and Geelong are in top form having won their last six games. We will need to pull out all the stops but these are the games that define us.

Go the mighty Dees!!!