Round 10 – Melbourne V Carlton

Liam Chambers

After Round 9’s emphatic win in Perth, the Dees were back on home soil to face Carlton. The Blues season had started poorly with only one win from their first six outings. Now they were coming home strongly with three victories in a row and looking to make it four from their visit to Casey Fields. With no chance of playing finals, Carlton was ready to try a spot of giant slaying.

A win for Melbourne would secure a top two place on the ladder; lose and the Lions could leapfrog their rivals and take the coveted position. The Dees had everything to gain, Carlton had nothing to lose.

The pressure showed as Melbourne grappled to play their preferred game. The Blues were determined to close them down at every opportunity. It took a while but eventually Daisy Pearce was on the receiving end of an Alyssa Bannan kick which was marked directly in front of goal. Daisy’s conversion helped settle Demon tremors.

With a minute to go Pearce returned the favour when she slotted a kick inside 50 where Bannan jumped to take the mark. She kept her set shot low and it sailed through for Melbourne’s second.

At the start of the term two, the Blues continued pressure paid off when Nicola Stevens was able to scoop up the ground ball and snap it into the waiting goal.

Melbourne responded quickly when Alyssa Bannan was taken high, then awarded a 50m penalty. Her set shot restored the margin and delivered Bannan her second of the evening.

Later in the quarter, Nicola Stevens also got her second when several bounces favoured Carlton and the defender was able to get a kick off the deck and across the line. It was back to back goals when Georgia Gee had a set shot from a similar position to Alyssa Bannan’s kick in the previous quarter. Like Bannan the midfielder kept the kick low and it ended up between the posts, reducing the Dees’ lead to two points.

It was stretched back to nine points when the aforementioned Bannan took a mark directly in front and claimed her hat trick. Then like the proverbial see saw, the margin was cut back to two points again as Keely Sherar marked from 40m out and converted with an impressive kick.

Each side continued to apply extensive pressure on their opponents but neither team could make the breakthrough in the third term.

In the end it was Daisy Pearce who stepped up to break the drought deep into the quarter. Lily Mithen had a set shot from just inside 50and her kick was collected by Daisy in a diving mark. The skipper snuck it through and Melbourne went into the break with a handy eight point lead.

The fourth quarter turned out to be an exercise in nail biting tension for the army of Demon fans. The stress was only ratcheted up when Nicola Stevens was to get another kick off the deck five metres in front of goal and celebrated her own hat trick. Suddenly it was a one point game and the faithful watched the remainder of the match through the gaps in their fingers.

With thirty five seconds to go, every red and blue heart stopped beating truly when Darcy Vescio had a set shot to the left of goal. She missed the big target and the supporters around the ground exhaled en masse. Having dodged the late bullet, Melbourne was able to hold on to the slimmest of leads and finally claim victory when the siren sounded.

Carlton had put up one hell of of a fight but the Dees did what good sides do and found a way to win. There was an element of luck for the Blues but there was no denying their talent. They unnerved and unsettled Melbourne at various stages, especially in the final term but the girls will use the experience to improve their strengths.

They now get to enjoy a well deserved few weeks(!) off but there’ll be plenty happening behind the scenes. Our most likely opponent in the preliminary final is Brisbane, who get to play at home in their qualifier. However, the Pies have been impressive in recent weeks so who knows. Either way…

Go the mighty Dees!!!