Round 8 – Melbourne v Fremantle

Liam Chambers

The temperature was high at 30C but the stakes were higher. If Melbourne could win in Perth, they were in the finals without worrying about anyone leapfrogging them next week. Fremantle have gained a reputation as slow starters so the Dees needed to make the most of their early chances in front of goal.

The first opportunity came early when Maddi Gay kicked from the 50m line to Kate Hore who marked and converted to take the points. When Shelley Scott was held, Kate Hore had her second look at the uprights, substituting for Scott who ran off the pitch for treatment to a hand injury. Two in a row for the talented forward.

Since Daisy Pearce has taken up her new position up front, she has been even more influential and inspiring. Her mark and intelligent kick to Eliza McNamara set up the third Melbourne goal.

Up the other end Gabby O’Sullivan scored for the Dockers but the goal was disallowed due to free given for an off the ball push in the back incident. Kate Hore almost scored a fourth for the Dees in the last seconds but it drifted wide in a let off for Freo.

Melbourne started the second quarter tackling hard and limiting the Dockers’ chances. Karen Paxman and Jacqui Parry shots on goal only resulted in minor scores. Then Daisy again showed her footy smarts when she curled the ball brilliantly towards goal. The sherrin took a couple of lucky bounces before crossing the line to put the Dees 28 to 1 in front.

Of course Fremantle were always going to come charging back but their efficiency let them down. They peppered the goal with shot after shot but couldn’t land the crucial six pointer. Luck was definitely a lady to Melbourne and they finished the first half with a twenty three point margin. After the break the Dockers continued their fierce attack on the visitors but again failed to reduce the gap on the score board.

Finally Gabby O’Sullivan was awarded a free and scored from the set shot with two minutes to go in the quarter. Melbourne just needed to hold on and not do anything silly. Unfortunately a lapse of concentration in defence allowed Roxy Rous to scoop up the ball and run it through to score for Freo with ten seconds left on the clock. To add insult to injury, Rous got all up in the faces of the Melbourne players and there was quite a bit of pushing and pulling as tempers flared.

The Dees, who seconds earlier looked to be going into the final quarter with a nineteen point lead, now had a more precarious two goal margin. The Dockers were now brimming with confidence and the home crowd were cheering them on with a partisan passion unique to the west. Even in a small footy ground that crowd can be quite intimidating.

Melbourne just needed to forget the mishaps and focus on winning the game. Their victory against the Crows last week would strengthened their believe that they could withstand the immense pressure from a side used to finishing strongly. That belief was seriously shaken when Roxy Rous got her second and the pressure was all on the Dees.

Fremantle had the momentum and there was only one goal in it. When Gemma Houghton scored from a set shot and put the home side one point in front, the Demon fans were hiding behind the couch, occasionally poking their head up to see what was happening on the field. There was eight minutes to go but it felt more like eighty to the nervous faithful watching in Perth and across the country.

Daisy Pearce didn’t seem worried though as she took a contested mark in the middle of the ground. While she was looking for a Dee to kick to, she was awarded a 50m penalty for a Freo infringement. You can’t teach instinct and when Daisy spotted Maddison Gay in a great position 30m to the left of goal, she didn’t wait to run the full fifty metres, instead kicking the ball to Gay who obliged by taking the mark. The set shot needed to be perfect and it was.

Suddenly Melbourne were five points ahead and the pressure was back on Fremantle who lost some of their confidence. The Dees pushed forwarded and the Dockers made mistakes in their attempt to win back the lead. Melbourne remained composed and calmly got the ball out of danger again and again.

Fremantle threw everything at their opponents in the last minute but the Dees were equal to the task. When the final siren sounded, they knew they’d scored an historic win.

Next week it’s back to Casey to take on the Lions. I wouldn’t bet against Melbourne.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 7 – Melbourne v Adelaide Crows

Dees Play Like Demons

Liam Chambers

With such a limited competition, every game is a must win. However, if Melbourne were to be considered serious contenders, then a victory over the two time Premiers was essential. After their performance against Adelaide I think the Dees have removed all doubt.

In a no holds barred game, it looked like Melbourne had secured the opening goal when Maddi Gay’s shot slid through; only to be denied as it was deemed to have clipped the post. Eventually Chelsea Randall gave the Crows the upper hand when she soccered one in amid high traffic. For awhile Adelaide had the ascendancy while the Dees scrambled to defend.

Then for an insane few minutes, the running and tackling went to another level. Lily Mithen was thrown around like a rag doll. Ultimately Melbourne make a break for it and headed towards their 50. A brilliant intercept mark from Karen Paxman and follow on kick to Eden Zanker saw the tall forward strike her first after a few disappointing weeks in front of goal. At 8-7, the scoreboard was a fair reflection of the first term overall.

The Dees continued just as ferociously in the second quarter. Their tackling and chasing down every loose ball was impressive. No one looked like even thinking about slacking off. The only question was could they maintain the same level of energy for the four quarters? For the moment though, the Dees were launching themselves at Adelaide with frightening intensity.

They were rewarded when Tyla Hanks intercepted a pass and running on, booted a high kick straight through the uprights. The Dees continued to lock the ball in their forward 50 until Adelaide broke free and applied some pressure of their own. Melbourne defended well and held off the attack until they again made some headway up the field before the Crows turned them around. The hand to hand combat meant neither side made any notable gains. The Dees didn’t let anything go though. Each incursion was aggressively put down.

I’ve never seen Melbourne play so well. Not only in their aggression but how they maintained their composure under pressure; their efficient, accurate kicking and hand balling was stellar. Zanker in particular has shown enormous improvement in her power and efficiency. Her brilliant kick to Alyssa Bannan near the goal square showed great vision.

When Lily Mithen was awarded a free for her tackling pressure, the subsequent kick to Lauren Pearce was impressive as was Pearce’s stumbling mark. Pearce’s goal gave the Dees a thirteen point half time buffer. After a hugely energetic half, could Melbourne maintain the rage?

That question was answered quickly when any Adelaide momentum was forcefully reeled in.The Crows came close to scoring when Anne Hatchard hit the post, then the Dees were off and running again. Hanks looked to have secured her second but it was ruled a behind. I’ve watched the replay several times and the only conclusion I can reach is that the goal umpire should have gone to Spec Savers.

Melbourne continued to throw everything at the Crows but just couldn’t land the knockout blow.Finally though, battered and bruised, the amazing Kate Hore  kicked one in off the deck. With four goals under their belt, the Dees didn’t relax. Instead, they dialled it up to eleven. Any Adelaide foray outside their defensive 50 was ruthlessly crushed by Melbourne.

Lily Mithen was incredible. Wearing quite a bit of the Casey pitch on her face and arms, she picked out Kate Hore in front of goal. In the struggle for possession, Hore was awarded a free kick for a push in the back. Her goal gave the Dees a twenty seven point advantage.

Melbourne had dominated in all stats so far and showed no signs of slowing down. They were in the drivers seat and were in no mood to hand over the reins. Their persistence paid off when Kate Hore got another chance in front of goal. Kate’s aim was true and she slotted her hat trick for the game.

Even with a thirty three point advantage, Melbourne knew they couldn’t afford to relax against such a quality opposition. A belief that was clearly illustrated when Rachelle Martin collected and was able to turn and snap from twenty metres out. As the Dees went straight back on the attack, their composure was so impressive. They continued to tackle hard but their kicking was calm and measured to the end.

Melbourne have certainly answered their detractors. Their game has moved up another level. Will they be able to reproduce it in Perth on Sunday? Fremantle will have dissected their opponents tactics and will be prepared to take us on. They’re a team who can take control even when trailing by a few goals so the Dees can’t be complacent.

Melbourne will be grateful for the extra day to recover but the notoriously partisan crowd out west will be unforgiving in their loathing of our players.

For now though, all Demon fans can be justifiably proud of their team and their superhuman performance.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 6 – Melbourne V St Kilda

Liam Chambers

Whereas the Pies kept Melbourne in their defensive half for most of Round 5, this week we had St Kilda on the back foot from the opening siren. The Saints were hemmed in and couldn’t a path out of their defensive 50. When Maddi Gay saw Daisy in the perfect goal kicking spot, Pearce was able to notch up her first major of the season.

Then as a flurry of Saints raced up the pitch, the Dees took back possession almost immediately, starting a handball chain from Paxman to Cunningham to Gay who kicked again to Pearce on the 50m line. When Daisy floated another handball to Alyssa Bannan, the forward was in a perfect position to launch a kick through the uprights.

Melbourne was tackling well and going hard, especially Tyla Hanks who has amazing equilibrium. She has a natural ability to run, turn, scoop up the ball and kick accurately, all while her opponents are turning around wondering where she’s gone. The Dees showed none of the indecisiveness that plagued their performance last week. With Eden Zanker playing so well, you could feel her frustration at not being able to score with a last minute kick hitting the post.

Only 14-0 to the good at quarter time, Melbourne could justifiably feel disappointed not to be further ahead. With thirteen inside 50s to nil, the Dees had completely dominated St Kilda but it was only a matter of time before they came under some pressure themselves.

However, Melbourne remained calm, playing their way out of trouble and up the field. Daisy’s kick from the 50m line was blocked and St Kilda ran back towards their goal. The Dees found themselves defending again. It was short lived though as Melbourne headed goalward with Pearce hand-balling to Hanks who ran, bounced and passed to Paxman who returned the favour. As Hanks launched a running kick towards the goal square she was pushed and a free was awarded. With Shelley Scott taking the set shot, the ball sailed through for the Dees’ third of the night.

Finally St Kilda got a break when some stumbling play inside 50 ended with Nat Exon somehow getting a look at goal. She went for it and claimed the Saints first of the night. Energised, St Kilda started to pile on the pressure and Melbourne started to lose some of their composure; turning the ball over and allowing the Saints to maintain possession.

Eventually the Dees managed to play their way out and made it up to the other end of the ground. With Tegan Cunningham awarded a lucky free kick from thirty metres out, she didn’t waste the opportunity. As Melbourne increased their lead in the second quarter, they would have felt confident heading into the latter half of the match.

That confidence was personified by Zanker when spun out of a tackle, effectively passed the ball to herself and delivered a beautifully targeted kick to Daisy Pearce who was waiting patiently in the goal square. Having only scored three goals during her entire career in AFLW, Pearce now had two in a single game. Kudos to the decision makers for placing her in her new role. A minute later Bannan also got her second when a running kick from Eliza McNamara dropped the ball into her path, allowing the forward to soccer kick straight through the uprights.

With a thirty one point lead the future was looking bright for the Dees. Then they had to wear shades as a thumping kick from Jacqui Parry, forty metres out, stretched the margin still further. Maddi Gay had a few chances late in the quarter but was unable to add to the tally.

Melbourne were painfully aware before the game that Round 6 was a must win contest. With a horror run home, their percentage on the table would also be pivotal. A thirty nine point advantage was a good start and they needed to keep the pressure on the Saints to make sure that lead didn’t slip.

Melbourne held St Kilda in their 50 and peppered the goal square without landing the knockout blow. Then after some rampaging play towards goal, Eliza McNamara managed to collect the ball and score her first AFLW six pointer. Eden Zanker was having a terrific game but her twentieth disposal didn’t result in a goal. It was certainly a bitter sweet moment.

The next goal was at the other end though as Claudia Whitfort got one back. It was only a fleeting turnaround for the Saints however, as Melbourne resume their dominance. When McNamara handballed to Cunningham, it looked like Tegan might get caught holding but she managed to get it away to Hore who slotted it through for the Dees’ ninth.

As the term was wrapping up, Tamara Luke was able to salvage some St Kilda pride when she grabbed the sherrin thirty five metres out and then kicked her first AFLW goal. The fourth debut goal of the night.

Next week we face the fancied Crows. It’s a home game so we have that advantage. The tipping competition has us as an 18% chance to win. Not great odds for a home game. What chance will it give us next week when we face Freo in Perth?

Anyway we can take heart from the win against St Kilda and all you can do is give each game your best. If Melbourne is good enough, they’ll make the final. There are no more more easy games so…

Go the Mighty Dees!!!!!

AFLW – Round 5 – Collingwood V Melbourne –

Liam Chambers

After last week’s disappointing loss to the Bulldogs, the Dees needed to seize the momentum early. Unfortunately it was the Pies who struck first when Chloe Molloy was awarded a set shot for an infringement.

Then there was more concern when Sinead Goldrick looked to have re injured her knee. Luckily, there seems to have been minimal damage caused. After spending the first five minutes in their defensive 50, the Dees made some headway up the field. Collingwood’s defence was too good though and Melbourne found themselves backtracking without gaining any advantage.

In each of the first three Rounds, Melbourne was dominant in the opening quarters. Even against the Dogs, we controlled the play in our half. However Collingwood took command from the start, marking and kicking well, putting Melbourne on the defensive. Whenever the Dees got too close to scoring, the Pies calmly passed and kicked their way out of trouble.

Finally, Melbourne had a chance when Maddie Gay was taken high. Her set shot went wide for a point. In the last few minutes, the Dees maintained possession but seemed plagued by indecision. When the siren sounded, we could consider ourselves lucky to be only trailing by one goal.

With Collingwood ahead in most of the first quarter statistics, Melbourne needed to knuckle down in order to reverse the trend. However it was the Pies who continued to call the shots and they were unlucky when they hit the post for a second time in the match. Melbourne were at sixes and sevens trying to fend off the attack. Even the ever reliable Daisy Pearce managed to turn the ball over when clearing from the goal square. Aishling Sheridan didn’t hesitate when gifted the chance, kicking the sherrin straight through the uprights.

With the Pies back up at their goal end after the bounce, Melbourne’s defence, normally so consistently steady, was making rookie mistakes. Then the Dees made a dash towards their own goal with Tyla Hanks marking the ball on the run. Her measured tap towards Shelley Scott was forwarded to Kate Hore who failed to take it cleanly. Her subsequent attempt to scoop up the loose ball and burst through was slammed down.

Collingwood continued upping the pressure but then the Dees had a break through on the back of some clever play. First Kate Hore marked from about thirty five metres out but decided to kick to Scott. Shelley took her set shot from a similar distance but missed to the right. Melbourne’s lack of efficiency over the last couple of games has been a bonus for their opponents. A few choice scoring opportunities went begging for the Dees in the second quarter.

Having weathered the Melbourne storm, the Pies went back on the offensive in a major attack. First Chloe Molloy kicked her second on the run before Mikala Cann grabbed the bouncing ball from a throw in and had an easy path to kick Collingwood’s fourth six pointer. While the Pies were on top form in the first half, they also made the Dees looked pedestrian. Melbourne needed to come out fighting if they wanted to get back into the game.

It was a better start for the Dees but both early shots on goal from Tyla Hanks and Sinead Goldrick sailed wide. After dominating for the first five minutes, Melbourne allowed Collingwood to break through and almost conceded another goal. Luckily Aishling Sheridan’s shot hit the post. If all three of the Pies’ strikes on the upright had gone through, the Dees would have been done and dusted by now.

Melbourne again made inroads towards their goal but were again hampered by indecision. The Dees remained goalless; a situation that didn’t alter when Mattie Gay was awarded free kick for a brilliant tackle inside 50. Alas her set shot went wide and the frustration continued in a quarter dominated by Melbourne’s possession of the footy. When Kate Hore marked and kicked to Lily Mithen who in turn kicked the ball back to Hore, it seems like a sensible decision as it placed Kate Hore in a better position in front of goal. Again though it drifted behind for a minor score.

Even when they were dominating, Melbourne seemed directionless. Their set shots kept veering either side of the target. Finally Lauren Pearce saved Demon blushes when she first marked superbly, then ran through a clear path to launch the ball towards goal.

Trailing by sixteen points Melbourne needed to re-enact the third quarter only with more accurate kicking. Regrettably it was the Pies who came out swinging and the Dees again struggled to contain them. When Chloe Molloy marked directly in front of goal and score her third, it looked too high a mountain for Melbourne to climb. The Dees seemed to have lost all confidence in front of goal. When presented with set shot chances, they increasingly opted to go short.

They desperately needed to recapture their sense of self belief. Collingwoods’ sixth goal owed as much to Melbourne’s sloppy clearing as it did to Brianna Davey’s reaction in taking advantage of the error. Davey got her second when the ball dropped in front of her in the pack. Seeing the path to goal was clear, she snapped it through to increase the lead to thirty six points. Kate Hore’s snap kick at the other end summed up Melbourne’s game, with the sherrin again floating across the front of goal.

To misquote the Bard, the Dees have of late, but wherefore they know not, lost all their mojo. I’m crossing everything that they find it before Saturday’s game against the Saints at Casey Fields. With the top five positions largely settled (barring some huge upsets) the best we can hope for is to clinch sixth spot. It will be a toss up between us, the Roos, Carlton, St Kilda and GWS.

With four games to go we have to win Round 6, then take it one match at a time. I’m sure the last two games have been an aberration; how often have we heard the word in relation to Melbourne? We’ve shown we can compete with the best teams, we just need to remember how to kick goals.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

AFLW Round 4 – Western Bulldogs V Melbourne

Liam Chambers

It was good to see a big crowd at Whitten Oval for such an important game. Melbourne started well, corralling the Bulldogs inside their defensive 50. Tyla Hanks continued her recent good form, turning and kicking accurately, picking out her teammates almost instinctively. Eden Zanker was kicking long but not as cleanly as she’d like; only picking up minor scores from her set shots. The Dees were unable to capitalise on their chances when they had their rivals on the defensive.

Then against the run of play, the Dogs pushed forward towards Melbourne’s goal and Kirsten McLeod was able score their first from a set shot. The Dees were lacking the co-ordination they displayed in their first three games but there was still some encouraging displays with Shelley Scott marking well. However, it was another veteran in Karen Paxman who opened the scoring. When Eden Zanker tumbled while marking the ball, Paxman was able to scoop it up and score with a driving kick from 35m out.

The Dogs continued to soak up Melbourne’s pressure and show a high level of efficiency when marking and kicking. They would have been happy with their performance against the wind. The Dees were tackling hard and defending well but their accuracy kept letting them down. When a huge kick from Shelley Scott was marked by Alyssa Bannan to the right of the goal post, her shot was quickly taken and sent wide. From last week’s at times meteoric performance, the Dees were often mediocre against the Dogs.

With ten inside 50s to one, we were ruing our missed opportunities. Melbourne continued to dominate but again struggled for any reward. However, Daisy Pearce was getting down and dirty in defence smothering the attack Dogs. While our opponents were conceding free kicks willy-nilly we were unable to take advantage of their errors.

Our midfield was shutting down the Dogs’ charges with Hanks tackling hard and able to scoop up the ball on the run as well as showing great vision. However, our set shots continued to miss the target. We were only able to add a couple of minor scores to our overall tally. When we put a good run of play together, it was inevitably frustrated with another behind to add to the growing stack.

When the Bulldogs scored their second, it was again against the run of play. Jessica Fitzgerald having earlier missed a set shot was able to grab the bouncing sherrin and snap it through for the Dogs’ second. Maddie Gay was having a good game but her set shot at the end of the term was off target. With the total of inside 50s now twenty one to three in Melbourne’s favour, our lack of conversion was discouraging. When the Round 5 fixtures were announced during the half time break, our game against the Dogs suddenly took on a whole new importance. We would be playing the unbeaten Pies at their Victoria Park home ground next week. No pressure then.

With the Bulldogs now going on the offensive and taking the game to Melbourne, we had to find a way to break through and gets the major scores on the board. Unfortunately, it was the Dogs who broke through again with Issy Huntington kicking cleanly for their third goal. The Dees were chasing now and needed to score quickly. Luckily a dropped mark by Tegan Cunningham spilled to Shelley Scott, who collected the crumb and snapped superbly.

Scott’s goal inspired Melbourne to push harder and last week’s hero Jacqui Parry also snapped at goal but sent her shot wide for another minor. The point brought the teams level on the scoreboard. The joy was short lived however when Huntington launch a forceful kick from thirty five metres out which rolled between the uprights after a favourable bounce.

While the Dees were searching for answers, the Dogs were growing in confidence which wouldn’t have been dented by Niamh McEvoy’s miss after the siren. The ten scoring shots to five in the Dees’ favour, showed how efficient the Dogs had been in front of goal all afternoon. They would come into the final quarter knowing it was their match to lose.

Melbourne only trailed by five points but the psychological gap was infinitely wider. Showing skill and creativity, Tyla Hanks handballed over to Maddie Gay who turned and kicked beautifully to Lily Mithen who gathered the mark. However the ensuing kick was inaccurate and wasted, showing it was just not happening for the Dees. When Tegan Cunningham kick behind for Melbourne’s ninth minor point, we all felt the pain.

That pain became even more acute when Ellie Blackburn took advantage at the other end to kick a running goal and stretch the margin to ten points. Karen Paxman almost dribbled one through when a diving save, soccer style, by defender Ashleigh Guest spoiled the celebrations. Paxman threw her head back to look up at the heavens and ask “what do I have to do?!”

Then with their tails up, it was all the Dogs. Melbourne was struggling to look like a contenders, especially when Jessica Fitzgerald got her second and the Dogs’ sixth to put the result beyond any doubt. In their previous encounters this season, The Dees have found a way to win, even when being subjected to extreme pressure from the Roos in last week’s epic encounter. I don’t know why we couldn’t put away our chances against the Dogs but it really hurts us in the first three quarters.

By the final term, the Dogs had grown so much in self belief that it would have taken a super human effort for Melbourne to prevail. I’m sure Kate Hore’s absence had an affect but it doesn’t fully explain our below par performance. I often wonder why we play better as the underdogs? Possibly less expectation. If that’s true, then we should play brilliantly against Collingwood on Sunday.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!