Round 23 – Melbourne V Hawthorn

Liam Chambers

Dees Go Fourth

Hawks get off to a flying start.

Late to the party Hawks have caused a couple of big name upsets in the last two weeks. They would be hoping to add Melbourne to that list as they raced to the finish line.

The visitors were off to the perfect start when Will Day received a hand pass in the square and smashed the sherrin over the line. Luke Breust then collected the tap down before running around and kicking from 20m, landing the ball in the square, where it bounced over Lachie Hunter, who was unlucky not to get a touch as it sailed past.

Hawthorn’s pressure was so impressive, it took the Dees over fifteen minutes to score their first goal. It happened when Joel Smith received a hand pass form Kade Chandler at the top of the square and just managed to kick the ball over the line before being brought down.

The Hawks then had their third when Connor McDonald was paid a mark 25m out and scored from the set shot.

With just over two minutes left on the clock, it looked like being a low scoring quarter for the Demons. That was until Angus Brayshaw launched from the 50m arc to steer the ball over the goal line.

After that Jacob van Rooyen marked inside 50, was awarded a 50m penalty, and scored from point blank range to level the game.

Hawthorn had the last say though when first gamer Henry Hustwaite was awarded a free kick and scored from 30m in front.

Melksham makes his move.

Melbourne was being put through their paces by the young Hawks, but they finally got the opening goal, when Kade Chandler marked in the square. The small forward went back to slot his twenty fifth of the season and put the Dees in front for the first time.

Jake Melksham has been highly influential since his return to the top flight and already had a few chances go astray earlier in the match. Odds on though, if you present him with enough chances, you’ll get a decent return on your investment. His opportunistic soccer kick from the edge of the square was perfectly timed.

Hustwaite was having a dream debut when he kicked his second goal after marking and scoring from 40m. Hawthorn reclaimed the lead when Denver Grainger-Barras marked 45m out and kicked his set shot from the arc.

The Dees were back in front just prior to half time when Jake Melksham marked in the pocket and sent his around the corner kick through the posts.

The Hawks prove difficult to shake off.

Tom Sparrow kicked the opener of the second half when Jack Viney passed him the ball after a stoppage, and he launched from 45m.

Hawthorn hit back straightaway after the bounce when Luke Breust marked, turned and snapped his second from 20m.

Melbourne extended their lead to eight points after Joel Smith’s set shot from 40m bent back beautifully to slip inside the upright.

Connor Macdonald then clawed it back to two points when he marked and converted his 40m set shot.

It ping ponged out to eight again with Melksham scoring his hat trick via a 20m snap.

The Dees now looked comfortably in control, having dominated inside 50 for the quarter, and when van Rooyen extended the lead further to fourteen points, it looked like Melbourne’s game for the taking.

Melbourne’s quality comes to the fore.

The Hawks hadn’t given up yet though and took control of the footy after the opening bounce, getting it inside 50, where Dylan Moore gathered and snapped it across the line.

It was a last hurrah for the Hawks, but it still took another ten minutes for Melbourne to get their first of the term after van Rooyen took a contested mark 25m out. His precise set shot returned Melbourne’s lead to thirteen.

The game was still open though, with Demons only kicking a couple of minor scores before they moved up a gear.

Clayton Oliver, playing only his second game after returning from injury, had been restricted by the Hawks all afternoon. They couldn’t restrict him for the whole game however, as he proved with a brilliant snap form then top of the goal square, after a stoppage.

Now with a twenty one point lead and under ten minutes on the clock, it was looking like a very difficult climb back for the young Hawthorn side.

If it looked difficult before, it seemed like a case of mission impossible after Christian Petracca’s superb individual effort from 30m out.

In the end, it was a twenty seven point win for Melbourne who also locked in fourth spot on the ladder. A fitting result for captain Max Gawn’s 200th game.

It’s the final game of the regular season on Sunday and we travel to Sydney. The Swans could potentially land the number five spot if they beat us and Carlton lose to GWS, so it still all to play for.
Bailey Fritsch is back and here’s hoping for a brace of goals on his return.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 22 – Carlton V Melbourne

Liam Chambers

The soft call

What else was Caleb Marchbank going to say? The soft call should have been a goal, letting the review decide. Heartbreaking result for all Demon fans.

Sea of blue unable to swamp the Dees.

With Carlton coming off seven wins in a row, including the scalps of the top two sides. it was always going to be a close game.

From the first minute, the Blues were dominating territory, with Melbourne struggling to get clean possession. The Dees were locked into constant defence mode, dealing with successive waves of attack. For all Carlton’s pressure though, it took them seventeen minutes to land the first point.

Following that, Charlie Cameron had two set shots in two minutes, hitting the target with his second attempt. After the goal, Carlton continued to dominate, but no amount of pressure would translate into another major for the hosts.

Then, with a minute to go, Ed Langdon marked a Jake Melksham kick, right in the middle of the square. The wingman went back and kicked from 10m, putting Melbourne on the scoreboard for the first time in the match.

Melbourne makes some inroads.

In a high pressure first term, the Blues dominated inside 50s, but Melbourne absorbed the slings and arrows, before fighting back to make the most of their limited chances. However, the Dees were going to have to do something special in order to get numbers into their forward 50.

They did this early in the quarter, finding some space to make their way up the ground. Christian Petracca’s kick to Jake Melksham inside 50, gave the forward just enough time to collect, side step and get the ball to Kade Chandler, who then tapped it in from the goal square.

The second term was proving to be an even contest, with Melbourne spending more time inside 50 where they created some good opportunities. The sides were well matched and in top form but conversely, the few set shot chances presented at either end failed to hit the target.

Then Petracca had an opportunity from 40m, and he didn’t miss, taking the Dees’ lead to eight points.

Carlton clawed the margin back to three a few minutes later when Jack Martin converted his set shot from the pocket. With two minutes left in the half, Blake Acres marked directly in front. His 25m set shot was accurate, putting Carlton in front again.

Nothing to separate the sides.

After the main break, the Blues resumed their onslaught on Melbourne’s defence, with no let up in the intensity.

Again the Dees absorbed the pressure but eventually Carlton broke through when Patrick Cripps was awarded a free kick 20m in front. 

Trailing by nine points, Melbourne responded by swarming the Blues’ defence but without troubling the scoreboard too much. Unfortunately up the other end, Matthew Owies found himself with plenty of space inside 50 to mark Charlie Cameron’s kick from 60m. The tap in from the edge of the square increased Carlton’s advantage to fourteen points.

In a quick reply, Tom Sparrow launched a kick from 70m, landing the ball inside the goal square, where it bounced across the line. From a low scoring first half, suddenly it was four goals in quick succession, when Sam Docherty was able to collect the chaos ball in front of goal and chip it through the uprights.

Then, from a chaos ball at Carlton’s end, another one presented itself in front of Melbourne’s goal. There was three Demons in the square trying to control the sherrin with the rain falling and a general state of confusion in the air. As the ball bounced haphazardly, Petracca got the boot in and sent it across the line.

Following that combination of skill and luck, one of last week’s hat trick heroes, Alex Neal-Bullen, then took a mark deep in the pocket. Not normally associated with set shots from difficult angels, the tough midfielder went back and slotted the ball beautifully.

The contest couldn’t have been closer at three quarter time with the scores locked at forty two points apiece.

Carlton puts its hand out.

The Blues got the opening goal of the final term, shortly after the bounce, when Matthew Owies was able to pick up the ground ball and snap it in from 40m. It was two for Carlton in just over a minute when Tom De Koning marked the ball 20m in front and converted.

When Charlie Curnow marked and kicked the 50m set shot for his second goal of the game, it was looking extremely ominous for Melbourne.

We desperately needed a circuit breaker, and it was duly delivered in spectacular style. Kozzie Pickett was having a relatively quiet night, but that changed abruptly when he gathered the ball in the midst of a dozen players and somehow got a kick away. The untouched sherrin floated through the air and touched down just behind the goal line.

Two minutes later, Joel Smith took a mark in the pocket and slotted his set shot, making it a one goal game.

Both sides had their chances to add to the goal tally, but the scoreline remained tight.

It had been a highly competitive match, but the biggest drama was yet to come. Petracca marked just outside the arc, then ran around and kicked from 55m. The ball sailed high and long, just falling over the goal line. The Umpire called it a minor score, believing that the ball had been touched by the Carlton defender.

As is the case in the vast majority of the soft calls, the review went with the Umpire’s call, as there was insufficient evidence to show that Caleb Marchbank hadn’t touched the ball. Given the circumstances and the ruling in Carltons’ favour, it would have taken an incredibly brave defender to put his hand up (pardon the pun) and admit that he failed to make contact with the sherrin.

The loss has probably cost us second spot on the ladder. However, there are still two games to play in the regular season and we need to reset and focus on winning those matches.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 21 – North Melbourne V Melbourne

Liam Chambers

The Dees caught napping.

After four hard fought wins in the last month, Melbourne could be forgiven the assumption that Round 21 was in the bag. North have been struggling all season and even went down to bottom of the ladder West Coast last week. However, the Dees were surprised by the ferocity of the Roos attack in the first quarter and were on the back foot until midway through the second term.

North Melbourne had a few early chances which only resulted in minor scores, that seemingly didn’t bother the Demons too much.

Then up the other end, Kysaiah Pickett snapped from the pocket and managed to get the ball to land in the square, where it bounced across the goal line. It looked like the perfect start for Melbourne but instead it proved to be the lone highlight of the quarter for the visitors.

The Roos took the lead when veteran Todd Goldstein hit the target from directly in front. Shortly afterwards, Eddie Ford was awarded a free kick in a similar position, which he easily converted.
The young forward had a second less than a minute later, when he marked the ball 30m from goal.

With a fifteen point lead, North increased the pressure on the Dees defence, determined to make the most of their advantage. It paid off again when Bailey Scott took the mark and scored the Roos’ fourth from a 35m set shot.

All the momentum was with the home side and Melbourne was struggling to get back in the game. Even when they made it inside their forward 50, North quickly dealt with the attack and then countered.

The goal tsunami continued with Eddie Ford claiming his hat trick for the quarter when his running kick from 40m sailed through the uprights.

Getting the game back on their terms.

After being blown over by the North Melbourne whirlwind in the first term, the Dees were again unprepared at the start of the second.

Nick Larkey was able to take a contested mark 15m from goal, then go back for an easy set shot. The Roos were now thirty two points up and the shell shocked Melbourne fans could only look on in disbelief at the unfolding carnage. Nothing seemed to be going right for the Dees, with normally gettable shots going astray.

Finally though, Melbourne started to wake from the nightmare and make inroads towards scoring more goals. Kozzie Pickett had been threatening to get a second and he eventually did, in spectacular style. After picking up the ground ball, he found enough space to run, turn and snap cleanly, breaking the drought.

Harrison Petty showed last week that he can be a prolific marker and scorer in front of goal when the opportunity presents. This week he also showed that he can confidently take on the difficult kicks. His set shot from a tough angle, deep in the pocket was perfectly executed and the Demons were back in contention.

Melbourne was definitely in the ascendancy, but the Kangaroos bounced back briefly when Paul Curtis was able to get a boot to the loose ball in the goal square. The lead was back out to twenty eight points.

Thirty seconds later, it was back to twenty two when Alex Neal-Bullen, who never lets an opportunity go to waste, was able to tap in the wayward sherrin, as it bounced across his path.

The tide had well and truly turned. Now Melbourne were creating chances as a result of their elevated pressure and Kade Chandler was presented with one such scenario when he marked Ed Langdon’s centering kick. Chandler’s 45m set shot was perfect, further reducing the margin to sixteen points.

There was a hiccup in Melbourne’s renaissance when Todd Goldstein was awarded a 50m penalty, gifting him an easy scoring opportunity, which he converted.

However Chandler was again on hand to redress the balance a minute later, when he marked in the pocket and made no mistakes with the 40m set shot.

Pickett was having one of those games. His third goal was a combination of natural ability and technical brilliance. Having received the ball, he twisted and turned, wrong footing the defence, before kicking from 30m, deep in the pocket. After being thirty three points down twenty minutes earlier, Melbourne was now only trailing by ten, and there was still fifty seconds to go.

When Jacob van Rooyen ran out to mark the kick from James Jordan, there was fifteen seconds left on the clock, The young forward went back and waited for the siren to sound, then ran up and calmly slotted the 50m set shot.

The Demons assert themselves.

The second half started with Melbourne very much in control. However, it took the visitors almost fifteen minutes to score the opening goal, which they did when Harrison Petty took another mark deep in the left hand pocket.

The next major followed only a couple of minutes later when Christian Petracca marked a Pickett kick, 25m directly in front. Petracca had his second when he took a dramatic hanging mark in the pocket. His around the corner set shot was clinical. It was seven in a row for the Dees when Alex Neal-Bullen launched from the 50m arc, watching the ball dropped behind the goal line.

The Roos finally managed to momentarily stem the Demon tide when Jy Simpkin marked on the 50m line and converted his set shot.

It was a brief respite however, as van Rooyen was awarded a kick near the top of the square and kicked his second.  Alex Neal-Bullen then celebrated his trip to the Apple Isle with a 35m running kick, claiming his hat trick in the process.

Melbourne wrap it up in a low scoring final quarter.

Again, the opening ten minutes of the last term saw no goals added to the scoreline. As it happened, it was the Roos who kicked the opener when Curtis Taylor collected the ground ball and snapped from 20m to the left of goal.

In fact it took Melbourne nearly twenty five minutes to kick their only goal of the quarter when Kade Chandler’s set shot from 45m brought up his own hat trick.

Unfortunately Harrison Petty had to be subbed out due to an ankle injury which has ended his season, just when he was settling into his new role as goal kicker supreme. He will be sorely missed when our finals campaign starts but we have a depth of talent in the squad that can take on any challenge.

Next round it’s the resurgent Blues. Bring them on!

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Pre match event – Sunday 27 August at 12 noon

Urban Winery Sydney, The Entertainment Quarter – next to the SCG.

Guest Speakers * Auctions * Food * Drinks at bar prices

What a great way to celebrate with Dees supporters before the game on Sunday, 27th at the SCG. Certainly not to be missed! Get your tickets early as numbers are limited.

This gathering will get you in the mood for the main event with good company, food, beverages, speakers from the Melbourne Football Club and a very special guest speaker.

Book here

We will also have an auction for some special items and memorabilia and a raffle with excellent prizes.

Round 19 – Melbourne v Adelaide

Liam Chambers

Q1 – Sizing each other up.

The Crows have been a mixed bag this season. They’ve beaten Port Adelaide and Brisbane, then only lost to Collingwood by one point at home and by two points away. Yet they look like missing finals this year. As they obviously save their best for the top four teams, Melbourne couldn’t afford any complacency.

Max Gawn loves the big moments and had the first opportunity to show off his talents when he marked a soccer chip from Kysaiah Pickett. His set shot from just outside 50 didn’t quite reach the heights of last week’s effort but still sailed easily through the uprights.

In reply, Izak Rankine missed a relatively straightforward set shot but a minute later scored a brilliant individual goal from the other pocket; his style reminiscent of Kozzie Pickett.

Jacob van Rooyen again showed how dangerous he can be in marking competitions when he launched and held the ball, 30m from goal. He also doesn’t miss too many set shots.

The term ended with Melbourne leading by a slim four point margin. Adelaide’s season was on the line so playing defensively wasn’t an option for the visitors. It was either win or go down fighting.

Q – Melbourne leaves the door ajar.

The Dees had been relatively cautious in the first quarter, but the opening moments after the break were inspired. Trent Rivers’ high speed run up the wing, meant Pickett was able to position himself to receive the hand pass which came via Alex Neal-Bullen. Kozzie’s kick to inside 50 was met by Kade Chandler, who launched himself to take the mark, then converted with ease.

The tackling pressure from both sides became more intense, but it was Melbourne who was able to forge ahead and spend more time inside their forward 50.

Chandler got his second of the quarter by being on the end of a chain involving Christian Salem, James Jordan, Ed Langdon and Neal-Bullen. The 40m set shot was well executed, increasing the Demons’ lead to seventeen points.

Melbourne had another immediately after the bounce, with Jake Melksham marking on the edge of the goal square. With the margin out to twenty three points, it looked like plain sailing for the Dees. When Melksham got his second from a running chip 30m out, Demon fans could have been forgiven for their belief that the complete domination of Adelaide would continue.

However, that belief was shattered when Tex Walker marked the ball just to the right of the goal square. In fact, that goal was the culmination of a five minute period where the Crows had steadily worked their way back into the game.

After the goal, Adelaide continued to bombard the Dees’ defence before finally getting the follow up when Izak Rankine was just able to get a boot to the sherrin on the edge of the square, guiding it across the line.

Q – Adelaide gets up off the canvas.

For all Melbourne’s dominance for most of the second quarter, they were only ahead by thirteen points at the main break. Adelaide had been able to work their way back into the contest by upping the pressure and forcing the Dees to continually defend.

Whatever was discussed at half time, had an immediate effect, as Melbourne ran out looking determine to reassert their authority. Kozzie Pickett, who was having a good game, was again pivotable in the Dees dash towards goal. 150th gamer Ed Langdon, ran inside 50 and launched a centring kick that Jack Viney marked with his right hand, somehow managing to retain the ball while spinning around. He converted with an around the corner kick to push the lead out to nineteen points.

As previously mentioned, Pickett had been instrumental in a lot of Melbourne’s play during the afternoon, and when Lachie Hunter launched inside 50, Kozzie was on hand to take the mark. His run around set shot from 40m was on song, stretching the margin to twenty four.

When Pickett’s in the zone, he’s difficult to reign in. His second goal was a lesson in individuality. His initial collection of the ground ball in the pocket was impressive and his subsequent weave through the Crows’ defence, followed by the snap from 15m was superb. It gave the Dees a game high lead of thirty two points.

In a case of history repeating itself, Adelaide again got off the canvas while the Ref was counting to ten. Again Izak Rankine emulated his opponent Kozzie Pickett in leading his side’s revival. After collecting the tapped down ball on the edge of 50, he ran on and casually chipped from 40m to claw one back.

The comeback was temporarily arrested when Taj Woewodin marked and kicked inside 50, where Alex Neal-Bullen ran out to meet the perfectly weighted ball. The hard working midfielder then went back and converted the 30m set shot.

An uncharacteristic mistake in defence allowed the turnover, which Lachlan Murphy exploited to snap a goal from 30m in front. Then Darcy Fogarty marked on the 50m arc, and his set shot kick just snuck inside the right hand upright.

Finally Max Gawn put Melbourne back in the driver’s seat when he marked the ball 20m from the goal line.

Q – The Crows rise again but are unable to take flight.

With the Dees leading by twenty three points at the start of the final term, all the smart money was on a comfortable win for the hosts, given their strong fourth quarter performances this year. But yet again, the Crows would attempt to defy expectations.

Shane McAdam started the turnaround when he marked and converted from 30m. After the bounce, Adelaide were straight back inside 50, where Ben Keays was able to control the bouncing ball and snap from 30m in front.

It was back to a two goal game and all the momentum was suddenly with the Crows.

Ben Keays had a second in quick succession when he was awarded a down field free for an infringement on the 50m arc. Hi around the corner kick from the pocket was on target and Adelaide was on the cusp of catching the Dees. The Crows finally drew level after Tex Walker took advantage of the confusion in defence to collect the ground ball and strike his second of the match.

What a difference a sub makes! Joel Smith, who had just come on for Ben Brown, took a mark directly in front and kicked from point blank range, after also being awarded a 50m penalty. With the Demons collective blood pressure partially reduced, the players continued rebuilding their advantage.

Joel Smith was also involved in the next goal when his kick to Taj Woewodin was marked on the edge of the square. The successful set shot pushed Melbourne’s lead out to fourteen points. After that, Kade Chandler marked inside 50 and went back to kick his hat trick.

It wasn’t over yet though as Shane McAdam marked the ball just inside 50. His opportunistic hand pass to Tex Walker allowed the goal scoring machine to launch from 50m and also claim his third.

Melbourne had a chance to seal the deal with a couple of successive set shots but could only manage minor scores.

Then with four minutes to go, Brodie Smith kicked from 50m to reduce the gap to ten points.

The drama continued when Izak Rankine pulled a hamstring with two minutes remaining. It was a tragic end to an inspirational afternoon for the small forward as he was helped off the field. In a final nail biting twist, Tex Walker marked at the top of the square. His set shot was easily converted, making it a four point game.

Fortunately, the Dees hung on for a hard fought win, which now makes the job of maintaining fourth spot on the ladder a little easier.

We’re away to Richmond in Round 20. They will be every bit as tough as Adelaide, so we better be prepared to scrap hard.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!