Round 4 – Melbourne Vs Geelong – We need more Picketts and Petraccas.

So many times in recent years (2019 has been surgically removed from my memory), games involving Melbourne and Geelong have come down to the dying seconds. Unfortunately for the Dees, Round 4 wasn’t to be the exception. For most of the first quarter, the Cats were in almost total control. They maintained possession and pressured the Dees but could only score two goals. The first came in the opening minutes courtesy of Darcy Fort and the second in the closing minutes via Mitch Duncan.

In between Melbourne looked like a shadow of the team that played their brilliant first quarter against Carlton in Round 2.

The bright spots were some inspirational play from Christian Petracca and the gifted Kysaiah Pickett. While Pickett created some nice chances his moment came with two minutes to go when he was given advantage but unfortunately his ensuing shot hit the post. Once he gets a few goals under his belt, he’s going to be a scoring machine.

Melbourne started Q2 more determined and were rewarded when Bailey Fritsch marked the ball twenty metres out to the left of goal. The run of play that got the ball to Fritsch was one the best displays of the game by the Demons. First goal for the Dees. They continued to maintain the pressure on Geelong but eventually the Cats steadied the ship. Melbourne’s chances weren’t helped by turning over the ball when they were charging up the corridor.

Interestingly, with no crowd to return the wayward sherrins, is the number of footys used having an affect on play? Obviously it’s a lot different to a cricket ball but could it potentially make a difference?

Anyway, neither team was able to add much to the scoreline. Steven May was defending well and Pickett continued to have some nice touches but nothing was working until Angus Brayshaw was able to slot one in under pressure. I’m not sure if 15-14 is the lowest score for a first half this season, but it must be very close.

After a reasonably adequate display in Q2, Melbourne literally dropped the ball at the start of the second half. A 50m shot from Esava Ratugolea sailed behind the line with the Dee’s defence seemingly missing in action. Great goal but I’m sure Goody was reaching for the stress ball after that.

Then to rub salt in the wounds, when it look like Luke Daulhaus was going for a set shot, he passed the ball to Dangerfield who then kicked a goal from 50 metres out. Paddy was standing right next to Daulhaus but no one thought he might be a danger in that position. He was though and after all danger is his middle name. Now Goody was rummaging around for the rescue remedy. When Brandan Parfitt kicked his first goal, the Cats were three up for the quarter.

Then at last the Dees got back on the score board. A snap shot from Petracca in front of goal stemmed the flow and reinvigorated Melbourne. Kysaiah Pickett was also involved and almost marked the ball before Tracca took advantage and kicked the Dee’s third. We need more Picketts and Petraccas. With four minutes to go, Petracca almost got a second. However, at the other end of the field a classy one handed mark form Cameron Guthrie saw the Cats go into the final quarter seventeen points ahead.

Melbourne knew they had to throw caution to the wind and go for broke if they were to have any chance of winning. Luckily that’s just they did. Jayden Hunt got the first with a banana kick to the left of goal. Happy Days. Then there was some great Demon pressure that had the Cats looking worried.

Unfortunately my least favourite player of all time, Tom Hawkins, finally kicked a goal after an fairly ordinary day by his standards. With the lead back to sixteen points, we needed something special to inspire the fans. Luckily Tom MacDonald was waiting in the wings and after a beautiful mark, he put away the sherrin to reduce Geelong’s advantage to ten points.

However it looked like it was all over for Melbourne when Dangerfield stepped up to have a shot in front of goal. Maybe he should have stayed on the bench after he was checked out for concussion as his shot sailed wide of the mark. Demon fans and players alike heaved a huge collective sigh of relief.

With two minutes to go, Angus Brayshaw got a clean pick up thirty metres from goal and ran to cleanly kicked Melbourne’s sixth and get us to within four points of the Cats. When Christian Salem had a 50m penalty awarded, it looked like the Demons might have a famous victory.

However he didn’t go for goal and in the ensuing confusion, the ball was booted back to the 50m line where Adam Tomlinson marked it with thirty seconds to go. As the great footy viewing public held their breath, Tomlinson unleashed a mighty kick that sailed enticingly close but veered left as it reach the goal line. A win was not to be.

Next week we play Richmond after our travel plans to Queensland were thwarted when the State Government announced that visiting teams would be required to self quarantine for fourteen days; effectively putting a stop to any team travelling north of the Tweed.

Even though the Tigers have not won any of their games since the renewal of the season, they are notoriously slow starters and should never be underestimated. I would have preferred to be playing the Swans as I fancied our chances against their style of play.

Anyway, it’s been a year of unexpected results so it’s anybody’s guess.
Go the Mighty Dees!!!