Round 13 – Melbourne V Collingwood

Dees v Magpies

Liam Chambers

If any team was destined to break the Demons dream run, it was Collingwood. Of course Adelaide caused an upset in Round 10 by a single point but Melbourne never seriously looked like winning the Queen’s Birthday Clash. So many variables conspired to cause the upset of the season.

The fact that the Pies have been steadily improving their form over the last month. The resignation of Nathan Buckley was always going to inspire the troops for one last push for their fallen leader. The Dees would have been in wind down mode and looking forward to the Bye. Probably the most telling, I suspect, was Melbourne underestimating their opponents.

So far this year our lads have reserved their best performances for the top sides in the competition. The almost manic way they took on Richmond. The brilliant demolition of the Bulldogs and of course the superb come from behind win against the fancied Brisbane Lions. Not taking anything away from Collingwood (I won’t say that too often) but Melbourne played with the belief that they could run them down eventually and then ran out of time. Basically, the urgency was missing in Round 13.

It all started so promisingly when Kysaiah Pickett kept the ball alive on the boundary enabling Bailey Fritsch to kick towards goal where Alex Neal-Bullen marked and scored form the set shot. Darcy Cameron scored his first of the afternoon when he was awarded a free after being held. Neal-Bullen almost got his second but his kick to goal was deemed touched by Tom McDonald as he attempted to mark the ball. Eventually the Dees did get their second when James Harmes tapped it in from 35m after some good support play from Christian Petracca.

Again Melbourne got off to a good start in the second term after some good forward pressure culminated in a Clayton Oliver round the corner kick through the uprights. Then it started to head south for the Dees with Darcy Cameron taking an uncontested mark on the edge of the goal square, then snapping it through for a goal. Next Will Hoskin-Elliot took an uncontested mark and followed up with a conversion from 30m to the left of goal.

Melbourne was finding it difficult to get their hands on the ball. They did eventually get back some control but the Pies looked very comfortable going forward. Brody Mihocek scored the first of two goals when he had a shot from 30m out, then a set shot from 40m in front gave Collingwood a 15 point lead. The Dees looked flat after suffering a 25 point turnaround since the start of the quarter.

Luke Jackson gave his side a lift when he snapped a goal after receiving a Tom McDonald hand pass and clawed the lead back to singles figures. Clayton Oliver had a chance to further reduce the margin after being taken high inside 50 but unfortunately his shot missed to the near side. Beau McCreery made it five goals to two in the Pies’ favour and stretch the lead out to 14 points. Melbourne was looking hesitant and turning the ball over giving Collingwood the advantage and allowing them the luxury of going forward too easily.

True to form the Dees came out after the break with greater sense of urgency and kicked three unanswered goals. First, Captain Max Gawn scored from a set shot after taking an uncontested mark 35m out from the left of goal.

Then Gawn took another uncontested mark on the inside 50 line, before passing to Steven May, whose long kick fell into Christian Petracca’s hands 20m to the right of goal. Tracca ran on and launched a banana kick that sailed through the posts. Finally, Fritsch spun around in heavy traffic on the edge of the goal square to shoot and give the Dees single point lead.

The Pies were clearly rattled by the resurgent Melbourne but Darcy Cameron’s hat trick helped steady the ship. Cameron was awarded a dubious free kick after he took a contested mark that Steven May had clearly touched (with both hands!) prior to the key forward collecting the ball. Some days the footy gods just aren’t on your side (or the umpires either). Luke Jackson restored the balance somewhat with his chase down tackle and set shot form 20m. Unfortunately Brody Mihocek also had a set shot and restored Collingwood’s lead.

Only trailing by 5 points, Melbourne had everything to play for. They’d had a good third quarter but needed to maintain the rage. However, the Pies were hungrier on the day and Darcy Cameron got his fourth to stretch the margin to two goals. Collingwood was given more space and the Dees looked to be floundering. When Scott Pendlebury scored, the game slipped further from Melbourne’s grasp.

The Dees needed a miracle but one didn’t look like coming their way and the Pies continued to run over the top of them. Ed Langdon did snatch one back after collecting the bouncing ball in the goal square and tapping it through to give the fans a glimmer of hope but it was a little too late by then.

Just to rub some salt in the wounds, Steele Sidebottom scored after the siren to give Collingwood a 16 point victory. The Pies played well and tackled hard but the Dees were lackluster for a large part of the game. The Bye will give them a chance to reflect and reset. There will be lessons learned and we’ll be better than ever against Essendon.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!