Round 19 – Fremantle V Melbourne

Liam Chambers

Fremantle dominate the stats

Back in the west to take on the Dockers, Melbourne would have been determined to avoid a repeat of Round 12’s one sided contest. The Dees were deep into enemy territory and needed to bring their best game in front of a hostile crowd.

Unfortunately they didn’t get the ideal start they were hoping for when Sam Sturt took an uncontested mark before going back to kick the 50m set shot. The second was way too easy after Jye Amiss found himself all alone and only metres from the square when he marked and walked in the goal.

Fremantle’s pressure was incessant, and they were dominating clearances, marks and inside 50s. Melbourne did have a few opportunities against the run of play but were unable to make Freo pay. Unfortunately the Dockers were able to able to build on their lead after a 50m penalty allowed Bailey Banfield to kick the ball to Josh Treacy just inside 50, which he marked and converted.

The Melbourne players and fans were hugely relieved to hear the quarter time siren and to be only twenty one points down, when it could have been so much worse.

Dees surge late in the term

The Demons needed an early goal to stem the bleeding to quell concerns and gain some momentum. Caleb Windsor, never one to hold back when he senses an opportunity was onto the loose ball before anyone else and soccered it 15m along the ground and across the goal line.

Josh Treacy had been threatening to kick his second since the start of the term and he eventually did that when he took a contested mark from the back of the pack in front of goal, then turned and thumped it through. Straight after the bounce, Luke Jackson took a contested mark in the pocket right on the boundary line. Having already inflicted a world of pain on his former teammates in Alice Springs early last month, his banana kick set shot reopened the healing wound. Then Michael Walters somehow took an uncontested mark in the middle of the pack and cleanly converted the 30m kick.

Trailing by thirty five points, the Dees desperately needed to do something creative if they were to stay in contention.

It took to almost the end of the quarter before Melbourne got their second when Jacob van Rooyen ran out to mark 40m from goal. His set shot was clean and brought the margin back to thirty points. Then van Rooyen took another mark on the edge of the square to make it a four goal game and more importantly give the faithful some hope.

After the centre bounce, it was almost three in a row for the Demons, but it was not to be. Then with Michael Walters marking just before the siren, the Dockers clawed it back to thirty.

But then the suffering continues for the visitors

After the break, Melbourne needed to put Freo’s late goal in the previous term behind them and focus on regaining the momentum.

Unfortunately Jai Amiss was left unguarded deep inside the Dockers forward 50 and Jeremy Sharp was able to present him with the easiest of uncontested marks. The follow up set shot from point blank range stretched the advantage out to thirty six points. Then Amiss took another mark inside 50 less than a minute later and the key forward had his hat trick.

The misery just kept piling up for the Demons when Fremantle again got the ball over the heads of Melbourne and was it marked by Andrew Brayshaw, who then hand passed to Jordan Clark running past. The defender kept going and launched from the top of the square to make it an eight goal game in favour of the Dockers.

By now the Dees were being completely dominated and Fremantle kept transitioning through the corridor while their forwards kept marking the ball inside 50. This time it was Michael Walters, and he ran on to hammer home his third of the match.

It was over twenty minutes in before Melbourne kicked their first of the second half, when Kade Chandler marked inside 50 and converted the 45m set shot. Kade Chandler got two in a row after Jake Melksham took a great contested mark and targeted the small forward sixty metres from home. The goal was a certainty after Chandler was awarded a 50m penalty. I’m always in favour of those decisions when they go our way.

The Dees had three in a row when Harrison Petty marked a kick 25m out.

Dream scenario was not to be

Although they had clawed back some momentum, Melbourne still had Mount Everest to climb in the last quarter against an in form Dockers and arguably the second most hostile home crowd in the league. The Dees piled on the pressure early but were unable to take advantage of their opportunities in front of goal.

Then disaster struck when Josh Treacy was able to take a contested mark in the pocket, then go back and kick his hat trick. Michael Sonny Walters put the result beyond any doubt when he marked 15m from the goal mouth, then snapped an around the corner to claim his fourth of the day. Jai Amiss also had four when he received a hand pass in the goal square and slammed it into the stands. Caleb Serong added to home side’s tally when he took advantage of the free kick call and tapped one from 15m in front.

Jack Billings arrested the flow from Fremantle when he marked and went back to make sure of the set shot.

While every goal is welcomed, there was still a massive fifty four point deficit to consider and when Sam Sturt kicked his second, the only consolation was at least it wasn’t the ninety two margin of Round 12. Though when Sturt got back to back goals from a crumb in the square, Demon fans could be forgiven if they started to wonder?

With only just over four minutes to go, all Melbourne could do was play for some pride and thankfully they decided to do that.

Ed Langdon got one back when he launched from 35m and put it through the posts. Next Daniel Turner took a contested mark and slotted his set shot. Jake Melksham was having a quiet day unfortunately, but his late mark just inside the arc was welcome, as was the subsequent goal.

Next Round we’re back at the MCG, but it’s against another top five side in GWS. It goes without saying that we need to win that game, however I’ll say it anyway. We need to win that game.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!