Have you ever been to Knott’s Berry Farm?
by Darren Spence
I did once. In 1994. It’s a roller coaster theme park in California yet I feel that I am transported back there on a constant basis supporting the Melbourne Football Club.
Last week the exhilarating highs of a win for the ages against the Crows away from home……this week a disappointing loss saw the boys go down by 14 points to Norf.
It had all the danger signs that have plagued us all year.
Favourites to win?…tick
Aiming for 2 wins in a row?….tick
Don’t play 4 quarters?….tick
Right in the game deep into the final quarter?….tick
Aiming to break a long standing hoodoo?…..tick
Therefore the cynical Dees fan will say a loss should not have been unexpected, but for me, I was bitterly disappointed as I know the side is better than what they produced on the weekend and my spirits remain high that these types of performances will soon be a thing of the past as they continue to evolve into the team we all know they can be (I so hope so!)
Once again it was a poor quarter that cost us the game and in this match it was the first. Allowing 13 scoring shots and double the inside 50s to be down by 26 at the break is always going to put you behind the eight ball. A fight back in the second quarter got the game back on an even keel by half time, yet 1 solitary goal in the 3rd and even with the first 3 goals in the last it proved too much and another winnable game escaped our clutches.
Our spate of injuries showed on the weekend. Though again we were able to win the clearances after being dominated in the hit outs, I found that at both book ends we were undone. Their key forwards and key defenders had their own way and ultimately that proved decisive.
My man love for Hibberd is now turning into a full blown romance as he clearly was our best player amassing a game high 34 possessions, Tyson was busy and Mitch Hannan almost single handedly brought us back into the game with 2 goals in the 2nd quarter for 3 for the game. Sadly I won’t be watching this match again any time soon.
This weekend we are up in the Alice in what must be seen now as a must win game against the Suns. Our record hasn’t been great there (I was being diplomatic….well we actually haven’t won there!) but we will bounce back and keep in touch with the 8 with a win to erase all disappointment from last week and get me back on that roller coaster of emotions that is part and parcel of following the Mighty Dees!
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