Melbourne Ditch The Blues
Round 9 – Carlton Vs Melbourne – Melbourne Ditch The Blues
by Liam Chambers – our correspondent in Coffs Harbour
Not me ump – I didn’t overstep!
Welcome back Jack
Four games undefeated! I think I saw a brief smile cross over Simon Goodwin’s face but it could have been the lighting. Still, there was plenty to smile about in today’s game. A winning margin of 109 points and Melbourne playing more convincingly like a team than they have for a long time. Hope is in the ascendancy and thoughts of playing finals footy is now more tangible for the supporters.
The first quarter initially looked like a low scoring affair but once Jake Melksham got the Dee’s first after ten minutes, the Blues Jed Lamb then the Demon’s Bayley Fritsch quickly added to the tally. Again Melbourne were dominating play but not adding much to the scoresheet.
Tom McDonald seem to sum up Melbourne’s opening quarter when he put his footy brain on hold to play on after a brilliant intercepted mark in front of goal. Luckily Tom seemed to realise the error of his ways and his game for the rest of the match was nearly flawless. Carlton went ahead for the only time in the game when Harry McKay got his first goal. Tom McDonald replied a minute later and all was forgiven. Harry McKay scored his second with a little help from Max Gawn (it’s just his generous nature) right on the siren. Scores: 19-22.
Welcome back Jack Viney, who opened the scoring in the second quarter for the Demons. When Christian Petracca marked the ball in front of goal a couple of minutes later he wanted to pass it on to one of his team mates but Tom McDonald made sure Christian took the kick himself, which he duly slotted between the uprights. It was the best decision he could have made as his relief in scoring was palpable. Then Tom kicked back to back goals before the Blues tried to claw their way back in with Zac Fisher kicking their first of the quarter. You got the feeling that this was Melbourne’s day when Alex Neal-Bullen and Jake Melksham both scored with 90 seconds of each other. The Blues Patrick Cripps then scored only for Tom M to get his fourth two minutes later. Half time scores: 64-33.
The third quarter just seemed like a goal every two minutes from the Dees. First Melksham, then Fritsch, Melksham again, Alex Neal-Bullen, Max Gawn, Neal-Bullen again before the Blues finally got one with Jed Lamb scoring his second. James Harmes cancelled out that effort two minutes later then co-captain Nathan Jones added his name late in the quarter. Marc Murphy got a consolation goal just before the siren but the Dees were well ahead at 114-48.
Like last week, Melbourne started the last quarter determined to build on their percentage. Goals from Mitch Hannan & Jake Melksham (fifth) was followed up by Max Gawn’s second before Hannan scored again. A trio of goals from Neal-Bullen, Charlie Spargo and Clayton Oliver had the Demon fans in raptures as the lead stretched to over 100 points. Finally Jesse Hogan decided he might as well add his name as every other Melbourne player was scoring and he didn’t want to feel left out. With the final score at 109-50, the Dees had recorded their biggest ever win over the Blues.
Round 10 will see Melbourne travelling to the Northern Territory where we’ll take on the mighty Crows. If we keep playing like we have in the last five rounds, I wouldn’t bet against us upsetting Adelaide.
CARLTON 3.1 5.3 7.6 7.8 (50)
MELBOURNE 3.4 10.4 18.6 25.9 (159)
GOALS
Carlton: McKay 2, Lamb 2, Fisher, Murphy, Cripps
Melbourne: Melksham 5, T. McDonald 4, Neal-Bullen 4, Fritsch 2, Hannan 2, Viney, Petracca, Gawn, Harmes, Jones, Gawn, Oliver, Hogan
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