Melbourne v Brisbane QF

Liam Chambers

This time it’s the real deal. The lads want it and they refuse to be intimidated. They’re giving it everything, even biting off more that they can chew at times. After taking the minor premiership in the greatest comeback since John Travolta in Pulp Fiction, the Demons were pumped for their showdown with the Lions.

Melbourne opened the scoring after 30 seconds when Bailey Fritsch slapped the sherrin into the Ben Brown’s hands 35m from goal. The big forward didn’t hesitate as he dropped and kicked the ball high and on target. A couple of minutes later and Charlie Cameron responded with his trademark turn and snap as the ball fell into his orbit. Another couple of minutes and Cameron got his second, albeit after a slightly convoluted run from the centre square. Tom Sparrow was on the beneficiary of an attempted mark by Tom McDonald and he launched a powerful kick from 40m to score the Dees’ second.

I’ve watched Kysaiah Pickett’s first goal several times now, trying to work out how he was able get the ball through the uprights. With the way he was running plus the difficult angle, it looked all but impossible. Making the impossible possible seems to be what Kozzie does now.

Zac Bailey evened up the scores when he collected the loose ball and kicked it from 25m in front of goal. Clayton Oliver added to the tally with a brilliant snap off his left boot but Melbourne’s lead didn’t last long when Cameron notched up his hat trick with a kick from the edge of the goal square. With Ed Langdon kicking around the corner and adding to the score sheet, the Dees took an 8 point advantage into the break.

Bailey Fritsch scored the first of the second term after Oliver’s perfectly placed kick soared behind the Lion’s defence and landed in the hands of Melbourne’s top goal scorer. Unfortunately, Jarrod Berry was awarded a 50m penalty after an infringement and was successful from just outside the goal square. Next goal was the second for Pickett as he marked just to the right of the goal and launched a round the corner kick to give Melbourne a comfortable 17 point buffer.

Charlie Spargo extended the lead after he was rewarded for a particularly determined tackle 40m metres in front of goal. The Dees had a few opportunities to really push out the margin and put the Lions away but the kicks strayed from the target. Finally Bailey Fritsch, contorting himself when a hand pass from Oliver had him at full stretch, managed to turn and snap, even as he was falling to earth, kicking Melbourne’s ninth of the night.

With only minor scores on the board halfway through the third quarter, Brisbane desperately needed a circuit breaker. One was provided by Charlie Cameron as he took advantage of a loose ground ball and took off at speed before snapping one via his right boot from just shy of the goal square. After that Brisbane applied some major pressure to the the Dees’ defence which eventually paid off as Hugh McCluggage scored from a set shot and reduced the margin to 19 points.

The Demons didn’t let the resurgent Lions upset their game plan though and went about blocking off any possible pathways to goal for Brisbane. Then Melbourne were able to mount a counter attack just before the end of the quarter with Fritsch having a set shot attempt but missing the target after the siren sounded.

Fritsch had another opportunity at the start of the final term and converted to kick the Dees’ first goal since the second quarter. The goal helped settle some Demon jitters but then Lincoln McCarthy again clawed it back to 19 points when he curled one through from 20m out. It was Bailey Fritsch’s night though and he took a brilliant contested mark, then kicked from 40m to restore Melbourne’s lead to 25 points. It wasn’t over yet as Cameron got his fifth when he bent a banana to perfectly place the ball between the uprights.

Christian Petracca was having a good game but his accuracy in front of goal had been lacking. That changed when he took a mark from captain Max Gawn. The midfielder launched a kick from the pocket and watched it sail through effectively cementing Melbourne’s place in the preliminary final. It was back to back goals for Tracca when another kick from Gawn reached the pack to the left of goal allowing him to snatch the crumb and run on before snapping it between the uprights. Now the Demons had the luxury of resting some of their star players on the bench for the remainder of the game.

The 33 point victory was a good preparation for our next encounter with arch nemesis Geelong. The Cats bounced back well from their qualifying loss to defeat the Giants in their semi final clash and can’t be underestimated. The neutral turf of Perth and a week’s rest is no guarantee of triumph for Melbourne.

Not in doubt though will be the Dees total and utter commitment to give 100% to the battle and this time they’re not going to die wondering.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Previous reports on the match ups with the Dees:

Melbourne v Geelong – Everybody Loves Gawny

Melbourne v Brisbane – The fall and the rise of the red and the blue