Round 23 – Gold Coast Suns V Melbourne

Melbourne’s Walking On The Sun

Liam Chambers

The heat is on

With no chance of qualifying for finals, the Demons could concentrate on playing their best footy, and enjoy themselves in the process.

The Suns have forged a formidable home ground reputation this season so it would no mean feat for Melbourne to prevail on the Coast. They would also have to compete against the heat and humidity, whereas their hosts have had ample time to adapt to the conditions.

It took nearly ten minutes for the first goal, and the honours went to the home side when Nick Holman was awarded a free kick before slotting his 45m set shot. After the goal, the Suns continued to dictate play by dominating contested possessions and repeat entries inside 50. It was unsurprising then that they kicked the second some five minutes later when Sam Flanders received the hand pass near the top of the square and casually tapped through for the goal.

The chances for the Dees were far and few between, and when we did get a sniff of a major, the wind carried the sherrin off course.

With under five minutes left in the opening term, it looked like another goalless quarter was looming for the Demons. Then, Daniel “Disco” Turner got on the end of a Jack Billings kick, after first disposing of his opponent and then beating his pursuers to the square, before getting his right boot to the ball, seeing it across the line.

The scores were level a minute later when Jacob van Rooyen took a handpass from Kysaiah Pickett and snapped from the top of the square. Another minute and Turner kicked his second after crumbing the ball from a stoppage and snapping the 20m shot.

When it looked like Melbourne would take the lead into the break, a turnover proved costly as the Suns made the most of the opportunity and got the ball to Alex Davies, who then converted the 40m shot after the siren.

Dees just get the upper hand in a ping pong quarter

Despite the hiccup at the end of Q1, the Demons continued to build on their momentum after the break when Harrison Petty took a contested mark in front of goal before going back to make sure with the set shot. Unfortunately after the bounce, Tom Sparrow was involved in an incident which saw him limp off the ground before being eventually subbed off.

Then the Suns retook the lead when Jarrod Witts was awarded a free kick in front of goal and kicked the set shot. Jack Viney flipped it back when he marked 40m from home, then nailed the set shot. Ed Langdon extended it to eleven points when he snapped from 30m.

However, Sam Flanders arrested the Dees momentum, launching from 30m, after the Gold Coast took control of the ball post the centre bounce. Then Lachie Weller gave the lead back to the Suns when he kicked from just inside the 50m arc.

Bailey Fritsch finally got his only goal when a beautifully weighted centering kick from Jake Melksham found the target and the Magnet ran on to see the ball across the line.

Jarrod Witts kicked his second after winning the ball in the ruck, selling some candy and hitting the target from 15m.

Harrison Petty bookended the quarter with his second goal by drilling the ball from 50m.

All coming together for Melbourne

It was the prefect start to the second half for Melbourne when Jacob van Rooyen was awarded a free kick in front of goal after wrapping up Charlie Ballard, who was penalised for holding the ball. It was all going according to plan when Koltyn Tholstrup (now sporting Ben Brown’s old headband) took an uncontested mark 25m in front of goal. His set shot slipped through nicely.

After the bounce, it was straight back inside 50 when Alex Neal-Bullen sent long shot for Harrison Petty to mark. He may have had a mixed season, set shot wise, but his 45m kick bent perfectly and it was a four goal lead for the Dees.

All good things come to an end eventually, and the Demon’s run of three unanswered goals was checked when Ben King took a mark and converted the set shot.

Demons get the job done

A seventeen point lead is not to be sniffed at, but the Dees would have been acutely aware that their fourth quarter performances this season have not been up to the usual standard; so there could be no letup in pressure from the visitors.

In case you were wondering where Kysaiah Pickett was for most of the first three quarters, then he definitely made his presence felt in the opening minute of the fourth. His initial crumbing of the ball from a clearance, his zig zag through the opposition, a hand pass to Viney, who passed it back and finally the perfect centering chip to Melksham, was an exercise in footy brilliance. Jake Melksham is continually showing how experience can instill confidence in his team mates and the set shot was perfect.

The good news is that Jack Viney has renewed his contract for another year and the even better news is that he is playing some of the best football of his career. First he plucked the sherrin out of the air, one handed, when it looked like it was sailing out of bounds. The he kicked an around the corner set shot that bent perfectly to notch up his second goal.

It was all but over when Jake Melksham was taken high and went back to kick the 40m set shot. Judd McVee had a chance to score his first AFL goal earlier in the quarter but couldn’t connect. His second opportunity was a little more difficult but he nailed the 50m set shot. There was much rejoicing. Koltyn Tholstrup was denied his second by the review; a mischarge of justice in my view but with a lead of forty three points to the Demons, nobody was too upset. He was robbed though.

Ben King was having one of his famous off days, but he was able to slot his second with five minutes to go.

Turner continued to paint the picture of a near perfect performance when he marked and converted to claim his hat trick. Straight after the centre bounce, the Dees were back inside 50 where van Rooyen marked in the pocket, then lined up to score his own hat trick. Another centre bounce and a massive Alex Neal-Bullen kick landed the ball in the lap of the high scoring Turner. Again he lined up to make his fourth goal of the afternoon look easy.

After the week long glare of the media, as well as the speculation about several of our players, the Dees performance on the day was a perfect retort to the detractors.

Only one game left now and with no chance of playing finals, the pressure is well and truly off. We can use this victory as a confidence boost and, more importantly, to make short work of the Pies.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!