Nigel Dawe

The great Norm Smith, and ever-reigning coach of the Century, once snarled: “Winning isn’t everything, but it’s a bloody sight better than what comes next!” And, having stuck by our boys in the red and blue for the best part of the last four decades, I can vouch for Smithy’s comment, in a way that he couldn’t have remotely imagined when he said it at the time.

And so, without getting swept away by the first two absolutely fantastic ‘loss-less’ months of season ’21, and not to downplay or feign indifference to such a non-mean feat (because 8-in-a-row is sterling stuff) we have a long way to go; but what a trip we’ve been afforded thus far. One that’s starting to push our current crop of players into the realm of club record territory.

You’d have to have just come back from a trip to Mars to have not heard our best start to a season was back in 1956 – an ‘Olympic’ and truly halcyon year in which the Norm Smith-led, Barassi, Beckwith and Co gladiators notched wins in all of their first 13 matches, eventually going down to the Bulldogs in Round 14 by 13 points.

But one incredible ‘accompaniment’ to this statistical morsel, is the fact Melbourne also won the last six matches of season 1955, to create the most successful winning streak in the club’s history (19-games straight). The attached visual of ‘The Demon Comet’ and Beckwith with the ball-on-a-string appeared in The Age, 11 ‘supersonic’ games into that majestic season of 1956.

Having said that, the Cats of 1952-53 are the game’s true ‘astronauts’, albeit golden boys when it comes to stringing the W’s together in the win-loss column of ladder histrionics. This incredible dark blue-hooped bunch from Corio Bay fronted up for 23-games straight, without a loss. Next on the all-time list are those Bomber boys of 2000 (and how could we forget), but they amassed a mammoth 20-games straight from Round 1 through to Round 20 (dropping just that solitary outing for the entire year) – the most successful season of any side in the history of the game.

To paraphrase our more than canny current coach, Simon Goodwin, and his chief playmakers – Petracca and T-Mac from after the match last week: ‘To a person at the club, it’s about taking a 0-0 games won approach into each and every game – there is no next week or last week, winning streak or even Shit Creek, there is just an all-important right here and NOW, to be met, overcome and WON!’

Which is an approach and a convictional resolve that surely stirs not just the spirit, but the supreme example of Norm Smith to life, having once echoed: “Clubs must try to build a winning tradition, and develop to the highest degree a fierce pride in their team. If a club’s not a proud one, it has little chance of success.”

So, here’s to the pride required to rise, and prove to one’s self and the entire football world – that the team of the red and the blue have what it takes, to keep winning – one week at a time, for a long time to come.

Round 7 – North Melbourne v Melbourne

Liam Chambers

7th Heaven in Van Demon’s Land

Melbourne travelled to Tasmania to face a side that has stubbornly refused to conform to expectations in recent years. Surely this year would be different. The Dees were coming off six wins on the trot and the Roos had yet to win a game. Top plays bottom.

Fans could be forgiven for thinking the players had swapped guernseys before the game, as North Melbourne got off to a flying start. The Roos got the advantage from the first centre bounce, getting the ball into their forward 50 and into the hands of Tom Campbell. His score form set shot was perfectly shaped kick and North was on the scoreboard. While the Dees were digesting that first strike, Shaun Atley received the sherrin after some dexterous play and ran in the Roos’ second.

To add to Melbourne’s woes, Adam Tomlinson injured his knee after a seemingly innocuous slip and was taken down to the rooms for assessment. Unfortunately it was determined that he had ruptured his ACL and he was devastated to learn that his season was over. Tomlinson has played brilliantly this season after slotting into a key defender role alongside Steven May and Jake Lever. He will be sorely missed and we wish him a speedy full recovery.

The Dees managed to wrest some control back when a clever tap from debutant Ben Brown to Bailey Fritsch enabled the forward to turn and snap in Melbourne’s first goal. Two minutes later, Max Gawn dropped a catch inside 50 which Fritsch collects to run in his second. Then Luke Jackson got a lucky ball which fell behind the group going for the mark in front of goal and and tapped in the third for the visitors.

North wasn’t deterred though and Tom Campbell slotted another from 45m out after the home side got the advantage from the centre bounce. It was all even at nineteen points apiece but North took a five point advantage into quarter time after a Tom Powell goal.

After the break, North continued it’s winning ways with Jy Simpkin marking and converting from 40m out. Melbourne kept in touch though when Kysaiah Pickett capped off a brilliant run with an angled kick to Ed Langdon, who scored from the set shot after a great mark.

Ben Brown’s first goal for his new club maybe wasn’t what the fans were expecting. He can kick them with precise accuracy from 50 plus metres but his debut score was a soccer kick inside the goal square. It took forever for the ARC to determined that the sherrin hadn’t been touched but in the end the goal was awarded and Ben was on the score sheet.

Max Gawn wasn’t having the best of days and his normally clean hands were dropping seemingly easy marks. Pickett on the other hand was involved in some great displays of footy and when he scored at the end of the chain after a centre bounce, he showed how important he is to the Dees flowing game.

Unfortunately the Roos again took back control and scored the last three goals of the half. First Cameron Zurhaar scored after some good ball movement. Then Ben Cunnington collected a crumb when the ball was launched to inside 50. Finally Nick Larkey scored after some relentless pressure from the Roos.

Leading by fifty nine points at half time, North Melbourne had the belief that they could cause the upset of the season; Simon Goodwin had one major reset to do with his team if they were going to arrest the slide in the second half.

Melbourne needed to regain the momentum and they did. Again it was Pickett who was instrumental in keeping the ball alive when he bounced it through to Bailey Fritsch from the boundary. Fritsch picked up the loose ball to run in his fourth. The Roos weren’t done yet though and Jack Mahony kicked one through traffic to restore their half time margin.

From there the game started to turn in Melbourne’s favour. Pickett’s second goal was a thing of beauty. Running, passing and receiving the ball from the wing to inside 50 and again to collect the ball just outside the goal square. When Ben Brown was awarded a free from 35m out, he scored his second and Melbourne’s eleventh form the set shot. North were now making errors with Fritsch allowed an uncontested mark 30m out from goal to kick his fifth.

Finally Max was starting to mark more consistently and had a shot from 50m line. Unfortunately he couldn’t replicate his stunning goal from the same position last week. However, the Dees were digging themselves out of a hole and looked well place going into the final term with a lead of thirteen points.

Melbourne were starting to look more comfortable in defence as the quarter progressed. Steven May was getting more of the ball and Tom McDonald had dropped back to cover Adam Tomlinson’s absence to good affect. Luke Jackson was also playing well and the Dees looked like a team more in control. However it was the Roos that got the first goal when Ben Cunnington gathered another crumb and managed to fumble, run and eventually kick the ball high through the uprights.

It was also to be North’s last goal of the game as the Dees moved up a gear when James Jordan slotted his first of the afternoon. A minute later, Clayton Oliver snapped one off his left boot after a good run up the field. Bailey Fritsch wasn’t finished either and took a mark to kick his sixth and cement his place as the Dees’ highest goal soccer so far this season. Kysaiah Pickett saved his best for last with a lovely opportunist goal to again ice the cake for Melbourne.

After a scare from the cellar dwellers, the Dees found a way to win and that’s a mark of a great side. It won’t be the last game where they’ll have to dig deep but they’re proving every week that they’re up to the challenge. So far this this year, Melbourne have won all of their fourth quarters.

We face the Swans in Round 8 and they’ve shown they have what it takes to keep fighting. It’ll be another tough test for the Dees but we know now what they’re capable of. Congrats to Tracca on signing his new contract with Melbourne for the next seven years.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

ANZAC Eve – Melbourne V Richmond – Jones 300 games

Liam Chambers

Undoubtedly the most important game of Melbourne’s bid to become 2021 Premiers. The game started at a frenetic pace with Richmond threatening to overwhelmed the Dees in the opening minutes. After some minor scores from the visitors, Jack Riewoldt soccered in a loose ball from the left of the goal square.

Demon fans watched on anxiously as wave after wave of Tiger shirts threatened to break through the home side’s defenses. Melbourne managed in the main to mitigate the damage but not before Riewoldt succeeded in marking the ball inside 50 and converting for Richmond’s second goal. The Tigers were controlling all aspects of the game but failed to overwhelm the Dees.

Melbourne started to wrest some momentum back and was able to gain some territory going in hard against their opponents. This was typified by Charlie Spargo’s tackle on Bachar Houli, preventing another run on goal. Despite this, Richmond still appeared to have at least three extra players on the pitch compared to Melbourne. The Dees soaked up some tremendous pressure but there was no doubt that they were under siege. Some flickers of light were starting to appear for Melbourne though.

First Bailey Fritsch had a set shot from 40 metres out but speared the shot wide. Then the in form Christian Salem delivered the Dees’ first, with a running kick on goal from the 50m line. The effect on Melbourne was immediate. Suddenly, the competition ceased to be such a one sided affair and became more even handed.

When Shane Edwards kicked Richmond’s third from a 25m set shot in front of goal, the Dees responded with a great run of play culminating with Clayton Oliver receiving the ball inside 50. He passed to Kysaiah Pickett, who’s perfect side kick to Fritsch set up Melbourne’s second.

Trailing 14-21 at the start of the term two was a good result for the Demons, considering the unrelenting Richmond attack in the first quarter. As the rain poured down, the Dees again showed how their game has changed. In the past their control suffered badly in wet conditions; now their marking and handling efficiency was impressive. Slowly Melbourne were grinding down the Tigers and when Alex Neal-Bullen’s kick from the extremely difficult angle near the 50m line sailed through, the stadium crowd erupted.

Tom McDonald then showed his determination to secure his spot in the team with back to back goals. First, a marvelous mark 45m out from goal which he put through with focused precision; then after being pushed in the ruck, he booted his second to increase the Dees’ margin. Luke Jackson ran in another after a hand ball chain starting with a huge kick from Max Gawn in the centre reached inside 50. The rest of the quarter was a Melbourne tackle fest as the home side shut down the Tigers, preventing them from playing their natural game.

Jackson also got the next goal at the start of the second half, soccer kicking the sherrin after a confusing run by the Dees. Melbourne continued to play Richmond at their own game and continued to stretch the lead over their rivals. That lead stretched even further when Christian Petracca made something out of nothing by hand balling from ground level to McDonald who kicked it on to Fritsch where the key forward scored from a set shot.

Shane Edwards temporarily stalled the Dees’ run with a goal for the Tigers but Melbourne responded quickly. Ed Langdon instigated a great run of play taking the ball up the field towards the Dees’ goal. Following on, Neal-Bullen was caught high as he attempted to infiltrate the goal square and scored from the subsequent free kick. Richmond scored again via Jake Aarts but again Melbourne hit back with a brilliantly placed kick from Salem to McDonald who made a great mark in the goal square. T Mac seemed to have rediscover his goal kicking ways, notching up his hat trick.

Even though Melbourne led by thirty points at the start of the last quarter, there would still have been a lot of nervous fans reliving past traumas where similar leads were whittled away in the dying minutes of the game. However, you got the sense that this year was different and the Dees wouldn’t be run down so easily. The defence had been superb all night and the midfield and forwards were all playing with perfect synchronicity.

When Petracca drove through traffic and kicked around the corner to score another blinder, you knew the result was definitely going Melbourne’s way. The Dees continued to pounce on everything, forcing errors from Richmond and controlling the game on their terms. One of the Tiger’s best player on the night, Shai Bolton kicked a goal against the run of play but Richmond were unable to hit the target with their other attempts.

Finally, Kysaiah Pickett iced the cake with his set shot in front of goal having being awarded a free kick when tempers flared on the Tigers’ side. In fact there was a bit of a free for all in the last few minutes but it didn’t detract from the overall game on the night. With Nathan Jones celebrating his 300th game he couldn’t hide his delight with his team’s performance in his post match interview. He commented how formulating a simple plan and sticking to it had paid dividends for Melbourne so far this season.

As long as they can maintain that team spirit, I think Jonesy will be playing finals this September.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 5 – Hawthorn V Melbourne

Liam Chambers

You underestimate the Hawks at your peril and for the first three quarters they kept Melbourne well within their sights before the favourites exploded in the final term, with a goal fest to gladden the hearts of Demon fans.

From the start, Hawthorn applied some good pressure but the Dees responded well in defence, especially Jake Lever. Critics have argued that Melbourne need to win without Steven May in order to prove their credentials. Lever, along with Adam Tomlinson and the return of Michael Hibberd show the Dees well placed at the back. Hawthorns inroads inside 50 finally paid dividends when Oliver Hanrahan scored from a set shot 30m in front of goal. Ed Langdon got Melbourne’s first when ex Demon Sam Frost was pinged for holding Lever.

The Dees improved their kicking accuracy in the second part of the quarter but their set shots in front of goal continued to be a concern. Luke Breust added to the Hawks score sheet before the Dees excitement machine Kysaiah Pickett marked a Tom McDonald kick before converting beautifully from 35m out. Hawthorn piled on the pressure in the final two minutes of the first term with another goal to Hanrahan, who got a toe to a bouncing ball right on the line; then Breust also got his second as the clock ticked down to the siren.

Melbourne responded in the second quarter with an interesting goal. Christian Petracca made a run near the pocket and side stepped a kick to Jake Melksham who finished brilliantly. Most of the pressure was coming from the Hawks and eventually they were rewarded when Tim O’Brien was given enough space to mark in front of goal. Everything seemed to be working for the Hawthorn and they continued to control the play.

Melbourne managed to weather the storm and make some headway towards their own goal end. When Ed Langdon had his arm chopped by a Hawthorn defender, he had a set shot from point blank range. The Dees continued to waste some of their kicks which was disappointing when some of their build up play was spectacular. Trent Rivers went on a superb run up the middle bouncing the ball before spotting Pickett and launching a kick which Kysaiah cleverly picked out. His set shot just missed the target.

Though Melbourne made some impressive incursions into the Hawks defensive inside 50, they couldn’t make them pay. The Dees did get under Sam Frost’s skin though and Clayton Oliver found himself looking up from ground level after a cheeky aside to the big key defender.

Melbourne would have been a little concerned that after all their pressure in the last five minutes of the second half, they still trailed by two points. Mitch Brown almost did an Eddie Betts when a powerful long kick from Alex Neal-Bullen landed at his feet inside 50. Unfortunately the sherrin bounced the wrong way. Again Hawthorn piled on the pressure which Melbourne fended off well but it was beginning to look like the third quarter was going to be another low scoring affair.

Then Petracca was awarded a free and scored his hundredth goal for the club from a set shot in front of goal. The Dees then started to take control of the game more and their kicking became more accurate. Tom McDonald marked well 35m out from the left of goal. This time he didn’t miss and increased the margin to eleven points. Melbourne’s momentum was reigned in by Tim O’Brien when he scored his second of the afternoon.

With the Dees looking well placed at the start of the final term, Hawthorn upset the apple cart with a goal after only fifteen seconds. That pesky centre bounce again. Melbourne needed a reset and fortunately their stellar captain Max Gawn provided the inspiration. The famous ruckman is infamous for missing the easy ones and scoring the impossibly difficult ones. Luckily, his set shot was from 55m out and big Max sat back and watched his mighty kick sail through the uprights. Then he encouraged the faithful to acknowledge his brilliance and they were more than happy to oblige.

Max’s goal opened the floodgates and first through was journeyman Mitch Brown with back to back marks and conversions. Thank you Mitch. Langdon got his hat trick from a great kick taken from 45m out on the run. While not quite the unsung hero, he tends to fly under the radar but he certainly made his presence felt to the Hawthorn players. Jake Melksham made it five in a row after a centre bounce clearance allowed Gawn to launch a kick into inside where the forward was waiting.

The Hawks were now clearly rattled and making defensive errors, kicking the ball to Jake Melksham in front of goal and making it seven in fifteen minutes for the Dees. Hawthorn finally got one back when Max Gawn was deemed to have touched Ben McEvoy’s shoulder in the ruck. I think the Umpire just felt sorry for the Hawks. Finally Pickett got a fifteenth from a set shot to push Melbourne’s score to over one hundred. 

We face Richmond in Round 6 and though they’ve had their usual mixed start to the season, they remain the benchmark club in AFL and will be the real test for the Demons. If we beat them then we will start to be taken seriously as challengers for the flag this year. We’ll go into the match as underdogs but may come out of it as genuine contenders.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Preliminary final – Melbourne v Adelaide

Liam Chambers

In the end, Adelaide’s experience in finals was invaluable in keeping Melbourne from scoring a goal until the final term. By then it was too high a mountain for the Dees to climb.  Even though we were the most consistent team in the latter half of the campaign, we were still considered the underdogs against a side that had won two Grand Finals.

For five hard fought games in a row, Melbourne had found a way to win. In fact, their Round 7 clash against Adelaide was arguably the best game the team had played in their short four year career. It was a must win game and the players took on the challenge with gusto. 

The following week they travelled across the Nullarbor to take on the competition favourites in the notoriously partisan city of Perth where they survived a second half onslaught to secure a spot in the finals for the first time (2020 season was abandoned before the finals began). Their final game against Brisbane was another nail biter with Melbourne surviving a last second (literally) attempt on goal by the Lions to ensure a home advantage going into the finals.

Having beaten the Dockers once away from home, the Dees were confident of causing another upset on home soil, having not lost a match at Casey Fields since 2019. Again, they dominated in the first half but Freemantle struck back in the third quarter to come within striking distance of Melbourne. Fortunately Melbourne steadied the ship in the last term but were unable to land the knockout blow until the final minutes.

Travelling to Adelaide Oval last weekend, though undoubtedly daunting, was also an invaluable experience. The Crows were determined not to be over run early and defended ruthlessly, denying the Dees the chance of early goals and momentum.  The team has gain enormous confidence from their experience this year and they will carry a sense of belief in their abilities into next year when they will be a force to be reckoned with.

The 2020 season was a break through year for the Demons. They had a mid season case of indecisiveness and uncertainty but came back stronger after that period of self doubt. With veterans Pearce, Paxman and Scott leading the way and young guns Hanks, Zanker and McNamara continually improving, the club has got a very bright future.

This year both the women and men’s sides have shown a team spirit not always present in past seasons. If they can maintain that cohesion, a Grand Final victory won’t be far away.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!