Round 11 – Melbourne Vs North Melbourne

Liam Chambers

In an interview after last week’s game, Max Gawn joked that he was worried about Luke Jackson taking his position. After Action’s performance against North Melbourne, you could forgive Gawny for being slightly less jocular. I’m sure Simon Goodwin won’t be standing down Max anytime soon but what a fantastic choice to have.

In a sign of the short time span between games, Aaron vandenBerg was still wearing his bandanna from Round 10 when he ran onto the field. This game was hugely important for both sides but it was the Roos piling on the early pressure. James Harmes took a great mark in the opening minute only to be denied when he tapped Cameron Zurhaar on the thigh in retaliation for a smack to the head. Where’s the justice there?

Majak Daw was gifted a goal when the sherrin landed beautifully at his feet after Jake Lever’s attempt at a one handed mark went astray. The Roos had the best of the game in the first ten minutes with Melbourne struggling to get inside 50.

Christian Petracca looking dangerous was a promising sign though. Mitch Hannan continued his good form, marking and kicking the ball to Sam Weiderman. Sam’s shot hit the post for the Dees’ opening score. At the other end, Vanders gave away a fifty metre penalty for Nick Larkey to slot the Roos’ second. North were looking the better side despite some good moments from the Dees.

Then the King of Spin Kysaiah Pickett ran rings around the defence to score Melbourne’s first. His Uncle watching on, looked suitably impressed. The Roos continued to dominate the footy but the Dees were starting to look more competitive. Not the best end to the quarter though when Larkey got a second in the last minute.

North Melbourne mounted more pressure in the second term but Melbourne was finally starting to break through. Angus Brayshaw was on the receiving end of a kick to inside 50 but quickly learned the meaning of “he who hesitates is lost”. The Demons were definitely more threatening now and started stringing together some decent tackles. A nice kick from Brayshaw to Nathan Jones enabled him to place the footy perfectly into Sam Weiderman’s hands just one metre out from the goal line. Weiderman doesn’t miss too many from that distance.

Unfortunately Sam did miss his next opportunity from twenty five metres out. The new lads were starting to shine with Trent Rivers taking a brilliant mark and Pickett continuing to be highly effective at intercepting and getting the ball to players in good scoring positions. Melbourne were putting North on the back foot but not getting the rewards until a superb sweeping kick from the foot of Brayshaw put the Dees in front.

Nathan Jones was instrumental in the set up and Melbourne were starting to look more comfortable. In a reflection of the first quarter, Nick Larkey again scored for the Roos in the last minute. But with fifteen seconds to go, Weiderman marked the ball in front of goal and this time there was no mistake.

Melbourne started the second leading by five points. Sound familiar? They continued their dominance over the Kangaroos but struggled to hit the scoreboard. Luke Jackson was looking like a complete natural in the ruck as Kysaiah Pickett continued his great kicking and handling coupled with an extraordinary vision for picking out unmarked players. Bailey Fritsch was on the receiving end of one such kick and converted perfectly from forty metres out.

The Roos kept battling but by now the Dees had moved up a gear. The Talented Mr Melksham got himself into a good position to receive the footy from Fritsch and extended the lead. Then the three Weetbix that Tracca had for breakfast finally kicked in and he scored a running shot from forty five metres out. Luckily Bailey Fritsch’s push in the back on the goal line went unnoticed and Melbourne went in at three quarter time leading 50-34.

With the Dees winning the majority of their final quarters this year, the fans were keen to see a brace of goals to push out the lead and increase Melbourne’s percentage on the ladder. Nathan Jones, showing that there’s plenty of life in the old timer yet, kicked an important ball to Melksham who spotted the unmarked Charlie Spargo. Charlie then notched up his first goal after a few games off. Next, after emerging triumphant from the clash of the Maccas, Tom McDonald didn’t disappoint with his set shot from thirty metres.

Despite their complete dominance, Melbourne’s accuracy was letting them down. They could easily have been another three to four goals ahead with ten minutes to go on the clock. The Demons were entertaining though. Tracca the Twist Master, in the middle of a muddle of Roos, kicked the ball to Hannan, who walked the footy in and then walked into the upright. Fortunately there was no damage done to the post.

After some chaotic play outside the goal square, Fritsch finally got a well deserved second goal. Then there was hugs all round as Tom Sparrow kicked his first of the year the Dees. Lucky Clayton Oliver was able to bag goal number thirteen to give Melbourne a lead of fifty seven points and a final score of 92-35.

The Dees were very impressive. If they can up the accuracy of their shots on goal, they will definitely be in with a chance to play finals. So far Adelaide has been the lucky city for the Demons. Maybe we can ask Gillon if we can play the remainder of our games at the Oval. Next we face our old Nemesis. Collingwood have had their own struggles this year but they’ll be at their best when we meet them on Saturday.

Melbourne will have a couple of extra days to recover but we can’t afford to be complacent. Results in recent years have overwhelmingly been in the Pies favour. We need to turn that around. I’m sure Nathan Buckley will be studying our tactics like a man possessed. Then again his judgement may be slipping. Perhaps a relaxing game of tennis could help him refocus.

We definitely play our best footy when we’re winning. If we can get into that space and believe we’re winning even when we’re chasing the opposition, I think we can nail it.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 10 – Adelaide Vs Melbourne

Liam Chambers

After last week’s top of the ladder clash with Port Adelaide, this week we faced bottom of the ladder Adelaide. A tale of one city, two outcomes. If last week was the worst of times, then this week was definitely the best of times. There was no doubt that the Demons would have to respond to their “insipid” performance against Port. Of course the Crows are fighting their own internal demons and badly need a win to give their long suffering fans a reason to believe. If nothing else this would be a highly charged and passionate game.

The Dees bolted out of the blocks and Ed Langdon almost got the first goal but his shot hit the post. Luke Jackson didn’t miss a few minutes later though when his set shot sailed through. However, Adelaide fought back when Darcy Fogarty converted from a free kick at the other end. The Crows were spurred on after that goal, placing some good forward pressure on Melbourne’s defence but their kicking lacked accuracy.

Always controversial, Alex Neal Bullen’s ugly sling tackle on Will Hamill earned him a month off to reflect while Hamill was left to sit out the rest of the match on the sidelines. When a Bailey Fritsch kick sailed towards the goal square a running clash of heads between Aaron vandenBerg and Ben Keys allowed Jack Viney to slip through the scrambling players and tap in his first. Fortunately neither injured player suffered too much damage and came back on the field a few minutes later sporting matching bandannas. Sam Weiderman added another for the Dees when he recovered his initial dropped mark to stumble forward, collect the ball and neatly snap one through the uprights.

Melbourne looked to be going into second quarter with a handy lead before Paul Seedsman scored from the 50m line. There was still more drama to unfold in the dying seconds however when Jake Melksham was awarded a free kick fifteen metres out from goal. Unfortunately, a petty display from vandenBerg prompted the umpire to reverse the decision. His push to Fischer McAsey’s back when he was lying on the ground must have had Simon Goodwin grinding his teeth.

The second term started well when Sam Weiderman got another to extend Melbourne’s lead to eleven points. Luke Jackson got a lucky free kick when his arm was impeded during a hit out. He didn’t miss from his set shot. Just when the Dees looked in danger of pulling away, the Crows reigned them back in with goals to Elliot Himmelberg and Paul Seedsman. There was a pivotal moment when Tex Walker marked the ball on the 50m line and he got a slap from James Harmes on his way passed. Luckily the umpire didn’t award a fifty metre penalty and Tex’s shot sailed across the face of goal.

Leading by only five points at the start of the second half, Melbourne had left the Crows with a sense of optimism. The Dees started well though with some good pressure. Ed Langdon unfortunately hit the post for a second time. They kept pushing though and a brilliant mark by Bailey Fritsch ended with one of the goals of the match. Fritsch, looking like he might attempt the shot, instead passed the ball to Harley Bennell who snapped a kick from forty metres out to slot the ball home.

Clayton Oliver was having his best game of the season and was instrumental in getting the ball to safety on several occasions. Overall the Dees were defending well. Adelaide’s accuracy continued to let them down when Darcy Fogarty’s banana kick missed the target. The teams went in to the final quarter with the scores still tightly locked at 31-43. However, Melbourne was saving their best till last. At this point it is worth noting that captain Max Gawn was carrying a shoulder injury throughout the game. You can question the wisdom of playing with such an injury, especially as a Ruckman but you can’t question his determination, commitment and bravery.

Clayton Oliver opened the scoring after he was awarded a free kick for being held. Best known for his magic hands, he is also a proficiently kicker of the sherrin. His skills didn’t let him down this time, giving Melbourne some valuable breathing space. Angus Brayshaw was also delivering some well aimed and accurate kicks with Weiderman being on the receiving end of one such example and adding to the Dees’ growing tally.
When Jake Melksham received a free kicked after also being held, he stretched the margin out to five goals.

Melbourne started to put on a display when Christian Petracca’s tapped beautifully towards Luke Jackson only to have Bailey Fritsch leap in front of him and grab the opportunity for himself. Luckily Fritsch scored from his set shot so I’m sure Jackson has forgiven him. After some messy defending by the Crows, Melksham was in the right place and managed to tap the ball over the line. By now the Dees were flowing confidently and Viney’s snap goal from a stoppage was just more icing on the cake.

Though Petracca had a fairly low key night, his vision and accuracy in the last term were exemplary. His kick directly into Fritsch’s hands fifteen metres out from goal was pure poetry. Melbourne can be satisfied with the final score of 37-88 and a job well done.

We return to Adelaide Oval for the game against North Melbourne on Sunday night. The Dees have struggled against the Roos in recent years and Round 11 will be a battle to get their respective seasons back on track. No matter how badly North Melbourne are playing, they always find that little bit extra when they face the Dees. On paper I would fancy our chances but we need to be psychologically tough when the Kangaroos start to target any perceived weaknesses. For now, I’m basking in the glory of a well deserved win.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 9 – Port Adelaide Vs Melbourne

Liam Chambers

Melbourne is clearly struggling with the new condensed season. You can speculate that an extra day’s rest can be a big advantage when you’re playing to such a tight schedule. You could also argue that the Dees have traveled less than some other teams in the competition; notably Port Adelaide. It was always a big ask for Melbourne to defeat possibly the best team in the competition but I think Demon fans were at least hoping that we would be more competitive.

Apart from a reasonable attempt in the opening term and a few inspirational minutes at the end of each of the subsequent quarters, the Dees struggled against a side not firing on all cylinders. Port Adelaide were always going to bounce back from last week’s defeat at the hands of St Kilda but Melbourne made it all too easy. Mitch Georgiades caught the Dees’ defence watching the ball not the man and scored the opening goal from the set shot.

Then for a few minutes, Melbourne exerted some good forward pressure but were held back by the Power’s disciplined defence. Some of our players were solid but overall we were deficient in momentum. Jay Lockhart was an exception but the team appeared to lack the energy that made the last three games so exciting. They were winning the ball at times but not seeing other team members who were in good scoring positions. Port’s pressure was also having an affect and making the Dees look indecisive.

We were giving them too much space inside 50 to mark and score. Despite having more free kicks, inside 50s and time in the forward half, we couldn’t convert any opportunities. Clayton Oliver almost scored the first for Melbourne after the siren but unfortunately struck the post.

Even though we went into the second quarter down by three goals, there was still hope, we just needed to adjust our game plan to turn it around. However, it didn’t get any better and almost immediately Charlie Dixon got the ball to Justin Westhoff to mark and score his second. Then Max Gawn pushed Charlie Dixon in the back during a hit out, giving away a free kick. Dixon isn’t missing many from that position at the moment. Melbourne’s quarter got worse with players not getting into positions to take advantage when we won the ball. At one stage, Jake Melksham was left scrambling against three Port Adelaide players with no other Demon in sight.

I was concerned that some of our players might sustain injuries especially after last season’s game when Max was deliberately targeted by Port. This time they didn’t need to target anyone.  Unfortunately, Clayton Oliver was reported for a high elbow. Hopefully he will get off with a warning. There were moments of clarity for Melbourne. Kysaiah Pickett’s excellent kick to find Tom McDonald just to the right of goal was promising. Unfortunately Tom was unable to convert and the Dees remained goalless.

Port continued to apply pressure but Melbourne’s response was sloppy. We were miskicking, turning the ball over too often and giving away fifty metre penalties. Finally, the Dees got their first goal in the dying minutes of the first half. Tracca was able to get boot to ball after a stoppage to snap a six pointer and save some blushes. That glimmer of hope was almost snuffed out a minute later but Steven May just got a finger to the goal ward bound sherrin and luckily ARC agreed. Overall verdict on the Demons’ first half performance. Well below par and lacking determination and vision.

Melbourne needed to start playing smarter in the second half but again they became rattled when the opposition applied some heat. Even in their most convincing performance so far this year, against Hawthorn, they noticeably stumbled when the Hawks briefly fought back in the second term. This is an aspect that the coaching staff were seemingly addressing in recent times but as the match went on, the Dees game was regressing.

While Port Adelaide continued to notch up the goals, Melbourne was unable to capitalise when they won possession. Lack of players in forward positions when it counted was frustrating. When we did have players inside 50, Port defended desperately, denying Melbourne any scoring opportunities. Then Luke Jackson’s set shot chance from thirty metres out sailed across the front of goal. With the margin out to nine goals, the Dees continued to turn the ball over with monotonous regularity.

Then with the final minutes ticking away, Jake Melksham got a second for Melbourne. I’ll give credit where it’s due, Melksham has nerves of steel. If the AFL ever has the equivalent of a penalty shoot out, I want Jake kicking the first ball. That Melksham goal proved inspirational as, with less than thirty seconds to go, the Dees put together their best run of play all evening. First Angus Brayshaw hand balled to Oscar McDonald who passed to Tom Sparrow onto Tracca onto Michael Hibberd onto Nathan Jones and then to Jake Melksham who placed the perfect kick to the lone figure of Sam Weiderman in front of goal. Weiderman didn’t miss. Back to back goals for Melbourne four seconds before the siren.

In the break, the cameras found Alan Richardson on the sidelines and asked him for a three quarter sum up. “We were beaten on the inside, beaten on the outside” Nothing more to say really.

With only the last term to go, Melbourne was now only playing for pride. In the words of Olivia Newton John, they just needed to get “Physical”
I wish I could say the lads redeemed themselves but unfortunately Port spent the first five minutes in their forward 50. The Dees tried their best to defend but first Mitch Georgiades kicked one home, then Travis Boak weaved through Melbourne’s back line to tap in number twelve. Even then, Port pounced on any foray the Dees made towards goal. A late consolation was a Sam Weiderman’s kick from forty five metres out which sailed through perfectly. Jake Melksham’s attempt after the final siren was accurate but not high enough to reduce the margin to under fifty.

We play the Adelaide Crows in Round 10 but after the display against Port Adelaide, the Dees have zero room for complacency. Adelaide may have lost twelve on the trot but they came very close to beating Essendon in Round 8. Our opponent in Round 11 is North Melbourne who won convincingly against Adelaide this weekend. Those two games looked like foregone conclusions a couple of weeks ago but the bookies may now be reassessing those odds.

I don’t know what happened against Port. It was like the last three weeks never happened and we were again the team least likely to fulfill our potential.
There is obviously something wrong somewhere within the Club. Lack of confidence, belief? Unable to handle opposing pressure? Whatever it is, the critics are out in force again and having a field day.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 8 – Melbourne Vs Brisbane

Liam Chambers

So close you could reach out and grab it! Unfortunately we couldn’t get a tight enough grip and it slipped through our fingers in the end. It’s disappointing but we lost to a side sitting second on the ladder. Certainly we lacked the flow and energy of last’s weeks game; however the last quarter contained some encouraging signs.

Jake Melksham opened Melbourne’s account for the afternoon with a soccer kick from just outside the goal square. He’s shaping up to be a handy goal scorer for the Dees. Bailey Fritsch got the second with another soccer kick. He may still need more practice with his set shots but the grounds kicks are coming along splendidly.

After the even handed first term, the second quarter belonged to the Lions. Apart from Bailey Fritsch’s second goal, the Dees struggled. Then Neville Jetta sustained not one but two head knocks that took him off the field for assessment. However he returned, sporting a head bandage and continued his difficult job of looking after Charlie Cameron.

With the Lions leading 36-21 at the start of the second half, the game was still very much within Melbourne’s reach. Unfortunately Jetta’s attempt at a rushed behind went out on the full and conceded a free kick which Charlie Cameron converted. Matters didn’t improve when Kysaiah Pickett didn’t see a handball chance in front of goal and instead kicked wide for a minor score.

Finally, Bailey Fritsch, after slipping, got the ball to Mitch Hannan who also slipped before hand balling to Jake Melksham who kicked beautifully for his second goal. Suddenly Melbourne had a surge of confidence and Clayton Oliver’s hand ball to Harley Bennell looked like a certain goal. Bennell ran and kicked from fifteen metres out but somehow managed to just miss. It was just one of those afternoons. When Charlie Cameron ran towards goal and kicked his second less than a minute later, the Dees were left ruing their missed opportunities.

With Melbourne behind by eighteen points at the start of the final term, the odds seemed stacked against them. No one told Jack Viney though. The hardest working Demon kept grinding and finally got his reward with a tidy snap kick from fifteen metres out. Former captain Nathan Jones was awarded a fifty metre penalty which he didn’t waste. His ensuing kick from thirty metres sailed through perfectly and suddenly it was the Lions who were on the back foot.

When Jake Melksham kicked his third goal from the fifty metre line, the margin was reduced to two points and Demon fans reduced to nervous wrecks while the clock continued to tick down. We came tantalisingly close when Bailey Fritsch marked the ball just out on the full. For a split second I thought he had it but it was not to be. Bailey didn’t want to let go of the ball though. I think he was hoping it was all just a misunderstanding. Then he was penalised. Oh the injustice.

If only we could have played every quarter like the last one, we’d be knocking on the door of the top eight now. We only have a four day break before Round 9. It’s never easy playing Port Adelaide and this year will be even tougher. If we can sustain our brand for the four quarters I really believe we can cause an upset.

I’ll never be a Coach but the only thing I know that really works is extra practice. I remember training at my Karate club when I was a teenager and seeing the people who got there early and worked hard on the basic moves. They would be the same ones who stayed back and practiced when everyone else was getting dressed and having a smoke (I know, it was the Eighties). I used to think it was funny to waste your time practicing so much. That was until I had to face them when we did some individual sparring. Somehow it wasn’t so funny when I was getting my butt kicked all over the floor. Maybe there was something to this practicing thing after all.

Go the Mighty Dees!

Round 7 – Hawthorn Vs Melbourne

Liam Chambers

Demon fans were relieved after last weeks’ win when the Hawks were grounded by the rampant Dees. Now they have a vaguely familiar feeling. A sense of optimism.

From the initial bounce, the Hawks exerted pressure on Melbourne, with Jack Gunston scoring the first goal within a minute. Up the other end Kysaiah Pickett was displaying some nice dance moves. Unfortunately, his innovations didn’t yield the desired result. The Hawks looked to have the better chances early on but Melbourne managed to keep them in check. Harley Bennell continues to repay the trust of his new side and his confidence is growing with each game.

The Dees are tackling with more intensity and purpose. This was epitomised by Mitch Hannan when he was awarded a free kick on the 50 metre line. His set shots have also been impressive and he notched up the first goal for Melbourne. A minute later Jack Viney, as always fiercely competitive, was also rewarded a free kick for a tackle and converted for the Dees’ second. Christian Petracca has moved up another level this year. His football is inspirational and his visionary kick to Jack Viney allowed the midfielder to get the ball to Bailey Fritsch for number three.

At the start of the second quarter, Hawthorn made a few forays in Demon territory but Melbourne quickly kept finding a way back. An accurate hand ball from Bennell to Hannan gave Melbourne the opening goal of the second term. Max Gawn continued to frustrate the Hawks by marking the ball as it was kicked towards the Dees’ back line. Up the other end Petracca was in the zone. He spotted Sam Weiderman in front of the Hawthorn goal and launched a perfect kick into the forward’s waiting hands. Sam was only too happy to kick the fifth for Melbourne.

When the Dees are on a roll they often take a minute to relax and reflect. Jaeger O’Meara took advantage of the lull to get one back for the Hawks. Great goal though. Melbourne responded brilliantly with a Luke Jackson kick to Harley Bennell, allowing him to run and kick scoring from 30 metres out. The Dees were flowing when Tracca, in a good position to kick goal-ward, instead passed to Kysaiah Pickett who grabbed the ball, turned and snapped for his first and Melbourne’s seventh goal. Hawthorn almost got one back just before the siren when Darren Mitchington’s superb kick was touched on the line. Kudos to Oscar McDonald.

Hawthorn, desperate to avoid a walkover, came out swinging at the start of the second half. Gunston got his second early on before Chad Wingard made it two in a row for the Hawks. With the margin reduced to three goals, the Dees looked a little rattled. Luckily, a few Hawthorn chances went begging and Jake Melksham produced a great kick to Bailey Fritsch who hand balled on to the unmarked Weiderman in front of goal. After that, the wind was taken out of Hawthorn’s sails and subsequent waves of attack were handled much more confidently by Melbourne.

A promising sign for the Dees is their increasing accuracy from set shots. Melksham got his second from a free kick on the 50 metre line thus restoring their half time advantage. Melbourne’s tenth goal was fast and furious. Clayton Oliver took advantage of a free kick to get the ball to Weiderman who hand balled over the top to an unmarked Luke Jackson. First goal for Action Jackson. With their cup overflowing, the Dees got another thirty seconds later. A handball from Tracca to Bennell was beautifully kicked on to Pickett. Pickett’s set shot from 40 metres sailed through the uprights perfectly. Second goal for Kysaiah the Messiah.

Going into the last term with the scoreboard showing 30-72 in Melbourne’s favour was an unusual sight for Demon fans. We knew not to get too excited though. We’ve let a forty two point margin slip before. In a sure sign that Tracca has moved up to another level, he marked on the 50 metre line and made no mistake converting for the Dees’ twelfth. A year ago, he would have passed to another player or kicked the ball wide. Now his confidence has skyrocketed. Even though Chad Wingard and Josh Morris got a couple back for the Hawks, it would only be a consolation as Sam Weiderman hit back to claim his hat trick.

Time for a little exhibition play; starting with Christian Salem then Pickett, Ed Langdon, Oscar McDonald and finally of course Petracca, whose superb squaring ball to Fritsch was walked in for number fourteen. Finally, Jack Gunston had the last word when his goal from fifty five metres out book ended the match.

Though we’ve improved significantly, the Hawks were far from their best. Our next game against Brisbane will be the real test. Melbourne will be the underdogs and that will be to our advantage. However, we can’t allow old habits to creep back in when we’re up against an opposition that has top four written all over them.

The lads have to play their natural game and not over think the situation. If they can be in the moment, then their instincts won’t let them down. There are so many positive signs and they need to harness the energy they’ve created over the last two games. I’m going to suggest a mantra: “Be like Tracca”

Go the Mighty Dees!!!