Round 14 – Melbourne Vs St Kilda

Liam Chambers

Apologies to Paul Keating but like he said after the 1993 election win, Melbourne’s hard won triumph over the Saints was very sweet – The Sweetest Victory Of All.

After a few weeks recuperation, Captain Max Gawn was back for the Alice Springs Sundown Showdown. Also returning for his 293rd game was ex Captain Nathan Jones.

St Kilda immediately set a frenetic pace, threatening Melbourne’s defence, which held up well. While the Saints had some early opportunities, their kicking lacked accuracy. First blood went to the Dees when Christian Petracca was awarded a free kick on the edge of inside 50. It’s always a promising sign for Melbourne when Tracca looks confident early on.

Max King scored St Kilda’s first goal after several early misses from set shots. Melbourne was having no problems in front of goal when the opportunities presented themselves. A Jack Viney kick from the inside 50 line was beautifully marked by Petracca to set up his second. Max Gawn’s marking accuracy has improved greatly over the years as he proved when he took a catch 30 metres out to convert for number three.

With the clock ticking down, Jake Melksham showed much more focus this week when he spotted the unmarked Sam Weiderman waiting inside 50. Melksham landed the ball into the hands of the waiting Weiderman. Sam popped it straight through for the Dees’ fourth of the quarter. With the score 24-9 in Melbourne’s favour, it was a solid start for the Dees.

After only managing one goal in the opening term, St Kilda increased the pressure on the back line up but Melbourne’s defence was equal to the task. Frustratingly for the Saints, their kicking continued to miss the target. Sam Weiderman’s early snap went wide as he was pushed while kicking.

The Dees continued to look in control but their turnovers were still way too frequent. Mitch Brown indicated he would like a more regular spot in the side when he got himself into a good position, marking the ball forty metres to the left of goal. He didn’t make any mistakes when he kicked Melbourne’s fifth from set shots.

The Dees continued to look comfortable even after Ed Phillips got a second for the Saints. However, Melbourne allowed themselves to relax and lose focus towards the end of the quarter. A turnover in the last minute saw the sherrin sailing towards Jack Steele like a brown paper package tied up with strings. As Steele marked it he was heard to remark “thanks for the present lads, it’s one of my favourite things”. Steele didn’t waste the gift and neither did Rowan Marshall when it was his turn. The Dees were napping after the centre bounce clearance, allowing Jack Sinclair a free run down the corridor where he kicked to the waiting Marshall. Rowan was able to mark, turn and tap it in for St Kilda’s second in thirty seconds.

Simon Goodwin probably had a few choice words at half time after we reduced a fourteen point margin to two points in record time. After a disappointing previous quarter, Melbourne started the second half cautiously. Then despite some stellar defence work by Steven May, St Kilda finally broke through with Josh Battle slotting home after a stoppage, regaining the lead for the Saints. Inspired by the goal, they continued to pound Melbourne making it difficult to get the ball out of the Dees’ half. It was all Saints as Melbourne continued to struggle. A combination of good defending and continuing inaccuracy from St Kilda kept the margin low.

Eventually the Dees weathered the storm and started making some inroads towards the Saints goal. Melbourne had a few close calls before Petracca got the sixth with a snap kick from twenty five metres in front of goal. In a continuing game of goal for goal, St Kilda got another after Paddy Ryder took advantage of confusion in the Dees’ defence. He sprinted after a loose ball and ran in number six for the Saints. Then they tried to push their advantage with successive waves of attack on goal but the magical Steven May was everywhere.

Unfortunately Melbourne’s turnovers kept occurring. The defence remained calm though and finally the Dees got the ball out and up the field. Michael Hibberd was able to launch a mighty kick from the middle of the ground which landed ten metres inside 50. As the sherrin bounced along, Sam Weiderman showed exceptional skill in handling the ball on the run before dropping it to kick in his second. Despite the worrying sight of a hobbling Hibberd being helped off the field, the momentum was back with the Dees.

You could be forgiven for thinking Simon Goodwin had Steven May cloned before the game as he again popped up outside the 50 line to mark the ball and kick it on to Petracca. Unfortunately Tracca was unable to convert for his forth of the afternoon and had to be content with a minor score. With only three points dividing the two sides, the last quarter was set up to be a cracker.

The crowd was definitely getting its money’s worth with the nail biting scoreline not budging for the first ten minutes of Q4. Max Gawn was proving his versatility, getting into good positions and marking important balls. Steven May continued to be a marking machine. The Dees got a point eventually when the ball bounced behind but the goals were proving elusive.

Then with six minutes to go, Petracca displayed some Houdini like skills while being wrapped up by two St Kilda players. He somehow managed to get a foot to the sherrin, launching it goal ward where it bounced nicely between the uprights. The Umpire’s decision was appealed but the footage showed it was touched only after it had crossed the goal line. No goal line cameras in Alice Springs but I’ve looked at the footage multiple times and can’t see how it wasn’t a goal. Anyway, the Umpire’s decision stands.

Much as I hate to admit it, Jack Sinclair’s kick, from the mid field to reach Tim Membrey inside 50, was impressive. Membrey converted and the margin was back to four points. The last few minutes felt like hours for the Dees fans. Then when May was beaten to the mark by Rowan Marshall on the 50m line we all silently prayed to the footy Gods for a miss kick. The Gods complied and as the shot sailed wide, the cheers were heard across the land.

Now everyone’s focus was on the clock. The seated spectators were on the edge of their seats. All the rest swung between the edge of despair and jubilation. Fans on both sides held their breath as every loose ball was pounced on desperately, hoping to gain the advantage and score the winning goal.

When the Saint’s Dougal Howard was awarded a free with thirteen seconds to go we all knew every second counted. All except Dougal Howard that is. I’m not sure why he wasted seven seconds deciding who to kick to but by the time Dean Kent marked the shot, he only had three seconds before the final siren sounded.

With “The Grand Old Flag” blaring out in the local Indigenous language, the joy around the ground was palpable. I almost felt sorry for St Kilda but I recovered quickly.

Only five days to go until the Swans game in Cairns. With the heat and humidity along with an early evening game, Melbourne will have to be at their fittest. The Swans are better than their position on the ladder would indicate but if we have a good game plan like Round 14, then we should be competitive.

We really need to work on not giving the ball away so much though. I know it sounds simple and I know some turnovers are inevitable but Melbourne is way too generous in that respect. Also we need to remain focused for the entire game. If we can achieve that, I wouldn’t bet against us.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 13 – Western Bulldogs Vs Melbourne

Liam Chambers

In a short pre game interview, Simon Goodwin said he expected a challenging game. He wasn’t disappointed. Apparently the Dogs were told before the match that if they failed to make the top eight, then they would be moved to less salubrious accommodation in order to make way for the returning West Coast Eagles, who were top four contenders. If true, it worked as a motivational tool.

Misfortune struck Melbourne even before they ran onto the field, when Nathan Jones was removed from the line up after he experienced some muscle tightness during the warm up. With only five fixtures remaining, his 300th game may not eventuate this season.

The Dees got the best possible start however when a comedy of errors gave Sam Weiderman the chance to scramble the ball up and tap in the first goal. Kysaiah Pickett came tantalisingly close to a second when he pounced on a loose ball inside 50 only to see his shot hit the post. Both teams had their share of mistakes in the first term but the Bulldogs scored their first goal after they turned the ball over, then received it back, giving Toby Mclean a winning shot.

After some end to end play, Mitch Wallis got a second for the Dogs from a well executed set shot. The wind was playing havoc with the sherrin as Pickett discovered when his kick initially look like a certain goal only to veer wide assisted by the breeze. The second quarter started promisingly for Melbourne when a great passage of play involving Mitch Hannan, Jake Melksham and Weiderman saw Sam kick his second.

The Dogs exposed some structural weaknesses in Melbourne’s play after stoppages when Laitham Vandermeer had a free run at goal to score their third. At the other end, Clayton Oliver showed what a versatile player he is when his brilliant bend around kick found Jake Melksham thirty metres out from the front of goal. Melksham’s conversion sailed through the uprights but was deemed touched by the opposition player directly in front of him as he took his shot. Certainly an uncharacteristic lapse of concentration by the forward but also a missed opportunity to add to the score sheet. Jake made amends a few minutes later when scored a wind assisted 50 metre shot to put the Dees back in front.

The goal for goal scenario continued with Tom Liberatore restoring the Dog’s lead via a clever pick up and kick in front of goal. The last few minutes of the half belonged to Melbourne though, as Clayton Oliver delivered a snap kick from a chaotic scrum of players in front of goal. Then Bailey ‘the Fritsch Magnet” collected a mark just above ground level and scored a brilliant goal from the subsequent set shot.

As the old English Soccer Managers used to say in their post match interviews “Well, it was a game of two halves”. Melbourne’s second half certainly typified that adage. The Bulldogs came out swinging and when Marcus Bontempelli found himself on his own forty five metres out from goal, he didn’t hesitate to kick his only six pointer of the afternoon. After that, it was evident that the Dogs change of tactics was catching Melbourne by surprise.

First they went wide down the field culminating in an over the top kick from Bontempelli which was marked by Mitch Wallis, who duly kicked his second goal. Next they went down the middle eventually finding Bailey Smith, who kicked the Dogs’ third unanswered goal. Suddenly, a fairly even handed game was being dangerously skewed against the Dees. Further misfortune favoured the brave when a clever run by Christian Petracca got the ball to Tom Sparrow who put it through for a goal but not before it was touched.

The Dogs got four in a row when a Melbourne misstep gave away a fifty metre penalty allowing Bailey Williams to increase their lead. Things didn’t get any better with the double whammy of a shoulder injury to Tom Sparrow and a fifth goal for the Bulldogs, courtesy of Mitch Wallis. Nothing was going the Dees’ way with the Dogs repelling all forward pressure from Melbourne around the goal square. Jake Melksham had a chance but his set shot sailed wide.

Melbourne was making it all too easy for their opponents even though it also seemed all the luck was with the Dogs. When Tim English marked to the right of goal, his conversion was reviewed but not overturned. Trailing 65-38, Melbourne went in at three quarter time knowing they had a real fight on their hands.

With a deficit of twenty seven points to make up, Melbourne needed to do something spectacular to rein in the rampant Bulldogs. Their opponents didn’t make it easy for the Dees though and fought for every ball. Finally, Tom McDonald hung onto a mark thirty metres out from goal. He scored from the set shot to claw back the margin to twenty points. Melbourne needed to kick a few more like that but every dog has his day. Unfortunately the dog in question was Mitch Wallis who slotted his fourth to deflate the resurgent Dees.

Melbourne still had opportunities with some close shots but couldn’t hit the target. The Footy Gods’ cruelest moment though came when Bailey Fritsch’s shot thirty metres out from goal was denied. What looked like a certain six pointer was whipped away by an ill wind at the last possible moment, leaving poor Bailey to lament what could have been.

Melbourne could be forgiven for thinking nothing they could do now would matter. Even Charlie Spargo’s goal felt a little consolatory after he got himself into a nice scoring position. Ben Cavarra rubbed some more salt into the wounds when took advantage of the confusion in our defence to kick the Dogs’ twelfth. After that the Bulldogs were happy to run down the clock.

For sure Melbourne had their share of bad luck but we were out maneuvered by the Dogs in the second half. Watching the St Kilda game against Brisbane didn’t do a lot to cheer me up either. The Saints lost by two points but were very competitive against the second placed Lions We will need to bring our very best game if we want to come away with a win in Alice Springs.

I have no doubt that we have the talent and creativity to beat St Kilda but whether we have the belief and motivation remains to be seen. When we’re beating a team by fifty points, you can see and feel the confidence bubbling amongst the players. We need to play like we’re winning, no matter what it says on the scoreboard.

Do that against the Saints and we just might surprise ourselves.

Melbourne Vs Collingwood 

Liam Chambers

Melbourne came into Round 12 with five wins and five losses but were yet to defeat a top eight team. Collingwood was more successful, having claimed some big scalps but recent injuries meant they were missing key players when they faced the Demons.

After some initial forward pressure from the Pies, the Dees went hunting for goals and almost got the first when a great Ed Langdon mark and subsequent pass to Christian Petracca saw the midfielder’s 50m shot at goal just slip to the right for a behind. With Braydon Pruess replacing the injured Max Gawn and playing like he’d been there all season, Melbourne were looking confident.

As our defence was soaking up Collingwood’s pressure, Clayton Oliver found space to assist the ball up the field, ending when his beautifully deep kick found Sam Weiderman. Sam marked fifteen metres out from goal and converted for Melbourne’s first. Minutes later Angus Brayshaw got his chance and delivered with an accurate kick from the 50m line. With Kysaiah Pickett’s batteries on overcharge, he pounced on the loose ball following a chaotic melee around the goal square to score number three for the Dees.

Jake Lever has been improving with every game and his defending was hitting new heights when the Pies threatened to score. Finally though Collingwood were able to get one back after Ben Reid marked and scored from a ball kicked high that didn’t go as far as expected.

The Magpies started the second term well with Callum Brown kicking their second from set shot 30 metres out. However, Melbourne looked very much in control. Petracca was getting the ball out when tackled and Nathan Jones looked focused. Jones very much wants to play his 300^th game this season and will want Melbourne to achieve a top eight spot.

When Jake Melksham’s 50 metre kick at goal looked like being touched on the line, Sam Weiderman made a brilliant mark directly in front and converted for the Dee’s fourth. Unfortunately another Aaron vandenBerg clash added to Collingwood’s injury woes when Brody Mihocek was knocked semi unconscious and had to be stretchered off the field. When the game continued, Tom McDonald had the goal area to himself and marked the ball to the right of the square and didn’t miss from the set shot.

Jamie Elliot helped to stem the flow when he got number three for the Pies. Not for long though. Jake Melksham’s kick over the top to an unmarked Charlie Spargo saw the small forward get his first goal of 2020. Pruess continued to impress with his strong, accurate kicking. Tom McDonald almost marked one offering but Jake Melksham was waiting and tapped the falling sherrin between the posts for his first goal.

Continuing to exploit poor Collingwood defending, Spargo got his second when a running snap shot from thirty metres out found the back of the net. Taylor Adams gave the Pies some hope when he scored the fourth but their optimism was short lived. Charlie Spargo, starved of goals all year, decided to go for his hat trick. Again, a dropped mark from T Mac, fell into Charlie’s hands and he kicked it home from the edge of the goal square.

With two minutes to go, Ben Reid kept the Pies in touch after being awarded a free kick, scoring from the set shot. Ed Langdon decided a thirty two point margin at half time would look better and launched a mighty kick from forty metres out to claim his first goal since last year.

A few minutes into the second half and the rains came down. Traditionally Melbourne have struggled in wet conditions. Perhaps sensing an opportunity, Collingwood piled on the pressure but were unable to get any result before the weather improved. To add insult to injury, Ed Langdon was awarded a free kick at the other end and scored his second goal from forty metres out. Later Weiderman spotted Tracca just inside 50 and got the ball to him where he kicked a perfect goal to push the margin out to forty points.

For all of Collingwood’s pressure, they were unable to add any more goals until the end of the quarter when Will Hoskin-Elliot marked a high kicked ball fifteen metres out. The Pies finish the term behind 76-42.

All evening the Dees had been very accurate, kicking twelve goals and four behinds from twenty nine inside 50s. Melbourne have also been very impressive in the final quarter this year winning the vast majority, whether consolidating their lead or chasing down the opposition. This would appear to validate the appointment of fitness coach Darren Burgess at the end of last season.

Bailey Fritsch, having a quiet night by recent form, finally got his first goal when he marked the ball thirty metres out. Players like Fritsch and Sam Weiderman have stepped up their marking accuracy lately, putting the Dees in better scoring positions. Having said that, vandenBerg’s perfectly placed kick sailed passed Weiderman when he slipped during his attempt to mark the sherrin. However, this allowed Bailey Fritsch to collect the bouncing ball and run in his second.

Melbourne found luck on their side again when Jake Melksham’s opportunistic grab mid air was paid even though it hadn’t travelled the required distance. Melksham didn’t argue with the Umpire though and slotted his second for the night. In all a total of ten players got their names on the scoreboard when Tom Sparrow marked a typically accurate kick from Christian Salem to score his first goal.

That goal also gave Melbourne its first one hundred points of the season. All in all a great result for the Dees while also limiting Collingwood to twelve points for the entire second half.

Round 13 against the Western Bulldogs should present a greater challenge even though they’ve also had a mixed season. So many teams this year have played brilliantly one week and below par the next but if we play like we did against Collingwood, I wouldn’t bet against us.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

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!!!