Round 2 – Western Bulldogs Vs Melbourne

Liam Chambers

After last week’s close contest, the Dees showed that they are shaping up to be genuine contenders for the premiership cup.

From the opening siren, Melbourne were off and running. Wave after wave of intense pressure was applied to the Bulldogs’ defence. A shell shocked Dogs finally succumbed when a long kick from debutante Niamh McEvoy was picked up by Aliesha Newman and handed to Chantel Emonson who opened the scoring for the Dees.

Comeback Queen Daisy Pearce was right at home at half back with an almost telepathic connection to the brilliant Karen Paxman. The accuracy of their marking and kicking has reached new heights. A rebound effort from Elise O’Dea was cleaned up by Paxman who then scored Melbourne’s second with ruthless efficiency.

At the other end, Sinead Goldrick made an unfortunate rookie error when she dropped the ball both literally and metaphorically, giving away a fifty metre penalty. It gave the Dogs’ player Deanna Berry a chance to put her team on the scoreboard with a free kick right in front of goal.

Melbourne kept up the momentum in the second quarter with impressive confidence; marking, passing and kicking skillfully in increasingly wet conditions. Shelley Scott showed her immense talent by marking and placing herself in goal kicking positions. Unfortunately she was unable to convert her scoring opportunities.

In the second half Melbourne continued to impress with Eden Zanker showing her skills with two behind points in quick succession. The Dees could easily have been four to five goals in front at this stage of the game. Scott continue to mark well inside 50 and was instrumental in Melbourne’s third goal when she strategically kicked the ball towards goal giving Casey Sherriff the chance to run down the sherrin and soccer kick it between the uprights.

The Dees were now in a commanding position. That was cemented when Maddi Gay kicked her first and Melbourne’s fourth to stretch the margin to twenty six points. Maddi Gay was able to do what all great players do in set shot situations; kick the ball accurately in understandably tense conditions. The fact that it was raining and she was the best part of thirty metres out made it even more impressive. Melbourne looked unbeatable from that point.

The final quarter saw the Bulldogs take the fight to the Dees but Melbourne remained competitive in defence. Some impressive tackling held the Dogs at bay until Bonnie prove “too good” for the Dees’ defence. Apologies for the terrible pun. Even though Melbourne remain scoreless in the final term, they continued to soak up the pressure before moving up the field to put themselves into potential scoring positions.

Unfortunately victory came at a cost for Ainslie Kemp who injured her knee just before the final siren and looks set to miss the rest of the season. Apart from that it all bodes well for Round 3 against St Kilda. Melbourne’s biggest threat will be their own complacency but from what we saw this week, I’m sure the girls will be careful not to pop the champagne quite yet.

Go the Insanely Good Dees!!!

Round 1 – Melbourne Vs North Melbourne

First game of the season and expectations were modest. Last season was disappointing after getting so close to qualifying for the finals; especially having secured more points in Conference A than the two top sides in Conference B. A win for Melbourne was vital therefore as the AFLW has decided to keep the Conference system for the 2020 season.

It was a forgettable first quarter for the Dees. They conceded two goals. The second as a result of an encroachment. The umpires were unforgiving in their determination to enforce this sometimes confusing rule. There were opportunities for Melbourne to score but they didn’t take their chances and were down by thirteen points at end of the term. Definitely not an ideal start to the campaign.

The second quarter was much better with Kate Hore slotting home two goals. The second one came right before the siren. Eden Zanker calmly kicked the sherrin across the face of goal to Hore who was then able to score from point blank range. As a bonus, the Kangaroos were kept scoreless for the quarter.

The pendulum swung back to North Melbourne in the third quarter when it was the Dees’ turn to remain scoreless. A chance for Tegan Cunningham to score went behind for the point. The wind didn’t favour either side but it was frustrating at times to see potential chances thwarted.

The final quarter saw the Dees in the driver’s seat after Eden Zanker found herself in the perfect position when Ainslie Kemp kicked down the field towards goal. A favourable bounce and Zanker was able to collect and run with the ball ultimately kicking Melbourne’s third for the afternoon. The Dees maintained control of the game from that point. North tried to seize back seize back the initiative but Melbourne held on to secure the win and get the points on the table.

With strong wins for four of the teams in Conference B, the Dees will have to keep winning to ensure a top two spot. They travel to Whitten Oval to face the fancied Bulldogs on Friday night. A loss there would be a huge set back. However, Melbourne will feel confident after their first round victory in a game they were not expected to win.

Daisy Pearce played well in her first game back after a two year sabbatical to raise her twins. Silvie and Roy made an appearance at the end of the game to congratulate their mum on a job well done.

Other debutantes included Sinead Goldrick from Dublin’s fair city. It’s nice to see some Irish players in the side, though the other Hibernian Niamh McEvoy was unable to play due to injury. Hopefully we will see both players on the field together in the near future.

Go the Mighty Dees!

H E R E  I S  T H E  D R A F T  N E W S  2 0 1 9  A T  M F C

WOULD THE LAST AUSTRALIAN RULES PLAYER TO LEAVE PERTH / WA – PLEASE SWITCH THE LIGHTS OUT??!!

Jacqui Parry

Yes, you heard it first from the Far Northern NSW Demons folks!!!
After spending the last 14+ months licking our wounds and wondering “what the???” happened in that Preliminary Final against the West Coast Eagles in 2018, Melbourne Football Club, has launched an all-out-attack on the West in the 2019 Draft / Recruitment program.

Yup, with the recruitment of these handsome chaps, we are in the process of emptying Western Australia (and SA) of all talent, so that when we next face the West Coast Eagles (or frankly that other WA club) in future finals, they will simply be unable to match us in looks, charm, speed and talent.

WE ARE GOING TO WHOOP THOSE EAGLES NEXT TIME!

With Harley Bennell (Peel) Thundering his way around Gosch’s Paddock, add in Toby Bedford and Krstel Petrevski, and we could set up our own MFC interstate practice matches –- WA versus The All Stars. The only potential obstacle is the low winter temperatures in Melbourne – but trust me a team of MFC knitters are ready and waiting to supply them with leg warmers – beanies, scarves – you name it – if it comes in red and blue we’ll get it to them. If they forget their woolly socks at training- Uncle Nev will – as always – back them up with some spares from his locker.

We wish Harley and all of our new recruits all the best in 2020.

2020 PLAYING FOR PRIDE DEES!!!

Nigel Dawe

When it comes to footy, I don’t think you can ever really say that there is such a thing as an ‘off-season’, for as long as I can remember I’ve occupied, if not outright preoccupied myself with the turns and intricacies of this game (that being from a very staunch, mono-optical Melbourne perspective) right throughout the year.

One summer, many moons ago, when I lived in Sydney, I recall traipsing into the State library on my uni holidays to trawl through boxes of old Melbourne newspapers on micro-film, namely those from all of our premiership seasons. In the quiet bowels of the library one afternoon, I even came within a whisker of being asked to leave when I let out a heart-felt ‘Go Demons-You-beauty!’ after making the ‘discovery’ that one reporter in ‘The Age’ from the very Monday after our 1876 premiership win over Carlton, referred at one stage to a group of Melbourne players as ‘working like demons’.

I kid you not, so near on 60 years before our first supercoach Checker Hughes ranted his now infamous moniker-forming ‘lift your heads and start playing like demons’ line, there in sepia black and white (for surely the first time in the club’s history) was a direct connection to Lucifer’s fire-breathing cohorts and our goal-hungry lads; thus my excitement!

And so, it’s official, I’m on-board, I’ve signed up once again, year 34 on the trot as a member of the mighty Melbourne Demons.

I remember waxing lyrical and getting all Nostradamus about what we could do as a team at around this time last year, referencing and sprouting various club related omens.

But this year it’s different (in terms of signs) although a little similar, as today – of all days, the day I renewed my membership – I watched a documentary on 7mate about the 2000 Super Bowl winning American football team, the St Louis Rams. For those who don’t know much about the code of footy played on the other side of the Pacific, the Rams were considered the worst team of the decade, right up until the actual season ‘before’ their ultimate come-from-the-clouds triumph.

The moral of this story, like that of the English football team Leicester City, and the Luke Beveridge-led Dogs of 2016 in our very own code, is that a team’s fortunes (however slim or historically scant) at any given time can turn on a 5 cent piece, with the aid of sheer belief, brute will and commitment, not to mention a touch of the divinely inexplicable.

With that in mind, I think our premiership drought is nearing an end, I don’t know about you, but we’re due, and I can actually see that dais on the last Saturday in September crammed with lads clad in red and blue guernseys singing a Grand old flag (like it’s never been sung before), clutching that gleaming silver and gold bit of gear… it’s what has me reaching for my wallet without fail to buy my membership, round about now, each and every year!

by Geoff Wenborn

The venue was great and the setting perfect for the MFC Best and Fairest awards. We were so lucky as NSW Demons to be there (thanks Sally) and had we finished in top 4 I might have really enjoyed it to the ‘Max’.

Yes, at the beginning of the year the anticipation for this night of nights for the players must have seemed to be one out of the box. However, as we all know the results didn’t match the expectation and it wasn’t like we just missed out – finishing 17th (not 9th) but 17th was such a rude shock that the atmosphere was understandably muted.

Fittingly I think the award was shared by our best player and most articulate leader Max Gawn and our most consistent and yet to realise his full potential player in Clayton Oliver. In my view ‘Clarry’ will end up being a very damaging player in the Red and Blue not just the best contested ball getter. The report from the demons website is below. There were various highlights through the evening particularly James Harmes with his favourite fan as well as various speeches from the players.

Images: Harmsey and his mate, Fellow NSW Demons at the table, Random WAGS

There was no doubt it was a subdued event and I would summarise the overriding feeling of the Dees by saying we’re sorry (although they didn’t say it like that). We are really sorry about the season we had and for letting everyone down but we’re not sorry because we did try really hard and the experience and how we let down our fans is working as the biggest spur ever.

On a night which is really about celebrating the efforts of our players over the year it was kind of a sub text. The speeches were relatively brief and full of thank yous for the efforts that were made and players like Jones explained they really wanted the season to go longer so they could show us what they can do. We can win, we will win, we must win.

Of course the only proof for all of us fans will be the performance and in the results so next year looms really large for all of us. There is a cautious degree of optimism for a few reasons, we can’t possibly go as bad as that again, we will be fit and ready to go, our draw will be more preferential, we have learned our lesson on a few fronts, we can now plug some of the holes that were obvious, we are so hungry and we are young and we are not that bad.

The playing group has remained tight and the age is about right. There were quite a few departing coaches and there was acknowledgment and respect for those people as well. Of course, on the night we didn’t know Frosty would be leaving nor Billy Stretch and others.

It is a tough sport, quite brutal and we demand a lot and as a Dees supporter we also deserve some success now and this group of players owes it to us and they think they owe it to us which is good. But together we have to prove it.

Neither the chairman nor the coach said too much outside this script and probably the best speech, most heartfelt and most articulate was big Max. If they can capture his intent and passion it would be hard pressed not to be fired up about the potential. You could tell what a second B&F really meant to him.

It was interesting to be part of a B&F in what I think were quite unusual circumstances of unfulfilled expectations but encouraging to find the players feel the same way.

My colleague Chris and I didn’t pursue talking to many players but enjoyed the sponsors (Johnny Walker) beverage and hearing the players speak. Results and report follow. Thanks to Sally and the NSW Demons to be able to participate.

Final Leaderboard
464 – Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver
323 – Jack Viney
319 – James Harmes
293 – Christian Petracca
230 – Bayley Fritsch
213 – Christian Salem
210 – Angus Brayshaw
204 – Sam Frost
199 – Jayden Hunt
192 – Nathan Jones
167 – Jake Melksham
154 – Steven May
151 – Tom McDonald
142 – Marty Hore
126 – Jordan Lewis
107 – Michael Hibberd
104 – Jay Lockhart
97 – Josh Wagner
87 – Harry Petty
82 – Tim Smith
65 – Sam Weideman
Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy – Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver
For the first time in the club’s history, Melbourne has seen a tie for the Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy, with Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver sharing the top honour for season 2019.
The Demon duo both ended up on 464 votes – 141 votes clear of third place – to win the Best and Fairest award.
Gawn’s stunning season saw him earn All Australian honours for a third time in four years, as the ruckman starred against the competitions best.
The Dees big man led the competition in hit-outs per game and averaged a league-high 12 hit-outs to advantage.
Oliver was one to benefit from his ruckman’s dominance, averaging 30 disposals per game.
The 22-year-old had the most contested possessions in the league this season, showing an incredible ability to win the hard ball for someone of his age.
Both Gawn and Oliver become two-time ‘Bluey’ winners after sharing the award over the past three seasons.