THE REAL DEAL!
by Darren Spence
I have watched well over 1,000 games of our beloved Dees in my time and I am struggling to find many games where I thought we played a more complete game against a top team (last year’s premiers nonetheless!).
I am sure we probably have.
Perhaps my memory is fading?
Perhaps I just have been crying out for a 4 quarter performance all year?
My memory just doesn’t quite elude me that much that I can’t remember the finals appearances in the late 80s and early 90s where we did indeed play a complete game against good sides but hey that was last CENTURY!
On the weekend it was definitely one of the best performances that I have seen the boys play in years and I think one word summed it up for me PRESSURE.
The sustained pressure was outstanding and definitely put the footy world on notice…I doubt there will be any more claims from Mitch Robinson that Melbourne play “bruise free footy” from here on in.
On Sunday we were on from the opening bounce till the final siren and all players played their individual roles and then some. Some may argue it started before the game with Bugg’s cheeky Instagram post!……Has there ever been a more appropriate surname in VFL/AFL history than “Bugg”?…..He is a serial pest to all opposition sides and supporters alike, I for one am glad he is on our side!
My man love for Michael Hibberd is well known and on the weekend he was BOG. He has just organised our defence so well and is giving great confidence to our young boys down back. He finished with 27 disposals and 11 marks. Oscar McDonald again played a great game drawing high praise from the coach, Sam Frost is growing in confidence with every game and he is becoming a key part of our defensive make up.
Oliver did what Oliver has done all year finishing with 29 touches and 8 tackles, Salem was good, Garlett was a dangerous as always, Lewis led all comers on the disposal sheet, Watts was great until injured and both Pedersen and Tom McDonald played important roles in trying to nullify the hit out advantage by the Dogs and they did it magnificently. To be fair I could have mentioned the whole team…they all deserve praise as the Melbourne Footy Club ran out 57 point winners against last year’s premiers and broke a 10 year hoodoo against the Dogs at Etihad Stadium.
This week it doesn’t get any easier. A six day break over in Perth against another finals aspirant. We will welcome back Gawn with open arms and at this early stage we may be without Jones and Watts.This year we have shown strength through adversity many times and I can’t see Saturday being any different.
It’s time to start thinking about using the ‘F’ word….it’s been a long time since I have mentioned that ‘F’ word and Melbourne in the same sentence. I must admit, however, I have uttered the other ‘F’ word and Melbourne a few times over the years!
It’s going to be a cracker game, another chance to break a hoodoo and reinforce the belief in long suffering supporters that we are the real deal!
What are your favourite sounds in the world?
by Darren Spence
Mine are:
- the sound of a newborn’s first cry
- the sound of popping bubble wrap
- the sound of cracking open that first beer after a hot long day
- the sound of Collingwood supporters booing after a game against the Dees.
Let’s be honest…not much beats that sound and there it was – music to my ears on Monday as the Mighty Dees ran out 4 point victors against the Pies. Reading some of the comments from Collingwood supporters really made me laugh. Yes there were some decisions that could have gone either way (for both sides really) but to make a giant Jeremy Howe leap that it actually cost them the game?….Give me a break!
It was thought that the first quarter was going to be the one that would determine the result of the game. The Dees coming off a 16 day break and the Pies on a roll with 3 wins in a row, but after a hard fought even quarter it looked like the second was going to be the most pivotal as the Pies slammed on 6 unanswered goals to lead by almost 5 at one stage leading up to the main break. We have become accustomed to teams getting a run on this year and indeed it did look ominous. We were getting thrashed in clearances and our key players this year were down on their usual output.
But just as we have become accustomed to other team getting run ons, ditto that we will do the same and again here it was as we rebounded with 6 goals to 2 in the third and were able to hang on in the end for a stirring win, on the big stage, leaving us well and truly entrenched in the 8.
Petracca was sensational and a well deserved BOG. We have been crying out for midfielders that can kick goals and boy have we found one! His 3 goals was the difference on the day.
Oliver again was great – especially after half time – finishing with a team high 26 disposals and critically 8 clearances, the key area that the Pies were so dominant in. I heard the commentators saying that Oliver has had more handballs than anyone in the history of the game EVER till this round. That is an amazing stat…and to think he has only played AFL for about 5 minutes!
Jones also continued his great form and laid 12 tackles to go with 25 touches. Not to be outdone his co captain also had plenty of the ball with 26 possessions. What about Hibberd’s spoil right at the end which resulted in the Watts sealer?….If he isn’t close to recruit of the year I don’t know who is. Speaking of Watts, you couldn’t have written a better script for him to kick the winner and his 3 goals were so important.
Salem was solid down back and I actually thought Oscar McDonald did some great things down there – yes he had some clangers – but I believe he more than made up for it on the day. Hannan is as tough as nails and has become a vital cog in our forward line. His clash with Dunn and his quick recovery will definitely be shown in the post match review.
All in all what a great win on our biggest day of the H&A season. After a 16 day break we now see ourselves with a 6 day breakand up against the reigning premiers at Docklands.
For me Sunday can’t come quick enough!
The Jones boy again!
by Darren Spence
Last week saw the Mighty Dees take on the Suns at “home” up in Alice Springs.
Look I know all the reasons are sound for playing home games away from the ‘G’ but I for one can’t wait for the day when we are in such the position that this becomes a thing of the past.
This was also the start of Ramadan and the obligatory closure of all pubs for the day. Thankfully the game was on TV or I would have had to resort to finding a decent WiFi connection in some seedy coffee lounge or fast food outlet to watch it – though early in the 3rd quarter I was desperately searching for a beer as we went 30 points down and looked gone for all money.
The second quarter was bitterly disappointing, after playing well into the breeze in the first, we let ourselves down with poor decision making and even worse disposals. What made this even frustrating it was some of our elder statesmen who were to blame in this area.
Then it came…….in what has been a trend all year the boys clicked into gear piling on unanswered goal after goal to end up running out comfortable winners by 35 points and finally cracking a win in the Alice!
It was the Jones boy again leading from the front as skipper who can take most of the credit for this. Like the Adelaide game where he kicked an intercept goal to start our run on, he was at it again on the weekend getting us first back to 24 points and finishing the quarter with 12 important touches. Lewis was a general at half back building an impenetrable wall that broke the spirit of the Suns and our midfield (oh I salivate when I think of our midfield) started getting possessions at will. We had 71 inside 50s for the game – that’s a lot – and get used to it – it’s going to happen a lot in years to come.
I have already mentioned Jones and Lewis, Melksham played his best game for the club, I may as well just copy and paste Oliver and Hibberd, they are in our best ever week, and last but certainly not least Garlett may push Jones for the 3 Brownlow votes with 5 goals in a memorable Indigenous round win.
We’ve had the bye this week with our next game on QB Monday. And what a game it will be! Up against the Pies with hopefully some of our key players back, at 5 and 5 and out of the 8 on percentage, this is a must win game for the boys on our biggest game of the year.
I just can’t wait.
Follow us on twitter
Join our facebook group