Round 10 – North Melbourne V Narrm

Liam Chambers

After last week’s stellar display against a passionate and determined Eagles in Perth, the Dees were back in Melbourne. Their first game under a temporary moniker, the players looked impressive in newly designed Indigenous guernseys. For the Sir Doug Nicholls rounds, I’ll be referring to our team as Narrm.

The more games the Demons win, the more our opponents want to beat us. The Roos would definitely go in hard initially but their 2022 form has seen them flagging in the latter stages of the game.

No first minute goal this week, in fact it took ten on the clock before Ed Langdon was awarded a free kick for what was deemed a dangerous tackle. It may have technically been within the rules, but Ed would have been feeling the pain. It didn’t interfere with his kicking skills though and he made the round the corner kick look easy.

North finally made it back inside 50 where Todd Goldstein was able to outmark Steven May (no easy feat) in front of goal. He converted and the Roos were on the board. The goal inspired the hosts and they were quickly back in their forward half. North were applying the pressure and creating chances. Young future hopeful Jason Horne-Francis intercepted the stoppage ball before being taken high in a tackle. His set shot gave North Melbourne their second goal in the space of a few minutes.

Now the Roos were brimming with confidence and putting Narrm’s defence under some serious strain. The disposal rate was impressive, as was their tackling and kicking efficiency.

However the Demons kept their heads and thought their way out of trouble before continuing up the ground. When Charlie Spargo spotted Tom McDonald in a favourable position, he pinpointed his kick to the big forward. T Mac easily took the contested mark and went back to score from 30m out. Shortly afterwards, Trent Rivers had a lucky break when awarded a free kick, then a 50m penalty. No comment. His 50m set shot was terrific and Narrm had a handy nine point lead.

North was full of surprises though and they won the centre clearance launching the ball straight inside 50. Cameron Zurhaar gathered the loose ball and snapped a rocket from 45m. The ball sailed through for the Roos’ third.

Bayley Fritsch had a second chance on goal after his tackle near the square won him a free kick. His round the corner snap was textbook and the Dees had a ten point lead at quarter time.

Ben Brown was playing his 150th game and his work rate was as good as ever. Unfortunately he was having difficulty connecting with the target when it came to adding to his tally for the season. Possibly the pressure of the milestone was a playing on his mind.

Nick Larkey had no such distractions when he went back to kick his 40m set shot. There was no doubt that the Roos were feeling the passion and the home fans were ecstatic. Unfortunately, it was bad news for the Dees when Ed Langdon was subbed out due to the earlier incident in the first term. On the bright side though, it gave Toby Bedford another chance to gain some top flight game experience.

First though, there was the question of a resurgent North Melbourne. Cameron Zurhaar got his second goal when his set shot split the middle. The Roos were in front and the roar of the crowd was deafening. Luck was on Narrm’s side though as Tom McDonald was awarded a free kick to the side of goal. North’s fans were far from happy with respect to the Umpire’s allegedly dubious decision.

Tom remained unflustered by the crowd’s boos reigning down from above and slotted another round the corner kick for the Dees. The luck continued after Christian Petracca’s kick from 60m landed out on the full. Kyron Hayden kicked it straight to Bayley Fritsch who kicked straight into the goal.

Trailing by two goals, North would need to dig deep to win back the momentum they’d built earlier in the term. Then it got just a little bit harder when Kysaiah Pickett marked 40m out in the pocket and kicked as clean a set shot as you could wish for.

Cameron Zurhaar continued to keep North Melbourne in the game. His round the corner snap 20m from goal brought up his hat trick and it was back to twelve points. The Roos were definitely making a competition of it but Narrm were proving increasingly difficult to fend off. Then Kysaiah Pickett got in his own Demon zone and when he does that, there’s no stopping him. It was a case of receiving the handball at 60m out, then a bit of bobbing and weaving before launching a kick from 30m and watching it sail through.

North continued to duke it out with the Dees but were unable to add to their tally by half time.

A lead of twenty points going into the second half was a solid base to build on but the Dees continued to face challenges form the Roos. When Jack Ziebell marked the ball from 40m out and kicked the set shot, North was right back in it. They continued to give it a red hot go but Narrm dealt calmly with the pressure. The defence performed all sorts of acrobatics but continued to hold North Melbourne at bay.

Eventually, the pressure proved too much, and the dam broke. It was Tristan Xerri who provided the final input needed when he received the handpass at the top of the square and drop kicked the ball to make it a one goal game. The Roos continued to believe and continued to keep Narrm goalless in the third quarter.

That was until Ben Brown took a mark on the the edge of 50m. Brown saw Toby Bedford running into clear space and didn’t hesitate to place the ball ahead of him. It bounced just in front of the small forward and Bedford collected, ran on before kicking through the posts and high into the middle of the adoring Demon fans.

Ben Brown was involved again when his lumbering gathering and passing of the ball found Jake Melksham. The forward snapped it from 50m and watched it land on the correct side of the goal line. It was a cruel blow for North on the cusp of three quarter time but also illustrated why the reigning premiers have not lost a single game in the last seventeen outings.

At the start of the final term, Narrm looked intent on finishing the game in style and set off with a focused determination. It didn’t take long for the effort to pay off when a Charlie Spargo hand pass to Tom Sparrow saw the midfielder with enough room to turn and chip one into the open goal.

Tom McDonald is proving adept at marking the ball in difficult circumstances and the control to take the ball just under his chest was impressive. He went back and scored his hat trick. The thirty four point lead was now looking unassailable for North Melbourne.

Max Gawn has been relatively quiet in front of goal over the last couple of games but he had an opportunity when he was awarded a free kick 25m out form goal. Gawny has scored spectacular majors from 50m this year but the fans are still nervous when he’s closer to the target. They need not have worried as Big Max’s aim was spot on and the margin ticked up to thirty nine points. Immediately after the bounce, Bayley Fritsch had another and the Dees’ total was ninety nine points on the board.

Overall, it was another solid win. When you’re top of the table, there as no easy games but Round 11 will be a major test for the Demons. Though not as unblemished after two loses in a row, Freemantle are still a formidable side. Is there rain forecast for Saturday afternoon?

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 9 – West Coast V Melbourne

Liam Chambers

Top plays bottom but no one was fooled. Optus is notoriously partisan and fond memories of last year’s Grand Final would be quickly forgotten when listening to the hostile home crowd. West Coast was missing a lot of their experienced players, but never underestimate their desire to defeat the Dees.

The conventional wisdom suggested the game would be a walk in the park for Melbourne and the first quarter did nothing to dismiss that notion. Despite that, the Eagles were the first on the board when they went end to end, concluding with Jake Waterman marking 40m from goal.

The lead didn’t last long. Tom McDonald was given free rein when in possession of the footy inside 50. He was able to amble towards goal before tapping it home. Christian Petracca was next when his 45m rocket reached it’s destination.

After that the Dees went on a mini rampage. Kysaiah Pickett was first up after receiving a hand pass at the top of the square; he basically waltzed in and kicked the ball high into the stands behind the goal. Bayley Fritsch made it four when he marked a perfectly weighted kick from James Harmes. Then it was back to Pickett who was taken high in a tackle. His set shot sailed through, though only reached the first row this time.

Melbourne continued to control the football and kept it in their forward half. Local boy Luke Jackson delivered the perfect ball to Ben Brown’s chest. Brown went back and kicked the sixth unanswered goal for the Dees.

West Coast won the clearance at the start of the second quarter and the home side looked more determined as they advanced on Melbourne’s defensive 50. The Eagles had a couple of chances early on but they couldn’t make the Dees pay.

Melbourne were definitely under more pressure and it looked like only a matter of time before West Coast got some reward. It looked like that but Ben Brown had other ideas. After After Kysaiah Pickett tapped down and controlled the ball, he aimed it in Luke Jackson’s direction. Jackson flicked it over his head where Ben Brown collected and scored his second.

The Eagles were undeterred and they came back harder at Melbourne. Even with more control of the ball, they couldn’t convert the effort to majors on the scoreboard. When West Coast made it inside 50, the Dees’ defence held up, albeit chaotically at times. Melbourne had their chances too but only peppered the goal and the game was still a going concern for the Eagles at half time.

After the break, West Coast continued to build on their efforts from term two. They started to make more headway in their forward half and threaten the Dees. Their hard work paid off when Jamie Cripps received the loose ball and kicked towards goal from the pocket; his shot just slipping through inside the far side upright.

The Eagles won the clearance and took off with renewed vigor. Melbourne’s defence was tested again but West Coast was unable to score immediate back to back goals. Their momentum waned and slowly the Dees started to wrest back some control of the game.

A controversial decision saw Christian Petracca awarded a free kick against Jeremy McGovern. Tracca’s set shot kick went through and the margin was back out to forty two points. The Eagles’ fans were unhappy, but their team still had some tricks up their sleeve. Bailey Williams was awarded a free kick from the pocket. His shot off the outside of his left boot was impressive and brought it back to a six goal match.

That’s how it stayed until a minute before three quarter time when Tom McDonald marked from 25m to the left of goal. Macca had his second and the Dees were forty four points up going into the last quarter.

This year Melbourne have been playing their best in the third quarter. However last week, it was the second quarter but in Round 9, they saved their best till last.

After West Coast had a couple of attempts at increasing their score, the Dees got into their stride. First Tom McDonald showed he still has it when it comes to chalking up the majors. His shot from 20m in front brought up his hat trick and the Dees were looking very comfortable. Jack Darling pulled one back for the hosts but after that it was pretty much all Melbourne.

When the Eagles had a fumble clearing the ball, the Dees pounced straightaway and Charlie Spargo, being the last in the chain, was able to run into the open goal. Next Alex Neal-Bullen hit the target (literally) with his set shot and pushed the margin out to fifty five. When Bayley Fritsch gathered the ground ball, spun around and kicked, Melbourne were well and truly in the Demon zone. Fritsch’s second in a row was from a set shot and now the Dees were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Unfortunately, Eagle Luke Foley was hurt in a tackle, but there was no malicious intent. Luckily he was able to walk off the ground. Jeremy McGovern took the set shot. His kick from 65m went through and was his first goal for two years.

Kozzie Pickett stole one back when he ran amongst the pack and intercepted the ball before snapping it through the middle. Tom McDonald had his fourth when his set shot from 45m never looked like missing.

It was Melbourne’s best result against West Coast and cements their place on top of the ladder. For Round 10, the Dees take on the Roos at Marvel Stadium. North Melbourne was something of a bogeyman for the demons in years gone by but the odds this time is for a Melbourne victory.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 8 – Melbourne V St Kilda

Liam Chambers

It took twenty eight seconds for Kysaiah Pickett to open the scoring for Melbourne after he scooped up the loose ball and booted it off his right foot, 20m from home.

It took another fourteen minutes and another small forward in the right place for the Dees’ second. Charlie Spargo marked the ball on the edge of the square from a brilliant James Harmes kick, which was launched from deep in the pocket. Spargo played on quickly to secure the major.

By now the Saints were locked into their defensive half with Melbourne chasing the next goal. It came almost by accident with a Trent Rivers’ kick from just outside 50. The ball landed about a metre from the line before bouncing across unaided.

St Kilda continued to pressure the Dees but was unable to get near the goal. It was all Melbourne with Pickett having another couple of shots before his running kick from 40m found the target.

Then with fifteen seconds remaining, Tim Membrey marked just outside the goal square. Frustratingly for St Kilda, his kick was deemed touched by Harrison Petty and the Saints finished the term goalless.

While the Dees were impressive in the first quarter, they moved up a gear in the second. The footy was flowing one way and it was all Melbourne. Ben Brown found himself with plenty of space in front of goal when he marked a Tom McDonald kick. Brown had the luxury of a few extra steps before tapping into the open goal.

Rowan Marshall provided some hope to the Saints’ fans with his mark and conversion 15m to the left of goal. That would be their last reason for optimism for some time, as the hosts moved into the Demon zone. Tom McDonald got the ball rolling with his beautifully timed mark. His shot from 35m brought up the first goal of his 200th game.

Angus Brayshaw got the next when his running kick from 45m crossed the line. One of the Dees’ best and most versatile players, Brayshaw can do it all.

Young Jake Bowey just keeps improving. His run on to mark the clearance ball was perfectly timed. Then his considered kick to the pack in the pocket allowed Ben Brown to collect the Bayley Fritsch touched ball. Brown was able to run into enough space enabling him to snap an around the corner kick on goal.

It sounds counter intuitive, considering their fourteen wins in a row, but Melbourne were playing their best football of the year. They were everywhere and everything was going right. Tom McDonald kicked his second with a shot reminiscent of Ben Brown’s previous effort. The margin was now out to forty five points.

Tim Membrey was able to arrest the flow with his gathering of the ground ball. His turn and snap allowed the Saints some breathing space. From then on they managed to spend more time in their forward half, as Melbourne’s intensity dropped. They finally got rewarded when Paddy Ryder secured a free kick in front of goal.

With the Dees having played their third quarter in the second term, the expectation was St Kilda would push hard and claw back some momentum.

From the start of the second half, the Saints were more in control. However their pace was slow and their constant passing across the field allowed Melbourne plenty of time to get players behind the ball. Eventually though the pressure told and Max King was able to mark right on the top of the square. With that goal, the Saints’ confidence was up and they were re-energised.

Bayley Fritsch was having a quite afternoon but almost had a chance when his mark in front of goal was originally paid but then overturned after the Umpire cited the ball had been previously touched.

Max King had his second chance when awarded a free kick 30m from goal. Melbourne’s previously high lead had been cut in half and the game was back on. When Tim Membrey had a opportunity to make it a three goal match, he pushed his shot to the right and behind.

The quarter was all one way traffic until Ben Brown marked a touched ball 30m in front. Hemmed in, he had no choice but to turn and snap it off his left boot, toppling over in the process. Fortunately the kick went sailing through and Ben celebrated from his ground level position. The goal took the wind out of the St Kilda’s sails. With the impetus drifting back to the Dees, the Saints were left to rue not being able to take full advantage of their third quarter dominance.

As stated previously, Bayley Fritsch was having a quiet game but he only needs a sniff of a chance and he’s away. His ground ball gather and subsequent rove through the pack saw him find the perfect spot to launch for goal.

It was looking less and less likely that St Kilda were going to kick anywhere near enough goals to catch Melbourne. However, young gun Marcus Windhager did reduce the margin when he kicked his debut for the Saints. Rowan Marshall reduced it further when his set shot from 40m just slipped through.

It was still a four goal game but a hint of optimism had crept back in the visitor’s camp. They kept the pressure up but the Dees absorbed it and then launched a counter offensive. It took awhile but finally Kysaiah Pickett got a chance to add to his tally when he was taken in a high tackle. The set shot from 30m went through and he notched up his hat trick.

St Kilda still didn’t give up and Jack Higgins steered through a set shot that kept the flame flickering.

It was finally snuffed out when James Harmes took an intercepted mark and went back to convert from 40m. Harmes has scored back to back goals a few times this season and when he was awarded a free kick on a tight angle, he did it again.

A great result and a great performance from a great team. Next week the lads travel to Perth. The smart money will be on the Dees for their sixteenth win on the trot. However the Eagles still have the capacity to surprise and the storm interrupted game in 2021 turned from a walkover before the enforced break, to a slim Dees’ win in the end. We should be good though, providing lightning doesn’t strike twice…

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 7 – Melbourne V Hawthorn

Liam Chambers

Hawthorn gave Melbourne one of their toughest games last season and with a Covid depleted side, this round would be no picnic.

The Hawks struck early when Jacob Koschitzke marked and scored from 50m out. The veteran Luke Breust made it two unanswered after some uncharacteristic errors and fumbles from the Demons. Breust had another chance shortly afterwards but miskicked for a behind. Watching from isolation, Simon Goodwin would have been a little tense though ultimately confident his side would come good.

Hawthorn had a few more minor scores before Bayley Fritsch stepped up and slotted the Dees’ first. A few minutes later though and the Hawks pulled away again when Connor MacDonald collected a tap down to snap the visitors’ third.

Melbourne’s second came after Christian Petracca kicked a perfectly placed ball to Tom McDonald. The big man went back to kick straight and true. Toby Bedford, so long the spectator, was having a good game. His ground work was excellent but he had yet to kick a goal in the top flight. That changed after Fritsch placed a kick to a spot 35m in front of goal and Bedford ran out to mark it, just above ground level. His conversion caused an avalanche of Dees to descend on the young forward and there was much rejoicing.

With the margin waver thin, the fans knew they had a game on their hands at the beginning of the second term. The match restarted at a frenetic pace with Melbourne determined to add a few more goals.

James Harmes thought he’d score a brilliant individual effort after scooping a tap down, then fending off an attack and launching a bullet off the outside of his boot. Tom McDonald turned party pooper when he marked the ball just before it crossed the line. When later told T Mac owed him a drink, Harmes quipped “he wouldn’t shout if a shark bit him”.

It’s becoming a tradition that Max Gawn scores a long range goal every game now. He duly obliged after marking on the 50m line. Dylan Moore responded when his own 50m shot connected. The Hawks added a couple of minor scores before ex Demon Sam Frost took Ben Brown in a high tackle. Brown kick around the corner and the lead was back out to ten points.

The tall forward had two in a minute when Toby Bedford crumbed the ball while running full pelt, then passed it to Tom McDonald who passed it to Brown. The ball flew low and straight into the waiting goal.

With the match threatening to get away from Hawthorn, they went at Melbourne even harder, culminating in a free kick for Jacob Koschitzke. The key forward converted for his second. With the gap again back to ten points, the Hawks kept pressing. It seems like every team raises their game when facing the Dees but Hawthorn remembered how close they came last year and were well up for the fight.

Only leading by nine points at half time, Melbourne would need to play their best footy if they were to avert an upset. When Jacob Koschitzke marked 40m out and directly in front, the Hawks had the faithful believing.

Now Melbourne were under immense pressure but managed to break away to reach their forward fifty where Tom McDonald marked but was unable to convert. Ben Brown had a chance a few minutes later when Sam Frost chopped his arm going for the mark. Brown had his third and the Dees added to the daylight between themselves and the Hawks. Then Max Gawn took another mark just inside 50 and kicked his second.

Just as it looked like Melbourne was accelerating off into the distance, Hawthorn clawed one back. This time it was Chad Wingard who scored from 40m in front.
The villain of the afternoon Sam Frost gave away another free kick. Again it was Ben Brown who was the victim and beneficiary. Brown was felled 20m from goal and it was an easy conversion for his fourth goal which extended the lead to fifteen.

A classic passage of play from the Demons then stretched it further. Tom McDonald calmly kept the ball inside the boundary line, then kicked a bouncer to Jake Melksham who hand passed to Toby Bedford. Bedford sped up and kicked cleanly from 30m.

With the Dees finally nullifying Hawthorn’s attacks, they got the ball inside 50, where Sam Weideman took the perfect contested mark. Weideman went back and kicked Melbourne’s twelfth goal of the night. When you’re on a roll, everything seems possible. Certainly the way, first Fritsch then Luke Dunstan kept the ball inside the boundary line looked confoundedly easy. Dunstan’s acrobatic hand pass to Christian Petracca allowed the midfielder to duck and weave before launching a torpedo through the posts.

Trailing by thirty three points approaching three quarter time, a lesser team would have struggled to believe. The Hawks are chasers though and when Jaeger O’Meara chipped into the goal, the door was still open.

A five goal lead is a nice buffer but Melbourne would still need to be at their best in the final term. When Tom Mitchell was deemed held 20m to the left of goal, it was a case of thank you very much and the lead was cut to twenty two points. The Dees could have put the game beyond reach at the half way mark but Charlie Spargo just missed and Clayton Oliver hit the upright.

When James Worpel’s mighty running kick from 50m went through, the previous high lead had been cut in half. Just three goals separated the teams. Demon fans everywhere had run out of fingers and started on their toenails. The players themselves would have been bit a bit shaken too. Even Fritsch and Brown couldn’t steady nerves with their late shots on goal.

Hawthorn never relented and with fifteen seconds to go, Jacob Koschitzke marked just outside the square and kicked his fourth.

All in all a very good result considering how well the Hawks have performed this year and how many of Melbourne’s important players were missing.

Next week it’s St Kilda. The Saints are a contender for finals and may well end up in the top four. We welcome back Luke Jackson, along with Pickett, Sparrow, Petty and Neal-Bullen. Something tells me we will need everyone of them to be in top shape to overcome St Kilda. We can if we believe we can.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Watch Toby Bedford’s First Two AFL Goals – Round 7, 2022 here