Darren Spence – our correspondent in Jakarta
Collingwood! The place as a 5 year old I heard swear words for the first time in the outer at Victoria Park. Collingwood! They have the most one eyed supporters I know and growing up in the edge of a Collingwood zoned area I know a few of them! Collingwood! I have had 3 dislocated hips of late and that hurts but it is nothing compared to the pain of losing to Collingwood!
I had supporters that I haven’t seen or spoken to for over 20 years contact me after the game just to rub it in! I hate Collingwood!
On the big stage, with an enormous crowd the boys just couldn’t get it done. It was a disappointing effort and we really didn’t get a look in. Our opposition completely nullified our strengths this year – especially in contested possession and trust Collingwood to play their best game of the season against us. I was gutted on Monday, as I am sure all readers were.
TMac was the standout for us, 6 goals in a losing effort was fantastic, Oliver as usual got plenty of the pill (31 times), Fritsch was great and our co-captains were also servicable in what really was a day I hope to forget.
We are on a different big stage this week. Friday night against the Power. Another massive game with both sides eyeing off a place in the top 4. We have played well against them of late and we will bounce back. Dees to win and store the last game far back in the recesses of our memory.
LUKEY TAPSCOTT VOTES (Rnd 12)
T Macdonald 5
Oliver 4
Fritsch 3
Jones 2
Viney 1
LUKEY TAPSCOTT LEADERBOARD
Oliver 28
Hogan 27
Gawn 18
Jones 15
Brayshaw 14
Melksham 14
Petracca 14
T.MacDonald 12
Salem 11
Lever 7
Garlett 6
Jetta 5
Hibberd 5
Harmes 4
Hannan 4
Fritsch 3
Bugg 3
Neal Bullen 1
O.MacDonald 1
Viney 1
ANB RISING STAR VOTES (Rnd 12)
Oliver 4
Fritsch 3
Viney 3
Smith 2
Salem 1
ANB RISING STAR LEADERBOARD
Oliver 37
Hogan 33
Brayshaw 18
Petracca 15
Salem 15
Fritsch 15
Tyson 10
Lever 10
Neal Bullen 7
Harmes 6
Hannan 4
Viney 4
O.MacDonald 3
Bugg 2
Smith 2
Spargo 1
An uncharacteristic quiet day by Hogan has seen Oliver take the lead in both awards.
Go Dees!!
Round 12 – Melbourne V Collingwood – T Mac Attacks but Dees Denied
Liam Chambers – our correspondent in Coffs Harbour
It had to happen eventually. Why did it have to happen against Collingwood though? The main positive was the performance of Tom McDonald. Unfortunately, the Pies outplayed Melbourne for most of the game. We lost by 42 points but it could have been much worse. Half way through the last quarter we were staring down the barrel of a 70 plus rout. Plenty of time to reflect over the next couple of weeks. Simon may want to tweak his game plan a bit. I’m sure he’ll be watching the replay a few times before we take on Port in Round 14. Let’s not forget though that the fans raised a huge amount for Neale Daniher’s Big Freeze.
Mason Cox opened the scoring in what was an ominous sign of things to come. Mitch Hannan’s goal a minute later though seemed to indicate it would be a fairly even game. However, it was all the Pies for the next twenty minutes with Jaidyn Stephenson, Will Hoskin-Elliot, Mason Cox and Josh Thomas all scoring before T Mac got one back for the Dees.
With the scores at 12-35 at the start of the second quarter, Demon fans could have been forgiven for thinking that James Harmes’ goal was a turning point. This was enforced a minute later when Mitch Hannan repeated his feat from the first quarter. Melbourne seemed to be closing the gap rapidly but then Scott Pendlebury scored for the Pies and the margin was back out to seventeen points. However, the brilliant Bayley Fritsch then raised our spirits and when Alex Neal-Bullen scored in the fifteenth minute, there was much rejoicing as the margin was reduced to five points. Melbourne’s afternoon seemed to be a constant battle as Collingwood kicked two unanswered goals from Stephenson and Hoskins-Elliot. I have to admit I covered my eyes initially when Max Gawn marked the ball thirty metres from the Pies’ goal. Then I thought if he has the courage to kick this, I have the courage to look. Thankfully the big man kicked it true and steady. Unfortunately, as happened so many times today, Collingwood hit back almost immediately. This time it was Josh Thomas. The half time margin was slightly better for the Dees at nineteen points. Still plenty of time.
We needed a perfect start to the second half but it was the Magpies who scored first with another Mason Cox goal. Tom McDonald stepped up to score his second but yet again Collinwood hit back; this time via Josh Thomas, compounded a minute later with another Stephenson goal. The determined Jack Viney got one back for Melbourne just as Oscar McDonald went off injured. Even that goal scoring machine Jesse Hogan couldn’t save the day as he kicked a behind from a normally guaranteed goal. Again, it was Tom, scoring his third goal that gave us hope. Then the Pies hit back yet again. McDonald kicked his fourth only for Collingwood to kick another two (Mason Cox and Brody Mihocek) before the siren.
With the margin at thirty points Melbourne needed to do something special and quickly. It was not to be as behinds from Charlie Spargo and Angus Brayshaw were followed by another Pies’ goal from Mason Cox (didn’t he like the climate in the States?). Back to back goals from Taylor Adams stretched the Magpies’ lead and it looked like becoming very nasty for the Dees. Luckily Tom McDonald wasn’t finished and his fifth gave us hope we could lessen the impact in defeat. Goals from Treloar and Hoskins-Elliot then push the margin back out but Tom wouldn’t give up. He sixth goal was bittersweet and the inevitable reply goal from Stevenson was cancelled out by Clayton Oliver’s only goal of the day.
As Simon Goodwin said in the post-match interview, you’ve got to ignore the noise. All the commentators were saying he was out coached by Nathan Buckley and that may be true but remember how many of the same voices were calling for Buckley’s head last season. Stick with it Simon and we’ll come back stronger than ever against Port Adelaide.
MELBOURNE 2.0 7.2 11.5 14.7 (91)
COLLINGWOOD 5.5 9.9 15.11 20.13 (133)
GOALS
Melbourne: T. McDonald 6, Hannan 2, Harmes, Fritsch, Neal-Bullen, Gawn, Viney, Oliver
Collingwood: Cox 5, Hoskin-Elliott 4, Stephenson 4, Thomas 3, Pendlebury, Mihocek, Adams, Treloar
Jetta was a Jet playing his best game for the year, Hogan bagged a lazy 5, TMac got 4, Brayshaw had the ball 39 times, Oliver 37, Gawn had 57 hitouts.
Darren Spence – our correspondent in Jakarta
I could get used to this….Another weekend, another big win making it 6 on the trot for the Mighty Dees. This time it was the recent premiers the Doggies under the roof at Etihad Stadium who felt the full force of a side brimming with confidence, playing for one another and hell bent on erasing the heartache of the end of last season and indeed past seasons. Just read that paragraph again. You would have been a brave person to predicted this after our poor showing against the Hawks but here we stand 3rd on the ladder with a bumper percentage with a massive opportunity to finish at the pointy end of the ladder as we head into the second half of the season.
On Sunday it was the Doggies that came out of the blocks better taking the lead at the first break evaporating any chance we had of obtaining the league record for most consecutive quarter wins. From there on, however, it was all Melbourne and we really never looked like getting beaten as we ran out 49 point winners to celebrate Jonesy’s 250th game in style.
There was one big dampener on the weekend with Lever suffering a season ending injury. I am sure I wasn’t the only one praying for the best but it wasn’t to be. As disappointing as it is we now have more depth in our squad then I care to remember so an opportunity will now arise for someone to step up and fill his role. On Sunday Jetta was a Jet playing his best game for the year, Hogan bagged a lazy 5, TMac got 4, Brayshaw had the ball 39 times, Oliver 37, Gawn had 57 hitouts, Fritsch was fantastic as were Hibberd and Neal-Bullen in another percentage lifting win.
The Pies! Urghh….A bit of vomit got caught in my throat when Eddie came out this week saying it should be there home game next year. I hate them, always have, always will. This is a huge game on Monday in more ways than one and I sure can’t wait for it. We will win this and go some way to atone for them knocking us out of the finals last year.
LUKEY TAPSCOTT VOTES (Rnd 11)
JETTA 5
BRAYSHAW 4
HOGAN 3
T.MACDONALD 2
OLIVER 1
LUKEY TAPSCOTT LEADER BOARD
Hogan 27
Oliver 24
Gawn 18
Brayshaw 14
Jones 13
Petracca 12
T.MacDonald 11
Melksham 9
Salem 7
Lever 6
Garlett 5
Jetta 5
Hibberd 4
Harmes 4
Hannan 3
Bugg 1
Neal Bullen 1
O.MacDonald 1
ANB RISING STAR VOTES (Rnd 11)
BRAYSHAW 5
HOGAN 4
OLIVER 3
FRITSCH 2
NEAL BULLEN 1
ANB RISING STAR LEADER BOARD
Hogan 33
Oliver 32
Brayshaw 18
Petracca 15
Salem 14
Fritsch 11
Tyson 10
Lever 10
Neal Bullen 7
Harmes 6
Hannan 4
O.MacDonald 3
Bugg 2
Spargo 1
Viney 1
Hogan stretches his lead in both awards with Brayshaw starting to make a strong mid season run
Go Dees!
Big Freeze outfit suggestions, Goody two shoes? Adam Ant?
Jacqui Parry, Merlin and Sugar – special correspondents
I see Goody is asking for suggestion for his Big Freeze outfit.
As shown below – I have suggested “Little Goody Two Shoes” – a gigantic pair of button up boots (perhaps numbered 1 and 2) under a period costume – shawl, bonnet – the lot. Well at least he would be warm?
What do you think – seriously Simon is really such a serious chap – he needs all the help he can get with dress up roles. What do you guys think?
I can just see Goody sliding down into the ice cold water in period costume – bonnet and all.
I mean really – what bloke doesn’t like to frock up and at least he can wear a good solid pair of boots with this costume.
Or perhaps he would prefer the Adam Ant look?
Best wishes from Jacqui Parry, Merlin and Sugar – Proud Guernsey Sponsor of Max Gawn No. 11
May the Beard Grow Long and the Hammies stay Strong – cos’ we are goin’ to the Big Dance this year!!!!!!!!!!!!
Round 11 – Western Bulldogs Vs Melbourne – Dees Down Dogs – This game had everything – Nathan Jones’ 250th game and Neville Jetta had his best game of this season.
Liam Chambers – our corespondent in Coffs Harbour
This game had everything. All the players seemed determined to make Nathan Jones’ 250th game something special. The Doggies played hard and in the first quarter really took the fight to Melbourne. The Demons fought for every point and Neville Jetta had his best game of this season. If he doesn’t make the All Australian Team this year then there is no justice.
Apart from the high drama there was also the tragedy of Jake Lever’s potentially season ending injury. The Dees have great depth but will miss Lever’s outstanding contribution to Melbourne’s success so far in 2018.
Melbourne started off looking in ominous form marking well and looking like they were going to dominate the Dogs. Unfortunately WB had other ideas and Mitch Honeychurch kicked the opener followed by another two from Josh Schache and Marcus Bontempelli. The Doggies had Melbourne on the ropes and they struggled to get out of their inside 50. Things only got worse when Jake Lever limped off in the twentieth minute. Finally though the legend of Tom McDonald continued when he kicked his first of the day. However further bad news for the Dees when Jake Melksham injury was balanced with a beautiful captain’s goal from Nathan Jones. Scores at quarter time 21-13.
Melbourne started the second quarter with an Alex Neal-Bullen goal closely followed by T Mac’s second to put the Dees in front. A goal from Billy Gowers showed the Dogs still had plenty of spirit left but then Jesse decided it was time to add to his impressive scoring record this season. If he’s not careful he’ll end up top goal kicker for 2018. Tom McDonald might not be far behind as he slotted his third. Jesse Hogan kicked the last goal of the half to have Melbourne leading by sixteen points at 30-46.
Bontempelli got his second in the opening minute of the third quarter but Christine Petracca hit back with his only goal of the game. Another from Jesse was followed by one from Fritsch who has been one of the Dee’s best markers. Mitch Hannan again showed why you don’t give him an opener when he scored in the seventeenth minute. Jordan Roughead scored for the Dogs in what would be the last of the quarter. Scores 44-83.
Melbourne were comfortably ahead at the start of the last quarter but Hogan made it even more difficult for the Dogs with a goal in the third minute. Then it seemed like it would be a low scoring last twenty minutes before Tom McDonald got his fourth quickly followed by Angus Brayshaw (again playing brilliantly) before Jesse Hogan sealed it with his fifth. We won’t mention his behind after the siren except to say it clocked up another game of three figure points for the Dees.
We knew the Bulldogs game was going to be difficult and it was Melbourne’s toughest since we played Hawthorne in Round 4. Simon Goodwin can be justifiably proud of our lads though and it bodes well for the rest of the season. The Dees are still managing to fly under the radar a bit but more commentators are starting to take them seriously and a win against Collingwood next weekend will see expectations rise. The Pies are always a notoriously difficult game for the Dees and they will need to bring their very best performance to the MCG on the public holiday Monday to make sure we bury another hoodoo.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.3 4.6 6.8 7.9 (51)
MELBOURNE 2.1 7.4 11.7 15.10 (100)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli 2, Honeychurch, Schache, Gowers, Roughead, Suckling
Melbourne: Hogan 5, T.McDonald 4, Jones, Neal-Bullen, Petracca, Fritsch, Hannan, Brayshaw
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