Round 7 – Adelaide V Melbourne

The Sweetest Victory of All

Liam Chambers

Melbourne ferocious in the opening quarter

Back in August, expectations were high that Melbourne would play finals for a sixth consecutive season. Then as the list of injuries grew longer with each passing game, those expectations were tempered.

Last week’s victory against GWS reignited a flicker of hope in the hearts of the faithful. Wiser heads cautioned against such folly but maybe there was still a chance.

With just over a minute played, Alyssa Bannan again had the chance to score the opening goal. It was a good effort but she was pushed off the kick and the ball went the wrong side of the upright.

Five minutes later, the Dees did get their first goal when Georgia Campbell was awarded a 50m penalty and slotted her set shot from 30m out.

Melbourne’s second was less straightforward, with Alyssa Bannan kicking her 35m shot from deep in the pocket. The result was the same though and the Demons were thirteen points ahead.

The visitors were not allowing Adelaide the chance to play a fluid game, tackling hard and jumping on any sign of creative play. The hosts were clearly frustrated by the unwanted attention and the signs were promising from Melbourne.

The Crows had one of their best chances to score right at the end of the term, but fortunately were beaten by the siren.

The Dees resist the Adelaide tornado

After the break, Adelaide came out with a renewed sense of purpose, controlling territory early, but Melbourne met them head on before making some incursion of their own.
The pressure from the Dees was telling, as Adelaide were unable to play their natural game and mis kicking when they needed to get into scoring positions.

There was no doubting the Crows’ fervor but they were unable to reap the rewards, as Melbourne was just as intense in their defensive 50.

When Danielle Ponter was awarded a free kick in front of goal, after being allegedly being held by Maeve Chaplin, it looked like Adelaide was a shoe in to score their first goal. Then, it looked like a case of the footy gods intervening to right a wrong when Ponter hit the post from a seemingly unmissable distance of 10m.

While the Crows were working overtime in an attempt to secure a major before half time, the Melbourne troops were sprinting to douse every spot fire Adelaide was lighting, preventing an inferno from reaching their goal square.

Adelaide can’t maintain the momentum

The Dees had played arguably their best half of football all season. The question now was could they continue in the same vein and secure a famous victory against one of the most consistent team in the competition.

After failing to score a goal in the first half, Adelaide finally secured their first major when Madison Newman took an uncontested mark in the pocket and converted to take her side to within four points of the Dees.

After the center bounce, Adelaide was straight back inside 50. Melbourne was composed under pressure and succeeded in getting the ball back down the ground.

The Crows had the momentum, but they still couldn’t quite make the Dees pay by conceding another goal. As the clock ticked down, the balance shifted from total dominance to a more even competition, as Melbourne was able to slow down the game and make inroads into Adelaide’s defensive 50.

Then in the final few minutes of the term, the Crows again swamped the Dees’ defence in an effort to take the lead into the final quarter. Melbourne was heroic and their back line held up admirably to deny Adelaide.

Melbourne absorb the tsunami to claim victory

While the Crows had been slowly chipping away at Melbourne’s lead, they couldn’t land the killer blow and the Dees just needed to maintain the rage to cause one of the upsets of the season.

By the five minute mark, Melbourne had been continually under siege but had held firm against the intense pressure. Adelaide was using every weapon in their arsenal but nothing was working.

Melbourne eventually got the ball out of their defensive half but it kept returning and it seemed inevitable the Crows would eventually secure another goal.

It didn’t happen and the Dees continued to tackle and defend like their lives depended upon not conceding another goal.

When the final siren sounded, Melbourne could be justifiably proud of securing the win against what at times seemed like insurmountable odds. Our defence in particular was outstanding but overall, our team was nothing short of brilliant.

Next game is against another top eight side in St Kilda. After our performance against the Crows, the Saints won’t be underestimating us and we shouldn’t underestimate them; they’ve had an extra day to recover and will have home ground advantage. Our side will be brimming with confidence though and I’m optimistic we can still keep the dream alive.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 10 – Brisbane V Melbourne

Liam Chambers

Dees survive first quarter onslaught relatively unscathed.

Having dealt effectively with table toppers Adelaide in Round 8, Brisbane showed that they can be formidable on home turf. The Dees would have to bring their best game to Springfield in their first meeting since last year’s Premiership clash.

It was first blood to the Lions when Dakota Davidson marked, then kicked a 35m set shot to put the hosts on the scoreboard. A minute later, Brisbane had their second when Ellie Hampson marked the ball just inside 50, before turning and launching from 45m. The sherrin landed in the square and bounced serendipitously across the goal line.

It was all Brisbane, with Melbourne struggling to get out of their defensive half. The maroon tide was relentless and quarter time couldn’t come soon enough for the Dees.

Luckily it didn’t come too quickly though, as with two minutes to play, Melbourne found some space for the first time and made the most of it, getting the ball inside 50, where Casey Sherriff took an uncontested mark, 20m from goal. The conversion was clinical, and the Dees had their first six pointer of the match.

Melbourne redress the balance.

Having been dominated in every stat during the first term, especially inside 50, the Dees would have been satisfied to be trailing by just eight points.

Taylor Harris, making her return from injury, got Melbourne’s second when she took a contested mark to the right of the square, going back to slot the goal.

It was a high stakes game for both clubs, with every possession immediately challenged; the tackling ferocious and unforgiving.

Melbourne was doing a good job of containing the Lions early on, until they suddenly burst through and stormed up the ground. A series of accurate kicks and marks eventually got the ball to Charlotte Mullins inside 50. The forward ran on and slammed the ball into the open goal.

The lead was back to eight points but not for long, as Tyla Hanks was awarded a free after being taken high. Her 35m set shot was low flying but made the journey to safely cross the line.
Melbourne won the bounce and was back inside 50, where Kate Hore collected the ground ball and snapped it through from 10m.

The visitors were in front for the first time, but Brisbane again went on the offensive and retook the lead within a minute, after Dakota Davidson marked on the goal line and slotted her second of the night.

The Lions run amok.

It was a tight game at half time, but Brisbane had home advantage and what seemed like an almost deranged determination to avenge last year’s Grand Final loss. Maybe I’m reading too much into it though?

Kate Hore almost had another goal in the opening minutes of the second half, but just failed to get boot to ball as it crossed the line.

Up the other end, Taylor Smith was able to take possession in the open goal square and connect to stretch the margin back out to eight points. After the bounce, Brisbane was back inside 50, where eventually Sophie Conway marked the ball, then converted from 25m.

The Lions had three in a row when Ruby Svarc was awarded a free kick 10m to the left of goal. Then with thirty seconds left, Sophie Conway kicked her second of the term, from a 40m free kick set shot.

Dees unable to close the gap.

Melbourne are pretty much unbeatable in fourth quarters, but it would take a monumental effort of Herculean proportions to get home against a fired up Brisbane side on home soil, with a twenty seven point buffer. Still, you have to try.

The Dees pressed hard, attacking the Lion’s defence and dominating inside 50. However, they were unable to land any must have majors.

In the end Melbourne won the quarter but could only reduce the margin to twenty five points; again missing out on the minor premiership.

None of that matters now though. The Dees will be solely focused on their qualifying match again North Melbourne.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 9 – Melbourne V Fremantle

Liam Chambers

A wafer thin competition on the first quarter scoreboard.

With Melbourne sitting on top of the ladder, they would have felt comfortable hosting Fremantle, who currently reside in the lower half of the table. However, it was the Dockers who scored the first major, after Megan Kauffman was awarded a free kick in front of goal.

The equaliser for Melbourne took a while, but it was worth the wait, with midfield gun Tyla Hanks kicking off the outside of her right boot, on the run, landing the 15m shot.

The famous Casey breeze didn’t favour either side for the remainder of the quarter, as the players kicked a series of minor points; the term ending with the slimmest of leads for Freo.

The Dees flex their muscles.

Melbourne had the wind at their backs in the second quarter and they attacked enthusiastically, making the most of their advantage. It still took over five minutes to kick the first six pointer of the term though. That happened when Eden Zanker burst through after collecting the bouncing ball and running it in from the edge of the square.

A couple of minutes later and Paxy Paxman scored a rare but spectacular goal, when she turned and snapped from 20m, sending the ball across the open goal line. Not to be outdone in the spectacular stakes, Eliza West scooped up the ground ball, was immediately tackled, but held her footing and slammed one through the uprights from the top of the goal square.

Melbourne was powering ahead, leaving the shell shocked Dockers in their wake.

The surge continued after the bounce, but Fremantle finally managed to regain some composure in the face of the rampaging Dees. It didn’t last long though and Melbourne continued to pepper Freemantle’s defence with an assortment of shots on goal. Unfortunately they all resulted in minor scores and the dockers could consider themselves lucky not to be trailing by a substantially bigger margin.

Then, in a complete 180 degree turnaround, Freo got the next major via, arguably the best play of the game. Megan Kauffman, having scored the visitors’ only other goal, chased the sherrin into the empty inside 50 arena, tipping it forward on the bounce, outpacing her opponent, collecting it on another bounce, then cleanly kicking it from 25m.

The goal energised the Dockers, but they were unable to build on their momentum or add to their tally before the main break.

Freo rallies late but Dees retain control.

After half time, a resurgent Fremantle attempted to hold on to the impetus gained at the backend of the previous quarter.

However, Melbourne proved too difficult to control and when Kate Hore soccered through the loose ball, a couple of metres from the goal line, the hosts were again in the ascendancy.

The Dockers did finally manage to work their way up the other end and secured a free kick in front of goal. Serena Gibbs went back to take the 15m set shot, reigning the margin back to eighteen points.

Melbourne again outclass the opposition in the final term.

The Dees have been unstoppable in virtually every fourth quarter this year, so they would have been very confident from the final opening bounce. Despite the best efforts of the hosts however, they had only kicked three minor scores by the halfway mark.

Then the Hibernian on hiatus, Blaithin Mackin, turned and snapped from the 50m arc, sending the ball long and straight and across the goal line.

Freo didn’t give up though and goal hero Megan Kauffman got her hat trick when she collected the ball from a stoppage in front of goal, then snapped it through the posts.

Next, there was another hat trick up the other end when Kate Hore ran through the seventh goal for Melbourne.

In the final goal of the game, Eden Zanker reclaimed her lead as the top AFLW goal scorer for the season, when her wind assisted 45m set shot cross the line.

Next week it’s the replay of last year’s Grand Final when we travel to Brisbane to face the brilliantly inconsistent Lions. Anything could happen but I’ve got a feeling we’ll be smiling by the end.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

AFLW – Grand Final Brisbane V Melbourne

Jacqui Parry

When the Demons squad are standing out on the field and they hear the Lions song before the start of the Grand Final on Sunday – we’ll be singing these words:

We are the pride of Springfield town
We wear the Demons Red and Blue
We will fight like Hell for victory
Like the Demon Squads of old

All for one and one for all
We will answer to the call
Go Lions back to Brisbane – (without that Shiny Cup)
We’ll kick the winning score
You’ll hear our mighty roar – (and then you’ll hear):

The Grand Old Flag

It’s a grand old flag, it’s a high-flying flag,
It’s the emblem for me and for you,
It’s the emblem of the team we love,
The team of the Red and the Blue.
Every heart beats true, for the Red and the Blue,
And we sing this song to you,
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the Red and the Blue.
 
Oh, the team played fine in the year Thirty-nine,
We’re the Demons that no one can lick,
And you’ll find us there at the final bell,
With the spirit of Twenty-six.
Every heart beats true, for the Red and the Blue,
And we sing this song to you,
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the Red and the Blue.

We are going to Paxinate them!!

Preliminary Final – Melbourne V Brisbane

Liam Chambers

Melbourne have made it to their first AFLW Grand Final! It was so close in the end, but the girls put in a valiant effort to produce the win.

It was a nervous start all around but the Dees managed to keep the ball in their forward half for the first five minutes. They were unable to capitalise on their advantage and the Lions started to make headway into Melbourne’s defensive territory. Brisbane also struggled to get on the scoreboard with the Dees keeping their defence tight.

Shelley Heath effected a great tackle on Jesse Wardlaw, preventing the Ruck from scoring an almost certain goal. The wet conditions didn’t seem to be favouring either side as both sets of players struggled to hold onto the ball.

Melbourne had dominated the first term in the majority of the stats but their kicking efficiency was letting them down. They desperately needed a goal to settle their nerves.

That breakthrough came when Alyssa Bannan initially had the chance to collect the ball inside 50. There were no Lions blocking her path but Bannan was unable to gather up the ball before being tackled. After the ensuing stoppage, the forward finally found enough space to drill one through the pack and into the open goal.

It didn’t take long for the Lions to respond. Taylor Smith dropped a mark inside 50 but was able to recover, gather up the ground ball, snapping a kick towards goal. With five seconds to go, Eliza McNamara was awarded a free kick 25m from goal. McNamara went back to take the kick after the siren but just missed to the far side where her shot scrapped the post.

After the break, the Lions looked the most likely to score first. Their effort was rewarded when Dakota Davidson got a kick away that sailed through the uprights from 35m out. Brisbane continued the pressure after the bounce but Melbourne was able to break clear and make their way up the field.

While Daisy Pearce was bringing the ball to ground then gathering it up, Alyssa Bannan was running on to a good position inside 50. Daisy got the kick to the waiting Bannan to collect and then outrun her opponents before kicking into an open goal.

The Dees then had the advantage after Lauren Pearce grabbed the ball out of the ruck. Turning towards goal, Pearce launched a kick, securing Melbourne’s third goal. Eliza McNamara then had another opportunity to go for goal and this time she opted to kick it along the ground and through the Lions’ defence, incredibly finding a gap and watching the ball dribble across the line.

Brisbane continued to chase a late goal but the Dees managed to hang on to their eleven point margin.

Melbourne had the perfect start to the last quarter when Alyssa Bannan again used her speed to chase the ball before picking it up and strolling into the waiting goal. Bannan had three under her belt and the Dees had a seventeen point lead.

The reigning premiers wouldn’t go down without a fight and for the next five minutes the Lions continually made inroads to their forward 50. They couldn’t manage a breakthrough though until Shannon Campbell was able to crumb the ball and snap a kick from 30m out.

Now with only a ten point lead and six minutes remaining, Melbourne needed to play some smart footy to prevent Brisbane kicking another two goals. The Dees had opportunities to extend their lead but the Lions defended well before initiating an offensive of their own but without much success until the last forty five seconds. Greta Bodey (who else?) kicked a goal from a set shot and clawed Melbourne’s lead back to four points.

The last thirty seconds was a frantic push forward by the Lions and equally frantic attempts by Melbourne to clear the ball. The Dees prevailed, securing their first win in a preliminary final.

There’s no doubt that Adelaide is the firm favourite. They are an extremely difficult team to score against and they have some very strong players. However, one thing we know about Melbourne is their ability to preform above expectations when they’re given the status of underdog.

Also, the team will want to do it for Daisy, arguably the one person who has done more than any other to promote and champion AFLW.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!