Round 17 – Adelaide V Melbourne

Melbourne Fight The Good Fight But Crows Just Too Good

Liam Chambers

Dees show they’re equal to Adelaide but struggle to convert

The Demons demonstrated again last week that they can take the game to the more successful sides in the competition. We would have got up over the Suns had we not faltered so badly in the opening term. The Crows at home would be a more daunting task, but we know on the day we can match any team. 

That was on display when Trent Rivers kicked the first goal with his effort from just inside the arc. Christian Petracca also showed some fancy footwork through traffic in getting the ball to his team mate Rivers. Melbourne was ticking all the boxes, applying pressure to their opponents, transitioning the ball up the ground. Accuracy on goal continues to be a concern though.

Izak Rankine got Adelaide on the board when he marked in the pocket, then went back to slot the 20m set shot. Next up was veteran Tex Walker, who took a mark deep in the left hand pocket. His around the corner shot had the perfect bend to sail through the uprights.

There were other opportunities for the Dees but we were unable to make the most of them and the Crows went in three points up at quarter time.

Melbourne dominate early, but Adelaide launch a revival in the latter half of the term

Melbourne continued to control the game in the second term and got their reward when a mistake in Adelaide’s defence allowed Kozzy Pickett to pounce and grab the sherrin, snapping it goalward, where it bounced in the square and shot across the line.  

Jacob van Rooyen made it consecutive goals for the Dees when he was awarded a 50m penalty and showed that he’s been practicing his technique by easily slotting the 25m set shot. Van Rooyen had back to back goals when he marked deep in the pocket, then kicked the perfect bender from 45m to put Melbourne sixteen points in front.

By now the Demons were dominating in all areas, denying the Crows their preferred game.

After the bounce, Melbourne was straight back inside 50, where Jake Melksham was impeded while going for the mark. He kicked the subsequent set shot to make it four in a row for Melbourne. Make that five in a row. Kozzy took the perfect mark when he climbed up the back of Max Gawn. His around the corner set shot sailed through and the Dees were up by twenty eight points.

Finally Izak Rankine loosened the Dees’ grip on the game when he marked in the pocket. It was in a similar position to where he marked when he scored his first quarter goal, and it was a similar result when he kicked the set shot. Then Rankine made it back to back goals for the Crows when he snapped from 40m.

The momentum was well and truly back with Adelaide after Tex Walker ran out to mark the ball, then went back to take the kick. Fortunately Tex hooked the kick but the atmosphere had changed with the Oval crowd rediscovering their voice. Walker didn’t miss with his next shot, launching from 40m, the ball bounced in the square and through the posts.

There were no more majors for the half but the Crows continued to pepper the goal and by the main break it was down to a five point advantage in favour of Melbourne.

Crows take back the lead

Adelaide’s momentum continued gathering pace at the start of the second half, with Ben Keays receiving the handball at the edge of the square, before dribbling it across the line.

The Crows were dominating territory, not allowing Melbourne any chance to control the game. When Izak Rankine kicked his fourth with a running snap from 20m out, the signs were good for the home side, but ominous for Melbourne.

Nothing that the Demons tried was working, and Adelaide was dictating the terms of play. Izak Rankine eventually kicked his fifth goal, and the Crows sixth in a row, with his round the corner 30m set shot.

Jake Melksham finally arrested Adelaide’s momentum when he snapped a 30m goal. It was something from nothing, and the Dees were back in contention.

Unfortunately, the jubilation was only fleeting, as Zac Taylor was able to take an uncontested mark and convert the 30m set shot. Then another blow for Melbourne. Jake Lever was escorted off the ground limping; luckily the injury wasn’t too serious. Darcy Fogarty added to the pain with his contested mark in the pocket and successful set shot, increasing the advantage to twenty points.

Melksham has been invaluable to Melbourne this year, just getting better with age. His set shot from 50m reduced the margin to fourteen points.

Sadly, two minutes later, Darcy Fogarty did the same thing from a similar position and range. Margin back to twenty. But wait… there is a footy god. The review deemed that the sherrin had touched the upright and it was back to fifteen.

Demons win final quarter battle but lose the war

It was the perfect start for Melbourne when Jake Melksham took a mark deep in the pocket and converted the difficult 45m shot, to reducing the Dees’ deficit back to single figures. Then Darcy Fogarty played party pooper again with his round the corner snap from 35m. Back to fifteen.

Tom Sparrow’s running kick from 35m reduced the gap to nine points and at that stage, it was anyone’s game. Then Daniel Curtain took a contested mark at the top of the square and converted the set shot. Ben Keays’s acrobatic effort on the goal line was eventually deemed to be a goal, overturning the line umpire’s decision, and the margin was now a very difficult twenty one points.

With just over five minutes left on the clock, Bailey Fritsch was held at the top of the square and went back to kick the goal. Kozzy almost had one of the goals of the season, but Josh Worrell just got a hand to it. What might have been…?  Then with less than two minutes to go, Fritsch also had a shot touched on the line.

Great effort by the Dees against one of the favourites, but unfortunately it was not to be.

Next, we take on North Melbourne. I have a feeling it will be a different result from the Round 2 trashing we suffered at the hands of the Roos. Still, never underestimate a team coached by Alastair Clarkson.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!