Round 13 – Melbourne V Collingwood

Liam Chambers

I think we can allow ourselves to dream again. The last few weeks have been testing and there’s no denying that we needed that win more than Collingwood did. The players knew it, Simon Goodwin knew it and the fans certainly knew it. We fought with a fury rarely seen since our 2021 Grand Final victory.

All the lads were impressive, but Jack Viney truly deserved the Man of the Match award. His indomitable spirit came to the fore once again when his club and his teammates needed it most. No barrier was impenetrable for him on the day.

We showed the rest of the competition that the Pies came be taken on at the own game and defeated. We swarmed, we tackled, we had numbers around the ball, and we eventually wore them down. The late last quarter comeback by Collingwood was down to the wire, but we held our nerve. Brilliant!

Q1 – patchy but in the game

It was on from the first bounce; neither side was holding back. Kozzie Pickett kicked the first point, but it was Patrick Lipinski who scored the first major, when he found just enough space in front of goal to quickly turn and snap.

Not quite the start the Dees wanted and the Pies were quick to continue pressuring Melbourne’s defence. At the back, Judd McVee is improving with every game, and he is superb as a last line guard, repeatedly getting the ball out safely.

Collingwood’s second came from a stoppage when Jack Crisp gathered the tap down, then ran on to snap from 20m.

After that the Demons made a few incursions into their forward 50 but the Pies got the ball out quickly, then went on a counterattack. Their end-to-end assaults eventually resulted a third goal. Harvey Harrison missed a mark inside 50 but was able to collect the loose ball and dribble it across the line.

At the halfway point of the term, Melbourne found themselves trailing by eighteen points. An act of composed desperation was urgently required. Luckily Jack Viney was in the mood to provide it.

The tenacious Midfielder marked the ball just outside 50, then ran on before kicking from the pocket, 40m out, while trusting himself to guide it through the uprights.

It’s no exaggeration to say that we needed that goal badly. It was inspirational and fired up his Demon teammates.
Now Melbourne was going forward more and creating opportunities while also denying the Pies the chance to play their preferred game.

Despite the change of momentum, we couldn’t seem to land that all important second goal.

The Dees would have been happy with their game in the latter part of the first quarter, especially after being under siege for most of the opening twenty minutes.

Q2 – defence, defence, defence

It was a case of more of the same at the start of the second. Melbourne continued applying the pressure to Collingwood’s defence and the reward came quickly, with Bailey Fritsch marking a well placed McVee kick 40m out. Fritsch had no problem splitting the middle and closing the gap to three points.

The Demons were messing very effectively with Collingwood’s game plan; tackling hard and getting players around the ball, then slowing down the flow when they had possession.

The only chink in Melbourne’s armour was their accuracy in front of goal. Fortunately the Pies couldn’t convert their chances either. 

Then Mason Cox was able to run into some free space 25m in front, marking the ball and kicking the set shot.

Cox went back to ruck for the centre bounce, but Max Gawn won the hitout before Tom Sparrow got hold of the ball and launched a mighty kick to inside 50. This time Fritsch ran out and marked the ball on his chest. He had no bother kicking his second of the quarter and it was back to four points.

It was game on again with both sides going at it hammer and tongs. Christian Petracca had a chance to give Melbourne the lead but his 50m set shot hit the post. It was a physically exhausting experience for players and fans alike as Collingwood ran hard towards goal and Melbourne fought valiantly in defence. The Dees’ tackling was magnificence, frustrating the Pies’ attempts to score.

They did break through eventually though when Bobby Hills’ set shot from the arc hit the target.

The margin might have been back to ten points, but the Demons were fired up. They were intent on keeping Collingwood contained inside 50 and pounced on every loose ball to deny the Pies an exit.

Tracca was at the top of his game and had another 50m set shot (he doesn’t get too many closer to goal) after the siren. It veered to the left but chipped another point off the Pies’ lead; now a very manageable eight.

Q3 – finally kicking goals as well as points

Melbourne continued to deny the Pies their preferred game, limiting their chances to break into open space and take off goalward. We were also successfully getting the ball inside 50.

We had a few chances early on, then Joel Smith took a brilliant, contested mark 20m from goal. His accurate set shot doubled his career goal tally, and the margin shrank to one point.

Less than a minute later, the Demons had back-to-back goals when Bailey Fritsch collected the bouncing ball, before quickly turning and kicking from a tight angle to give Melbourne the lead. 

The Dees were in the driver’s seat, tackling and winning the ball, defending brilliantly as well as kicking and marking efficiently. The momentum was all going Melbourne’s way.

When Brodie Grundy marked 40m out, he had his second chance of the day to kick a goal against his old side. The Collingwood fans were booing at the top of their lungs, which is ironic considering Grundy never wanted to leave the club and was forced out. Still, it must have been sweetest feeling for the Ruck when his shot sailed through, giving the Dees a two-goal advantage.

I spent a few minutes looking at Beau McCreery’s goal. It was so close, but it sadly appears that he got his boot to it while the ball was still on the line.

Immediately after the bounce, the Pies threw everything at Melbourne’s defence, desperate to even the score before the break, but it stayed 47-41 at three quarter time.

Q4 – On top but is it enough in the last minute?

The Demons have won most of their fourth quarters this season. However Collingwood has won ten of their last thirteen games while trailing at three quarter time. Now there’s a statistic to chill the blood of most confident opponent. Melbourne would require all their mental strength to avoid capitulating at the final hurdle.

When Patrick Lipinski received a handball 25m in front and kicked a goal, Dees’ fans felt their anxiety levels go up a notch.

Then Melbourne missed two in a row, making it 4-9 from set shots for the game and adding to the already heightened tension. When Fritsch made it 10-4, smelling salts were being administered by concerned family members.

Collingwood players were also feeling the pressure as the Dees continued to deny them another goal.

Then a long high kick from Kozzie Pickett was marked three metres to the left of the goal square by Alex Neal-Bullen. When the Midfielder kicked around the corner to score, it was like releasing a pressure valve that was just about to blow.

Jacob van Rooyen added another layer to the buffer when he took an inside 50 mark from a perfectly place Viney kick that sailed fifty plus metres from the centre of the ground. The set shot from 35m swung to the right but floated back beautifully to stretch the lead out to sixteen points.

With less than five minutes to go and nineteen points ahead, Melbourne fans still had the champagne corks firmly lodged in the bottles. Collingwood only needed one goal to fire them up again. The entire MCG thought it would happen when Will Hoskin-Elliott marked 30m in front, but he kicked it wide. Then he had a second look at it but kicked wide again.

When Brody Mihocek was awarded a dubious 50m free kick, then missed, we almost felt safe with a sixteen-point advantage and only ninety seconds remaining on the clock. Anyone else but the Pies, and we would have been celebrating. Then with eighty seconds to go, Mihocek marked and converted. 

Melbourne won the subsequent hitout with fifty-five seconds to go but Collingwood managed to get hold of the ball and dashed towards goal.

There was a desperate clash of bodies chasing the sherrin only twenty metres from home. Then a stoppage and Nick Daicos had the ball. He ran, turned and snapped, reducing the margin to four points.

With twenty-six seconds left, the final centre bounce was up there with the most important moments in Melbourne’s history. Both sides surged and there was another ball up. This time Jack Viney got a touch to the tapped down ball before managing to connect with his boot and it was heading towards the Dees’ goal. By the time the sole Collingwood player got a touch, it was too far away, and with too little time left on the clock to matter.

It was a victory for the ages and one that won’t be forgotten by Melbourne fans. The Dees have shown that we are serious contenders. We still have to address aspects of our game, notably our accuracy in front of goal but we are in this competition.

Next – Geelong at Subsidy Stadium (ok, GMHBA)

Commentator Jason Dunstall made an interesting observation about practising the right things when it comes to goal kicking and not reinforcing bad habits. I suspect that the above the shoulder game has been having a greater impact on the Dees’ set shot precision in recent times. As Henry Ford said, “whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right”.

Geelong may be struggling but they are notoriously difficult to beat at home and they still have two Coleman contenders in their ranks. Simon Goodwin is taking the squad down a day earlier to get the lads used to the idiosyncrasies of the GMHBA ground and that should help. Our biggest hurdle though may be having beaten the Premiership favourites, we let our guard down against the unfancied Premiership holders.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Aimee Mackin’s recruitment continues the proud association between Ireland and the Dees

Liam Chambers

Aimee Mackin joins her sister Blaithin at Melbourne for the 2023 season. Aimee also plays Gaelic Football and has been a pivotal player and prolific points scorer for Armagh. Her 3-3 tally against Laois in the Lidl National League Division 2 final at Croke Park on April 15, helped her club win promotion to the top division. In addition, she received The Croke Park/LGFA Player of the Month award for April 2023. She also scored nine points against Donegal in the recent opening game of the campaign to defend their Ulster Football Championship title.

Aimee has previously been awarded 2020’s TG4 Senior Player’s Player of the Year. Similar to the Australian experience, women’s sporting codes in Ireland have been steadily gaining in popularity, especially over the past decade. 

Aimee is a dual code athlete, having previously played association football (soccer) where she starred for the Women’s Premiership club Newry City, scoring the last minute winner to secure the Women’s Premier League in 2015. She has also represented the Northern Ireland women’s national football team at both youth and senior level.

She’ll be a great asset to the Demons in our forthcoming season where we’ll be defending our Premiership title. It’ll be exciting to see how Aimee’s Gaelic football scoring abilities will translate to Aussie Rules. Her inclusion will add another dynamic to an already strong and talented side.

Continuing the tradition

Over the last few decades, many Irish players have come to Australia to play AFL, most notably Jim Stynes*, whose 264 games for the Demons was hugely influential; winning the Brownlow in 1991. Post retirement he was heavily involved in recruiting Irish players to relocate to Australian clubs. The campaign has continued to be successful, expanding to the include the AFLW.
With the inauguration of the International Rules game in 1984, both countries codes were elevated in the public’s consciousness. I remember the 1986 series where the Australians played three games in Ireland. The Irish won that series 2-1 but not before some memorable on field punch ups. I particularly recall Jack O’Shea running the entire length of the ground to join in one encounter; fearing he would miss out on some of the action. Different era.

At that time National television in Ireland used to show highlights of AFL games on a Saturday afternoon. It was interesting if a little strange for the uninitiated. The similarities to Gaelic football were obvious but a bit confusing as well. The rugby style football and the players’ uniforms stood out. Not so much the short shorts (you only have to look at the 1970s, early 80s soccer players for comparison). It was the sleeveless shirts that were most significant. It gave the game a sort of quintessentially Australian vibe combined with a healthy lack of respect for authority.
Interestingly the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) looked at the Australian game and allegedly used their rules as a template when setting up the Gaelic football game. Although Gaelic Football in Ireland has been played in some form since the early fourteen century (possibly earlier), it was only with the setting up of the Gaelic Associations in the 1880s that the modern game was established. This coincided with a growing interest in the Irish language and the arts as a counterweight to British cultural influence.

The Irish and Australians have much in common, not least the number of Aussies who can claim Irish ancestry, and there’s long been a mutual affection between the two nations. It is this tradition that we welcome Aimee Mackin to our shores and our club and long may she enjoy Australian hospitality.

*editors footnote to Jim. EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin has a feature on Jim and his influence in Australia. I thoroughly recommend it, and in a wonderful quirk of fate a week after visiting in 2018 I inadvertently sat beside an Irish pair at the MCG final against Geelong. That pair turned out to be Jim’s brother David and sister Dearbhla.

NSW Demons to host club president Kate Roffey AM

The NSW Demons are delighted to host our eminent and recently honoured club President Kate Roffey AM at the Kirribilli Club on Thursday 22nd June.

Kate has kindly made herself available to meet with the NSW Demons supporters, so we encourage anyone who can to come and fly the flag. This is a rare opportunity to talk to someone intimately involved with the club, and who is just an all around interesting and inspirational person. Under Kate’s stewardship the Demons are AFLM 2021 Premiers, and reigning VFL and AFLW Premiers.

The Kirribilli Club is the new home of the NSW Demons. The club boasts a bistro with ridiculous views of the harbour (and a new winter menu), and a dedicated sports bar and lounge.

We invite Demons supporters to dine in the bistro at 6pm, ahead of formal introductions at 7pm, then the game on the big screens in the sports lounge at 7:20pm. There’ll be a half-time lucky door prize of a Melbourne Football Club guernsey, kindly donated by Beyond Bank, a major supporter of the Demons.

We don’t get a lot of love north of the Murrumbidgee so let’s show the club how much we care. The more support we show, the more support we’ll get.

Please RSVP to Marilyn on armagrant@hotmail.com

When: Thursday 22nd June. 6pm dining for 7pm formalities

Where: Kirribilli Club

• 11 Harbourview Cres, Lavender Bay
• Get there by train (Milsons Point), car (paid parking on-site, limited local parking)

Round 12 – Melbourne V Carlton

Liam Chambers

The Dees headed into Round 12 having suffered back to back losses; but were firm favourites against a Blues’ side who had only secured one victory in seven outings.

Carlton are a good side going through a prolonged slump and Melbourne would be well aware that slumps can end abruptly. Hawthorn anyone?

It remains a mystery why the Demons are underperforming. One reason may be a bit of the self-doubt that plagued us prior to the 2021 season, slowly seeping back into our psyche post Grand Final? Having said that, if we regain that belief, we will be unbeatable again.

It was a strong start with Melbourne kicking the first major. Christian Petracca’s set shot from 50m left his boot perfectly and wasn’t going anywhere except through the uprights.

Carlton’s reply came from a player struggling with his own doubts. However Harry McKay quelled his inner demons to snap through an around the corner kick from the pocket.

Brodie Grundy had a set shot from beyond the 50m arc that landed in the square where Alex Neal-Bullen was waiting to pounce. His gather, turn and snap was perfect, and the Dees were ahead again.

Melbourne’s third was a symphony of chaos from one end of the ground to the other. It started with Angus Brayshaw, involved Lachie Hunter ducking and weaving, then Jacob van Rooyen passing and receiving, then passing again. Charlie Spargo was waiting inside 50 where he managed a hand pass to Kysaiah Pickett who snapped the ball between two Blues’ players and found the back of the net. Happy birthday Kozzie!

With Carlton fighting for their season, they had a greater incentive to increase the pressure on their opponents. How Melbourne responded in the second quarter would be crucial to their own prospects. 

The Dees were dominant in their forward half early on but their accuracy in front of goal was letting them down. It wasn’t until Charlie Spargo was awarded a free kick from 30m that Melbourne got the first of the term.

Harry McKay looked to have dislodged the monkey when he scored his second with another around the corner set shot.

It was a low scoring quarter with neither team able to fully control the play. The Dees looked the better side but couldn’t make the Blues pay.

Then folk hero van Rooyen took an uncontested mark inside 50 from a well-placed Spargo kick. His set shot from the arc was well executed and stretched the lead out to twenty points.

The Demons would have been happy to be nineteen points ahead going into the second half but also aware that their play was messy and lacking composure at times. Thankfully, so were Carlton’s efforts. How the teams had used halftime break to reset would prove crucial.

The Blues latched onto the ball after the centre clearance bounce and were off, with Adam Cerra launching the sherrin down the ground. Harry McKay marked, then ran on and kicked from 60m. The ball landed in the goal square and bounced across the line.

Jake Bowey made a brilliant tackle on Sam Walsh to earn himself a 50m set shot. His kick had the journey but just veered to the left. I may be mistaken but that could be Bowey’s first minor score from a set shot?

With over half the quarter gone, the Dees had yet to kick a six pointer. Then Bailey Fritsch marked the ball two metres from the goal line. Fritsch had missed his four previous set shots on the day, but he definitely didn’t miss the fifth.

Melbourne had the momentum now but just couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard. Then with five minutes to go, Bowey copped it from all angles while going for a mark. He didn’t look too good and was subbed off; possibly but hopefully not missing the Collingwood game.

Then a Carlton player who wasn’t Harry McKay scored the visitor’s fourth when Blake Acres took a mark and kicked the 30m set shot from the pocket.

The Blues won the subsequent clearance and got the ball to inside 50 where Charlie Curnow took an uncontested mark. The season’s leading goal kicker had no problems converting, giving Carlton back to back majors.

Melbourne’s reply was swift. It looked like the Blues were heading for three in a row but Steven May controlled the ball in defence and the Dees went end to end. Fritsch got his second when he dribbled the ball in from 15m.

The margin was back to seventeen points and that’s the way it stayed until three quarter time.

Five minutes into the final term, and against the run of play, Carlton pulled one back courtesy of Zac Fisher. His 40m set shot floated through and narrowed the margin to eleven points.

Melbourne continued to dominate, locking the Blues in their defensive half but the goals stubbornly refused to materialise. Carlton were besieged at times but they somehow managed to fend off the Dees.

Despite Melbourne going inside 50 a total of ten times, they couldn’t hammer home their advantage.

Then, at the halfway stage, up steps Captain Max Gawn. Despite having an ordinary night, he proceeded to mark the ball on the 50m line. Even more remarkably, he decides to attempt the 55m set shot. Best of all though, he actually kicked the goal!

Carlton won the clearance and booted the ball to inside 50 where Harry McKay again took the mark. He then inexplicitly decided to attempt another around the corner kick from a distance of 40m; much to the relief of the Demon fans. The ball dropped short, and Melbourne dodged a bullet.

A minute later and Matthew Cottrell marked the ball in a similar position. He opted for the more straightforward method, but it missed to the left.

There were a few more chances to add to the tallies but there were no more goals.

Round thirteen has been unlucky for Melbourne in recent years. It doesn’t help that the Pies are in tremendous form. However the Big Freeze is a great event and a great cause and don’t forget that the Demons have a habit of causing an upset when they’re labelled the underdog.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 10 – Yartapuuti V Narrm

Liam Chambers

There are a handful of sides you don’t want to play on their home turf. Brisbane and Geelong obviously but Port Adelaide (Yartapuuti) at the Oval can be formidable. Maybe not as scary as the Eagles in Perth pre covid but intimidating nonetheless. Factor in six wins in a row for Port and the Demons knew they would need to at their best going in. Oh yeah and don’t forget the tsunami conditions (bit of poetic licence there).

It started well when Narrm were gifted a 50m penalty after Max Gawn was restricted in attempting to run to the goal square. Kade Chandler was the beneficiary, and he kicked the goal from 10m in front. The Power’s reply was swift when Sam Powell-Pepper kicked the ball over his shoulder, a metre from the goal line, to balance the ledger.

The rain started pouring down in the latter part of the term, making conditions difficult. The players were slip sliding in all directions, making marking or even picking up the sherrin an exercise in frustration. Port had the better of the play but couldn’t make it pay on the scoreboard. Then with two minutes to go, Jeremy Finlayson was able to take advantage of the loose bouncing ball, tapping it in from 15m.

Trailing by one goal at quarter time would have been acceptable to the Demons considering how many opportunities the opposition had squandered. Unfortunately, with thirty seconds to go, Jason Horne-Francis was awarded a free kick. He booted his 40m set shot after the siren and Port was twelve points in front.

With Yartapuuti playing so well, they would have preferred to be ahead by more but had the game under their control. Narrm on the other hand needed to raise their game if they were to be competitive. Regrettably, the Dees didn’t get the start they were looking for. With less than thirty seconds played in the term, Ryan Burton took a contested mark 20m to the left of goal. He converted to push his team’s lead out to eighteen points.

Another centre clearance win and Narrm’s defence was really feeling the pressure. Fortunately, the Power couldn’t make the most of their chances, keeping the margin within the Dees’ reach.
Narrm was being held captive in their own defensive half and, more often than not, in their defensive 50. Even when they managed to break out, they were quickly corralled back. Still, they managed to valiantly hold off the marauding hordes.

Port finally broke through however, when Dan Houston took a hand pass and was able to launch from 45m and increase the lead to twenty five points. Then with everything seemingly going Yartapuuti’s way, the Dees got a pressure relieving break when Bailey Fritsch marked a beautifully placed kick from Charlie Spargo. Fritsch executed the 30m set shot perfectly to give Narrm their first goal since early in the first quarter.

Both sets of fans looked on in disbelief as Port continued to waste set shots in front of goal. They were playing some great footy, controlling and winning contested balls plus clearances but couldn’t dominate on the scoreboard.

Against the run of play, the Dees got consecutive goals when Fritsch marked again and went back to kick his 50m set shot. Narrm had a fair amount of luck in the term and with thirty seconds to go in the half, the angels looked to be on the side of the Demons as Darcy Byrne-Jones (what is it with Port and double barrelled names?) hit the upright with a relatively easy set shot.

Again it was the worst of starts for Narrm after running on for the third quarter. Ollie Lord marked the ball 10m from goal. Just to add to the misery, the rain started to pour down again. The outlook was grim on all fronts.

Then, Tom McDonald announced his comeback by taking a contested mark on his chest, directly in front of goal. His conversion was accurate, giving the Dees some much needed breathing space.
Just as Narrm was having their best spell of the game, the villain of the piece Zac Butters took a mark inside 50. His set shot from 50m sailed through, dampening the spirits of the Demon faithful.

All was not lost though as Christian Petracca was able to gather the slippery sherrin in horrendous conditions and snap it off the outside of his boot. The margin was back to fifteen. Narrm then got consecutive goals for the second time on the night when Kade Chandler’s kick found Jacob van Rooyen a mere 10m to the left of the square. The tables appeared to have turned in the Dees’ favour.

As if to emphasis the change in fortunes, Kysaiah Pickett marked the ball 40m from home. He didn’t wait to set up his shot but instead quickly turned and kicked to bring Narrm with one point of Port. A minute later and Charlie Spargo turned and snapped from 20m to give the Dees a five point advantage. With just over three minutes remaining in the quarter, Lachie Hunter managed to control the bouncing ball in the pouring rain and from an impossible angle somehow booted it through the uprights.

It was just over a minute later when Brodie Grundy was held off the mark and awarded a free kick 35m from goal. He converted to stretch the lead to seventeen points; an incredible thirty eight point turnaround from earlier in the term. Under perfect circumstances, it would have stayed at that, but the ubiquitous Zac Butters was able to drag it back to eleven with his 50m set shot after the siren. If only…

While the rain continued to fall, the intensity continued to rise. Port piled on the pressure in a desperate attempt to win back the ascendency. Then disaster, when van Rooyen was pinged for retaliating against Jeremy Finlayson. It’s one of the cruel ironies of life; the put upon get rapped when they strike back. Finlayson made the most of his set shot and reduced the margin to four points.

After their almost complete dominance in the third quarter, the Dees were once again being held in their own half by Yartapuuti. Once again though Port struggled to land the knockout punch, only racking up some minor scores, but steadily tightening the gap. Then Ollie Lord took a diving mark 10m to the left of goal. He took his time before cleanly kicking around the corner to give Port back the lead.

However the Demons still had something left in the tank, and when Tom McDonald took a mark inside 50 from a Petracca kick, the fans collectively willed him to score. T Mac didn’t disappoint, splitting the middle with his 45m kick. Kade Chandler had a chance to extend the lead but his running banana kick from the pocket just skimmed the outside of the post.

The lead changed hands again when Connor Rozee was able to snap a goal from just outside the square landing on his back as the ball sailed through. It was again a four point game; this time with Narrm chasing. The stakes couldn’t be higher with players on both sides giving their all in an attempt to land the winning goal.

In the end Yartapuuti hung on for a narrow win and Narrm was left to wonder what could have been. Simon Goodwin said afterwards that the loss will help them grow as a side and that’s positive.

I think we still haven’t quite got back to that overwhelming team spirit that we showed week in week out in 2021 but we’re getting there.

Go the Mighty Narrm!!!