JUST ANOTHER PRACTICE MATCH

by Whispering Jack

Another practice match; another narrow loss in a low scoring game against one of 2008's leading AFL clubs.

I did say a "practice match" didn't I?

Right ... in a game whose result was meaningless, the Demons showed a fair bit against a pretty strong Sydney combination but we need to forget the scoreboard and look purely at the performance of the team and how it's shaping up in comparison with last year.

The narrative is starting to take on a familiar look. The defence continues to step up in leaps and bounds, the midfield is showing small signs of improvement after attracting the tag "third world" but still struggles to win enough clearances and lacks a bit of toe and a forward line that's ... well, um ... basically inept.

There will be much debate as to where this will lead us to in 2009 and a great deal will depend on whether the list stays healthy. It's a list that's young and promising but those players need games in their legs before they can make a difference.

Despite some promising signs, the midfield needs a lot more strengthening. There are plenty of hard nuts there but they were overwhelmed by Sydney's determination, pace and superior ball movement. That said, it appeared as though Brock McLean, Brent Moloney and James McDonald weren't being pushed hard in this game. Nathan Jones was disappointing, looked slow and was caught a bit too often. Cale Morton continued to kick on picking up a swag of possessions and Cameron Bruce was good outside but what Melbourne really needed was someone like Simon Buckley (inexplicably missing recently) who can take on the opposition and run through the lines. In the end, there was nobody there who could put his hand up high and say, "I'm taking this game on!"

But if we can be critical of the midfield, what can be said of the attack? Brad Miller was the only tall forward of any note; Paul Johnson has a fair way to go either as a forward or a ruckman and Michael Newton simply isn't up to it. Matthew Bate who booted four goals last week was sorely missed. Aaron Davey had his moments, Brad Green was used sparingly and Neville Jetta added some excitement but the forwards didn't do enough to keep the ball in the team's attacking half.

On what's been on display over the past fortnight, there might be some improvement in the side in 2009 but, even so, that might not translate into many more wins than last year. You don't win too many games when you average 8 or 9 goals a match.

Still there was evidence of advancement – mainly in the fact that the team is not as much out of touch with the game is being played these days as it was last year and in the way the back half is developing. I won't dwell too much on the defenders other than to say that they not only performed but they also stood out. Garland, Grimes, Warnock, Martin, Frawley and Cheney - all of them look to be long term members of what could become one of the competition's leading back lines in the not too distant future. Ricky Petterd and Jamie Bennell both showed that they would challenge for places in the strongest area of the Demon armoury. And Jared Rivers and Matty Whelan are due to come back in the next week or so.

The ungainly Jake Spencer again showed promise in the ruck and held his own against Darren Jolly but whether Melbourne can find a way to promote him off the rookie list is another matter. Regardless of that, the Demons might have uncovered the next big thing in the 200cm plus category and that will certainly diminish the pain of being gazumped by Carlton who paid $400k for an injury prone Docker beanpole with barely 20 games in three years to his name. It's unfortunate however, that the Blues weren't as keen on beating us to John Meesen a year earlier. Meesen just went against the Swans but he was contending against a Canadian rugby player for part of the game.

Bunbury pair Jetta and Bennell and former Scotch College on baller James Strauss were used sparingly. However, despite their cameo roles they all did enough to suggest that we are going to see a lot more of them in the future. Rohan Bail got a lot of the ball when substituted on in the last half but wasted a few of his kicks by being perhaps a bit eager to impress.

After a poor NAB Cup performance last week and a quiet start to this game, Colin Sylvia sparked up the team and answered his critics with a near match winning effort in the final three terms and that was despite getting some close and heavy treatment in the latter stages of the third quarter. Daniel Bell was warming up to be playing one of his better games when he hobbled off with injury in the third quarter.

They're still making mistakes but thankfully, it's nothing like this time last year with its Keystone Cops clangers, the hand wringing and the grief. What the Demons need most right now is a more potent combination up forward and until that happens, they are placed in a position where they will always wonder where the next goal is coming from and therefore will continue to lag behind the procession of finals contenders.

Melbourne 3.1 3.2 6.5 8.7 (55)

Sydney Swans 1.3 3.5 6.7 9.9 (63)

GOALS

Melbourne: Sylvia 2, Miller, Morton, McDonald, Newton, Davey, Jetta

Sydney Swans: Barlow, J. Bolton 2, O'Keefe, White, Moore, Pyke, Smith

BEST

Melbourne: Sylvia, Grimes, Martin, Warnock, Garland, Bruce

Sydney Swans: Goodes, McVeigh, Bird, Buchanan, Mattner

INJURIES

Melbourne: Bell (corked thigh)

Sydney Swans: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Vozzo, Statham, Gestier