SLOW TRAIN COMING

[Demonland 73,140]

SLOW TRAIN COMING by Whispering Jack

The 1:13 from Frankston was running about seven minutes late when it came up around the bend and stopped at Malvern station. I had been concerned, up to the point at which I squeezed myself into the overcrowded carriage, about what might occur on the MCG later that afternoon but my fears were allayed at hearing the conversations on the train.

The Tiger fans were discussing their team and, with every passing station that saw further cramming and huddling of masses of humanity into overloaded carriages, my confidence grew. For sure, they spoke with reverence of Riewoldt, Martin, Cotchin and Deledio but these names were sprinkled with the likes of other Tiger heroes mentioned in the team. Names of recycled players rolled off their tongues. Bachar Houli, Shaun Grigg, Mitchell Farmer, Brad Miller and Tom Hislop, all introduced from other clubs. The Tigers were supposed to be a promising young side, developing for the future but there were too many transplanted names. There was no comparison with the depth and richness of the youth at Melbourne, the team of the future.

I received a nodding look from the priest under whose armpit I was encamped as the slow train rolled into Richmond station. He seemed comforted by the rosary beads clutched in his crab-like fingers under his long black coat. Out on the platform, the sun was shining brightly. We were home!

I confess now that I wasn't feeling all that comfortable about half an hour later as the six minute mark of the first term ticked by even more slowly than the train that delivered us to the MCG. By then, the Demons had barely come within touching distance of football, Richmond was leading 2.4.16 to 0.0.0 and had eight inside-50s to nil. I was wishing at this point that I had stayed in the train and moved on to Flinders Street. By now, I might have been happily passing Broadmeadows inside an empty carriage oblivious to the events taking place at the cauldron filled with more than 60,000 football fans.

But my how quickly things can change? A Tiger error allowed Brad Green through for the team's first goal. They replied and Green came back with another, the first of six unanswered goals that ultimately determined the outcome of the game. By quarter time, Melbourne led by 20 points and was ahead in the inside 50 count by 17 to 13, such had been its dominance in the latter part of the term. The form of Jack Watts who kicked two goals for the quarter was an ominous sign for Richmond. Just as important was the way in which the entire side worked hard to team together once those cobwebs were removed.

After Tyrone Vickery threatened with two early goals, the Demons reasserted their dominance. By the main break, they were in complete control and 29 points in front.

The lead stretched out to 38 points by the five minute mark of the final half when Stef Martin goaled and another blowout threatened if only the Demons had been able to convert the multitude of opportunities that presented themselves in the penultimate half hour. At least they worked harder than ever before at keeping the ball in the forward sector. The count for the third term was 2.10.22 to 3.4.22, an even result (thanks to a late Watts goal) despite Melbourne's dominance. The margin was just close enough to keep the Tiger faithful at the ground a little longer so as to ensure that the train carriage on the way back home would again be overloaded.

The teams fought it out, the Tiges threatened but never got close enough and the final minutes were a scrap with only Liam Jurrah's unpredictable excitement to delight the crowd.

Nathan Jones (24 touches) and Brent Moloney (30 disposals) gave Melbourne the grunt in an engine room powered up by the return of Mark Jamar. James Frawley kept Riewoldt in check although the Tiger forward did not seem quite right. Colin Garland and Jared Rivers kept the rest of the Richmond attack at bay most of the time.

Much had been made before of the battle of the early draft picks and the emergence of Dustin Martin as star quality but for mine, Jack Watts, Jack Trengove, Tom Scully and Jordie McKenzie were standouts. They, along with the likes of Stef Martin, Jeremy Howe, James Strauss and Dan Nicholson are the promise and the blessing of the future. The slow train is coming.

Melbourne 7.1.43 12.4.76 14.14.98 17.16.118

Richmond 3.5.23 7.5.47 10.9.69 13.13.91

Goals

Melbourne

Green Trengove Watts 3 Jones Jurrah Martin 2 Howe Sylvia

Richmond

Vickery 3 Farmer Newman 2 Deledio Edwards Foley Grigg Martin Riewoldt

Best

Melbourne

Jones Watts Martin Moloney Rivers Scully McKenzie

Richmond

Foley Edwards Nahas Cotchin Deledio Newman

Injuries

Melbourne Joel Macdonald (knee)

Richmond Nil

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Richmond Nil

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Richmond Nil

Umpires Margetts Stevic Findlay

Crowd 61,900 at the MCG