THE 25 DEGREE SAUNA by Whispering Jack

Melbourne built up its frequent flyer points and kept its season alive with a 21-point win over wooden spoon contender Port Adelaide in front of what was the lowest Darwin AFL crowd ever of 7,255 in the Top End tussle at TIO Stadium.

It was just as well that the Demons fended off a frenetic final quarter fightback from the Power because, having sold the right to play at their traditional hunting ground, a loss to a lowly team would not have looked good. At home, Melbourne would virtually have been assured of a percentage boosting win going on its form this year against most interstate clubs and the players would have been fresher and fitter rather than fatigued from playing in a humid 25 degree sauna before an important four week block in which it takes on all of this year's top four contenders bar Collingwood.

It was important therefore that the Demons did come out of the blocks with a purpose to ram home the first four goals of the game. This was achieved, as it so often does, from the strength of its midfield with Mark Jamar and Stefan Martin monstering Port Adelaide in the ruck and giving first use of the football to its on ball brigade led by Brent Moloney, Colin Sylvia, Jack Trengove and Nathan Jones.

From there, livewire forwards like Ricky Petterd and Addam Maric finished things off well and the Dees maintained their four goal buffer through to the first break.

The honours for the second term went slightly in favour of Port Adelaide and Melbourne can thank Liam Jurrah who was the team's only goalkicker for the stanza (he snagged three of them) and the strong defensive work of James Frawley for keeping the margin at a comfortable 20 points at the game's halfway mark.

The Demons always seem to find ways to torment their supporters in strange ways just when a game seems to be safely in the bag or heading in that direction. And so it was when Brad Green was lining up for a goal that would have stretched the lead to more than six goals, that runner Joel Hocking crossed the mark and the ball was given to a Port defender. Soon after that, the inevitable Power goal was scored, then another and another and the momentum had shifted completely. Late in the quarter, the lead had been whittled down to 14 points and it took a lovely fingertip mark from Jurrah, the crowd favourite, to leave Demon fans breathing more easily.

After starting off with an early third quarter goal, Demon hearts were set fluttering again with two quick replies before five unanswered goals seemed to settle the score with the Demons sitting on a 45 point lead late in the quarter.

However, life wasn't meant to be easy and the roller coaster was back in service as Port scored a late goal before the siren and added the first four of the final term to get within a sniff again before a late goal to Stefan Martin sealed the deal.

Relief.

A special mention must be given to James Frawley not only for nullifying an in form Power forward Jay Shultz but for providing lots of run out of defence in the steamy conditions and to Jordie McKenzie who did a number on the dangerous Travis Boak. Luke Tapscott was excellent on his return after a long absence with a hamstring injury.

Kudos go also to the AFL for its foresight in ensuring that there would be no power failure to turn out the lights and keep fans waiting in the dark as they did for the TIO game earlier this year. In what was a great touch for their administrative capabilities they also sent three blind umpires to officiate the game to ensure that if the lights had gone out, it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

So Dean Bailey and his Demons march on towards a month that will seriously test their mettle. The team which has had its character seriously questioned already this year in games against three of its upcoming opposition teams (and consistently in the last four years by the other) confronts the almighty challenge of recovering from an energy-sapping contest to face its own modern day demons.

Are they up to it?

Melbourne 6.2.38 9.6.60 16.8.104 17.11.113

Port Adelaide 2.2.14 6.4.40 10.5.64 14.8.92

Goals

Melbourne Jurrah Maric Petterd 3 Green Martin 2 Gysberts Jones Nicholson Sylvia

Port Adelaide Banner Cornes 3 Gray Hitchcock 2 Cassisi Hartlett Pearce Thomas

Best

Melbourne Petterd Sylvia Moloney Martin Trengove Frawley Jamar

Port Adelaide Cassisi Thomas C Cornes Gray Lobbe

Injuries

Melbourne Tom Scully (shoulder)

Port Adelaide Matt Thomas (eye)

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Port Adelaide Nil

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Port Adelaide Nil

Umpires Dalgleish Jeffery Armstrong

Crowd 7,255 at TIO Stadium.

I know Tom Scully went off as the sub but was he injured? And where was he during the singing of the club song? Hmmmmmm.

Please tell me your joking?

I know Tom Scully went off as the sub but was he injured? And where was he during the singing of the club song? Hmmmmmm.

Yeah, last minutes of the 3rd quarter. Schultz put his knee into his back as he flew for a mark. Was struggling through the break, wasn't happy to be subbed but DB came down and gave it to him personally.

I don't think you'd be doing yourself any favours by reading anything into this...

No show for the club song.

WTF??

Was just glad to see we came away with the win, GC beating the Tigers today showed how dangerous it can be selling these games no matter who you play so a win is a win.

I'll be a very happy man when we get to the stage when we don't have to jeopardize 4 points for extra $$$$$.

I don't think you'd be doing yourself any favours by reading anything into this...

WHO DOESN'T SING THE TEAM SONG?!?!

People have been on CRUTCHES just to join in the team festivities!!

KACHING... a heap of coin and a win. Happy days everyone!

my synopsis

martin, frawley and trengove the best.

jurrah did enough, maric decent, trengove seemed everywhere, watts had some good touches, nicholson zip, garland did the deed, green should be worried he might get a tap on the shoulder ala junior at the end of the season, rodan why was he a sub? he killed us, jamar getting match fitness still, welcome back bull.

would be nice to have grimes & davey in there.

WHO DOESN'T SING THE TEAM SONG?!?!

People have been on CRUTCHES just to join in the team festivities!!

People who copped a neck injury and may have required further medical attention? Just a guess of course, but there's a hundred legitimate reasons beyond the tinfoil hat stuff.

They had to won and they did, now it's all about the recovery for next week.

I really hate this Darwin game

my synopsis

martin, frawley and trengove the best.

cale morton complete spud, jurrah did enough, maric decent, trengove seemed everywhere, watts had some good touches, nicholson zip, garland did the deed, green should be worried he might get a tap on the shoulder ala junior at the end of the season, rodan why was he a sub? he killed us, jamar getting match fitness still, welcome back bull.

would be nice to have grimes & davey in there.

Nicholson Zip? didnt see his running goal? and green was very busy first half

WHO DOESN'T SING THE TEAM SONG?!?!

People who might be getting medical attention at the time of singing. It does happen, you know and Tom was injured.

Nicholson Zip? didnt see his running goal? and green was very busy first half

zip as in zippy, i like!

WHO DOESN'T SING THE TEAM SONG?!?!

People have been on CRUTCHES just to join in the team festivities!!

But what are we suggesting by him not being there?

It was just good to get the 4 points in the end.

Having lived in Bangkok for the last 11 years, where the weather is similar to Darwin, you can't read a lot into Port's finish and our apparent fade.

I run here every day and do mini-marathons (10.5kms) regularly. This weather is very draining.

That we we managed to hold on in the last qtr. after such a fast start was a great effort - don't knock it.

But as some other posters have mentioned, this might destroy us for next week - let's hope not.

Just want to put a shout-out in there for Strauss - was very solid all night. Didn't get the noticeable matchup of Frawley and his shutdown work, but went about his business very strongly.

The days are gone when I'm happy just to beat the bottom side - we should be better than that - we must not be happy with anything less than perfection and absolute destruction of our opponents! Time to lift our expectations.

It was just good to get the 4 points in the end.

Having lived in Bangkok for the last 11 years, where the weather is similar to Darwin, you can't read a lot into Port's finish and our apparent fade.

I run here every day and do mini-marathons (10.5kms) regularly. This weather is very draining.

That we we managed to hold on in the last qtr. after such a fast start was a great effort - don't knock it.

But as some other posters have mentioned, this might destroy us for next week - let's hope not.

I did a triathlon last November and about 2 months prior to it I spent some time in Malaysia and tried to do some training there...omg it was tough. I is very hard to pull up again if you're not used to it

The days are gone when I'm happy just to beat the bottom side - we should be better than that - we must not be happy with anything less than perfection and absolute destruction of our opponents! Time to lift our expectations.

you might be a couple of years ahead of the the side mate

But what are we suggesting by him not being there?

"It's a great old... oops, grand old flag...

PS The fade-out wasn't as bad as last time when Port nearly came over the top of us.

The days are gone when I'm happy just to beat the bottom side - we should be better than that - we must not be happy with anything less than perfection and absolute destruction of our opponents! Time to lift our expectations.

I think you are being as bit unfair to the boys with your comments.

If the game was in Melbourne (anywhere) and even in Adelaide, I would agree with you.

But Port have played in these conditions more than us. Look at how the Tiges fell away today.

The Suns ran them down, because Richmond suffered under similar conditions to those at TIO.

Because the Suns are more conditioned to playing in hot humid weather.

People (although the Melbourne coaching and training group obviously did, with the use of cool rooms etc)need to understand just how difficult it can be playing in 25c + 75% humidity as opposed to 10c at the MCG.

The real state of our team should be judged more by how we play next week, back in Melbourne.

The 'fallaway' is forgiveable in the conditions.

How good was Stef Martin in the last quarter?

We might've lost the game without some of his efforts when Port looked like stealing it from us. Rucking, following up with the clearance, then pushing forward and kicking the goal while all of his team mates had run out of legs... A supurb effort.