WINNERS ARE GRINNERS

[Demonland 72,180]

WINNERS ARE GRINNERS by Whispering Jack

The hero of Melbourne's first win since its long ago trip to tropical Darwin was captain Brad Green who booted four invaluable goals against the Gold Coast Suns. Green's contribution was instrumental in securing an unconvincing and wonky 30-point first victory for caretaker coach Todd Viney and the beleaguered Demons in the penultimate round of the season.

Melbourne seemingly held control in the opening stanza and, but for some severe marking yips that seemed to spread through the team like wildfire, it should have been much further than 19 points in front at quarter time. Green, who started shakily missing his first shot at goal, finally scored his first immediately before the main break at a time when the slow starting Suns pressed for the lead after dominating the contested ball for most of the second term and, at one stage got to within a point of their hosts.

It was Green who kick-started the team early in the second half for what is now becoming its one fighting quarter per game and which yielded six goals. It was Green again who kicked the sealer when Gold Coast threatened in the final term and in this regard, Brad Green the captain, restored some much needed respect to his team with the way he went about accumulating his 18 possessions and nine marks on the way to four straight goals after what surely must have been one of the most difficult periods in his experience as a player with the club culminating in his being named as the sub a week ago against Richmond.

Whatever the rationale behind that move, Green rose above it this week and led the team back onto the winner's list. And, after what’s taken place in this season of hope that has gone so badly pear shaped in the past month or so, I think I can allow myself the liberty of falling back on the old cliché about winners being grinners.

One would have to be grinning after watching one’s team pick up the four points in what was such an embarrassingly poor exhibition of football from both sides (not to mention the umpires who matched the standard of the game perfectly) that it produced many more yawns from the bored crowd than cheers.

The Demons won the game because of their superior defence. Colin Garland, Sam Blease and James Frawley were dashingly magnificent while Tom McDonald gave a good account of himself and showed strong potential in his debut game with 18 disposals and six marks.

Melbourne also dominated the ruck contests with Mark Jamar and Stef Martin winning a combined 49 hit outs but things went awry from there because Gold Coast was far superior and won the clearances. As a result, the domination of the Demon big men at these contests was completely nullified and, looking forward to the future, this must be a worrying sign for the club. Whoever takes over as the coach in 2012 will require not only selective recruiting of midfielders who can win the footy at contests but also some expert assistance to turn around the massive midfield black hole that exists at the club.

There were times during the game when the Suns won the contested ball out of defence and then moved it down the ground at will with pace cutting swathes through the Demon lines – yet another cause for concern to the coaches. Fortunately, opposition on the day is not yet polished enough to take advantage of such situations and Melbourne’s defence was able to hold firm.

When you’re having a bad run it’s amazing how bad luck follows you around. Melbourne has had its fair share of injuries and more recently suspensions but it still didn’t need Liam Jurrah to hurt his shoulder/arm after flying for a great mark in the third term. It was the mark of the man that he kept his composure for his shot at goal (which failed to add to his first half tally of three) before ambling off the ground clutching arm and shoulder to be subbed for the day. Fortunately, his replacement, Jeremy Howe, worked hard when he got his chances and kicked two valuable goals while Jurrah was last seen with his arm in a sling.

Since the heroics of Ricky Petterd in the opening round, the sub rule hasn’t exactly worked well for the Demons. Sam Blease started his career wearing the green vest against the Western Bulldogs, came on late in the game and failed to make an impression during the feature length junk time of that game. Since he’s come back into the side, Blease has been a revelation with his run and carry, his speed and his accuracy. At least the Demon defence in future years will be a strength with the likes of him, Luke Tapscott and Jack Grimes and James Strauss returning from injury.

The use of Green as a sub last week might have been instrumental in sending him a message of sorts but I have a feeling that it also might have cost the club the four points against Richmond. Still, what the hell when the four points don't mean very much at this stage of proceedings?

Apart from the midfield, a strong marking key forward would have to be another prime target for the recruiters. It should be an interesting trade period.

Indeed, the coming weeks are crucial for the club. A new coach with a fresh approach is needed to polish a young team that seems to have lost its focus. All credit to Todd Viney for taking the job as a caretaker but the club really needs an outsider to come in and sort out this lot otherwise we won’t be grinning very much in the years to come despite the promise of our youth.

Melbourne 4.3.27 7.5.47 13.7.85 17.10.112

Gold Coast Suns 1.2.8 6.5.41 7.8.50 12.10.82

Goals

Melbourne Green 4 Jurrah Moloney 3 Howe 2 Garland Jetta Jones Martin Tapscott

Gold Coast Suns Bennell Rischitelli Russell Smith 2 N Ablett Thompson Stanley Swallow

Best

Melbourne Blease Garland Green Jones Jurrah Frawley

Gold Coast Suns Rischitelli G Ablett Swallow Iles Prestia Stanley

Injuries

Melbourne Jurrah (shoulder)

Gold Coast Suns Nil

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Gold Coast Suns Nil

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Gold Coast Suns Nil

Umpires Schmitt Stewart Ritchie

Crowd 21,534 at MCG

[deeflog 679]

I think I can allow myself the liberty of falling back on the old cliché about winners being grinners.

I don't think there will be too many MFC players, coaches or officials grinning after that performance.

[Nasher 33,616]

i don't think there will be too many MFC players, coaches or officials grinning after that performance

Why's that?

[Striker475 696]

Blease is such a jet

[P-man 13,366]

Why's that?

Because the margin should've been about three times what it was.

Still wasn't what Viney was seeking, a four quarter effort, which is precisely what it should've been. No excuses.

Suns won at least two quarters in contested possessions and dominated the clearances for large patches of the game.

Several goals came from the Suns coughing it up in their back half through fundamental skill errors. Would've been alot closer without them.

Some of Scully's tackling and chasing verged on laughable. Clearly going north and shouldn't have been played.

Upside - Blease did it with ease. Jones, Moloney and Trengove lead well, Col Garland responded very well after a slow start, and Green played the best game he has in god knows when.

Now time to put Port and this season to bed.

[Samsara 65]

Blease is such a jet

Loved his game, and liked the games of McDonald and bennell.

[w00dy 146]

Blease played a great game, missed his games against Carlton and WCE being OS, but was super today, future exciting for him. McDonald too looked the goods, and we should really be looking at how our back 6 sets up for nexxt season... Think we'll see Tapscott stay forward from now on as he played today...

Garland Frawley McDonald

Blease Rivers Grimes

with Bennell rotating as the 7th defender on the bench...

Bartram can then tag, the Bull plays in the forward line...

the end of the season can't come soon enough, looking forward to next year...

[jayceebee31 761]

Why's that?

Because it was quite a pathetic performance.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

I listened to it on 3AW trough the AFL Site and the commentators were pathetic it was all about the Gold Coast and how young and inexperienced they are well

Blease 4 games

McDonald first game

McNamara 4 Games

Howe 12 games

Tapscott 14 games

Scully 31 games

Trengove 36 games

Watts 39 games

Jurrah 35 games

McKenzie 36 games

Jetta 29 games

Bennell 50 games

Blease and McDonald played well today but you wouldn't know it if you were listening to the 3AW team, only had eyes for the Gold Coast, Prestia 24 possessions is going to be a star Blease 28 possessions hardly mentioned except the 4 times Leonard said he didn't have a haircut is was a fire break.

They got really excited over each GC goal and were as flat as a tack when we scored.

Edited August 28, 2011 by RobbieF

[Sir Why You Little 37,035]

Because the margin should've been about three times what it was.

Still wasn't what Viney was seeking, a four quarter effort, which is precisely what it should've been. No excuses.

Suns won at least two quarters in contested possessions and dominated the clearances for large patches of the game.

Several goals came from the Suns coughing it up in their back half through fundamental skill errors. Would've been alot closer without them.

Some of Scully's tackling and chasing verged on laughable. Clearly going north and shouldn't have been played.

Upside - Blease did it with ease. Jones, Moloney and Trengove lead well, Col Garland responded very well after a slow start, and Green played the best game he has in god knows when.

Now time to put Port and this season to bed.

We had 12 players under 50 games, GC had 17 players.

So with a young side i will take any win.

A big pre season program is needed to be ready for 2012.

Sam Blease is a beauty.

And i still think Jetta & Bennell will be great when our mid field matures.

These 2 guys are outside runners. They need a class midfield around them.

Edited August 28, 2011 by why you little

[pitchfork 181]

It's conventional wisdom that you play a player to increase their trade value... In Cale Morton's case I reckon it's been the opposite. His trade stocks have plummeted with every senior game and would have been higher if we'd voluntarily placed him on the long-term injury list.

[Akum 2,660]

It's not difficult. So far, we haven't been coached to play as a team. They play like individuals trying to do something called "teamwork".

We got smashed in the clearances because the Suns mids are organised & play as a team. Our mids are each trying to get the same ball. No system, no organisation, no structure.

Viney can't fix it in a month. It's only when we get a decent coach next year that we'll realise how badly we've been coached.

[stranga 328]

Blease and Mcdonald the only highlights from yet another poor game.

Bennell was good but typically, only when played on his terms against softer opposition.

What exactly does Tapscott bring to the team other than a bit of hardness?

Scully is seriously disgracing our jumper.

[Nasher 33,616]

Because it was quite a pathetic performance.

We beat a team whom the stats suggest are about our equal with experience and age by 30 points. It wasn't a polished performance by any stretch and there were some very disappointing moments in the game, especially in the even numbered quarters, but pathetic is a gross exaggeration.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Why's that?

Did you watch the game?

[Brettmcg 24]

I was there and found the game incredibly boring. I couldn't even manage a yelp at some of the better goals. Got annoyed with fellow MFC supporters clapping pathetic efforts. There is something seriously stinky about this playing group at the moment, and I'm not sure a "tougher than tough" pre-season is going to turn it around. I feel flatter after that win today than after some of the 60 point smashings.

[Nasher 33,616]

Did you watch the game?

Yes. Did you?

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

The line should have been 80 points, therefore it was equivalent to a 50 point loss against just about any other team.

[Demonic Ascent 0]

Why's that?

Because we played like rubbish and coasted at 50% for most of the game only wrapping up a 5 goal win against an under 19's side in the last 10 minutes.

Seriously how could anyone be happy with the "effort" of most of that mob today? We should have won by 100 points not scrape over the line in the last 10 minutes. Some of these players need to learn to pull their finger out each time they step onto the field not just when they feel like it or they get rubbished by the media all week.

Positives were Blease and McDonald, Sammy is a jet we could do with his pace and willingness to break the lines off half back. His disposal looks a bit iffy but nothing too bad at the moment. Don't know about Macnamara, was only his first game but he looked a bit lost out there. Hopefully he gets another go next week though.

[Sir Why You Little 37,035]

I was there and found the game incredibly boring. I couldn't even manage a yelp at some of the better goals. Got annoyed with fellow MFC supporters clapping pathetic efforts. There is something seriously stinky about this playing group at the moment, and I'm not sure a "tougher than tough" pre-season is going to turn it around. I feel flatter after that win today than after some of the 60 point smashings.

Colin Sylvia was a huge miss. You under estimate the GC kids, they are not that bad.

Yes we all want the season to end, but at least the MFC did kick away when challenged in the last Q.

Jeremy Howe was a great choice as a sub, he is looking good for a serious AFL career.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

I was there and found the game incredibly boring. I couldn't even manage a yelp at some of the better goals. Got annoyed with fellow MFC supporters clapping pathetic efforts. There is something seriously stinky about this playing group at the moment, and I'm not sure a "tougher than tough" pre-season is going to turn it around. I feel flatter after that win today than after some of the 60 point smashings.

We need an influx of talent, our group is no where near what we thought it would be, we have recruited some ordinary players and we had the chance, through high draft picks, to get some stars.

There are some good players in there but no outstanding ones, no game breakers or game winners. And we've been poorly coached.

We have looked ordinary from the start of the year including the NAB Cup.

[Guest mazza]

any team other then gold coast or port would have smashed us today

Edited August 28, 2011 by mazza

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Because we played like rubbish and coasted at 50% for most of the game only wrapping up a 5 goal win against an under 19's side in the last 10 minutes.

Seriously how could anyone be happy with the "effort" of most of that mob today? We should have won by 100 points not scrape over the line in the last 10 minutes. Some of these players need to learn to pull their finger out each time they step onto the field not just when they feel like it or they get rubbished by the media all week.

Positives were Blease and McDonald, Sammy is a jet we could do with his pace and willingness to break the lines off half back. His disposal looks a bit iffy but nothing too bad at the moment. Don't know about Macnamara, was only his first game but he looked a bit lost out there. Hopefully he gets another go next week though.

Agreed on all points.

[Chicken Deelicious 0]

We were APALLING in the clearances. Absolutely smashed. We wont beat a 'real' team until we fix this.

Lots of 'individual' positives, but we could certainly do with a bit of 'team cohesion'. Too many half-hearted efforts.

Is Jurrah a sheepdog? He just runs around packs yapping, rather than getting in there.

We have the makings of a great list - just get someone to give them a dose of concrete and confidence over the summer and lets see what happens.

[Brettmcg 24]

Colin Sylvia was a huge miss. You under estimate the GC kids, they are not that bad.

Yes we all want the season to end, but at least the MFC did kick away when challenged in the last Q.

I don't think I underestimate GC, in fact that's the thing that irks me most about the whole situation - really we should be miles in front of them in terms of development. Also I'm not sure I'd say they "kicked away" in the last quarter - GC won the quarter 5 goals to 4. Just lucky, as like last week, that we seemed to have something in the Gatorade at 1/2 time.