MONEY CAN'T BUY ME LOVE

MONEY CAN'T BUY ME LOVE by Mean Gene

Melbourne displayed great emotion when it monstered the young guns from Greater Western Sydney in their long-awaited clash at the MCG.

While the board, the football department and the players have long moved on from the departure at the end of 2011 of Tom Scully, the majority of the fans needed to vent at their former player who not only jumped ship for the money but also who many believe acted disrepectfully to the club in the way he and his connections dealt with his departure. The fans got what they wanted.

Like most of his fellow Giants, Scully started well enough. He was collecting his share of boos with every possession in the game's first 25 minutes as the Sydneysiders scored five of the game's first eight goals but then the wheels swiftly fell off as Melbourne went in for the kill. By game's end, they were no longer Giants and more in the nature of midgets in the presence of a superior opposition.

It was hard to believe that this was the same team that went to Geelong and stayed with the reigning premiers or was in with a chance late in the game last week against Richmond. For that matter, it's still hard to get the head around the fact that one of their number is really cashing in to the tune of $2 million for this season alone. 

Hard to fathom that from the 25 minute mark of the first term until the siren blared to end the third quarter, another team that had been pushed from pillar to post in the first nine rounds of the season and only won its first game a few weeks ago, could outscore an opponent by 15.8 to 1.1.

The fact is that money can't buy what that scoreline provided to the people who collectively make up the Melbourne Football Club. It could only happen with emotion, with integrity, with hard work and with some healthy improvement in every facet of the club over recent weeks. 

The hero of the early part of the game was Mitch Clark who was absolutely superb with four first goals before he came off with a foot injury and a knock to the head. At one stage, it would not have been unreasonable to expect him to finish with double figures. His departure allowed others to take over as forward targets, notably former defenders Jared Rivers and Colin Garland who finished with four and three goals respectively (although the former was already in the goals by the time Clark left the field).

Multiple goalkickers are always the heroes but it was another Demon who has stood consistently as a beacon among his teammates in Nathan Jones who ran all day to pick up 34 disposals and who led the way all day. So too did Mark Jamar in the ruck against a couple of the Giants big men in Brogan and Giles who might be unsung but have taken some significant scalps this year.

Speaking of unsung heroes Matthew Bate has been in football's no man's land for the past few years but he was superb against the Giants amassing 27 touches, seven marks and a super goal.

Then there were Melbourne's early draft picks in Jack Watts (27 touches), co-captains Jack Grimes and Jack Trengove, James Frawley and the much-maligned Colin Sylvia. All of them turned it on and showed their worth and the fact that they were deserving of their early draft slots. 

One should add some plaudits to Jordie McKenzie who quelled Scully's early start and put him out of the game. Similarly, Tom McDonald took the other GWS number one pick  Jonathon Patton to the cleaners in a true break out performance in defence.

The game could well turn out to be a turning point for the Melbourne Football Club and it was only fitting that former skipper James McDonald was on hand to watch his old club take its first steps towards future greatness. 

Perhaps I'm getting a bit carried away but it's been a while since the Demons had such a convincing victory but I suspect there will be many more against plastic franchises built on dollars yet lacking in the emotional aspects of the game that money can't buy, a principle no better exemplified than by the emotionless robot who got paid more than anyone else on the day.

Melbourne 6.1.37 11.4.70 18.8.116 20.15.135

GWS Giants 5.1.31 6.2.38 6.2.38 9.3.57

Goals

Melbourne Clark Rivers 4 Garland 3 Davey Sylvia 2 Blease, Bate Blease Howe Jamar Trengove

GWS Giants Cameron 3 Wilson 2 Adams Bugg Greene Patton

Best

Melbourne Jones Watts McDonald Bate Grimes Clark

GWS Giants Ward Adams Treloar Shiel Greene McDonald

Injuries

Melbourne Mitch Clark (foot)

GWS Giants Nil

Changes

Melbourne Rohan Bail (concussion) replaced in the selected side by Sam Blease.

GWS Giants Nil

Reports

Melbourne Nil

GWS Giants Nil

Umpires McBurney, Ryan, Hay

Crowd 20,070 at the MCG