TIRED

[Demonland 71,965]

TIRED by The Oracle

For the first quarter and a half of the Demons' farewell to favoured son Brad Green, things were going well. When Jared Rivers' goal put them only five points down, they looked a substantially improved outfit to the one which stumbled through most of the first half of the season.

Green himself had featured prominently in his team's impressive start with two first quarter goals and he could easily have set his retirement match alight had he not missed two easy shots that presented themselves in the second term. His final tally of goals sits at an impressive 350 from 254 matches but this one was not to be the fairytale ending that most would hope for after giving so much for his team.

The Crows made the most of a few Demon turnovers and other errors kicking the last four goals of the half to lead by 31 points at the main break.

The problem with this young team decimated by injuries and loss of form was that it was travelling on two cylinders while the opposition, winning in the ruck and midfield, with two dominant key position forwards in fine marking form and a final four finish in its sights, put on the afterburners in the third quarter and that was that. The Crows kicked ten goals for the term to take a 74-point lead into Green's last quarter and, though the Demons looked tired and dispirited they fought on gamely to narrowly win the final term.

Colin Sylvia who started the season with a broken back and had to contend with injury and criticism as to his attitude has kept his best games until near the very end. Nathan Jones was his usual self as the battering ram midfielder and Jeremy Howe did well, taking a few marks to add to the album. Sam Blease did a few nice things and the co-leaders worked hard for a lost cause. Their team is playing as if it is in the middle of a long, hard pre season. It looks tired and in need of a rest as much as its supporters.

Melbourne 3.4.22 5.7.37 8.10.58 11.15.81

Adelaide 5.3.33 10.8.68 20.12.132 22.18.150

Goals

Melbourne Green Rivers Sellar 2 Blease Howe Jones Spencer Watts

Adelaide Callinan Walker 4 Dangerfield Tippett 3 Douglas Johncock 2 Petrenko Reilly van Berlo Wright

Best

Melbourne Sylvia Jones Howe Grimes Bail McKenzie

Adelaide Walker Dangerfield Tippett Thompson Wright Petrenko Jacobs Callinan

Changes

Melbourne Nil.

Adelaide Nil.

Injuries

Melbourne Nil.

Adelaide Nil.

Reports

Melbourne Nil.

Adelaide Nil.

Umpires Wenn Leppard Fleer

Official Crowd 18,450 at MCG