MORE PERFORMANCE ENHANCING? by George on the Outer

[Demonland 73,140]

It was looking like another week from Hell for the Demon supporters

Nineteen points down at ¾ time against the other cellar dweller on the league ladder, with a more dispirited and heartless performance on show up to that point. The opening music of Enter Sandman was prophetic as the Demons sought to put their supporters to sleep.

But a Nathan Jones goal early, followed by a Max Gawn grab in the goal-square and suddenly the game was on again, instead of being all over. Even then an unaccountable performance by certain individuals, and a goal to GWS allowed the momentum to be sucked from the Demons, yet again.

Finally it was the two Cols who stood up!

Firstly, Col Garland who decided that enough was enough and marked strongly on the wing against four others. Had he not, the ball was surely to finish up with another GWS score. Then Col Sylvia also decided that enough was enough and burst through the centre pack to connect with Michael Evans and another major resulted. Another attack then repulsed by Garland alone and the life and hope of GWS disappeared as they watched the Demons pile on their greatest single quarter score in the history of the club.

With all the talk about performance enhancing drugs in the past week, it was that old fashioned drug called guts and determination that produced the result. However, if the message had gone out earlier, the pain wouldnt have been so hard to suffer as the 20K of Melbourne fans watched only a couple of solitary gutsy performances by the likes of Nathan and Matt Jones and Mitch Clark that kept the team in any sort of decent position up to the ¾ time break.

In contrast there were some simply appalling displays on show. Cameron Mooney is right to suggest Jack Watts needs to be given an accountable role. He continues to fluff around in the backline, expecting others to do the work, while he refuses to man up when needed. Neville Jetta is in the side for his pace, but his speed today was comparable to treacle moving. He will probably get some time on the sidelines by the MRC courtesy of a stupid hit on Lachie Whitfield.

The Demons were cut to pieces in the middle. Mark Jamar continues to disappoint, and fails to provide any advantage to his team with his hit-outs. Who would believe he did so 31 times today? Trouble was his more junior opponent had 29 hitouts, and were it not for Max Gawn getting twice the number as his opponents, then the ruck contests would have favoured GWS. Mark could find himself as a 3rd option for ruck if he keeps playing the way he has been this season. He could start by jumping off the ground at contests instead of trying to body out, and then not getting a hand on the ball.

The centre-line continues to be problematic. With Jack Viney under some sort of cloud today, we simply didnt have enough talent to put in the centre square. Jones x 2 were superb with 28 and 21 disposals respectively, and both kick the ball when under pressure. Sharp contrast to the handball nellies who almost invariably turn it over. When you have giants of the non-Sydney variety in the goal-square the quicker and easiest way to get it to them is by foot. It shouldnt take brain surgeons to work that out.

It was good to winyes. Yet it was hardly a convincing win when the likes of Brogan, Patton and Hoskins-Elliot werent there. We were taken apart by Tom Scully and the contrast to his 11 possession performance last week against the Saints, demonstrates the lack of pressure that was applied around the packs.

It was good to be able to eke out a win without Clark & Viney on the ground in the final quarter. It was good for the 20K of Melbourne supporters who showed up, yet again, to demonstrate their solidarity.

It was good ... because a win enhances performance. It is the drug that we need to build ANY sort of belief and confidence. The players now know they can turn around and are capable of electrifying scoreboard performances ... if they just set their minds on it.

With the equally impressive performance by Casey against Essendon, there will be plenty of players genuinely vying for senior selection. There are senior players who will be offering their roles to those more hungry than was shown in their performances of the first ¾ of todays game.

It is Guts and Determination that is the drug of choice. There can be no other way.

Melbourne 4.5.29 7.7.49 10.10.70 22.12.144

Greater Western Sydney 3.3.31 8.8.56 13.11.89 15.13.103

Goals

Melbourne Howe 4 Byrnes Evans 3 Davey Gawn Pedersen 2 Bail Clark Jamar N Jones Sylvia Trengove

Greater Western Sydney O'hAilpin 5 Palmer 2 Cameron Giles Greene Scully Shiel Sumner Treloar Ward

Best

Melbourne Garland Sylvia N Jones M Jones Gawn Grimes Clark

Greater Western Sydney Scully Shiel Treloar Whitfield O'hAilpin Greene Ward

Injuries

Melbourne TBC

Greater Western Sydney TBC

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Greater Western Sydney Nil

Substitutes

Melbourne Aaron Davey replaced Jack Viney in the third quarter

Greater Western Sydney Anthony Miles replaced Nick Haynes at three-quarter time

Reports

Melbourne Neville Jetta reported for engaging in rough conduct on Lachie Whitfield (Greater Western Sydney)

Greater Western Sydney Nil

Umpires Bannister, Margetts, Harris

Official crowd 20,018 at the MCG

[waynewussell 6,237]

George, no mention of Byrnes keeping us in it OR Howe. Nev Jetta isn't in the side because of his pace (which is moderate), it's his defensive pressure. Hardly taken apart by Tom Scully, you might just as well say that GWS were taken apart by Evans. I suppose that would be giving credit where credit is due!

[Melbournepotter 383]

There is also no mention of Frawley, although I guess the report's not going to mention everyone. I thought Frawleys efforts were lamentable at times on Sunday, he just seemed to be going through the motions, doing the fake attempts to smother etc..

I did see some effort from Watts in the last quarter, though he still needs to do so much more.

Garland showed glimpses of what he's capable of. He is much better than what he has shown so far.

At least there were some signs of life, if only for 2 quarters.