THE TEN GOAL BLUES by George on The Outer

[Demonland 73,140]

The 10 goal Blues …

No it’s not a new rendition of a song from the Delta, just a reflection of the gulf between a side that barely makes it into the 8, and where the Demons are at the moment.

Yes it’s wonderful to think that the other results from the weekend had similar margins, but those results were between similarly based sides…..So where are we going to find 10 goals to bring us just up to a pass mark in the competition?

We certainly won’t without any suitable forward. No Clarke or Dawes and the Melbourne forward line is suddenly bereft of any real talent. Jeremy Howe has to show more than a capability to stand on opponents heads if he is to be serious about an AFL career. Six touches in a game is not enough.

Our mids were simply overwhelmed … again! Dunn did a fantastic job of curtailing Judd, but while Jones X 2 certainly battled manfully for the whole game, it was an easy job for the Carlton taggers to shut down any meaningful drive from the middle. Meanwhile Murphy and Simpson had a party and drove the Blues into attack relentlessly. They certainly got good feed from Warnock with 44 hit-outs.

But if Jake Spencer doesn’t learn to try to tap the ball instead of jumping into his opponent, this type of one sided outcome will continue. We can only hope that Max Gawn continues his climb and good health, because he WILL be the No.1 ruckman at Melbourne by year end.

Failing to score a major in the first quarter put the side in an unwinnable position early. How often does this have to occur? There were some courageous efforts in the 2^nd to bring us back to a competitive position, but squandered opportunities in front of goal failed to provide any scoreboard pressure when needed. Luke Tapscott, while reported, showed a good amount of mongrel and attack at man and ball. He continues to improve week by week, and along with him, Matt Jones, Jack Viney, Tom McDonald and Michael Evans are showing some of the older heads the grit and determination required at AFL level.

Thank heavens for our backline who again were under relentless pressure. Garland, Frawley and McDonald performed well considering the barrage coming from upfield. Pity the smalls who were supposed to be minding Garlett and Betts had kept to their jobs in the same way. The 8 goals they kicked between them was really the difference between the sides.

It was another depressing day for the Demons supporters. Are they ever going to have something to be proud about or to hope for? Not the way the team and too many individuals are playing at the moment. There is a faint hope of success next week against Gold Coast. But that is a sad reflection of where the club is today, is it not?

We truly have the Blues ...

Melbourne 0.3.3 3.7.25 5.9.39 8.12.60

Carlton 5.1.31 8.4.52 12.10.82 18.13.121

Goals

Melbourne Sylvia 2 Bail Dunn Garland M Jones Kent Tapscott

Carlton Betts, Garlett 4 Murphy 3 Armfield Waite 2 Curnow Robinson Walker

Best

Melbourne: N Jones Dunn M Jones Garland Frawley Gawn ... no one else after that….

Carlton Murphy Betts Garlett Scotland Walker Henderson Waite Hampson

Injuries

Melbourne: Grimes (left shoulder)

Carlton Nil

Changes

Melbourne Grimes (left shoulder)

Carlton Nil

Reports: Luke Tapscott (Melbourne) reported for rough conduct on Kade Simpson during the third quarter.

Umpires Leppard Wenn Mitchell

Official crowd 35,286 at the MCG

[Deecisive 1,709]

Not sure I agree about spencer jumping into opposition ruckman. From what i saw of the game you could see spencer concentrating/watching the ball as the umpires through it up, while the carlton rucks looked at to size him up before they jumped into him and used him as a step ladder all day long. Spencer needs to be aware of that and change the timing of his leap so as to nullify that.

[hells bells 2,023]

Not sure I agree about spencer jumping into opposition ruckman. From what i saw of the game you could see spencer concentrating/watching the ball as the umpires through it up, while the carlton rucks looked at to size him up before they jumped into him and used him as a step ladder all day long. Spencer needs to be aware of that and change the timing of his leap so as to nullify that.

I didn't think much of Jake's ruckwork, but what I did like was the fact that he chased the opposition when they had the ball with real intent. He didn't catch them at any stage, but you could see that he was really pushing himself to at least pressure the opposition. Jamar would have been just plodding along.