INJECTED by Whispering Jack

There's been much talk over the past week at another AFL club about injections. Questions have been raised about a systematic programme of injecting substances into players' bodies; whether it was legal and has it been responsible for that club's drastically improved performance this season?

On a different level it's fair to say that there's also been a major injection of something at Melbourne over the past fortnight but there's no question about its legality or its cause and effect. The substance introduced by its wily and experienced caretaker coach Neil Craig is called "confidence". The players have been given new found freedom to play the game and it was reflected in their 15.13 (103) to 15.10 (100) victory over the Western Bulldogs.

Of course, nothing comes easily to the modern day Demons and it was almost a victory that wasn't. Despite leading by 44 points at the halfway mark of the final term after successive goals from Chris Dawes, Jack Watts and Jeremy Howe, they terrified their truly long suffering fans with the prospect of a defeat from the jaws of victory scenario when they almost dropped with exhaustion to concede seven consecutive goals before the final siren saved the day.

It would be unfair to give all the credit to the new coach. The players had shown some glimpses during this horror season, most notably the season high 12 goal final quarter against GWS but, in many ways, I likened this game to an extension of the first quarter against the Magpies on Queens Birthday, Mark Neeld's last game.

What Craig managed to do was to get them up for three and a half quarters rather than the one (and I'm allowing for the fact that this week's opposition is far inferior to Collingwood). He has done so off the field by changing the atmosphere, training them at different times, talking to them differently and more positively. Ironically, the less defensive minded approach has resulted in more prolific scoring and players like Jack Watts and Jack Trengove, playing with their shackles released, have come out of their shells and are starting to produce what we would expect from a number 1 and a number 2 draft choice.

The defence is functioning much better and the giant step this week was the drop in uncertainty, poor decision making and disposal that led to so many turnovers under the previous coach. James Frawley, Colin Garland, Tom McDonald and Dean Terlich are starting to form what could become a very formidable backline in coming years. Up forward, Chris Dawes is beginning to justify the mad clamber to secure his release from the Pies and is finally being received in favourable light in comparison with his replacement at that club. Howe is taking more hangers and Watts and Jack Fitzpatrick have added some excitement to the forward line which will be strongly augmented by the return of Mitch Clark (one of these days) and next year, by a certain kid from Casey via WA.

Which leads us to Melbourne's elephant on the football park - the midfield. Max Gawn gallantly led the ruck brigade but despite an herculean effort, he ran out of gas at the end and while for most of the day the team was beaten at the stoppages. Nathan Jones was his usual great self for most of the night and David Rodan produced some glittering cameos but, when it came to getting the ball out of the middle, it seemed to only happen rarely and then only by accident or a free kick. The midfield was monstered in those final 15 or 16 minutes and, its in that area that Craig will no doubt focus for the remainder of the season as will the club during the trade and draft period.

There are further tests of Neil Craig's injection of confidence-building to come with fixtures against Sydney at the MCG followed by a visit to Skilled Stadium. Both opponents have strong, tough, skilled, gut running midfields. At least his young charges will be learning against the best.

Melbourne 3.5.23 8.8.56 12.1284 15.13.103

Western Bulldogs 2.2.14 4.6.30 6.9.45 15.10.100

Goals

Melbourne Watts 4 Dawes 3 Fitzpatrick Howe 2 Blease Gawn Blease N Jones

Western Bulldogs Cooney Giansiracusa Griffen 3 Cordy 2 Macrae, Dahlhaus Dickson Macrae Minson

Best

Melbourne N Jones Watts Trengove Frawley Rodan McDonald

Western Bulldogs Liberatore Cooney Griffen Boyd Murphy Minson

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Western Bulldogs Nil

Injuries

Melbourne Blease (ankle)

Western Bulldogs Nil

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Western Bulldogs Nil

Umpires B Ryan H Ryan J Mollison

Crowd 21,217 at the MCG

First time since 2007 we beat a Victorian team that isn't Richmond or Essendon.

its a grand old flag!

Jesus Christ Melbourne. You just took 10 years off my life you bastards. I can't breathe.

Wasn't pretty but I'll take it.

There will be more players inside the circle than forming the circle during the song.

Edited June 29, 201312 yr by deanox

I would just like to say "GO YOU DEMONS".

On an unrelated note, to all my friends with Foxtel, thanks for the thousands of updates in theist quarter.

Blease injured his foot. Poor kid.

Crap win tonight. I'd usually say I'll take any win, but to win that way limping over the line after being 45 points up 15 minutes into the last quarter... that was pathetic and I'm very disappointed.

A wins a win,we will hammer teams down the track

WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We won. Great stuff Dees, 1 point or 100. Celebrate the first 3 quarters, rectify the issues in the last.

Blease injured his foot. Poor kid.

Crap win tonight. I'd usually say I'll take any win, but to win that way limping over the line after being 45 points up 15 minutes into the last quarter... that was pathetic and I'm very disappointed.

In a moon boot

i was going to, or at least felt like throwing my computer across the room if they lost that! we played soooo well for 3qtrs and a very small part of the last. We need to finish off games and realise that other teams don't give up! Nevertheless GO DEES!!!

FFS this club never makes anything easy.

Hearing the song brought a tear to my eye.

Im happy we won but that last quarter makes it feel like a loss. Very happy with Watts tonight.

Blease injured his foot. Poor kid.

Crap win tonight. I'd usually say I'll take any win, but to win that way limping over the line after being 45 points up 15 minutes into the last quarter... that was pathetic and I'm very disappointed.

Jesus my heart.....it beats true but it was going through the roof in that last quarter

the players havent won a lot of games recently. its hard to win a game when the other side comes back hard and the team doesnt know how to protect a lead. its to be expected. be happy we got the win. baby steps. we all wouldve taken this 2 weeks ago. enjoy it!!

We won!!! At last. Almost threw my phone through the wall in the last 10 mins - the AFL app was the only access I had tonight. But we won!!!!

Minson 51 hit outs... Wow.

Blease injured his foot. Poor kid.

Crap win tonight. I'd usually say I'll take any win, but to win that way limping over the line after being 45 points up 15 minutes into the last quarter... that was pathetic and I'm very disappointed.

Made, honestly, I'm down a pair of jocks now like most here will be, but we win and we deserved to. Don't know if you noticed, but we haven't done much of that lately. Loosen up and enjoy it a little.

Blease injured his foot. Poor kid.

Crap win tonight. I'd usually say I'll take any win, but to win that way limping over the line after being 45 points up 15 minutes into the last quarter... that was pathetic and I'm very disappointed.

Lol, good luck with that.

WOW I can't believe I just went through that. But I'll take it. It's obvious we have no idea how to win but they will learn.

Killed in clearances and hard ball gets. Every stoppage in the last was s chance for then to score. Don't know if it's talent or ahem... mid field coaching

Not often that we win a game let alone a side that isn't GWS or GCS, so I'm going to keep things positive.

Great team effort to 3QT. Disappointing that we still leak goals uncontrollably but there may be light at the end of the tunnel! Remember our best player isn't even allowed to play until 2014 ;-)

Positive for mine:

Dawes: Didn't rate him at the PIes, thought we paid overs, but he is worth every cent at the minute! Love him!

Toumpas: Faded after half time, but his skillset is amazing.

Rodan: We effectively traded Cale Morton for him, I can't remember Morton ever impacting a game the way Rodan did tonight! Maybe not a TOTAL disaster getting him to the club.

Watts: I bet he is really missing the Nerd!

In a moon boot

What is with the foot injuries!?