THE NIGHT OF THE JACKS by Whispering Jack

They didn't win. Really, they didn't even deserve to do so or even come that close for that matter and the Brisbane Lions were well below full strength with Jonathan Brown and two of their best midfielders out of the contest. But with the season now entering a prolonged junk time for the Melbourne Football Club and our thoughts firmly focussed on the trade and draft periods and the coming back room battles for control of a banana republic board that will, for some time remain subservient to the AFL army, there were some things you just had to take from a loss of less than 20 points.

I could settle for the performance of James Frawley who prevailed over a defence which in better circumstances (i.e if we had a midfield that could occasionally win a centre clearance) would be regarded as first world. "Chip" was awesome on the night and he was well assisted by Colin Garland until the third quarter tragedy took place (more of that later). I could have also settled on Nathan Jones who is all class in a moribund midfield and who was worn all night by a glove called Andrew Raines and still managed to have an impact (even if limited) or on Colin Sylvia who worked hard in the hot humid evening to amass 27 touches.

In the end however, I decided to dedicate the night to our Jacks - all five of them because together, they will lead this club forward. I don't know how the judges who award the NAB Rising Star can avoid giving young Viney the gong this week. Our youngest player led by example, took the hits and was often found at the bottom of the packs in his first AFL game in 10 weeks and only ran out of steam at the end. This is where the club's midfield revival starts.

The club's ugly duckling Jack Fitzpatrick is turning into a swan, dangerous around goal with a haul of four, three of them in the opening term and it could have been more but for a little knee problem. Jack Watts gifted him one of those early goals and was terrific on the night with 21 touches (10 marks), even having to go into the ruck at times to help out Max Gawn and Jack F in the sapping heat. Jack Grimes had a negating role in the middle and did it well while his co-captain Jack Trengove lurked with intent, laid a dozen tackles and was a strong contributor. He's emerging out of a dirty first half of a season in which his preparation was hampered by a difficult foot injury.

There was more. Max Gawn worked hard in the ruck and got his share of hit outs and while beaten around the ground by Leuenberger is on his way to a career as one of the game's better big men.

The team effort was solid and a major improvement on last week. The quarter time score of 5.1.31 exceeded that of the deluge affected score from Simonds Stadium, they went inside 50 fifty times and for the second week in a row, kept the opposition to under 100 points. The last quarter and a half was played under the disadvantage of being a rotation short after a languishing Jimmy Toumpas was subbed off with Garland rolling an ankle a minute or so later. Bad luck but, in those tough conditions, it gave Brisbane that small advantage that allowed it to safely see out the game.

Junk time and the MFC world tour continues next week with our second home game in a row away from home, this time at Etihad against a desperately unlucky North Melbourne team that will be keen to give another team a kicking after its train of tragedies and close defeats. A month ago I wouldn't have given the Demons a chance but now - who knows?

Melbourne 5.1.31 6.5.41 10.7.67 11.9 75

Brisbane Lions 3.4.22 8.5.53 11.12.78 13.16.94

Goals

Melbourne Fitzpatrick 4 Blease Davey 2 Byrnes Dawes N Jones

Brisbane Lions Green Staker 3 Merrett Redden 2 Lisle Mayes, Zorko

Best

Melbourne Frawley Viney Fitzpatrick Sylvia Grimes Trengove

Brisbane Lions Rockliff Hanley Leuenberger Redden Staker Green

Injuries

Melbourne Garland (ankle)

Brisbane Lions Nil

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Brisbane Lions Jonathan Brown and Mitch Golby replaced by Sam Docherty and Jordan Lisle

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Brisbane Lions Nil

Umpired Findlay Ryan Fila

Official Crowd 7,615 at TIO Stadium

Sick of being happy with not getting totally flogged, would love to see some wins!

So much for the team going up a few days early.

Would have won that if it was at the 'G

Hope Schwab and Cuddles enjoy the $$$ because that's where it's going.

I am so sick of LOSING

In actual fact it's an 8 point loss cause we won't win next wk either

(not that we would have normally but we would have had a bit better chance)

Really disappointed

Pretty dismal effort by our boys, considering JB and Blacky were out.

That was a pretty sub par Brissy outfit we played today.

Midfield midfield midfield. My kingdom for a midfield.

Loved viney almost moved the game from excruciating to mildly frustrating.

Would have won that if it was at the 'G

Hope Schwab and Cuddles enjoy the $$$ because that's where it's going.

Disgusting, isnt it?

How about hiring 3 specialist coaches who teach only kicking and two for handball ing? And maybe a guy who can teach them the basics of running. Maybe then we'd go somewhere.

If we don't move heaven and earth to get some B grade experienced mids in the trade period, and spend all our draft picks n quality mids, I will lose my friggin mind.

We are like a donut. Delicious around the edges but f'ing hollow in the centre!

It wasn't as good as I was expecting but I still enjoyed the game. Fitzpatrick is looking a tidy player. Watts tried hard, Davey, Sylvia and Viney were also very impressive.

Without a doubt Viney will be a star. I don't mind that he hasn't been nominated for rising star.

Well ... well ... well

Three holes in the ground... maybe throw some seeds in and see if we cant grow Midfielders !!!

On a positive note, Frawley seems to be getting back to some of his best form, we must hang on to him.

Don't forget they didn't have Moloney either. He tore us a new one last time out.

The footy club needs a priority pick. We simply don't have anywhere near enough AFL standard players, and no way for those with the potential to be one to learn.

It's not about the admin, it's not about the playing list, or the potential new coach. It's about the supporters. We never got more than 4 goals down but I never thought we'd win, and this is against a team without its 2 best players and a few good contributors out. Aside from Mitch Clark that was our best team.

Sport is about hope and belief and we just don't trade in either of those things, and really haven't for 6 years. If we want to have a future we need a priority pick.

When has Trengove played like a captain should?

What a Joke. Robbie Flower was a Captain as was David Neitz.

I'm not sure a priority pick is going to help, other than in the long term. We need big bodied mids to give our poor kids a bit of time to develop in the VFL. Look at teams like Collingwood, they have 21 year olds who have only just broken into the team. Our 21 year olds have been flogged 35 out of 38 games by the time they are that old.

Toumpas, Kent et al shouldn't be in the seniors, they should be in the magoos. But then we'd have to take Jordie and Nicho, and no thanks to that.

On a positive note, Frawley seems to be getting back to some of his best form, we must hang on to him.

Total understatement. We must give him a fat wad of cash and sign him up for a decade.

If we lose him, it would set us back significantly.

Top priority in 2014 alongside Hogan contract extension.

Btw I found it interesting to see Viney (of the Todd variety), quite clearly coaching in the box and helping Craig. Did not see any other assistants

Edited July 20, 201311 yr by Jaded

Get off of Trengove's back you bunch of ungrateful keyboard warriors.

When has Trengove played like a captain should?

What a Joke. Robbie Flower was a Captain as was David Neitz.

Many things need revising come 2014.

Leadership would be one

When has Trengove played like a captain should?

What a Joke. Robbie Flower was a Captain as was David Neitz.

He ran down Handley pretty well.

you would swear we lost by 100 reading this

if Garland had not got hurt we would have won that and you would all be singing a completely different song

never mind we had 50 entries i50 and won the clearances, and that with the second qtr aside we kicked 10 goals to 8

wouldnt have minded mitch clark at the end of those 50 entries either

kent, clisby, fitzy, viney, blease all these kids were pretty good

davey and byrnes their best games for the year

James Aish killed it in the SANFL today. 20 plus disposals and 3 goals. Just saying.

Mixed bag. Was pleasing that we evened up the clearances by the end of the game after being smashed early.

JV is going to be one hell of a player, and great to see Grimes show a bit after last week.

As for Trenners, not even in the ballpark of good enough from a #2 pick, or a captain for that matter. 11 tackles is commendable but there are serious concerns now as he's just not progressing. Simply too slow for the modern game.

Shame about Toumpas. Really could've used a bit more silk with ball in hand. Can only assume he was not well, as was alluded to in the coverage.

Disappointed with the result as that game was there to be won. Just weren't clean enough at crucial stages. Definite signs of life though.

When has Trengove played like a captain should?

What a Joke. Robbie Flower was a Captain as was David Neitz.

Had 20 and 12 tackles tonight mate. As usual, your radar is sadly off.