A TALE OF TWO CITIES by George on the Outer

[Demonland 65,486]

[with credit to Charles Dickens ... re-written Paul Roos]

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way ...

How apt are those words to describe the Demons fate for the past years. A team going nowhere.to Heaven or Hell. And indeed it has been the worst of times where the spring of hope was dashed by the winter of despair.

But now the Tale of Two Cities has been re-written by Paul Roos. No longer is it London and Paris, but rather Sydney and Melbourne!

We all know the Sydney story. A 72 year Premiership drought broken by Roos as coach. He adopted a relentless, structured, disciplined approach to the way football was played, and turned a group of ordinary, average footballers into ruthless role-players.

What we saw in the game against Richmond, with his new charges, the Melbourne Demons, was a replica of the same formula. Players who last year were headed for the scrap heap, are re-born as integral cogs in the Roos machine.

With the 3rd win for the Season the Demons have already exceeded their output for 2013, but it is the style of play that will win more, much more in the remainder of 2014.

Today the standout was Cam Pedersen who marked and fought for everything that came his way. Only credited with 8 marks, most of them would have been contested with a 2 goal output to his balance sheet. 12 months ago he moved around the ground at glacial pace: today he is a different player and truly ripped the game apart at critical moments.

Interestingly, it was probably the inclusion of Max Gawn that benefitted Pedersen most. Instead of having to pinch hit in the ruck, he was courtesy of Gawn, able to play a lethal role around the ground and in the forward line.

Watts, Jamar, Vince, Tyson, Viney, Jones, Cross, Dawes, Salem ... etc. It was difficult to single out others for exceptional efforts, because there were simply so many contributors.

This was the first time for many, many years that Demon supporters were not able to walk away from the game saying that player A or B failed to contribute. Today there were no spuds!!!

And unlike previous Melbourne teams, when the opposition got back within 4 points in the last quarter, it would have signaled another capitulation. But not this Roos led team. They simply dug deeper, and now believe that once they have their noses in front, they never get beaten. Just like Sydney ...

So now with what is unfolding before our eyes, is it too much to hope for a similar outcome in this new Roos fairytale?

Sydney had to wait 72 years.

We are at 50 and counting down!!

Melbourne 1.3.9 4.5.29 9.6.60 14.7.91

Richmond 2.3.15 4.8.32 6.16.52 9.20.74

Goals

Melbourne Watts 3 Pedersen Tyson 2 Dawes Kennedy-Harris M Jones N Jones Riley Vince Viney

Richmond Edwards Lennon 2 Cotchin Jackson Lloyd Martin Riewoldt

Best

Melbourne Tyson N Jones Pedersen Viney Dawes Howe Watts

Richmond Martin Jackson Cotchin Edwards Deledio Grigg

Changes

Melbourne Neville Jetta (gastro) replaced by Jimmy Toumpas

Richmond Nil

Injuries

Melbourne Nil

Richmond Astbury (knee) Cotchin (ankle)

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Richmond Nil

Umpires Ryan Matthews Fisher

Crowd 56,910 at the MCG

[Salems Lot 2,377]

it is a far, far better thing they do!