NO WONDERLAND IN ALICE by George on the Outer

The first ever game for Premiership points in Alice Springs, a magnificent ground and day, the Demons leading the top placed side in the competition half way through the finals quarter ... yes it was all set for a true fairy-tale ending.

But it was not to be.

Having run Port into the ground physically, and stuck their noses in front only a few Demons knew what to do next.

Unfortunately, it wasnt the ones who had the ball within their grasp, or the where with all to follow the coaches instructions to the letter.

To see all the good work squandered by a few was dis-heartening to say the least. Unforced turnovers, kick-outs to no-one but the opposition, lame handballs into the air instead of directly to a team-mate, they all resulted in opposition goals in those final 10 minutes.

These players were in the same situation as Alice was when faced with the same dilemma:

"Alice came to a fork in the road. 'Which road do I take?' she asked.

'Where do you want to go?' responded the Cheshire Cat.

'I don't know,' Alice answered.

'Then,' said the Cat, 'it doesn't matter.'"

Paul Roos has shown a team how to be successful. Roos has shown them which fork in the road to take, but they choose to follow their own path!

Disciplined adherence to instructions saw us frustrate the opposition, and keep possession.

A four goal start to Port didnt help the situation, although, once again, by doing what they have been trained to do, they eventually clawed their way back into the game.

But in the end football is a very simple game. You beat your opponent and you have done your bit. If more of the team do the same you win simple!

However, we still see players who think they have done enough, and go into coast mode. Watts with 15 possessions to half-time could only manage 6 in the second half. Bail was destructive at the start, and unsighted thereafter.

Compare that with the 30 possessions to Dom Tyson and Nathan Jones, who were ably backed up again by Cross, Jones M and Viney. They were all going strong in the final quarter when it was needed, but doing it all alone.

Roos would have been disappointed because when he coached Sydney they were renowned for not giving up final quarter leads. They killed the game, and their opponents scoring opportunities, because they followed his instructions.

Most supporters would be happy to have only lost by 20 points to this side.

Last year's team would have given up a 10 goal+ victory to the opposition after being behind by 4 goals. Resilience has been learnt and method has been learnt.

But a loss is a loss.

Worse when it is simply "another game we should have won".

Finally, for those that may criticize the club for playing this game in the NT, the financial return will be far greater than anything possible at home, and it truly was a picture book profile for the game of AFL.

The team and some players would be well advised to remember the line from the Queen of Hearts:

"My dear, here we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that."

Without that approach there will never be the fairytale ending ...

Melbourne 2.2.14 7.4.46 10.5.65 11.9.75

Port Adelaide 5.4.34 8.4.52 10.9.69 14.11.95

Goals

Melbourne Bail Frawley Pedersen Salem Tyson 2 Gawn

Port Adelaide Gray Schulz Westhoff 2 Boak Brad Ebert Mitchell Neade Polec White Wines Young

Best

Melbourne Tyson M Jones N Jones Vince Howe Dunn McDonald

Port Adelaide Broadbent Boak Cornes Wines Mitchell Hombsch

Injuries

Melbourne Nil

Port Adelaide Wingard (concussion)

Changes

Melbourne Aidan Riley by Jimmy Toumpas

Port Adelaide Nil

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Port Adelaide Nil

Umpires Schmitt Dalgleish Foot

Crowd 5,655 at TIO Traeger Park

Two minutes to go but it's over. Amazing effort but just lacked a little in the last quarter.

I went from hoping for not to be disgraced to thinking we'd win to just absolutely shattered.

Disappointing.

We still don't know how to win.

Dawes would have been handy.

Have to be proud of the effort but lacked composure at the start and end. Learn from it and move on.

Disappointing, but so proud.

Best game we've played all year, and we are a genuine chance next week.

First 10 minutes and last 10 minutes we got beaten....rest of the game we were the better side.

I can't help but question why we're playing a home game in Alice Springs. At the G....we likely win.

Disappointing but they will learn heaps from that. First four and last four killed us.

Well, we missed too many gettable shots at goal in the last quarter and that was the difference in the end.

What can you say, almost but not quite.

Still too many turnovers with skill errors.

I lost count of the amount of times we won the ball but it ended up in the hands if a port player,even guys like Jones and tyson who were great all day got caught with it or over ran it.

We will get better.

Screw the negativity around here. Port are the best team in the comp. We nearly beat them. Minus Dawes. Minus any help from the [censored] maggots yet again. 8 weeks ago most on here thought we wouldn't win a single game this year. Proud of the boys.

Tyson is an absolute star, a few tired kicks at the end doesn't change that. Salem has it. Roos is a genius. The future is bright.

It's still the same things that are hurting us. We give up silly turnovers and when we take it forward we don't kick to anyone, we just kick it into the 50 and hope for the best.

I thought the last quarter was pretty terrible, although we did have the first five scoring shots for a total of one goal. Imagine if we'd kicked straight and had a 20 point lead to defend. But from then on we were shite and they just dictated play to us. You still have to say we did ok to get that close I guess.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH

A few decisions in the last qtr killed us....holding the ball, when tackled immediately and held down by port players, in front of goal. Ridiculous Schmidt Adelaide umpire

Put up your hand if you don't have a membership. Those with their hands up are the reason we are playing in Alice.

First 10 minutes and last 10 minutes we got beaten....rest of the game we were the better side.

I can't help but question why we're playing a home game in Alice Springs. At the G....we likely win.

Because Northern Territory are a sponsor and we need the cash, one of the few games we will make dollars out of this year.

The kick out by Dunn highlighted why long down the guts is not a common kick out, but we were unlucky. One or two opportunities taken in the last and it could have been a different result

Gawn six disposals and zero tackles. Well, there's another reason. We clearly missed Dawes. Next week: Dawes in for Gawn for mine.

Composure is the key word, as I said in the other thread "I feel like Melbourne are just one brain fade away from calamity".

I think I was right.

Amazing effort to nearly knock off the top team. Better team on the day, just little mistakes here and there cost us.

The negativity that was in the match day thread towards the end though was pissing me off! WE nearly knocked off TOP SPOT! If someone had've even suggested that we could do that this time last year, they would've been admitted into a mental ward! Just be grateful for how far we've come in such little time.

I'm happy with where we're at. Some mistakes at the end, went away from the game plan a few brain fades. All things that will be fixed. Roos and his crew are doing a great job in my opinion. Master stroke playing Cross on Polec.

[censored] off all commentators who are giving us no credit.

Because Northern Territory are a sponsor and we need the cash, one of the few games we will make dollars out of this year.

The kick out by Dunn highlighted why long down the guts is not a common kick out, but we were unlucky. One or two opportunities taken in the last and it could have been a different result

Yeah, I suppose Hawthorn have done it with Tassie. If we're going to be a top team we should be able to win anywhere.

Disappointing end. The fittest side in the comp was always favourite to run it out better but with the break we should've been able to match it with them. A missed opportunity but still a fantastic effort on the whole against the top side.

Dunn, Jetta and Pedo have been a revelation, but we face the awkward reality of one of our captains not being up to this level.

Decision making killed us in the end, early in the fourth if we had of kicked a few instead of 1.4, we could have got on top, three centre clearances attempts that should have been slammed on the boot instead of trying to take on the opponents also resulted in port goals.

And Dunn was awesome all game except for that stupid torp with four mins to go.

Gawn six disposals and zero tackles. Well, there's another reason. We clearly missed Dawes. Next week: Dawes in for Gawn for mine.

Agreed. Happy for Pedersen to pinch hit in the ruck as before Gawn joining the side.

Pedersen continued his awesome form too. Has developed in to a reliable, tough big man. Easily the most improved player on our list I reckon.