NO WONDERLAND IN ALICE by George on the Outer

[Demonland 64,712]

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

[monoccular 16,042]

Great choice of literature GOTO.

I wonder if Roos will use the queen of hearts' line with the players?