HAUNTED BY THE PRESENT by Whispering Jack

It was about nine minutes into the final term and Melbourne was ahead by 14 points with almost twice as many scoring shots as the Brisbane Lions (6.14 to 5.6). A thought bubble rose over my head suggesting that I should be prepared to excuse the ugliness of this virtually unwatchable game.

The mistakes, the turnovers, the poor skill sets from both sides were there clearly on display but the odds were that if the Demons would continue doing what they had done for more than three quarters then it would all be worth it because there were four premiership points on offer to be won that would lift the club ahead of another two AFL teams to establish a gap between themselves and the wooden spoon position.

At that very point the Lions went onto the attack knowing that the only way they could win a low scoring scrap in which the teams had thus far scored a mere eleven goals between them. At the same time, the Demons, perhaps believing that a 13 point lead in such a game was there to be saved rather than won, went super defensive.

Therein lay the problem. At times, it was an odds on certainty that with so many players down back, the opposition would simply belt the ball forward enough times to break through, especially if any of those players would commit an error which they did on cue and often enough to allow the Lions to break the wall of the dike and overrun the home team with a withering 20 minute and six goal burst.

The suggestion from the coach was that the team is haunted by the past but I reckon it's more a case of haunted by the present.

It was what the Demons deserved for bungling so many golden opportunities in the first three quarters and then shutting up shop far too early. For half a game between the beginning of the second quarter until siren time in the third they squandered countless opportunities to score goals. In the end, they got what they deserved.

Nathan Jones led the Demons as he always does but even he was not immune to committing the odd blooper. Dom Tyson gave him great support in the middle but he too was wasteful at times. Jeremy Howe and Tom McDonald defended well while James Frawley was solid in attack and he certainly couldn't do it on his own - but all of them committed errors when Melbourne was well on top.

There are too many in the team for who the practice has become commonplace. If your kicks and handballs miss the target, if you drop the football or fail to chase, then consider yourself lucky if you're on the list by the end of the year.

Melbourne 3.3.214.8.32 5.13.43 6.15.51

Brisbane Lions 3.3.21 4.3.27 5.6.36 11.8.74

Goals

Melbourne Kent 2 Bail Frawley N Jones Tyson

Brisbane Lions McStay 3 Close 2 Adcock Beams Hanley Harwood Merrett Taylor

Best

Melbourne N Jones Howe Jetta Frawley Tyson Kent

Brisbane Lions Bewick Rockliff Hanley Martin McStay Adcock

Changes

Melbourne Jack Grimes (hamstring) replaced in the selected side by Dean Terlich

Brisbane Lions Nil

Injuries

Melbourne McDonald (ankle), Pedersen (nose)

Brisbane Lions Maguire (foot)

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Brisbane Lions Daniel Merrett for striking Cam Pedersen in the fourth quarter

Umpires Donlon Harris O'Gorman

Crowd 18,079 at Etihad Stadium