HELLS BELLS by George on the Outer

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee." ~ John Donne

There are plenty of reasons not to like playing GWS at Star Track oval ( Manuka):

1. Having to listen to that god-awful Cossack dance of a club song;

2. Only 2 gates for entry and exit to the ground;

3. No pies or hot dogs for sale;

4. 1 drinks stand;

5. 1 ticket seller window;

6. 1 icecream stand;

7. Did I mention that god-awful Cossack dance of a club song?

Well that Cossack song became even more unbearable when it sounded out around the ground at the end as well, following a complete and utter capitulation by the Demons after leading by more than five goals late in the second quarter.

This gave the Demon fans one more good reason the hate the place ...

Last week, the Demons set about removing some diabolical history, and finally won an opening round game for the first time in ten years. After conceding eleven goals straight and kicking a solitary major in a half of football, they are well on the way to plumbing new depths.

Everything was there to be taken by the team and the club. A good opening game win, playing against a perennial bottom side full of youngsters, at least half the spectators decked out in Red and Blue and showing much more voice than their counterparts in orange. There was much hope and rightly so, after the suffering that the fans had faced for the past 7 years.

And the fans had every reason to think there was something special about to happen. Similar to last week as the team ran onto the ground to the AC-DC theme of Hells Bells the bells of the local Catholic church rang out loud and strong.

Trouble was that it was merely a wedding taking place, and those bells were more of a portent of things to come, with the words of John Donnes famous poem ringing true ... know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee ... your time is up Demons!

After a promising first quarter when the team took all before it, and even the opening fifteen minutes of the second, all seemed well.

Compatriots at the game noted that halfway through its second game, Melbourne had yet to lose a single quarter of football this season ...

Then the bells started ringing again!

Opportunities to seal the game were squandered, and despite being absolutely pantsed by Mark Jamar in the first quarter, Shane Mumford began a steady and relentless comeback in the ruck.

A goal just before half-time to GWS was the start of an avalanche of goals that didnt stop until just before the final bell ... and thank goodness that Tom McDonald was playing in our backline, because the result may have been even more ugly without his constant rejection of the GWS attacks.

Leadership was lacking when it was most needed, and the much vaunted leadership group was nowhere to be seen. Sadly, the captain appeared to be operating under an injury cloud ( I hope he was), for he had no spark, run or the normal levels of aggression that he displays week in week out.

Jamar was still getting his hands on the ball in the middle, but Shiel, Treloar, Ward and Coniglio just kept sharking it, while our mids stood by looking on. There were at least nine successive clearances from the centre without a single Melbourne player touching the ball or the opposition player who had it in his hands.

Particularly troubling was that nothing was done to stem this rampage. The same players were left in the middle, even when it was obvious that the GIants' pace was killing us.

Surely it was the time to try something different, but it wasnt until the last quarter that Brayshaw, Garlett and Lumumba got a chance to show some spirit on behalf of the team by playing in the middle?

But by then it was all over, and the hopes of the Demon fans who had travelled by road and air to support their team, not to mention the hordes of local supporters, were dashed well and truly YET AGAIN.

How many time have the fans been asked to dig deep over these past hard years, and when the opportunity to lift the club from its doldrums is left up to the players they fail?

So when the 2015 season draws to a close, and those same players want to know whether they will see season 2016, remember the tolling of the bells and remember that they toll for thee!!

Melbourne 4.2.26 7.3.45 7.6.48 8.8.56

GWS Giants 0.2.2 2.6.18 11.8.74 15.11.101

Goals

Melbourne Hogan Newton 2 Garlett Jamar Kent T McDonald

GWS Giants McCarthy Shiel 3 Coniglio Smith 2 Cameron Mumford Scully Treloar Wilson

Best

Melbourne T McDonald Viney Salem Cross Tyson Lumumba

GWS Giants Coniglio Kelly Haynes Greene Shaw Shiel

Changes

Melbourne Nil

GWS Giants Nil

Injuries

Melbourne Nil

GWS Giants Nil

Substitutions

Melbourne Brayshaw replaced Vince in the fourth quarter.

GWS GiantsWilson replaced Tomlinson in the second quarter.

Reports

Melbourne Nil

GWS Giants Nil

Umpires Stevic Hat Pannell

Official crowd 7,760 at the StarTrack Oval