THE LION KINKS by The Oracle

Melbourne wrapped up this low scoring game against a very kinky bottom-of-the-ladder Brisbane Lions in the first quarter when it kicked five goals, three of them off the boot of Jesse Hogan, the Demons' brightest shining light on the horizon in several years. In fact, 20-year-old Hogan who kicked his fourth in the last quarter is more than just on the horizon - he's getting close to taking over centre stage.

Given that the Lions also scored a major in the opening stanza, half of the game’s paltry total of twelve goals had been kicked by quarter time, leaving plenty of time for boring, defensive and ugly football in what was certainly not an exhibition of the finer points of the great Australian game. Fortunately, the administrators of our indigenous sport can also point to the fact that on the same ground, on the night before, the best exponents of the world game, produced a similarly lifeless and scoreless effort.

It's probably gone largely unrecognised because the Demons haven't exactly put enough results on the board but the past month or two have seen some definite signs of improvement. Leaving aside, the last 40 minutes of the game against the Eagles in Darwin, the Melbourne has been in winning positions in all of its games since the Queens Birthday clash against Collingwood. Last week, it was a burst of accuracy by the Bombers in the third quarter (and inaccuracy all day by the Dees) that cost it the game, a few weeks before that, a defensive brain fade in the dying moment that deprived them of the points at Etihad against the Saints. In light of that, who could argue with an ugly 24 point victory against an opponent kept to only four goals? (in fact, the team has kept its opposition down to just 8 goals in 7 of the last 8 quarters played)

This defensive mindset is reminiscent of last year but it's certainly becoming more effective and efficient. How long before a breakthrough sees the team record another significant win like that against Geelong four weeks ago?

The selectors persevered with the same side that lost to the Bombers and are giving more game time to their young players while signaling to the likes of Mark Jamar and Jack Grimes that their time may still come. The young kids tried and showed promise and, of course, Hogan was the standout but the kudos from this game will go to the likes of Jeremy Howe who excelled in defence in what might have been his last chance before a stint at Casey. Bernie Vince and Jack Viney were the pick of the midfielders but there really wasn’t much excitement in the club’s engine room.

Max Gawn is winning in the ruck on a weekly basis but the men at his feet are still not capitalizing on his dominance. Apart from in the first quarter, Brisbane won at the clearances and stoppages and hence, the struggle on the part of the team to score after the first break. Its little wonder therefore that in the post-match press conference, Paul Roos said that the aim is to recruit an A list midfielder into the ranks for next year. That’s wonderful but Dangerfield and Treloar appear out of his grasp so, unless he can pull a rabbit out of his hat, Roosy might have to rely on some of the youngsters in his own ranks to continue to improve and for Jack Trengove and Christian Petracca to make full recoveries from the injuries that kept them out this season.

Next week, Melbourne takes on St. Kilda which continues to be impressive although, like the Dees, isn’t getting enough wins on the board for the effort expended. A victory would see the team on course for its highest placed finish in four years, perhaps a springboard for the future.

Melbourne 5.4.34 7.7.49 7.10.52 8.12.60

Brisbane Lions 1.2.8 1.5.11 3.8.26 4.12.36

Goals

Melbourne Hogan 4 Garlett McDonald 2

Brisbane Lions Andrews, Christensen, Robinson, Zorko

Best

Melbourne Howe, Gawn, Hogan, Viney, Cross, vandenBerg

Brisbane Lions Christensen, Zorko, Taylor, Beams, Andrews

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Brisbane Lions Nil

Injuries

Melbourne Nil

Brisbane Lions Hanley (hamstring)

Substitutions

Melbourne Alex Neal-Bullen replaced Jay Kennedy-Harris in the third term

Brisbane Lions James Aish replaced Pearce Hanley in the third quarter

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Brisbane Lions Nil

Umpires Bannister, Harris, McInerney

Official crowd 25,149 at the MCG

Meh.

I haven't felt that hollow after a win since we beat the expansion sides in their first year's.

Gee, it's tough being a Melbourne supporter. Even when we win, it feels like a loss.

Edited July 20, 201510 yr by AdamFarr

I TOLD you sorry lot Brisbane were poo.

If you are looking for a gift for a person you don't like very much i suggest ordering this game off Name a game.

That was a bog ordinary game.

Reminds me of the games against GWS and Port. Lost momentum in the latter part.

When your the MFC , you take any win. We finally won a game as favorites. If we kicked one more goal we would be out of the bottom 4.... we are now just decimal % points behind Essendrug. (making last weeks loss even more frustrating)

Having said that, it was the worst game of footy I have seen since these two teams played last year and our kicking at goal was deplorable for the 2nd week in a row.

Max Gawn is a hero, he kept us in it in that putrid 3rd quarter

I'm happy that we won.I am also happy that I didn't go to the G today to watch such an ugly game of football.

I really enjoyed the first quarter. The rest was total crap tbh.

Was it three goals after quarter time, against the bottom side?

i'll take it.

I'm happy. I will take a win any day of the week.

Oh yeah, most wins in a season since 2011 !!!!!!!!!

Pop the champagne!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a crap game but a win is a win is a win.

A win is a win....so why don't I feel entirely ecstatic !!

phew...what a durge of a game

Was ugly but pleasant enough at the ground to know we were not giving it away. Next step is to put a team away

Terrible win, very few positives.

The worst part for me was how Melbourne were so slow to turn around when they had the ball and when we did get the ball forward too many players got too cute. Especially Hogan, Tyson and Garlett.

Again, the loose men hurt us, it's just Brisbane were too poor to capitalise.

The best player on the ground for mine was Lewis Taylor.

Not the greatest of wins but we can't be too picky. I would have taken a win in any format today, in true Melbourne-style we probably couldn't have won any uglier than that.

We're on 5 wins now, so the improvement from 2014 (4 wins) and 2013 (2 wins) is on show.

How we beat Geelong without Hogan is an absolute mystery. He's already our best player.

Daniel Cross was our best player, IMO. Closely followed by Gawn, Hogan and... Chris Dawes.

Absolute eyesore. Happy to bank the 4 points but that second half. Wow.

First half was okay but still only a handful of passages of play that stick out. Most scores came from errors which better sides don't make.

The ridiculously easy misses at goal are still an issue.

As if we didn't already know, Hogan is going to be a superstar.

Edited July 19, 201510 yr by P-man

A couple of things to take out of today:

1 - We have won 5 games in a season for the first time in 3 years. That's a good mental hurdle for the players to get over, and after losing all of our games in the second half of last year it's good to get a win on the board, even if it was very ugly.

2 - We tired in the second half as our kids continue to find running out games a struggle. Harmes, Stretch and Brayshaw stand out as those players while JKH was quiet and ANB didn't go a whole lot in a little bit of time on the ground. What we DO need to remember is that these kids are still doing good things.

Take Stretch for example. He tired in the second half but still had 12 touches and 5 tackles at 91% DE. When he gets his tank up then he can run out games and have further touches. Harmes improved on last week and had 15 touches as well.

Brisbane are rubbish which helped us out big time, but a win is a win guys, and something that can help our confidence going forward. It's FAR better than a loss at any rate.

Positives were better games from Howe and Dawes

I think Harmes will be a player.

Cross is a legend. Vanders has been a great get.

Viney has really come on. Garland and Jetta was good.

Gawn is a beauty.

Very unconvinced by JKH and Lamumba.

A win is a win

All wins are tough and we won

Do we really think the guys are sitting in the ice bath mulling over the quality of our win????

Well done guys

We are a team on the up

When you go from 18th to Premiers, you will have wins like this along the way.

Playing well is winning.

We are on the right track

And its wonderful to watch Gawn develop.

And Watts will help us win a GF!

I thought we would get beaten. So im happy with the win.