THE BREAKOUT by George on the Outer

[Demonland 73,140]

At some point, as an upcoming side moves upwards from the lower reaches of the League ladder, there comes a defining moment.  It is that moment that causes others to take notice, to admit that there is something genuine about the team's progress and to recognise that for the future they will have to be taken seriously.

All that occurred in one afternoon in August 2016 when 11th placed Melbourne defeated the top of the ladder Hawthorn by nearly five goals.

Paul Roos promised to re-build the playing list during his reign as coach, while off-field leader Peter Jackson has at the same time rebuilt the club.  As we approach the end of the 2016 season, Melbourne supporters can finally see that those promises are being delivered. 

We have seen the steady progression of the side under Roos' tutelage but this game was the breakout that signified the step necessary to be a genuine future contender in the competition.

Before the match, there were few who regarded Melbourne's prospects for success on the day.  Hawthorn had a nine game winning streak, had won the last three premierships, and were fielding most of their well-credentialed list. Their battle hardened warriors in Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell, Burgoyne, Gibson and Rioli were all there. It had been ten years since a Demons side had beaten Hawthorn. 

It was a big task for the youngest AFL team to take to the field since the introduction of GWS –Gold Coast to provide even a meaningful contest, especially as it followed a 6 day break and two recent long interstate trips to Perth and Darwin.

With everything pointing to an easy Hawthorn victory, the result and the size of the win was particularly notable.

The young Demons got off to a flyer of a start with an early goal to Jayden Hunt when on the run, and then Sam Weideman, in his debut game, joined that elite group of AFL players to have kicked a goal with his first touch. 

But Hawthorn returned the fire and for the majority of the match the scoreboard showed barely a two goal difference between the two sides. That in itself was remarkable, because Hawthon with their skills, experience and stronger bodies should have been making a greater mark. 

However, the mark was being made by the Melbourne players instead.  Max Gawn dominated the Hawthorn duo of McEvoy and Ceglar in the ruck contests with 41 hit-outs.  Not only that but he took 11 marks around the ground, with some particularly telling contested ones both in offence and defence. His performances in this match and during the season have surely marked him as a certainty for AA selection this year.

The game was almost a repeat of that when the teams last met.  Melbourne close, sometimes in front, but eventually losing it in the last quarter. This time the roles were reversed as the Demons played with the same level of intensity, right up to the final siren. 

What was also different from the last was the output from the younger players. Christian Petracca may not have had spectacular statistics with only 12 touches, but seven of those were contested, and what was not reflected on the stats sheet was his new found ability to break tackles. He now knows his own strength and will use it more and more as he matures from his ripe old age of 20!

Once again, it was Jack Viney leading the charge. 39 touches, 16 contested and 7 clearances.  He is only 22!

Clayton Oliver rejoined the mids after his further development in the VFL to record 23 disposals, 11 contested, 8 clearances.  He just turned 19 a fortnight ago!

Angus Brayshaw 16 disposals, 6 contested and he is just 20!

Complementing them were Dom Tyson and Nathan Jones with their usual output of 30 touches each, and the injection of this talented youth made all the difference to the end result.

Despite Jesse Hogan not playing, he was not missed because Weideman, Cameron Pedersen and Jack Watts stood up to more than adequately provide a target when the ball moved forward. 

Watts was once again unstoppable.  With three telling goals, his turnaround from bit player to damaging pivot is yet another example of what Roos has achieved.  He might have scored three on his own, but his pin-point passing and willingness to get involved provided others scoring opportunities that were manufactured from nothing.

Troubling for the AFL was again the appalling display from the umpiring department.  Calls which were just best guesses, or made on the assumption that the Hawthorn player could not possibly do wrong were rife throughout the game. How Rioli was gifted a free 15 metres out after a high bump to Oliver, which will surely be reviewed by the MRC was simply incomprehensible. 

Six Hawthorn goals came from free kicks. Without this one-sided interpretation, a rout in favour of the Demons would have happened. 

This was the breakout game.  If there was ever any doubt in Hogan and Tom McDonald’s mind about where this club is heading, then this match would have settled it well and truly.

The next step is the break-in that will see us vault into the finals.  It probably won’t happen this year, but with the surfeit of talent that Roos and his team have accumulated, 2017 is a certainty.

Melbourne 5.2.32 9.2.56 12.6.78 17.8.110

Hawthorn 3.3.21 7.9.51 10.12.72 11.15.81

Goals 

Melbourne Watts 3 Bugg Tyson Weideman 2 Brayshaw Gawn Hunt Pedersen Petracca Stretch vandenBerg 

Hawthorn Rioli 4 Ceglar Gunston Smith 2 O'Brien 

Best

Melbourne N Jones Gawn Viney Tyson Watts Vince T McDonald Oliver

Hawthorn Rioli Smith Hodge Lewis Mitchell

Changes

Melbourne Jesse Hogan (bruised knee) replaced by Cameron Pedersen

Hawthorn James Frawley (shoulder) replaced by 

Injuries 

Melbourne Nil

Hawthorn Stratton (pectoral muscle) replaced by 

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Hawthorn Nil

Umpires Farmer, Rosebury, Wallace

Official crowd 38,818 at the MCG