THE LID IS BACK - LET'S KEEP IT ON by George on the Outer

It was only a pre-season practice match despite what some may think, but the result and the way that Melbourne comprehensively demolished a near full strength Carlton side, makes it very hard to dampen expectations among the supporters.

The real contrast for the game was the style of play. The 2017 Demons play the same hard-at-it type of football that won Footscray a Premiership, and Carlton simply do not. The result was a one way game as Melbourne in each and every quarter simply was ferocious at the ball and opposition players.

Carlton was never allowed a free rein, as Melbourne players attacked them en-mass and then when they had finally wrested possession from the Blues, there were Demon players aplenty around as options. The number of times that Melbourne took the ball from one end of the ground to the other without Carlton so much as being in the contest as it moved up the ground was lost. And the 0.17.14 final tally could have been so much more.

Now some may question why the Demons didn’t put the cue in the rack at half-time, because it was all well and truly over by then, and there is always the risk of injury to critical players. But thinking about this after the match the answer became more apparent.  

This is the no mercy approach that we as supporters have been longing for. This is now a relentless, fierce, no half-efforts or take the easy approach team that Paul Roos and now Simon Goodwin have been building. We don’t slack off.  

And Melbourne plays Carlton in Round 2 of the season proper so what better way to send a chilling message to them?

Now I could wax lyrical about many players with a game like this - and with a long bench to run there wasn’t the same fatigue factor that is present in a normal AFL game. 

However, for starters, Christian Petracca showed just how good he is with a four goal haul, including a ripper from the boundary.  But it was his 10 contested possession in a total of 19 and his six marks that made him stand out.  Carlton simply had no answer to him. 

Up forward Jesse Hogan was the Hulk. He is simply brutal and recorded three goals against his name for the game. We also saw Goodwin using him in the middle a number of times, and what a frightening prospect that will be for opposition teams? That and the continuous parade of tough, hard midfielders that Melbourne now has at its disposal.  With Nathan Jones and Jack Viney leading and Jordan Lewis as back up, the opposition never get a rest with Bernie Vince, Clayton Oliver, Angus Brayshaw, Petracca and now Christian Salem to throw into that mix. Then it all starts again.  

Salem was a real highlight as no-one expected him to be playing mid-field. His 21 touches and seven contested possessions showed that he can and has obviously been developed for this new role.  Best of all he has the vision and situational awareness that Lewis and Oliver also possess, such that they know where the ball is going before they get it. And then they deliver precisely and effectively. 

What a change has now occurred. Just a couple of years ago Nathan Jones held everything together on his own in the middle. Now he has an army of brutal assassins around him, and he has the pleasure of sitting off to the side a little more rather than being hammered week in and week out.  As a result we will see much more of him and also preserve his career for longer. 

Oh, and I forgot about Max who had a normal day at the office - 19 hitouts and two goals. Having the luxury of being able to rest in the forward line while Spencer took the ruck role gave the Carlton defenders nightmares.  The same situation will probably not happen in the season proper, as Spence is simply at a level below, but he was probably equal to Kruezer on the day, given his time on the ground, so not a bad back-up. 

West Coast in WA is the next JLT Community Series game, and there are plenty of players pushing for selection. What will the coaches want to do with a decent break before the first game proper? 

We can only wait and see, but for now it's time for a break -  THE LID IS BACK - LET'S KEEP IT ON!

Melbourne 0.5.4.34 0.9.5.59 0.12.10.82 0.17.14.116

Carlton 0.1.2.8 0.3.5.23 0.7.6.48 0.9.8.62

Supergoals

Melbourne Nil

Carlton Nil

Goals
 
Melbourne Petracca 4 Hogan 3 Gawn Salem vandenBerg Viney 2 Kennedy-Harris Neal-Bullen 

Carlton Casboult Pickett 2 Cunningham Curnow Lebois Thomas Weitering

Best

Melbourne Petracca Hogan Viney Jones Gawn Salem Vince   

Carlton Simpson, Gibbs Marchbank Kreuzer   

Injuries

Melbourne Nil

Carlton Gorringe (leg)  

Reports 

Melbourne Nil

Carlton Nil

Umpires Schmitt Ryan McInerny Glouftsis

Crowd 7,256 at Casey Fields, Cranbourne