There are days when you can't hit the side of a barn door and days when you can't miss. Each of the team's had one of those days today.

SLIP, SLIDING AWAY by George on the Outer

Geelong dedicated the third round match against Melbourne to the 1980’s and, in doing so, featured some of the worst music to come out of that era with their fans stupidly dancing around to Brian Mannix and other such forgettables. It was cringeworthy but has the desired effect because it provided their opposition with another 80’s song as backdrop- Paul Simon's "Slip Sliding Away".

For those born in more recent times, the lyrics of the song include this line:-

"You know the nearer your destination, the more it slips slides away”...

And that was true for the 19 shots on goal that the Demons had which failed register a six point outcome and included in that were no less than ten set shots from inside a distance of 40 metres that resulted in not a single major! As a consequence of that factor alone, for the Demons, this very winnable game was slip sliding away...

At ¾ time there were a bare three points in the match, but Geelong had scored 14 majors with only two behinds. In the second and third quarters combined, the Cats had kicked nine straight goals to 10.13 - they were in the game because of their accuracy, and the Demons failed to hold a match winning lead because of their inaccuracy.

Tellingly, in the warm-up before the game, Melbourne ran their usual drills.  In contrast Geelong spent the majority of their time with goal kicking.  Etihad stadium is different to the MCG or Kardinia Park and the extra time spent finding out the difference was critical in front of goal for both sides.

For Melbourne the game turned significantly in the second quarter, when Max Gawn left the ground with what the early reports indicate was a hamstring injury. Before that, he was truly fired up and was urging his team to overcome the three goal deficit at the first break. His efforts were working, but unfortunately, he was unable to carry them through as he hobbled from the field. 

Desperate times called for desperate measures and Jack Watts was called upon to ruck against Clarke and Blicavs, a monumental ask. But he responded and while they continued to dominate the taps, the differential to advantage wasn’t great.  He became an extra mid and Melbourne led the clearances out of the centre.

When guts was required, it brought out the best from Nathan Jones, who produced one of his best games with 36 touches and his toughness around the packs was telling, especially when facing off against Dangerfield and Selwood. Clayton Oliver had another 28 touches to keep his star shining brightly, but there was a fairly dim effort from Dom Tyson when we needed more. His 57% kicking efficiency is deplorable, but his unwillingness to run when the opposition mids were streaming forward told in multiple Geelong goals. He must do better and needs to lift soon.

The backs held their own given the height of the Geelong forwards and their ability to drop one of their rucks into the spot as well, once Gawn had departed. However, there were too many occasions when the half backs simply didn’t get back far enough and quickly enough to help out. As a result we often saw Neville Jetta having to try to out mark Hawkins or Blicavs. The coach fortunately gave up on part of the zone defence at half time and stuck Tom Macdonald onto Hawkins, who then kept him quiet. 

Bernie Vince was uninspiring after his return from suspension. Even when thrown forward in the last quarter, he didn’t put in the required effort to have an impact. His position will also be in doubt for the future once more efficient ball distributors like Lewis and Hibberd return. 

The loss of Gawn in itself wasn’t the cause of the loss. The poor kicking and the loss of forward structure when Watts was press-ganged into ruck service left Melbourne severely stretched. Sam Weidman was all at sea, without big bodies like Hogan's around him, and there is a direct comparison to Darcy Moore who hasn’t had a touch since Cloke left Collingwood for Footscray. When younger-bodied players get the best defender they struggle.

This was a game that got away.  

It WAS the game that Melbourne had the opportunity to stamp its mark on the competition to say it had arrived. It didn’t happen, and in one fell swoop, the team has even slipped out of the top eight - a sign of danger is that if the Demons of the recent past resurface, then the season itself will start "slip sliding away ..."

Melbourne 2.4.16 7.11.53 12.17.89 13.19.97

Geelong 5.2.32 9.2.56 14.2.86 20.6.126 

Goals

Melbourne Kent Watts 2 Garlett Hannan Harmes Hunt Jetta Petracca Neal-Bullen T. Smith Stretch

Geelong Hawkins 5 Menzel 4 Dangerfield 3 Blicavs Motlop 2 McCarthy Parfitt Selwood Smith

Best

Melbourne Jones Hunt Watts Viney Stretch Kent Jetta

Geelong Selwood Dangerfield Menzel Hawkins Blicavs Ruggles Parfitt

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Geelong Nil

Injuries

Melbourne Gawn (right hamstring) Kent (cut head)

Geelong Selwood (cut head) Hawkins (corked quad)

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Geelong Nil

Umpires Hosking, Ryan, Mollison

Official crowd 29,733 at Etihad Stadium

 

Dissapointing as clearly we could have won. Tired and put the cue in the rack in the final 20, sure I can wear that, considering where we have been the last decade. I am super super impressed with our midfield, and super super content with where we are headed, considering the 3/4 effort and the intent and energy we displayed. We will be a juggernaut.

Put this one down to 3 things

 

- Gawn injured early

- Goal kicking accuracy was woeful. Was just one of them days

- inexperience.  A lot of silly mistakes and bad decisions by some of the young kids.

plenty of positives though, had a real crack. Cats are a good team that will likely feature heavily in September.

the trick will be how we recover and respond next week.

Horribly frustrating loss.  Hard to fathom how we lost that game when we had so many winners across the board.  

Our kicking for goal was ordinary to say the least, but I guess we were due as normally we're not too bad.  But those second and third quarters killed us and we should have been 6 goals up going in to the last quarter.

But I'm proud of the boys.  When Max went down we stood up and gave it everything.  Look at some of the excellent performances from guys like Hunt, Stretch and ANB.  Guys like Oliver and Petracca gave us something as well.  We did everything we could, but when you miss so many shots your luck will only last forever.

Shout out to Nathan Jones as well.  Mammoth game and further proof that he is a star of the competition.

Onwards and upwards from here.  Let's go out to the G and smash Freo next weekend.

I f a r k i n g hate Geelong especially flogwood. 

Thats what it looks like to throw 4 points in the bin.  Infuriating. 

3 minutes ago, Demonland said:

There are days when you can't hit the side of a barn door and days when you can't miss. Each of the team's had one of those days today.

Fasolo  could not buy a goal last week. Kicked them from anywhere last night. Gawn hurt more than him being off the ground. Cost Watts playing up forward and he was worn out by the last quarter. Umpiring was poor but for both teams. Had the chance to win but that 2nd quarter &^%%%$ 

Unbelievable. It was a gutsy performance but we threw it away.

Chris Scott is still up in his box whingeing about the umpiring, such a piece of work.

Apart from the embarrassing goal kicking. Too many passengers, Tyson (so overrated) Weideman, Hannan... We missed that even team effort, without Gawn as well it was like being 4 players down. 

Definitely cannot question the effort of the boys. 

A big improvement on the last few seasons.  

I would like to dedicate this loss to Lewis and Hogan

I hope Hogan and Lewis feel like rubbish.

Huge effort without Gawn, can't be too upset.

Geelong are going nowhere fast.

I have never followed this closely on Dland and as  stated there was no fat cover and ABC radio had no coverage.

normally I would just wait and wait but this was a fascinating match as it unfolded.

Still no mention on the football channel

Oh well look forward to Dland with even more gratitude. Thanks all 

1 minute ago, Forest Demon said:

Unbelievable. It was a gutsy performance but we threw it away.

Chris Scott is still up in his box whingeing about the umpiring, such a piece of work.

I reckon both sides have reason to complain about the umpiring. Do feel for the umpires because they get changes areas to concentrate on every week. Buggered if I could do it.

 

Forward line of Weideman, Smith and Hannan was always going to struggle. Not even sure what changes to make, or who could come in.

We only have ourselves to blame, which is both the most infuriating and exciting thing about today.

Geelongs best 5 players have to literally carry the other 17. We'll go well pass them in the next 18 months.

I think we are learning hard but valuable lessons this week. I hope the coaching staff are reiterating the lessons.

 

3 minutes ago, Deestroy All said:

Too many passengers, Tyson (so overrated)

Trade bait.

Just now, Deestroy All said:

Apart from the embarrassing goal kicking. Too many passengers, Tyson (so overrated) Weideman, Hannan... We missed that even team effort, without Gawn as well it was like being 4 players down. 

Weideman had an absolute shocker, which clearly shows his misses the influence that Hogan brings to the side.  He got their best backman for most of the game and it showed.  Not surprised guys like Hannan, for example, have dropped off a little.  Tyson doesn't worry me though.

Interested to hear what Goody has to say about it, and to also see how the boys at Casey went.  We could be in for a few changes again this weekend.

We were absolutely stuffed by 3/4 time.

We really need to find a KPF who can just as effectively ruck. Watts is not a ruckman, not even a relief ruckman.

Poor kicking is bad footy as they say.  Some passengers starting to show. Weeds and hannan to name a couple.

Well what a [censored] up that was!

Just now, bing181 said:

Forward line of Weideman, Smith and Hannan was always going to struggle. Not even sure what changes to make, or who could come in.

True, but then we still had 31 shots on goal, so the unpredictability and the pressure (for three quarters anyway) worked in our favour.

Smith will get another week, but depending on form from Casey, you would expect that Weideman and Hannan may be in trouble.

1 minute ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Trade bait.

Package him up with our first round and go after Lever from the Crows.

 

Smith is a great story. But geez, if goody had a crystal ball he would've played Spencer or Pederson today to take the ruck duties. Had no forward line after half time. Watts efforts were admirable, probably BoG at half time but faded due to fatigue.

When a team burns so many chances against some old pros they usually get burnt! Disgusted with the set shots that were missed! Some of the lads made very little contribution when they had the opportunity to step up. Happy enough with Kent (minus set shots). Hannan is not playing as instinctively as he did in his first game. ANB still has that question mark. Tyson didn't have much influence. I could pay out on some other young blokes who let us down by not being competitive, but I will put the cue back in the rack. I'm sure you all know who I am referring to!