BLINDED BY THE LIGHT

by Whispering Jack

There was something different about yesterday's game at Carrara. This time the Demons stood up for themselves after looking as if they were down and out. Gorn!

But this time, they didn't meekly accept defeat as they could easily have done when almost six goals down five minutes before half time. Indeed, they went from being the hunted to the hunter in the course of a little over an hour of football – one of the first positive signs from the club for season 2006.

The Demons started brightly enough and held an early lead kicking into the wind but the they soon found themselves in what had become an all too familiar role of late - caught gazing at the bright lights of the deer hunting Crows who for 20 minutes could do no wrong as they punished the dazed, confused and immobile prey with five unanswered goals to take an almost inexorable grip on the first game for AFL points at Carrara in over a decade.

Melbourne can be thankful for the return of Jared Rivers who was in everything and who, along with Cam Bruce, Brock McLean and Nathan Brown, appeared to be the only Demons who were not bedazzled early in the game by Adelaide's bright spotlights.

I should add here that when I say the Crows "could do no wrong", I meant it in every way possible. Even the umpires appeared to be in the spotlight of the Crows' first quarter spell, twice missing obvious Adelaide infringements in packs that resulted in snap goals that should never have been allowed. I don't often bash the maggots but, given the five point result, a later decision forcing Travis Johnstone to play on and kick hurriedly for an out of bounds on the full because the ball had allegedly not travelled 15 metres had to take the cake away - even from the goal umpires who were similarly blinded by the light.

But don't get me wrong. The umpires weren't responsible for Melbourne's predicament. It was the Demons themselves who gave away those easy goals early in the piece, who had not a clue what to do when the ball was in their hands, who went backwards and across the ground who kicked short to a one on one contest and who simply made life easy for the likes of Brett Burton and Andrew McLeod by giving them the latitude to wreak their havoc and destruction.

The second quarter was a little better but the Demons blew it when they failed to go on the attack and defended far too loosely allowing Adelaide three quick unanswered goals in mid term. However, a late run of three goals in the minutes before the main break gave Melbourne a glimmer of hope. And it could well have been a turning point for the season.

Melbourne's hopes were lifted further when they worked hard to prevent the Crows from running away with the game with the aid of the wind advantage in the third quarter. Paul Wheatley tightened up in defence and there seemed to be more purpose and thought in what the Demons were doing and how they went about doing it. This was helped by the continuing good form of Bruce, a solid improved performance from the skipper (after dropping the now mandatory sitter in the first quarter), and the arrival of McLean in the midfield after an injury riddled pre season.

This led to a stirring final quarter revival in which Melbourne fell at the last by a mere fingertip after Aaron Davey's shot from 50 metres seemingly went through the goals but was paid a point.

As I said above, I don't blame the umpires. Melbourne lost it in the first half when the Adelaide midfield took control, notwithstanding the work of Bruce and McLean. If only the selectors had been brave enough to gamble on the youthful enthusiasm of Matthew Bate (who killed them again in the VFL) and Nathan Jones.

If only, they had faith in our youth then we might be able to build on the gains achieved in the second half at Carrara. If not....

At least there is now a glimmer of hope. The Demons might have run out of time and luck at the end but, they now have a springboard from which to attack the rest of the season.

As long as they don't keep shooting themselves in the foot. When the game was over, Neale Daniher said,

"A lot of our wounds were self-inflicted."

An enlightened statement, indeed.

Melbourne 2.0.12 9.5.59 10.9.69 14.13.97

Adelaide 6.5.41 11.6.72 14.10.94 15.12.102

Goals Neitz 4 Bruce 3 Brown 2 Davey Johnstone Miller Robertson Yze

Best Bruce Brown Rivers Pickett McLean Green

Umpires M Stevic S McLaren S Jeffery

Crowd 8258 at Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast