TRAIN BOUND FOR NOWHERE

by The Oracle

Melbourne finished the 2006 home and away season yesterday in much the same way it started it - in a state of total shock and on a train bound for nowhere. Neale Daniher now has the enormous task ahead of him to get his team's season back on track because irrespective of the spin which he might have put on the team's present situation, the fact remains that yesterday he gambled and he lost.

The team is reeling under the weight of six consecutive losing quarters after finishing off the Kangaroos game so strongly and then leading against Geelong by more than five goals at half time. Since then, it's been humiliation all the way for Neale Daniher's charges whose only saving grace is that they will start the finals at home instead of in Perth. And when you think of it, that's not much consolation for missing out on the all-important double chance in AFL football!

The focus of the football world during the week was on Adelaide's injury plight after the loss of Ricciuto, McLeod, Hentschel, Hart and company and its dramatic loss of form in recent weeks. At least the Crows knew what was at stake; their remaining star players (and there are still plenty of them because you don't finish top to without them) and their lesser lights had to stand up and make some bold statements. There was no gamble involved yesterday because the Crows' place in the top four was clearly well established. All they had to do was perform and they did so emphatically winning the game with their midfield dominance and by converting every opportunity that came their way.

For Melbourne's part, there was a definite need to take chances. The team had to win in hostile territory at a place where it has tasted little success in the last five years. Daniher had to roll the dice and he did so. The problem was that the dice rolled the wrong way and there wasn't even a friendly card in sight for him in this game.

The inclusion of Matthew Bate after his knee injury failed to give the team the vital run and drive he had previously given to the team. The late replacement in the 22 of Ben Holland with a corked thigh by a small in Shannon Motlop and in defence by Brad Miller was a complete failure. Motlop simply wasn't good enough to handle the pressure of the situation while Miller's placement in defence led to match up problems in the Demon forward line that were exploited fully by the Crows. Nathan Bock who might otherwise have been in defence was moved forward to kick three vital goals at important moments. The Adelaide defence was also able to nullify most of Melbourne's attacking players and Russell Robertson was rendered ineffective. The loss of Matthew Whelan from defence meant Clint Bartram took his job. The youngster, who has played every game in his debut season, went down with an ankle injury early in the game leaving more holes in defence and more pressure on the fitness of the team in the 27 degree heat which, as the game wore on, turned AAMI Stadium into a hellish cauldron for the Demons.

The other area where Melbourne gambled and lost was in its clear intent of playing on at all costs. This was the tactic that worked so effectively when employed against Adelaide by the Bulldogs at the MCG a fortnight ago and by Port Adelaide last week (although Melbourne was not as fortunate as the Power because the Crows were on target this week). The Demons couldn't pull it off because the heat and their own inferior delivery skills simply wouldn't allow it. So the dice were rolled and Melbourne failed badly.

In the end, Melbourne had more possessions on the day but went into its forward fifty-metre arc 25 times less than its opponent - a sure sign that the Demons were using the ball ineffectively and turning it over constantly. The turnovers were often raging bloopers and hurt the team every time it threatened Adelaide. The most appalling examples were the free kicks and fifty metre penalty given away in the middle of the third quarter after a couple of goals from the skipper saw the team make what promised to be a dramatic comeback. These simply underlined the team's lack of cool under pressure. Rarely, have there been so many free kicks given away that freely by a team in such close range of an opposition's goal. At times, it was embarrassing.

One wonders where Neale Daniher's reconstruction efforts will begin for the finals. The return of David Neitz was a start but he will need the rest of his team to lift - particularly the likes of Robertson and Adem Yze who were well down on form. Melbourne's rucks have not been effective enough recently and Mark Jamar's productivity around the ground is extremely low. The club might have ended up with a slight advantage in clearances yesterday but the quality of those clearances was way behind that of the Crows who invariably got the ball out of the stoppages far more cleanly when their opportunities came.

Daniher will also need the charity of the match review panel (and I note that Melbourne is not Sydney or Collingwood), the return of Pickett, Holland and Whelan and above all, the return of the determination, spirit and close tackling that was a hallmark of the team's play when it won 11 out of 12 games from round 4 onwards. We know that he's capable of managing dramatic turn arounds in his team's fortunes. He did it late last year and again after three successive defeats at the start of this year.

But it's going to be a tough ask from now on and will involve more gambling on the part of the football department if it wants that train to turn around and stop at Jolimont Station in four week's time.

Melbourne 4.3.27 9.3.57 13.6.84 14.10.94

Adelaide 7.3.45 12.8.80 17.10.112 23.14.152

Goals Neitz 5 Davey Sylvia 2 Jamar McDonald McLean Robertson White

Best Bruce Johnstone Neitz Sylvia McDonald

Injuries Holland (corked thigh) replaced in selected side by Motlop, C Bartram (sprained ankle)

Reports B McLean (Melbourne) reported by field umpire J Schmitt for rough conduct against S Stevens (Adelaide) in the last quarter

Umpires H Kennedy J Schmitt D Goldspink

Crowd 41,364 at AAMI Stadium