WESTERN SUNSET by George on the Outer

[Demonland 73,140]

It was the top of the table Demons who inflicted their highest ever defeat of the Eagles, thereby ensuring that the sun has finally set on their long dynasty out West. 

The final margin was 74 points but it was the final quarter barrage of seven goals which definitively signalled to the meagre West Coast opposition and supporters exactly who was in control. 

That was after a similar six goal to one opening quarter, but hey … why not boo and complain about every decision that went against their miserable team for the intervening fifty or sixty minutes!  It is going to be the only solace for them for seasons to come. Either that or switch allegiances to the Dockers to be able to see a decent team in action.

We all know how “ undermanned” West Coast are, because they keep highlighting it, rather than the obvious age factor pervasive throughout their list. Forced to play young inexperienced footballers … spare me!  In sharp contrast Melbourne is still fielding seven or eight players under 21, who all have a Premiership medallion around their neck.

The first quarter saw the Eagles score the first major of the game, but that was to be their only 6 pointer for the opening half. That lit the fuse for the Demons to commence one of their punishing scoreboard thrusts, led by Kysaiah Pickett with two stunning goals.  Ably backed up with further majors to Ben Brown, Bailey Fritsch and Christian Petracca, the Demons piled on six unanswered goals to effectively put the game to rest by ¼ time.

Adam Simpson was now faced with the prospect of an embarrassing massacre in front of the disgruntled home crowd, so he pulled out the old “hold the ball at all costs” trick.  It stopped the rot, but using it simply to deny the Demons use of the ball means he had conceded the game. It worked and turned the next two quarters into a spectacle usually seen at the soccer, as the ball is chipped around, back and forth with no genuine attempts at scoring.  The result was that for half the match the Demons kicked three goals, while West Coast Eagles only increased their score by two while fans were treated to some riveting stuff!

Finally, the Demons had enough of that rubbish and put down the foot to blow the opposition away courtesy of a seven goal final quarter.  The Eagles fans thought they had put up a fight, but probably need to spend more time in mathematics class, since the final margin was 74 points - almost exactly the same amount that Brisbane punished them by just a week previous. 

For Melbourne, the usual strong performances came from its elite.  Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney all recorded numbers in the high 20’s, with no player in the side amassing more than 30.  Even in the ruck Max Gawn only totalled 26 hit outs with Luke Jackson 16. TMac even had 5.   Down back the intercept kings in May and Lever only had five and six marks respectively.

James Jordon, playing on a wing, put in one of his best games with 27 touches, while the forward line saw TMac, Fritsch, Pickett and Brown finish with 12 goals between them.

All that shows was a team performing more than sufficiently to emphatically put the opposition away, but not breaking the back doing it.  Once again, the rest of the competition should be worried for when the Demons change into top gear.

As the sun has now set in the west, it has surely risen in the east with the Melbourne powerhouse firmly established at the top of the table, and a game clear after just nine rounds which is the same as in season 2021 and we all know how that finished. However, there is unlikely to be a repeat of Round 10 from the previous year, as the Demons now face the lowly Kangaroos.  Currently 16 consecutive wins for the club and Jake Bowey, will certainly not be eclipsed by some miraculous performance from North, who are in some of their darkest days. 

As Melbourne supporters, we appreciate their position.  But as we have found out, the sun does come out to shine again, and in our case it is shining ever brightly.

MELBOURNE 6.5.41 7.9.51 9.12.66 16.16.112

WEST COAST EAGLES 1.0.6 1.3.9 3.4.22 5.8.38

GOALS

MELBOURNE McDonald 4 Fritsch Pickett 3 Brown Petracca 2 Neal-Bullen, Spargo

WEST COAST EAGLES Cripps Darling McGovern Waterman Williams

BEST

MELBOURNE Petracca Pickett Oliver Jackson McDonald Viney

WEST COAST EAGLES Kelly West McGovern Barrass Redden

INJURIES

MELBOURNE J. Harmes (hamstring)

WEST COAST EAGLES J. Kennedy (knee soreness) replaced in the selected team by H. Dixon, L. Foley (concussion), L. Ryan (hamstring)

REPORTS

MELBOURNE Nil

WEST COAST EAGLES  Nil

SUBSTITUTES

MELBOURNE K. Chandler (replaced J. Harmes)

WEST COAST EAGLES P. Naish (replaced L. Ryan)

UMPIRES C Dore C Donlon A Heffernan

CROWD 27,488 boos with some true Demon stalwarts in place at Optus Stadium