Quote

In the clearing stands a boxer

And a fighter by his trade

And he carries the reminders

Of every glove that laid him down

Or cut him till he cried out in his anger and his shame

”I am leaving, I am leaving”, but the fighter still remains - The Boxer by Paul Simon

Ours is a team game but there are always members of a team who stand out from the rest.

They are the leaders and in the case of the Melbourne Football Club, its leaders have held them in good stead over the past few years, most notably men like Max Gawn and Jack Viney who never cease fighting for the team. They are the ones (not the only ones) whose fighting spirit never dampens — the fighter in them stays, and so do they. 

This week Max Gawn will play his 200th AFL game, a magnificent achievement considering how his career started, how he withstood early severe injuries and how he developed his game to reach the pinnacle of his craft as a ruckman. He is The Boxer, a fighter by his trade. We congratulate him on his achievements. There are more to come.

Another fighter in Alex Neal-Bullen plays his 150th game. He not only fights but he also runs and, despite coming in for some criticism from those who don’t appreciate the role he plays in the team complemented by his athleticism. There’s more to come from him too.

Melbourne is likely to be challenged in this penultimate game of the home and away season. There should be no illusions about that, given the recent form of their opponents in Hawthorn who have beaten two top eight sides at their last starts including top-of-the-ladder Collingwood and a Western Bulldogs team, albeit one that continues to struggle to hold its position in the top echelon of the competition.

However, one finds it difficult to comprehend that scenario in light of the situation in Round 20 when the Hawks gave up nine goals to the Saints in the opening term as they succumbed to a 29-point loss despite a spirited third quarter comeback. Melbourne beat Richmond later that afternoon by 32 points and were contending for a top two finish. The Demons haven’t performed poorly in their subsequent two clashes, but their starts have been unimpressive, and they have failed to make the most of their opportunities once they belatedly got themselves going.

So, the Demons face a resurgent Hawthorn in a tricky game having just lost one of their goal kicking keys to the Richmond victory. 

The good news is that one of the other key team players in Clayton Oliver made a spectacular comeback after ten weeks on the sidelines with 27 disposals, 10 clearances and 13 tackles. Most of those stats came in the second half and he was constantly being held off the ball. Mitchell will possibly assign Finn Maginness to shut him down and good luck for that. The red headed Demon has a lot more to give after removing the cobwebs against the Blues.

Hawthorn is building with some solid contributors of its own in the midfield. The likes of the emerging Day and Newman are talented and young but they come up against one of the best on ball brigades in the business this week and will be sorely tested.

The Demons have too much at stake to let this one go and I expect them to start better this week, hold firm in defence, play with the same intensity and mindset that has them in the top four and fight the good fight. Their experience and leadership will make certain of that!

Melbourne by 23 points.

THE GAME

Melbourne v Hawthorn at the MCG Sunday 20 August 2023 at 3.20pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 81 wins Hawthorn 87 wins 1 draw

At the MCG Melbourne 41 wins Hawthorn 46 wins 1 draw

Last 5 meetings Melbourne 4 wins Hawthorn 0 wins 1 draw

The Coaches Goodwin 1 win Mitchell 0 wins

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

Melbourne 15.13.103 defeated Hawthorn 7.7.49 in Round 9, 2023 at The MCG

The Demons shot out of the blocks and were all over the Hawks with solid pressure throughout the entire first half. They released the pressure valve temporarily in the second half but we’re back on the job in quick time to end up recording a comfortable victory.

THE TEAMS 

MELBOURNE 

B J. Bowey S. May T. Rivers
HB J. McVee J. Smith J. Lever
C C. Salem J. Viney E. Langdon
HF T. Sparrow J. Melksham A. Neal-Bullen
F K. Pickett J. van Rooyen L. Hunter
FOLL M. Gawn C. Oliver C. Petracca
I/C A. Brayshaw K. Chandler B. Laurie A. Tomlinson SUB J. Schache EMG B. Grundy J. Jordon C. Spargo 

IN B. Laurie J. Schache A. Tomlinson

OUT B. Grundy (omitted) M. Hibberd (omitted) J. Jordon (omitted)

HAWTHORN

B B. Hardwick J. Blanck J. Impey
HB J. Sicily J. Scrimshaw H. Morrison
C K. Amon W. Day J. Weddle
HF H. Hustwaite L. Breust J. Ward
F D. Moore J. Koschitzke F. Maginness
FOLL N. Reeves C. Nash J. Worpel 
I/C D. Grainger-Barras N. Long C. MacDonald M. Ramsden SUB J. Serong EMG T. Brockman B. Ryan 

IN H. Hustwaite N. Long M. Ramsden J. Serong 

OUT M. Lewis (foot) B. MacDonald (omitted) J. Newcombe (hamstring) C. Wingard (Achilles) 

Injury List: Round 23

Ben Brown - Knee | Test
Daniel Turner - Hand | Test
Bayley Fritsch - Foot | 1 - 2 Weeks 
Blake Howes - Hand | Season 
Harrison Petty - Foot | Season 
Oliver Sestan - Elbow | Season