MEANWHILE by Whispering Jack

… meanwhile, at about the same time that Narrm was putting its feet on the accelerator to obliterate the long-suffering Euro-Yroke combination, I heard someone mention in passing that Kuwarna was leading Waalitj Marawar by a whopping 46 to 1 halfway through the second quarter of their game over in Adelaide.

“What is football coming to?” I asked myself. 

In front of my eyes, the Demons were smashing it through the midfield, forcing turnovers and getting the footy to their forwards who were converting with ease while elsewhere on this wide and beautiful continent, their tormentors from last week were meekly turning up their toes. 

Was some spirit from the Dreamtime using this year’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round to play tricks with our collective minds? 

Whatever trickery there is in the air at this time of the year that can turn the conquerers of the Demons into 99 point losing pussycats in the next week, it seems that something was afoot when rumours began to spread that Narrm’s ruck giant was looking pale and wan as he underwent at a surprise fitness test at the MCG. However, the Demons’ skipper who was one of the team’s in last week’s loss, wasn’t going to be left out and he not only made it to the starting gate, but he also turned in one of the season’s great indivudual performances against Rowan Marshall who is no slouch himself. 

Max Gawn’s final match stats demonstrated the importance of his game - 27 disposals, ten clearances, eight hit outs to advantage, seven marks, ten score involvements, two score assists and a goal. The rest is commentary.

… meanwhile, after conceding the first goal of the match, Narrm was dominant for the better part of the opening half without having that much to show for it due mainly to poor conversion when going for goal. Two majors for the Saints in the dying moments of the half had lifted them back to within two goals of sharing the lead at the main break.

The Demons had been well in control in defence with Steven May and Tom McDonald holding steady and Adam Tomlinson doing a sterling job filling in for Jake Lever. The midfield was purring along nicely as well. Christian Salem was getting back in his pre injury groove and Narrm was seemingly in control but there remained a shadow of doubt and they really should have been much further in front.

It was only after the main break that Narrm broke the banks of the dam wall. Goals came regularly. Christian Petracca was at his unstoppable best and Jacob van Rooyen showed his versatility and value, chopping in with the relief ruckwork and adding valuable goals. The return of Ed Langdon, fully rested after a week elsewhere on the planet was certainly noticed. 

A comprehensive blow out was on the cards when van Rooyen goaled to put the team ahead by 54 points at the twenty minute mark of the final term but they put up the shutters and allowed a few goals in junk time at the end. As it was, Euro-Yroke booted more than half of their goals in the time on period of the second and fourth quarters respectively. 

It was good to win but all was not sweetness and light as a handful of players struggled to get their hands on the football. Yet, premierships are not won in May and there is still time for adjustment in terms of positions, personnel and performance at peak fitness.

… meanwhile Narrm is back in the top four and, for the moment, back in town although when it reverts back to its identity of Melbourne, it will be fulfilling its out-of-town duties in beautiful Alice Springs when it takes on the Dockers for a different taste of Dreamtime Magic in a place where this year, the forecast is for fine and clear conditions … no rain!

I have a feeling that the spirits are much happier there now than they were last year. 

NARRM 4.7.31 5.9.39 11.10.76 14.16.100

EURO-YROKE 1.0.6 4.3.27 5.5.35 9.8.62

GOALS 

NARRM van Rooyen 3 Fritsch Petracca Viney 2 Chandler Gawn Hunter May Pickett

EURO-YROKE M King 3 Higgins 2 Owens Steele Sinclair Wilson

BEST

NARRM Gawn Petracca Salem Viney Tomlinson May

EURO-YROKE  Steele Wanganeen-Milera Sinclair Wood Dow Higgins

INJURIES 

NARRM Harry Petty (foot)

EURO-YROKE Nil

REPORTS 

NARRM Nil

EURO-YROKE Nil

SUBSTITUTIONS 

NARRM Taj Woewodin (replaced Harrison Petty in the fourth quarter)

EURO-YROKE Cooper Sharman (replaced Lance Collard in the third quarter)

UMPIRES Curtis Deboy Nicholas Brown Brendan Hosking John Howorth

CROWD 37,403 at The MCG