MANO DE DIOS

by Whispering Jack

More than twenty years have elapsed since Argentinian Diego Maradona scored his "Hand of God" goal in a FIFA World Cup quarter final against England in Mexico. The goal happened because of a simple error from the referee who missed seeing the outside of the Argentinian's left fist as it made contact with the ball that subsequently careered into the net for a goal. Five minutes later, Maradona scored another one - later voted the greatest goal in World Cup history - when he eluded five English outfield players (Hoddle, Reid, Sansom, Butcher and Fenwick) as well as goalkeeper Shilton. Although England scored through Gary Lineker in the 81st minute, Argentina won the match 2-1, went on to take the 1986 World Cup and ever since, the English have been moaning and groaning about that infamous goal.

I have a feeling that, in the decades to come, Collingwood supporters will also be complaining about Russell Robertson's hands on the back of Magpie defender Alan Toovey and how he was able to escape detection at a vital point in the last quarter of the Melbourne v Collingwood game on Queens Birthday 2007. Robbo kicked the goal after being awarded the controversial mark and the Demons regained their control over the game. When asked on 3AW after the game if he "got away with one", he replied: "Yeah, I think I did."

"Them's the breaks," as they say in the classics. The umpire didn't see Robbo's Hand of God so the decision to pay him the mark was a correct one. The umpires can't be relied upon to make guesses and these things ebb and flow from game to game and during any particular game. Anyway, the record shows that Collingwood had a good run from the umpires on the day kicking three of their 11 goals from frees while Melbourne received none.

Like Diego Maradonna all those years before him, Robbo was the match-winner on this day for more reasons than the Hand of God; there was plenty of brilliance from the high flyer who saw off at least three opponents and could easily have kicked ten for the day bar for some goalkicking yippery in the third quarter when he scored three points in a row.

Melbourne's 13 point victory has been threatening for a while now. Leaving aside its disasterous trip to Perth, the form line has been encouraging as the team struggled to salvage something out of a season partly derailed by a spate of injuries to key players and partly through a new game style they struggled to get right. Robbo himself missed several games as a result of a knee injury incurred in Round 2, as did David Neitz. The inspirational Brock McLean was also missing for most of the first half of the season, his value to the team only becoming apparent by his exploits on the field once he returned a few weeks ago. Others like Jared Rivers, Matthew Whelan and Brent Moloney are still out of the side but things have been coming together nicely and, for at least one quarter of each of their last three games, the team has clicked. Heaven help an opponent, if they can do it for four quarters!

While Robbo was THE hero, there were many unsung heroes on the day. The Demons' makeshift defence, filled with players who are either very young or alternatively, unfashionable as footballers performed magnificently. At the start of the season, we thought we might see very little of Ben Holland, Clint Bizzell and Daniel Ward - they're certainly not in the silky smooth department and yet they gave their all and a lot more on Monday. Blue collar Nathan Carroll belied his connection with the silver tailed Demons against the working class Magpies and Simon Godfrey added yet another scalp to his belt (and his finessing for a goal early in the game was sensational). Daniel Bell turned the tables on Alan Didak (who might have gone home wishing the Tribunal hadn't let him off the hook last week) and he is fast gaining recognition as one of the competition's rising defenders. Then there were youngsters in Ricky Petterd and James Frawley, both in their debut seasons and with plenty to learn. Sure, they made some mistakes but they also contributed to their team's win against yet another top four challenger.

Melbourne also had the ascendancy in the ruck for most of the game but that wasn't due to Jeff White's performance alone this time. Paul Johnson continues to grow in stature as a ruckman and is dispelling the view held back in his West Coast days that he is not strong overhead. Not only can he take a mark but he moves well around the ground and his ruckwork is getting better all the time. He was a bit iffy with his kicking for goal but I don't think this is a problem area for him normally.

We are also beginning to see the emergence of a couple of first round draft choices on the forward line in Colin Sylvia who was a good contributor and Matthew Bate whose strong hands and long left foot kicking were a feature. Brad Green was below the standards he set last week but still chipped in with some great marks in defence late in the game and Cam Bruce has the stutters with his kicking. Once a very reliable kick for goal, he's been well off direction and now has problems kicking over a jam tin. His contribution was still sold but he can do a hell of a lot better. Travis Johnstone's influence was limited by a hamstring twinge which had him back in the rooms putting on a track suit long before the game was won.

Enter a couple of hard nosed youngsters in Brock McLean and Nathan Jones assisted by veteran James McDonald to take over the centre and work the Magpie midfield over nicely. McLean's determination and his single minded mental strength was no better summed up by his anger and self-criticism that led to his being penalised for time wasting when he just failed in his pursuit of the football near the boundary late in the game. Yes, it was noticed by the umpire, it did cost a goal in the end and it was stupid of him to let off steam in that way and at that point in time. However, it demonstrated just where this kid is headed because very few who play the game have that intensity and desire for the ball combined with those skills. He is only going to get much, much better.

But the hero of the day was Robbo. He marked strongly and added bite and enthusiasm as well as inspiration alongside his wounded skipper. He was devastating when the team was devastating early in the game, he was steady when steady was required and he was brilliant in the end, finishing the game off with a flourish as he threaded the ball through with his after the siren kick for goal number seven. And, as he lifted his arms in triumph to celebrate the victory, I could almost imagine that I heard the Hand of God clapping along with the crowd.

Melbourne 6.6.42 8.9.57 9.14.68 13.16.94

Collingwood 2.3.15 6.5.41 9.11.65 11.15.81

Goals

Melbourne Robertson 7 Bate 2 Davey Godfrey Johnstone McDonald

Collingwood Cloke Johnson 3 Davis 2 Fraser Lockyer Medhurst

Best

Melbourne Robertson McLean Bate McDonald Wheatley Jones Holland

Collingwood: Johnson H Shaw Holland Burns Cloke Lockyer

Changes

Melbourne Yze (groin) replaced in the selected side by Holland

Collingwood R Shaw (hamstring) replaced in the selected side by Stanley

Injuries

Melbourne Johnstone (hamstring) Neitz (knee)

Collingwood O'Brien (ankle/shoulder)

Umpires Grun Jeffery McLaren

Crowd 70,660 at MCG