The Demons ran out for their Qualifying Final match against the Fremantle Dockers at Casey Fields as the sounds of Midnight Oils’ “Power and the Passion cascaded over the mainly friendly pro-Melbourne crowd. It was a far cry from the season opener at Carrara in late January where few of their fans were in attendance in high 20’s heat and humidity and silence greeted every score from the slow-starting Demons. They ran away from the lowly Suns, won comfortably in the end and followed that with another easy win against the Tigers.
But there were no easy games after that and a mid season two-game slump had coach Mick Stinear and his assistants burning the midnight oil to get the team’s season back on track. They did so to stunning effect bringing a more attacking style to the table and the results have been evident ever since with win after win over highly ranked opponents
The Qualifying Final victory - Melbourne’s second in a fortnight against the early season premiership favourites - was emblematic of the team’s new power and passion. The conditions were just as hot as in their opening game but this time the team was strong out of the blocks even against a stiff breeze. Youngster Alyssa Bannan scored the only goal for the opening quarter and the feat of holding the Dockers to a mere two points during that stanza was to prove decisive. Two quick goals to Shelley Scott in the opening five minutes of the second term saw the visitors gasping for air and in arrears by 19 points at the main break.
But this was a finals game and the Dockers hadn’t travelled across the continent to be brushed aside so easily. They pushed hard for ten minutes to narrow the gap to 11 points before a goal to Melbourne’s Brenna Tarrant steadied the ship. Then followed another surge that netted two more goals and, at the final break, it was game on with the Demons’ lead cut to a mere four points.
Except that the ill winds that often sweep across Casey Fields were in full operation.
For the remainder of the game, the ball was mainly in Melbourne’s forward line but goals were hard to score. Seven consecutive behinds were punctuated by a couple of shots out of bounds. The weight of those points had already made the game safe when Maddy Gay finally goaled from a free kick with a minute left to go.
Gay (19 touches, 9 tackles) had been great in an all round team effort but, as usual, perennial All Australian Karen Paxman (20 possessions and five tackles) challenged her for the best on ground. Lily Mithen was tigerish in her attack on the footy, Scott’s two goals invaluable, Tegan Cunningham at her best for a while and Eden Zanker demonstrated why she’s regarded as one of the best young talents in the game. Lauren Pearce won in the ruck.
The other Pearce — the team’s spiritual leader, Daisy — sat this one out with a knee injury and might not be back out on the field again this season. Whatever the case may be, her Demons proved yesterday that they have the power and the passion to take on Adelaide next week and continue on the path to ultimate success.
MELBOURNE 1.2.8 3.3.21 4.3.27 5.10 (40)
FREMANTLE DOCKERS 0.2.2 0.2.2 3.5.23 3.5 (23)
GOALS
Melbourne: Scott 2, Bannan, Gay, Tarrant
Fremantle Dockers: Duffy, Houghton, Sharp
BEST
Melbourne: Paxman, Gay, Scott, Mithen, Cunningham, Zanker
Fremantle Dockers: Bowers, Miller, Sergeant, Cain, Seth
INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Fremantle Dockers: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
VENUE: Casey Fields
