The Ds Woes continue

Absolutely thumped by relative newcomers Gold Coast Suns, the Ds ran in 7 goals to the Suns’ 16 in a game whose score-line finished at

Melbourne: 0.2 3.7 4.10 7.12 (54), Gold Coast: 5.5 9.8 14.12 16.18 (114)

Melbourne scorers

Jeremy Howe 3.3

Max Gawn 2.1 [with only 10 touches]

Col Sylvia 1.1 [who also had 24 touches]

James Strauss 1.0 [with 13 touches]

Nathan Jones 0.3 [co-captain for the afternoon, with 20 touches]

Aaron Davey, M.Evans, J.Spencer 0.1, and

Matt Jones 0.1 [who also had 25 touches]

Gold Coast scorers

Cam Brown 3.3

Zac Smith 3.0

Aaron Hall 2.3

Tom Lynch 2.2

Harley Bennell 1.3 [with 32 possessions]

Steven May 1.1

Sam Day, Jarrod Harbrow, and Trent McKenzie, 1.0

Matt Shaw 1.0 [with 27 possessions]

Jared Brennan, J.Lonergan, 0.1

Jaeger O’Meara 0.1 [with 23 possessions]

While Gary Ablett, still rated as the best player in the League, got 38 possessions

A little while ago, it was decided that the CEO at Demon HQ should step aside. Cameron Schwab was quite divisive within the club, which wasn’t what they needed during arguably the darkest period of a once-great club. Founded in 1868 as the first Australian Football club and inaugural/foundation member of the VFA (VFL after 1897), the Ds boast 11 flags, most notably 5 from six grand finals 1955-1960. They even made a foray into the finals at the end of both the 20^th Century and the career of club great and media footy-guru Garry Lyon, and again 2004-2006 under Neale Daniher.

So what’s going on? The accusation of tanking[1] has been investigated and dismissed … there’s now allegations of illicit drugs and player doping. In a number of articles pundits, former players, and more informed footy supporters than myself are asking the same questions. Chris Dawes says of his departure from Melbourne that the guys just don’t want to improve, although Jakus says there is definitely talent there, but “insipid” performances of late question the wont for them to want to do well.

And former player David Schwarz says that the Ds are in danger of becoming the next Fitzroy [2], despite being in a stronger position 3-4 years ago than the Punt Road up-and-comers whose struggles appear to be finally over, and now Melbourne are another 6-7 years away from where the Tigers are now. And the fans are faring no better, many of whom have been brandishing white flags at recent matches.

Dr Bibotelli suggests that the divisions within the club go back to the infamous Norm Smith incident of 1965. Things certainly weren’t going that well when club legend Jim Stynes was at the helm, either.   

At least the appointment of Peter Jackson to the head of the club, with his ready-to-wield machete, promises big things.

Ds supporters can only hope, anyway, and this comes from the supporter and member of another once-great club who have had many promises since our dark times of the mid-to-late 00s. 

peterg
15May13

References

Bibotelli, D. (2013). Melbourne Demons: How did it come to this? | Unambitious Us. Retrieved from http://www.unambitiousus.com/sports/melbourne-demons-how-did-it-come-to-this/

Buckle, G. and Vaughan, R. (2013). Club champion David Schwarz says Melbourne Demons are on the verge of becoming next Fitzroy | AFL | Fox Sports. Retrieved from http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/club-champion-david-schwarz-says-melbourne-demons-are-on-verge-of-becoming-next-fitzroy/story-e6frf3e3-1226641557167#.UZNUn7XI2So

Jakus. (2013). Melbourne Demons just not playing for Mark Neeld | The Roar. Retrieved from http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/05/14/melbourne-demons-just-not-playing-for-neeld/

(2013). Melbourne Demons News. Retrieved from http://www.footywire.com/club/sports/team-melbourne-demons-news.html

Spits, S. (2013). Stynes not tarnished by tanking, widow says | Samantha Stynes. The Age: Real Footy, 19 February 2013. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/stynes-not-tarnished-by-tanking-widow-says-20130219-2eoed.html

[1] Tanking is the term for deliberately throwing matches and/or playing badly in order to finish low on the ladder and therefore get better choices during draft season.

[2] Fitzroy Lions, another foundation club, hit the skids during the 1990s and were merged with then-newcomers Brisbane Bears to become the Brisbane Lions in 1996. Apparently the Ds and Hawks were close to merging at the time, as well, but that was KO’d by Hawthorn’s rank and file.

AFL Round 20 (to COB Sunday); AFL Round 21 tips

Three matches today, comments on two of them, both as close as you can get; the third as lop-sided as yesterday's.


Brisbane's Lions reached 100 points within 15min of the last. The urban-myth is that first to 100 wins the match. But not today! And weren't Crows' fans ecstatic! That has new / caretaker Mark Bickley batting 1.000 for his coaching career!
Brisbane 5.1 11.6 14.7 16.9 (105)
Adelaide 6.3 9.5 10.11 16.14 (110)
Brisbane
Cornelius 4.2; McGrath 3.0; Karnezis, Clark 2.0; Rockliff, Polkinghorn 1.1; Leuenberger, Banfield, Hanley 1.0; Dyson 0.2; Redden, Raines, rushed 0.1
356 Possessions: Rockliff 34; Black 26; Raines 23; Redden 22
79 Tackles: Stiller 8; Redden, Buchanan, McGrath, Leuenberger 7; Black 6
45 Hitouts: Leuenberger 31
12 Frees: McGrath, Leuenberger 2
Adelaide
Walker 4.1; Gunston 3.3; Wright, van Berlo, Johncock 2.0; Jacobs 1.1; Riley, Henderson 1.0; rushed 0.3; Petrenko, Reilly, Dangerfield, Sloane, Thompson, Vince 0.1

76 Tackles:  van Berlo 8; Thompson 7; Reilly, Wright, Riley 5

43 Hitouts: Jacobs 30; Maric 13 

26 Frees: Jacobs, Thompson 3; van Berlo, Wright, Talia 2

Full ¼-by-¼ stats at http://j.mp/p3EgZg

Hawthorn and North went toe-to-toe at Launnie this arv with an unexpected result. OK, it was expected that Hawthorn would win, being a top-4 side against a bottom-8 side, but not the way it went! North were actually leading with not-very-long to go: Matt Campbell booted 5 (4 in the last quarter) and had the Roos' noses just ahead. But with just seconds to go, bang bang - one from Smith and one from Buddy sealed the Roos' fate and the four points for Hawthorn. 

Hawthorn 2.1 6.6 9.8 15.13 (103)

North 3.7 5.7 9.7 13.8 (86)

Hawthorn

Franklin 3.2; Smith 3.1; Breust 2.0; Rioli 1.2; Hale, Ladson 1.1; Whitecross, Lewis, Sewel, Burgoyne 1.0; rushed 0.3; Hodge, Suckling, Shiels 0.1  

340 Possessions: Mitchell 31; Suckling 26; Sewell 25; Hodge 24 

76 Tackles: Shiels 10; Mitchell, Breust 7; Guerra, Whitecross, Ladson 6; Franklin 5

62 Hitouts: Bailey 26; Birchall 23

26 Frees: Lewis 4; Sewell, Birchall 3 

North

Campbell 5.1; Petrie 2.0; Petersen, Harvey 1.1; Goldstein, Ziebel, Wells, Richardson 1.0; rushed 0.3; Harper, Garlett 0.1  

301 Possessions: McMahon 29; Ziebell 27; Harvey 26  

78 Tackles: McMahon, Garlett, Petrie, Thomas 6; Ziebell, Rawlings, Goldstein, Swallow 5

48 Hitouts: Goldstein 37

27 Frees: McMahon 5; Goldstein 4; Petrie 3 

Full ¼-by-¼ stats at http://j.mp/pcm6Z7

So, in a nutshell

• St Kilda def Fremantle 113-72
• Geelong def Gold Coast 188-38
• Carlton def Melbourne 134-58
• Essendon def Sydney 100-99 (Actually, it was Adam Goodes who lost the game for the Swans with the very last kick)
• Port def by Collingwood 21-159
• Brisbane def by Adelaide 105-110
• Hawthorn def North 103-86
• Eagles def Richmond 147-90

Ladder is at http://www.afl.com.au/ladder/tabid/74/default.aspx although there is a round-by-round ladder somewhere else...


Next week we have (my tips):

#AFLSaintsPies

#AFLHawksPort

#AFLFreoBlues

#AFLDogsDons - tough call 

#AFLLionsSuns - I called it the other way around last time ... won't happen again

#AFLDeesEagles

#AFLTigersSwans

#AFLCrowsCats

#AFLNorthBye

Buenos noches