DEE-STUCTIVE DEMONS INTO GF
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC MAX GAWN ON SONG AS DEES FLOG GEELONG IN PRELIM
It’s really happening.
The longest current AFL/VFL premiership draught is on the brink of coming to an end.
Melbourne has just one last hurdle to navigate before it can hold aloft its first cup in 57 years after it demolished Geelong by 83 points in the Preliminary Final at Optus Stadium on Friday night, 19.11 (125) to 5.6 (42).
The last obstacle looms large though, a grand final against either Port Adelaide or the Western Bulldogs, also in Perth, on Saturday 25 September.
They may also need to find a replacement for key defender Steven May, who appeared to injure a hamstring in the first quarter and was forced from the ground.
He returned, but was clearly sore and was finally subbed out in the third term.
His fitness will be watched closely by everyone over the next fortnight.
While COVID has forced the season decider away from the MCG, again, and has also stopped most Victorian-based Melbourne fans and members from enjoying the emotional ride with their team, the crowd of 58,599 was clearly biased to the red and the blue.
Big lessons learned
When the Demons won their 12th and last flag, in 1964, the entire current squad were far from being even a twinkle in their parent’s eyes.
When they last played in a grand final, a 60-point loss to Essendon in 2000, Jake Bowey, Luke Jackson, Trent Rivers, Kysaiah Pickett and James Jordon, of the current crop, still weren’t born. Clayton Oliver was only three and of the oldest Demons players on the ground on Friday night, Michael Hibberd was just 10 and Max Gawn was eight.
There isn’t much finals experience among the Melbourne squad, but they seem to have learned from what little they have had.
There were 12 players returning to the scene of their embarrassing Preliminary Final loss to West Coast in 2018, when they failed to kick one goal in the first half.
Those Demons have three years more experience under their belts and it shows. The additions of May, Ed Langdon, Jake Lever and Ben Brown, from other clubs, hasn’t hurt either.
They had nine goals on the board by half-time against the Cats, with eight different goal scorers and they led by 29 points at the main break.
Old Cats too slow
The age of the Geelong’s playing group was a big concern in the game’s lead-up. It’s going to be an even bigger talking point over the coming off-season.
They have bought in Jeremy Cameron and Isaac Smith, who have made them a more potent team, but at what cost in the long term?
Including Friday night’s sub, Shaun Higgins, the Cats had 11 players aged 30 years or more.
Melbourne had one, Michael Hibberd. That gap in youthfulness and lack of leg speed never looked more obvious than in the third quarter on Friday when the Demons kicked seven consecutive goals in 16 minutes to open up a match-winning 71point lead. Gawn booted four of his careerbest five goals in that time.