DEMONS SHRUG OFF ABSENTEES
NOT even Covid can stop these Demons.
Melbourne defied being without coach Simon Goodwin and seven premiership players to extend its winning streak to 14 games with a 10point victory over a plucky Hawthorn at the MCG.
Five of those footballers – Luke Jackson, Kozzy Pickett, Tom Sparrow, Harry Petty and Alex Neal-Bullen – joined Goodwin this week in the AFL’s health and safety protocols.
Jake Lever and Jack Viney returned from the same situation for Saturday’s match, while Christian Salem and Michael Hibberd are also injured or on the way back. But the Demons’ enviable depth and star power proved too much, although stand-in coach Adem Yze would be disappointed with a goalless final term that gave the Hawks a sniff.
Captain Max Gawn monstered sixth-gamer Max Lynch in the ruck and even snuck forward for two long-range goals, while Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver took turns dominating in the centre.
They have become the best trio in the competition but had plenty of support, with Ben Brown benefiting from their work with a season-high four goals as he continues to prove a bargain pick-up. Fringe forward Toby Bedford also enjoyed some nice moments, including his first AFL goal, after being an unused substitute for most of the season.
There was an inevitability about the result once the reigning premier shook off an early 15-point deficit to almost get back on level terms by quarter-time.
Hawthorn hung on for dear life until Melbourne put its foot down with a six-goal-to-three third term that opened a match-winning gap, despite the Hawks making things interesting in the dying minutes.
Dylan Moore amassed a career-high 31 disposals to shade interim skipper James Sicily as Hawthorn’s best. But the Hawks will rue their inability to finish in front of goal, especially early, with the usually reliable Jack Gunston and Luke Breust combining to kick 1.6.
HAWKS’ STUMBLES
NO teams started better than Sam Mitchell’s Hawks in the past month, but the problem is that they have little to show for it.
They kicked the first two goals against St Kilda but lost by 69 points, then drilled the opening three without Geelong touching it a week later and had to rally late to snatch a 12-point victory. Hawthorn managed the first five majors at Sydney’s expense but went on to lose by 41 points, and jumped out to a two-goal then threegoal-to-one lead over Melbourne on Saturday.
WHO’S IN FRONT NOW?
ONLY three of Ben Brown, Luke Jackson, Tom McDonald and Sam Weideman can ever fit into Melbourne’s loaded attack. Brown and Jackson have established themselves as ‘locks’, leaving McDonald and Weideman to battle it out for the final key-forward spot. Weideman started the season in the VFL but it was McDonald who fell out of favour last week, before earning a reprieve when Jackson entered Covid protocols.
McDonald kicked multiple goals for the first time since last year’s grand final, while Weideman played the Jackson role as Gawn’s ruck support and also playing up forward.