AFL Round 15: Ahh, the dreaded family lunch when all you want to do is watch your Dees play Port Adelaide.

By Steve Healy

It would be different today. I wouldn’t be going to the game, to see the Dees play.

I had been crook yesterday, but I still managed to be shipped over to Grandma’s house in South Morang for the afternoon, so reporting on this game would be a difficult task. It would be even more difficult because my brother’s radio wasn’t working, so it was like being stuck in a hole not knowing how the Dees were going. It was something I had not experienced before this season. On the way there, we passed the MCG, which I thought was ironic.  I had brought my scarf and then I decided to stick it out the car window, the thing most supporters do when the game is won. We arrived at Grandma’s, all nine of us (there are 10 in my family) and it was around 1:30.

After a nice lunch of curry and chicken wings, I check the score on the radio, which is in the kitchen. It is a 1970’s style radio, which has probably been in the same spot in the house since the 1970’s. The quarter time siren has just sounded, and Melbourne are winning 4.2 26 to 3.3 21. Robert Walls tells me that Jurrah has kicked 3 goals, which is great to hear from the Yuendumu legend. I come back to the radio in about 10 minutes and find out that Melbourne have kicked the first two of the quarter. Dean Brogan replies for Port Adelaide and pegs the margin back to 11 points. Liam Jurrah takes a huge hanger from what I hear but misses the shot at goal. Robbo kicks one for the Dees and then Jurrah misses again. Danyle Pearce kicks a goal from outside 50 to the city end to bring the power within 13 points. Gray misses for Port and then Petterd kicks truly for some breathing space. I am quite happy with the performance so far but I hope that the Dees don’t fade away and Port doesn’t take control. Salopek kicks a goal for Port and I leave for dessert.

I eagerly wait until I can find out what the score is. I return to the radio and discover that it is Half Time, the Dees still leading 9.6 60 to 7.6 48. I turn the TV on to watch the game on Channel 7, at 3:45. I didn’t know why it was on 45-minutes later than usual. I watch the first few minutes and see Port get the first behind. But watching footy is a crime in my family sometimes and I get out voted one to six in a battle between footy and a British sitcom called fooling around with horses or something like that. I don’t exactly come from a footy loving family, but that used to be different in the late nineties, when we went together as a family, to see players like Seecamp, Wowoedin, Farmer and Viney.  I remember missing the 1998 qualifying final against Adelaide because I had chicken pox. My parents lost passion for the game after that, along with most of my siblings. I battle to get the footy back on the TV but fail, and a certain amount of violence influenced that decision.

I grab the radio from the kitchen and bring it into the lounge room. My Grandpa, who died earlier this year, used to call the footy on 3GL, a Geelong radio station in the late 50’s and early 60’s. The Dees are up by 26-points, 12.8 80 to 8.6 54. Chad Cornes hits the post to my relief. I turn it back on a bit later and it’s early on in the last quarter, the Dees still winning comfortably by 19 points, but it sounds like Port are getting some momentum. The two teams trade behinds before Port kick two goals in quick succession, and now I’m getting worried. Moloney misses and it’s eight points. Ricky Petterd kicks his fourth goal and the Dees might have enough breathing space to win them the game. Petterd has now played a couple of good games since I spoke to him at Chadstone a couple of weeks ago. But there’s still quite a few minutes to go. I was too focused on the game to look at Grandma’s photos from her holiday to England. Tredrea misses from a tight angle, but I feel that a two goal margin could see Port snatch the game. But I’m wrong, the Dees apply relentless pressure and win the game by 11, 15.11 101 to 13.12 90. I’m over the moon about consecutive wins, but there are a few Melbourne supporters who aren’t too happy about the result, and think that we should “make sure” we get the “PP”. Just go on Demonland forums to see what I mean. But I strongly believe that nothing is better than winning, because winning is the ultimate prize in footy. Whether it’s home and away games or Premierships. I finally get my wish, and I get to watch another minute of the footy on the TV at the start of the second half. But it’s time to go home.

On the way home I hang my scarf out of the window, now with a purpose. The Dees are off the bottom of the ladder, and could be off their form slump. Who knows? With their youngsters winning games of their own boot it could be the end of a bad era. Next week, the Dees are playing a weakened Geelong side at Skilled Stadium. I rate their chances highly.

But one thing’s for sure, I’ll be going next week.

Melbourne 4.2  9.6  13.9  15.11 (101)

Port Adelaide 3.3 7.6  10.8  13.12 (90)

Goals

Melbourne: Jurrah 4, Petterd 4, Bate 2, Robertson 2, Moloney, Dunn, McLean.

Port Adelaide: Lade 2, K Cornes 2, J.Westhoff 2, Davenport, Brogan, Gray, Tredrea, Rodan, Salopek, Pearce.

Best

Melbourne: Bruce, Petterd, Jurrah, Moloney, Green, McLean.

Port Adelaide: Cassisi, K Cornes, Salopek, Thurstans.

My Votes: 3. Cameron Bruce (Melb), 2. Ricky Petterd (Melb), 1. Liam Jurrah (Melb).

Umpires: James, Sully, Wenn.                      Crowd: 15,888 at the MCG.

About Steve Healy

Steve Healy is an entity of a Melbourne supporter.

Comments

  1. Steve,
    you missed a poor but interesting game. Melbourne dominated in patches yet managed to score very little whilst, contrastingly, Port manufactured some goals to keep in the game.
    Melbourne got sucked in early and tried the over-possessing Power game and their skills were not up to it.
    The next, far more successful, plan was to bang it in long and young Jurrah and co caused headaches.
    Melbourne probably deserved to win. Port certainly deserved to lose.
    I’m staggered at Bruce being best…not for mine.
    Cassisi was fantastic.

  2. johnharms says

    Crio

    I also found that surprising when Stan Alves on ABC radio went for Cam Bruce. I thought the Moloney boy was terrific.

    JTH

  3. John,
    i suspect the Dreamteam curse? Didn’t notice but I know they post points on the screen. Might be worth checking.

  4. Crio
    From what I heard (about half the game) Bruce was best on ground for mine. Kept trying hard and was the highest possession getter. I haven’t actually seen the replay of the game yet, but will soon.

  5. His stats are impressive Steve. I remember some stuff-ups but when you get it that often that will happen. He roamed freely. I thought Petterd very good and Moloney and Brocky prominent. Cassisi was best.

  6. Damian Watson says

    Steve,

    Great Writing, the reason the game was televised 45 minutes later was because of the V8 racing in Townsville.

    Another disappointing crowd of 15 000! However it was on a Sunday and against an out of form interstate team so I won’t be too hasty.

  7. Thank Damian,

    Crowd of 15,000 is bad. I should’ve gone.

    Did you watch all of the game?, because it finished at 6, the usual time the game finishes when it starts at 3. Did they skip a bit of the game? Does anyone know?

  8. Damian Watson says

    I was playing my U/15 footy match so I only caught the last quarter. My guess is that Ch7 showed less ads as they usually show bucket loads of ads on the Sunday game.

  9. Josh Barnstable says

    I watched every minute of it. Wasn’t the most entertaining game though. They skipped the usual stuff at quarter time, half time. Just went from an ad-break at the end of a quarter straight to the ball-up at the start of the next quarter. Seven were running ahead of time though, so they showed a bit of the pre-quarter stuff at three quarter time, and the long 2 minute adds starting showing again after EVERY single goal.

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