A classic finish to a very long sporting weekend

Waking up to the cold chill of the early winter morning, I moved to the loungeroom with my blankets and pillow to continue my heavy sleep after a hectic weekend. After waking up again, this time in the early afternoon, I made the decision to stay home as Mum and Dad go to Shepparton.

As 2:00pm hit, I frantically looked around the house for my notepad and pen. I couldn’t find them anywhere, so I gave up and decide to just enjoy this match without scoring or taking notes. I read the Herald Sun and the Sunday Herald Sun that I missed the previous day as the ball is bounced to start this big Queens Birthday clash.

Collingwood make all the attacking early, with Travis Cloke kicking the first, followed by Steele Sidebottom. Dale Thomas tapped the ball to Leon Davis’ advantage, allowing Neon to run into an open goal. Danni must be loving this start. Matthew Bate took a mark on the goal line and kicked the Dees’ first however, and then Brad Miller impressed with a strong mark and goal, cutting the margin to 10 points. Brad Dick, playing his first game of 2010, kicked a goal on the run after an errant kick-in by Cameron Bruce. Jack Watts received a free kick directly in front, 25m out and he drilled it to reduce the deficit back to 12 points at quarter time, 3.2 to an inaccurate but usual Collingwood, 4.8.

The parents return home with Subway, although they were out of white bread apparently so I didn’t enjoy the meal as much as I would have liked. Neville Jetta got Melbourne off to the greatest possible start, toe-poking through a goal on the goal line, then Lynden Dunn, back in the side, marked and goaled to cut the deficit to just one point. Mark Jamar, dominating in the ruck against Darren Jolly and an insipid Josh Fraser, took a mark inside the 50, handballed to a running Colin Garland who thumped it through for a massive goal, putting Melbourne in front for the first time in the match. Dick quickly nabbed the lead back for Collingwood with an open goal, although he tried his best to miss, and the Pies led by just a point at half time, 5.10 to 6.3.

I started to flick through the 2009 AFL Prospectus I found recently, turning to the page where they predicted the upcoming (last years) draft. Missing was Jack Trengove, Ben Cunnington, Gary Rohan, Christian Howard, Brad Sheppard and Jasper Pittard from the top 25 just to name a handful. The second half began and Brad Green and Aaron Davey unusually missed shots at goal, but it regained the lead, only for Collingwood to take it back with a mass of behinds. The game started to become a scrap, with plenty of behinds being scored. Dick finally broke the drought late in the quarter with a goal on the run from just inside 50, his third, giving Collingwood an 11 point lead. Cale Morton inspired Melbourne though with a run through the centre of the ground, taking a bounce and putting through the big goal, cutting the deficit to just five points at the last change, 7.8 to a very inaccurate 6.19.

I readied myself for a big last quarter, hoping for a repeat of last time these two sides played, but not wanting that to happen at the same time because it would be heart-shattering for many Melbourne supporters, including Steve. Nathan Jones kicked the first of the last term after receiving a quick handball from Miller, who wasn’t playing badly, and it was 56-56. Then a high snap from Miller made its way through the big sticks, giving Melbourne the lead by five points, and everything seemed to be going their way. Jolly found space on Jamar, getting free in the goalsquare to receive from Dick, snapping his first and leveling the scores yet again. Now I sat up on the couch and couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. Every contest was crucial. Dick lit up the MCG again with his fourth goal, giving Collingwood the lead by six points, but Jamar, performing admirably and combining with Brent Moloney, definitely one of Melbourne’s most important players, continued to give great service to the Dees. Jamar ran forward to take an uncontested mark in a pack as the Collingwood player threw their arms up in despair at Fraser, who was standing on the 50, ‘dogging’ it. Jamar poured a whole shaker of salt in Fraser’s wounds and used a rolling pin on it as he drilled the goal, making scores level. Morton, playing admirably in the middle of the ground, found Bate on a long lead who took the tumbling mark. He goaled from long range, straight through the middle, to give Melbourne the lead with a few minutes remaining with under 10 minutes to go. Watts showed no awareness, gathering the ball on the wing and running straight into Miller, and was subsequently wrapped up in a big tackle, and a free kick was given to Collingwood. Tarkyn Lockyer, back in the side, finally, marked on the lead after a good pass from Jolly. Lockyer showed his poise and mettle by slotting the goal, and scores were deadlocked again. What a game. I willed Melbourne forward, but I wanted Collingwood to win. I guess it’s sort of a just result that it was a draw.

You could just see the pain on Jamar’s face after the game as he was interviewed by Andy Maher. Maher asked three questions too many as Jamar just walked off on him. Jamar is definitely the most improved player in the AFL, and really embarrassed Fraser today, and beat Jolly. While some of the Melbourne youngsters like Morton, Garland, Neville Jetta and Jack Grimes really impressed me, but once again they’ve come so close only to lose in the last minute, something that’s happened three times this year.

My opinion on the draw is that the home side should be given 10 minutes after the final siren to consult within the team whether to play on an extra five or so minutes, or to be safe and take the two premiership points. But today was such a good game, Melbourne deserved to win and Collingwood should have won. I decided to write a report for this match in the end, and here I am.

Melbourne 3.2—6.3—7.8—11.10.76

Collingwood 4.8—5.10—6.19—9.22.76

Goalkickers:

Melbourne-Miller 2, Bate 2, Watts, Morton, Jetta, Garland, Jamar, Dunn, Jones

Collingwood-Dick 4, Davis, Cloke, Sidebottom, Lockyer, Jolly

Best:

Melbourne-Jamar, Moloney, Davey, Morton, Garland, Frawley, Scully, Jones

Collingwood-Swan, Pendlebury, Reid, Beams, Sidebottom, Lockyer

Crowd:

67,454 at the MCG

Votes:

3: Mark Jamar (M)

2: Brent Moloney (M)

1: Dane Swan (COLL)

About Josh Barnstable

21 year old North Melbourne supporter from country Victoria. Currently living in Melbourne studying a Bachelor of Sports Media. Dreams of becoming a sports journalist and broadcaster.

Comments

  1. TV-led whinging about the draw is as predictable as the sunrise. All they’re worried about is having a crappy shot to show at siren-time. Both teams played four quarters, both had 120 minutes of chances to win, the progress of the comopetition is not delayed by this result (unlike finals, hence extra time), in short there is no logical reason to change.

  2. Imagine if extra time was played during the home and away season and a draw was played out during the Sunday arvo game televised by Channel 7. I highly doubt we’d see anything after the final siren.

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