Almanac Flashback – AFL Semi-Finals 2009: Lions look lost away from Gabba

 

 

It’s Friday (thank God for that) and it’s exactly eight years after the 9/11 tragedy in New York. That was so long ago; Richmond made the finals in that year.

 

After a long week which included long conversations on this website with Josh, Danielle, Damian and Michael, I get home from school (from the squash centre), and sat at my desk with the laptop. I need to find a black pen for my score sheets, so I look under my desk. Not only did I find a black pen, but before that I found $2! It was certainly a good lead-up to the game tonight.

 

The Dogs ran out on to the field with Tim Callan, playing his second game of the year, after the Dogs controversially decided to leave out Josh Hill. I put some music on, before turning it off a few minutes later as the game gets underway. The small crowd cheers and the game starts.

 

The mild and very windy conditions weren’t helping the players. Bradshaw misses, and the game is at a halt for a few minutes. Akermanis finally kicks the first goal, right into the Brisbane cheer squad at the Punt Rd end. Ward, who set up the last goal, kicks his own from 40 on the run. Cooney gets another to put the margin out to 17 points. The windy conditions make shots at goal so interesting. The Lions surge, but can’t get a goal.  Sheldon runs inside 50, goes around an opponent but just sneaks it through for a point from 30. Eagleton roams the free space and goals as a direct reply. At quarter time It’s the Bulldogs 4.2 26 leading the Lions 0.6 6. Boyd and Giansiracusa have nine each for the Dogs while Brennan has 10 for the Lions.

 

The Lions start the second quarter much better than the last; a short Hooper kick hits Brown and the chest. Brown goes back and kicks through the visitors’ first. McGrath dashes through the centre and bends it back for a goal. The ball movement in the air reminds me of My Way Football. Hahn answers, before Brown marks again and just …  sneaks through his second from a great Rich kick out of the centre. Griffen kicks a goal and the margin is 17 points to the Dogs at the half, 6.6 42 to 3.7 25. Cooney leads with 19 for the Dogs while Power and Brennan have 14 each for the Lions. Not a very good first half.

 

The Dogs come out in the second half with a bang, goals from Gilbee and Hahn from a tough angle put the margin out to a dangerous level. Brown replies with what looked to be a point but somehow came back to give him 3.0, but it could easily be 1.2. Eagleton marks in the square, and bangs one home but Bradshaw replies to keep the Lions in it with an easy set shot. Eagleton kicks his third from 50, Johnstone fumbles for the Lions and Hahn dribbles through a goal as a direct result. The Dogs’ supporters applaud loudly as the three quarter time siren sounds. 11.8 74 to 5.7 37. Boyd and Cooney have 25 touches each for the Dogs while Power has 23 for Brisbane. The talk was whether the Lions could come back from the dead two weeks in a row.

 

That theory was put to bed as the Dogs continued to fire. Minson kicks a great goal from 50, and Higgins kicks an easy goal, which I’ve seen a lot of tonight. Bradshaw kicks two consecutive goals for the Lions that don’t mean a thing, Hahn marks and kicks a fourth. Redden becomes the Lions’ fourth goal kicker which is a consolation prize if I’ve ever seen one. Higgins kicks his second on the run, which is followed by a goal from Ward. I’m sure the Bulldogs will be hearing a lot more of those two names in the future. The siren sounds and the Lions go down by a whopping 51 points, 16.11 107 to 8.8 56.  Boyd finishes with 36 possessions and seven clearances and Power finishes with 31 all but meaningless touches for Brisbane. Simon Black was well held by Cross and didn’t have any influence

 

I turn the footy off and think about tomorrow night’s game. The Dogs have beaten the Lions, and now play in the Prelim against the Saints. Brisbane are just so much better at the Gabba.

 

Western Bulldogs  4.2 6.6 11.8 16.11 (107)
Brisbane  0.6  3.7 5.7  8.8 (56)

 

Goals
Western Bulldogs: Hahn 4, Eagleton 3, Higgins 2, Ward 2, Gilbee, Griffen, Cooney, Akermanis, Minson.
Brisbane: Brown 3, Bradshaw 3, Redden, McGrath.

 

Best
Western Bulldogs: Boyd, Cross, Eagleton, Ward, Lake, Cooney, Hargrave, Gilbee, Hudson, Johnson.
Brisbane: Power, Brennan, Brown, McGrath.

 

My Votes: 3. Matthew Boyd (WB), 2. Daniel Cross (WB), 1. Nathan Eagleton (WB).

 

Umpires: Stevic, Meredith, S. Ryan.

 

Crowd: 47,030 at the MCG.

 

 

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About Steve Healy

Steve Healy is an entity of a Melbourne supporter.

Comments

  1. Damian Watson says

    Thanks for giving us a mention Steve.
    Don’t remind me about that final against the Tigers in 2001, we lost in probably the worst game for that season and Kouta stuffed his knee!

  2. Thanks Damo,

    If that’s still in your mind you’re gonna wait a long time for this year’s loss to fade away. But I guess the Blues won’t fall like they did after ’01.

  3. Damian Watson says

    Yeah I’ll have to carry that feeling through the off season. Do you remember Melbourne’s season in 01′? they fell a bit after their Grand Final apperance the previous year mainly because of Joseph Gutnick off the field.

    Tomorrow we are able to wear Blue to school! I don’t know whether to wear my Carlton guernsey or not.

  4. Yeah, always where your footy jumper to school when you can.

    Melbourne wasted some finals chances this decade. In 2000 lost the grand final, 2002,beat the Roos at the G by 38 but then lost to Adelaide by two goals after being in front by 22 at three quarter time (I remember being at both those game). 2004, lost to Essendon in the dying moments. 2005, lost to Geelong in the first week by a big margin.And 2006, came from behind to beat the Saints but never got close to Freo at Subiaco the week later in the semi final.

  5. hey all!
    how the weather 2mro cos i wanna wear my jersey! finally have a casual day.
    ps. Damo thanks for the comment and i dont mind crying if its for a good reason!

  6. I think it’s 23 degrees tomorrow Danielle

  7. …okay well my jersey is the long sleeve one- cos I HAD TO GO AND LISTEN TO MY MUM WHEN I BOUGHT IT!!
    i guess that means ill have to change my outfit!

  8. I’ve got a short sleeved Melbourne jumper, but it’s still too big for me (it used to be my older brother’s). What year is your jumper Danieelle?

  9. i bought it like 2 years ago.
    so its 2007 with the wizard sponsor on the back.

  10. Damian Watson says

    I have the 2007 Carlton jumper with the Dan Murphy’s sponsor at the front.
    And then the Blues changed it the following year!

  11. lol yeah..thats not the best sponsor considering little kids wear it too!
    i have no idea what to wear 2moro!! :(

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