Melbourne v Hawthorn
1:45pm, Saturday May 4
MCG
It was the annual Pink Lady day at the G today and the 40 thousand plus crowd certainly got their money’s worth out on the ground.
But let us not forget the significance of the day. This year 19,371 women and 164 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and the day is a way of uniting everyone affected by breast cancer and that is most of us. Two of my daughters have had breast cancer.
After one of the sloppiest first halves of football I have witnessed this year the game livened up after the long interval.
Hawthorn had looked the winner at half time with O’Meara continuing on from the previous game and being well supported by fellow runners James Worpel, Ricky Henderson (easily Hawthorn’s best player this year) plus the usual suspects.
Coach Goodwin must have known that his election promises he had prior to the season commencing would not hold water if the side went down again today. A seat in the big house would be empty.
After a stellar 2018 we expected a lot from this mob. Premiership or nothing. Nothing has looked good all year but they played with all the flair of last year. Goodwin’s speech at half time must have been rousing.
The big names in Gawn, Oliver, Salem and Brayshaw were playing their best games of the year and James Harmes was playing like a man possessed. The sting in the tail during the week had done him no harmes.
With five goals for the quarter they had completely outplayed the lethargic Hawks who lost all semblance of team work after the break. Just on lemon time a long bomb from Gunston saw them only 14 points down.
Gunston was proving the big threat now and he opened the quarter with another wonderful kick for his third goal of the match. When another two of the old reliables in Shiels and Roughead scored major the Hawks had hit the front.
Former Hawk Jordan Lewis was not helping the Dees’ cause as twice he kicked to former team mates and hand passed another. One must wonder how long he has to go.
Declan Keilty you beauty!
Declan who? Yes, the unknown ruckman from Newborough and the VFL was my hero of the day. Having only five touches for the game up until three quarter time he went in to the ruck while Gawn went forward. He took the ball from the pack at the centre bounce ran like a wounded gazelle and delivered an ungainly kick up forward. But how important was it? Lockhart goaled to give his team the lead and a late goal from Harmes. Number 45 probably won’t get a game next week.
A five point win to the Dees has given them heart but the Hawks will need to do some thinking with the makeup of their side for the remainder of the year. There are many holes that need to be filled.
MELBOURNE 2.3 4.5 9.10 11.13 (79)
HAWTHORN 4.5 5.8 7.8 11.8 (74)
GOALS
Melbourne: Hunt 2, Brayshaw, Stretch, Fritsch, Jones, Garlett, McDonald, Neal-Bullen, Lockhart, Harmes
Hawthorn: Breust 4, Gunston 3, O’Meara, Lewis, Shiels, Roughead
BEST
Melbourne: Harmes, Gawn, Hibberd, Salem, Oliver
Hawthorn: Gunston, Shiels, O’Meara, Hardwick, Worpel
Crowd: 40,864
About Bob Utber
At 84 years of age Citrus Bob is doing what he has always done since growing up on a small farm at Lang Lang. Talking, watching and writing sport and in recent years writing books. He lives in Mildura with his very considerate wife (Jenny) and a groodle named 'Chloe on Flinders' and can be found at Deakin 27 every day.
Saw this game as a neutral. Despite the ordinary first half, it was a whole lot more entertaining than the slop served up in Adelaide on Sunday.
The Pink Lady Day caught me unaware. It was a lot more low key than previous years.
Thanks Citrus.
Good one Citrus.
Did you wear your pink suit?
I’m a sucker for an ungainly ruckman/ hero story.
Well played Declan.
Like Swish the day caught me unawares hence the Pink Suit was still back in the cupboard in Mildura.
Not to be disingenuous but I personally believe these events have a time span, think Pink Test. they get wonderful media coverage and there are many, many other worthy charities out there who deserve the chance to be front and centre at a sporting event.