Demons Rise To Topple Saints

By Barry Kennedy AFANA Reporter in Melbourne

A rare all-Victoria contest -- albeit an Elimination Final -- kick-started the 2006 AFL Finals Series at the MCG last night. Melbourne has had much pain inflicted on it at this time of the season ever since it was overrun by Essendon in the 2000 Grand Final. In the last two seasons, Melbourne had bowed out of the flag race after failing at this hurdle.  St Kilda’s long suffering supporters have seen their side progress further into September over the last two years, but have themselves been at the wrong end of two painful Preliminary Final losses, despite their star-studded line-up. So with the specter of a quick exit from the finals race looming for the loser, there were plenty of reasons for these two aspiring sides to hit the ground running. 

Despite playing no fewer than five ruckman last week, St Kilda, oddly,  went into the game with the inexperienced Michael Rix and underdone Justin Koschitzke as their only recognized ruckmen. This despite the formidable ruck duo that Jeff White and Mark Jamar have become for Melbourne over season 2006. What the Saints lacked in the ruck department was made up for in a forward structure containing Aaron Hamill, Fraser Gehrig, Nick Reiwoldt and the nippy Stephen Milne. For the Demons, the recruitment of Finals specialist Byron Pickett and a fit David Neitz were seen in pre-game analysis as their major positives.

The early skirmishes in this match were tantalizing. Stephen Milne put his lean Finals record behind him thanks to a characteristically opportunistic goal to start proceedings. The ledger was square soon after via a ripper running goal from Neitz on the flank. Xavier Clarke was putting his body on the line and received two crunching hits for his troubles while Hamill and Gehrig huffed and puffed with Jared Rivers and Ben Holland respectively. Direct corridor football was instigated by both sides with Pickett hitting Brad Miller to give the Demons its first taste of the lead.

The Saints response was resounding, especially via the wonderful Robert Harvey who began to get a ton of telling touches. His pin-point kicks out in front of Gehrig and Milne were invaluable leading to six straight St Kilda goals. The chief destroyer on the scoreboard was a super-confident looking Gehrig who soon has three goals by his name. Milne added his second late in the quarter. Had Koschitzke and Reiwoldt converted from gettable shots, the game could have been put beyond Melbourne by the first change. But with a 20 point deficit and prime movers Cameron Bruce, James McDonald and Travis Johnstone all quiet, things didn’t look good for the Dees in any part.

The ground was awash with broken bodies and heavy clashes in the early stages of the second quarter. Brett Whelan went off with an injured arm about the same time Cameron Bruce was almost sent into next week by a crude Andrew Thompson bump that resulted in a report. All the while the hobbling Hamill was tackling like a man possessed.   A Reiwoldt goal soon made the margin 26 and with lingering rain making fluent play even harder to execute, the Demons were looking down the barrel.

A key change to the direction of game occurred when Brock McLean cannoned into Justin Koschitzke, which led to the immediate removal of the St Kilda big man from the field. The clash didn’t look dangerous but with Koschitzke having fractured his skull among other mishaps already this season, his removal was inevitable.

Although the Demons managed just one goal for the remainder of the quarter, thanks to a Neitz free kick, the momentum that St Kilda had gained was dampened. McDonald started to lay tackles, McLean got more into the game and Bruce stymied the influence of Harvey. Crucially, Gehrig also went down with injury at the close of the quarter in an incident that would have been comical had it not been for the result. Gehrig had tried to bork and bluff his way past Nathan Carroll, but running out of ideas had decided to run straight over his opponent ala former All-Black winger Jonah Lomu. He didn’t get past, was pinged for holding-the-ball and was badly favoring his right ankle in the aftermath.   The margin remained 20 at half-time.

With Gehrig and Hamill looking decidedly proppy, both the Clarke brothers also injured and Koschitzke still off, Melbourne started cashing in on their fresh legs in the third term. Jeff White took to dominating the air while the Melbourne midfield hit their straps with several decisive clearances, especially from McLean. Brad Miller who has had a quiet season was also playing a pivotal part presenting for Demon runners. Goals from McDonald, Bruce and Russell Robertson reduced the margin to two points 12 minutes into the quarter.

Nick Reiwoldt provided temporary relief in a lone hand up forward with a strong mark on Carroll which he steered through for a much-needed goal. Koschitzke rejoined the fray and added another as did Justin Peckett which restored a 22 point lead 22 minutes in.   After the luxury of a rest, Jeff White again lifted the Demons in the center and two quick goals from Neitz and the classy Pickett reduced the deficit to nine points at the last change.

A pressure cooker environment enveloped the last quarter with mistakes playing as big a part as well executed skills. The Saints would rue easy misses by Harvey and Peckett that could have consolidated their lead while the over-zealous Demons were continuing to lose their heads, none more so than Aaron Davey,  who was getting a toweling from Steven Baker. As Davey was dragged for another act of ill-discipline Baker goaled from the resultant 50 meter penalty and gave St Kilda breathing space.   It would prove to be the Saints last hurrah.

Before long the previously quiet Travis Johnstone sent a perfectly weighted pass into the path of rookie Matthew Bate who calmly slotted a nice goal. McLean was then at the end of some great team pressure from an errant Saints kick-out. This took the Demons to the brink of the lead.

Finally after 104 minutes of chasing St Kilda’s tails the great captain David Neitz put Melbourne back in front. Symbolically it was a piece of Aaron Davey magic that got the ball down to him after averting two opponents on the 50 meter line.

A succession of points followed for the Dees, while a Koschitzke miss further laid waste to the Saints' night. Brock McLean appropriately put the match beyond doubt when a clumsy Max Hudghton shepherd, more of an old-fashioned coat hanger, gave McLean an easy shot at goal. It was the act of a tired and frustrated man and deep in time-on was the final nail for the Saints.   Yze put through the last goal of the night with the final margin 18 points.

The loss will be felt sorely at St Kilda with Thomas’ decision to leave out regular ruckmen Jason Blake and Cain Ackland sure to be further questioned. Even so the Saints were again crippled by injuries this night as they have been throughout much of this season. It was sad to again see the great Robert Harvey on the end of a failed campaign. Remarkably this is his 19^th season. Whether he has another in him remains to be seen.

Melbourne discharged some of their own demons with a great come from behind victory. Television cameras revealed much fist-pumping from a fired up Neale Daniher after the match. Daniher will not only enjoy the victory, but the bruising, tenacious manner of the Demons effort. McLean was best on the field, while the performance of fellow young guns Matthew Bate, Daniel Ward and Nathan Jones were decisive. Indeed Bruce, White, McDonald and Neitz, all fantastic at important times last night, have plenty of disciples.

So as the Saints fall short of their own lofty expectations for another year and contemplate their closing window of opportunity to snare a Premiership, the Demons live to fight another day. With nothing to lose away from home next week, Daniher’s men can contemplate their ascent into football heaven for another week at least.

MELBOURNE 2.2 3.4 8.5 13.12 (90)
ST KILDA  5.4 6.6 9.8 10.12 (72)

Goals: Melbourne: D Neitz 4 B McLean 2 M Bate B Miller A Yze J McDonald

R Robertson C Bruce B Pickett. 

St Kilda: F Gehrig 3 N Riewoldt 2 S Milne 2 J Peckett S Baker J Koschitzke.

Best: Melbourne: B McLean J White C Bruce J McDonald D Neitz N Carroll 

D Ward. 

St Kilda: N Riewoldt S Baker B Goddard L Ball S Milne R Harvey.
Umpires: B Rosebury J Schmitt D Goldspink.
Official Crowd: 67,528 at the MCG.