June 04, 2009

St Kilda vs Melbourne...

SATURDAYS have always been good for footy.
For me, they begin at my desk in my room when I listen to the coverage of the Saturday afternoon match on Triple M (apart from the rare occasion when the Demons play in this time slot). This Saturday was a little bit different because I bothered to get a hair cut after saying I would get one every weekend for at least the last month. I think about the footy. I score the game in my room and I bring the laptop in there to keep track of players’ possessions and Dream Team points. The Roos were playing the Lions at the Dome. Brisbane win by three goals in a good game due to some great performances from Lions players including youngster Daniel Rich. I wrote “END” in the final box on the score sheet.
One thing I am not used to doing on a Saturday, however, is watching the footy from the Bentleigh Club, aka Demon stronghold. I took off on the 5:48 train to the Bentleigh Club, and made it comfortably to the station. I walked down Yawla St with my brother and we sat down in the bar with the screen showing St Kilda vs the mighty Demons. It was odd watching the Dees play at Gold Coast Stadium, especially against the Saints. But the Demons didn’t look lost in the opening stages. Sylvia kicked the first for the Dees and all looked good, but Melbourne wasted some opportunities going forward in the first quarter. Brendon Goddard kicked a couple in the opening quarter for the Saints but the Dees rallied. James Frawley was worth a mention with his first career goal, a good one on the run from 50. I remarked that he looked like a different player because I’d never seen Frawley in so much space before and so close to goal. Melbourne was only down by four points at quarter time, and right in the contest. It was top of the table vs bottom of the table. I didn’t really expect the Demons to get blown out of the water in the first quarter. Another thing I enjoyed in the opening quarter was a great parma.
The fans at the Bentleigh Club were there usual selves. Groaning when Cameron Bruce dropped marks and Bronx cheers when Matthew Bate held on to one. At half time the Demons were only eight points down, due in part to efforts from young players Maric and Bennell. Mark Jamar was also playing well in his return game and Bate was surprisingly finding some form in the forward line. It was the usual for the Saints, with Goddard, Hayes, Dal Santo and Montagna all gathering heaps of possessions. Nick Riewoldt was in poor touch in front of goal, and one incident really got the crowd going at the Bentleigh Club when he kicked it 50 metres across the face of goal from 10 metres out.
In the second half the game slowed down and both teams were making errors causing not a lot of scoring. But this was after the Saints had taken a 27-point lead. I bought some peanuts from the vending machine. Michael Gardiner elbowed Mark Jamar in the face and looked likely to be suspended. “Junior” McDonald seemed to injure his ankle badly but came back on in the end. At three quarter time the Dees trailed 10.11 (71) to 6.6 (42), having not scored in the quarter. There wasn’t much to talk about for the rest of the game, but there were a few laughs. “McDonald will never play again”, my brother said, just as McDonald was warming up to come back on the ground. Andrew McQualter kicked the only goal of the last quarter and the Dees went down 11.17 (83) to 6.10 (46). Melbourne had their second goalless half of the year, the only other team with a goalless half this year is Carlton in the last round against Adelaide. Jack Grimes played well again, and he looks a certainty to get a Rising Star nomination this year. For the second time in three weeks, I walked out of the Bentleigh Club after a loss. Hopefully things change when I return in another three weeks, when Brisbane play Melbourne on Saturday night in round 13. The loss for the Demons meant they were now 7% below Richmond and one game, due to their three-point win over Fremantle. Melbourne play Collingwood next week in the Queen’s Birthday clash and the Saints play North Melbourne at the Dome. I hope next Saturday is a good one, and I know I won’t have to go to the Bentleigh Club, or see the Dees play.
St.Kilda  5.3  7.8  10.11 11.17(83)
Melbourne 4.5  6.6 6.6  6.10(46)
GOALS St Kilda: Riewoldt 4, Goddard 2, Ray, McQualter, Koschitzke, Geary, Gwilt. Melbourne: Bate, Green, Frawley, Maric, Sylvia, Bruce.
BEST St Kilda: Montagna, Hayes, Goddard, Dal Santo, Riewoldt, Fisher, Dawson, Geary. Melbourne: McLean, Moloney, Grimes, Sylvia, Bennell, Frawley, Green, Maric.
Umpires: James, Grun, Kamolins.              
Crowd: 9,112 at Gold Coast Stadium.
My Votes: 3. Montagna, 2. Hayes, 1. Goddard.

• Brock McLean attempts to mark under pressure from Farren Ray at the Gold Coast Stadium. Photo by Mervyn Lowe. The Slattery Media Group

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