August 31, 2009

Melbourne vs St Kilda...

WALKING into the MCG is harder than normal today, knowing that a few club champions’ careers are at an end. I sit in my usual reserved seat, with the usual 50-year old man sitting in front of me, who I notice isn’t wearing a hat for the first home game this year.
The Dees begin proceedings like they aren’t a side who have been struggling for three seasons. I have seen this a few times in the last few weeks. Miller kicks the opening goal. Jurrah gets the ball inside 50. Without hesitating for a split second, he kicks the ball over his head. Surely not, surely not. It’s a goal. Jurrrahhh! The crowd roar and the Dees are looking good. Dempster replies with a goal out of the centre, and a sort of heavenly St Kilda cheer arises from the city end stands. Jurrah takes a mark that only he could take, but he doesn’t score from 40. He then hits the post but Sylvia, who is playing the quarter of his life, drills one through. Gilbert replies for the Saints and Jurrah slams through his second. The quarter time siren sounds. Melbourne leads 4.2 (26) to 2.2 (14). Sylvia has 12 touches, Morton 11. For the Saints it’s Gram leading with nine. At the break, Tom Scully murmurs surround me in the crowd.
The second quarter starts and the Dees continue to try and get the ball to Robbo in the forward line. He looks slightly out of touch. Moloney kicks a goal from the boundary line and the Saints look slow, vulnerable and no one is playing well. On the top of that Riewoldt is being very well held by Frawley. Dal Santo kicks a goal for St Kilda, before Jamar kicks one for the Dees. Jamar, the key forward in the making. Stephen “Boooo” Milne kicks a goal and Robbo dribbles through a..... behind from the goal square. If the rest of the second quarter was a TV show, it would be called Riewoldt Unleashed, as I witness the blond Saint kick three in a row. The Saints lead by a kick at the half, 6.5 (41) to 7.5 (47). Dal Santo has a huge 23 touches for St Kilda (16 in the second quarter) and Morton with 22 for the Dees. I am always excited by big possession games. Who isn’t?
The third quarter begins and Riewoldt Unleashed continues as I make my way back to my seat from the toilet. But it was more like St Kilda Unleashed as the quarter goes on. Koschitzke and Riewoldt keep marking, but not necessarily kicking straight, which keeps Melbourne in it. Robbo hits the post from the boundary line before Jurrah kicks a lazy couple in a row for another four-goal performance. Milne plays on from a mark and us Melbourne supporters let him know about it.  At three quarter time, Melbourne are still in it. 8.6 (54) to 10.10 (70). Morton leads easily for the Dees, with 26 and Dal Santo and Hayes have 29 and 25 possessions each respectively.  Melbourne won’t win.
The last quarter starts and Montagna kicks a goal, followed by Robbo running into an open goal. I stand up and give him what he deserves. Red-and-blue air is filled inside the MCG. Riewoldt kicks a fifth from the boundary. Spencer marks outside 50 hand passes over to Wheatley who bangs one through from 60. Half the Dees’ players hug him, Jurrah rushes over first. Whelan needs a goal as well. He has only had four handballs so far. The Dees tire in the last few minutes as St.Kilda bang through the goals. Milne, Riewoldt, Koschitzke, McQualter and Schneider all kick one each. The siren sounds and emotion floods the ground. St Kilda ends up winning 10.7 (67) to 17.12 (114), but that isn’t the point. The Dees put on a brave performance up until the last few minutes. Morton ends up with 36 touches while Dal Santo has 39 and Hayes 37.
Despite a St.Kilda victory, it’s like a Melbourne win after the game. Robbo, Wheatley and Whelan do a lap of the ground, and the Melbourne theme song blares through the speakers. Robbo gets a fair few scarves around his neck; Whelan gets a couple and Wheatley one. A guard of honour is formed as the three stars of the oldest club in the game are carried off. I should’ve run down to the bottom level.
I leave the ground with a smile on my face. On my way to Richmond station I see a couple of Melbourne supporters from school. There isn’t much to be sad about, 2010 is already in my sights. And the top two draft picks help the cause. Well, that’s the season.
Well done Paul Wheatley, Matthew Whelan and Russell Robertson. You’re all bloody legends.

Melbourne 4.2  6.5  8.6  10.7 (67)
St.Kilda 2.2  7.5  10.10  17.12 (114)
GOALS Melbourne: Jurrah 4, Jamar, Wheatley, Robertson, Moloney, Sylvia, Miller.
St.Kilda: Riewoldt 6, Milne 2, Koschitzke 2, McQualter, Schneider, Dal Santo, Gram, Montagna, Dempster, Gilbert.
BEST Melbourne: Jurrah, Morton, Sylvia, Moloney, Dunn, McDonald, Wheatley.
St.Kilda: Riewoldt, Dal Santo, Hayes, Gram, Goddard, Montagna, Fisher, Milne.
My Votes: 3. Nick Riewoldt (StK), 2. Nick Dal Santo (StK), 1. Liam Jurrah (Melb).
Umpires: Donlon, Kamolins, Mollison.                     
Crowd: 36,748 at the MCG. 

• Paul Wheatley, Matthew Whelan and Russell Robertson are chaired from the field after the rRound 22 match between Melbourne and St Kilda at the MCG. Photo by Lachlan Cunningham. The Slattery Media Group

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