Embarrassing and not up to AFL standard, it looked like Melbourne wanted the season to end as they crashed to a 64-point loss to Greater Western Sydney.
And with that, Demons coach Paul Roos succinctly and accurately summarised the club’s poorest performance under his watch.
GWS key forward Jonathon Patton (knee), gun on-baller Callan Ward (calf) and key defender Phil Davis (concussion) all played no part in the second half of the visitors’ plucky 15.8 (98) to 3.16 (34) triumph at the MCG.
Despite having one fit man on the bench and both of their co-captains out of action in the third and fourth quarters, it was the Giants who had more run and grit on Sunday.
“I’m embarrassed. Players can speak for themselves, but I mean you have to be,” Roos said.
“Take nothing away from the Giants, but they were three down.
“Whether guys are tired … it looks like they’ve put the cue in the rack (for the season) and thought `four wins is good enough for us. we’ve improved’.
“Today was not an AFL standard game of footy from us.”
Jack Grimes, returning from a hamstring injury, was substituted off and iced his leg.
Fellow co-captain Nathan Jones led the Demons in one of their darkest hours, as has been the case far too often in recent years.
The home side failed to kick a goal in the second or third quarter, prompting one fed-up fan among the sparse crowd of 17,218 to audibly ask at the final break: “what do you stand for Melbourne?”
The players were booed off the park after the final siren, when Roos was literally speechless.
“There’s nothing positive to come out of today. There’s plenty of negatives so I just chose not to speak to them at the end of the game,” he said.
“We’ve got two weeks to continue to see what this group can do – who wants to play footy? Who doesn’t want to waive the white flag?
“Then you’ve got an off-season to make some decisions (on which players stay).”
The Giants snapped a six-game losing streak and will almost certainly avoid a third consecutive wooden spoon.
St Kilda remain in the box seat to finish last, but on current form the Demons deserve to.
“It’s going to take a long time. Today was a huge step back … and probably a reminder of how far behind we are and how much work we have to do,” Roos said of turning the club around.
Counterpart Leon Cameron said the expansion club’s first win in Victoria was a significant milestone, noting “to win at the MCG the way we did with 19 fit men was phenomenal”.
“These sort of wins really build the culture of your footy club,” Cameron added.
Carcass
Guest
Hallelujah brother! Why is Melbourne FC allowed to stagger on, like this virtual zombie club when they allowed Fitzroy and South Melbourne to be wiped out? They have been a wart on the face of big time football since the 1970s.
Martyn50
Guest
As many people have said time and time before Melbourne should move or merge
Olivia Watts
Roar Guru
All credit to GWS and they should be justly proud at such an effort, but what to say about the Dees? 'Insipid' doesn't begin to express it. I don't support either team but, as justly happy as I am for GWS for the manner of their win, I cry for the passionate and long suffering Melbourne supporters who had to endure that embarrassment. The players, nearly to a man, should be ashamed of themselves not for losing but for capitulating without even a whimper of pride or guts. I did not see one element of their game which gave even a glimmer of future hope; even StKilda against far better opposition can say they had some real triers and never surrendered. I don't know what Melbourne does from here.