Melbourne have pulled off a sensational last minute win over the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco.
With twenty four seconds to play, Demons forward Tom McDonald kicked an unlikely goal, as he swung his boot at the ball as he was falling to ground while in a strong tackle, to put his team in front.
It came after the Eagles had lead by three goals deep into the final quarter, and had opportunities to go further in front.
But despite appearing exhausted after a bruising game on the road, Melbourne found their best footy in the final minutes to kick the last three goals of the match.
This result breaks a long standing hoodoo for the Demons, who hadn’t won in Western Australia since 2004.
It had been a close game all evening. The Eagles had the better of the first quarter but could never break away, and in fact trailed the more efficient Demons at quarter time.
While Melbourne in turn had their periods on top in the second quarter, they also struggled to take advantage, and after a scrappy, tense first half the margin was still within a kick.
The star of the first half was Melbourne’s Jack Viney, who dominated the contests and was the game’s leading possession winner to half time.
When he copped a knock early in the third and went off for several minutes it looked like it could be a match turner.
At this point the game started to open up, as the Eagles found more space on the wings and the Demons continued to counterattack with some success.
After kicking three majors in a row, West Coast went into the final change with an eight-point lead.
A brilliant goal to Mark Hutchings gave the Eagles their biggest lead of the game at fourteen points, and from then on it looked like the home team were going to do just enough to keep the plucky Demons at bay.
While Viney had returned to the ground, he didn’t quite have the same influence, and when he conceded a holding the ball free kick deep in defence it looked like it might have been a critical error.
But with just eight minutes to play Lewis Jetta missed the resulting set shot, and the Demons stayed within three kicks.
With the minutes ticking away Cam Pedersen stepped up to take a superb contested mark and goal to bring the margin back to ten points.
Minutes later, Pedersen again was influential was a superb pass to set up a soda for Tom McDonald, and cut the Eagles’ lead to less than a goal.
Pedersen then had a chance to put his side ahead with four minutes to play, but missed a difficult shot.
With time running out West Coast appeared to have done enough, forcing stoppage after stoppage and denying the Demons any kind of real scoring opportunity.
But in the dying seconds McDonald’s desperate goal gave Melbourne a win that seemed unlikely at times.
McDonald’s match-winner capped off a superb night for the Melbourne forward, whose match-winner was his fifth goal of the night. He and Viney were probably the game’s two best players.
At the other end, the Eagles were well served by their forward targets of Petrie and McGovern, who kicked four and three goals respectively. Gaff, Sheed and Jetta also played well for the hosts.
This result – Melbourne’s fourth win in a row – puts them within touching distance of the top four. And in the form they’re in it’d be a brave person to bet against them finishing inside that mark. After some inconsistent performances at times they now appear to be growing every week.
For West Coast, this will be a painful loss. They need to win these games at home, and they certainly had their chances to do just that.
They have big matchups in the next few weeks against other finals aspirants in the Bulldogs, Power, Dockers and Magpies, so their destiny is still very much in their own hands, but on form you wouldn’t expect them to rise much higher than the lower spots of the eight, if that.
But if this season has taught us anything it’s never to count anything out. And tonight’s game was yet another fine example of that.
gameofmarks
Roar Guru
I'm speculating Priddis is injured. Had his Quad strapped in the second half against Geelong and has always had trouble with his Quads. His form has been down the last two weeks and is running slower than usual. so 2 + 2 equals injured for my money. Simpson stated last night that Hurn won't play against the doggies either. So IMO the outs this week will be: Priddis; Hurn; Darling and Schofield And the Ins will be: Partington; Wellingham; Lycette and Masten Lycette, Vardy and Petire will rotate through the ruck and FF. Mitchell will start in the CBD and Masten and Partington will rotate through there as well. Wellingham/McKenzie/Duggan Sheppard/Barass/Cole Jetta/Mitchell/Gaff Karpany/McGovern/Partington Cripps/Petrie/Hill Lycette/Yeo/Sheuy Bench: Sheed/Hutchings/Vardy/Masten
Diamond Dave
Guest
didnt know Priddis was injured, explains his quiet past 2 weeks. am not a big fan of the helicopter pilot, but his haircut is a big improvement! poor old jack cops a lot of flack, i've lost the faith a little, just tired of seeing him wrapped up like a kebab, publicly gangbanged or flailing on the ground like an upturned turtle before he ninja flips - play footy Jack!! dont often hear him talk on the media, when i did, i realised he may not be the brightest bulb on the xmas tree? great defensive pressure, not sure about footy smarts? needs a a new job-midfield? be cool to see partington have a crack. murtimer, cole and karpanny have all been dependable. wellingham and masten, both been out brushing up on their kicking and disposal effciency. wellers could be good up forward with his pressure and a raking kick. JK not playing till port. lycett might find it hard to get a gig with vardy and petrie. a good problem to have. but as close and exciting as the melb game was, and yes, lecras, JK, lycett, nicnat, wellingham, masten were out, but it made me realise where would Eagles be without petrie and mitchell i wonder?...and oliver did stage blatantly! a clip like that doesnt drop you to your knees like a floppy rag doll..oliver needs to take it on the chin!! ((;
gameofmarks
Roar Guru
Prior to the WCE last two games I was very pessimistic of their chances for the rest of the season. But their current form is encouraging. If they can get over the Doggies at ES this week they are in with a chance of a 7 game winning streak and the chance of a Top 4 spot if they can win one of their last two games against GWS (Away) or ADE(at Home). Some big Ins and Outs this week on the cards I think. OUTS Schofield Darling Priddis (playing with a bad Quad) INS JK Wellingham (for Scholfield) Partington (for Priddis) Lycette (if JK doesn't get up)
DingoGray
Roar Guru
While agree with what your saying here Don, I'm not sure Essendon were far from this. Both major mistakes made towards the end (Daniher strong mark followed, Bad Kick & Goddard Kick out) were both attacking type plays. If "Joey" had of looked to retain possession in the back half rather than kicking to a 50/50 contest, different result. Also if Goddard actually thumps the ball out to a contest straight from the kick out rather than playing onto himself and trying to get the extra metres probably a different result as well..... But yeah I agree both sides certainly changed the way they played at the back end.
Mattician6x6
Guest
I agree don the importance of the injured players to WCE are being on large being overlooked by most. Am very happy with this mish mash on the fly team putting in more than respectable performances.
Don Freo
Guest
Not just Kennedy; NicNat, Le Cras, Wellingham, Lycett...
Mattician6x6
Guest
Very even handed, as a eagles fan it was a tight contest played out between 2 evenly balanced sides and lady luck played her part for both sides. High standard game only about 5-10%off finals pressure. Dees are playing great footy and getting good wins on the road, a key ingredient for challenging deep into September.
Griffo
Guest
Pip pip! Splendid show by the red legs. How did Hassa Mann play? At this rate 'Checker' Hughes will have a 5th premiership before long!
Griffo
Guest
As a demons fan I'm stoked with this win because I saw it as a tough gutsy effort. It's the toughest roadtrip in footy, playing in front of a one sided parochial crowd, we didn't always play pretty but we kept fighting to the end, and we didnit without Jones, Watts and Hogan. Now it's the last of those points which might be the cause for concern for the eagles. Having said that West Coast were without Kennedy and that has to be taken into account. So there might be some hyperbole with people saying that this game is a reality check for West Coast but on the other hand it could be a missed opportunity which is identified at the end of season review. What a difference a goal can make!
Diamond Dave
Guest
Those hold-on losses really hurt, but if your'e the winner its one of the best wins, a snatch-it win! Full credit to Melbourne for a gutsy win, away, with 3-4 top players out. Tough luck to WCE for a full four quarter effort, with 3-5 top players out including the comps leading goal kicker. Petrie and Vardy have been a revelation, as ruck temps. Melb looks like being another great footy story a la' Doggies, from bottom of ladder to top 5. Eagles certainly not done and dusted, such a close season, for the dooms-dayers they're only 1 game and percentage points off 4th spot. not the end of the world. lost in a close game by 3 points to the 4th placed team. beat the 3rd placed team last week by a few points. Forget about the empty media tags, they're improving and will have some key players back soon, also have been getting game time into youth. its quite positive for the backend of season...if they can win away against a good team?? but the teams are all so close this year re upsets on any given day. ah footy, a crazy mixed up game!
KingKongBundy
Guest
Can we do the dockers now.There turn
Mattician6x6
Guest
Gecko-Played were it was played, hypothesising the possible outcome at another venue is a waste of time.
Gecko
Guest
WC are average. Couldn't even get up in Perth. If the same game had been played in Melbourne, WC wouldn't have been within sniffing distance at 3/4 time.
Mattician6x6
Guest
The umpiring was woeful for both sides last night, how many unrealistic marking attempts did Melbourne get away with??
Bill larkin
Guest
Well it seems that the umps were blind (to Eagle infringements) throughout the match. They must have been blind at the break too. One called out about 8 times, "I've reported him". He was right on the spot. But who cares? Rance got off last week. He's still one of the best players in the league. As will Oliver.
Mattician6x6
Guest
The old questioning west coast commitment doesn't take away fact Oliver dropped harder than the plates at a Greek wedding.
GJ
Guest
Is Jordan Lewis mentoring Clayton Oliver? Doesn't look dissimilar to the dive Lewis took when pushed by Goddard a few years back.
Bill larkin
Guest
I think you should stop to consider what toughness is. It is not throwing an elbow at someone with his hands down (however soft or hard the blow is). It's fearlessly throwing yourself into a heaving pack and taking possession of the ball. If West Coast had a couple of tough players like Oliver they would have won.
Mattician6x6
Guest
Bill if your happy with a player who drops quicker than a Italian in the penalty area then that's OK.
GJ
Guest
He's just behaved like a monumental bell end. Claimed he wasn't expecting contact. The vision I saw was of some young bloke running into a minor scuffle trying to make a big hero of himself. A scuffle that started as a result of a pretty good tackle close to the siren. Personally I find it a bit hard to believe he ran into a scuffle like that not expecting any contact or remonstration. Clayton Oliver - hero and bell end. He needs to grow up and own it.