Somebody has to do it ... Coll V Melb

[Greg J]

The people who did not see the game deserve some sort of report from the Melbourne game.

If anyone has not gathered, by the dearth of references to the game, it was heart wrenching for the faithful who were there (and for the faithful who were not) and has been difficult to talk about. Each week I tell myself that it could not get any worse, and it has.

The day started off well. I got a lift to the pub, so was half an hour earlier than usual. This turned out to be bad (starting drinking too early meant that I was "cactus" for the pub crawl, we were catching up with after the game) and good (because I got to meet Joffa, there was only a few of us at the bar and it would have been impolite not to introduce myself, after all I knew what he looked like, but he didn't know what I looked like. Joffa introduced me to *Magpie Girl* #19 too. After hearing Joffa's motivational talk, in the Beer garden, we headed off to the ground.

Bugger all people there, ensured a prime seat behind the Ponsford End goals.

I had hoped that the lads would all pick up the slack in Buckleys absense. It was a false hope.

Pebbles started in the ruck. And we were able to keep with them in the first half. Our inability to win in the ruck and the rest of the midfield stopped us from getting in front. Our game plan did not seem to be working. Melbourne streamed forward when they got the ball, we chipped and often turned the ball over without having a shot.

In the first half, in defence, Presti was doing alright on Neitz, Farmer was quiet as a mouse, and by memory Richardson was servicable on Schartz. It was, uncharacteristically, Burnsey who got a bath. I was hoping the fact the I had never really heard of some of Melbourne's forward line would hold us in good stead, just after I had that thought, some guy called Robertson kept getting the ball and kicking goals.

Still given the fact that our midfield was not on top, our forward line kept breaking down and our defence had holes in it we were definitely in the game at half time.

It did not really come unstuck until Beams kicked a goal on Tarkyn. I thought "another unknown". Then I saw Beams go off with a sore hand (one down, 21 to go I was thinking). And then all hell broke loose, because Farmer came back on and preceeded to get the ball and kick a goal everytime it came near him. Melbourne were kicking towards the Ponsford end during the third quarter, so it unfolded right before my eyes. Tarkyn got a bath and started making mistakes and they just kept kicking goals. It was appalling. We could not seem to do anything to halt the flow.

I stayed right to the end (I heard the start of their theme song) but could nt get out quick enough. I did not bother to keep track of how many goals Farmer preceeded to kick (I was surprised to hear it was nine, but that was because I did not really follow the ball down their end in the fourth quarter).

For us, Tarrant was again a winner as (arguably) was Prest. Adkins started to show a bit of promise again. Thats about all.

Sorry for the ramble, but it is hard to be coherent so long after the game. Bring on the Sainters'. If we can not beat them then ...