The Crows are only down by one point to the Dees with a quarter of footy to play. If you have just tuned in you may think we’re in with a red-hot chance to win our first game for the season.
But Hentschel’s having knee issues, Bock’s done his hamstring and Dangerfield has just been stretchered off with a neck injury. I look across the ground and see only one player sitting on our bench. Melbourne has four.
I’m hoping that somehow we can sneak across the line. Snag a few early goals and we might be able hold off the Demons before we run out of legs. Concede a couple and it might just be goodbye season.
Up to this point we’ve hardly set the world on fire. The clearance, tackling and free kick stats are all weighed heavily in favour of the opposition. Our defence has been caught on the back foot and the forwards have forgotten how to lead. But that’s nothing new.
Somehow though we’re still in it with a slight chance of snaring our first victory for the season.
The umpire gets the final quarter underway. Maric taps the ball down to Thompson who kicks long into the fifty. It sits up for Petrenko who gathers and runs towards goal.
‘Kick it!’ I beg, but he’s grabbed by a Demon and is unable to aim for home.
The ball quickly heads up the other end of the ground where Newton drops a sitter for the Dees. Phew, that was lucky.
Porplyzia marks the ball in defence, kicks wide to Rutten who seeks out Douglas in the attacking half. The ball spills but Dougie manages to slap it forward. Burton collects and handballs to Thompson who boots it as hard as he can towards goal.
Touched on the line.
You have got to be kidding me! I slump back in my seat. Scores are level. Let’s just call it a day now. I’d be happy to walk away from this game with a draw.
Both sides continually work the ball into their attacking halves only for an opposition player to cleanly cut it off. Thank you Ivan Maric! The guy is trying his guts out.
He passes off to Goodwin in the back pocket who spots Walker making a lead on the wing. Walker picks it up, sells the dummy, avoids the boundary line, brushes off an opponent, takes a bounce and then kicks long to Burton. Now that’s what we want to see more of!
Burton takes a strong contested grab and chips the ball to Knights. It sails over his head and into the waiting arms of a Melbourne defender. I groan in frustration. Another opportunity gone astray.
Again play seesaws from one end to the other before the Dees finally get a reprieve and score a behind.
We’re down by one point.
The ball is worked in from defence and quickly taken up the ground. Cook beats Scully on the wing and kicks short to Petrenko just outside fifty. He finds Doughty free in the middle.
I spot Tippett making a play for the goal square. The last time he kicked a goal at this ground he put us within a whisker’s reach of making a preliminary final. Could he save the day again?
Doughty goes long to Tippett.
‘Tippett’s done his ankle,’ I sigh. ‘There goes our season’.
Melbourne runs on and seals a 16-point victory with two last-ditch goals. The siren sounds and I slump even further in my seat and throw my scarf over my face. I didn’t want to see them win.
With an empty bench we ran out of puff. The players on the field gallantly tried to salvage a win from a scrappy game but with little scoreboard pressure to speak of we were always a long shot at three quarter time.
A mammoth task now faces the playing group in salvaging the season. The forever-growing injury toll does not help however I’m sure most of us would just like to see some form of improvement for the time being.
