Melbourne defeat Carlton at the MCG as Christian Salem and Clayton Oliver showcase Demons’ future
MELBOURNE came away with four points but improvements to make after being pushed all the way by Carlton and two Demons under MRP scrutiny.
MELBOURNE fans would shift uncomfortably whenever they hear Josh Kelly’s name.
When the Demons traded pick No.2 (Kelly) for Dom Tyson and pick No.9 (which became Christian Salem), the talk that Kelly would one day win a Brownlow Medal was hard to swallow for Melbourne faithful.
But after three injury-plagued seasons, Salem, 21, yesterday produced the breakthrough game of his career.
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His personal best 31 possessions across half-back not only helped lift the Demons to a scrappy 22-point win over Carlton at the MCG, it also provided a crucial reminder that the controversial two-for-one deal with Greater Western Sydney in 2013 can also be a big winner for the Demons.
As the two clubs fought out an error-riddled contest, it was Salem’s sticky-fingered intercepting and punchy delivery that gave the game some high watermarks early, while the two back lines played ping pong.
And when the contest was up for grabs in the last term, Salem laid a game-saving tackle on Denis Armfield running into goal to ensure new Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin would have gone to sleep a relieved man at 2-0.
It is the club’s best start to a season since 2005.
But there were some fiery moments too, and some match review panel concerns for two of their most important players. Jesse Hogan’s goalsquare jab at Sam Rowe will be looked at, while an off-the all incident between Jordan Lewis and Patrick Cripps will also attract attention.
The later incident sparked an all-in melee as Carlton kicked a run of five goals to claw back a 24-point deficit, providing a much better performance than the season-opening loss to Richmond.
Carlton stars Marc Murphy and Patrick Cripps were outstanding in the centre square and Harrison Macreadie’s courageous last term mark in front of Hogan, when he was bearing down like a freight train, might be the first highlight in Brendon Bolton’s review.
But Melbourne was better, and cleaner, when it mattered.
The other man in the Kelly trade, Tyson, also had a massive last quarter. Tyson dribbled home a clever goal after swerving on to a James Harmes handpass to put the Dees up by eight points.
The former Giant then set up the next major that helped clinch the contest, when he took an intercept mark and kicked long to the teeth of goal.
Hogan contested the mark deep forward and Sam Weideman roved and slammed through a goal from point blank range to give Melbourne some breathing space.
Yes, Kelly might be one of the most exciting midfield Rolls Royces in the competition, and one who will always stick in the Melbourne memory banks, but Tyson and Salem are also powering Melbourne into an exciting new era. It should not be a trade that haunts the club.
This game was dour struggle, and despite the skill errors, both sides can be happy, in a way. Few would have thought Carlton could win this game against the potent young Dees but the Blues got within three points when Jarrod Pickett outmarked Tom McDonald and kicked straight from 25m in the final quarter.
In the end, new recruit Jordan Lewis was also pivotal helping steer the Melbourne ship and refusing to give in as Carlton threatened to pinch an upset victory.
This is why Melbourne recruited him, really, for the sort of money-can’t-buy leadership that helps you win tight games at the death.
As Lewis said after the match: “It was one of those games you’ve just got to find a way to win”.
Clayton Oliver continued his remarkable start to the season and is also staking a claim as one of the best young midfielders in the competition. He has rare speed, toughness and polish in heavy traffic.
On a day where the backmen mostly dominated, Jeff Garlett made a crucial chase-down tackle on Sam Docherty and kicked a clutch set shot goal in the final stages.
He provides some vital speed and tackle pressure at the feet of Hogan and Weideman, when Garlett is switched on.
If his spot has been in jeopardy, he made a bit of a statement.
Originally published as Melbourne defeat Carlton at the MCG as Christian Salem and Clayton Oliver showcase Demons’ future