AFL Round 23 Gold Coast v Melbourne: All the news and analysis as the Dees hit
Jack Viney led the charge as the Demons hit back after a week from hell on the Gold Coast. But the midfield bull didn’t exactly guarantee his Melbourne future post-match.
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After the week from hell this was the win the Demons desperately needed.
If nothing else, Melbourne’s drought-breaking victory over Gold Coast on Saturday momentarily pushed pause on the bloodletting that had threatened to tear the club apart.
But will it make a difference?
Just hours after disgruntled superstar Christian Petracca was spotted meeting with Brisbane skipper Lachie Neale at an East Melbourne café, his teammates planted a stake in the ground on the Gold Coast.
And who else but Jack Viney to spearhead the assault.
Viney became part of the story this week when North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson boldly outlined his plan to prise the midfielder out of Melbourne from next season.
It was hardly good news to the Demons’ ears given Alex Neal-Bullen’s request to return home to South Australia came not long after rumours of Petracca’s frustration spread through the footy world.
All of which conspired to pile pressure on Simon Goodwin’s side, which entered Saturday’s match on a four-game losing streak and forced to come to terms with missing finals for the first time in four seasons.
With no Steven May, Clayton Oliver or Petracca, the onus fell on Viney’s shoulders to drag the Demons over the line against a Suns side eyeing a club-record winning season.
His clutch goal from the pocket to put the Demons 28 points up early in the final quarter iced the game and gave the visitors something to celebrate after a month of malaise.
It capped a memorable day out for the 30-year-old, who was a clear best on ground with 30 disposals, 10 tackles, nine clearances and two goals.
“We may be out of finals contention but we wanted to finish the season the right way and it’s a great step in the right direction,” Viney declared after the 54-point win.
“You come away with a mission, you want to galvanise as a group and get a really strong result (and) today is great for everyone.”
But will he be at club next season?
When Fox Footy’s Alastair Lynch asked Viney that question after the match, he was far from convincing in his reply: “We’ll get through the season and we’ll see how it pans out”.
If Viney really is on the cusp of leaving, Saturday’s performance will be a bittersweet one for Melbourne fans.
The midfielder’s future was put to Goodwin in his post-match press conference. The Melbourne coach sounded confident his vice-captain would be at the club next season.
“He has been the heart and soul of our club for a long time,” Goodwin said.
“He has been able to drive culture to a really high level and he showed it today from a performance perspective on-field.
“He means an enormous amount (to Melbourne). He is red and blue through and through. I’m sure that (Viney’s future) will get sorted in due course. He has still got a year to run on his contract.
“He is as passionate about the Melbourne jumper as anyone and I love coaching him. He is a ripper and someone who will drive our footy forward next year.”
With the deck stacked against them the Demons produced perhaps their best performance of the season.
Against a Suns engine room that rates itself among the best in the competition, Melbourne’s midfield completely dominated even without a host of stars.
The Demons kicked a ridiculous 12.3 from stoppage – the second-highest total of any team this season – built on a stunning 18-7 centre clearance dominance.
Like Viney, Max Gawn decided enough was enough and put his stamp on the contest with a dominant display against the in-form Jarrod Witts to wrest control of the midfield battle.
The fourth quarter became party time for the desperate Dees, who kicked nine of the final 11 goals to post their highest score of the season.
Emotions spilled over when Judd McVee kicked his first AFL goal mid-way through the final quarter, with teammates coming from everywhere to celebrate with the 21 year old.
Even Goodwin could be seen with a beaming smile from the bench, as his side piled on the pain to a woeful Suns.
No one was happier than Goodwin when 17-gamer Daniel Turner slotted his fourth goal of the afternoon late-on to put the icing on the visitors’ cake.
This was just the second home defeat of the Suns’ season and was among their most shocking losses of the year.
Just minutes out from halftime the hosts were level, but kicked just two goals in the second half in a disappointing display that underlined another lost season.
In a way it was a loss befitting the Suns of 2024, who promised plenty over the course of the year but too often under delivered on their potential.
If nothing else it will arm Damien Hardwick with even more ammunition going into an off-season that shapes as make-or-break for a club desperate to play finals in 2025.
Scoreboard
GOLD COAST 3.2 7.5 8.6 9.9
MELBOURNE 3.2 8.5 11.5 18.9
TOM BOSWELL’S BEST
Suns: Anderson, Miller, Flanders, Budarick, Witts
Demons: Langdon, Viney, Rivers, Turner, van Rooyen
GOALS
Suns: Witts 2, King 2, Flanders 2, Weller, Holman, Davies
Demons: Turner 4, van Rooyen 3, Petty 3, Viney 2, Melksham 2, Tholstrup, McVee, Langdon, Fritsch
INJURIES Suns: Nil Demons: Sparrow (ankle)
13,026
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
TOM BOSWELL’S VOTES
3 Viney (Mel)
2 Langdon (Mel)
1 Anderson (Gold)
Originally published as AFL Round 23 Gold Coast v Melbourne: All the news and analysis as the Dees hit
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