AFL qualifying final: Dees poised to break 58-year flag drought, Nathan Jones’ ‘impossible choice’
Footy or family? Demon Nathan Jones has been faced with an “impossible choice” as his side marches toward the premiership with his wife expecting twins.
AFL News
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Nathan Jones will make the emotional decision to remain in Perth with his teammates chasing an elusive flag despite the impending birth of twins in Melbourne.
Jones faces an impossible choice given the twins are due in the middle of September to wife Jerri, who was not able to travel to Perth given quarantine issues.
The race to the 2021 Toyota AFL Finals Series is on and every match matters. Watch Live & Ad-Break Free on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free >
The former Melbourne captain and popular 300-gamer is a legitimate chance to break into a Melbourne side after being named as an emergency against Brisbane on Saturday night.
While the Demons will likely take in an unchanged side in the preliminary final on Friday week, it would take only a single injury to present him with a chance to win that elusive premiership.
Jones has been absolutely dominant in recent weeks in match simulation and as a versatile midfielder who can play half forward and half back would be a perfect medi-sub if he was used in that role.
Jones and wife Jerri have daughter Bobbi and son Remi, with Jerri announcing the arrival of twins in April after multiple miscarriages.
The Demons are quarantining at the Joondalup Resort in Perth and will play the winner of the Geelong-GWS semi-final in Perth this weekend.
The Demons will back Jones in if he decides to change his mind and return home to be with wife Jerri.
Demons captain Max Gawn revealed last week his partner was due in October and said players were making incredible sacrifices to continue the season.
“We have some very interesting situations with Jake Lever and Tom McDonald having newborns in the last month and Nathan Jones has twins right smack bang in the middle of finals.
“Everyone has difficulties and we work through them as best we can but it looks like it’s a league-wide thing and the Sydney players are hubbing with their families at the moment and it looks like their families won’t be able to go to the games so everyone is having difficulties. They are first world problems when you look at what is going on in Australia.”
The Demons have no major injury concerns and it would be a surprise if they changed their side, with James Jordan the unused sub but the depth players all standing up.
Coach Simon Goodwin said after the game Jones’ dream remained alive after 16 seasons and 302 games.
“Coming back from a calf injury, his last five weeks of match simulation of VFL footy have been outstanding,” Goodwin said.
“He’s put himself right in selection calculations through form. Nate’s given an enormous amount to our club – 16 years of service. You certainly feel for him at the moment.
“I know the one thing Nathan would love to be doing is playing in the 22 and being a full part of it.
“His contribution around the locker room, change room, and at training is having a big effect on our playing group.”
Cruel cost of success: Melbourne great’s lonely exile
Melbourne skipper Max Gawn made the quip after his side’s exhilarating qualifying final win that 18-year-old Jack Bowey is keeping veteran Michael Hibberd “out of the team at the moment”.
Gawn added that Hibberd could be back for the preliminary final, but also that he might not be as Bowey had been “super”.
If Bowey keeps his spot, he’ll play in a preliminary final in just his sixth game after debuting only less than a month ago.
Bowey was one of nine finals debutants for the Demons against Brisbane, and Melbourne is likely to keep riding that wave as they surge deep into September.
For every September success story, there has to be heartache, and in Melbourne’s case, it might be Demons great Nathan Jones, and veterans Jake Melksham and Hibberd.
The three watched on as the Melbourne finals debutants relished the finals pressure-cooker atmosphere.
Coach Simon Goodwin admitted after the stirring win his 22 was unlikely to change too much going forward next month.
“We’ll assess that and (it’ll) depend on who we’re playing against,” he said.
“But the guys that played tonight, I thought the majority of them were outstanding, if you go through that.
“But we’ll get all the information, we’ll get the medicos and look at everyone and make sure we’re all clear and how all the boys pull up.
“At this stage, the 22 that played tonight were pretty solid, but we don’t know who we’re playing and we’ll wait until we get that and make some decisions.”
Goodwin said Jones — who was embraced by numerous players in the rooms after Saturday night’s win — continued to play a selfless role within the club.
“He has been brilliant, obviously Nath has given an enormous amount to our footy club … 16 years of service,” Goodwin said.
“He is coming back from a calf injury and his last five weeks of match simulation and VFL footy has been outstanding. He has put himself right in selection calculations through form and that’s how we go about picking our team.
“You certainly feel for Nathan at the moment because he would love to be playing in the 22, and being a full part of it. But his contribution around the locker rooms, the change rooms, the training, is having a big effect on the playing group.
“He is going to keep presenting and if the opportunity presents itself, he will be ready.”
Tigers brigade jump in May’s camp
Melbourne’s All-Australian defender Steven May has revealed he has received text messages of advice from former Gold Coast teammates Tom Lynch and Dion Prestia, who have won multiple premierships with Richmond.
May played the first final of his 169-game AFL career on Saturday night and was a key part of the stingy Demons’ defence that kept the AFL’s most potent attack to only 60 points.
“I got a few messages from (Lynch) and ‘Presty’ (Prestia) the last few days, just saying to enjoy it … and saying ‘it’s your time, you guys can do anything’,” May said on Fox Footy.
“Having those guys who have been in the situation and had left a club and taken a risk, those boys found success pretty quickly, I have taken a bit of a different path.
“But I wouldn’t change it. The last couple of years we have built some great foundations with our resilience and now we feel we have a real chance of having a crack at this thing.”
Jackson bound for a visit to the dentist
Rising Star Luke Jackson has an appointment ahead with a dentist after yet another mishap with his front teeth.
In a collision, Jackson lost the false tooth he had already had inserted but also ruptured his natural one.
Goodwin confirmed the injury after the game, but said it won’t stop the big man from continuing to make an impact for the Demons in the finals.
“He has got some work to do (on his teeth),” Goodwin said, before stressing it was not a laughing matter.
“We’ll have to get it assessed.
“The other one is just hanging a little bit, so the doctor is trying to work out what to do with it. He’ll obviously need some treatment.”
Veteran goalkicker in awe of fellow forward
As an opposition goalkicker, Ben Brown always rated Melbourne forward Bayley Fritsch as a “gun”.
But the Melbourne recruit admits his admiration for Fritsch’s abilities has only grown since he arrived at the Demons.
Continuing a career-best season, Fritsch kicked a game-high four goals against the Lions to help propel the Demons into a preliminary final.
Fritsch’s qualifying final haul took his tally to 51 majors so far for 2021.
It was the fourth time this year Fritsch had kicked four goals or more in a match, including a seven-goal bag against Adelaide in Round 22.
Brown said the 24-year-old’s strengths in the air and the ground made him a weapon for the Demons.
“Bayley Fritsch is a gun. I knew he was a gun before I got to the club but I think you have more appreciation playing with someone like him every week,” Brown told the Sunday Footy Show.
“He can do it in the air and on the ground, which is pretty rare … he has worked on his goal kicking extremely hard and you have seen the results of that.
“Bayley is a gun, he has been fantastic and fits into our group so well.”
It’s been a rollercoaster but Brown back with a vengeance
It wasn’t initially the smoothest landing for Brown after his arrival at the Demons following a trade from North Melbourne at the end of last year.
The key forward was dealt a pre-season blow when he was forced to undergo knee surgery just a month out from the start of the AFL season to address cartilage damage.
He didn’t play until Round 7 and then he was forced to find his way back to the team via the VFL after being dropped just three games later.
Brown returned to the Demons’ line-up in Round 17 and has held his spot since.
The former Kangaroos’ spearhead admitted it had been a rollercoaster ride but was thrilled to have found his groove with the Demons as they aim for drought-breaking finals success.
“It’s probably been a bit of an up and down ride over the last 18 months but I am just so happy with how it has panned out to this point,” Brown said.
“I suppose for me it has been about simplifying things, not overthinking, not trying to be too perfect, just going about my business which is the way Melbourne does their business.
“Everyone plays their role in the team and all you have got to do is compete as well as you can in your position and then bring that element of ‘What do you bring that is really strong and can really contribute to the team?’ and I think I have got those attributes.
“Putting faith in myself was probably the first thing I needed to do and that came a little bit earlier in the year with being dropped back to the VFL for a few weeks and having to find some form back there and put some work into that.
“It is a great club to be a part of. The coaches have really backed me in and backed everyone in to play to their strengths and play their role in the team and you have seen the results of that with the way that we have gone about our footy this year.”
What separates Dees from chokers in 57-year title hunt
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says he is confident his side will avoid another preliminary final debacle after taking a huge step towards snapping their 57-year premiership drought on Saturday night.
The Demons are one win away from their first grand final appearance since 2000 after scoring a 33-point win over the Brisbane Lions in the qualifying final.
It will be their first visit to the preliminary finals since 2018, when the Demons were humiliated by West Coast by 66 points.
“We’re a completely different side to what we were in 2018,” Goodwin said.
“We’ve really established ourselves in the way we defend.
“We’re certainly a lot more consistent in the way we play and we’ve put ourselves in a better position with better form.
“It is a different experience, but we sit here and we still have work to do.
“We’ll go away and find areas of our game we want to continue to improve in, and that’s the great thing about our team because they’re never satisfied.”
Goodwin praised his side’s all-round performance after the first change,
“I thought defensively after quarter time we were really sound,” he said.
“We were playing the best offensive team in the competition, and to keep them to five goals post quarter time was an outstanding defensive performance.
“Everything we’ve been building in terms of how we wanted to play was on display.
“The players knew it was a new season tonight and that’s the way they wanted to treat it.”
Demons captain Max Gawn, who starred with 19 disposals and 36 hit-outs, praised his team for not being overawed and backing up last week’s emotional after-the-siren win over Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.
“Everyone’s got pressure and if you finish top four you’ve got pressure to come out here and perform,” he told Channel 7.
“We played an amazing game last week and we knew we had to back it up.
“I’m really proud, man.”
Star midfielder Clayton Oliver, who dominated with 33 possessions and 18 of them contested, said it was an exhilarating feeling to put Brisbane away and earn the week off.
“It was unbelievable,” he told Channel 7.
“The boys set the scene early and it was just an unbelievable effort from all the boys.”
It will be Oliver’s second preliminary final, and he echoed Goodwin in declaring this was a different Melbourne outfit.
“It’s been an up and down journey,” he said.
“Obviously 2019 wasn’t too flash for us and 2020 we were building again and just missed out on the finals.
“But this has obviously been a good year for everyone and the team’s gone really well, so hopefully we’ve put the past behind us.”
Dees dare to dream as long flag drought nears end
— Warren Partland and Nick Smart
Melbourne’s dream of snapping a 57-year premiership drought remains well and truly alive after conquering Brisbane in the opening weekend of finals at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
After a challenging opening quarter, the Demons had all the answers to claim a 33-point victory and earn a berth in the preliminary final.
The minor premiers failed to register a goal in the third term, but they proved their title credentials with a convincing performance.
Not only will the Lions be forced to endure a knockout final next weekend, they have injury worries with Daniel McStay and Rhys Mathieson failing to finish the game and veteran Grant Birchall having a knee concern.
Dees coach Simon Goodwin says he is confident his side will avoid another preliminary final debacle.
It will be their first visit to the preliminary finals since 2018, when the Demons were humiliated by West Coast by 66 points.
“We’re a completely different side to what we were in 2018,” Goodwin said.
“We’ve really established ourselves in the way we defend.
“We’re certainly a lot more consistent in the way we play and we’ve put ourselves in a better position with better form.
“It is a different experience, but we sit here and we still have work to do.
“We’ll go away and find areas of our game we want to continue to improve in, and that’s the great thing about our team because they’re never satisfied.”
Goodwin praised his side’s all-round performance after the first change,
“I thought defensively after quarter time we were really sound,” he said.
“We were playing the best offensive team in the competition, and to keep them to five goals post quarter time was an outstanding defensive performance.
“Everything we’ve been building in terms of how we wanted to play was on display.
“The players knew it was a new season tonight and that’s the way they wanted to treat it.”
Demons captain Max Gawn, who starred with 19 disposals and 36 hit-outs, praised his team for not being overawed and backing up last week’s emotional after-the-siren win over Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.
“Everyone’s got pressure and if you finish top four you’ve got pressure to come out here and perform,” he told Channel 7.
“We played an amazing game last week and we knew we had to back it up.
“I’m really proud, man.”
Star midfielder Clayton Oliver, who dominated with 33 possessions and 18 of them contested, said it was an exhilarating feeling to put Brisbane away and earn the week off.
“It was unbelievable,” he told Channel 7.
“The boys set the scene early and it was just an unbelievable effort from all the boys.”
It will be Oliver’s second preliminary final, and he echoed Goodwin in declaring this was a different Melbourne outfit.
“It’s been an up and down journey,” he said.
“Obviously 2019 wasn’t too flash for us and 2020 we were building again and just missed out on the finals.
“But this has obviously been a good year for everyone and the team’s gone really well, so hopefully we’ve put the past behind us.”
Lever skills
Demons defender Jake Lever earned his first All Australian selection this week and he needed just 20 seconds to advertise why.
The former Adelaide Crow showed tremendous poise under intense pressure at centre half back to spark an attacking foray which was capped by the game’s first goal for Ben Brown.
His teenage teammate Luke Jackson was named this season’s Rising Star and he also showed off his qualities, climbing high above Lions’ Marcus Adam for a sensational mark on the wing late in the opening quarter.
The effort led to a goal for Ed Langdon which put the Demons seven points up.
Lions’ sub
The Lions were forced to summon sub Rhys Mathieson into the contest after only 11 minutes following a sickening blow to Dan McStay.
After falling to the ground, McStay was struck in the head by teammate Nakia Cockatoo’s knee. He had to be helped from the ground by trainers, his face bleeding and appearing concussed.
Clearing out
An area needing repairs for the Demons was their clearance work after the Lions dominated early, and they did that in style in the second term.
The Lions secured six of the first seven clearances in the game, an effort mirrored by the Demons after quarter time. Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver had 10 and nine possessions for the quarter respectively.
The Demons also had a massive winner in Lever, who got his hands to a raft of intercept marks. His heavy influence enabled his side to kick six of their first eight goals launched from the defensive half.
Demons on the march
As the second term lengthened, so too did the Demons’ dominance.
Captain Max Gawn worked his way into the contest, as evident by a strong contested mark on the wing 25 minutes into the quarter.
His kick into attack ended in the hands of Tom Sparrow, who gave off to Oliver. He handballed to Bayley Fritsch, who goaled to put the on-song Demons 31 points clear.
Lions climb back
The Demons have been a dominate third-quarter side this season, but they had only their second goalless term for the season.
They added two behinds, while the Lions registered two goals for the term to cut the deficit to 19 points.
Charlie Cameron nailed the first of those, and his fourth for the final, after 15 minutes. He dropped a tricky mark, before grabbing possession after his opponent Joel Smith went for the spoil and snapping the goal.
The Demons went through a sloppy period and coughed up a second goal for the term when the defence failed to pick up Hugh McCluggage 35m from goal.
Under pressure
Smith was nervous standing Cameron and that was no more evident than 10 minutes into the final quarter when he gave away a free kick for hanging onto the livewire small forward.
Lachie Neale booted the ball into the pocket, only for Lever to take the mark. However, Cameron was given the free kick and snapped a brilliant goal to keep his side within 19 points.
SCOREBOARD
MELBOURNE: 5.4 9.10 9.12 13.15 (93)
BRISBANE: 4.2 5.4 7.5 9.6 (60)
BEST
Demons: Petracca, Oliver, Lever, Brayshaw, Gawn, Viney, Fristch, Neal-Bullen.
Lions: Neale, Cameron, Rich, Robinson, Lyons, Zorko.
GOALS
Demons: Fritsch 4, Petracca, Pickett 2, Spargo, Oliver, Langdon, Sparrow, Brown.
Lions: Cameron 5, McCluggage, Berry, McCarthy, Bailey.
INJURIES
Brisbane: McStay (concussion), Mathieson (shoulder).
UMPIRES
Donlon, Chamberlain, Fleer.
VENUE
Adelaide Oval.
Join the conversation
Inside AFL’s draft combine: See the standouts, surprise packet
Draft hopefuls for both the AFL and AFLW were put to the test at this year’s combine, with one Victorian key forward producing a stunning 20m sprint. See the results and more here.
Read more
Cats, Dogs at loggerheads over Smith trade
Geelong has no qualms sending its first-round pick up the highway for Bailey Smith, but the Bulldogs are keen for more. Catch all of Monday’s trade news here.
Read more