AFL Finals 2022 Melbourne v Brisbane: Every Demon rated from semi-final loss to Lions
Luke Jackson is expected to soon announce he’s heading home to WA and what could be his last match for Melbourne was one to forget. Will the Demons miss him? See our player ratings.
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Melbourne’s premiership defence is over after the Demons were overrun by the Brisbane Lions. Check out who starred and struggled at the MCG.
CHRISTIAN SALEM 3.5
The BGS boy who once tagged year 12 stars Dylan Shiel and Tom Bugg as a 15-year-old in school footy played the qualifying final with Ryan Clarke in his shadow. This week there was no tag, but there was still little of the Salem silk we salivated over last season. What happened to Crisp Christian? A knee injury happened, that’s what. One of many who didn’t look physically ready.
STEVEN MAY 6
Might’ve been tempted to send a Hallmark card and some picture books the Danihers’ way after Joe booked his own flight out of Melbourne at 10am on Friday for the birth of his child. Eric Hipwood and co had other ideas, and when the full-back spilled a chest mark in the final quarter, straight-sets looked on. What odds would that have been paying back in may?
HARRISON PETTY 8.5
It wasn’t quite Heath Shaw on Nick Riewoldt in the 2010 Grand Final 2.0, but Petty’s palm preventing Dan McStay’s dribbling goal was centimetre perfect. When the Wudinna boy ran down Eric Hipwood in the third quarter, after a first half where he was probably best-afield, Brisbane’s cheers turned to tears. Those efforts contributed to his mammoth GPS reading of 15km. Sadly, Petty’s pals ran out of steam.
ANGUS BRAYSHAW 7.5
Locked on to Lachie Neale, as he did in round 23, and looked the winner at halftime, like plenty of his mates. Neale had been nullified - his kicking efficiency at the main break read 0 per cent - and Brayshaw out-marked Neale in an important battle near halftime. Then, the hardnut who has predominantly played halfback booted the goal of his life on the run from 50m in the final term. But in between Neale got to work and boosted his September clearance tally to a colossus 25.
JAKE LEVER 6
That holding the ball and resulting 50m penalty extinguished Melbourne’s campaign. But in reality the Demons were already gone.
MICHAEL HIBBERD 7
Hibberd had hot-wired Charlie Cameron’s motorbike twice this season and driven off with it - Cameron’s only two goalless games were against this veteran. This was the most riveting duel of the evening, but it was King Charles who ultimately KO’d Melbourne in straight sets. What a grab and goal from the pocket to seal the Dees’ fate.
TOM SPARROW 6
Known internally as a mini Jack Viney for his professionalism and attack on the ball. But a set-shot miss in the dominant first quarter denied Melbourne the momentum it deserved. Bright future but not his best night.
CLAYTON OLIVER 8
Might wake up with Jarrod Berry’s hands imprinted on his face, such was their constant tussling after halftime. Deven Robertsen’s tag was dropped because Clarry was carving it up and his clearance to set up Kozzie for a critical goal on the cusp of halftime. Well, it should’ve been critical. But Melbourne let in red-time goals in every quarter and for all of Oliver’s efforts it was overpowered. Berry to Clarry in the second half changed the match. Twelve tackles summed up his work-rate and a possible Brownlow Medal still awaits in September.
ED LANGDON 8
Eddie’s got an Adelaide Oval pocket and it seems Ed is eyeing one of his own at the MCG. Langdon is a long way off that status, but this semi-final started with a slick set-shot goal from the same patch of grass he sliced through one of the great snaps against Essendon. The boy from the Fremantle wing farm - it lost Langdon before turning Blake Acres and Jordan Clark into splendid substitutes - cost little more than a second-round pick that turned out to be Crow James Rowe. Remarkably he ran 17.2km, which was 2km more than any other player.
JAKE MELKSHAM 5
Landed an early blow like he was out the front of Entrecote instead of flying over Darcy Fort at the MCG. It was probably Melksham’s strongest September effort as he was freed up without a tagging role. But it was hard yakka in attack. Will the Dees re-sign Melksham?
MAX GAWN 6
Former captain Nathan Jones urged big Max to make a statement from the outset and Gawn began with seven hit-outs to advantage in the opening quarter, which was the fourth-most he has ever recorded in a first term. Sadly, that statement ran out of ink. Tom Hickey and now Darcy Fort have ambushed captain Max at the MCG in September. Eight disposals in the first term and seven in the next three said it all for the sore skipper. Nobody really knows what a Gawn-Brodie Grundy partnership would look like but, boy, it would be the story of round 1 next year.
JAMES HARMES 7
Hottest of starts for Harmes but the mercury dropped mighty fast and he did not have a kick in the final quarter. Clamped down on Lachie Neale in round 15 but Angus Brayshaw got that gig after a good outing in the return fixture. Might’ve been lucky to get on the park after last week’s MRO charge.
ALEX NEAL-BULLEN 5
Chipped the ball to Ed Langdon in a trickier spot early in the match in an indication perhaps his confidence might have lowered after a lean run. But Langdon threaded the game’s first goal, Neal-Bullen nailed the second and then ‘Nibbler’ got the Dees going with a crucial kick late in the third quarter. But, like Pickett’s pearler late in the second quarter, it was instantly answered.
BAYLEY FRITSCH 5
Dropped for the 2018 preliminary, the cool kid from Coldstream has kicked 17 majors in five finals since. Bayley kicked the big one in the third quarter as the Lions looked set to bounce away. But, like a quiz master, Brisbane held all the answers, and answered it not once but twice. How deflating for the Demons.
CHARLIE SPARGO 4.5
Well, at least Spargo - who lost his voice last week with a whack to the larynx - didn’t have to mime Melbourne’s song. Sprayed a set-shot early and then tackled ferociously although it was an almost night for the clever little player.
LUKE JACKSON 3.5
Two questions – why does Jackson often play only about 65 per cent gametime? And is Fremantle getting nervous over its reported $1,000,000 contract offer per season? Jackson often mistimes his jumps – a dropped mark near goal in the second quarter was costly – and played 77 per cent on Friday night, which was up on recent weeks. But it’s similar to Nic Nat-like minutes when most AFL ruckmen play north of 85 per cent gametime. Jackson might jet west, but whatever happens he should forever be remembered for that burst of ruck work in the third quarter of last year’s Grand Final.
JACK VINEY 6.5
Underrated all season but probably under par on Friday night. Dayne Zorko danced away from him with ease when they were opposed. September Jack gave the ball back a little too often for a man of his composure.
CHRISTIAN PETRACCA 6.5
Ignore the stats sheet. The Prince of Swagger’s special powers appeared badly blunted by that Buddy kick last week. His explosion was largely absent and if you didn’t know that bullocking frame in the No.5 jumper was Christian Petracca you’d struggle to believe this was the chief destroyer in last year’s Grand Final. Still imposed but couldn’t be the game-breaker we saw last September.
TRENT RIVERS 4
Rivers leaked the last goal of the third quarter when he was dumped at full-back in what was a ruthless tackle. But he remains a rising part of Melbourne’s back six. Recruiter Jason Taylor flew west to watch Luke Jackson on four consecutive weekends in the middle of 2018, which saw the Demons meander towards Jackson’s East Fremantle teammate Trent Rivers. That selection has flowed with success and on Friday night it was the smalls he tried to cover, but Zac Bailey and Hugh McCluggage rose to the surface.
JAYDEN HUNT 4
Dazzling dash at his best, but that can disappear at times and after the first break he had just four disposals. Broke into last year’s premiership team. Can he hold his place in 2023?
KOZZIE PICKETT 5
The son of a stand-up comedian had the MCG crowd giggling in disbelief when he paddled the ball to himself, kept his feet and somehow snapped a goal despite Jackson Payne doing everything to bring him down. The opportunistic Pickett at times mimics Cyril Rioli’s greatness but ultimately was beaten by a bloke named Brandon Starcevich, who Shai Bolton had last week and Tyson Stengle has to worry about next week. Starcevich is as good a small stopper as there is.
BEN BROWN 3.5
The pescetarian looked pedestrian at times and you wonder whether he would’ve been picked for the preliminary final regardless of the result, given the availability of Tom McDonald and boom kid Jacob van Rooyen. Mind you, Harris Andrews was a fair opponent.
JOEL SMITH (medi-sub) N/A
Got less of a run (zero minutes) than Mal Meninga in politics.
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