Injury, potential suspensions add to dirty day for Melbourne as Brisbane claim JLT Series win
Is Steven May is in MRP trouble after just one match for the Demons? His coach might not think so, but it was a horror day for Simon Goodwin’s side which also copped injuries in its surprise JLT Series loss to Brisbane. WATCH THE BUMP
Melbourne
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Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin is “really confident” Steven May will escape suspension for a late hit on Brisbane Lion Jarrod Berry.
Berry had handballed clear in the last quarter of a bruising, injury-plagued JLT hitout at Casey Fields when May collected him high (watch video above) with the point of his shoulder.
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May, who made an otherwise encouraging Demon debut, has been reported nine times in his career, found guilty eight times and been suspended for a total of 10 matches.
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“I had a bit of a look at that. (It) seemed minimal contact to me; he was just standing there ready to block,” Goodwin said.
“So I’m really confident he’ll be right to play. I thought he worked his way into the game today. Obviously he was a bit slow early, but I felt he built some momentum as the game went on.”
Berry was taken from the field after the hit and didn’t return.
“It was more just the type of knock that he got, our medicos decided to keep him off the ground,” Lions coach Chris Fagan said.
“I’m not sure that he failed a concussion test, I couldn’t say that for sure. It was more just looking after him because it was late in the game.”
On a torrid afternoon, Melbourne lost James Harmes (dislocated finger) and Jay Kennedy Harris (knee) in the JLT game after Braydon Preuss strained his groin in the VFL curtain-raiser.
Harmes was taken to hospital, but Goodwin said he’ll play in the season-opener.
“It was a dislocation that came out of the skin. There was no break to the actual finger,” Goodwin said.
“He had that stitched up, but he’ll be right to go for Round 1, our doctors are really clear on that. We’ve had many players that have had that injury and played the next week and we’ve still got 14 days.”
Goodwin said Kennedy Harris would be sidelined for some time after landing awkwardly in a marking contest.
“It looked nasty. We were fearing ACL, but he’s gone and had a scan, which is all clear. But it will be a while for Jay; he’s got some bone bruising, but good news is it wasn’t an ACL.”
Bailey Fritsch (hip pointer) and Joel Smith (groin soreness) played out the game in discomfort but are expected to be fine.
The Lions lost ruckman Archie Smith in the first quarter when he sustained a blow to his throat.
“He got a knock to the throat so he’s in hospital at the moment being assessed,” Fagan said.
“We’ve got no idea at this moment the extent of the injury. We’re hopeful it’s not too bad.”
Goodwin dismissed any concern over the result, saying his team had been steadily preparing with only Round 1 in mind.
But he admitted the spate of injuries had been an unfortunate curveball.
“It’s been one of those days. You want your players fit and healthy and your team as best prepared for Round 1 so you do cross your fingers in the JLT,” he said.
“But in saying that, a lot of these are knocks, they’re footy injuries and a lot of them will be right to go for Round 1.”
The Dees’ injuries followed a groin injury to ruckman Braydon Preuss in a VFL practice match that served as a curtain-raiser to the JLT game.
The Lions jumped out of the gates with a seven-goal first quarter from 21 inside 50s to lead by 20 points at the first change.
Melbourne kicked five goals to two in the second term, noticeably lifting the intensity to close the gap to two points at half-time.
Demon Jay Kennedy-Harris has been taken off on a stretcher.#JLTSeries pic.twitter.com/eNcuslFGlT
— AFL (@AFL) March 9, 2019
James Harmes has been sent to hospital after this incident in the second quarter.#JLTSeries pic.twitter.com/YFK566BTmH
— AFL (@AFL) March 9, 2019
It seemed like the match was then set to go to script, but the gritty Lions booted four of the third quarter’s five goals to keep Melbourne at bay.
This was as physical a pre-season game as you will see, featuring big marking packs and big hits at ground level.
What does it mean?
The golden rule is to never read too much into pre-season form, but for a young Lions team they will take a lot from what was a fighting performance.
Indeed, it was always going to mean more to them than Melbourne but the Demons would have to be concerned about their defensive structures.
A week after Richmond kicked 113 points from 59 inside 50s and 33 scoring shots, they allowed the Lions to kick 104 points from 62 inside 50s.
That, more than the result, would be cause for alarm.
THE LYONS TAMER
There was more than a bit of head scratching over how Jarryd Lyons had managed to fall out of favour at Gold Coast.
Here was a hard-at-it, ball-winning midfielder increasingly deemed surplus to requirements by a side struggling to win a game.
Regardless of the Suns’ motivation, Lyons couldn’t have started life at his third club, Brisbane, any better.
A week after gathering 26 touches and six tackles against Hawthorn, Lyons kicked four goals in a forward role against the Demons.
With Charlie Cameron quiet, Lyons bobbed up with an eye-catching performance that also featured 26 disposals and five tackles.
Lyons had a day out with 26 disposals, 4 goals and a game-high 148 #SuperCoach points. Neale 107 and Witherden 76. Brayshaw led Dees with 125, Gawn 119 and Oliver 104. #JLTSeries #AFL
— Fantasy Freako (@FantasyFreako) March 9, 2019
THE BIG THREE
Eric Hipwood this week told the Herald Sun he needed to maximise his speed and leap attributes while improving his contest work against bigger defenders.
He offered a bit of both early against Steven May as part of a highly encouraging showing from the Lions talls.
Hipwood kicked the Lions’ first two goals, working well up the ground to show off his kicking skills while also showing his athleticism in the air.
At one point in the second quarter he contested a mark on the wing and when teammate Zac Bailey won a free kick he sprinted inside 50m, doubled back and took a huge pack mark.
While May would soon assert his authority in the match-up and take control, the aerial prowess of Harris Andrews and Daniel McStay caught the eye.
Andrews took three contested marks and McStay takes the ball at the highest point to keep defenders honest.
If McStay and Hipwood can go some way to catching Andrews as a star of the competition, the Lions could prove menacing.
GAWN BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Picked up right where he left off, Max Gawn.
The best ruckman in the competition showed he’d lost nothing up against quality opposition in Stefan Martin.
Not for the first time, Gawn was enormous.
He had 22 possessions, an equal game-high three contested marks, 32 hit-outs, six inside 50s and a team-high three score assists.
Melbourne started Angus Brayshaw (26 touches, 11 tackles, three goals), Clayton Oliver (32 disposals, 13 contested) and Harmes beside him at the opening bounce, with Bailey Fritsch off one wing and vandenBerg the other.
Gawn had a great battle with Martin in the ruck - winning the hitouts 19-10 when opposed in the ruck. As well as the HTA's 6-3. #SuperCoach #2019AFLProspectus #JLTSeries #AFL
— Fantasy Freako (@FantasyFreako) March 9, 2019
NIFTY NEALE
Lachie Neale started in the middle where he found James Harmes for company.
It wasn’t a hard tag from Harmes, more the run-with role he played with such success last year.
Neale had 10 touches in the first quarter, 18 by half-time and while Harmes was also getting his hands on it, it was the Demons’ hand that ultimately cost him.
Harmes left for hospital in the second quarter with a compound fracture, with Aaron vandenBerg assuming responsibility for Neale.
But Neale, who had 31 disposals against Hawthorn in JLT 1, still finished with an influential 27 here, even if only three of them were kicks.
BEST
Melbourne: Gawn, Brayshaw, Oliver, Smith, May, Jetta, vandenBerg
Brisbane: Lyons, Neale, Andrews, McCarthy, Martin, Bailey, Rich
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