10 things we learnt from Melbourne’s NAB Challenge win against Richmond

MELBOURNE play keepings-off, Dusty the defender and all the way with JKH.

MELBOURNE caused the upset of the season so far (from an admittedly limited pool) when it ran over the top of a disappointing Richmond.

Here are 10 things we learnt.

FULL SUPERCOACH SCORES: DEES V TIGERS

MATCH REPORT: DEES, ROOS IN HEAVEN

HE’S NOT THE MESSIAH, HE’S JUST A VERY GOOD COACH

Paul Roos brought a truckload of experience and a premiership when he joined the Dees, but he has another commodity that is much harder to measure: hope. For the first time in years Melbourne players had an obvious plan on Friday night and the confidence to try to implement it; most of the time they did a very good job and when they did make mistakes they didn’t drop their heads. Roos has emphasised the long hard road ahead, but Demon fans (and perhaps players) who questioned the point of turning up to games in recent times now have something to cling to.

News_Image_File: Demon fans show their appreciation of Paul Roos after the final siren. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

TALK ABOUT A DEEVOLUTION

We already have a pretty good idea of how Roos wants the Demons to play — a focus on defence and winning the contested footy is no surprise, but the most amazing transformation is from a side that just couldn’t get its hand on the footy to ball hogs. Last year Melbourne averaged 318 disposals and almost 80 touches fewer than its opposition per game, both by far the worst record in the AFL. Last night the Dees had 446 touches, an amazing 183 more than the Tigers. They swarmed into defence and once they won the ball, they played keepings-off, sharing the footy around with handballs and chip kicks backwards and sideways until they found a way out. Bizarrely the Dees had nearly 200 more disposals than Richmond but 11 fewer inside-50s. The new game style will be a boon for SuperCoach players — in 2013 Nathan Jones had the highest SuperCoach average at the club with 90; last night nine Demons scored higher.

MONEYBALL 2

Like the Godfather 2, the sequel looks better than the original. A year ago Mark Neeld picked up discards from other clubs under what some dubbed a “moneyball” recruiting strategy. Twelve months on David Rodan and Tom Gillies are gone and the other recruits (Shannon Byrnes, Cam Pedersen, Chris Dawes) are far from locks in the best 22. The Demons went headhunting again after Roos arrived but this time with a clear purpose — to give the besieged Nathan Jones a hand in the guts. Bernie Vince, Daniel Cross and Dom Tyson were acquired and all showed their worth last night, picking up 32, 26 and 16 (in a half) disposals respectively, while a relieved Jones helped himself to 28 and a rejuvenated Jack Trengove had 29. Richmond’s top ball-winner was Dustin Martin with 21 touches — nine Dees had more including defenders James Frawley and Dean Terlich.

News_Image_File: Dom Tyson forces his way through traffic. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

ALL THE WAY WITH JKH

Demon fans have a new cult figure in pint-sized excitement machine Jay Kennedy-Harris. “JKH” looked dangerous early before sitting out the third quarter then returning to win the game off his own boot with three electrifying final-quarter goals. Overlooked by some clubs on draft night because of his height, the 175cm, 67kg livewire is set to feature in plenty of highlight reels — and SuperCoach sides given his $117,300 price tag. He is no stranger to overcoming adversity; the Oakleigh Chargers co-captain (the first indigenous player to lead a TAC Cup team) was 13 when his father died of throat cancer.

News_Image_File: Alex Rance can only watch as Jay Kennedy-Harris celebrates his matchwinning goal. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Sorry Jack Fitzpatrick, you are dropped. Jay Kennedy Harris is now my favourite Melbourne player. #nomorefumanchu

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) February 14, 2014

Ok, Jay Kennedy Harris is now my favourite player in the league.... Sorry @dangerfield32 and @joelselwood14

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) February 14, 2014

READ MORE ABOUT KENNEDY-HARRIS’ STORY HERE

News_Rich_Media: Jay Kennedy-Harris shapes as your classic AFL small forward and appears a tantalising prospect for clubs at the 2013 AFL Draft.

TIGER BANDWAGON STALLS

Is mid-February too early for a reality check? Damien Hardwick has made no secret of his desire to get off to a good start this season and while it’s only the pre-season, a loss to Melbourne would not have been in his plans. The Tigers, who are pushing for a top-four spot this season, had several key players out and missed Jack Riewoldt badly. Hardwick experimented with a land of the giants forward line which led to long bombs in the hope one of Ty Vickery, Shaun Hampson, Liam McBean, Ben Griffiths or Aaron Edwards would take a grab; more often the ball hit the deck where the Tigers were vastly outnumbered. Richmond’s defensive intensity was well down and they will need to go up a few gears before their next outing, against Collingwood in Wangaratta.

News_Rich_Media: Richmond Tigers' head coach Damien Hardwick stands up for Jack Riewoldt after a self-imposed media ban

MILES HIGH CLUB

Richmond has two vacant spots in its senior list to fill before Round 1 and Anthony Miles is at the front of the queue for a rookie upgrade. The former GWS midfielder was one of the Tigers’ best players with 16 disposals, a team-high 11 contested possessions and two goals. It remains a mystery why the ball magnet couldn’t force his way into the GWS line-up — playing just 10 games in two years — but he looks set to make the most of his second chance. The Demons can also upgrade a rookie to replace Aiden Riley, who is on the long-term injury list. Mature-age recruit Alexis Georgiou, picked up from SANFL club Norwood at age 24, looked composed in defence and could earn a promotion.

News_Image_File: Anthony Miles celebrates one of his two goals against Melbourne. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

INTERCHANGE STEWARDS ARE ON THE BALL

The AFL has downgraded the tough penalties on minor interchange infringements for this season, but if you make a major blunder you still pay a big price. Richmond found out the hard way last night when it bungled a rotation after winning a centre clearance at the start of the last quarter. The emergency umpire waved his orange flag and the ball was given to Dees ruckman Jake Spencer in the centre circle, who was then advanced 50m and calmly slotted the goal from 30m out.

News_Image_File: Jake Spencer lets Dustin Martin know he’s not happy. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

AND SO IS THE VIDEO UMPIRE

Mature-age Richmond recruit Sam Lloyd thought he had his first goal in Tiger colours midway through the final term until the field umpire called for a review. On closer inspection the ball grazed the post and the goal, which would have put the Tigers in front with 2min to play, was reversed. Richmond didn’t score for the rest of the game as Kennedy-Harris and Jeremy Howe goaled to seal a memorable Demon win.

DUSTY THE DEFENDER

Richmond is likely to persevere with the experiment of Dustin Martin in defence after he led the club’s disposal count last night. Martin seemed to relish his new role roaming across half-back in the first half before spending time on the ball after halftime. He still found time to burst forward for a couple of flying shots at goal but couldn’t convert. After kicking a wayward 23.32 last year, perhaps it’s one reason he’s been sent to the other end of the ground.

News_Image_File: Dustin Martin breaks through the centre of Etihad Stadium. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

EDWARDS’ BUSTED RADAR

Aaron Edwards has a reputation as one of the best shots for goal in the competition — or at least he did. From 2009-12 he kicked 92.25 at a remarkable 79 per cent accuracy. Last year his 14.9 was still respectable but an easy miss when the Tigers were on top early in the elimination final came back to haunt him. Last night he finished with 0.3, including two flubbed shots from close range when Richmond surged in the third term. With strong competition for spots close to goal, it might be time for a finetune.