By Andrew Wu
There will come a point this year when long-suffering Melbourne fans allow themselves to dream. That moment cannot be too far away after the Demons held off a late challenge from Sydney to keep their unblemished record intact.
When the Swans last played at the MCG, they unravelled Richmond’s system in a performance which signalled their time in the AFL’s cellar had come to an end.
Tom McDonald celebrates one of his four goals for the Demons in their win over the Swans.Credit: Getty Images
So it is testament to the Demons’ much-improved defensive game that their structure stood firm under pressure against a Swans team which refused to go away.
This was a game the Dees appeared to have won in the third term then were forced to save, in the end winning by nine points, 10.7 (67) to 8.10 (58).
For the first time since 1965, the Dees have an 8-0 start to the season. This was the sort of game Demons sides in the past have lacked the maturity to win but when the match was on the line they found a way.
Tom McDonald capped off a best-on-ground performance with a crashing pack mark to boot his fourth goal.
Lance Franklin and Steven May square off on Saturday night.Credit: Getty Images
James Jordon, in his first season, dug deep to run down James Rowbottom on the wing, thwarting another Swans foray forward.
“That’s the hallmark of our game. I think that’s what our supporters are loving,” Demons coach Siomn Goodwin said.
“We really want to get our supporters in behind it. They’re loving the competitive nature, they’re loving the tough stuff, the ability to chase down tackle, the ability to win one on one, and the contest. We value that really highly.”
The Swans lost no admirers in defeat but will rue a lack of polish under the sort of pressure Sydney sides of yesteryear used to apply to the opposition.
They were well below their best but showed character to keep the game alive to the final minute. Even at the death they had a chance to set up a grandstand finish but Callum Mills’ shot at goal slewed right.
“There was a lot of pressure on in slippery wet conditions,” Swans coach John Longmire said. “We won three quarters and the inside 50 count. They were more efficient going forward than we were.
“And they probably outscrambled us in the second quarter,” said Longmire.
The Swans dominated out of the centre square in the first term, kicking two in the opening minutes from having first use of the ball, but when the game was in the open it was the Demons who dictated proceedings.
Callum Sinclair shows his pleasure at scoring.Credit: Getty Images
For the best part of the next hour Melbourne, displaying the defensive organisation and cohesion teams in the red and the blue have not been renowned for, squeezed the Swans of space.
Sydney’s ball movement became stilted, not so the Dees, who were able to consistently make the Swans’ backs uncomfortable.
To the visitors’ credit, they held firm deep in defence, though Ben Brown’s height and mobility was proving a headache.
In his second game for his new club, the former North Melbourne spearhead was the most influential forward in the first half with two goals.
At the other end Lance Franklin was well held by Steven May, who was able to match the champion forward for strength and mobility.
May did not have his customary influence on the rebound but it was a price worth paying, given the little impact Franklin was having. In fairness to Franklin, the Swans were not making life easy for their forwards.
The game swung further in the Dees’ favour after half-time. Their ability to weave through the Swans’ zone with quick forward handballs was unnerving from a red and white perspective.
The Dees were on the verge of putting the game away after McDonald intercepted a handball in traffic and broke free to snap truly on his left but the Swans rallied.
Mills threw himself into the fray, Chad Warner won some key balls, and suddenly there was more dare and verve in the Swans’ play.
Three goals in a hurry either side of three-quarter-time brought the margin to less than a kick. Each time the Swans challenged, the Dees responded.