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heraldsun.com.au Herald Sun, Monday, July 9, 2007 41 + + FB123 C M Y K DHS 9-JUL-2007 PAGE 41 SECOND ROUND 14 finishing school RED TIME >> CARRAZZO’S BALL THE ball spent almost more time in Andrew Carrazzo’s hands in the first quarter than out of it. Carlton’s Carrazzo had 17 touches, including 10 in the first 12 minutes. His effort was the second best since Champion Data started keeping stats, one fewer than Lion Luke Power managed in a term against Port Adelaide in Round 17, 2004. >> NEWTON’S LAW IN JUST his second game Demon Michael Newton displayed the qualities of a true forward. He had eight kicks, no handballs, and finished with 3.3. Newton had two opponents, Adam Hartlett and Paul Bower. Between the three of them they have played seven AFL games. >> SLOW LEARNER FIRST-GAMERS always talk about the extreme pace of AFL football, and Carlton debutant Shaun Grigg found that out the hard way. Twice in the third quarter he was run down from behind, both times by Demon ruckman Paul Johnson. After the second offence, he was summoned to the bench. >> RUSSELL MANIA RUSSELL Robertson touched the ball twice in the first half, but he kicked three goals in the first 12 minutes of the third term to put the Demons up by 20 points, a break the Blues couldn’t reel in. >> DAVEY SPECIAL IT WASN’T a day for Demon livewire Aaron Davey to remember, as he finished with just four touches. But he did his best to leave an imprint on the game with a stunning goal tucked up against the boundary in the second quarter. On the wrong side for a left-footer, Davey managed to float a high ball through a tight gap between the big sticks. >> BETTS ARE OFF GOALSNEAK Eddie Betts’ first kick of the game was a goal. But it was his only kick in a rotten day for the livewire forward. Betts would have had a second kick, but his mark came just after the three-quarter time siren and didn’t count. >> MARKED DOWN THE Blues took six marks inside their forward 50m in the final term when shots at goal had to be converted. But they kicked only two goals from those marks. They kicked seven goals from 19 marks inside their forward 50m for the game. The Demons also kicked seven goals from marks inside 50m, but they took only 12. Russell Gould Melbourne flyer: Aaron Davey didn’t have one of his best games at the MCG yesterday, but he made sure he got noticed with this launch over Blue Adam Hartlett. Unfortunately, the ball came out on the way down. Pictures: COLLEEN PETCH Dees make most of chances Michael Horan Close again: Michael Newton rivalled Davey’s effort, but he couldn’t make the ball stick either. Picture: WAYNE LUDBEY The difference: Russell Robertson made his touches count. MELBOURNE delivered caretaker coach Mark Riley a winning start to his senior coaching career with a hard-fought 23-point victory against a wasteful Carlton at the MCG yesterday. The Demons were smashed 44 to 26 in clearances and conceded more scoring shots and more inside 50s, but they made more of their chances to shake off the Blues, who rallied to launch three serious challenges. In the second, third and final terms Melbourne managed to slip out to a lead of more than 20 points and each time looked set to break the game open. But the Blues fought back to regain the lead in the second and third terms and then, in the last, closed to within four points. In the third quarter Carlton kicked 2.7 to 5.2 and could have easily gone into the final term a couple of goals in front. The Blues may be pondering what might have been had out-of-favour spearhead Brendan Fevola played, but even in defeat the Carlton supporters were treated to a fighting performance from the most inexperienced team that coach Denis Pagan can remember having fielded. In the other goalsquare the Demons had the statistical difference between winning and losing in the form of Russell Robertson, who kicked five goals from six kicks. Melbourne had all the answers whenever it was chal- lenged, but couldn’t put Carlton away. The Blues conceded the first goal of the game within a minute of the opening bounce to evoke fears of a repeat of Carlton’s previous two matches, a 100-point rout at the hands of Hawthorn and a 77-point shel- lacking by Fremantle. But riding on the back of a remarkable 17-disposal first term from Andrew Carrazzo and a busy onball unit, Carlton trailed by only three points at the first change. It stayed that way virtually the entire game. Despite Jeff White dominat- ing the ruck to give the Dees a 60-19 hitout advantage, acting Blues captain Kade Simpson, Carrazzo, veteran Anthony Koutoufides, Marc Murphy, Ryan Houlihan and Andrew Walker made sure their coun- terparts James McDonald, Paul Wheatley, Nathan Brown, David Ward and Co. didn’t have things their own way. The Demons better finishing and superior decision making proved the difference. Matthew Bate and Michael Newton kicked three goals apiece to give the three mark- ing forwards a cumulative tally of 11.4. Their accuracy, in a nutshell, finished off Carlton. ‘‘I’m just really pleased for the boys and pleased for the footy club. It’s been a tumultu- ous year, to say the least,’’ Riley said after his AFL debut. ‘‘It been an emotional year and everyone needs the emotional nourishment that winning brings. We got that today.’’ As admirable as Carlton’s spirit and tenacity were, lapses were punished badly. For a quarter of an hour in the second half of the second term the Blues attacked relentlessly, but six straight behinds were cancelled when one Melbourne surge late in the term allowed Lynden Dunn to kick a goal. A dreadful error in judgment by Blues defender Bret Thorn- ton allowed Simon Godfrey to make the lead 22 points two minutes into the final term before yet another brave Carl- ton comeback was thwarted by two goals in three minutes by the more efficient Dees.
Transcript of heraldsun.com.au Herald Sun, Monday, July 9 ... - news.com.aump3.news.com.au/hwt/learn/Sports pages...
heraldsun.com.au Herald Sun, Monday, July 9, 2007 41+
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ROUND 14
finishing schoolRED TIME
>> CARRAZZO’S BALLTHE ball spent almost moretime in Andrew Carrazzo’shands in the first quarter thanout of it. Carlton’s Carrazzohad 17 touches, including 10in the first 12 minutes. Hiseffort was the second bestsince Champion Data startedkeeping stats, one fewer thanLion Luke Power managed ina term against Port Adelaidein Round 17, 2004.
>> NEWTON’S LAWIN JUST his second gameDemon Michael Newtondisplayed the qualities of atrue forward. He had eightkicks, no handballs, andfinished with 3.3. Newton hadtwo opponents, Adam Hartlettand Paul Bower. Between thethree of them they haveplayed seven AFL games.
>> SLOW LEARNERFIRST-GAMERS always talkabout the extreme pace ofAFL football, and Carltondebutant Shaun Grigg foundthat out the hard way. Twicein the third quarter he wasrun down from behind, bothtimes by Demon ruckmanPaul Johnson. After thesecond offence, he wassummoned to the bench.
>> RUSSELL MANIARUSSELL Robertson touchedthe ball twice in the first half,but he kicked three goals inthe first 12 minutes of thethird term to put the Demonsup by 20 points, a break theBlues couldn’t reel in.
>> DAVEY SPECIALIT WASN’T a day for Demonlivewire Aaron Davey toremember, as he finishedwith just four touches. Buthe did his best to leave animprint on the game with astunning goal tucked upagainst the boundary in thesecond quarter. On thewrong side for a left-footer,Davey managed to float ahigh ball through a tight gapbetween the big sticks.
>> BETTS ARE OFFGOALSNEAK Eddie Betts’first kick of the game was agoal. But it was his only kickin a rotten day for thelivewire forward. Betts wouldhave had a second kick, buthis mark came just after thethree-quarter time siren anddidn’t count.
>> MARKED DOWNTHE Blues took six marksinside their forward 50m inthe final term when shots atgoal had to be converted. Butthey kicked only two goalsfrom those marks. Theykicked seven goals from 19marks inside their forward50m for the game. TheDemons also kicked sevengoals from marks inside50m, but they took only 12.
Russell Gould
Melbourne flyer: Aaron Davey didn’t have one of his best games at the MCG yesterday, but he made sure he got noticedwith this launch over Blue Adam Hartlett. Unfortunately, the ball came out on the way down. Pictures: COLLEEN PETCH
Deesmakemost ofchancesMichael Horan
Close again: Michael Newton rivalled Davey’s effort, but hecouldn’t make the ball stick either. Picture: WAYNE LUDBEY
The difference: Russell Robertson made his touches count.
MELBOURNE deliveredcaretaker coach MarkRiley a winning start to hissenior coaching careerwith a hard- fought23-point victory against awasteful Carlton at theMCG yesterday.
The Demons were smashed44 to 26 in clearances andconceded more scoring shotsand more inside 50s, but theymade more of their chances toshake off the Blues, who ralliedto launch three seriouschallenges.
In the second, third and finalterms Melbourne managed toslip out to a lead of more than20 points and each time lookedset to break the game open.
But the Blues fought back toregain the lead in the secondand third terms and then, inthe last, closed to within fourpoints.
In the third quarter Carltonkicked 2.7 to 5.2 and couldhave easily gone into the finalterm a couple of goals in front.
The Blues may be ponderingwhat might have been hadout-of-favour spearheadBrendan Fevola played, buteven in defeat the Carltonsupporters were treated to afighting performance from themost inexperienced team thatcoach Denis Pagan canremember having fielded.
In the other goalsquare theDemons had the statisticaldifference between winningand losing in the form ofRussell Robertson, whokicked five goals from sixkicks.
Melbourne had all theanswers whenever it was chal-lenged, but couldn’t putCarlton away.
The Blues conceded the firstgoal of the game within a minuteof the opening bounce to evokefears of a repeat of Carlton’sprevious two matches, a100-point rout at the hands ofHawthorn and a 77-point shel-lacking by Fremantle.
But riding on the back of aremarkable 17-disposal firstterm from Andrew Carrazzoand a busy onball unit, Carltontrailed by only three points atthe first change.
It stayed that way virtuallythe entire game.
Despite Jeff White dominat-ing the ruck to give the Dees a60-19 hitout advantage, actingBlues captain Kade Simpson,Carrazzo, veteran AnthonyKoutoufides, Marc Murphy,Ryan Houlihan and AndrewWalker made sure their coun-terparts James McDonald,Paul Wheatley, Nathan Brown,David Ward and Co. didn’thave things their own way.
The Demons better finishingand superior decision makingproved the difference.
Matthew Bate and MichaelNewton kicked three goalsapiece to give the three mark-ing forwards a cumulative tallyof 11.4. Their accuracy, in anutshell, finished off Carlton.
‘‘I’m just really pleased forthe boys and pleased for thefooty club. It’s been a tumultu-
ous year, to say the least,’’Riley said after his AFL debut.
‘‘It been an emotional yearand everyone needs theemotional nourishment thatwinning brings. We got thattoday.’’
As admirable as Carlton’sspirit and tenacity were, lapseswere punished badly.
For a quarter of an hour in thesecond half of the second termthe Blues attacked relentlessly,
but six straight behinds werecancelled when one Melbournesurge late in the term allowedLynden Dunn to kick a goal.
A dreadful error in judgmentby Blues defender Bret Thorn-ton allowed Simon Godfrey tomake the lead 22 points twominutes into the final termbefore yet another brave Carl-ton comeback was thwartedby two goals in three minutesby the more efficient Dees.
