Melbourne last beat Geelong in round six, 2006. Since then, the Demons have lost to the Cats nine times and drawn once. Melbourne is on its seventh coach since that win, with Neale Daniher, Mark Riley, Dean Bailey, Todd Viney, Mark Neeld and Neil Craig all having time in the job before Paul Roos. In 2006 when Melbourne prevailed, Lynden Dunn was making his debut. He has now played 132 games for just 34 wins. Dunn and Mark Jamar are the only two players on Melbourne's list who have experienced a win against Geelong wearing a Melbourne jumper. Once again their team never looked like beating the Cats and seem a long time away from doing so again.
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2. First goal again the hardest for Melbourne
It was sixteen minutes into the second quarter before Melbourne kicked its first goal. By that stage, Geelong had scored 7.8 (50) and was controlling the game. The goal came via a mark from Jeremy Howe after Jack Viney lifted and Nathan Jones jumped on board. Three minutes later, after continual forward pressure, Howe was awarded a free kick and goaled from the top of the square. However it was a momentary burst, as Geelong tallied its highest scoring quarter of the season with 8.3 (51). As an example of the lack of pressure Melbourne applied, the Demons had 10 players at half-time with one tackle or less next to their name. In the end they conceded 32 scoring shots and only had 11 themselves.
3. Selwood burns early
Perhaps Geelong champion Joel Selwood was spurred by the chance to win a Brownlow after Gary Ablett's season-ending injury. Perhaps it was all the talk of him needing a rest. Most likely, it was just standard Selwood professionalism as he tore Nathan Jones apart in the first quarter of the game. Selwood ended the quarter with 15 disposals and a new opponent in Jack Viney. It set the tone for the Cats with Geelong winning the ball inside and outside the contest and immediately putting Melbourne on the back foot. Viney battled hard to square the contest and make Selwood earn it, but in the finish the Cats' skipper had 31 disposals and was the dominant player on the ground.
4. James Frawley's Geelong audition
Being talked about as free agent in a lowly side is taking a toll on Melbourne defender James Frawley. He was thrown a huge task on Geelong key forward Tom Hawkins and he was beaten when the game was at its hottest. Surprisingly Hawkins was too strong for Frawley in the one-on-one duels and the big Cat was too good whenever the ball was kicked inside 50 to his advantage. Hawkins had three goals and four marks inside 50 at half-time. Having to confront a ball entering the forward line without any pressure made it almost impossible for Frawley, but making some uncharacteristic mistakes with his disposal did not help the Demon's cause. In the end he kept Hawkins to three goals as he faced 57 inside 50s and constant pressure, so Geelong would have little reason to lose interest in what he might offer them.
5. Senior Demons fail to heed the call
Paul Roos suggested on Friday he would be watching the team's senior players very closely against quality opposition. "You want them to dig in a bit. You're looking at them a bit more closely," Roos said. "We need to see who's going to stand up. Who does and doesn't make mistakes under pressure." On Saturday Colin Garland could hold his head high for his effort on Jimmy Bartel and Chris Dawes battled hard. Unfortunately Roos would not have been pleased with what he saw from Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince, Jack Watts, Jack Grimes, Mark Jamar and James Frawley. Jones and Frawley have enough credit in the bank but the others were very disappointing, neither using the ball well or putting enough pressure on the opposition when the game was up for grabs. The efforts of Viney in the third quarter when he had 11 disposals showed what was possible. Aidan Riley impressed for Melbourne as well.
