Demons storm home to down Dockers
04 May, 2008
Melbourne have posted the second biggest halftime comeback in AFL history, the club's best ever fightback, and a remarkable first win of the season over Fremantle by six points at the MCG.
Down by 51 points late in the second quarter and 50 points at halftime, the Demons turned things around spectacularly in the second half, kicking 14 goals to four for a stunning 17.17 (119) to 15.23 (113) win.
So bad were the Demons in the first half they were booed off at halftime by sections of the crowd - the epitaphs of several players and first-year coach Dean Bailey seemingly written.
But after spreading manure all over the MCG in the first half, Melbourne started growing roses in the second as much-maligned tall Brad Miller and small forwards Austin Wonaeamirri and Aaron Davey led a freakish second-half resurgence.
Staring down their seventh successive defeat to open the season, Melbourne instead handballed their first-half ineptitude to Fremantle and kicked five successive goals to open the third term.
They included two brilliant running goals to Davey - one featuring three bounces and two defenders sidestepped - to close within 19 points.
When Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich steadied the ship with two late third-quarter goals to shatter the Demons' momentum and restore a 32-point three-quarter time lead, Melbourne looked dead in the water.
But Melbourne kept coming, kicking nine final quarter goals to pinch one of the most unlikely victories in AFL/VFL history.
Only Collingwood's fightback from a 52-point halftime deficit against St Kilda in 1970 outstripped the Dees' effort.
Russell Robertson snared three of his four goals in the final term, while the livewire Wonaeamirri also kicked four and Davey and Miller booted three each for the match.
After the Demons had chipped the lead back to less than a goal, Wonaeamirri - promoted off the rookie list only last month - kicked two goals in two minutes from the 21-minute mark to give his side the lead.
He and Davey were exceptional, while the often frustrating Miller brought his A-game in a quality four-quarter performance.
Remarkably, the vast majority of the Melbourne supporters in the small 20,000-crowd stayed after halftime and cheered like five times their number, with Bailey saying they helped lift the team over the line.
"They stuck through the whole game and when you're down by 50 points at halftime, for the Melbourne people to stick it out is a real credit to them," said Bailey, who somehow managed to remain emotionless himself despite his first win as a senior coach.
"I couldn't believe it was 20,000 - it sounded like 70,000 in the last quarter.
"To come back from that far behind gives the players a lot of confidence and they'll be bouncing around at training."
While the win has salvaged pride and hope at Melbourne, the Dockers face the next fortnight in lockdown.
They gave the impression of a team in dire need of a spine transplant, capitulating meekly to a Demons outfit many thought may not win a game all season.
Only Pavlich, who kicked five goals, was present for the Dockers for all four quarters.
Others performed to halftime but had clocked off by midway through the third term - leaving coach Mark Harvey to declare he is now on a mission to weed out the slackers.
"We've got to work out what we stand for as a football team - quickly. And if not, I'll sort it out," Harvey said.
Brought to you by AAP.
©2007 AAP