Hunty the hero

WITH just two minutes left on the clock, the Demons were staring down the barrel of defeat with a one-point deficit to Carlton, but along came Jayden Hunt.

Hunt was delivered the ball on a platter by Clayton Oliver and as Dwayne Russell said, with “nerves of steel”, he flushed it through the big sticks.

The 50-metre goal from Hunt handed his side the lead – one Melbourne clung onto in the dying stages of the game to run out five-point victors at the ’G.

The numbers

DISPOSALS: Harmes 27, Fritsch, Oliver 26, Jones, Salem 24, Viney 22, McDonald 20

GOALS: McDonald 6, Hunt, Petracca 3, Harmes, Neal-Bullen, Weideman

Dunkley’s debut

Kyle Dunkley has had a whirlwind couple of months.

He has gone from playing in the NAB Challenge competition, to debuting in the VFL for Footscray, to being recruited by Melbourne in the Mid-Season Rookie Draft, to playing AFL football on the MCG.

Dunkley’s father, Andrew, presented him with his guernsey pre-game, and the 19-year-old had plenty of family in the rooms after the win, watching on as he was drowned in Gatorade during the singing of the song.

The first gamer had 11 disposals and looked dangerous up forward, with six score involvements in what was a positive start to his career.

McDonald magic sets it up

From early on, the game was on Tom McDonald’s boot.

The key forward booted three opening-quarter goals to give his side a 12-point lead at the first change and had six majors to his name by three quarter-time.

McDonald amassed 20 disposals in a stunning display for three quarters of footy, before unfortunately being ruled out of the match with a knee injury.

In control

Melbourne had control of the contest from very early on, gaining meterage early in the first term.

The Dees had plus 13 inside 50s in the first half and were dominant on the outside with a whopping 100 uncontested possessions more than the Blues to three quarter-time.

Heading into the final change, the Demons had hit the scoreboard 10 more times, reflecting their dominance on the field.

Blowing the lead

In the late stages of the third term, Melbourne led by as much as 38 points, with the game seemingly tied up.

But the Blues, fresh off a come-from-behind win over Fremantle, had plenty of belief and stormed home with a five-goal final term to pinch the lead.

Carlton was one-point clear at the 25-minute-mark of the final term, before the Demons stole back the unlosable game.  

A final twist

With 50 seconds left and a five-point buffer, Mitch Hannan gathered the ball at half-forward and launched on goal.

The ball was destined to skid through, until the Sherrin pulled up millimetres short and was rushed over the line for a behind.

Carlton had 35 seconds to venture from end-to-end and tie the game, and nearly did just that.

Mitch McGovern’s flying soccer kick hit the post, and with seven seconds remaining, the game was done.

Injury toll

Melbourne’s tough run with injury has been well publicised this season and the misfortune continued once again on Sunday.

Marty Hore was the first to succumb to injury, breaking his collarbone in the first term, before Harry Petty was ruled out with concussion.

McDonald capped off the day for the Dees with an injury to the meniscus in his left knee, leaving the Demons with just one fit player on the bench in the last quarter.

Running out of legs

As a result of the injury trouble, the Melbourne players were left out on their feet, with just nine rotations used in the final term.

With the interchange cap set at 90 in the AFL, most sides usually take the opportunity to make as many moves as possible.

On the weekend, Carlton made 88 changes, while the Demons were left stranded with just 67.

A word from Goody

“For three quarters there was so much to like about how we played,” Simon Goodwin told Melbourne Media post-game.

“Each week we’re slowly, slowly, getting back to our best footy. The will and the want late in the game once we lost the lead, and the clarity of the execution, was outstanding.”

Looking ahead

Round 17 v Western Bulldogs @ Marvel Stadium – Sunday, 13 July, 3:20pm AEST

Melbourne will be looking to win consecutive games for just the second time this season when it meets the Western Bulldogs next Sunday.

It will be the Demons’ first run on Marvel Stadium this season, with brothers Kyle and Josh Dunkley set to line up against each other for the first time.