BERNIE Vince’s homecoming match against his former team, the Adelaide Crows, has earned a massive tick from coach Paul Roos.
Vince finished with 26 disposals and spent time on superstar Crow and acting skipper Patrick Dangerfield. But Roos said the key Demon recruit stood tall against his ex-teammates in Melbourne’s stunning three-point win at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
“I thought he (Vince) was excellent. Danger’s a great player and got off the chain at times in the game, which he does, but they’ve got some real talented midfielders – some top-liners – [Scott] Thompson, [Rory] Sloane and Dangerfield in particular, so I thought Bernie’s game was outstanding for us,” he said.
“He (Vince) really contributed significantly in the win, which was pleasing for him, when you’re playing against your old team. I know he’s got some good friends [at Adelaide] and I know he’s held in high regard.
“Just through circumstances we were able to get him at the footy club and we’re pleased that we did. I was really pleased for him that we had a good win and he had a really good game against his old club.”
Roos also heaped praise on defender Neville Jetta’s effort on dangerous Adelaide small forward Eddie Betts and co-captain Nathan Jones’ performance.
“I thought Nev’s game was outstanding. Eddie [Betts] is a terrific player. I thought our defence was really solid again and they’ve got some talented forwards, but I thought Nev Jetta epitomised our team and I thought Nathan Jones was the other one,” he said.
“He (Jones) was a little bit sore going into the game and in the second half … he had nine possessions and a goal in the second half, which was really critical. When your captain does things like that – it allows other guys to really follow, when he just sticks to his task and ends up having a real contribution in the game.
“I thought [Adelaide’s Sam] Kerridge did a terrific job on him (Jones) and it was a really good battle, but our captain came through that in the second half and kicked a critical goal and really persevered under tough conditions.”
Roos said ruckman Mark Jamar’s big body and experience had also been crucial for the Demons in the past two rounds.
“We know Russian’s a really talented ruckman,” he said.
“He hasn’t played a lot of footy over the last couple of years [due to injury].
“The mark he took late in the game was a match-winning mark for us.”
Meanwhile, Roos clarified defender Alex Georgiou’s situation during the match, who was substituted twice for young-gun Christian Salem.
The South Australian copped a heavy knock early in the game and was subbed out under the concussion rule, but he managed to return, before being substituted in the second half for Salem.
Roos said Georgiou has been “terrific” this year, but simply needed a breather.
“It’s been a big step up from SANFL footy – [he’s] played seven rounds, plus three practice games – so we just thought he was labouring a bit and [we just wanted] to get him off and get a fresh body on,” he said.
