NO QUESTION, Melbourne’s 41-point loss to North Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday evening was a disappointing result.
The Demons were coming off an epic one-point come from behind win over Essendon at the MCG the previous Sunday and were primed for another competitive contest against the Kangaroos.
Briefly into the third quarter, the storyline was on track, until North Melbourne blew the game apart, kicking six unanswered goals and seven goals to two for the term.
With the margin 44 points at three quarter-time, it was going to take an even more heroic effort than the previous round.
In the wash-up, it wasn’t to be.
Coach Paul Roos said some of his charges looked tired and it was hard to find many winners on the day for the Dees.
But he was emphatic about two standouts – Bernie Vince and Jack Watts – when he reflected on a tough day at the office post-match.
“I thought him [Watts] and Bernie were our two best players,” he said.
“He (Vince) was outstanding.
“To have 40 possessions and three goals – we probably only had two or three good players. If he wasn’t best on ground – and I don’t know who was – but he was close. He was very, very good.”
Vince accumulated a career-best 41 disposals, eclipsing his previous best of 36, achieved on two occasions with the Crows.
His effort was a timely reminder of the importance he has made with the Demons this year, along with the likes of other key recruits with AFL experience: Dom Tyson and Daniel Cross.
Vince simply dominated on an otherwise frustrating day for the Demons.
In the process, he became just the eighth Demon – since recorded disposals from 1965 onwards – to notch up 40 or more touches.
In fact he sits fourth.
The list is: Greg Wells (48 v Fitzroy, MCG, 1980), Wells (45 v Geelong, MCG, 1973), Travis Johnstone (42 v Carlton, MCG, 2007), Vince (v North Melbourne, MCG, 2014), Brett Lovett (v Adelaide, MCG, 1993), Greg Healy (v St Kilda, Waverley Park, 1987), Brian Wilson (v St Kilda, Moorabbin, 1982) and Glenn Elliott (v North Melbourne, Arden St, 1979).
But for Vince, he said he’d far prefer to have a quiet day and play in a winning side, rather than a loss like the one against North Melbourne.
“I’d get a real kick out of having 12 possessions and we win,” he told Dee TV.
“We need to bounce back now; we don’t want to be a side that looses to the same team twice in a year, so we’ve got [to beat the] Bulldogs next week.”
As for notching up more than 40 touches, Vince said it simply worked out that way.
“It’s a team thing. I try and play my role every week,” he said.
“Footy is a funny game, when it’s your turn with the ball in hand, you have to make it count and we didn’t have enough players doing that [against North Melbourne].
“I made some mistakes as well – I’m not saying I played the best game of my life.”
For Watts, who had 23 disposals, he was pleased with his effort, but was determined to keep building on it. He has produced some impressive displays under Roos this year, as he keeps developing his game.
“As a team you just want to get success and play well as a team,” he said.
“I thought I played my role pretty well [against the Kangaroos] and that’s all I can do as a high half-forward – getting up there, but I’ve got a lot of things to work on.”
