‘We went into our shells’: Goodwin admits Demons played it too safe in goalless final term
After falling by less than a kick to the Brisbane Lions on Friday night, Melbourne’s season was left teetering. They are outside the eight, with a relatively poor percentage and a ledger of eight wins and seven losses.
Christian Petracca, of course, is gone. Yet coach Simon Goodwin found much to like in his team’s performance – the lift he got from Clayton Oliver, the performance of younger players, and the desire that completely deserted them in round 12 against Fremantle.
Demons coach Simon Goodwin leaves the field after his side coughed up a four-goal lead to lose to the Lions.
“It was great, wasn’t it? It’s good to see,” Goodwin said of his side’s hunger for the contest. “We’ve got that real hunt and pressure around the ball back; we want to be a really strong contest team … That’s the best we’ve done it all year.”
But for the second week in a row, the Demons couldn’t score a goal in the final quarter. Last week, they were almost run down at the death by North Melbourne. Playing conservatively was never going to hold out the Lions, with a home crowd at their backs.
“I think in reality we probably went a little bit safe,” Goodwin said. “It’s a big occasion for our group, we’ve got a lot of young players playing at the moment. We probably just went into our shells a bit, and that added to their momentum.
“So there’s a bit to unpack in that last quarter for us … That’s two weeks, you’re right, there’s some evidence to suggest we need to have a look at it.”
In reality, both teams struggled to put away a game that Goodwin described as “there for the taking”. The Lions, too, squandered multiple golden opportunities in the last quarter that would have had fans tearing their hair out.
A handball from Eric Hipwood ballooned over the head of Kai Lohmann, who was open in the goal square, and through for a behind. Charlie Cameron dropped a chest mark under no pressure five metres out minutes later.
But, as Lions coach Chris Fagan said, they found a way. Hugh McCluggage – a beautiful field kick who is much less reliable as a set shot – put his side in front with an incredible kick from the boundary line after Alex Neal-Bullen dived head-first over the boundary line with ball in hand.
McCluggage was one of several players that Fagan had implored to lift at half-time. Indeed, he’d reached for a lever he said he rarely pulled: He put his midfielders’ statistics up on a whiteboard at half-time compared to their opponents.
But it worked. McCluggage, Josh Dunkley and Lachie Neale dominated the second half, after being completely bossed by Jack Viney, Oliver and company in the second quarter. “It just shows their character,” Fagan said.
“I very rarely do it, to be honest, but tonight I thought it was necessary, and what I know is that when you do that to those blokes they do respond, particularly if you don’t use it as a method every time things aren’t working out.”
Goodwin praised the effort of Oliver, who has been under intense scrutiny for a number of below-par performances after a difficult pre-season. Oliver responded against the Lions with 29 possessions, five clearances and six tackles.
“He’s worked incredibly hard,” Goodwin said. “There’s been a lot of criticism out there about Clayton, and I think he showed again tonight why teams go to him. He’s a very important player that’s got a high level of skill, and we’re rapt to see him back to his best tonight.”
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.