Melbourne vs Essendon, NAB Cup Challenge and Healy shows some promising form...

THE NAB Challenge. Far from the ultimate challenge in football, but it certainly pays off when you get to spend quality time at the footy at a ground like Princes Park (or Visy, or Optus). My younger brother Brendan finally agreed to come to the game with me, which is a first, since he doesn’t like attending footy at all.
It is cloudy overhead as we board the tram at the bottom of Elizabeth Street. A couple of Dees supporters are on the tram as well, but luckily, no Bombers. We arrive for the one o’clock start and walk around the stadium, and I am reminded of the days where real footy was played there. On that topic, I think they should bring it back as an AFL stadium, but the construction of the Carlton social club at the old Robert Heatley stand end really spoils that idea. I pay the fee to get us both in ($7) and we sit down on the wing in the front row, having a sea of empty seats to choose from. Soft rain falls as the teams come out on to the ground for their warm ups, I notice that James McDonald, Brad Green and Aaron Davey aren’t playing, joining many others like Bruce and Watts on the sidelines. But two who are playing - Tom Scully and Jack Trengove - are certainly the reason that many fans have come to the game this afternoon. Jordie Gysberts (pick 11), another player who I am eager to see in action, is having kick-to-kick with Tom Scully right in front of me.
The players line up in their positions to start the game - the Dees are wearing their white jumper and away shorts and Essendon are wearing their home apparel. The Demons start well. They immediately attack; Nathan Jones gets a free in the pocket but just misses to the right at the Legends Stand end. Two more behinds follow for the Dees, and I’m beginning to think that this is our lucky day, despite our early inaccuracy. Unfortunately, this comes unstuck. Lonergan kicks two for the Bombers in succession - one from a set shot, and one on the run. Hille goes back and slots one from 40, and the margin is at 16 points. Petterd misses for the Dees at the other end, while new Bomber Mark Williams dribbles one through superbly from deep in the pocket. Davey and Stanton add goals for Essendon and it’s starting to look ugly, the Bombers lead by 32 points. Luckily, Jones kicks a goal, as does Grimes, who kicks a skilled goal on the run. The quarter time siren sounds, the Dees lead trail 2.6 (18) to 6.1 (37), and even though they missed early chances, they still seem to be in a fair position going into the second quarter. MacDonald has impressed for the Dees while pick 10 Jake Melksham has really stamped an early influence for the Bombers.
The Dees start the second quarter with some finesse - Jurrah marks explosively on the lead outside 50, before giving it off to Moloney, who bangs a long goal through from 60 metres, and to bring the Dees within two kicks. The Bombers reply with a goal through Davey, however. The red and blacks get another and I’m beginning to get worried. The rain comes down a bit more heavily, and stems the flow, both teams trade behinds, and a scrappy end to the quarter results in a half time score of 3.9 (27) to 8.5 (53). Brendan and I decide to move seats, to see what it is like more behind the goals. A good start is needed for the Dees in the third term.
They get that good start. The Dees clear and a long goal to Bell, the unlikeliest of goal kickers, is the result. McVeigh answers for the Dons, but the Dees regain composure through a Petterd goal from 48 that lands two metres to the left of me. The Bombers reply again, but Grimes, who is pretty much best on ground, replies with a beautiful left foot kick, and the margin is back to 21. Goals from Monfries and Ryder (who is playing as a key forward) follow for the Dons, and the margin is looking dangerous again, but Martin is able to kick one through from a set shot, as well as Petterd who adds his third to the scoreboard. Nathan Jones marks a kick in at the defensive 50. He keeps running, taking multiple bounces before having a shot from just inside 50. He just missed, if that had gone through it would have been one of the best goals ever. The siren sounds, the Dees are just behind by 21 again, 8.11 (59) to 12.8 (80), and I’m feeling confident. If we can get a couple of early goals we’re a real chance.
We move across to the other wing for the final quarter. It’s a dream start for the Demons; Petterd gets advantage and bangs through a goal. But it all goes downhill from here - Watson, Stanton and Ryder all kick goals, and its game over. Jurrah sets up Maric for a good one, and Grimes kicks his third, who has been a shining light today in the midfield. The Bombers rap the game up with two more goals, and Morton gets hit hard and hobbles off the ground with a knee injury right in front of me. Hopefully it’s not bad. The final siren sounds, Bombers by 40 points, but the final margin isn’t really indicative of the Dees’ efforts, more like 20 would have seemed about right.
I head on to the ground to have a few shots at goal at the Legends Stand end. It was arguably the best part of the day, even though one snap by me was dangerously close to going out of the stadium. They kept the net up behind the goals, but it still didn’t stop some seats from being destroyed. I kick a few great goals, none better than a banana from the boundary line, along with a few disappointing misses. This is footy at its finest. After 45 minutes, we head home.
I was really impressed with Grimes today, 32 possessions, three goals and explosive run. Scully showed a lot of dash too, while Ryder, Stanton, Watson, Dempsey (who played on Jurrah) were the Bombers best. It’s a good thing that this game meant nothing.

Melbourne 2.6 3.9 8.11 11.14 (80)
Essendon 6.1 8.5 12.8 18.12 (120)

My Votes: 3. Jack Grimes (MELB), 2. Brent Stanton (ESS), 1. Paddy Ryder (ESS).

• Jobe Watson of Essendon looks to clear the ball during the AFL NAB Challenge match against Melbourne at Visy Park. Photo by Lachlan Cunningham. The Slattery Media Group

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