ROUND ONE. It represents a new beginning. But for the Demons, it has so often represented a new ending. Who could forget our disappointing first match in 2007 against St Kilda, where it would signify the end of the Daniher era? Or 2008, when we were obliterated to our core by a Hawthorn team that would go on to win the premiership. And 2009 and 2010, two bad losses to North and Hawthorn, two teams who would under-achieve in those corresponding years. It was time for a change.
Never had I been so excited for the first match of the season. With hype surrounding the Demons, I couldn’t wait to get to the MCG and experience the vibe of the red and blue crowd. However, sometimes it’s hard to get to the footy, money being the obstacle. I’ve got a bank account; and I now have a job, and I have changed my PIN number twice but the second one still doesn’t even work (Don’t use Bendigo Bank). With that bizarre circumstance, I had to borrow money off my brother to get into the ground. As well as this, just because I woke up early my parents thought I would go to church with them. Well, they were wrong, I believe in God but there is absolutely no reason to go to an uncomfortable building to celebrate Catholicism when God is above us at all times.
With religion aside, it’s time to move on to REAL religion. Footy. Fans surrounded me on the train, including a beautiful girl, who had a Demons scarf and a strange accent. I hurried into the ground to see the sun shining gorgeously, the hype surrounding a new season circulating through each one’s mind, and multiple empty seats in my preferred GA area. Although the sub rule had haunted me a bit, footy was back. Although Morton, Frawley, Scully and McKenzie were all injured, I felt we were a fantastic chance, having beaten Sydney by 73 points last season at the G.
The first bounce took place, and the concept of being at the footy again seemed surreal. It was time. The Demons, however, just didn’t look the part. We were too slow through the middle and kept missing targets. The Swans got a couple of easy goals to begin. The Dees finally planted a decent forward thrust, ending with a magnificent handball from (The entity that is) Liam Jurrah to Dunn who kicked a superb goal from the pocket. I began to get frustrated as the Swans got further ahead, with second gamer Sam Reid proving a viable forward option. To add to this, Adam Goodes was running amok. Strangely, I had almost conceded that it would be “just another round one loss” for the Dees at that point. But Colin Sylvia had me breathing a sigh of relief as he bombed a goal from inside the centre square. Vintage Sylvia. We trailed by 13 points at the first break.
The second quarter began and it was turning into one of those annoying games, where your team can never get within about a goal and a half, the umpires are against you and you have a couple of idiots (Shane Mumford and Jude Bolton) sledging your team’s players. On the bright side, Jurrah slotted one through perfectly from a set shot, but it was the five consecutive behinds at the end of the term that were truly concerning for us. Meanwhile, the much-hyped Luke Tapscott was playing a really promising debut match. His power at the contest, his ability to win the ball and his sheer muscle and bulk is a sight to behold. And Trengove was playing perhaps the best game of his career; he had such a presence about him that was probably enhanced because of Scully’s absence.
I was frustrated, croaky-voiced and hungry, so I decided to move to the top level to sit with my brother for a quarter and I broke my vow of not buying food from the footy this season (The prices just keep going up!). It was really nice to have someone to talk to, and a different perspective. But perspective didn’t matter at all; the Swans broke ahead to a 25-point lead. Only their inaccuracy kept us in the match (3.9 for the quarter), and a couple of magnificent goals from Moloney and Bennell, the latter a brilliant burst of speed inside the 50 before snapping truly – 14 points the margin. It was time to move down again.
The final quarter, could we do it? On came Petterd, and on came the Dees. To be honest, it was one of those rare games where I don’t remember much that happened. I could use the internet as an aid on circumstances like these, but it was the emotion that mattered. The Dees trudged on, fatigue was making the players miss shots, but as our newly appointed Captain Brad Green stuck his foot out on the goal line to put us two points in front, the Melbourne crowd erupted. There’s no other feeling like it than to be at home, at the MCG, amongst what sounds like 100,000 people who are your friends, even if you don’t know them. The MCG does that to you. However, there were still a couple minutes left, in which I remember vividly.
When we hit the front, I had a sick feeling that the rest of the game would be played in Sydney’s forward half. And it was. Stoppage after stoppage occurred in Sydney’s forward 50. Jurrah, God bless him, took the ball over for a behind, a decision which potentially could’ve been a wrong one. Attempts to get the ball out were rebounded back in, I was shaking. We weren’t good at closing out games. O’Keefe, who had 20 possessions in the second half alone, got very loose at a stoppage and snapped a behind. Thank God that didn’t go through. That collective groan of a tied game carried from the stands. We were nowhere near quick enough in moving the ball out of defence. Jetta got loose on the wing, but failed to dodge around his opponent successfully. Siren. A draw. A draw in round one. When you witness two draws within a year, it seems like every game is a draw. It was a hard game to fathom – both teams were very inaccurate. So I guess a draw was a fair result, if you can call it that.
Before I over-thought the result, I headed back to my second home.

Melbourne 3.2 5.8 8.12  11.18 (84)

Sydney 5.3 7.5 10.14 11.18 (84)

GOALS
Melbourne: Green 2, Dunn 2, Jurrah 2, Moloney, Sylvia, Bennell, Jetta, Jones.
Sydney: McGlynn 3, Bolton 3, Goodes 2, Everitt, White, Reid.

My Votes: 3. Jack Trengove (MELB), 2. Brent Moloney (MELB), 1. Heath Grundy (SYD).

Crowd: 33,951 at the MCG

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