By Lynda Carroll
It was difficult to watch the Melbourne v Hawthorn game on Saturday night. For one thing, nobody could be in the stands; for another, it was a wet, dark winter night, not made any easier by the game being played three hours later than originally forecast. With the players’ voices echoing into nothingness, it was a distant cousin of one of the earliest night games, played way back in 1879.
Of course, Saturday night’s game was a draw, that rarest of beings in our game. It was a weird feeling, with Luke Breust’s goal bringing the Hawks to level-pegging with only 41 seconds left on the clock. It had been a game of pressure there against the empty stadium backdrop, with Hawthorn chucking everything at the fast starting Demons, taking the lead as the last quarter began. Even with goals to Fritsch and Pickett, early inaccuracy proved expensive enough to deny Melbourne a win that everyone thought was a near certainty.
But that’s the beauty of the whole thing. You can never tell. Some of the best stories in the game are around The Draw. While it may be flattening to the fervent supporter, it’s usually not easily forgotten. While it’s often debated – should there be a penalty shootout as there is in soccer, should another five minutes be added to the game? – and has been resolved for Grand Finals, it remains a wonderful anomaly in the home-and-away season.
That being said, one of the best draws of all time was the 1948 Grand Final, and this is a story that Melbourne supporters should be able to recite alongside their times tables or alphabet. In 1948, Essendon – led by Dick Reynolds, who predicted to Melbourne captain Don Cordner that there could be a draw – scored 7.27 to draw with Melbourne. It was the first ever Grand Final draw in the competition’s history. The next week was the replay, and Melbourne won. All was well with the world (unless you were an Essendon supporter). It was the Demons’ sixth VFL premiership, and the first after the wartime hattrick of 1939, 1940 and 1941. Funnily enough, the next run of flags would be another triple treat, in 1955, 1956 and 1957. So 1948 stands as its own special achievement, all thanks to a draw.
I must admit, I did feel a little flat after Saturday night’s game. But I think that was more about not being able to be there, rather than the result. If you look back at the history of Melbourne and Hawthorn, there have been a few gems, as well as a few bruising encounters – just ask Luke McCabe about the bump delivered by Melbourne captain David Neitz to start 2002. Then, just ask Neitz about the last round of 1996 – not so fondly known as the ‘merger match’ – when he kicked six goals, Farmer kicked four, and Dunstall led the Hawks with ten goals on their way to a one point win. A draw might have felt better that time round, way back when Alastair Clarkson was wearing the red and blue guernsey.
At least there was no risk of a draw in 2018, when Melbourne turned on finals brilliance at the MCG. As hard as it is to believe right now, over 90,000 were in attendance to see the Demons take on the Hawks in the first semi-final. With McDonald scoring four goals, Viney dominating the midfield, and Jetta outstanding in defence, the 33-point win delivered Melbourne a Preliminary Final berth (and resounding defeat) – against West Coast at Optus Stadium.
It does feel like those heady weeks of 2018 were such a long time ago. Now, we move from week to week, unsure of what the fixture will deliver to us in terms of venue, timing and - sometimes – scheduled opponent. If we can attend at all, that’s a rare bonus. Otherwise, it really is – whether the results echo it or not – the luck of the draw.
It was difficult to watch the Melbourne v Hawthorn game on Saturday night. For one thing, nobody could be in the stands; for another, it was a wet, dark winter night, not made any easier by the game being played three hours later than originally forecast. With the players’ voices echoing into nothingness, it was a distant cousin of one of the earliest night games, played way back in 1879.
Of course, Saturday night’s game was a draw, that rarest of beings in our game. It was a weird feeling, with Luke Breust’s goal bringing the Hawks to level-pegging with only 41 seconds left on the clock. It had been a game of pressure there against the empty stadium backdrop, with Hawthorn chucking everything at the fast starting Demons, taking the lead as the last quarter began. Even with goals to Fritsch and Pickett, early inaccuracy proved expensive enough to deny Melbourne a win that everyone thought was a near certainty.
But that’s the beauty of the whole thing. You can never tell. Some of the best stories in the game are around The Draw. While it may be flattening to the fervent supporter, it’s usually not easily forgotten. While it’s often debated – should there be a penalty shootout as there is in soccer, should another five minutes be added to the game? – and has been resolved for Grand Finals, it remains a wonderful anomaly in the home-and-away season.
That being said, one of the best draws of all time was the 1948 Grand Final, and this is a story that Melbourne supporters should be able to recite alongside their times tables or alphabet. In 1948, Essendon – led by Dick Reynolds, who predicted to Melbourne captain Don Cordner that there could be a draw – scored 7.27 to draw with Melbourne. It was the first ever Grand Final draw in the competition’s history. The next week was the replay, and Melbourne won. All was well with the world (unless you were an Essendon supporter). It was the Demons’ sixth VFL premiership, and the first after the wartime hattrick of 1939, 1940 and 1941. Funnily enough, the next run of flags would be another triple treat, in 1955, 1956 and 1957. So 1948 stands as its own special achievement, all thanks to a draw.
I must admit, I did feel a little flat after Saturday night’s game. But I think that was more about not being able to be there, rather than the result. If you look back at the history of Melbourne and Hawthorn, there have been a few gems, as well as a few bruising encounters – just ask Luke McCabe about the bump delivered by Melbourne captain David Neitz to start 2002. Then, just ask Neitz about the last round of 1996 – not so fondly known as the ‘merger match’ – when he kicked six goals, Farmer kicked four, and Dunstall led the Hawks with ten goals on their way to a one point win. A draw might have felt better that time round, way back when Alastair Clarkson was wearing the red and blue guernsey.
At least there was no risk of a draw in 2018, when Melbourne turned on finals brilliance at the MCG. As hard as it is to believe right now, over 90,000 were in attendance to see the Demons take on the Hawks in the first semi-final. With McDonald scoring four goals, Viney dominating the midfield, and Jetta outstanding in defence, the 33-point win delivered Melbourne a Preliminary Final berth (and resounding defeat) – against West Coast at Optus Stadium.
It does feel like those heady weeks of 2018 were such a long time ago. Now, we move from week to week, unsure of what the fixture will deliver to us in terms of venue, timing and - sometimes – scheduled opponent. If we can attend at all, that’s a rare bonus. Otherwise, it really is – whether the results echo it or not – the luck of the draw.
