Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Melbourne have disrupted Carlton’s short kicking game and it is leading to turnovers.
Bailey Laurie just kicked the club’s third-straight goal with a tight finish on the sideline.
Jack Viney has come on for the Dees, he received a hero’s ovation from the Demon faithful.
Dees 18, Blues 2 with 10 mins to go in Q1.
Harvey Langford is a fearless player with the ball and the rising Demon has booted a brilliant goal as he bolted down the left wing and grabbed the footy before kicking for goal from 40m out and it sailed through the goal.
Dees 12, Blues 2 with 14 mins to go in Q1.
Harry Sharp has done what every coach wants a player to do – make up for his mistake.
Just minutes after his cheap shot saw the Dees stripped of a shot for goal, Sharp got on the end of a kick from Kozzy Pickett and he took on the Blues defence to run in and kick a goal.
He’s playing fearlessly is the young Demon.
Dees 6, Blues 1 with 16 mins to go in Q1.
Demons midfielder Harry Sharp has cost his team a goal in the opening minutes.
Harrison Petty took a strong mark close to goal and was poised to take his kick when a Sharp brain fade on a Blues player led to a melee and then the kick being reversed to the Blues.
“That is the dumbest thing you will see,” King said on Kayo Sports.
“That’s just a cheap shot from Sharp – no good.”
Josh Fraser and Steven King shook hands after the pregame anthem, it was a lovely moment for two ruckman who grew up in the Goulburn Valley in Mansfield and Shepparton respectively.
We have a huge night to come and you can barely see an empty seat.
Wildcard weekend is a clear winner as far as I’m concerned.
We are away at the MCG.
There was an uneasy calm among supporters as they ambled along Birrarung Marr and filtered into the MCG tonight, suggesting that neither group of fans were confident of victory.
And why would they be? Melbourne’s season has hit a wall, and Carlton are still pinching themselves about being in the finals.
But expect the nervousness to make way for a wall of noise when the game begins – the AFL is expecting about 93,000 people to fill the MCG stands. Apart from MCC walk-ups, this game is a sell-out.
You have to love this little Blues fan and his banner for midfielder Sam Walsh.
In the fine print, the kid asks if Walsh will sign his footy card – quality work from the young man.
That’s a wildcard request on wildcard night.
Blues coach Josh Fraser says reassuring Harry McKay of his value to the team has been a catalyst for his stellar play in the second half of the season.
McKay will be a vital figure for the Blues as they look to keep their season alive tonight.
“We speak to Harry in a similar way to how we speak to most of our players and that is that Harry’s strengths make us a better team,” Fraser told Kayo Sports.
“It’s important he understands that and he’s had to do a bit of work on the way that we move the ball. It’s a credit to him that he embraced that challenge as he’s been in this system for a long time. He’s gone into the ruck at times and given us a chop out too.
“It’s not always about kicking goals. His ability to compete in front of the ball [is important] and we know he is on when his defensive pressure is up there for a big fella.
“We need him to bring that competitive best about that.”
Melbourne coach Steven King has revealed that returning midfielder Jack Viney will be used selectively tonight as he plays his first AFL game in 372 days.
Viney was recalled after impressive form in the VFL and despite King wishing he could have played more games in the second tier competition, he has backed the veteran ball-winner to handle a lesser role on the expanded five-man bench.
Viney recovered from serious back and Achilles injuries to prove his fitness to King and his staff.
“It was only four to six weeks ago when we were told that Jack might get going again, before that, it was on the backburner as thought he wouldn’t be ready this year,” King told Kayo Sports.
