The Demons gave embattled coach Dean Bailey his first win in sensational style and send perennial underachievers Fremantle crashing to a new low with a 17.17 (119) to 15.23 (113) victory at the MCG on Sunday.
Along the way success-starved Melbourne fans have discovered a new hero in 19-year-old first year goalsneak Austin Wonaemirri - who inspired the Demons' thrilling comeback with three goals in the final term.
The Demons, winless in their first six matches and with the lowest percentage of any team at this stage of the season since Fitzroy in its final season in the competition in 1996, were performing so poorly heading into this match that in a bid to avoid an embarrassingly low crowd on Sunday they offered fans the chance to have a rare kick on the ground after the game.
The move worked because the Demons attracted a crowd of near 20,000 on a day when many felt they would only get a crowd of around 12,000 and those loyal Melbourne fans that turned up got to see one of the club's greatest victories and one which could be a turning point for the Demons' fortunes both on and off the field.
When Melbourne trailed by 50 points at half-time - on the back of five first half goals between Fremantle's key forward pair of Chris Tarrant and skipper Matthew Pavlich - it looked as if that kick on the ground after the game would be the only highlight for Demons' fans.
Only Collingwood, against St Kilda at Victoria Park way back in 1970, had ever won a game after trailing by more than 50 points at half-time but the Demons conjured a miracle to kick 14 goals to four after half-time as the disappointing Dockers turned certain victory into a crushing defeat by kicking a wasteful 4.13 after half-time.
Fremantle, widely tipped as a top four contender at the start of the season, now finds itself equal with Melbourne on the ladder with just one win from seven games and all but out of finals contention after a performance that will increase the pressure on coach Mark Harvey.
For Bailey, who has endured the toughest start to his coaching career imaginable, this was a day to saviour. And the hero, besides the exciting Wonaemirri, was much-maligned key forward Brad Miller.
Miller booted three and provided a constant target at centre-half-forward, even in the first half when Melbourne was being hopelessly beaten.
After half-time he finally received some assistance as Aaron Davey sparked the comeback with two third term goals - including a gem on the run - as the Demons kicked the first five after half-time, while veteran Russell Robertson also kicked three last quarter goals to seal a famous and much-needed Melbourne victory while Brock McLean starred in midfield on a day when Nathan Jones was well held by Ryan Crowley. |
