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Melbourne’s finals preparations have been rocked by fears Jake Melksham has torn his anterior cruciate ligament, as the Demons now prepare to face Collingwood in a blockbuster qualifying final at the MCG.
The Demons capped their 16-win home-and-away campaign, earning a double chance, with a come-from-behind 21-point victory over the Swans at the SCG on Sunday, a day when the home team – and wider football world – gave the retired but emotional Lance Franklin a rousing lap of honour at half-time.
Not great: Melbourne forward Jake Melksham hobbles from the SCG because of a knee issue.Credit: AFL Photos
However, the win was marred by a potentially serious knee injury to Melksham, who has been integral in the Demons winning seven of their past eight games. He will have scans on Monday, having been subbed off through the game. This came after he clashed knees with Swan Joel Amartey, and later fell to the ground in pain when on the lead. He hobbled from the field, and told teammates his knee was sore.
Coach Simon Goodwin said on Sunday evening the Demons feared the worst.
“We fear the worst but hope for the best, looking at an ACL, which is really sad for ‘Melky’,” Goodwin said before the Demons flew home.
“It takes a really big dent in the day. I have coached Jake for a long time, for 14 years, he is just craving the opportunity to play in a successful time in finals footy. We hope that would be the case, but we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Melksham was an emergency in the Demons’ 2021 premiership team.
Goodwin said the Demons will rejig their forward line if Melksham is out. His injury could stir debate about a potential recall for Brodie Grundy. The ruckman-forward had a monster game for Casey in the VFL, having 33 disposals, three goals and a game-high 10 clearances, in a 101-point win over North Melbourne. Forgotten veteran Tom McDonald booted five goals, but midfielder Luke Dunstan, who has not played a senior match this season, has also seriously hurt his knee.
“Tom McDonald has come back and kicked another five today. Brodie played an outstanding game and kicked three. There is some opportunity there, but, once again, there is a little bit of sadness to the VFL as well, it looks like Luke Dunstan might have done his ACL in the VFL as well today,” Goodwin said.
Goodwin has his side purring at the right time of the year, and they can take confidence from edging the Magpies by four points in their only meeting this season, on the King’s Birthday weekend. That win ended the Pies’ eight-game winning streak. The two clubs will now clash in a final for the first time since 1989.
No to happy feet: Bayley Fritsch celebrates one of his five goals in his return game on Sunday, but he finished the afternoon with a sore foot.Credit: AFL Photos
Goodwin said the Demons were ready for a finals tilt.
“We are as best prepared as we can be. We feel like we have built some momentum in the back half of the year. We feel like our game is built on really strong foundations,” he said.
“The season starts again. It’s a new season. We think we are well-placed, but we are playing a formidable opponent, Collingwood, who are sitting on top of the ladder for a reason.”
Bayley Fritsch returned from a long-term foot injury, which required surgery, in superb touch, booting five goals, but aggravated the foot when landing awkwardly in a marking contest. He finished with a sore foot.
“Not ideal, I went up in a marking contest and the foot felt a little bit sore, but was good enough to back out there. To get on the end of a few was nice and get the win,” Fritsch said.
Defender Jake Bowey finished with a sore shoulder.
The Demons are in the premiership sweet spot, boasting a list headlined by skipper Max Gawn, brilliant ball winners Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca and hardnut Jack Viney that is determined to add another flag. Led by intercept kings Steven May and Jake Lever, the Demons have one of the stingiest defences, and appear to have largely eased their scoring issues of mid-season.
“We don’t look at the wins and the losses, we look more at the process about how we are going. I felt like this year we are really building into finals, which is good,” Petracca, with 29 disposals and a goal, said.
The Magpies finished their top-of-the-table campaign with a thumping win over Essendon, and will hope skipper Darcy Moore (hamstring) and Nathan Murphy (glute) are fit to return. Star playmaker Nick Daicos (knee) is not expected back until the second final.
MELBOURNE
3.2 5.4 7.8 11.11 (77)
SYDNEY
2.5 3.8 7.12 7.14 (56)
GOALS
Melbourne: Fritsch 5, Melksham 2, Pickett, van Rooyen, Brayshaw, Petracca.
Sydney: Gulden 2, Warner, McLean, McDonald, Mills, Wicks.
BEST
Melbourne: Fritsch, Petracca, Viney, Gawn, May, Brayshaw.
Sydney: Gulden, Mills, Parker, Warner, McCartin.
INJURIES
Melbourne: Fritsch (foot), Melksham (knee), Bowey (shoulder).
CROWD: 41,753 at the SCG.
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