Australian Football

Match Report

DEMONS NONPLUS DONS TO RUN OUT EASY VFL PREMIERS

By H. A. de LACY

MELBOURNE won the 1948 League Premiership today scoring 13.11.89 to Essendon's 7.8.50. From the start, the red-legs knew what they were about, played as a team, met the opposition fearlessly, and had the game won by half time. Essendon, nonplussed by Melbourne's early vigor and pace, never recovered. The attendance of 52,226 fell a long way short of last week's 85,658. The takings today were £4475.

Don Cordner, Melbourne captain, won the toss and kicked towards the Jolimont end. Light rain had fallen for an hour before play started, making the ball and ground treacherous. The game began with an Essendon attack starting with a free kick to Bushby in centre. It careered to the outer wing, with Melbourne defenders attacking aggressively, and ended when a shot from Hassell scored a behind.

Melbourne came back In full flight, McKenzie taking a mark and short passing to Mueller, but there was no score. Essendon bolted around the outer wing, only to be turned aside when McGrath, Melbourne full back, marked in front. Play was hectic with the ball beating the players. Melbourne had given away five free kicks and from one Equid place-kicked the ball for a behind, scored off the hands of the pack.

Five minutes after the start Melbourne had taken six marks to Essendon's one. They broke through for a nice goal by Dullard after Bickford had marked in the centre. Melbourne won in the rucks and met every physical challenge with hard hitting shoulders and hips. Playing with the same panic as last a week, the Essendon forwards were already in trouble. Mueller and McMahen rammed on second and third goals for the Demons.

Essendon had scored' only three points. The Demons were fastest at a winning centre line, and smothered every Essendon attempt to break away. Bushby got the Dons out of one desperate situation with a free kick. Immediately they l were in trouble again as Mueller slammed on the fourth goal Reynolds, the Essendon captain took a turn in the ruck, closely attended by his halfback, McLean.

It wasn't long before a fifth goal was slammed home by Melbourne, Arnold gathering the ball at the back of the pack and scoring on the run. Some relief came to Essendon when a free kick to Hutchison put the ball in front, but the Melbourne defenders swarmed over them and rushed it out f bounds on the grandstand wing. The Dons were within range when McCiure came down with the ball in a pack in the centre, and his pass found Hutchison, but the shot went out of bounds. The Melbourne defence swept the ball to the outer wing. Smith passed to Mueller, and sixth goal was up, to make the score 6.2 to 3 points.

As a custodian of Mueller, who had kicked three goals, Bushby was six yards behind. Non-plussed and rattled, Essendon made every mistake in the football book, and they were given no respite by the hard-hitting Melbourne players. The first goal to Essendon was the result of a clever punch by Equid to Hutchison. Keeping up the attack, Jones next flashed into the game, and his long kick put the ball in front for Rawle to snap a point.

FIERCE BID FOR BREAK

It was fierce play with the Dons fighting desperateiy to break clear. Mueller again marked when Bickford drove in from the centre and up went their seventh goal, making Melbourne 44 points to 10. Melbourne had the edge on Essendon in all parts of the field, and, playing concertedly in attack, Arnold scored yet again making their score 8.2 to 1.4 The Dons played panic football, and the timidity of some of their players to go near the pack was one of their greatest liabilities.

With players unbalanced, trying to handle the wet ball, Melbourne scouted wide and picked up every crumb. Smith again found Mueller; this time the big fellow missed. A free kick to Bushby near the centre was marked brilliantly by Denis Cordner, centre half-back. When Chris Lambert lashed out with a boot on receiving a hard bump, he was spoken to by a boundary urnpire and. a goal umpire who ran up the ground to him.

Second goal to Essendon came from Jones after several fumbles by Essendon players in front. The third goal came from a splendid mark by Brittingham, who gathered a 60-yard kick from Syme, dead in front. Bushby in the ruck, inspired the two goal. Jones had a chance when Leehane forwarded, but be kicked right across the goal mouth. He had another shot from a long way out, and on the run, for a point.

With the wind in their favor Essendon were now 3.5 to 8.3. There was an exciting brush when McDonald marked, and Mueller, playing on, dropped him hard with a shoulder. Ruddell rushed up and contacted Mueller, and the players gathered from all directions. Umpires spoke to Ruddell. A long kick from McKenzie was cleverly marked by Smith in the goal-square for Melbourne's ninth goal. His clever use of the hips completely unsettled full-back Ruddell. McKenzie again got the ball to Smith.

Umpire McMurray made a very bad mistake when he awarded a free kick against Smith who had been held by Syme when he tried to kick. Even if Smith had been guilty of playing on he could not be attacked by players from behind. The half-time siren then sounded but Smith, evidently incensed, attempted to argue with Umpire McMurray as he came off the ground Ruddell and McMahen pushed him away.

On resumption, Brittingham went to centre half back. He turned Melbourne back twice, and when a fumble allowed Reynolds to chip in and goal, Melbourne's advantage had shrunk to 16 points. Mueller then marked ahead of May, and when he fell to the ground, May stood over him. but did not deter Mueller from kicking his fifth goal. There were fumbles and slips in every part of the field. After 10 minutes' wild play it was Smith who settled Melbourne down, played on to Bickford, and a mark to Rodda brought up Melbourne's 11th goal.

DEMONS HOLD LEAD

Defence work became the feature of the third quarter. Few players could break loose and the slightest fumble brought the pack jamming up, with shoulders, elbows and knees flying. Smith took a magnificent mark. Held by Ruddell, he worked his one arm free and marked the ball in his right arm. A long kick scored a behind and soon afterwards another gave Melbourne a clear 5 goal lead. The Dons had no idea where their forwards were, or should be, and the Melbourne defenders gave them no second chances. At the other end Smith led .the defence a merry dance and kept the goal under clever pressure.

Dropped marks were very costly to Melbourne. Several times, with the ball in good position, a "sitter" was fumbled. A rushed point was the only scoring In a long period of the last quarter. The ball was constantly forced on to the wings bv the defenders of both sides. It suited Melbourne, who held five goals. It showed the desperation of Essendon when free kicks were given to Smith against Reynolds for charging, and immediately afterwards Ruddell charged Into Mueller.Another free kick against Reynolds was taken down field to Smith when the Essendon i captain cuffed Craddock on the neck. Smith was given free kick and he found Mueller with a pass. The score was then 12.9 to 6.6. Relief came to Essendon when Equid kicked a high one in. and Jones took a welljudged mark and goaled. Rodda ran in and kicked Melbourne s 13th goal.

GOALKICKERS
Melbourne: Mueller (6), Arnold (2), Rodda (2), Smith, Dullard, McMahen.
Essendon: Brittingham (2), Syme (2), Reynolds. Hutchison. Jones.

BEST PLAYERS
My best player is again Norman Smith. There wasn't an Essendon defender who could put a shadow on him. In fact one should bracket Mueller with him, because, despite constant attention, much of it unfair, Mueller kicked goals in quantity and never once allowed the Essendon defenders a quiet moment. Arnold at centre half forward gave Melbourne his best game for the season. In the centre Bickford won hands down, and on one wing Spittle thrashed Hassell. The best Essendon man was McCiure. and in defence McDonald did well. He was easily the best of their defenders. Ruddell battled against Smith, but he was outwitted.

REPORTED PLAYERS
Ruddell (Ess.) reported by field umpire McMurray, a boundary umpire and a goal umpire, for allegedly elbowing Mueller in second quarter.
C. Lambert (Ess.) reported by goal and boundary umpire for allegedly hacking Craddock in second quarter.

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