Star midfielder Clayton Oliver’s spectacular return from damage has buoyed Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin, who’s taking positives out of his facet’s slender defeat to Carlton.
The Demons slipped from second to 3rd on a congested AFL ladder with a four-point loss – 9.6 (60) to eight.8 (56) – that ended their five-match successful streak on Saturday evening.
Goodwin’s males had fought again from 18 factors down within the remaining time period of a low-scoring contest and fell quick when Christian Petracca’s long-range shot within the remaining minute was dominated touched on the objective line.
Goodwin lamented his facet’s sluggish begin, wherein they have been belted 24-4 in ahead entires through the first quarter, and was left ruing huge moments that fell Carlton’s means in a “finals-like” arm wrestle.
But he stays upbeat forward of clashes with Hawthorn and Sydney that would function a launching pad into September.
“We take enormous belief from the game,” Goodwin stated.
“We’re building a team that continues to come and fight and scrap and find a way into the game.
“We gave ourselves an opportunity once more late.”
Oliver made his first appearance since round 10 after a battle with hamstring injuries and, much like his team, started slowly.
But the gun on-baller built into the contest and finished with an impressive stat line, including 27 disposals, 13 tackles and nine clearances.
“At the beginning he seemed a bit of bit rusty however by the tip of the sport you can see it was the Clayton of previous,” Goodwin stated.
“He’s ended up with an enormous variety of tackles, 9 clearances, excessive possession and I assumed his second half was monumental.
“That’s the Clayton we know and love, and he’s only going to get better from here. That was a really good starting point for him.”
Recalled recruit Brodie Grundy had restricted impression in his reprised ruck-forward mixture with Max Gawn.
After 4 weeks within the reserves, Grundy had 9 disposals and 11 hit-outs on return in slippery situations that made life robust for the large males.
“We probably used both (Grundy and Gawn) in the ruck a little bit more than what we were planning for, but that was what the game needed at the time,” Goodwin stated.
“(Grundy) will evolve, he’ll get better, but it wasn’t a free-flowing type of game. There were a lot of scrappy entries for both teams.
“We’ll return and take a look at it and assess it as we go.”
Key ahead Tom McDonald will return from an ankle damage within the VFL on Sunday as he seeks to power his means again into Melbourne’s senior facet earlier than the finals.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
