Declaring “nothing is off the table”, Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin can see a task for ruck-forward Brodie Grundy within the AFL finals.
The plot is thickening in assault for the Demons, who fended off one other excellent problem from Hawthorn on the MCG on Sunday to win by 27 factors.
The 13.9 (87) to 9.6 (60) win confirmed Melbourne’s third-straight qualifying closing berth.
Grundy was dropped for this sport, and the Demons’ ahead shares are trying stronger for the finals, with Bayley Fritsch coming back from harm in subsequent Sunday’s SCG match towards Sydney.
Tom McDonald additionally kicked three objectives within the VFL to strengthen his case for a recall, whereas Jake Melksham had a robust sport on Hawks captain James Sicily and kicked three objectives.
Grundy has labored on his forward-line craft, with captain Max Gawn their important ruckman, and Goodwin stated the previous Collingwood huge man remained firmly in his finals planning.
“He’s in the same basket as everyone else,” Goodwin stated. “We’ve had some really strong conversations – and good conversations – with him. He’s totally invested.
“Nothing’s off the desk … for the following 5 – 6 weeks.”
The Demons saw off the Hawks despite Finn Maginness shutting down star Melbourne on-baller Clayton Oliver for three quarters, before the tagger was moved into attack.
While Oliver kicked a key last-quarter goal, he only managed 14 possessions.
Oliver and his teammates were unimpressed with Maginness’ attention and the two teams clashed briefly at quarter-time.
“It’s nothing new for him (Oliver). Clearly Finn Maginness is somebody who does not need the ball, in order that makes it a bit difficult and a bit irritating,” Goodwin stated.
“That’s high quality, that is the sport of footy.”
Goodwin’s comment about Maginness did not bother Hawks coach Sam Mitchell.
“While Finn’s shutting down opposition key gamers, he’ll be actually useful for us,” Mitchell said.
Goodwin was rapt to overcome the undermanned Hawks, who lost in-form on-baller Jai Newcombe as a late withdrawal with hamstring tightness.
Chad Wingard and Mitch Lewis were also out injured, but the Hawks pressed hard until Melbourne kicked the last three goals of the game.
Goodwin said locking a top-four berth was important but his side had far bigger fish to fry over the next month.
“We need extra, we’re hungry and we’ll maintain searching for methods to get higher,” he said.
Defenders Jake Lever, Trent Rivers and Steven May were outstanding for Melbourne.
Mitchell said Hawthorn tried several different things, including putting Sicily into the midfield during the second half, but ultimately Melbourne were too good.
“We knew we would must get quite a bit proper at present,” he said. “We did fairly properly to hold in there.
“We knew something different was going to have to happen and we just didn’t have enough go right, often enough.”
Hawks midfielder James Worpel had a game-high 30 possessions, whereas Henry Hustwaite made a two-goal debut as Newcombe’s substitute.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
