Melbourne have made a “big statement” with a brilliant seven-point win over Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
In a thrilling clash that went down to the wire, the Demons held on for a 15.6 (96) to 13.11 (89) victory that confirmed their premiership credentials.
“This is a big statement from Melbourne, you sense tonight,” Channel 7 commentator Luke Darcy said.
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It was extra special given it was Jack Viney’s 200th game, who follows in the footsteps of father Todd.
They became just the sixth father-son combination to both reach 200 games.
“(This means) a great deal. There is obviously family history there and to build on the that legacy with my old man is something that I am really proud of,” Viney told Channel 7 after the match.
“Just what this group has been able to forge since I have been here is really special.
“Super proud of the group. You see the heart in the guys tonight. They never give up and that is the kind of blokes I love playing footy with.”
After dropping their first game of the season, Melbourne have now win three in a row to soar up the ladder.
Captain Max Gawn was enormous with 50 hitouts and 20 possessions, while Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and Alex Neal-Bullen were all influential.
Melbourne trailed by four points at three-quarter time, but scored five goals to three in a frantic finale.
The Demons dished out the Power’s first loss from three outings in a fluctuating fixture, where the margin was never greater than 18 points.
Melbourne’s largely unheralded duo Alex Neal-Bullen (two goals, 24 disposals) and Trent Rivers (27 possessions) were superb.
Ben Brown’s third major with a tick over seven minutes left put the visitors in front, before Bayley Fritsch threaded the sealer from an acute angle some five minutes later.
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Port were well served by veteran Travis Boak (24 disposals), Ollie Wines (25), Zak Butters (25) and skipper Connor Rozee (26, one goal), while Darcy Byrne-Jones, Willie Rioli and Jeremy Finlayson scored two majors each.
Port’s small forwards Byrne-Jones, Jed McEntee and Francis Evans all snapped goals within 15 minutes as the home side raced to a 17-point lead.
But the Demons booted the next three goals, only for Power forward Charlie Dixon to convert after the quarter-time siren to give his side a five-point advantage at the first break.
That lead disappeared within 15 seconds of the start of the second stanza when Sparrow scored the first of three Melbourne goals in an eight-minute burst to put the visitors up by 13 points.
Port rallied with the next trio of majors, and a late strike from Melbourne’s milestone man Viney ensured locked scored at 7.3 apiece at halftime.
The game remained on a knife-edge in the third term until Port made a move, with ruck recruit Ivan Soldo and Todd Marshall, in his 100th game, booting goals for a 15-point buffer some 28 minutes in.
But when the Demons appeared in strife, they responded with long goals from Brown and Gawn, after the three-quarter-time siren.
Port led 10.8 to 10.4 at the last change, but Melbourne booted the initial three goals of the final term to sneak 14 points ahead, before Port’s Finlayson and Rozee converted to again tie the scores.
Brown then converted after an overhead mark, and Fritsch coolly iced the win from a tight angle with two and a half minutes left.
– With AAP
