Well, it’s been a month since we last played in Melbourne. For most supporters up until this last week’s match, it was a long month indeed. A bye and two losses took us from four wins, four losses and a draw after round nine, to six losses, four wins and a draw at the end of round twelve. Tiger fans started to despair as the team started to slip lower on the ladder and suffered two crushing losses in a row, in two winnable games. Coming into the Brisbane match we were yet to win interstate.

On the night, I admit I was nervous. Although we had beaten Brisbane just seven weeks earlier, our spirit seemed down in the previous games and a small part of me thought our stirring was finished. The first twenty or so minutes of the game did nothing to ease my worries. However, after a few early mistakes, the boys began to play the kind of footy we know that are capable of. Despite some dubious umpiring decisions, such as Edwards being hit behind the play and Nahas being wrestled by four Brisbane boys and when Jackson came to help, fifty metres being given against us, the boys came away with a fantastic win.

It can be a temptation to let these incidents, as well as other questionable calls we had against us, distract the players from the task at hand, or even use these calls as an excuse to play badly. Nevertheless the boys displayed maturity as they consolidated themselves as a top eight contender.

When the game was in the balance after a late surge from Brisbane, some of the boys really stepped up. Dustin Martin put in a fantastic performance with five goals, a career best. Ty Vickery kicked four, also a career best. It’s really great to see Vickery stepping up and proving himself to be a viable option up forward, especially as Jack Riewoldt is moving up the ground more and isn’t kicking as many goals. Nahas, one of the smallest, skinniest guys on the field again put his body on the line, laying hard tackle after hard tackle. He should be an inspiration to the other boys in this regard, keeping up his effort for the entire game.

Alex Rance put in a great performance against Jonathan Brown, holding him to two goals. Andrew Browne also deserves a mention, working hard all around the ground. It’s great to see a ruckman who will get down into the dirt and get the ball out. Hopefully he continues to improve as with our stellar midfield we need a great ruckman to get the ball to them.

This week’s game is set to be one of the biggest of the season. This very well could be one of the games which decides who finishes in the top eight, and who finishes in the dreaded ninth spot. Melbourne had a good win last week, and will be feeling great. However their form is very up and down, and we need to capitalize on this. We are back at the G, back in Melbourne for the first time in a month. I hope everyone who can get down will be coming to support our boys in their quest to keep finals hopes alive.

It’s a real shame we won’t have Jake King, which would have improved our chances and added some more toughness to the side. It will be interesting to see who Hardwick brings into the side to replace him. I hope to see the boys playing their best and beating Melbourne.

See you all at the ‘G, Go Tigers, Meg