Mark Neeld says his Melbourne side took "a coupleof steps back" in its 60-point loss to Gold Coast SUNS at the MCG on Sunday,which was the SUNS first victory at the home of football.
The SUNS kicked 16.18 (114) to the Demons' 7.12 (54)to win their first game in Victoria and record their biggest winning marginsince entering the competition in 2011.
The SUNS had a 33-point lead at quarter-time afterkeeping the Demons goalless and kept driving home the advantage.
It stretched the lead to 37 at half-time and then 62points by the last break. That was the biggest three-quarter time margin theSuns had ever enjoyed.
Melbourne appeared at times to have lost the will tofight and the capacity to play as a team. It let the opposition do as itwished.
Neeld said the Demons were outmuscled by the SUNS andconceded his side had regressed after its round four win over Greater WesternSydney and better performances in the past fortnight against the Brisbane Lionsand Carlton.
"[We]could not handle the body strength of Gold Coast in the tackle for one, nodoubt. Early on they pushed us aside and then ... a couple of players miss atackle so the next one misses a tackle," Neeld said afterwards.
"Allthat means [we were] not competitive enough for long enough, which wasdisappointing because we'd made some progress and [we took] a couple of stepsback today."
Although interim CEO Peter Jackson suggested in mediarounds before the game that wins or losses were less important than assessingover time whether people could do their job, the calls for heads to roll willcontinue after this effort.
However, given the systematic failure of generationsat Melbourne, there is no quick fix.
Even allowing for the absence of Mitch Clark, JackTrengove, Jack Grimes and Mark Jamar, Melbourne was never in it.
Although Melbourne was insipid, the SUNS wereimpressive, hitting back hard after a disappointing loss to Fremantle a weekearlier.
Gary Ablett was unstoppable, hardly wasting apossession and he brought teammates into the game at will.
It wasn't only Ablett doing the job though, with theSuns controlling the ball and having three touches for every two to the Demons.
The SUNS also had nearly twice as many tackles,recording 71 to 38. They were given more space than an old drunk with badbreath.
Zac Smith dominated in the ruck and kicked threefirst-half goals. Dion Prestia was handy in the midfield and Jared Brennan washis usual infuriating best until Colin Sylvia flattened him. Once the team gotrolling so to did Harley Bennell while in defence Rory Thompson stood tall.
Gold Coast SUNS are an improving team that is graduallymoving out of the AFL's underclass. In the end it lost Brennan and TomMurphy to concussion after using its substitute, but kept dominating.
Coach Guy McKenna said his team's resilience to buildon a half-time lead of 37 points, when it had to finish the game with only oneplayer on the bench, was a promising step.
"We haven't often been in that position so theircomposure, if you like, and then to face the lack of rotations in the moderngame … for them to weather that and compose themselves and see their waythrough [was pleasing]," McKenna said.
"There hasn't been too many [occasions] in our shorthistory in the AFL where we've actually jumped a side the way we did andmaintained that lead."
Once again Jeremy Howe was Melbourne's best player,kicking three goals and again he provided a grab that will be nominated formark of the round. The Demons could do with six of his kind.
Sylvia did battle hard for the Demons – before heundid his hard work with a frustrated attack on Brennan, who was taken off theground on a stretcher. Jack Viney was also industrious around the packs whileMax Gawn kicked two goals.
Chris Dawes did not have an impact in his debut withthe Demons, but he did not enjoy gold plated delivery.
Right now Melbourne lacks confidence, class and anyonecapable of standing up when the game turns south.
The SUNS are heading in the opposite direction.
MELBOURNE 0.2 3.7 4.10 7.12 (54)
GOLD COAST 5.5 9.8 14.12 16.18 (114)
GOALS
Melbourne: Howe 3, Gawn 2, Strauss, Sylvia
Gold Coast: Smith 3, Brown 3, Lynch 2, Hall 2, May, McKenzie, Day, Shaw, Bennell, Harbrow
BEST
Melbourne: Howe, Viney, Gawn, Sylvia
Gold Coast: Ablett, Bennell, Smith, Brennan, Thompson, Prestia
INJURIES
Melbourne: McDonald (shoulder) replaced in selected side by Davey
Gold Coast: Brennan (concussion), Murphy (concussion)
SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Dean Kent subbed off for Aaron Davey in the third quarter
Gold Coast: Steven May subbed off for Brandon Matera in the third quarter
Reports: Sylvia (Melbourne) reported for high contact against Brennan (Gold Coast SUNS) in the third quarter
Umpires: McBurney, Harris, Armstrong
Official crowd: 13,304 at the MCG
