Craig gives Dees a makeover

Neil Craig barks out some orders.

IT WOULD be safe to assume Neil Craig has never worked in a beauty salon.

But it appears the interim Melbourne coach is quite handy at giving makeovers.

This was a different Melbourne that confronted St Kilda at the MCG yesterday. The Demons lost - that should come as no great surprise - but there was a noticeable lift in intensity, fight and work ethic in Craig's first game in charge.

AFL Round 13: St. Kilda v Melbourne at MCG Melbourne 22nd June 2013, Nick Dal Santo gets a hard ball Picture: Petch Colleen Source:

Yes Melbourne has a chronic lack of experienced talent, yes it has a shallow midfield and yes it will most likely struggle for the rest of the year, but to use old-school terminology, they had a real crack.
In a back to basics performance, heads were thrust over the ball, tackles stuck and there was even a huddle employed for kick-ins. Defensively, they were far superior to anything served up in recent weeks.

Indeed, this was an even contest just about everywhere bar the scoreboard. Melbourne had one more inside 50m, split the tackle count 47-47 and had the ball in its forward half close to 50 per cent of the match.

Only a lack of composure inside 50m, a lack of skill trying to get and St Kilda's excellent conversion, prevented them from making greater inroads.

Where Demons supporters have had nothing to savour on the way home from most games this season, they would have left the ground last night satisfied with their side's effort.

AFL Round 13: St. Kilda v Melbourne at MCG Melbourne 22nd June 2013, Jack Watts takes a mark in front of Dylan Roberton Picture: Petch Colleen Source:

The Demon is not exactly back in Melbourne, but perhaps the fork is emerging.

Melbourne's first kick took five minutes to arrive yesterday and was greeted by a bronx cheer. But, as if awakening from a bad dream, they grew into the game.

The Demons' second quarter was their best since that final term assault on GWS back in Round 4. The Dees had 14 inside 50s to eight and only a lack of composure inside 50m meant they scored 2.4 to St Kilda's 3.1.

Jimmy Toumpas showed why he was taken with the No.4 pick in the draft. In what was the best game of his young career, the midfielder ran himself ragged to provide an option and then backed himself. He will be a player.

There were signs from Sam Blease, excellent debutant Mitch Clisby, Jake Spencer and Matt Jones, who has had an excellent season. Jack Watts played with confidence and looked like a different player.

But the costly turnovers remain for now and like so many sides before them, St Kilda feasted on Melbourne's mistakes.

In what had been a tumultuous week for both sides, we assumed the football was only going to provide relief for one club. St Kilda got that courtesy of a win, but the Demons got their own form of relief.

Before the opening bounce Craig said wanted ``consistency of effort, first and foremost''.

Two hours of football later, he'd got it.