The missing piece of the puzzle identified as Demons miss golden opportunity

Melbourne simply had to beat Collingwood on Monday.

That is the opinion of Luke Hodge who felt that Simon Goodwin’s Demons just needed to bounce back from their 92-point flogging at the hands of Fremantle last weekend.

Given the Magpies still have several key players out due to injury, Hodge felt the timing was perfect for the Dees to breathe life into their stuttering season.

However, they just weren’t good enough at the MCG on King’s Birthday, losing to the Pies by 38 points to slump to a 7-6 record.

The Dees were presented with a golden opportunity to beat an undermanned Pies outfit, but Hodge was disappointed with how they played.

“Melbourne had to come out and win just to settle everything that’s going on,” Hodge said on SEN’s Sportsday.

“The form they have produced (recently), the game over against West Coast - Melbourne should have been able to handle that.

“That’s ok, they had a bit of a slip, but they followed that up last week against Fremantle and that was un-Melbourne-like. Everyone pretty much forgave them for that performance considering how consistent they have been over the last four years.

“Unfortunately after what we saw (on Monday), they made Collingwood (look great) - and this is all credit to Collingwood as well with the depleted list they have with injuries.

“Melbourne should have taken care of Collingwood. There’s no doubt in my mind. I know Christian Petracca hurt himself, but the game was a concern for Melbourne.”

Hodge says the premature retirement of Angus Brayshaw might have been underestimated by many outsiders looking in.

He believes the absence of Brayshaw has hurt the Demons due to his ability to galvanise those around him.

“I’m feeling that Angus Brayshaw was a bigger piece of this puzzle than what we actually thought,” Hodge added.

“We’ve always looked at it and though was it Max Gawn or Christian Petracca or Clayton Oliver, they’re the main guys.

“Brayshaw would play half-back for a year, then he’d play in the midfield, he’d pinch-hit where he needed to. He might have been the glue that kept them all together because since his exit they just haven’t looked the team that we’ve seen consistently over the last few years.

“We always know they’ve had their issues centre-forward, but now they’re getting beaten at stoppages and they’re turning the ball over. The last four games their scores against from turnover has been appalling. That’s a bit of ball use but it’s also setup behind the ball. They’ve normally got Jake Lever and Steven May down there together.

“It seems to be too many issues at the one time.

“Petracca being injured, no Brayshaw and Alex Neal-Bullen having a sacrificial role (on Nick Daicos), they just had too few to be able to turn the tide against Collingwood.”

The result has the Dees 10th on the ladder, equal on 28 points with eighth-placed GWS, but sitting below with an inferior percentage.

They have a bye in Round 14 before returning to action against West Coast at Marvel Stadium on the Sunday of Round 15.