10/05/2008 11:15 PM
Carlton spearhead Brendan Fevola upstaged The Dream Team's much-vaunted attack to lead Victoria to victory in Saturday night's AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match at the MCG.
In the lead-up to the match The Dream Team's coach in Port Adelaide's Mark Williams claimed his attack of Lance Franklin, Matthew Richardson, Matthew Pavlich and Cameron Mooney was the best assembled in the history of the game.
Yet in front of nearly 70,000 fans on Saturday night it was Carlton and the Big V's brilliant but often erratic spearhead that upstaged them all.
Fevola, revelling in the supply from a Victorian midfield containing three Brownlow Medalists in Chris Judd, Adam Goodes and James Bartel, booted six goals in the Vics' 21.11 (137) to 18.12 (120) win.
The 2006 Coleman Medalist booted goals in every quarter and was clearly the most popular player on the ground judging by the lift in crowd noise whenever the ball went near him.
Fevola proved the difference in a tight, high-scoring game that was more of an exhibition match compared to the epic state of origins battles of old between Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.
Indeed for much of the game the big crowd was quiet given the lack of rivalry between the Vics and the combined team.
The Dream Team made a great start kicking the first three goals to silence the big home crowd, who had come to see a Victorian win in the state's first game since 1999.
But it was Fevola with two first term goals and the man who was best afield the last time Victoria played in 1999 - the Kangaroos' Brent Harvey - that dragged the home side back into the match as The Dream Team and West Coast suffered a big blow when Daniel Kerr left the ground with a suspected leg fracture.
By half-time the Vics had an eight point lead despite the midfield dominance of Peter Burgoyne, who had amassed 21 disposals for the visitors to the break.
But the Vics also had their own midfield star in Richmond surprise packet Nathan Foley, who more than justified his inclusion with some crucial clearance wins.
The Vics looked home when they shot 21 points clear early in the third term, again on the back of another Fevola goal, but two third term goals from the previously unsighted Daniel Motlop had the visitors back in front by the last change.
But in the last term, as finally there was some intensity from both sides, it was the Vics' superior attack which proved the difference as captain Jonathan Brown chipped in with two goals to match Fevola's final term contribution while Geelong star Steve Johnson sealed the win with a great goal from the boundary at the 29 minute mark.
In contrast The Dream Team's star-studded attack failed to fire - apart from Coleman Medal favourite Franklin, who booted a wasteful 4.5 opposed to club teammate Trent Croad - but Richardson, Pavlich and Mooney had little impact with Mooney copping a hiding for most of the night from club teammate Matthew Scarlett, who was easily the best defender on the ground.
VICTORIA: 3.6, 9.8, 14.9, 21.11 (137)
DREAM TEAM: 5.4, 8.6, 15.8, 18.12 (120)
GOALS: Victoria: Fevola 6, J.Brown 3, Harvey 3, Johnson 3, Bradshaw, Foley, Murphy, O'Keefe, Chapman, C.Brown
Dream Team: Franklin 4, Davis 3, Motlop 2, Burton 2, Goodwin 2, Mooney, Stokes,