A pity in a way that the identity of the victim in Melbourne’s first win of 2014 ensured it and not the winning team would be hogging the headlines.

As hapless as Carlton appears right now, this was a fine effort by the Demons,  who showed welcome resilience after being jumped at the start and challenged at the start of the final term.

Nathan Jones turned in one of the season’s best run-with efforts on Marc Murphy, Tom McDonald was terrific on Lachie Henderson and James Frawley a constant threat in an unfamiliar forward role.

Good signs for the future too in the games of ruckman Jake Spencer and on-ballers Jack Viney and Matt Jones as well.

Gold Coast on the MCG presents a genuine opportunity for Paul Roos’ side to pinch a second win.

WELLS A WIZARD

Age columnist Garry Lyon feted Geelong list manager Stephen Wells in these pages on Saturday, and could have added a footnote after the Cats’ big win over West Coast the same evening.

While the senior players turned in their usual reliable games, just as prominent were the likes of Cam Guthrie, George Horlin-Smith, Jordan Murdoch and George Burbury, another battalion of youngsters introduced to senior level and now leaving their mark.

That development shouldn’t be underestimated, but the talent has to be identified and selected to begin with, and no one in the AFL has done it as well for as long as  Wells.

Indeed, scan the list of Geelong’s recruits via the draft over the past decade and the ‘‘misses’’ are remarkably few for an imperfect science in which so many other factors play their part.

‘‘Best of’’ administrative lists aren’t quite as sexy as those about players, but if the Cats ever do the exercise, Wells will take some toppling as the Ablett of his field.

HANG ON …

We’ve generally been a fan of the greater latitude being allowed in the contests so far this season, but we can see a debate  looming  on the issue of scragging, not only in the marking contests but at ground level.

Collingwood certainly wasn’t pleased about the attention paid  Travis Cloke in round three, but had a square off of sorts on Friday night in the shape of Brent Macaffer’s tagging job on Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin.

It was certainly effective, but you can rest assured Macaffer’s peers at other clubs will now be upping the ante as well.