MATCH PREVIEW AND TEAM SELECTION - ROUND 10

[JV7 2,339]

Has anyone seen Gold coast indigenous jumper.. It's predominantly red, going to be fun watching!

[Wiseblood 24,636]

2 minutes ago, JV7 said:

Has anyone seen Gold coast indigenous jumper.. It's predominantly red, going to be fun watching!

Ours is predominantly blue so it won't be an issue.

Edit - actually, it's half and half:

Edited May 25, 2017 by Wiseblood

[picket fence 15,046]

13 hours ago, Demonland said:

THE BOOK OF MELBON by The Oracle

Hello!

This is the story about a bunch of nice guys who, at one stage, believed they were destined to do something incredible.

When the Demons comfortably beat the Latter Day Saints in the opening round of the 2017 season it was a case of brimming wide toothy smiles from all of the Melbourne players and their supporters. 

We were in for a great season and it didn't matter that one team member was injured in the early stages of the first game or that one of the better players was reported as a result of a stupid indiscretion. The team was young, happy, healthy and most of all they BELIEVED ... and all was well and good. The Book of Melbon was about to be spread across every corner of the world.

In the weeks to follow the team was taken to dark places. More of those smiling players were injured or suspended. The promise of paradise inspired by the historical figure of their long gone ancient coach Norman Smith evaporated into thin air. The team faced its own demons in the guise of an inability to cope with expectation that comes with a team on the rise. They had to find a way to address and overcome their inconsistencies, to find the courage to take control of the situation, to "Man Up".

The AFL's Mission Control sent the Demons to Alice Springs in the red centre of the country to convert the locals and to make them love the game of Australian Rules but the population there already had problems of their own. 

Meanwhile, those smiling young boys from Melbon had to confront another enemy, one that had recently been on a sojourn to another continent where they were battered from pillar to post and were now on a mission of revenge. To their sheer amazement the Demons and their fans discovered the local bookies had installed them as outright favourite to win their forthcoming confrontation with the Gold Coast Suns. Panic immediately set in and the nightmare began once again in the form of the "Spooky Melbon Hell Dream".

This incredible saga has a dramatic twist and I'll be back after interval (team selection) to tell the rest of the story ... 

THE GAME

Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns at Traeger Park, Alice Springs Saturday 27 May, 2017 at 4.40pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall - Melbourne 6 wins Gold Coast Suns 3 wins 

At Traeger Park - Melbourne 0 wins Gold Coast Suns 0 wins 

Past five matches - Melbourne 3 wins Gold Coast Suns 2 wins

The Coaches -  Goodwin 0 wins Eade 0 wins

MEDIA

TV - Fox Footy Channel - Live at 4.30pm

RADIO - Triple M SEN ABC ABC Grandstand

THE BETTING

Melbourne to win - $1.45 Gold Coast Suns to win - $2.75

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

Melbourne 9.12.66 defeated Gold Coast Suns 9.10.64 at MCG Round 19, 2016

After handing out a thrashing to the Suns on their home turf earlier in the season, the Demons started as white hot favourite to repeat the dose on the MCG. Predictably, their inconsistency shone through and it was only the heroism of a smiling Jack Watts that saw the team home by a narrow two point margin at the end of the day.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

B: Jayden Hunt, Sam Frost, Neville Jetta 
HB: Michael Hibberd, Oscar McDonald, Jordan Lewis 
C: Nathan Jones, Clayton Oliver, Bernie Vince 
HF: Jeff Garlett, Cameron Pedersen, James Harmes 
F: Tomas Bugg, Christian Petracca, Mitch Hannan 
FOLL: Tom McDonald, Dom Tyson, Jack Viney 
I/C: Jake Melksham, Alex Neal-Bullen, Josh Wagner, Jack Watts
EMG: Dean Kent, Christian Salem, Sam Weideman 

IN: James Harmes, Jake Melksham, Alex Neal-Bullen 

OUT: Dean Kent (omitted), Christian Salem (suspended), Sam Weideman (omitted) 

GOLD COAST

B: Jesse Joyce, Jack Leslie, Jarrod Harbrow
HB: Sean Lemmens, Steven May, Adam Saad
C: Alex Sexton, Will Brodie, David Swallow
HF: Jarryd Lyons, Tom J. Lynch, Touk Miller
F: Brandon Matera, Peter Wright, Jack Martin
FOLL: Jarrod Witts, Aaron Hall, Michael Barlow
I/C:  Brayden Fiorini, Pearce Hanley, Kade Kolodjashnij, Brad Scheer
EMG: Keegan Brooksby, Matt Shaw, Mackenzie Willis 

IN: Will Brodie, Pearce Hanley, David Swallow, 
OUT: Gary Ablett (shoulder), Jack Bowes (illness), Keegan Brooksby (omitted) 

Pffft Selections 

ANB, HARMES NQR 

Oscar needs to go 

Would have had inns....

Stretch, Kennedy and King !!!! Yeah thats right KING a bloke who is an actual TALL ruckman!

We will be Flogged!!

[monoccular 16,009]

6 minutes ago, JV7 said:

Has anyone seen Gold coast indigenous jumper.. It's predominantly red, going to be fun watching!

Don't worry. Gil will say, after the game, that he will do something about it, for next year, if his polling says he should.  

Or, maybe he will make us, as the home team, use our "clash indigenous jumper".

[JV7 2,339]

8 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Ours is predominantly blue so it won't be an issue.

Edit - actually, it's half and half:

I don't know how to post an image but I have one with them side by side & it's not ideal

Edited May 25, 2017 by JV7

[In Harmes Way 7,477]

58 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

GAJ's psychologist informed his club that he was having psychotic paranoia outbursts at the prospect of facing Jack Viney again. Too many shadows to jump at. So he can't make it this week. 

Ha moonie - that was exactly my thought process!

heard GABJnr was out, and immediately thought of the "Jack Viney made me cry" thread

[Wiseblood 24,636]

Just now, JV7 said:

I don't know how to post an image but I have one with then side by side & it's not ideal

You're probably right, although I recall their red being closer to orange.  I thought ours was mostly blue but the above picture shows how much attention I was paying at the time.

[JV7 2,339]

Heres a link to their one anyway... 

http://m.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/2017-05-22/individual-totems-represent-suns-indigenous-players

[In Harmes Way 7,477]

11 minutes ago, JV7 said:

Has anyone seen Gold coast indigenous jumper.. It's predominantly red, going to be fun watching!

If there's a Guernsey clash and we lose this game like we did the pink lady game in the early 2000's when Beamer did the quick handball from heavy congestion with 1m to play to a "teammate" in space which actually turned out to be the umpire wearing pink, turnover...bulldogs goal (win).

Then I'll be severely [censored] off.

[TickleMeTyson 137]

Like the ins this week, conditions will suit a smaller quicker team. I'm still incredibly frustrated with Kent, has all the physical attributes to be an elite pressure forward just can't seem to do it for long enough. Melksham hasn't set the world on fire, I hope he's a bit more settled and has confidence after his stint in the seconds. 

More optimistic this week than last, Ablett out and the Suns won't worry us as much around the contest as other sides. I think we'll have them covered in the middle the question will be whether or not our forward line is functional. So basically good entries, limiting May's influence and the Suns devasting run off half back (Hanley/Kolodjashnij/Saad/Harbrow all have genuine pace and can break the lines). I think Frost can handle Tom Lynch (or at least keep him to a couple) and if our defense holds up I'd love to see T-Mac swung forward again to release Watts up the field. 

[daisycutter 28,452]

16 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Ours is predominantly blue so it won't be an issue.

Edit - actually, it's half and half:

here's comparison

[Gator 16,891]

Hate these themed rounds.

[mattjm 151]

oh good. we are starting favourites!!!

[DubDee 20,332]

1 hour ago, Wiseblood said:

Totally disagree, but I'm wasting my time.

Ditto for you, too.  We aren't pushovers and can match it with anyone.

Match it with anyone but it's just the winning part we have trouble with. 

Some would that is the most important part

[Wiseblood 24,636]

This time it's Scott Selwood who just flops over on the ground and it's given as a push in the back.

They have 7 FF between them!

[Binmans PA 25,890]

1 hour ago, Skuit said:

From a statistical KPI perspective, we're actually a very close match with Gold Coast - except we have a massive advantage in tackles. Exactly where we need to win this match.

I'd say we're most similar to Port and Bulldogs, but both of those teams do it consistently.

[hardtack 10,126]

1 hour ago, JV7 said:

Has anyone seen Gold coast indigenous jumper.. It's predominantly red, going to be fun watching!

Who knows, it might help us out when it comes to free kicks.

[Brownie 5,121]

3 hours ago, ProperDee said:

I know it may change at game time but just seeing Oscar lined up on Lynch made my bowel loosen a tad.

I'd suggest a quick enema at about 4pm on Saturday.

better to be safe than sorry .

[monoccular 16,009]

1 hour ago, daisycutter said:

here's comparison

The front shouldn't be too confusing but how about the back view?

[pitmaster 3,052]

1 hour ago, small but forward said:

If there's a Guernsey clash and we lose this game like we did the pink lady game in the early 2000's when Beamer did the quick handball from heavy congestion with 1m to play to a "teammate" in space which actually turned out to be the umpire wearing pink, turnover...bulldogs goal (win).

Then I'll be severely [censored] off.

I thought that was Clint Bartram, on the wing that created the crucial turnover. I am open to correction but in any case the AFL  was responsible for allowing those fraudulent fools (UMPIRES) to impersonate players.

[bing181 8,149]

3 hours ago, Nasher said:

Plapp used the word "dominant" to describe ANB's performance last week, and Harmes the week prior.  Melksham's game was described as "AFL level game in the VFL".  The pecking order was clear from the report.

Billy will be back though.  

Billy Stretch: "He was strong in the air and around the ball, and gave us a lot of drive. ... After spending a few weeks back in the VFL, he made a bit of a statement on the weekend and he’s on the right track. We were happy with Billy."

Alex Neal-Bullen: " Some kicking let him down in mid-forward connection – an area he’s working on, but his number suggested he had a dominant game, although he didn’t quite finish off some work at times ."

Just saying.

[dazzledavey36 48,642]

1 minute ago, bing181 said:

Billy Stretch: "He was strong in the air and around the ball, and gave us a lot of drive. ... After spending a few weeks back in the VFL, he made a bit of a statement on the weekend and he’s on the right track. We were happy with Billy."

Alex Neal-Bullen: " Some kicking let him down in mid-forward connection – an area he’s working on, but his number suggested he had a dominant game, although he didn’t quite finish off some work at times ."

Just saying.

If we were to go off those comments then Stretch should have been named and ANB as Emergency.

Im worried about ANB. The guy just completely panicks and shoves the footy onto his boot with the tiny bit of pressure put on him. Needs to clean this side of his game quick.

[Binmans PA 25,890]

15 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

If we were to go off those comments then Stretch should have been named and ANB as Emergency.

Im worried about ANB. The guy just completely panicks and shoves the footy onto his boot with the tiny bit of pressure put on him. Needs to clean this side of his game quick.

I can't think of many (if any) Melbourne players that have eradicated panicking like ANB does, except perhaps Sam Frost. That said, we now have some decent development coaches.

Still, I can't see ANB making it long-term.

[picket fence 15,046]

26 minutes ago, A F said:

I can't think of many (if any) Melbourne players that have eradicated panicking like ANB does, except perhaps Sam Frost. That said, we now have some decent development coaches.

Still, I can't see ANB making it long-term.

Me either, also FWIW ,both jumpers look far too alike!!!  Another AFL stuff up! Hey Gill time to go back to Polo!

Can we get someone who has actually played the game take charge! ??

[Monocology 1,107]

4 hours ago, Nasher said:

Plapp used the word "dominant" to describe ANB's performance last week, and Harmes the week prior.  Melksham's game was described as "AFL level game in the VFL".  The pecking order was clear from the report.

Billy will be back though.  

Plapp's player descriptions after Casey's heavy loses this year have made me re-check the results every time. Bloke could sell snow in a blizzard FCS.