THE DAY THE SKY FELL

by JVM

I read the other day that with the approach of the finals series, Geelong is fortunate to have almost a full list of players available with Matthew Egan as the only long-term injury. The Kangaroos are also near full strength whilst at Carlton, the Blues have been fielding close to their best team on a weekly basis for most of the season. This week they are fielding an unchanged line up. Despite all this, they will not be taking part in the finals.

At the other end of the spectrum we find the Bombers whose injury list grew to twenty during the week with only a few of these a chance to recover in time for Sunday's game against the Saints.

Melbourne's list of ailing players might not be as long but in terms of time lost you could mount a strong case that its own injury woes have in fact been more problematic in terms of its fortunes on the field. In fact, you have to go back a long way to discover when it last fielded anything that closely resembled its best side. I think I can narrow that down to the game against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG that took place in Round 17 two years ago - the day the sky fell in.

The Demons went into this encounter with a fair amount of confidence. They were riding on the crest of a wave and had won 11 out of 13 (both losses had been away games in Perth) after losing the opening three matches of the 2006 season. The fans weren't let down and they were simply too good for the Doggies that day recording a 51 point victory.

However, disaster was lurking just around the corner.

Byron Pickett and Aaron Davey who, for the better part of three months, had formed an exciting combination up forward both went down with hamstring injuries during the game, the former for the first time in his career. Out missing with them the following week was Travis Johnstone, also injured. Suddenly the team, which was sitting in third place and headed for the valuable double chance, was vulnerable.

Defeats at the hands of lowly Carlton at Telstra Dome and Sydney at the MCG followed and Melbourne finally limped into the finals series in seventh place after receiving a thrashing from an injury-depleted Adelaide in the last round.

Late in the season, the Demons lost Clint Bartram, Mark Jamar and Matthew Whelan to injury and a handful of others were under a fitness cloud at this vital time of the season.

Exit Melbourne at Subiaco after a semi final loss to Freo.

Of course that was only a portent of what was to come and the club's injury woes of 2007 and 2008 have been well documented. When the team runs out onto the MCG for its final engagement of this horror season against the Tigers, the following players will not be taking their places due to injury:-

Aaron Davey (heel), Chris Johnson (groin), Paul Johnson (hip), Brock McLean (ankle), John Meesen (ankle), Brent Moloney (shoulder), David Neitz (neck- retired), Jared Rivers (groin), Russell Robertson (Achilles) Jake Spencer (glandular fever) and Austin Wonaeamirri (hamstring).

Not all of that list are world-beaters of course, but a number are valuable members of the team and have been missing for a large slab of the season and there's also another list of players who missed games earlier in the year. The cumulative effect of the unavailability of key players has certainly had a significant effect on Melbourne's performance. Combined with the youth policy adopted by Dean Bailey, it's little wonder that the club is occupying its lowly space at the present time.

There is an upside to all this in that the club has had the opportunity to introduce fresh new faces and to give greater responsibility to its new breed of players going into the future. On Sunday, yet another newcomer in Jack Grimes will wear the red and blue guernsey in battle for the first time.

History tells us that injury problems at AFL clubs occur in cycles. In addition, medical science is advancing, the club is looking at ways in which to lessen the impact of injury in the future and it's likely that there will be changes in fitness and conditioning staff for the coming season as the Demons move to their new summer training base at Casey Fields. The Dees are due for a decent break on the injury front.

All these things point to the fact that the long journey from the time when the skies descended more than two years ago is coming to an end and a new era for the club is about to begin. It won't happen this week but, with the end of the season, we Demon fanatics have a lot more to look forward to than most of the football world thinks.

THE GAME Melbourne v Richmond at MCG - Sunday 31 August 2008 at 2.10pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 75 wins Richmond 97 wins 2 draws

At the MCG Melbourne 56 wins Richmond 63 wins 1 draw

Since 2000 Melbourne 5 wins Richmond 8 wins

The Coaches Bailey 0 wins Wallace 1 win

MEDIA

Channel 7 - delayed telecast from 3pm.

K-Rock ABC774 SEN Triple M 3AW

THE BETTING: Richmond to win $1.18 Melbourne to win $4.25

LAST TIME THEY MET: Richmond 16.20.116 d Melbourne 14.10.94 in Round 12, 2008 at Telstra Dome

Melbourne opened up brightly and led early in the second quarter when a 20 minute Richmond avalanche of goals, mainly initiated by the move forward of Matthew Richardson gave control of the game to the Tigers. The Demons fought hard to get back into the game but in the end it was Richo's dominance that was he difference between the teams. Cameron Bruce and Paul Wheatley were the best for the losing side.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

Backs Matthew Whelan Nathan Carroll Daniel Bell

Half backs James Frawley Matthew Warnock Colin Garland

Centreline Cameron Bruce James McDonald Brad Green

Half forwards Ricky Petterd Brad Miller Simon Buckley

Forwards Addam Maric Colin Sylvia Adem Yze

Followers Jeff White Clint Bartram Nathan Jones

Interchange Jack Grimes Ben Holland Cale Morton Paul Wheatley

Emergencies Stefan Martin Michael Newton Shane Valenti

In Nathan Carroll Jack Grimes James Frawley Ben Holland Addam Maric Ricky Petterd

Out Matthew Bate Lynden Dunn Mark Jamar Stefan Martin Michael Newton (all omitted) Austin Wonaeamirri (hamstring)

New Jack Grimes (Northern Knights)

RICHMOND

Backs Chris Newman Will Thursfield Kelvin Moore

Half backs Jay Schulz Luke McGuane Jordan McMahon

Centreline Matthew Richardson Shane Tuck Brett Deledio

Half forwards Matt White Joel Bowden Richard Tambling

Forwards Shane Edwards Jack Riewoldt Trent Cotchin

Followers Troy Simmonds Kane Johnson Nathan Foley

Interchange Daniel Jackson Mitch Morton Adam Pattison Greg Tivendale

Emergencies Daniel Connors Dean Polo Alex Rance

In Adam Pattison Greg Tivendale

Out Tristan Cartledge Daniel Connors (both omitted)

THE NATURE OF MEANINGLESSNESS

If ever a game qualified as a metaphor for the nature of meaninglessness then this is it.

The Tiger faithful watched on in helpless horror last week as St. Kilda came back from an early three goal deficit to roll Adelaide and thereby slam the doors of the final eight firmly shut in their faces. Now, Richmond is placed ninth on the AFL ladder and has nowhere to go. There's little likelihood that the teams immediately below them are going to pull of any shock wins so come what may, the Tiges are destined to end another year as the AFL bridesmaid. They constantly seem to be ricocheting like a pinball from last to ninth and rarely take part in any AFL glory.

From Melbourne's point of view, the best that can be achieved is the avoidance of the wooden spoon it if wins by enough and the Eagles suffer the shellacking that Bomber Thompson has promised them down at Skilled Stadium. However, the likely scenario is that the Dees will simply take the Tigers' mantle as reigning wooden spooner but at least they will have the prized first pick in the AFL Draft to go with this year's spoon – something Richmond was deprived of last year by dint of some clever manoeuvring by the Blue Boys.

Richmond will start the game as firm favourite based on current form – they've beaten Hawthorn and Fremantle in consecutive weeks and on the fact that their team is far more settled. This week there is only one change to the line-up and the Tigers have their superstar Matthew Richardson in red-hot form.

On the other hand, the Demons have shuffled the deck again this week and have made sure that Jeff White, Adem Yze and Ben Holland will have big send offs. Holland, who earlier this year, threatened Richmond with a legal suit to recover monies owing from the time when he played with the Tigers, could throw a major spanner in the works for his old side. Rumour has it that he will be serving the writ during the President's Lunch in a move that could well create AFL history. He might even be called upon to play in an unfamiliar wing position to stop Richo later in the day.

If that doesn't work, I think the Dees might use Colin Garland as a match up on the Richmond champion. In view of what transpired when the teams last met in mid season, it's likely that if he can be held then an upset victory to Melbourne is on the cards.

There's also a strong possibility that Melbourne will have its first three draft picks from last year all playing together for the first time in a prelude of things to come over the next decade – teenagers Cale Morton (4), Jack Grimes (14) and Addam Maric (21) were much sought after draftees at the end of last year. Their presence in this game will provide a lot of excitement for fans coming to catch a last sight of their team until the NAB Cup nonsense starts next February.

There will also be a great deal of interest in the performances of two Melbourne greats in Whitey and Ooze. Both of them have been fantastic players over the years for the club and both want to continue their careers elsewhere. This game means a lot to them and I'm sure that all Demon fans wish them well as they sign off their long careers at the club.

Sadly, I doubt that their farewell will be on a winning note but it should, at least, be a close one. Richmond by 13 points in another meaningless game in what for Melbourne has been a meaningless season.

Goodbye 2008.