NOTHING SPECIAL

by Whispering Jack

There are some special moments in every sporting season when excitement runs to fever pitch and the world waits expectantly upon the spectacle about to unfold but, unfortunately, that is something which is unlikely to be said of the moment when the field umpire bounces the ball start proceedings between Richmond and Melbourne at around 2.10 pm this Sunday.

The MCG co-tenants are the AFL's two most dysfunctional teams and, needless to say, both will be chasing their first victory for the year.

The Tigers have been in turmoil since their gut wrenching opening match of the season when they were not only monstered by up and comers Carlton but they also lost glamour recruit Ben Cousins to yet another hamstring injury. The turmoil turned into full blown crisis mode last Monday after the Western Bulldogs comprehensively mauled them in the last three quarters of their game. Their supporters have been up in arms calling for the sacking of everyone from the president, the board, the coach and even the boot studder.

I'm not a fan of Terry Wallace and I can understand the dissatisfaction of the Tiger faithful with a 0-3 score line after three rounds but plenty of teams have fought back from their situation to complete successful seasons. It's too early to be calling for his head. Of course, next week's another matter altogether if his charges falter against Melbourne.

It's becoming commonplace for the Demons to face opposition teams at times when they are under the pump from their own supporters, the media and the public. Collingwood had just been through a week of soul searching after its shock opening round defeat at home against Adelaide and the Power endured seven days of ridicule and disgrace after being thumped out west. Now, it's the disgraced Tigers that carry the load of their insipid, mistake-riddled, inept losing form into their game against the Demons. You can't buy motivation better than that and what's more, Richmond has the perfect opposition in the AFL's punching bag against which to launch its recovery.

For its part, Melbourne keeps on rolling along like Old Man River. No headlines in bold letters, just a feel good fluff piece half a dozen pages from the back about Jim Stynes wanting his injury-riddled team to start winning "so a losing mentality doesn't creep in." As if it hasn't well and truly crept in after the team has lost 39 of its last 47 games!

Which all proves that Sunday's game at the MCG will be like the last couple of meetings between the two clubs.

Nothing special.

THE GAME Melbourne v Richmond at MCG - Sunday 19 April 2009 at 2.10pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Richmond 98 wins Melbourne 75 wins 2 draws

At the MCG Richmond 64 wins Melbourne 56 wins 1 draw

Since 2000 Richmond 9 wins Melbourne 5 wins

The Coaches Wallace 2 wins Bailey 0 wins

MEDIA

TV Channel 7 3 pm (1 hour delay)

Radio 3AW MMM K Rock

THE BETTING Richmond to win $1.33 Melbourne to win $3.15

LAST TIME THEY MET Richmond 18.13.121 d Melbourne 6.5.41 in Round 22, 2008 at the MCG

The Tigers finished off a season of improvement with a massive 80 point victory over a pathetic Melbourne team for which the end of the season couldn't come quickly enough. Unfortunately for the Demons and those of their supporters who turned up it was a slow death.

THE TEAMS

RICHMOND

Backs Chris Newman Kelvin Moore Alex Rance

Half Backs Tom Hislop Luke McGuane Dean Polo

Centerline Matt White Shane Tuck Andrew Collins

Half Forwards Nathan Brown Matthew Richardson Joel Bowden

Forwards Mitch Morton Jack Reiwoldt Brett Deledio

Followers Troy Simmons Daniel Jackson Nathan Foley

Interchange Daniel Connors Angus Graham Jordan McMahon Robin Nahas

Emergency Shane Edwards Jake King Jarred Oakley-Nicholls

In Andrew Collins Daniel Connors Jordan McMahon Robin Nahas

Out Shane Edwards Jake King Jay Schulz Richard Tambling

New Andrew Collins (Bendigo Pioneers)

MELBOURNE

Backs Neville Jetty Matthew Warnock Jared Rivers

Half Backs James Frawley Stefan Martin Aaron Davey

Centerline Jamie Benn ell Lynden Dunn Brock McLean

Half Forwards Matthew Bate Brent Maloney Michael Newton

Forwards Brad Miller Colin Sylvia Caleb Morton

Followers John Meesen Cameron Bruce Brad Green

Interchange Clint Bartram Paul Johnson Nathan Jones Ricky Petted

Emergencies Kyle Cheney Adam Maric Jake Spencer

In Michael Newton

Out Kyle Cheney

MORE OF THE SAME

It's no secret that Melbourne has been struggling under the weight of injuries and inexperience after off loading a number of club stalwarts at the end of 2008 and for this reason, the Demons and their coaching staff have been let off lightly by their own supporters and the baying dogs in the media who delight in making a meal out of the predicaments of others.

The mantra about the team having bottomed out and the supporters needing to be patient is one thing but this cannot be allowed to become the convenient response to issues of concern about the team's performance on a week to week basis and there are several of these matters that need to be addressed as the club goes through its transition from cellar dweller to what will hopefully be a better future somewhere down the line.

The inexperience factor is obviously one that is hurting the Demons right now. This week, the team will comprise of no more than four players with 100 games or more of AFL experience; Aaron Davey who reached the ton last week, Brad Miller who did so last year and Brad Green and Cameron Bruce who are in the 180's. To date, these players are at least holding their own but their combined experience is not enough to hold a young team together. If you look at the other clubs and the amount of experienced players they field each week (including this week's opponent Richmond which has several over 30's) and you know where the club is in terms of the cycle of development.

At the other end of the scale, the club is fielding large numbers of players each week with less than fifty game's experience and five of the 26 tried so far this season have been debutants. Again, you can't expect much more from these players than what they've produced to date.

Where the problem lies in my view is with the group of players in the early to mid 20's age group who have been at the club for around five years or so and who have generally played between around 50 and 100 games in that time. This group comprises names like Matthew Bate, Daniel Bell, Lynden Dunn, Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones, Brock McLean, Brent Moloney, Jared Rivers, Colin Sylvia. Michael Newton hasn't quite reached the games tally but you can add him to the group as well. Many of these players are first round draft picks and the club held high hopes for them in the past. Collectively, they are failing the club because their performances are simply not up to expectations.

Yes, there are excuses in almost every case. A few are injured and haven't played yet this year. Moloney has been good after a couple of poor seasons. However, these players are vital for Melbourne's future resurgence and yet, they haven't taken the steps forward that are demanded at most AFL clubs. It would be a tragedy if their slow development (some would say their development is non existent) would be glossed over because of the "bottom out factor" which has seen the club avoid the criticism that's fallen upon Richmond and Terry Wallace this week. These players need to rise to the occasion in 2009 and not wait for the players of lesser experience to overtake them.

The other area where the Demons are really struggling is up forward where an often outnumbered and outmanned attack is not only having difficulty in kicking anything like a winning score but is also constantly failing to keep the ball inside its forward fifty metre arc. The ball is routinely being swept away by opposition defenders who seem to be better positioned to the fall of the football and are able to move the ball out of defence with minimal pressure. The return to the team of Michael Newton and Adam Maric this week might assist but I suspect that the forward line issue is more of a long term problem for the Dees and will not be solved until more recently drafted younger blood is ready to play at this level.

I've focussed predominantly on one team in this game because the other has been well covered in the media. Richmond will probably get up in this game because their form has ironically been less unimpressive (on the strength of the Tigers' performance against Geelong) than that of Melbourne which has made itself irrelevant again in the eyes of the football public.

So the result may be irrelevant but I'm tipping Richmond by 15 points in what should be a dull, boring and colourless encounter on Sunday afternoon.