QUEENSLAND: PERFECT ONE DAY, RIEWOLDTING THE NEXT

[Demonland 73,140]

QUEENSLAND: PERFECT ONE DAY, RIEWOLDTING THE NEXT by the Demonland Crew

A week or so on the Gold Coast: Whispering Jack's Diary

I'm up here with the entire family for a couple of special events to celebrate including my birthday (today, Thursday). A friend rang up to wish me well and asked whether I felt I had aged. I told him that I hadn't but the story might be a little different on Saturday night.

So to start things off, the first part of this week's preview is actually my diary of the week on the Gold Coast leading up to the big game:

MONDAY:

I've been up here on the Coast for a few days now and whoever tried to pull the stunt about Queensland being beautiful one day, perfect the next should be committed to a psychiatric ward. It rained heavily last week and that combined with the high winds has played havoc with the beaches and many sporting grounds. They cancelled two NAB Cup under 18 national championship games at Carrara and many local sporting fixtures were either cancelled or relocated to different venues.

After a brilliant day on Friday, the weather turned again on Saturday and we had more strong winds, torrential rain, high tides and the odd case of flooding from the afternoon and into the evening. This made it possible for me to survey the conditions that prevail for your average couch potato and they're pretty flash I must say if your room has Foxtel and HDTV. Friday night's game between the Cats and the Dogs was available through Prime HD (Northern NSW affiliate of the 7 Network), the rest of the games were available live through a combination of One and Foxtel although I didn't bother on Saturday night because I just knew I would be upset by the Richmond and the West Coast results. Sunday evening at 4.40pm was compulsory viewing on Fox Sports 1. Pity about the result.

There are very few signs (none in fact) of the impending arrival of the Melbourne Football Club, very little enthusiasm apparent for GC17 and I can see why the AFL is throwing money at this initiative along with a year's supply of first round draft picks, advantageous trading conditions and salary cap concessions. I fear a monumental flop coming on with the creation of another artificial football club that will serve to further dilute supporter passions for the game. I mean if you try to engage a local here on important topics like how they think GC17's clash jumper is going to look when they come into the competition, they look at you as if you are a nutter.

Anyway, can't wait for the Dees to arrive. I was hoping it would be a Melbourne team triumphant after beating the Hawks down in Melbourne. Now all I can do is hope that Carrara manages to dry out in time. If they cancel Saturday night's Carrara game and move it elsewhere, I'm taking legal action!

TUESDAY:

Nathan Ablett at Broadbeach in the QAFL is a long, long way away from being the AFL premiership player he was with his brother in 2007 but they're a complex family, the Abletts!

Nathan's father was one of the greats and Gary Junior is on his way there with a first Brownlow Medal beckoning. I just hope that people leave Nathan to just be himself, to do what he wants and to live his own life. Still, there is sure to be inevitably be conjecture as to whether he will join GC 17. I'm just not so sure that he will want to return to the life of travel and being in the limelight.

I have two Ablett stories relating to the Gold Coast. A few years ago I read Garry Linnell's unauthorised biography of Ablett Senior [Playing God: The Rise & Fall of Gary Ablett] and I rate it high on the list of football books, possibly just behind Richard Stremski's "Kill for Collingwood". It brought home clearly the tragedy of a champion footballer, a lost, conflicted country boy thrust into a life of fame for which he simply wasn't ready. Once you read it, you can understand why one of his sons might want to shun the life of fame, fortune and adulation as an AFL footballer. Today, Ablett the father is doing his best to redeem himself and the news in yesterday's paper was that he was doing some good work visiting prisons to inspire the inmates.

About 20 years ago, Ablett Senior's marriage fell apart. My recollection of the events which were pretty much constantly in the public domain is a bit hazy, especially the order of events. The story went that one of the locals, a pizza delivery man, was fond of the estranged Mrs. Ablett and there ensued an altercation between him and Gary Senior. Local tongues were wagging and it proved too much for the Cats' star player who promptly announced his retirement and took off for the wild blue yonder. The media had a field day speculating on his whereabouts constantly asking "Where's Gary?" and writing about reported sightings from all over the country.

Our paths crossed at an Italian restaurant in Surfers Paradise. I was picking up some take away food for the family and in walked the great man himself. I think I was the only one there who recognised him (the Brisbane Bears already existed but they were still virtually anonymous in a predominantly rugby state) and I immediately searched for something on which he could scribble his autograph for proof that I'd seen him in the flesh while he was "hiding out". Just then the man behind the counter announced, "Order for Jack, Margharita Pizza, Aussie Pizza, Spag Bol and Ravioli!". I looked at the pizza box and for a split second was going to ask Gary to put his autograph on top of the box. Only then did I remember the story about Garry and his fight with the pizza delivery man and I thought for my own safety I should leave well enough alone. I paid for the food and left without even acknowledging the country's finest footballer.

I've often wondered since then how valuable an item that pizza box might have been had the great Gary Ablett signed it for me. I reckon I could get a fortune for it on eBay. What I do know is that if I happen to bump into Nathan up here at Nicolonis Pizza on the Gold Coast Highway, despite what I wrote earlier about leaving Nathan lone, I would have no hesitation...

WEDNESDAY:

The last couple of days have been pretty taxing but they constitute what is considered an absolute necessity when travelling to the Gold Coast with young children in tow. Visits to Seaworld (yesterday) and MovieWorld (today) are enough to wear out a Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and The Flash (the film character, not Aaron Davey) let alone a mere mortal from Melbourne. No time to stop for a even a second as we rush from show to show, ride to ride and game to game. I think either of the 3D Shrek Show or the dodgems caused my whiplash but the real nightmares will come later.

Sitting down on a bench next to my son, Marilyn Monroe and Austin Powers, we notice someone walk past attired in one of those alternative Hawthorn guernseys that made the Dockers' jumper look half decent when they played against each other a fortnight ago.

This led to reminiscences about a game we used to play on the train on the way to the footy. The idea was that whichever team's colours we saw first would win the game. Despite the randomness of our sightings, the results were incredibly accurate although they weren't really that random when you considered that no self respecting football goer would be seen wearing the old Brisbane Bears or Fremantle jumpers in our home town. Marilyn yawns and walks off arm in arm with Powers.

More rides, more shows, a stroll down the main street of Gotham City and it's time to leave. Then, just as we are about to exit through the turnstiles, he comes into view. A tall blond bloke wearing a Saints guernsey, the number 12 sown on his back.

The nightmares are beginning...

THURSDAY:

The boys were up early today to watch Barcelona's Champions League final triumph over Manchester United at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. By the time I woke up, the Spanish team was already celebrating its 2-0 victory and once I realised that the winners wore the famous red and blue colours I was celebrating with them.

An encouraging omen for tomorrow night perhaps?

THE GAME St. Kilda v Melbourne at Carrara 30 May 2009 at 7.10 pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall St. Kilda 79 wins Melbourne 118 wins 1 draw

At Carrara St. Kilda 0 wins Melbourne 0 wins.

Since 2000 St. Kilda 4 wins Melbourne 9 wins

The Coaches Lyon 1 Bailey 0

MEDIA

TV Fox Sports 1 - live at 7.00 pm

RADIO ABC 774 Triple M

THE BETTING St. Kilda to win $1.08 Melbourne to win $7.00

LAST TIME THEY MET St. Kilda 19.15.129 defeated Melbourne 7.8.50 at Telstra Dome - Round 10 2008

From Melbourne's point of view everything about the game was ugly starting with its attire for the game, the now retired silver number that had patches of red and blue and resembled a clown's outfit from the Moscow Circus. Some of the Demons even did a good job trying to emulate the great Russian clown Popov but for some reason the fans didn't think it was funny. For this reason our preview this week also features another (relatively) recent game.

LAST TIME THEY MET IN A FINAL Melbourne 13.12.90 defeated St. Kilda 10.12.72 at the MCG Elimination Final 2006

The Saints made the early running and held a handy lead at the main break but it was whittled down in the second half. Brock McLean had a wonderful game and rammed home an important goal in the final quarter. Jeff White rucked strongly and Cam Bruce was at the top of his form for most of the game. A highlight was Nathan Carroll stopping Fraser Gehrig who was trying to lairise by running around him.

The next time the teams met was in Round 1, 2007 by which time the Demons were hit by an injury curse and were overrun by the rampant Saints in what was considered a surprise result. They also met once in 2008 and are due to meet each other again in Round 22.

THE TEAMS

ST KILDA

Backs Farren Ray Jason Blake Zac Dawson

Half backs Steven Baker Sam Fisher Brendon Goddard

Centreline Raphael Clarke Luke Ball Nick Dal Santo

Half forwards Stephen Milne Nick Riewoldt Adam Schneider

Forwards Lenny Hayes Justin Koschitzke Sam Gilbert

Followers Michael Gardiner Clint Jones Leigh Montagna

Interchange Jarryn Geary James Gwilt Steven King Andrew McQualter

Emergencies David Armitage Jason Gram Luke Miles

MELBOURNE

Backs Matthew Whelan Matthew Warnock Jared Rivers

Half backs James Frawley Stefan Martin Aaron Davey

Centreline Jack Grimes Cale Morton Brock McLean

Half forwards Colin Sylvia Brad Miller Daniel Bell

Forwards Brad Green Matthew Bate Cameron Bruce

Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney James McDonald

Interchange Jamie Bennell Paul Johnson Nathan Jones Addam Maric

Emergencies Kyle Cheney Lynden Dunn Ricky Petterd

In Daniel Bell Mark Jamar

Out Ricky Petterd Russell Robertson

Enough from me. Now it's the Demonlanders' turn to have their say on the game. Thanks to the following who contributed their views:-

High Tower

Melbourne takes on league leaders St.Kilda at the Gold Coast this Saturday night, Round 10.

St.Kilda 9-0 184%

Melbourne 1-8 75%

Every man and his dog would expect St.Kilda to take the 4 points this week. So too St.Kilda just 'quietly'.

However this game takes on some significance despite top vs. bottom. St.Kilda defeated Brisbane yesterday in a bruising encounter at Etihad in a good solid last quarter. It must be noted that Brisbane matched them at the base of the packs where St.Kilda pride themselves on. With Simon Black having one of his better games and the Brisbane Lions amassing a massive 85 tackles! I'd imagine there would be a few sore bodies down at Moorabbin.

For a young group like Melbourne, it's good for them to get away and travel together with a sole focus of obtaining the four points. Melbourne desperate for a win, showed enough against West Coast at Subiaco for me to think they are a definite chance of toppling the league leaders in 'not so sunny' Queensland on a heavy track, on the back of their performances against Hawthorn and Western Bulldogs. Having outscored the reigning Premiers 9 goals to Hawthorn's 6 in the second half can only do Melbourne's confidence good leading into Round 10.

Some impressive performances by Colin Sylvia with 4 goals, Stefan Martin pinch hitting up forward and the positive return of Brad Green from a broken jaw, against a strong Hawthorn line-up are further good news for Melbourne supporters who are just waiting to dine out for a win.

St.Kilda better be careful and on their game, because Melbourne are coming!

St.Kilda by 4 points in a hard slog.

Quote by St.Kilda coach Ross Lyon after the game, "Credit to Melbourne, they're a good side, they will trouble teams this year and a win, I'm sure, is just around the corner for them if they keep persisting."

Grimes to Watts

Melbourne by 12 points. It will be one for the history books.

Dreamin' Demon

I can't see us winning however, this is a neutral ground for both of us therefore, anything is possible. Looking at the recent rains there, it could very well be a hard slog.

The Great Pretender

How do we overcome the undefeated Saints? They have a super midfield and two great key forwards who are in form - not unlike the Hawks who beat us last Sunday. Well, we overcame a poor start and not only avoided a blow out but we came back nicely to finish with only two scoring shots less than the Hawks. It would have been one less had Robbo decided not to lairise. So it's all about application for 100% of the game, not 60% or 80%.

Why you little

The Saints will Jump us early & then Hold sway. Similar to last Sunday.

Those wankers will earn every minute of it though. Melbourne is a Tough Tackling Learning Side.

The Saints ruckmen will absolutely Murder us, in tandem.

Saints by 17

SidVicious

Just picked up a copy of Inside Football and I can't believe their gall. Each week they rank the games in order of interest and guess what game they nominated as the one attracting the least interest?

That's right!

The big one at Carrara on Saturday night. That's bollocks.

Demon Den

Hopefully Milney's size 45 head will become wedged between the goal posts making it harder for them to score … Dees by 5pts.

Mister Ed

Last week's clash between Melbourne and Hawthorn provided a reality check for those of us who have been banking on steady and regular improvement from an emerging young Demon team.

Despite the fact that Melbourne produced a presentable showing in finishing only 22 points down against the reigning premier, the reality was that Hawthorn returned to some of its premiership winning form and smashed the hapless Demons in the first half of the game. They relaxed their grip on the game when forced to play two men short after injuries put an end to the games of Moss and Stokes.

Will the Demons have the same luxury against the Saints at Carrara and Colin Sylvia be able to produce anything like his ground breaking display in midfield by Colin Sylvia when he amassed a career best 37 disposals and four goals?

I think not and that is why I confidently select the favourite to salute on Saturday night although the young Dees should take game right up to them.

And thanks to casey scorp for providing the weather report:-

Gold Coast/Tweed Heads

Forecast for Thursday

Fine.

Precis: Fine. Min 13 Max 23

UV Alert: 10:10 am to 1:20 pm, UV Index predicted to reach 4 [Moderate]

Friday Shower or two. Max 23

Saturday Shower or two. Max 21

Sunday A few shower. Max 21

The team arrives tomorrow and there's an official club function on at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 7.30 pm. Anyone who's interested and is coming up here for the game can contact the MFC but hurry because I understand it's well booked.

I haven't yet had an opportunity to study the teams yet but, on exposed form, I don't believe that it's possible to go past St. Kilda in this one although it might be a lot closer than many people think.