EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE

by The Oracle

"Every breath you take

And every move you make

Every bond you break

Every step you take I'll be watching you" - Sting

The last time Melbourne beat North Melbourne was almost exactly three years ago - in Round 20, 2006. The Demons were on their way to the finals, skipper David Neitz was in his prime and, after a few heart flutters in the first half, they hit their stride and recorded a runaway victory 20.12.132 to 12.10.82.

The opposition were then known just as the plain Kangaroos and at that late stage of proceedings they certainly weren't showing very much of the magical Shinboner spirit for which they were famous. In fact, they were going nowhere in season 2006. As the winter deepened and their finals hopes flew out of the window, their hierarchy made an apparent decision to put up the shutters. The Roos weren't tanking or deliberately trying to lose matches but ... let's just say that their priorities might have been elsewhere. Players were shipped off to hospital for operations, new recruits were pushed up and tried out and there was a fair bit of experimentation going on. And associated with all that, was some of the rubbish football that you expect from a lowly team at the end of a long season.

The Kangaroos and their poor run late in 2006 barely registered a blimp on anyone's radar. Nobody cared and most looked away as they stumbled into 14th place. When it was all over, they drafted Lachlan Hansen with pick number three overall behind Bryce Gibbs (Carlton) and Scott Gumbleton (Essendon). The first round priority pick didn't come into play that year but Hansen was considered a good pick up at the time. He has yet to justify his high ranking in that draft.

A little over 12 months later and all and sundry were handing out kudos to Dean Laidley and the Kangaroos for a brilliant coup in list management that resulted in the fit and healthy team that stormed up the AFL ladder to make it to 2007 Preliminary Final weekend. The fact that they prematurely ended some players' seasons and became virtually uncompetitive in the last month of the season before was not remembered by many. Few recalled the easy way in which Neitz was allowed to boot his eight goals for the match, the fact that a young and inexperienced Nathan Jones was allowed to do as he liked in the Demons' midfield or that a week later, the Kangaroos managed just four goals against the then lowly Hawks in Launceston.

They Kangaroos of 2006 were a fumbling train wreck of ineptitude but no eyebrows were raised when the extensive list management programme of that year was parlayed into such a successful on field performance over the following twelve months.

These days, things are different. The thought police in the media have devised a new game; one in which every coach of every team whose season is well and truly spent is expected to focus exclusively on winning at all costs. Any form of experimentation with the game plan or player roles and their positions is looked upon with suspicion. If a player undergoes a season ending operation nowadays, then he and his club are automatically considered to be cheats. Playing a young backman in the forward line will land you in trouble and some big hero in the media who cheered when his team tanked big time a couple of years ago wants you guillotined. If someone from the team that's meant to win fumbles, it's because of the swirly conditions but if you're in the team that's supposed to be playing for last place, then unless you take the ball first grab, you're a cheat.

That's the way of the world these days. Big brother is watching every move you make!

THE GAME

North Melbourne v Melbourne on Sunday 9th August 2009 at Etihad Stadium at 1.10pm.

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall North Melbourne 64 wins Melbourne 83 wins 1 draw

At Etihad Stadium North Melbourne 2 wins Melbourne 0 wins

Since 2000 North Melbourne 8 wins Melbourne 7 wins

The Coaches Crocker 0 wins Bailey 0 wins

MEDIA

TV Fox Sports 1 live from 12.30pm

RADIO ABC774 SEN

THE BETTING North Melbourne to win $1.40 Melbourne to win $2.80

LAST TIME THEY MET North Melbourne 15.11.101 defeated Melbourne 10.7.67 at the MCG in Round 1 2009

The young Demons made a fist of it in the first half but the Kangaroos, with McIntosh dominant in the ruck and dangerous around goals, ran away to a comfortable victory. Leigh Harding was dominant for North while Brent Moloney made a good return after a long layoff with injury.

THE TEAMS

NORTH MELBOURNE

Backs Daniel Pratt Scott Thompson Gavin Urquhart

Half backs Brady Rawlings Nathan Grima Scott McMahon

Centreline Josh Gibson Michael Firrito Liam Anthony

Half forwards Matt Campbell Corey Jones Brent Harvey

Forwards Leigh Adams Drew Petrie Lindsay Thomas

Followers Hamish McIntosh Andrew Swallow Levi Greenwood

Interchange (from) Todd Goldstein Lachie Hansen Daniel Harris Sam Power

Emergencies Aaron Edwards Cruize Garlett Ed Lower

In Leigh Adams Aaron Edwards Cruize Garlett Daniel Harris Ed Lower

Out Leigh Harding (hamstring) Adam Simpson (retired)

MELBOURNE

Backs Shane Valenti James Frawley Kyle Cheney

Half backs Clint Bartram Jared Rivers Cameron Bruce

Centreline Lynden Dunn James McDonald Aaron Davey

Half forwards Brent Moloney Michael Newton Cale Morton

Forwards Brad Miller Stefan Martin Matthew Bate

Followers Jake Spencer Neville Jetta Nathan Jones

Interchange Rohan Bail Tom McNamara Ricky Petterd Colin Sylvia

Emergencies Simon Buckley Paul Johnson Russell Robertson

In Rohan Bail Simon Brent Moloney Cale Morton Tom McNamara Colin Sylvia

Out Jamie Bennell (knee) Jack Grimes (hip) Paul Johnson Matthew Warnock (ankle) Matthew Whelan (foot)

New Rohan Bail (Mount Gravatt, Qld) Tom McNamara (South Adelaide, SA)

THE TROPHY

I usually take a fair amount of notice of the odds on offer from the bookies but there's something a little on the nose about what's being offered on the result of this game. North Melbourne is without doubt the worst performed team in the competition at the moment. The Kangaroos haven't won a game since 23 May when they narrowly downed Fremantle at Etihad Stadium in Round 9. The 2008 semi finalists have now lost eight and drawn one of the last nine games. Their coach Darren Crocker is still in search of his first win although he and his team have been the victim of some close defeats. However, when you add the fact that they have now lost their former skipper Adam Simpson and big improver Leigh Harding to the continued absence of major playmaker in Daniel Wells, it's hard to fathom why they are such strong favourites. The odds are painting them as a much better team than one that hasn't managed to taste victory for over two months. At least the Demons have smelled the scent of victory twice since the Kangaroos began their run of outs.

Melbourne has been under intense scrutiny after its narrow loss to Richmond even though the Tigers had to rely on an after the siren goal from Jordan McMahon to seal victory with a kick. The criticism from the media pack won't stop Demon coach Dean Bailey from continuing with his development plan which, in the current phase involves bringing young players into the team and developing team flexibility and a winning culture. The critics can analyse every move the coach makes, it won't make the slightest difference. A look at the selected side for this week and the inclusions of Brent Moloney, Cale Morton and Colin Sylvia show that he is earnest in picking the best possible combination available despite the wretched run of injuries afflicting the club.

The selectors also flagged the possibility of bringing in more youth by including youngsters Rohan Bail and Tom McNamara on the extended interchange bench. Bailey is balancing the team well with his inclusions and, after the disappointment of the last gasp defeat last week, the players should be primed for victory.

Earlier in the week I was fairly confident of a Melbourne win but I must say that the loss of young up and comer Jack Grimes is swaying me a little the other way.

However, I'm not enthused by the team that North Melbourne selected. With Simpson gone and Harding put out to pasture for the rest of the season (no eyebrows raised yet) and the fact that the Kangaroos could still finish last and earn the right to draft Tom Scully (is anyone out there in media land stirring?), there doesn't appear much incentive on their side to win another game this year either.

I've therefore come up with an interesting scenario for this week's game. The Demons will be leading by 2 points when the siren sounds with the ball in the hands of Scott McMahon. Deja vu?

No, this McMahon will take his kick from 50 metres out and hit the post and Melbourne will take home the trophy and win by a single point.

FOOTNOTE I understand that SEN will again be describing the Melbourne game so all eyes will be on commentator Andrew Maher who left the broadcast box at the 19 minute mark of last week's tense final quarter. It was suggested that Maher was fed up with the laughable football on show, particularly the alleged "tanking" of the team that ultimately was in front when the final siren sounded. Actually, it was Maher who was "tanking" his duties, taking an early leave of absence to attend the Melbourne International Film Festival. There are other radio stations covering this game and if you prefer your broadcasting team to be fully committed to the task, then perhaps you might want to try the others.