This is probably the biggest selection surprise for me (well, other than Dunn as a rover.)

Obviously looking to control the ruck by including two specialised ruckmen in the 22.

(or looking to give Spencer an easing back into AFL level ruckwork)

Or hoping Spencer can control ruck against weak Hawk ruck division and push Jamar forward

The odds are 5.40 to one.. Put your house on it and then donate winnings to club to offset the membership being so down...

Will they give me the money back when our membership goes past 32,000?

Hawthorn's team, as per their website:

B: Birchall, Gibson, Murphy

HB: Guerra, Gibson, Ladson

C: Lewis, Mitchell, Ellis

HF: Osborne, Schoenmakers, Hooper

F: Morton, Roughead, Brown

FOLL: Renouf, Hodge, Moss

INT: Kayler-Thomson, Peterson, Shiels, Suckling

EMG: Duryea, Stratton, Williams

Obviously something wrong there, with Gibson named twice.

That's Scully, Trengove, Strauss with zero games

Spencer and Mckenzie with about 3 each

Grimes with 12

Bennell with around 16

MacDonald hasn't played 1 for us.

Experience! Who needs it!

Obviously something wrong there, with Gibson named twice.

As I stated in my article "Hawthorn is reconstructing its defence and has recruited Josh Gibson from North Melbourne to fill the gap left by the retirement of Trent Croad."

Obviously, they think Gibson is twice the player Croad was or they've given Gibson a licence to cover a great deal of the Hawk defence to compensate for the fact that the cops took away his driver's licence .

McKenzie played last year vs Sydney.

This is his first game playing to win though

Will they give me the money back when our membership goes past 32,000?

No need-- they will WIN.. As per your predictions..and we all know you are always right..

Edited March 25, 201015 yr by jayceebee31

DEJA VU REVISITED AGAIN by The Oracle

a year in which his team won the flag and mine came out with nothing more than a migraine and a simple wooden cooking utensil.

Oh and Jack Watts

No need-- they will WIN.. As per your predictions..and we all know you are always right..

Great to see you finally talking sense

Obviously, they think Gibson is twice the player Croad was or they've given Gibson a licence to cover a great deal of the Hawk defence to compensate for the fact that the cops took away his driver's licence .

Love it!

While we're on a trivial note, I see 10 of our 22 have first names starting with "J". Add to that "J"amar, and fully half our team are "J"s. Significance? Absolutely none. Just thought I'd throw it out there.

On a serious note, I reckon, on paper, that's a pretty good side -- at least heaps of potential. Kinda feel the three emergencies are all stiff to miss out, as is Cheney. And, given the number of walk-up starters who are missing due to injury, there is definitely a healthy competition for the spots.

Now, just to turn all that potential into some winning form!

Go dees!

Looking at that Hawthorn team, they don't look particularly strong.

All Melbourne needs is a bit of self-belief and (as the Oracle says) a good start and I reckon we can roll them!

Didn't the footy show list Martin at FF last night?

Looking at that Hawthorn team, they don't look particularly strong.

All Melbourne needs is a bit of self-belief and (as the Oracle says) a good start and I reckon we can roll them!

The hawks might be weak but we will need to play better football than the preseason.

Im confident we have a chance but the hawks are not about to roll over and hand us a win.

Hawthorn's team, as per their website:

B: Birchall, Gibson, Murphy

HB: Guerra, Gibson, Ladson

C: Lewis, Mitchell, Ellis

HF: Osborne, Schoenmakers, Hooper

F: Morton, Roughead, Brown

FOLL: Renouf, Hodge, Moss

INT: Kayler-Thomson, Peterson, Shiels, Suckling

EMG: Duryea, Stratton, Williams

Obviously something wrong there, with Gibson named twice.

Melbourne v Hawthorn Saturday, 2:10pm AEDT, MCG as per Sportal http://sportal.com.au/afl-teams

MELBOURNE

B: Rivers, Warnock, Bennell

HB: Grimes, Frawley, McDonald

C: Davey, Bruce, Jones

HF: McDonald, Bate, Petterd

F: Green, Miller, Trengove

FOLL: Jamar, Dunn, Moloney

I/C: Strauss, Spencer, McKenzie, Scully

EM: Maric, Bail, Bartram

NEW: Joel Macdonald (Bris.), Tom Scully (Dand. U-18s), James Strauss (Oakleigh U-18s), Jack Trengove (Sturt)

HAWTHORN

B: Birchall, Gibson, Murphy

HB: Guerra, Gilham, Ladson

C: Lewis, Mitchell, Ellis

HF: Osborne, Schoenmakers, Hooper

F: Morton, Roughead, Brown

FOLL: Renouf, Hodge, Moss

I/C: Kayler-Thomson, Peterson, Suckling, Shiels

EM: Duryea, Stratton, Williams

NEW: Carl Peterson (St Marys), Jarrod Kayler-Thomson (Perth)

He wasnt useless, he didnt stand out, but he didnt do much wrong.

So he didn't do much wrong or right so he basically did nothing. Hence useless.

Harsh cause i rate him (as a defender) but he was really not there preseason.

Hawks going without backup ruck. Jamar forward and Spencer in the ruck is the go.

That Hawks bench is really...i don't know who they are apart from Shiels.

It'll be good to see MFC having 100+ rotations this round.

Edited March 25, 201015 yr by jacey

I really like that side, especially Strauss, McKenzie & Spencer (and obviously Scully and Trengove). It's a team that's designed for the future but also very strong at the same time. Dunn would be the only real concern, but if he can nail a run with role and shut down Mitchell or Hodge then he'll deserve his spot.

I know that this is still a development year and we're still very far behind but when that siren rings on Saturday I'll be barracking for (and expecting) a win.

Oh man I'm excited!!!

Well our bench : Strauss, Spencer, McKenzie, Scully have a total of 0,6,3 and 0 games!

The emergencies: Maric, Bail, Bartram have a total of 11,1 and 59 games.

The hawks bench: Kayler-Thomson, Peterson, Suckling, Shiels have 0,0,1 and 11 games experience. Beat us by 3 games(!)

Their emergencies: Duryea, Stratton, Williams have 0,0 and 0. 3 duck eggs.

Talk about inexperienced bench and emergencies!

Looking at that Hawthorn team, they don't look particularly strong.

Agree, it's ordinary. Odds are wrong - we should be very good things at the line..

Edited March 25, 201015 yr by old55

Backs: J.Bennell, M.Warnock, J.Rivers

Half backs: J.Grimes, J.Frawley, J.MacDonald

Centreline: A. Davey, C.Bruce, N.Jones

Half forwards:J.McDonald, M.Bate, R.Petterd

Forwards: B.Green, B.Miller, J.Trengove

Followers: M. Jamar, L.Dunn, B.Moloney

I/C: J.Strauss, J.Spencer, J.McKenzie, T.Scully

Emg: A.Maric, R.Bail, C.Bartram

Fitzy is the only fit player on the list not selected with a first name starting with J.

Watch out for Carl Peterson debuting for the Hawks. Showed a lot against the Dogs in the nab cup, theres a lot of Jurrah about him, they look similiar, his got a high leap and he wears number 48 (like Jurrah last year)

Seriously, that Hawthorn team could lose a VFL game. That is TRIPE. We really SHOULD beat them despite losing Sylvia, Jurrah, and Morton. I cannot believe that club won a flag 18 months gao. They could easily win the spoon this year with that team in for 22 rounds. Of course they do have players to come back in, but the named team this week is SHITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know we're not much chop, but seriously, I'd rather play Hawthor this week than Richmond.

Weren't we quick to forget about J Watts...

Yes alot of J's...

I like the look of that side on paper... if in fact they do line up in those exact positions. A few surprises thrown in with Junior starting at half forward, Grimes at half back, Miller Green Trengove forward line & the inclusion of Strauss Spencer Dunn & McKenzie. I guess Junior is up there to create forward pressure & not for his goal kicking prowess. Grimes spent most of his game time in the backline last year so not a total shock, however, most figured he would play more in the midfield this year(still may). I like Green close to goal to take advantage of his accurate kick. I like Miller close to goal because he is a good size and can take a grab. Also I think that it simplifies the game for him. He doesn't have a natural footballers instincts and is always slow or unsure of himself when he takes posession further up the ground. At least at full forward he should get his touches inside 50m(preferably within 30m) and just go back for a set shot and not worry about being out of range or playing on. Trengove will provide some added forward pressure and from all reports is a good mark for his size and can slot the occasional goal so thats another tick. Dunn may be used as a tagger as in the past and hopefully use his big frame to soften up a few of their mids and create space for ours.

Does this mean Spencer & McKenzie have been elevated onto the senior list? Haven't seen much of McKenzie or Strauss so will reserve judgement & if Spencer can win his share of the ruck and manage to land the ball on his boot this year I will be quite content.

Hope they all get amongst it and provide the 1st boil-over of the year.

Backs: J.Bennell, M.Warnock, J.Rivers

Half backs: J.Grimes, J.Frawley, J.MacDonald

Centreline: A. Davey, C.Bruce, N.Jones

Half forwards:J.McDonald, M.Bate, R.Petterd

Forwards: B.Green, B.Miller, J.Trengove

Followers: M. Jamar, L.Dunn, B.Moloney

I/C: J.Strauss, J.Spencer, J.McKenzie, T.Scully

Emg: A.Maric, R.Bail, C.Bartram

Fitzy is the only fit player on the list not selected with a first name starting with J.

It used to be all about the W's... Whelan, Wheatley, Woewodin, Walsh, et al... Now it's the J's. Happy for the J's to take charge. May they prosper.

The first few minutes of this game are vital. Yes, we were ordinary at times in the NAB games and yes, the media haven't taken into account the make up of the teams but if we can get through that mental barrier early and realise how vulnerable the Hawks are, we can change everything including our perception of ourselves built up by three years of failure. We just need to realise that we can win!