THE GAME PLAN

THE GAME PLAN by JVM

The story goes that Mick Malthouse sent his forward scout to the MCG last Saturday to spy on Melbourne, their opponents for the following week's round of AFL football. The scout was instructed to take particular note of the Demons' game plan, their structures and the general way in which they play in order to allow Mick to plan the game for this week.

Apparently, the poor bloke never made it back to the Lexus Centre. It seems that he suffered a nervous breakdown at the ground and has been housed in a padded cell ever since.

Fortunately for the Magpies, the lamented scout managed to get his message across before he succumbed to whatever it was that ailed him.

An envelope arrived at the club yesterday addressed to Malthouse and marked "private and confidential". Inside the envelope was another envelope marked "MFC Game Plan". When it was opened a small white sheet of paper fell out. The coach picked up the sheet and then set it down with a worried look on his face. The page was blank.

What did this mean?

Was this blank white page the result of one poor man's failure to carry out his instructions or was there some deeper meaning? Nobody in the world really knows what's going on in the head of Melbourne coach Dean Bailey and the fear in the Magpie camp is that this is all part of some diabolical scheme to turn the tables on Collingwood after the club's dismal start to the season.

Please don't ask me if I give this story any credibility. I've watched a few practice matches and, like the Collingwood forward scout, was there last Saturday to watch the Hawks.

But like most of us, I still wouldn't have a clue.

THE GAMECollingwood v Melbourne at the MCG Saturday 3 April

2010 at 2.10pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Collingwood 140 wins Melbourne 79 wins 4 draws

At the G Collingwood 73 wins Melbourne 59 wins 2 draws

Since 2000 Collingwood 7 wins Melbourne 5 wins

The Coaches Malthouse 3 wins Bailey 0 wins

MEDIA

TV Fox Sports 1 at 1:30 PM (live)

RADIO 3AW MMM 774ABC SEN

THE BETTING Collingwood to win $1.05 Melbourne to win $10.00

LAST TIME THEY MET Collingwood 19.12.126 d Melbourne 8.12.60 Round 12, 2009, at MCG

Melbourne's form in the weeks leading up to last year's Queen's Birthday clash was promising enough for many commentators to believe that it was ready to cause a major upset. The selectors even rolled out first gamer Jack Watts for the occasion but, in overcast wintry conditions, the team was jumped by the Magpies who snagged the first seven goals to ruin the contest from the point of view of the Demon faithful and those who stayed to the end witnessed an 11 goal shellacking. Colin Sylvia's game in a losing rabble of a team was so outstanding that he picked up two Brownlow votes.

THE TEAMS

COLLINGWOOD

Backs Alan Toovey Ben Reid Tarkyn Lockyer

Half backs Harry O'Brien Nick Maxwell Heath Shaw

Centreline Luke Ball Dane Swan Ben Johnson

Half forwards Josh Fraser John Anthony Alan Didak

Forwards Paul Medhurst Travis Cloke Leon Davis

Followers Darren Jolly Scott Pendlebury Dale Thomas

Interchange Leigh Brown Shane O'Bree Steele Sidebottom Sharrod Wellingham

Emergencies Dayne Beams Chris Dawes Brent Macaffer

In Ben Reid

Out Simon Prestigiacomo (quad)

MELBOURNE

Backs Jamie Bennell Matthew Warnock Lynden Dunn

Half backs Jack Grimes James Frawley Joel Macdonald

Centreline Aaron Davey Cameron Bruce Nathan Jones

Half forwards James McDonald Matthew Bate Ricky Petterd

Forwards Tom Scully Brad Green Jack Trengove

Followers Mark Jamar Jordie McKenzie Brent Moloney

Interchange Rohan Bail Michael Newton Jake Spencer James Strauss

Emergencies Clint Bartram Jordan Gysberts Brad Miller

In Rohan Bail Michael Newton

Out Brad Miller Jared Rivers (knee)

CAKEWALK

Last week Collingwood kicked off the season with a strong win over NAB Cup premiers, the Western Bulldogs. The Magpies, close to full strength and playing with confidence, are talking in terms of "one week at a time" but their fans are thinking "premiership" as they return to the MCG, the place they now call "home".

That hallowed ground is also home to Melbourne but judging by the way they played last week, you wouldn't know it. With one or two exceptions, the Demons were let down by their team leaders, got virtually nothing from their middle tier and managed a few rays of light from some of their younger brigade. The only place where they held up statistically was in their tackling but that also means that they must have been second to the ball more often than first. Fourth gamer Jordie McKenzie (11 tackles) leads the overall AFL tackle count after Round 1 with his skipper James McDonald in second place just one behind.

The Demons have omitted Brad Miller and replaced him with Michael Newton who comes off the rookie list and moves to the interchange bench but is also a chance to start at full forward. Newton was once considered a likely forward and he even won a mark of the year competition in his debut senior season a few years ago. This could well be his last chance and luckily for him he will not be playing on Simon Prestigiacomo who is out injured. Presti is the glue who keeps the Magpie defence together and his absence gives Juice the opportunity to claw his way back into favour. He is a talent but has never quite grasped the opportunities when they have come his way. The only problem I see is that the way the Demons set themselves up, the ball might not quite get to where Newton might be playing.

The other change is the loss of Jared Rivers to a knee injury which is rather strange given that he was seen leaving the MCG last Saturday clutching his ribs. Is there such a thing as a rib related knee injury? Rivers would normally be considered a big loss but it might not be too damaging because, based on last week, when Collingwood's small to medium sized forwards kicked 17 out of their 19 goals, his replacement with a medium sized defender might be helpful.

The problem is that as long as Melbourne is in team building and development mode and as long as it has a deep list of injured players, fans are going to see performances below the standard necessary to match it with top four contenders like Collingwood. The fact that Colin Sylvia is still not back this week, doesn't help matters.

One thing we do want to see is the team playing with purpose and enthusiasm and the players having a dip but whether they have a dip or not, whichever way you look at this game, it's difficult to come to any conclusion other than that it's going to be another one way affair and a cakewalk for the Pies.

Collingwood by 65 points.