A TALE OF TWO CITIES

A TALE OF TWO CITIES by JVM

The teams named for the capital cities of two great footballing states clash on Sunday in a battle to decide which of them will break the ice for season 2010.

MELBOURNE

The team that has won two wooden spoons on end and occupied last place on the ladder after its woeful display in round 1 came within a whisker of pulling off the biggest upset of the decade against Collingwood. This might not be such a big deal given that we're only two weeks into this brand new decade but it would have been welcomed not only by Melbourne fans but also by most of the football world (Magpie fans excepted) especially when the Demons led by 11 points with time on about to start.

However, the much hoped for but unexpected victory was not to be. The Pies conjured up a couple of unlikely goals and then a few dodgy umpiring decisions, a pass that went to the wrong target and a dropped mark all conspired to keep Melbourne winless. After playing with such relentless intensity for most of the game after a horror week, the result was nothing short of a tragedy.

There is only one thing that could possibly be a greater tragedy for the club and that would be if the team came out on Sunday and reverted to all of its old habits of 2007 to 2009 and into round 1, 2010.

The challenge facing Dean Bailey and his charges is to continue taking forward steps after last week's heartbreak. The message for the team from the city that represents the capital city of our great state will be don't look back!

THE GAME

Melbourne v. Adelaide at the MCG 11 April 2010 at 1.10pm (AEST)

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 9 wins Adelaide 18 wins

At MCG Melbourne 5 wins Adelaide 5 wins

Since 2000 Melbourne 4 wins Adelaide 10 wins

The Coaches Bailey 0 Craig 2

MEDIA

TV Fox Sports 1 1pm (live AEST)

RADIO ABC774 SEN

THE BETTING Melbourne to win $2.05 Adelaide to win $1.78

LAST TIME THEY MET Adelaide 7.9.51 d Melbourne 4.10.34, Round 5, 2009, at MCG

The game was as dull as the autumn twilight conditions that enveloped the MCG. The Crows were defensive and their hosts were super- defensive. By half time Adelaide had scored four goals to nil and the fans were bored to death. After that, the Demons made some forward thrusts and would have been right back in the game had they been able to convert a few easy chances in front of goal but in the end, it all petered out to a very forgettable 17-point Adelaide victory.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

Backs Matthew Warnock James Frawley Jamie Bennell

Half backs James McDonald Joel Macdonald Lynden Dunn

Centreline Rohan Bail Jack Trengove Aaron Davey

Half forwards Brad Green Colin Sylvia Cameron Bruce

Forwards Tom Scully Ricky Petterd Clint Bartram

Followers Mark Jamar Jack Grimes Brent Moloney

Interchange (from) Matthew Bate Kyle Cheney Colin Garland Nathan Jones Jordie McKenzie Michael Newton Jake Spencer

In Kyle Cheney Colin Garland Jake Spencer Colin Sylvia

Out James Strauss

ADELAIDE

Backs Michael Doughty Ben Rutten Jared Petrenko

Half backs Simon Goodwin Nathan Bock Richard Douglas

Centreline Tyson Edwards Bernie Vince David Mackay

Half forwards Jason Porplyzia Taylor Walker Patrick Dangerfield

Forwards Andrew McLeod Kurt Tippett Trent Hentschel

Followers Ivan Maric Scott Thompson Brent Reilly

Interchange (from) Tony Armstrong Brett Burton Myke Cook Chris Knights Shaun McKernan Chris Schmidt Scott Stevens

In Tony Armstrong Chris Knights Chris Schmidt Scott Stevens

Out James Sellar (hamstring) Will Young

New Chris Schmidt (Brisbane Lions)

ADELAIDE

Shortly before half time of its match against Collingwood in semi final week last year the Adelaide Football Club appeared destined for glory. The Crows held a lead of almost six goals and were enjoying a period of rare form having overwhelmed Carlton in the final round and then following that up with a demolition of Essendon in an elimination final. The prospect of the premiership cup returning to the City of Churches loomed as a distinct possibility. If ever a team that missed out on making the top four prior to the finals looked like making it all the way, it was the Crows.

Then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed. Collingwood came back and eventually wore down a tiring Adelaide team landing the killer blow in the final moments of the game.

Neil Craig's men seem not to have recovered. Their preseason was poor and punctuated by injury woes. They managed just one win (a get out of gaol last minute goal landing them a narrow victory on home territory against a depleted Melbourne team) in their four practice matches. Their two games to date in the AFL premiership season have been disasters. The team that represents the capital city of South Australia would like to look back to the first week in September of 2009 because it now is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

And that is the tale of the two cities and their football teams to date in 2010. On Sunday, one of them will feel the joy of winning again.

BREAKTHROUGH

Both clubs will be desperate for a breakthrough victory and despite the fact that Adelaide has won eight of its last ten encounters with Melbourne, the cards seem to be stacked against them this week.

The Crows will have had one day less recovery time than the Demons and they are coming off a difficult game played in near 30 degree heat at AAMI Stadium. Their confidence is low, they have injury and form problems and they don't often play at the MCG. Their perennial best player against Melbourne, Simon Goodwin who has averaged 28.3 disposals against them in their past three encounters, is under an injury cloud despite his bselection in the main side.

The problem from my point of view is that, on the rare occasions when Melbourne has seemingly been in a position to cause an upset against more experienced or better credentialled sides, it has let itself and its supporters down to the point where there has been no breakthrough; only heartbreak. So despite the fact that I like the way the Demons played last week and I like their spirit and their intensity, I'm not yet ready to get on their bandwagon. The danger man is Dangerfield.

I'm therefore predicting that Adelaide will somehow find a way to correct its poor form for the season to date and win by 7 points after a hard fought match.