THE OLD, THE YOUNG AND THE IN BETWEEN by The Oracle

Things have been falling into place nicely of late for the Melbourne Football Club. The Demons have shrugged off their opening round  thrashing at the hands of Hawthorn and the dramatic one-point loss to Collingwood to win consecutive games and they now sit in ninth place separated from NAB Cup winners and pre season premiership favourites the Western Bulldogs only by percentage.

Of course, at this stage of the season such things mean very little, but Melbourne's 55-point victory over Richmond has its significance for a club that has enjoyed such little in the way of success in the past three seasons.

The Demons importance of the win can best be measured not only in terms of the winning margin but also in the way this team is developing. The signs are good because in this game the victory was achieved per medium of a solid team effort involving the old, the young and the in between of the club's list.

Naturally, the performance needs to be looked at in the context of the opposition which is currently not in a good way following the well-documented disciplinary action taken by the Tigers last week against four players who played upon their hotel late at night after their game against Sydney. They also lost their skipper through injury during the week and, with three first-gamers in the team, were always going to struggle.

By way of contrast, Melbourne's James McDonald led from the front amassing 14 disposals in the first term alone on his way to a match total of thirty and was the glue who held the team together under early fire.

Brent Moloney was getting the ball everywhere, Nathan Jones was in everything, Brad Green was proving a handful and Mark Jamar single-handedly controlled the rucks. It was only poor kicking for goal during a second term which yielded six behinds and one out on the full that held Melbourne back to a single goal lead at the main break. The Dees made up for it in the third quarter when they blew the game apart with seven goals to nil to take a 50 point lead into a final term in which they coasted home. Once again the young brigade was impressive with Tom Scully, Jack Trengove, Jordie McKenzie. Jack Grimes and surprise packet Rohan Bail showing out. The return haul of five goals from Colin Sylvia was superb while Matthew Bate, Ricky Petterd and Lynden Dunn were all dangerous up foreyard. Petterd's Harmes-like tap for a Bate goal was one of the game's highlights and helped to quell the opposition when they were full of fight in the early stages.

Despite the comprehensive victory, the Demons shouldn't get too carried away and they face a much bigger test on the Saturday night stage this week when they take on a rampant Brisbane with their twin talls Brown and Fevola in a game that will see the club take part in it's first really significant contest since the opening round of the 2007 season. Demon fans should pull out all stops to make it to the game because it will again be on for the young and old and the in between.

Melbourne 8.1.49 8.7.55 15.11.101 20.13.133

Richmond 5.2.32 7.7.49 7.9.51 11.12.78

Goals

Melbourne  Sylvia 5 Green 4 Bate 3 Bail Petterd 2 Bartram Dunn Jamar McDonald

Richmond Astbury Riewoldt 3 Morton Nason Tambling Taylor Tuck

Best

Melbourne McDonald Green Sylvia Jones Moloney Scully Jamar

Richmond Moore Tuck Deledio Collins Jackson Cotchin

Injuries

Melbourne Nil

Richmond Jackson (upper leg)

Reports

Melbourne  Brent Moloney reported by umpire Scott McLaren for allegedly striking Ben Nason during the second quarter.

Umpires Kennedy McLaren Grun

Official crowd 42, 594 at MCG

Nice and succinct.

Well done Oracle!

We will know more about this team at 11pm on Saturday night. The game against Collingwood was great, no doubt, and to see this young team bounce back against a finals contender who had beaten the premiership favourite the week before was amazing.

But.

It took us all of 4 quarters to put away a team heavily battered by injuries. And we just flogged the worst team in the competition by 10 goals.

I want to see how this team performs on the big stage against a big and good team in front of a big crowd when they're (Melbourne) on a role. Consistency is the next step here. Once we get that winning feeling, it's a matter of building it up. We won't win every game from here on in and probably won't make the finals, but consistency is important. That is something that has hampered this team for the past 12 years.

I personally don't expect a win against Brisbane. I'm sure we can win, and we might, but I don't think we will. But all I want is an enthralling contest. I don't want to see this team go back to Round 1 against Hawthorn.

This is Melbourne's most important game since 2006.

We need to keep the intensity going, forward pressure is always going to make it look like you're having a dip. Look at the St Kilda game last year, we were always going to lose it but for the first bounce we were hitting them hard and tackling relentlessly. If we do what we did against the Pies, we will give them a run (we could even sneak a win), if we do what we did against the Hawks a lot of the good work we've done in the last 3 weeks could be forgotten and all of a sudden we're back where we started the year.

FWIW, i look at the players and they have belief in their eyes now. They know they can do it, all the training that's been drummed into them, the game plans and the tactics, they're starting to see it come to fruition, and confidence with a young side is just priceless.

I don't know what to expect from the boys, but i do expect the Demon faithful to turn out in full force this Saturday.

Totally agree. As great as it has been to see our boys win 2 on the trot, they are clearly at this minute the worst performing teams in the comp. Loved yesterday, but Richmond were pretty pathetic for the most part.

As with the Collingwood game, I will be happy to see us put on a good hard struggle against one of the top teams. Massive test for our backline who are getting a bit of cudos in the media right now.

It's been a lean few years........let's enjoy the couple of good wins we've had!

This week will be good to see where we are at against a team in good form.

Let's stay optimistic, as we aren't going to win a flag this year, and the future does look bright.

These young guys doing a lot of grunt work the minute like Scully, McKenzie, Trengrove, Grimes, etc will tire as the year goes on.

Don't start raising expectations at this stage..........we beat an insipid Adelaide at our home.......Carlton thrashed them at home, and we've just beaten a team that will struggle to win a game all year.

This week will be a great learning experience for the team, and the youngsters........but lets not get too hung up on this one game as the defining match........we still have a long way to go!

A hard fought loss against Brisbane like the Collingwood game would not be the end of the world

A Pathetic loss against Brisbane like the Hawthorn game and we are back to Square one

If Melbourne was ever going to really produce a upset the oppurtunity at least on paper is there.

Confidence is strong

Belief in themsleves is strong

Morale is High

The lions have to travel, we dont!

They just have to play hard all 4 quarters and I do mean all, if they can do that the posibility for a Upset is there

But if we only play 3/4 than the LIons will most definetly come out on top

Lets hope Bailey can help Get them over the line.

And for all of us as supporters, wouldnt that be a GREAT RESULT

A win, "no matter how much by", to just have that chance, is enough in itself to encourage supporters to attend

Its a game worth going to, and if we can get as many supportes there as possible hopefully that will give the boys that bit of extra support to help get them across the line or close to it.

Yes we've only beaten the bottom 2 teams but it's better than losing to them and the boys gain confidence with each win.I don't think a loss against the Lions is set in stone but our midfield will have to control the game and limit the Brown/Fev feed.I haven't seen the Lions/Dogs game yet but i was looking through the Lions stats and Black didn't play,will he play this week.Power had big numbers but low % Eff. and Rich only had 15 odd touches.Risky Telly (spelling) seemed to be the key mid and Brennan had some big stats also.

Bottom line is our mid hads big numbers against the Tiges but the Lions midfield will be their biggest test.

If we win the midfield we're a chance,we lose the midfield Brown/Fev kick 12.

We will more than likely get flogged, and that shouldn't provoke the usual stream of Sack Bailey and other assorted rubbish threads. (It will of course, can't help pea-brains).

Brisbane is in spectacular form and is a complete, mature & experienced team. Of course I expect us to fight and compete, but am fully prepared to see us get overwhelmed and beaten by 8 goals. It won't be a step backward or an indictment on any player or coach, it will be a Premiership contender beating a young, inexperienced team the way that they ought to.

We will know more about this team at 11pm on Saturday night. The game against Collingwood was great, no doubt, and to see this young team bounce back against a finals contender who had beaten the premiership favourite the week before was amazing.

But.

It took us all of 4 quarters to put away a team heavily battered by injuries. And we just flogged the worst team in the competition by 10 goals.

I want to see how this team performs on the big stage against a big and good team in front of a big crowd when they're (Melbourne) on a role. Consistency is the next step here. Once we get that winning feeling, it's a matter of building it up. We won't win every game from here on in and probably won't make the finals, but consistency is important. That is something that has hampered this team for the past 12 years.

I personally don't expect a win against Brisbane. I'm sure we can win, and we might, but I don't think we will. But all I want is an enthralling contest. I don't want to see this team go back to Round 1 against Hawthorn.

This is Melbourne's most important game since 2006.

Agree with most of what you say, but you can only beat who is put up in front of you. Melbourne has done that with wins over Adelaide, Richmond. Almost Collingwood.

I'm eager to see how the boys will go against Brisbane and like you, I don't really expect a win but I want our team to have a crack as they pit themselves against some great players and a pretty good team in Brisbane.

Can I ask, why you think it is the most important game since 2006 ?

This is Melbourne's most important game since 2006.

Spot on.

Yet I think there is reason for optimism. It's easy to point to Scully, Trengove - they are as close as you can get to sure things. The real reason for optimism is the "mature" (relative term) players around them. The fact there are guys like Sylvia, Moloney, Jamar, Joel Mac playing good footy means that Sculgove and co will get to play meaningful footy before their primes. So instead of hitting a peak when these guys are 24-25 (ie. these older blokes will be wiley vets playing bit roles), the club is set up to be competitive for an extended period of time. Think the "baby bombers" and the "most effing dominant team we've seen" the 2000 scum - 10 year period, pretty much the same core group

Edited April 19, 201015 yr by pitchfork

Can I ask, why you think it is the most important game since 2006 ?

Because it's more fun to make things urgent, immediate and definitive, than to just sit back and enjoy the ride and judge things over a more realistic time frame than 2 hours next Saturday night.

Most important game since 2006?

Wasn't that the NAB Cup match against Freo??

I would have thought the most important game since 2006 was the 'Jordan McMahon' special last year. Still can't believe we managed to steal defeat from the jaws of victory. Thanks christ!

I would have thought the most important game since 2006 was the 'Jordan McMahon' special last year. Still can't believe we managed to steal defeat from the jaws of victory. Thanks christ!

My father has been telling me for years how adept we were at this - about time the skill came in handy!

But I do tend to agree.

No game in recent memory has shaped our fortunes as much as that one, bar the Kreuzer Cup in 2007.

Losing that game would've had an even more profound effect.

Imagine squeezing NicNat onto this list at the expense of Strauss.....

Most important game since 2006?

Wasn't that the NAB Cup match against Freo??

Come to think of it, that was huge wasn't it. We had to win that one to get over 30,000 (budget mark) didn't we ?

we should be happy to get anywhere near them really

not without a chance though, the big key forwards have always found it easy to kick bags on us for as long as I can remember, time for Frawley and KnockKnock to prove they are the real McCoy defenders we all hope they are

We will more than likely get flogged, and that shouldn't provoke the usual stream of Sack Bailey and other assorted rubbish threads. (It will of course, can't help pea-brains).

Brisbane is in spectacular form and is a complete, mature & experienced team. Of course I expect us to fight and compete, but am fully prepared to see us get overwhelmed and beaten by 8 goals. It won't be a step backward or an indictment on any player or coach, it will be a Premiership contender beating a young, inexperienced team the way that they ought to.

Well said.

FWIW, I dont think posters should underestimate the importance of the two wins on an area called confidence. Small steps but the progress is there.

... We won't win every game from here on in and probably won't make the finals, but consistency is important. That is something that has hampered this team for the past 12 years ...

I personally don't expect a win against Brisbane. I'm sure we can win, and we might, but I don't think we will. But all I want is an enthralling contest. I don't want to see this team go back to Round 1 against Hawthorn.

This is Melbourne's most important game since 2006.

Wekk 1 after Hawthorn it's slit wrists and sack Bailey.

Now finals is a possiblity ...

The truth is somewhere in between and we'll continue to be up and down like the proverbial ...

Stuff the confidence. We needed an unexpected win to lift us off the wooden spoon list by years end.

And as for the Brissy game, it'll likely free up some space for some of the kids gagging for a gig at the moment.

Take a look at the 22 that played against the Tigers. I struggle to find 2 names that didn't play well. Come this time next week we'll have a few names ready for a break, and in can come the likes of Strauss, Spencer, Newton, Maric and others who are in line for a recall.

PS, if you'd have said we'd be 2-2 with a 1-point loss at the start of the year, I'd have taken that.

And as for the Brissy game, it'll likely free up some space for some of the kids gagging for a gig at the moment.

Take a look at the 22 that played against the Tigers. I struggle to find 2 names that didn't play well. Come this time next week we'll have a few names ready for a break, and in can come the likes of Strauss, Spencer, Newton, Maric and others who are in line for a recall.

Is that comment tongue-in-cheek or are you actually foreshadowing your own silly kneejerk reaction of unjustly dropping a bunch of players after we lose a game against a vastly superior team in favour of bringing in a clutch of players who haven't really earned their spot???

Great post Calabrese, and some good replies too.

I agree with the Calabrez, that we are capable of winning, but probably won't. I also agree that going down by 8 goals is a distinct possibility and that it would not be the end of the world at this point in our development. I won't be saying anything negative if the wheels come off the wagon on Saturday night, I'm just rapt that we're, dare I say it, 'competitive'!

That said, I wouldn't mind if Sylvia, Green, and Bate kick 12 between them.

Good luck to Chip and Warknackers lining up on the two gorillas. Not a job I'd be looking forward to. Hopefully our midfield can break even with the Lions and minimise supply.

Go Dees.

Stuff the confidence. We needed an unexpected win to lift us off the wooden spoon list by years end.

Well done. Missed the point again. Keep trying though.

What is important is that we are learning what it takes to be in games until the end.

Running, running and more running. We now have a minimum standard that we cannot dip below in terms of effort. We will get beaten by better class sides but will keep learning from those experiences.

What is important is that we are learning what it takes to be in games until the end.

Agreed. Our last quarter's have been good to date. Fwiw, I think I read earlier somewhere we have won our last quarters and have lost all our second quarters.