LEADING FROM THE FRONT

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LEADING FROM THE FRONT by JVM

We're only four rounds into the season but a glance at the ladder certainly indicates that the Melbourne Football Club is looking a lot healthier than it has at this stage of the journey than at any time over the last half a decade.

The cynics might add that this is due to the fact that the AFL programme has been kind enough to provide the Demons with the familiar territory of the MCG for all of its games to date and two poor opponents that have a combined record of zip and eight at this point in the journey. However, this doesn't explain the club's two polar opposite performances against more accomplished opposition in the opening rounds. Which was the aberration - the pitiful display against the Hawks or the heroic but ultimately disappointing one-point defeat at the hands of the Magpies?

There are those who would argue that neither is an aberration and that inconsistent performance is what you should expect with young emerging football teams in the early phases of a rebuild. On the other hand, the lousy opening could be explained away as a case of early stage fright for a group that was just starting to find its way in the world and that since then, the ship has righted itself and is now steering on course and in the proper direction.

There's plenty of evidence to support this view. In order to get a ship on course, you need a good skipper to lead the crew and, under James McDonald and his leadership group, the Demons have begun to blossom in 2010.

Melbourne's leadership group for 2010 of skipper James McDonald, Cameron Bruce, Aaron Davey, Brad Green, Brad Miller, Brent Moloney and Jared Rivers. With the exception of Miller (dropped after a poor display in round 1) and Rivers (injured since the Hawks' game), the team leaders have led by example over the past three weeks. Here are

their average statistics per game in disposals and tackles for the season to date:-

McDonald - 25 disposals, 8 tackles

Bruce - 24 disposals, 3 tackles

Davey - 21 disposals, 4 tackles

Green - 20 disposals, 4 tackles

Moloney - 26 disposals, 7 tackles

The leadership by example exhibited by this group has filtered all the way through the club. We're seeing some major strides being made by the next tier of players in the 50-100 game category (which includes Moloney), none more visibly improved than Mark Jamar who has not only been outstanding in the ruck this season but who has also done it all

virtually single-handedly. We're also seeing important contributions from Nathan Jones, Matthew Bate, Lynden Dunn, Matthew Warnock and more

lately Clint Bartram and Colin Sylvia put in a five goal blinder on return after a month on the sidelines with a broken jaw.

So it's not just the youth that has led the Melbourne resurgence but it's also the wiser heads and the middle-aged (in football terms) warriors who have also stepped up to the plate. That is not to take anything away from the young guns in the team ranging from James Frawley and Ricky Petterd now beginning to blossom in their fourth

seasons to the likes of Jack Grimes and Jamie Bennell, surprise packets in Rohan Bail and Jordie McKenzie and the youthful brilliance of the Scullgove boys.

And the beauty of this newly emerging Demon combination is that the influence and example of its mostly unsung leader is filtering through all levels of the club. Junior Mac always gets in and puts his body on the line at every contest. He leaves nothing on the track. The same can be said of Grimes, Scully, Trengove, McKenzie and others who will

also one day be leaders.

Exciting stuff but how will this match reality when the team comes up against the undefeated Brisbane Lions who have a formidable attack and whose tails are up after disposing of one time flag favourites, the Western Bulldogs?

THE GAME Melbourne v Brisbane at The MCG - Saturday, 24 April 2010 at 7.10pm.

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 16 wins Brisbane 10 wins

MCG Melbourne 2 wins Brisbane 2 wins

Since 2000 Melbourne 4 wins Brisbane 7 wins

The Coaches Bailey 0 wins Voss 1 win

MEDIA

TV Fox Sports1 6.30pm

RADIO MMM 3AW

THE BETTING Suspended due to speculation over whether Jonathan would play.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET Brisbane 16.15.111 defeated Melbourne 8.8.56 at The Gabba Round 13, 2009

It was a horror night for the Demons who were monstered by the home town Lions who were fully intent of extracting every bit of revenge for their shock loss late in the previous season. Jonathan Brown booted five goals and he was accompanied then by Daniel Bradshaw who snagged. Aaron Davey, Cale Morton and Cameron Bruce led the Demons’ resistance but they were completely overpowered by a bigger, better, stronger and more experienced outfit.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

Backs James McDonald Matthew Warnock James Frawley

Half backs Cameron Bruce Colin Garland Lynden Dunn

Centreline Jack Trengove Aaron Davey Clint Bartram

Half forwards Brad Green Ricky Petterd Nathan Jones

Forwards Colin Sylvia Matthew Bate Rohan Bail

Followers Mark Jamar Jack Grimes Brent Moloney

Interchange Jamie Bennell Joel Macdonald Jordie McKenzie Tom Scully

Emergencies Kyle Cheney Jordan Gysberts Stefan Martin

No change

BRISBANE

Backs Ashley McGrath Daniel Merrett Joel Patfull

Half backs Travis Johnstone Matt Maguire Josh Drummond

Centreline Jared Brennan Daniel Rich Andrew Raines

Half forwards Justin Sherman Jonathan Brown Jack Redden

Forwards Todd Banfield Brendan Fevola Brent Staker

Followers Matthew Leuenberger Michael Rischitelli James Polkinghorne

Interchange Simon Black Mitch Clark James Hawksley

Emergencies Matt Austin Albert Proud Troy Selwood

In Simon Black Mitch Clark Ashley McGrath

Out Luke Power (hip) Albert Proud Troy Selwood

WHO'LL WIN?

On the face of it, Brisbane is the undefeated form side of the AFL and the Lions should do it easily but they won't have it all their own way in only their second venture away from the Gabba for 2010,

The Lions played some good football on their home turf last week against the Bulldogs but things might not be as comfortable on the unfamiliar territory of the G - a ground where the teams have met previously only four times and where the visitors last beat the Demons in Round 21, 1999. To make matters worse, they have one win from their

past seven ventures to this ground and this is their home-and-away fixture at the home of football for 2010.

On the other hand, the Lions have a dazzling forward line set up headed by twin towers Jonathan Brown and Brendan Fevola who will provide a tremendous challenge for Demon pair James Frawley and Matthew Warnock who have Colin Garland and former Lion in reserve just in case one of the first choice key backmen find the going tough.

But the key to the game will be whether the improving Demon midfield can stand up to the Lions who will be strengthened by the return of Brownlow Medallist Simon Black. It was the Lions' on ball division that shook the Bulldogs in an electrifying second half.

I think Melbourne will continue to do well but Brisbane should be a little too strong for the home side although one should not forget that the Demons nearly beat the Pies a few weeks ago when they were coming off a big win over the Doggies.

Brisbane by 5 points.

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