THE PEOPLE SPEAK

[Demonland 71,614]

THE PEOPLE SPEAK by JVM and the Demonlanders

The calling of the Federal Election by Prime Minister Julia Gillard showed that our government wants to let the people decide the course of the future of this great nation of ours. So what else could we at Demonland do but let you the people decide upon Melbourne's clash with interstate rival Sydney?

This week's game is an important one for the Swans because they still have an outside chance of forcing their way into the top four and, with the Dockers and the Dogs playing against each other in this round, a win is vital for them. I would call it a four point game!

The optimists among us would say that it's also a vital one for the Demons because they're still a mathematical possibility to make the finals. I was originally confident for them in this game because at least have the home state advantage but then a Demonlander asked when was the last time we beat Sydney in Melbourne?

Answer: Round 5, 2001. It's been a while! Of course, there haven't been that many clashes between the two at the G given that Melbourne sold it's home ground advantage to play three games at Manuka Oval and a few of their earlier fixtures were played at the Docklands.

The Demonland crew might be a little divided on who is going to win but there's agreement on the fact that this game is going to be a barometer of how the club is travelling.

Choko believes that this game, "more than any other this season, will demonstrate where we are at." Here's why:

We all know that we have beaten a few sides when they're down and we have performed unexpectedly well on a number of occasions against fancied opposition. Yet, when we have played sides that are "slightly better" than us, we have often been well beaten. To me, the sides we show our greatest vulnerability against are the ones who won't let us play the way we want to play. We struggled against Adelaide's zone (we should have lost to them twice really), North Melbourne's narrow zone that stopped us playing through the middle, and Hawthorn's zones to space. West Coast is an exception where we were simply carp.

Sydney likewise play a close checking stoppage based game that relies on not letting the opposition play the way it wants to play. It will be a real test of maturity to see if our players can think their way through it. I think we will be up for the physical contest at the stoppages, although a Sunday game in Perth may see us fade. But the numbers Sydney put behind the ball and the manner in which we respond will be the greatest indication of how well developed our game plan is, how well the players implement it and who is an on-field leader.

The stakes are high for Sydney. I think we will fail again.

Sydney by 27.

Demon WA agrees that this game will tell us "a lot about the Dees; where they are at as a side, and how far they have come from two years of receiving back to back timber cutlery." However, Demon WA thinks the outcome will go our way:

On the back of some promising performances over the last 3 weeks, the more optimistic Dees supporters can look towards this weekend's game with the belief that snatching a win against the more fancied Swans is a realistic possibility. Hard fought, competitive losses against top four teams in the Saints and Freo, along with the solid win against the struggling Bombers, seem to indicate that our form is on the up. Dean Bailey's men will yet again go into the game speaking of the need to start well and the desire to play four quarters of competitive football. Key youngsters Jack Grimes and Jack Trengove look set to miss again through injury, and as such, the fitness of Brent Moloney may be a key to the Dee's hopes, with the big fella's work at clearances being all important against the tough-at-it Swans.

Sydney have been in very good form themselves in recent weeks; dual Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes has made a return to the midfield and his impact in these games has been telling. The running halfback flankers, Malceski and Kennelly have been firing of late and can also be contributed to the Swans' recent form. With Nathan Jones being used as somewhat of a tagger in recent months I wouldn't mind seeing him go to either of these half back flankers. This would allow him to have a few more opportunities to contribute on the scoreboard, and any free kicks awarded to the opposition would be less likely to result directly into goals!

There are a few key matchups; the ruck battle between Mark Jamar and Shane Mumford (which could be the difference between who gets the nod for a possible second All Australian ruck position) and they way the Dees go about trying to minimise the impact of Adam Goodes - perhaps a Dunn/ Frawley match up depending on what part of the ground Goodes goes?

All match ups aside though, the winner on the weekend will be whoever can play competitive, high pressure football for the longest. Hopefully after last week's disappointment the lads will bounce back with a sustained, high intensity effort.

The Dee's play their best footy at the MCG, which is a trend they will no doubt be hoping will continue to ring true.

Dees by 16 points

Grandson of a gun believes that this week's game is going to be "much closer than some outsiders predict and will come down in the most part to four key matchups for each team."

For Sydney it's all about starving Davey, Green, Sylvia and Watts of the ball. They know that if they can block up the corridor and crowd Davey then he won't be able to scythe through them like hot butter (a la Pies and Bulldogs). I see McVeigh taking him first. Likewise if they can prevent Watts from working up as a target and using his good field kicking to hit targets inside Melbourne's 50 then they are well on their way. (I expect Grundy to have first crack). Sylvia and Green both have the potential to blow games apart and if they are well held then Melbourne will really struggle to kick a winning score. Malceski for Sylvia and Kennelly for Green.

For Melbourne it's all about Goodes, Grundy, O'Keefe and Shaw. Goodes has hit form, he is a star when he is on song and Melbourne desperately needs to shut down his drive. Dunn will get first crack in the midfield. Frawley if he goes forward. Grundy is their backline general and coupled to a lesser extent with Malceski, gives them the run and carry. Expect him to line up on Watts or perhaps even try and expose Jurrah defensively. Melbourne has to play through his man at every opportunity to make him accountable.

O'Keefe is the Paul Chapman of Sydney and is seriously dangerous when he gets going. Jones to take him if he goes into the middle at the start. Garland if he slides down forward. Finally, Rhyce Shaw. He has played forward recently with great effect. Six goals in six quarters of footy up forward. All of a sudden he has another string to his bow and gives potency to their sometimes impotent forward line. A big job for Bartram here. Taking his scalp will go a long way to a Demon win!

This may also be known as the NAB Rising Star Cup as probably the two biggest favorites go head to head. Hannebury v Scully. It would be great to see them line up mono e mono and just go for it. I'll back the Scull to run rings around him (literally).

I see a shock upset and the Demons coming home with a 9 point win.

THE GAME

Melbourne v Sydney at the MCG Sunday 25 July 2010 at 2.10pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 91 wins Sydney 106 wins 1 draw

At MCG Melbourne 48 wins Sydney 39 wins

Since 2000 Melbourne 6 wins Sydney 12 wins

The Coaches Bailey 0 Roos 2

MEDIA

TV Channel 7 - delayed telecast at 3.00pm.

RADIO Triple M 3AW

THE BETTING Melbourne to win $2.30 Sydney to win $1.62

LAST TIME THEY MET Sydney Swans 10.8.68 defeated Melbourne 6.14.50 at Manuka in Round 17, 2009

I'll bet that very few in the smallish crowd who attended this game in the nation's capital almost exactly 12 months ago to the day would believe that Kevin 07 would be dead in the water as Labor leader year later. As for the Libs, I have no idea who was running the show over there at the time.

Anyhow, I don't think many people knew or cared who was going to win this contest on a cold, gray and drab Canberra day because the Swans were having a poor season and the Demons were heading for a wooden spoon.

The game was so forgettable that I've erased any thoughts I might have had of it from the memory banks.

MEMORY LANE Tall Defence remembers the game played in Round 4 2006.

After losing their opening three games of the season Melbourne travelled to the SCG to face the reigning premiers in a must win match if they were to get their season back on track. With new recruit Byron Pickett at his best Melbourne caused a huge boil over and won by 5 points and went on to play in a semi final that season. Will this weekend see the present day Dees have a win to revive their slim finals hopes? While I think they can win I still think it's too late for finals hopes.

THE TEAMS

The last time the two teams met was at Manuka (ACT) when Melbourne played the last of three annual home matches in Canberra. The Demons lost all three such games from 2007 to 2009. This was the 2009 lineup:-

MELBOURNE

Backs Colin Garland Jared Rivers Clint Bartram

Half backs Jordie McKenzie James Frawley Joel Macdonald

Centreline Jamie Bennell Cameron Bruce Brad Green

Half forwards Lynden Dunn Cale Morton Tom Scully

Forwards Colin Sylvia Jack Watts Liam Jurrah

Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Aaron Davey

Interchange Rohan Bail Paul Johnson Nathan Jones Addam Maric

Emergencies Matthew Bate Austin Wonaeamirri Matthew Warnock.

In Addam Maric

Out Matthew Bate

SYDNEY

Backs Rhyce Shaw Ted Richards Martin Mattner

Half backs Paul Bevan Heath Grundy Tadhg Kennelly

Centreline Nick Malceski Brett Kirk Kieren Jack

Half forwards Ryan O'Keefe Mike Pyke Josh Kennedy

Forwards Ben McGlynn Adam Goodes Jarred Moore

Followers Shane Mumford Jude Bolton Jarrad McVeigh

Interchange Daniel Hannebery Lewis Jetta Brett Meredith Jesse White

Emergencies Trent Dennis-Lane Sam Reid Gary Rohan

In Lewis Jetta

Out Nick 426 Smith (hamstring - 4 to 6 weeks)

New Sam Reid (Murray Bushrangers)

[THE PEOPLE GIVE THEIR VERDICT

Back to our previews and DeezMan believes that a "possible (and very likely) scenario of Melbourne going into the match with all of Grimes, McDonald, Moloney and Trengove not playing would be a massive downer!" As it happens, Beamer has been selected but who knows if he will run out onto the G when the game begins on Sunday afternoon? On the other hand, Junior will play for Casey against the VFL Magpies a few kilometres down the road at Victoria Park.

DeezMan continues:

Sydney has one of the hardest midfields going around in Captain Kirk, Goodes, O'Keefe and Bolton (not to mention tough nut Jack and Hannebery!!).

Melbourne without its toughest player in Moloney and without its most courageous player in its very own captain would be a significant loss to the side. Remember that the combo of Jamar/Moloney has been so crucial to its wins and overall competitiveness).

Although we still have Jones in the middle and in-and-under tough nugget McKenzie as well, including Beamer and Junior alongside those two would be instrumental!

Sydney pulled of a ripper against the Blues at Etihad last weekend and they'll use that coming into the game against the Dees.

Melbourne is coming back from a trip to Perth and a game against Top 4 side Freo which it played very well!

Can the Dees start off well??? Can they keep Goodes quiet?

I think Sydney has our measure and they really should triumph in their second game in Melbourne in a row. The Dees have too many big and very important out's. BUT... if one of Junior and Moloney both pull up ok... consider the Dees in with a very VERY good shot.

Demon Jack16

Dunn seems to be the match up for Goodes. He will be required in the midfield due to some absences so this move seems to sort itself out. Skull & Jordie will need big games which both are certainly well capable of. Nathan Jones will need to lead by example in there.

Our main forward targets...Watts, Bate & Jurrah saw plenty of the ball last week & were lively with all 3 probably having decent chances to have more of an impact on the game than each did. This is positive for us & hopefully if they see the same amount this week they can finish off that work, they all worked fairly hard and were never really in each others' space. Bennell complements them well and this could be a real strength.

I reckon these four (plus Rick Petterd/Tapscott) will be a real handful in years to come. With these four playing dangerous it will allow Col Sylvia & Brad Green to push further & be rotated into the midfield which we will need against the Swans this week.

I'm confident that our backline can handle any combination thrown up by their forward set up.

It has started to go without saying.......we need to bl00dy start well, go Dees!!

We win by 16

Mad_Melbourne believes it's "all about hitting our targets, kicking well when necessary, not overusing the handball, and applying pressure to the opposition."

When Melbourne play this style of footy we are competitive with all teams, we need to dictate play with hard running midfielders being the key to our success. Aaron Davey is well overdue for a blinder of a game, and Sydney has recently hit form so it will be a good test.

So there you have it. The Demonlanders have spoken. Thanks folks!

As for me, I retain my optimism. If Richmond can beat this crowd at the G as they did a few weeks back, then so can we!

Melbourne by 10 points.

[Grandson of a gun 276]

Thanks for remembering the little people JVM and Demonland

[Chelly 810]

Yeah, I'm voting for you guys - especially the ones who tipped the Dees.

[Whispering_Jack 29,799]

Couldn't help but notice that the Swannies have a Nick Smith out with a hamstring, but no note of for how long. 426 you'd suppose?

Good get. I used my moderator's hat to make the necessary amendment.

[45HG 1,539]

Perhaps there was an omen at the MCG last night, this is what I saw as I walked home.

[Grandson of a gun 276]

Looks like hell is rising!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Freddy Fuschia 735]

The thing that worries me about this game is the fact that Roos is such a tactically astute coach and that he will be able to shut us down and dictate the terms of this game. I expect much the same as when we played the Eagles earlier in the season - a low scoring affair in which we were left to flounder because we couldn't break the shackles. My biggest concern is with the way we play in the first ten minutes. It's not that the opposition beats us early in games but more that we beat ourselves with poor decision making, errant kicks and handballs that allow the opposition easy goals. If we continue with this path of self-inflicted pain then the score at the ten minute mark of the first quarter will be Melbourne 0.0.0 Sydney 3.2.20. The rest of the game will be all about us playing catch up.

Sorry to be such a pessimist but that's been Melbourne for much of the season.

[Pipefitter 2,150]

The thing that worries me about this game is the fact that Roos is such a tactically astute coach and that he will be able to shut us down and dictate the terms of this game. I expect much the same as when we played the Eagles earlier in the season - a low scoring affair in which we were left to flounder because we couldn't break the shackles. My biggest concern is with the way we play in the first ten minutes. It's not that the opposition beats us early in games but more that we beat ourselves with poor decision making, errant kicks and handballs that allow the opposition easy goals. If we continue with this path of self-inflicted pain then the score at the ten minute mark of the first quarter will be Melbourne 0.0.0 Sydney 3.2.20. The rest of the game will be all about us playing catch up.

Sorry to be such a pessimist but that's been Melbourne for much of the season.

I agree. If we start well we win.