MY DAY IN PARADISE

MY DAY IN PARADISE by Whispering Jack

The past week has been a very good one for die hard Demon supporters. Suddenly, we have the respect of the football world. It's there in the media, in public transport and it's there around the water cooler at work. It's everywhere. From casual acquaintances to close friends, Melbourne's sensational drubbing of top eight side, the Sydney Swans has elevated the club to rock star status and if you happen to be a Demon fan, then welcome aboard for the ride. You've become this week's Paul McCartney or Madonna. And for those who are too young to remember those two, think Justin Beiber or Miley Cyrus.

Even rival coach Michael Voss of the Brisbane Lions has jumped onto the bandwagon calling us the next "superpower," when he told the AFL website:

"The way they moved and the way that they played the game, you certainly think, 'Are we seeing the superpower of the future?'

"That’s the way Geelong (play), being able to move the ball like that and with the younger players that they have got in there at their disposal, it is quite impressive.

"I would imagine they are probably talking finals."

Voss fairly gushed when speaking of Melbourne's stockpile of top draft picks who were making an immediate impact, adding how they had "vastly improved since the teams last met in Round 5, when the Demons won by 50 points."

When he reached this point the penny dropped and you knew he was engaging in what the coaching world calls "psychological warfare". A desperate man attempting a desperate tactic that would backfire if his own charges took the wrong message from their coach.

Of course, the wags would say that the Brisbane Lions aren't really listening to his message anyway and that the only bloke they take any notice of is the Messiah aka Travis Johnstone who won't be taking his place in the team this week because he'll be too busy ministering to his homeless brothers in Vulture Street.

Pity that one time #1 draft choice TJ left the Dees because he would have loved the adulation that the football world is heaping on the club.

He had his days in paradise but he also knows only too well how easily the applause can come to an end if you bask in the glory but fail to continually do the hard work and apply yourself to the task of improving in all facets of the game.

And that should be a lesson to his own former club as well.

THE GAME Brisbane v Melbourne at The Gabba - Saturday, 31 July 2010 at 7.10pm.

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Brisbane 10 wins Melbourne 17 wins

Gabba Brisbane 8 wins Melbourne 3 wins

Since 2000 Brisbane 7 wins Melbourne 6 wins

The Coaches Voss 1 win Bailey 1 win

MEDIA

TV Fox Sports1 Live at 7.00pm

RADIO ABC774 SEN

THE BETTING Brisbane $1.76 Melbourne $2.07

THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 15.13.103 defeated Brisbane Lions 7.11.53 at The MCG Round 5, 2010

Before the game the task of taking on the undefeated Lions looked a daunting prospect but the Demons dominated from the start booting 9.6 to 3.6 in the first half. They then held Brisbane's much vaunted forward line goalless in the final term to record their third win on the trot. They were brave, courageous and bold, ran all night and gave their fans hope for the future.

THE TEAMS

BRISBANE

Backs Xavier Clarke Daniel Merrett Ashley McGrath

Half backs Luke Power Brent Staker Joel Patfull

Centreline Jack Redden Daniel Rich Tom Rockliff

Half forwards James Polkinghorne Jonathan Brown Albert Proud

Forwards Jared Brennan Brendan Fevola Todd Banfield

Followers Mitchell Clark Simon Black Michael Rischitelli

Interchange Pearce Hanley Ryan Harwood Matthew Leuenberger Cheynee Stiller

Emergencies Aaron Cornelius James Hawksley Justin Sherman

In Simon Black Xavier Clarke Ashley McGrath Cheynee Stiller

Out Amon Buchanan (quad) Aaron Cornelius James Hawksley Matt Maguire

MELBOURNE

Backs Colin Garland Jared Rivers Clint Bartram

Half backs Cameron Bruce James Frawley Joel Macdonald

Centreline Rohan Bail James McDonald Brad Green

Half forwards Lynden Dunn Jack Watts Tom Scully

Forwards Jamie Bennell Paul Johnson Austin Wonaeamirri

Followers Mark Jamar Colin Sylvia Aaron Davey

Interchange Jordie McKenzie, Cale Morton, Nathan Jones, Liam Jurrah

Emergencies Jack Trengove, Addam Maric, Matthew Warnock

In James McDonald

Out Addam Maric

ONE WEEK ...

I would really like to see Melbourne live up to the adulation heaped upon the team by Voss and the talking heads in the media who have in the space of a single week created this new Demon bandwagon thanks to their adulation and their constant comparisons with the Cats. I'd like to jump on and see it turn into a juggernaut proving correct those who have gotten stuck into their AFL ladder predictors to come up with weird scenarios that include Melbourne miraculously jumping into the final eight after winning the last dramatic home and away game of 2010. The problem is that it's little more than a pipedream and there's not much chance of it all seeing the light of day in the real world.

I keep returning to the old cliché about taking things one week at a time and remembering the week after Melbourne thrashed the Brisbane Lions earlier this season. Demon fans also walked with a swagger then. They looked at an AFL ladder which had their team outside the top eight on percentage only (1.1% behind the Bulldogs), a ladder that had them equal on premiership points with the reigning premiers and well ahead of their upcoming opponent North Melbourne. The contest against the Kangaroos might well have been fixed to take place at Etihad Stadium where the Dees have not fared well of late but it still seemed like it would be a picnic in the park during the week leading up to the game.

Yet reality set in on the first day of May when North rocked our socks and cleared out to an eight goal lead during the second quarter. The inconsistency bug bit us bloody hard on the bum and persisted with us throughout the remainder of the season. We managed a tie against today's ladder leader and premiership favourite one day but the next time we played we were chopped liver. Is there any guarantee that history won't repeat itself by the first day of August?

Those of you who believe Melbourne's scorching form against the Swans will automatically be repeated when the team travels north this week should take care. The game will be the team's second road trip in a fortnight and I didn't want to mention it but the Demons don't travel very well. Their last win at a regular non-Victorian venue came four years ago. In football playing terms that's half a lifetime ago.

What Melbourne does have in its favour is recent exposed form:

Melbourne: DLLWLW

Brisbane Lions: LLLLLL

The Demons also have the advantage of having their skipper back on the park for the first time in almost two months although the Lions also do have some handy returnees led by Simon Black who always does well against Melbourne.

The bookies have the Lions as slight favourites which suggests that recent form means nothing while home ground advantage is an important factor. I agree the result of the game will be a lot closer than many would have us think and perhaps Vossy's little attempt at some form of reverse psychology might even work. But while I'm predicting that it will be a tight affair I can't go past Melbourne's speedy ball movers to get it across the line although by only a narrow margin this time.

Melbourne by 3 points.