According to the mfc website there are no changes to our team. Miller, Morton and Warnock are the emergencies. Its a nice change and why would you with 3 wins in a row.

now theres a fresh breath of confidence. :)

fits in with what many of us suspected..it aint broke..no fix required

As I always say, "when you're winning, the best change is no change at all."

the hawks will beat us up, bully us and run home 8 goal winners.

dont get your hopes up

the hawks will beat us up, bully us and run home 8 goal winners.

dont get your hopes up

Is this an attempted Jinx? All in favour of having strong opinions, but maybe take it to the Hawthorn board.

May be the case, but if you've seen Hawthorn in recent weeks they look anything but hard and 'unsociable'. If we can swallow the 5 or so minutes of "toughness" they'll throw out at us then I think we'll be ok.

I think it could be a bit like that day we tried to beat up Reiwoldt, maybe in '04?, we were trying to be big and bad but forgot to play the game

reverse jinx

reverse jinx

If there are no late changes, this will be the first time under Dean Bailey the Demons have gone in unchanged.

64 games. Says a bit.

i really do think the hawks will show up to play though

i really do think the hawks will show up to play though

I'm loving the stability for 1 reason.

It means that our young defence, young midfield and young forward line are playing games together consistently, which means more cohesion, better understanding and more unity amongst those players. There is no reason why our starting 22 now should be very different to our starting 22 In 2 years time, and by that stage they'll have played 60 odd games together as a group.

One slightly concerning thing is the fact that Morton, Warnock and Bate aren't in the team, when they all should be starting 22 players considering their talents and experience. I only hope that these 3 boys take this as a challenge to become better players and don't get disillusioned by the thought of having missed the train.

the hawks have drawn a line in the sand. it is at the entrance to their changerooms and Kennett is not allowed to cross it. dees by 28 points !!

I'm loving the stability for 1 reason.

It means that our young defence, young midfield and young forward line are playing games together consistently, which means more cohesion, better understanding and more unity amongst those players. There is no reason why our starting 22 now should be very different to our starting 22 In 2 years time, and by that stage they'll have played 60 odd games together as a group.

One slightly concerning thing is the fact that Morton, Warnock and Bate aren't in the team, when they all should be starting 22 players considering their talents and experience. I only hope that these 3 boys take this as a challenge to become better players and don't get disillusioned by the thought of having missed the train.

How can you say that the team won't be very different and the next line have concern as to why 3 players are not there? IMO I think it will be a lot different.

FWIW the team will change a fair amount over the next 12 mths or so. Players not in that side currently include Grimes, the 3 you mention, Blease, Tapscott, Gysberts, Strauss & other up and comers like Fitzpatrick & Gawn. IMO Blease is a certainty to be in the side going forward as long as he gets fit, the club have looked after him superbly & he will come through the injury.

the hawks have drawn a line in the sand. it is at the entrance to their changerooms and Kennett is not allowed to cross it. dees by 28 points !!

Are you for real? They have sand in the changerooms?

As I always say, "when you're winning, the best change is no change at all."

Makes sense.

However, we've had a fair few "late changes" over the season... who knows what can happen.

But so far Melbourne have done the right thing - no changes, but 3 'handy' players on the Emergency list.

Don't be surprised if Chip doesn't play.

How can you say that the team won't be very different and the next line have concern as to why 3 players are not there? IMO I think it will be a lot different.

FWIW the team will change a fair amount over the next 12 mths or so. Players not in that side currently include Grimes, the 3 you mention, Blease, Tapscott, Gysberts, Strauss & other up and comers like Fitzpatrick & Gawn. IMO Blease is a certainty to be in the side going forward as long as he gets fit, the club have looked after him superbly & he will come through the injury.

I don't see that as a contradiction.

The starting 22 shouldn't be very different because only Bruce and Mcdonald are close to retiring, and most of the rest of our team i believe can take us forward to a premiership tilt.

Morton I think is still a part of that future premiership tilt. However the second line was my disappointment that Bate and Warnock have come on as i expected this season, and now, instead of being core players in our next premiership tilt, may only be depth. A big season by either next year could, of coarse, change taht

Don't be surprised if Chip doesn't play.

Do you know something we don't?

Do you know something we don't?

His ankle wasn't great, I believe, after the game last week, a friend of mine was talking to him and it may not be good.

His ankle wasn't great, I believe, after the game last week, a friend of mine was talking to him and it may not be good.

Massive OUCH.

Melbourne's season potentially over.

Funny thing. We can cover that loss. It would hurt, yes, but we have another great defender waiting to come in. Warnock goes to Roughead, Garland to Franklin and we continue on our merry way.

His ankle wasn't great, I believe, after the game last week, a friend of mine was talking to him and it may not be good.

i guess we will know saturday afternoon when the final casey side runs onto the park... No Warnock for casey = no chip for mfc, come sunday..

Hence Warnock on the standby..

Still , the way we need to go about this game is all hands to the ready from that first bounce. We need to attack fiercely and hunt them. They haven't done too well when pressure applied early and we can do it if the ticker is there. We have to hurt them and early . Need to force buddy up the ground and that will negate his influence. Clarko will be desperate to stop our run and will want stoppage after stoppage but just as the Swannies showed you can play that to advantage. The sqawkers beat us only when they jump us and make us play catch up . They are no better. Russian will define this game.. On song and first advantage we can break them open .. They bleed they can be beaten.Peterson is a dark horse (npi) needs to be contained.Hawks like to hunt but aren't so good when they are the prey. Time to cook some birds

How can you say that the team won't be very different and the next line have concern as to why 3 players are not there? IMO I think it will be a lot different.

FWIW the team will change a fair amount over the next 12 mths or so. Players not in that side currently include Grimes, the 3 you mention, Blease, Tapscott, Gysberts, Strauss & other up and comers like Fitzpatrick & Gawn. IMO Blease is a certainty to be in the side going forward as long as he gets fit, the club have looked after him superbly & he will come through the injury.

Absolutely agree with that. In any case, I don't think Bate is in our best 22 at all. Warnock will be in it and out of it, but is reliable. Morton will end up being another Dunn, played all over the place and in and out as a result. Mind you, Dunn bulked up before the 2009 season.

The players you've listed are all certain starters for games next year; Junior, Green and Bruce are all pretty long in the tooth. The 'best 22' at the end of next season will look very different from this one, even if those veterans are still in it, and on current form Green and Bruce will be. Not sure about Junior.

i guess we will know saturday afternoon when the final casey side runs onto the park... No Warnock for casey = no chip for mfc, come sunday..

Warnock trained this morning so seems to be the designated emergency

Warnock trained this morning so seems to be the designated emergency

Very bad if Chip doesn't play. Firstly, he needs to play in big games for learning. Secondly, Hawthorn is about the worst team in the comp not to have him for. Actually the worst. Warnock would have to play out of his skin to compensate and our midfield would have to win by quite a way. Without Gimes and Frawley, we would lack drive out of the backline. I would be inclined to bring in Morton in place of Johnson to assist with drive/rebound.

Very bad if Chip doesn't play. Firstly, he needs to play in big games for learning. Secondly, Hawthorn is about the worst team in the comp not to have him for. Actually the worst. Warnock would have to play out of his skin to compensate and our midfield would have to win by quite a way. Without Gimes and Frawley, we would lack drive out of the backline. I would be inclined to bring in Morton in place of Johnson to assist with drive/rebound.

Warnock has been playing out of his skin for Casey so the call-up will be warranted.

Chip is a big loss nonetheless though...