THE PEOPLE SPEAK

[Demonland 72,175]

In the week leading up to the Melbourne v Sydney game last year we ran a People Speak thread and the best comments were used for our match preview - THE PEOPLE SPEAK.

Since it was so successful, we've decided to give it a run again for this year's Melbourne v Sydney season opener so --- it's over to you!

[Grandson of a gun 276]

Finally after some 5 months since the Filth hoisted the Cup aloft it's back.

17 clubs have had their 'best pre seasons ever' and every list is fitter stronger and faster than last year. Members and supporters alike enter this week with great hope and even greater expectations. And finally all the soap opera stuff from the summer disappears and we focus on the real stuff.

So after a haphazard pre season what will Sunday afternoon bring for the Demons?

Firstly expect a much closer game than last year. The Swans have long memories and are still smarting from that performance as attested to in a recent Herald Sun article.

We can expect to see a fiercer Sydney attacking the contest, and Game plan A will definitely be to block the corridor and put the Melbourne defence under pressure with the now famous press.

They have a few players missing in Bradshaw, Kennealy, Bolton & Roberts-Thompson but they still have one A. Goodes. He is the key and the one Melboune must stop. Unfortunately with Melbourne missing Frawley and Morton, the immediate tagging options look thin. With McKenzie also out and Dunn and Trengove only 50 50 chances to play the Demons have concerns of their own and may look to youngsters Jetta, Maric and Tapscott to step up. Martin will probably get his chance also.

If Goodes goes forward expectGarland to have first crack. If he goes middle, expect Jones to wear him like a glove.

Melbourne's trump card may just be forward of the centre with Green, Jurrah, Petterd, Maric, Sylvia and Watts all very potent and great users of the footy. But I think it will come down to just two things that will determine the outcome of the game.... Ferocity at the contest and Inside 50's. Melbourne have more, they WILL win. If not then they are in strife.

I'm backing the Demons to prevail by 14 points.

[DemonWA 3,934]

Coming into the 2011 season Melbourne fans had every reason to salivating over a round one match against Sydney, a team we comfortably beat at home in 2010. Some ordinary NAB cup performances and some untimely injuries (Frawley, McKenzie & Morton) have probably tempered expectations a little since the day the fixtures were released. Still, the Dees are in decent enough shape with even the talented but injury prone Grimes and Jurrah both able to complete full preseasons, and key players like Jamar, Davey & Sylvia set to be certain starters for the round one clash.

The exact make up of the round one team is still somewhat unclear, with the forward line especially seeming to have many options. Will Bailey and the footy dept have a place for all 3 smalls of Jetta, Maric & Bennell in the one side? Their preseason form suggest they deserve it. Could Wona find his way back in on the back of some decent preseason form for Casey? Will They opt for a taller forward set up on the back of the injury ravaged Sydney backline? Time will tell

As usual both teams will be doing everything they can to take the points and set the tone for their respective seasons. Sydney have a new coach and often playing groups respond positively to a new man in the coaches box. This game is set to be a great contest. Can the Dee’s bounce back form a disappointing finish to their preseason campaign and give their talented forward line enough opportunities to kick a winning score? Can Duel Brownlow medalist Adam Goodes carry his team to victory? Who will win the battle of the midfields?

I think the midfields will be matched quite evenly, but I’m backing the dees forwards to do more damage than the swans; too many key backmen out for Sydney. Dees by 17 points

Key Matchups:

Jamar V Mumford

Jamar and Mumford were arguably the two best ruck men in the competition after Sandilands. With both backlines missing their key players the centre clearances will be all important.

Goodes V ?

I’m tipping Bailey to back Jones with the tagging role on the swans ace. Goodes will kick four goals and have 28 disposals. Jones will get 15 largely ineffective disposals and later tweet that it was a tough day at the office but how he learent so much from playing on a champion.

[Range Rover 1,935]

The Warlpiri Wizard looms large for this game.

I'm thinking a 7 goal virtuoso display.

Dees by 9 points.

[Sideshow Bob 2,370]

'Bout bloody time.....

Longest pre-season ever, with the most twists and turns in AFL history - first off there was the St Kilda schoolgirl, then the Fev, then something else from the St Kilda schoolgirl, Tom Scully to GWS followed by Pendles, Thomas and Swan to GWS, more gold from the St Kilda schoolgirl, this time with Ricky Nixon, Tom Scully says no to GWS, more gold from Fev, this time involving the dee's and Casey, Palmer to GWS, sorry now no Palmer to GWS, the substitute fiasco, a silly lightning premiership style preseason tournament AND add to that some non-footy related news - Floods, cyclones, earthquakes, Tsunami's, nuclear reactors, Royal visits, War in Libya, uprising in Bahrain, uprising in Egypt, some pretty bloody awful cricket by the Australians, another NFL title to Green Bay, an ecouraging second for the Socceroos in Asia

NO bloody wonder we can't wait for the footy to start!!

Dee's to follow last years smashing of the Swanette's by right royally demolishing them on the 'G this time by 38 points

Edited March 22, 2011 by jako13

[bazza226 74]

There is no way Jones can tag Goodes who is too big, and too quick - the job must go to Steph Martin.

[DemonWA 3,934]

There is no way Jones can tag Goodes who is too big, and too quick - the job must go to Steph Martin.

agreed, but Bailey seems to beck him every week to tag the guns, and every week its a blood bath!

[H_T 3,043]

'Bout bloody time.....

Longest pre-season ever, with the most twists and turns in AFL history - first off there was the St Kilda schoolgirl, then the Fev, then something else from the St Kilda schoolgirl, Tom Scully to GWS followed by Pendles, Thomas and Swan to GWS, more gold from the St Kilda schoolgirl, this time with Ricky Nixon, Tom Scully says no to GWS, more gold from Fev, this time involving the dee's and Casey, Palmer to GWS, sorry now no Palmer to GWS, the substitute fiasco, a silly lightning premiership style preseason tournament AND add to that some non-footy related news - Floods, cyclones, earthquakes, Tsunami's, nuclear reactors, Royal visits, War in Libya, uprising in Bahrain, uprising in Egypt, some pretty bloody awful cricket by the Australians, another NFL title to Green Bay, an ecouraging second for the Socceroos in Asia

Are you penning a new Billy Joel version spin off from "We didn't start the fire ?"

[Sideshow Bob 2,370]

Are you penning a new Billy Joel version spin off from "We didn't start the fire ?"

not necessarily a bad idea there HT, there was enough happening during the off season for atleast a couple of verses it could be titled 'The dee's didn't start the fire....'

[Robbie57 2,020]

The mighty first game!

Our pre season has been mixed but I don’t think that means much coming into the real deal.

The much vaunted "forward pressure" style of game plan will come under scrutiny as teams devise methods of getting around it.

I would like to see Aaron playing at half back with precise kicks over the forward pressure.

(As an aside: One thing that stuck with me from Malthouse last year was him discussing the tactics used in other codes. He clearly gains inspiration from this.

You can see it in the filth's forward play, come in from the wing cross the ball into the square and wait for the header(mark) or crumbing goal.

My bet is by round 11 there will be a new game plan being lauded as the way forward.)

Back to the first game.

We are a red hot chance here and its one of our must wins for a top 8 finish.

Our game against the dawks was incomplete but showed we are in the mix with the top 8.

Bailey will adopt a no excuses year.

Watts may get a reprieve if Dunn is not fit. Bailey tells him you have got to earn a place this year.

(and in my view he will in time not only earn it but be indispensible).

The Goodes train; whilst I have enormous respect for him both as a person and a player he is not the beginning and end of the swans.

He goes missing for long periods in matches (and the season) and can be very hot and cold. Who ever plays on him must have some size but more importantly an engine. Jones is not my choice he will be needed possibly to counter Malceski who led the swans in possessions last year. Dunn is perfect but unlikely to be fit. Maybe Martin is the man with the directive, just stick to him like glue we not counting your kicks today.

Mumford/Jamar looks like a nil all draw to me with the edge to the Russian. The game wont be won here.

The big battle is in the mid field with Hannebery and Jack. We will miss Trengove taking one of these guys out of contention. Bails will tell Sylvia, Scully and Moloney he expects a physical game from them with their counterparts ending up on the wrong end of some fair but solid clashes. The swans will miss the in and under play of Kirk. Their mid don’t look as hard this year. If we go hard at the ball in the mids we win.

Our secret weapon: How good was it to see our boys training on the G. The swans don’t play the G well as much as they protest its not an issue, it is. Its shape and space is vastly different to the SCG and it shows whenever the swans play there or at Telstra up here in Sydney. They are not at home on the range! Pre campaign maps are handed out at training this week identifying the areas of the G owned by the dees and are undiscovered country for the Swans.

Up front bailey goes "all stars", Maric, Wonna and Jurrah.

Demons by 15.

[Red Sox 2]

Round one has so much invested in it. Fans hanging out for that first bounce. I suspect some of us Demons are a little less circumspect after some less than impressive displays against Brisbane and Hawthorn. Twitter does seem to be the new media so I'll take those match reports as gospel!!

Besides this being Rnd 1, I think there is much at stake in this first fixture. If we allow ourselves to crystal ball a little one might hope that we could beat Gold Coast and Brisbane, (creating history to be the first team to beat both sides from the Northern state perhaps?)even allowing for a loss to Hawforn, a 3-1 record would hold us in good stead.

2-2 would not be too shabby at all, but 3-1 gives much more hope. Sydney will be burning from the 12 goal loss we dished out last year and if we can achieve another win this week it will be a huge positive.

[Mallee Bull 97]

It's an interesting one.

Sydney's back-line is definitely looking shaky, but then again so is ours without Chip. As always, this game is going to come down to the midfield. If we can get the ball into our fifty often enough, with half decent delivery, surely Jurrah, Watts, Petterd, Green and Maric will have a field day against their undermanned backline.

Jamar and Mumford should be an interesting battle.

I'm looking at Sylvia to have a big game.

Dee's by 12.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Melbourne by 43.

[hardtack 10,537]

The problem the Swannies have is that they are going to be relying too heavily on Goodes to get them through, particularly since they are without the likes of Bradshaw, Malceski, Craig bolton, Roberts-Thomson and Kennelly. Additional to that, Jesse White is going to have to step up big time as a target up forward, and as much as I like him, I don't think he will be able to give them the goal scoring option they will be desperately in need of - and Pike is too hot and cold to be relied upon.

Without Kirk there to direct the midfield and lead by his example, I feel they are going to be somewhat directionless and that, coupled with the fact that they now have to get used to a new coaching style and possibly game plan, I'm not sure it is all going to come together for them this early in the season. With players like Grimes, Rivers, Garland, Bartram and possibly Bennell to run the ball out of defence, I get the feeling their midfield will be caught off guard and the Dees defenders should be able to give the mids, and consequently forwards, good service.

As Malceski is out for a few weeks (10?) with a knee injury, Jones won't be required to cover him, meaning that he could be used on Goodes at a pinch... but I tend to agree that someone like Martin would be better suited to that task. Alternatively (and I know I'll be howled down for this) Bartram is someone who could give Goodes the kind of niggle that will get his blood boiling, and while some players lift when given that kind of treatment, Goodes tends to implode. I would rather see Jones doing his usual job of diving in where no sane person should go.

Overall, I believe that if our defenders can do their job with quick clearances, we should have too much speed through the middle and too much class up forward for the Swannies to counter over a prolonged period of time. So far this preseason we have beaten our AAMI hoodoo, we have managed to show we can get off to a fast start against the Hawks, and now we need to step up and show we can get off to a fast start in the finals race by winning the first game of the season. Footy's a confidence game, and what better way to build confidence than by winning the first game of the year without your best 22 on the park. Dees by 23.

[DemonWA 3,934]

Nice review

Without Kirk there to direct the midfield and lead by his example, I feel they are going to be somewhat directionless Overall, I

Jr and Bruce are gone for us too. I think Beamer can lead the way for us, and McVeigh will probably lead the way for the swannies?

[hardtack 10,537]

Nice review

Jr and Bruce are gone for us too. I think Beamer can lead the way for us, and McVeigh will probably lead the way for the swannies?

Thanks! Actually, Junior didn't play in last year's game when we decimated the Swans (people tend to overlook the fact we didn't have him on the park for a lot of season 2010) and I'm not sure that Bruce actually contributed all that much either... I think that MacDonald, if he is playing, is in a similar mold to Bruce, so his loss shouldn't be felt too acutely.

[Sir Why You Little 37,034]

DEMONS BY 47 Points

Jurrah 4

Maric 4

Green 3

Sylvia 5

[The Big Ticket 94]

...

Good post.

I can't really see any Swan that would match up well on Jurrah. He's in for a big game I think.

[#MYHEARTBEATSTRUE 27]

Dees by 73 points

Bennel to Dunn inside 30 seconds and GOAL!

God im Pumped!!!

[Robbie57 2,020]

As Malceski is out for a few weeks (10?) with a knee injury, Jones won't be required to cover him, meaning that he could be used on Goodes at a pinch... but I tend to agree that someone like Martin would be better suited to that task.

MY error,I see I was away when this happened and missed it. That is a big out for them and I agree they are not last years side.

[13thflag 0]

Is it Sunday yet? can't wait it's so near yet so far. My brand new t-shirt and members cap are ready for the new 2011 season.

I hope the boys come out and thump the swans from the start. B)

[Deeoldfart 8,016]

Thanks! Actually, Junior didn't play in last year's game when we decimated the Swans (people tend to overlook the fact we didn't have him on the park for a lot of season 2010) and I'm not sure that Bruce actually contributed all that much either... I think that MacDonald, if he is playing, is in a similar mold to Bruce, so his loss shouldn't be felt too acutely.

My recollection is that Bruce had probably his best for the year....... slaughtered O'Keefe. Grimes and Moloney were other absentees from our lineup.

Edit:spelling

Edited March 22, 2011 by Deeoldfart

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 389]

I got a little bored reading the somewhat optimistic posts here and snuck a peak at a Swans Forum for some different views. Nothing particularly insightful but generally they seem concerned about our pace and the poor performance of the Swans at the 'G in recent years:

Do I think we'll knock off the Demons at the MCG? No.

I know we've had a reasonably good pre-season, but the team is probably still a bit unsettled, especially considering personnel changes and our reputation for being slow starters.

There was also something about the way we were defeated in Round 17 last year that makes me think there's a gap between the two sides that will be difficult to overcome in the short term.

I think we'll improve on that appalling performance last year, but it won't be enough.

Demons by 26.

If we want to go a long way into September this year teams like Melbourne will need to be accounted for. This fixture last year was a debacle.

i don't know we can out run Melbourne on the MCG and last year we could not shut the game down either.

We need to be more efficient with disposal than we were last year and put numbers in front of the ball and trap it in to contests, ensure Frawly and Morton don't feed the likes of Davey and their running players who murdered us last year. We know Melbourne are fast enough so make the stoppage contests about strength not pace. Grind the game down and don't give a [censored] about the words ugly football. 4 points football is all that matters.

Restrict the score of the match. last year the game was over almost at quarter time, if we can ensure the scoring rate is low of the match the longer the game goes we can ensure the strong grunt midfield types of Kennedy, Jack and Hanners will start feeding the Goodes, McVeigh and Jetta's in the latter stages of each quarter. Melbournes forwards are solid but not superstars. Deny them clean feed and the ball should hit the ground a lot more. Than it's up to Smith and Mattner to clean it up and clear it.

We should win this game if the game is played on pressure teams not in open space.

It's a very tough game first up, there's no reason why we can't get the 4 points as our pre-season has been solid despite a few injurys. You would expect a better Melbourne outfit this season but being round 1, who knows what to really expect from either side. Last year's game still haunts me a little, it's hard to see that kind of shellacking to happen again though.

If we can restrict Melbourne's space, run and apply good pressure then we are every chance. Our defence set up is going to be the interesting one, Mal gone and still no Bolts or LRT but the depth is there.

I

[Samsara 65]

This game will be much closer. Sydney will not allow a thumping again. Melbourne by 19 points.

[Mono 455]

FWIW I think the swans will win; not close but not a blow out.