Two very different teams probably vying for a similar position on the ladder.

Stef Martin should go to Goodes but he can't. Goodes has an incredible footy brain - always runs to the right spot at the right time, and has those small touches and body-contact moments that put opponents out of position quickly. Martin's game is based on his althleticism, he is not a natural footballer. Goodes will cut him up like a hot knife through butter. I love Jonesy but he is too small, Goodes will kill him in the air. Could Joel Macdonald keep up with him pace wise?

Although our midfields are of an almost even strength, we are quicker, but Sylvia is the man here. He is an explosive power footballer and I cannot see a Sydney player able to curb him.

Our sub - Bennell or Bail. Someone to come on half way through the 3rd quarter and show up their lack of pace.

Dees by 18 - 25 points

.

If both Trengove and Scully dont play, on top of Mckenzie, Frawley and even Morton, i think we will lose just.

The midfield is the key as we need to get it inside 50 to exploit their weakened backline but with those players out i think it evens things up significantly. It means guys ike Jetta and Bail have to move into the middle. On top of that we have a dismal round 1 record so im anxious to see how we approach this one.

Dees lead at every change to win by 28 points.

Jurrah with 4, Maric with 3.

Bail comes on as the sub halfway through the 3rd quarter and runs the legs off the Swans' midfield.

Swans by 25 to 30 points.

Finally we can go hard with Green signaling full speed, all the way, in season 2011.

Come to think of it we have had a colourful recent history with Wight,White,Brown and Green etc. And who would have thought Black would turn it on under lights so often for those far north lions? At least we haven't had a Gray that I can recall, unlike the scum from a few years back. And what about real patsy names like Rose?

Enough waffling about colours, and onwards with Green and his hard charging Demon teammates.

This team now has emptied the excuse bucket and will now begin to show that potential is not what we have at the "G".

We now possess performance and power. We have skill, size, pace, excitement and the X-factor with the Jurrahcane and others.

Jump on board everyone and enjoy the beginning of a huge ride that should culminate in the near future with a swig from the holy grail!

It all begins without excuse against the Swams, sorry, Swans this weekend. Go Demons.

bring on sunday!

Goodes, mumfford, hannebery and josh kennedy need to be stopped or at a min contained.

Kennedy played very well during the swans campaign last year.

slyvia, beamer, jones need to make an early impact in this game.

Not sure how fit Dunn is..but i'd put him on goodes...i'd like to say Steph martin but he's just not experienced enough...maybe bails will rotate these two players on him....rivers might be another to play on goodes

I'm not as optimistic as many in this thread about our chances against Sydney. Sydney is one of the better clearance teams in the AFL and that is the key area of which I'm concerned from Melbournefc's point of view. From the Melbourne perspective the pre-season form is an indicator despite the perceived 'importance' of practice matches. I saw the Dees get smashed by the Bombers in the R2 NAB Cup in centre clearances. With injuries to Scully, McKenzie the midfield set up alters and with no more Junior our contested clearances will be under the microscope like never before. The opposition has too often, too easily been able to get the ball back into their forward 50, through lack of defensive pressure by our forwards and mids. In this day, if a team can't keep the ball in their own forward 50, the pressure is on elsewhere - namely defense.

Unless our forwards can nail the scoreboard for a large percentage of our inside 50's with some good performances of our forwards, we'll find this a struggle. Comments from Chris Connolly that there is not many that are 100% going into this game is a concern. An ankle niggle to Trengove puts further pressure on the Dees midfield - apparently 50/50. Hell of a job for Moloney, Jones, Sylvia, Bail, Davey, Jetta & co. against the like of Keiren Jack, Hannebury, Bolton, McGlynn, Kennedy & Jetta. I think we'll find this game tough in Round 1 and it could very well be a signal that many expectations need to be tempered for the 2011 season. As much as I'd love to see a win by the Dees to open their account....

Swans by 21 points.

This is an interesting game against two teams that play such different styles - Melbourne, at its best, is free-flowing and bold. Sydney, at its best, is hard and tight and uncompromising.

They have a hard working midfield and an effective backline. They also have a young forward line and this may be crucial with our selfless and tough backline hopefully 'turning the ball over' in the way you want that term to mean.

Melbourne's forward line is effective and unpredictable.

And Melbourne's midfield is...

We will see.

Scully, Morton and McKenzie will be more important in future years than they are now. Will Jones, Moloney, Sylvia, Jamar, Davey, and Green (I'm assuming he will spend his time in this depleted midfield) create enough pressure on their counterparts? Will they win enough of the contested ball? And will they deliver properly?

If they can answer two of those three questions in the affirmative than Melbourne should win.

I think they can.

Melbourne 109

Sydney 91

Swans by 25 to 30 points.

99% agreement RR except 18 to 24points

Swans easily.

Yes we beat them last year for the first time in years but there's always some aberrations in the H&A they finished in the 8 and won a final.

We've got injuries to key players Frawley, Scully and Morton and have to cover the loss of Junior and Bruce.

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

Losing Scully is a big loss. Might be the difference but I will still go with the Dee's by 5 points.

I've watched some of the replay of last years game a couple of times and one thing I noticed is that we had a really good run with the umpires in a few 50/50 decisions in the first quarter that resulted in scoring opportunities. We might need the same luck this week to help get us over the line...

Losing Scully is a big loss. Might be the difference but I will still go with the Dee's by 5 points.

I'm starting to think that we are tending to overrate Scully due to all of the hyperbole and his sudden legendary status resulting from the supposed GWS offer.

Don't get me wrong, he is very good and will only get much better over the next season or two, but he was definitely NOT the difference between us winning and losing most of our games last year and I doubt very much he will be the difference between us winning or losing on Sunday; I would think Chip will be missed much more than Scully in that regard. One real upside to his omission is the opportunity this creates for Tapscott - now that I AM excited about.

I've watched some of the replay of last years game a couple of times and one thing I noticed is that we had a really good run with the umpires in a few 50/50 decisions in the first quarter that resulted in scoring opportunities. We might need the same luck this week to help get us over the line...

The swans form improved after that game and they went onto play finals, ours fell away!

Pre season semi final vs the Pies they took it right up to them and only lost it in the last 10 minutes.

Our pre season form!! enough said!

Hope I am wrong but I cannot see our mid field getting it forward enough to kick a winning score.

Swans easily.

Yes we beat them last year for the first time in years but there's always some aberrations in the H&A they finished in the 8 and won a final.

We've got injuries to key players Frawley, Scully and Morton and have to cover the loss of Junior and Bruce.

Four of that five played last year, big holes to fill

i think their midfield is only as good as our depleated one.

Keiren Jack V Jones

Hannebury V Trengove

Kennedy V Beamer

Jetta V Jetta

McVeigh V Sylvia

Jack has more tricks than jones, but i could see jones doing a servicable run with/tagging role on him. As for all the other potential matchups shown above i think we have them covered. Throw the likes of Davey, Tapscott, Bennell and Gysberts into the midfield mix and i still reckon we have enough depth to be serviable with out Scully & McKenzie (who are major losses, and 1st choice starting players). Regardless of who is playing in the guts we just need to show a bit of hunger to be the first to the ball. Thats where the game will be won or lost; intensity, disire and pressure

Pontificate all you like Football scribes. Talk players missing, talk tactics, talk their last meeting, talk all you like but remember the Demon is stirring and although this is clearly another development year the Mighty Boys will want to win this one to kick off the new season. Expect Colin to run through walls to deliver lace out to the likes of Jurrah, Petterd, Dunn and Watts and if he misses watch young Maric and Wonaeamirri swoop on the crumbs. Down back expect Garland, Grimes, Rivers, Jetta and New boy Tapscott to repel the bulk of the Swans forward forays. I sense some panic about our midfield well panic no further folks, Jamar, Trengove, Bail, Moloney, Davey, Jones, Sylvia, Bennell and at times Jetta, Tapscott, Grimes and Maric will provide plenty of ball for our forwards. Now all you need to do is get yourself to the Hallowed turf by 2.10 to watch the Rise of the Demon.

Prediction: Melbourne by 27 points.

Goals: Jurrah 3, Maric 2, Sylvia 2, Petterd 2, Wonaemirri 2

Best: Sylvia, Petterd, Garland, Grimes, Maric, Watts

Highlight Reel: Goodes streaming into goal, watch out, watch out, gone!! a bone crunching tackle from Sylvia and the ball spills free, kick off the ground by Grimes who runs and recovers the ball in the back pocket, chip to garland who gives off to Jetta, quick hands to Tapscott who turns inboard and kicks long, low and hard to Trengove in the centre, Trengove looks upfield and sees Watts on a long lead, his kick finds Watts 60 metres from goal directly in front, Watts reels around on his left and go's BANG from outside 50, Demons back in front!

Pontificate all you like Football scribes. Talk players missing, talk tactics, talk their last meeting, talk all you like but remember the Demon is stirring and although this is clearly another development year the Mighty Boys will want to win this one to kick off the new season. Expect Colin to run through walls to deliver lace out to the likes of Jurrah, Petterd, Dunn and Watts and if he misses watch young Maric and Wonaeamirri swoop on the crumbs. Down back expect Garland, Grimes, Rivers, Jetta and New boy Tapscott to repel the bulk of the Swans forward forays. I sense some panic about our midfield well panic no further folks, Jamar, Trengove, Bail, Moloney, Davey, Jones, Sylvia, Bennell and at times Jetta, Tapscott, Grimes and Maric will provide plenty of ball for our forwards. Now all you need to do is get yourself to the Hallowed turf by 2.10 to watch the Rise of the Demon.

Prediction: Melbourne by 27 points.

Goals: Jurrah 3, Maric 2, Sylvia 2, Petterd 2, Wonaemirri 2

Best: Sylvia, Petterd, Garland, Grimes, Maric, Watts

Highlight Reel: Goodes streaming into goal, watch out, watch out, gone!! a bone crunching tackle from Sylvia and the ball spills free, kick off the ground by Grimes who runs and recovers the ball in the back pocket, chip to garland who gives off to Jetta, quick hands to Tapscott who turns inboard and kicks long, low and hard to Trengove in the centre, Trengove looks upfield and sees Watts on a long lead, his kick finds Watts 60 metres from goal directly in front, Watts reels around on his left and go's BANG from outside 50, Demons back in front!

Mate you have got a player in there who is not playing ( wona ) with two goals and one who may not get a game ( Petterd ) with 2 goals and another in Trengrove who is no certainity to play.

Result 4 goals less and the margin is down to a slim 3 points assuming the missing kicked no behinds!

Finally we can begin the proper stuff. We've spent months analysing pre-season form, which players are going to break out of the shackles and produce the type of season we have hoped for. Well, on Sunday we can forget about all that and concentrate on the performances that matter - those in the regulation season.

Sydney are a much tougher proposition than alot of posters are giving them credit for. Sure we belted them last year to the tune of 12 goals, however lets be honest. That was a golden day. Luck was with us, both in terms of umpiring and in terms of the bounce of the ball. I'm not denying the fact that we played a sensational game, but everything went right. We can't expect that to happen again, because it won't.

We have some key personnel that will be sitting in the stands this week. James Frawley is the biggest loss. His presence in the team not only strengthens our defence, but lifts the confidence of every defensive player. Can the likes of Garland, Rivers, Macdonald or even Stef Martin curb the influence of the Sydney forwards? My heart says yes, but Sydney have got a talented forward group. Goodes is the standout, but Jesse White, Ryan O'Keefe, Lewis Jetta and co. are a good group of players.

Another loss that hurts us is Jordie McKenzie. I know that Scully is out, which is a loss, but I think Jordie's pressure and tackling around the stoppages is going to be sorely missed. To win the stoppages and give our forwards the best possible chance, we need Moloney, Sylvia, Jones and Trengove to pick up the slack. Can they do it?

The one area in which I think we have it over the Swans is our forward line. Long suggested as being our weakness, it is now looking potent once more. Liam Jurrah looks on the verge of something special (more than usual!), and Jack Watts is starting to mature. If those two can continue to spend time playing together, they will form a formidable partnership. Throw in Ricky Petterd as a medium forward, Lynden Dunn to create a contest and the likes of Maric, Jetta and Bennell snapping at their heels. That's not even mentioning our skipper Brad Green, who proved last year what a dangerous forward he is. This combination I think will be too much for the Swans defence, and should get us a winning score.

The key matchup of the game for me is Adam Goodes. His preseason has been excellent, and he could hold the key to this game. The naming of Dunn as ruck rover suggests that he may be the matchup. He has had limited success as a tagger, however he could have the tank and the muscle to annoy Goodes. He certainly doesn't have the speed to match him, but hopefully Goodes doesn't get too much of an opportunity to use that speed.

My prediction? I think if the Dees can win the stoppages and give our forwards good delivery, we'll win. Our forward line should have too much firepower for the Swans defence, so much rests of the shoulders of Jamar, Moloney, Jones, Trengove and Sylvia to get that ball inside 50. If we lose the stoppages and allow Goodes to dictate the game, we could be in trouble. Am also looking forward to the debut of Luke Tapscott, who has an excellent opportunity to cement a spot in the side.

Melbourne by 14 points.

Many unknown, unknowns here, but Dees should win:

1. Home ground advantage. Melbourne grow a leg on the MCG, and a 40K crowd with a sea of red and blue is worth five goals.

2. Pre-season form, subtract three goals. Our form was dismal, but many of my non-demon friends are totally dismissive of pre-season as a guide, and rate the Demons well. I give good weight to the opinions of non-demon football addicts because they unlike us, see outside the square. We did win in Adelaide for the first time in a long time.

3. Injuries. Both sides have injuries, and it is more about depth these days. I think the Dees do well for depth, and we have good ins, ie Tapscott. The much-touted absences haven't really broken into the big-time yet ie Scully is a brilliant releaser of the ball in heavy traffic, but his foot disposal is not yet giving us a decisive advantage. Break-even.

4. We have a very strong forward line, and if just one player ie Jurrah has a day out, this is an advantage to us. Three goals to us.

5. Intangibles. We will gel on the day and overcome a determined Swans unit. Melbourne's huge win over Swans last year cannot be discounted, and there is a sense that we now have the upper hand on Sydney. A Thirty point win to the Demons.

Well I live in Sydney and am praying for another win. Comprehensive would be perfect, however I will settle for anything +1 pt or more. I get so sick of these bloody sydneysiders overrating their side. Yes A. Goodes is an absolute gun, but come on Sydney, LRT is not a gun, Bradshaw can't stay on the park, Keneally never returned to form and after that, the rest are just another footy club. I do think we will win, and I hope I am right because we don't get to go around again with them this year and I'm not sure I can take all the crowing.

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

This is true but it must be remembered that O'Keefe was completely crocked with OP and hernia issues by this stage in 2010. Couldn't get above a jog for the rest of the season and unable to kick more than 30m on his preferred foot.