COAST TO COAST

Posted April 26, 201114 yr

COAST TO COAST by Dave from Dianella

Having taken a leisurely week's break after its win against the Gold Coast Suns in Brisbane, Melbourne is heading off to foreign territory again to take on the West Coast Eagles at the newly named Patersons Stadium (formerly "Subiaco Oval") on Thursday night. Although pitted against last year's wooden spooner, in many respects, the emerging Demons face a major challenge that could well shape their season.

Whenever a Melbourne side ventures west of the South Australian border, the talk inevitably turns to the club's woeful interstate playing record. Leaving aside the novelty of that triple header NAB Cup event in February, the team's record in Adelaide (no wins in more than a decade) is abysmal and its almost as bad across the Nullarbor in Perth where the last Demon victory came in Round 11, 2004. That was against Fremantle on a wet day when Peter Vardy kicked four goals and a young pimply faced Brock McLean in his first season helped in beating up the then lowly Dockers by 13.15.93 to 9.8.62. You have to go back another two years to Round 19, 2002 to find a Melbourne win over the West Coast Eagles. The Dees fell in by a straight kick that day, 15.16.106 to 15.10.100.

But all that's history. Half the current side had barely reached puberty and a fresh faced Brad Green was barely out of his teens. Little Johnny Howard was the Prime Minister, you could buy a tank of petrol without having to mortgage your house and Saddam Hussein was busily boasting about the weapons of mass destruction he either didn't have or has hidden so well in the desert that nobody can find them.

My point is that we're now in 2011. This is a new and different Melbourne team to that which last ventured over here to take on the West Coast two years ago and, if they are to start making an impact on the competition, they need to perform well in places far away from home.

And while many have been critical of the way the team has performed to date, a look at the AFL ladder indicates that, despite having already had one of its two byes for the season, it occupies a place in the top half for the first time in half a decade. That may be partially thanks to a very friendly draw but you can develop some momentum in these situations.

That's why Thursday night looms large for the Melbourne Football Club as a great opportunity for it to accept the challenge and take another step forward on what still remains a long journey.

THE GAME

West Coast Eagles v Melbourne at Patersons Stadium - Thursday 28 April 2011 at 8:40pm (AEST)

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall West Coast 25 wins Melbourne 15 wins

At Patersons Stadium West Coast 11 wins Melbourne 5 wins

Since 2000 West Coast 9 wins Melbourne 7 wins

The Coaches Worsfold 2 wins Bailey 2 wins

MEDIA

TV Channel 10 live at 8.30 pm (Victoria)

RADIO 1116SEN ABC774 3AW

THE BETTING

West Coast to win $1.72 Melbourne to win $2.00

LAST TIME THEY MET

West Coast 10.15.75 defeated Melbourne 6.10.46 at the MCG Round 8, 2010

The Demons started red hot favourites to win this game on their home turf but, after an even first half with scores were level on 5.5.35 apiece, the Eagles dominated.

Melbourne constantly bombed away into the forward line but simply had nobody to take the big grab and when the ball hit the ground, the West Coast defence moved the ball away from danger with consummate ease. To the dismay of their home fans, the Demons kicked only one goal in the last half and in the final analysis, the loss against the eventual wooden spooner was arguably their worst performance for the year. Only aging skipper James McDonald could hold his head high at the end of the day.

THE TEAMS

WEST COAST EAGLES

Backs Ashley Smith Darren Glass Shannon Hurn

Half backs Sam Butler Eric Mackenzie Scott Selwood

Centreline Andrew Embley Matthew Priddis Matthew Rosa

Half forwards Luke Shuey Josh Kennedy Mark Nicoski

Forwards Mark LeCras Quinten Lynch Jack Darling

Followers Dean Cox Daniel Kerr Adam Selwood

Interchange Bradley Ebert Nic Naitanui Patrick McGinnity Andrew Gaff

Emergencies Will Schofield Thomas Swift Gerrick Weedon

In Mark LeCras Ashley Smith Patrick McGinnity

Out Mitch Brown (hand) Will Schofield Bradd Dalziell

MELBOURNE

Backs James Frawley Jared Rivers Clint Bartram

Half backs Jack Grimes Colin Garland Luke Tapscott

Centreline Brad Green Nathan Jones Rohan Bail

Half forwards Jordan Gysberts Colin Sylvia Aaron Davey

Forwards Austin Wonaeamirri Liam Jurrah Jack Watts

Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Jack Trengove

Interchange Jamie Bennell Lynden Dunn Stef Martin Cale Morton

Emergencies Addam Maric Ricky Petterd Matthew Warnock

No Change

CLIFFHANGER

Some Melbourne fans were apparently not happy with the 15 goal victory over the Suns in their first encounter against the new franchise a little under a fortnight ago. Presumably, they were expecting to see Melbourne break Carlton's record 119 point winning margin from round two (I think they could have achieved a not hit the woodwork six or seven times during the match).

This critical approach is an interesting phenomenon, perhaps due to heightened expectations resulting from a handful of very good performances in the latter half of 2010. On top of that, the club has stability at the top in terms of its administration and its finances and is developing a fine list of players that will only get better with the experience which only time can bring. But is it realistic to expect sustained rather than gradual improvement in between the usual ups and downs?

The opposition this week is also a developing unit with a good mix of youth and experience. The Eagles have shown marked improvement this year with the return to form of Dean Cox, the steadiness of skipper Darren Glass, the vitality of Andrew Embley and the return of Daniel Kerr who always seems to turn it on against Melbourne. Josh Kennedy is hitting his straps at centre half forward and long kicking Quentin Lynch is always a danger. Scott Selwood is also in his best form at the club. They also have some good young 'uns in Nick Naitanui, Luke Shuey and first year pair Andrew Gaff and Jack Darling.

West Coast has been consistent in its four matches to date and could easily have been four and zip with a bit of luck. The Eagles' last start performance was a narrow loss to Hawthorn in Launceston and it was a far superior effort to that which Melbourne produced in capitulating against the Hawks earlier in the month.

A key duel will be in the ruck where Melbourne has fared well so far this year thanks to the dominance of Mark Jamar and the rapid improvement of Stefan Martin in the back up ruckman's role. They face their biggest test in 2011 against an in form Cox and the exuberant Naitanui and this extends not only to the ruck contests but to the around the ground play on the open spaces of Patersons Stadium.

I can recall a famous Demon victory at this same venue in the late 1990s that was instigated by a winning ruck set up, a hard working midfield and some individual brilliance. The team will need to win the contested football and work hard in the clinches to pull this one out of the bag. I expect the individual brilliance to be provided by the indigenous stars in Liam Jurrah, Aaron Davey, Austin Wonaeamirri and Jamie Bennell.

The fact is that a win in this game will open up a little space between Melbourne and other competitors for a in the race for a top eight placing and even at this early stage, it will not hurt the team to be so well placed for the first time in many years.

With many players putting their hands up for a game at the Casey Scorpions, the young Demons have all the incentive to put in a blinder under the gaze of the football world on prime time television. If they want to remain in the limelight they will need to perform and I believe they will do just enough to win a cliffhanger in the West.

Melbourne by 2 points.