North Melbourne fell back in a heap last week. After managing their first win of the season the week prior against Port Adelaide, they were completely out played by a rampaging Geelong side.

Melbourne, on the other hand, was the one on a rampage in the Demons game against Adelaide. After a week of turmoil, the Dees came out and absolutely destroyed the Crows. 96 points was the final margin, Melbourne’s biggest win since 2004.

Drew Petrie was the best of the forwards in the Kangaroos loss – he kicked three – Brady Rawlings and Brent Harvey were the most prolific ball winners with 32 and 30 respectively.

They would have been disappointed, however, after finding form the week prior, that they couldn’t at least keep the contest tight against the Cats.

For the Demons, the goals were shared with Ricky Petterd and Colin Sylvia scoring four apiece, and a wasteful Liam Jurrah scoring three goals, four behinds.

Addam Maric and Brent Moloney both gained 31 possessions, but it was Moloney’s mind-blowing 19 clearances that really helped blow the game open. It was exactly the response the Melbourne fans, and surely coaching staff, were after.

That said, since Sunday it has been a horror week for the Demons.

Mark Jamar has been ruled out for at least a month with a PCL injury, and worse, young defender Jack Grimes will miss the rest of the season with a broken foot.

Jack Trengove went through a lengthy appeals process, but has been suspended for three games for tackling his opponent. It seems he would have been better to simple elbow Patrick Dangerfield in the head, or even kick him in the testicles – the punishment is less.

Matthew Bate is the other out for the Demons, with Michael Newton, Stefan Martin and Jamie Bennell coming into the side.

North Melbourne have brought Aaron Edwards and Lachlan Hansen back into their side, with Liam Anthony and Cameron Pederson both making way.

A hard game to pick this one. On form, the Demons have it all over the ‘Roos, but over recent years North Melbourne have had the wood on Melbourne, and the Dees record at Etihad Stadium over the past few years has been appalling.

Coupled with the enforced outs for the Demons this is a real chance for the Kangaroos to notch up their second win.

The Demons spirit will be tested, but if they can maintain the pressure and intensity they showed against the Crows, they remain in with a sniff of victory.

Kangaroos by 14

For previews of all other games, see HERE

i must be taking crazy pills

North are placed 15th and just lost by 90

We utterly dominated, should have won by 120 at least

talk about being intimidated, why don't you HTFU and back the side

i'm so sick of our loser mentality

They are in a position where they take a much broader view and do not have the blinkers on that many of us do - I do not dismiss their comments summarily simply because they are "Fox commentators" - I'm not saying you do this, but I find it funny that often people in these forums (Demonland and Demonology) will respect their views when they are positive or supportive of the MFC, yet as soon as they make a criticism, they are suddenly all idiots who have no clue.

In this particular instance, what drew my attention to their comment was the fact that they were all in agreement, which is a very rare thing.

They have a very broad view.

Too broad to know the impact of Melbourne's 21st best player on the weekend.

Every fan expects these panels to be all over their particular team, and maybe if you are a top 4 team they will spend more time looking at you and crystalising their thoughts they may come up with something that begins to look like a rational thought.

But I would trust my own lying eyes rather than their thoughts on the effectiveness of Bate on Sunday.

North Melbourne fell back in a heap last week. After managing their first win of the season the week prior against Port Adelaide, they were completely out played by a rampaging Geelong side.

Melbourne, on the other hand, was the one on a rampage in the Demons game against Adelaide. After a week of turmoil, the Dees came out and absolutely destroyed the Crows. 96 points was the final margin, Melbourne’s biggest win since 2004.

Drew Petrie was the best of the forwards in the Kangaroos loss – he kicked three – Brady Rawlings and Brent Harvey were the most prolific ball winners with 32 and 30 respectively.

They would have been disappointed, however, after finding form the week prior, that they couldn’t at least keep the contest tight against the Cats.

For the Demons, the goals were shared with Ricky Petterd and Colin Sylvia scoring four apiece, and a wasteful Liam Jurrah scoring three goals, four behinds.

Addam Maric and Brent Moloney both gained 31 possessions, but it was Moloney’s mind-blowing 19 clearances that really helped blow the game open. It was exactly the response the Melbourne fans, and surely coaching staff, were after.

That said, since Sunday it has been a horror week for the Demons.

Mark Jamar has been ruled out for at least a month with a PCL injury, and worse, young defender Jack Grimes will miss the rest of the season with a broken foot.

Jack Trengove went through a lengthy appeals process, but has been suspended for three games for tackling his opponent. It seems he would have been better to simple elbow Patrick Dangerfield in the head, or even kick him in the testicles – the punishment is less.

Matthew Bate is the other out for the Demons, with Michael Newton, Stefan Martin and Jamie Bennell coming into the side.

North Melbourne have brought Aaron Edwards and Lachlan Hansen back into their side, with Liam Anthony and Cameron Pederson both making way.

A hard game to pick this one. On form, the Demons have it all over the ‘Roos, but over recent years North Melbourne have had the wood on Melbourne, and the Dees record at Etihad Stadium over the past few years has been appalling.

Coupled with the enforced outs for the Demons this is a real chance for the Kangaroos to notch up their second win.

The Demons spirit will be tested, but if they can maintain the pressure and intensity they showed against the Crows, they remain in with a sniff of victory.

Kangaroos by 14

For previews of all other games, see HERE

Melbourne by 44

i must be taking crazy pills

North are placed 15th and just lost by 90

We utterly dominated, should have won by 120 at least

talk about being intimidated, why don't you HTFU and back the side

i'm so sick of our loser mentality

I don't think this was written by a Dees fan.

And there is a difference between think we will lose, and accepting the loss.

Yep... eyesight plus the fact that bate seems to be the whipping boy, so my perception monitor was out of whack (I took it to be a reference to Bate's worth as a tackler) - my apologies :-)

no worries...we're all a bit rattled today

There are too many people on here looking at panels on Fox to support their views and it isn't healthy.

I appreciate your concern for the many people you speak of that watch the occassional program on AFL (of which I am one). From my point of view, there are many who don't have the opportunity. If I see something of particular interest to the benefit of the reader on this site, I'll contribute to broaden their horizons. I find the Fox program AFL Insider of particular interest in discussing more intimately the ongoing nature of the structures of today's game as well as the specifics of various clubs within the AFL.

I can't see for the life of me rpfc, how that is not healthy.

I appreciate your concern for the many people you speak of that watch the occassional program on AFL (of which I am one). From my point of view, there are many who don't have the opportunity. If I see something of particular interest to the benefit of the reader on this site, I'll contribute to broaden their horizons. I find the Fox program AFL Insider of particular interest in discussing more intimately the ongoing nature of the structures of today's game as well as the specifics of various clubs within the AFL.

I can't see for the life of me rpfc, how that is not healthy.

I was being flippant.

But don't come to me in argument and say 'Mark McClure agrees with me!' and expect anything other than a giant WGAF from rpfc.

Especially when it is MFC specific.

I was being flippant.

But don't come to me in argument and say 'Mark McClure agrees with me!' and expect anything other than a giant WGAF from rpfc.

Especially when it is MFC specific.

As if I'd use Mark McClure ! Fwiw, he isn't on Insider.

He's H's reference.

As if I'd use Mark McClure ! Fwiw, he isn't on Insider.

He's H's reference.

I hope that "H" isn't a reference to me... last time I looked, McClure's not on AFL Teams either

I hope that "H" isn't a reference to me... last time I looked, McClure's not on AFL Teams either

No. There's H, HT and ht, you're that latter.

AFL Teams is light hearted entertainment compared to the more analytical formats of Insider and 360.

edited for accuracy.

Edited May 13, 201114 yr by High Tower

No. There's H, HT and Ht, you're that latter.

AFL Teams is light hearted entertainment compared to the more analytical formats of Insider and 360.

to be pedantic (or is that anal?) its actually ht not Ht B)

to be pedantic (or is that anal?) its actually ht not Ht B)

Indeed it is. And Mark McClure agrees with you...

to be pedantic (or is that anal?) its actually ht not Ht B)

Or, if you really want to be pedantic, as it is a single word, it should probably be neither "Ht" nor "ht", but "h"

And HT, I actually find AFL360 to be a little too opinionated to be a good source of analysis - not to mention that fact that I find Robbo a little unsettling, as I continually find myself waiting for him to start weeping as he becomes all reflective about what a great game AFL is etc etc.

Edited May 13, 201114 yr by hardtack

Or, if you really want to be pedantic, as it is a single word, it should probably be neither "Ht" nor "ht", but "h"

And HT, I actually find AFL360 to be a little too opinionated to be a good source of analysis - not to mention that fact that I find Robbo a little unsettling, as I continually find myself waiting for him to start weeping as he becomes all reflective about what a great game AFL is etc etc.

I don't disagree with any of that "h", they like to 'gloss' things and make them out bigger issues than they really are..ie. the pressure on the coaches.

Apologies for getting off topic all, back to the match preview...

Let your demon out on Saturday !

Bate is stiff.

He keeps his spot if Jamar is not injured despite all the discussion.

It's fairly obvious that Bate has not been dropped due to his form, it's simply to make way for Juice. Martin has come in for Jamar, Juice has come in to support him. As others have said, if Jamar hadn't gone down with injury, Bate would most likely be playing against North.

Bate was dropped because he was crap. He got 6 possessions in a game where we won by 96 points and Bate was on the ground for most of the game because Grimes was injured. He committed a terrible blunder just before half time when he was too slow to kick the ball (costing us a goal), and he still falls over too often at a contest.

He struggles to take a mark overhead, his hands aren't clean and he only kicked one goal - a flukey snap off the ground. The only thing he improved was his tackling.

As for the 'experts'....I watched the Footy show last night - briefly. Brown and Goddard both picked Melbourne 'cos they liked the work of Jamar and Moloney. This was straight after Brownless said he pick North 'cos Jamar was injured. Go figure.

I agree bate is stiff and how does Bennell get back in after one reasonable game at Casey.

Rather have Mcdonald at least he does not get scared running on to the ground.

FFS, Bennel was best at Casey, not just "reasonable". As for the "scared", it's just ridiculous. He's an outside player, sure, but puts in when he needs to.

Really happy to see him there myself, if it all comes together he's Davey mark II for me.

i really want to see Jetta go into the midfield for some parts of the game. Not having Jamar in the guts means we need Jetta for his tackling pressure.

To win this game we need Bailey to out-coach Scott.

Ive really got no inclination as to who will win this game. You canmount arguments for both but no team has any clear advantage over the other.. Both key rucks are out..so are a handful of better players...so its pretty even stevens for mine.

Ive tipped us but really just as much in hope as any clear logic.

I am looking forward to seeing how Bailey rejigs not only the lineup but our playing style to accomodate. if he doesnt then for me it cements in my mind he has limited ideas as to playing thi sgame. If he modifies for not only personnel but in light of how we played last week then there is promise .

Dare I say Its not the scoreboard im going to be watching as much as our style of play and our ability to recast ourselves according to the game as it pans out.

Go Dees

Ive really got no inclination as to who will win this game. You canmount arguments for both but no team has any clear advantage over the other.. Both key rucks are out..so are a handful of better players...so its pretty even stevens for mine.

Ive tipped us but really just as much in hope as any clear logic.

I am looking forward to seeing how Bailey rejigs not only the lineup but our playing style to accomodate. if he doesnt then for me it cements in my mind he has limited ideas as to playing thi sgame. If he modifies for not only personnel but in light of how we played last week then there is promise .

Dare I say Its not the scoreboard im going to be watching as much as our style of play and our ability to recast ourselves according to the game as it pans out.

Go Dees

You have covered it for me BB59, I feel the same.

Hope we can win this one, we will know in 24 hours.

Edited May 13, 201114 yr by old dee

Dees by 22 points.

Dees by 22 points.

Like your confidence HT I will be happy with 2 points not sure my heart will be but those are the breaks.