TELL ME NO STORIES

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TELL ME NO STORIES by Whispering Jack

What a week it's been for the Demons!

The massive belting in the AFL that followed a thrashing to the VFL Scorpions in the early game at Geelong saw an unprecedented combined losing margin of in excess of 52 goals in the course of a handful of hours on the same day and in the same place.

Then came the politics, the intrigue, the axing, the sound of the football world laughing at a club, the circling of the media vultures, the reinvention of history, the anger, the irony, the pathos, the hurt on the face of the president, the dignified departure of the coach, and the determination of the newly appointed caretaker.

Eventually came the inevitable moment in this game of ours when one starts taking things one day at a time.

What we don't know at this stage is how the players will react to the week's events but can anybody really see them shrivelling up and hiding in their shells irrespective of whether or not they are now happy with the wash-up from the week's events.

Moreover, there is no breathing space for them. No struggling, lightweight, out-of-state weakling to beat up by a big margin so as to be able to gain bragging rights as a flat track bully.

Carlton is certainly a quality opponent heading for a possible top four position in a little over a month's time but thanks to the Bailey sacking and the Blues' "big mouths" Armfield and Robinson, they could well be heading for a fall this week. I consider the above two issues are inextricably bound up together.

Throughout the season, Melbourne's on field leadership has, from time to time, been called into question when the blowtorch has been applied. By "leadership", I refer to the coaching panel and the players making up the leadership group. Neither has been able to take ownership of all those aspects of modern team performance that matter when it counts in a tough, hard battle. The coaches have been unable to succesfully impart tactics and strategies and the leaders have lacked the qualities needed to overcome the hard press applied by stronger clubs. Against them, they played the "bruise-free" game.

Bailey's short term replacement Todd Viney can't and won't work miracles overnight but his tough no nonsense approach and the knowledge he acquired on the coaching panels of Hawthorn, where he played a role in the Hawks' 2008 flag and at Adelaide, are expected to have an impact.

As for the leadership group, they have been subjected to a week of soul searching. They have the ability and talent to play the game at a high level and this week's events should have given them all the motivation (as if true professionals need this). If they have any pride in themselves as professional footballers, they will be desperate to overcome the slurs of Armfield and Robinson but even more so, the utterly degrading insults heaped upon them in the public arena by the likes of Age reporter Caroline Wilson who stated earlier in the week that the senior players were so "mentally shattered from the week's off-field distractions" that they "barely fired a shot".

In other words, they are so weak-minded that they allowed politics to totally distract them from doing their job on the field.

Bruise free, unprofessional and disloyal to the supporters who live, breath and eat the game. A few days too many spent on an end of season football trip to China helps cause a 186 point smashing, just as it gives reason for a precious 20 year old to stow away on a boat to one of the most "unfootball friendly" parts of the country.

Enough already.

Tell me no stories. Tell me no lies.

I don't believe all that's been said about the perceived background causes to the past week's events. There is of course some truth in the myriad tales spinning around this tragic scenario but many of them stem from elements involved with the club in the past and in the present, faceless ghouls and ghosts, gutless men who have their own agendas and will stab in the back the club they purport to support and follow.

There are things at the club that need to be dealt with but for the players, its time to put an end to the stories and to produce where it matters.

THE GAME

Melbourne v Carlton at the MCG - Saturday 6 August, 2011 at 2.10pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Carlton 114 wins 2 draws Melbourne 88 wins

At MCG Carlton 46 wins Melbourne 49 wins

Since 2000 Carlton 8 wins Melbourne 8 wins

The Coaches Ratten 4 wins Bailey 0 wins

MEDIA

TV - Channel 10 (delayed telecast at 3:00 pm)

Radio

THE BETTING

Carlton to win $1.13 Melbourne to win $6.00

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

Carlton 13.15.93 defeated Melbourne 6.10.46 at the MCG, Round 10, 2011

The Demons were injury-riddled and at a low ebb. It started off a game of total defence as coach Bailey threw Jack Watts down back as a spare man in defence. It was ugly stuff and the less talented team made the most mistakes. The result was thereby beyond doubt once Melbourne's error count built up.

TEAMS

CARLTON

Backs Nick Duigan Lachlan Henderson Jeremy Laidler

Half backs Aaron Joseph Bret Thornton Zach Tuohy

Centreline Heath Scotland Chris Judd Christopher Yarran

Half forwards Jeffrey Garlett Bryce Gibbs Kade Simpson

Forwards Eddie Betts Matthew Kreuzer Andrew Walker

Followers Robert Warnock Marc Murphy Mitch Robinson

Interchange Dennis Armfield David Ellard Brock McLean Marcus Davies

Emergencies Ryan Houlihan Setanta O'hAilpin Kane Lucas

In Aaron Joseph

Out Ryan Houlihan

MELBOURNE

Backs James Strauss James Frawley Clint Bartram

Half backs Colin Garland Jared Rivers Joel Macdonald

Centreline Jack Trengove Jordie McKenzie Aaron Davey

Half forwards Lynden Dunn Jack Watts Tom Scully

Forwards Brad Green Ricky Petterd Jeremy Howe

Followers Max Gawn Brent Moloney Nathan Jones

Interchange Matthew Bate Stefan Martin Jordan Gysberts Luke Tapscott

Emergencies Tom McDonald Daniel Nicholson Colin Sylvia

In Clint Bartram Aaron Davey Max Gawn Joel Macdonald Tom Scully

Out Mark Jamar (Foot) Liam Jurrah Addam Maric Daniel Nicholson Colin Sylvia

WE'VE BEEN THIS WAY BEFORE by Whispering Jack

Last week's 186 point defeat at Skilled Stadium was not as bad numerically as the club’s Round 17, 1979 loss at the hands of Fitzroy at Waverley. The margin in that game was 190 points but there are already arguments as to which was the worst performance.

Demonland poster Redleg was the Team Manager in 1979 under captain coach Carl Ditterich who had taken over the reins at the previous year's wooden spooner from Dennis Jones. He was also at Geelong on Saturday to see what was to become Dean Bailey's last as coach of the Melbourne Football Club.

Redleg believes that today's style of football with its zoning and presses is far less conducive to blowout results than it was back then. The current side is also far more talented than the one that took the field against the Lions on that day of records 32 years ago. He is gobsmacked that a side containing so many top draft picks and one that had the talent to be the core of a team that has won three times this year by around 15 goals could put in such a wretched performance.

Back in 1979 the club brought big Carl back for a second stint after he first crossed from St. Kilda under the controversial 10 year rule (the competition's forerunner to free agency). This time he was to be the playing coach. The club also recruited flamboyant Collingwood star Phil Carman along with Magpie Wayne Gordon, the three Elliott brothers from St. Kilda, Glen, Robert and Bruce, Stewart Gull from South Melbourne and Cameron Clayton from the Tigers. Among the promising youngsters introduced that year were Gerard Healy, Peter Giles and Tasmanian Tony Martyn. Much was expected from these players but they hardly delivered in 1979 - the team rose one place to finish 11th in a 12 team competition.

By Round 17 things had turned sour for the Demons who went into the game without Ditterich, Carman and the team's star player Robert Flower. The team for the game against the Lions was:

Backs L Fowler S Smith B Denny

Half backs C Clayton P Giles G Hutchison

Centreline A Martyn G Elliott P Seaton

Half forwards G Healy A Dullard R Elliott

Forwards M Byrne R Biffin P Thorne

Followers G Baker G Gaunt G Wells

19/20 J Durnan K Whitfort

Redleg recalls the game was an unmitigated disaster. Apart from missing those key players, the team lost one or two early with injury, the Lions seized the initiative and their momentum grew as the game went on. Nothing went right for the Demons and, as Fitzroy got on top of them, the players' heads dropped. They were trying hard but basically nothing worked. Changes were made throughout the game but the Lions were on a roll. It was a humbling experience for Redleg as team manager. The team lacked talent. There were a few who were past it and others who only got games because others were injured. Some of the better players were not playing and it told on the team but Redleg insists that they never once stopped trying.

The end result was Fitzroy 36.22.238 to Melbourne 6.12.48.

Goals Gaunt 2 Biffin Durnan Healy Thorne

Best Gaunt Fowler G Elliott Clayton Seaton Giles

It was a hollow feeling for the team manager as he entered the rooms after the loss. Ditterich was livid. One or two committee were there and that was about it. There were no supporters to console the players; they had long ago gone home.

"Carl told me in no uncertain terms that it was up to me to “(expletive) talk to them”, and he collected his gear and went home.

Redleg sat with the players. The mood was glum and nothing was said for about 15 minutes.

"A couple of them kicked their lockers. A few others showed some anger and then I just got up, told them to shower, then move on and put this behind them. I said I'd see them at training on Tuesday and that was it. No committee meetings, a bit of bad press and Carl was there at training as if nothing had happened."

On the Tuesday, Carl made no reference to the previous weekend's debacle. He had moved on, the players had moved on and all thoughts were focussed on the game against Essendon the following week at the MCG.

"Let's just beat those (expletive) pricks!"

And beat them, they did.

"There were a few changes, Carl and Robbie were back. 'Piggy' Walters was in at full forward. Steven Smith went to centre half forward and Peter Hamilton came in to full back. The vibe was positive, confidence was restored and the team won by 29 points with Piggy kicking nine goals, Smith and Wells, four each. The turnaround that day was amazing and Carl stayed at the end to address the players in the crowded rooms."

Redleg remains an optimist and believes Melbourne's result last week was an aberration and that the playing group, as it did back in 1979, has an enormous challenge to regain credibility in the eyes of their fans and the football world.

"I've seen the game's most massive turnaround in the space of a week - 219 points. I know it's possible because I've seen it before and I know what a tough taskmaster Todd Viney can be. Just like Carl, it's hard for anyone to look blokes like those in the eye if they don't put their heads down or go hard at the football.

"Carlton is a talented team but they've been off the boil lately, Melbourne owes them one from last time and then there's also an outside finals chance. That sounds far-fetched after 186 but I know from experience that anything could happen on Saturday."

The Demons are no strangers to dramatic turnarounds on the appointment of caretaker coaches. Greg Hutchison who played on a half back flank on that ill-fated day in 1979 won his first game against the Tigers and Mark Riley did likewise against the tanking Blues ten years later. Recently deposed Adelaide coach Neil Craig coached for the first time as caretaker against raging favourites and finals bound Melbourne after Gary Ayres was sacked in 2004. The Crows who had previously been unable to raise a whimper, won by 74 points.

Redleg couldn't be drawn in to make a prediction but I was at the G in 1979 when the Demons turned things around and beat the Bombers and I'm expecting similar things again this week when we'll see history repeat itself.

Melbourne by 33 points.