MELBOURNE v PORT ADELAIDE - PREGAME

[Demonland 72,176]

BACK TO THE FOOTBALL by Whispering Jack

The long hot summer of 2012-3 will not be forgotten by many of us associated with the Melbourne Football Club but, even as I begin to write, with the temperatures still hovering in the thirties, the questions about the club's future still linger. We are on the brink of a seventh season since the Demons tasted the finals or even won an opening match. The big hitters of the competition seem way ahead of where Melbourne is currently placed in terms of its perceived playing strength and nobody seriously thinks it can challenge for September action this year and perhaps even the next.

Supporters can only hope that the coming of autumn finally marks the culmination of one of the worst periods in the club's history, a time in which it might not exactly have hit rock bottom in terms of ladder ranking but otherwise in so many other aspects, it failed to even remotely live up to expectations.

The things that brought the club to the dark places it has occupied in recent times are well-documented and have been the subject of heated debate but, as we stand on the brink of a new season, I return to a time exactly two years ago when most Melbourne fans waited with anticipation and a measure of confidence for the opening of a new season.

Back then, the club appeared to be on a steep upward curve. At the end of 2010 it had more than doubled its tally of wins to 8½ over the previous year and some pundits were predicting finals action in 2011. Coach Dean Bailey was even on record as suggesting that his then club was possibly on the brink of an era that would bring not just one but many premierships. Brisbane's Michael Voss thought the same way.

The first two teams Melbourne faced in 2011 were, by coincidence, the teams that played off for last years premiership.

The opening round's opponents were the Sydney Swans who had been given a spanking by Melbourne late the season inflicting some deep wounds on Paul Roos and giving him the biggest defeat of his coaching career just as it was ending. But despite our lofty expectations, the rematch some seven or eight months later was a close and hard fought encounter with the Demons coming back from well behind to take the lead late in the game only to see the Swans claw back in the final desperate moments to give their new coach two premiership points on his debut. From that point onward, the fortunes of two sides that had been so evenly matched that day diverged completely. One marched off with ticker tape and a flag by the end of 2012 while the other wallowed at the foot of the table ahead only of the newly hatched franchises.

In the second round of 2011, Melbourne took on Hawthorn who wasted opportunities in the first quarter but were dominated in the second so that moments before the main break they trailed by 27 points. The Dees still enjoyed a three goal buffer when they went into the rooms at half time.

It was the third quarter that defined not only this particular game but also the club's following two seasons. The loss of control was so complete that the team stood back helplessly as the relentless Hawks pounded away for the full thirty minutes of that term scoring an incredible 8 goals 11 behinds to one goal and one point. People talk of the 186 game later that season as the measuring stick of the depths to which the club had plumbed but, on reflection, this was the day upon which the writing was truly placed on the wall.

I missed that game due to a prior engagement and put the result down to a case of a young developing team hitting a brick wall against a rampant opposition and because it won the next game (against the Suns) so convincingly, the significance of the Hawks' took a while to sink in. Well ... actually, it took another game because the same Melbourne was back on display in the first quarter against West Coast in Perth. It was truly a case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for most of the season until it all finally imploded.

Perhaps others saw the team's disintegration in 2011 sooner than I did, but by mid-season it was clear that something was amiss and we now know that there were deep divisions that ended in carnage and turmoil both on and off the field in the year that followed.

Controversy, the sacking of the coach after one of the most savage on field beatings in the history of the game, the death of a President, the dismissal of a major sponsor, criminal charges brought against a key player, fabrications and often unwarranted attacks in the media and elsewhere on key club personnel, injuries, leaked information and a 7 month long investigation that belonged to the Middle Ages. These were attended by a time in which we saw a total revamp of the football department so that we now have a bevy of new coaches, medical and fitness staff, almost half the playing group has moved on and there have been changes in body sizes and shapes, fitness, the introduction of a new training regimen and radical changes in playing style.

Its fair to say that when we get back to the football on Sunday afternoon, the team that runs out onto the ground against Port Adelaide will be substantially different to that which carried our hopes into battle two years ago against the Swans and, for that matter, even twelve months ago against the Lions in last year's season opener.

The question is whether the club is better off for all the changes that have been made?

THE GAME

Melbourne v Port Adelaide Sunday 31 March, 2013 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, 1:10pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 11 wins Port Adelaide 14 wins

At the MCG Melbourne 7 wins Port Adelaide 1 wins

Since 2000 Melbourne 8 wins Port Adelaide 12 wins

MEDIA

TV FOX FOOTY CHANNEL - 1:00pm LIVE

Radio ABC Triple M 3AW SEN

THE BETTING

Melbourne to win $1.82 Port Adelaide to win $2.00

THE LAST TIME THEY MET Port Adelaide 12.12.84 defeated Melbourne 8.8.56 at TIO Stadium, Darwin, Round 17, 2012.

Melbourne made a solid start on a temperate Darwin evening booting five goals in the first quarter before it was torn apart by a dominant Port Adelaide midfield led by Travis Boak who was still weighing up his future with that club. Jack Grimes played a solid but not spectacular captain's game but otherwise, it was an all too familiar scenario for the Demons as they limped their way towards the season's end.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

Backs Lynden Dunn Tom Gillies Dan Nicholson

Half backs Jack Watts James Frawley Colin Garland

Centreline Jack Viney Jack Grimes Jimmy Toumpas

Half forwards Jeremy Howe James Sellar Colin Sylvia

Forwards Shannon Byrnes Mitch Clark David Rodan

Followers Mark Jamar Jordie McKenzie Nathan Jones

Interchange Sam Blease Matthew Jones Cameron Pedersen Luke Tapscott

Emergencies Aaron Davey Jake Spencer Dean Terlich

New Shannon Byrnes (Geelong) Tom Gillies (Geelong) Matt Jones (Box Hill VFL) Cameron Pedersen (North Melbourne) David Rodan (Port Adelaide) Jimmy Toumpas (Woodville-West Torrens SANFL) Jack Viney (Casey VFL)

PORT ADELAIDE

Backs Tom Jonas Jackson Trengove Campbell Heath

Half backs Jasper Pittard Cameron O'Shea Lewis Stevenson

Centreline Matthew Broadbent Brad Ebert Kane Cornes

Half forwards Justin Westhoff Paul Stewart Angus Monfries

Forwards Chad Wingard Jay Schulz Jake Neade

Followers Jarrad Redden Hamish Hartlett Travis Boak

Interchange Matthew Lobbe Kane Mitchell Andrew Moore Oliver Wines

Emergencies Jack Hombsch Daniel Stewart Aaron Young

New Campbell Heath (Sydney) Kane Mitchell (Claremont WAFL) Angus Monfries (Essendon) Jake Neade (North Ballarat U18) Lewis Stevenson (West Coast) Oliver Wines (Murray U18)

PREDICTION by Whispering Jack

When Mark Neeld's stint as coach began 12 months ago, most Demon fans had high expectations for the season ahead and certainly, very few were prepared for the season from hell that eventuated.

Six months later, it was clear that the club's reaction to a 16th place finish that was only marginally ahead of the AFL's two new expansion franchises was swift, decisive and far ranging. Over the two months that followed, a third of the playing list was turned over but the changes were expected by those who had watched the team closely during 2012 and who had listened to the words of Mark Neeld and Neil Craig. The heads that rolled were mainly those of players who simply hadn't worked hard enough or bought in to the new style they were seeking to instill into the young team. The only departure who figured high in the club's best and fairest award was Jared Rivers, in his late twenties, and facing the prospect of being squeezed out of defence by young guns Jack Watts and Tom McDonald and a resurgent Lynden Dunn.

So it came as no surprise when the Melbourne selection table installed seven new faces into the team to take on Port Adelaide, thereby retaining that magic ratio of new players at one third. The minute the number of new faces was announced, the so-called "experts" looked to the heavens, rolled their eyes and declared the Demons to be dead in the water. What they ignored was the fact that the visitors had also named a large contingent of newcomers including 150 game player Angus Monfries but, in terms of experience, he's well and truly shaded by Melbourne's two new 100 gamers in Shannon Byrnes and David Rodan.

The mind games have also been well and truly in play with Ken Hinkley emphasising that he was only interested in playing fit players in his team - Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley puts fitness first in round one selection, the inference being that his opponents were going into the game with underdone players. The Demons will certainly have Mitch Clark lacking in match fitness but he's playing at one end of the ground and he's been working well to a programme throughout the summer. A few others hadn't played for a couple of weeks but they bring a much stronger fitness base into the game. The Demons did leave out Chris Dawes, Tom McDonald and co-captain Jack Trengove who must have all been close to selection.

The new look Melbourne side gives the game a new dimension in that, whilst it's generally considered (going on past performances) that its all-important midfield is at the bottom end of accepted AFL standards and well below those of the leading teams in the competition, we simply don't know how the infusion of so many newcomers will affect the situation. It is for this reason that we simply cannot assess how much the team will advance in 2014.

The pundits tell us that Brent Moloney, who polled 19 Brownlow votes in 2011, will be a big loss but they forget how poor he was last year and that he ended the season looking decidedly uninterested even down at Casey. I'll back the keenness and enthusiasm of untried trio Matt Jones, Jimmy Toumpas and Jack Viney and the wisdom and experience of Byrnes and Rodan over what last year's midfield served up last year. And the team has Nathan Jones and Jack Grimes to lead the way, Jordie McKenzie hungry to conquer the opposition's best and some expectations from Sam Blease and Colin Sylvia to add to the mix.

Unpredictable - yes and more likely to be the least predictable midfield in the competition, but definitely not hopeless as some might paint things.

To my mind, the most significant aspect of selection was the decision to leave out Aaron Davey - a demonstration perhaps that the club's depth is greater and that reputations and the past no longer matter when picking teams.

And while Port Adelaide might hold a slight advantage in the middle, I put Melbourne ahead with Mark Jamar in the ruck, a much stronger defence and an edge in attack.

That, together with a powerful home ground advantage should be enough to get Melbourne home.

Melbourne to win by 27 points ... and one more prediction ... if the above is the outcome of the team's opening round match, then not a single club official will be looking grim faced as he leaves the ground.

[Demonland 72,176]

Preview: Demons v Power

SUMMARY:

The Demons and the Power will be desperate to start their 2013 campaigns on a positive note when they clash at the MCG on Sunday afternoon. Melbourne can ill-afford to start this season, as they began the last, when they fell to the Brisbane Lions by 41 points. The Power won a close first-up encounter against St Kilda before losing the next six games on the trot. With an abundance of new players on each teams' list, supporters will go to the game with high hopes and an open mind as to what lies

ahead.

With thanks to YoungDee.

[45HG 1,539]

"The club has lost its past six opening matches (including a draw) by an average of 45 points."

What a strange sentence...

[Pates 9,660]

Well zero confidence from the footy show people, everyone except Sam (including Gaz!) tipped Port. And Sam only tipped us to back Gaz up, who he expected to tip us!

I almost take this as a good omen, considering I believe everyone tipped us last year v Lions.

[Wadda We Sing 10,685]

"The club has lost its past six opening matches (including a draw) by an average of 45 points."

What a strange sentence...

Relax, weve got this.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

There's a massive Demon fan i know. Goes by the name "BIG POPPA".

He's been following the Demons since just after the last GF. In other words a pretty long time. Almost Old Dee territory! Note i said "almost" Old Dee!

He doesn't post on here but watches the goings on once in a while pre season and spasmodically through the season. He reckons Demonland needs an injection of peptides into the mix on here as it's a little too dour and negative of late leading into the season (in general, not in all posts obviously).

Big Poppa asked me to remind everyone on here of the following re how we might go in the opening round........

The year was 1994. In our lead up practice matches we crapped out losing to the Pies in the final practice match of that year, only kicking a total of 4 goals for the entire match. One week later, the opening round 1994, no one gave us a a chance against the cats, however we had other ideas......

http://finalsiren.com/MatchDetails.asp?GameID=1415&Code=7f3417889685e53b6349381e472a5518

In addition, we made the finals that year, beating Carlton in one of the best finals i've seen us play and thrashing the Doggies coming into the preliminary, but running into a pept up.....sorry...pumped up West Coast in Perth. I remember speaking to one offical at the club the year after that finals series and he claimed many within the club believed we had missed one of our biggest chances to snatch a GF since 64. However we did see a real star for the club absolutely shine during the early part of that series, and what an impact this young bloke had.....

I for one plan to give the boys everything i got on Sunday.

It's time for the Phoenix to finally emerge from the fire....It's time to start winning. Lets start by kicking the Power's ass back over the border where it belongs!

CARN THE MIGHTY DEMONS!.

[MrReims 313]

Nice post Rusty. Did anyone else notice the number of hit outs in those stats? What a different game it was 20 years ago... Jeepers, it feels strange to say that 94 was almost 20 years ago!!

[Rocknroll 1,003]

There's a massive Demon fan i know. Goes by the name "BIG POPPA".

He's been following the Demons since just after the last GF. In other words a pretty long time. Almost Old Dee territory! Note i said "almost" Old Dee!

He doesn't post on here but watches the goings on once in a while pre season and spasmodically through the season. He reckons Demonland needs an injection of peptides into the mix on here as it's a little too dour and negative of late leading into the season (in general, not in all posts obviously).

Big Poppa asked me to remind everyone on here of the following re how we might go in the opening round........

The year was 1994. In our lead up practice matches we crapped out losing to the Pies in the final practice match of that year, only kicking a total of 4 goals for the entire match. One week later, the opening round 1994, no one gave us a a chance against the cats, however we had other ideas......

http://finalsiren.com/MatchDetails.asp?GameID=1415&Code=7f3417889685e53b6349381e472a5518

In addition, we made the finals that year, beating Carlton in one of the best finals i've seen us play and thrashing the Doggies coming into the preliminary, but running into a pept up.....sorry...pumped up West Coast in Perth. I remember speaking to one offical at the club the year after that finals series and he claimed many within the club believed we had missed one of our biggest chances to snatch a GF since 64. However we did see a real star for the club absolutely shine during the early part of that series, and what an impact this young bloke had.....

Great post Rusty

That day in Geelong i remember well, Jackovich kicked 8,8 and Lyon, Ox and chopper all chimed in with a bag.

Cant wait for Sunday.

Carn the Dees

[Pipefitter 2,159]

I tipped port. FFS get your house in order Melbourne and prove us supporters wrong.

[bing181 9,219]

I tipped port.

Good on you. Gutsy call.

[mauriesy 7,287]

http://finalsiren.com/MatchDetails.asp?GameID=1415&Code=7f3417889685e53b6349381e472a5518

No free kicks for the whole game. Those were the days.

[dazzledavey36 54,889]

I tipped port aswell.. I just think we will be too underdone and plus I think there midfield is far better then ours.. But please Melbourne prove me wrong!!

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,175]

I love how most experts have tipped us to lose but have also said its a massive issue if we dont win. If we're not favourites in their eyes and we dont get up how is that the case.

[rpfc 28,405]

I love how most experts have tipped us to lose but have also said its a massive issue if we dont win. If we're not favourites in their eyes and we dont get up how is that the case.

I think that shows how crap they think we are: 'they have to win this game to be relevant, but they are so irrelevant that they will lose.'

I hope they are wrong.

[Irish Demon 33]

I love how most experts have tipped us to lose but have also said its a massive issue if we dont win. If we're not favourites in their eyes and we dont get up how is that the case.

Say if we lose all the talk in the media will be about those pathetic and spineless Demons.Their not relevant in the modern footy world blaa blaa blaa.If we win they will be saying it's only Port Adelaide etc.Likewise if we beat Essendon the next week it will be Essendon were complacent,Essendon took their eye of the ball and so on.The critics and haters of our club will always be in the background sniping away.So long as we achieve our goals and have a decent year then i honestly couldn't care less about what they say.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,754]

As always, great preview WJ. Nine of the 22 players in that Melbourne v Sydney Round 1, 2011 game are no longer on our list. And a few others who were may not be selected. It's a very different team. Let's hope it's a better one.

http://finalsiren.com/MatchDetails.asp?GameID=5446&Code=564d5bcbae8db5a1ccd33d04235ef93b&Sort=Rating%20Desc

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,817]

I tipped port aswell.. I just think we will be too underdone and plus I think there midfield is far better then ours.. But please Melbourne prove me wrong!!

That's exactly how I see it, and am also tipping Port.

I reckon Port will pretty much be a top 8 side and I'll be pleasantly staggered if we can win on Sunday.

[DeeZee 7,392]

No doubt the boys will be pumped.

I think if Mckenzie does a good job on Boak, we will go a long way to beating them.

Four key players for us to kick a winning score.

Sylvia, has to make a statement and have a good game in the middle

Blease has to provide us with that outside run we so desperatly lack.

Watts rebounding off half back

And Clark imposing himself, creating terror in the forward half.

And lets hope Viney and Toumpas have debuts to remember.

Carna Demons!

[binman 42,919]

Tipsters shmisters. The bookies have us as favorites (albeit just). Money talks bulltish walks.

[P-man 13,366]

I think that shows how crap they think we are: 'they have to win this game to be relevant, but they are so irrelevant that they will lose.'

I hope they are wrong.

Exactly this. We barely got a mention on 360 yesterday other than the return of Clark. Maclure said it reeked of desperation to be rushing back players from injury for Round 1, and that we were essentially a shambles on and off the field (which would outrage any other fan considering the season hasn't even started and he probably doesn't have a clue what is happening off field, but as a Melbourne fan I'm numb to such remarks). And that was that. The rest of the discussion was about Port, how impressive they had been in pre-season and the development of their midfield.

We are completely irrelevant in the eyes of the media, there's little doubt about that. But there is also a sense of not knowing what to expect with a new look team this year, and I like that.

At the end of the show, Gerard had Melbourne as the team with "most at stake". He believed it was must win, but that he didn't think we would. I'm somewhat in the same boat. I've tipped Port also.

[dazzledavey36 54,889]

Exactly this. We barely got a mention on 360 yesterday other than the return of Clark. Maclure said it reeked of desperation to be rushing back players from injury for Round 1, and that we were essentially a shambles on and off the field (which would outrage any other fan considering the season hasn't even started and he probably doesn't have a clue what is happening off field, but as a Melbourne fan I'm numb to such remarks). And that was that. The rest of the discussion was about Port, how impressive they had been in pre-season and the development of their midfield.

We are completely irrelevant in the eyes of the media, there's little doubt about that. But there is also a sense of not knowing what to expect with a new look team this year, and I like that.

At the end of the show, Gerard had Melbourne as the team with "most at stake". He believed it was must win, but that he didn't think we would. I'm somewhat in the same boat. I've tipped Port also.

Biggest [censored] ever! oxygen thief of the highest order I hope he got a mentioned in the most punchable heads in the AFL. how he gets a say about footy has me baffled!

[Maldonboy38 6,402]

The speculation from media "experts", including past players and coaches who should know better, is driving me nuts. I know they have to do tipping but some of the reasons or insights being given are pathetic.

As for Maclure - I put him in the Ashley Hansen category. He was a below average player in an outstanding team, and now has the bragging rights as if actually contributed to any of Carlton's success!! I place him only 1cm below Greg Denham when commenting on the Dees. I agree with dazzledavey36 - Maclure is the biggest [censored] ever. I love the ABC commentary and game discussion but Maclure almost makes me switch off.

[hardtack 10,537]

Nice post Rusty. Did anyone else notice the number of hit outs in those stats? What a different game it was 20 years ago... Jeepers, it feels strange to say that 94 was almost 20 years ago!!

I can remember the GF years (albeit vaguely) and it's plain frightening to say that was almost 50 years ago! Just one thing to say to you MrReims... tom waits for no-one.

[boydie 655]

Hoping to be proven wrong but expecting us to come out firing end up with a 2 - 3 goal lead at qtr time only to lose the match by 24 points. Planning us to go missing in the 2nd or 3rd qtrs

[Vagg 2,439]

Just announced on the MFC website that Toumpas, Viney & Jones will all debut for the Dees on Sunday! Nice!!