THE RAT'S CLACKER CUP by JVM

Jack Trengove was almost effusive about his team's first half against the Eagles last week repeatedly saying things to the effect that it was "some of the most enjoyable footy I've played in years". And really, apart from a few lapses at the end of each of the first two quarters, their play was a thing to behold except for the fact that they were still ten points in arrears at the main break. The fans liked it too because they applauded the team off the ground.

Perhaps they should have kept the applause for later in the day because after half time, their team was monstered by bigger and much stronger bodied opponents and it reverted to type. The team was pressured into making error upon error as the West Coast Eagles piled in goal after goal outscoring the hapless Demons by 14 goals in one half of football. The coaches had no idea as to how to stem the bleeding and, for the third week in a row, Melbourne was utterly destroyed.

This week, the pressure hits Mark Neeld and his young charges tenfold. Playing at home against the fledgling GWS Giants, they have little to gain and everything to lose. A loss of any sort against this bunch of mainly pimply faced teenagers missing a handful of their bigger bodied players like Patton (injured) and Brogan (suspended) is unacceptable. A win against this new franchise is unlikely to mean a great deal. The result of the game is therefore irrelevant and in that respect, not many people really give a rat's clacker about the outcome.

What matters for Melbourne is the way in which the team approaches this game. After a poor debut season under coach Mark Neeld, the fans were entitled to expect substantial improvement this year. The players should have been fitter, stronger, more skilled and playing with greater confidence. None of that has been evident in the three games to date which have seen their average losing margin skyrocket to 107 points.

And nothing short of a spectacular turnaround in form and attitude will save heads from rolling.

THE GAME

Melbourne v. GWS Giants at the MCG Sunday 21 April 2013 at 1.10pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 2 wins GWS Giants 0 wins

At the MCG Melbourne 1 win GWS Giants 0 wins

Since 2000 Melbourne 2 wins GWS Giants 0 wins

The Coaches Neeld 2 wins Sheedy 0 wins

MEDIA

TV - Channel 7 & Fox Footy Channel, 1:00pm live.

RADIO -

THE BETTING

Melbourne to win $1.58 to GWS Giants to win $2.40 [Note: Inside Football's Robert Shaw has GWS as his safe bet of the week]

LAST TIME THEY MET

Melbourne 11.18.84 defeated GWS Giants 9.5.59 in Round at Manuka

Melbourne was by far the superior team in size and skill but did the Giants field their best possible team and were they concentrating on other prizes like Lauchie Whitfield? The AFL, which had already launched a tanking inquisition against the Demons weren't taking any notice.

Once the Giants had the game well and truly lost, they made a spirited fightback and even Tom Scully looked half good, kicking a goal in the last quarter. Nobody really cared.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

Backs Jack Watts James Frawley Dean Terlich

Half backs Neville Jetta Tom McDonald Colin Garland

Centreline Jack Trengove Jack Grimes Jack Viney

Half forwards Aaron Davey Mitch Clark Jeremy Howe

Forwards Luke Tapscott Max Gawn Shannon Byrnes

Followers Mark Jamar Colin Sylvia Nathan Jones

Interchange (from) Rohan Bail Michael Evans Matt Jones Cam Pedersen

Emergencies James Sellar Jake Spencer Jimmy Toumpas

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

Backs Adam Kennedy Tim Mohr Phil Davis

Half backs Thomas Bugg Stephen Gilham Nick Haynes

Centreline Tom Scully Callan Ward Rhys Palmer

Half Forwards Jacob Townsend Jeremy Cameron Sam Reid

Forwards Liam Summer Setanta O'hAilpin Sam Frost

Followers Jonathan Giles Adam Treloar Dylan Shiel

Interchange Stephen Coniglio Toby Greene Anthony Miles Lachie Whitfield

Emergencies Tim Golds Lachie Plowman Adam Tomlinson

In Sam Frost Nick Haynes Anthony Miles Setanta O'hAilpin Rhys Palmer Jacob Townsend

Out Dean Brogan (suspended) Curtly Hampton Will Hoskin-Elliott Jonathon Patton (knee) Lachie Plowman Devon Smith (suspended)

THE COACH KILLERS by JVM

Last year's wooden spooners aren't much chop. Their buffoon of a coach who passed his use bye date a decade ago gets his thrills from denigrating the opposition in order to drum some enthusiasm up in an area that was once heavily into rugby league but which has fast become a world football stronghold thanks to the success story that is the Western Sydney Wanderers FC.

In comparison, Sheedy's mob have been nothing short of abject failures, led by their red nosed clown of a coach and their highly paid boy wonder whose old man's pay cheque is included in the club's bloated salary cap. The only major triumph in their short history to date is that they managed to send Port Adelaide's Matthew Primus into the football wilderness after his side lost to the Giants' in round 19 last year. Mark Neeld's Demons will almost certainly make their coach Sheedy's second scalp on the space of less than half a season if they fail tomorrow.

And because the smell of failure has followed Melbourne around both on and off the field for well over half a decade now, its on the cards that the kids from western Sydney could write the final epitaph to the Demon coach's brief, unspectacular and troubled AFL coaching career.

The big question is how will the Melbourne players react to yet another week in which their club has been in the news again and for all the wrong reasons. We've seen the Bombers respond with some scintillating football that's done great things to hearten and lift the spirits of their supporters. By contrast, Melbourne has shown little other than a bit of fight for most of their first half against the Eagles before capitulating in disastrous fashion in the second half. The Demons have otherwise failed in every test of character they've faced so far this season.

We know that players like Colin Sylvia, James Frawley, Jack Watts, Colin Garland and Mark Jamar are just so much better than what they've served up so far. If they can't improve on that against the young Giants who this week lost a couple of their real giants in Patton and Brogan then they will have given Sheedy a rare victory, lost the faith of their team's supporters and killed their coach.

I don't think they're that bad so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt about whether they really give a dead rat's clacker.

Melbourne by 10 points.

So in summary, this is going to be a worthy spectacle and provide excitement and entertainment for the multitude who show up for the game?

I travelled up to last years win in Canberra, and it was the first time I ever left a game angry after a win.

Was a poor performance and we put the cue in the rack at the 10 minute of the last qtr.

That being said, I'll take a win of any proportion this week.

I'm confident this week, but I have no right to be.

Edited April 17, 201312 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

I'm worried this week. They have a pretty solid midfield unit coming through.

Need McKenzie to tag Ward and we'll be fine

INS:

Gawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn! Watts, Spencer (probably emergency)

No outs yet, but Jamar is in...

GWS made a heap of changes can only be good for us

Here is the team

Round four Melbourne team
B: Jack Watts, James Frawley, Dean Terlich
HB: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Colin Garland
C: Jack Trengove, Jack Grimes, Jack Viney
HF: Aaron Davey, Mitch Clark, Jeremy Howe
F: Luke Tapscott, Max Gawn, Shannon Byrnes
FOLL: Mark Jamar, Colin Sylvia, Nathan Jones
I/C (from): Jimmy Toumpas, Cam Pedersen, James Sellar, Michael Evans, Jake Spencer, Rohan Bail, Matt Jones
IN: Jake Spencer, Jack Watts, Max Gawn
OUT: -

Edited April 18, 201312 yr by Benson

I want to see Maxy play. Stretch there backline when and he and Jamar can go forward. he has to play before spencer.

If Watts is to play then put him on a player make it his focus to just beat him and to get the ball.

Shame Jordie isnt ready yet.

Ok so just saw the actual line up. So Watts is straight back in the 18 after being dropped and maxy will definitely play.

Looking at the bench Matt Jones has to play, as does Evans.

Edited April 18, 201312 yr by dees189227

Gawn will play is he is named on the ground. Who are the outs?

Has to be at least one of Sellar/Pederson or both.

Spencer will be Emergency.

Possibly Toumpas too.

I'd like to see a Toumpas, Bail, Evans and Jones bench. We got enough talls playing.

Thrilled to see Big Max in the side. He's worked really hard to get back from those injuries and kept his spirits up for over a year while he was forced to wait. Great work.

I am however once again scratching my head over the omission of Kent. I would have thought this was the ideal time to give the lad a go.

I would of thought the outs are obvious.

Toumpas, Pederson, Spencer.

Leaving Sellar, Evans, Bail and M. Jones on the bench. Maybe Seller sub.

Kent = stiff but his time will come

Dean has played two VFL games into an AFL career. He's got some really exciting attributes and he had a taste in the NAB Cup. We hope he would gain a taste in the AFL at some stage this season, but he will take a bit of time. - Aaron Greaves.

​What a [censored] poor excuse. Same thing was said about Lucas Cook.

I would of thought the outs are obvious.

Toumpas, Pederson, Spencer.

Leaving Sellar, Evans, Bail and M. Jones on the bench. Maybe Seller sub.

Kent = stiff but his time will come

Agree with that

I think Kent will get a game as soon as the FD have had enough of Tappy, Byrnes or Davey

Great to see Gawn in the side. After last week Jones, Evans and Bail would all be locks to play so it really is just about that 4th bench spot. I would not be surprised to see Jimmy get one more to play against a younger side and maybe enjoy a win,.The whole Watts handling makes no sense. He gets subbed, gets dropped, Neeld says he knows what he has to work on, he then doesn't play anywhere last week then gets named back in the 18. WTF

I want to see Maxy play. Stretch there backline when and he and Jamar can go forward. he has to play before spencer.

If Watts is to play then put him on a player make it his focus to just beat him and to get the ball.

Shame Jordie isnt ready yet.

Ok so just saw the actual line up. So Watts is straight back in the 18 after being dropped and maxy will definitely play.

Looking at the bench Matt Jones has to play, as does Evans.

Max must play as a component of the selected 18.

The final 22 is a consequence of a final Bench Trim.

Kent stiffer than the Tossol Bros.

Edited April 18, 201312 yr by CHAMP

You go coach em Benson, I'm sure you'll have them all ready for AFL from day one, flying, having there best season ever.

Edited April 18, 201312 yr by Cards13

Agree with that

I think Kent will get a game as soon as the FD have had enough of Tappy, Byrnes or Davey

I'm FIIK what they see in Byrnes.

I/C (from): Jimmy Toumpas, Cam Pedersen, James Sellar, Michael Evans, Jake Spencer, Rohan Bail, Matt Jones

Final 4 should be Evans, Bail, Jones and Toumpas

I think logic says Toumpas is struggling with the pace of AFL, but may as well leave him in against GWS.

Good to see Watts has bounced back from 2 of the worst overall games you'll ever see, by earning a spot... Sitting in the stands.

The standard has been set kids. Don't contest, don't play for Casey, you'll still get a game.

Culture change my arse.

I'm FIIK what they see in Byrnes.

I watched the replay of the west coast game and noticed he did a lot of shepherding and such in the F50, and did put a fair amount of pressure so maybe that's what is keeping him in.

Good to see Watts has bounced back from 2 of the worst overall games you'll ever see, by earning a spot... Sitting in the stands.

The standard has been set kids. Don't contest, don't play for Casey, you'll still get a game.

Culture change my arse.

I am a Watts supporter, but I agree with you Deestroy, the circumstancesof his return are quite odd and don't do anything to add to Neeld's credibility as either a coach or motivator.

There has to be more to the Jack Watts thing.

He may not have been in the best emotional state and chose to play and the club didn't like it but have given him the benefit of the doubt given all he's had going on.

Or maybe they've decided he'll play into form against younger bodies and enjoy the win.

Or maybe he's not very good but we have a crap list so we may as well play him because who else can we pull in.

But it's probably all of the above.

I'm unbelievably [censored] off to see Jack Watts just canter back into the side. Unless he did something spectacular at training these past two weeks, his re-selection completely makes a mockery of our supposed culture change.

In the absence of all the facts, I reserve the right to be goddamn annoyed.

Toumpas should play at Casey this week for his confidence