THE BIRDS by JVM

[Demonland 73,281]

For the life of me, I don't understand how Adelaide could have possibly firmed to such hot favouritism for Saturday's game. The Crows struggled last week against the 15th placed Western Bulldogs when, not only their credibility, but also an outside chance of falling into the top eight and finals football was on the line. And yet they were overrun by the Dogs to the tune of seven final-term goals to three and with that went their chances of a top eight berth.

It's been much that way for the Crows for most of the season; patchy, inconsistent and a little flakey. Who could blame them for their demise after suffering from AFL sanctions and the loss of key forward talent like Kurt Tippett and Taylor Walker?

The AFL has been somewhat remiss in failing to see the promotional opportunities presented by this match up at a time when its poised to come down hard with sanctions on Essendon over the supplements scandal. These teams should be playing off for the 2013 NAB Transgressors Trophy with the Crows being done for salary cap breaches in the past twelve months and the Dees for cracking poor jokes in public. Dean Bailey would be the perfect choice as presenter.

The emotion factor will certainly be operational in terms of the fact that the Crows play their last game at the ground before relocating along with Port Adelaide to new digs at the Adelaide Oval as from next year.

But history says that Melbourne has a chance. Although, the team has produced only minimal improvement since the dark days of early 2013, it does have a good record when it comes to closing down opposition football grounds. The last time that happened was on 21 May, 2005 when Melbourne beat Carlton by 18 points in the final AFL game at Princes Park (aka Optus Oval, MC Labour Park and more lately Pricefixer Park or something to that effect). So, with a good recent record at farewelling the fields of others' dreams, the Demons are poised to cause an upset.

Melbourne's team for the game has a much better look and feel to it than the one that was first strangled and then demolished by Fremantle last Sunday.James Frawley and Chris Dawes come in to bolster a key defence and key forward position respectively, Cam Pedersen was his team's best player in the game before he was injured and David Rodan and Jimmy Toumpas will add run to the team, the latter's confidence also bolstered with a couple of classy displays at Casey. The players should also be keen to give Aaron Davey a fitting farewell after a decade of fabulous service to the club.

This is not the same Adelaide that swept all before it last year under first year coach Brenton Sanderson. Neil Craig has a treasure trove of knowledge about this team to offset the home team's advantages in skill and experience and with Sando showing signs of cracking up last week I was almost tempted to go for a Melbourne win. It was at about this time that the reality bus drove right past me with hundreds of black crows hovering menacingly above.

Adelaide by 45 points.

[Hulett Packard III 166]

This is not the same Adelaide that swept all before it last year under first year coach Brenton Sanderson. Neil Craig has a treasure trove of knowledge about this team to offset the home team's advantages in skill and experience and with Sando showing signs of cracking up last week I was almost tempted to go for a Melbourne win. It was at about this time that the reality bus drove right past me with hundreds of black crows hovering menacingly above.

That last line perfectly sums up my big nightmare of 2013.