Do u guys remember the hawthorn vs GWS game...and the expectations before that? Before GWS got absolutely smashed by Richmond...

Call me ludicrous, but I have a feeling we'll be in with a chance. We'll get within 20 points I reckon.

Hawthorn have had a pretty cruisey few weeks and are ripe for us to take it up to them.

Obviously the difference in class will see them win but I reckon we'll make it a scrap and they'll be inaccurate. (Like most teams have been against us this year).

Hawks by 20 points.

hi ludicrous

I am a fairly positive bloke,

BUT

This is going to be nasty on Saturday

I reckon melbourne will have something to prove after their shocking performance last week. Time will tell. Hawks by 23 points imo

Stop with the stupid [censored] like 'we're going to get thrashed', I mean...what's the point of even watching the game if you don't acknowledge the possibility that we might have a chance to win or compete. I don't watch my team expecting us to lose convincingly anymore. I think on our good day, we can compete against anyone. Call it wishful thinking all you want...I prefer to be excited and optimistic as opposed to pessimistic and cynical even if my expectations might be unrealistic to some. Go the Dees!!

That's fantastic... but don't pull the holier than thou stuff, it's ridiculous. After last week's debacle and knowing just how good the Hawks are many posters, me included, have every right to be pessimistic about this game. I'd love to win every week but it's not as if the odds are stacked in our favour.

You're welcome to be optimistic, and I admire that, but don't be a [censored] and have a crack at others for having a differing view point as it just makes you look like a fool.

I love the Ins

but I love the Outs more

Think we will have a good showing this week against a true powerhouse team

Can't imagine having nasal surgery and fronting up to play a few days later. He will be as sore as hell and probably have his nose packed. it must be a factor in his non selection. Still can't believe that mongrel Merrett got off.

Oh mate I'd rather be the fool whose optimistic as opposed to the 'enlightened' one who's cynical. It's gotten me to where I am.

Hogans_heroes I love the way you think mate exact same feelings from me.

Edit: please don't misinterpret this message as condescending. I just don't get It... Would you rather be excited or down all the time? I love this club, and although I think their [censored], I watch them every week in the hope and expectation that they win or at least compete.

I'm with you stmj. I'm aware it defies all logic and form, but I reckon we'll be fired up and they'll be flat. I think psychologically it would be very hard for them to get up for this game given the absolute gulf in class.

Might just be wishful thinking. I guess we'll see.

We'll lose by 20 or so and C&B will say it should've been 80.

I would think Strauss is on his way if he couldn't get selected this week. Also Clisby probably.

I am going hoping we have a real crack, I know Jetta, Cross, Jones N, Viney, Dunn will be leading the way, hopefully the rest follow...still having my favourite meal before the game though and taking a blindfold and a cigarette (just in case)

Jokes aside, I think performance wise we will bounce back. We have to. There is just no way we will kick the ball as poorly as we did last week. I can't remember the last time a Melbourne side kicked that poorly. It wasn't just the usual suspects. It was Vince, it was Kent, it was Watts. It was the whole damn team. That game absolutely should have been won. It was pleading to be won.

I won't mozz it by tipping a margin, but I think we'll see a much better performance this week.

I'm with you stmj. I'm aware it defies all logic and form, but I reckon we'll be fired up and they'll be flat. I think psychologically it would be very hard for them to get up for this game given the absolute gulf in class.

Might just be wishful thinking. I guess we'll see.

We'll lose by 20 or so and C&B will say it should've been 80.

If our boys are not fired up after last weeks rubbish effort and being laughed at by the entire football industry they might as well give up.

Hawks by 45

Whoo!! Some optimism... Keep it up lads. Maybe our positive energy will influence the players ;P

Having a laugh mate? Pessimism gets you no where in anything! It just limits you. I'm sure most of the Melbourne lads are going into this game thinking they can win as well.

As they should they're professional athletes - we on the other hand are supporters and can make objective assessments instead of just having blind faith. I'd love to take it up to the Hawks but they've been rubbing our nose in it for 40 years I don't see it changing on Saturday.

About Pederson.

Club is saying that once he was omitted from the side, surgery was brought forward from next week to tomorrow.

Hawthorn by 18. Points. No, I will not pass the crackpipe.

That will be the margin after about 6 minutes. Happens every single time against quality opposition.

Then we claw our way back I.e sydney and port adelaide. Except the former still beat us by 30 odd. We do better without expectations...I mean make comparisons between the collingwood and Brisbane game to games where we were a certainty to lose; Port adelaide (nearly won), Adelaide in Adelaide, Richmond (when they were meant to be inspired due to the death of football great)...could go on all day....jokes I can't :S And that's just the indication of our [censored] culture ATM.

ST Kilda beat Freo....Just sayin

About Pederson.

Club is saying that once he was omitted from the side, surgery was brought forward from next week to tomorrow.

Odd if he was dropped. Has worked super hard defensively. The Tall Utility/Second Ruck role is pretty tough to master. Can't see what he has done wrong.

Are they trying to turn Barry into our new tagger? The benchmarks for him this year seem to have all been defensive efforts and they have been giving him defensive roles at Casey all year. I'm really wondering if they want him to be an upgrade on McKenzie, a tagger with good skills, cleaner hands and a bit more pace.

I think we could get close to the hawks. they have had their ups and downs and we seem to have a habit of bring the opposition down to our level a bit. Obviously roughy is going to be the main danger, that our our ability to use to the ball well and not provide too many turnovers.

Love both the ins and outs.

Good changes.

Blease and Taspcott are done, I'd say. McKenzie is contracted for next year but worrying signs for him.

Pedersen being dropped is an interesting one. His recent form hasn't been as good as his early season form, and I guess Gawn has been slamming the door down, but we'll see whether this one works out for us.

This week is a lot about improvement on last week, IMO. I don't want to see players take a mark on the 50 and choose the 10 metre kick to a contest option. I don't want to see no-pressure out on the fulls, or handpasses that miss the target 5 metres away. If we can fix up those, we'll be far more competitive by default, and that's at least a start.

Pederson hasn't been dropped, he had surgery on his broken nose. Read the details before posting.

Pederson hasn't been dropped, he had surgery on his broken nose. Read the details before posting.

Actually the club did say that his surgery was brought forward after the decision was made to drop him.

I think Cross is our barometer and guess whose back?