THE ROAD TO ROUND 1, 2015

[Wormburner 674]

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2015-04-02/pick-a-winner-with-carey-and-brown

Wayne Carey tips Melbourne, Brown think it will only be a close loss. Not bad...You can even tell from Dixson's fist pump, that he is tipping Melbourne. What's wrong with these guys?

They must be sniffing some good shite!

[timD 994]

I think that you are being a bit harsh on the midfield developed in the last year and this preseason. Great midfields don't just happen and this year will see a further jump in the development and more importantly competitiveness.

8 years.

Waiting for 8 years to have a midfield better than 'worst in the afl'. Not 'best', just better than worst.

Not overnight success. Just something better than worst after 8 years of trying.

I hoped that wasn't aiming too high.

[old dee 23,924]

After 50 years, when things look bad I can always shrug and say, 'Eh, I've seen worse.'

The trouble is through 2012 - 3 that was not true.

That is IMO easily the worst two years I have experienced.

I don't remember going to games all season that were over at quarter time.

[BrisbaneDemon 1,574]

I've just realised that this is my fiftieth year as a Melbourne supporter.

I'm loyal, if nothing else.

hahaha me too mate!, my whole family are Dee's supporters, being the only one out of the family born in Queensland i followed the bears/lions. 2000 grand final dad said "get on board now, we're on the way up", jumped on board, the lions went bang bang bang in 01,02,03. thanks dad! haha

[old dee 23,924]

hahaha me too mate!, my whole family are Dee's supporters, being the only one out of the family born in Queensland i followed the bears/lions. 2000 grand final dad said "get on board now, we're on the way up", jumped on board, the lions went bang bang bang in 01,02,03. thanks dad! haha

So it is your fault

[BrisbaneDemon 1,574]

So it is your fault

Its everyone's fault OD....

[old dee 23,924]

Its everyone's fault OD....

No I am without blame BD.

I started in 1960 and had four great years then the crap started.

I am blaming all those who jumped on from 1965 onwards.

It is everyone else's fault

[CBDees 3,167]

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2015-04-02/pick-a-winner-with-carey-and-brown

Wayne Carey tips Melbourne, Brown think it will only be a close loss. Not bad...You can even tell from Dixson's fist pump, that he is tipping Melbourne. What's wrong with these guys?

Nice to know some celebrities give a bit of thought to their team analysis and have the courage to back us publicly. Gary Lyon has tipped aganst us this week, much as he has done for years. I suspect that it is now at the stage that he finds it difficult to back us, probably the only MFC ex-captain to consistently pick against us. Not much of a role model for loyalty or passion l am afraid! Edited April 2, 2015 by CBDees

[praha 11,240]

I was at that GC game last year - the score lies - we were not 'in it' and it felt like GC just couldn't put us away.

The 8 point loss was just a stat to me, and stats lie...

Agreed. Could never see us winning the game last year. Suns just couldn't finish it but always stayed just ahead.

[dpositive 1,767]

I went to a match at Junction oval with my old man when I was under age 7. Remember coz thats when we moved.

I barracked for Melbourne from that time and Im 64 this year. Cant remember the glory years as really didnt see many games. By the time I started going to the footy the rot had really set in. A few glorious Daniher years was all I had to overcome the too few fantastic players and bits and pieces seen in that time.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,368]

I feel like those days are over for the AFL in general. The MRP is way too soft these days, just ask Chris Dawes, who plays hard and has already served a bunch of weeks for doing very little wrong. When he comes back he will probably ease up a bit, which is a shame and a sad indictment of where the game is at. The same thing happened to Brad Miller - he used to crunch blokes until he got a few too many weeks out and he stopped doing it. At that moment his value as a player dropped from 'something' to 'nothing'. Let's not forget the Trengove sling tackle and the Viney bump (despite being overturned, it was a disgrace it was booked in the first place, and needed a community uproar for the correct verdict to be made). I would suggest that Roosy telling anybody to go hard at Ablett is very unlikely, and if it happened they would certainly be booked. We can't really afford for anybody to be unavailable. I know it's the old MFCSS 'woe is me' attitude but we have definitely had the rough end of the stick in this regard in recent years.

Don't get me wrong, I would love the game to go back to 1980s toughness but the AFL has killed it. In all their pathetic pandering to mothers (who allegedly will put their sons into soccer if they see a player ironed out on Friday night footy) they have removed 90% of the grunt that we used to love. Let's not get started on the laughable fallacy that suggests our game is under any kind of threat from other codes, with our 800,000 club members, 3.5 million attendances per year, insane sponsorship deals and multi-billion-dollar TV rights packages.

I digress. In conclusion: the days where our coach would have a word to an 'enforcer' to try to put Ablett out of the game are well and truly gone. Sadly.

You're being overly dramatic. You can still tackle/bump/crunch players to test them out just don't hit them in the head.

[hemingway 7,633]

I went to a match at Junction oval with my old man when I was under age 7. Remember coz thats when we moved.

I barracked for Melbourne from that time and Im 64 this year. Cant remember the glory years as really didnt see many games. By the time I started going to the footy the rot had really set in. A few glorious Daniher years was all I had to overcome the too few fantastic players and bits and pieces seen in that time.

The Northey years were pretty good. Some memorable moments.

[dpositive 1,767]

The Northey years were pretty good. Some memorable moments.

true passed in a blur

[praha 11,240]

The Northey years were pretty good. Some memorable moments.

Didn't last long, though.

87 - Great year

88 was good for forgettable for obvious reasons

89 - Solid year

90 - Solid year

91 - Solid year

It was good, not great. I think we hold the Northy years highly because he put us into the finals for the first time in 23 years. But really that weren't all that remarkable.

[hemingway 7,633]

Didn't last long, though.

87 - Great year

88 was good for forgettable for obvious reasons

89 - Solid year

90 - Solid year

91 - Solid year

It was good, not great. I think we hold the Northy years highly because he put us into the finals for the first time in 23 years. But really that weren't all that remarkable.

agreed praha, a good summary

[Demon_spurs 1,891]

I forget when do the teams get announced?

[What 18,810]

I forget when do the teams get announced?

6.25 pm

[Demon_spurs 1,891]

6.25 pm

Thanks I'll stop re re refreshing the AFL website

Edited April 2, 2015 by Demon_spurs

[HEMLOCK 39]

I think Ablett is flying, he'll play mid and tear us up.

I just think Ablett is just really worried about his shoulder - and rightfully so. This guy is a perfectionist.

He hasn't had many injuries and he knows it is important to get it right. If he plays, he'll explode.

he best not play then dingers if he will explode

[Whispering_Jack 30,949]

Round 1 Melbourne v Gold Coast, Sat 4 April, 1.40pm at MCG.

New: Brayshaw, Frost, Garlett, Hogan, Lumumba, Newton, vandenBerg.

[deanox 10,025]

B: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta

HB: Christian Salem, Tom McDonald, Jeremy Howe

C: Heritier Lumumba, Daniel Cross, Ben Newton

HF: Dean Kent, Jesse Hogan, Jimmy Toumpas

F: Jeff Garlett, Sam Frost, Jack Watts

FOLL: Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson

I/C: Jack Viney, Angus Brayshaw, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Aaron vandenBerg

EMG: Max Gawn, Jack Grimes, Matt Jones

NEW: Angus Brayshaw, Sam Frost, Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Heritier Lumumba, Ben Newton, Aaron vandenBerg

Grimes emergency and Howe gets a game but Vince doesn't.

7 MFC debutants.

And 4 others that debuted under roos last year. Our side is changing significantly.

Edited April 2, 2015 by deanox

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/teams

Round one team v Gold Coast Suns, Saturday (1.40pm), MCG
B: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta
HB: Christian Salem, Tom McDonald, Jeremy Howe
C: Heritier Lumumba, Daniel Cross, Ben Newton
HF: Dean Kent, Jesse Hogan, Jimmy Toumpas
F: Jeff Garlett, Sam Frost, Jack Watts
FOLL: Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson
I/C: Jack Viney, Angus Brayshaw, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Aaron vandenBerg
EMG: Max Gawn, Jack Grimes, Matt Jones
NEW: Angus Brayshaw, Sam Frost, Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Heritier Lumumba, Ben Newton, Aaron vandenBerg
Milestone: Heritier Lumumba (200 AFL games)

[Seraph 1,824]

Grimes and Matt Jones dropped to emergency, have the team selectors been reading Demonland? Bail not even in the 25.

Interesting to see Howe come straight back in, hopefully he's at least 80-85%.

Brayshaw straight in, love it.

Edited April 2, 2015 by Seraph

[Jaded No More 68,974]

No Grimes.

I'm really shocked.

Good strong team otherwise.

[Demon Jack 6,931]

In Gus we trust. Good luck to the young man. Dropping Grimes is a big statement, one which I don't mind.