Melbourne v Essendon @ Etihad Stadium - 20th March, 2015

[Lord Travis 10,256]

At the ground now and have a feeling we'll lose. I think it's years of conditioning losing the unloseable :/

[Wiseblood 24,636]

At the ground now and have a feeling we'll lose. I think it's years of conditioning losing the unloseable :/

It's a no win situation really - if we lose we get hammered for it, if we win then we get the "they just played half an Essendon side" line. Outside of practicing the gameplan there is little in the game for us tonight.

[hemingway 7,601]

At the ground now and have a feeling we'll lose. I think it's years of conditioning losing the unloseable :/

lord travis truly tragic, but you deserve a medal for being at that morgue. it smells of death. I will not go.

[Wormburner 674]

At the ground now and have a feeling we'll lose. I think it's years of conditioning losing the unloseable :/

Winning two in a row, tell them they're dreaming.

[beelzebub 22,282]

It's a no win situation really - if we lose we get hammered for it, if we win then we get the "they just played half an Essendon side" line. Outside of practicing the gameplan there is little in the game for us tonight. ( and therefore starting to learn how to win

and therefore starting to learn how to win is a very good reason, and result

Take from this what we can

[Pipefitter 2,029]

I'm genuinely frightened of losing this game. It would be so Melbourne to lose to a VFL side.

[Henrietta Lumbago 331]

Mate - as a number of us have stated in this thread (and others), the fact that we are NOT giving our first year players games straight off the bat is a very GOOD thing. Roos is making them earn it, along with fielding a more mature side that is more likely to win games of football, which we DESPERATELY need to do for the sake of the club. It is the opposite approach of the Bailey/Neeld era which seemed to work on the assumption that high draft pick players would develop more quickly just by putting them straight in for as many games as possible. It wasn't necessarily a bad plan, but history records that it didn't work - the kids got knocked around and suffered huge belting after huge belting and along with tarnishing our image, it made an awful loser's culture at the club - the stains of which we are still trying to wash off.

The new approach is mirrored by our recent imports - experienced, proven performers and leaders, the very things we have lacked over the 2007-2013 period. Fielding Vince, Lumumba, Dawes etc instead of Stretch and Brayshaw is exactly what we should be doing - and before you say it, we should also be fielding the likes of M.Jones, McKenzie and Bail before these kids too. Even though these guys are limited footballers they have the bodies and the games behind them to actually compete at AFL level, and besides, it is too early in their careers to declare them finished, to be replaced immediately by 18 year olds.

I don't know why you would be so keen to see the kids out there. Have some patience. I for one would much rather see them dominate in the twos, for as long as it takes for them to do it consistently - and to finally be given their chance after being so hungry for it they are starving. Then they come into the side where they are surrounded by a consistent, experienced, stable side - instead of a bunch of other kids, lambs to the slaughter, which is the way we used to do it. Then, just give them a taste, a few games here and there, really really make them perform for their right to be in the 22 over the next 2-3 years. As somebody else (sorry can't remember) said recently 'that's what the good clubs do' and they were exactly right.

Roosy knows what he's doing.

Of course I would like to see Brayshaw play, it's a NAB challenge game, basically a practice game, about half the intensity of a proper AFL game...it's a perfect opportunity to give the kids a taste of it (just like we saw with JKH in last years NAB games).

Giving someone a game in a pre season match is not throwing them in the deep end and won't ruin their careers if the have a bad game!

[CityDee 738]

Lol Roo on fox saying tapscott wouldlike to be back in the side asap- sitting in the stands with Trenners in civies .

[beelzebub 22,282]

I'm genuinely frightened of losing this game. It would be so Melbourne to lose to a VFL side.

MFCSS

or whatever its called

stiffen up lad....

[Whispering_Jack 28,089]

Two dozen spectators on hand. The excitement in the crowd is palpable.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Lol Roo on fox saying tapscott wouldlike to be back in the side asap- sitting in the stands with Trenners in civies .

Mark Ricciuto really is a moron.

[Meggs 575]

Heading to the ground now after advising a group of Dreamteamers on Dees players. They were surprised I said Dean Terlich was not best 22 and they all said who is Matt Jones !

I am looking forward to seeing big Hoges and Frosty...

[Dommygun12 79]

Matt jones and mckenzie apparently deserve a spot each ahead of michie and jkh ...interesting

[Bring-Back-Powell 13,386]

Anyone know why Pedo isn't playing. I would have thought given Dawes is out Rd 1, that Pedo would need the game time.....

I would say Roos has put a line through his name.

Did himself no favours vs Freo. Id say Frost has taken the role off him.

[LegsLeoncelli 162]

vandenBerg playing with what looks like a nice shiner.

Matt Jones makes his first mistake for the game-tripped over on his way up the race.

[hardtack 10,129]

VdB ... very nice

[Wiseblood 24,636]

VdB ... very nice

He is a very nice kick of the footy!

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Man crush is growing.

[KingDingAling 3,614]

Vandenberg has good skills.

[CityDee 738]

Vanda's!

[hardtack 10,129]

Jetta has become a very good kick

[Dommygun12 79]

What head knock shouldve kept playing last week

[Ethan Tremblay 28,534]

Vandenberg, Frost, Lumumba. Enough said.

[CityDee 738]

Dawes to big for Gwilt will kick a bag

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I like the look of Dee Frost.