ON TRACK by Whispering Jack

ON TRACK by Whispering Jack

Nathan Jones is saying that the Demons are finally back on track. There is no doubt that the signs are good and they always are when you can number those who could potentially force their way into the best 22 from outside Saturday's winning team against the GWS Giants on the fingers of both hands.

Yes, both hands. 

At Good Friday’s training session which was followed by an extended training session for players not selected which included game simulation and match practice with members of the Casey Scorpions squad, I counted a few there who were overlooked but who would normally have been pegged in as obvious selections. You can add a couple of the emergencies for Saturday who had to be rested and a couple of early draft selections on show for the first time coming back from long term injury. There are a couple of mates from Glenelg who have had a brief taste and are not far away, along with a couple of rookies fighting for an upgrade who had played well in Melbourne's last win of 2015 at Etihad Stadium - also against the Giants.

This week's opponent is Essendon and by way of contrast to the above, you need only flash back three years in time when the teams also met in Round 2 under much different circumstances. Back then, it was Melbourne that was reeling in an out of control downward spiral and its list was so problematic that it would not be an exaggeration to suggest that half of the players who ran out that day might have struggled for games elsewhere.

Such has been the rejuvenation of the Melbourne list in the interim under Paul Roos. 

However, it has not only been the change in personnel but also, there's been a sea change in culture, style of game and attitude and particularly so this year as the more attacking influence of coach-in-waiting Simon Goodwin begins to kick in. The greater depth in the playing group is an outcome of the work of Roos and co in the transformation of the club from a basket case to a contender.

There still remain some ghosts of the past that must be laid to rest. The Bombers were at a low ebb when these teams met in Round 15 last year. They were sinking under the cloud of the long running drugs saga, their form was abysmal coming off a 110-point loss to St Kilda the week before, key players were missing with injury and James Hird's coaching tenure was under attack. It should have been an easy win for the Demons but they made a mess of it. 

Essendon is again at a low ebb now as it faces a season in the wilderness minus a dozen suspended players. The Bombers are in disarray. That would normally be a worry for a Melbourne team that seems to underperform when expected to do well but not this time.

I expect Melbourne with its new found hardness, its purpose and more attacking mindset to lay to rest another ghost of the past. These things must be done to ensure the club remains on track.

Melbourne by 40 points.

THE GAME Essendon v Melbourne at the MCG Saturday, 2 April, 2016 at 2.10pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Essendon 128 wins Melbourne 81 wins 2 draws

At the MCG Essendon 65 wins Melbourne 45 wins 1 draw

The last five meetings Essendon 2 wins Melbourne 3 wins

The Coaches Worsfold 0 wins Roos 0 wins

MEDIA

TV – Fox Footy Channel – live at 1.30 pm 

RADIO - Triple M 3AW SEN ABC

THE BETTING

Essendon $6.00 to win Melbourne $1.12 to win

THE LAST TIME THEY MET 

Essendon 10.9.69 defeated Melbourne 7.18.60 at the MCG, Round 15, 2015

Melbourne dominated the play in the first half but couldn't put the Bombers away and was made to pay when they were outscored by one goal to six in the third quarter. Inaccuracy in front of goal didn't help.

THE TEAMS

ESSENDON
B: Matt Dea, Mitch Brown, Mark Baguley
HB: James Gwilt, Michael Hartley, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
C: Brendon Goddard, David Zaharakis, Jackson Merrett
HF: Zach Merrett, Patrick Ambrose, Kyle Langford
F: Mathew Stokes, Joe Daniher, Nick Kommer
R: Matthew Leuenberger, Ryan Crowley, Darcy Parish
I: Martin Gleeson, Orazio Fantasia, Adam Cooney, James Kelly
IN: Nick Kommer, Michael Hartley (debut), Orazio Fantasia
OUT: Craig Bird (omit.), Jonathan Simpkin (omit.), Shaun McKernan (omit.)

MELBOURNE
B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Heritier Lumumba
HB: Matt Jones, Colin Garland, Christian Salem
C: Bernie Vince, Jack Viney, Aaron vandenBerg
HF: Jack Watts, Cam Pedersen, James Harmes
F: Dean Kent, Jesse Hogan, Jeff Garlett
Foll: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson
I/C: Angus Brayshaw, Clayton Oliver, Tom Bugg, Ben Kennedy
Emg: Lynden Dunn, Billy Stretch, Sam Frost
In: Lumumba, Brayshaw
Out: Oscar McDonald (ankle), Sam Frost