THE NEW REALITY by Whispering Jack

Melbourne has not beaten St Kilda in an AFL premiership match since the 2006 Elimination Final when it recorded a three goal victory at the MCG. The only current player to take part in that game was current skipper Nathan Jones who was taking part in only his 7th AFL game. As was befitting of his young age and inexperience, Jones' role that nigh was modest - he picked up a mere nine touches of the footy. On Saturday, he will play his 207th game for the club and is expected to make a much bigger contribution and to play in a winning team against the Saints again. Lynden Dunn is the only other player still with the Demons who was on the club's list that year although he did not take part in the finals match. However, he was on hand in Round 10 of that season when the Demons also beat the Saints. Dunn and Jones are the only players to have played in a winning Melbourne team against St Kilda (I'm excluding NAB Challenge matches from the equation).

There is a handful of others at the club who have played in winning teams against the Saints when they were at other clubs. Chris Dawes and Heritier Lumumba were in a premiership winning team at Collingwood that beat St Kilda in the 2010 Grand Final while another former Magpie  Ben Kennedy later made his debut in a victory over the Saints. Jeff Garlett, Bernie Vince, Ben Newton and the club's new serial pest Tommy Bugg have all had the same winning experience before joining the Demons. Of course, Paul Roos who is winless against them in three starts as coach of the Dees, won many when he was at the helm of the Swans.

However, the reality is that when the team runs out on Saturday afternoon there will not be a single player who can say he has previously played with a teammate wearing the red and blue in a winning team against the opposition.

That reality is about to change with 100 minutes of football.

The Melbourne we have witnessed over the past three matches of football and indeed over most of the month or so before that is the product of the new reality for the club - a young team that attacks and defends with flair and excitement, that takes risks, plays with aggression and intensity and is developing some quality and class. That could not be said of its performances over most of the past decade (and indeed, the Essendon game which surely now must be considered an aberration). The team is getting better in leaps and bounds and what's more - it has found some consistency in performance.

That cannot be said of its opposition this week. The Saints are also on the rise and were impressive in consecutive games against Collingwood and Hawthorn but they came down to earth with a thud against the Giants last week. They won't be easy pickings at Etihad where they have constantly had "the wood" over Melbourne but the Demons overcame their hoodoo there last year, never mind in the practice match conditions of the NAB Challenge not all that long ago.

On Saturday, they will give the Saints a taste of the new reality.

THE GAME

Melbourne v St Kilda at Etihad Stadium Saturday 30 April 2016 at 1.45pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 118 wins St Kilda 89 wins 1 drawn
At Etihad Melbourne 3 wins St. Kilda 6 wins
Past five meetings Melbourne 0 wins St. Kilda 5 wins
The Coaches Roos 0 wins Richardson 3 wins

MEDIA

TV -

RADIO -

THE BETTING Melbourne to win - $1.55 St. Kilda to win - $2.45 to win

THE LAST TIME THEY MET St. Kilda 1211.83 defeated Melbourne 6.10.46 in Round 17, 2015  at the MCG

A lot of questions were asked of the Demons after their pitiful effort in the last half against the Saints at the MCG in a game they were expected to win. Too many players simply didn't come out to play. Among the few who did were Jeremy Howe, Jack Viney and Daniel Cross and ironically two of that trio are no longer playing for the club.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Tomas Bugg
HB: Lynden Dunn, Heritier Lumumba, Christian Salem
C: Bernie Vince, Dom Tyson, Josh Wagner
HF: Jack Watts, Sam Frost, Jeff Garlett
F: Dean Kent, Jesse Hogan, Ben Kennedy
FOLL: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney
I/C: James Harmes, Jayden Hunt, Cam Pedersen, Christian Petracca 
EMG: Colin Garland, Alex Neal-Bullen, Clayton Oliver

IN: Christian Petracca 

OUT: Angus Brayshaw (omitted)

NEW: Christian Petracca (20, Eastern Ranges)

ST. KILDA

B: Jarryn Geary, Sean Dempster, Jimmy  Webster
HB: Shane Savage, Sam Fisher, Leigh Montagna 
C: Jack Billings, David Armitage, Jack Newnes
HF: Maverick Weller, Nick Riewoldt, Jade Gresham 
F: Jack Sinclair, Josh Bruce, Tim Membrey
FOLL: Tom Hickey, Luke Dunstan, Jack Steven
I/C: Blake Acres, Sam Gilbert, Minchington, Seb Ross
EMG: Hugh Goddard, Billy Longer, Brodie Murdoch 

IN: Blake Acres, Jade Gresham, Tim Membrey

OUT: Tom Lee (omitted), Jack Lonie (omitted), Paddy McCartin (managed)

On 26/04/2016 at 7:24 AM, Demonland said:

THE NEW REALITY by Whispering Jack

...

MELBOURNE

B:
HB:
C:
HF:
F:
FOLL:
I/C:
EMG:

IN:

OUT:

NEW:

ST. KILDA

B:
HB:
C:
HF:
F:
FOLL:
I/C:
EMG:
IN:
OUT:

Any reason to highlight new players this week?

In: Petracca

Out: Brayshaw

No Oliver is a disappointment.

Called it yesterday. Oliver might just have some time to build fitness in the VFL. 

On 27/04/2016 at 5:36 PM, Seraph said:

Oliver might not play. 

I've changed my thinking from earlier, and now think that Petracca might come straight in for Gus with no other changes. 

2 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

In: Petracca

Out: Brayshaw

No Oliver is a disappointment.

Who comes out for him?

Paddy McCartin out `managed`

I thought Oliver would be in after a weeks rest , certainly missed him last week .. Brayshaw was spent well before the end of the match last week.. 

Montagna named for the Saints. He'll tear us a new one, no doubt.

 

lol Saints too scared to put McCartin up against Petracca

Oliver the emergency. Wonder if he'll be the 23rd man or play VFL to build his tank. 

Sad tha Petracca won't get to play with his best mate Brayshaw, but Gus has definitely not looked right so far this year. He'll need to find some fitness and form in the VFL for a few weeks before he breaks back into the team.

McCartin and Lonie had good games against us last year.

2 minutes ago, Sylvia Saint said:

Montagna named for the Saints. He'll tear us a new one, no doubt.

I thought he did a hammy last week? 

2 minutes ago, Sylvia Saint said:

Montagna named for the Saints. He'll tear us a new one, no doubt.

 

Won`t be surprise if he is a late omission Saturday

Will cp 5 play forward or centre?

Just now, Seraph said:

I thought he did a hammy last week? 

Only tightness. DIsappointing because him and Riewoldt save their best footy for us even now when they are well into their 30s.

I really question the rationale and decision making regarding the managemnet of Clayton Oliver Rested last week and if not injured then he should have been a walk up start this week. His impressive form in all but his latest game ( two weeks ago) demanded his reselection. If he doesn't play I don't like it OR agree with it.

Terrible player management IMV!

1 minute ago, leave it to deever said:

Will cp 5 play forward or centre?

Surely forward

$1.58 favourites...we`re in trouble!

2 minutes ago, picket fence said:

I really question the rationale and decision making regarding the managemnet of Clayton Oliver Rested last week and if not injured then he should have been a walk up start this week. His impressive form in all but his latest game ( two weeks ago) demanded his reselection. If he doesn't play I don't like it OR agree with it.

Terrible player management IMV!

I fear for the day you are happy after Thursday night team announcement...

3 minutes ago, Generation dee said:

I fear for the day you are happy after Thursday night team announcement...

Yeah well why rest him if the intention was that he wasn't going the play te following week. Shocking and poor management IMV! If as some posters have speculated he needs to build a tank then he wouldn't have gained anything from not playing last week ! An in retrospect he is now behind the 8 ball> Don't agree at all with this!

Edited April 28, 20169 yr by picket fence

Surprised we didn't see a few more changes with the short week but happy with the lineup.

8 minutes ago, Hell Bent said:

$1.58 favourites...we`re in trouble!

It's a worry when the media hype also suggests we have been improving. A dagger in our hearts for decades every time it happens. Monkeys  galore to cast off our backs this Saturday. 

Edited April 28, 20169 yr by america de cali

Disappointing Oliver's not in. We could probably use him instead of Frost especially at Etihad where a fast track means you can be caught out playing too many talls. I know Frost isnt slow but still 

9 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

Oliver the emergency. Wonder if he'll be the 23rd man or play VFL to build his tank. 

Can be both. Casey don't play till Sunday, so we can take all our emergencies to the game on Saturday.

Sad that Gus and Oliver are not playing but the good news is we have genuine competition for spots now.