There's only one Melbourne player left at the club from its last win against St Kilda which everyone knows was the 2016 Elimination Final when a young Nathan Jones was just a pup and a bit player in his debut season with the club. We all know that because it's become a perennial to be reminded about our last win over the Saints by way of emphasis that we've been so poor for so long.

For some of the time in between, it was not easy to beat them because they were a strength in the competition but that can't be said of the last few years when they still routinely embarrassed us.

It all started on a day like today some ten years ago. The day of the 2007 Season Launch on 30th March when the teams met on a Friday night before a crowd that was just shy of 50,000. Like most of us, I was confident of a win - after all, we were the highest placed finisher of all of the Melbourne sides the year before and we had what we thought was a good, solid well-rounded team with some exciting youngsters. I remember Brock McLean went down with an injury. And I think Matty Whelan too. Anyway, nothing went right for us and in the end the scoreboard read "Melbourne 9.8 (62) defeated by St Kilda 13.15 (93)". By the end of the season we were a rabble, finishing in 14th place with just 5 wins, one of them coming in rather dubious circumstances in the final round of the season when we beat a tanking Carlton in the game that became the Kreuzer Cup. Long time coach Neale Daniher was sacked somewhere in between and replaced by a bloke who was good at coaching the team to beat the Blues.

A lot of water passed under the bridge before the Demons met the Saints again in a season opener (in our case it was polluted water) on Saturday, 22 March, 2014 at 7:40 pm at today's venue, Etihad Stadium before a crowd of 31,657. It was Paul Roos' first game at the helm and we came in with lots of confidence, opened brightly and looked to be well on top. We were even keeping Nick Riewoldt quiet until Tom McDonald went down with injury along with Jack Fitzpatrick all in a short space of time in the second quarter. We also kicked about ten or eleven behinds in a row and our disastrous run continued. Riewoldt became the dominant player and they scored enough to win. I remember that we blew our last chance when Pedo ran into an open goal and missed from close in. St Kilda 10.8 (68) defeated Melbourne 6.15 (51).

The only thing I can't understand is why am I so confident about today.

I'd be happy with a 1 point win and to see Riewoldt cry after Joel Smith stands on his albino head to take a screamer.

I'm so pumped. CMON BOYS!!

Wish I was confident. A lot of unknowns in this game. We will need an even contribution from everyone including the debutants to beat the Saints at their home ground.  

My wish for this game is for Watts to dominate and our young talent to take the next step.

Pumped for this! Gotta buy the mrs a birthday present, then jump onto the hume highway around midday straight to Shitihad Stadium.

My heart says we'll win, my head says we won't.   Hearts are trumps!

PS.  I'd be more confident if we really had beaten them in 2016 Jack.

 

Edited March 24, 20178 yr by Deeoldfart

We need the young guns to fire, I know Oliver is going to (3 Brownlow votes coming up). Petracca and Brayshaw need to step up if we're going to win. We also need to taunt Weller, his eyes are too close together. 

Edited March 24, 20178 yr by Ethan Tremblay

17 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

I'd be happy with a 1 point win and to see Riewoldt cry after Joel Smith stands on his albino head to take a screamer.

i think that's unnecessarily vitriolic Ethan.

We don't need to see Nick cry, nor do we need his hair dirty.

 

3 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

We need the young guns to fire, I know Oliver is going (3 Brownlow votes coming up). Petracca and Brayshaw need to step up if we're going to win. We also need to taunt Weller, his eyes are too close together. 

Maverick might deserve that criticism but I would prefer we out meditated him .

 

5 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

We need the young guns to fire, I know Oliver is going (3 Brownlow votes coming up). Petracca and Brayshaw need to step up if we're going to win. We also need to taunt Weller, his eyes are too close together. 

8 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Pumped for this! Gotta buy the mrs a birthday present, then jump onto the hume highway around midday straight to Shitihad Stadium.

Buy her a membership and then present her with a Dees victory... Can't do much better than that, dazzle. 

Absolutely pumped for today, but that also makes me nervous. I always try to temper my expectations as, more often than not, we would get rolled and then I wouldn't as disappointed. But I can't help it today. Go Dees! 

Fact: Jack Watts is 0 - 16 at the Docklands.

4 minutes ago, Deemented Are Go! said:

2 minutes ago, The Great Pretender said:

Fact: Jack Watts is 0 - 16 at the Docklands.

Maybe Watts needs to try rope a dope today. 

We should start early with a bit of psychological warfare. I suggest we hang a sign on the entry to St Kilda's change room that reads "No Albino's or cyclops' allowed." 

27 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

We need the young guns to fire, I know Oliver is going to (3 Brownlow votes coming up). Petracca and Brayshaw need to step up if we're going to win. We also need to taunt Weller, his eyes are too close together. 

 

Warms the heart.

Edited March 24, 20178 yr by Scythe

Just watched the highlights from round 1 last year. Geez Jack Watts was the match winner in that last quarter. Big mark and goal. Great hard lead up to centre half forward, turns and hits Hogan lace out for another goal. And then of course bustling through multiple tackles to set up VDB for the winner. More please.

Screw docklands shut the roof last time i was there it was a 21 degree day in winter ffs.

saints ducked their way to free kicks and momentum and i lost the plot . 

Hope we win today beers are cold and the hotdogs are ready to go .  

 

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

We should start early with a bit of psychological warfare. I suggest we hang a sign on the entry to St Kilda's change room that reads "No Albino's or cyclops' allowed." 

I've already added 300 doses of LSD to their gatorade supply.

If we lose it will be on a sub-conscious level,but I expect Jack Steven and co will be looking for buttercups and daisies in the grass by half time.

Just remember, the fan's scar tissue, is not the players scar tissue...

We've got this. 

Uncle Bitter is toddling along today as the guest of a St Kilda member. I expect to be evicted by halftime as either -

A. A boorish drunken loud mouthed and ungracious winner

                                  Or

B. A boorish drunken loud mouthed and ungracious loser.

 

4 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Uncle Bitter is toddling along today as the guest of a St Kilda member. I expect to be evicted by halftime as either -

A. A boorish drunken loud mouthed and ungracious winner

                                  Or

B. A boorish drunken loud mouthed and ungracious loser.

 

At halftime the games not won ....youll just be evicted for being loud and boorish. Then find a bar to watch us win

So just a normal week at the footy then Uncle?

1 minute ago, Moonshadow said:

So just a normal week at the footy then Uncle?

Yes more or less. However, I expect to be in better company (for a while at least) than the riff raff that I normally associate with.