19TH NERVOUS BREAKDOWN by Whispering Jack  

It was the great 20th Century English poet, Mick Jagger, who wrote the immortal words,   

“You better stop, look around 
Here it comes,  
Here it comes,  
Here it comes,  
Here it comes 
Here comes your 19th nervous breakdown.”  

Yes.  

You all know where this is going because we’ve been there many times over the past dozen or so years.   

It started sometime in 2006 at the end of the season. I woke up at 4.30am in a cold sweat, overcome by a sense of foreboding that things were going to turn very, very ugly for the Melbourne Football Club in the near future. When the day dawned, the rain clouds hung dark and low - the deluge was coming.

At first I just thought it was a matter of simply allowing time to take its course and the darkness would end but the nightmares kept coming back and it was never more so than when the team came up against North Melbourne. 

 Many years passed and the team gathered strength; our expectations grew but they blew both chances to break the run last year and we’re now facing our 18th consecutive defeat at the hands of the Kangaroos.

One step closer to that 19th nervous breakdown.

THE GAME Melbourne v North Melbourne on Saturday 7 April, 2018 at the MCG at 2.10pm  

HEAD TO HEAD  

Overall Melbourne 83 wins North Melbourne 81 wins 1 draw  

At the MCG Melbourne 54 wins North Melbourne 37 wins  

Last five times Melbourne 0 wins North Melbourne 5 wins   

The Coaches Goodwin 0 wins Scott 2 wins  

MEDIA  

TV - Fox Sports 3, Live from 1.30pm

RADIO -  TBA

THE LAST TIME THEY MET  North Melbourne 11.10.76 defeated Melbourne 10.12.72 at Blundstone Arena, Round 19, 2017  

North Melbourne extended its AFL winning streak over Melbourne to 17 games and dealt the Demons a significant  blow to their finals chances with a four point victory in windswept Hobart.   

Heading into the final term with a six point lead, the Kangaroos lost the lead midway through the quarter after a Tom McDonald goal in mid quarter but responded with a major to Jy Simpkin and held on grimly against a strong wind. 

North Melbourne did something in its game last week that Melbourne could not do - once the Kangaroos got hold of their opposition, they ground them into the dirt and finished them off to win by 52 points. On the other hand, the Demons wasted the seven goal lead they enjoyed early in the second half and allowed Brisbane the opportunity to come back to level the scores forty minutes later before regrouping to win by a little over four goals.

It was as if the team has learned nothing from last year’s embarrassing finish when they gifted the West Coast Eagles a place in the final series by the narrowest margin in the history of the competition. 

On Saturday, they go into the game needing to prove to the football world that they can overcome their tendency to leak goals in quick bursts as well as the mental hoodoo they face against a side that has had the wood on them since the early days of skipper Nathan Jones’ career. It’s hard to believe that Jones is the only player at the club who has participated in a Demon victory at AFL level over this week’s opponent. 

Jones himself will be a focal point in his team’s efforts to gain some credibility in the football world as part of its much vaunted developing midfield with its solid mix of youth and experience. They should get the drive they need from Max Gawn, back to his 2016 best form and pitted against another All-Australian ruckman in Todd Goldstein. Both are among the the elite of the tall men in the game but the latter is past his prime. I expect the young Demon to have to much run for the veteran Kangaroo big man.

The other area where the team’s are strong is in their key forwards. Jesse Hogan has started the season strongly and Ben Brown, who has in the past owned Melbourne’s defence, booted six goals against the hapless Saints last week and was instrumental in their victory. The difference is that the Demons’ defence is much stronger than the combination the Kangaroos faced last week. Improving key back Oscar McDonald has conceded just a single goal this season and the introduction of Sam Frost should give extra solidity to this area.

Meanwhile, the Roos’ defence is not much to write home about. They were fortunate last week that both sides attacks were completely insipid and produced so many unforced errors in the first half and they managed to get themselves out of the mire in the second. That wont happen against the Demons.

Melbourne by 44 points.

4 hours ago, Demonland said:

 

It was the great 20th Century English poet, Mick Jagger  

 

Is that the same Mick Jagger who played Lizzie Birdsworth in Prisoner?

54 minutes ago, Grapeviney said:

Is that the same Mick Jagger who played Lizzie Birdsworth in Prisoner?

Somewhat strangely 25 years ago I happened across a naked Mick Jagger. I’m guessing Lizzie looked different sans clothes

Finally got around to watching the Brisbane game last night. My ins and outs would be Kent or Hannan for Bugg.  I'd also consider dropping Hunt for Frost if we want a taller backline, or maybe rest Bernie. 

 

Looks like Hunt is out https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-teams-round-3-full-squads-team-lists-ins-outs-injuries-benches-and-supercoach-news/news-story/7fdad0de94eb09f68c9835f34aad09c3

The new backline hasn't settled yet and none of them (except OMc) are playing anywhere near their 2017 best.  Would have liked the match committee to back him in for a bit longer.   If he is to be part of our permanent defense team then the best way to get him into form is to let him play so he can be part of the defense as it learns to be a cohesive unit again.

For mine he has enough credits to not be dropped for one poor game. 

But if he is suffering from some possible back issues (which some posters mentioned last week) then ok but rest him.

Will be disappointed if he plays at Casey this week.

4 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

For mine he has enough credits to not be dropped for one poor game. 

But it's more than just one poor game. He was only so-so in the pre-season games, and one of those who was nowhere to be seen in the first half against Geelong.

1 minute ago, bing181 said:

But it's more than just one poor game. He was only so-so in the pre-season games, and one of those who was nowhere to be seen in the first half against Geelong.

He was also nowhere to be seen against the Lions as well.  I think he only had 6 touches from memory.

If he's dropped then it's a fair decision.  I'll be interested to see who gets the nod to replace him.

Other songs that come to mind.

I cant get no satisfaction.

Always Suffering

As tears go by.

Break the spell.

Blood red (and blue) wine.

Frost and Kent for Pedo and hunt...

interesting...

Can’t believe Bugg is getting another run. No Brayshaw again, just can’t understand why he would not be in the team!

2 minutes ago, Rod Grinter Riot Squad said:

just can’t understand why he would not be in the team!

No doubt Goodwin and the match committee have their reasons. Still not doing enough of what they're wanting him to do?

3 minutes ago, Rod Grinter Riot Squad said:

Can’t believe Bugg is getting another run. No Brayshaw again, just can’t understand why he would not be in the team!

He is missing something ..god knows what. If frost is playing back as we would assume... I want to know who is gonna be second ruck? just a random mid?

 

Interesting changes.

Frost has been named at CHF - perhaps they are giving him a run down there and then playing him in the ruck?  Ideally you would want Weideman in that role but he may need a few more games to get his match fitness up.

Kent is almost on his last chance here.  He can bring a bit of X-factor to the side on a good day, but his bad days can be very bad.  Here's hoping he can make a positive contribution on Saturday!

Pleased for Kent. To be honest I'm not a great fan, but he's done it hard through what must have been a difficult period, so good luck to him.

Has Angus Brayshaw left the building ? 

Bit hard to change things when there are no games for him to play in.

Kent ???

this is so weird ....

the guy was put up for trade as a fringe player and no one wanted him.

One game against a side of witches hats ... amazing

I hope that team sheet isn't actually how the team lines up, Frost really doesn't have the ability to play forward. He needs the game to unfold before him and we will need his athleticism to curb Ben Brown. 

 

Don't mind Kent in, by all reports he tore the VFL up on the weekend. Wish it was for Bugg however. 

Who gives maxy a chop out in the ruck?

i bet it’s petracca he did it a bit in the aflx

With no Pedo who will be back up ruck for Maxy??

Kent is a strange one, particularly when you have Fritsch, Harmes and ANB who play similar roles.

Not sure what Gus is thinking ATM

1 minute ago, brendan said:

Who gives maxy a chop out in the ruck?

i bet it’s petracca he did it a bit in the aflx

 

Just now, Jibroni said:

With no Pedo who will be back up ruck for Maxy??

Kent is a strange one, particularly when you have Fritsch, Harmes and ANB who play similar roles.

Not sure what Gus is thinking ATM

Frost will give him the chop out.  He's done it before.

Looking at the team I see understand the ins and outs but I have a woory about our midfield speed and depth as I see Vince, Lewis and Jones all together in t he team. I would prefer to see a maximum of two of them runnig around in the team together. For me the one I would move out is Lewis.

North haven't got a second ruck either, since they didn't select Daw.

So they will have to drag one of Waite, Brown or Tarrant into the job....who will we conscript?

Bugg must have nudes of goody on his phone. Only way I can make sense of him staying in the side....

Love the Frost inclusion, but do hope he is down back and not forward.