SOCCER TO ME by JVM

I was watching Australia’s World Cup hopes sink late the other night when it’s soccer team lived up to its usual standards of hard work and endeavour without the ability to finish off and gain the full measure of reward for effort. All of us know that the Aussies are minnows in the world game and they have been pushing uphill since the very start of their campaign some three years ago but in the end, the composure was not there and the ability to finish was missing in Russia.

I think the same thing might apply to the Melbourne Football Club as it goes about its own campaign to make the AFL finals this year. We have twice seen the Demons dominate possession against top eight opponents in Geelong and then Port Adelaide but failing to finish off their spectacular advantages in themselves of getting the ball into places from where they should be scoring - and doing so heavily.

Against the Cats, they dominated the inside 50 count by 64 to 41 and lost a close game by 3 points. The advantage in that statistic was even greater against the Power (68-39) with the home side winning by 11 points and the Dees managing a pitiful ratio of less than 1 point per forward 50 entry.

We know that players like Jesse Hogan and Christian Perracca had poor nights at the Adelaide Oval but the figures simply don’t add up because everywhere else around the ground, there was plenty of endeavour shown (oh, and yes, they were stymied somewhat by the noise of affirmation from the crowd that made the officiating umpires another obstacle on their road to victory but they have to live with that).

No offence to the opposition this week but I can’t see the Saints exerting the same pressure that Port Adelaide did at home. However, Simon Goodwin now has his work cut out to restore his side to its revered position of just a month ago and this week’s fixture will do nothing to convince us that they’ve redeemed themselves.

THE GAME

Melbourne v St Kilda at the MCG on Sunday 1 July 2018 at 1.10pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 121 wins St Kilda 91 wins 1 drawn

At Etihad Stadium Melbourne 59 wins St Kilda 35 wins 

Past five meetings Melbourne 3 wins St Kilda 2 wins 

The Coaches Goodwin 3 wins Richardson 0 wins 

MEDIA

TV - Fox Footy Channel Live at 1.00pm

RADIO - SEN ABC ABC Grandstand

THE LAST TIME THEY MET 

Melbourne 16.10.106 defeated St Kilda 9.13.67 at Etihad Stadium, Round 7, 2018

The Demons were in control for most of the game against the wasteful Saints. Ruckman Max Gawn was in stellar form and midfielder Clayton Oliver was a prolific ball winner.

THE TEAMS  

MELBOURNE

B: Harry Petty, Oscar McDonald, Neville Jetta
HB: Michael Hibberd, Joel Smith, Jordan Lewis
? Christian Petracca, Jack Viney, Angus Brayshaw
HF: Christian Salem, Jesse Hogan, Clayton Oliver
F: Alex Neal-Bullen, Mitch Hannan, Tom McDonald
Foll: Max Gawn, Jake Melksham, Nathan Jones
I/C: Bayley Fritsch, James Harmes,  Dom Tyson, Sam Weideman

Emg: Cameron Pedersen, Charlie Spargo, Billy Stretch, Bernie Vince

In: Harry Petty, Sam Weideman

Out: Tim Smith (omitted) Bernie Vince (omitted)

New: Harry Petty (Norwood) 
 
ST KILDA
 
B: Daniel McKenzie, Nathan Brown, Bailey Rice 
HB: Jarryn Geary, Jake Carlisle, Shane Savage 
C:Jack Newnes, Jack Steele, Jack Sinclair 
HF: Jack Billings, Paddy McCartin, Maverick Weller 
F: Jade Gresham, Tim Membrey, Josh Battle 
Foll: Billy Longer, Sebastian Ross, Jack Steven 
I/C: David Armitage, Hunter Clark, Luke Dunstan,  Darragh Joyce   
Emg: Sam Gilbert, Ben Paton, Lewis Pierce, Nathan Wright
 
In: Jarryn Geary, Sam Gilbert, Darragh Joyce Ben Paton, Lewis Pierce, Nathan Wright
 
Out Logan Austin (omitted), Jimmy Webster (Injured) 
 
New: Darragh Joyce (Ireland)

They meet for the second time in the space of two months but this time it's the Saints that are on a winning streak of one (thanks to a rousing comeback from the dead against the hapless Suns who can't play out a game) while the Demons have lost their last two, their last outing being a disaster where they too, failed to play out the game.

And while the relative strength of the opposition is like cheese against chalk, Melbourne is on notice and, according to coach Simon Goodwin, there is some sort of "disconnect" between the team's ability to get the football into a scoring position and its ability to make things count once it gets there.

We've been used to claiming for years that its all about the midfield but just when that aspect of the team is reaching a peak, the letdown in front of goal is a major cause for concern. A little bit of reshuffling in that part of the team make up would assist.

I still can't help but think about the knack the Demons have of finding new ways to disappoint. Last year, it was all of those inexplicable lapses which enabled defeat to be snatched from the jaws of victory and which culminated in the narrowest of misses when it came to making the finals. This season, it's that disconnect between forward opportunities and winning scores that has kept the side out of the top four.

I'm hoping that the AFL doesn't introduce a rule like FIFA’s fair play rule that saw Senegal become the first-ever team to be eliminated from the World Cup this week because I can just see Melbourne becoming its first victim of things get close at finals time.

I suppose that just about sums up the Demons and our supporters- we suffer from a fear of hurdles.

Against the Saints on our own home turf however, I think we’ll get over it.

Even though the venerable Charles Spargo has only averaged 12 possessions, he was an important link player into forward line and I think we missed him against Port. I am not sure he will get a game this week but I wouldn’t be surprised if he does.

On the soccer analogy... you ought to go to  a match with Colombia playing.

I likened it on the soccer thread to sitting in the middle of a 30k strong Collingwood cheer squad.

Of course one sees zero of the game which p...d me off no end.

Another one of those almost irrelevant games against the Saints ...unless we lose which I doubt will happen.

I see we have the prime TV spot as usual.

Go Dees

Massive danger game coming off a gruelling battle vs a fresh and emboldened saint team coming off a bye. Attitude will be the most important factor at the first centre bounce and opening 10 minutes. Expectations have shifted now to these being winnable games, I just hope the boys don't think it will be easy. They will try and exploit us with speed and pressure, let's match them and bring a finals like do or die approach. Obvious points, but we've all seen what happens when they're neglected.

Hope the Mac brothers are fit after last week

 

Edited June 27, 20186 yr by John Demonic

Pretty confident about this game, well if we can't win this game we don't deserve to make finals.

I'm predicting a 60 point victory.

My Preferred Team

B: Jetta, O.McDonald, J.Lewis

HB: Hibberd, Frost, Vince

C : Fritsch, Oliver, Jones

HF: Neal-Bullen, Hogan, Petracca

F: Weideman, T.McDonald, Melksham

FOLL: Gawn, Brayshaw, Viney

IC: Salem, Tyson, Harmes, Stretch

EMERG: J.Smith

10 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

Pretty confident about this game, well if we can't win this game we don't deserve to make finals.

I'm predicting a 60 point victory.

My Preferred Team

B: Jetta, O.McDonald, J.Lewis

HB: Hibberd, Frost, Vince

C : Fritsch, Oliver, Jones

HF: Neal-Bullen, Hogan, Petracca

F: Weideman, T.McDonald, Melksham

FOLL: Gawn, Brayshaw, Viney

IC: Salem, Tyson, Harmes, Stretch

EMERG: J.Smith

I like that team Werridee  Frost to play a blinder

It's pretty simple - play like we did against Port and we win this game of footy.  Even if our forward entries still aren't that flash (let's hope they continue to improve, though) their backline isn't great and there's a big chance Jimmy Webster doesn't play either.  We will have more than enough entries to kick a winning score.

4 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

It's pretty simple - play like we did against Port and we win this game of footy.  Even if our forward entries still aren't that flash (let's hope they continue to improve, though) their backline isn't great and there's a big chance Jimmy Webster doesn't play either.  We will have more than enough entries to kick a winning score.

 I agree Wiseblood if we cannot win this one we can start planning holidays in September.

5 minutes ago, old dee said:

 I agree Wiseblood if we cannot win this one we can start planning holidays in September.

Yes, it would be a huge kick in the guts if we can't roll the Saints on our home deck.  I can handle the previous two losses to an extent, but losing this one wouldn't go down well.

However, I doubt that will happen and with a strong side in we should account for them without too many issues.

If we lose this I vote we shut demonland down till feb, it might just implode anyway 

dees by 60

MFCSS kicking in big time, I am worried about this game. 

Make no mistake, St Kilda will be up and about big time and looking to extend ‘The Streak’.

Hopefully we’re preparing for their best. 

Edited June 27, 20186 yr by Ethan Tremblay

1 hour ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Make no mistake, St Kilda will be up and about big time and looking to extend ‘The Streak’.

Hopefully we’re preparing for their best. 

Whereas I used to worry about every game, this one, not so much.

But what's this? A gnawing, nagging, nervous feeling at the rear of my scone.

We don't want the bald one, or the fat one.....we must be due for Adelaide reunited....

The pitiful Saints only have a few good players and one of them has just been ruled out.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-06-28/saints-best-player-webster-ruled-out-against-dees

6 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

The pitiful Saints only have a few good players and one of them has just been ruled out.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-06-28/saints-best-player-webster-ruled-out-against-dees

Big loss for them, and I've been watching fair bit of the saints this year and hes definitely been in their top 5 players each week.

4 hours ago, dl4e said:

MFCSS kicking in big time, I am worried about this game. 

The Saints don't worry me at all.  Their midfield is weak, their skills are terrible and they struggle to kick more than 10 goals each week.  They might have rolled the Suns a few weeks back, but the Suns are far worse than them and it took them until the last term to actually do anything.

Based on what I've seen from us this year, we should have no trouble putting the Saints away.  I'm sure they'll put up a fight for a while, but we're bigger, classier and better than them and that will be telling in the end.

21 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

The Saints don't worry me at all.  Their midfield is weak, their skills are terrible and they struggle to kick more than 10 goals each week.  They might have rolled the Suns a few weeks back, but the Suns are far worse than them and it took them until the last term to actually do anything.

Based on what I've seen from us this year, we should have no trouble putting the Saints away.  I'm sure they'll put up a fight for a while, but we're bigger, classier and better than them and that will be telling in the end.

Your right in what you say but there is this niggling itch at the top of my spine. Wonder if they will bring Bruce in.

Underestimate the saints at our own peril, we have no rights to be cocky or sure of ourselves. Let’s go into this game all guns blazing. 

Petracca needs a big one, he’s in danger of becoming another in the long line of “talented but....” at Melbourne. We all know what he can do, he knows what he can do. Hopefully this is the week he can step up. 

6 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Big loss for them, and I've been watching fair bit of the saints this year and hes definitely been in their top 5 players each week.

Continuing that theme, one of the Dockers in form players wont be playing us the week after.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-06-28/knee-rules-out-dockers-defender-for-six

Also the Suns Tom Lynch wont be meeting the Dees in Round 20 as he just got shut down for the season..

Petty to debut. MFC site source.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-06-28/petty-pleased-with-debut-news

 

Edited June 28, 20186 yr by big_red_fire_engine

And there you go...

Great to hear Petty has been learning from Lever and that he will back his 'footy smarts'.

Has done everything right since arriving at the club and I reckon he will accredit himself really well.

All the best, young man.

Petty is a good selection. 197 cm supposedly reads the play well. Better decision maker than Frost

St Kilda talls are inexperienced hope he cements his spot

Melbourne squad: round 15

B: Harry Petty, Oscar McDonald, Neville Jetta
HB: Michael Hibberd, Joel Smith, Jordan Lewis
? Christian Petracca, Jack Viney, Angus Brayshaw
HF: Christian Salem, Jesse Hogan, Clayton Oliver
F: Alex Neal-Bullen, Mitch Hannan, Tom McDonald
Foll: Max Gawn, Jake Melksham, Nathan Jones
I/C (from): James Harmes, Charlie Spargo, Dom Tyson, Billy Stretch, Cameron Pedersen, Bernie Vince, Sam Weideman, Bayley Fritsch

In: Petty, Spargo, Stretch, Pedersen, Weideman
Out: T.Smith

Unless we go in with an extra forward it seems likely that Bernie may not play as he is the only regular defender on the extended bench.

While Tyson didn't have his best game last week hope he gets another go as not a fan of a player being dropped after one week when nearly the whole team was down.