PREGAME: Rd 01 vs Port Adelaide

[McQueen 17,864]

10 hours ago, Redleg said:

You can worry.

Are you able to elaborate?

[GawnWithTheWind 604]

Vanders out. Looks like he could be 6-8 weeks too.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,856]

https://m.melbournefc.com.au/news/2019-03-20/vandenberg-ruled-out-of-round-1

[binman 42,897]

10 hours ago, Demonland said:

Melbourne Football Club Supporter Syndrome is the constant negativity of some supporters due to years of failures.

I suffer from Pollyanna Syndrome.

It flares up every year about this time when i fool myself into thinking we will have a fantastic year and make the finals only for the reality bus to run over me and back up to finish the job.

I think it might have  been in remission for the last couple of years, but i'm not sure. I still have the same feeling but lo and behold it has been proven largely on the money.

 

[DV8 2,271]

13 hours ago, david_neitz_is_my_dad said:

Easy win. Relaxe everyone.

'dnimd'... relax is what we do not want,  as a club...  we want a little anxiety,  going into games.  all games.

to give us a little edge in our approach.  

[Wadda We Sing 10,685]

14 hours ago, Demonland said:

Melbourne Football Club Supporter Syndrome is the constant negativity of some supporters due to years of failures.

Oh, i thought it meant Melbourne Football Club suck s.... Thats a relief !

[hemingway 7,627]

24 minutes ago, DV8 said:

'dnimd'... relax is what we do not want,  as a club...  we want a little anxiety,  going into games.  all games.

to give us a little edge in our approach.  

Lets call it nerves DV. 

That little sick feeling in the tummy. 

You need it as a player not so sure about the fans. 

[Deemania since 56 6,634]

18 hours ago, Mazer Rackham said:

 

Dear Demonland,

Can you please post the link to the destination article (presumably somewhere on the AFL web site) so we don't have to go to the Evil Place?

Thank you in advance,

-Posters who don't want to go to the Evil Place

'Tis often a problem to receive your many posts, Demonland as there seems to be no link at all. We all call upon your inspiring words and on many occasions, are denied the thread of what you might be on about which stimulates us to mere guesswork. Thanks, and thanks to Mazer for his reminder.

Edited March 20, 2019 by Deemania since 56

[Demonland 72,157]

18 hours ago, Mazer Rackham said:

 

Dear Demonland,

Can you please post the link to the destination article (presumably somewhere on the AFL web site) so we don't have to go to the Evil Place?

Thank you in advance,

-Posters who don't want to go to the Evil Place

I'll try to keep you tin foilers in mind when I post.

[Demonland 72,157]

2 minutes ago, Deemania since 56 said:

'Tis often a problem to receive your many posts, Demonland as there seems to be no link at all. We all call upon your inspiring words and on many occasions, are denied the thread of what you might be on about which stimulates us to mere guesswork. Thanks, and thanks to Mazer for his reminder.

Turn off your ad blocker.

[Redleg 40,895]

5 hours ago, McQueen said:

Are you able to elaborate?

I am but you have probably now read it above.

Good player but struggles to get on the park.

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

I'll try to keep you tin foilers in mind when I post.

When the Evil Place has finally destroyed society, you will be begging us for scraps of tinfoil for food, warmth and shelter.

(PS: thanks for posting links that help us avoid the Evil Place)

[Pennant St Dee 13,171]

22 hours ago, Redleg said:

He looked lethal in that exhausting workout. He must have bent over at least 4 times to pick up the ball off the ground. Could he be put through any more thorough physical test of his injured cheekbone? Surely not.

My guess is he will miss and they are trying to throw us off the track with selection.

I'm thinking the other way Red, he will play

[Pennant St Dee 13,171]

We've got decent depth now, time to stop worrying about who we haven't got just worry about who you have got.

Play your role and your a chance

[McQueen 17,864]

I'm coming over.... Where does pre-game beer and chicken wings get consumed by Demonland folk?

[Spud 288]

19 minutes ago, McQueen said:

I'm coming over.... Where does pre-game beer and chicken wings get consumed by Demonland folk?

Sporting Globe in Richmond sponsor the club and do  a decent Chicken Wing and bevy of beers, only issue is it's a 5-10 minute tram to the ground thereafter. Duke of Wellington (who used to sponsor us) is also pretty decent and a nice stroll across from Flinders street.

[Demonland 72,157]

THE WELCOME GAME by Whispering Jack

The Melbourne Football Club has moved forward in leaps and bounds since it last met Port Adelaide in a totally forgettable (for Demon fans) season opener on the MCG. 

That game, played on Sunday, 31 March, 2013 before a crowd of 22,924, was supposed to be a close encounter between two of the competition’s lesser lights from the previous season when the Power had finished 14th and the Demons 16th (ahead only of AFL newbies Gold Coast and GWS). It turned into a slaughter with Port taking the lead in the first minute with a behind to Justin Westhoff, followed a minute or so later with a goal to Hamish Hartlett and the deluge continued until the final siren blared as the scoreboard read, “Port Adelaide 19.19.133 Melbourne 8.6.54”.

From there Port Adelaide went on to play off in the finals and went down to Geelong in the Semi Final after beating Collingwood in a Qualifying Final while Melbourne finished in 17th spot with two wins, ahead only of the Giants and with a percentage of 54.07.

Plenty of water has flowed under the Swan Street Bridge after that fateful day with the club moving forward on an upward trajectory on an annual basis ever since. The top four finish after the finals last year left it close to football’s holy grail.

Close ... but no cigar.

The summer has been an unusual one for the Demons who encountered the unfamiliar territory of a late start to the pre season (due to them having gone deep into the finals) with plenty of players undergoing operations and hence, making late starts to their preseasons - and we all know how vital it is for the playing group to have a clear and uninterrupted run into a new season.

Notwithstanding, Melbourne’s summer remained full of hype standing as a legitimate premiership contender until the last few weeks when things began to go awry with two relatively unconvincing JLT performances and injuries and a suspension serving to dent the confidence of the supporter group, at least.

The game takes on even greater importance when one looks at what lies ahead beyond week one with games against Geelong, Essendon and Sydney to complete the first month. 

I’m going for Melbourne because it is playing at home which is exactly the right place for it to welcome in a new season. Port Adelaide doesn’t win at the MCG very often and I don’t think they can win what the AFL has dubbed “The Welcome Game 2019”. 

While Port has a shorter injury list, it still has its worries and will be taking a lot of youth into the game. The Demons have greater depth and, despite those injury woes, they should go into the game with all of their A-listers involved again at the stoppages where they were so dominant in 2018. 

The AFL’s leading ruckman Max Gawn looks strong and fit and is a master of the centre clearance game with enough class gathered around him to ensure that the team gets enough of the ball forward to the club’s key forwards to win the game.

Tom McDonald and Sam Weideman have been rather subdued in the JLT series but with Max heading the abovementioned group, the force of numbers will help them and the likes of Jake Melksham and Christian Petracca to hit the scoreboard with regularity. They probably won’t miss Jesse Hogan one iota.

Melbourne by 30 points

THE GAME Melbourne v Port Adelaide on Saturday March 23, 2019 at 1.45pm (AEDT) at the MCG

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 13 wins Port Adelaide 20 wins 

At the MCG Melbourne 8 wins Port Adelaide 2 wins

Past five meetings Port Adelaide 3 wins, Melbourne 2 wins

The Coaches Goodwin 1 win Hinkley 1 win

MEDIA

TV - Fox Footy 1.30pm live

RADIO - Triple M 3AW SEN ABC

THE LAST TIME THEY MET Port Adelaide 11.9.75 defeated  Melbourne 9.11.65 Round 14, 2018 at the Adelaide Oval,

Melbourne led for most of the night but was held back by poor disposal in front of goal and some inexplicable umpiring decisions didn’t help the cause.

THE TEAMS  

MELBOURNE 

B Marty Hore Oscar McDonald Neville Jetta
HB Michael Hibberd Sam Frost Nathan Jones
C Bayley Fritsch Clayton Oliver Christian Salem
HF Alex Neal-Bullen Tom McDonald Christian Petracca
F Jake Melksham Sam Weideman Jack Viney
FOLL Max Gawn James Harmes Angus Brayshaw
I/C Jayden Hunt Charlie Spargo Tom Sparrow Corey Wagner
EMG Declan Keilty Harrison Petty Braydon Preuss 

NEW Marty Hore Tom Sparrow Corey Wagner

PORT ADELAIDE

B Riley Bonner Tom Clurey Dan Houston
HB Ryan Burton Tom Jonas Darcy Byrne-Jones
C Steven Motlop Tom Rockliff Justin Westhoff
HF Travis Boak Jack Watts Brad Ebert
F Robbie Gray Paddy Ryder Connor Rozee
FOLL Scott Lycett Sam Powell-Pepper Willem Drew
I/C Karl Amon Zak Butters Xavier Duursma Todd Marshall
EMG Kane Farrell Sam Gray Dougal Howard Sam Mayes 

NEW Ryan Burton Zak Butters Willem Drew Xavier Duursma  Scott Lycett Connor Rozee

INJURY LIST
Round 1 Injury List:

James Harmes (finger) – Test
Braydon Preuss (adductor) – Test
Kade Kolodjashnij (adductor) – Test
Steven May – (suspension) – 1 week
Tim Smith (calf) – 2 weeks
Jeff Garlett (shoulder) – 2-3 weeks
Joel Smith (groin) – TBA *
Aaron vandenBerg (foot) – TBA *
Mitch Hannan (knee) – 6-10 weeks
Jake Lever  (knee) – 6-10 weeks
Jay Kennedy Harris (knee) – 10-12 weeks
Guy Walker (shoulder) – indefinite
Aaron Nietschke (knee) – season

* appears like 4 - 6 weeks

Late out Jordan Lewis (hamstring) - TBA

[What 18,810]

Three things I'd love to see in Round 1 (besides the obvious, a win)

1.   Christian Petracca to start off the season with a big performance.   30 touches and 4 goals will be just fine thanks

2.   Keeping Port under 70 points even with May and Lever out

3.   Jayden Hunt making a big impact in the forward line

Edited March 20, 2019 by Petraccattack

[Willmoy1947 4,085]

My three things Razer umpiring, 60 point lead at three quarter time, and 65000 there..... i win.......

[dworship 3,342]

4 hours ago, Spud said:

Sporting Globe in Richmond sponsor the club and do  a decent Chicken Wing and bevy of beers, only issue is it's a 5-10 minute tram to the ground thereafter. Duke of Wellington (who used to sponsor us) is also pretty decent and a nice stroll across from Flinders street.

A lot of the Army meet at the London Tavern in Lennox Street Richmond. It's a leisurely stroll through the back streets to Punt Rd. I know a few of the "lads" will start drinking there from 1130. Not a bad meal there either

 

[Whispering_Jack 30,022]

54 minutes ago, Demonland said:

THE WELCOME GAME by Whispering Jack

The Melbourne Football Club has moved forward in leaps and bounds since it last met Port Adelaide in a totally forgettable (for Demon fans) season opener ...

I’ve realised since writing the preview that today is the 7th anniversary of the passing of Jim Stynes. How sad it is that he’s missed out on the club’s improvement since then and that his family have missed out on having him with them.

Best wishes to the Stynes family on this sad occasion.

[D4Life 2,469]

33 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Three things I'd love to see in Round 1 (besides the obvious, a win)

1.   Christian Petracca to start off the season with a big performance.   30 touches and 4 goals will be just fine thanks

2.   Keeping Port under 70 points even with May and Lever out

3.   Jayden Hunt making a big impact in the forward line

While I would love to see point 1 occur, petracca go wild, I think supporters in general have an unrealistic expectation of Half Forward or Forward Pocket players when it comes number of possessions and goals.

If Melksham, ANB or Spargo averaged  2 goals a game, 15-20 possessions a game and 3-4 tackles, across the season they will have a great season. But lots of supporters seem to have far greater expectations.

[low flying Robbo 979]

Not long now! I think I'm going to go watch the Hawthorn and Geelong finals Highlights to get me ready...

[Dee Zephyr 19,267]

Does anyone think we will spring a surprise by selecting Petty over Frost? 

[Graeme Yeats' Mullet 6,775]

4 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

Does anyone think we will spring a surprise by selecting Petty over Frost? 

Nope