CROSSROADS

by Whispering Jack

I join the crowd as it shuffles its way out of the MCG after the Port Adelaide game and sense that an old, familiar feeling is about to return. The finals are two months away. We are sitting nicely placed at 9 and 4. Once again, the opportunity presents itself to consolidate a strong position towards the business end of the season.

Yes, we've been here before.

It's called the "crossroads".

The vision that confronts us is of a roadway deep in a vast sea of open fields. We reach a junction but what road should we take to bring us home?

Should we go left, right or straight ahead?

The roads all look the same and we know that only one will take us where we want to go; the others lead nowhere.

We know also that the last time we travelled here, we erred and took the wrong road and discovered a dead end. That was the last time, the time before that … and …

The thing is that we're always confident that this time things will be different so we move ahead.

And as it has done so many times in recent years, the path leads us north to Brisbane. Will it bring us home safely this time?

Some years ago, Melbourne's financial predicament caused the club to sell a part of its soul to the Brisbane Lions and so, for three hundred thousand pieces of silver, it forsook the true home of football once a year to play a home match at the Gabba where it has a measly 20% success rate since that deal was struck.

History shows that Melbourne had a reasonable record against Brisbane at the Gabba before 2001. In their first "home" clash, the warm weather and a 33 year old full forward in Alastair Lynch conspired to bring the Demons undone with Lynch booting eight goals in the Lions' Round 12 mauling of Melbourne, 23.10.148 to 14.15.99. The Lions went on to win the first of three successive premiership flags that September.

A year later, the Dees came back from an early eight goal deficit to prevail over the reigning premiers by 20.11.131 to 16.14.100. It was a memorable day with David Neitz starring with seven goals and Daniel Ward playing the game of his life with four goals running through the lines and kicking the ball far and straight. Clint Bizzell and Peter Walsh were among the best players. But the Gabba going has been tough for Melbourne since that famous victory in Round 14 of 2002. In its last three outings at the Gabba, the club has suffered an average losing margin of 58 points at the hands of the Lions.

In Round 10 of 2003 Lynch, now approaching the age of 35, booted five goals as the "visitors" strangled a dismal Melbourne in the first half and went on to deliver a 10 goal thrashing, 18.15.123 to 9.9.63. Of course, that was another Brisbane premiership year.

Twelve months later, the Demons were back for some more punishment in Round 10 of 2004. The warmer northern climate did not suit them and the Lions led all day to win by forty points, 18.15.123 to 12.11.83. Again, the Brisbane elders did much of the damage with Hart, Leppitsch and Pike booting three goals each and veteran midfielder Michael Voss dominating. James McDonald was Melbourne's best.

After winning three premierships and competing in four consecutive grand finals, it seemed that the Brisbane reign was over in 2005. But things didn't necessarily get better for the Demons when the Lion machine started to unravel with retirements, loss of form and injuries. Lynch, McRae and Hart were gone, some of its remaining stars were struggling on tired old legs while others were struck by injury and we heaved a sigh of relief with the news that key Lion forward Jonathan Brown was out. We travelled north coming off a 9/4 record, three games ahead of the 10th placed Lions who had been struggling to win games, even at the Gabba. True, they were on a bit of a roll having thrashed the Cats at the same venue in their previous game but surely, the second on the ladder Demons would prevail this time around?

Well, it didn't quite work out that way. The Lions handed Melbourne an absolute pasting to the tune of 74 points, 25.16.166 to 13.14.92. Its only bigger defeat that season was the 88 point margin that St. Kilda inflicted on the injury wracked Demons a month or so later. Lynch's replacement at full forward, Daniel Bradshaw, was on fire with five first quarter goals and a total of nine for the night. Jason Akermanis was his usual pesky self with another five as the Lions demolished their "hosts" in a devastating final half.

All things considered, this history and these figures would suggest that the road to Brisbane is fraught with extreme danger for the 2006 Demons. Unfortunately, as our wise coach, the Reverend Neale Daniher explains, it is the apathy of the Melbourne fans that has led us north once every year since 2001 and indeed the Gabba solution is set in stone until 2009 when the current deal runs out - even if we can increase our membership numbers by the 3,000 required to cover the revenue differential.

But things aren't all negative in this for the Demons. Not at all.

In the first instance, all of the above happened in the past. Done, dusted and consigned to the history books. The Brisbane Lions of 2006 are a different proposition to the Brisbane Lions of the past five seasons. While they remain an opponent to be respected, they are a shadow of the side that terrorised the rest of the competition in the early years of the 21st Century. They simply don't have the fire power that they once possessed. On the other hand, the Demons are stronger than they have been for many a long year. If both clubs are at the crossroads, then it is clear that Melbourne is set upon the high road to better times while Brisbane is on the downward path to football oblivion.

To add to the Lions' woes is the current state of affairs at the club. My spies tell me that Brisbane's training run earlier in the week was diabolical. They could barely drum up a quorum as a long injury list continues to drain the lifeblood of the team with only 25 taking part including a group of about six players who were restricted to light duties. Michael Voss received treatment on his hamstring throughout last Saturday's game against Carlton and missed Tueday’s training run. He has been selected in the middle but if he plays, it’s doubtful whether he will be anywhere near 100% fitness. Jonathan Brown (hip), Beau McDonald (hamstring) and Nigel Lappin (ankle), are all a month away. Chris Johnson (groin) and Ash McGrath (hamstring) are both about six weeks away, while Mitch Clark (groin) and Chris Scott (hip) are both indefinite. Richard Hadley, Anthony Corrie, Joel Macdonald and Pat Garner have all suffered season-ending knee injuries and won't be back until next year.

The Lions are in 12th place with five wins coming off an uninspiring win against the Blues in a contest almost totally devoid of skills.

Little wonder that the Brisbane press is full of stories about the many selection dilemmas facing Leigh Matthews. I know well that a damaged Lion can be a difficult opponent but this crowd is down on its knees. With their depth under attack. you don't have to be a Rhodes Scholar to understand why he can't afford to drop Akermanis despite the fact that coach and player have obviously not been seeing eye to eye and are about to announce a divorce.

On Melbourne's side, there are selection problems as well but these derive from a far happier situation. With the team in red hot form, Daniher had the dilemma of which of several seasoned players running around at Sandringham should be promoted this week? It's a good problem to have and it's the sort of form and playing depth that should ensure that the Demons will continue on the correct path beyond the crossroads and onward to a the prospect of a successful outcome in 2006.

I have precious little else to say about the Melbourne of 2006 because I’m trying my hardest to keep the lid tightly on - other than it has far too much talented and is fitter than its opponents both mentally and physically - and that it will win by 57 points.

Farewell to Brisbane and the Gabba for another year and thanks for the money!

MELBOURNE v BRISBANE on Saturday 8 July 2006 at the Gabba, 7.10pm

TV & RADIO

TV - Channel 10 (Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane), Fox Footy Channel (Adelaide),

Radio - ABC

HEAD TO HEAD Played – 28 Melbourne: 16 Brisbane: 12

LAST TIME Brisbane 25.16.166 defeated Melbourne 13.14.92 at the Gabba, Round 14, 2005.

Having a bet? Melbourne $1.36 Brisbane $3.00.

The Teams:

MELBOURNE

B: Whelan Carroll Holland

HB: Ward Rivers C Johnson

C: Davey Johnstone Green

HF: Sylvia Bruce Pickett

F: Robertson Neitz Yze

FOLL: White McLean McDonald

I/C: Bartram Jamar Miller Read

EMG: Dunn Godfrey Jones

IN: Miller

OUT: Dunn

BRISBANE LIONS

B: Copeland Michael Roe

HB: B.Scott Notting Akermanis

C: Rischitelli Voss Stiller

HF: Power Brennan Moody

F: Sherman Bradshaw Patfull

FOLL: Charman Black Selwood

I/C: Fixter Harding Merrett Pask

EMG: Drummond Hooper Wood

IN: Merrett

OUT: Wood

Field umpires: Kennedy Quigley Kamolins