STAYING ALIVE

by The Oracle

Melbourne's stunning 2006 revival which saw it rise to third place after losing its first three games has faltered in the past fortnight as a combination of injury, poor team selection and inept football has left it with more than one fight on its hands. The first of these is what has now become a difficult battle to regain the top four place which it so meekly surrendered last week against Sydney and the second is simply the fight for survival in the AFL premiership race of 2006.

That's right, as far fetched as it might sound, the Demons' place in the finals is not completely assured!

I say this because of the flaky form of fifth placed Melbourne and ninth placed Geelong, especially at this time of the year. Let's look at each team's run home:

Melbourne (48) North Melbourne (A*), Geelong (A), Adelaide (A)

Geelong (36) Sydney (H), Melbourne (H), Hawthorn (A**)

* at MCG

** at Telstra Dome

A Melbourne loss and a Geelong win will put the Cats two games behind the Demons coming into next week's game at Skilled Stadium. Another defeat in that game and Melbourne would be facing a final round game at AAMI Stadium leaving Geelong with the possibility if a final round win over the Hawks at the Telstra Dome to secure an unlikely berth in the finals - at Melbourne's expense if it can narrow the percentage gap between the teams. In my book, Melbourne should not be taking anything for granted when it takes on the Kangaroos at the MCG on Sunday.

Well, that's the gloomy possible scenario of what lies ahead but if you belong to the Monty Python School of though as I do, there's always the bright side to look upon and in this regard, the team selection for this vital Round 20 game is very positive. Just look who's back in the side this week!

The four players returning from injury are Aaron Davey, Travis Johnstone, Russell Robertson and Matthew Whelan, all of who have been passed fir for this week. The other incoming selection in the squad of 25 is Daniel Bell who from all reports turned it on at Sandringham last week. Obviously the squad has to be finalised but there is no question that these inclusions will add a totally different dimension to the top heavy sluggish combination that the Demons have fielded in the past fortnight.

You don't really need me to tell you that Davey and Johnstone are the only two Demons selected by Magpie coach Mick Malthouse in his All-Australian team published in today's Australian newspaper in order to understand the quality that's been added to the Melbourne line up. Robbo wasn't far behind Johnstone as Melbourne's most influential player and Whelan is so important to the Demon defence. When you add players of such quality to a team, it makes it that much harder for the opposition to shut you down. Last week, the Swans managed to do that to players who normally don't get as much attention and the effect on the Demons' overall performance was devastating - thirty inside 50's - a record low for 2006!

The Kangaroos' form hasn't been all that bad in recent weeks. They've managed a few good wins and were very competitive against the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco last week. However, they've lost a bit of quality in terms of injury in the past fortnight - Adam Simpson and Shannon Grant will be sorely missed. And I'm expecting them also be sore in the way that many teams are when they return from trips out west and on this basis I'm tipping the Demons to turn things around, start winning again and to stay alive not only in terms of the finals race but in respect of the quest for an elusive top four place.

Melbourne by 25 points.

KANGAROOS v MELBOURNE

Where & When: MCG, 2.10pm, Sunday 20 August, 2006

TV & Radio:

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

RADIO: Triple M

Head to Head: Played 142, Kangaroos 59, Melbourne 82, Drawn 1

Last time they met: Melbourne 13.12.90 defeated Kangaroos 12.14.86, at the MCG, Round 5, 2006.

The betting: Kangaroos $2.75 Melbourne $1.40

The Teams:

KANGAROOS

B: Archer Watt Brown

HB: Sinclair Petrie Firrito

C: Harding B Rawlings Swallow

HF: Hale Thompson Harvey

F: Sansbury Rocca Co Jones

FOLL: McIntosh Wells Harris

IC (from): Green Lower McConnell Makepeace Schwarze J Rawlings Riggio

IN: Archer Lower Makepeace J Rawlings Riggio

OUT: Simpson (groin) Pratt (shoulder)

MELBOURNE

B: Whelan Carroll Holland

HB: Bruce Rivers Bartram

C: Green McLean Ward

HF: Johnstone Miller Bate

F: Jamar Neitz Davey

FOLL: White Jones McDonald

IC (from): Bell Brown Godfrey C Johnson Motlop Robertson Yze

IN: Bell Davey Johnstone Robertson Whelan

OUT: Ferguson (knee) Dunn

Field umpires: McLaren Nicholls Head