Not confident. But then again I was so confident last week and we know how that turned out. I know nothing. 

1 hour ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I actually think we'll wear our traditional jumper. If not, then this one from 2019, but I don't think we use them anymore:

 

We no longer have a white strip (which I wish we did) and the royal blue clash jumper ends up clashing even more with the Dogs.

We do still have that redback jumper as an alternate clash strip when we can't use our royal blue clash strip (like tonight).

41 minutes ago, old dee said:

In all honesty after 50+  years of crap I don't think I will ever believe we are good till a captain holds up the cup. Is just too ingrained into my soul that the MFC disappoint they don't succeed. 

Its a fair statetement. You are not alone old Dee. 

But at least we are certainly in the mix this year and if we win tonight then we are staking a claim. 

Must win game. Pressures on but it has been all year.

2 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

A top of the table all-Vic clash on Friday night is a bit "meh"? You must be one of those weirdos who revels in the 440pm Sunday Twilight fixtures against Freo or Gold Coast ?

I've been waiting for this one since we knocked off the Tigers, stoked it's finally here. Can't wait for the bounce and hope the players are locked in tonight. If we are I think our pressure and defense can get them. Their defense looks trash on paper, just need to create enough opportunity for our forwards and don't let Daniel off the leash. Kozzie, ANB and Spargo will be crucial.

Their defence aren't trash at all..

Keith has done a really good job holding it down back as has Williams who's been playing as a tall and doing extremely well. He's the next Dane Rampe.

They absolutely killed us off the rebound last year and have continued to slaughter teams with their aggressive defensive counter attack.

If anything it's our forwards who have been trash. Fritsch, Melksham, Weideman have no defensive bone in them and have been crap the past couple of weeks.

It'll be a great clash, but I think they have the edge over us.

 

1 hour ago, old dee said:

Tonight we have the chance to finally beat someone above us on the ladder.

But if we win they'll no longer be above us!

I'm slightly confident in as much as selected us to win by 26 points. Mad I know but have a gut feel that the Weid and Fritta may actually play tonight as I didn't see them last week. Petty to also finally have a break out game and the rest perform to their best and a win is coming. I hope!!

SEN discussing tagging Bont, and mentioning Harmes. I just think he's not big, good or not smart enough.

Which had me thinking could Luke Jackson be the ideal body type, athletic ability and high IQ for this type of tagging role? Perhaps not today, but in the future..  the 200cm mid/ruck that could not just smother But Dominate a Bont/fyfe type.

Just a thought.

 

 

Edited May 28, 20213 yr by John Demonic

6 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Their defence aren't trash at all..

Keith has done a really good job holding it down back as has Williams who's been playing as a tall and doing extremely well. He's the next Dane Rampe.

They absolutely killed us off the rebound last year and have continued to slaughter teams with their aggressive defensive counter attack.

If anything it's our forwards who have been trash. Fritsch, Melksham, Weideman have no defensive bone in them and have been crap the past couple of weeks.

It'll be a great clash, but I think they have the edge over us.

 

Keath, Cordy, Crozier, Duryea - trash

2 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Keath, Cordy, Crozier, Duryea - trash

They actually resemble us in 2018. Defense is based on Midfield/offence preventing defence having to do anything lol

Edited May 28, 20213 yr by John Demonic

Have to admit I’m pessimistic about our chances tonight, I worry that if the dogs get let off their leash they will tear us apart. 

We’ve started poorly in almost every single match, do it against the dogs and we’ll be chasing our tails all night. (Sorry for the dog puns!)

5 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Keath, Cordy, Crozier, Duryea - trash

Well they're not.

Games like this don't seem to worry me,

It's more the North/Carlton types that do...

 

 

Just dropping a couple of old youtube videos into the thread for anyone needing a bit of pre-game amping up. Also had the passing thought that is was about this time of year way back in 2005 the last time Melbourne was involved in a top of the table clash - a ripper of a game which West Coast clawed a win by 15 points. After that game we stumbled badly late in an emotional year.  It took a one point win down the highway in Geelong to give us a sniff and what followed was the most thrilling game of football I've ever attend.  Round 21 against the Bulldogs with everything on the line for both teams.

 

 

Sometimes I look up this second video and just skip to the last 8 minutes or so to ride that emotional wave when the crowd goes nuts hearing that Hawthorn had pulled in front of Geelong.

 

 

 

59 minutes ago, old dee said:

In all honesty after 50+  years of crap I don't think I will ever believe we are good till a captain holds up the cup. Is just too ingrained into my soul that the MFC disappoint they don't succeed. 

I'm feeling the same OD. As much as I want to be positive, 60 years of mediocrity has made it hard to get too excited. A win tonight would go some way to reassuring me.

Go Dees!

16 minutes ago, Pates said:

Have to admit I’m pessimistic about our chances tonight, I worry that if the dogs get let off their leash they will tear us apart. 

We’ve started poorly in almost every single match, do it against the dogs and we’ll be chasing our tails all night. (Sorry for the dog puns!)

we'll just have to muzzle them ?

If they are able to work the ball out the back of the packs, get to the outside with ease, and deliver to leading forwards we will get smashed

Need to control the clearances and play a good high structure and we have a chance

Not confident, but I tipped us

I have no idea what to expect. I hope we can contain there midfield and Josh Bruce who seems to play well against us. Obviously the bont and Libba are keys that we have to out the brakes on and stop. 

Sucks we can't be there but I'm guessing there would have been more dogs fans there so maybe that will help us. 

So relieved Salem is back and I hope weid can step up tonight. 

According to the AFL website:

The teams will be wearing their specially designed jumpers for Sir Doug Nicholls Round, which is celebration of our First Nations stars and their culture.

Just now, dees189227 said:

I have no idea what to expect. I hope we can contain there midfield and Josh Bruce who seems to play well against us. Obviously the bont and Libba are keys that we have to out the brakes on and stop. 

Sucks we can't be there but I'm guessing there would have been more dogs fans there so maybe that will help us. 

So relieved Salem is back and I hope weid can step up tonight. 

May’s a very proud player, but was beaten last week by Tex. I would expect he’s doubled down on the angry pills this week to get back to previous form. 

Salem bring back is huge for us, his absence was very obvious at key moments in the game. Love Jetta for everything he’s done as a Demon but he is not even close to Salem’s ability. 

Im tipping the Dogs by a fairly easy 6 goals, because our footy has been off the boil for the best part of a month, and the Dogs are red-hot atm.

I also think we will beat Brisbane next week (as long as we dont play in Brisbane)

As i said in another thread, tonights result, if a loss, wont see us missing an appointment in September. We should still go DEEP

1 minute ago, ding said:

Im tipping the Dogs by a fairly easy 6 goals, because our footy has been off the boil for the best part of a month, and the Dogs are red-hot atm.

I also think we will beat Brisbane next week (as long as we dont play in Brisbane)

As i said in another thread, tonights result, if a loss, wont see us missing an appointment in September. We should still go DEEP

Tend to agree.

Tonight would not have worried me if not for last weeks loss.

The run to the bye is very important. Need to win 2 of the next 3.

I'll say it again, Footscray had 306 pressure gauge at one point last week, highest of any team all season,

Pressure, pressure and pressure their backline, they'll wilt...

Only an hour to go. Fire up!

 

David King said Doggies are an 8 goal better side at Marvel than anywhere else. They're not playing the GF at Marvel.

Not concerned with a loss there tonight; would be more concerned of they beat us at the G later in the year.

I’m worried about English. Gawn will have to play mostly back