Think about it.

Our captain and full forward. OUT.

Our second best marking option and premier forward. OUT.

Our best young midfielder, touted as future captain. OUT.

Our Rising Star superb centre half back. OUT.

Plus, other big name players who are crucial to the teams aid in Green, Bruce, Davey, Johnstone, McDonald, White and co. all in bad form.

If we win this week, I will rate it as the best win I have ever seen.

The side still looks good IMO & we could very well give Geelong a good run. After all Geelong lost to the Bullies first up & then belted a hopeless Carlton. We're definetley in with a chance.

If we win this week, I'll want to know why the hell we couldn't win in the first two rounds!

If we win this week, I'll want to know why the hell we couldn't win in the first two rounds!

True. This is serious backs to the wall stuff. If thats what it takes for the players to fire up, then there's problems.

I dunno. Maybe. I reckon the Geelong match in 2005 was up there. It'll want to be a 60 point win to pip that one.

The 2005 win against Geelong was a beauty. The win against the Weagles in '98 (way, way back when the West Coast lads just popped steroids) was another fantastic win against the odds. We'd been pumped something awful the previous three weeks: we were undermanned, injury riddled, down on confidence, and facing the league powerhouse on their mud heap - and the Dees bloody well won it. Todd Viney played a beauty; a very raw Russell Robertson gave John Worsfold the run around - it was a fan-bloody-tastic win. And history does have a habit of repeating itself, doesn't it?

You see? A young Russell Robertson?

The only way to beat quality sides when you're undermanned is by bringing in players they know nothing about. Most of these players we've selected are completely known entities in the AFL. The Dons have shown it's possible to field crap teams with a few unknowns and you can wreak havoc on even the better sides. How do Ferg (failed trade bait), PJ (at this stage of development) and Bizzell (ex-cat!!!) make Thompson worry?

The element of surprise is all we had going for us this week, and with the minor exception of Petterd, Neale and the footy department have denied us our only weapon DAYS before the game has started. Atleast that's the way I see it.

win against the eagles at subi in 1998 after 95 and 86 point losses against geelong and st. kilda. Also, Carlton win in first week of finals in 1994 is up there. 2nd vs 7th and we were just absolutely superb all day. one of the greatest melbourne victories i've seen in twenty years.

Best win in terms of when we had out backs to the wall was clearly agaisnt WC in 1998. We were missing half of our side and were playing a host of young players and fringe players, but somehow managed to win in Perth. Making things even more remarkable was that we had lost our two previous games by huge amounts. Would a win this week be bigger than that one? No! This is at the MCG and we are a better side now than we were then.

This will be one of the greats

The thought was crossing my mind during the hawthorn match but obviously it didn't eventuate. But this would be way bigger.

Yep that win in WA in '98 was magnificent, and showed the value of taking risks. That was the rev's 1st year, and he wasn't as scared. His contract wasn't up that year.

Yep that win in WA in '98 was magnificent, and showed the value of taking risks. That was the rev's 1st year, and he wasn't as scared. His contract wasn't up that year.

Totally agree

Didn't we beat the then unbeatable Brisbane in our first year of GABBA home games? I think from memory Neitz kicked 7 and Ward kicked 4?

Anyone remember the details of that one?

Just looked it up it was 2002

Melb 20.11 (131) dft Bris 16.14 (110)

We were 6 goals down at qtr time, 5 goals down at half time, 9 pts down at 3 qtr time... and we won!

Neitz 7, Ward 4, Robertson 2

Headland kicked 5 and Aker 4

Great game!

Melbourne can win.

Despite all the pessimism going around I'll be extremely disappointed if the team go into the game thinking otherwise.

It won’t be easy but there is still enough talent in this side to do it.

GO DEES!

I dunno about best game ever... but damn I'd be laughing!

Actually, my train of thought shortly after I heard that Rivers was out, and Sylvia wouldn't be coming in was along the lines of -

'Well, we're mostly screwed... but... if we win this we'll actually have the same number of wins as supposed new permiership fancies Geelong, and probably ahead of the supposed unstoppable Fremantle...'

If we win, they'll need to call a fleet of ambulances to the 'G as thousands of Demons supporters collapse into laughing fits at Geelong's expense.

It took one win for them to get ahead of themselves. A win against the 2006 spoon team.

We're in with a shot. We match up surprisingly well considering the circumstances.

If the right coaching decisions are made we are in with a chance. If I see any stupid match-ups from the first bounce it could be a long day