IMAGINATION

by Whispering Jack

"And after it rains

There's a rainbow

And all of the colors are black

Its not that the colors aren't there

Its just imagination they lack"

Paul Simon - My Little Town

Melbourne and Sydney. Sydney and Melbourne.

There is something about the old rivalry between the two of them that stirs the imagination. They are not little towns of course. They are big cities but they are are different in so many ways; in shade and light and in makeup and yet neither of them escapes the other.

Their football teams are also very different and although the perception is that the Swans, who play host to the wounded Demons tomorrow night will be far too strong for their opponents, I think otherwise. That's because I still carry my imagination with me; I can close my eyes and know from memory that Melbourne matches up very well against Sydney of all clubs - especially up there where it has had the edge since Paul Roos became coach of the Swans.

Melbourne broke the ice up there last year after staggering at the start of 2006. A Cameron Bruce goal with seconds to go secured what some would even call a famous victory. It certainly kick-started Melbourne's season at a time when it had all but been pronounced dead. A year earlier, the Demons put together one of their finest performances of the season when they beat the eventual premiers at the SCG by 34 points with a young Brock McLean starring and Brad Miller largely shutting down Barry Hall. Before that Melbourne triumphed by two goals in their 2004 Anzac Day clash at Telstra Stadium.

The Swans may well have played in the last two grand finals but are they all that they're cracked up to be in 2007?

I think not!

After losing narrowly to West Coast in the opening round of the season (and let's not forget that the Eagles were a bit shaky given the controversy that surrounded them at that stage) they haven't been traveling all that well themselves over the past few weeks. They barely snuck in against lowly Richmond in round 2 and they were not particularly convincing the following week at home against Brisbane. Last week, they were simply dreadful against the Crows and in my estimation are headed for a heavy fall if they think that the Demons will be easy pickings.

Granted Melbourne has done very little right this season but there were positive signs last week under the difficult circumstances of the Fremantle game. Adem Yze and Aaron Davey showed some form at last, there were glimpses from Junior McDonald and Miller came good in the second half. Byron Pickett and Colin Sylvia were rusty first up and will be much better with that game under their belts. Lynden Dunn, also in his first game for the season, produced a little bit of magic with his enthusiastic attack on the football. He will be one of the club's big improvers in 2007.

This week's line up looks a lot better with the return of the key to Melbourne's backline in Jared Rivers together with two very important midfielders in Travis Johnstone and Brent Moloney. I also like the fact that the selectors have finally turned to youth. Chris Johnston was going along nicely over the pre season and I was disappointed that the selectors dropped him after two ordinary games. He needs to be persevered with and encouraged, not forsaken at the drop of a hat.

The two first gamers Colin Garland and Ricky Petterd will receive a fiery baptism in a hostile environment but most Demon fans are saying that it's about time the selectors put some faith in a couple of players of the future. Just to add to the emotion of the night, Garland will be presented with the number 20 guernsey by Troy Broadbridge's widow Trisha in a ceremony before game. I know players these days are 100% professional and don't need an extra spur to get them going but if the sight of that number in the red and blue colours doesn't get them going, then nothing will!

Before anyone accuses me of donning the rose coloured glasses let me say that while I accept that I'm in an optimistic frame of mind about the game, I don't believe I'm being overly optimistic. I normally am loath to encourage people to bet but the $5.75 on offer looks far too tempting to me so I'll be off to the local TAB to make an investment first thing in the morning. The fact is that Melbourne likes playing in the coat hanger city and despite all of the injuries and misfortunes it has suffered so far in 2007 I have the imagination to see beyond the early setbacks.

It's not all black - there's a rainbow out there if you believe enough in the colours and the men wearing them.

THE GAME: Sydney v Melbourne at the SCG - 28 April 2007 at 7.15pm

HEAD TO HEAD:

Overall: Sydney 105 wins Melbourne 91 wins 1 draw

At the SCG: Sydney 12 wins Melbourne 9 wins

Since 2000: Sydney 8 wins Melbourne 6 wins

The Coaches: Roos 6 Daniher 3 (all in Sydney!)

MEDIA

TV: Channel 10 at 7 pm (live)

RADIO: SEN 774 ABC

THE BETTING: Sydney to win $1.11 - Melbourne to win $5.75

LAST TIME THEY MET: Sydney Swans 14.11.95 d Melbourne 10.3.63 round 19, 2006.

Melbourne had seven regulars missing and succumbed badly to the Swans in a must win game that ultimately determined the final four aspirations of both sides in Sydney's favour. Adam Goodes played a starring role on his way to a second Brownlow Medal as the Swans had all of the answers. Of course, they had almost a full list of players available as has been the case for the last three years with the Sydneysiders.

THE TEAMS:

SYDNEY

Backs: Ted Richards Leo Barry Nick Malceski

Half backs: Tadgh Kennelly Craig Bolton Ben Mathews

Centreline: Amon Buchanan Brett Kirk Jarred McVeigh

Half forwards: Ryan O'Keefe, Michael O'Loughlin Jude Bolton

Forwards: Adam Schneider Barry Hall Luke Ablett

Followers: Darren Jolly Adam Goodes, Nic Fosdike

Interchange: Jared Crouch, Nick Davis Peter Everitt Tim Schmidt

Emergencies: Heath Grundy Matthew Laidlaw Jarred Moore

In: Nick Davis

Out: Heath Grundy

MELBOURNE:

Backs: Cameron Bruce Nathan Carroll Paul Johnson

Half backs: Nathan Brown Jared Rivers Daniel Bell

Centreline: Brent Moloney James McDonald Adem Yze

Half forwards: Chris Johnson Brad Miller Aaron Davey

Forwards: Lynden Dunn Mark Jamar Aaron Davey

Followers: Jeff White Matthew Bate Travis Johnstone

Interchange: Colin Garland Simon Godfrey Ricky Petterd Colin Sylvia

Emergencies Clint Bizzell Simon Buckley Daniel Ward

In: Colin Garland Chris Johnson Travis Johnstone Brent Moloney Ricky Petterd Jared Rivers

Out: Brad Green (hamstring) Nathan Jones (ankle) Paul Wheatley (shoulder) Matthew Whelan (hamstring) Clint Bizzell Daniel Ward

New: Ricky Petterd, 18, Broadbeach (Qld) Colin Garland, 19, North Hobart (Tas)

Umpires: Kennedy Rosebury Nicholls

WHERE THE GAME WILL BE WON AND LOST:

Having stuck my neck out I'll tell you exactly where the game will be won - at the centre bounces where Melbourne was mightily competitive against Fremantle last week even without the ability to rotate players for most of the last two and a half quarters.

Darren Jolly and Peter Everitt do not equate to Aaron Sandilands and I expect Jeff White who normally does well at this venue, to beat them quite easily and, with Mark Jamar helping out, to set up plenty of opportunities for Johnstone, Moloney, McDonald and company to surprise the Swans' midfield which has been struggling of late.

I'm hoping Brad Miller gets the job on Barry Hall whose knee is supposed to be a bit wonky. For some reason, Miller matches up well on him and I see him having a psychological advantage over Sydney's main man up forward.

Another key duel will be Cameron Bruce on Adam Goodes. Bruce relishes these tasks and if he can keep the dual Brownlow Medallist down to a modest game by his standards, my prediction of an upset in the harbour city tomorrow night will come close to fruition.

THE TIP

Melbourne to sneak in by 3 points.

FOOTNOTE: If you think I have a wild imagination after reading the above words then spare a thought for whoever was responsible for issuing this week's email announcing Melbournefc's selection news. Immediately under the box for "players to watch" was the name "Brad Green". Unless the Channel 10 cameras focus on the injured players in the stands that's going to be another worthless exercise for Demon supporters in a year where football and worthless exercises have to date become synonymous!