THIS IS THE MOMENT!

by J.V. McKay

This is the moment for which Demon fans everywhere should have been looking forward to with expectation. Throughout the long hot summer of 2006/7 they watched the players working their butts off, sweating profusely in the hot sun and spending long hours of arduous work on the track for this one very fateful moment - the instance in time when they were to run out on one of those long, thin interstate grounds way out west. Subiaco is one of those grounds that Melbourne has found so difficult to win on in past seasons that its entire game plan was turned upside down in order to find a winning formula there.

The Demons have sacrificed a great deal to get to this point. The old game plan which won 11 out of 12 at the G last year was sacrificed for this, but who cares that the number is 0/5 on that ground at this stage of the season or that overall, it’s 0/7 if what we're really looking at is the bigger picture?

So enough of the sarcasm because let’s face it, Melbourne's current situation is a little more than somewhat due to the massive injury toll suffered in the first half of 2007 although I still have nightmares about the round 1 performance against St. Kilda when the numbers injured weren’t nearly as bad as they have been in recent weeks. In fact, I’m still suffering from high anxiety as the team is about to embark on that trip across the Nullarbor on an assignment that has so often spelt disaster for teams coming out of Melbourne in past seasons.

Mind you, the task this Sunday is not as hopeless as it seems. A few of Melbourne’s ace players return this week, others have struck a vein of form over the past fortnight and the Demons’ most recent form hasn’t been that much inferior to that of the Eagles. Well, at least on the form shown by them at Geelong last week when they were restricted to just 10 goals and lost to the Cats.

And I’m not forgetting that Melbourne has travelled out west as a rank underdog before and still managed to come out trumps. The classic battle of 1998 when a patched up side with a number of youngsters stunned the football world and won the game on the day a young Russell Robertson came of age.

The more I go on the more confident I become so I’d better take a break at this stage, take a Bex and have a good lie down.

THE GAME: West Coast v Melbourne at Subiaco - 20 May 2007 at 4.40pm (AEST)

HEAD TO HEAD:

Overall: West Coast 22 wins Melbourne 13 wins

At Subiaco: West Coast 9 wins Melbourne 5 wins

Since 2000: West Coast 6 wins Melbourne 5 wins

The Coaches: Worsfold 5 wins Daniher 3 wins

MEDIA:

TV: Fox Sports 1 - Live from 4.30pm (AEST)

Radio 774ABC SEN

THE BETTING: West Coast to win $1.16 Melbourne to win $4.75

LAST TIME THEY MET: West Coast 13.19.97 d Melbourne 11.9.75 in Round 9, 2006 at Subiaco

Melbourne’s form coming into this game was not bad – five wins in a row after a slow start. The Demons were nevertheless in with a chance at three quarter time when they trailed by a solitary point. In the end however, the Eagles, with Judd and Kerr starring, coasted away to win an entertaining and at times fiery game by 22 points.

THE TEAMS:

WEST COAST

Backs David Wirrpanda Darren Glass Brett Jones

Half backs Tyson Stenglein Adam Hunter Adam Selwood

Centreline Matt Rosa Matt Priddis Michael Braun

Half forwards Daniel Chick Ashley Hansen Shannon Hurn

Forwards Beau Waters Quinten Lynch Rowan Jones

Followers Mark Seaby Chris Judd Daniel Kerr

Interchange Dean Cox Chad Fletcher Mitchell Morton Brent Staker

Emergencies Steven Armstrong Mitchell Brown Mark LeCras

In Dean Cox Chad Fletcher Mitchell Morton

Out Steven Armstrong Mitchell Brown Mark LeCras

MELBOURNE:

Backs Daniel Ward Nathan Carroll Adem Yze

Half backs Nathan Brown Ryan Ferguson Daniel Bell

Centreline Matthew Bate James McDonald Aaron Davey

Half forwards Brad Green Brad Miller Cameron Bruce

Forwards Colin Sylvia David Neitz Lynden Dunn

Followers Jeff White Simon Godfrey Travis Johnstone

Interchange Paul Johnson Nathan Jones Ricky Petterd Matthew Whelan

Emergencies Ben Holland Brock McLean Matthew Warnock

In Ryan Ferguson Ricky Petterd Matthew Whelan

Out Brent Moloney (groin) Ben Holland Matthew Warnock

SELECTION TABLE

Both teams welcome back handy players but the Eagles have gained the most with the return Big Dean Cox because they were trounced in the ruck last week and Cox, at home, is going to prove a handful for the winless Demons. The much expected returns from injury of Brock McLean and Russell Robertson have been deferred for another week and Jared Rivers is not quite there yet either. Byron Pickett is playing for Sandringham tomorrow and for several weeks into the foreseeable so he, at least will be able to have a drink in comfort tomorrow night and even send the Reverend a nice SMS wishing him well over there. It’s a pity though, because the holes in the Demon make up are still gaping and a rampant, in-form Byronator would have been handy.

MATCH-UPS

Simon Godfrey v Chris Judd

Earlier in the season this would have been an unlikely match up but Godders is in career best form as a modern tagger. He has taken the scalps of Adam Goodes, Shaun Burgoyne and Scott West so it’s likely that he will be given the first bite of the cherry and, if that’s not working, he might have to take Daniel Kerr. This means that he will have his work cut out for him on Sunday afternoon and one can only hope that he doesn’t suffer from heat exhaustion or a bee sting that might cause him to suddenly collapse and hit the ground as he has done more than once in recent weeks.

Paul Johnson v Mark Seaby

Two up and coming ruckmen who will have an interesting duel in the shadows of White/Cox. Paul Johnson has been coming on strongly in the short time since he regained his place in the side after a series of shoulder problems last year and he has the added incentive of playing well against his old side. Seaby has done well in the absence of Cox but he was well beaten last week. Johnson could be a surprise packet here!

David Neitz v Darren Glass

David Neitz had an absolute shocker last week against Brad Harris but, at times, his own teammates were his own worst enemy as they often clogged up his leading space. His task is no easier this week when he confronts and All-Australian fullback in Glass.

WHO WINS, WHY?

This is not a good question to ask after seven rounds when one of the teams has won six and the other’s record for the year is just plain pathetic. The best indicator is often the bookies and they have the Eagles at mug’s odds of $1.16 so make of that what you will. According to the Pro-Stats published in the Age, West Coast is first in handball receives, first in winning the 50/50 contests and second in disposals over the past few weeks. That suggests that they can run and carry the ball and do anything else better than most.

As a result I lean toward them to win but Melbourne will make them work hard all the way.

West Coast by 17 points after a mildly nightmarish afternoon for the Demons.