As a long term resident of Waalitj Marawar, I am moved to warn my fellow Narrm fans that a  danger game awaits. The locals are no longer the easybeats who stumbled, fumbled and bumbled their way to the good fortune of gathering the number one draft pick and a generational player in Harley Reid last year. They are definitely better than they were then.

 

Young Harley has already proven his worth with some stellar performances for a first year kid playing among men. He’s taken hangers, kicked booming goals and even physically taken the mickey out of men a decade and more older than he. It’s not often that a person of such tender age has proven to be a team lifter in professional sport but the Eagles have W’s to show for games at Optus Stadium against Richmond and Fremantle. Those wins were not insignificant and nor was their last up home game effort against the Bombers.

 

For their part, the Demons have been slow starters in recent weeks and that, of itself is a danger sign. Their last four games have produced opening halves of 2, 3, 3 and 3 goals and, as a consequence, they haven’t been convincing when they won and unsteady when they lost. 

 

This week, they travel across the continent without two marking forwards in Jacob van Rooyen and Daniel Turner. The team might well be rested after a decent break but we won’t know how affected they are in the wake of two tough encounters within five days.

 

Of course, you might say, that Narrm has the best defence in the competition but then again, it failed to prevent a six goal opening quarter avalanche from Carlton last week. The Blues were exceptional at converting forward thrusts into goals last week as they barged through that much vaunted back line with eight goals from ten scoring shots in a great wet weather first half to lead by 31 points. A few weeks earlier, Brisbane did much the same to them.

 

The big questions loom for Narrm. Is it capable of playing out four quarters of football from start to finish, and if it can’t do so against a bottom six outfit, what are the consequences for when it plays the best of the best?

 

The wet conditions also took their toll on the Demons’ hard-hitting but not overly endowed with pace midfield which needed readjusting and reinforcement. Coach Simon Goodwin nearly pulled a rabbit out of the hat when he moved Christian Petracca into attack. 

 

The problem for Waalitj Marawar is that, apart from wunderkind Reid, some of the players who led their charge a few weeks ago, the likes of Elliot Yeo and Jake Waterman have been out injured, along with Oscar Allen. If they can get these players back on the field, this game could be a close contest so team selection will be of paramount importance.

 

The big warning for the coach and his team is that this outfit from Waalitj Marawar should not be taken lightly. 

 

I’m going for Narrm but all eyes will be on how the team moves in those opening fifteen minutes or so.

 

Narrm by 9 points

 

THE GAME

 

Waalitj Marawar v Naarm at Optus Stadium Sunday 19 May, 2024 at 6.20pm

 

HEAD TO HEAD

 

Overall Waalitj Marawar 37 wins Naarm 20 wins

At Optus Stadium Waalitj Marawar 3 wins Naarm 4 wins

Past five meetings Waalitj Marawar 1 win Naarm 4 wins 

The Coaches Simpson 4 wins Goodwin 4 wins

 

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

 

Narrm 19.12.126 defeated West Coast Eagles 9.12.66 at Optus Stadium in Round 4, 2023

 

The Demons made short work of a disorganised West Coast outfit and were untroubled to record a percentage booster at Optus Stadium. Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, Brodie Grundy and Trent Rivers were the stars and Tom McDonald booted four goals for the visitors.

 

THE TEAMS

 

WAALITJ MARAWAR

B A. Witherden, T. Barrass, B. Hough
HB T. Cole, J. McGovern, L. Duggan
C C. Chesser, H. Reid, J. Hunt
HF L. Edwards, J. Waterman. J. Cripps 
F L. Ryan, J. Darling, J. Williams
FOLL B. J. Williams, T. Kelly, R. Ginbey
I/C J. Jones, J. Rotham, D. Sheed, J. Williams SUB T. Dewar
EMG J. Culley, H. Edwards, A. Gaff

IN J. Jones, J. Waterman

OUT H. Johnston (omitted), J. Petruccelle (ankle)

NARRM

B B. Howes, S. May, T. Rivers
HB J. McVee, T. McDonald, J. Lever
C J. Billings, C. Oliver, C. Windsor
HF A. Neal-Bullen, B. Fritsch, K. Pickett
F K. Chandler, H. Petty, S. McAdam
FOLL M. Gawn, J. Viney, C. Petracca
I/C J. Bowey, B. Brown, C.  Salem, T. Sparrow SUB T. Woewodin 
EMG T. Fullarton K. Tholstrup, A. Tomlinson 

IN B. Brown, S. McAdam, C. Salem

OUT E. Langdon (personal reasons),  D. Turner (calf), J. van Rooyen (concussion) 

Injury List: Round 10

 

Christian Salem — hamstring / Test 

Josh Schache — Achilles/ TBC 

Jacob van Rooyen — concussion / 1 week

Charlie Spargo — Achilles / 2 - 3 weeks

Daniel Turner — Calf / 2 - 3 weeks

Marty Hore — Calf / 4 - 6 weeks 

Jake Melksham  — knee / 5 - 7 weeks

 

Now you have made me more nervous

Absolutely reeks of a danger game this one.

However, the last time we lost to a bottom 4 side was 2021 against the Pies.

14 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Absolutely reeks of a danger game this one.

However, the last time we lost to a bottom 4 side was 2021 against the Pies.

And won the flag.

With great respect... We Got this Will

Dees by 42

Have to agree DJ Optus is our home away from home and as long as we treat the Weagles with respect should account for them by at least 6.6.!!

Interesting prediction on the winning margin being 9 points.

The betting line, an excellent predictive indicator, gives us a 29 point handicap (ie -29 for us and +29 for the Eagles).

If you agree with William's prediction, and like a bet, then the Eagles at the line is crazy good value.

Personally I think the line is about right.

Let’s not forget that when we last had a 5 day break, we didn’t look so tired and listless and we still beat Adelaide as part of Gather Round. However, it was in the following game that we struggled … so yes, this is a danger game.

5 hours ago, Demonland said:

As a long term resident of Waalitj Marawar, I am moved to warn my fellow Narrm fans that a  danger game awaits. The locals are no longer the easybeats who stumbled, fumbled and bumbled their way to the good fortune of gathering the number one draft pick and a generational player in Harley Reid last year. They are definitely better than they were then.

 

Young Harley has already proven his worth with some stellar performances for a first year kid playing among men. He’s taken hangers, kicked booming goals and even physically taken the mickey out of men a decade and more older than he. It’s not often that a person of such tender age has proven to be a team lifter in professional sport but the Eagles have W’s to show for games at Optus Stadium against Richmond and Fremantle. Those wins were not insignificant and nor was their last up home game effort against the Bombers.

 

For their part, the Demons have been slow starters in recent weeks and that, of itself is a danger sign. Their last four games have produced opening halves of 2, 3, 3 and 3 goals and, as a consequence, they haven’t been convincing when they won and unsteady when they lost. 

 

This week, they travel across the continent without two marking forwards in Jacob van Rooyen and Daniel Turner. The team might well be rested after a decent break but we won’t know how affected they are in the wake of two tough encounters within five days.

 

Of course, you might say, that Narrm has the best defence in the competition but then again, it failed to prevent a six goal opening quarter avalanche from Carlton last week. The Blues were exceptional at converting forward thrusts into goals last week as they barged through that much vaunted back line with eight goals from ten scoring shots in a great wet weather first half to lead by 31 points. A few weeks earlier, Brisbane did much the same to them.

 

The big questions loom for Narrm. Is it capable of playing out four quarters of football from start to finish, and if it can’t do so against a bottom six outfit, what are the consequences for when it plays the best of the best?

 

The wet conditions also took their toll on the Demons’ hard-hitting but not overly endowed with pace midfield which needed readjusting and reinforcement. Coach Simon Goodwin nearly pulled a rabbit out of the hat when he moved Christian Petracca into attack. 

 

The problem for Waalitj Marawar is that, apart from wunderkind Reid, some of the players who led their charge a few weeks ago, the likes of Elliot Yeo and Jake Waterman have been out injured, along with Oscar Allen. If they can get these players back on the field, this game could be a close contest so team selection will be of paramount importance.

 

The big warning for the coach and his team is that this outfit from Waalitj Marawar should not be taken lightly. 

 

I’m going for Narrm but all eyes will be on how the team moves in those opening fifteen minutes or so.

 

Narrm by 9 points

 

THE GAME

 

Waalitj Marawar v Naarm at Optus Stadium Sunday 19 May, 2024 at 6.20pm

 

HEAD TO HEAD

 

Overall Waalitj Marawar 37 wins Naarm 20 wins

At Optus Stadium Waalitj Marawar 3 wins Melbourne 4 wins

Past five meetings Waalitj Marawar 1 win Melbourne 4 wins 

The Coaches Simpson 4 wins Goodwin 4 wins

 

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

 

Narrm 19.12.126 defeated West Coast Eagles 9.12.66 at Optus Stadium in Round 4, 2023

 

The Demons made short work of a disorganised West Coast outfit and were untroubled to record a percentage booster at Optus Stadium. Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, Brodie Grundy and Trent Rivers were the stars and Tom McDonald booted four goals for the visitors.

 

THE TEAMS (to be loaded when available)

 

WAALITJ MARAWAR

 

NARRM
 

Injury List: Round 10

 

Christian Salem — hamstring / Test 

Josh Schache — Achilles/ TBC 

Jacob van Rooyen — concussion / 1 week

Charlie Spargo — Achilles / 2 - 3 weeks

Daniel Turner — Calf / 2 - 3 weeks

Marty Hore — Calf / 4 - 6 weeks 

Jake Melksham  — knee / 5 - 7 weeks

 

Tx for spreading the anxiety😃

28 minutes ago, Pinball Wizard said:

Let’s not forget that when we last had a 5 day break, we didn’t look so tired and listless and we still beat Adelaide as part of Gather Round. However, it was in the following game that we struggled … so yes, this is a danger game.

We’re coming off a 10 day break. We should be more than fine.

9 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

We’re coming off a 10 day break. We should be more than fine.

I'm very laid back and relaxed about this game.  What could possibly go wrong?

 

1 hour ago, binman said:

Interesting prediction on the winning margin being 9 points.

The betting line, an excellent predictive indicator, gives us a 29 point handicap (ie -29 for us and +29 for the Eagles).

If you agree with William's prediction, and like a bet, then the Eagles at the line is crazy good value.

Personally I think the line is about right.

By the by, the punting money has us winning by 29 - a five goal win.

William makes a reasonable for  under a two goal win.

Worth keeping in mind if say we win win by 5 goals in so far as tempering the inevitable cries of 'a good team would beat this mob by 10 goals, wasted opportunity to boost percentage'.

IIRC - 2018 for the loss in that 4-1 score-line. Including Freo. we are 7-3 for our last 10 games, and our average score for those 10 games is 94 for v 68 against, the highest of any venue.

Yeo is out and Barrass under a cloud.

Not tipping anything as I am a proven jinx, but we love playing at Optus, anyone older than 40 couldn't have imagined this prior to 2018.

(source https://www.aussportstipping.com/sports/afl/stadium_records/team/melbourne/)

 

Hi Temps could cause us problems like Darwin last night  9 points seems to be close to the mark

This will not be a pushover I agree with William

Edited May 16, 2024May 16 by Kent

14 hours ago, DEE fence said:

IIRC - 2018 for the loss in that 4-1 score-line. Including Freo. we are 7-3 for our last 10 games, and our average score for those 10 games is 94 for v 68 against, the highest of any venue.

Yeo is out and Barrass under a cloud.

Not tipping anything as I am a proven jinx, but we love playing at Optus, anyone older than 40 couldn't have imagined this prior to 2018.

(source https://www.aussportstipping.com/sports/afl/stadium_records/team/melbourne/)

 

Optus stadium's first season was 2018.

So six, seasons - this season being the 4th.

Ten games. Seven wins.

Including two of the all time great demon wins - Tmac's the prelim and Grand Final wins in 2021.

Unfortunately I've only been to one game at Optus oval.  Our last in 2018.

Edited May 17, 2024May 17 by binman
It was still a great goal and win!

1 hour ago, binman said:

Optus stadium's first season was 2018.

So six, seasons - this season being the 4th.

Ten games. Seven wins.

Including three of the all time great demon wins - Tmac's wonder goal in 2018, and the prelim and Grand Final wins in 2021.

Unfortunately I've only been to one game at Optus oval.  Our last in 2018.

 

TMac's wonder goal was 2017 and was at Domain Stadium (Subiaco).

From memory 2018 was a gritty late season win that sealed our spot in the finals. Dean Kent with the sealer.

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

TMac's wonder goal was 2017 and was at Domain Stadium (Subiaco).

Oh yeah, so it was!

Would you believe.....

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

TMac's wonder goal was 2017 and was at Domain Stadium (Subiaco).

Sorry, not sure what you are referring to. You've misquoted me - fake news!

This is MFCSS in match review form. 

We'll control the game and win by anywhere between 20 and 120 points 

Go dees

22 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

We’re coming off a 10 day break. We should be more than fine.

Only if we wake up to ourselves and bother to "turn up" for the first bounce as opposed turn it up for the 1st qtr !!!

Quite frankly it could be " Danger,  Danger Will Robinson "

Nothing should be taken for granted.

Go Dees

Perspicacious.

On 16/05/2024 at 18:44, Demon Disciple said:

We’re coming off a 10 day break. We should be more than fine.

How wrong I was. Alarm bells are going off. Meanwhile the powers that be at the MFC