In keeping with our tough draw theme, Week 3 sees Melbourne take on flag favourites, North Melbourne, at Casey Fields this Sunday at 1:05pm. 

The weather forecast looks dry, a coolish 14 degrees and will be characteristically gusty. 

Remember when Casey Fields was considered our fortress? 

The Demons have lost two of their past three matches at the Field of Dreams, so opposition teams commute down the Princes Highway with more optimism these days. 

The Dees held the highest all-time win/loss ratio until last week. Adelaide now leads with 72.8%, from Melbourne 72.7%, Brisbane 67.9% and North 66.7%.

Long term injuries to stars such as Liv Purcell, Tayla Harris, and Lauren Pearce plus speedster Aimee Mackin are not helping our prospects this season. Supporters need to be patient as the team integrates nine new players, having traded 4 or 5 regulars to other clubs.

North is a formidable team this year led by three superstars of the competition: defensive general Emma Kearney, theleague-leading possession winner Ash Riddell and Jasmine Garner, the 2024 captain’s choice competition’s best player.

Mick Stinear often sends the diminutive Shelley Heath to run with Garner. 

He did not send anyone to Ally Anderson last week and publicly rued that decision. Ally dominated the game andearned 10 coaches’ votes. 

Meggs was at Arden Street last Sunday to witness the power of work that Ash Riddell does. She was awesome and earned 8 coaches votes.

Our superstar Kate Hore was well tagged by Bre Koenen last week resulting in only 10 disposals and a late consolation goal. The North coaching team will have gone to school on this.

Congratulations to Paxy on her 75th game!  She has settled well as our halfback general, and her experience will be vital against the Roos.

Selection this week

Thankfully no new injuries to report at the time of writing.

In addition to the 21 players selected last week, we have only 4 additional players available. 

They are tall forward Georgia Gall, halfback Lily Johnson, key back Delany Madigan and utility Denby Taylor.

Pisano did well last week, could we see another debutant? Lily Johnson impressed in VFLW with her pace, courage and good kicking skills.

North Melbourne will make a couple of changes this week:

Irish speedster Erika O’Shea is listed as a test.  If playing, she matches up well on Banno.  Goal-sneak Alice O’Loughlin will return from her one-week suspension.

Meggs view

Expect North Melbourne to be too strong across the ground.  A very settled team with no major injuries.

Demons’ rucks Georgia Campbell and Rhi Watt will be fully tested.  North has Emma King, 187cm tall, and support from Kim Rennie. 

A midfield of Garner, Riddell, the classy Bruton and bull Mia King will make life very difficult.

Expect Mick to play Goldrick and Lampard though the middle again with Hore at times.  Heathy will likely run with Ash or Jazz.

It has been a tough initiation for cross-coder Grace Beasley, and she improves with each week. 

Our main hope for winning is freeing up Tyla Hanks, as her ball movement and creativity is elite.  Amy Smith, daughter of Shaun, executes tagging roles well for North and may go to Hanksy.

Geelong looked dangerous last week when using speed to break from the contest.  We need to do this to win.

Blaithin Mackin is playing her career best footy and making a real impact from her wing. Eliza McNamara has begun season in great form too.  

Zanker had her best quarters last year against Adelaide and Geelong.  How about monstering your old mate Libby and kicking a bag, Edo

If we can garner strength this week with 4-quarters of pressure footy at home, maybe we can surprise in a closely fought contest.

Go Dees!

North Melbourne by 4 points

THE GAME

Round 3: Melbourne v North Melbourne, Sunday 15 September 2024 at 1:05pm (Melbourne time)

Casey Fields, Melbourne - Wurundjeri/ Boon Wurrung

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 6 wins North Melbourne 2 wins

At Casey Fields Melbourne 3 wins North Melbourne 1 win

The Coaches Stinear 5 wins Crocker 1 win

MEDIA

TV - Fox Footy, Kayo.  

Mobile – AFL Live Official App

Radio – Casey Radio.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET - Season 8 Qualifying Final at Ikon Park, 4 November 2023

MELBOURNE  0.1  0.1  0.2 1.3 (9)

NORTH MELBOURNE 1.4 2.4 5.6 7.8 (50)

GOALS

MELBOURNE Bannan

NORTH MELBOURNE Randall 3, Eddey 2, O'Loughlin, E. King

BEST

MELBOURNE Hanks, Purcell, Hore, Goldrick, Gay, Gillard

NORTH MELBOURNE Garner, Riddell, Kearney, Randall, Wright, Pullar

INJURIES

MELBOURNE Nil

NORTH MELBOURNE Shierlaw (head knock)

CROWD 5,431 at Ikon Park

Darren Crocker, the North coach, highlighted in the post-match press conference that ‘how to beat Melbourne’ was no secret following their recent losses to the top 3 teams. 

North was brilliant on the day.  Far more aggressive, laid 104 tackles and forced Melbourne into skill errors which ended up being the Dees 2nd biggest loss in history. 

Experienced forward Tahlia Randall had a field day kicking 3 goals. She and her mate Kate Shierlaw well and truly outbodied and outsprinted their now new teammate Libby Birch.

There were rumours that an illness had swept through the Demon camp which helped explain the underwhelming performance.  There were no such excuses from Mick Stinear. 

His team had finished second during the home and away season, earned the second chance but sadly, lost the next week to be out of the finals in straight sets.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

B Colvin Gillard

HB Chaplin Heath Paxman

C McNamara Lampard Mackin

HF Bannan Mithen Goldrick

F Zanker Gall

FOLL Campbell Hanks Hore

I/C (from) Beasley Fitzsimon Hill Johnson Pisano Taylor Watt Wotherspoon

IN Gall Johnson Taylor

OUT

NORTH MELBOURNE

B Birch Ferguson

HB Kearney Wright Bresnehan

C Gatt Garner Smith

HF Eddey O'Loughlin Bruton

F Randall Shierlaw

FOLL Rennie King Riddell

I/C (from) Burke Craven King Martin McGrath O'Shea Tripodi Wall

IN McGrath O'Loughlin O'Shea

OUT

Injury List: Round 2

Melbourne

Jemma Rigoni Groin 2-3 weeks

Saraid Taylor Calf 3-4 weeks

Lauren Pearce Wrist 6 weeks

Olivia Purcell Face TBC

Tayla Harris Shoulder Season

Jacinta Hose ACL Season

Aimee Mackin ACL Season

North Melbourne

Erika O’Shea Knee Test

Lula Pullar Calf 1-2 weeks

Eliza Shannon Ankle 1-2 weeks

Georgia Stubs Ankle Season

Final team changes:

As predicted, North Melbourne has regained Alice O'Loughlin (suspension) and Erika O'Shea (knee).  Lucy Burke and Niamh Martin are the omissions.

Melbourne has made just the one unforced change.  Georgia Gall a young 183cm lead up forward comes in her 3^rd game replacing the promising utility Ryleigh Wotherspoon.

Gally was possibly spotted in the Arden Street crowd last Sunday and hopefully learned something she can put to good use against our opponents this week.  If she can hold her marks or earn a free, her long left foot boot is a real weapon.

Wotherspoon has been quieter than her practice match form and will have been given things to work on.  She will be back soon, no doubt.

See ya Sunday at 1:05pm