GETAWAY by Meggs

Posted September 18, 2024Sep 18

Calling all fit players. Expect every available Melbourne player to board the Virgin cross-continent flight to Perth for this Round 4 clash on Saturday afternoon at Fremantle Oval. It promises to be keenly contested, though Fremantle is the bookies clear favourite.

If we lose, finals could be remoter than Rottnest Island especially following on from the Dees 50-point dismantlement by North Melbourne last Sunday.

There are 8 remaining matches, over the next 7 weeks.

To Meggs’s eye, Essendon, GWS, Richmond and Collingwood are winnable games. Adelaide, pencil in a loss. Fremantle, Hawthorn and St Kilda are much improved sides, and we are no certainties to win.

Watching Fremantle’s impressive last quarter comeback against Port Adelaide at Alberton last week would have given Mick Stinear a few more grey hairs.

His season already shaken to the core with some uncompetitive football, integrating inexperienced players and compounded by a spate of injuries. Paxy Paxman is the latest casualty with her foot.

Fremantle has two wins, last week against Port and an impressive win at Windy Hill plus a big loss to Adelaide.

Melbourne has one win, defeating Geelong (did you see the Cats were thrashed by Carlton last week), and those comprehensive defeats to last year’s grand finalists.

Milestone Mitho

This week is heart and soul warrior Lily Mithen’s 75th game. Her contributions on and off the field are inspirational. Podcaster, rover, MC, a leader, L’il is much loved by her teammates and the Demon faithful. A Geelong girl with a family link to Melbourne great Laurie Mithen, her grandfather’s cousin, Mitho has red and blue in her veins.

She debuted in AFLW Season One and has only kicked 8 goals but 3 were in finals which count for more.

If L’il marks or wins a free on Saturday, look for her to pass to her best buddy Kate.

Selection this week

Normally when a team is belted there are multiple selection changes. However, the Dees have only 4 players available: Ryleigh Wotherspoon, Lily Johnson, Delany Madigan, and Denby Taylor.

The current playing list has 32 players, with 8 on the injury list and 20 players available from last week’s side.

Mick will promote at least one player for Paxy. Denby Taylor or Lily Johnson could debut as they have been training with the defensive group as running players.

If Aisling McCarthy passes her test, Fremantle will make at least one change.

Not relevant to this game, but the North injury list has Libby Birch as a test on her rib. Meggs suggests it was Miss Hore with the bone crunching tackle in the forward pocket 😉.

Meggs view

While Goldie and Blaithin have been sensational for the Demons, Fremantle possess a few Irish weapons too.

Aine Tighe, a tall athletic marking forward can be unstoppable. Aisling McCarthy is a hard-at-it athletic midfielder and winger Orlagh Lally was last week’s game-high possession winner.

Mim Strom is a capable ruck and Hayley Miller, Dana East, Gab Newton and the Irish form a strong midfield group, more settled than the Demons.

Our defence looked shaky again last week and will need to watch potential match winner Aine Tighe.

Mick played young defensive tyro Tahlia Gillard in the ruck in the last quarter. He would like two Gillards and three Kate Hores. Other players need to step up this week.

Calling on Alyssa Bannan and Eden Zanker, two incredibly talented players who have not delivered so far this year. Remember only last year Melbourne was breaking records for high scoring.

Fremantle do not have the depth of talent of Brisbane or North. So, if the pressure meter is dialled down, some of our players will be able to better execute their skills.

Can the Dees bounce back this week and do it for Mitho!

Let’s hope so. Go Dees!

Fremantle by 5 points

THE GAME

Round 4: Melbourne v Fremantle Saturday 21 September 2024 at 2:05pm (Melbourne time)

Fremantle Oval, Perth - Whadjuk

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 6 wins Fremantle 2 wins

At Fremantle Oval Melbourne 2 wins Fremantle 1 win

The Coaches Stinear 1 win Webb 0 wins

MEDIA

TV - Fox Footy, Kayo.

Mobile – AFL Live Official App

THE LAST TIME THEY MET - Season 8 Round 9

Melbourne 8.13 (61) defeated Fremantle 4.4 (28) at Casey Fields, 28 October 2023

MELBOURNE 1.2 4.9 5.9 8.13 (61)

FREMANTLE 1.3 2.3 3.4 4.4 (28)

The wicked wind prevented the DeeArmy from hoisting Heathy’s 50 game banner but did not stop the Dees grinding out a hard fought 33-point win to keep the minor premiership chances alive.

Leading goalkickers Kate Hore and Eden Zanker both had braces while the ubiquitous Paxy Paxman was BOG with 27 disposals. Busy too were Eliza Mac, Mitho, Liv P and Goldy.

Meggs observed at the ground that Freo made the Dees look slow at times plus they were down a couple of soldiers on the day, namely Aine Tighe and Ebony Antonio who are back for this week.

GOALS

MELBOURNE Hore 2, Zanker 2, Hanks, Mackin, Paxman, West

FREMANTLE Kauffman 3, Gibbs

BEST

MELBOURNE Paxman, West, McNamara, Fitzsimon, Mithen, Hore

FREMANTLE Kauffman, Bowers, Stannett, East, Lally, Miller

INJURIES

MELBOURNE Nil

FREMANTLE Flynn (back)

REPORTS

MELBOURNE Nil

FREMANTLE Nil

CROWD 1,650 at Casey Fields

THE TEAMS

FREMANTLE

B Flynn O’Sullivan
HB O'Driscoll Pugh Scanlon
C Low Miller Lally
HF Tighe Antonio Biedenweg-Webster
F Brazill McCarthy
FOLL Stron Newton East
I/C Hetherington Kaufman Mulholland Runnall Verrier
EMG Seth Tuhakaraina Mulder

IN A McCarthy

OUT Seth (omitted)

MELBOURNE

B Colvin Gillard
HB Chaplin Heath Goldrick
C McNamara Mithen B Mackin
HF Fitzsimon Hore Bannan
F Zanker Pisano
FOLL Campbell Hanks Lampard
I/C Beasley Gall Taylor Watt Wotherspoon
EMG Hill Johnson Madigan

IN Taylor Wotherspoon

OUT Hill (omitted) Paxman (foot)

Injury List: Round 4

MELBOURNE

Paxy Paxman Foot 1-2 weeks

Jemma Rigoni Groin 1-2 weeks

Saraid Taylor Calf 2-3 weeks

Lauren Pearce Wrist 6 weeks

Olivia Purcell Face TBC

Tayla Harris Shoulder Season

Jacinta Hose ACL Season

Aimee Mackin ACL Season