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DETERMINED AND DASHING DEES WILL BE TOO HOT FOR DIVING DOCKERS AT DOMAIN by Positive Peter from Perth The writing is on the wall for the Dockers. After plunging to defeat against North Melbourne last Sunday at Etihad Stadium, they are odds on (in my book anyway) to suffer another loss to the plucky Demons who will cross the Nullarbor with every reason to feel confident about their prospects knowing that thousands of their own long-suffering negative supporters have been left behind whining and moaning in Melbourne. With very few supporters in Perth, the Dees will be able to lift the "veil of negativity" and play the style of free-flowing running football that the modern game requires without the worrisome and pessimistic vibes of supporters in the stands who have stunted the team's performances since coach Paul Roos took over the coaching reins almost two years ago. The hard working Melbourne board and its coaching panel are entitled to expect positivity to course through and through the veins of every player who runs out onto the hallowed turf of Domain Stadium unburdened by the pressure of thousands of critical pairs of eyes of the fans left behind in Victoria. Max Gawn will cut Aaron Sandilands down to size in the ruck duels and his dominance there and around the ground should lead the way for the Demon midfield to destroy those hesitant worry warts in the Docker on ball division which will be quaking in their collective boots knowing that their star player and Brownlow favourite Nat Fyfe has been ruled out of this game because of a "leg injury". Leg injury, my foot. The bloke's supposed to have inflammation in his fibula in his left leg, a condition known as periostitis but my spies tell me he took one look at the vision of Melbourne's midfield in full flight against Carlton at the MCG last Sunday and quickly bailed out knowing that there was absolutely no chance that he could possibly poll any votes against that lot. After all, he's no Patrick Cripps is he? The Demons should be first to the ball at every contest. There will be no fumbling and no turnovers. Jack Watts will barge his way through packs to win the footy, Chris Dawes will mark everything in sight and every inside fifty pass will hit Jess Hogan on the tit as he gives Fred Fanning's long standing goal kicking record a fair shake. By about 7.00pm AEST the commentators on the Fox Footy Channel will be delving into the record books to ascertain whether they have just witnessed the biggest upset in the history of the game. And don't think Sunday's inevitable victory of Fremantle will be the end of the matter for the dazzling Dees. They will go on to bigger and brighter things to wrap up the season by finally winning successive AFL home and away games for the first time since Methuselah was a boy and simultaneously break their Etihad Stadium hoodoo by teaching the GWS Giants a lesson on how to play football under a roof in front of a non existent crowd because, like their counterparts from Sydney's western suburbs, those negative nellies are unlikely to turn up to the game either. After that, I fully expect them to go further onwards and upwards with a 2016 season that will make the Western Bulldogs' turnaround of this year look like small pickings because I'm one of those people who (like the Doggies' coach and former Demon player, Luke Beveridge) doesn't place modest objectives on my team. I have loftier ideals. And I'm positive about that! THE GAME Fremantle v Melbourne at Domain Stadium Sunday 30th August, 2015 at 4.40pm (AEST) HEAD TO HEAD Overall: Fremantle 20 wins Melbourne 13 14 wins At Domain Stadium: Fremantle 10 wins Melbourne 3 4 wins Last Five meetings: Fremantle 5 4 wins Melbourne 0 1 wins The Coaches: Lyon 2 wins Roos 0 1 wins * since I have no doubt that the Dees will whip the Dockers within an inch of their lives, I already have credited them with the win in advance in the above stats. Why muck around after all? MEDIA TV - Fox Footy Channel, live at 4.30pm (AEST) Radio - SEN, ABC, ABC Grandstand THE BETTING Fremantle $1.07 to win Melbourne $8.50 to win LAST TIME THEY MET Fremantle 18.10.118 defeated Melbourne 6.14.50 at the MCG, Round 5, 2015 The Dockers toyed with the Demons and never really gave them a look in. Nat Fyfe picked up his inevitable three Brownlow votes with consumate ease and Chris Mayne booted four against the hapless Dees who only had one player, Daniel Cross (21) who could manage more than twenty touches. FREMANTLE B: Lee Spurr, Luke McPharlin, Tendai Mzungu HB: Cameron Sutcliffe, Michael Johnson, Garrick Ibbotson C: Michael Barlow, Stephen Hill, Nick Suban HF: Danyle Pearce, Matthew Pavlich, Matt de Boer F: Jonathon Griffin, Chris Mayne, Michael Walters FOLL: Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy, Lachie Neale I/C: Zac Dawson, Ed Langdon, Clancee Pearce, Tommy Sheridan EMG: Paul Duffield, Alex Pearce, Matt Taberner IN: Ed Langdon, Matthew Pavlich, Clancee Pearce OUT: Hayden Crozier (omitted), Nat Fyfe (leg), Alex Pearce (omitted) MELBOURNE B: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Jeremy Howe HB: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Christian Salem C: Matt Jones, Bernie Vince, Daniel Cross HF: Viv Michie, Jesse Hogan, Alex Neal-Bullen F: Jeff Garlett, Jake Spencer, Oscar McDonald FOLL: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney I/C: Jack Grimes, Ben Newton, Billy Stretch, Jack Watts EMG: Rohan Bail, James Harmes, Aidan Riley IN: Neville Jetta, Matt Jones, Oscar McDonald, Jake Spencer OUT: Angus Brayshaw (rested), Chris Dawes (ankle), James Harmes (omitted), Heritier Lumumba (ankle) NEW: Oscar McDonald (19, North Ballarat) What more can I say? The Demons are so confident of a win that they decided to rest young guns Angus Brayshaw and James Harmes this week and gave Oscar McDonald a debut game in the penultimate round in much the same way as they did with older brother Tom some four years ago. Even the selection moves are oozing positivity! It wasn't all that many moons ago that a different Melbourne turned up at the airport in Perth ready to do battle with Fremantle at the same ground (although it was called something else at the time). It was around the middle of the last decade when they were actually ranked more highly than any other Victorian club in the AFL. Back then, the Demons had a dip but the Dockers were committed, on song and on the way up. Conversely and unbeknown to them, the visitors from interstate were on the wrong side of their then coach's premiership clock which had not only stopped ticking but was about to break a spring and stop working altogether. Co-incidentally, some of the major players in the club's more recent past were aligned to the Dockers but were brought back home to help the Dees when they went into decline. Sadly, that didn't help. In the interim it's no secret that Melbourne has struggled in the west. The team has lost its last 15 games at Domain Stadium and their last six against Fremantle have been by an average of 68 points. However, we know that the tide must turn one day and what better day than now? The Dockers have been unconvincing in recent weeks, having lost their last two matches and now must finish off the home and away season without playmaker Nat Fyfe who dominated when these teams last met at the MCG earlier in the season. Teams always lift for milestone games and I expect Melbourne to lift for its courageous captain Nathan Jones who will notch up his 200th in this match. It's no coincidence that the team's performances have slipped in synch with a decline in the skipper's form over the past few weeks when he didn't look quite right but those who attended the club's training session at Domain reckon both he and Bernie Vince look to be in tip top shape for this one. Their return to form and the absence of Fyfe could swing this one in the Dees' favour. I already alluded to big Max Gawn earlier but there is really only one man in the competition who can stare eye to eye into the face of Docker ruckman Aaron Sandilands and that man is Max who I tip will topple him in an intriguing contest between the two tallest men in the AFL. I also believe the Demons will be primed to win the key position battles with Tom McDonald and Jesse Hogan forming the new breed of dominant key position players of the future joined by T Mac's younger bit slightly taller brother Oscar making his long-awaited debut. Make no mistake - the Dockers are in a state of panic about this game. The best indication of that is the fact that they rushed Matthew Pavlich back prematurely when he really should be sitting in the stand resting with Nat! The pundits are giving the Dees no chance in this game but I'm predicting a shock (but not for me) result in a game that will push the Dockers further into decline. Melbourne by 29 points.

A surprise selection but wrapped that both brothers will play together! Congrats Oscar. How scary that Tommy Mac also debut in the 2nd last round aswell. Its all adding up haha.

As a melbourne supporter apparenty I will find something negative to complain about

8 goals and 40 touches is the pass mark. No pressure though, lad

... give it to EVERYONE at work ... not take off my Melbourne scarf for a month ... never question Paul Roos' committment p.s. I work in Perth CBD

Wear a veil of positivity.

Go to work (in Fremantle) in my MFC jumper.

If the Suns did that trade then we know there is a serious drug problem within the whole club.

Even if he wasn't blaming us directly, which in his quote it seems he kind of was, but nevermind. It is a disgrace for the club to come out and have a go at the longest suffering most loyal supporters in the competition for being negative. Get stuffed, I pay $400 a year, and go every week to watch us play like a bunch of turds. If I want to be negative, it is my damn right and I will continue to be negative until this team can provide a semi-sustained period of mild success. I'm not even asking for a flag, hell I'm not even asking for finals. I'm asking the team to come out every week and put in effort from minute 1 to minute 120. That is doesn't happen, is 100% the fault of the players and coaches. It has nothing to do with the fans. To come out and use us as scapegoats to cover for a public slip of the tongue is a dumb move. Now watch them email me next month to pay up for 2016. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you poverty-stricken arse!

Titus O'Reily is very funny, but every now and then he also gets serious and again he is bang on the money with this piece.

Personally I think Roos meant his veil of negativity related to the whole club. I also believe he is completely correct. He was forced to back-pedal by a spineless board. They should all suck up the truth and help Roos do what he's doing. I'll say it again but you put another preseason into these guys, add Petracca, Kent, a fully fit Salem, Frost, a new recruit and a top 5 pick and our list will look 100 times better, I am astounded people are blaming Roos for speaking the truth about the wretched club he joined.

1. Give Jared Rivers a send off at Etihad versus GWS Not many players who leave this club to play with a successful club, have the most kindest things to say about his old home. "I was lucky enough to play with the best 2 clubs...." or words to that effect. Maybe Jolls can sneak in the trunk I tell you now, we start this, and clubs will start to follow us. Anyhow, it is the least we can do for a loyal servant who bled for the jumper. Simpletons think he got better at Geelong. No, he got more exposure at Geelong. He was always good. Always played on taller opponents. Always had a good pair of hands. Often courageous. 2. (I'm keeping my powder dry for now. It wont be popular here. The natives will go bonkers.)

What do you mean IF

Send Roos and Jackson a very very positive email!

This.

Perhaps Jackson and Roos shouldn't have made any references to the members and supporters at all. If that happens, this conversation doesn't exist. Anyway, it's out there now and no good will come of it. Lets hope it blows over but the team will still need to be at their best in the next 2 games regardless. .

He is not 'bang on' - Roos was not blaming us for our predicament - he waffled his way to a critique of the mindset of Dees fans and he happened to do it after a terrible loss and with regard to fans saying we would lose on the weekend. We are the ones attaching causation to his remarks. I think we should do something very un-Melbourne like and take the 'slight' on the chin and leave it. Asking for a public apology for calling us negative is more than excessive - it's ignoring the truth in his remarks.

Agree, The players should be the ones copping it from the club, media and fans. Their efforts last week especially were insipid.

No, he's just deflecting attention from where it should be targeted. The problem is this time he has chosen an extremely poor choice to shift the dialogue towards as the supporters have put up with enough [censored] for years/decades without now being told their too negative. Shift the dialogue back towards the pathetic performances of our professional players and give the supporters a break.

It's a no brainer. So don't give me this nonsense about supporter negativity. Everyone at the club is doing their bit except for a group of players on our list who are not capable of performing to their pay level. Simple - we all know who they are. Simple - Trade them or delist them Supporters resilience should never be questioned at this club with the putrid efforts they have to watch year in year out. Every resilient supporter will be watching the off season very closely to see how fair dinkum this club is about throwing out non performers. 2016 will be the acid year where we will see who has the gonads to move players out of this club.

Thank goodness Hardtack, for your note of civility amidst the howl of put downs. It is astonishing to see posters piling on to sink the boot in. Doesn't it strike you guys as classic bullying behaviour. As for his optimistic comments about McKenzie and Grimes, he reported what he believed he was seeing. I was also hopeful that 18 months of Roo's and his team may have produced an improvement in many of our players. Turns out it was mostly wishful thinking. But why lash Saty for expressing his thoughts. Some of the players told us the same things. Jamar told us it was the best he had felt after his first full pre-season in many years, - didn't really seem to make a difference. For many of us, Saty's training reports brightened up a long off season, I hope he returns. I have however given up hope that those who don't like him will simply ignore him, rather than pursue what seems like a relentless vendetta against him.

No, I don't think we'll win by that much.

Absolutely sh it house that i had to scroll down the bottom of the forum list to find a thread about this man. Above it were all the threads about trading, the state of our club, player worth, if Roosy is a good coach or not, blah blah [censored] blah. Push those aside for a second and let's focus on this bloke, a man who (like Flower) has been a shining light amongst the darkness of the past 7 years. Has been an absolute pleasure watching this (still) playing LEGEND of the MFC give his all for us week after week. Idiots may query his captain capabilities, but no-one can query his heart, and the blood he sheds weak after week which is nothing but red and blue. I for one stand up and applaud you. You can truly call yourself an actual Melbourne DEMON, one who will be remembered for everything that is right about this club. Congratulations on 200 games!

Another optimistic post! WTF is going on with you, old dee? Medication?

Plowman and Tomlinson being given a run this week. Fattening them up for market?

I like it. It screams Roos call for the players to get angry and play that way too. Big Spencil will knuckle someone/s on the weekend and duly get rubbed out. I have the feeling this game will be rather spiteful. About bloody time.

Id rather these games go in Jay Kennedy Harris instead of Bail for example. Didn't even play last week in the 2s and he still gets named.Unbelievable

In my opinion our biggest challenge is assembling the type of leadership group that is going to consign these types of performances to the past. Your leadership group drives club culture and unfortunately ours is bereft of players that lift their teammates either across the line or back into a contest after a poor start. Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell Ling, Scarlett, Bartel, etc. Voss, Black, Scott Bros, etc. I actually believe the likes of Hogan, Brayshaw and Viney can become the type of leaders that will render these performances a thing of the past, but it will be 4-5 years before they're experienced and hardened enough to consistently perform and drive uncompromising values. Sometimes our leaders stand up, but they are nowhere near the level required to play consistent quality football or drag their teammates with them with the going gets tough. Our woes still stem from a poor LG.

I shall imagine it is Lent and abstain from giving myself a jolly good flogging for forty days and forty nights.

Excellent i was hoping he would get a run. Hopefully they can emulate the febey lads

And both drafted with pick 53 in their respective drafts.

If I see Steve Johnson in the red and blue next season, that will be the final straw for me. Absolute [censored] and is nowhere near as good as he once was.

Can I post a photo of a hotdog here?

And then tools like Lyon and Lloyd come out and blame Roos. What they know about football and coaching would fit on the tip of Roos little finger,. Just shut the fuch up

Totally agree. I don't get why they did. Just dug a deeper, even messier hole. Surely they could have done it in house - ie got the staff together and said don't worry crew we know all is positive here. Instead they gave the story more oxygen and worse, cheesed off a whole bunch of supporters, some of whom who had just paid good money to watch one of the worst displays in years on Sunday. As I've said i'm a big fan of both but they stuffed up this one.

There are IMO opinion a few simple things here. - Our list was VFL standard two years ago. -It has been improved but it still has a long way to go. -we still have poor depth Early in the year before long term injuries started to mount we had a better group to pick from hence some good results. In the last few weeks we have been forced to play people who are either NQR or are kids playing their first 10 games and do not know their arse from their elbow at senior level. Surprise surprise we are struggling. If our depth was just 4 -5 players better I am confident we would now have 8 wins. Increased depth next year will show further improvement and more wins.

Not if he is your whipping boy pitmaster. I am not a big fan but he has been far from our worst this year. His disposal is his weak point but there are plenty of others who as bad if not worse. He has one big thing going for him that a large number of others could emulate. He gets the bloody ball.

Todd Viney was a big fan pre-draft. Also worth mentioning that he was a Melbourne supporter, only in that it may help luring a player who otherwise may have no interest in belonging to MFC.

A thread dug from the depths about recruiting? Yep, more negativity. Honestly though, I don't see the point in worrying about the past when it can't be changed. All clubs have made a balls up at some point in their recruiting. It's time to move forward people.

I think shepherding is the most underrated skill. A good block means the player already with the ball can assess his options, take steadying steps and deliver the ball well. Instead we give a stupid one meter handball, (usually stuff that up) to a player in just as much pressure.

Also why would you disenfranchise the heart and soul of your club? It just seems like it's a poorly thought out commentary that could only serve to drive a wedge between the coach/club/players and the supporters.

My God I am so sick of this This is a shining example of just how stupid all you draft revisionists are Black went at pick 31. That means every club overlooked him twice before Brisbane got him But for some reason we 'should' have been able to magically see a champion 31 picks deep If we could just see into the future and pick the best player at every pick we would have won 20 flags in a row FFS and how do you even know if players would have developed in the same way at the MFC? You can't know, nobody can How can your sense of basic reasoning fail you so badly

We should have taken Simon Black ahead of Travis Johnstone 18 years ago too. Who [censored] cares now, it can't be undone. Paul Roos certainly has a case.

does anyone else just laugh/cry when they read things along the lines of them 'fixing problems' at training you've been training and playing for your whole life you were a talented junior and a highly paid professional now as your coaches we are now going to introduce you to concepts such as shepherding, not handballing to a stationary teammate under pressure and putting your body on the line in contests now that they have been clued in on these basics we should see a much better side I suppose if only we had told them about this stuff earlier

I have missed only two Dees games in our city since the late 1950's , both through illness . My late father ( b.1908 ) did much the same . It's just what we do .

I'll be there because I'm an idiot.

It wouldn't be a training report on Demonland without it turning into a thread about Saty.

No wonder you thought we could have gone 8 and 2 to finish the year... Good god, you want the club to have unrealistic internal aims? How would that be helpful? Do you really think that the players hear that they have budgeted and expect 7 wins that they are playing poorly because of it? The inept last two games have only reinforced that the 7 win expectation of the club. We were 2 and 20 before he took over and 4 and 18 last year and you want to have a 'target' of Finals? What is the point of having 'targets' or 'promises' when you are just placating the fan base by having them be so unreachable. He has shipped off 22 players and that will reach 30 this summer. How they hell can they target what you want them to target.