Demonland

HOW SWEET IT IS by the Oracle At long last a win. I've been saying it on a weekly basis for as long as I can remember this year and it finally came true at the G yesterday. With every passing week, a Melbourne victory was getting closer and the Demons' hard-earned 17-point victory against Adelaide was as sweet as they come. It was sweet because in many respects it was a mirror image of last week's one point debacle against the Kangaroos. This time however, it was Melbourne who fought hard to hold the ascendency at the final break. The Demons were at it tooth and nail for the first three quarters as they worked desperately for every touch of the football, tackled hard and tirelessly worked the ball up the ground to their advantage. This time the floodgates opened up in Melbourne's favour with an eight goal second quarter that virtually blew the then third placed Adelaide off the park. And this time, it was the Dees' fans whose hearts fluttered as the opposition made their comeback in the final quarter and it was their own team that went ultra defensive in an attempt to stave off defeat. Even the umpires went about their duties in total contrast to the way in which they officiated last week's game. For the first three quarters, holding the ball had vanished from the rulebook but it came back with a vengeance in the last (to Melbourne's detriment I might add). As far as the hands in the back rule is concerned, it comes and goes into and out of vogue like ladies' fashions. You just never know when it's going to be paid (although in David Neitz' case you don't even have to wonder because he never gets them). A 44 point lead is hard to crack at the best of times and fortunately for the home side it managed to cling on grimly even if it had to produce some really ugly defensive football at the end to effectively deprive the Crows of possession in the final two minutes. Still, given that Neita had already slammed one through from 60 metres out, I don't quite get why he didn't give it a crack after he marked from about that distance out late in the game. Throughout the long weeks when its injury crisis was at its height, we knew Melbourne was going to come good once some semblance of its team could be put together on the park. However, the situation was seemingly becoming more and more desperate as with every player returning from injury, another was falling by the wayside. In recent weeks we've seen the return of David Neitz, Russell Robertson and Brock McLean. Yesterday's inclusions were Matthew Bate, Colin Sylvia and Paul Wheatley. Nevertheless, the injury list at the club still sits at eleven - Clint Bartram, Ryan Ferguson, Ben Holland, Mark Jamar, Brad Miller, Brent Moloney, Jared Rivers, Isaac Weetra, Matthew Whelan, Adem Yze and rookie Daniel Hughes (and you can make the suspended Byron Pickett the twelfth man unavailable). The club's continuing inability to select so many players all made yesterday's win even more meritorious. Although neither Neitz nor Robertson is setting the world on fire, their mere presence has changed the equation on the Demon forward line. Suddenly opposition defences have to hold down two potentially dangerous forwards and this allows others the opportunity to chip in and cause damage. Neita and Robbo are slowly coming good and will cause plenty of headaches to opposition defences from now on. And what a captain's goal that was when the skipper sealed the game in the last quarter? Similarly, Brock McLean's return to the midfield has been an absolute revelation. The cobwebs are still there after his lengthy lay off through injury, but the youngster is all class and his 50th game was typical of what the emerging young future leader brings to the team. And he has a great sidekick in Nathan Jones who improves as each week goes by. Both of these kids are as hard and tough as nails! One of the by products of coming into a game against a top four prospect like Adelaide when you're sitting on a record of 0-9 is that sometimes your opponent will refuse to show you any respect. That's the impression I had of Adelaide, particularly at the start of the game. The Crows looked as if they came to this city carrying a smug disregard of Melbourne's capacity to compete with them. They made little attempt to cover the Demon playmakers and, as a result Brad Green simply ran rampant all day on his way to 37 disposals and 18 marks, some of which were as courageous as they come. Cameron Bruce was also allowed to do as he pleased and he amassed 29 touches and 10 marks. With these two getting their hands on the ball, the team's confidence grew and grew until it was too late for the Crows to readjust to the fact that they were facing disaster. On the other side of the ledger, Melbourne did a good job covering Adelaide's danger men in McLeod, Ricciuto and former Demon Scott Thompson who was restricted to just four kicks and eight handballs by Simon Godfrey, a player who continues to wrack up an impressive list of scalps on his way to his 100th AFL game. Godfrey himself only managed six disposals but he was as tight as the proverbial and he would have relished the fact that he was playing on such a nice guy like Thompson who, unlike some of his recent opponents, resisted the urge to sink his elbow into Godders' orchestra stalls. Then there was Daniel Bell who was simply magnificent and miserly in defence against Scott Welsh who usually destroys Melbourne. The sight of Bell running him down on at least two occasions was a revelation to those who have waited patiently for such a day as this. The young bloke has arrived! If Bell's arrival has been long awaited, what can you say about Paul Wheatley? His game was laced with long accurate disposal: he got the ball 22 times and he provided something that has been missing in Melbourne's make up all season: a player who could move the ball with pace and gain plenty of distance with his kicks. Wheatley, who has endured a couple of years of persistent injury woes, was written off by many at Melbourne but after yesterday, they will have to think again. A couple of youngsters who impressed were 2006 National Draft choices Rickey Petterd and James Frawley who will be looking forward to long and successful careers at the club after each experienced his first victory on the big stage. Next week it's Collingwood in the Queens Birthday clash of rivals. For the first time this season, the Demons will be playing in front of a crowd in excess of 50,000 - in fact it should go well beyond that figure. The Pies are sitting close to the top with a 7-3 record and, based on ladder position, the game looks like a cakewalk for the black and the white. But there is no team in the competition that Melbourne likes beating more than the old enemy and a repeat of yesterday's performance would be equally as sweet. Melbourne 2.3.15 10.5.65 12.10.82 13.11.89 Adelaide 3.1.19 4.5.29 5.8.38 10.12.72 Goals Melbourne Neitz 3 Bate Jones Robertson 2 Bruce Davey Petterd Wheatley Adelaide Porplyzia Ricciuto Stevens 2 Doughty Perrie Torney Welsh. Best Melbourne Green Bruce Bell Wheatley Carroll Jones Adelaide Goodwin Edwards Johncock Doughty Porplyzia Injuries Melbourne Davey (ankle) Adelaide Perrie (shoulder) Reilly (ankle) Umpires Margetts Hendrie Goldspink. Crowd 23,657 at MCG.

Jerry - why not go to The Oracle's Match Review on Demonland? It's a much more level headed and unbiased treatment of the game!

by Sam the Stats Man When decisions are made to give out the duties around here, the powers that be rarely think of me so I was chuffed to learn that after nine straight defeats the gig of previewing Melbourne v Adelaide at the G this week is mine. I learned later that the others had refused to take up the challenge which suggests that my assignment is something of a poisoned chalice. However, I’m delighted to step up to the plate and to take on the task. In view of the fact that Melbourne is taking on one of those upstart new boys on the block from outside Victoria and that our own CEO Steve Harris has weighed into the interstate debate, I thought I would start at exactly that point. Harris is of the view that the non-Victorians have an advantage over the Melbourne based clubs. He has warned that football spending has escalated into an "arms race" with the potential to blow up in the faces of battling Victorian clubs. The fear is that the AFL is at risk of turning into a version of the lop-sided English Premier League where a few rich clubs have dominated the past decade or so. Without wishing to steal Steve's thunder, I want to expand on his theory and go one step beyond the "arms race" and look at another race which has seen Melbourne at such a disadvantage this year – the "legs race"! Whichever way you look at the Melbourne list this season, you'll find that the Demons have been getting it in the legs - stress fractures, hamstrings, groins, ankles, knees and the like. It's a bloody pestilence and they have to do something about it! Earlier this year, the Crows were complaining about their own injury list on account of the fact that they had a few blokes injured in the off-season. In addition, a few of their untried players and rookies were injured but so what? The statistics show that the things are going quite nicely for the Crows in the legs race. Of the 22 players in Saturday's Adelaide team, 18 of them will be lining up for their 10th game this season - an AFL high. One of the 22 is Jonathon Griffin who was virtually ruled out earlier this week with an ankle injury while skipper Mark Mark Ricciuto makes his return after being out since Round 20 last year. On the other hand, with Brad Miller's demise through a wrist injury, Melbourne will field only six who will have played in every game this season - an AFL low! A statistical look at the Melbourne list reveals just how badly the club is faring in the legs race: - BARTRAM, Clint MFC - 1 game 0 goals - after spending almost all summer in rehab recovering from an ankle injury, Bartram was recalled for the opening game of the season and was used sparingly. Injured a knee at training before Round 2 and isn't due back for another two or three weeks. BATE, Matthew MFC - 8 games 6 goals - another late withdrawal from last week's game with a hamstring injury. Pity because he was just starting to show some real confidence and a belief in his capacity to play well at the highest level. BELL, Daniel MFC - 9 games 1 goal - starting to fulfill his early promise and has done some great work week in, week out under extreme pressure in an often beleaguered defence. BIZZELL, Clint MFC - 2 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 4 games 0 goals - after a long period dogged by injury, Biz played his best game in over two years last week against the Kangaroos and helped in nearly getting the team over the line. BODE, Jace ® MFC - SFC Seniors - 2 games 0 goals SFC Reserves - 4 games 1 goal - hasn't really kicked on but is back in the senior team this week. BROWN, Nathan MFC - 8 games 1 goal - gets the ball but sometimes you never know where it's going. Was dropped last week but received some respite due to two late withdrawals. In the twilight of his career. BRUCE, Cameron MFC - 9 games 4 goals - probably close to leading the club's best and fairest without being a world beater this season. Seems to grow in stature when he has other experienced team leaders around him. BUCKLEY, Simon SFC Seniors - 6 games 1 goal – coming along slowly at Sandringham. CARROLL, Nathan MFC - 9 games 0 goals - feeling the pressure in a weak defence but has done some nice things and impressed last week at full back. DAVEY, Aaron MFC - 9 games 8 goals - another player who was completely out of form in the early games but is coming good with a vengeance in recent times. DUNN, Lynden MFC - 6 games 5 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 2 goals - a serious facial injury kept him out of the first couple of rounds and has been hot and cold on return to the Melbourne side and he’s out this week. FERGUSON, Ryan MFC - 2 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 4 games 5 goals - The injury prone defender can't take a trick. Broke a thumb after struggling early against West Coast and will be out for another month. FRAWLEY, James MFC - 1 game 0 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 0 goals SFC Reserves - 1 game 0 goals - was on course for a Round 1 debut until stress fractures in the foot put him out for almost two months. Came back through the Sandy reserves and was concussed in the first quarter and hospitalised. Was then promoted to the seniors at Sandringham and obviously impressed enough to gain further promotion to the AFL where he struggled against the Kangaroos. GARLAND, Colin MFC - 1 game 0 goals SFC Seniors - 5 games 3 goals - was given a cameo role in Sydney but failed to impress and is back in development mode at Sandringham. GODFREY, Simon MFC - 8 games 3 goals - disposal and decision making have improved marginally and he has been terrific as the hardworking tagger. Closing in on 100 games which would be a tribute to his work ethic and one that others with more talent could well take note of his determination to play the game at the highest level. GREEN, Brad MFC - 7 games 8 goals - an average season. Was taken apart by Shannon Grant against the Kangaroos and look better when he went forward. HAYES, Daniel ® - was unable to train due to personal reasons and suspended from playing. Picked this week for the Zebra reserves. HOLLAND, Ben MFC - 4 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 3 games 1 goal - struggles at AFL level where he doesn't have the agility or accurate disposal to hurt the opposition in any way. Dropped this week. HUGHES, Daniel ® SFC Seniors - 4 games 5 goals SFC Reserves - 2 games 4 goals - showing some promise with the Zebras. JAMAR, Mark MFC - 5 games 3 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 0 goals - just went as the second ruckman before he was dropped to Sandringham where he suffered a hamstring injury and has missed the past two or three weeks. JOHNSON, Chris MFC - 3 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 4 games 2 goals - failed to come up after a stellar pre season but has played some impressive football at Sandringham. JOHNSON, Paul MFC - 7 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 1 goal - grabbed the opportunity in the absence of Mark Jamar and now seems to have a firm hold on the second ruck position. JOHNSTONE, Travis MFC - 8 games 4 goals - has been strongly tagged in a few games but is slowly working his way into form after a sluggish start. JONES, Nathan MFC - 8 games 3 goals - missed just one game with injury and is a definite rising star among the Demon young guns. McDONALD, James MFC - 9 games 2 goals - struggling to uphold the high standard he set in 2006 but nevertheless has been a valuable player and one of the few who has taken part in all nine games. McLEAN, Brock MFC - 2 games 0 goals - another early season casualty, McLean fractured a foot in the opening round but showed his worth with a 22 possession game on return with limited ground time. MILLER, Brad MFC - 9 games 7 goals - hasn't really set the world on fire and really struggled when the other guns of the forward line were absent. A wrist injury this week means that Miller will be absent. MOLONEY, Brent MFC - 6 games 4 goals - returned after an injury wracked 2006 and was probably close to Melbourne's best until a recurrence of groin problems took its toll. Still a week or two away. NEAVES, Shane ® SFC Seniors - 6 games 0 goals - continues to impress as a developing ruckman at Sandringham. NEITZ, David MFC - 6 games 12 goals - averaging two goals a game but missed a few with a knee injury and has taken a while to come good after his return a few weeks ago. NEVILLE, Heath MFC - SFC Reserves - 6 games 2 goals - languishing in the VFL reserves but gets his chance this week at senior VFL level. NEWTON, Michael MFC - SFC Seniors - 6 games 16 goals - has been freakish at Sandringham, kicking bags of six and five goals but still struggles to break into the AFL. What are they waiting for? PETTERD, Ricky MFC - 4 games 2 goals SFC Seniors - 3 games 1 goal - a breath of fresh air, this young recruit has shown enormous poise and ability in his debut season. Hasn't missed out on the club's injury plague either as he missed the Round 7 game v Western Bulldogs with a hammy. PICKETT, Byron MFC - 3 games 1 goals SFC Seniors - 3 games 4 goals - came into the season unfit, overweight and with family problems. Currently under suspension and confined to Sandringham for a couple of weeks after an indiscretion on the eve of the Bulldogs' game. RIVERS, Jared MFC - 3 games 0 goals - a succession of injuries continues to keep Melbourne's best and most talented defender out of the team. ROBERTSON, Russell MFC - 3 games 7 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 4 goals - suffered a knee injury late in the Round 2 game against Hawthorn and returned last week with a three goal performance that helped to livened up a forward line that has been virtually comatose for much of the year. SYLVIA, Colin MFC - 5 games 6 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 3 goals - was just starting to show the form that made him a high draft pick when a hamstring injury kept him out of the Kangaroos game. WARD, Daniel MFC - 7 games 1 goal SFC Seniors - 2 games 0 goals - has seized his opportunities with vacancies caused in defence due to injuries and loss of form but his delivery and decision making is a problem. WARNOCK, Matthew MFC - 2 games 1 goal SFC Seniors - 4 games 0 goals - has shown some glimpses of form at AFL level but still unable to grab a regular spot in the red and blue. WEETRA, Isaac MFC - SFC Reserves - 1 game 0 goals - injured hamstring during the preseason and was due to return when it went again. When he recovered from that injury, Weetra broke his wrist first up in the Zebra twos. WHEATLEY, Paul MFC - 3 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 0 goals - injuries have curtailed his season, the latest being a shoulder problem. WHELAN, Matthew MFC - 5 games 0 goals - an early casualty in Round 1 after a clash of heads with Luke Ball and has missed recently with a foot injury. Can't seem to stay on the park with regularity and his absences are hurting the team. WHITE, Jeff MFC - 9 games 4 goals - has been hot and cold this season and is finding things tougher against the bigger opponents but still capable of some good football and still holding down the number 1 ruck position. YZE, Adem MFC - 7 games 4 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 2 goals - - missed selection in Round 2 to end a remarkable run of 226 consecutive matches dating back a decade. Fought his way back into the team and played some good games before he was a late withdrawal from the Demons' team that lost to the Kangaroos by a point last week with a groin injury. Will miss again this week against Adelaide. In all, the Demons have tried 36 players this year (ten more than Adelaide) and, of the remaining four listed players, there’s a fair chance that Simon Buckley and Michael Newton will eventually get a run in Melbourne colours at some time later this year. That is, if their legs can keep them in the race for a game. THE GAME: Melbourne v. Adelaide at the MCG – 2 June 2007 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD: Overall: Melbourne 8 wins Adelaide 16 wins At the G: Melbourne 4 wins Adelaide 4 wins Since 2000: Melbourne 3 wins Adelaide 8 wins The Coaches: Daniher 1 wins Craig 4 wins MEDIA: TV Channel 10 at 3pm (delayed telecast) RADIO MMM 3AW 774ABC THE BETTING: Melbourne to win $2.95 Adelaide to win $1.35 LAST TIME THEY MET: Adelaide 23.14.152 d Melbourne 14.10.94, Round 22, 2006, at AAMI Stadium. This was the game that really destroyed Melbourne's season. The Demons turned up chock full of confidence playing an injury ravaged and out of form Adelaide side that was on the skids. The Crows gave the Demons a hammering from start to finish. Clint Bartram damaged his ankle early and Brock McLean was reported for making head high contact. David Neitz booted five goals but the rest were lamentable and the Crows, with Welsh and Goodwin running rampant had the easiest of ins to tune up for the finals series. It was one of the pathetic displays at an interstate venue that probably convinced the powers that be in the football department that the team needed to adopt the "run and carry" style of game that has been a feature of Melbourne's season to date. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Daniel Ward Nathan Carroll Ricky Petterd Half backs James Frawley Clint Bizzell Daniel Bell Centreline Travis Johnstone James McDonald Aaron Davey Half forwards Brad Green Russell Robertson Cameron Bruce Forwards Colin Sylvia David Neitz Matthew Bate Followers Jeff White Simon Godfrey Nathan Jones Interchange Nathan Brown Paul Johnson Brock McLean Paul Wheatley Emergencies Lynden Dunn Ben Holland Chris Johnson In Matthew Bate Colin Sylvia Paul Wheatley Out Brad Miller (wrist) Lynden Dunn Ben Holland ADELAIDE Backs Martin Mattner Ben Rutten Nathan Bassett Half backs Andrew McLeod Scott Stevens Jason Torney Centreline Michael Doughty Robert Shirley Nathan van Berlo Half forwards Simon Goodwin Nathan Bock Chris Knights Forwards Scott Welsh Ian Perrie Mark Ricciuto Followers Ben Hudson Scott Thompson Tyson Edwards Interchange Jonathon Griffin Graham Johncock Jason Porplyzia Brent Reilly Emergencies Luke Jericho Ken McGregor Kris Massie In Mark Ricciuto Out Luke Jericho Umpires Margetts Hendrie Goldspink How do you think the 0-9 Demons are going to fare against 6-3 Crows? The bookies have decided that it is not going to be pleasant. They have Melbourne at $2.95 to win a two horse race on their own home ground but to my mind (and speaking statistically of course) it's not always wise to ignore home ground advantage. Melbourne and Adelaide have met five times since Neil Craig took over the helm of the Crows late in 2004. Strangely enough (and fitting in with the Harris theory of non Victorian club advantage), four of those games have been held in a state other than Victoria. Three of the games were played at AAMI Stadium and one at Carrara last year when Adelaide fell in by 5 points after a goal umpire judged that Aaron Davey had failed to touch a shot for goal before it crossed the goal line. The other game played in 2005 at the MCG was Neale Daniher's only triumph over Craig. I'm tipping him to do it again this Saturday. Home ground advantage however, is not the overriding factor. I believe the Crows are overrated and I say this because I say them struggle to win against a talentless Carlton at the Dome last week and indeed, it was the talent of a former Demon in Scott Thompson that got them over the line. You might argue that the Demons are equally talentless given that we're now into Round 10 and they haven't broken the ice yet but, as my statistical analysis of the team has shown, they've been pretty stiff with injury. Despite losing players on a regular basis to the leg race, I think the team selected for this week is the best that the Demons have put on the park all year. With Neitz and Robertson together showing some semblance of form on the forward line, the return of Matthew Bate and Colin Sylvia gives the Melbourne attack some potency that has been missing all season. Brock McLean has a game under his belt after his two month absence and with Nathan Jones improving in front of our eyes in the midfield, the Demons are moving in the right direction. I'm very confident of a Melbourne win at home. And if the Dees get up by the 10 point margin I predict, then I'll really be chuffed.

CHUFFED by Sam the Stats Man When decisions are made to give out the duties around here, the powers that be rarely think of me so I was chuffed to learn that after nine straight defeats the gig of previewing Melbourne v Adelaide at the G this week is mine. I learned later that the others had refused to take up the challenge which suggests that my assignment is something of a poisoned chalice. However, I’m delighted to step up to the plate and to take on the task. In view of the fact that Melbourne is taking on one of those upstart new boys on the block from outside Victoria and that our own CEO Steve Harris has weighed into the interstate debate, I thought I would start at exactly that point. Harris is of the view that the non-Victorians have an advantage over the Melbourne based clubs. He has warned that football spending has escalated into an "arms race" with the potential to blow up in the faces of battling Victorian clubs. The fear is that the AFL is at risk of turning into a version of the lop-sided English Premier League where a few rich clubs have dominated the past decade or so. Without wishing to steal Steve's thunder, I want to expand on his theory and go one step beyond the "arms race" and look at another race which has seen Melbourne at such a disadvantage this year – the "legs race"! Whichever way you look at the Melbourne list this season, you'll find that the Demons have been getting it in the legs - stress fractures, hamstrings, groins, ankles, knees and the like. It's a bloody pestilence and they have to do something about it! Earlier this year, the Crows were complaining about their own injury list on account of the fact that they had a few blokes injured in the off-season. In addition, a few of their untried players and rookies were injured but so what? The statistics show that the things are going quite nicely for the Crows in the legs race. Of the 22 players in Saturday's Adelaide team, 18 of them will be lining up for their 10th game this season - an AFL high. One of the 22 is Jonathon Griffin who was virtually ruled out earlier this week with an ankle injury while skipper Mark Mark Ricciuto makes his return after being out since Round 20 last year. On the other hand, with Brad Miller's demise through a wrist injury, Melbourne will field only six who will have played in every game this season - an AFL low! A statistical look at the Melbourne list reveals just how badly the club is faring in the legs race: - BARTRAM, Clint MFC - 1 game 0 goals - after spending almost all summer in rehab recovering from an ankle injury, Bartram was recalled for the opening game of the season and was used sparingly. Injured a knee at training before Round 2 and isn't due back for another two or three weeks. BATE, Matthew MFC - 8 games 6 goals - another late withdrawal from last week's game with a hamstring injury. Pity because he was just starting to show some real confidence and a belief in his capacity to play well at the highest level. BELL, Daniel MFC - 9 games 1 goal - starting to fulfill his early promise and has done some great work week in, week out under extreme pressure in an often beleaguered defence. BIZZELL, Clint MFC - 2 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 4 games 0 goals - after a long period dogged by injury, Biz played his best game in over two years last week against the Kangaroos and helped in nearly getting the team over the line. BODE, Jace ® MFC - SFC Seniors - 2 games 0 goals SFC Reserves - 4 games 1 goal - hasn't really kicked on but is back in the senior team this week. BROWN, Nathan MFC - 8 games 1 goal - gets the ball but sometimes you never know where it's going. Was dropped last week but received some respite due to two late withdrawals. In the twilight of his career. BRUCE, Cameron MFC - 9 games 4 goals - probably close to leading the club's best and fairest without being a world beater this season. Seems to grow in stature when he has other experienced team leaders around him.BUCKLEY, Simon SFC Seniors - 6 games 1 goal – coming along slowly at Sandringham. CARROLL, Nathan MFC - 9 games 0 goals - feeling the pressure in a weak defence but has done some nice things and impressed last week at full back. DAVEY, Aaron MFC - 9 games 8 goals - another player who was completely out of form in the early games but is coming good with a vengeance in recent times. DUNN, Lynden MFC - 6 games 5 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 2 goals - a serious facial injury kept him out of the first couple of rounds and has been hot and cold on return to the Melbourne side and he’s out this week. FERGUSON, Ryan MFC - 2 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 4 games 5 goals - The injury prone defender can't take a trick. Broke a thumb after struggling early against West Coast and will be out for another month. FRAWLEY, James MFC - 1 game 0 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 0 goals SFC Reserves - 1 game 0 goals - was on course for a Round 1 debut until stress fractures in the foot put him out for almost two months. Came back through the Sandy reserves and was concussed in the first quarter and hospitalised. Was then promoted to the seniors at Sandringham and obviously impressed enough to gain further promotion to the AFL where he struggled against the Kangaroos. GARLAND, Colin MFC - 1 game 0 goals SFC Seniors - 5 games 3 goals - was given a cameo role in Sydney but failed to impress and is back in development mode at Sandringham. GODFREY, Simon MFC - 8 games 3 goals - disposal and decision making have improved marginally and he has been terrific as the hardworking tagger. Closing in on 100 games which would be a tribute to his work ethic and one that others with more talent could well take note of his determination to play the game at the highest level. GREEN, Brad MFC - 7 games 8 goals - an average season. Was taken apart by Shannon Grant against the Kangaroos and look better when he went forward. HAYES, Daniel ® - was unable to train due to personal reasons and suspended from playing. Picked this week for the Zebra reserves. HOLLAND, Ben MFC - 4 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 3 games 1 goal - struggles at AFL level where he doesn't have the agility or accurate disposal to hurt the opposition in any way. Dropped this week. HUGHES, Daniel ® SFC Seniors - 4 games 5 goals SFC Reserves - 2 games 4 goals - showing some promise with the Zebras. JAMAR, Mark MFC - 5 games 3 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 0 goals - just went as the second ruckman before he was dropped to Sandringham where he suffered a hamstring injury and has missed the past two or three weeks. JOHNSON, Chris MFC - 3 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 4 games 2 goals - failed to come up after a stellar pre season but has played some impressive football at Sandringham. JOHNSON, Paul MFC - 7 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 1 goal - grabbed the opportunity in the absence of Mark Jamar and now seems to have a firm hold on the second ruck position. JOHNSTONE, Travis MFC - 8 games 4 goals - has been strongly tagged in a few games but is slowly working his way into form after a sluggish start. JONES, Nathan MFC - 8 games 3 goals - missed just one game with injury and is a definite rising star among the Demon young guns. McDONALD, James MFC - 9 games 2 goals - struggling to uphold the high standard he set in 2006 but nevertheless has been a valuable player and one of the few who has taken part in all nine games. McLEAN, Brock MFC - 2 games 0 goals - another early season casualty, McLean fractured a foot in the opening round but showed his worth with a 22 possession game on return with limited ground time. MILLER, Brad MFC - 9 games 7 goals - hasn't really set the world on fire and really struggled when the other guns of the forward line were absent. A wrist injury this week means that Miller will be absent. MOLONEY, Brent MFC - 6 games 4 goals - returned after an injury wracked 2006 and was probably close to Melbourne's best until a recurrence of groin problems took its toll. Still a week or two away. NEAVES, Shane ® SFC Seniors - 6 games 0 goals - continues to impress as a developing ruckman at Sandringham. NEITZ, David MFC - 6 games 12 goals - averaging two goals a game but missed a few with a knee injury and has taken a while to come good after his return a few weeks ago. NEVILLE, Heath MFC - SFC Reserves - 6 games 2 goals - languishing in the VFL reserves but gets his chance this week at senior VFL level. NEWTON, Michael MFC - SFC Seniors - 6 games 16 goals - has been freakish at Sandringham, kicking bags of six and five goals but still struggles to break into the AFL. What are they waiting for? PETTERD, Ricky MFC - 4 games 2 goals SFC Seniors - 3 games 1 goal - a breath of fresh air, this young recruit has shown enormous poise and ability in his debut season. Hasn't missed out on the club's injury plague either as he missed the Round 7 game v Western Bulldogs with a hammy. PICKETT, Byron MFC - 3 games 1 goals SFC Seniors - 3 games 4 goals - came into the season unfit, overweight and with family problems. Currently under suspension and confined to Sandringham for a couple of weeks after an indiscretion on the eve of the Bulldogs' game. RIVERS, Jared MFC - 3 games 0 goals - a succession of injuries continues to keep Melbourne's best and most talented defender out of the team. ROBERTSON, Russell MFC - 3 games 7 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 4 goals - suffered a knee injury late in the Round 2 game against Hawthorn and returned last week with a three goal performance that helped to livened up a forward line that has been virtually comatose for much of the year. SYLVIA, Colin MFC - 5 games 6 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 3 goals - was just starting to show the form that made him a high draft pick when a hamstring injury kept him out of the Kangaroos game. WARD, Daniel MFC - 7 games 1 goal SFC Seniors - 2 games 0 goals - has seized his opportunities with vacancies caused in defence due to injuries and loss of form but his delivery and decision making is a problem. WARNOCK, Matthew MFC - 2 games 1 goal SFC Seniors - 4 games 0 goals - has shown some glimpses of form at AFL level but still unable to grab a regular spot in the red and blue. WEETRA, Isaac MFC - SFC Reserves - 1 game 0 goals - injured hamstring during the preseason and was due to return when it went again. When he recovered from that injury, Weetra broke his wrist first up in the Zebra twos. WHEATLEY, Paul MFC - 3 games 0 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 0 goals - injuries have curtailed his season, the latest being a shoulder problem. WHELAN, Matthew MFC - 5 games 0 goals - an early casualty in Round 1 after a clash of heads with Luke Ball and has missed recently with a foot injury. Can't seem to stay on the park with regularity and his absences are hurting the team. WHITE, Jeff MFC - 9 games 4 goals - has been hot and cold this season and is finding things tougher against the bigger opponents but still capable of some good football and still holding down the number 1 ruck position. YZE, Adem MFC - 7 games 4 goals SFC Seniors - 1 game 2 goals - - missed selection in Round 2 to end a remarkable run of 226 consecutive matches dating back a decade. Fought his way back into the team and played some good games before he was a late withdrawal from the Demons' team that lost to the Kangaroos by a point last week with a groin injury. Will miss again this week against Adelaide. In all, the Demons have tried 36 players this year (ten more than Adelaide) and, of the remaining four listed players, there’s a fair chance that Simon Buckley and Michael Newton will eventually get a run in Melbourne colours at some time later this year. That is, if their legs can keep them in the race for a game. THE GAME: Melbourne v. Adelaide at the MCG – 2 June 2007 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD: Overall: Melbourne 8 wins Adelaide 16 wins At the G: Melbourne 4 wins Adelaide 4 wins Since 2000: Melbourne 3 wins Adelaide 8 wins The Coaches: Daniher 1 wins Craig 4 wins MEDIA: TV Channel 10 at 3pm (delayed telecast) RADIO MMM 3AW 774ABC THE BETTING: Melbourne to win $2.95 Adelaide to win $1.35 LAST TIME THEY MET: Adelaide 23.14.152 d Melbourne 14.10.94, Round 22, 2006, at AAMI Stadium. This was the game that really destroyed Melbourne's season. The Demons turned up chock full of confidence playing an injury ravaged and out of form Adelaide side that was on the skids. The Crows gave the Demons a hammering from start to finish. Clint Bartram damaged his ankle early and Brock McLean was reported for making head high contact. David Neitz booted five goals but the rest were lamentable and the Crows, with Welsh and Goodwin running rampant had the easiest of ins to tune up for the finals series. It was one of the pathetic displays at an interstate venue that probably convinced the powers that be in the football department that the team needed to adopt the "run and carry" style of game that has been a feature of Melbourne's season to date. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Daniel Ward Nathan Carroll Ricky Petterd Half backs James Frawley Clint Bizzell Daniel Bell Centreline Travis Johnstone James McDonald Aaron Davey Half forwards Brad Green Russell Robertson Cameron Bruce Forwards Colin Sylvia David Neitz Matthew Bate Followers Jeff White Simon Godfrey Nathan Jones Interchange Nathan Brown Paul Johnson Brock McLean Paul Wheatley Emergencies Lynden Dunn Ben Holland Chris Johnson In Matthew Bate Colin Sylvia Paul Wheatley Out Brad Miller (wrist) Lynden Dunn Ben Holland ADELAIDE Backs Martin Mattner Ben Rutten Nathan Bassett Half backs Andrew McLeod Scott Stevens Jason Torney Centreline Michael Doughty Robert Shirley Nathan van Berlo Half forwards Simon Goodwin Nathan Bock Chris Knights Forwards Scott Welsh Ian Perrie Mark Ricciuto Followers Ben Hudson Scott Thompson Tyson Edwards Interchange Jonathon Griffin Graham Johncock Jason Porplyzia Brent Reilly Emergencies Luke Jericho Ken McGregor Kris Massie In Mark Ricciuto Out Luke Jericho Umpires Margetts Hendrie Goldspink How do you think the 0-9 Demons are going to fare against 6-3 Crows? The bookies have decided that it is not going to be pleasant. They have Melbourne at $2.95 to win a two horse race on their own home ground but to my mind (and speaking statistically of course) it's not always wise to ignore home ground advantage. Melbourne and Adelaide have met five times since Neil Craig took over the helm of the Crows late in 2004. Strangely enough (and fitting in with the Harris theory of non Victorian club advantage), four of those games have been held in a state other than Victoria. Three of the games were played at AAMI Stadium and one at Carrara last year when Adelaide fell in by 5 points after a goal umpire judged that Aaron Davey had failed to touch a shot for goal before it crossed the goal line. The other game played in 2005 at the MCG was Neale Daniher's only triumph over Craig. I'm tipping him to do it again this Saturday. Home ground advantage however, is not the overriding factor. I believe the Crows are overrated and I say this because I say them struggle to win against a talentless Carlton at the Dome last week and indeed, it was the talent of a former Demon in Scott Thompson that got them over the line. You might argue that the Demons are equally talentless given that we're now into Round 10 and they haven't broken the ice yet but, as my statistical analysis of the team has shown, they've been pretty stiff with injury. Despite losing players on a regular basis to the leg race, I think the team selected for this week is the best that the Demons have put on the park all year. With Neitz and Robertson together showing some semblance of form on the forward line, the return of Matthew Bate and Colin Sylvia gives the Melbourne attack some potency that has been missing all season. Brock McLean has a game under his belt after his two month absence and with Nathan Jones improving in front of our eyes in the midfield, the Demons are moving in the right direction. I'm very confident of a Melbourne win at home. And if the Dees get up by the 10 point margin I predict, then I'll really be chuffed.

THE CIRCLE GAME by Whispering Jack "We're captive on the carousel of time We can't return, we can only look behind From where we came And go round and round and round In the circle game." Joni Mitchell - The Circle Game The first hour and three quarters of Sunday's Melbourne v Kangaroos game at the MCG evoked memories of the message contained in the supple chorus of this classic folk song written in another generation by a singer/songwriter who would be unknown to good many of those in the crowd. That however, did not prevent me from wondering how was it possible that this young Canadian woman, writing in the 1960's (and in all probability breathing in the smoky fog-like mist that was so reminiscent of the times) could have so accurately predicted how the Demons would play out the first three quarters of a game of football some forty years in the future? What's that you say - can't understand what I'm talking about? Well, if that's the case, then you didn't live through the sixties and you probably weren't at the game on Sunday either. It was simply apalling what the Melbourne team was able to do on the football field while playing the Circle Game. It wasn't as if the Kangaroos were any good either, because they weren't (any good). It was just that while Melbourne fiddled around with the football, playing on when they should have gone back for a kick, taking their time when they should have been playing on, handballing at the feet of players who weren't moving or expecting to receive the handball or just plain stuffing things up. The skipper started it when his opening shot for goal from the Andrew Swallow flank went right across the goals and out of bounds. Travis Johnstone's snap hit the post before Robbo showed how it was done and then Nathan Jones ran into goal but missed. After ten minutes on top, the Demons allowed two easy goals to Corey Jones (one from a stupid free) and within thirty seconds, the lead had evaporated. There was a momentary respite when what looked to be a Robbo miskick found the skipper for a goal but then the Kangaroos' more direct play gave them a handy little lead at quarter time. The second quarter belonged to Shannon Grant who for some strange reason was being looked after by Brad Green and the umpires. His four goals for the quarter was more than the difference between the teams. Melbourne was as ragged as it has possibly ever been - its players running around in circles, giving away needless free kicks by failing to recognise the umpring trend (which was to ping the bloke at the bottom of the pack for holding the ball every time). I seem to remember it was at some stage in this quarter that Jess Sinclair got hold of the footy in the centre of the ground and he did something incredible. He sunk the boot into it and it landed on a pack within ten to fifteen metres from goal. Grant snaffled up the loose ball and goaled. You would have thought that the Demon players might have taken the hint from that example but it was not to be the case. They just kept going round and round and round. Thankfully, a late goal on the half time siren to Robbo gave the supporters some heart as they marched off to play their own circle game looking for a place where they could by some pies and chips without having to mortgage the house in the process. After the break it was more of the same but it was even worse because both sides were now infested with the fuglies. They say that your ineptitude can rub off on others around you and, in the case of this game, it certainly did that with the Kangaroos developing the kicking yips; it was only Grant's fifth goal that kept the crowd awake. That and some strong defensive play from Nathan Carroll who was great taking some strong contested marks but somewhat lackadaisical with his kicking. Surely he hadn't been breathing Joni Mitchell's air? During the three quarter time break I sensed that certain Demon fans were already deserting the ground but I turned to my neighbour rather unconvincingly told him that "we can still win this if we stop going around in circles and start playing a bit more direct." He nodded in agreement but, when the Roos kicked the first goal of the quarter, I felt my optimisism might have lacked some credibility in his eyes. I would have asked him if that was the case but, by the time I thought of it he had already left the ground clutching his return train ticket in his hands and muttering swear words below his breath no doubt. I suppose that it was just then that the carousel turned and Melbourne forgot about the run and carry and tempo and shmempo and started playing football just like it was doing at this time last year and, in the space of a quarter of an hour, it had seemingly turned its season on its head with seven unanswered goals. A lead of six points with time running out and the Kangaroos appearing to be out of puff. One more foray into the forward line would have done it. A single point could possibly have been enough but it wasn't to be. A few years ago, Andrew Swallow was considered a likely first round draft selection until the recruiting community decided he couldn't kick if his life depended on it. The Kangaroos took him in the forties and the kid who supposedly couldn't kick managed to sink the ball with the exact pinpoint accuracy and over the precise distance required to clear the goals by a poofteenth before it was touched by Nathan Carroll’s outstretched fingers. That was enough to deprive Melbourne of its first victory of the season. After the game, coach Neale Daniher lamented the fact that his team was unable to keep possession on the last point kick-in when there was a little over a minute or so to go before the siren. The Reverend was trying to be poetic and philosophical after the game when he said, "Footy sucks sometimes." It sure does, but he should leave the poetic stuff to experts like Joni Mitchell, forget about the Circle Game and concentrate on getting his team to play as it did in that final quarter throughout every game and during every week. Melbourne 2.4.16 4.8.32 4.10.34 11.12.78 Kangaroos 3.5.23 7.7.49 8.14.62 10.19.79 Goals Melbourne Neitz 4 Robertson 3 Bruce 2 Green Jones Kangaroos Grant 5 Jones 2 Campbell Swallow Thomas Best Melbourne Bruce Jones Bell McDonald Carroll McLean Neitz Bizzell Kangaroos Grant Simpson Harvey Sinclair Petrie Swallow Gibson Rawlings Injuries Melbourne Nil Kangaroos Nil Reports Nil Changes Melbourne Bate (hamstring) replaced in selected side by McLean. Yze (groin) replaced in selected side by Brown Kangaroos Watt replaced in selected side by Hale. Umpires McLaren Kamolins Pannell Crowd 30,662 at MCG

by Whispering Jack "We're captive on the carousel of time We can't return, we can only look behind From where we came And go round and round and round In the circle game." Joni Mitchell - The Circle Game The first hour and three quarters of Sunday's Melbourne v Kangaroos game at the MCG evoked memories of the message contained in the supple chorus of this classic folk song written in another generation by a singer/songwriter who would be unknown to good many of those in the crowd. That however, did not prevent me from wondering how was it possible that this young Canadian woman, writing in the 1960's (and in all probability breathing in the smoky fog-like mist that was so reminiscent of the times) could have so accurately predicted how the Demons would play out the first three quarters of a game of football some forty years in the future? What's that you say - can't understand what I'm talking about? Well, if that's the case, then you didn't live through the sixties and you probably weren't at the game on Sunday either. It was simply apalling what the Melbourne team was able to do on the football field while playing the Circle Game. It wasn't as if the Kangaroos were any good either, because they weren't (any good). It was just that while Melbourne fiddled around with the football, playing on when they should have gone back for a kick, taking their time when they should have been playing on, handballing at the feet of players who weren't moving or expecting to receive the handball or just plain stuffing things up. The skipper started it when his opening shot for goal from the Andrew Swallow flank went right across the goals and out of bounds. Travis Johnstone's snap hit the post before Robbo showed how it was done and then Nathan Jones ran into goal but missed. After ten minutes on top, the Demons allowed two easy goals to Corey Jones (one from a stupid free) and within thirty seconds, the lead had evaporated. There was a momentary respite when what looked to be a Robbo miskick found the skipper for a goal but then the Kangaroos' more direct play gave them a handy little lead at quarter time. The second quarter belonged to Shannon Grant who for some strange reason was being looked after by Brad Green and the umpires. His four goals for the quarter was more than the difference between the teams. Melbourne was as ragged as it has possibly ever been - its players running around in circles, giving away needless free kicks by failing to recognise the umpring trend (which was to ping the bloke at the bottom of the pack for holding the ball every time). I seem to remember it was at some stage in this quarter that Jess Sinclair got hold of the footy in the centre of the ground and he did something incredible. He sunk the boot into it and it landed on a pack within ten to fifteen metres from goal. Grant snaffled up the loose ball and goaled. You would have thought that the Demon players might have taken the hint from that example but it was not to be the case. They just kept going round and round and round. Thankfully, a late goal on the half time siren to Robbo gave the supporters some heart as they marched off to play their own circle game looking for a place where they could by some pies and chips without having to mortgage the house in the process. After the break it was more of the same but it was even worse because both sides were now infested with the fuglies. They say that your ineptitude can rub off on others around you and, in the case of this game, it certainly did that with the Kangaroos developing the kicking yips; it was only Grant's fifth goal that kept the crowd awake. That and some strong defensive play from Nathan Carroll who was great taking some strong contested marks but somewhat lackadaisical with his kicking. Surely he hadn't been breathing Joni Mitchell's air? During the three quarter time break I sensed that certain Demon fans were already deserting the ground but I turned to my neighbour rather unconvincingly told him that "we can still win this if we stop going around in circles and start playing a bit more direct." He nodded in agreement but, when the Roos kicked the first goal of the quarter, I felt my optimisism might have lacked some credibility in his eyes. I would have asked him if that was the case but, by the time I thought of it he had already left the ground clutching his return train ticket in his hands and muttering swear words below his breath no doubt. I suppose that it was just then that the carousel turned and Melbourne forgot about the run and carry and tempo and shmempo and started playing football just like it was doing at this time last year and, in the space of a quarter of an hour, it had seemingly turned its season on its head with seven unanswered goals. A lead of six points with time running out and the Kangaroos appearing to be out of puff. One more foray into the forward line would have done it. A single point could possibly have been enough but it wasn't to be. A few years ago, Andrew Swallow was considered a likely first round draft selection until the recruiting community decided he couldn't kick if his life depended on it. The Kangaroos took him in the forties and the kid who supposedly couldn't kick managed to sink the ball with the exact pinpoint accuracy and over the precise distance required to clear the goals by a poofteenth before it was touched by Nathan Carroll’s outstretched fingers. That was enough to deprive Melbourne of its first victory of the season. After the game, coach Neale Daniher lamented the fact that his team was unable to keep possession on the last point kick-in when there was a little over a minute or so to go before the siren. The Reverend was trying to be poetic and philosophical after the game when he said, "Footy sucks sometimes." It sure does, but he should leave the poetic stuff to experts like Joni Mitchell, forget about the Circle Game and concentrate on getting his team to play as it did in that final quarter throughout every game and during every week. Melbourne 2.4.16 4.8.32 4.10.34 11.12.78 Kangaroos 3.5.23 7.7.49 8.14.62 10.19.79 Goals Melbourne Neitz 4 Robertson 3 Bruce 2 Green Jones Kangaroos Grant 5 Jones 2 Campbell Swallow Thomas Best Melbourne Bruce Jones Bell McDonald Carroll McLean Neitz Bizzell Kangaroos Grant Simpson Harvey Sinclair Petrie Swallow Gibson Rawlings Injuries Melbourne Nil Kangaroos Nil Reports Nil Changes Melbourne Bate (hamstring) replaced in selected side by McLean. Yze (groin) replaced in selected side by Brown Kangaroos Watt replaced in selected side by Hale. Umpires McLaren Kamolins Pannell Crowd 30,662 at MCG

Standings after round 9 :- 49. Cameron Bruce 48. Aaron Davey 44. Nathan Jones 39. James McDonald 35. Brent Moloney 34. Travis Johnstone 31. Jeff White 28. Daniel Bell Brad Green Colin Sylvia 26. Simon Godfrey 24. Adem Yze 20. Brad Miller 19. Daniel Bell 18. Jared Rivers 17. Matthew Bate Ricky Petterd 16. David Neitz 15. Nathan Brown 13. Clint Bizzell Ben Holland 11. Russell Robertson 7. Nathan Carroll 3. Daniel Ward 2. Paul Johnson 1. Lynden Dunn

1. (1) 46 Whispering_Jack 2. (3) 45 Clyde_Cabbie 2. (1) 45 Demonland 2. (6) 45 great_gatsby 5. (3) 44 canberrademon(herb) 5. (6) 44 deanox 5. (6) 44 demon_davey 8. (19) 43 frangas 8. (6) 43 Scoop Junior 8. (6) 43 TimDees 11. (6) 42 Alpha_33 11. (6) 42 bl3281 11. (14) 42 DeMoNiC 11. (3) 42 paliosiana 11. (6) 42 petejh2000 16. (19) 41 BigKev Demon 16. (16) 41 Go_Ds 16. (14) 41 KrazyJay 16. (19) 41 Pinball_Wizard 16. (19) 41 slamevil 21. (24) 40 deesthisyear 21. (16) 40 snarler_0 23. (16) 39 dee'viator 24. (23) 38 achirnside 24. (26) 38 Goodvibes 24. (26) 38 Rivers Run Red 27. (29) 37 Jackieboy_0 28. (24) 36 Kieranbj 29. (26) 35 demon_fanatic 29. (32) 35 rusty_corner 31. (29) 34 Dees_Fan16 32. (31) 32 Fingers Power 33. (33) 31 Dappadan 34. (34) 29 No Cigar 35. (35) 25 melon22 36. (36) 24 jaded24 37. (37) 20 CarnTheDees 38. (38) 16 rusty_kingswood

OVER THE RAINBOW by The Oracle The last time I wrote a preview of a Melbourne game, I noted that we were into the month of May and the Demons had yet to break their duck for the 2007 season. That was a few weeks ago when they were preparing to take on one of the top teams in the competition in Port Adelaide. Today we are closing in on the end of the month and nothing's changed except for the fact that the defeats keep piling up. We're sitting on 0-8 and nearing the point in time when supporters are beginning to wonder if it's worth winning matches at all because there's the reward of a top four draft pick somewhere over the rainbow at the end of the season. The club has been everywhere but on the winning list so far this season and the place where it has most resided is in hell because just about everything that can go wrong goes worse than we expected. Judging by this week's team changes with a further three injury caused omissions, there's no pot of gold to won anywhere for the Melbourne Football Club they way it's travelling at the moment. On Sunday at the MCG, the Demons will be wearing black armbands over the loss of former Club Director Peter Hayes whose tragic and unfortunate passing just about sums up the sort of season we, as a club, have been having. I say this without wishing to diminish the meaning of a loss of life but it is a fact that many of us are pretty passionate about our team and what's been happening hurts. Our condolences go out to Peter's family and let's hope that things will finally turn around for Neale Daniher, his team and all of us at the Melbourne Football Club when the boys run out to face the Kangaroos. THE GAME: Melbourne v. Kangaroos at the MCG – 27 May 2007 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD: Overall: Melbourne 83 wins Kangaroos 59 wins 1 draw At the G: Melbourne 54 wins Kangaroos 29 wins Since 2000: Melbourne 8 wins Kangaroos 3 wins The Coaches: Daniher 4 wins Laidley 1 win MEDIA: TV Channel 7 (delayed telecast commencing at 3.00pm) RADIO 3AW MMM THE BETTING: Melbourne to win $2.35 Kangaroos to win $1.55 LAST TIME THEY MET: Melbourne 20.12.132 d Kangaroos 12.10.82, Round 20, 2006, at MCG The Demons played poorly in the first half and went in at the main break 20 points in arrears. After that however, it was all Melbourne as the Kangaroos, with very little to fight for, were blown off the park principally by David Neitz who booted eight goals and Aaron Davey who snagged four. Nathan Jones was impressive in one of his first few games for the club. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Daniel Ward Nathan Carroll Ricky Petterd Half Backs James Frawley Ben Holland Daniel Bell Centreline Travis Johnstone James McDonald Aaron Davey Half Forwards Brad Green Russell Robertson Cameron Bruce Forwards Adem Yze David Neitz Matthew Bate Followers Jeff White Simon Godfrey Nathan Jones Interchange Clint Bizzell Lynden Dunn Paul Johnson Brad Miller Emergencies Nathan Brown Chris Johnson Brad Miller In Clint Bizzell James Frawley Ben Holland Russell Robertson Out Ryan Ferguson (broken thumb) Colin Sylvia (hamstring soreness) Matthew Whelan (foot) Nathan Brown (omitted) New James Frawley (North Ballarat) KANGAROOS Backs Daniel Pratt Michael Firrito Scott McMahon Half Backs Jesse Smith Shannon Watt Jess Sinclair Centreline Adam Simpson Andrew Swallow Brady Rawlings Half Forwards Daniel Harris Aaron Edwards Corey Jones Forwards Lindsay Thomas Leigh Brown Drew Petrie Followers Hamish McIntosh Shannon Grant Brent Harvey Interchange Glenn Archer Matt Campbell Josh Gibson Blake Grima Emergencies Kasey Green David Hale Ed Lower In Archer Out Green Field umpires McLaren, Kamolins, Pannell BREAKTHROUGH All of the signs are pointing to a Kangaroo victory. The Roos have won five on the trot, are playing with confidence and they welcome back club icon Glenn Archer who sat out last week for family reasons. On the other hand, Melbourne loses three more players from the West Coast debacle, all with injuries to go with Brent Moloney who strained his groin during the previous game and Jared Rivers who pulled out before the game. Neither of them have recovered from their injuries and nor has future skipper Brock McLean come up from his injury incurred in round 1. So what we basically have is five more injuries to a squad that was already straining under the weight a bad season and playing like that as well. My optimism however is raised by the return of Russell Robertson, a major revamp to the back line and the fact that the Demons have matched up well against the Kangaroos in recent years. In fact, they have won their last four encounters and haven't lowered their colours to the Roos since 2003 (and they should have won that one anyway!). The return of Robertson is significant for the Demons who have struggled to kick winning scores since the Neitz/Robertson forward duet was separated in round 2. With Robbo back in harness, things are going to be a lot more difficult for the opposition. It's hard double teaming on Neita when you have Robbo prancing around the place like a jack in the box and he showed that he has recoved with a sparkling four goal performance last week at Sandringham. I have no doubt that an extra forward of quality would have come in very handy in those narrow defeats against the Power and the Bulldogs. Neitz has been particularly quiet in the past fortnight against quality full backs in Harris and Glass. Michael Firrito has been in fine form this season for the Kangaroos so Neitz will need to be on his game but I have a strong feeling that he will relish the return to the G and the fact that he has a size and strength advantage over his opponent. All we really need now is for the umpires to acknowledge that Neita also has a back and to be aware that opponents often put their hands in the vicinity of that part of his anatomy too! Hamish McIntosh is a big man who is having a reasonably good season but he comes up against an opponent on Sunday in Jeff White who has a lot of pride in his performance and would have spent the past week brooding over the humiliation caused to him and fellow ruckman Paul Johnson by Dean Cox and Mark Seaby. White is one who won't let his team down after last week's effort. That back line revamp is significant. The change might be regarded only as subtle but the emergence of the club's first choice from the 2006 National Draft, James Frawley at the expense of veteran Nathan Brown signals that the club is changing direction. Doggy's been a tremendous servant of the club but he's going to find it hard to return. With Frawley and young Ricky Petterd lining up in defence, there's a message there for a number of others if they don't pull their weight. Old heads will roll and be replaced by younger men in the absence of a dramatic turn around in form. That applies not just to the defence but to the whole side. With their backs to the wall, a number of Melbourne players need to perform in order for their team to rediscover the pot of gold and I think this week will see them take a step in the right direction. Melbourne by 7 points.

by The Oracle The last time I wrote a preview of a Melbourne game, I noted that we were into the month of May and the Demons had yet to break their duck for the 2007 season. That was a few weeks ago when they were preparing to take on one of the top teams in the competition in Port Adelaide. Today we are closing in on the end of the month and nothing's changed except for the fact that the defeats keep piling up. We're sitting on 0-8 and nearing the point in time when supporters are beginning to wonder if it's worth winning matches at all because there's the reward of a top four draft pick somewhere over the rainbow at the end of the season. The club has been everywhere but on the winning list so far this season and the place where it has most resided is in hell because just about everything that can go wrong goes worse than we expected. Judging by this week's team changes with a further three injury caused omissions, there's no pot of gold to won anywhere for the Melbourne Football Club they way it's travelling at the moment. On Sunday at the MCG, the Demons will be wearing black armbands over the loss of former Club Director Peter Hayes whose tragic and unfortunate passing just about sums up the sort of season we, as a club, have been having. I say this without wishing to diminish the meaning of a loss of life but it is a fact that many of us are pretty passionate about our team and what's been happening hurts. Our condolences go out to Peter's family and let's hope that things will finally turn around for Neale Daniher, his team and all of us at the Melbourne Football Club when the boys run out to face the Kangaroos. THE GAME: Melbourne v. Kangaroos at the MCG – 27 May 2007 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD: Overall: Melbourne 83 wins Kangaroos 59 wins 1 draw At the G: Melbourne 54 wins Kangaroos 29 wins Since 2000: Melbourne 8 wins Kangaroos 3 wins The Coaches: Daniher 4 wins Laidley 1 win MEDIA: TV Channel 7 (delayed telecast commencing at 3.00pm) RADIO 3AW MMM THE BETTING: Melbourne to win $2.35 Kangaroos to win $1.55 LAST TIME THEY MET: Melbourne 20.12.132 d Kangaroos 12.10.82, Round 20, 2006, at MCG The Demons played poorly in the first half and went in at the main break 20 points in arrears. After that however, it was all Melbourne as the Kangaroos, with very little to fight for, were blown off the park principally by David Neitz who booted eight goals and Aaron Davey who snagged four. Nathan Jones was impressive in one of his first few games for the club. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Daniel Ward Nathan Carroll Ricky Petterd Half Backs James Frawley Ben Holland Daniel Bell Centreline Travis Johnstone James McDonald Aaron Davey Half Forwards Brad Green Russell Robertson Cameron Bruce Forwards Adem Yze David Neitz Matthew Bate Followers Jeff White Simon Godfrey Nathan Jones Interchange Clint Bizzell Lynden Dunn Paul Johnson Brad Miller Emergencies Nathan Brown Chris Johnson Brad Miller In Clint Bizzell James Frawley Ben Holland Russell Robertson Out Ryan Ferguson (broken thumb) Colin Sylvia (hamstring soreness) Matthew Whelan (foot) Nathan Brown (omitted) New James Frawley (North Ballarat) KANGAROOS Backs Daniel Pratt Michael Firrito Scott McMahon Half Backs Jesse Smith Shannon Watt Jess Sinclair Centreline Adam Simpson Andrew Swallow Brady Rawlings Half Forwards Daniel Harris Aaron Edwards Corey Jones Forwards Lindsay Thomas Leigh Brown Drew Petrie Followers Hamish McIntosh Shannon Grant Brent Harvey Interchange Glenn Archer Matt Campbell Josh Gibson Blake Grima Emergencies Kasey Green David Hale Ed Lower In Archer Out Green Field umpires McLaren Kamolins Pannell BREAKTHROUGH All of the signs are pointing to a Kangaroo victory. The Roos have won five on the trot, are playing with confidence and they welcome back club icon Glenn Archer who sat out last week for family reasons. On the other hand, Melbourne loses three more players from the West Coast debacle, all with injuries to go with Brent Moloney who strained his groin during the previous game and Jared Rivers who pulled out before the game. Neither of them have recovered from their injuries and nor has future skipper Brock McLean come up from his injury incurred in round 1. So what we basically have is five more injuries to a squad that was already straining under the weight a bad season and playing like that as well. My optimism however is raised by the return of Russell Robertson, a major revamp to the back line and the fact that the Demons have matched up well against the Kangaroos in recent years. In fact, they have won their last four encounters and haven't lowered their colours to the Roos since 2003 (and they should have won that one anyway!). The return of Robertson is significant for the Demons who have struggled to kick winning scores since the Neitz/Robertson forward duet was separated in round 2. With Robbo back in harness, things are going to be a lot more difficult for the opposition. It's hard double teaming on Neita when you have Robbo prancing around the place like a jack in the box and he showed that he has recoved with a sparkling four goal performance last week at Sandringham. I have no doubt that an extra forward of quality would have come in very handy in those narrow defeats against the Power and the Bulldogs. Neitz has been particularly quiet in the past fortnight against quality full backs in Harris and Glass. Michael Firrito has been in fine form this season for the Kangaroos so Neitz will need to be on his game but I have a strong feeling that he will relish the return to the G and the fact that he has a size and strength advantage over his opponent. All we really need now is for the umpires to acknowledge that Neita also has a back and to be aware that opponents often put their hands in the vicinity of that part of his anatomy too! Hamish McIntosh is a big man who is having a reasonably good season but he comes up against an opponent on Sunday in Jeff White who has a lot of pride in his performance and would have spent the past week brooding over the humiliation caused to him and fellow ruckman Paul Johnson by Dean Cox and Mark Seaby. White is one who won't let his team down after last week's effort. That back line revamp is significant. The change might be regarded only as subtle but the emergence of the club's first choice from the 2006 National Draft, James Frawley at the expense of veteran Nathan Brown signals that the club is changing direction. Doggy's been a tremendous servant of the club but he's going to find it hard to return. With Frawley and young Ricky Petterd lining up in defence, there's a message there for a number of others if they don't pull their weight. Old heads will roll and be replaced by younger men in the absence of a dramatic turn around in form. That applies not just to the defence but to the whole side. With their backs to the wall, a number of Melbourne players need to perform in order for their team to rediscover the pot of gold and I think this week will see them take a step in the right direction. Melbourne by 7 points.

THE BAD, THE UGLY AND CHRIS JUDD by The Oracle In my younger days before I was wise in the ways of the world, I always associated the West with Clint Eastwood's spaghetti westerns. You know the stuff I'm talking about - The Good, the Bad and The Ugly and the rest of that collection of ultra bad movies about the early days of America that were usually made in Italy by directors who did a poor job of covering up their lack of authenticity. Well, I travelled west last week to attend a business conference on the west coast of our great nation, and to catch the footy, but I only got two out of three. I was rewarded for my troubles by enormous lashings of the Bad, great dollops of the Ugly but there was precious little of anything good. Those footballing vultures from the West were so mean and ornery that they gave away nothing as they inflicted Melbourne's eighth consecutive defeat of the season. It wasn't just a common garden variety defeat - this was an absolute shellacking; a 77-point mauling that allowed the small band of red and blue fanatics who made the trip across the Nullarbor no place at all in which to hide their heads in shame. I can't believe that I entered the Subiaco Oval with so much hope in my heart before the game. The Demons were coming off two consecutive narrow losses while West Coast has been demolished to the tune of 39 points by Geelong at Skilled Stadium so I turned up half thinking that Melbourne might just make a good fist of things on the day. However, only two or three minutes had elapsed when it became crystal clear that the Dees were out of their league. The visitors were literally blown (or at least pushed) off the park by a side that was so far superior that it wasn't funny. And it would have been even less funny had the Eagles managed to kick accurately for goal. Midway through the first quarter they had seven scoring shots on the board to one but led by only a solitary goal - 1.6.12 to 1.0.6. After that, the goals started coming and despite, a few short spirited bursts from the Demons in the third and fourth quarters, the home side powered to the easiest of victories - 19.23.137 to 9.6.60. Our game starts with the ruck duels at the centre bounce and that's exactly where the rout started on Sunday. Mark Seaby and Dean Cox dominated proceedings in the big man department to the extent that they turned Jeff White and Paul Johnson into virtual onlookers for the day. The statistics of hit outs and possessions from this division tells the story very vividly with the Eagles gaining more two out of every three hit outs for the game. Now, that's really Bad! The sad part of this is that I came to the realisation that, at the other end of the continent, one of Melbourne's ruck discards of recent years, Darren Jolly, managed to collect 17 hit outs for Sydney playing second fiddle to Peter Everitt against Port Adelaide - the same number of hit outs achieved by Demons for the whole game (and that figure includes third men up and the like as well as the nominated ruckmen who got six each). Now, that's really Ugly! The ruck dominance gave the Eagle on ball brigade an armchair ride with virtually every early clearance taken by a West Coast player. There was so little resistance from the Demons that they seemed to be wasting their time standing there flatfooted as their counterparts ran rings around them pumping the ball up to their forward line with consumate ease. They were lucky that Quinten Lynch had the kicking yips up forward because he looked as if he was on his way to an all time goalkicking record the way he was amassing possessions early in the game. You might want to add that Melbourne was also unlucky to lose Ryan Ferguson with a broken thumb early in the first quarter but the reality was that Ashley Hansen was already leading him a merry dance when he was injured. By then, the back line was already buckling under the pressure and Demon defenders were being brushed aside with ease. Melbourne could do very little to stem the utter dominance of Eagle midfielders Chris Judd (31 touches, three goals) and Daniel Kerr (29 disposals). So good was Judd's performance, that the player who supported the Demons as a youngster, had half time statistics that bettered all but a small handful of Melbourne players total outputs for the whole day. Now, that's really Chris Judd and he is Bloody Good! For the Demons, there were very few winners because very few players were prepared to play accountable football. Out of the disaster, I could find only Colin Sylvia (three goals) and Travis Johnstone (29 touches, two goals) who could hold their heads high after the game. The rest played like members of team that is sitting with an 0-8 win-loss record - the club's worst start to a season since they lost nine straight at the beginning of 1974. There's little more that I can add to that other than to say that, for once, the umpires did nothing to influence the outcome of the game. Looking to the near future, I think it's time to stop mollycoddling players at Sandringham with the tired excuse about them not being ready for the hurly burly of the big show. When your top goalkicker is averaging one goal per game then why not give a chance to a kid who kicked 6 and 5 goals in consecutive games at VFL level? The worst thing he could do is fail which is no worse than what I saw from almost the entire team on Sunday. Looking further out to the end of the year, I think it's time to reprise another Clint Eastwood shocker and suggest to the Football Department that it might not be such a bad idea for them to consider luring Chris Judd back home with the early pre season draft selection that will inevitably come its way at the end of the year. And in order to do just that I imagine that it's going to take a Fistful of Dollars. Melbourne 1.0.6 3.3.21 7.4.46 9.6.60 West Coast 5.8.38 8.14.62 13.18.96 19.23.137 Goals Melbourne Sylvia 3 Johnstone 2 McDonald Neitz Petterd White West Coast Lynch 5 Judd Morton Wirrpanda 3 Hansen Hurn Kerr Staker Stenglein Best Melbourne Johnstone Sylvia McDonald Petterd Green Bell West Coast Judd Kerr Judd Lynch Judd Hansen Judd Stenglein Judd Wirrpanda Judd Hurn Judd B Jones Judd Kerr Injuries Melbourne Ferguson (broken thumb) West Coast Nil Reports Kerr (WC) for front-on contact on Bruce (Mel) by umpire McBurney in the first quarter. Team Changes Nil Umpires McBurney Head Hendrie Crowd 40,068 at Subiaco Oval

by The Oracle In my younger days before I was wise in the ways of the world, I always associated the West with Clint Eastwood's spaghetti westerns. You know the stuff I'm talking about - The Good, the Bad and The Ugly and the rest of that collection of ultra bad movies about the early days of America that were usually made in Italy by directors who did a poor job of covering up their lack of authenticity. Well, I travelled west last week to attend a business conference on the west coast of our great nation, and to catch the footy, but I only got two out of three. I was rewarded for my troubles by enormous lashings of the Bad, great dollops of the Ugly but there was precious little of anything good. Those footballing vultures from the West were so mean and ornery that they gave away nothing as they inflicted Melbourne's eighth consecutive defeat of the season. It wasn't just a common garden variety defeat - this was an absolute shellacking; a 77-point mauling that allowed the small band of red and blue fanatics who made the trip across the Nullarbor no place at all in which to hide their heads in shame. I can't believe that I entered the Subiaco Oval with so much hope in my heart before the game. The Demons were coming off two consecutive narrow losses while West Coast has been demolished to the tune of 39 points by Geelong at Skilled Stadium so I turned up half thinking that Melbourne might just make a good fist of things on the day. However, only two or three minutes had elapsed when it became crystal clear that the Dees were out of their league. The visitors were literally blown (or at least pushed) off the park by a side that was so far superior that it wasn't funny. And it would have been even less funny had the Eagles managed to kick accurately for goal. Midway through the first quarter they had seven scoring shots on the board to one but led by only a solitary goal - 1.6.12 to 1.0.6. After that, the goals started coming and despite, a few short spirited bursts from the Demons in the third and fourth quarters, the home side powered to the easiest of victories - 19.23.137 to 9.6.60. Our game starts with the ruck duels at the centre bounce and that's exactly where the rout started on Sunday. Mark Seaby and Dean Cox dominated proceedings in the big man department to the extent that they turned Jeff White and Paul Johnson into virtual onlookers for the day. The statistics of hit outs and possessions from this division tells the story very vividly with the Eagles gaining more two out of every three hit outs for the game. Now, that's really Bad! The sad part of this is that I came to the realisation that, at the other end of the continent, one of Melbourne's ruck discards of recent years, Darren Jolly, managed to collect 17 hit outs for Sydney playing second fiddle to Peter Everitt against Port Adelaide - the same number of hit outs achieved by Demons for the whole game (and that figure includes third men up and the like as well as the nominated ruckmen who got six each). Now, that's really Ugly! The ruck dominance gave the Eagle on ball brigade an armchair ride with virtually every early clearance taken by a West Coast player. There was so little resistance from the Demons that they seemed to be wasting their time standing there flatfooted as their counterparts ran rings around them pumping the ball up to their forward line with consumate ease. They were lucky that Quinten Lynch had the kicking yips up forward because he looked as if he was on his way to an all time goalkicking record the way he was amassing possessions early in the game. You might want to add that Melbourne was also unlucky to lose Ryan Ferguson with a broken thumb early in the first quarter but the reality was that Ashley Hansen was already leading him a merry dance when he was injured. By then, the back line was already buckling under the pressure and Demon defenders were being brushed aside with ease. Melbourne could do very little to stem the utter dominance of Eagle midfielders Chris Judd (31 touches, three goals) and Daniel Kerr (29 disposals). So good was Judd's performance, that the player who supported the Demons as a youngster, had half time statistics that bettered all but a small handful of Melbourne players total outputs for the whole day. Now, that's really Chris Judd and he is Bloody Good! For the Demons, there were very few winners because very few players were prepared to play accountable football. Out of the disaster, I could find only Colin Sylvia (three goals) and Travis Johnstone (29 touches, two goals) who could hold their heads high after the game. The rest played like members of team that is sitting with an 0-8 win-loss record - the club's worst start to a season since they lost nine straight at the beginning of 1974. There's little more that I can add to that other than to say that, for once, the umpires did nothing to influence the outcome of the game. Looking to the near future, I think it's time to stop mollycoddling players at Sandringham with the tired excuse about them not being ready for the hurly burly of the big show. When your top goalkicker is averaging one goal per game then why not give a chance to a kid who kicked 6 and 5 goals in consecutive games at VFL level? The worst thing he could do is fail which is no worse than what I saw from almost the entire team on Sunday. Looking further out to the end of the year, I think it's time to reprise another Clint Eastwood shocker and suggest to the Football Department that it might not be such a bad idea for them to consider luring Chris Judd back home with the early pre season draft selection that will inevitably come its way at the end of the year. And in order to do just that I imagine that it's going to take a Fistful of Dollars. Melbourne 1.0.6 3.3.21 7.4.46 9.6.60 West Coast 5.8.38 8.14.62 13.18.96 19.23.137 Goals Melbourne Sylvia 3 Johnstone 2 McDonald Neitz Petterd White West Coast Lynch 5 Judd Morton Wirrpanda 3 Hansen Hurn Kerr Staker Stenglein Best Melbourne Johnstone Sylvia McDonald Petterd Green Bell West Coast Judd Kerr Judd Lynch Judd Hansen Judd Stenglein Judd Wirrpanda Judd Hurn Judd B Jones Judd Kerr Injuries Melbourne Ferguson (broken thumb) West Coast Nil Reports Kerr (WC) for front-on contact on Bruce (Mel) by umpire McBurney in the first quarter. Team Changes Nil Umpires McBurney Head Hendrie Crowd 40,068 at Subiaco Oval

I know it's hard but I need two people to cast votes on a 6,5,4,3,2,1 basis from Sunday's game v West Coast Eagles. Please note we need 6 Melbourne players and Chris Judd is not eligible. The Oracle who went to WA and witnessed the game in the flesh will be back this evening and his match report will be posted tomorrow if we can clean up the language in time. He will be the third vote giver for the game. Thanks

The embarrasment continues ... 1. (1) 41 Demonland 1. (2) 41 Whispering_Jack 3. (6) 40 canberrademon(herb) 3. (11) 40 Clyde_Cabbie 3. (3) 40 paliosiana 6. (15) 39 Alpha_33 6. (6) 39 bl3281 6. (6) 39 deanox 6. (11) 39 demon_davey 6. (3) 39 great_gatsby 6. (6) 39 petejh2000 6. (6) 39 Scoop Junior 6. (3) 39 TimDees 14. (11) 38 DeMoNiC 14. (11) 38 KrazyJay 16. (18) 37 dee'viator 16. (15) 37 Go_Ds 16. (18) 37 snarler_0 19. (24) 36 BigKev Demon 19. (18) 36 frangas 19. (18) 36 Pinball_Wizard 19. (18) 36 slamevil 23. (24) 35 achirnside 24. (24) 34 deesthisyear 24. (15) 34 Kieranbj 26. (18) 33 demon_fanatic 26. (30) 33 Goodvibes 26. (27) 33 Rivers Run Red 29. (27) 32 Dees_Fan16 29. (27) 32 Jackieboy_0 31. (30) 30 Fingers Power 32. (33) 29 rusty_corner 33. (32) 28 Dappadan 34. (34) 26 No Cigar 35. (35) 23 melon22 36. (36) 22 jaded24 37. (37) 16 CarnTheDees 38. (38) 14 rusty_kingswood

by Whispering Jack Once upon a time it was known as the VFA but now it's the VFL. The history goes back one hundred and thirty years and one of its great features is that its traditional rivalries continue today on old-time football fields in a way that they no longer do with its elite AFL counterpart. You can go down to a local ground and see personalities mingling with the crowds before the game as I did on Saturday. There was Ernie Dingo having a kick on the ground with a young kid before the game, Brownlow Medallist Barry Round was watching near the social club while Mick Malthouse walked past me in the first quarter trying to look anonymous. Magpie cheer squad megastar Joffa looked resplendent with his straggly blond locks blowing in the wind and no gold jacket in sight. Former Saints and Hawk star Russell Greene was there and so apparently was Stinga! There were Melbourne stars and Collingwood stars and personalities from the old VFA and it was all part of a relaxing afternoon that included an interesting and absorbing spectacle that provided a smorgasbord of veteran footballers, up and comers, current VFL stars and together they produced some good old fashioned football. This week's participants at the Trevor Barker Beach Road Oval, Sandringham and Williamstown are old rivals whose past clashes rank among the competition's most memorable and the fact that they are aligned with two old league rivals in Melbourne and Collingwood makes their meeting even more attractive to football's diehards; they provide a setting and an atmosphere that’s compelling in these days of commercialism and sanitised stadiums with roofs that keep out the elements, the birds and the joys of suburban football. Something for everyone. The undefeated Zebras led all day and reclaimed top position on the ladder (lost to Geelong only because Sandringham had the bye last week) by accounting for their rivals who were also undefeated (Williamstown have drawn two of their first five games) by 22 points, 16.16.112 to 13.12.90. The game was given a boost with the inclusion of Melbourne stars Russell Robertson (returning from a knee injury) and Byron Pickett (after a week of high drama over his absence a week ago when an emergency for the Demons’ game against the Bulldogs). Neither of them disappointed the fans and the joined with Clint Bizzell, Paul Wheatley, youngsters Chris Johnston and Michael Newton and Zebra luminaries in Peter Summers and skipper Chad Liddell to keep a willing Seagull combination at bay. From the very opening bounce of the game, this was never going to be easy for Sandy which had the advantage of a blustery breeze aiding the southern end of the ground. Robbo was in the thick of things early taking a strong mark and missing from straight in front but he soon made amends and had a couple of goals on the board by quarter time. There was already no doubt that he was back in town and headed for an assignation in the AFL in a week’s time. He finished with eight marks and booted 4.3 and showed no ill effects from his knee injury suffered in round 2 against Hawthorn. The Zebras lost centre half forward Rod Crowe to concussion early in the game and this provided the improving Michael Newton with an opportunity to make that key position his own. He handled the task well finishing with a wayward 2.5 for the game plus a number of assists in an excellent display of forward work that suggests it won’t be too long before he joins Robertson at Melbourne. The other standout player early in the game was David Gallagher who had the ball on a string and he was instrumental in setting up the 26-point quarter time lead. Sandringham appeared to be cruising early in the second quarter and built its lead to in excess of five goals before Williamstown moved into another gear and began to play a far more attacking brand of football. The catalyst might well have been the report of full back Chris Lamb for allegedly striking Williamstown's Dean Limbach. Lamb was off injured not long after and again this brought another Demon youngster, James Frawley, under the spot light at full back. Frawley acquitted himself well there and appears to have a future in the game. It was not his fault that a few late goals to the Seagulls allowed the Zebras’ lead to dwindle down to 9 points at the main break. Sandy continued to find the going tough in the third quarter but with Bizzell and Chris Johnson solid in defence and Wheatley providing plenty of spark across midfield, it gradually added to its lead with skipper Liddell chiming in with a long, long goal. Neaves was having the better of the ruck duels with experienced Guy Richards while Gallagher, Summers and Shane Valenti were all busy picking up kicks and backing up their teammates. Byron Pickett stood out with his head bandaged (the legacy of that incident against Port Adelaide a fortnight ago). He floated across half-forward, occasionally stung like a bee and snagged a couple of goals playing with more purpose than we’ve seen from him all year. The question at three quarter time was whether Sandringham could hold on to its 17-point lead in the face of the strong wind advantage seemingly held in the final term by the visitors. Mark Williams did his level best to convince his players that the wind would not be the factor that won or lost the game and it was just a matter of level heads and kicking well into the forward line where there were plenty of men capable of kicking goals. It worked but for the fact that those forwards struggled to stay on target but with Pickett and Hughes both goaling there was never going to be an upset on this day although Willi fought it out admirably. Next week sees another break for Sandy with the interstate game against the WAFL, a game in which the Zebras are likely to be represented by up to six players with Andrew Biddlecombe, Rod Crowe, Ezra Poyas, Nick Sautner, Peter Summers and Shane Valenti all named this week in the VFL squad. Rennie Gilchrist, Stefan Martin and Tomi Johnston will represent VFL South against VFL North in an Under 23 game. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Clint Bizzell – at times was reminiscent of the player we got to know as the general of Melbourne’s backline. He was calm and cool in defence for much of the day although a few mistakes crept in to his play late in the day. Simon Buckley – started off on the bench and we didn’t see much of him until the third quarter, nor did he have much of an impact whilst on the ground. James Frawley – the first time I’ve seen him play live at this level and, on what I saw, he’s an excellent first round draft pick. He’s a natural and, while he didn’t star, showed enough football nous, speed and ability to suggest that he might be able to grab a tall defender’s position with the Demons before the halfway mark of the season. Colin Garland – in and out of the game but when he was “in” he showed enough in attack and in defence to suggest that he could become a very handy player at AFL level in the future. Ben Holland – at teams was as solid as a rock in defence but he seemed to go missing in stages and gave his opponent too much latitude. Daniel Hughes ® - another player who didn’t see much action early but he came into it in the second half and impressed with some strong marks. Chris Johnson – generally very good but with a few poor disposals which might be forgiven in view of the trying conditions. Shane Neaves ® - had a good game in the ruck and overshadowed Guy Richards. I can’t be 100% sure of this but he appears to have grown a few centimeters since first recruited and he’s now a very big unit. If he can pick up a yard or a metre in pace over the summer he could be a handy player in the red and blue in 2008. Michael Newton – an interesting game. He tried to perform some of the freakish tricks he has in his footballing wardrobe - a couple of speccies, the odd kick around the corner etc. None of them really came off but they will happen regularly as he gathers experience. What did impress me was the fact that he was doing all of the other things that have sometimes been absent from his game – the second efforts, strong tackles, backing up and the like. His tackle of Chris Egan dispossessed the young Magpie but the umpire was blindsided so he let it go. Egan got the ball again and Juice repeated the dose. This time the free was paid and the Zebras goaled as a result while Egan left the ground with a knee injury. You can’t blame Newton for that but it showed that he’s on a fast learning curve. Byron Pickett – must be kicking himself for his lapses in judgment last weekend. His absence from the Melbourne side over the next month could hurt both him and the club. Too good a player to be stuck at this level for that period of time and it’s a trifle late in his career to start learning the value of discipline. Russell Robertson – the Robbo of old. A real jumping jack and there were no signs of the hyper-extended knee injury. Paul Wheatley – appeared to be favouring his shoulder a bit early but he got better as his confidence grew. Took on the Williamstown forwards and was a great contributor. Seniors Sandringham 5.3.35 9.5.59 13.9.87 16.16.112 Williamstown 1.1.7 7.8.50 10.10.70 13.12.90 Goals Sandringham Robertson 4 Sautner 3 Hughes Newton Pickett 2 Gallagher Garland Liddell Williamstown Johnson 4 Clarke Greene Iles Limbach Medhurst Meyer Proctor Rose Williams Best Sandringham C Johnson Wheatley Holland Bizzell Summers Neaves Williamstown Johnson Stanley McKenzie Proctor Nicholls Clarke ZEBRA RESERVES UPSET SEAGULLS Despite almost kicking the game away in the first quarter, the young Zebra reserves side managed to hold off a persistent Williamstown to run out winners by five points to record their third win of the season and to remain in touch with the top five of the VFL reserves competition. Melbourne youngster Heath Neville played his best game so far for the club while Tom Paterakis continued to produce the excellent form that has been a feature of his game so far this season. Both are in line for senior selection if an opening can be found. Daniel Gribbin and Peter McGettigan were also solid in a tough tight struggle for the Zebras. Reserves Sandringham 2.13.25 4.15.39 8.19.67 11.20.86 Williamstown 3.3.21 5.9.39 7.11.53 11.15.81 Goals Sandringham Gileno 3 Zarra 2 Curcio T. Johnston Martin Martyn McKenzie Turcarelli Williamstown Beaumont Stretton 2 Chiu Cook Darvell 2 Keddell Kennedy MacAffer Miller Best Sandringham Neville Paterakis Dean Turcarelli McGettigan Gribbin Williamstown Cravino Boyd Foley Crawford Stretton Miller

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE by Whispering Jack Once upon a time it was known as the VFA but now it's the VFL. The history goes back one hundred and thirty years and one of its great features is that its traditional rivalries continue today on old-time football fields in a way that they no longer do with its elite AFL counterpart. You can go down to a local ground and see personalities mingling with the crowds before the game as I did on Saturday. There was Ernie Dingo having a kick on the ground with a young kid before the game, Brownlow Medallist Barry Round was watching near the social club while Mick Malthouse walked past me in the first quarter trying to look anonymous. Magpie cheer squad megastar Joffa looked resplendent with his straggly blond locks blowing in the wind and no gold jacket in sight. Former Saints and Hawk star Russell Greene was there and so apparently was Stinga! There were Melbourne stars and Collingwood stars and personalities from the old VFA and it was all part of a relaxing afternoon that included an interesting and absorbing spectacle that provided a smorgasbord of veteran footballers, up and comers, current VFL stars and together they produced some good old fashioned football. This week's participants at the Trevor Barker Beach Road Oval, Sandringham and Williamstown are old rivals whose past clashes rank among the competition's most memorable and the fact that they are aligned with two old league rivals in Melbourne and Collingwood makes their meeting even more attractive to football's diehards; they provide a setting and an atmosphere that’s compelling in these days of commercialism and sanitised stadiums with roofs that keep out the elements, the birds and the joys of suburban football. Something for everyone. The undefeated Zebras led all day and reclaimed top position on the ladder (lost to Geelong only because Sandringham had the bye last week) by accounting for their rivals who were also undefeated (Williamstown have drawn two of their first five games) by 22 points, 16.16.112 to 13.12.90. The game was given a boost with the inclusion of Melbourne stars Russell Robertson (returning from a knee injury) and Byron Pickett (after a week of high drama over his absence a week ago when an emergency for the Demons’ game against the Bulldogs). Neither of them disappointed the fans and the joined with Clint Bizzell, Paul Wheatley, youngsters Chris Johnston and Michael Newton and Zebra luminaries in Peter Summers and skipper Chad Liddell to keep a willing Seagull combination at bay. From the very opening bounce of the game, this was never going to be easy for Sandy which had the advantage of a blustery breeze aiding the southern end of the ground. Robbo was in the thick of things early taking a strong mark and missing from straight in front but he soon made amends and had a couple of goals on the board by quarter time. There was already no doubt that he was back in town and headed for an assignation in the AFL in a week’s time. He finished with eight marks and booted 4.3 and showed no ill effects from his knee injury suffered in round 2 against Hawthorn. The Zebras lost centre half forward Rod Crowe to concussion early in the game and this provided the improving Michael Newton with an opportunity to make that key position his own. He handled the task well finishing with a wayward 2.5 for the game plus a number of assists in an excellent display of forward work that suggests it won’t be too long before he joins Robertson at Melbourne. The other standout player early in the game was David Gallagher who had the ball on a string and he was instrumental in setting up the 26-point quarter time lead. Sandringham appeared to be cruising early in the second quarter and built its lead to in excess of five goals before Williamstown moved into another gear and began to play a far more attacking brand of football. The catalyst might well have been the report of full back Chris Lamb for allegedly striking Williamstown's Dean Limbach. Lamb was off injured not long after and again this brought another Demon youngster, James Frawley, under the spot light at full back. Frawley acquitted himself well there and appears to have a future in the game. It was not his fault that a few late goals to the Seagulls allowed the Zebras’ lead to dwindle down to 9 points at the main break. Sandy continued to find the going tough in the third quarter but with Bizzell and Chris Johnson solid in defence and Wheatley providing plenty of spark across midfield, it gradually added to its lead with skipper Liddell chiming in with a long, long goal. Neaves was having the better of the ruck duels with experienced Guy Richards while Gallagher, Summers and Shane Valenti were all busy picking up kicks and backing up their teammates. Byron Pickett stood out with his head bandaged (the legacy of that incident against Port Adelaide a fortnight ago). He floated across half-forward, occasionally stung like a bee and snagged a couple of goals playing with more purpose than we’ve seen from him all year. The question at three quarter time was whether Sandringham could hold on to its 17-point lead in the face of the strong wind advantage seemingly held in the final term by the visitors. Mark Williams did his level best to convince his players that the wind would not be the factor that won or lost the game and it was just a matter of level heads and kicking well into the forward line where there were plenty of men capable of kicking goals. It worked but for the fact that those forwards struggled to stay on target but with Pickett and Hughes both goaling there was never going to be an upset on this day although Willi fought it out admirably. Next week sees another break for Sandy with the interstate game against the WAFL, a game in which the Zebras are likely to be represented by up to six players with Andrew Biddlecombe, Rod Crowe, Ezra Poyas, Nick Sautner, Peter Summers and Shane Valenti all named this week in the VFL squad. Rennie Gilchrist, Stefan Martin and Tomi Johnston will represent VFL South against VFL North in an Under 23 game. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Clint Bizzell – at times was reminiscent of the player we got to know as the general of Melbourne’s backline. He was calm and cool in defence for much of the day although a few mistakes crept in to his play late in the day. Simon Buckley – started off on the bench and we didn’t see much of him until the third quarter, nor did he have much of an impact whilst on the ground. James Frawley – the first time I’ve seen him play live at this level and, on what I saw, he’s an excellent first round draft pick. He’s a natural and, while he didn’t star, showed enough football nous, speed and ability to suggest that he might be able to grab a tall defender’s position with the Demons before the halfway mark of the season. Colin Garland – in and out of the game but when he was “in” he showed enough in attack and in defence to suggest that he could become a very handy player at AFL level in the future. Ben Holland – at teams was as solid as a rock in defence but he seemed to go missing in stages and gave his opponent too much latitude. Daniel Hughes ® - another player who didn’t see much action early but he came into it in the second half and impressed with some strong marks. Chris Johnson – generally very good but with a few poor disposals which might be forgiven in view of the trying conditions. Shane Neaves ® - had a good game in the ruck and overshadowed Guy Richards. I can’t be 100% sure of this but he appears to have grown a few centimeters since first recruited and he’s now a very big unit. If he can pick up a yard or a metre in pace over the summer he could be a handy player in the red and blue in 2008. Michael Newton – an interesting game. He tried to perform some of the freakish tricks he has in his footballing wardrobe - a couple of speccies, the odd kick around the corner etc. None of them really came off but they will happen regularly as he gathers experience. What did impress me was the fact that he was doing all of the other things that have sometimes been absent from his game – the second efforts, strong tackles, backing up and the like. His tackle of Chris Egan dispossessed the young Magpie but the umpire was blindsided so he let it go. Egan got the ball again and Juice repeated the dose. This time the free was paid and the Zebras goaled as a result while Egan left the ground with a knee injury. You can’t blame Newton for that but it showed that he’s on a fast learning curve. Byron Pickett – must be kicking himself for his lapses in judgment last weekend. His absence from the Melbourne side over the next month could hurt both him and the club. Too good a player to be stuck at this level for that period of time and it’s a trifle late in his career to start learning the value of discipline. Russell Robertson – the Robbo of old. A real jumping jack and there were no signs of the hyper-extended knee injury. Paul Wheatley – appeared to be favouring his shoulder a bit early but he got better as his confidence grew. Took on the Williamstown forwards and was a great contributor. Seniors Sandringham 5.3.35 9.5.59 13.9.87 16.16.112 Williamstown 1.1.7 7.8.50 10.10.70 13.12.90 Goals Sandringham Robertson 4 Sautner 3 Hughes Newton Pickett 2 Gallagher Garland Liddell Williamstown Johnson 4 Clarke Greene Iles Limbach Medhurst Meyer Proctor Rose Williams Best Sandringham C Johnson Wheatley Holland Bizzell Summers Neaves Williamstown Johnson Stanley McKenzie Proctor Nicholls Clarke ZEBRA RESERVES UPSET SEAGULLS Despite almost kicking the game away in the first quarter, the young Zebra reserves side managed to hold off a persistent Williamstown to run out winners by five points to record their third win of the season and to remain in touch with the top five of the VFL reserves competition. Melbourne youngster Heath Neville played his best game so far for the club while Tom Paterakis continued to produce the excellent form that has been a feature of his game so far this season. Both are in line for senior selection if an opening can be found. Daniel Gribbin and Peter McGettigan were also solid in a tough tight struggle for the Zebras. Reserves Sandringham 2.13.25 4.15.39 8.19.67 11.20.86 Williamstown 3.3.21 5.9.39 7.11.53 11.15.81 Goals Sandringham Gileno 3 Zarra 2 Curcio T. Johnston Martin Martyn McKenzie Turcarelli Williamstown Beaumont Stretton 2 Chiu Cook Darvell 2 Keddell Kennedy MacAffer Miller Best Sandringham Neville Paterakis Dean Turcarelli McGettigan Gribbin Williamstown Cravino Boyd Foley Crawford Stretton Miller

Despite the fact that I could change my tips if I wanted to, I can assure you that I haven't. There is even a link beneath the Oztips ladder that allows you see any changes made by the Competition's Administrator.

Current standings 44. Aaron Davey 36. Cameron Bruce 35. Brent Moloney 33. Nathan Jones 28. Jeff White 25. Simon Godfrey 24. Adem Yze 21. Brad Green 20. Brad Miller 19. Daniel Bell 18. Jared Rivers 17. Matthew Bate 16. Travis Johnstone James McDonald 15. Nathan Brown 13. Ben Holland Colin Sylvia 12. David Neitz 11. Ricky Petterd Russell Robertson 5. Nathan Carroll 3. Daniel Bell Daniel Ward 2. Paul Johnson 1. Lynden Dunn

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: Western 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.

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.

I would suggest some shuffling around needs to be done now that the Melbourne team has been decided. Buckley and Garland will take their places at Sandringham in the firsts, have no doubt about that!

This is a bit emabarrassing but look who's leading the tipping comp? 1. (1) 36 Demonland 2. (3) 35 Whispering_Jack 3. (1) 34 great_gatsby 3. (10) 34 paliosiana 3. (3) 34 TimDees 6. (3) 33 bl3281 6. (3) 33 canberrademon(herb) 6. (3) 33 deanox 6. (10) 33 petejh2000 6. (10) 33 Scoop Junior 11. (15) 32 Clyde_Cabbie 11. (15) 32 demon_davey 11. (10) 32 DeMoNiC 11. (3) 32 KrazyJay 15. (20) 31 Alpha_33 15. (10) 31 Go_Ds 15. (20) 31 Kieranbj 18. (15) 30 dee'viator 18. (3) 30 demon_fanatic 18. (26) 30 frangas 18. (20) 30 Pinball_Wizard 18. (15) 30 slamevil 18. (15) 30 snarler_0 24. (26) 29 achirnside 24. (30) 29 BigKev Demon 24. (30) 29 deesthisyear 27. (20) 28 Dees_Fan16 27. (26) 28 Jackieboy_0 27. (20) 28 Rivers Run Red 30. (20) 27 Fingers Power 30. (26) 27 Goodvibes 32. (32) 25 Dappadan 33. (33) 23 rusty_corner 34. (36) 22 No Cigar 35. (33) 20 melon22 36. (35) 19 jaded24 37. (37) 13 CarnTheDees 38. (37) 11 rusty_kingswood

Come on now. We should be more hospitable to someone who comes on to inform us when teams involving our players are about to get some much needed publicity. Thansk for the heads up radio 1611!

WELCOME TO BIZARRO WORLD by Whispering Jack According to Wikipedia, the Bizarro World (also known as "HTRAE") is a fictional cube shaped planet in the DC comics universe. The original Bizarros were the opposites of Superman and Lois Lane but, in today's popular culture, the term Bizarro is used "to describe anything that utilizes twisted logic or that is the opposite of something else". In recent times, Bizarros have popped up on Sienfeld. Now they've arrived in the AFL! I know this because I was sitting in the stands watching the Western Bulldogs vs. Melbourne game at the Telstra Dome on Sunday afternoon and it was a fairly good spectacle until this team of Bizarro men in yellow masquerading as umpires descended on the football field in the middle of the second quarter and destroyed it all in the space of a few minutes. I'll come back to that later because I prefer to remember the match for its finer points and the excellent contest it provided for the 24,000 odd punters who came to watch the game rather than the depths to which the game can descend when administrators tinker with the rules and then let Bizarros loose to wreak havoc with the sport. This was the seventh game of the season but the Demons' 2007 injury curse failed to take a rest. Before selection, the team lost recruit Ricky Petterd, a rising star nominee the week before and who was averaging about 20 possessions in his first two games, with a hamstring injury. Then Jared Rivers pulled out of the selected side with a back injury and, with emergency Byron Pickett fighting off a hangover at some place other than the Telstra Dome where he was supposed to be, Ben Holland took his place in the team. As has become the norm in this disastrous season, two Demons - Nathan Carroll (concussion) and Brad Miller (ankle) - failed to see out the game while Dutchy was soon sporting an elastic headband to cover up the blood caused in an altercation with Brad Johnson. Then, at some stage during the game, Simon Godfrey appeared to faint and was seen lying prostrate on the Telstra Dome turf while his nearest opponent Scott West was sheepishly slinking into the distance hoping to god the television cameras were pointing elsewhere seconds earlier. Anyhow, I'll come back to the consequences of not seeing out a game with 22 fit men later. At the start, Melbourne did well. It ran hard, was on target and had the better of the contest for the first quarter. Aaron Davey had put his early season slump well behind him with two first-quarter goals on his way to a 29 possession game and Travis Johnstone and Adem Yze were finally both back in town. Youngsters Lynden Dunn and Matthew Bate were continuing on with their promising form and Colin Sylvia was finally asserting himself over a good opponent in Griffen. Godfrey had West by the proverbials and he was on his way to claiming his third top shelf scalp in as many weeks. Moreover, the Doggies were a trifle lucky to even be within two goals after a couple of lucky umpiring breaks in front of goal. But they were just normal garden variety breaks of luck from the maggots. The real fun hadn't started yet. The first half of the second quarter continued in the same vein with the Demons dictating terms as they stretched ahead a little to 13 points with a Bate goal when suddenly the Bizarros emerged out of a black hole underneath the ground at the Telstra Dome as maggots often will. Most people will point to the controversial free kick awarded to Daniel Cross as the turning point of the game and the emergence of the Bizarros but I believe it started and ended with Melbourne's skipper who had a dog of a day. I'll go back a minute earlier in time when David Neitz was ridden into the ground with his opponent landing on top of him. The free kick went against the Demon skipper who was deemed to be holding the ball. The play then moved into the Bulldog forward line where Cross James McDonald ran down. He was certainly caught holding the ball but the momentum of the tackle caused Junior to end up on top of his opponent. On viewing the replay later, I have no doubt the commentator, like many others including me, thought Cross was gone. But that's the luck of the game - the rough decisions will usually even themselves out - especially if the umpires are consistent. Won't they? The free to Cross resulted in a hand pass off to Gilbee and lead was down to seven points. A moment later Cross was in the action again when he took a mark and was brought down late by Paul Johnson who was doing well in the ruck. The resultant 70 metre penalty resulted in a Cross goal and was followed by another to Higgins after Brad Johnson appeared to put his hands on Cameron Bruce's back as the two went for the ball (the commentator used the words "Johnson wrestles with Bruce" - please give me a break!). Suddenly, the hard fought lead had evaporated and the Dogs were in front. The Demons had the chance to come back when Neitz took a mark and was brought down to the ground a trifle late by Harris. Now was the chance for the maggots, sorry stoggam, to display some consistency. Fifty metres anyone? No, not seventy, not fifty, not fifteen. Nada. I guess Neita should have kicked the goal from 35 metres but he didn't. Fact is if there was anything other than Bizarro justice in this world he would have been taking his shot from the goal square. The result was that the half time break came and the Dogs had gained the ascendancy even though Melbourne led everywhere statistically except where it counted and the opposition had kicked the last five goals of the Bizarro first half. I think Neale Daniher has been somewhat unfairly bagged during the team's horror start to the season by those who know no better. His coaching of the team in this game (and the previous one against Port Adelaide for that matter), particularly after half time was, sensational and he deserved to be better rewarded for his efforts than what the scribes called a "gallant" six point defeat. For starters, he didn't go negative and he didn't try to win with a negative style of game that his players haven't been able to perfect and certainly would have struggled with given the list of players he had available to him. He moved Cameron Bruce onto the ball instead of playing the negating role on Brad Johnson and the move immediately paid dividends with the team edging to within a point before the Dogs struggled to win back a couple later in the quarter. Melbourne came back again in the final term and it was goal for goal. Daniher didn't hesitate to drag Neitz off after he gave away a soft free kick (made even softer by the fact that the Bizarros in yellow had virtually thrown their whistles away earlier in the quarter) was awarded against him straight after a Melbourne goal. The resultant penalty let the Dogs back with a fortunate goal. It was the Bulldogs who had the run of luck when the Bizarros awarded Melbourne a fifty metre (I later measured it at 43½ but what the hell?) that actually worked to the their advantage because Colin Sylvia already had the ball and was off fifty metres downfield from where the original mark was paid. Daniher was again limited with Carroll and Miller injured - a huge disadvantage in a close contest but the final roll of the dice saw Brad Johnson showing his class and kicking the winning goal from almost fifty metres out. This was the final straw in a Bizarro game in which the productivity of the two skippers was the ultimate determinant as to which team would walk away with the four points. Even more Bizarro was the fact that, at the end of the game, Melbourne which had now narrowly lost to the top team and another major finals contender was still sitting winless after seven games and facing a tough game at Subiaco against the Eagles a week later. Totally Bizarro! Melbourne 6.1.37 7.6.48 10.9.69 16.10.106 Western Bulldogs 4.1.25 10.5.65 12.12.84 16.16.112 Goals: Melbourne: Davey Sylvia 3 Green Yze 2 Bate Bell Dunn Johnstone Neitz White Western Bulldogs: Johnson 4 Hahn Higgins 2 Akermanis Cooney Cross Darcy Eagleton Giansiracusa Gilbee Hargrave. Best: Melbourne: Davey Johnstone Sylvia White Bruce Yze. Western Bulldogs: Johnson Cross Eagleton Gilbee Harris Giansiracusa. Injuries: Melbourne: Miller (ankle), Carroll (concussion). Western Bulldogs Nil. Team Changes: Melbourne: Rivers (back) replaced in selected side by Holland. Western Bulldogs Nil. Umpires: McLaren Sully Head. Crowd: 24,584 at Telstra Dome

by Whispering Jack According to Wikipedia, the Bizarro World (also known as "HTRAE") is a fictional cube shaped planet in the DC comics universe. The original Bizarros were the opposites of Superman and Lois Lane but, in today's popular culture, the term Bizarro is used "to describe anything that utilizes twisted logic or that is the opposite of something else". In recent times, Bizarros have popped up on Sienfeld. Now they've arrived in the AFL! I know this because I was sitting in the stands watching the Western Bulldogs vs. Melbourne game at the Telstra Dome on Sunday afternoon and it was a fairly good spectacle until this team of Bizarro men in yellow masquerading as umpires descended on the football field in the middle of the second quarter and destroyed it all in the space of a few minutes. I'll come back to that later because I prefer to remember the match for its finer points and the excellent contest it provided for the 24,000 odd punters who came to watch the game rather than the depths to which the game can descend when administrators tinker with the rules and then let Bizarros loose to wreak havoc with the sport. This was the seventh game of the season but the Demons' 2007 injury curse failed to take a rest. Before selection, the team lost recruit Ricky Petterd, a rising star nominee the week before and who was averaging about 20 possessions in his first two games, with a hamstring injury. Then Jared Rivers pulled out of the selected side with a back injury and, with emergency Byron Pickett fighting off a hangover at some place other than the Telstra Dome where he was supposed to be, Ben Holland took his place in the team. As has become the norm in this disastrous season, two Demons - Nathan Carroll (concussion) and Brad Miller (ankle) - failed to see out the game while Dutchy was soon sporting an elastic headband to cover up the blood caused in an altercation with Brad Johnson. Then, at some stage during the game, Simon Godfrey appeared to faint and was seen lying prostrate on the Telstra Dome turf while his nearest opponent Scott West was sheepishly slinking into the distance hoping to god the television cameras were pointing elsewhere seconds earlier. Anyhow, I'll come back to the consequences of not seeing out a game with 22 fit men later. At the start, Melbourne did well. It ran hard, was on target and had the better of the contest for the first quarter. Aaron Davey had put his early season slump well behind him with two first-quarter goals on his way to a 29 possession game and Travis Johnstone and Adem Yze were finally both back in town. Youngsters Lynden Dunn and Matthew Bate were continuing on with their promising form and Colin Sylvia was finally asserting himself over a good opponent in Griffen. Godfrey had West by the proverbials and he was on his way to claiming his third top shelf scalp in as many weeks. Moreover, the Doggies were a trifle lucky to even be within two goals after a couple of lucky umpiring breaks in front of goal. But they were just normal garden variety breaks of luck from the maggots. The real fun hadn't started yet. The first half of the second quarter continued in the same vein with the Demons dictating terms as they stretched ahead a little to 13 points with a Bate goal when suddenly the Bizarros emerged out of a black hole underneath the ground at the Telstra Dome as maggots often will. Most people will point to the controversial free kick awarded to Daniel Cross as the turning point of the game and the emergence of the Bizarros but I believe it started and ended with Melbourne's skipper who had a dog of a day. I'll go back a minute earlier in time when David Neitz was ridden into the ground with his opponent landing on top of him. The free kick went against the Demon skipper who was deemed to be holding the ball. The play then moved into the Bulldog forward line where Cross James McDonald ran down. He was certainly caught holding the ball but the momentum of the tackle caused Junior to end up on top of his opponent. On viewing the replay later, I have no doubt the commentator, like many others including me, thought Cross was gone. But that's the luck of the game - the rough decisions will usually even themselves out - especially if the umpires are consistent. Won't they? The free to Cross resulted in a hand pass off to Gilbee and lead was down to seven points. A moment later Cross was in the action again when he took a mark and was brought down late by Paul Johnson who was doing well in the ruck. The resultant 70 metre penalty resulted in a Cross goal and was followed by another to Higgins after Brad Johnson appeared to put his hands on Cameron Bruce's back as the two went for the ball (the commentator used the words "Johnson wrestles with Bruce" - please give me a break!). Suddenly, the hard fought lead had evaporated and the Dogs were in front. The Demons had the chance to come back when Neitz took a mark and was brought down to the ground a trifle late by Harris. Now was the chance for the maggots, sorry stoggam, to display some consistency. Fifty metres anyone? No, not seventy, not fifty, not fifteen. Nada. I guess Neita should have kicked the goal from 35 metres but he didn't. Fact is if there was anything other than Bizarro justice in this world he would have been taking his shot from the goal square. The result was that the half time break came and the Dogs had gained the ascendancy even though Melbourne led everywhere statistically except where it counted and the opposition had kicked the last five goals of the Bizarro first half. I think Neale Daniher has been somewhat unfairly bagged during the team's horror start to the season by those who know no better. His coaching of the team in this game (and the previous one against Port Adelaide for that matter), particularly after half time was, sensational and he deserved to be better rewarded for his efforts than what the scribes called a "gallant" six point defeat. For starters, he didn't go negative and he didn't try to win with a negative style of game that his players haven't been able to perfect and certainly would have struggled with given the list of players he had available to him. He moved Cameron Bruce onto the ball instead of playing the negating role on Brad Johnson and the move immediately paid dividends with the team edging to within a point before the Dogs struggled to win back a couple later in the quarter. Melbourne came back again in the final term and it was goal for goal. Daniher didn't hesitate to drag Neitz off after he gave away a soft free kick (made even softer by the fact that the Bizarros in yellow had virtually thrown their whistles away earlier in the quarter) was awarded against him straight after a Melbourne goal. The resultant penalty let the Dogs back with a fortunate goal. It was the Bulldogs who had the run of luck when the Bizarros awarded Melbourne a fifty metre (I later measured it at 43½ but what the hell?) that actually worked to the their advantage because Colin Sylvia already had the ball and was off fifty metres downfield from where the original mark was paid. Daniher was again limited with Carroll and Miller injured - a huge disadvantage in a close contest but the final roll of the dice saw Brad Johnson showing his class and kicking the winning goal from almost fifty metres out. This was the final straw in a Bizarro game in which the productivity of the two skippers was the ultimate determinant as to which team would walk away with the four points. Even more Bizarro was the fact that, at the end of the game, Melbourne which had now narrowly lost to the top team and another major finals contender was still sitting winless after seven games and facing a tough game at Subiaco against the Eagles a week later. Totally Bizarro! Melbourne 6.1.37 7.6.48 10.9.69 16.10.106 Western Bulldogs 4.1.25 10.5.65 12.12.84 16.16.112 Goals: Melbourne: Davey Sylvia 3 Green Yze 2 Bate Bell Dunn Johnstone Neitz White Western Bulldogs: Johnson 4 Hahn Higgins 2 Akermanis Cooney Cross Darcy Eagleton Giansiracusa Gilbee Hargrave. Best: Melbourne: Davey Johnstone Sylvia White Bruce Yze. Western Bulldogs: Johnson Cross Eagleton Gilbee Harris Giansiracusa. Injuries: Melbourne: Miller (ankle), Carroll (concussion). Western Bulldogs Nil. Team Changes: Melbourne: Rivers (back) replaced in selected side by Holland. Western Bulldogs Nil. Umpires: McLaren Sully Head. Crowd: 24,584 at Telstra Dome