The Mighty Demons take on the confident Cats this Saturday night at the recently completed $319 million redeveloped GMHBA Stadium, with the bounce of the ball at 7:15pm.
Our last game of 2023 was an agonisingly close 5-point semi-final loss to Geelong, and we look forward to Melbourne turning the tables this week.
Practice match form was scratchy for both teams with the Demons losing practice matches to Carlton and Port Adelaide, while the Cats beat Collingwood but then lost to Essendon.
No doubt all teams have been ‘training the house down’ and breaking PBs but Melbourne also has nine new players to integrate (three newbies playing , which has been a huge challenge for Demons Coach Mick Stinear and his crew.
The 2022 Season 7 premiership coach has an impressive coaching win/loss record of 73.7% but losses in the last three games have not helped the percentage.
Selection this week
Todd Patterson, the Club’s List Manager, outlined his strategy to trade out 4-5 experienced players and use the draft to recruit elite young talent and target top-up players.
He believed the Dees already had an excellent core list and some ten players have 50 games or more experience.
With former regular defenders Birch and Gay gone, Tayla Harris has been earmarked to fill a key back role and use her field kicking skills.
Maeve Chaplin looks set for a role in defence too and looked awesome in the practice games. Of the newbies, expect to see some Round 1 debuts.
Ryleigh Wotherspoon, a 170cm powerful, athletic, utility, demonstrated, excellent game awareness and goal kicking skills in the practice and VFLW games.
Grace Beasley (who will have a test on her shoulder) will hopefully debut too. Grace comes to the Dees from US college basketball as a tough, skillful guard. Expect to see her playing in the midfield.
Grace Hill is a tall, strong defender with good kicking skills and comes via the GWS Giants.
Our opponents, Geelong
The Cats have an elite group of midfielders in Georgie Prespakis, Nina Morrison and Amy McDonald. They have wingers, Bowen and Crockett-Grills, who provide speed and pressure.
Defence-wise they have talls Meg McDonald and Claudia Gunjaca. Chantel Emonson, the former Dee, takes kicking duties.
In attack they will miss the injured Chloe Sheer but tall dynamic Irish player Ashling Maloney, kicked 3 goals against us in Round 5 last year, and will be a headache for ourdefence.
Meggs' thoughts
The Dees have been working hard over the past few months to integrate the new players, develop the gameplan, and build connections.
There is reason to be optimistic for this season, but highlighted in the Welcome 2024 Season Preview, we have a tough draw.
Concerns emerged last year, and observed in the practice games, about winning the footy in the midfield and getting the ball outside to runners. With Liv Purcell missing for a few weeks, others will be allocated to fill her role. Expect that to be Goldie and Kate Hore who will join Hanksy and Lily Mithen. Hopefully Blaithin Mackin is fully fit and available as we need her running power and game reading.
Up forward Eden Zanker matches up well on Gunjaca. Well let’s face when Edo fires up, she terrifies every defender.
Our backline is a work-in-progress, but Gillard, Chaplin and others such as Paxy, Colvin, Lampard and Heath are super experienced and reliable role players.
Mick Stinear has demonstrated the power of versatility with this playing group. We expect them to acquit themselves brilliantly on Saturday and Meggs will be at the ground cheering alongside lots of other Dees fans. Please come along!
Go Dees!
Melbourne by 3 points
THE GAME
Melbourne v Geelong at GMHBA Stadium, Wadawurrung, on Saturday 31 August 2023 at 7:15pm (Melbourne time)
HEAD TO HEAD
Overall Melbourne 1 win Geelong 1 win
At GMHBA, Geelong Melbourne 1 win Geelong 0 wins
The Coaches Stinear 1 win Lowther 1 win
MEDIA
TV - Fox Footy, Kayo.
Mobile – AFL Live Official App
Radio - check your local guides.
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
Geelong 7.8 (50) defeated Melbourne 6.9 (45) in the Season 8 Semi Final at Ikon Park, on 19 November 2023
On a sunny afternoon at Ikon Park, Geelong midfield stars Nina Morrison, Georgie Prespakis and Amy McDonald took control of the game. For most of the first three quarters they dominated the Dees and were 5 goals in front at three quarter time.
With nothing to lose, Mick Stinear began the last quarter with Tahlia Gillard in the ruck and moved Kate Hore and Goldie alongside the extractor Westy in the middle. Within seconds of the bounce of the ball, our midfielders had found Hanksywho ran on into an open goal.
At the ground it seemed like the weight of being the ‘reigning premiers’ had finally lifted from the players shoulders.
Eden Zanker started holding her marks and kicked 3 brilliant last quarter goals.
We kicked 5 goals to 1 goal in the last. And in the dying seconds, Loz Pearce snapped for goal to force extra-time, but it sadly drifted left by inches.
Too little too late, season over.
FINAL SCORES
MELBOURNE 0.2 1.4 1.7 6.9 (45)
GEELONG 2.4 4.5 6.7 7.8 (50)
GOALS
Melbourne: Zanker 3, Gay, Hanks, A.Mackin
Geelong: A.McDonald 2, Parry, Darby, Crockett-Grills, Scott, Moloney
BEST
Melbourne: Hanks, West, Zanker, Pearce, Paxman, Gay
Geelong: Morrison, Webster, A.McDonald, M.McDonald, Parry, Darby
INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Geelong: Nil
Crowd: 5,057 at Ikon Park
THE TEAMS
MELBOURNE
B Colvin Gillard
HB Chaplin Heath Paxman
C McNamara Lampard Mackin
HF Zanker Mithen Harris
F Bannan Fitzsimon
FOLL Pearce Hanks Hore
I/C Beasley Goldrick Hill Watt Wotherspoon
EMG Gall Taylor Campbell
GEELONG
B Emonson Gunjaca
HB Webster McDonald Kearns
C Friswell Prespakis Bowen
HF Crockett-Grills Parry Surman
F Moloney Kenny
FOLL Darby McDonald Morrison
I/C Featherston Kennedy Moloney Rankin Scott
EMG Mason McDonald Plummer
Injury List: Round 1
Melbourne
Grace Beasley Shoulder Test
Jacinta Hose ACL Season
Lily Johnson Achilles Test
Aimee Mackin ACL Season
Olivia Purcell Face TBC
Jemma Rigoni Groin TBC
Saraid Taylor Calf 2 weeks
Geelong
Chloe Sheer Toe 5-6 weeks
