Ned

Those sentences send chills through me. I always look forward to Melbourne playing big name teams because we seem to lift when there's no expectation or pressure. I feel a sense of dread with lower teams because we tend to switch off. The only redeeming feature is that Essendon have had the same problem over the past year and a half.

I thought Dunn was good today. Took some solid marks and has real strength. A bit of mongrel about him, too, which is great. I like seeing Melbourne players giving it back to their opponents.

Sorry mate, we lose games we should win against teams like West Coast. Games like this one are exactly the sort Melbourne can pull off, or at least can stay in to the end. We completely fell away. I think supporters have a right to feel disappointed.

I really feel like Melbourne are going backwards. I find it incredibly frustrating watching Richmond, who turned over an enormous number of players, playing good competitive footy, and yet we are 2 1/2 years into a rebuild and don't seem to be progressing. North Melbourne the same. Maybe it's just disappointment with the last quarter at the moment.

Yep, there's no steel about us in the early part of a game. Richmond come out with, pardon the pun, the "eye of the tiger" in their players' faces. We sometimes get that as the game goes on. But we're usually a long way behind by then. Some sort of issue with mental preparation, it seems.

I like the guy and I think he's doing ok. But the bar has been raised by Brad Scott and Damien Hardwick. North are challenging for the eight and their team isn't any more talented than ours, and Richmond have gone from a basketcase to a halfway competitive team in half a season. We're playing like we're still in the tank... Having said that, I think Adelaide are now better than their position shows. They rolled Freo a few weeks back.

He needs to be dropped. You can't even call what he gives an effort.

What I like about Jamar, outside of his great performances, is the physical pressure he applies. Opposition players feel pain when he is around. He has that really hard edge that our team is lacking at the moment (which is understandable given we're young, but really needs to be developed). Having said that, I enjoyed seeing Frawley and Rivers getting into Brown on QB. I think that'll be the next step for Melbourne, ensuring not only that we're never intimidated but that we make other teams suffer for their possessions. Jamar has really stepped up on this front and it is incredibly important. I reckon he has to be in line for best and fairest. His performance has been critical to the team's successes thus far.

Yep, and Jack Trengove would know the ground quite well, too. If Melbourne are switched on (a big if as we get beaten by teams like West Coast at the G if we're not), then the Demons should beat Adelaide and do it again to Port later in the year.

On Big Footy at least, the Cats supporters I've read are incredibly decent and gracious (streaks ahead of the other twits). Mark Thompson strikes me as a seriously decent person and an outstanding coach. The team are just champions that back each other. I look at Geelong as the benchmark and what excites me is that in many respects that's where Melbourne is headed. I can understand them being annoyed at not seeing Scully and Trengrove play (I think we're all a little disappointed). The kids are the talk of the competition. But I still back our coaching panel for resting them. If they'd played, we would have given the game a serious shake.

On TV, the camera panned across to Ron Barassi watching as Scully tore the game to pieces. It was a nice moment.

I couldn't agree more. I was furious at the end of the game (watching it on TV) and could've strangled a field umpire. After calming down, I understood that this is the feeling of a supporter of a team that is a contender. The days of hoping for the game not to turn into a blow out are over Demonlanders. Melbourne are back!

Just out of curiosity, is Bruce's contract up this year? He was everywhere on the field yesterday (not that that was necessarily helpful) and there was a puff piece in the Herald Sun on the day, too. It just struck me as a little coordinated push for a new contract or something. I may be way off, of course.

Out: Petterd, Dunn (I had liked his aggression but he is a spud), Martin (looks like a fish out of water. Don't bring him back again until he proves he can read the play), Rivers, MacDonald (he's supposed to be experienced, didn't show it). The only tall we need is Jamar. The rest just reduce our running game and add nothing. I still maintain we are a much better team than North and it was really disappointing that they were able to suffocate our running game so easily. We have zero to lose against the Bulldogs, who are also a fast team, so let the runners off the leash (Strauss, McKenzie, Bail, whoever else has some zip).

Nathan Jones has to be Skeletor!

Speaking of Juddstice and being brought to Brock, did anyone see Brad Green making Travis Johnstone his biatch with that increadible tackle? It brought tears to my eyes. Indeed, Melbourne played him beautifully, no one really got stuck into him, just every time he got the ball three Demons suddenly pounced upon him and drove him into the ground. It was poetic. The icing was Junior kicking the goal from Johnstone's throw.

I just have to toss this chestnut up. How good is our skipper? Twice he has kicked the goal that sealed the game and the example he has set for the young blokes and the rest of the team is just extraordinary. Every time the ball comes into his hands you know something good and positive is going to happen. There's such justice in him coming out on top after leading the team through the darkest of days. Here's to you James McDonald. You are a bloody hero.

I just loved Frawley giving it to Brown after beating him in a contest. Priceless. He's going to set the standard for backmen in coming years.

hear, hear!

Bennel: Mr zi-zag! Jeez he can move. I thought he was terrific.

I think Bennell has been outstanding in the last couple of games and I apologise (again) for giving him a hard time after the Collingwood match. He has so much zip, is a good mark and is really growing in confidence. I loved him copping it from the Brisbane player (McGrath?) early in the match about dodging contests. Bennell was just brilliant and I hope he sought out McGrath at the end of the match for a little chat about the scoreboard!

It's with great pleasure that I EAT MY HAT! You bloody bewdy Dees! I'm not doubting you again and I apologise for my post today.

I don't want to rain on the parade but I don't think we have a hope in hell of winning this game. And I'm not an unreconstructed pessimist. I tipped the Adelaide win. But you have to remember, when we pushed Collingwood they expected to be playing a red and blue version of Richmond. Brisbane know that's not the case, have a point to prove playing at the `G' and absolutely smacked the Bulldogs last week. I just hope we see some good competitive footy from our guys and there's no blow-out. My sense is that that was what Bailey was getting at. I'd love to be proven wrong but I very much doubt it.

Nice one. Really articulate guy, too. It's good to know there are some thinkers in the team.

He's a blathering idiot. Sheedy himself points out, undermining his own argument, that Melbourne as a club is following the same route as Hawthorn. Er, Hawthorn won a premiership. Someone should pull out the hook and drag the senile old fart off the stage. Talk about a space-filler of a column.