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  1. Wednesday 20th May Tonight I'll be fronting up as usual to the Devil's Advocates Dinner for members of the legal fraternity who support the Melbourne Football Club. They include judges and their associates, solicitors, barristers, paralegal people and their staff all with that one thing in common - the fact that red and blue blood courses through their veins. That, and the fact that they have suffered greatly through the sport over time (except of course, for those who managed to get a professional involvement in the Essendon drug saga) It's almost becoming a tradition that on the weekend before this function, Melbourne suffers a hiding of gigantic proportions meaning that the mood of the evening is usually sombre if not funereal. As a reminder of how poorly the Demons performed in their game against the Hawks, I give you this report from Footy Almanac. As a result, I pity for instance, Phil Kingston, the auctioneer who has to flog various Demon related products during the course of the evening, like an afternoon in the coaches box, when the enthusiasm among the crowd leaves a lot to be desired. I might even be tempted to put in a bid for the coaches box gig but only on a non match day. Still, I always look forward to the event and trust that there will be some special revelation that might reveal a light at the end of that very long tunnel that seems to extend itself whenever we get a third of the way into a season. THE GAME Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at The MCG Sunday 24 May 2015 at 3.20pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall: Melbourne 84 Western Bulldogs 74 wins wins 1 draw At MCG: Melbourne 44 wins Western Bulldogs 27 wins Last Five Meetings: Melbourne 1 win Western Bulldogs 4 wins The Coaches: Roos 0 wins Beveridge 0 wins MEDIA TV - Fox Sports Channel 3 Radio - SEN ABC ABC Grandstand THE BETTING Melbourne $3.05 to win Western Bulldogs $1.38 to win LAST TIME THEY MET Western Bulldogs 14.7.91 defeated Melbourne 13.7.85 at Etihad Stadium in Round 15, 2014. The Demons had a slow start but recovered from way back to lead late in the game until a few defensive mistakes and some brilliance from Marcus Bontempelli saw the Dogs home by a goal. TEAMS MELBOURNE B: Colin Garland, Tom McDonald, Jack Grimes HB: Jeremy Howe, Lynden Dunn, Heritier Lumumba C: Daniel Cross, Aaron vandenBerg, Matt Jones HF: Angus Brayshaw, Cameron Pedersen, Jack Watts F: Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Jack Fitzpatrick FOLL: Jake Spencer, Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince I/C: Rohan Bail, Ben Newton, Aidan Riley, Jimmy Toumpas EMG: Max Gawn, Viv Michie, Billy Stretch IN: Jack Fitzpatrick, Jesse Hogan, Ben Newton, Aidan Riley, Jack Watts OUT: Chris Dawes (calf), Viv Michie, Christian Salem (hamstring), Billy Stretch, Dom Tyson (knee) WESTERN BULLDOGS B: Matthew Boyd, Jordan Roughead, Easton Wood HB: Robert Murphy, Fletcher Roberts, Jason Johannisen C: Tory Dickson, Liam Picken, Koby Stevens HF: Bailey Dale, Jake Stringer, Mitch Wallis F: Stewart Crameri, Tom Boyd, Luke Dahlhaus FOLL: Ayce Cordy, Lin Jong, Marcus Bontempelli I/C: Shane Biggs, Brett Goodes, Lachie Hunter, Michael Talia EMG: Jarrad Grant Nathan Hrovath Jack Macrae IN: Shane Biggs OUT: Mitch Honeychurch (general soreness) NEW: Shane Biggs Thursday 21st May I sat opposite Heritier Lumumba for part of the Devil's Advocates function (they rotate the club guests during the evening) and found him to be a revelation in terms of his ability to articulate his views on life and football with such intelligence, passion and humour. He is a major asset to the club not only as a player but as a mentor for our young team. When asked by compere Doctor Turf what his initial thoughts were of the three way trade involving Mitch Clark (to Geelong), Travis Varcoe (to Collingwood) and him to Melbourne, it was that the Demons had won. Perhaps he was jesting but I think he might be right. He also added that he felt at home at this function because his stepfather was a Solicitor which meant he understood why so many there were wearing mismatched ties. His story of how his parents were both dancers who met in Brazil (his father was from the undemocratic Republic of Congo). This probably explains the graceful way he moves around the field at times and he was the big hit of the night from my perspective. Josh Mahoney spoke of his experiences as a twice rejected AFL player (Collingwood and Bulldogs) who spent three seasons in the VFL before getting a chance to be a premiership player at Port Adelaide. Josh has had a role change at Melbourne, moving from the coaching to the business side of football which he says suits him just fine. He did mention that Neville Jetta and Jack Viney would miss another week before returning but that Jesse Hogan was good to go this week. The final speaker was Simon Goodwin who spoke of his experiences as coach in waiting and how he was enjoying the learning experience under Paul Roos and how he is being mentored as a future coach by Neale Daniher. It was something that most of the audience knew little about and there a great deal of interest in Neales experiences as he fights his debilitating illness. Goodwin remains very confident that the club is on the right trajectory despite the difficult three week period it has just experienced against three of the competitions strongest sides. He expects us to be a finals prospect within the next two to three years. Congratulations to Devils Advocates convener Ralph Glezer with who I first went with to the footy in our university days which started not long after our golden era ended. There were many times in the barren years of the 70s and 80s that our only joy was the sight of Robbie Flower running on the wings of the MCG and the suburban football grounds of Melbourne. Kudos to Ralph for bringing in poet and Demon fan Greg Shalless to open the night by delivering his tribute to Robbie - https://soundcloud.com/sen1116/ode-to-robbie-flower/ Phil Kingston of Garry Peer & Associates estate agents was brilliant as the auctioneer of various bits and pieces of Melbourne related goodies. Dr. Turf was the compere and ran the show well with his wit and wisdom. He brought the house down with his story about how Prime Minister Bob Hawke gave him his private telephone number so that he could deliver his horse racing tips on a Saturday morning. Turfie asked the PM what would happen if the phone was engaged, to which Hawke answered, then were all f---ed because the only person who has the number is George Bush and if hes on the line it means hes gotten us involved in another bloody war!" I'm wondering if he has the phone number for Paul Roos because I would dearly like to know what hes thinking as Melbourne takes on the Western Bulldogs with a side that it somewhat depleted from the games of early in the season when the team showed significant advances over last year. Despite the fact that the Western Bulldogs have dominated recent meetings between the teams (they have won nine of 10 matches since 2008), the games have been reasonably close affairs with the Demons in the contests until close to the end. The past four contests have been decided by an average margin of 11 points and on most such occasions, it was the overall experience of the Doggies that made the difference but this time around, things promise to be different. The Western Bulldogs jettisoned a fair bit of experience at the end of 2014 and many of the pundits expected them to struggle with the extra reliance upon youth but instead, their youngsters have risen to the occasion and given their fans some joy after the gloom and doom of the off season. Whilst Melbourne has some promising young players on its list, some of the best of its youth have been sidelined with injury lately and therefore, team selection has become something of a mish mash with several not quite right players getting games and a number of selections going against the flow of logic for an outsider. The end result is that I don't have the same feeling of confidence in the team's short to medium term prospects that I held a month ago. Western Bulldogs by 27 points
  2. The two clubs were evenly matched in the latter part of 2014 and the game could have gone either way. Since then, the Dogs have gone forward and we ... WESTERN BULLDOGS B: Liam Picken, Mark Austin, Robert Murphy HB: Shaun Higgins, Dale Morris, Easton Wood C :Marcus Bontempelli, Matthew Boyd, Jack Macrae HF: Koby Stevens, Stewart Crameri, Sam Darley F: Luke Dahlhaus, Liam Jones, Mitch Honeychurch FOLL: Will Minson, Mitch Wallis, Tom Liberatore I/C: Nathan Hrovat, Lachie Hunter, Jake Stringer, Jason Tutt EMG: Tom Campbell, Jack Redpath, Fletcher Roberts IN: Sam Darley, Mitch Honeychurch, Lachie Hunter, Jake Stringer OUT: Daniel Giansiracusa (suspension), Jarrad Grant (virus), Ryan Griffen (back spasms), Jordan Roughead (shoulder) NEW: Sam Darley, Mitch Honeychurch MELBOURNE B: Neville Jetta, Lynden Dunn, Jeremy Howe HB: Dean Terlich, Colin Garland, Jack Grimes C: Jack Watts, Jack Viney, Bernie Vince HF: Rohan Bail, Chris Dawes, Matt Jones F: Cameron Pedersen, James Frawley, Dean Kent FOLL: Mark Jamar, Dom Tyson, Nathan Jones I/C: Dom Barry, Max Gawn, Daniel Nicholson, Christian Salem EMG: Alex Georgiou, Aidan Riley, Luke Tapscott IN: Dom Barry, Max Gawn, Daniel Nicholson, Dean Terlich OUT: Daniel Cross (leg), Tom McDonald (calf), Jordie McKenzie (suspension), Aidan Riley NEW Dom Barry
  3. ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST by George on the Outer The 2014 Demons have just let another winnable game slip by, and their chances of showing some real outcome from the work put in just bit the dust. Again! Like the St.Kilda game and maybe the game against Gold Coast, this was one which was 100% within reach of a positive result. Just that little more was needed. It didn't take too much to work out that it would come down to the wire, even in the first quarter. Yet, once again we were let down by the passengers in the side, and the half-hearted efforts again from the usual offenders. Not that these failures were in the last ten minutes of the game, the opportunities to do something which would change the result happened in all the previous quarters. And once again, do these people REALLY think the fans don't notice, when they are on full public display, and in full view of the circumstances? There will have been much written about Byrnes on the Demonland site yet again, but how he gets a game week in and out is simply beyond comprehension. Especially, when slightly flawed, unwilling or underdone players have to put in the hard yards at Casey before they qualify for a recall. We dare not speak of the umpires..they didn't affect the overall result. But the sheer lack of control and willingness to pay free kicks when they were blatently obvious was a real blight on the game. Not a single holding the ball (incorrect disposal) call was made all night. Even the Jack Watts call was called a throw. And don't get me started about how Dean Terlich could be taken from the ground with concussion, having spent five minutes lying prostrate on the ground, and was not awarded a whistle in his favour. It is even more reprehensible that these flannelled fools continued on, while a player was in serious trouble, and the ball was not in play! It's about time the umpire's director stopped assuming that NOT making a call is a good thing. It is exactly why we see rolling mauls in our game, and a good reason why people will stop coming. A visitor to the game would have been mistaken for thinking they had arrived at the wrong stadium, as Storm were playing just across the road at the same time. The positives: There certainly were some. Mark Jamar was simply magnificent against the bigger bodied Will Minson. He got no assistance from the umpires ( sorry had to mention them again) as Minson infringed at every centre bounce, either across the line or jumping into Mark. Without him the situation would have been a lot worse, considering the higher quality mid-field that the Dogs had available. Dom Tyson was another standout, and showed everyone who thought recruiting him to be a risky option as totally wrong. With only 30 games under his belt, he will be a serious long-term asset to the team. Chris Dawes once again showed the value of the big body up forward. Not just for his marking capabilities, but his ability to generate an opportunity because he attacks the ball when it is in his area. Sadly others could learn from this approach, as standing around the edges of packs hoping someone else can do the hard yards is not a winning football formula. Daniel Cross was another who put in a magnificent performance against his old side. And he was ably assisted by the young and now famous Jack Viney. Again, we are developing a good solid base of capable mids, and taking the pressure off Nathan Jones. Yes we fluffed another chance. With just a LITTLE more effort from some ( just some), the team could have doubled its number of wins for the season, and indeed that of the 2013 season! Thats what is so frustrating for the fans in the Outer. We can see the chances, we can see what is being squandered. The season will not get easier, as we now enter the harder phase both physicall and with the draw. There will be less to build on, so we should have built early. Melbourne 2.2.14 5.5.35 10.6.66 12.11.83 Western Bulldogs 3.2.20 5.7.37 9.7.61 15.9.99 Goals Melbourne Frawley Kennedy-Harris Tyson 2 Cross Dawes Jamar Pedersen Salem Vince Western Bulldogs Crameri 4 Williams 3 Liberatore Tutt 2 Cooney Giansiracusa Griffen Minson. Best Melbourne Cross, Tyson, Vince, N.Jones, McDonald, Viney, Western Bulldogs Liberatore Griffen Crameri Cooney Williams Dahlhaus Wood Johannissen Changes Melbourne Nil Western Bulldogs Nil Injuries Melbourne Frawley (right thigh), Terlich (concussion) Western Bulldogs Dickson (left shoulder), Williams (right calf) Reports Melbourne Nil Western Bulldogs Nil Umpires Fleer Stevic Stevens Attendance 36,326 at the MCG.
  4. It's raining and there's nothing much on other than to try to make it a double header - Scorps at Visy followed by Dees (or the Mighty Demons) at the G tonight. It's a big night for the club - to have truly turned the corner we need to follow up wins with continued good performance. Judging on Sydney from last night, our effort a fortnight ago wasn't all that shabby and we know about last week in Adelaide. Let's see something even better tonight - a game where we dominate for the full four quarters would be nice but perhaps we're not quite ready for that yet.
  5. ANOTHER BLACK PINK DAY by Whispering Jack Wednesday: Last night the AFL Tribunal delivered an extraordinary verdict in the case against Jack Viney when it agreed with the prosecutor Jeff Gleeson's submission that the player should have avoided what was virtually the unavoidable contest. This made him guilty of failing to take a split second decision to pirouette away from a physical clash and, in other words, of showing courage on a sporting arena in front of more than 40,000 spectators and thousands more viewers on television and in other media. Wayne Schimmelbusch, Emmett Dunne and Wayne Henwood who made up the Tribunal and who must be named and shamed therefore relegated the sport from one in which courage and skill is its hallmark to one in which fear of making contact with an opponent is an imperative of the game and in doing so, ensured that it took only 15 months for the AFL to produce another black day in Australian sport. Viney's teammates will (pending a decision on an appeal) take the field on Saturday night with the responsibility of fulfilling his pledge not to change the way he plays, to attack the ball with ferocity and to never wave the white flag. That exercise should be left to the fans in the stands as a message to those who run the game and are seemingly intent on destroying it. A TOUCH OF PINK by Whispering Jack Thursday: The controversy over the Viney report has overshadowed what is a most commendable initiative by the clubs involved in the game - Field of Women - to highlight the battle against breast cancer. It also overshadows the fact that this encounter is one of vital importance to two struggling clubs which appear well out of contention for finals honours even at this stage but are desperately seeking victory to demonstrate to themselves, their supporters and the world at large that they're moving forward. The Bulldogs are seemingly at a distinct advantage in that they are free of concern from major injury worries or the distraction of controversy such as that which has been raging around Viney this week. Whilst they are sitting on a three game losing streak, their form hasn't been all that dismal and they could easily have come out in top in each of the last two encounters. They have the more experienced campaigners in their ranks. These teams met twice last year with honours even at one win each. The Demons in their second game under caretaker coach Neil Craig played their best game of the season at the MCG and held a massive seven goal lead halfway through the final term before running out of steam and almost ceding victory. In the return match at Etihad, a similar lapse in the second quarter gave the Bulldogs the initiative and the eventually ran out 20 point winners but they were certainly not convincing in their victory. However, what they did achieve in between those two matches was that they produced consistent performances including some wins against more fancied opponents. They had an emerging young midfield, a solid core of steady experienced hands including the likes of Griffin, Murphy and Cooney and were on the up and up. The Demons, on the other hand, were going nowhere. The emergence of a highly credentialed coach and the introduction of midfield depth and a playing strategy that is slowly starting to seep into the team's mindset is beginning to redress the many layers of on field deficiencies that once beset the Demons. Last week's game showed they have far greater leadership strength than they have had for a number of years. Nathan Jones continues to set the example around the ground, Jack Grimes is looking more at home leading a stable, revitalised defence and Chris Dawes has fired up the attacking division although it could do with one or two more players capable of scoring goals on a regular basis. I see Melbourne well ahead of the Western Bulldogs in defence as well as holding a slight advantage in attack and if the week's distractions are not allowed to influence the team, I expect it to make the MCG its own Field of Men on this special day and to bring home the four points for the first team as a home team, even if not in the truly traditional colours of the club. A touch of pink and Viney in the jumper will do the job nicely. THE GAME Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at the MCG Saturday 10 May, 2014 at 7.40 pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 84 wins Western Bulldogs 72 wins Drawn 1 At MCG Melbourne 44 wins Western Bulldogs 26 wins Past five years Melbourne 1 wins Western Bulldogs 4 wins The Coaches Roos 0 wins McCartney 0 wins MEDIA TV - Channel 7, Fox Footy Channel @ 7.30pm (live) RADIO - Triple M 3AW ABC THE BETTING Melbourne to win - $3.00 Western Bulldogs to win - $1.40 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Western Bulldogs 16.11.107 defeated Melbourne 13.9.87 Round 23, 2013 at Etihad Stadium The experience of the Bulldogs won out in the end and one of their best was Daniel Cross playing his last game in their colours. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Dean Terlich HB: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Jack Grimes C: Daniel Cross, Dom Tyson, Bernie Vince HF: Rohan Bail, James Frawley, Jack Watts F: Jeremy Howe, Chris Dawes, Cam Pedersen FOLL: Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney I/C: Christian Salem, Shannon Byrnes, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Matt Jones EMG: Mitch Clisby, Max Gawn, Aidan Riley IN: Colin Garland OUT: Alex Georgiou WESTERN BULLDOGS B: Liam Picken, Tom Williams, Easton Wood. HB: Shaun Higgins, Dale Morris, Robert Murphy. C: Adam Cooney, Ryan Griffen, Jack Macrae. HF: Jake Stringer, Stewart Crameri, Tory Dickson. F: Luke Dahlhaus, Liam Jones, Daniel Giansiracusa. FOLL: Will Minson, Matthew Boyd, Tom Liberatore. I/C: Jason Tutt, Fletcher Roberts, Lachie Hunter, Jason Johannisen. EMG: Marcus Bontempelli, Brett Goodes, Michael Talia IN: Daniel Giansiracusa, Fletcher Roberts, Jason Tutt OUT: Marcus Bontempelli, Koby Stevens, Michael Talia THE STATISTICS: ROUNDS 1 to 7 by Sam the Stats Man The numbers are stacking up well for the Demons of 2014 - at least in comparison with 2013. They have come from being the worst side defensively to middle of the road. They have players in the top 10 for kicks (Bernie Vince), handballs (Daniel Cross), marks (James Frawley), disposals (Nathan Jones) and shepherds (surprisingly Neville Jetta). Another player of interest who is shining when it comes to the figures is Dom Tyson who has been impressive all round and is probably just a little behind Nathan Jones when it comes to favouritism for the Bluey at this point in time. Twenty year old Tyson has played just 20 games of AFL football and earlier this week, the Footy Classified panel looked at his statistics which measured up favourably against some of the current day stars of the game. He averages 18 handballs, 4.7 marks and 2.9 clearances per game, figures that eclipse Chris Judd, Brett Deledio, Brendan Goddard and Garry Ablett Junior in every caterory by a decent margin at the same stage of their respective careers. The signs are pointing in the right direction statisticall heres my regular run through of the list to date. BAIL, Rohan MFC 7 games, 3 goals. Has made an excellent recovery from the concussion issues that affected him in the past couple of seasons and has become an important contributor to the team. BARRY, Dom CSFC 3 games, 0 goals. Some injury and form issues are slowing his development at Casey. BLEASE, Sam CSFC 5 games, 3 goals. Battling to show the form necessary to gain promotion from the VFL. BYRNES, Shannon MFC 5 games, 5 goals, CSFC 1 game, 3 goals. Has had his moments near goals. CLARK, Mitch (retired). CLISBY, Mitch CSFC 5 games, 1 goal. Getting close to promotion from the VFL. CROSS, Daniel MFC 7 games, 0 goals. A strong contributor either in the midfield or in run with roles. DAWES, Chris MFC 4 games, 8 goals. A team lifter since resuming his place in the team. DUNN, Lynden MFC 7 games, 3 goals. Has stepped up and is producing consistent performances in both defence and occasionally in attack. EVANS, Michael MFC 3 games, 1 goal, CSFC 2 games 1 goal. In between the senior and Casey team as he strives for consistency. FITZPATRICK, Jack MFC 3 games, 0 goals, CSFC 3 games 4 goals. Concussed early in the opening game of the season and, Fitzpatrick was unable to reproduce the form that made him a promising tall prospect last year. FRAWLEY, James MFC 7 games, 5 goals. Has had his moments but lacked consistent form. Now battling a toe injury. GARLAND, Colin CSFC 3 games 1 goal, CSFC DL1 game 0 goals. Recovering from pre-season surgery and after four weeks at Casey is ready to resume his place in the senior side. GAWN, Max CSFC 3 games, 0 goals. Another trying to break into the senior side after an injury-interrupted pre-season. GEORGIOU, Alexis ® MFC 7 games, 0 goals. Promoted from the rookie list, Georgiou has made the most of the opportunities presented to him and has played every game in the AFL team. GRIMES, Jack MFC 7 games, 0 goals. Seems comfortable on return to defence. HARMES, James ® CSFC 3 games 0 goals, CSFC DL1 game 1 goal. Was showing promise at Casey until a punctured lung stopped him in his tracks. HOGAN, Jesse (injured - yet to play). HOWE, Jeremy MFC 7 games, 1 goal. Struggled up forward but relishing games down back. HUNT, Jayden CSFC 4 games, 0 goals, CSFC DL 1 game 0 goals. Finding his feet with the Scorpions. JAMAR, Mark MFC 2 games, 1 goal, CSFC3 games, 2 goals. Has made a good return to the ruck after a long period on the injury list. JETTA, Neville ® MFC 3 games, 0 goals, CSFC 2 games 2 goals. Great last up game on Eddie Betts could be the turning point. JONES, Matthew MFC 7 games, 1 goal. Quiet and unassuming but puts in every week. JONES, Nathan MFC 7 games, 3 goals. The heart and soul of the Demons. KENNEDY-HARRIS MFC 7 games, 4 goals. An exciting prospect who is so clean with his disposal. KENT, Dean MFC 2 games, 1 goal, CSFC 1 game, 0 goals. Was showing something when injured and was reported in his first game back. KING, Max ® CSFC 2 games 0 goals, CSFC DL 1 game 2 goals. Young lightly built rookie ruckman set to miss another month with injury. McDONALD, Tom MFC 7 games, 0 goals. Solid emerging defender. MCKENZIE, Jordie MFC 2 games, 0 goals, CSFC 3 games, 1 goal. Desperate to get back into the side after an early form setback. MICHIE, Viv MFC 2 games, 0 goals, CSFC 1 game 0 goals. Broken jaw has kept him out in recent weeks. NICHOLSON, Daniel CSFC 5 games, 1 goal. Unable to break into the senior team. PEDERSEN, Cameron MFC 7 games, 2 goals. Much improved this season. RILEY, Aidan CSFC 5 games, 0 goals. Coming back from a long term injury, Riley has impressed with his strong tackling at Casey. SALEM, Christian MFC 2 games, 2 goals, CSFC 3 games, 3 goals. Impressing in the very early stage of his career. SPENCER, Jake MFC 5 games, 0 goals. Played a lion-hearted role in the ruck in the early games only to suffer injury. STRAUSS, James CSFC 4 games, 1 goal. Another returning from injury and unable to break back into the AFL team. TAPSCOTT, Luke CSFC 2 games, 0 goals. Injury-riddled in the preseason and just finding his feet again. TERLICH, Dean MFC 7 games, 2 goals. Steady in defence. TOUMPAS, Jimmy MFC 2 games, 2 goals, CSFC 5 games, 0 goals. Went back to Casey and working hard on his game. TRENGOVE, Jack MFC 2 games, 0 goals, CSFC 2 games, 1 goal. Broken navicular ended his season. TYSON, Dom MFC 7 games, 3 goals. A great acquisition for the club and a potential future star. VINCE, Bernie MFC 7 games, 1 goal. Going great guns in the club's revitalised midfield. VINEY, Jack MFC 5 games, 2 goals. This future leader has shown great bravery and courage. WATTS, Jack MFC 7 games, 5 goals. Sometimes unfairly maligned but there are some positive signs. WESTRUPP, Maia ® CSFC DL 4 games, 0 goals. International rookie still learning the ropes in the development league.
  6. Wednesday: Last night the AFL Tribunal delivered an extraordinary verdict in the case against Jack Viney when it agreed with the prosecutor Jeff Gleeson's submission that the player should have avoided what was virtually the unavoidable contest. This made him guilty of failing to take a split second decision to pirouette away from a physical clash and, in other words, of showing courage on a sporting arena in front of more than 40,000 spectators and thousands more viewers on television and in other media. Wayne Schimmelbusch, Emmett Dunne and Wayne Henwood who made up the Tribunal and who must be named and shamed therefore relegated the sport from one in which courage and skill is its hallmark to one in which fear of making contact with an opponent is an imperative of the game and in doing so, ensured that it took only 15 months for the AFL to produce another black day in Australian sport. Viney's teammates will (pending a decision on an appeal) take the field on Saturday night with the responsibility of fulfilling his pledge not to change the way he plays, to attack the ball with ferocity and to never wave the white flag. That exercise should be left to the fans in the stands as a message to those who run the game and are seemingly intent on destroying it. A TOUCH OF PINK by Whispering Jack Thursday: The controversy over the Viney report has overshadowed what is a most commendable initiative by the clubs involved in the game - Field of Women - to highlight the battle against breast cancer. It also overshadows the fact that this encounter is one of vital importance to two struggling clubs which appear well out of contention for finals honours even at this stage but are desperately seeking victory to demonstrate to themselves, their supporters and the world at large that they're moving forward. The Bulldogs are seemingly at a distinct advantage in that they are free of concern from major injury worries or the distraction of controversy such as that which has been raging around Viney this week. Whilst they are sitting on a three game losing streak, their form hasn't been all that dismal and they could easily have come out in top in each of the last two encounters. They have the more experienced campaigners in their ranks. These teams met twice last year with honours even at one win each. The Demons in their second game under caretaker coach Neil Craig played their best game of the season at the MCG and held a massive seven goal lead halfway through the final term before running out of steam and almost ceding victory. In the return match at Etihad, a similar lapse in the second quarter gave the Bulldogs the initiative and the eventually ran out 20 point winners but they were certainly not convincing in their victory. However, what they did achieve in between those two matches was that they produced consistent performances including some wins against more fancied opponents. They had an emerging young midfield, a solid core of steady experienced hands including the likes of Griffin, Murphy and Cooney and were on the up and up. The Demons, on the other hand, were going nowhere. The emergence of a highly credentialed coach and the introduction of midfield depth and a playing strategy that is slowly starting to seep into the team's mindset is beginning to redress the many layers of on field deficiencies that once beset the Demons. Last week's game showed they have far greater leadership strength than they have had for a number of years. Nathan Jones continues to set the example around the ground, Jack Grimes is looking more at home leading a stable, revitalised defence and Chris Dawes has fired up the attacking division although it could do with one or two more players capable of scoring goals on a regular basis. I see Melbourne well ahead of the Western Bulldogs in defence as well as holding a slight advantage in attack and if the week's distractions are not allowed to influence the team, I expect it to make the MCG its own Field of Men on this special day and to bring home the four points for the first team as a home team, even if not in the truly traditional colours of the club. A touch of pink and Viney in the jumper will do the job nicely. THE GAME Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at the MCG Saturday 10 May, 2014 at 7.40 pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 84 wins Western Bulldogs 72 wins Drawn 1 At MCG Melbourne 44 wins Western Bulldogs 26 wins Past five years Melbourne 1 wins Western Bulldogs 4 wins The Coaches Roos 0 wins McCartney 0 wins MEDIA TV - Channel 7, Fox Footy Channel @ 7.30pm (live) RADIO - Triple M 3AW ABC THE BETTING Melbourne to win - $3.00 Western Bulldogs to win - $1.40 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Western Bulldogs 16.11.107 defeated Melbourne 13.9.87 Round 23, 2013 at Etihad Stadium The experience of the Bulldogs won out in the end and one of their best was Daniel Cross playing his last game in their colours. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Dean Terlich HB: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Jack Grimes C: Daniel Cross, Dom Tyson, Bernie Vince HF: Rohan Bail, James Frawley, Jack Watts F: Jeremy Howe, Chris Dawes, Cam Pedersen FOLL: Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney I/C: , Shannon Byrnes, Matt Jones, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Christian Salem EMG: Mitch Clisby, Max Gawn, Aidan Riley IN: Colin Garland OUT: Alex Georgiou WESTERN BULLDOGS B: Liam Picken, Tom Williams, Easton Wood. HB: Shaun Higgins, Dale Morris, Robert Murphy. C: Adam Cooney, Ryan Griffen, Jack Macrae. HF: Jake Stringer, Stewart Crameri, Tory Dickson. F: Luke Dahlhaus, Liam Jones, Daniel Giansiracusa. FOLL: Will Minson, Matthew Boyd, Tom Liberatore. I/C: Jason Tutt, Fletcher Roberts, Lachie Hunter, Jason Johannisen. EMG: Marcus Bontempelli, Brett Goodes, Michael Talia IN: Daniel Giansiracusa, Fletcher Roberts, Jason Tutt OUT: Marcus Bontempelli, Koby Stevens, Michael Talia THE STATISTICS: ROUNDS 1 to 7 by Sam the Stats Man The numbers are stacking up well for the Demons of 2014 - at least in comparison with 2013. They have come from being the worst side defensively to middle of the road. They have players in the top 10 for kicks (Bernie Vince), handballs (Daniel Cross), marks (James Frawley), disposals (Nathan Jones) and shepherds (surprisingly Neville Jetta). Another player of interest who is shining when it comes to the figures is Dom Tyson who has been impressive all round and is probably just a little behind Nathan Jones when it comes to favouritism for the Bluey at this point in time. Twenty year old Tyson has played just 20 games of AFL football and earlier this week, the Footy Classified panel looked at his statistics which measured up favourably against some of the current day stars of the game. He averages 18 handballs, 4.7 marks and 2.9 clearances per game, figures that eclipse Chris Judd, Brett Deledio, Brendan Goddard and Garry Ablett Junior in every caterory by a decent margin at the same stage of their respective careers. The signs are pointing in the right direction statisticall heres my regular run through of the list to date. BAIL, Rohan MFC 7 games, 3 goals. Has made an excellent recovery from the concussion issues that affected him in the past couple of seasons and has become an important contributor to the team. BARRY, Dom CSFC 3 games, 0 goals. Some injury and form issues are slowing his development at Casey. BLEASE, Sam CSFC 5 games, 3 goals. Battling to show the form necessary to gain promotion from the VFL. BYRNES, Shannon MFC 5 games, 5 goals, CSFC 1 game, 3 goals. Has had his moments near goals. CLARK, Mitch (retired). CLISBY, Mitch CSFC 5 games, 1 goal. Getting close to promotion from the VFL. CROSS, Daniel MFC 7 games, 0 goals. A strong contributor either in the midfield or in run with roles. DAWES, Chris MFC 4 games, 8 goals. A team lifter since resuming his place in the team. DUNN, Lynden MFC 7 games, 3 goals. Has stepped up and is producing consistent performances in both defence and occasionally in attack. EVANS, Michael MFC 3 games, 1 goal, CSFC 2 games 1 goal. In between the senior and Casey team as he strives for consistency. FITZPATRICK, Jack MFC 3 games, 0 goals, CSFC 3 games 4 goals. Concussed early in the opening game of the season and, Fitzpatrick was unable to reproduce the form that made him a promising tall prospect last year. FRAWLEY, James MFC 7 games, 5 goals. Has had his moments but lacked consistent form. Now battling a toe injury. GARLAND, Colin CSFC 3 games 1 goal, CSFC DL1 game 0 goals. Recovering from pre-season surgery and after four weeks at Casey is ready to resume his place in the senior side. GAWN, Max CSFC 3 games, 0 goals. Another trying to break into the senior side after an injury-interrupted pre-season. GEORGIOU, Alexis ® MFC 7 games, 0 goals. Promoted from the rookie list, Georgiou has made the most of the opportunities presented to him and has played every game in the AFL team. GRIMES, Jack MFC 7 games, 0 goals. Seems comfortable on return to defence. HARMES, James ® CSFC 3 games 0 goals, CSFC DL1 game 1 goal. Was showing promise at Casey until a punctured lung stopped him in his tracks. HOGAN, Jesse (injured - yet to play). HOWE, Jeremy MFC 7 games, 1 goal. Struggled up forward but relishing games down back. HUNT, Jayden CSFC 4 games, 0 goals, CSFC DL 1 game 0 goals. Finding his feet with the Scorpions. JAMAR, Mark MFC 2 games, 1 goal, CSFC3 games, 2 goals. Has made a good return to the ruck after a long period on the injury list. JETTA, Neville ® MFC 3 games, 0 goals, CSFC 2 games 2 goals. Great last up game on Eddie Betts could be the turning point. JONES, Matthew MFC 7 games, 1 goal. Quiet and unassuming but puts in every week. JONES, Nathan MFC 7 games, 3 goals. The heart and soul of the Demons. KENNEDY-HARRIS MFC 7 games, 4 goals. An exciting prospect who is so clean with his disposal. KENT, Dean MFC 2 games, 1 goal, CSFC 1 game, 0 goals. Was showing something when injured and was reported in his first game back. KING, Max ® CSFC 2 games 0 goals, CSFC DL 1 game 2 goals. Young lightly built rookie ruckman set to miss another month with injury. McDONALD, Tom MFC 7 games, 0 goals. Solid emerging defender. MCKENZIE, Jordie MFC 2 games, 0 goals, CSFC 3 games, 1 goal. Desperate to get back into the side after an early form setback. MICHIE, Viv MFC 2 games, 0 goals, CSFC 1 game 0 goals. Broken jaw has kept him out in recent weeks. NICHOLSON, Daniel CSFC 5 games, 1 goal. Unable to break into the senior team. PEDERSEN, Cameron MFC 7 games, 2 goals. Much improved this season. RILEY, Aidan CSFC 5 games, 0 goals. Coming back from a long term injury, Riley has impressed with his strong tackling at Casey. SALEM, Christian MFC 2 games, 2 goals, CSFC 3 games, 3 goals. Impressing in the very early stage of his career. SPENCER, Jake MFC 5 games, 0 goals. Played a lion-hearted role in the ruck in the early games only to suffer injury. STRAUSS, James CSFC 4 games, 1 goal. Another returning from injury and unable to break back into the AFL team. TAPSCOTT, Luke CSFC 2 games, 0 goals. Injury-riddled in the preseason and just finding his feet again. TERLICH, Dean MFC 7 games, 2 goals. Steady in defence. TOUMPAS, Jimmy MFC 2 games, 2 goals, CSFC 5 games, 0 goals. Went back to Casey and working hard on his game. TRENGOVE, Jack MFC 2 games, 0 goals, CSFC 2 games, 1 goal. Broken navicular ended his season. TYSON, Dom MFC 7 games, 3 goals. A great acquisition for the club and a potential future star. VINCE, Bernie MFC 7 games, 1 goal. Going great guns in the club's revitalised midfield. VINEY, Jack MFC 5 games, 2 goals. This future leader has shown great bravery and courage. WATTS, Jack MFC 7 games, 5 goals. Sometimes unfairly maligned but there are some positive signs. WESTRUPP, Maia ® CSFC DL 4 games, 0 goals. International rookie still learning the ropes in the development league.
  7. Final round of 2013 - the end of an era WESTERN BULLDOGS Backs Liam Picken Jordan Roughhead Dale Morris Half backs Robert Murphy Tom Young Daniel Cross Centreline Adam Cooney Tom Liberatore Matthew Boyd Half forwards Daniel Giansiracusa Tom Campbell Nathan Hrovat Forwards Luke Dahlhaus Tory Dickson Jarrad Grant Followers Will Minson Mitch Wallis Ryan Griffin Interchange (from) Mark Austin Lachie Hunter Liam Jones Koby Stevens Michael Talia Jason Tutt Easton Wood In Adam Cooney Nathan Hrovat Liam Jones Michael Talia Out Dylan Addison MELBOURNE Backs Lynden Dunn James Frawley Dean Terlich Half backs Jack Grimes Tom McDonald Colin Garland Centreline Jack Viney Jack Trengove Jimmy Toumpas Half forwards Matt Jones Jack Watts Colin Sylvia Forwards Dean Kent Chris Dawes Aaron Davey Followers Jake Spencer Jordie McKenzie Nathan Jones Interchange Max Gawn Jeremy Howe Neville Jetta Luke Tapscott Emergencies Rohan Bail James Sellar Rory Taggert In Max Gawn Neville Jetta Out Cameron Pedersen David Rodan (knee)
  8. INJECTED by Whispering Jack There's been much talk over the past week at another AFL club about injections. Questions have been raised about a systematic programme of injecting substances into players' bodies; whether it was legal and has it been responsible for that club's drastically improved performance this season? On a different level it's fair to say that there's also been a major injection of something at Melbourne over the past fortnight but there's no question about its legality or its cause and effect. The substance introduced by its wily and experienced caretaker coach Neil Craig is called "confidence". The players have been given new found freedom to play the game and it was reflected in their 15.13 (103) to 15.10 (100) victory over the Western Bulldogs. Of course, nothing comes easily to the modern day Demons and it was almost a victory that wasn't. Despite leading by 44 points at the halfway mark of the final term after successive goals from Chris Dawes, Jack Watts and Jeremy Howe, they terrified their truly long suffering fans with the prospect of a defeat from the jaws of victory scenario when they almost dropped with exhaustion to concede seven consecutive goals before the final siren saved the day. It would be unfair to give all the credit to the new coach. The players had shown some glimpses during this horror season, most notably the season high 12 goal final quarter against GWS but, in many ways, I likened this game to an extension of the first quarter against the Magpies on Queens Birthday, Mark Neeld's last game. What Craig managed to do was to get them up for three and a half quarters rather than the one (and I'm allowing for the fact that this week's opposition is far inferior to Collingwood). He has done so off the field by changing the atmosphere, training them at different times, talking to them differently and more positively. Ironically, the less defensive minded approach has resulted in more prolific scoring and players like Jack Watts and Jack Trengove, playing with their shackles released, have come out of their shells and are starting to produce what we would expect from a number 1 and a number 2 draft choice. The defence is functioning much better and the giant step this week was the drop in uncertainty, poor decision making and disposal that led to so many turnovers under the previous coach. James Frawley, Colin Garland, Tom McDonald and Dean Terlich are starting to form what could become a very formidable backline in coming years. Up forward, Chris Dawes is beginning to justify the mad clamber to secure his release from the Pies and is finally being received in favourable light in comparison with his replacement at that club. Howe is taking more hangers and Watts and Jack Fitzpatrick have added some excitement to the forward line which will be strongly augmented by the return of Mitch Clark (one of these days) and next year, by a certain kid from Casey via WA. Which leads us to Melbourne's elephant on the football park - the midfield. Max Gawn gallantly led the ruck brigade but despite an herculean effort, he ran out of gas at the end and while for most of the day the team was beaten at the stoppages. Nathan Jones was his usual great self for most of the night and David Rodan produced some glittering cameos but, when it came to getting the ball out of the middle, it seemed to only happen rarely and then only by accident or a free kick. The midfield was monstered in those final 15 or 16 minutes and, its in that area that Craig will no doubt focus for the remainder of the season as will the club during the trade and draft period. There are further tests of Neil Craig's injection of confidence-building to come with fixtures against Sydney at the MCG followed by a visit to Skilled Stadium. Both opponents have strong, tough, skilled, gut running midfields. At least his young charges will be learning against the best. Melbourne 3.5.23 8.8.56 12.1284 15.13.103 Western Bulldogs 2.2.14 4.6.30 6.9.45 15.10.100 Goals Melbourne Watts 4 Dawes 3 Fitzpatrick Howe 2 Blease Gawn Blease N Jones Western Bulldogs Cooney Giansiracusa Griffen 3 Cordy 2 Macrae, Dahlhaus Dickson Macrae Minson Best Melbourne N Jones Watts Trengove Frawley Rodan McDonald Western Bulldogs Liberatore Cooney Griffen Boyd Murphy Minson Changes Melbourne Nil Western Bulldogs Nil Injuries Melbourne Blease (ankle) Western Bulldogs Nil Reports Melbourne Nil Western Bulldogs Nil Umpires B Ryan H Ryan J Mollison Crowd 21,217 at the MCG
  9. There's been much talk over the past week at another AFL club about injections. Questions have been raised about a systematic programme of injecting substances into players' bodies; whether it was legal and has it been responsible for that club's drastically improved performance this season? On a different level it's fair to say that there's also been a major injection of something at Melbourne over the past fortnight but there's no question about its legality or its cause and effect. The substance introduced by its wily and experienced caretaker coach Neil Craig is called "confidence". The players have been given new found freedom to play the game and it was reflected in their 15.13 (103) to 15.10 (100) victory over the Western Bulldogs. Of course, nothing comes easily to the modern day Demons and it was almost a victory that wasn't. Despite leading by 44 points at the halfway mark of the final term after successive goals from Chris Dawes, Jack Watts and Jeremy Howe, they terrified their truly long suffering fans with the prospect of a defeat from the jaws of victory scenario when they almost dropped with exhaustion to concede seven consecutive goals before the final siren saved the day. It would be unfair to give all the credit to the new coach. The players had shown some glimpses during this horror season, most notably the season high 12 goal final quarter against GWS but, in many ways, I likened this game to an extension of the first quarter against the Magpies on Queens Birthday, Mark Neeld's last game. What Craig managed to do was to get them up for three and a half quarters rather than the one (and I'm allowing for the fact that this week's opposition is far inferior to Collingwood). He has done so off the field by changing the atmosphere, training them at different times, talking to them differently and more positively. Ironically, the less defensive minded approach has resulted in more prolific scoring and players like Jack Watts and Jack Trengove, playing with their shackles released, have come out of their shells and are starting to produce what we would expect from a number 1 and a number 2 draft choice. The defence is functioning much better and the giant step this week was the drop in uncertainty, poor decision making and disposal that led to so many turnovers under the previous coach. James Frawley, Colin Garland, Tom McDonald and Dean Terlich are starting to form what could become a very formidable backline in coming years. Up forward, Chris Dawes is beginning to justify the mad clamber to secure his release from the Pies and is finally being received in favourable light in comparison with his replacement at that club. Howe is taking more hangers and Watts and Jack Fitzpatrick have added some excitement to the forward line which will be strongly augmented by the return of Mitch Clark (one of these days) and next year, by a certain kid from Casey via WA. Which leads us to Melbourne's elephant on the football park - the midfield. Max Gawn gallantly led the ruck brigade but despite an herculean effort, he ran out of gas at the end and while for most of the day the team was beaten at the stoppages. Nathan Jones was his usual great self for most of the night and David Rodan produced some glittering cameos but, when it came to getting the ball out of the middle, it seemed to only happen rarely and then only by accident or a free kick. The midfield was monstered in those final 15 or 16 minutes and, its in that area that Craig will no doubt focus for the remainder of the season as will the club during the trade and draft period. There are further tests of Neil Craig's injection of confidence-building to come with fixtures against Sydney at the MCG followed by a visit to Skilled Stadium. Both opponents have strong, tough, skilled, gut running midfields. At least his young charges will be learning against the best. Melbourne 3.5.23 8.8.56 12.1284 15.13.103 Western Bulldogs 2.2.14 4.6.30 6.9.45 15.10.100 Goals Melbourne Watts 4 Dawes 3 Fitzpatrick Howe 2 Blease Gawn Blease N Jones Western Bulldogs Cooney Giansiracusa Griffen 3 Cordy 2 Macrae, Dahlhaus Dickson Macrae Minson Best Melbourne N Jones Watts Trengove Frawley Rodan McDonald Western Bulldogs Liberatore Cooney Griffen Boyd Murphy Minson Changes Melbourne Nil Western Bulldogs Nil Injuries Melbourne Blease (ankle) Western Bulldogs Nil Reports Melbourne Nil Western Bulldogs Nil Umpires B Ryan H Ryan J Mollison Crowd 21,217 at the MCG
  10. Time to start it, I suppose. So far its been good with Jesse Hogan kicking 6 at Casey Fields and a few others finding some form. Guess it will be off to the G soon ...
  11. HELP by The Oracle I don't think it's co-incidence that Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney this week joined Michael Voss in opposing AFL draft assistance for the Melbourne Football Club which has been struggling to be competitive on the field for years. Clubs like the Demons, the Bulldogs and the Lions, have had to battle in recent seasons to rebuild through drafts compromised by the introduction of Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney. McCartney and Voss are also aware that a priority selection given to Melbourne in this year's draft would cause their clubs to each drop one place further down the picking order so there's an altruistic aspect to their opposition. The Bulldogs finished in the top four as recently as 2010 while the Lions were finallists in 2009. Since then both clubs have headed south on the ladder but they haven't hit rock bottom like Melbourne. They ignore the fact that Melbourne's troubles have persisted longer and are far deeper in effect than those of their clubs. They ignore the fact that a weaker Melbourne can only damage the financial position of the AFL and the welfare of all clubs going into the future. The truth is that it makes sense to look after the weak. In McCartney's case, with a list that has many players who are aging with limited time left in the game, it's not particularly forward-looking for him to shun the possibility of AFL assistance. His club already gets significant financial assistance and without the salary cap and the draft his club would be dead in the water. He might well require some additional draft assistance if he can't adequately fill the void that will occur at the Western Oval over the next year or two when the likes of Robert Murphy and co call it a day. McCartney's little dig at this week's opponent might be strategic in the short term, but I see more hope for Melbourne in the future than for the Western Bulldogs. Almost exactly two years ago, these clubs fought out a life and death game at Etihad Stadium. Back then, the window was closing for the under-performing Dogs at the end of the Rodney Eade era while the Demons were an outside chance of making the finals under Dean Bailey. It was a must win game for the up and down pretenders whose hopes were dashed by the pressure exerted by the Western Bulldogs' experience. The false dawn expired that day with an 11 goal defeat and was destroyed utterly four weeks later by a far bigger margin at Skilled Stadium. The team that had been wracked by "bruise-free" was about to be finished off by internal dissension and politics. It also wasn't good enough, fit enough or strong enough and while this was all recognised by Mark Neeld, the core issues were never fully addressed and the situation of the team worsened. There's now yet another rebuild afoot at Melbourne where there does exist a well of as yet untapped talent which needs to be supplemented in the short term to maintain competitiveness while they develop. A mini draft along the lines of the GWS model would help without necessarily changing another club's draft position. The first signs of an easing of the pressure were evident against St. Kilda under the stewardship of Neil Craig last week.However, given that the team is still bedeviled by injuries to so many important and key players, I can't see them beating the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night, but irrespective of whether or not the Demons receive AFL draft assistance this year, I expect them to leap past this week's opposition in the near future, beyond which I wonder what Brendan McCartney will do if his club finds itself in need of help. THE GAME Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at MCG Saturday 29 June 2013 at 7.40pm (AEST) HEAD TO HEAD Overall: Melbourne 83 wins Western Bulldogs 71 wins 1 draw At MCG: Melbourne 43 wins Western Bulldogs 26wins Since 2000: Melbourne 10 wins Western Bulldogs 11 wins The Coaches: Craig 0 wins McCartney 0 wins MEDIA TV Fox Sports 3 Radio SEN ABC THE BETTING Melbourne to win $4.60 Western Bulldogs $1.20 LAST TIME THEY MET Western Bulldogs 13.10.88 defeated Melbourne 9.13.67 at MCG in Round 4, 2012 The Dees were in it from go to whoa and might have been closer late in the game but for the demise of an in form Mitch Clark who went for a hanger and landed on his head. The Doggies managed to hold tight and run out winners by 21 points. TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Lynden Dunn Colin Garland Dean Terlich Half backs Tom McDonald James Frawley Mitch Clisby Centreline Jimmy Toumpas Jack Trengove Matt Jones Half forwards Aaron Davey Chris Dawes Sam Blease Forwards Jack Fitzpatrick Jack Watts David Rodan Followers Max Gawn Colin Sylvia Nathan Jones Interchange Shannon Byrnes Jeremy Howe Dean Kent Daniel Nicholson Emergencies James Magner Cam Pedersen James Sellar In Max Gawn James Frawley Out Cam Pedersen Jake Spencer (suspended) WESTERN BULLDOGS Backs Jason Johannisen Jordan Roughead Nick Lower Half backs Clay Smith Michael Talia Dale Morris Centreline Jackson Macrae Adam Cooney Ryan Griffen Half forwards Robert Murphy Jake Stringer Hunter Forwards Tory Dickson Liam Jones Luke Dahlhaus Followers Will Minson Matthew Boyd Tom Liberatore Interchange Ayce Cordy Daniel Giansiracusa Nathan Hrovat Mitchell Wallis Emergencies Dylan Addison Daniel Cross Tom Young In Ayce Cordy Tory Dickson Mitchell Wallis Out Goodes (wrist) Lukas Markovic Liam Picken SISTER ACT by The Oracle – Aaron DaveyBy late Saturday night, it will have been a big weekend for the Davey family. Alwyn Davey has already notched up a win with the Bombers over in Perth. Sister Bronwyn, will play in Melbourne’s inaugural women’s team against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG on Saturday night and a win in that game should be a given with her family talent, the partipation of Demonland’s own Jasmine Garner and the first ever AFL women’s number 1 draft pick Daisy Pearce. With that sort of quality, I expect the Demons to have little trouble in overcoming the dishlickers from out west. Inaugural Women’s Clash Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs Saturday 29 June 2013, 5:10pm Venue: MCG By the time darkness sets in, big brother Aaron is expected to have made a major contribution to the new Demon cause under Neil Craig. We saw some improvement last week and there's more to come with the return of James Frawley and Max Gawn. I'm tipping a close, hard-fought struggle with the Bulldogs scraping home purely thanks to the superiority and experience of the likes of Boyd, Cooney, Griffin, Murphy and 2013 super sub Giansiracusa. Together, I expect these players to give the Dogs midfield dominance over Melbourne. That fleeting dominance will be gone soon and once that happens, their club will be desperate and in need of the help it now seeks to deny others. Western Bulldogs by 21 points (but enjoy it while you can).
  12. I don't think it's co-incidence that Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney this week joined Michael Voss in opposing AFL draft assistance for the Melbourne Football Club which has been struggling to be competitive on the field for years. Clubs like the Demons, the Bulldogs and the Lions, have had to battle in recent seasons to rebuild through drafts compromised by the introduction of Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney. McCartney and Voss are also aware that a priority selection given to Melbourne in this year's draft would cause their clubs to each drop one place further down the picking order so there's an altruistic aspect to their opposition. The Bulldogs finished in the top four as recently as 2010 while the Lions were finallists in 2009. Since then both clubs have headed south on the ladder but they haven't hit rock bottom like Melbourne. They ignore the fact that Melbourne's troubles have persisted longer and are far deeper in effect than those of their clubs. They ignore the fact that a weaker Melbourne can only damage the financial position of the AFL and the welfare of all clubs going into the future. The truth is that it makes sense to look after the weak. In McCartney's case, with a list that has many players who are aging with limited time left in the game, it's not particularly forward-looking for him to shun the possibility of AFL assistance. His club already gets significant financial assistance and without the salary cap and the draft his club would be dead in the water. He might well require some additional draft assistance if he can't adequately fill the void that will occur at the Western Oval over the next year or two when the likes of Robert Murphy and co call it a day. McCartney's little dig at this week's opponent might be strategic in the short term, but I see more hope for Melbourne in the future than for the Western Bulldogs. Almost exactly two years ago, these clubs fought out a life and death game at Etihad Stadium. Back then, the window was closing for the under-performing Dogs at the end of the Rodney Eade era while the Demons were an outside chance of making the finals under Dean Bailey. It was a must win game for the up and down pretenders whose hopes were dashed by the pressure exerted by the Western Bulldogs' experience. The false dawn expired that day with an 11 goal defeat and was destroyed utterly four weeks later by a far bigger margin at Skilled Stadium. The team that had been wracked by "bruise-free" was about to be finished off by internal dissension and politics. It also wasn't good enough, fit enough or strong enough and while this was all recognised by Mark Neeld, the core issues were never fully addressed and the situation of the team worsened. There's now yet another rebuild afoot at Melbourne where there does exist a well of as yet untapped talent which needs to be supplemented in the short term to maintain competitiveness while they develop. A mini draft along the lines of the GWS model would help without necessarily changing another club's draft position. The first signs of an easing of the pressure were evident against St. Kilda under the stewardship of Neil Craig last week.However, given that the team is still bedeviled by injuries to so many important and key players, I can't see them beating the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night, but irrespective of whether or not the Demons receive AFL draft assistance this year, I expect them to leap past this week's opposition in the near future, beyond which I wonder what Brendan McCartney will do if his club finds itself in need of help. THE GAME Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at MCG Saturday 29 June 2013 at 7.40pm (AEST) HEAD TO HEAD Overall: Melbourne 83 wins Western Bulldogs 71 wins 1 draw At MCG: Melbourne 43 wins Western Bulldogs 26wins Since 2000: Melbourne 10 wins Western Bulldogs 11 wins The Coaches: Craig 0 wins McCartney 0 wins MEDIA TV Fox Sports 3 Radio SEN ABC THE BETTING Melbourne to win $4.60 Western Bulldogs $1.20 LAST TIME THEY MET Western Bulldogs 13.10.88 defeated Melbourne 9.13.67 at MCG in Round 4, 2012 The Dees were in it from go to whoa and might have been closer late in the game but for the demise of an in form Mitch Clark who went for a hanger and landed on his head. The Doggies managed to hold tight and run out winners by 21 points. TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Lynden Dunn Colin Garland Dean Terlich Half backs Tom McDonald James Frawley Mitch Clisby Centreline Jimmy Toumpas Jack Trengove Matt Jones Half forwards Aaron Davey Chris Dawes Sam Blease Forwards Jack Fitzpatrick Jack Watts David Rodan Followers Max Gawn Colin Sylvia Nathan Jones Interchange Shannon Byrnes Jeremy Howe Dean Kent Daniel Nicholson Emergencies James Magner Cam Pedersen James Sellar In Max Gawn James Frawley Out Cam Pedersen Jake Spencer (suspended) WESTERN BULLDOGS Backs Jason Johannisen Jordan Roughead Nick Lower Half backs Clay Smith Michael Talia Dale Morris Centreline Jackson Macrae Adam Cooney Ryan Griffen Half forwards Robert Murphy Jake Stringer Hunter Forwards Tory Dickson Liam Jones Luke Dahlhaus Followers Will Minson Matthew Boyd Tom Liberatore Interchange Ayce Cordy Daniel Giansiracusa Nathan Hrovat Mitchell Wallis Emergencies Dylan Addison Daniel Cross Tom Young In Ayce Cordy Tory Dickson Mitchell Wallis Out Goodes (wrist) Lukas Markovic Liam Picken SISTER ACT by The Oracle Aaron DaveyBy late Saturday night, it will have been a big weekend for the Davey family. Alwyn Davey has already notched up a win with the Bombers over in Perth. Sister Bronwyn, will play in Melbournes inaugural womens team against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG on Saturday night and a win in that game should be a given with her family talent, the partipation of Demonlands own Jasmine Garner and the first ever AFL womens number 1 draft pick Daisy Pearce. With that sort of quality, I expect the Demons to have little trouble in overcoming the dishlickers from out west. Inaugural Womens Clash Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs Saturday 29 June 2013, 5:10pm Venue: MCG By the time darkness sets in, big brother Aaron is expected to have made a major contribution to the new Demon cause under Neil Craig.We saw some improvement last week and there's more to come with the return of James Frawley and Max Gawn. I'm tipping a close, hard-fought struggle with the Bulldogs scraping home purely thanks to the superiority and experience of the likes of Boyd, Cooney, Griffin, Murphy and 2013 super sub Giansiracusa. Together, I expect these players to give the Dogs midfield dominance over Melbourne. That fleeting dominance will be gone soon and once that happens, their club will be desperate and in need of the help it now seeks to deny others. Western Bulldogs by 21 points (but enjoy it while you can).
  13. MELBOURNE Backs James Frawley Jared Rivers Clint Bartram Half backs Rohan Bail Colin Garland Luke Tapscott Centreline Matthew Bate Brent Moloney Nathan Jones Half forwards Jordie McKenzie Jack Watts Jeremy Howe Forwards Tom McDonald Mitchell Clark Aaron Davey Followers Mark Jamar James Magner Jack Trengove Interchange Lynden Dunn Joel Macdonald Cale Morton James Sellar Emergencies Thomas Couch Jack Fitzpatrick Ricky Petterd In Joel Macdonald Brent Moloney Out Jack Grimes (suspended) Stef Martin WESTERN BULLDOGS Backs Dylan Addison Lukas Markovic Robert Murphy Half backs Easton Wood Ryan Hargrave Patrick Veszpremi Centreline Luke Dahlhaus Matthew Boyd Daniel Cross Half forwards Adam Cooney Liam Jones Daniel Giansiracusa Forwards Justin Sherman Ayce Cordy Nathan Djerrkura Followers William Minson Ryan Griffen Liam Picken Interchange Jarrad Grant Shaun Higgins Jordan Roughead Mitchell Wallis Emergencies Mark Austin Tory Dickson Thomas Liberatore In Justin Sherman Patrick Veszpremi Mitchell Wallis Out Brian Lake (suspension) Thomas Liberatore Clay Smith (soreness) Umpires Wenn Armstrong Bannister
  14. THE SPIRIT WAS THERE, BUT ... by The Oracle For once, things were going well for the Melbourne Football Club. A major announcement was made at the President's luncheon - another sponsorship (German car manufacturer Opel) to help fill the retinue of sponsors after Webjet and Hertz jumped on board to more than fill the void left by the dismissal of a previously disgraced company which apparently still owes the club money. Then, a moving tribute to the legendary Jim Stynes so that when it was over the majority crowd of Demon fans was thirsting for not just a better performance from their team but a win. Only a victory could do justice for this day. There was one man who typified Melbourne on the day and fittingly, he wore the number of the crowd's hero for the day. Big, strong and solid at full forward Mitch Clark marked and goaled for the Demons but he was also part of a procession of players whose shots at goal from straight in front missed their mark. You don't expect Clark, Jeremy Howe and Jack Watts to all miss from dead in front. At the other end, the Western Bulldogs made the most of the opportunities that presented themselves. A couple of snaps from angles, a gimme free and lo and behold, they led at the first break by nine points even though they had one shot less. It's useless to bemoan bad fortune when you fail in the game's most fundamental of skills but, when the final result is a 21-point defeat, then the poor conversion rate really hurts. The trend really did continue throughout the game although when the team momentarily straightened up for a few third quarter goals, the difference in conversion was no more pronounced. Melbourne had inched its way back to trail by a solitary point and the scoreboard read - Melbourne 7.10.52 to Western Bulldogs 8.5.53. The Dogs steadied at that point - thanks to errors committed by both Demon players, some inexperienced umpiring and some great snap shots at goal. It all came back to haunt Melbourne late in the third term and it could have been much worse when Mitch Clark crashed to the earth neck first. Fortunately, he must have had Jimmy and those magnificent recuperative powers smiling down on him because, to the relief and amazement of the crowd, he got up, walked off the ground and was later cleared after scans taken in hospital. This was the epitome of what generations of Demon fans had come to know as the Stynes spirit but the current number 11 was still subbed off and the team's balance was awry for the remainder of the game. The spirit might have been there but it was not enough. The Dogs managed enough successful snaps at goal to make it their day while misses from Colin Garland and Lynden Dunn in the middle of the final term put paid to any chances of a late game resurgence. But it wasn't just the poor conversion rate in front of goal that proved damaging for the Demons. They were at times painfully excruciating to watch as they botched up straight forward kicks and handballs, often gifting away possession to the opposition and sometimes when not under the slightest amount of pressure. These gifts were enough to allow the Western Bulldogs their maiden victory. At least there was a turnaround in effort which was maintained for close on the full four quarters and with a few handy players due to return from injury and suspension, perhaps things might continue to improve for the otherwise hapless Demons. Melbourne 1.5.11 3.8.26 7.10.52 9.13.67 Western Bulldogs 3.2.20 6.5.41 10.7.67 13.10.88 Goals Melbourne Bate Davey 2 Bail Clark Moloney Morton Watts Western Bulldogs Cooney Giansiracusa Grant 2 Dahlhaus Djerrkura Griffen Jones Roughead Sherman Wallis Best Melbourne Rivers Bate Moloney Jone Magner Jamar Western Bulldogs Dahlhaus Murphy Cooney Cross, Wallis Djerrkura Injuries Melbourne Mitch Clark (head/neck) Western Bulldogs Nil Changes Melbourne Nil Western Bulldogs Nil Reports Melbourne Nil Western Bulldogs Nil Umpires Wenn Bannister and some other joker Crowd 33,565 at MCG
  15. THE SPIRIT WAS THERE, BUT ... by The Oracle For once, things were going well for the Melbourne Football Club. A major announcement was made at the President's luncheon - another sponsorship (German car manufacturer Opel) to help fill the retinue of sponsors after Webjet and Hertz jumped on board to more than fill the void left by the dismissal of a previously disgraced company which apparently still owes the club money. Then, a moving tribute to the legendary Jim Stynes so that when it was over the majority crowd of Demon fans was thirsting for not just a better performance from their team but a win. Only a victory could do justice for this day. There was one man who typified Melbourne on the day and fittingly, he wore the number of the crowd's hero for the day. Big, strong and solid at full forward Mitch Clark marked and goaled for the Demons but he was also part of a procession of players whose shots at goal from straight in front missed their mark. You don't expect Clark, Jeremy Howe and Jack Watts to all miss from dead in front. At the other end, the Western Bulldogs made the most of the opportunities that presented themselves. A couple of snaps from angles, a gimme free and lo and behold, they led at the first break by nine points even though they had one shot less. It's useless to bemoan bad fortune when you fail in the game's most fundamental of skills but, when the final result is a 21-point defeat, then the poor conversion rate really hurts. The trend really did continue throughout the game although when the team momentarily straightened up for a few third quarter goals, the difference in conversion was no more pronounced. Melbourne had inched its way back to trail by a solitary point and the scoreboard read - Melbourne 7.10.52 to Western Bulldogs 8.5.53. The Dogs steadied at that point - thanks to errors committed by both Demon players, some inexperienced umpiring and some great snap shots at goal. It all came back to haunt Melbourne late in the third term and it could have been much worse when Mitch Clark crashed to the earth neck first. Fortunately, he must have had Jimmy and those magnificent recuperative powers smiling down on him because, to the relief and amazement of the crowd, he got up, walked off the ground and was later cleared after scans taken in hospital. This was the epitome of what generations of Demon fans had come to know as the Stynes spirit but the current number 11 was still subbed off and the team's balance was awry for the remainder of the game. The spirit might have been there but it was not enough. The Dogs managed enough successful snaps at goal to make it their day while misses from Colin Garland and Lynden Dunn in the middle of the final term put paid to any chances of a late game resurgence. But it wasn't just the poor conversion rate in front of goal that proved damaging for the Demons. They were at times painfully excruciating to watch as they botched up straight forward kicks and handballs, often gifting away possession to the opposition and sometimes when not under the slightest amount of pressure. These gifts were enough to allow the Western Bulldogs their maiden victory. At least there was a turnaround in effort which was maintained for close on the full four quarters and with a few handy players due to return from injury and suspension, perhaps things might continue to improve for the otherwise hapless Demons. Melbourne 1.5.11 3.8.26 7.10.52 9.13.67 Western Bulldogs 3.2.20 6.5.41 10.7.67 13.10.88 Goals Melbourne Bate Davey 2 Bail Clark Moloney Morton Watts Western Bulldogs Cooney Giansiracusa Grant 2 Dahlhaus Djerrkura Griffen Jones Roughead Sherman Wallis Best Melbourne Rivers Bate Moloney Jones Magner Jamar Western Bulldogs Dahlhaus Murphy Cooney Cross, Wallis Djerrkura Injuries Melbourne Mitch Clark (head/neck) Western Bulldogs Nil Changes Melbourne Nil Western Bulldogs Nil Reports Melbourne Nil Western Bulldogs Nil Umpires Wenn Bannister and some other joker Crowd 33,565 at MCG
  16. SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS by Whispering Jack Looking ahead at Melbourne's draw beyond this week's game against the Western Bulldogs does not exactly fill one with any great confidence. The rest of the first half of the season promises to be an even greater nightmare than what has transpired over the past three weeks. The potential weekly fare of games against top eight contenders from rounds five through to eleven (all inclusive) reads like this - St Kilda, Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney, Carlton, Essendon, and Collingwood. This scenario makes a win this week against fellow cellar dwellers, the Western Bulldogs, absolutely an imperative. As if it wasn't imperative anyway in view of the fact that the club has designated this match to commemorate one of its great heroes - a man recently acknowledged as its most popular former players ahead of such greats as Ron Barassi, Robert Flower and its many other heroes of the past. The sad thing for Melbourne is that both on and off the field, things have not been good. The off field dramas, injury and now the suspension of one of its captains has been mirrored by its performances on the ground. The loss at the hands of the West Coast Eagles in Perth might have been expected (if not its size) but the performances against both Brisbane (by 41 points) and Richmond (by 59 points) were unacceptable. In those cases it wasn't the size of the defeats alone that made them so remarkably disappointing but the shameful way in which the team capitualted in the second half of each game. To be blown off the park in such a mistake-riddled and passionless way is unacceptable. They are being run off their feet and look tired and supporters ask what has been done to prepare the players in terms of their skills and their fitness to take on the rest of the competition? We are searching for answers. THE GAME Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at MCG – Sunday 22 April 2012 at 4.40pm (AEST) HEAD TO HEAD Overall: Melbourne 83 wins Western Bulldogs 70 wins 1 draw At MCG: Melbourne 43 wins Western Bulldogs 25 wins Since 2000: Melbourne 10 wins Western Bulldogs 10 wins The Coaches: Neeld 0 wins McCartney 0 wins MEDIA TV Foxtel Footy Channel (live at 4.30pm) Radio SEN ABC774 3AW Triple M THE BETTING Melbourne to win $3.00 Western Bulldogs $1.40 LAST TIME THEY MET Western Bulldogs 19.13.127 defeated Melbourne 8.15.63 in Round 15, 2011 at Etihad Stadium This was a vital must win game for the Demons which at that stage of the season was considered a chance to figure in the finals. Against the then out of form Bulldogs they meekly capitualted in what was to become a forerunner of a number of disappointing efforts that have since dogged the club. Apart from Ricky Petterd's hanger early in the game, it was a night to forget. TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs James Frawley Jared Rivers Clint Bartram Half backs Rohan Bail Colin Garland Luke Tapscott Centreline Matthew Bate Brent Moloney Nathan Jones Half forwards Jordie McKenzie Jack Watts Jeremy Howe Forwards Tom McDonald Mitchell Clark Aaron Davey Followers Mark Jamar James Magner Jack Trengove Interchange Lynden Dunn Joel Macdonald Cale Morton James Sellar Emergencies Thomas Couch Jack Fitzpatrick Ricky Petterd In Joel Macdonald Brent Moloney Out Jack Grimes (suspended) Stef Martin WESTERN BULLDOGS Backs Dylan Addison Lukas Markovic Robert Murphy Half backs Easton Wood Ryan Hargrave Patrick Veszpremi Centreline Luke Dahlhaus Matthew Boyd Daniel Cross Half forwards Adam Cooney Liam Jones Daniel Giansiracusa Forwards Justin Sherman Ayce Cordy Nathan Djerrkura Followers William Minson Ryan Griffen Liam Picken Interchange Jarrad Grant Shaun Higgins Jordan Roughead Mitchell Wallis Emergencies Mark Austin Tory Dickson Thomas Liberatore In Justin Sherman Patrick Veszpremi Mitchell Wallis Out Brian Lake (suspension) Thomas Liberatore Clay Smith (soreness) Umpires Wenn Armstrong Bannister EXPOSED FORM I would really like to say that Melbourne has a chance to win against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday but there's no evidence available anywhere that could convince me that we're in for a sudden turn around of form. That's how bad things have been at Melbourne lately. I can't point to the emotion of the day on which the Melbourne Football Club and the community in general celebrates the life of a club hero and iconic figure in the late Jim Stynes. A few weeks ago, the Demon faithful lined up and clapped their hands in appreciation of the man and his achievements. The team responded by giving very little on their home ground against lowly opposition. Their form since has given not a glimmer of hope or even some emotion to enthuse us about. They have been exposed as playing without soul. They make errors, they fail to tackle when tackles should be laid, they commit skill errors that indicate a lack of concentration. If all this is attributed to a change in style of play, then their rate of progress is at snail's pace. We might expect some improvement later this year or in the next. Not this week. I can't point to the changes in the make up of the side to inspire a turn around from a 10 goal defeat at the hands of Richmond. The team lacked run last week. Brent Moloney and Joel Macdonald are experienced campaigners and while the former is reigning club champion, the exposed form of this duo is not going to make much difference in the run of a team that's been hitting the wall halfway through a marathon. I can't point to the fact that this week's opposition is winless, lacking in confidence, also struck down by injury and suspension and had only two goals on the board deep into their last game. The Doggies always seem to come up with a hero to inspire them - even if it's a once a year performance from someone like Adam Cooney who did the job last year. The only thing I can point to is divine providence inspired by Jimmy using some influence upstairs but since my brief in previewing games is to stick purely with logic, facts and exposed form and I have yet to find the answers I'm searching for, then it will be the Western Bulldogs by a fair margin.
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