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North Melbourne has indicated its contempt for our team by resting five players for the finals. This is the first time in many years that I won't be going to a final round game in my home state. Won't even be watching it on television. I have something else on but my message to the AFL is that if you don't treat equalisation more seriously and do nothing other than support the stronger clubs then you will end up with fixtures that attract neither crowds nor viewers.

UTOPIA - NOT YET by Whispering Jack The last time Melbourne beat North Melbourne was during Nathan Jones' debut season in a game played on the MCG way back in 2006. Jones played the last eight games of the 2006 AFL season, including Melbourne's two finals but since then neither he nor any other Demon has tasted any success against the Kangaroos. They have played against each other a dozen times and Melbourne has lost at every one of their meetings including all seven at the venue of Saturday night's game. Twelve months ago, rumours of the impending appointment of Paul Roos as coach of Melbourne started to take hold. As the football world moved into finals mode, the story turned from rumour into possibility and then into fact and with every passing day, the Demon faithful grew more and more optimistic about the future of their club. Nobody held utopian dreams of a dramatic improvement to the lofty heights occupied by the team Roos previously coached and he himself warned the supporters to expect things to move forward at a slow pace. And that's how things are turning out. Even with some inspired recruiting of the likes of Dom Tyson, Bernie Vince and Daniel Cross, the team has taken small steps forward and even these seem to have come to a full stop over the last two months of the season. It's well and good that the Demons managed to crack the long standing Adelaide hoodoo and improved their game defensively but they end the season with a game style that has virtually no potency in attack. In this respect, one has to go back nearly a century to find a Melbourne team with a worse capacity for scoring and that combination was the rag tag unit that represented the club in its first season after a war time recess of four years. Hardly a recommendation as the Demons approach their final challenge of 2014 - to overcome their long standing hoodoo against the Kangaroos at their most daunting of all venues, Etihad Stadium, from which they have not returned home victorious in the seven years since they beat the Western Bulldogs on a Saturday night in 2007. THE GAME North Melbourne v Melbourne on Saturday 30th August, 2014 at Etihad Stadium at 7.40 pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall North Melbourne 71 wins Melbourne 83 wins 1 drawn At Etihad North Melbourne 7 wins Melbourne 0 wins Last five times North Melbourne 5 wins Melbourne 0 wins The Coaches Scott 1 win Roos 0 wins MEDIA TV - Fox Sports Channel 3 @7.30pm live RADIO - 3AW SEN THE BETTING North Melbourne to win $1.06 Melbourne to win $9.50 LAST TIME THEY MET North Melbourne 15.17.107 defeated Melbourne 10.6.66 at the MCG in Round 14, 2014 Seven unanswered goals to the Kangaroos in the middle part of the third quarter was the difference between the two teams although North's inaccuracy in front of goal didn't aid it's cause. Bernie Vince picked up 41 possessions. THE TEAMS NORTH MELBOURNE B: Lachlan Hansen, Scott Thompson, Jamie Macmillan HB: Shaun Atley, Nathan Grima,Sam Wright C: Nick Dal Santo, Andrew Swallow, Ben Jacobs HF: Kayne Turner, Ben Brown, Daniel Wells F: Mason Wood, Drew Petrie, Aaron Black FOLL: Daniel Currie, Ben Cunnington, Jack Ziebell EMG: Trent Dumont, Brad McKenzie, Scott McMahon IN: Daniel Currie, Lachlan Hansen, Jamie Macmillan, Daniel Wells, Mason Wood OUT: Michael Firrito (soreness), Todd Goldstein (soreness), Levi Greenwood (calf), Luke McDonald (back), Lindsay Thomas (knee) NEW: Mason Wood (Geelong Falcons) MELBOURNE B: Lynden Dunn, James Frawley, Neville Jetta HB: Jeremy Howe, Tom McDonald, Bernie Vince C: Jordie McKenzie, Daniel Cross, Rohan Bail HF: Viv Michie, Max Gawn, Christian Salem F: Jack Fitzpatrick, Chris Dawes, Dean Kent FOLL: Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson I/C: Matt Jones, Aidan Riley, Jack Viney, Jack Watts EMG: Dom Barry, Daniel Nicholson, Cameron Pedersen IN: Jordie McKenzie, Aidan Riley OUT: Colin Garland (knee), Cameron Pedersen (omitted) In all likelihood, North Melbourne will finish the regular season in sixth place irrespective of whether it wins on Saturday and its elimination final opponent on the following weekend will most probably be Essendon (I'm discounting the possibility that an adverse Federal Court decision could change the makeup of the finals at this late stage). Therefore, the fact that this match is one of the final round's few dead rubbers has allowed the Kangaroos the luxury of resting a number of its players. The irony in that is that in recent times North Melbourne, which always seems to have a small injury list when playing Melbourne, will be missing five regulars (Todd Goldstein, Levi Greenwood, Luke McDonald, Lindsay Thomas and Michael Firrito) through relatively minor injuries such as "soreness" and, thanks to Brent Harvey's suspension, one of its constant stars during that long and ongoing winning streak against the Dees. Daniel Wells and Lachlan Hansen are returning but both are in need of a run after spending time out with injury in the latter part of the season. The fact that Melbourne is facing such a weakened opposition would, on the face of it, provide some cheer for a club coming off a disappointing last two months given the opportunity of a victory to round off a difficult season. There's also an outside possibility that the club might "win" the wooden spoon so the incentive to win is well and truly there. The problem for the Demons is that they are playing like the runner who has "hit the wall" in a marathon race. While most teams are still showing an ability to run all day even at the end of a long, hard season, they have been completely pedestrian in their own style of late and, even against a drastically weakened North Melbourne which has nothing to play for, the sea change necessary for this team to achieve a winning score is well beyond its capacity. The problem for Melbourne has been apparent for much of the second half of a year that has brought it one solitary victory thanks to a late goal from Christian Salem against Essendon at the MCG in round 13. A week later, on the same ground and against the opponent it faces again on Saturday night, it hit that wall early in the third term. For a period of 15 minutes, North played some of the best football I have seen this year. It took the game on, its players ran and spread, passed the ball forward with precision and kicked seven unanswered goals in the space of less than fifteen minutes of brilliant attacking football, leaving its opponents to play the role of witches hats in a routine training drill. Ever since, the Demons have moved out of that head space only on rare occasions. It is Paul Roos' challenge for next year and beyond to get the team out of the trough but there is no chance that it will happen this week at Etihad Stadium. Melbourne today, is a long way away from Utopia. North Melbourne by 50 points.

The last time Melbourne beat North Melbourne was during Nathan Jones' debut season in a game played on the MCG way back in 2006. Jones played the last eight games of the 2006 AFL season, including Melbourne's two finals but since then neither he nor any other Demon has tasted any success against the Kangaroos. They have played against each other a dozen times and Melbourne has lost at every one of their meetings including all seven at the venue of Saturday night's game. Twelve months ago, rumours of the impending appointment of Paul Roos as coach of Melbourne started to take hold. As the football world moved into finals mode, the story turned from rumour into possibility and then into fact and with every passing day, the Demon faithful grew more and more optimistic about the future of their club. Nobody held utopian dreams of a dramatic improvement to the lofty heights occupied by the team Roos previously coached and he himself warned the supporters to expect things to move forward at a slow pace. And that's how things are turning out. Even with some inspired recruiting of the likes of Dom Tyson, Bernie Vince and Daniel Cross, the team has taken small steps forward and even these seem to have come to a full stop over the last two months of the season. It's well and good that the Demons managed to crack the long standing Adelaide hoodoo and improved their game defensively but they end the season with a game style that has virtually no potency in attack. In this respect, one has to go back nearly a century to find a Melbourne team with a worse capacity for scoring and that combination was the rag tag unit that represented the club in its first season after a war time recess of four years. Hardly a recommendation as the Demons approach their final challenge of 2014 - to overcome their long standing hoodoo against the Kangaroos at their most daunting of all venues, Etihad Stadium, from which they have not returned home victorious in the seven years since they beat the Western Bulldogs on a Saturday night in 2007. THE GAME North Melbourne v Melbourne on Saturday 30th August, 2014 at Etihad Stadium at 7.40 pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall North Melbourne 71 wins Melbourne 83 wins 1 drawn At Etihad North Melbourne 7 wins Melbourne 0 wins Last five times North Melbourne 5 wins Melbourne 0 wins The Coaches Scott 1 win Roos 0 wins MEDIA TV - Fox Sports Channel 3 @7.30pm live RADIO - 3AW SEN THE BETTING North Melbourne to win $1.06 Melbourne to win $9.50 LAST TIME THEY MET North Melbourne 15.17.107 defeated Melbourne 10.6.66 at the MCG in Round 14, 2014 Seven unanswered goals to the Kangaroos in the middle part of the third quarter was the difference between the two teams although North's inaccuracy in front of goal didn't aid it's cause. Bernie Vince picked up 41 possessions. THE TEAMS NORTH MELBOURNE B: Lachlan Hansen, Scott Thompson, Jamie Macmillan HB: Shaun Atley, Nathan Grima,Sam Wright C: Nick Dal Santo, Andrew Swallow, Ben Jacobs HF: Kayne Turner, Ben Brown, Daniel Wells F: Mason Wood, Drew Petrie, Aaron Black FOLL: Daniel Currie, Ben Cunnington, Jack Ziebell EMG: Trent Dumont, Brad McKenzie, Scott McMahon IN: Daniel Currie, Lachlan Hansen, Jamie Macmillan, Daniel Wells, Mason Wood OUT: Michael Firrito (soreness), Todd Goldstein (soreness), Levi Greenwood (calf), Luke McDonald (back), Lindsay Thomas (knee) NEW: Mason Wood (Geelong Falcons) MELBOURNE B: Lynden Dunn, James Frawley, Neville Jetta HB: Jeremy Howe, Tom McDonald, Bernie Vince C: Jordie McKenzie, Daniel Cross, Rohan Bail HF: Viv Michie, Max Gawn, Christian Salem F: Jack Fitzpatrick, Chris Dawes, Dean Kent FOLL: Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson I/C: Matt Jones, Aidan Riley, Jack Viney, Jack Watts EMG: Dom Barry, Daniel Nicholson, Cameron Pedersen IN: Jordie McKenzie, Aidan Riley OUT: Colin Garland (knee), Cameron Pedersen (omitted) In all likelihood, North Melbourne will finish the regular season in sixth place irrespective of whether it wins on Saturday and its elimination final opponent on the following weekend will most probably be Essendon (I'm discounting the possibility that an adverse Federal Court decision could change the makeup of the finals at this late stage). Therefore, the fact that this match is one of the final round's few dead rubbers has allowed the Kangaroos the luxury of resting a number of its players. The irony in that is that in recent times North Melbourne, which always seems to have a small injury list when playing Melbourne, will be missing five regulars (Todd Goldstein, Levi Greenwood, Luke McDonald, Lindsay Thomas and Michael Firrito) through relatively minor injuries such as "soreness" and, thanks to Brent Harvey's suspension, one of its constant stars during that long and ongoing winning streak against the Dees. Daniel Wells and Lachlan Hansen are returning but both are in need of a run after spending time out with injury in the latter part of the season. The fact that Melbourne is facing such a weakened opposition would, on the face of it, provide some cheer for a club coming off a disappointing last two months given the opportunity of a victory to round off a difficult season. There's also an outside possibility that the club might "win" the wooden spoon so the incentive to win is well and truly there. The problem for the Demons is that they are playing like the runner who has "hit the wall" in a marathon race. While most teams are still showing an ability to run all day even at the end of a long, hard season, they have been completely pedestrian in their own style of late and, even against a drastically weakened North Melbourne which has nothing to play for, the sea change necessary for this team to achieve a winning score is well beyond its capacity. The problem for Melbourne has been apparent for much of the second half of a year that has brought it one solitary victory thanks to a late goal from Christian Salem against Essendon at the MCG in round 13. A week later, on the same ground and against the opponent it faces again on Saturday night, it hit that wall early in the third term. For a period of 15 minutes, North played some of the best football I have seen this year. It took the game on, its players ran and spread, passed the ball forward with precision and kicked seven unanswered goals in the space of less than fifteen minutes of brilliant attacking football, leaving its opponents to play the role of witches hats in a routine training drill. Ever since, the Demons have moved out of that head space only on rare occasions. It is Paul Roos' challenge for next year and beyond to get the team out of the trough but there is no chance that it will happen this week at Etihad Stadium. Melbourne today, is a long way away from Utopia. North Melbourne by 50 points.

It was a brief 10 minute or so burst inspired by that little Harvey pest that made the difference. MELBOURNE B: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta HB: Jeremy Howe, Tom McDonald, Jack Grimes C: Bernie Vince, Jack Viney, Daniel Cross HF: Rohan Bail, James Frawley, Cameron Pedersen F: Dean Kent, Chris Dawes, Jack Watts FOLL: Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson I/C: Matt Jones, Jordie McKenzie, Aidan Riley, Christian Salem EMG: Sam Blease Dan Nicholson Dean Terlich NO CHANGE NORTH MELBOURNE B: Luke McDonald, Scott D Thompson, Lachlan Hansen HB: Shaun Atley, Michael Firrito, Aaron Mullett C: Sam Gibson, Andrew Swallow, Levi Greenwood HF: Nick Dal Santo, Robbie Tarrant, Brent Harvey F: Aaron Black, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas FOLL: Todd Goldstein, Jack Ziebell, Ben Cunnington I/C: Leigh Adams, Ryan Bastinac, Brad McKenzie, Robin Nahas EMG: Liam Anthony, Ben Brown, Trent Dumont IN: Brad McKenzie OUT: Liam Anthony

THE DRIVE-BY SHOOTING by Whispering Jack According to the script, Melbourne's season is over. In fact, it was over several months ago when the script was first written. The story of the Demons' game against the Kangaroos at Etihad Stadium is one that could have been written several times over during season 2012. The team, severely depleted of talent and well behind the necessary standards of fitness and skills ran out and was ambushed by a far superior and more strongly focussed opposition. It was over before they even saw it coming. In the absence of Melbourne's All Australian ruckman Mark Jamar, Todd Goldstein dominated from the outset to give his midfielders an armchair ride - as if they needed such an advantage against a far inferior on ball division. Ryan Bastinac had North's first goal on the board just one minute and thirty seconds into the game. By the fifteen minute mark they had four goals and change to nil. Colin Garland had the Demons' first score on the board nearly four minutes later - a point kicked under pressure. Drew Petrie's first and North's fifth came just after the 20 minute mark and Melbourne had yet to score a major. The game was almost over but there was still time for the Demons to scrap their way to respectability, which they did for a while. Sam Blease soon kicked his team's first and midfielders Nathan Jones and Brent Moloney led the fightback by working their butts off. The deficit at half time was 25 points and Melbourne had even won the second quarter (by a solitary point)! The third quarter was a repeat of the first although it took only 14 seconds for Adams to mop up from a spill and nail the first of five Kangaroo goals in a little over the first ten minutes of the second half. By that time, the Demons were done - victims of a drive-by shooting. We did get to see Brad Green kick three goals and to demonstrate some of the brilliance that had him held in such esteem over a stellar career of 13 seasons and 250 games. But junk time came early and North cruised its way to a 54-point win - it's tenth in a row over a Melbourne that simply had insufficient strength and run among its personnel, depleted by a long injury list particularly when compared with the hosts whose only player missing through injury has yet to make his AFL debut and is well outside its best 22. It has been reported that Demon coach Mark Neeld said in the lead-up to this clash he felt the his team was "two years behind several of their rivals". That's a fair assessment and reflects on his team's current list which can be addressed by recruiting at the end of the year, by improvement during the off season and by a regeneration and return to health of many of its injured players. The significance of Neeld's comment is underlined by the debate raging at more than one other club about what is necessary to improve a team's fitness and conditioning. We knew from the beginning, several months ago, that it was not possible to fast track the process whereby the fitness levels of Melbourne's list could reach the levels of the better sides in a short space of time. It's a process that will take at least two or three pre seasons of hard work and in the meantime, ambushes of the sort we have been witnessing this year will come back again and again. Only when the team's fitness levels are at their optimum can we expect all players to display better skills and decision making. Only then will they be able to regularly get to the ball first, break through tackles and do all of the things that come naturally to all good teams. In the meantime, the game is over and the season is over. Melbourne 1.2.8 5.5.35 7.5.47 11.7.73 North Melbourne 5.4.34 9.6.60 15.10.100 19.13.127 Goals Melbourne Green Sylvia 3 Blease Garland Howe Jones Martin North Melbourne Petrie Tarrant 4 Adams Harvey Thomas 2 Anthony Bastinac Harper Macmillan Swallow Best Melbourne Jones Green Moloney Frawley Howe Macdonald North Melbourne Harvey Gibson Wells Cunnington Swallow Goldstein Injuries Melbourne Nil North Melbourne Adams (shoulder) McMahon (groin) Changes Melbourne Nil North Melbourne Nil Reports Melbourne Nil North Melbourne Nil Umpires McBurney Armstrong Harris Official crowd 20,816 at Etihad Stadium

THE DRIVE-BY SHOOTING by Whispering Jack According to the script, Melbourne's season is over. In fact, it was over several months ago when the script was first written. The story of the Demons' game against the Kangaroos at Etihad Stadium is one that could have been written several times over during season 2012. The team, severely depleted of talent and well behind the necessary standards of fitness and skills ran out and was ambushed by a far superior and more strongly focussed opposition. It was over before they even saw it coming. In the absence of Melbourne's All Australian ruckman Mark Jamar, Todd Goldstein dominated from the outset to give his midfielders an armchair ride - as if they needed such an advantage against a far inferior on ball division. Ryan Bastinac had North's first goal on the board just one minute and thirty seconds into the game. By the fifteen minute mark they had four goals and change to nil. Colin Garland had the Demons' first score on the board nearly four minutes later - a point kicked under pressure. Drew Petrie's first and North's fifth came just after the 20 minute mark and Melbourne had yet to score a major. The game was almost over but there was still time for the Demons to scrap their way to respectability, which they did for a while. Sam Blease soon kicked his team's first and midfielders Nathan Jones and Brent Moloney led the fightback by working their butts off. The deficit at half time was 25 points and Melbourne had even won the second quarter (by a solitary point)! The third quarter was a repeat of the first although it took only 14 seconds for Adams to mop up from a spill and nail the first of five Kangaroo goals in a little over the first ten minutes of the second half. By that time, the Demons were done - victims of a drive-by shooting. We did get to see Brad Green kick three goals and to demonstrate some of the brilliance that had him held in such esteem over a stellar career of 13 seasons and 250 games. But junk time came early and North cruised its way to a 54-point win - it's tenth in a row over a Melbourne that simply had insufficient strength and run among its personnel, depleted by a long injury list particularly when compared with the hosts whose only player missing through injury has yet to make his AFL debut and is well outside its best 22. It has been reported that Demon coach Mark Neeld said in the lead-up to this clash he felt the his team was "two years behind several of their rivals". That's a fair assessment and reflects on his team's current list which can be addressed by recruiting at the end of the year, by improvement during the off season and by a regeneration and return to health of many of its injured players. The significance of Neeld's comment is underlined by the debate raging at more than one other club about what is necessary to improve a team's fitness and conditioning. We knew from the beginning, several months ago, that it was not possible to fast track the process whereby the fitness levels of Melbourne's list could reach the levels of the better sides in a short space of time. It's a process that will take at least two or three pre seasons of hard work and in the meantime, ambushes of the sort we have been witnessing this year will come back again and again. Only when the team's fitness levels are at their optimum can we expect all players to display better skills and decision making. Only then will they be able to regularly get to the ball first, break through tackles and do all of the things that come naturally to all good teams. In the meantime, the game is over and the season is over. Melbourne 1.2.8 5.5.35 7.5.47 11.7.73 North Melbourne 5.4.34 9.6.60 15.10.100 19.13.127 Goals Melbourne Green Sylvia 3 Blease Garland Howe Jones Martin North Melbourne Petrie Tarrant 4 Adams Harvey Thomas 2 Anthony Bastinac Harper Macmillan Swallow Best Melbourne Jones Green Moloney Frawley Howe Macdonald North Melbourne Harvey Gibson Wells Cunnington Swallow Goldstein Injuries Melbourne Nil North Melbourne Adams (shoulder) McMahon (groin) Changes Melbourne Nil North Melbourne Nil Reports Melbourne Nil North Melbourne Nil Umpires McBurney Armstrong Harris Official crowd 20,816 at Etihad Stadium

THE WOOD by The Oracle There's a term in sport that applies when one participant always seems to come out on top of another. It's called "having the wood on your opponent" and I can add without fear or trepidation that the saying definitely applies to North Melbourne's recent record against Melbourne. On Saturday afternoon the Kangaroos will be aiming to make it ten wins in a row against the Demons. They will be assisted by the fact that the game is being held on their home territory at Etihad Stadium where they hold a winning record of 5-0 at a place where Melbourne has lost its last thirteen encounters against all comers. On that basis, you would have to say that they not only have the wood on their opponents but they have the entire bloody forest over them! When Melbourne last won a contest between these clubs (in 2006), David Neitz was still at his peak and the big feller monstered the Kangaroo defence. Nathan Jones' career was in its infancy and Neale Daniher was still safely ensconced in the coach's chair with his side on its way to taking the mantle of the AFL's leading Victorian club (that was the year when the semi finals were contested by four non Victorians). But it's not only a poor record in its recent games against this week's opponent that's dogging the Demons - it's also the current form of the respective clubs that is in steep contrast. Since North Melbourne's big defeat at the hands of Hawthorn early last month, the club has undergone a massive revival in its form with a narrow loss to the West Coast Eagles the only blemish. This has lifted the club from a position of crisis with the president under attack, the CEO handing in his resignation and rumblings of a major power struggle to a situation where the team now sits in the top eight and is looking forward to September. Meanwhile, September is the only thing Melbourne is looking forward to as well but only to the sound of the final siren at Paterson's Stadium on the first or second day of the month to sound the end of yet another season of disasters, distractions and injuries. For most involved with the club, that sound simply cannot come soon enough. The main distraction for the club this week has been the committal hearing in Alice Springs for Liam Jurrah. I can't comment on the outcome but for heaven's sake, on what I've read of the evidence given by the few prosecution witnesses who bothered to turn up, the mind boggles. The law is an ass and even our legal system is conspiring against our club in this rubbish season. Little wonder that we want it to end so soon. Another major contrast between the two protagonists this week is their injury lists. With Hamish McIntosh on the road to recovery (McIntosh to make VFL comeback for 'Roos) and likely to play in the VFL and two others big chances of passing their respective fitness tests, the Kangaroos' only missing player will be first year player Tom Curran. On the other hand, the Demon's have failed their health check very badly in recent times. Clint Bartram (knee), Jamie Bennell (knee), Mitch Clark (foot), Aaron Davey (foot) and Max Gawn (knee) are all out for the season while youngster Rory Taggert (back) is out indefinitely. Jurrah injured his ankle eleven weeks ago and is still supposed to be two weeks away from playing. On top of that a number of players including Jack Watts and Jordie McKenzie face fitness tests and then we have the mystery injury of the week factor which regularly sees players missing games after not even appearing on the club's official injury lists. As the health check article states, "n October 2011, Melbourne could not have imagined it would have virtually no Jurrah, little Davey and no Sylvia early. When it lost its shining light, new recruit Clark after round 12, the disastrous picture was complete." That's where we stand at the moment with Brad Scott and his twenty-two merry men holding a very large block of wood over Mark Neeld's head as he and his medical team work furiously to heal the wounded. THE GAME North Melbourne v Melbourne on Saturday 28th July 2012 at Etihad Stadium at 2.10 pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall North Melbourne 68 wins Melbourne 83 wins 1 draw At Etihad Stadium North Melbourne 5 wins Melbourne 0 wins Since 2000 North Melbourne 12 wins Melbourne 7 wins The Coaches Scott 0 wins Neeld 0 wins MEDIA TV - Fox Sports Channel at 2:00pm (live) RADIO - SEN 3AW THE BETTING North Melbourne to win $1.09 Melbourne to win $7.50 LAST TIME THEY MET North Melbourne 19.10.124 defeated Melbourne 12.11.83 at Etihad Stadium in Round 8, 2012 The Demons were coming off a massive win at the G against Adelaide and started like a house on fire scoring six of the first goals to lead by 31 points in time on of the first term. Then, as often happened with this team, the wheels inexplicably fell off. Every possible calamity befell the team from injuries, loose play, poor execution of skills, bad bounces and even worse umpiring decisions including a "dive" that was paid to Brent Harvey that would have done Greg Louganis proud at the 84 Summer Olympics. MILESTONE Congratulations to Brad Green who plays his 250th game. The 2010 best and fairest and former skipper will join David Neitz (306 matches), Robert Flower (272), Adem Yze (271), Jim Stynes (264), Steven Febey (258), Brian Dixon (252) and James McDonald (251) as the only other Demons to play 250 games. THE TEAMS NORTH MELBOURNE Backs Scott McMahon Scott Thompson Michael Firrito Half backs Shaun Atley Nathan Grima Jamie Macmillan Centreline Ryan Bastinac Daniel Wells Ben Cunnington Half forwards Leigh Adams Robert Tarrant Samuel Wright Forwards Lachlan Hansen Drew Petrie Lindsay Thomas Followers Todd Goldstein Andrew Swallow Brent Harvey Interchange Liam Anthony Matt Campbell Sam Gibson Kieran Harper Emergencies Cruize Garlett Aaron Mullett Cameron Richardson No change MELBOURNE Backs Daniel Nicholson James Sellar Tom McDonald Half backs Joel Macdonald James Frawley Colin Garland Centreline Rohan Bail Jack Grimes Jack Trengove Half forwards Colin Sylvia Stef Martin Lynden Dunn Forwards Neville Jetta Jared Rivers Brad Green Followers Jake Spencer Jordie McKenzie Nathan Jones Interchange Sam Blease Jeremy Howe Brent Moloney James Strauss Emergencies Matthew Bate Jordan Gysberts James Magner In Jordie McKenzie Brent Moloney James Sellar Out Tom Couch James Magner Ricky Petterd THE DECK CHAIRS One thing that puzzles me about Melbourne's team selection as the club meanders its way to a shameful end to an awful season is the reluctance of selectors to go all out with youth. The catch cry in football when all is lost and the season is prematurely over is usually one of "going for youth". Alternatively, you go for youth when your list is decimated by injury or suspension as was the case last week when Carlton selected three first gamers to play the Western Bulldogs. From all reports the trio, two of them plucked out of the Northern Blues reserves from a week earlier, all acquitted themselves well in Carlton's win. Melbourne, on the other hand, with an injury list that matches Carlton's appears reluctant to make bold selection moves and instead, has decided this week to move the deck chairs around. The result is that, apart from the compulsory return of Jordie McKenzie, two players in Brent Moloney and James Sellar (both available for selection last week) come into the side. I have nothing against either player but, given that Casey had a bye last week and neither of them played anywhere, what did they do to justify inclusion this week but not last? It makes no sense unless you're determined to simply move the deckchairs around and go through the motions. The problem is that in this game we have one team, sick, unhealthy, out of form and rudderless, going through the motions waiting for the season to end and another determined to cement its place in the real September action. The Roos need to win games and bolster their percentage and this hardly bodes well for the Demons. North Melbourne is in a position where a number of its stars are shining at the moment. Todd Goldstein should dominate the big men duels in the absence of Mark Jamar in the opposing ruck. I doubt that his replacement, Jake Spencer will have happy memories of a previous encounter with North at Etihad when he produced what looked like an air shot at goal that dribbled desultorily off the side and bottom of his boot. The Kangaroos have key forward Drew Petrie in career-best goal kicking form with seven in each of their past two games against Carlton and Richmond. He'll be a handfull for the Demon defenders, one of who will be grateful that the coach persists in experimenting with the idea of playing a backman up forward. Then there are Daniel Wells. Andrew Swallow and evergreen Brent Harvey who will run and spread all day creating havoc among Melbourne's pedestrian midfield. The end result will not look pretty as the Kangaroos take full advantage of that enormous piece of wood they have over the Demons. North Melbourne by 75 points.

THE WOOD by The Oracle There's a term in sport that applies when one participant always seems to come out on top of another. It's called "having the wood on your opponent" and I can add without fear or trepidation that the saying definitely applies to North Melbourne's recent record against Melbourne. On Saturday afternoon the Kangaroos will be aiming to make it ten wins in a row against the Demons. They will be assisted by the fact that the game is being held on their home territory at Etihad Stadium where they hold a winning record of 5-0 at a place where Melbourne has lost its last thirteen encounters against all comers. On that basis, you would have to say that they not only have the wood on their opponents but they have the entire bloody forest over them! When Melbourne last won a contest between these clubs (in 2006), David Neitz was still at his peak and the big feller monstered the Kangaroo defence. Nathan Jones' career was in its infancy and Neale Daniher was still safely ensconced in the coach's chair with his side on its way to taking the mantle of the AFL's leading Victorian club (that was the year when the semi finals were contested by four non Victorians). But it's not only a poor record in its recent games against this week's opponent that's dogging the Demons - it's also the current form of the respective clubs that is in steep contrast. Since North Melbourne's big defeat at the hands of Hawthorn early last month, the club has undergone a massive revival in its form with a narrow loss to the West Coast Eagles the only blemish. This has lifted the club from a position of crisis with the president under attack, the CEO handing in his resignation and rumblings of a major power struggle to a situation where the team now sits in the top eight and is looking forward to September. Meanwhile, September is the only thing Melbourne is looking forward to as well but only to the sound of the final siren at Paterson's Stadium on the first or second day of the month to sound the end of yet another season of disasters, distractions and injuries. For most involved with the club, that sound simply cannot come soon enough. The main distraction for the club this week has been the committal hearing in Alice Springs for Liam Jurrah. I can't comment on the outcome but for heaven's sake, on what I've read of the evidence given by the few prosecution witnesses who bothered to turn up, the mind boggles. The law is an ass and even our legal system is conspiring against our club in this rubbish season. Little wonder that we want it to end so soon. Another major contrast between the two protagonists this week is their injury lists. With Hamish McIntosh on the road to recovery (McIntosh to make VFL comeback for 'Roos) and likely to play in the VFL and two others big chances of passing their respective fitness tests, the Kangaroos' only missing player will be first year player Tom Curran. On the other hand, the Demon’s have failed their health check very badly in recent times. Clint Bartram (knee), Jamie Bennell (knee), Mitch Clark (foot), Aaron Davey (foot) and Max Gawn (knee) are all out for the season while youngster Rory Taggert (back) is out indefinitely. Jurrah injured his ankle eleven weeks ago and is still supposed to be two weeks away from playing. On top of that a number of players including Jack Watts and Jordie McKenzie face fitness tests and then we have the mystery injury of the week factor which regularly sees players missing games after not even appearing on the club’s official injury lists. As the health check article states, “n October 2011, Melbourne could not have imagined it would have virtually no Jurrah, little Davey and no Sylvia early. When it lost its shining light, new recruit Clark after round 12, the disastrous picture was complete.” That’s where we stand at the moment with Brad Scott and his twenty-two merry men holding a very large block of wood over Mark Neeld’s head as he and his medical team work furiously to heal the wounded. THE GAME North Melbourne v Melbourne on Saturday 28th July 2012 at Etihad Stadium at 2.10 pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall North Melbourne 68 wins Melbourne 83 wins 1 draw At Etihad Stadium North Melbourne 5 wins Melbourne 0 wins Since 2000 North Melbourne 12 wins Melbourne 7 wins The Coaches Scott 0 wins Neeld 0 wins MEDIA TV - Fox Sports Channel at 2:00pm (live) RADIO - SEN 3AW THE BETTING North Melbourne to win $1.09 Melbourne to win $7.50 LAST TIME THEY MET North Melbourne 19.10.124 defeated Melbourne 12.11.83 at Etihad Stadium in Round 8, 2012 The Demons were coming off a massive win at the G against Adelaide and started like a house on fire scoring six of the first goals to lead by 31 points in time on of the first term. Then, as often happened with this team, the wheels inexplicably fell off. Every possible calamity befell the team from injuries, loose play, poor execution of skills, bad bounces and even worse umpiring decisions including a "dive" that was paid to Brent Harvey that would have done Greg Louganis proud at the 84 Summer Olympics. MILESTONE Congratulations to Brad Green who plays his 250th game. The 2010 best and fairest and former skipper will join David Neitz (306 matches), Robert Flower (272), Adem Yze (271), Jim Stynes (264), Steven Febey (258), Brian Dixon (252) and James McDonald (251) as the only other Demons to play 250 games. THE TEAMS NORTH MELBOURNE Backs Scott McMahon Scott Thompson Michael Firrito Half backs Shaun Atley Nathan Grima Jamie Macmillan Centreline Ryan Bastinac Daniel Wells Ben Cunnington Half forwards Leigh Adams Robert Tarrant Samuel Wright Forwards Lachlan Hansen Drew Petrie Lindsay Thomas Followers Todd Goldstein Andrew Swallow Brent Harvey Interchange Liam Anthony Matt Campbell Sam Gibson Kieran Harper Emergencies Cruize Garlett Aaron Mullett Cameron Richardson No change MELBOURNE Backs Daniel Nicholson James Sellar Tom McDonald Half backs Joel Macdonald James Frawley Colin Garland Centreline Rohan Bail Jack Grimes Jack Trengove Half forwards Colin Sylvia Stef Martin Lynden Dunn Forwards Neville Jetta Jared Rivers Brad Green Followers Jake Spencer Jordie McKenzie Nathan Jones Interchange Sam Blease Jeremy Howe Brent Moloney James Strauss Emergencies Matthew Bate Jordan Gysberts James Magner In Jordie McKenzie Brent Moloney James Sellar Out Tom Couch James Magner Ricky Petterd THE DECK CHAIRS One thing that puzzles me about Melbourne's team selection as the club meanders its way to a shameful end to an awful season is the reluctance of selectors to go all out with youth. The catch cry in football when all is lost and the season is prematurely over is usually one of "going for youth". Alternatively, you go for youth when your list is decimated by injury or suspension as was the case last week when Carlton selected three first gamers to play the Western Bulldogs. From all reports the trio, two of them plucked out of the Northern Blues reserves from a week earlier, all acquitted themselves well in Carlton's win. Melbourne, on the other hand, with an injury list that matches Carlton's appears reluctant to make bold selection moves and instead, has decided this week to move the deck chairs around. The result is that, apart from the compulsory return of Jordie McKenzie, two players in Brent Moloney and James Sellar (both available for selection last week) come into the side. I have nothing against either player but, given that Casey had a bye last week and neither of them played anywhere, what did they do to justify inclusion this week but not last? It makes no sense unless you're determined to simply move the deckchairs around and go through the motions. The problem is that in this game we have one team, sick, unhealthy, out of form and rudderless, going through the motions waiting for the season to end and another determined to cement its place in the real September action. The Roos need to win games and bolster their percentage and this hardly bodes well for the Demons. North Melbourne is in a position where a number of its stars are shining at the moment. Todd Goldstein should dominate the big men duels in the absence of Mark Jamar in the opposing ruck. I doubt that his replacement, Jake Spencer will have happy memories of a previous encounter with North at Etihad when he produced what looked like an air shot at goal that dribbled desultorily off the side and bottom of his boot. The Kangaroos have key forward Drew Petrie in career-best goal kicking form with seven in each of their past two games against Carlton and Richmond. He'll be a handfull for the Demon defenders, one of who will be grateful that the coach persists in experimenting with the idea of playing a backman up forward. Then there are Daniel Wells. Andrew Swallow and evergreen Brent Harvey who will run and spread all day creating havoc among Melbourne's pedestrian midfield. The end result will not look pretty as the Kangaroos take full advantage of that enormous piece of wood they have over the Demons. North Melbourne by 75 points.

It was a long, long time ago ... NORTH MELBOURNE Backs Jamie MacMillan Nathan Grima Scott Thompson Half backs Daniel Pratt Michael Firrito Brady Rawlings Centreline Ben Speight Shaun Atley Brent Harvey Half forwards Scott McMahon Aaron Edwards LThomas Forwards Sam Wright Drew Petrie Jack Ziebell Followers Todd Goldstein Andrew Swallow Daniel Wells Interchange Leigh Adams Ben Cunnington Lachlan Hansen Kieren Harper Emergencies Cruise Garlett Cam Pedersen Cam Richardson In Aaron Edwards Lachlan Hansen Out Liam Anthony Cam Pedersen MELBOURNE Backs James Frawley Matthew Warnock Clint Bartram Half backs Nathan Jones Colin Garland Luke Tapscott Centreline Ricky Petterd Lynden Dunn Brad Green Half forwards Colin Sylvia Liam Jurrah Addam Maric Forwards Jordan Gysberts Jack Watts Michael Newton Followers Stefan Martin Brent Moloney Aaron Davey Interchange Rohan Bail Jamie Bennell Neville Jetta Austin Wonaeamirri Emergencies Matthew Bate Max Gawn Joel Macdonald In Jamie Bennell Neville Jetta Stefan Martin Michael Newton Out Matthew Bate Jack Grimes (foot) Mark Jamar (knee) Jack Trengove (stabbed in the back by the MRP and AFL Tribunals)