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Getting the ball rolling... Predictions for this round (after getting bugger all correct last round): Collingwood v Essendon: Bombers missing Goddard and out of form, but both sides lift for these marquee games. Still, Pies by 14. Fremantle v North Melbourne: Dockers will be stinging after a loss, but losing Ballantyne hurts. North are pretenders for mine, and Wells injury takes away much of their class. Ziebell comes in, but I'm not sure if he'll make a massive impact this early. But in the end, it's all about winning the contested ball for North - when they do, they win. Unfortunately I think this is something Freo is pretty good at themselves. Dockers by 34. St Kilda v Brisbane: Saints have shown that you underestimate them at your own peril. Brisbane on the other hand, have given plenty of reasons to underestimate them. Hanley back is a boost for the Lions though. Interesting to see Moloney dropped for those of us who like to partake in a bit of schadenfreude. It'll be a dewy, slippery contested rolling maul all night, and that suits the saints. Saints by 26. Suns v Giants: Suns are the form team, have the more mature bodies, and the Giants look like they need a rest. Heath Shaw returns, which makes a big difference to the Giants, but they haven't looked as formidable since Mumford went down. If Sam Day can sort his kicking out, the GC forward line will be impressive. I really rate Tom Lynch. Jonathan O'Rourke also comes in, for those interested in a former pick 3 in 2012 that has shown stuff all since being drafted. Looks like we're not the only ones that had a chance to select Wines. I think it also holds some interest come the end of the year, as O'Rourke and a late top 10 pick might be a good deal for our first pick, a la the Salem & Tyson trade. I like to dream. Anyway, the Giants are horrible at taking marks inside 50, so if GC's mids can stop GWS' mids from kicking goals, that's the game. Suns by 27. Carlton v West Coast: Carlton really looked a class above last week. They looked unrecognisable from the team that played us 2 weeks ago. Carlton can't keep playing that well, but might surprise the Eagles still with a very competitive performance. Eagles by 9. Melbourne v Sydney: I think the swans, poor form or not, will simply be too good and too well drilled. I expect a slow dogged affair, but ultimately a solid loss. Swans by 28. Bulldogs v Adelaide: Adelaide have found some form, and the bulldogs are doing poorly in contested footy. Dangerfield hitting his straps. Crows by 17. Richmond v Hawthorn: I don't care about recent history of Richmond having Hawthorn's number. This will be messy. Keep an eye out for new running machine Hartung. Hawks by 65. Port Adelaide v Geelong: Gonna go for an upset here. Just got a feeling about it. Power by 6.

NO FIRE IN THE BELLY by JVM When the media summed up Melbourne's loss to the Brisbane Lions last week there were some who highlighted many acts by the Demons that demonstrated a lack of pressure applied to the opposition when they had the ball. Players hanging back and not attacking the ball carrier, failing to chase and run hard, leaving their men alone and allowing them to create space and/or make to leads and take easy marks. All this apart from the simple mistakes and skill errors that conceded easy goals. These were all instances of players not being prepared to work hard enough or worse still, lacking of any fire in the belly which, given what theyre paid to do and how much theyre paid, is extremely disappointing. Not only disappointing but strange after the team made a spirited start to the game and even stayed with the Lions for most of the first half but the writing was on the wall even then. The team is now well past 25 games into coach Mark Neeld's tenure but it remains one of the easiest teams to play against and not the hardest as he promised the fans when the ride began. Not long after that it was said that the team's level of fitness was inferior to that of most of the rest of the competition so preseason training was stepped up by increments, a little in the first year and another 15% in the next. But still that doesn't seem to be the answer except when pitted against Sheedy's pimply faced kids, the team has been unable to step up to the plate after half time. Last week, they fell into the hole after half time and stood by meekly allowing the Lions (whose own form up to that stage was appalling) to trample all over them This week, the Demons face up to a team that has struck a bit of form and promises to make mincemeat of any team it plays that has that necessary ingredient missing. If theres no fire in the belly among the playing group then Mark Neelds first meeting with his old master, Mick Malthouse, could well be the last. THE GAME Carlton v Melbourne at the MCG - Sunday 5 May, 2013 at 3.15pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Carlton 116 wins 2 draws Melbourne 88 wins At MCG Carlton 48 wins Melbourne 49 wins Since 2000 Carlton 10 wins Melbourne 8 wins The Coaches Malthouse 0 wins Neeld 0 wins MEDIA TV Channel 7, Fox Footy Channel (live) Radio - 3AW Triple M THE BETTING Carlton to win $1.02 Melbourne to win $13.00 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Carlton15.17.107 defeated Melbourne 6.13.49 at the MCG, Round 9, 2012 The pattern of the game was not unfamiliar. Melbourne kept up with Carlton for most of the first half and was even in a threatening position midway through the third quarter before capitulating against a seven goal final term onslaught from Carlton. Nathan Jones was best afield for Melbourne and Mitch Clark booted three goals TEAMS CARLTON Backs Chris Yarran Michael Jamison Lachlan Henderson Half backs Zach Tuohy Dennis Armfield White Centreline Kane Lucas Mitch Robinson Kade Simpson Half forwards Chris Judd Andrew Walker Jeff Garlett Forwards Ed Curnow Shaun Hampson Jarrad Waite Followers Robert Warnock Marc Murphy Brock McLean Interchange Eddie Betts Jaryd Cachia David Ellard Heath Scotland Emergencies Tom Bell Sam Rowe In Jaryd Cachia David Ellard Jarrad Waite Out Andrew Carazzo Bryce Gibbs (hamstring) Sam Rowe MELBOURNE Backs Lynden Dunn James Frawley Dean Terlich Half backs Jack Grimes Tom McDonald Colin Garland Centreline Jack Trengove Jack Viney Matt Jones Half forwards Jeremy Howe Colin Sylvia Dean Kent Forwards Rohan Bail Max Gawn Shannon Byrnes Followers Jake Spencer Jordie McKenzie Nathan Jones Interchange Michael Evans Daniel Nicholson James Strauss Luke Tapscott Emergencies Sam Blease Aaron Davey Cameron Pedersen In Lynden Dunn Dean Kent Daniel Nicholson Jake Spencer James Strauss Jack Viney Out Sam Blease Aaron Davey Mark Jamar (groin) Cameron Pedersen David Rodan Jack Watts (hamstring) New Dean Kent (Perth) There was a time when you could preview a game by matching up the teams player for player and working out which of the two was stronger by deciding how many of one side were ahead of the other. The winner would in all likelihood, be the one that was in front in the majority of positions. It was a reasonably good guide but didn't always work because a team would often have a certain number of dominant players who would have sufficient influence over a game to override the disadvantage of depth of numbers. I have no such problems with a game like Carlton v Melbourne where the Blues not only have the extra advantage of having the champion or class players in their team but they also have the greater depth. They have the luxury of Murphy, Judd, McLean (at his peak), Scotland, Simpson, Robinson and co and the fact that Carazzo (late omission) and Gibbs out with injury is a mere bagatelle. Melbourne has Nathan Jones so if the opposition manages to cover him then it's all over red rover. At least we won't have a repeat of Jamar tapping the ball constantly to someone like Maloney. The changes at Melbourne (and there are six of them) wont do the trick. On top of having possible the worst midfield in the competition, the team is without important forward in Mark Jamar and Chris Dawes (along with Jack Watts whose brief stint up forward last week produced two goals) and while the injuries give some younger players an opportunity, the differential in class will be mo more pronounced than in this game. The injury hit forward line is problematic because the Dees have only managed an average of seven goals in their last four bruise free matches against the Blues. And if that's not enough to convince anybody then let's not forget that Carlton is ranked fourth in AFL for contested possessions this season, while Melbourne is last. Can't avoid it but this should be a percentage booster for both sides. Carlton by 41 points.