Game Day Melbourne v Fremantle - GDT 14/7/2012

[Wonaeamirri33]

vs

THE GAME: Etihad Stadium, Saturday July 14, 1.45pm

HEAD TO HEAD:

Overall: Played 27, Melbourne 13 wins, Fremantle 14
Since 2000: Melbourne 10 wins, Fremantle 11

MEDIA

TV: 7 (90-min delay in Victoria, live in WA) Southern Cross (90-min delay in Tas, NT), Fox Footy (live)

RADIO: SEN, Triple M, Heart FM (Tas), 6PR

Ladder position

Melbourne: 16th
Fremantle: 12th

BETTING: Melbourne $3.25, Fremantle $1.36

LAST TIME: Melbourne 22.17 (149) def Fremantle 8.12 (60), Round 13, 2011 at the MCG

Melbourne continued Fremantle's long MCG losing streak with an 89-point thumping on that Sunday afternoon. Fremantle haven't won at the home of football since April, 2007.

It was also Melbourne's highest-ever winning margin against Fremantle, but some of the gloss of the win was lost when defender Colin Garland hobbled off in the third quarter with what looked to be an aggravation of the ankle injury that had kept him out for the past month.

The Demons burst out of the blocks with the first five goals of the game, but Fremantle hit back in the second quarter thanks largely to Michael Johnson who booted three goals. However, that was Fremantle's only winning quarter as the Demons called the shots for much of the day. They finished off the job with eight goals in the final term to be emphatic victors.

Fremantle conceded far too many turnovers that resulted in Melbourne goals, while the Demons showed much more aggression than they did in the previous week's loss to Collingwood.

The undersized Fremantle defence struggled to cope with the rotation of Stefan Martin and Max Gawn. The big pair took turns in the ruck and in attack and both looked dangerous when they were in front of goal, including an unintentional drop kick goal from Martin in the third quarter.

Gawn's game highlight came in the third term when the 208cm ruckman chased down a running Fremantle player on the half-forward flank. The tackle resulted in a turnover, which ended with a goal to Jack Trengove.

Jordie McKenzie played a blinder in the midfield on Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich. McKenzie had 28 touches and kept Pavlich to just 17. Tom Scully starred out of the middle for the Demons, gathering 26 touches including 11 contested while Brad Green booted five goals in a return to form.

QUARTER BY QUARTER

FIRST QUARTER
Fremantle arrived in Melbourne hoping to break its MCG hoodoo but was hit by a red and blue onslaught in the first quarter. Melbourne kicked two volleyed goals to open proceedings, one to captain Brad Green and the other to Colin Sylvia, as Freo struggled to get the ball inside its 50m arc. The visitors allowed the Demons too much time and space and Melbourne capitalised, with goals to big men Stefan Martin and Max Gawn, who booted his first goal in AFL football after a strong mark 15m out. Clancee Pearce finally broke Fremantle’s duck, but Green added his second as the Demons assumed control.

SECOND QUARTER
Fremantle finally arose from their slumber, with three second-term Michael Johnson goals igniting the visitors. With Nathan Fyfe, Matthew Pavlich and the returning Michael Barlow increasing their influence, Freo lifted its work-rate and pressure and smashed Melbourne in the clearances (20-10). Fremantle outscored the Demons by six points to stay within touching distance at the main break, but two goals to Brad Green, a one-handed mark and goal to Jack Watts and a rare major to James Frawley ensured the Demons retained a handy lead.

THIRD QUARTER
It took less than 30 seconds for the Demons to regain their authority, with Watts goaling after brushing aside Freo first-gamer Ben Bucovaz in the goal square. Martin continued his eye-catching performance with two goals, one from a clever piece of play from Jack Trengove, as the home side took a stranglehold of the contest. Chris Mayne managed the only Freo goal for the term as Melbourne broke away from its opponents in setting up a match-winning 44-point break.

FOURTH QUARTER
Watts again goaled within the first minute and young speedster Daniel Nicholson brought the crowd to its feet with a dashing goal on the run a couple of minutes later. From there, it was a Demon procession. Liam Jurrah strolled into an open goal to boot his first for the day, lively third-gamer Jeremy Howe took two strong grabs for two goals in two minutes and Green kicked his fifth as Fremantle again failed to produce at the MCG.

GENERAL INFO:

The two sides return to a venue they have not met at for more than 10 years. One might suggest they both might play like it too, as neither club has shown an affinity to the Docklands venue since it was established in 2000.

We've won just 16 times from 41 matches at Etihad, while the Dockers have won 10 of 39. But of course, the fact we've lost 11 straight there is the biggest issue by far.

But it's our first match at this ground under Neeld, of course.

A 10-goal thrashing up in Brisbane in Round 14 was followed by a dull 23-point loss to the Tigers at the weekend - which could have been a lot worse if not for some shocking goalkicking from our opponents. It's obvious we need the Russky in the lineup badly, and it's a great relief that he's back in today.

The Dockers had a comfortable victory over the struggling Bulldogs at home last week, and will be hoping to maintain their form in Melbourne recently which saw them beat Richmond and be competitive with premiership fancies Collingwood. However, their reliance on Matthew Pavlich to fire in their two most recent wins - in which he has kicked 12 goals out of the 26 - would be a concern to Ross Lyon should he fail in this game.

KEY POINTS:

MELBOURNE

1. Forgetting pre-season games, Melbourne's most recent win at Etihad Stadium was in round 19, 2007, defeating the Western Bulldogs by 42 points. We've lost 11 consecutive games at the venue since, with the narrowest margin being 20 points.

2. The loss of Clark can't be underestimated and now the challenge is to restructure the forward line to score goals. Clark's absence may explain a substantial amount of the poor ball-use last week and the week before, trying to execute an unfamiliar pattern of ball movement. This should improve and will stand the team in good stead in the future, but there might be an early price to pay.

3. Brad Green kicked six in the VFL and proved he could get through a game so should earn a recall. He looks to be nearing the end of his career but he is dangerous around goal, can find space and is a good kick so has plenty to offer between now and the end of the year.

4. The problems in the midfield can't be solved overnight. Coach Mark Neeld declared after last week's game he's looking to develop a group of midfielders who can get 25-plus possessions in a game, something only Nathan Jones and Colin Sylvia are managing at this stage. However Jeremy Howe and Jack Grimes are emerging and Jack Trengove is at least showing signs in the past few weeks as his marking power is returning. Further improvement is needed this week.

FREMANTLE

1. Fremantle's form on the road this season has improved, the club notching impressive wins in Melbourne against Richmond (round 11) and St Kilda (round four). The team's last match at the MCG saw them fight back when on the verge of a blowout to win the last quarter against Collingwood in a 29-point loss. Road wins against Melbourne, Port Adelaide (round 18) and North Melbourne (round 22) will strengthen the club's finals claims.

2. Pavlich has been in dominant form. Stationed in attack more permanently, he has kicked 20 goals in his past four games and 34 for the season. He has been particularly impressive at the MCG, kicking bags of five and six in recent clashes against Collinwood and Richmond.

3. How will Ross Lyon manage his tall stocks against Melbourne? Key defender Antoni Grover put himself in the coach's good books against the Western Bulldogs by running with the flight of the ball and taking a heavy hit, and Zac Dawson, who has been an important player when fit, could return from a three-week knee injury. Against the Bulldogs, defender Luke McPharlin was used forward for periods, forward Kepler Bradley impressed in his return, and Michael Johnson continues to excel as a loose man in defence. Lyon has options, which must be a good thing.

4. Fremantle won the clearances (42-39) and the inside 50s (54-36) against the Bulldogs, but there are pace issues in the midfield. When Stephen Hill is shut out of the game like he was when opposed to Bulldog Liam Picken, Fremantle lacks midfield run, with Clancee Pearce, Nick Lower and Matt de Boer doing their best work in close. Anthony Morabito's return is highly anticipated, but he is expected to play in the WAFL this week before pushing for senior selection.

_________________________________________________________________________________

From Chief:

Video Streams

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[Wonaeamirri33]

At this ground

Played: 2
Melbourne: 2
Fremantle: 0
Drawn: 0

Recent streak: Melbourne has won three of its past five matches against Fremantle.

Coaching record

Mark Neeld: 14 matches, 2 win, 0 draws, 12 losses
Ross Lyon: 135 matches, 83 wins, 4 draws, 48 losses

Injury list

Melbourne: Clint Bartram (knee) - season, Mitch Clark (foot) - season, Michael Evans (back) - test, Max Gawn (knee) - season, Liam Jurrah (ankle) - 2 weeks, Kelvin Lawrence (calf) - 2 weeks, James Sellar (thigh) - test, Jai Sheahan (ankle) - 2 weeks, Rory Taggert (back) - indefinite, Josh Tynan (concussion) - test

Fremantle: Hayden Crozier (illness) - TBC, Zac Dawson (knee) - test, Nat Fyfe (shoulder) - 2 weeks, Antoni Grover (corked buttock) - test, Viv Michie (foot) - TBC, Anthony Morabito (ankle) - test, Aaron Sandilands (toe) - 6 weeks, Alex Silvagni (calf) - test

Players to watch

Melbourne: Nathan Jones

The midfielder bounced back from a calf injury, which forced him out of the clash against the Brisbane Lions in round 14, to be among Melbourne’s best against Richmond last Saturday at the MCG. Jones, who has rarely missed a match, since debuting in 2006, collected a team high 25 disposals. He has genuinely become one of Melbourne’s most consistent players and best performers in 2012.

Fremantle: Matthew Pavlich

The captain keeps on keeping on, with six goals against the Western Bulldogs at Patersons Stadium last round. He has kicked 34 goals for the season, including 23 in his past five matches. During this period, he has kicked two bags of six and one haul of five. The 270-gamer remains critical to Fremantle’s overall set-up.

Match-up to watch

James Frawley v Matthew Pavlich

Frawley looms as the man most likely to take on Pav. Frawley had 20 disposals and took 10 marks against Richmond’s Jack Riewoldt last round - the Tiger finished with 1.5 and just 16 touches. The Demon defender will have another big assignment against the Fremantle skipper this round.

Most disposals

Melbourne: Nathan Jones (317)
Fremantle: Michael Barlow (341)

Most marks

Melbourne: Jeremy Howe (83)
Fremantle: Michael Johnson (103)

Most tackles

Melbourne: Jordie McKenzie (82)
Fremantle: Matthew de Boer (84)

Most goals

Melbourne: Mitch Clark (29)
Fremantle: Matthew Pavlich (34)

The last time Melbourne played Fremantle at the Docklands was round 21, 2001. After the Dockers took an early lead, the Demons bounced back to run out 35-point winners. Melbourne had an extensive list of goal scorers, with Jeff Farmer, David Neitz, Tom McDonald, Brad Green and Jeff White booting two each.

Summary

Melbourne produced a disappointing performance against Richmond last round. Although the Demons went down by 23 points, the Tigers had 13 more scoring shots, but booted 23 behinds.

In fact, we've lost matches by more points this season and performed better than last round. The match was marred by skill errors from both teams. Docklands is a horrible place for us. But the team have an opportunity to rectify the situation against Freo, who've also only won three of the last 18 at Etihad Stadium, including their most recent clash at the venue - against St Kilda in round four.

And of course, Neeld has also coached a win at the venue, even if only a pre-season game.

But either way, a rare win at the ground will eventuate for Melbourne or Fremantle. Although it will be a challenge for the Demons, we did win the most recent clash against Fremantle last year and have beaten the Dockers three times since 2008, which could add some confidence.

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Quotes from Tom Couch:

“Neeldy came up to me at training and asked me if I was good to go and I said ‘definitely’. It didn’t really sink in [at the time]. I just went out and trained, but the [feeling] was hard to explain.

“I’ve been waiting to hear those words for so long that when you hear it, it’s a bit of a buzz and I was walking on clouds for a bit.

“I appreciate all of the support from Melbourne supporters - they’re very passionate, and I know they follow Casey in the VFL. They check the results carefully, and it’s been nice that they think I should be out there playing with the boys.

“It feels really good that the supporters are behind you 100 per cent. A lot of people have asked why I haven’t been playing and they’re getting worried for you that you’re not getting a game, when you’re getting 25 or 30 possessions [per match in the VFL].

“But it was made clear to me what I needed to work on, and I was pretty comfortable with where I sat. Neeldy is the coach, and there is no better person to talk to about what I need to improve. [Midfield coaches] Brian Royal and Aaron Greaves have also helped me work on those things in more detail. But Neeldy is the main person [who has helped me the most].

“I just had to get reprogrammed. I’ve always been a ball player and you realise if you get 30 possessions a game, you’ve only got the ball in your hands for about a minute. So it’s about the other 119 minutes - what you do when your teammates have got the ball, and what you do when they’ve got the ball or when it’s in dispute.

“A lot of it is about structures, too. Last year, when I played for Collingwood in the VFL, I’d rock up and wouldn’t know what the structures were and I’d just wing it. At Bell Park, we didn’t even have structures, so it’s about learning the whole system and running patterns. The AFL is a big step up from where I’ve come from.

“Mum and Dad are pretty excited. They’re really rapt and I wouldn’t be here without their support - I’ve relied pretty heavily on them for the last six years since playing with [Geelong] Falcons.

“Their support, plus the rest of my family and all of my friends have been great. I got a lot of messages from family and friends and they’re all excited and coming up [from Geelong] for the game, so it’ll be great to share the experience with them.”


Quotes from Mark Neeld:

“For Aaron, it’s a long-term injury, with his season over. That’s news that no one wants to hear. Aaron’s been in and out of the side with form and injury concerns. He played a good game in the VFL, and now he has a fracture in the foot.

“The message for Aaron is that you always try to find the positive - having an injury at this time, his rehab will ensure that he’ll be right for day one of the pre-season.

“It’s going to be a really important pre-season for Aaron, so he can make sure that he completes a full one and gives himself every chance of playing well next year. So that’s what we’ll be doing there.

“Tom [Couch] is a story of persistence. From Geelong to South Australia to Collingwood to Melbourne, so that’s great news and he has the opportunity to come in with some really good VFL form. We’re really pleased with that.

“Tom’s a really good stoppage player and I reckon in the last month in the VFL, he’s starting to get into his game, the ability to get out and get away from the stoppages to complement his work at the stoppages. When he gets on the ground, he’ll play in the midfield.

“They do [love him]. He gets a lot of publicity Tom, for a team at the bottom of the ladder and a fella on the rookie list who plays at Casey in front of about 50 people every week. I played with his Dad for four or five years and now I’m coaching his son - that’s nice, but we’ll worry about that later.

“Greeny's been out with a strained thigh, and he’s recovered from that and done all of his rehab well. He’s come back in the VFL and kicked six goals, and he’s indicated that he’s ready to play League footy. He deserves his spot in the side, so he gets selected.

“Jack [Watts] couldn’t get up this week. He twisted it (the ankle just before half-time and played the second half out - players often do that and the adrenaline runs, but when it stops, it blows up. We were hopeful early in the week that he could’ve got up, but he just can’t, so we’re hoping that he should be right to fly to Darwin with the boys to take on Port Adelaide.

“Jimmy [Magner] has had a really good campaign in his first year, we think. He’s still got the opportunity to get a bit of a breather and regain some energy.

“He’s one of the players who did it the hard way through the draft. Jimmy didn’t have an off season and he trained really hard, and he did the bulk of the pre-season with the Saints. We’ve picked him up and he’s played every game of the year in his first year in the AFL, so that’s a good effort.

“Brent is working really hard. [He's] just not in good nick. We can't ask him to work any harder. [He's] just unable to find as much of the footy as what everyone would like. Brent is a quality player.

“What I could also say is that if he gets back into really good form and plays out the year and plays out the year [at a] great standard, then that is great timing for players to be in great nick and be out of contract.

“[Trengove] is a very in-tight player in terms of where his capabilities lie. We are coaching him and encouraging him. He has got a really good engine but needs to get out a little bit more and get some uncontested possessions.

“[We are] not giving games away. They have got to earn [them]. don't think that is the way to go.

“I went over to Perth and had a look at Freo play - [they play a] very solid, disciplined brand of footy. Ross has got them all on the same page. Their game style is a really good, and they’re a hard working side. We know we’re in for a really strong contest … so we’re preparing for that.

“The challenge this week is to turn a poor start into a good one and then maintain competitiveness for longer.

“It was interesting that both coaches were disappointed with the disposal efficiency. Some of it can be put down to the defensive pressure of both sides - there’s no question, but there were a couple of basic skill deficiencies. Sometimes when those issues bob up, it can be a little bit frustrating.

“We really need to put some scoreboard pressure on. On the weekend, we had the opportunities, but couldn’t nail it.

“There were some strong performances again - consistent performances again from Nathan Jones, who missed a week with a leg injury and carried on where he left off. We think that Colin Sylvia has had a really good impact on the team in the last month, so credit to Colin, and Daniel Nicholson, and there is a bit of a glimpse there.

“He [Jones] wants to be a serious AFL player. His training effort over the summer - that’s what we’re seeing in the game. He’s making every effort to improve all of the time. He’s good to talk to, is Jonesy, because he goes to every training session with the attitude of ‘right, I’ve got an hour to improve something here’. He’s got a great attitude.”


Quotes from Rohan Bail:

“In the second quarter [against Carlton], I copped a fist across the chops, when someone tried to spoil the ball and missed. It was a minor incident and I was dazed for 10 to 15 seconds and then got on with it.

“And then later on in the quarter, there was a bit of friendly fire, when big ‘Chippa’ (James Frawley) came through, and I got in his way and his hip hit me in the head. Probably because it was just before half time, it wasn’t really noticed.

“I was down for 10 to 15 seconds and then went into the rooms. I didn’t really think too much about it and I came back out and played the second half and probably underestimated what had happened. Regrettably, it kept me out for several weeks, so it wasn’t good.

“With that injury, it’s a time thing. I’ve had a few concussions before, but I’ve never been out for that long. It just took that extra bit of time, unfortunately. I had to be patient, because they weren’t going to let me play until I was ready. It was definitely a frustrating time.

“I was given until the last minute every week to prove my fitness, so I did a basic CogState test at the club for the first two. And then it’d been two weeks and I was sent to a neuropsychologist, who put me through a two-hour CogState assessment. I was still off apparently, so I got pulled out before the games.

“The first week, after having missed three weeks plus the bye, I was probably a little bit rusty in terms of getting the footy and being in the right spots. But last week I felt better against Richmond, and I had a few more game involvements, so it was good.

“I just want to keep improving on what I’ve been doing. I want to run smartly and get the ball in good areas. Also my kicking, I’ve been working on that at training, so hopefully I can become really efficient in that area.

“A lot of my running is at high speed. I’ve spoken to the coach [Mark Neeld] and Neil Craig about it and they see it as one of my real strengths, so if I can learn to use it really smartly and get it out to the right spaces, it can be damaging.

“A lot of the really good kicks in the AFL are good at running and steadying before they execute a kick, whereas sometimes you can and something you can’t. When you see Chris Judd, he’s at his absolute full pace and it’s hard to control his kick. It’s just a matter of finding that balance and steadying and finding that target.

“He’s (Neeld) put a lot of faith in me and supported me and he’s always told me to back myself. He’s said to me that if I make a mistake trying to do the right thing, then that’s ok. I definitely feel supported by him.

“I have a chat to Craigy on and off, so he’s really good. He’s the same. He likes the way I run and he keeps telling me to back myself and work on that kicking. The more I do, the better I’ll get at kicking at high speeds. Craigy’s definitely one to approach and a lot of the guys have said that. If you want another opinion, he’s a very good person for that.

“[I want to play] through the midfield, working on stoppages - playing inside and on the wing and also half-forward. If I can work on stoppage stuff inside, it’d be good to play on someone in there and beat them on the outside.

“I’ve got to use my attributes in whatever role I’m playing. But you’ve got to be across all the structures, whether you’re playing high half-forward or mid and definitely in the backline as well, where I haven’t played too much this year. I’ve played mostly forward and a little bit mid this year.

“But it’s all part of the journey. When I’m playing, I feel like I can contribute, so it’s a matter of getting out there consistently for as long as I can. Hopefully that’s every game.”


Quotes from Colin Garland:

“It was good that the club showed so much faith in me, especially with a long deal. With the leadership I’ve been doing this year and my involvement in the club, it’s really positive that I can be here for another three years and help the club out.

“It’s great to have Jordie and Tommy [re-sign] as well, as they’re going to be important parts of our team going forward. They both look like they could be 200-game players, so it’s good to have them on board.

“I don’t think there has been any real issue of players leaving the club at all - we’re all on board. Even though this year has been pretty tough, the club’s standards and training have been raised. So there were no thoughts about not re-signing.

“It’s been different [playing up forward]. Originally, we went up there to help out Clarky (Mitch Clark) a little bit and provide another target. He went down, so I’ve had to step up in a leadership role down there and help out the structures and add some voice.

“But I’m happy to play anywhere, and whether it’s a long term thing - I’m not sure. I’ve been going all right down there and playing my role by putting some forward pressure on.

“It’s been good and it’s been enjoyable, but hopefully I can provide a bit of flexibility in that aspect and I can play back and I can play forward, when needed during games.

“It all depends on the make-up of the side. We’ve got a lot of tall backs at the moment - even though this year I haven’t been playing tall - and we’ve got a lot more depth in the backline.

“It is a possibility that I might stay up there and play a higher marking type player, once we get Clark in and Stef playing consistently. And with Howey, maybe I can play that third or fourth tall up forward.

“I’m unsure and I haven’t really spoken about the long term, as it’s been week to week at the moment. Maybe at the end of the year, they’ll decide either way. I made my name down back, and I’m really close to the backline guys, but in saying that, I’ve really enjoyed the challenge and I feel as though I’m learning again.

“When you play a certain position for a long time and then to get a fresh start somewhere else, it’s a good challenge that I’ve really enjoyed.

“I feel as though I’m back to school learning more things and new techniques. Eventually, if I go back, it’s going to help me as well. And if I stay forward, I feel as though I’ve learned a few techniques that I’ve learned from forwards that I can use.

“The way the leadership group's structured and the people in there and the people running it - it’s been really good for a football sense and a personal sense. All of the eight guys who are in it - we’ve all learnt incredibly in the six months we’ve been in it.

“Neil Craig, Jade Rawlings and Josh Mahoney are in there and we’ve got some senior management guys who come in and out, so we’re learning many things in there. [voice and direction on the field] has been the hardest bit for me, because I’m not the loudest guy going around. That’s probably been the part that’s taken me a lot longer.

“As the season’s gone on, I’ve really developed that side of my game and I think it’s helped me come out of my shell a bit. If I’m not getting a touch on the footy, I can still feel part of the game by setting up structures and helping with voice and reminding about the key things we want to get out of games.

“All the coaches I’ve had at Melbourne, I’ve really enjoyed learning from, and I’m really grateful for the coaches who have come through. From the football department last year, I got on really well with them, and they were still trying to get the best out of us.

“But with the new direction, because I’m a bit older and I’ve been around the club for six years now, I feel really on board with it, and I feel I can make a difference and help get things in place for the future.

“Jade Rawlings, who was my line coach for the pre-season and the majority of this year, I’ve had a really good close relationship with. He’s from Tassie as well, and he’s really challenged myself and others in the backline who have played together for a long period.

“At training and game reviews, the standards have gone to a new level and the things that are being put in place are going to hold us in good stead, when we start to come back up the ladder.”


Quotes from Mark Jamar:

“I just like the structure of the club and [receiving] honest feedback on a regular basis and I see that continuing in the near future.

“I didn't want to leave the club guessing. I knew what I was going to do and I never showed any signs that I was going to go, so it was all pretty good the way it turned out.

“Melbourne has got a fantastic supporter base [and] network of people. [It would be] hard to leave that, hard to leave teammates and consider being somewhere else. [I've] been here for 10 years and it's what I know and what I love, so I wanted to continue all that.

“Everything is running smoothly. I've just got a good trust in the system and I believe it's going to help me get the best out of myself and then I will be able to give back to the club.

“The young guys are watching how the leader does things. You want them to learn the right way. You don't want them to pick up bad habits. You want to train good habits.

“I like to get around to a lot of the guys and ask them how they are going and see how they are feeling and offer any advice or help where I can. [I'm] probably not a loud person but one on one I have got a lot to offer a lot of guys.”

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Redux of the preview

SUMMARY:

Those of us who are experts in the field of statistics are only too aware of the fact that there are numerous shades of purple, but for this Saturday's game, I'm not expecting to see much purple of any shade in the crowd.

Obviously we rarely attract large crowds for "home" games at Etihad Stadium. In particular, when the fixture is against the highly favoured Dockers and we're 16th, the numbers simply don't stack up.

At around this time last year, a Melbourne team that still had an outside chance of making the finals attracted a mere 15,740 against a top four combination in the West Coast Eagles and were duly smashed. The club has won only two of its past 20 games at Etihad, including 12 losses in a row by an average of 44 points since 2008.

All of this points to the fact that, although Freo have never beaten us at this ground (they’ve met there twice) there will be plenty of empty seats when play starts, unless the club comes up with something to attract the fans to the game.

In any case, we desperately need a full four-quarter effort this week. Last week against the Tigers, we only really started to play at quarter-time, which is and was inexcusable. And that's happened far too often, of course.

One obvious good omen comes from the fact that last time we played the Dockers at home, we kicked the first five goals on the way to an 89-point win. However, that game was at the MCG against an injury-depleted side. This time it's us with a large injury list, with key players like Mitch, Watts and the 'Cane missing, along with Sellar, Davey, and Dunn now out through suspension. At least we've got Tom McDonald and the Russky back, which has to help. Partly because it gives us the opportunity to bring Stef Martin into the forward line.

Our football department is as good as it's ever been, and they're working overtime on these issues, but are very severely handicapped this season by the cumulative lack of up-to-date required levels of fitness, a persistent issue at the club for years, if not decades, perhaps contributed to by the mental hangovers from previous years, and pure horrendous bad luck.

All this leaves morale well off a peak.

This shapes as a season defining period for Freo, as they face us, Franchise Two and Port in the next three weeks, which could see them reach 10 wins with five games to play. Fremantle have a reasonable record in Victoria this season having won two from three against good opposition. Matthew Pavlich is in rare form and looks to be the most dangerous factor by far.

Again, aside from our situation up forward, the biggest questions hang over our run and spread in midfield, and our ball-use. Last week, our workrate and intensity - for the last three quarters at any rate - was certainly good enough, as shown by the fact our tackle count was higher than any other team in Round 14, but our disposal efficiency was very poor, again, and lots of turnovers were the result. 56 clangers against Richmond, which is fairly horrifying to say the least. And we're still very obviously lacking pace, that really goes without saying at this point.

Given the way Fremantle have played under Lyon this year, and our difficulties, chances are this will be a low-scoring match.

Jonah will obviously be our most vital element in midfield again, that goes without saying, along with Grimes and Trengove, and we desperately need better disposal from Howe and McKenzie as well. And Joel McDonald across half-back. All three were disastrous with the ball a lot of the time last Saturday, with very low efficiency and 6 clangers each.

ANALYSIS:

You could easily be forgiven for thinking that it was the entire Melbourne Football Club and not Dan Connors and Dustin Martin who had a big night out, decided to take some sleeping pills and turned up late for their assignation. That's how it appeared in the opening quarter of their game against the Tigers as the Demons put on a convincing portrayal of a team in a stupor desperately imitating the mannerisms of the Keystone Cops on its way to a football belting.

Benny Hill music would've added substantial entertainment value during the first term.

We made the mistakes of a tired side lacking in skills, unable to make the correct decisions and appearing decidedly out of position and out of place. You just knew from the moment Dunn gave that nudge in the back for Richmond's first goal early in the game that things weren't going to go well, and it was only for the fact that the Tigers had the kicking yips in front of goal that prevented them from setting up a huge percentage booster as they push towards the finals.

The problem was we had the yips all over the ground and not just in front of goal so we were treated to the now routine abysmal start involving errant handpasses (usually the one in the chain too many), kicks to teammates that float over their heads and end safely in the hands of an opponent or out of bounds on the full and the gift of stupid free kicks that inevitably result in cheap opposition scores.

The spectre of a shameful scoreless first quarter was definitely on the cards when Stef Martin missed one from an angle, but Sam Blease stepped in with one of his now typical ripping left-foot goals. When they woke up and the dust had settled, we found themselved trailing by 1.0.6 to 4.6.30. Sure, it could have (and perhaps should have) been worse, but it could also have been so much better had the team come into the game more organised and wide awake.

From that point, the result was never really in doubt but at least the team fought through the rest of the game and even narrowly outscored Richmond in the final three quarters, helped by the Tigers' poor kicking for goal, some abysmal and inconsistent field umpiring, and a great performance again from Nathan Jones, who has been a shining light at the club this season.

The main thrust of any Demon fightback was effectively stilled by the comedy of errors that ended with a video review that disallowed what appeared to be a goal off the boot of James Magner. It started when Magner intercepted a mark that appeared headed for the safe hands of Jared Rivers. The shot was taken from only 35 metres out but it disappeared into a crowd of players with legs and arms apparently flailing around an untouched ball. The goal umpire looked ready to pay the goal but then every official on the ground had a say and it went to the video review which was said to have proved inconclusive. A goal to Melbourne would have meant it was game on, but it was not to be.

We had a few other triers but there simply weren't enough of them. Colin Sylvia is regaining some form, James Frawley did his best in curtailing Jack Riewoldt and Jack Watts showed his undoubted class.

Regrettably, the team is still hopelessly undermanned, under strength and simply doesn't have the experienced cool heads at this stage to lead the way in times of crisis. There are too many of the best 22 out of the side and the slack is not being taken up by young blood as it should when you're sitting forlornly near the basement at 2 and 12.

Chris Connolly once said that if you made five or more changes to the side then you had little chance of winning. But that is exactly what Richmond did after a horror week when they lost players to suspension and injury. The Tigers changed their team because of circumstance and still won - even if it was a case of winning ugly.

Accordingly, we've rung in the changes this week. There were enough passengers who slept on the job against Richmond to warrant changes to the team. The Russky is back in the side from injury, joined by a combination of youth and experience with Green, Tom McDonald, Ricky Bobby, and Tom Couch getting a debut.

The forward line is struggling in the absence of Mitch Clark and Liam Jurrah. Colin Garland, Jared Rivers and Magner never looked like kicking multiple goals last week, and Dunn and Watts need a change back to the forward line - at least once both are back in the team again, after a suspension and an ankle injury respectively. Their absence adds substantially to the problems we face of course, given the quality of ball-use we can usually expect from Watts - and more recently, Dunn as well, along with their work in winning the contested ball.

Statistical rundown:

Contested possession count - 133-153. Far from our best overall effort in this area. The disastrous first-quarter effort accounts for most of the gap between us and the Tigers here last week, I'd say. Sylvia, Jonah, Trengove and Watts were amongst the leaders, as they often are, along with Howe, Jordie, Joel Mac and Bail - although much of the contested ball work from these four was spoilt by their poor disposal once they got it.

Hitouts - 38-33. Stef put up a creditable effort again, and did very well around the ground too - he was easily amongst our best overall, but it was always going to be a tough duel against Maric.

Clearances - 26 to us, 41 for Richmond. Again, most of the difference here can be explained by the first quarter. This is what happens when we don't put up a full four-quarter effort. But Jonah was superb throughout in this area, and ended up with 9 clearances - equal-highest of any player on the ground - assisted well by Sylvia with 4, and Jordie with 3.

Disposal efficiency - 70% to us, 69% to Richmond. The ball-use from both clubs was poor, but our lack of run and spread on top of that meant we gave up far more turnovers.

Total possession count - 379-318. This showing exactly how our lack of run and spread and below-par disposal is continuing to hurt us. Essendon remain the only real team we've beaten in uncontested possession count or the overall count so far this year.

Inside 50s - 41-62. Again, we did a reasonable enough job of getting the ball in there during the last three quarters, but again, irreparable damage was done by our appalling first quarter.

Nicho, Dunn and Frawley spearheaded most of our transition attacks out of defence, and they all used the ball very well throughout. Jonah and Blease were our big providers bringing the ball inside the arc, followed by Trengove and Sylvia.

Tackle count - 76-73. This is the best news out of the match. Once again, we tackled harder than any other team over the course of the round. And plenty of guys did their bit here. Bail, Blease and Sylvia were the hardest workers in this regard, with 7 tackles each, followed by Jonah, Jordie, Nicho and Trengove with 6, and Dunn and Grimes with 5.

A brief look at the playing group over the first fifteen rounds:

BAIL, Rohan MFC 10 games, 5 goals, CFC Sen 1 game, 0 goals. The former Queenslander's season was disrupted with a lingering concussion injury but he has now been back in the Demons' team for the past two games.

BARTRAM, Clint MFC 8 games, 1 goal. Was enjoying his best year since his debut season before succumbing to a season-ending knee injury.

BATE, Matthew MFC 10 games, 7 goals, CFC Sen 1 game, 2 goals. Bate has fought hard for a place in the team after a tough campaign in 2011. He's had a number of starts in the green vest which hasn't helped him and he needs to work hard to retain his place on the list.

BENNELL, Jamie MFC 5 games, 2 goals, CFC Sen 6 games, 2 goals. Bennell has been in and out of the Melbourne team without being able to consolidate his spot.

BLEASE, Sam MFC 8 games, 6 goals, CFC Sen 5 games, 5 goals. This enigmatic youngster has great flair and is learning to play the Neeld style. Has shown promise.

CLARK, Mitch MFC 11 games, 29 goals. A true revelation, the Demon recruit of the year from Brisbane had been outstanding until he suffered a foot injury in the GWS match which ended his season prematurely. His loss cannot be underestimated.

COOK, Lucas CFC Sen 7 games, 12 goals, CFC Res 1 game, 5 goals. The young tall key forward is developing well in VFL ranks and is not too far away.

COUCH, Tom® CFC Sen 11 games, 8 goals. Couch has had an outstanding season at Casey without being able to break into AFL ranks. A four goal haul last week might have changed that!

DAVEY, Aaron MFC 9 games 7 goals, CFC Sen 3 games, 2 goals. The Flash has struggled since injuring his knee last year and has found himself back at Casey on a couple of occasions.

DAVIS, Troy CFC Sen 11 games, 2 goals. Davis has shown great promise in defence at VFL level and was on the cusp of higher selection a few weeks ago. He seems to have perhaps tired and his form has slipped recently.

DUNN, Lynden MFC 11 games, 8 goals, CFC Sen 2 games, 3 goals. Dunn's form has been a mixed bag as the club has tried him up forward and down back.

EVANS, Michael® The rookie midfielder is due to return in the Casey Development League team after missing the whole season so far with stress fractures in his back.

FITZPATRICK, Jack MFC 1 game, 0 goals, CFC Sen 9 games, 13 goals, CFC Res 1 game, 2 goals. The young Demon has been doing it tough in a career dotted with injury and illness concerns. Things didn't get any better when he was recently diagnosed as a diabetic.

FRAWLEY, James MFC 12 games, 0 goals. Has been steady in defence but not close to his outstanding form of 2010 when he made All Australian.

GARLAND, Colin MFC 14 games 7 goals. The defender-turned-forward has had some success since the move in the team's first win of the season against the Bombers but the jury is still out as to whether it will be a permanent change.

GAWN, Max. Coming back from a second ACL operation, Gawn is said to be training the house down with his running and weights work but won't be seen on the footy field till next year.

GREEN, Brad MFC 6 games, 2 goals, CFC Sen 3 games, 8 goals. Injuries and form lapses have disrupted the former skipper's season. Should return to the Melbourne team after a 6 goal display in the VFL last week.

GRIMES, Jack MFC 13 games, 0 goals, CFC Sen 1 game, 0 goals. The skipper has had a tough initiation in a difficult year and, although not at the top of his form, Grimes has shown a good measure of promise as a leader.

GYSBERTS, Jordan CFC Sen 7 games, 2 goals, CFC Res 1 game, 0 goals. The young midfielder has suffered a number of injuries as he fights his way back to the top level.

HOWE, Jeremy MFC 14 games, 12 goals. One of the big Melbourne stories of the year, the high flyer (fourth in contested marks in the AFL) needs to improve his conversion rate in front of goal to become a more complete player.

JAMAR, Mark MFC 12 games, 2 goals. The Russian has been having a hot and cold season in the ruck and has missed the last two games with a calf injury.

JETTA, Neville CFC Sen 2 games, 1 goal. Has been out most of the year after an interrupted pre season (shoulder) and a long term injury (ankle) incurred in a practice march. Working his way back at Casey.

JONES, Nathan MFC 13 games 12 goals. Jones is the stand out player in the side this year and looks headed for a club champion award at the end of the year.

JURRAH, Liam MFC 1 game, 0 goals, CFC Sen 2 games, 2 goals. The Warlpiri Wizard has had a horror season both on and off the field. Jurrah's well documented legal woes have been matched by injury concerns in the form of a wrist injury followed by an ankle problem leaving him with less than a full AFL game and no goals under his belt.

LAWRENCE, Kelvin® CFC Sen 7 games, 5 goals, CFC Res 3 games, 4 goals. The young rookie appears to be in a hole at Casey and has not progressed since being drafted at the end of 2010. Currently recovering from a calf injury.

MACDONALD, Joel MFC 8 games, 0 goals, CFC Sen 2 games, 4 goals. Has had some moments after fighting his way back into the Demon line up a few weeks ago.

MAGNER, James® MFC 14 games, 4 goals. Had a great start to the season in the midfield but seems to have tired noticeably of late after playing every game.

MARTIN, Stefan MFC 4 games, 3 goals, CFC Sen 3 games, 7 goals, CFC Res 1 game, 0 goals. Has had a few ailments but his recent return to the Melbourne line up has been impressive.

McDONALD, Tom MFC 12 games, 0 goals, CFC Sen 2 games, 4 goals.

MCKENZIE, Jordie MFC 14 games, 3 goals. Earning a reputation as a highly competent tagger who can also win the football.

MOLONEY, Brent MFC 12 games, 3 goals. After a stellar season in 2011, Beamer has disappointed so far.

MORTON, Cale MFC 8 games, 2 goals, CFC Sen 5 games, 1 goal. The former top four draft pick has had some difficult times of late as he struggles to find the form he showed early in his career.

NICHOLSON, Daniel® MFC 6 games, 0 goals, CFC Sen 3 games, 1 goal, CFC Res 1 game, 0 goals. Has come back from injury and added some run to the team but needs to work hard on improving his disposal skills.

PETTERD, Ricky MFC 2 games, 0 goals, CFC Sen 7 games, 6 goals. Restricted by injury and form to only two AFL games to date which has been disappointing.

RIVERS, Jared MFC 14 games, 6 goals. Has played the whole season and was recently moved forward with some success.

SELLAR, James MFC 9 games, 1 goal, CFC Sen 1 game, 0 goals. Surprised with some good form as a tall defender.

SHEAHAN, Jai® CFC Sen 10 games, 0 goals, CFC Res 1 game, 1 goal. After a great start at Casey, he started to run out of form and was demoted to the reserves. Now out injured but he has potential.

SPENCER, Jake MFC 2 games, 0 goals, CFC Sen 7 games, 1 goal, CFC Res 1 game, 1 goal. Has overcome a knee reconstruction and done well to earn a place with the Demons in Jamar's absence.

STRAUSS, James CFC Sen 4 games, 0 goals, CFC Res 2 games, 0 goals. Recovering from a broken leg, Strauss is starting to show some form in the VFL.

SYLVIA, Colin MFC 9 games, 7 goals. An interrupted pre season, a back injury, poor form and question marks about his attitude have dominated discussion about the club's former top five draft choice. Started showing some good signs in recent weeks.

TAGGERT, Rory CFC Sen 3 games, 2 goals. Back injuries have marred his debut season but one of his games for Casey was a ripper.

TAPSCOTT, Luke MFC 9 games, 0 goals, CFC Sen 4 games, 3 goals. Hampered by the lack of a pre season, Tapscott hasn't hit his straps or come near to his potential this year.

TRENGOVE, Jack MFC 14 games, 5 goals. Has laboured under the weight of the captaincy and, at times appeared unfit but among that, has done a few good things here and there. It's part of a major learning curve for the game's youngest ever skipper.

TYNAN, Josh MFC 1 game, 0 goals, CFC Sen 6 games, 2 goals. Tynan has created an impression in his brief time at the club with a hard at it approach that suggests a long AFL career beckons.

VINEY, Jack* CFC Sen 1 game, 0 goals. The prospective father/son selection suffered a broken jaw in his only game so far at Casey but recovered to play well recently in two Under 18 championship games with Vic Metro.

WATTS, Jack MFC 12 games, 4 goals, CFC Sen 3 games, 7 goals. Despite having his critics, Watts has been excellent since he was moved into defence where his disposal and decision-making skills have been outstanding.

WILLIAMS, Leigh® CFC Sen 5 games, 6 goals, CFC Res 3 games, 7 goals. The young rookie tall is still finding his way with the Scorpions after a serious illness.

PREDICTION:

The Dockers recorded a memorable win over St Kilda on Friday night at this ground earlier this season, as coach Ross Lyon got one over his old side. Overall, this year their three trips to Melbourne have produced two wins, meaning their recent history at Docklands, and the city in general, is improving. Our history at that accursed ground is about as bad as it could possibly be, of course.

That stat alone suggests Lyon's men will have renewed optimism for their trip east, especially with the confidence gained from their 38-point win over the Bulldogs. Whereas by contrast, we continue to struggle without Mitch Clark.

But the addition of the Russky should free up Martin to go forward.

Can't see us winning this game at the moment, but stranger things have happened!

Freo by 15.

 

[Bluelegs]

I shouldn't but I have a good feeling about this one.

 

[Andy_Mac]

Yeah me too... Strange as I have no doubt a flogging will prevail.

 

[pizzor]

Not going now but watching on Fox Footy. Do not enjoy sitting on the bottom level.

Hopefully the AFL get the message that we don't want home games here.

 

[Tulip]

Not going now but watching on Fox Footy. Do not enjoy sitting on the bottom level.

Hopefully the AFL get the message that we don't want home games here.

That's the opposite way of going about getting the AFL to realise this.

 

[d33my]

I shouldn't but I have a good feeling about this one.

As do I. Basing it on completely nothing though - I'm always amazed how excited I can get in the weekly turnaround from game to game. I guess this is what religious people mean when they talk about faith.

 

[Bluelegs]

As do I. Basing it on completely nothing though - I'm always amazed how excited I can get in the weekly turnaround from game to game. I guess this is what religious people mean when they talk about faith.

I know exactly what you mean. Last week I was filthy within a couple of days I was back on the horse. Might've had something to do wiith re-watching the 2010 games against brisbane and sydney.

 

[rhaz]

LATE CHANGE!

TAPSCOTT out.

Something that'll make many people happy... STRAUSS is back!

 

[Tulip]

“Tom’s a really good stoppage player and I reckon in the last month in the VFL, he’s starting to get into his game, the ability to get out and get away from the stoppages to complement his work at the stoppages. When he gets on the ground, he’ll play in the midfield.

Couch is sub

 

[Tulip]

LATE CHANGE!

TAPSCOTT out.

Something that'll make many people happy... STRAUSS is back!

Brilliant to see Jimmy back.

Will be sub than I assume hahahaha

 

[rhaz]

Brilliant to see Jimmy back.

Will be sub than I assume hahahaha

Yep, certaintly is. Wish they were both playing full games!

 

[stretcharmstrong]

Yep, certaintly is. Wish they were both playing full games!

I don't reckon Straussy could run out a full game first up. But I'm also not sure if he'll get much benefit or if he'll benefit the team by playing as the sub - I'd prefer to have him play a full game for Casey.

 

[MAXIMUM GRUNDAGE]

“Tom’s a really good stoppage player and I reckon in the last month in the VFL, he’s starting to get into his game, the ability to get out and get away from the stoppages to complement his work at the stoppages. When he gets on the ground, he’ll play in the midfield.

Couch is sub

Strauss is sub.

 

[rhaz]

 

[fushy]

Awwww Ricky bobby baby

 

[d33my]

I'm really concerned about our inability to stay goal-side in marking contests in our defensive half - cost us a couple of times already. At least one defender needs to stay down and back.

 

[Marns]

Umps already in fine form.

 

[Marns]

How many years has Trengove been in the league for? And how many of these years has his name been Trengrove? Someone needs to tell these ch.7 clowns.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

How many years has Trengove been in the league for? And how many of these years has his name been Trengrove? Someone needs to tell these ch.7 clowns.

On the plus side how good is it having Malthouse do our games subtly giving us Neeld's view of our players. Seems to think SME needs to be more of a student of the game.

 

[d33my]

Good opening term. A few brain fades but mainly showed intensity at the footy. Need to make the most of it now.

 

[RandB]

Working the uncontested ball and finding targets up forward was not very efficient but at least they are getting it and having a go.

 

[rhaz]

Jamar subbed out. *!!!