Wonaeamirri33
Lovable Whore With A Heart Of Gold
10k Posts
Bay 13: Flog of the Year
Chocolate
Artist
Ruby
- May 10, 2009
- 28,743
- 44,821
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
- Other Teams
- FITZROY, Aylesbury United, St Pauli
WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, Sunday, April 22, 4.40pm
LAST TIME: Western Bulldogs 19.13.127 defeated Melbourne 8.15.63 in Round 15, 2011 at Etihad Stadium
This was a vital game for the Demons, who at that stage of the season were considered a chance to figure in the finals. Against the then out-of-form Bulldogs, we of course meekly capitulated in one of many disappointing efforts that have dogged the club. Apart from Ricky Petterd's hanger early in the game, it was a night to forget.
HEAD TO HEAD:
Overall: Melbourne 83 wins, Western Bulldogs 70, 1 draw
Since 2000: Melbourne 10 wins, Western Bulldogs 10
At this ground: Melbourne 43 wins, Western Bulldogs 25
Recent streak: Melbourne has lost the last five matches against the Western Bulldogs
Memorable match
Grand Final, 1954: Footscray 15.12 (102) d Melbourne 7.9 (51), MCG
With the advent of Norm Smith as coach in 1952, the young Melbourne side’s rise from ‘cellar dwellers’ to Grand Finalists was an impressive one. But Footscray was a formidable foe in 1954.
Although Smith’s youngsters - including Ron Barassi Jnr, John Beckwith, Brian Dixon, Ian Ridley and Bob Johnson - were shaping into an impressive team, fortune was with the opposition on the day. Footscray, led by Charlie Sutton and ably supported by Ted Whitten and Jack Collins, proved triumphant by an emphatic 51 points.
But fortune soon favoured Melbourne, going on to win the 1955, 56, 57, 59, 60 and 1964 premierships. For the Bulldogs of course, 1954 remains their only title.
Ladder position
Melbourne: 17th
Western Bulldogs: 15th
MEDIA
TV: Fox Footy (live at 4:30pm AEST)
Radio: SEN, ABC, 3AW, Triple M, NIRS, 5AA, 6PR
THE BETTING: Melbourne $3.00, Western Bulldogs $1.40
GENERAL INFO:
Looking ahead at the draw beyond this week's game against the Western Bulldogs does not exactly fill one with any great confidence. The rest of the first half of the season promises to be an even greater nightmare than what has transpired over the past three weeks.
The potential weekly fare of games against top eight contenders from rounds five through to eleven (all inclusive) reads like this - St Kilda, Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney, Carlton, Essendon, and Collingwood. This scenario makes a win this week against fellow cellar dwellers, the Western Bulldogs, absolutely an imperative.
As if it wasn't imperative anyway, in view of the fact that the club has designated this match to commemorate one of its great heroes - a man recently acknowledged as its most popular former players ahead of such greats as Ron Barassi, Robert Flower and its many other heroes of the past.
Both on and off the field for our playing group, things have been pretty desperate. The off-field dramas, injury and now the suspension of a co-captain has been mirrored by the performances on the ground. The loss at the hands of the West Coast Eagles in Perth might have been expected (if not the size) but the performances against both Brisbane (by 41 points) and Richmond (by 59 points) were inexcusable.
In those cases it wasn't the size of the defeats alone that made them so remarkably disappointing but the shameful way in which the team capitulated in the second half of each game. To be blown off the park in such a mistake-riddled and passionless way is unacceptable. They are being run off their feet and look tired and supporters ask what has been done to prepare the players in terms of their skills and their fitness to take on the rest of the competition?
We are searching for answers.
_________________________
From Chief:
Video Streams
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