Game Day Melbourne Demons v Western Bulldogs - GDT 22/4/2012

Who will win?

  • Melbourne

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  • Western Bulldogs

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  • Draw

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Wonaeamirri33

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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

International viewers can get live video of games from http://www.afl.livesport.tv/.

Local viewers can see games on Foxtel or via XBox or T-Box.

Please do not post in this thread asking for links to streams. Your account will be suspended for a day.
 

Wonaeamirri33

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Injury list

Melbourne: Lucas Cook (groin) - 1 week, Michael Evans (back) - indefinite, Max Gawn (knee) - season, Jordan Gysberts (ankle) - 3 weeks, Neville Jetta (ankle) - indefinite, Liam Jurrah (wrist) - 2 weeks, Brent Moloney (groin) - test, James Strauss (leg) - 1 week, Col Sylvia (back) - 2 weeks, Rory Taggert (back) - 2 weeks

Western Bulldogs: Lindsay Gilbee (knee) - 3 weeks, Christian Howard (knee) - 3 weeks, Brodie Moles (ankle) - test, Dale Morris (leg) - indefinite, James Mulligan (calf) - test, Tom Williams (shoulder) - 10 weeks

Players to watch

Melbourne: Jeremy Howe

In a day where there were few winners for the Demons last round, Howe stood out like a beacon. The high leaping Tasmanian collected a team high 24 disposals, kicked two goals and claimed 12 marks, switching between half-back, wing and attack. It was another progressive step in the 16-gamer.

Western Bulldogs: Matthew Boyd

Although the Bulldogs went down to St Kilda last round, the skipper stood tall with 39 disposals. Boyd has averaged 35 touches and has amassed 105 possessions in his first three matches this season.

Match-up to watch

Mitch Clark v Lukas Markovic

Clark has kicked nine goals from his first three Melbourne appearances, including five against the West Coast Eagles in round two. The key forward is likely to have Markovic, who was given the job on St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt last week, as his opponent.

Most disposals

Melbourne: Nathan Jones, James Magner (64)
Western Bulldogs: Matthew Boyd (105), Daniel Cross (76)

Most marks

Melbourne: Jeremy Howe (22)
Western Bulldogs: Matthew Boyd, Brian Lake (22)

Most tackles

Melbourne: Jordie McKenzie (15)
Western Bulldogs: Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross, Tom Liberatore, Liam Picken (13)

Most goals

Melbourne: Mitch Clark (9)
Western Bulldogs: Liam Jones, Clay Smith (4)

What Mark Neeld says …

“We’ve … gone through some things that we’d like to get better at, so it’s business as usual. [Last round] we were in the game at quarter-time and we were certainly in the game at half-time - there was only eight points in it. [This Saturday with ] the importance of it being a Jim Stynes tribute game - it’s a great opportunity for people to come and celebrate the life of Jim Stynes … all his work with the football club and all his work in the wider community.”

Key Melbourne question

The Demons have had three poor third quarters this season, kicking just four goals combined. Can Melbourne overcome this third term fade-out to produce its first win of 2012 and also end a five-match losing streak against the Bulldogs?

Key Western Bulldogs question

The Bulldogs have had the wood over the Demons in recent seasons - Melbourne’s last win against the Dogs came in round 19, 2007. Will the Bulldogs continue this trend to open their 2012 account?

Summary:

Melbourne and Western Bulldogs are the only two Victorian teams yet to record a win this season. Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney are the only other two sides without a victory so far in 2012.

Now Ocean Grove’s two finest coaches - both Mark Neeld and Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney have guided the Grubbers to four flags each - will face each other for the first time as senior AFL coaches.

It’s a fascinating sub-plot to an otherwise bigger picture, in which both men will be far more interested. Neeld and McCartney will be aiming to guide their respective sides to their first win for the season. It’s been a tough start for both clubs, but a win for either team will do wonders for their confidence.

Melbourne will be hell bent on making this round count as it honours the late, great Jim Stynes in a tribute match. It won’t be easy for the Demons, as they attempt to overcome the Bulldogs for the first time in five years, but if they can open their season account with a win for Jim - it will be all the sweeter.
 

Wonaeamirri33

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ANALYSIS:

There's no evidence available anywhere that tells us we're in for a sudden form improvement.

Our form doesn't offer any reason to expect that. We make errors, we fail to tackle when tackles should be laid, we commit skill errors that indicate a lack of concentration. If all this is in some measure attributable to a change in style of play, then it's clear we're looking at a long-term work in progress. We might expect improvement later this year or in the next. Not this week.

The changes in the lineup also don't suggest a sudden improvement. The team lacked run, and spread, last week, and that's putting it mildly. Brent Moloney and Joel Macdonald are experienced campaigners and while the former is reigning club champion, the exposed form of this duo does not imply much difference in the run of a team that's been hitting the wall halfway through a marathon, time and time again.

In other words, there's no logical analysis of our current state, at least in isolation, that points to a win for us today.

Except when we see that the Bulldogs are in a similar situation- their only performance which could be remotely rated as noteworthy being, in the end, a regulation defeat to an Adelaide team who looked pretty unconvincing against G€, and were even challenged at times by GW$ yesterday.

We lack run and spread in midfield, so do they. Both our midfield divisions are desperately slow.

We're struggling with injuries and suspension. So are they.

And the Bulldogs are horribly suspect at both ends of the ground. Their backline is porous, especially without Brian Lake, and to say it brutally, they have no targets worth a damn up forward. Which is why they've struggled for goals a little more than we have.

We at least have some good focal points inside our attacking 50, with Mitch Clark and Jeremy Howe - make it three if Watts spends time there. And our backline is certainly strong enough. It'd have to be, to cope with the Hindenberg-sized stresses we've been placing on it lately, with all the turnovers and clearances conceded by our mids.

The one area in which our midfield division has been solid is contested ball, and I hope to Christ we can convert that into inside-50s today. If we can only get it in there, it's clear we have the edge.

I hesitate to speak in these terms, because I fear yet another letdown, but this match is as much a test of the intestinal fortitude of our side as anything in the chronicle of the dark days we've endured, especially since the end of July last year.

It's a massive understatement to say we need to win this. And the more I think about it, the more I honestly believe that we can do it, and that we will.

Sticking with my previous call of a 12-point win to us, but with more conviction than I had when I first made that call on Thursday night.

COME ON DEES!
 

Wonaeamirri33

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And to round things off, an appropriate and fairly ****ing blunt message for our players today...

[YOUTUBE]ITk_8VOuI6E[/YOUTUBE]
 
Disagree with Clark being the key... he'll kick a decent bag given any chance I reckon, Markovic isn't up to the task yet and will have no help.

The key IMO is in stopping Boyd, who is an absolute machine and obviously their best clearance player. If someone (Jordie I guess) can curb his influence we'll be thereabouts.
 
At the very least Clark should be a headache for the bullies.

Boyd definitely needs to be limited but he has some friends who might come out of the wood-work against us which is a worry.

Watts has an opportunity to cover some ground today IMO and be productive.

Nice work btw W33!
 
If you're going and see a very loud #11 in around Q50 with black duct tape over the EW, you sadly don't win a prize. Although if you tap me on the shoulder you might get a hello or an angry barrage of choice four-letter words depending on the scoreboard.
 
If Clark can get off Markovic and kick 6+, we will win. Can't see enough goals coming from elsewhere otherwise.

What is the weather like you Melburnians?

It's sunny but looks a bit breezy too. Few clouds about, might be a shower later.
Then again I'm over the other side of town from the 'G so who knows?

The actual forecast says showers.

I think the Dogs will have our measure today, but christ I'd like us to try. When's the last time we had an 'honest' 1 or 2 goal loss? Seems like a lifetime ago. We're either thumping cellar dwellars or losing by record margins.

Dogs by 15.
 

syl

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Might be donning a masking tape #11 this week on my hoodie.

Really looking forward to the celebration. Not so the match.

I want Watts to show Neeld he can play and Clark to kick another bag. I want to see beamer out do Boyd in clearances and effectiveness, show some ticker dee son!
 
It's sunny but looks a bit breezy too. Few clouds about, might be a shower later.
Then again I'm over the other side of town from the 'G so who knows?

The actual forecast says showers.

I think the Dogs will have our measure today, but christ I'd like us to try. When's the last time we had an 'honest' 1 or 2 goal loss? Seems like a lifetime ago. We're either thumping cellar dwellars or losing by record margins.

Dogs by 15.

Richmond round 21 or something. we lost by 7 points. Though we should have been done by a shitload more.
 
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It's sunny but looks a bit breezy too. Few clouds about, might be a shower later.
Then again I'm over the other side of town from the 'G so who knows?

The actual forecast says showers.

I think the Dogs will have our measure today, but christ I'd like us to try. When's the last time we had an 'honest' 1 or 2 goal loss? Seems like a lifetime ago. We're either thumping cellar dwellars or losing by record margins.

Dogs by 15.

I could live with thumping a cellar dweller atm tbh
 
I could live with thumping a cellar dweller atm tbh

Yep I've just been procrasti-youtubing videos of some of our 2010 games... those were the days! Scully looked the part as well, that goal against the Lions was something. Sigh.
 
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