Preview Melbourne vs Gold Coast - Prematch discussion (Suns fans welcome)

[Viney]

Our mids: omeara caddy swallow rischitelli bennell ablett prestia
Your mids: Maloney magner Morton trengove

I could go on but won't. I respect mfc but simply critisised the recruiting dept. you were a sound club back in the day...

Wow, you name a player who hasn't played a game for you and fail to mention our best mid in Jones, our best tagger in McKenzie, Grimes who's been handy as a mid, you spell MOLONEY's name wrong

Ok, if you name O'Meara, I'll name Viney, I'll also name Pick 3 / 4 in next years draft

Clueless

 

[Blackas87]

Our mids: omeara caddy swallow rischitelli bennell ablett prestia
Your mids: Maloney magner Morton trengove

I could go on but won't. I respect mfc but simply critisised the recruiting dept. you were a sound club back in the day...

You have missed most of our team here,

Do you realize omeara doesn't play for you yet.

Do you realize Caddy is leaving, could be with us next year.

Have you seen the ladder lately? Talk about crap recruiting, best player in the league and GWS can still beat you.

 

[Captain Jack]

Ridiculous troll, can we card him and be done with it please.

 

[Viney]

You have missed most of our team here,

Do you realize omeara doesn't play for you yet.

Do you realize Caddy is leaving, could be with us next year.

Have you seen the ladder lately? Talk about crap recruiting, best player in the league and GWS can still beat you.

Not to mention the fact the recruitment department he criticised have all left

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Tell me if I am over-stepping my bounds with this thread. But is anyone interested in this match?
It's one we might actually be able to win!!

I can add Wona's review in here later.

Good on you for getting this going yesterday mate. Been out away from the house since yesterday morning, but I'm putting together the match preview right now...

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Ridiculous troll, can we card him and be done with it please.

Damn straight.

Hilariously clueless troll too. In any case, trolling based on fabrication isn't even effective at all. Wouldn't last five seconds on the Bay

Kinda like Franchise One's answer to Alicia Silverstone...

 

[RandB]

Ridiculous troll, can we card him and be done with it please.

He won't be back.

Let's try and get things back on topic now guys.

 

[Captain Jack]

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

We will smash them. Gys, Strauss, Fitz, Morton on the bench

Well said mate. Losing to a test-tube Frankenchise isn't even worth contemplating. We'd have to wear paper bags over our heads for the rest of the year if we can't win this.

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

vs

THE GAME: MCG, Sunday August 5th, 1:10pm AEST

HEAD TO HEAD:

Overall: Played 2, Melbourne 2, Franchise One 0

LAST TIME: Melbourne 17.10 (112) def Franchise One 12.10 (82), Round 23, 2011, at the MCG

Melbourne won its first game under caretaker coach Todd Viney with the Demons surviving a scare at the MCG that Sunday afternoon.

After a tight contest in the first half, the Demons powered away in the third term, kicking six goals to one, to set up their first win since beating Port Adelaide in round 17.

Brad Green sealed the win with a goal at the 12-minute mark, his fourth for the day.

After starting as the substitute last Sunday against the Tigers, Green led from the front but was well assisted by youngster Sam Blease (28 disposals) who provided some much needed run off half back, and midfielder Nathan Jones (25 disposals).

Franchise One appeared to fall away from their structures at times, allowing Melbourne's loose man Colin Garland to dictate the game on his terms.

The Russky dominated the hitouts as he so often does. The Demons finished with 49 hit outs for the match - 39 of those to Jamar, while Zac Smith only managed 13.

Once again, Gary Ablett was a factor with 28 touches and six clearances, while his brother Nathan (11 disposals) struggled to have an impact and was gifted a goal by Gary in the final term.

It was the first time the two brothers have played at the MCG together since the 2007 Grand Final when Geelong beat Port Adelaide, in which Nathan kicked three goals before calling it quits.

The only sour note for the Demons was losing exciting forward Liam Jurrah in the third term.

He took a fantastic pack mark but landed awkwardly on his left shoulder. He was subbed off straight away and spent the remainder of the game on the bench with his arm in a sling.

In just his fourth AFL game, young Melbourne defender Sam Blease was outstanding. He provided the Demons with some dash off half-back with seven rebound 50s from his 28 touches, and looks to be a player of the future. Also superb in defence for Melbourne was Colin Garland (29 disposals) and James Frawley (21 disposals). Hard working midfielders Brent Moloney (22 possessions, eight clearances) and Nathan Jones (25 possessions) were also important players for the Demons.

For Franchise One, midfielder Michael Rischitelli was one of their best with 30 disposals, six clearances and two goals. He had a superb first half with 19 touches but went missing in the third term along with the rest of his teammates, before finishing off the game well. Captain Gary Ablett was as usual another solid contributor with 28 touches as was David Swallow (25 disposals).

Tom McDonald made his debut for the red and blue after being selected in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft at pick number 53. The key defender slotted in nicely into the Demons' back six with a solid 18 touches in his first game.

MEDIA

TV: 7mate (live in Qld), Fox Footy (live)

RADIO: ABC, SEN, NIRS

SUMMARY:

Obviously we enter this match as favourites - hasn't happened often during this season - but we need to make sure we don't give this franchise any chance to force the issue. Aside from last round’s comprehensive loss to Sydney Swans, Franchise One narrowly went down to Geelong and Brisbane Lions in the past month.

Franchise One were gone after the first 10 minutes against Sydney last week, as the Swans ran riot in a 72-point win.

After the two wins against Essendon and Franchise Two, our performances have been mixed in recent weeks, to say the least. Several quarters have been impressive, while others have been abysmal.

Obviously we're still undermanned, with the longest injury list in the comp, including the Russky, Mitch, Stef, the 'Cane, Watts, and many others, and remain down on morale. The clearest edge for us being an obvious physical advantage all around the ground.

It's hard to see Gold Coast competing for four quarters. Ablett does love playing on the 'G and you can expect him to have a big game, but he can't do it all on his own and would need support from the likes of Bennell, Harbrow, Caddy and Brennan if they were to challenge, which is unlikely.

And since we're yet to lose to one of these franchises, and it shouldn't happen any time soon, this is certainly an opportunity to build up confidence while chalking up another win.

The clash between 16th and 17th is a game in which every aspect of team selection and every move that the coaches make is likely to come under scrutiny for all the wrong reasons by suspicious journalists and others struggling to make a sensational story out of nothing.

But in the context of this season, the game itself is of little consequence. Unless we somehow lose, and then we may as well paint big "Kick Me" signs on our collective arses, bend over and give everyone else the nod.

WALKING WOUNDED:

Melbourne:

Impressive young defender Daniel Nicholson will miss the next two to three weeks after suffering a broken jaw last week, adding to an already extensive injury list. Jack Watts remains a week-to-week proposition with his ankle injury and could return, while Ricky Petterd is facing a test on his hamstring.

Mark Jamar is at least three weeks away with his calf problem, while Liam Jurrah is a fortnight away due to an ankle injury. The season is already over for Clint Bartram (knee), Jamie Bennell (knee), Mitch Clark (foot), Aaron Davey (foot) and Max Gawn (knee).

Franchise One:

Franchise One will be sweating on the fitness of David Swallow after he was subbed out during the third quarter of last week's loss to Sydney with a corked thigh. But they should be boosted by the return of forward Sam Day, who was rested against the Swans. Joel Wilkinson is likely to need another week as he recovers from his ankle injury, while you can put a line through Nathan Bock (leg), Jack Hutchins (kidney), Jaeger O'Meara (groin), Alex Sexton (hip), Seb Tape (knee) and Rory Thompson (ankle).

FORM:

Demons' Past Five:

Round 18: Loss, 11.7 (73) - 19.13 (127) v North Melbourne, Etihad Stadium
Round 17: Loss, 8.8 (56) - 12.12 (84) v Port Adelaide, TIO Stadium
Round 16: Loss, 12.11 (83) - 18.9 (117) v Fremantle, Etihad Stadium
Round 15: Loss, 11.12 (78) - 13.23 (101) v Richmond, MCG
Round 14: Loss, 8.13 (61) - 18.14 (122) v Brisbane Lions, Gabba

Franchise One's Past Five:

Round 18: Loss, 8.6 (54) - 19.12 (126) v Sydney, Metricon Stadium
Round 17: Loss, 8.11 (59) - 5.18 (48) v Brisbane, Metricon Stadium
Round 16: Win, 13.12 (90) - 13.10 (88) v Richmond, Cazaly's Stadium
Round 15: Loss, 15.20 (110) - 13.18 (96) v Geelong, Metricon Stadium
Round 14: Loss, 25.16 (166) - 5.10 (40) v West Coast, Patersons Stadium

WHO'S HOT:

Nathan Jones – Continued his impressive season with another solid performance against North Melbourne last week. The tough midfielder picked up 32 possessions and kicked a goal to easily be the Demons' best. The 24-year-old has been the club's most consistent player this year and should easily win his first best and fairest award come the end of the season.

Gary Ablett – Unless something extraordinary happens, Ablett will usually feature here. He had 42 touches and a goal against the Swans, along with a game-high nine tackles.

___________________________________________

Round 19 teams

Melbourne

B: Joel Macdonald, James Sellar, Tom McDonald
HB: Jack Grimes, James Frawley, Colin Garland
C: Jordie McKenzie, Jack Trengove, Rohan Bail
HF: Sam Blease, Jared Rivers, Lynden Dunn
F: Jeremy Howe, Colin Sylvia, Brad Green
FOLL: Jake Spencer, Brent Moloney, Nathan Jones
I/C (from): Jordan Gysberts, Cale Morton, James Strauss, Luke Tapscott, Josh Tynan, Jack Fitzpatrick, James Magner

IN: James Magner, Cale Morton, Luke Tapscott, Jordan Gysberts, Jack Fitzpatrick, Josh Tynan
OUT: Stef Martin (foot), Neville Jetta (suspension), Daniel Nicholson (jaw)

Franchise One

B: Taylor Hine, Charlie Dixon, Trent McKenzie
HB: Daniel Stanley, Matthew Warnock, Jarrod Harbrow
C: David Swallow, Gary Ablett, Michael Rischitelli
HF: Jared Brennan, Tom Lynch, Brandon Matera
F: Luke Russell, Sam Day, Campbell Brown
FOLL: Zac Smith, Karmichael Hunt, Harley Bennell
I/C (from): Maverick Weller, Matt Shaw, Dion Prestia, Josh Caddy, Liam Patrick, Steven May, Aaron Hall

IN: Michael Rischitelli, Sam Day, Aaron Hall
OUT: Nil

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Quotes from Mark Neeld:

“The first quarter, they were pretty slick the Kangaroos. They move the ball too quick for us to handle at this stage, but that’s OK - that’s where we’re at. At quarter-time, there would’ve been a few people at the ground thinking ‘it’s going to be a 120-point loss here’. And I reckon they’ve seen it before and it wasn’t.

“I thought the second quarter we dug pretty deep- the second and fourth quarters, we were quite pleased with - the effort and ball movement and scoreboard, but the third quarter was below AFL standard and we need to eradicate that as a footy club.

“We’re at a stage where we’re delivering in most games - two to three quarters of reasonable, competitive football. We’ve got a young group, but as long as the core of the group remain together and understand that 75 per cent won’t get the job done.

"The way that our players have trained and they have gone about their business this year has been really professional. [They are a] really young group, inexperienced and they are learning to play footy in a particular way, they are learning to conduct themselves as AFL players and they are doing a really good job.

"Our club has had a few issues this year to deal with that are a little bit unusual and there is a lot of learning to do.

"There's never been an issue with Brent's attitude or work ethic. He was out of the side because he couldn't find the ball. He's come back today and did some really good things. It was nice; one of the conversations we had with Brent, for a few weeks there, it looked like he was carrying around the Southern Stand on his shoulders ... it was just about him going back and playing without it, and I thought he did that today.

"We need to do a little bit of reshaping to our list but we have got a core group of players who will be really good for our footy club. People keep asking why it is that we can’t [perform consistently]. Our reality is that only on one occasion this year have we fielded a more experienced team than the opposition.

“We realise that we’re developing a new game style, and we’re realising that we’re in a development phase. We are working very hard on it, but understand that we’re inexperienced and developing. We know where we are in terms of an age bracket and an experience bracket. We’ve averaged, every time we’ve played a game of footy this year, 65 games of experience per player.

“We’ve seen some improvements with a whole heap of areas and we also know that nearly 150 games of AFL footy have been played this year and only three times has the winner had less than 65 games of experience.

“They’re showing some improvement and we’ll be up against a side of similar experience, so it’s a really good opportunity to put our best foot forward.

"We're adamant we're not just going to let the last five rounds peter out. There's always things to play for at elite level AFL footy. We've got a predominantly young group and they're very clear with how they want to conduct the Melbourne footy club's business, and their role is on the field.

"It's very important we all keep driving those standards, and AFL clubs we know are fluid with regards to the people that play each year, and it's really important they keep driving those standards. As they become more experienced themselves, they become ingrained, and when people join the group, they're really clear with them as to what those standards are.

“We want Liam (Jurrah) to have a bit more conditioning before we put him out there to play a game of footy. I’m not one to give games away. Lucas (Cook) missed the pre-season, so he’s been at our football club for two years and has yet to complete a full pre-season. He started late [this season] and missed a few games and halfway through the year in the VFL, he’s just starting to string some games together.

“We think that Lucas is going reasonably well at VFL level, but he hasn’t played yet enough footy to really warrant AFL selection. It’s not the correct thing to put him into the side just yet, because he’s not ready to go.

“Jordan (Gysberts) was a high draft pick and he’s had an unfortunate run with injuries. He broke his ankle at the start of the year and then he came back and broke his jaw - it’s not ideal, so he’s been back for five weeks. Having missed a chunk of footy, being a midfielder, he’s really working on his game fitness and he’s not too far away - if Jordan continues the form that he’s in.

“Michael (Evans) certainly hasn’t [got AFL match fitness]. He’s had two games in the VFL and to be ready to play in the AFL is certainly not for Michael. He’s got a lot to gain by playing in the VFL in the short term - [he’s] just getting used to playing and the rigours of playing, recovering and getting up again.

“Cale played really well last week in the VFL for Casey against Frankston. He’s in pretty good form Cale, so he’ll go close.

“We’re a little bit torn as to where to play Jeremy (Howe) each week. We realise we need some marking ability in the forward line and Jeremy’s not a key forward size. We’re forced at the moment, due to personnel and injuries, to be playing Jeremy between the two positions.”


Quotes from Rory Taggert:

“It's (recovery from the back injury) been a lot slower than last time, so it’s been a bit more frustrating.

“I was in a fair bit of pain. That night, I couldn’t get out of bed or do anything without being in a lot of pain. The next week I came out and I was happy with my game and I thought I’d got rid of it. But during training that week, I did a big spoil and landed on my left leg heavily and felt it then. I was sent off for scans and it was another one.

“I did most things right until I came back and started playing, but I couldn’t really control what happened.

“We’ve taken a bit more caution in it, so I can make sure I get it right before I attempt any running or big contact. I’m about two weeks off running, and I’m slowly starting to get some weights into my program.

“The first time I got that pain, it felt like it was something in my hip. I got it worked on, but most people with stress fractures are in a huge amount of pain, whereas I was in a little bit of pain.

“But they said it wasn’t that one incident that made it occur. There were heaps of other things taken into account - full-time training, full-time weights and training from two times a week. It was a big difference to my body, and I couldn’t quite cope with it.

“Due to overcompensation, I now have it in my left side. I went and saw the head of Australian cricket’s [medical] guru and he said ‘it’s really common that it can happen to the other side’. So it was just a matter of time until it went, which was pretty annoying.

“Before you’re drafted, you don’t actually know what goes on. But once you’re here, you can see everything you do, and it’s definitely for a reason. It’s the best program I’ve been in, but it’s better than I thought it would be.

“The first day I came here, they said I was a midfielder, which was a bit different, because I grew up as a forward my whole life. It’s a new thing to play in the midfield and I’ll learn a lot and I feel like I learned a lot already, even when I did play in the VFL. I’ve still got a long way to go, but hopefully I’ll get there eventually.”

“I was on a real high getting drafted, but then I couldn’t train after December, because I had something wrong with my shin. I was in full-time training just before Christmas, and when you’re doing that, you really feel part of it. But when you’re in rehab, it’s pretty lonely sometimes.

“The program I’ve been given, I haven’t had any pain with it, so they’re slowly starting to ramp it up for me. So I should be right for the first day of pre-season.”


Quotes from Colin Sylvia:

“The endeavour and effort was there once again, but we’ve just got to put it all together for four quarters. We played two quarters only and two quarters we got scored against heavily. I was probably not as defensive as I should’ve been in the first half, when I was in the midfield. But I was lucky in the last quarter to bob up and kick a few goals.

“I felt I worked really hard in my rehab. I don’t think it was as hard as what everyone thought, and I enjoyed a lot of training and I felt like my fitness was really good,” he said.

“But the club showed some faith, and after the break I feel that I’ve given them a little bit and strung a few games together, although I haven’t been quite consistent. On the weekend, I probably backed off a little bit.

“It’s been a pretty tough year in a lot of ways. We understand where we’re at as a team, and we just need to keep improving and get the most from the last five rounds. Hopefully we’ll get another few wins on the board and build some confidence, so it can set us up for a really good pre-season in October.”


Quotes from Jake Spencer:

“We talked about it throughout the week, and we thought we’d be a real show, but when you keep giving teams starts like that, it puts you on the back foot. As Neeldy said to us, when you put in 75 per cent effort, you get 75 per cent results.

“It was a disappointing day for the club and Greeny, because we really wanted to get up for him, and it’s a real shame that we didn’t have a crack for four quarters.

“Statistically, in our KPIs, we weren’t too far off in the first quarter. They were just better than us at the end of the day, but we’ve got to get rid of these fadeouts in quarters. In the third quarter, we weren’t good enough and we didn’t have a crack and our KPIs showed that, so that’s the disappointing thing.

“I let the team down a few times, ball watching and with some defensive efforts. But it was probably the best I’ve rucked I’d say. It’s an area I need to keep knuckling down on, if I’m to gain another contract. So I’ve got the glass half full.

“I’ve been pretty fortunate. I wasn’t playing too well in the VFL and big ‘Russian’ (Jamar) went down, so it gave me that opportunity. It’s probably do or die for me now, so I’ll keep having a crack and see how we go.

“The body is starting to feel good, but in the first half of the year I didn’t have a lot of confidence. I was pretty flat, but now I’ve got a bit more confidence in the body and I’m starting to run games out. You need that whole pre-season and I missed a fair chunk of it with my knee, so hopefully I’m still here in three months’ time and I can have a real crack at the pre-season.

“You look at it and the injury itself - it’s the best thing in the world that can happen to you, because it can open your eyes. I wasn’t up to the standard I needed to be at this level, and I really tried hard to turn that around with recovery, physio and the finer details. It really makes you appreciate the game and your spot on the list a lot more.

“It’s good to not be completely blown out of the water at the top level and [know that I can] match it with these guys, but I still need that pre-season to finish off games. You get tired and you’re not as conditioned as you need to be.

“I love the opportunity I’m getting towards the end of the season, but at the same time I’ve still got to play well enough to keep my spot. You either behave yourself in or behave yourself out, and I love the club, so I really want to be here.”


Quotes from Brad Green:

“At three quarter time - it was a blunt message. Neeldy basically put it to the boys and said ‘it’s about time this club stood up and was counted for something’. And to their credit, they responded a little bit in that last quarter.

“In the third quarter, it wasn’t AFL standard and he bluntly told us that at three quarter time.

“North Melbourne just moved the ball too easily. These indicators that we look at as a club - those indicators show that we didn’t put pressure on them.

“I’m proud of the 250 games of course. But I said to the boys before the game in the huddle, ‘it’s not about me - it’s a team sport and all I can ask from you today is that you give it your best and you play your role and go out there and give it your all’.

“We need everyone contributing and 22 players need to contribute on the day - that’s what I asked them to do, and that’s what you need in team sport. It’s not about me. I can look back on this when I retire.”

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

ANALYSIS:

According to the script, Melbourne's season is over. In truth, 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 were ambushed by a far superior and more strongly focussed opposition. It was over before they even saw it coming.

In the absence of 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 substantially 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.

They were too fast and too slick, and it was obvious.

The game was almost over but there was still time for the team 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)!

Moloney played his best match for the season. On the back of an outstanding year, he's endured a frustrating 2012. After a two-match stint out of the side, he won 29 possessions to be among the best.

The third quarter was a repeat of the first, with less effort going in, and rightly described by Neeld as not up to AFL standard. 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.

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 the 1288 players to represent Melbourne, only eight Demons have reached 250 matches. On the weekend, Greeny became the eighth. He might be in the twilight of his career, but he has been one of our better performers since returning in the past three rounds.

In any case, junk time came early and North cruised its way to a 54-point win - it's tenth in a row over a Demons side 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 the best 22.

In 1987, Warwick Capper took three of the greatest marks you’re ever likely to see. They were all significantly different, but memorable in that season. While Capper took several other high-flying marks that year and in his career, Jeremy Howe has equalled this feat. Howe has almost been a weekly mark of the year contender, with his grabs against Sydney and Port the two best. Late in the game against North Melbourne - although it was well over by then - Howe took another brilliant mark, spring-loading off the back of opponent Scott Thompson and falling backwards from the ride. He's provided many highlights in an otherwise painful year.

Neeld said in the lead-up he felt 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 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.

PREDICTION:

Well, our injury list is still ridiculously long and larger than any other AFL club. We're still struggling with our ball-use and our run and spread around the ground.

And we're still regularly failing to put up a full four-quarter effort, thanks in large part to our deficient fitness levels.

But up against this outfit, with the worst contested ball numbers in the comp, the worst contested marks, the worst tacklers in the league, the worst ruck division, the worst midfield, as shown by their clearance average and clangers (worst in both areas), even with Ablett there, and the second-worst forward line, as the comparative goals/game stats show, second-worst for inside-50s... we should have it all over them today.

Much like it was against the other franchise. I don't even want to think about the consequences if we lost this one.

Demons by 20.

 

[exile]

"Franchise One"? Jeez...

How long has Jamar been out? Wonder if we'll keep May in so Dicko can float forward/ruck instead of down back.

Can't really pick what'll happen on sunday. Hope for a close game I guess.

 

[fushy]

"Franchise One"? Jeez...

How long has Jamar been out? Wonder if we'll keep May in so Dicko can float forward/ruck instead of down back.

Can't really pick what'll happen on sunday. Hope for a close game I guess.

Agreed, we played westcoast at the start of the year.

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

"Franchise One"? Jeez...

Sincerely, I've got nothing against you as a supporter. I'm sure a lot of those, like you, who follow these entities are genuine supporters of the game, and I respect that.

But yeah, I make no bones of the fact I've always been stridently opposed to the AFL ever starting this GC/GWS experiment.

 

[exile]

Sincerely, I've got nothing against you as a supporter - but yeah, I make no bones of the fact I've always been firmly opposed to the AFL ever starting this GC/GWS experiment.

Ahh, okay. Would you feel the same way about a new Tassie team?

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Depends on whether it was created and owned directly by the AFL, or whether it was the result of a successful bid launched by Tasmanians themselves.

 

[supernova_]

Depends on whether it was created and owned directly by the AFL, or whether it was the result of a successful bid launched by Tasmanians themselves.

Bit disrespectful, but so be it. Your board, your rules

Hoping for a tight contest, and obvious ones to watch are Ablett and Jones. Big thing for us will probably be our midfield should be able to compete quite well with Melbourne's and starting to get some continuity there.

Warnock BOG

Chalk up win number 2 for "franchise one" and Melbourne to continue spiralling.

Good luck

 

[Spirit of 39]

Gys, Tappy and Morton in. Strauss also. Magner, Fitzy and Tynan miss out.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/143482/default.aspx

 

[Bluelegs]

Bit disrespectful, but so be it. Your board, your rules

Hoping for a tight contest, and obvious ones to watch are Ablett and Jones.

This is what I'm looking forward to most, two teams at the bottom end of the ladder one with the best player in the competition and the other with a player who has made a name for himself over the course of the year continuing to get better and better. Can't wait to see how Jones fairs against Ablett. While this has to be our worst on paper team for the year I would still back us in for the win. The Melbourne side has more experience than that of the Gold Coast, and we are at the mcg, remember what we did to GWS. Jeremy Howe to win gold for Australia in high jumping.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Bit disrespectful, but so be it. Your board, your rules

Yes, our board.

What's with opposition supporters getting so sensitive about some humor all of a sudden?

 

[supernova_]

Yes, our board.

What's with opposition supporters getting so sensitive about some humor all of a sudden?

Perhaps not enough smiley faces were added to my post Now whose sensitive?

Jones I reckon should make the 40man AA squad this year, has been superb for your mob.

I think our midfield is probably better than that of Melbs though.

Melb:
Spencer, Moloney, Jones, McKenzie, Trengove, Bail
GC:
Smith, Hunt, Ablett, Bennell, Rischitelli, Swallow

Will probably have Smith ruck most of the game, with Dixon and/or Brennan for 5 min stints I would think.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

You said it was disrespectful... = you not recognizing humor = you suck = I'm awesome.

 

[rhaz]

GYS

S


happy to see him back

 

[SUNS]

I have the Demons 1-39 in a 7 leg multibet. Hope you win!

In all seriousness though, going to be interesting. The Gold Coast of this year could win or lose by 10 goals on Sunday depending which side comes out to play. Such is the consistency we are getting

With all of your injuries at the moment how does that add up to the total games experience between both clubs? Must be bridging the gap?

Good luck guys