Preview Melbourne Vs The Bye, Round 12, 2013

[tasmanlvr]

Looks like I got a bit of support for writing a preview on the unofficial one so I might as well. Heck, a bit of (more) fun doesn't hurt.

Forget the ANZAC Day clash, in which the third highest attendance in history was the result (count me among one of the 93,000 there). Forget the Grand Final, even.

This is the biggest clash of the year. Without a doubt.

Melbourne
Round 1: Port Adelaide 19.19 (133) defeated Melbourne 8.6 (54)
Round 2: Essendon 28.16 (184) defeated Melbourne 5.6 (36)
Round 3: West Coast 27.15 (177) defeated Melbourne 13.5 (83)
Round 4: Melbourne 22.12 (144) defeated Greater Western Sydney 15.13 (103)
Round 5: Brisbane 17.20 (122) defeated Melbourne 14.10 (94)
Round 6: Carlton 18.13 (121) defeated Melbourne 8.12 (60)
Round 7: Gold Coast 16.18 (114) defeated Melbourne 7.12 (54)
Round 8: Richmond 15.16 (106) defeated Melbourne 11.6 (72)
Round 9: Fremantle 19.16 (130) defeated Melbourne 6.4 (40)
Round 10: Hawthorn 21.17 (143) defeated Melbourne 6.12 (48)
Round 11: Collingwood 17.20 (122) defeated Melbourne 5.9 (39)

Well for the fourth time in six years, we sit at 1-10 after round 11, and if you include 2007, we've gone 2-9 after round 11 as well. It really is concerning. However, with the Bye this weekend there are a few blokes that could come in, even if they technically aren't on an AFL list. Let's go through them.

Players To Watch:
Jesse Hogan (FINALLY!!!): One of a few that can be considered as training the house down. Along with Viney and Toumpas, Hogan is making me drool. And his VFL form is sooooooooooooo good. Another 15 disposals, nine marks and two goals against Collingwood's VFL side continues to make me sad, knowing that he can't play for another half a year. But this weekend, he gets his chance. Especially with no Dawes or Clark for this crunch game.

Tom Boyd: Apparently wanted by the Melbourne Football Club and should take Clark's spot here to form a Hogan/Boyd forward line. Boyd is a superstar, make no mistake, and should dominate from game one for the club along witn Hogan. With Nobody and The Breeze to take both, with The Grass perhaps coming in as third man up, expect them to clunk a fair few.

The Bye
Round 18, 2011: The Bye 0.1 (1) defeated Port Adelaide 0.0 (0)

The Bye have the capability to choke sides on the scoreboard, as shown a couple of years back when they held Port Adelaide scoreless. They are a dangerous opponent and Mark Neeld must not hold back if he wants to secure a second win (albeit for no premiership points) this season.

Players To Watch:
No-One: We saw what No-One was capable of in a tagging role, completely negating Danyle Pearce a couple of years back. Look for No-One to take the role on Nathan Jones on the weekend. No-One must be stopped if Melbourne are a chance to take victory this weekend.

Prediction
Well we will have 100% of the possession this weekend but it's how we use it that determines whether we win this game or not. Also, I face the possibility of a coloured card or thread deletion depending on whether the mods think it's funny or not. Anyway, let's have a bit of fun this week, I know it's been quite a depressing year and let's inject the joint with (legal) supplements of fun like we always do. (Refer to The Cut, opposition supporters if you want to know what we like doing when we're down). Let's all get on down to support the boys.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Yeah, good stuff tasmanlvr !! Had a chuckle!

 

[Captain Jack]

Nicely done tas, not sure what we're meant to discuss here though... surely the Bye can get the job done against our rabble.

 

[tasmanlvr]

Nicely done tas, not sure what we're meant to discuss here though... surely the Bye can get the job done against our rabble.

Yeah look, that patch of grass there, very tough.

Thinking

IN: Emmett Dunn
OUT: Lynden Dunn

 

[Crimson Azure]

We might end up in the negative.

 

[Captain Jack]

Scores MFC 3.10.28 - Bye 0.0.0 at 3QT, then in the last 5 minutes Tom McDonald shanks a kick which bounces over for a rushed behind, then we get called for having 19 on the ground, score wiped, Bye wins by 1 point. Neeld: "it is what it is."

 

[Dory_77]

Tom Boyd: Apparently wanted by the Melbourne Football Club and should take Clark's spot here to form a Hogan/Boyd forward line. Boyd is a superstar, make no mistake, and should dominate from game one for the club along witn Hogan. With Nobody and The Breeze to take both, with The Grass perhaps coming in as third man up, expect them to clunk a fair few.

This part made me have a good chuckle. Given our sloppy disposal and propensity for trying to defend first (in vain usually) before trying to attack we may be looking at a loss here. Port of 2011 were ordinary, but we'd make them look worldbeaters at this stage and they only conceded the one behind. I think if there's a strong enough wind, the bye may even nab a goal: from the bounce Jamar completely misses it, our mids miss the ball and the breeze blows it 100m through the big ones; could be the final, final straw for Neeldy.

 

[Praetorian]

Will be interesting to see if we can make it into the forward half without turning it over this week, I hope we've worked on our disposal under no pressure at training.

 

[butters88]

Yeah but the experience for our kids will help... Really looking forward to seeing Dunns effort on no one this weekend, he has been making a good effort on no one the last few games

 

[tasmanlvr]

Scores MFC 3.10.28 - Bye 0.0.0 at 3QT, then in the last 5 minutes Tom McDonald shanks a kick which bounces over for a rushed behind, then we get called for having 19 on the ground, score wiped, Bye wins by 1 point. Neeld: "it is what it is."

'We were competitive for a long period of time, heck we even lead for a while!'

 

[Dory_77]

'We were competitive for a long period of time, heck we even lead for a while!'

Our attempted tackles were through the roof this week. As were our attempted shepherds, smothers, kicks... The effort was definitely there, just the execution. But we're only a young side. Blokes like No-One have been in the Bye's 22 for decades now. Difficult to match up against that.

 

[Benwah83]

I'm slightly concerned. Rumor has it The Bye thinks they're a sneaky chance this week. They're planning on calling up 22 witches hats from the ressies, and they'll be under strict instruction to pressure the ball carrier.

They know our disposal is shite under pressure.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

It's our grand final.

 

[butters88]

I thought moday was our grand final... WAIT was it all a nightmare? Did we draw the game and are replaying this week? Please let it be true... We need the two points

 

[Jamurp]

Bit frustrated at the lack of coverage of this match to be honest.

 

[La Vache]

The Bye can be hurt on the outside but are an elusive lot, to beat them you must stick your tackles first and foremost.

Easier said than done.

 

[Dory_77]

It'll be tough to take a loss this week. Doubt we'll even have one of Howe's Hangers (TM) to console ourselves with. Will be difficult to take one over no-one.

 

[raven echo]

Massive danger game. I have little faith we'll get up in this one.

The Bye to win by 77.

 

[LeverPuller]

I'm concerned that The Bye's ins of Carlton Draught and Sleeping In give it a massive advantage.

I'm going The Bye by three hangovers and a Colin Sylvia drunk driving arrest.

 

[PerfectFooty]

you know, forget you guys. i think our lot will get up in a thriller despite our recent clashs with the bye, Dee's to get over the line by a point. it will be good to grab the 0 points at the end of the day, can't say it will help our percentage though.

 

[Cannon82]

Neeld: "it is what it is."

"Successful tackles were well down. Contested ball poor. Disposal against non-existent opposition not AFL standard. Club mascot and tea lady are on notice."


Eh, late to the party as usual.

 

[maxmustard]

As we all know by now, we train like a boss. Probably because the players are competing against Melbourne players at all times during training. If we can translate the form we display when playing ourselves into playing well against no opposition I think we're a chance.

 

[swansfan51]

Melbourne are being screwed by the AFL administration - in the NRL you receive 2 points for the bye, but here you are getting absolutely no reward for your efforts this weekend

 

[Topkent]

Melbourne are being screwed by the AFL administration - in the NRL you receive 2 points for the bye, but here you are getting absolutely no reward for your efforts this weekend

**** me , we would nearly double our season points tally by not playing... I hate melbourne sometimes

 

[Demon JP]

I'm concerned that The Bye's ins of Carlton Draught and Sleeping In give it a massive advantage.

I'm going The Bye by three hangovers and a Colin Sylvia drunk driving arrest.

Melbourne by over 100 pints