Preview Preview and Teams v Power

[Deestroy]

AFL Premiership Round 9
Melbourne V Port Adelaide

--------- V ---------

________________________________________________________

Saturday May 22
TIO Stadium 7:10 PM (Local Time) 7:40 PM (EST Time)
Darwin Forecast Darwin Radar


Ladder:

Season Win/Loss

​

The Melbourne Perspective:

Originally Posted by [NAME]Biffinator[/NAME]
Earlier this week, I had the misfortune to be in West Horsham on business. It was a gruesome experience. I saw at least a dozen Ned Kelly beards. I encountered my first denture-repair shop. I spent an hour on the roads and not once did I come across a school. Some of the West Horsham slums resembled Mogadishu – and I was Black Hawk down. Twice – there and back – I drove past the West End brewery ( and at that point I was Colonel Kurtz, residing at the Inner Station: “the horror, the horror!”). My daughter asked me to pick her up a snow-globe and they were all shithouse.

Even so, thank God for small mercies: not once did I come across Teal.

This is going to change on Saturday night when we confront the Teal Power in Darwin – a neutral ground. Our record at Bogan Stadium is crap so this is a good thing. I don’t mind Port. To my mind at least, they are a genuine football club unlike the soul-less Crowbots. I am at a loss to understand how Choco is still at the helm because a change is long overdue. And of course we – the Melbourne Football Club - are eternally grateful to them for eclipsing the 1988 Grand Final with their immortal 119 job – a record that will surely outlast the pyramids.

The Melbourne Football Club is a work in progress – as grimly evidenced by the past three weeks. Great performances will co-exist with 1970s-style shockers. I suspect there is an analogy to be drawn between our current state and Geelong in 2002 – though it remains to be seen if we will emulate their success in years to come. We need to pump games into the boys – and hopefully JW will remain a fixture in the team for the time being.

It is fair to say that Carlton’s quick-silver mosquito forward-line is the flavour of the month. From what we understand, the Dees will attempt to emulate this strategy. Both clubs have some claim on NT and I am hoping the fixture will spur on our indigenous boys to greater heights – oh to have Jurrah in the team! Wonna provided us with some everlasting memories in 2008 and let’s hope he adds to that number on Saturday night.

Our form is not good. Port was overwhelmed by the Cheats in the last quarter. This one is a toss of a coin though the bookies are inclined towards Port.

Me, I say the Dees by one point – maybe.

Biffinator.

Teams:
Melbourne
B: Clint Bartram, Joel Macdonald, Jared Rivers
HB: Jack Grimes, James Frawley, Colin Garland
C: James McDonald, Jack Trengove, Aaron Davey
HF: Jamie Bennell, Brad Miller, Cale Morton
F: Nathan Jones, Brad Green, Jack Watts
Foll: Mark Jamar, Brent Moloney, Colin Sylvia
I/C: Tom Scully, Austin Wonaeamirri, Jordie McKenzie, Jake Spencer
Emg: Neville Jetta, James Strauss, Lynden Dunn

In: Miller, Macdonald, Wonaeamirri, Morton, Spencer
Out: Cameron Bruce (hamstring), Paul Johnson, Matthew Bate (ankle), Daniel Hughes, Matthew Warnock (soreness)

PORT
B: Jacob Surjan, Alipate Carlile, Troy Chaplin
HB:Paul Stewart, Chad Cornes, Steven Salopek
C: Danyle Pearce, Domenic Cassisi, Jason Davenport
HF: Matt Thomas, Justin Westhoff, David Rodan
F: Robbie Gray, Brett Ebert, Daniel Motlop
R: Dean Brogan, Travis Boak, Kane Cornes
Interchange: Tom Logan, Jay Schulz, Cameron Hitchcock, Jackson Trengove
Emergencies: Josh Carr, Jay Nash, Daniel Stewart
No change.

 

[Crimson Azure]

Aussie & Morton back.

Win!

Miller in FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

I just hope he has a good game, it will be his last chance.....






















To show Gold coast what he can do.

 

[Deestroy]

I would have played an extra runner instead of Spencer and let Miller do some ruck work. If Warnock needed a rest this was the right time for it.

Welcome back Morton and Aussie! Really hope Gysberts gets his chance soon.

 

[Dez!]

Miller.



He gets 1 game IMO, if he does nothing f*** him off forever.

He's had long enough to reach even a serviceable level as a player yet can't even reach mediocre level.

Hughes is extremely unlucky, would provide a much better lead up CHF option seeing as he actually has good hands and a football brain.

 

[FOOOOTY]

Sigh... this merry go round with Martin, PJ & Spencer drives me crazy.

 

[half back flank]

Why Spencer... Why f****kin Spencer????????????
Let the Gysberts play, he has shown form.
What is the need of another ruck when Port have 1? (maybe Trengrove aka spud)
Plus the likely hood is that it will rain in Darwin and we all know how good Spencer is below he waistline!.
Decent team, shame Hughesy's out, i thought he has been ok.

 

[THE D]

Miller dropped for a sustained period is exactly what he needed. He responded when he went back and will help Watts. Deserves his chance and Morton will provide a target 60-80 metres out and Watts gets his chance to play deep. This actually looks like a good forward line IMO. Wonna will float in front of the packs Jamie gets his chance to push up a little bit and Sylvia in the middle is something I have wanted to see for a while. Get him on the ball and a chance to get his hands on it a lot will be great for his confidence.

I'm happy with this team and feel confident of a win.

Go Dees!

 

[d33my]

surprised how calm the board is after a Miller inclusion. When I first saw it on AFL.com I was scared this place wouldn't exist anymore due to Miller-induced meltdown.

Looks like a good team. LOVE seeing Wona and Morton.

EDIT: Hughes unlucky, surely he'll be back in the team in the future?

 

[jinny1]

Unfortunate for Hughes...wudve had hughes over miller

I want to see Gysberts T.T

 

[FOOOOTY]

its been 25mins and i still cant beleive Spencer is playing... surely its a ploy

 

[d33my]

deleted for stupidness

 

[Headless]

Would much rather Gysberts playing and have Jamar as the only ruckman.

 

[LITTLE STINGA]

Embarrassing selections.
How on earth is Gysberts not getting a game? Why is Jones getting a game? 0 clearences last week what do they want him in for? His brilliant skills or great defensive pressure? I would hope not because he provides none of that.

Why have they got Miller and Spencer in the team? For comic relief maybe? I think there should be a national inquiry on why Robbo was given the boot before this dud in Miller. Why isn't Dunn in? He didn't exactly get the chance to redeem himself last week and now now 5 players who got that chance are now ahead of him and considering that he would be the freshest player on the list I just don't understand it.

What do Rivers and Sylvia have to do to get dropped? Burn a house down or something? Words can not describe how pathetic Sylvia was last week and Rivers is trying to break Miller's record of consecutive games without playing well.

This is the worst side we have put out all season, developement has gone right out the window. The only thing that could save us is that we have to redeem ourselves after the pathetic performance last week.

 

[d33my]

This is the worst side we have put out all season

Morton and Wonna say hi

 

[Gazza_11]

Me, I say the Dees by one point – maybe.

Biffinator.

No offence, but doesn't he say that every week?

I'm pretty surprised at the selectors. Not only do we sub out Hughes, who has been very good considering, we bring it Miller :/ FFS!

And what the hell is the point of drafting a kid at 11 and playing constant failures ahead of him? :/ Happy to see Morton back, on of my faves.

 

[deeman12]

Not a massive fan of Spencer. In fact, I think he's the worst player on our list. But we have to give him games this season to see what he can do, which I'm certain is not much.

Again, nobody can falter Miller's effort and endeavor. He's given us his best over 9 years, so I hope he gets some games into him this season to improve his chances of playing for the GC. I will not miss him on the field though.

 

[Djcjdees]

Unfortunate for Hughes...wudve had hughes over miller

I want to see Gysberts T.T

Cannot understand how Hughes was dropped. He has been more than serviceable over the last two weeks. I thought after persisting with him for so long, we would stick with him, but miller, who will not be a part of mfc's future, gets a game.

As for Spencer, the only word I can think of to explain that choice is "tanking" but that can't be happening so I'm at a loss.

 

[CM Sean]

What happened to Rohan Bail? This bloke should be playing!

On another note though... Very happy to see Macdonald, Morton and Wonna back in.
Can't say the same bout Miller though...

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Embarrassing selections.
How on earth is Gysberts not getting a game? Why is Jones getting a game? 0 clearences last week what do they want him in for? His brilliant skills or great defensive pressure? I would hope not because he provides none of that.

Why have they got Miller and Spencer in the team? For comic relief maybe? I think there should be a national inquiry on why Robbo was given the boot before this dud in Miller. Why isn't Dunn in? He didn't exactly get the chance to redeem himself last week and now now 5 players who got that chance are now ahead of him and considering that he would be the freshest player on the list I just don't understand it.

What do Rivers and Sylvia have to do to get dropped? Burn a house down or something? Words can not describe how pathetic Sylvia was last week and Rivers is trying to break Miller's record of consecutive games without playing well.

This is the worst side we have put out all season, developement has gone right out the window. The only thing that could save us is that we have to redeem ourselves after the pathetic performance last week.

1. i dunno why gysberts isnt getting a game... i would have though he would at least have been an emergency... maybe DB doesnt want another young body in the midfield

2. Miller is in because he has been kicking bagsssss and we need a big forward to contest, i thought spencer was one of our best last week... and PJ was shit so in comes spencer... although i agree one ruckman would have been the best option

3. Dunn shouldnt be in until he performs in the VFL for a couple of games

4. Rivers has played well the last two weeks, you just pick out his one or two mistakes a game and blow that way out of proportion... Sylvia has played terribly the last two games... as a marking forward, considering he was in our best in the first 3 games of the season and is back in the midfield this week, i am all for giving him a couple more chances

5. Wonna? Morton? Spencer? development much???

 

[melbournemartin]

Rivers has been decent recently. Last week was his best game for the year.

Am I the only one who senses a touch of arrogance with resting Warnock for "soreness"? It could bite us on the ass if some hack like Schulz kicks a bag.

Bailey obviously feels that we need two ruckmen against an in form Brogan and an up and coming ruckman in Trengove.

Hughes getting dropped doesn't make sense. He comes in, plays 2 decent games and then is stropped. Sure, he didn't star but **** me he works hard and has a bit of skill!

As for Miller, I was fighting for you to get one last chance. make the most of it please.

Good to see Wonna and Morton back though.

 

[LITTLE STINGA]

Morton and Wonna say hi

Morton and Aussie are alright that's why they weren't mentioned. Aussie might be getting rushed in a little too early but we will wait and see.

 

[melbournemartin]

He's played what 3 games for Casey? That's plenty.

 

[LITTLE STINGA]

Miller.



He gets 1 game IMO, if he does nothing f*** him off forever.

How many times has this appeared over the years?

 

[Dez!]

How many times has this appeared over the years?

I'm just waiting for him to get out-bodied by Justin Westhoff, it will happen.

 

[Crusty Demon]

This is a great chance for Spencer to do something(anything). Bailey is probably thinking Jamar can compete against Brogan while Frank Spencer can go up against Trengove. Miller has been playing well in the reserves and we need forwards! I for one, would never play either of these two in our team, but unfortunately it has happened.
MacDonald is a straight swap for the injured Bruce and should be able to handle his role with ease. Wona gets his chance in conditions that should suit him. Lets pray he doesn't get injured and kicks a couple. And Morton is a gem, so 2 games in the reserves is more than enough for him to find touch.

Would love to have seen Gysberts get a game, but Bailey might be thinking Scully, Trengove and Gysberts in the middle could be pushing the youth barrier a bit too far. But personally, would love to see him get a game...