Game Day Round 11 vs Walyalup @ MCG (Wurundjeri Woiwurrung), 2:10 pm

[Scythe94]

Preview

As we near the mid-point of the season, it's been a mixed year for both clubs so far. The Dees—while sitting fourth and showing some glimpses of the form/gameplan supporters had hoped to see (albeit against mostly mediocre opposition)—have been systematically pulled apart by fellow top-four hopefuls Port Adelaide and Brisbane, despite the eventual margin in those games. Add that to a convincing loss to the Bombers, and Narrm are on shaky ground with their draw getting more difficult from this point onwards. The loss of Oliver and Hunter from a midfield that's already been having difficulties recently won't make the task any easier.

The Dockers on the other hand got off to a nightmarish start in 2023, with Dees fans at one point daring to dream (half-seriously) about Harley Reid donning the red and blue in 2024. While they have arguably had some luck with their draw—with wins coming against Gold Coast, Hawthorn and severely undermanned West Coast, Sydney and Geelong teams—the form of their young midfield led by Caleb Serong

3

Caleb Serong

Age

23

Ht

180cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.0

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

6.0

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.6

5star

CL

2.6

4star

D

13.0

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

6.0

3star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.6

4star

CL

2.6

4star

D

13.0

4star

K

7.0

3star

HB

6.0

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.6

5star

CL

2.6

5star

and Andrew Brayshaw

8

Andrew Brayshaw

Age

24

Ht

185cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

9.3

5star

M

2.6

3star

T

4.8

5star

CL

2.1

4star

D

18.4

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

10.8

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

4.8

5star

CL

3.1

4star

D

12.6

4star

K

6.0

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.6

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

0.8

3star

, improved efforts from ruck tandem Sean Darcy

4

Sean Darcy

Age

25

Ht

203cm

Wt

111kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.1

3star

K

3.4

1star

HB

6.6

4star

CL

2.4

4star

HO

28.8

5star

D

6.8

1star

K

2.0

1star

HB

4.8

3star

CL

1.8

4star

HO

20.3

5star

D

11.4

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

6.8

5star

CL

2.6

5star

HO

32.0

5star

and ex-Dee Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

22

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

, and a solid back six including the likes of Luke Ryan, Hayden Young

26

Hayden Young

Age

23

Ht

189cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

3star

MG

160.0

3star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

2star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

2star

MG

160.0

3star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.4

4star

MG

160.0

3star

and Brennan Cox

36

Brennan Cox

Age

25

Ht

195cm

Wt

97kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.1

3star

K

5.8

2star

HB

5.3

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.1

4star

MG

182.8

3star

D

12.3

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

4.8

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.0

2star

MG

182.8

3star

D

11.0

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.8

4star

, has Dockers fans dreaming about what seemed to be an unlikely finals berth only a few weeks ago.

With their place in the top-four on a knife's edge (and Walyalup's first and second round picks in their back pocket), this is a big game for the Dees.

Teams



Head to Head

All-time: Melbourne 18 wins, Fremantle 24 wins

Last five games:​

• Round 20, 2022: Fremantle 5.9.39 def by Melbourne 12.13.85 (Optus Stadium)​
• Round 11, 2022: Melbourne 7.14.56 def by Fremantle 14.10.94 (MCG)​
• Round 1, 2021: Melbourne 11.14.80 def Fremantle 9.9.63 (MCG)​
• Round 16, 2020: Melbourne 4.9.33 def by Fremantle 6.11.47 (Cazaly's Stadium)​
• Round 14, 2019: Melbourne 13.7.85 def Fremantle 11.5.71 (MCG)​

Recent Form


​

 

[schmuttt]

A win won’t tell us much today, but a loss will speak volumes about where we are at.

 

[Lord Nev]

A win won’t tell us much today, but a loss will speak volumes about where we are at.

Disagree on this mate. This is a game where the opposing game styles tell us who can lift to execute properly. Main watch for mine is our intent and pressure, our game style relies on it, and Freo can test it with their outside use. They're a good stoppage team and link up well on the outside, so how we perform will tell us A LOT about how we're dealing with stoppage clearances and how willing we are to get back to the 2021 pressure around the ground.

 

[Dory_77]

Disagree on this mate. This is a game where the opposing game styles tell us who can lift to execute properly. Main watch for is our intent and pressure, our game style relies on it, and Freo can test it with their outside use. They're a good stoppage team and link up well on the outside, so how we perform will tell us A LOT about how we're dealing with stoppage clearances and how willing we are to get back to the 2021 pressure around the ground.

Agree with this. More interested about how we play (obviously winning is what I'm hoping for). If we win like we have been recently via a couple of short blitzes but waft the rest of the game I'd be concerned longer term. Need to get our intensity and consistency throughout games up, otherwise we'll be stuck with the also-rans.

 

[Lord Nev]

Agree with this. More interested about how we play (obviously winning is what I'm hoping for). If we win like we have been recently via a couple of short blitzes but waft the rest of the game I'd be concerned longer term. Need to get our intensity and consistency throughout games up, otherwise we'll be stuck with the also-rans.

Yeah that's fair, and the CBAs/midfield mix will be a watch too. Pretty clear who is influencing that to be more of the same, this was Yze at the start of the season:

“[Pickett] gives us a different look in there, and we want different players going through there ... and a stronger mix,” Yze said.

“It’s easier doing it in the practice games. When it gets to round one and into the main season; it is a lot harder as a coach – but we need to stick with it. Last year, a lot of our mids played a lot of game time and got tired late in the year, so we need to share the load, and they’ve all bought into it, so we’ll keep going with it.”

The Yze effect: Why star-studded Dees want to spread midfield load

 

[Jamurp]

Reckon we win this one, Carlton and Geelong the bigger tests. Freo are s**t, hope we can play a full game and really show something, not good enough to play in bursts like we have. Interesting to see how the midfield goes with Clarry too.

Dees by 41.

 

[Tulip]

Reckon we win this one, Carlton and Geelong the bigger tests. Freo are s**t, hope we can play a full game and really show something, not good enough to play in bursts like we have. Interesting to see how the midfield goes with Clarry too.

Dees by 41.

They're really not s**t anymore. Will be a test.

 

[schmuttt]

Disagree on this mate. This is a game where the opposing game styles tell us who can lift to execute properly. Main watch for mine is our intent and pressure, our game style relies on it, and Freo can test it with their outside use. They're a good stoppage team and link up well on the outside, so how we perform will tell us A LOT about how we're dealing with stoppage clearances and how willing we are to get back to the 2021 pressure around the ground.

I get what you’re saying, I just see Freo at the mcg as a game we have no business losing.

 

[Daemon]

Reckon we win this one, Carlton and Geelong the bigger tests. Freo are s**t, hope we can play a full game and really show something, not good enough to play in bursts like we have. Interesting to see how the midfield goes with Clarry too.

Dees by 41.

Respectfully disagree. Freo a much bigger test than Carlton. Carlton are a joke.

 

[Lord Nev]

I get what you’re saying, I just see Freo at the mcg as a game we have no business losing.

Lost it by 6 goals in the exact same round at the same venue last year. Absolutely we need to win this one and get back on track, but it's definitely not an automatic win for mine.

 

[Headless]

I have tipped a TERRIFIC GAME OF FOOTBALL.

 

[Bluelegs]

A win won’t tell us much today, but a loss will speak volumes about where we are at.

Declarations like this always come off as pretty arrogant imo.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Declarations like this always come off as pretty arrogant imo.

Its true, Freo aren't a premiership threat. Losing would confirm we aren't either.

 

[Headless]

Its true, Freo aren't a premiership threat. Losing would confirm we aren't either.

Premiership teams lose games to non-premiership threats from time to time.

 

[Lord Nev]

Declarations like this always come off as pretty arrogant imo.

Main thin I've learned about BF in my short time here is that there's a certain group of posters who think only losses tell you something. They thrive in the negativity because it's more safe to do so. Can probably put that down to MFC PTSD I suppose.

 

[Lord Nev]

Premiership teams lose games to non-premiership threats from time to time.

We lost to the Pies in the middle of 2021. They ended up finishing 17th and sacked their coach. We went alright that year.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Premiership teams lose games to non-premiership threats from time to time.

They also beat other premiership threats, something we havent done often in nearly a year and a half.

 

[Headless]

They also beat other premiership threats, something we havent done in nearly a year and a half.

Yeah I don't think we're winning the premiership, but I also don't think losing today would be the nail in the coffin.

 

[mrmonkey]

I have tipped a TERRIFIC GAME OF FOOTBALL.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Yeah I don't think we're winning the premiership, but I also don't think losing today would be the nail in the coffin.

So today's game is pointless and the coffin is already nailed shut regardless of the result. Nice.

Why are you ALWAYS so negative Les?

 

[Lord Nev]

Jordon the sub again.

 

[Headless]

So today's game is pointless and the coffin is already nailed shut regardless of the result. Nice.

Why are you ALWAYS so negative Les?

Exactly!

 

[Proper Gander]

Ogodogodogodogodogod

 

[DemonZombie_001]

Love this being on at 2:10pm. I think Melbourne look good for a solid performance back home.

 

[pjfairbairn]

A Melbourne game where I'm not at work (last 2), don't have to worry about putting the kids to bed halfway through, and I get to watch my favourite Demon Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

22

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

as well. Dees by 16. Up The Dees!