Pre-Match: MAGPIES v Dees - All comments here.....

[Clokey]

Epic clash!

Can only hope for the best. Egan for Davis? I'm not sure how he has been playing though. Thought realistically Benny will get in beforehand. Hope Tarks can maintain his good form, as well as the rest of em.

Go PIES!

[DaVe86]

Match Preview:

With the competition so even, the Queens birthday match this year looms as telling and could be a defining moment in each clubs season. No doubt a win to melbourne lands them firmly in the top 8 and will probably see them finishing top 4. A win to collingwood leaves the magpies 5 wins and 7 losses and in a similar position to 2003. It will also keep us very close to teams like richmond, kangaroos, fremantle, st kilda who are struggling for form. No doubt a win this week puts us officially in the running, whilst a loss leaves us with a mathematical chance, but an unlikely prospect to play finals.

To add to the pressure, over the last 3 rounds, both teams have been the inform clubs, each winning all 3. So its two in form sides, battling out infront of a packed mcg on Queens Birthday monday. Could it get any better?

The games strikes me as a battle of minds. Both clubs play entirely different styles of games. It might come down to the side which is more disciplined.

Melbourne play a very clean style of game, centred around playing direct through the corridor and taking risks. They are a clean side who may lack a few in and under players. This has been evident in a few of their losses where they were criticised for a lack of intensity. What also strikes me about melbourne is their wide range of free running players, who seemingly go week in week out without opponents. Players like Travis Johnstone, James McDonald, Nathan Brown and Brock Mclean have racked up big stats this year. They have the ability to blow sides out of the water and have a lot of avenues to goal. Their midfield also consists of 2 genuine star players in Brad Green and Cameron Bruce who can play tall or small. They definately have class.

Collingwood on the other hand are less precise with our kicking and are not as clean through the middle. We play a messier style game, one that depends on hard tackling and accountability. We also have won our matches through a rock solid defence and a fast forward line who aim at holding the ball up forward and dissallowing opposition to have free run out of the backline. Melbourne are the more attacking team.

This said, how will Melbourne cope with Collingwoods intensity? Can they match us at ground level? Can they play their free running style of game?
Collingwood has performed well against west coast and geelong who are attacking teams. The teams we have beat have not matched our intensity. With Melbourne's biggest criticism this year being a lack of intensity, surely this is an advantage to collingwood.

Collingwood's other big advantage is in the battle of the backlines. Melbourne really doesnt have one. Their defence consists of Alistair Nicholson, Clint Bizzel, Jared Rivers and Ryan Ferguson. Bizzel is perhaps their most reliable. Nicholson is ok in the air but has no pace and may struggle to find a good match up against the pacey Tarrant, Cloke and Rusling. Further, Rivers and Ferguson are gutsy players, but struggle in one on one contests. They are not big and should be easily outmarked one on one. It will be important to get the ball down their quickly to get one on one contests.
On the other hand, Collingwoods defence should match up very well with Melbournes. Prestigiacomo is made to defend against players like Neitz and Holland, as is Wakelin, whilst Clement has the ability to shut down Robertson or play on one of Melbournes talls. We have more flexibility. If it comes to a shoot out, collingwood may be in the box seat, assuming our midfield wins its fair share of the ball.

Collingwood is a big chance to win, assuming they can tame Melbournes midfield. Possible matchups could be:

Morrison vs Green- Morrison should have the build to play Green in the middle and should be able to go with him if Green pushes forward. Green kicked 3 goals last week, this cannot happen this week.

Shaw vs Davey- We need someone with pace to tame Davey, he lurks as our biggest threat. If our backline is able to tame Neitz, Robertson and Holland, it is important our midfield does not allow goals to Davey and Green. Shaw may be the only player who can run with Davey.

Licuria vs Bruce- Bruce is dangerous, Licuria has to play very tight on Bruce. Licuria has a big tank and should be able to run with him.

Burns vs Mclean- Teach the kid a thing or 2 about football.

Johnson vs Travis Johnsone- Ben has the pace to run with Travis. Johnstone will also be able to keep Ben around the play which should allow benny to obtain a lot of disposals and utilize his pace. I am yet to see travis play accountable. He has been left loose all year. Surely us been an accountable team will not let this happen. He is a damaging player.

Melbourne relies on players like Nathan Brown, McDonald and Silvia to rebound from back 50. We need Tarrant, Rusling and Cloke to make things as tough as possible. Caracella, Didak and Holland will also have to make sure these players are not left to roam free as they please.

Overall, 2 very contrasting game plans, both have been effective at times this year. Melbourne has the class, but we have the grit and better forward line perhaps. It could swing either way.

If we tackle hard, we should win by atleast 30 points, if Melbourne run free and are left loose, they will win by a fair bit. On Queens birthday monday, anything could happen. Players know they have a week off ahead of them, so they will go at at it full pelt. Should be awesome.

DaVe

[KYPREO]

Melbourne will be set to regain Phil Read and Brock Mclean from injuries. Both are valuable players and basically leaves them at full strength.

They have the 2nd strongest attack in the competition behind Geelong, which our defence got the better of last week. But Melbourne's attack is much more structured and flexible than Geelong. Geelong relies a lot on its pure midfielders for its goals and we were able to get a lot of drive off half back by putting a lot of pressure on. Meanwhile Melbourne relies on its ability to rotate a number of talented players forward and midfield and has a number of pure forwards who can step up when it counts. Eg even Ben Holland has kicked multiple goals a few times.

Our defence does look like it matches up nicely. Davey is a danger - he might get Swan or Ben Johnson, but I'd prefer BJ in the centre or across halfforward where his deep kicking can be put to good use.

Melbourne defence is their weakness. Despite having one of the most acclaimed midfields, the have conceded as many points as Hawthorn and Freo. They have conceded more than WCE, Adelaide, Geelong, Sydney and the Saints. But I would not underestimate them. They have a nice mix of youth and experience.

[Johnson#26]

Pies by 2 point. Win for my brothers birthday, I say.

[DaVe86]

Definately not to be underestimated. If they get on top, they will not be as wasteful as hawthorn and probably have a better midfield than geelong. If we can tame their midfield, their defence has no chance of stopping tarrant, cloke and ruzza

[spoljar]

Melbourne are one of the most hot and cold teams going around. When they are on song, they are pretty much unstoppable, however when they have a bad game, they really do disappoint!

I think one of their cold games may just be around the corner and I am hoping that it is this week. I have an incling it could be as they played quite a big game against Carlton and then followed that up with a trip to Canberra. The Carlton game would have taken a lot of focus, and the Canderra game would have to have taken something out of them.

Pies by 36 Points!

[1eyedpie]

All reports out of the Canberra game was that the ground was very muddy and the grass was long, a good recipe for heavy / weary legs (lets hope!)

[HAL]

When was this exactly?

[euanconway]

This will be a great game and I suspect a close one until we open it up and take the lead.(hopefully in the first quarter)
Some of the boys went to my home town of Alexandra this week for thier regional tours and I am taking this on board as a good omen. Just wish I was up home visiting, to see them. My parents went along and said most of the town was there to see Leon Davis, Chris Egan, Brodie Holland, Tristen Walker, Josh Fraser Shane Woewodin, Blake Caracella and Rhyce Shaw.
Well for the long weekend I say "Bring it on"
Dees to go down by 26

[favourites 2008]

All reports out of the Canberra game was that the ground was very muddy and the grass was long, a good recipe for heavy / weary legs (lets hope!)

I suspect an 8 day break would be enough to recover for the dees.

[Eunos]

Select Bux in the team Thursday.
Suit him up on Monday.
Take a $5k fine fro a late withdrawal.

Will have them running in circles for the first 15 minutes.


Unfortunately this game will be a draw.

[bokka]

Melbourne didn't look very convincing against the Roos - who unfortunately look like filling our vacancy in the cellar at this stage. But maybe they only played as well as they needed to.

But I still think the Woods will win by 5 goals if the team plays like the last 2 weeks. If they meet in the finals it will be more like 8 or 9 goals.

[eddiesmith]

Select Bux in the team Thursday.
Suit him up on Monday.
Take a $5k fine fro a late withdrawal.

Will have them running in circles for the first 15 minutes.


Unfortunately this game will be a draw.

Mick said if he is selected, he will play. But I would prefer to do the opposite, dont select, dont have him do the pre match warmup, dont have him in the emergencies, then have him lead the boys out onto the MCG at 2:00pm Monday Afternoon and pay the fine

[surfer1]

Johnson in for Egan can't see much else changing