Margin:
First goal:
Best on ground:
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Margin:
First goal:
Best on ground:
Bump
Melb by 19 pts
First goal - weightman
Bog- macrae
Dogs by 14
First goal: JJ
BOG: Macrae
Dogs by 4 points
First goal: Bruce
Best on ground: The Bont
Silver lining of the fixture being switched is we're not playing in Ballarat on Saturday. Forecast is 7 degrees (which is about 2 degrees in real terms) and absolutely pi**ing down!
No idea how our game will go. After each loss, the Demons have played a top 8 team the week after and beaten them.
Last time Melbourne let Cordy stand in the pocket to be the outlet option from kick ins and we constantly took the bait. If that happens again, we're in trouble.
Surely JJ plays as a defensive forward on Salem?
Hopefully JJ has the composure to take his opportunities in front of goal when they present.
Melbourne are mixed lollies who knows which one will turn up on Saturday. What I do know is that the gap between our very worse and our very best is narrower than theirs but their very best is probably a bit better.
Bulldogs by 4 points
FG Weightman
BOG Bontempelli
I would say our best is more exhilarating/higher level, but they've been able to get a lot closer to theirs against the top 8 teams than we have. But it's all elementary anyway, if you can't play near your best against the good sides what's the point?
Big test for Bevo.
I really wish we weren’t playing them right now with our injury list and the group looking tired, as if they win they get a psychological boost.
I think Melbourne have turned up every time they have been challenged.
Have they dropped some games against lower teams? Sure they have. But put a top 8 opponent on the menu and they have been brilliant.
I don't like predicting outcomes but without Martin, Dunks and Treloar I'm really not sure how we win this. The case for us would be (of course) Liber is rested and has a 'Liber game' and Naughton is better for the run. I think Melbourne's kryptonite is an opposition forward who can get May and Lever guessing by actually clunking a couple...the trouble is, no-one has been able to do it.
Over to you Aaron.
Agreed Melbourne have been very good when it has mattered and I'm really worried about the fluency with which they move the ball. The games they've dropped are clearly related to some kind of mental road block but when it counts they come to play. If we can get on top early I think that's our best chance. Perhaps putting scoreboard pressure on them early can sew the seeds of doubt.
As Comrade says much of this will be won or lost in the box.
One difference v last time we played them is that now Melbourne have lost multiple games (plus the draw) since we have more data/game play to analyse and work from to devise a winning plan. No excuses for us to fall into the same traps as our last game and I expect a MUCH better performance.