Our opponents next week: Melbourne

[GVGjr]

Re: Our opponents next week: Melbourne

They have a very good record against us at the G, but not at TD. Melbourne have a shocking record at the Dome.

We should win and win comfortably...

I really want to see us win by 40 points plus so I hope you are right

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Our opponents next week: Melbourne

As far as who would play on McLean DR, I would like to see Cooney or Ray go head to head with him, if he plays. Someone from the same draft. Put a bit of their pride on the line, and make one of them win the battle.

[BulldogBelle]

Re: Our opponents next week: Melbourne

Controlling Neitz is vital for us.

Those six words you wrote are very important. Neitz has a habit of kicking bags of goals against us and we must get to him early and erode his confidence otherwise he could just run himself into form against us. Their winless state at the moment means little, they are due for a win - we just have to play smarter.

[southerncross]

Re: Our opponents next week: Melbourne

This from the Age

Western Bulldogs v Melbourne, Telstra Dome, 2:10pm

Western Bulldogs
B: McMahon Harris Morris
HB: Gilbee Wight Hargrave
C: Eagleton West Griffen
HF: Giansiracusa Johnson Boyd
F: Hahn Darcy Akermanis
FOLL: Street Cross Rover: Cooney
INTER: From: Addison Faulkner Harbrow Higgins Minson Power Ray
IN: Faulkner Harbrow Hahn Street
OUT: Murphy (hamstring)
Melbourne
B: Ward Carroll Yze
HB: Brown Rivers Bell
C: Bate McDonald Davey
HF: Green Miller Bruce
FOR: Sylvia Neitz Moloney
FOLL: White Godfrey Rover: Johnstone
INTER: From: P Johnson Jones Dunn Warnock Holland Frawley Pickett
IN: Green Ward Frawley Holland
OUT: Petterd (hamstring)
NEW: James Frawley, 18, North Ballarat U18

LAST TIME R17 Melbourne 18.11 (119) d Western Bulldogs 9.14 (68), MCG
AT THIS GROUND Western Bulldogs 3, Melbourne 5
IN THE 2000s Western Bulldogs 4, Melbourne 9
COACHES Eade 5, Daniher 8
UMPIRES 11 McLaren, 12 Sully, 16 Head
BETTING Western Bulldogs $1.36, Melbourne $3.00
TV Channel 7, 3pm
RADIO Triple M, 3AW
Summary Melbourne can be both heartened and disappointed by last week's five-point loss to Port Adelaide. On the one hand the chance for a first win was let slip, but on the other there were signs that the unlucky Demons are on the road to recovery. With the heart torn out of their team by injuries earlier in the season, Melbourne are at least expecting to be able to welcome back on-baller Brad Green. Skipper David Neitz will have a match under his belt since his return from injury while Adem Yze seems to have been revitalised in attack. Key The Bulldogs could easily slip away from the centre bounces if allowed through midfielders like Adam Cooney, Daniel Cross and Matthew Boyd who blanketed Kerr in last week's 15-point loss to the Eagles.

[Raw Toast]

Re: Our opponents next week: Melbourne

Darcy should be v important for us this week imo. He didn't do much last week but wasn't given a heap of opportunitiy either (seems Eade believes the Eagles are vulnerable to a small forward line, though I would have liked to see him given a run at chf to give us a different look and option going forward).

Carroll's been struggling this year and I think Darcy might do him for smarts. Apparently Carroll was good on Tredrea but Darcy's a v different player and if we can deliver the ball to advantage we could get a significant win here. Another option for the Dees is Rivers on Darcy but that exposes Carroll a bit. Our delivery might determine the result here, as Rivers can be effective if allowed to sag off and then jump in with a spoil. Against either, the long kick almost over the pack should suit Darcy, as he can outbody from behind. If there's space (ie not much flooding) I'd like to also see kicks to Darcy that allows him to run at the ball (ala against Adelaide 05).

Dunn is a bit of a danger player I reckon and needs to be played with respect otherwise he could hurt us. Power has beaten Miller before, though Wight seems a decent match up on him as well.

I'm glad McLean's not playing.

[GVGjr]

Re: Our opponents next week: Melbourne

Darcy should be v important for us this week imo. He didn't do much last week but wasn't given a heap of opportunity either (seems Eade believes the Eagles are vulnerable to a small forward line, though I would have liked to see him given a run at chf to give us a different look and option going forward).

We really need Darcy to string a couple of good weeks together because he is just so important to us. Does anyone think he should be used more in the ruck than up forward?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Our opponents next week: Melbourne

Does anyone think he should be used more in the ruck than up forward?

Nah, I reckon he should spend the time adapting to a forward role, once it all starts to happen for him in the forward line it will be great. His rucking duties should be very minimal.

[Dry Rot]

Re: Our opponents next week: Melbourne

We really need Darcy to string a couple of good weeks together because he is just so important to us. Does anyone think he should be used more in the ruck than up forward?

Interesting thought - how will we counter White?

[Raw Toast]

Re: Our opponents next week: Melbourne

We really need Darcy to string a couple of good weeks together because he is just so important to us. Does anyone think he should be used more in the ruck than up forward?

Probably depends on match-ups and fitness for me, but generally I'd have him forward. Not sure if he has the fitness yet to be able to be our first ruck though I was disappointed he didn't get more of a go in the middle against West Coast (though hard to tell from the tv how much game-time he got).

I think an in-form Darcy offers us more as a forward just because it helps our structure with him being our only real big contested mark atm. That said he's a better ruck than Minson and Street atm because he can get clearences of his own and offers more around the ground.