MEL vs FRE Round 16

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Before the current season began, it would have been unimaginable for anyone to believe that Melbourne would have double the number of wins in the bag and a much stronger percentage than Fremantle by this mark, two thirds of the way through the year.

After all, the Dockers finished last season's home and away fixture at the top of the AFL premiership ladder and demolished the Demons at both meetings in 2015. A week before the regular season ended, the teams met at Subiaco and Freo doubled Melbourne's score. I remember it well - it was an embarrassing afternoon/evening for us expatriate Demon fans. At one stage, the home side had a ten goal lead and the visitors had yet to score a goal until Jeff Garlett scored the team's first at the half way mark of the second quarter.

A lot of murky water has flowed under the bridge since that time with injuries cruelling the Fremantle season. Losing one of the reigning Brownlow Medallist and the competition's biggest and most dominant ruckman along with a number of very good others has done it no good.

Of course, the majority of teams suffer injuries and whilst Melbourne has not been as severely hit in this area, it has also lost a few handy players which makes life hard with young developing sides.

On top of that, the Dees have, for the second year running, abdicated their home ground advantage in favour of a team that has a shorter distance to travel to a game. Admittedly, the Dockers have a fair way to travel, but the Demons are moving to relatively distant territory and moving into a completely different climate than what might have been experienced at the MCG. On top of that, Fremantle will travel to the Top End feeling fresh and rejuvenated coming off a bye while Melbourne fronts up after a six day break.

What this all means is that this is a danger game for the Demons. Their record at TIO Stadium is poor, their young side has been showing signs of fading late in games and the Dockers form of late has been much improved. Melbourne would be hoping that Max Gawn can continue his stellar form and that players like Jack Viney and Bernie Vince who below their best last week can help Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson in the midfield, that the backline can prevent the leakage of scores and that Jesse Hogan, Jeff Garlett and Jack Watts can maintain their form from the Adelaide game.

I'm tipping that the Dees will rise to the occasion and win up in Darwin for the first time in half a decade. Melbourne by 17 points.

THE GAME

Melbourne v Fremantle at TIO Stadium Saturday 9 July 2016 at 7.40pm (AEST)

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall:  Melbourne 13 wins Fremantle 21 wins

At TIO Stadium: Melbourne 0 wins Fremantle 1 win

Last Five meetings: Melbourne 0 wins Fremantle 5 wins

The Coaches: Roos 0 wins Lyon 4 wins

MEDIA

TV - Fox Sports Channel 3 Live at 7.30pm

Radio - SEN ABC ABC Grandstand

THE BETTING Melbourne $1.35 to win Fremantle $3.20 to win

LAST TIME THEY MET

Fremantle 17.6.108 defeated Melbourne 8.6.54 at Domain Stadium, Round 22, 2015

The Dockers were quickly out of the blocks and and scored five goals to nil in the opening term and increased their lead in every quarter on their way to an easy nine goal win against a tired looking Melbourne.

TEAMS

Melbourne squad: round 16

B: Sam Frost, Tom McDonald, Neville Jetta
HB: Jayden Hunt, Oscar McDonald, Matt Jones
C: Christian Petracca, Dom Tyson, Bernie Vince
HF: Jeff Garlett, Jack Watts, Billy Stretch
F: Aaron vandenBerg, Jesse Hogan, Dean Kent
Foll: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney
I/C: Jack Grimes, Ben Kennedy, Mitch White, James Harmes

Emg: Viv Michie, Alex Neal-Bullen, Jake Spencer

In: Grimes, White
Out: Chris Dawes, Tomas Bugg

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AFTER being named an emergency 11 times this season, former co-captain Jack Grimes will play his first AFL match for 2016, after being named in Melbourne’s 22 for Saturday night’s clash against Fremantle at TIO Stadium.

As announced late on Thursday, defender Mitch White has been promoted from the rookie list to senior list and will also play his first AFL match for the season.

Going out of the side is key forward Chris Dawes and utility Tomas Bugg. Midfielder Viv Michie, second-year player Alex Neal-Bullen and ruckman Jake Spencer have been named emergencies.

Coach Paul Roos said Grimes and White had deserved their opportunities.

“The VFL team keeps putting pressure on the senior team and there is less wriggle room, which is good, because it’s making us a good team and a better team,” he told Melbourne TV.

“Grimesy’s been knocking on the door for a while and he played a really good game last week. He had 20-odd possessions and had a couple of goals, and he played the way we want him to play.

“Mitch White’s had a consistent season and had one of his better games last week.”

Roos said Dawes and Bugg were unlucky to miss out.

“Dawesy was disappointed with his game last week and we’re confident, as a number of guys have gone back, that they’re realigned themselves and got back in the team.”

“Buggy’s out and he’s probably going through not something dissimilar to players haven’t been able to consistently break into another team like us.

“Kenno (Ben Kennedy) went through it a couple of weeks ago, so he’s been pretty good this year, Buggy, but it’s just that slight drop off over the last four or five weeks.

“Hopefully, we’ll get him back and playing some good footy, because we’re seen what an important player he is, getting back in the team.”

Roos confirmed Melbourne would take Neal-Bullen and Spencer to Darwin.

“We’re taking Spence up, just with the ruck, because it’s pretty hard to fly [another one up quickly]. We expect Max to play, but we can’t fly one up in half-an-hour, and we’re taking Alex Neal-Bullen up as well,” he said.

For Grimes, it has been a year of persistence. He has starred in the VFL and been agonisingly close to selection all season. He will line-up for his 99th AFL game.

White will make his second appearance for Melbourne, after he made his AFL debut in the final round of the season last year against Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium.

The 20-year-old has been one of Casey’s most consistent performers in recent times.

Michie, who has played three matches this year from rounds seven to nine, will be an emergency for the sixth consecutive match.

Neal-Bullen, who has made two appearances in rounds nine and 10 this season, has been an emergency six times this year, from rounds three to eight.

Spencer, who missed the opening five matches of the season with a foot injury, has been a standout for Casey in recent weeks, and has been named an emergency for the first time this season.

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I like these changes... something I haven't said often this year. Although I thought Oliver would have been handy in these conditions

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Jayden Hunt rising star nom?

It'll probably be Mills, but 29 disposals gets your name noticed