Round 6 Melbourne vs Sydney

[Barra13]

THE BUBBLE by JVM

Now that the Melbourne "bubble" has burst after that hammering it took from Fremantle last Sunday, the fans are wondering how the team will respond.

Will the Demons come back from the thrashing in the same way that the young Western Bulldogs did in the aftermath of the 70 point debacle meted out by Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium in Round 3 or will they slip into their collective shells and allow their season to descend back into the mire they have inhabited for the best part of a decade?

Well, the answer will be known as early as next Saturday night when Melbourne plays the shaky Sydney Swans at the MCG. I say "shaky" because after winning their first three games of the season, they have uncharacteristically lost successive games to in form clubs Fremantle and the Bulldogs.

The Swans have travelled extensively so far this season and have also played games in heavy conditions such as last Saturday at the boggy SCG. They are a very good team that many believe to be strongly in contention for a top four berth and they are also vulnerable but it remains to be seen whether the Demons have the necessary ammunition to take advantage of that vulnerability given how their on ballers were taken apart by the Dockers and the Swans midfield division at full strength is only marginally less formidable.

My final lament is that Paul Roos was a fantastic coach at the Sydney Swans and imbued that club with a great footy culture which one hopes will be emulated during his stay at Melbourne but I wish that some of the Swans players would only have followed the lead of the lads up at Gold Coast and gotten on the turps during the week. Instead, they have what is virtually a full list to select their team this week.

THE GAME Melbourne v Sydney Swans at the MCG Saturday 9 May 2015 at 7.20p.m

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 92 wins Sydney Swans 109 wins 2 drawn

At MCG Melbourne 49 wins Sydney Swans 41 wins 2 drawn

Last 5 meetings Melbourne 0 wins Sydney Swans 4 wins 1 drawn

The Coaches Roos 0 wins Longmire 1 win

MEDIA

TV Channel 7 Fox Sports 3 at 7:00pm (live)

RADIO Triple M 3AW

THE BETTING

Melbourne $5.05 to win Sydney Swans $1.17 to win

THE LAST TIME THEY MET Sydney Swans 9.15.69 defeated Melbourne 5.9.39 in Round 6, 2014 at the MCG.

The Demons managed to hold Buddy Franklin in check although the Swans' star might have had his head elsewhere a day after stacking his girlfriend's car but the Sydney midfield was in control and gradually wore down and then overwhelmed the home side.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

B: Colin Garland Tom McDonald Jeremy Howe
HB: Christian Salem Lynden Dunn Heritier Lumumba
C: Jimmy Toumpas Bernie Vince Daniel Cross
HF: Jeff Garlett Jesse Hogan Jay Kennedy-Harris
F: Cameron Pedersen Chris Dawes Angus Brayshaw
FOLL: Jake Spencer Nathan Jones Dom Tyson
I/C: Ben Newton Billy Stretch Aaron Vandenberg Jack Watts
EMG: Rohan Bail Jack Fitzpatrick Mark Jamar

IN: Chris Dawes Jake Spencer Billy Stretch Jimmy Toumpas

OUT: Jack Grimes Mark Jamar Jordie McKenzie Viv Michie (all omitted)

NEW: Billy Stretch (Glenelg, SA)

SYDNEY SWANS

B: Nick Smith Ted Richards Rhyce Shaw
HB: Jeremy Laidler Heath Grundy Lewis Jetta
C: Jarrad McVeigh Josh P. Kennedy Dane Rampe
HF: Gary Rohan Lance Franklin Dan Hannebery
F: Luke Parker Kurt Tippett Sam Reid
FOLL: Mike Pyke Kieren Jack Tom Mitchell
I/C: Adam Goodes Isaac Heeney Jake Lloyd Ben McGlynn
EMG: Craig Bird Harry Cunningham Dean Towers

IN: Isaac Heeney Ben McGlynn Sam Reid

​OUT: Craig Bird Harry Cunningham Dean Towers

[Purple 77]

If the Dogs just stayed down and lost last week like they were supposed to, I wouldn't be fearing this match  :-X

[Big Mac]

If the Dogs just stayed down and lost last week like they were supposed to, I wouldn't be fearing this match  :-X

While Sydney has a point to prove so do we

From what I've read the selfish footy of last week has been addressed a lot at training - Hopefully we can come out firing

[Barra13]

Roos on Jamar:

"We spoke to Mark this morning and said, 'We're not unhappy with they way you've been playing but it's hard to do it week in, week out'," Roos said on Friday.

"His concentration levels have got to be enormous. You've got to get to 80, 90 stoppages and then in between stoppages you've got to be active.

"It's probably as much about the position now, it's just a really tough role.

[Purple 77]

I stopped watching (for the first time this year) after Sydney replied straight away after Garlett kicked our second goal for the game (in the 3rd quarter). Up until that point, I thought we were trying, but we just made is SO easy for Sydney to defend, whom were doing so very well.

I felt like all we needed to do is actually kick and handball to one of our players' chest and/or advantage, and we actually could have been in it. It was an incredibly frustrating and very disappointing match.

But kudos to us for keeping at it, and I wish I actually saw it  ::)

Gutted I didn't see Hogan's goals  :'( :'(

But back to the game I saw... by, golly Tom McDonald is a good player. And Salem was having a game too!

I didn't mind Spencers'  game either tbh, I sorta hope he gets another game.

[Purple 77]

OH! And how good is Stretch?! Particularly in the first half.

[GoLions]

OH! And how good is Stretch?! Particularly in the first half.

I had to change pants like 3 times before half time. Didn't do a lot in the 2nd half though.

[Big Mac]

I haven't checked the stats but was at the game and hated how Spencer played

Didn't seem to have any influence outside the ruck contest (laid a few tackles though), and when he got a hit out it went nowhere near a Melbourne player

Pathetic game though, I thought we were past how we played tonight. 1 goal in a half of footy is nowhere near good enough

[Purple 77]

OH! And how good is Stretch?! Particularly in the first half.

I had to change pants like 3 times before half time. Didn't do a lot in the 2nd half though.

Lol, I know dem feels


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[Purple 77]

Also, I just get more and more respect for Daniel Cross as each game passes. Never gets talked about, but he had 23 disposals, 8 marks, 7 tackles, 4 hit-outs... all the while keeping Hannebery to 18 possessions. Just a great professional and feel lucky to have him, perfect role model for our younger players.