Melbourne vs St Kilda Round 17

[Barra13]

GOLDEN by The Oracle

I am not sure that it's a good idea for Melbourne players to spill their guts out when talking about the coming week's opposition.

I still carry the painful memories of Chris Dawes' comments before the Hawthorn game in Round 7 to the effect that the Hawks were "really gettable".

It sounded good at the time because Hawthorn was sitting on a 3-3 record, had suffered a shock 10-point loss to GWS Giants, and had yet to win two games on end during the season so Dawes opined:

"The Hawks are really gettable. They're not at their best yet, definitely, so I'm going to be planning to win this week and be expecting to win on Saturday."

Great expectations but he was 106 points out for the match because that's what it would have taken to win that day and which proves the old adage about silence being golden.

However, not to be deterred, young Demon tough nut Jack Viney came out saying that Melbourne "owes St Kilda" after Melbourne lost the Saints by two points when the teams met a little over a month ago.

I feel like we owe St Kilda one. I feel like we shouldve won last time we played them and they ended up sneaking over the line in the end, he said.

Personally, I feel like we owe them one and Im going to be going out there to try and take it off them.

Melbournes closest loss of the season was pretty devastating because the team lost so late in the game but it will be even more devastating if we simply expect that the game at the MCG this weekend is going to be a repeat of the toe to toe slugfest that could easily have gone Melbourne's way had the players kept their wits in that ¾ of a minute after Jeremy Howe put them in front in the dying stages of that fateful round 11 clash at Etihad Stadium.

Had they done that, the club would have wiped out two long standing hoodoos - the Etihad curse that goes back to 2007 and the 11 game losing streak against St. Kilda that goes back all the way to the elimination final of 2006.

The reason for the trepidation is that since that game, the Saints form has been far more impressive. A few weeks ago they prevailed over Essendon by 110 points and a week later Melbourne lost to the same opposition by nine. Even in defeat, the Saints were impressive in almost running down Richmond last Sunday as compared with the lacklustre way in which the Demons performed in the last half against the Brisbane Lions.

If Melbourne gets up this week, it will be the end of a long march in to a victory against St. Kilda, almost as long as the one it broke last month against Geelong at the Cattery.

THE GAME

Melbourne v St. Kilda at the MCG Sunday 26 July, 2015 at 3.20pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 118 wins St. Kilda 88 wins 1 drawn

At MCG Melbourne 58 wins St. Kilda 34 wins

Past five meetings Melbourne 0 wins St. Kilda 5 wins

The Coaches Roos 0 wins Richardson 2 wins

MEDIA

TV Fox Sports 3 at 3.00pm (live)

RADIO SEN, ABC, ABC Grandstand

THE BETTING Melbourne to win - $1.92 St. Kilda to win - $1.92

THE LAST TIME THEY MET St. Kilda 12.13.85 defeated Melbourne 12.11.83 in Round 11, 2015 at Etihad Stadium

In a game that ebbed and flowed all day, the Saints were narrowly in front for most of the final quarter until Jeremy Howe goaled with a mere 47 seconds left on the clock. The Demons will forever rue their failure to get numbers down back which resulted in Leigh Montagna's winning goal kicked some 20 seconds before the final siren.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

B: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta
HB: Daniel Cross, Tom McDonald, Jeremy Howe
C: Bernie Vince, Dom Tyson, Heritier Lumumba
HF: Aaron vandenBerg, Chris Dawes, Angus Brayshaw
F: Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Jeff Watts
Foll: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney
I/C (from): Jack Grimes, James Harmes, Mark Jamar, Matt Jones, Viv Michie, Alex Neal-Bullen, Billy Stretch

IN: Jack Grimes, Mark Jamar, Matt Jones, Viv Michie

OUT: Jay Kennedy-Harris (omitted)

ST. KILDA

B: Jarryn Geary, Sam Gilbert, Sean Dempster
HB: Shane Savage, Sam Fisher, Dylan Roberton
C: Jack Newnes, David Armitage, Leigh Montagna
HF: Luke Dunstan, Nick Riewoldt, Jack Sinclair
F: Jack Lonie, Josh Bruce, Paddy McCartin
FOLL: Billy Longer, Jack Steven, Maverick Weller
I/C (from): Tom Hickey, Hugh Goddard, Tim Membrey, Farren Ray, Adam Schneider, Eli Templeton, Jimmy Webster

IN: Tom Hickey, Tim Membrey, Adam Schneider

OUT:

[Pkbaldy]

Lock me in for the draw!

[Barra13]

Likely that Jamar and Harmes will be dropped as also named in the VFL squad. That leaves one other to miss which I'd say would be Jones/Michie.

[Purple 77]

I really want to win this game, more than usual admittedly.

Hogan to kick another 5?

[Pkbaldy]

I really want to win this game, more than usual admittedly.

Hogan to kick another 5?

Doubtful. Fish will be minding him this week.

[Purple 77]

I really want to win this game, more than usual admittedly.

Hogan to kick another 5?

Doubtful. Fish will be minding him this week.

Hogan to kick another 7?

[Big Mac]

I really want to win this game, more than usual admittedly.

Hogan to kick another 5?

Doubtful. Fish will be minding him this week.

Hogan to kick another 7?

8

[Purple 77]

I really want to win this game, more than usual admittedly.

Hogan to kick another 5?

Doubtful. Fish will be minding him this week.

Hogan to kick another 7?

8

9?

[LF]

0
:P

[Bill Manspeaker]

0
:P

[Big Mac]

Had a dream last night that we were dominating before St Kilda came back and won 140-120

Pls no

[Purple 77]

Jack Viney career best game?

[Pkbaldy]

Did Hogan play after the first quarter?  :P :P

[Big Mac]

Jack Viney career best game?

Yep i'd say so

Has been building nicely over the past few weeks

[Purple 77]

Jack Viney career best game?

Yep i'd say so

Has been building nicely over the past few weeks

Indeed, also his ability to shut down his opponent has been fantastic!