Melbourne Demons will be looking to rebound from last Sunday’s abomination of a defeat when they face Essendon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground tonight. We’ll have live scores from 7.40pm AEDT.
It’s not the first time it’s been said, but Melbourne’s 79-point collapse to Port Adelaide at the G last Sunday was truly a new low.
The Dees have been mired in a re-building phase for the past five years and on the basis of last Sunday they’ll be there for a while yet.
Things weren’t helped by hamstring injury to former Collingwood key forward Chris Dawes, who will miss a month a football, and an awkward fall that ended Mitch Clark’s afternoon.
Essendon opened the 2013 AFL season all the way back on March 22, when they overcame a fast Adelaide start and some inhospitable conditions to claim what ended up being a dominant 35-point win.
It should be another routine shellacking for Mark Neeld’s side, but sport simply just does not always play out to the script that we expect.
A quick glance at recent history would indicate why a Bombers win might not yet be a foregone conclusion.
The Dees have won their past three matches against Essendon, including a six-point victory in round ten last year that virtually derailed the Bombers’ season.
Given that Melbourne have been rightfully slated by all and sundry this week, you’d expect them to come out throwing punches tonight.
But anybody that saw them play last Sunday would have trouble believing that statement, and it isn’t any wonder why.
If Melbourne turn up to play they might keep this close – but if they play like they did against Port this could easily be a triple-figure deficit.
JR Salazar
Guest
There you go.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
I reckon the GWS reserves would beat Melbourne at the moment.
Radelaide
Guest
Well the bombers did beat the crows in rd 1 in Adelaide by 35 points, I think they are the real deal this year.
Mallamick
Guest
No Surprises Here What a joke. After watching Neelds address to the players before the game, no wonder they lost. A few words scratched on the whiteboard and mutterings about respect was about it. Talk about a losing mentality. Where was the game plan? Where was the talk of how to smash the Bombers? Why were players like Watts constantly looking down at their feet? A club that has managed to avoid scrutiny because of it's heritage is in grave danger of going the same way as past old established VFL/AFL clubs like Fitzroy and South Melbourne. It's time to overthrow that old entrenched mentality of privelege and position and to clean out this fusty old boys club with the broom of mongrel modernity and avarice desire for success. Until then, I'm out of here.
Knoxy
Guest
That's what everyone said last week.
Floreat Pica
Guest
The next question becomes how long will Essendon be around to enjoy their massive percentage?
Ultimate Ella Fan
Guest
Haha! Yeah! Jordie McKenzie would have made a difference tonight! He finished in Melbourne's top 5 last year, and yet I don't think he's any better than Aaron Davies who subbed him. Just an example of why Melbourne are so bad... the players they pick are bad. Reminds of something someone once said, "It's not that you don't try, it's not that you don't have a good gameplan, you're just quite simply... NOT THAT GOOD!
Ultimate Ella Fan
Guest
With Melbourne...? They could get worse...
Matt
Guest
Melbourne now sit with a 28% for and against... wow. Next worse is Brisbane on 61% - Demons are over twice as bad as the second worst team in the whole competition so far. The only good news is, surely, the only way from here is up.
dexx
Guest
Essendon outscored Melbourne 100-7 after half time. ONE HUNDRED TO SEVEN.
JR Salazar
Guest
If GWS does not beat Melbourne this year, I want Sheedy out, and make it quick.
Knoxy
Guest
This was quite literally a training exercise for the Bombers. Hell they could have taken all the Melbourne players off, replaced them with witches hats and the score line wouldn't have been any different. Absolutely dreadful.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
If they sack the coach alone it will be a total disgrace. Start with the front office, then let the replacements decide if Neeld is their man. Melbourne isn't a real club - its an ephemera used by other clubs to say to their supporters "be thankful we aren't Melbourne!"
Scifi
Guest
Perhaps the AFL should simply put Melbourne out of its misery. This is simply not good enough, Melbourne should be relegated to the second level. Glad I am that I am not a Melbourne fan.
TomC
Guest
I think I said something during the week about how Melbourne had set the bar so low in round one they couldn't possibly get under it. I say some dumb things, sometimes.
Baz
Guest
ok, maybe closer to 500%, but still...
Baz
Guest
nothing like a 600% win to put you on top of the ladder...
JR Salazar
Guest
Sweet baby butter Jesus. This is a Sanduskying.
Justvisiting
Guest
Close game, again
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Oh god, it's ugly as a mule catapulted into an ugly tree and isn't even quarter time yet...