Melbourne vs West Coast

[Underdog]

WC should win, but the equation creates a great tactical opportunity for a coach. Do Melbourne have too many smalls for WC? Can WC match the superiority that Melbourne should have with the inclusion of a smaller more mobile team? What can Roos do to create some favourable mismatches caused by WC being too tall? Really those are the kind of questions that Roos should be forcing West Coast to answer imo. I am sure they can answer them and I am not suggesting MFC would win, but they need to know there is hope there.

The advantage of the likes of Darling, Kennedy and Naitanui in particular is that they are very mobile and are brilliant at tackling and laying defensive pressure. Whilst they don't play small as such, they do negate a lot of advantage a small would have playing on them.

It's also worth noting that despite Darling lining up at CHF, he's only 191cm, so he not a monster forward like a Kennedy, Tippett, Cloke etc. He's the same height as Scott Pendlebury, not suggesting he has the same level of ability of playing "small", but he can basically play as a medium forward.

 

[Jarlcorbz]

Why is it that every season people assume that Melbourne is the only team that should improve? IMO West Coast have improved significantly compared to last year. Not only by skills and game plan, but also by the fact that they finally have a healthy list. Compare this to Melbourne where I'm sure their game plan has improved but the question remains as to whether they have the players on the field they need to implement it, which they don't. Maybe with a fully fit team but anyone is yet to see that.

Considering that last year when they beat them by 94 points West Coast were missing NicNat, Wellingham and Lecras, also with no Yeo and Ellis, instead having to use some pretty average depth, and it was in Melbourne, the Eagles definitely should win. By a lot.

Whatever this will say about Melbourne depends on how they go about losing by a lot of points, and how West Coast go about winning by a lot of points.

 

[Stikman75]

also not sure how believing we can beat melbourne can be seen as being cocky. we pumped them last year by 94 points at the G... in poor season where we finished 13th.

Well last year you beat the Doggies at home by 70 points (with a lot of your big names missing or short of a pre-season) and this year only 65 (with a full strength side.) Clearly you are on the way down** and judging on last week not being a shellacking the Dees are on the way up so it should be much closer. No doubt you should be confident of a win but cocky/arrogant is another thing.

I note with interest though that the media thinks your less impressive performance last week indicates the Eagles are back as a genuine contender.

**I don't believe this, I think you will make the 8 on the back of fewer injuries, a better draw and a better game day coach who actually seems to give a $hit and will adjust to the game situation.

 

[Citizen Erazed]

How does this game get a thread of it's own? haha

Oh it was started by a dork supporter who is more interested in this game than the far more interesting game his own team is involved in. How stereotypical. Anyways... yeah, we should win and probably fairly comfortably, but everyone already knows that. If we don't though, kudos on getting in early

 

[Theo X]

WC should smash us, we have no forward line.

 

[Magnum27]

As long as we win, i'll be happy.

We have to make the most of this soft start we have this year.

 

[Oneiros]

Well last year you beat the Doggies at home by 70 points (with a lot of your big names missing or short of a pre-season) and this year only 65 (with a full strength side.) Clearly you are on the way down** and judging on last week not being a shellacking the Dees are on the way up so it should be much closer. No doubt you should be confident of a win but cocky/arrogant is another thing.

I note with interest though that the media thinks your less impressive performance last week indicates the Eagles are back as a genuine contender.

**I don't believe this, I think you will make the 8 on the back of fewer injuries, a better draw and a better game day coach who actually seems to give a $hit and will adjust to the game situation.

I think that's being unfair to the progress the Bulldogs made during the back-half of last year. Remember that the Doggies were starting to edge into the sort of territory where pundits were asking "Why are we talking about Melbourne but not WB?" They were in dire straits before things began to click in the back-half of the year, where their effectiveness increased ten-fold.

 

[Keys]

I note with interest though that the media thinks your less impressive performance last week indicates the Eagles are back as a genuine contender.

It's been quite ridiculous that some people who justifiably had us finishing outside the 8 have now starting talking us up as a top 4 contender after one win at home against a side very few, if any, were predicting to make finals

We are in the mix with about 10 or 12 other sides for a spot in the bottom half of the eight and if we snag that it will be a good effort after last years disaster. This weeks game against a side with a number of its best players out injured is one we must win if we are genuinely hoping for a finals spot

 

[ROYAL EAGLE]

Hasn't been a massive surge in liquidity at Betfair yet.

You either havn't done it or your house is a rolled up newspaper.

Please LosBeatles is a fremantle supporter, the strong odd's are he as never had a house, finished his year 12
education, or held a real job in his life.

 

[lmach]

Well last year you beat the Doggies at home by 70 points (with a lot of your big names missing or short of a pre-season) and this year only 65 (with a full strength side.) Clearly you are on the way down** and judging on last week not being a shellacking the Dees are on the way up so it should be much closer. No doubt you should be confident of a win but cocky/arrogant is another thing.

I note with interest though that the media thinks your less impressive performance last week indicates the Eagles are back as a genuine contender.

**I don't believe this, I think you will make the 8 on the back of fewer injuries, a better draw and a better game day coach who actually seems to give a $hit and will adjust to the game situation.

The Dogs beat us at the end of last year and they also got within 19 points of Hawthorn. So, 65 - 19 = 46. We're a 46-point better side than Hawthorn.

 

[ep2018]

I'm a bit worried about this game. Even though Melbourne lost last week they weren't dreadful at all. Reckon this will be a close game but we'll still win IMO.

 

[Stikman75]

I think that's being unfair to the progress the Bulldogs made during the back-half of last year. Remember that the Doggies were starting to edge into the sort of territory where pundits were asking "Why are we talking about Melbourne but not WB?" They were in dire straits before things began to click in the back-half of the year, where their effectiveness increased ten-fold.

The doggies won four of their last six but only one (Carlton) were in finals contention. You guys and Adelaide had already put the cue in the rack and the other win was Melbourne. There was definite improvement as you'd expect from a relatively young team no doubt but it wasn't that dramatic.

Don't get me wrong, I think West Coast will be much better this year and will make the eight. I just think the early hype is unjustified on nothing more than a good preseason campaign and a good win (should have been 50% better) against a lower-mid tier club.

 

[ep2018]

The doggies won four of their last six but only one (Carlton) were in finals contention. You guys and Adelaide had already put the cue in the rack and the other win was Melbourne. There was definite improvement as you'd expect from a relatively young team no doubt but it wasn't that dramatic.

Don't get me wrong, I think West Coast will be much better this year and will make the eight. I just think the early hype is unjustified on nothing more than a good preseason campaign and a good win (should have been 50% better) against a lower-mid tier club.

Believe me I don't know where the hype is coming from either. We beat a team who we usually beat well at home.

Can't wait to play a top 4 team to see where we are really at!

 

[wowlace]

They will easily beat us. We haven't beat them since they tanked.

 

[clogged]

Why is it that every season people assume that Melbourne is the only team that should improve?

Who is thinking that?

How does this game get a thread of it's own? haha

Oh it was started by a dork supporter who is more interested in this game than the far more interesting game his own team is involved in. How stereotypical.

I have absolutely zero interest in how your team does. This is the first true test of Melbourne under a new coach, against a side that is capable of putting other sides away but also capable of losing games it shouldn't. Does the game foretell yet another season of despair for Demons fans or some light at the end of the tunnel?

 

[Probitas_]

They will easily beat us. We haven't beat them since they tanked.

When was that out of interest?

 

[Probitas_]

Who is thinking that?



I have absolutely zero interest in how your team does. This is the first true test of Melbourne under a new coach, against a side that is capable of putting other sides away but also capable of losing games it shouldn't. Does the game foretell yet another season of despair for Demons fans or some light at the end of the tunnel?

It's despair the whole way I reckon.

 

[jko'neal]

Could get ugly, WC enjoy bashing bottom teams.

 

[Jarlcorbz]

Who is thinking that?

Everyone who gets shocked when they lose by 100 points?

 

[clogged]

Everyone who gets shocked when they lose by 100 points?

I don't think anyone's shocked, just disappointed and wondering if it will ever end?

 

[mehow2g]

They will easily beat us. We haven't beat them since they tanked.

You mean since you tanked? you havent moved out of the bottom of the ladder since you tanked twice.

 

[LosBeatles]

Hasn't been a massive surge in liquidity at Betfair yet.

You either havn't done it or your house is a rolled up newspaper.

No, don't worry, I don't bet. I am poor and simple

My post was simply a recommendation for others who like to bet on football

 

[Roobs321]

Objectively, if West Coast isnt top of the ladder after Rnd 2, then either West Coast or Gold Coast had one of their worst games of the season.

I am still a little scarred after attending our MCG losses to the woeful demons in 2008 & 2009, so I am wary. But given Melbourne's laughable forward line at the moment, it would take something extraordinary from Roos. I think 2014 West Coast will generally beat the teams they should, so anticipate a win of similar magnitude to the Bulldogs win. But if LeCras, Kennedy and Darling catch fire, it could be ugly.

 

[mike91]

Objectively, if West Coast isnt top of the ladder after Rnd 2, then either West Coast or Gold Coast had one of their worst games of the season.

I am still a little scarred after attending our MCG losses to the woeful demons in 2008 & 2009, so I am wary. But given Melbourne's laughable forward line at the moment, it would take something extraordinary from Roos. I think 2014 West Coast will generally beat the teams they should, so anticipate a win of similar magnitude to the Bulldogs win. But if LeCras, Kennedy and Darling catch fire, it could be ugly.

Lol ok.

 

[Roobs321]

As in a complete submissive 2011-12 era-esque slaughter at the hands of Freo.