BlueYoss
Norm Smith Medallist
Many posters have been saying that Melbourne tend to play well against us and it seems to be the basis for considering this week's game as a danger game for Carlton.
I suspect this may be some residual trepidation still lingering from the sting of losing to Melbourne at the Princes Park farewell game in 2005.
Let's not forget 2005 was a wooden spoon year for Carlton with Essendon, Richmond, Hawthorn and Collingwood our only wins for the year, even though we played each of these teams twice and won only once (AND both Essendon and Richmond smashed us by close to 100 points in our other meetings that year).
2005 was a top four year for Melbourne.
The next time we played them was Kouta's 250th, round 1 2006. We were the wooden spooners and we managed to pull off an unexpected win against a top four side, and it gave us bragging rights for many weeks.
We played them again in round 18 of that year. They were 3rd on the ladder and we were 16th. Again we won.
That takes us to 2007, we played Melbourne twice, and while they did beat us on both occasions, there were mitigating circumstances:
Round 14, 2007 - This game came during Carlton's lowest point in 2007. Lance had recently been 'dropped until further notice/weight loss' resulting in Waite being appointed the acting captain for Freo at Subi. As we are all too aware this was the 'Fev bad body language' game that resulted in him being told by the club to go away for a week and have a think about whether or not he wants to play footy for Carlton. We also got hammered by almost 80 points in that game resulting in Carlton booking itself the next spot on the coaching merry go round of 2007. We came into that Melbourne game in tatters in terms of both personnel and psyche and still made a contest of it, going down by less than 4 goals.
Round 22, 2007 - This is the game that neither team wanted to win, Melbourne may have won on the scoreboard, but we 'won' Judd and Kreuzer.
Looking at the whole scenario dating back to the final game at Princes Park in 2005, I think I can safely say that the myth that Melbourne always play well against us is well and truly busted! If anything, recent history would show that the opposite is the case.
Go Blues by 10 goals+
I suspect this may be some residual trepidation still lingering from the sting of losing to Melbourne at the Princes Park farewell game in 2005.
Let's not forget 2005 was a wooden spoon year for Carlton with Essendon, Richmond, Hawthorn and Collingwood our only wins for the year, even though we played each of these teams twice and won only once (AND both Essendon and Richmond smashed us by close to 100 points in our other meetings that year).
2005 was a top four year for Melbourne.
The next time we played them was Kouta's 250th, round 1 2006. We were the wooden spooners and we managed to pull off an unexpected win against a top four side, and it gave us bragging rights for many weeks.
We played them again in round 18 of that year. They were 3rd on the ladder and we were 16th. Again we won.
That takes us to 2007, we played Melbourne twice, and while they did beat us on both occasions, there were mitigating circumstances:
Round 14, 2007 - This game came during Carlton's lowest point in 2007. Lance had recently been 'dropped until further notice/weight loss' resulting in Waite being appointed the acting captain for Freo at Subi. As we are all too aware this was the 'Fev bad body language' game that resulted in him being told by the club to go away for a week and have a think about whether or not he wants to play footy for Carlton. We also got hammered by almost 80 points in that game resulting in Carlton booking itself the next spot on the coaching merry go round of 2007. We came into that Melbourne game in tatters in terms of both personnel and psyche and still made a contest of it, going down by less than 4 goals.
Round 22, 2007 - This is the game that neither team wanted to win, Melbourne may have won on the scoreboard, but we 'won' Judd and Kreuzer.
Looking at the whole scenario dating back to the final game at Princes Park in 2005, I think I can safely say that the myth that Melbourne always play well against us is well and truly busted! If anything, recent history would show that the opposite is the case.
Go Blues by 10 goals+
