Helping The Melbourne Football Club Week: Sandringham Versus Melbourne
Sandringham has been a great success in recent years while Melbourne hasn't really achieved a lot. Sandringham is like a well-oiled machine that dispenses opposition teams with ease, if Melbourne is a machine there is no oil, very little fuel and the gasket needs replacing. The strange thing is, a lot of Sandringham's success has been possible due to Melbourne's players.
Last weekend really showed how each team fares in their competition, Sandringham destroyed their opponent while Melbourne had a lot of trouble and a big loss. If they played against each other last round, Melbourne versus Sandringham, it might have been a close game.
Mel FB James Frawley, Nathan Carroll, Daniel Bell
San FF Ben Holland, Nicholas Sautner, Matthew Bate
Mel HB Paul Wheatley, Jared Rivers, Cameron Bruce
San HF Ezra Poyas, Roderick Crowe, Addam Maric
Mel C Brad Green, Brock McLean, Clint Bartram
San C Simon Buckley, Peter Summers, Shane Valenti
Mel HF Cale Morton, Russell Robertson, Colin Sylvia
San HB Kyle Cheney, Chris Lamb, Tomi Johnston
Mel FF Aaron Davey, Brad Miller, Austin Wonaeamirri
San FB Jace Bode, Stefan Martin, Chris Johnson
Mel Foll Jeff White, James McDonald, Nathan Jones
San Foll Jake Spencer, Chad Liddell, Adem Yze
Mel bench Lynden Dunn, Mark Jamar, Brent Moloney, Matthew Warnock
San bench John Meesen, Shane Tregear, Chris Waller, Guy Martyn
There are a lot of positives for Melbourne when they look at how good Sandringham is. Bate, Maric and probably Valenti all belong in Melbourne's best 22. Add those three to Melbourne's forward line and it becomes more versatile, skilled and exciting.
Buckley, Johnson, Bode and Martin should all see some AFL action soon. Melbourne can elevate another rookie, Valenti deserves it while Spencer would certainly give them extra height. Meesen shares the ruck duties at Sandringham but his best spot might be at full forward, there isn't a vacancy at that position for Sandringham but there is at Melbourne.
One thing that Sandringham have under control is the key positions, and Sautner, Crowe and Lamb always deliver in the VFL. Liddell keeps going and there are few in the VFL better than Ezra.
If these two teams did play last weekend, Melbourne would have won because they have Jeff White. But Sautner, Bate and Maric would have been a handful for the Melbourne defenders and the battle of the small onballers might have been a draw.
Melbourne fans can look forward to September, as their reserves team could win a trophy. It might also give an idea of how to win to some of the Demons' younger players and in the future they will bring that to AFL level.
Last weekend really showed how each team fares in their competition, Sandringham destroyed their opponent while Melbourne had a lot of trouble and a big loss. If they played against each other last round, Melbourne versus Sandringham, it might have been a close game.
Mel FB James Frawley, Nathan Carroll, Daniel Bell
San FF Ben Holland, Nicholas Sautner, Matthew Bate
Mel HB Paul Wheatley, Jared Rivers, Cameron Bruce
San HF Ezra Poyas, Roderick Crowe, Addam Maric
Mel C Brad Green, Brock McLean, Clint Bartram
San C Simon Buckley, Peter Summers, Shane Valenti
Mel HF Cale Morton, Russell Robertson, Colin Sylvia
San HB Kyle Cheney, Chris Lamb, Tomi Johnston
Mel FF Aaron Davey, Brad Miller, Austin Wonaeamirri
San FB Jace Bode, Stefan Martin, Chris Johnson
Mel Foll Jeff White, James McDonald, Nathan Jones
San Foll Jake Spencer, Chad Liddell, Adem Yze
Mel bench Lynden Dunn, Mark Jamar, Brent Moloney, Matthew Warnock
San bench John Meesen, Shane Tregear, Chris Waller, Guy Martyn
There are a lot of positives for Melbourne when they look at how good Sandringham is. Bate, Maric and probably Valenti all belong in Melbourne's best 22. Add those three to Melbourne's forward line and it becomes more versatile, skilled and exciting.
Buckley, Johnson, Bode and Martin should all see some AFL action soon. Melbourne can elevate another rookie, Valenti deserves it while Spencer would certainly give them extra height. Meesen shares the ruck duties at Sandringham but his best spot might be at full forward, there isn't a vacancy at that position for Sandringham but there is at Melbourne.
One thing that Sandringham have under control is the key positions, and Sautner, Crowe and Lamb always deliver in the VFL. Liddell keeps going and there are few in the VFL better than Ezra.
If these two teams did play last weekend, Melbourne would have won because they have Jeff White. But Sautner, Bate and Maric would have been a handful for the Melbourne defenders and the battle of the small onballers might have been a draw.
Melbourne fans can look forward to September, as their reserves team could win a trophy. It might also give an idea of how to win to some of the Demons' younger players and in the future they will bring that to AFL level.
