This Sunday Night's King's Birthday Eve matched the biggest meeting of Carlton Essendon in twenty five years, with both teams at the business end of the ladder for the first time together since the turn of the millennium. Josh Barnes will join me coming up to preview the blockbuster and then less than twenty four hours later, the decimated Pies and devastated D's will hope to fill the g again. Glenn McFarlane is coming on to chat about the ins and outs of both teams chances as well. But first
here's Josh. Well. After a mid season break and then a mini pre season, Josh Barnes is back on the heralds Unfooty podcast today.
Barnsey, it was a bit like one of those ones where they send them down to the VFL for three weeks to do some training and get the body right all that sort of stuff. Have I missed anything in the last few weeks, Andy, what's been happening?
Not a whole lot. I think Melbourne had the week off last week, so yeah, they played like it. Oh they played Yeah, that depends on your definition. That was quite the watch. Must admit didn't get all the way through that. Hopefully it's an aberration. We'll wait and see, but we're not going to talk about that. We're going to talk about what bills as being the biggest game of the year could be the biggest game of the century.
If you ask people in the inner North and northern suburbs of Melbourne, it's Cardon and Essendon on Sunday evening.
Yeah, it's going to be massive. I'll be there and I'm excited to see what can happen. It's a bit more positive than Melbourne chat. Isn't any talking about Sunday night. But it's going to be the biggest game between these sides since definitely at least since twenty eleven when they played elimination Final Cut and won that easily. They've got to take over ninety thousand in the stands that day.
They played in the preliminary final in two thousand andy if you remember that, remember well that pretty easily on their way to that dominant premiership. A proad from that. These two haven't really have played two meaningful matches this century really when you look at it, so this is going to be a monster of a game. They got a three thousand there last year. For this Queen's Birthday, e fixed out they're going to beat that both they all report so far on ticket sales and it's going
to be a huge one. Who would have thought we'd have Essendon second and Carlton fifth heading into Queen's Birthday.
Yeah, and it's interesting because I think Essendon has definitely flown under the raidar you know that people haven't talked about them and still aren't talking about them as a genuine contender necessarily come the end of the year. But they are definitely talking up Carlton because Carlton, you know,
they've they've got everybody excited. They almost they got to a prelim last year when people didn't expect them to and they've really built on that this year with some pretty stellar forward player and their mid film in Patrick Cripps is you know, if not the best, he has to be in the top five players in the competition. So yeah, it's going to be an exciting one. It's twenty five years since that nine to ninety nine pre limb, that famous cart and winning the Prism, when everyone expected
Essendon to just go right on with the business. And yeah, twenty five years later, maybe lightning will strike twice and we'll get another Crackerjack game.
Yeah. I was not a firm believer, but a quite believer in Essendon coming into this year. It's easy to forget that they were sixth on the ladder Round fifteen last year. They fell away badly. We all know that
there's no hiding from that. They were awful in the last few rounds, particularly they're huge loss to GWS, but there was a lot of injuries, a lot of running out of gas I think by the end of last year, and I thought they were better side than what they showed in the last few weeks, and they've proven that
so far this season. They've turned things around. I think the obvious thing that we just spoke about before we started recording this is their percentage is still on the one hundred and two ESSEN, which is usually an indicator of how you actually are as a team. Is youer percentage?
So yeah, it's not that positive. I don't think anyone really believes that they're a flag contender, but if they beat Carlton this week in a huge game like that, they have to be sort of stamped as a serious team to watch.
Seinenth on the percentage ladder. So Adelaide's percentage in fourteenth is significantly better, Brisbane in thirteenth is significantly better. So yeah, it's an interesting one, isn't it. So that they're they're winning games that maybe you know that that predicted result the lovely Melbourne Finals stat that the players all clung to last year. But yeah, they're winning games that maybe
that the stats show that they shouldn't be winning. And often when you get to the end of the year, they're the ones that get you into the finals and you build on from there.
Yeah, and this comes after they lost to Gold Coast obviously on the weekend, and that was a back and forth final quarter really only decided by that fifty min penalty in the final ninety seconds or so of the game, and that was one that they probably could have won really, so if they'd pinched that, they'd be clear in second and holding on. How have you rated the Blues lately anywhere where do you sort of see them?
I think the Blues are definitely in the top three contenders. You know, their their list profile and all if you want to go get into the jarg and it seems to suggest that they are up there. They're still winning games even with a significant injury at list. You know, their injury list has been spoken about as being you know, in the other than say Richmond and Collingwood. They're they're the most hampered by sgiven injuries, but they seem to still find players to feel those spots and to win
their way. So now I think Carlton, as they get players back, you know, if they can stick around, if they can sneak into the top four by the end of the year, they are a genuine chance.
Yeah, I think they're They're sort of in that part of the season right now where you just have to win and forget about how you're playing. Almost given there. They've been holding onto this injury list for ten weeks now. Really, every time they start clearing players more get added on.
It's been a real battle for them along. They're not alone, as you said, Richmond and Colin would have probably worse off than them, but it's been a real struggle and they've just managed to find ways to win, find ways to get overline and stay in touch with the top four. The top four that, as we just discussed, is not very impressive really at the moment, Sydney is head and shoulders above everybody else in the ladder. But in second we spoke about, so their percentages is not not that good.
Geelong has been bad for five weeks now Port Adelaide, nobody ever believes in them. They've struggled when it counts. So there is a top four spot there for the taking, really, and Carlton I think should grab it.
This could be one of those years, and we spoke about twenty sixteen was one of those years. And going back even further like nineteen ninety was one of those years where the teams who are there or thereabouts who don't win the premiership will possibly look back on it and say that was the year that we could have because there wasn't a standout. You know, Sydney are at the moment, but can they keep it going all season? Everyone else is sort of you know from second to
ninth or tenth. You know they're interchangeable. So you know, you just wonder can a team twenty sixteen style the Bulldogs finished seventh, You know, can a team who finishes in that sort of area Bob and have a really good run top in that four week finals? I think there aren't the standouts and I think that makes it exciting.
Yeah.
Now, last time you had me on here and he before I was sent down to the two through a good month to sort myself out. I was on the record saying that the top three at the time were clearly above the rest. I was GWS, Sydney and Geelong at the time. What marks do you give me over the past four or five weeks.
Well, Geelong seemed to go overseas with you, I think.
Well, to be honest, I flew back in on Saturday from Dublin and I think as I was crossing back into Australia along was down by twenty five points to Richmond, and then they started picking it up.
So it can't be a coincidence. Well, you know, don't go away again. So yeah, Geelong they look you know, they looked great at the start of the year. As soon as they start losing, they look old and slow. But it's a profile that's happened to Geelong for ten years, so they could pick it up again. The signs aren't great GWS. I don't think GWS there ever ever go away. So yeah, they've lost a few games, they're still middling,
they're still in there. Wait for them to pick it up, wait for Jesse Hogan to burst out and kick another six, and you know, win games. I mean I think Sydney is as you said, still, you know there's some daylight second, but third to tenth anyone could win it.
Yeah. I put gws still alongside Carlton's two signs that should make the top four from here, I think in the right position. As we've said, teams above them should probably start filtering down at some stage. So I think those are three your top four, really, Sydney Giants and the Blues. I think that's where I sort of sit and.
Then put it on the record Barnsey. Who will finish fourth?
Then well that's a big question, isn't I mean, I don't really know, to be honest. I think gee Long as a fair chance if they get through this month, okay, but they didn't get through last month's okay. Port Adelade seems to win a lot of games. Freemantle's coming with a bit of a rush at the moment. The way they're playing their footy looks pretty good. I don't think
Colin can make it that high from here. Melbourne you can probably right off of that, and then you've got the Western Bulldogs is probably the last team in contention on the ladder at the moment for a top fourth spot. I don't see from them. I can't rely on them too much, so I don't know. I think it's probably going to be either one of Geelong or portolatle get enough wins against poor teams. Geelong has a after this
next month. They have a good draw thanks to finishing in the middle of the ladder last year, they should probably come home reasonably strongly, so maybe they'll finish fourth. But they can't seem to win games at home as easily as they used to, so who knows. That's not really answering your question is no, I think Freemantle is the best of those options in terms of their form at the moment.
Sydney Carlton, GWS Frio is the Josh Barnes top four.
Would that be the biggest nightmare for ticket sales? Is GWS and Freemantle both in the top four.
Well, particularly if they finished second and third and they both get home sorry first and third they both get home prelims, or if they finished fourth and fifth, so they you know, anyway, third and fifth.
That's why we're going to near Carlton Ands and do a lot of heavy lifting. Think the way things are shaping out on his gold coasts in the top eight at the moment, we're going to be relying heavily on the Blues and Bombers. That's hopefully they can kick start that absolutely week.
Oh yeah on Sunday, It's going to be an exciting one. Barnsey enjoy thanks for joining me. Thanks Eddie, and here on the Herald Sun Footy podcast where we just talked King's Birthday eve with Josh Barnes and let's talk King's Birthday Glen McFarlan, welcome.
Hey, you and Andy are right, two massive games and geez, I think the Sunday night might be completely out of his shadowing the Monday one.
At this stage, Well it is, yeah, I mean I think there'll be a bigger crowd. You've got two more informed.
Teams, the twins playing against each other.
Absolutely, and then the Monday you've got a Collingwood team, you know, crippled by injury, and you've got a Melbourne team coming off crippled by poor form. Well just a you know, embarrassing, a shameful.
I can't remember many games like that where I watched and I just thought, this football club has been obliterated. And you look at that midfield. That midfield is a premiership winning midfield. We've seen it and they were completely torn apart.
Yeah, and it's not that it's not a team that is, you know, at the end of their powers with all you've got, you've got essentially as midfield that is, at their height of their late ENnies, there should be Yeah, they should be dominating.
Absolutely and they have. They have done that in the past. And now you look at it. There was always a couple of little floors with Melbourne forward lines all even when their premiership yet it was a floor as well.
But now what.
I'm looking at is I'm looking at floors both, you know, not just forward, not just back, but in the midfield as well, so every line. And we're talking about a couple of games they've had. Two of the last three games have been terrible mel really bad. It's like falling off a cliff in a way. And I don't think you can blame Alice Springs, and I know internally they're not blaming Alice Springs. The venue has been the reason behind that, you know, shocking result against Fremantle.
Well, it's not like they're playing against Alice Springs. In Alice Springs, correct, I don't have to travel as well. They travel further than Melbourne travel correct.
So with that with Alice Springs as well, when you look at it, like in terms of traveling, I think Melbourne you know, probably have got lesser travel than Freemantle will actually get there. And the bottom line is it was a I wasn't there, but I watched every kick. If I'm sure you would have, I would have given it away. But with that, like last year was a really awkward conditions up there last year, this year clear perfect conditions, not oppressive, not bad weather. So there's no
excuses in regard to that. So and I can tell you now Melbourne is locked in for the next two years, so they're not going anywhere, so that the Alice Springs game will go ahead.
So all the debate about, oh.
Why are they playing at Alice Springs, Well, if they weren't playing at Alice Springs, they'll probably be playing at Marvel that game.
Freemant will play Marvel okay too, so well.
And also it doesn't you should be able to play, you should you're not selling. As my point before, you're not selling a home game to up the stadium to play Freemantle on the correct.
Correct and fret I'd never played there before as well, so.
And they just made Melbourne look witch's hats. Yeah, and they ran around them and there's no system and you know, Freemantle we're on. But still there's no excuse for ninety two points.
I spent first half of the game trying to work out how good freemanl I was and by the end I'm like, well, yeah, they're good, but how bad Melbourne were? And I kept thinking there'd be a spike. There was no spike. They can't kick goals and this in this instance, and you take Lever out of the defense, they can't save goals at the Melbourne that Melbourne. You know, you look at Stephen Mays, who's been a remarkable player for Melbourne.
He looked out of sorts. And when Stephen May looks out of sorts, I know you're a Harrison Petty forward, that kind of guy. I'm not sure which way you're going, but I think you'll find that at some stage you'll have to go back.
Is that not papering over cracks though?
It's a few cracks. We're talking. We're talking serious cracks at the moment.
Yeah, So you take Harrison Penny out of the forward line, who do you put in there?
For a start?
You've tried Ben Brown, He's hardly got any he's left and even at his best for Melbourne, the system never really worked.
Hasn't worked for anymore, that's right.
You know, Shane McCadam is a ghost in the forward line since he can't.
Get near the horribly out of touch.
You know, there's Fulson who they brought in to be the Grundy replacement, that was brought in to be the Jackson replacement, but they haven't wanted to give him I think he was a little bit injured but then really wanted to give.
Him the go.
So there's a lot of internal debate going about what happens with Harrison Petty.
That's the thing.
The coach is very keen and you know, very interested in keeping him where he is at the moment, but you know, out of necessity they might need to go back and does he stay at the end of the year. There's all you know, we know how hard Melbourne Adelaide came for Harrison Petty last year. Do they come as hard? They certainly don't offer as much, do they. That's the thing.
No, they don't because they offered what they offered based on one game against Richmond last year.
It's a good game, good if you can get that situation where you play a couple of good games and all of a sudden they come for you. But he's a better player than what he's playing. That's what I think. The most important thing is he is a good player. Is he a defender?
Is he a forward?
Well, we don't really know, but they're gonna have to find out pretty soon.
They are. And I think they're playing against Collingwood who don't have a forward line correct. You know, they've got injuries all over the ground. So if they can't, you know, make a statement again, I think it needs to be more than just beating Collingwood. It needs to be making a statement. Doesn't have to be a huge result, but they need to show that they are a better.
Team because Collingwood, even without the players, they're very spirited. You saw what the Dogs did before against Sydney. The Dogs were terrific against Sydney the week before, so I think it was you know, and the Dogs lost a few players again last week as well, but it was a very creditable performance from Collingwood. They could have put the Dogs away in the first quarter, just didn't kick straight.
So a lot of interesting looks at you know, how far some of the guys that are out from Collingwood until they come back, and you know they'll get Will Hoskin Elliott back this week. He was close to playing last week, so he'll play Reeth McGinness maybe from that concussion. Then there's a bit of a gap until the Cavalry comes back and so got to get through that period of time.
Big watch on Jamie Elliott as well.
There's been a lot of talk about whether he whether that vascular issue in his foot is really causing concern and whether you know, there's some speculation that he might not play again.
Now.
The clubs will put out a statement later today, but having spoken to a few people there yesterday that they're optimistic that he can still play a part in this season. You know, in the medium term that he that he can get back onto the field. He's certainly carrying an issue there and will be a fitness thing there as well. But fascinating game because the Pies will come you know, minus some players, but with plenty of spirit.
And will the Demons have that same spirit? That's the key.
Yeah, And there's a there's recent history between the two teams.
There is. They don't like each other, let's be honest.
And it's the first time they've met since the.
She there is too, isn't it.
How do you reckon Melvin crowd are going to treat Bradon Maynard the interesting?
I mean that they'll do the usual booing every time against the ball. And I don't think I don't think on the flip side, I don't think there's a that Melbourne is the sort of team that comes up after them.
Jack Viney, There's not many. There's not many, is there. I was just going to say something bad then I was going to say, are they a nice footy team?
In a way they are?
They used to have that hunger, that that you know, real ruthless element to it.
It seems to have dissipated.
I think, you know, Max is pretty ruthless, but not in an aggressive way. He's ruthless with the way he that he gets through Jack Viney is he's ruthless at the player.
And you know, in a fair way, there's not many others. Stephen May. Maybe there's not many others.
You know, as we said, the Sunday night game is fascinating because I think it could be absolute cracker Jackie versus.
Fifth ninety two thousand, maybe.
But the Monday game is fascinating just for the permutation. It is the end of the rest of the season.
Because you looked at it earlier this year would have thought, well, Collinod and Melbourn going to be right there and the whips are cracking, and you know, you look at the ladder now there and they're both in a fair bit of trouble when you look at it. So you're looking at their their ninth and tenth, ninth and tenth the pies. You know they've both got the you know, both got the seven wins, and you look at their both percentages
around about the same. Gee, they're eerily similar to percentages one oh four point six Collingwood one oh four point three Melbourne. So surprised that they're there at this stage. There's still plenty of time, but they want to get a move on now. Some of these clubs really want to start getting a move on now.
Yes, so we'll both be biting our fingers.
It's ten yes, Monday, mon. I'll be there Sunday night and they're Monday as well.
Looking forward to it absolutely. Cheers Maacket, Thanks Andy, cheers.
That'll do us. On this edition of The Herald's Unfooty Podcast, I'm Andy Belaiz and my thanks to Josh Barnes and Glenn McFarland Today, as always, keep an eye out for the latest trade buzz in Moneyball on Wednesday morning. People one will have his mid season review Thursday midday, a full suite of Super Coach live blogs from every game, and then, of course robbos can't misstackle on Sunday night. Catch you next time.