Dees to follow Dogs' example
19/06/2008 3:02 PM
Melbourne coach Dean Bailey has said he rates the Western Bulldogs' performance in Round 7 as the prototype for how to beat the Sydney Swans at their own game.
The Swans may be the masters of contested football, according to Bailey, but they were exposed in going down to the Bulldogs by 18 points at the SCG in early May.
Bailey said the Dogs' example is one the Demons would do well to follow against the Swans at Manuka Oval on Sunday.
"They showed that being competitive but also being ferocious in the tackle and at the contest is also desirable, and if you play at that level for long enough then you can beat a Sydney," Bailey said at the Junction Oval on Thursday.
"The challenge for us is to not put them on too big a pedestal because we're going there to win the game."
Bailey forecast a couple of changes to the line-up for the match in Canberra, where the Demons are keen to return for 'home' games over the next few seasons.
"I think the club is keen to promote Melbourne where we can and obviously in the capital, Canberra would be an ideal opportunity for us," Bailey said.
"But from our point of view, the game is important and how we play is important because our members back here are going to see how our development has come against a really strong one-on-one team."
"We hope to prove that we’re still progressing … and you'll only know that at the end of the game."