MELBOURNE V NORTH MELBOURNE
Venue MCG
Date Sunday, July 27
Time 2.10 pm

Head to head Melbourne 83 North Melbourne 62 Drawn 1
Last time North Melbourne 18.19 (127) bt Melbourne 11.13 (79) R4 2008, MCG
Betting TABSportsbet Melbourne $4.50 North Melbourne $1.18 Centrebet Melbourne $4.30 North Melbourne $1.22

Summary Melbourne's off-field disarray has finally overtaken the gruesome on-field show the Demons have regularly used to frighten away fans this season.

The untimely and poorly-handed sacking of CEO Paul McNamee by the new board has been roundly condemned and leaves Melbourne struggling for any sort of credibility as they battles rising debt and sinking form.

It's hard to see how first-year coach Dean Bailey can pick his way through this minefield to get any sort of order in place for the matches.

North keep bobbing along with the finals in sight, winning the matches they needs to.

Coach Dean Laidley acknowledges the side has not performed well against lowly teams this season but says that problem is largely an interstate issue.

With Shannon Grant, Brent Harvey and everywhere-man Drew Petrie leading the charge, Melbourne will need a massive turnaround from their error-strewn, haphazard recent performances to stay in the hunt

Key The heart has surely gone out of the Demons after an anniversary year from hell while the finals are still on offer for the Kangaroos

Tip North Melbourne by 45 points