ppearance in 2015 with a return to September this season.ddddddddddddTheres a sense that theyll be every non-Hawthorn fans favo

Melbourne have set themselves for a mini-season as they prepare to mount a late charge for an AFL finals berth.The Demons emerge from their bye with a tough encounter against sixth-placed Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday.Melbourne, currently 10th, are one of five sides with 6-7 win-loss records who sit two games outside the eight and cant afford any slip-ups with nine home-and-away games remaining.Its huge ... we only spoke about it (this week) about these nine games being almost like a mini-season for us, Melbourne midfielder Bernie Vince said on Wednesday.We need to beat a lot of teams in the eight in these next nine weeks, but the Crows and West Coast (currently eighth) and those teams around the sixth to 11th range on the ladder are really important to win.Its like a double win or an eight-point game, but you cant just be looking at them either - weve got to plan to beat everyone we play.Vince played 129 games for the Crows before he was traded to Melbourne after the 2013 season.The Demons will take on Adelaide a year to the day after former coach Phil Walsh was tragically killed.Its a big game playing against your old team, but being the anniversary (of Walshs passing), they want to handle it pretty privately, speaking to a few of the guys, he said.Im sure theyll be trying to get up for him to win.Well be preparing for their best ... we do that with every team. Whether they find an extra little bit in his honour, well see Sunday.Joe Rudi Athletics Jersey .C. -- Calgarys Kevin Koe did it the hard way again. Jake Diekman Jersey . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/1395m-ryan-buchter-jersey-athletics.html . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Dustin Fowler Athletics Jersey . World champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia won the gold medal with 237.71 points, Moore-Towers and Moscovitch followed at 208.45 and Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov of Russia were third at 187. Dick Williams Jersey . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes.Hawthorn want protection for Sam Mitchell after claiming their midfield star was unfairly bashed behind the ball in Friday nights AFL qualifying final loss to Geelong.Shaun Burgoyne said while Mitchell thrived on the challenge of the hard tag, applied by Scott Selwood in the Cats win, he needed help from both his teammates and the umpires.We need to help him out and protect him a little bit more. Hes one of those guys who loves the fierce and tight battles, he said.Burgoyne said there were a few times when he was hit behind play when he would have liked to have heard a whistle.Its a hard one for the umpires as well because they want to let the game go. They want it to be a physical game and they dont want to be paying these silly frees, he said.You cant pay every single one thats there.But if a player is being targeted like he was on the weekend I would have thought one free kick here or there would definitely help.The hard-running young Bulldogs have gained widespread admiration after bursting on the scene under coach Luke Beveridge last season, backing up their surprise finals appearance in 2015 with a return to September this season.ddddddddddddTheres a sense that theyll be every non-Hawthorn fans favourite on Friday but Burgoyne reminded the neutrals there was reason to back the Hawks too.Weve done things the hard way the last few years, he said, referencing Jarryd Rougheads cancer fight and Alastair Clarksons sidelining with a serious immunity condition.Weve had a lot of obstacles thrown at us and shown that were a pretty resilient group.Burgoyne said it could be valuable motivation.When you come off a loss you think about what youve had to overcome in the last couple of years and this group has played better footy when weve had to overcome those hard obstacles, he said.That might be touched on this week.We just need to stay in the here and now and prepare for another physical game because we dont want to get caught dwelling on the weekend or in the past. ' ' '