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Veteran Demonland Trackwatcher Kev ventured down to preseason training to bring you his observations of this mornings session which included the 2km Time Trial.

Last week’s bitter disappointment turned into player-led resolve as Captain Kate Hore marched her team onto a pristine Princes Park under perfect skies.
The #DeeArmy banner said Bring The Heat and the Demons delivered a fierce, high-quality contest and ultimately outworked and outpaced the gallant Adelaide Crows to win by 11 points.

It was a beautiful sunny morning for a preseason training run out at Gosch's Paddock and a couple of Demonland Trackwatchers were in attendance to bring your their observations on the last session of the first week of the 2026 campaign.

Noffy, Hatchy and Randy lead Adelaide’s finals-hardened flock to IKON Park for a blockbuster semi-final against Kate Hore and Hanksy’s mighty Demons.  Adelaide has dropped four of its past five matches at this ground — let’s hope that trend holds.  But don’t expect charity — Doc Clarke brings an experienced, battle-worthy murder of Crows.

The Demons 2026 AFL Fixture is as good as can be expected considering their performances and finishes the past two seasons. Sunday games and late afternoon starts are on the menu with only 1 Friday night fixture until Round 15. They will travel 8 times including their home game in the Alice, their Gather Round game as well as a match against the Hawks in Tasmania. They will face, the Bombers, Bulldogs, the Suns, the Tigers, the Hawks and the Dockers twice.

A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers ventured down to Gosch's paddock to give you their brief observations on the second day of preseason training in the lead up to the 2026 Premiership Season.

Several Demonland Trackwatchers were on hand at Gosch’s Paddock to share their observations from the opening day of preseason training, featuring the club’s 1st to 4th year players along with a few veterans and some fresh faces.

Melbourne returned to its city citadel, IKON Park, boasting a 10–2 home record and celebrating its 100th AFLW matchwith 3,711 fans creating a finals atmosphere. But in a repeat of Round 11, Brisbane proved too strong, too fit, and too relentless.  They brought their kicking boots: 9 goals, 2 points.

Forget the haunting of Round 11 — we’ve got this. Melbourne returns to its inner-city fortress for its milestone 100th AFLW match, carrying a formidable 10–2 record at IKON Stadium. Brisbane’s record at the venue is more balanced: 4 wins, 4 losses and a draw. 

Melbourne wrapped up the AFLW home and away season with a hard-fought 14-point win over Geelong at Kardinia Park. The result secured second place on the ladder with a 9–3 record and a home qualifying final against the Brisbane Lions next week.

It’s been a season of grit, growth, and glimpses of brilliance—mixed with a few tough interstate lessons. Now, with finals looming, the Dees head to Kardinia Park for one last tune-up before the real stuff begins.

It was not long after the announcement that Melbourne's former number 1 draft pick Tom Scully was departing the club following 31 games and two relatively unremarkable seasons to join expansion team, the Greater Western Giants, on a six-year contract worth about $6 million, that a parody song based on Adele's hit "Someone Like You" surfaced on social media. The artist expressed lament over Scully's departure in song, culminating in the promise, "Never mind, we'll find someone like you," although I suspect that the undertone of bitterness in this version exceeded that of the original.

A steamy Springfield evening set the stage for a blockbuster top-four clash between two AFLW heavyweights. Brisbane, the bookies’ favourites, hosted Melbourne at a heaving Brighton Homes Arena, with 5,022 fans packing in—the biggest crowd for a Melbourne game this season. It was the 11th meeting between these fierce rivals, with the Dees holding a narrow 6–4 edge. But while the Lions brought the chaos and roared loudest, the Demons aren’t done yet.

The Demons have acquired two first round picks in Picks 7 & 8 in the 2025 AFL National Draft.

The Demons have traded 4 time Club Champion Clayton Oliver to the GWS Giants for a Future Third Rounder whilst paying a significant portion of his salary each year.

The Demons have traded Norm Smith Medalist Christian Petracca to the Gold Coast Suns for 3 First Round Draft Picks.

In a late Trade the Demons have secured the services of St. Kilda Captain Jack Steele in a move to bolster their midfield in the absence of Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver.

The Demons have acquired the services of athletic Hawthorn defender Changkuoth Jiath for Pick 42 and a Future 4th Pick.

It’s Pink Lady night at Princes Park — a vibey Friday evening setting for a high-stakes clash between second-placed Melbourne and eleventh-placed Essendon. The wind-sheltered IKON Park, a favourite ground of the Demon players, promises flair, fire and a touch of pink. Melbourne has never lost a home-and-away game here, though the ghosts of two straight-sets finals exits in 2023 still linger. 

The premiership defender has shown signs of wear and tear due to age, and his 2025 season was inconsistent, ending poorly with a suspension and a noticeable decline in performance. The Demons are eager to integrate younger players onto their list and have indicated that they may not be able to guarantee him senior games next season, in what would be the final year of his contract.

The young key tall failed to make progress during the season, with a decline in his goal kicking output. His secondary role as a backup ruckman, which may have hindered his ability to further develop his game, and he was also impacted by the team's poor forward connection. It will be interesting to observe his performance under a new coaching regime.

Salem proved to be a valuable contributor as a reliable and solid one-on-one medium-sized defender in what was undoubtedly his most impressive season since the premiership year. He remains a highly capable rebounding option for the Demons as he approaches his 200th game at the club.

Following an injury-interrupted start to the season, McVee struggled to maintain the standard he established in 2025 as he pursued an expanded role within the team structure. He remained a firm fan favourite and the club had hoped to negotiate a new contract with the former rookie selection from Western Australia, whose partner, Lily Johnson, plays for Melbourne's AFLW side. Those hopes were dashed when he expressed his desire to return to his home state and play for Fremantle. Like all players who have worn the red and blue and are leaving this year, we wish him well in the future.

The superstar Demon midfielder made a successful return to the fold after his devastating injury last year and the subsequent fallout from the treatment he received, during which time he sought to depart the club. Petracca's professionalism and strong play, both in the midfield and up forward, were outstanding and resulted in him being runner-up in the club's best and fairest count. However, early this week, the club's new CEO, Paul Guerra, confirmed that the under-contract Petracca has again requested a trade, adding that he would only be allowed to leave for a “quality offer that turns our head". No doubt some Demon heads are already spinning.

The former first-round draft selection experienced an average second season, marked by participation in several VFL games, as well as three matches in which he was subbed out. He is nevertheless, a highly regarded talent capable of playing on the wing or behind the ball, with additional aspirations of developing into a centre square midfielder over time.