Okay, I was there yesterday as well. Some random dot points ...

- No-one should be playing football in sauna like conditions like that. Ludicrous. There's the pain barrier ... and then there's just plain dangerous.

- Once again the midfield was found wanting. We were okay early, but the Ablett-led class of the Suns assumed control as the game wore on. Suspect this may be the story of our season.

- Watts was our best player. Wonderfully skilled for a guy of his height. Get him in your fantasy sides because he will rack 'em up this year across half back. A break-out, possible AA season beckons.

- Terlich was impressive and will play round 1. Capable of kicking goals running at full tilt - not an easy skill.

- Cam Pedersen was disappointing again. Here's hoping his efforts this pre-season is just a case of flat form. Because he's shown nothing. Will start at Casey.

- Sellar will get the nod in his place, although like others I'm not yet convinced. Has that not-quite a ruckman ... not quite a KPP look about him.

- Jamar has trimmed down and looks seriously fit. Played well I thought. Another you should get in your fantasy sides coming off a weak 2012 (cheaply priced).

- Not sure Toumpas is ready based on what I saw. Suspect he'll need a stretch at Casey to find his feet.

- I thought Matt Jones and Tom Gillies did okay. I'd pick Jones ahead of Jordie McKenzie every day of the week.

- Where the hell is Viney?? Is he injured? Can anyone shed light?

- Sylvia, McKenzie, Dunn and Grimes didn't do enough. Not good enough from senior players. I'm going to be on their case this season. 'Raise The Bar' boys.

- 'Hulk' Hogan is absolutely a special talent. Even more impressive was watching the 17yo confidently bark orders at seasoned senior players. Finally a player with swagger!

- Howe was virtually unsighted all game. Another with a fairly pretty ordinary pre-season.

- Rodan and Byrnes need to provide greater support to Nate Jones. They both went missing for large chunks of quarters. It's all about work-rate, although granted the heat was unforgiving.

- On the Suns ... Dion Prestia will be a gun. Makes good decisions and is relentlessly hard at it. We should have a serious crack at him.

- The Suns will be 20% better than last season and will put the frighteners on a few more fancied sides. Some of their young tall-timber types like Sam Day, Gorringe and Dixon are really coming on, particularly Day.

- I'm chucking a $50 on the Little Master for a second Brownlow.

Took some photos as well. I'll try and get around to posting them tonight.

Cheers, RR

Great report RR,i was also at the game and in my report last night,i stated that when Ablett,Swallow,Hunt ,Jaeger,Rischitelli and Matera got going we had no answers and our midfield will struggle all year.I agree Toumpas isn't ready yet and should spend time at Casey.He looks good in space with with disposal but so do 90% of AFL players.He'll struggle early racking up enough numbers.

Everyone keeps saying we had our spine out,but the biggest problem we'll have this year and in 2014 is our midfield.We only have one quality mid in Jones,but you put Jones in Collingwood or West Coast's midfield and he'd be ranked about no. 6-7 and we don't have the support he needs.We will lose the midfield battle in 80% of games this year and our backline will once again be under enormous pressure and our Clark & Dawes won't get enough supply.

So yes,we have an improving spine but our midfield will keep us bottom 2-3 this year.

The Demonland emargency clean up crew are already filling the sandbags and execising their fingers to plug the dykes in preperation for when the flood of blood starts gushing through. Very ominous.

All I know is that there won't be any grey. If we beat Port we'll be talking the 8. If we lose, it'll be spoon talk.

I'm talking overall list not just mids. I haven't heard too many footy people say Port's list is better than ours, on paper of course. I'm not assuming a win, how can you when you follow the Dees, but a loss to Port (who we beat with very few of our good players 2 weeks ago) on our home ground would be extremely deflating to the very few hopes we have for this year.

I mentioned midfielders because if they get their hands on the footy often enough & use it well enough, the job is half done. I feel the respective lists are pretty even but it's JM2C. I haven't heard too many experts rate our list as definitively better than Port's either. It is always disappointing to lose first up but we are what we are so it shouldn't be unexpected.

THE MAESTRO by Bananabender

When I think back over the years, it's rather surprising the number of times the Demons have played in pre season matches up here in Queensland. I remember Jim Stynes coming up here for a game and wearing a cap to shield him from the harmful rays of the sun. I recall some steamy games in FNQ including one against the Lions that was played in cyclonic conditions and another occasion when I stood in the outer at Cazaly Stadium in Cairns one evening and was serenaded by the croaking of cane toads. Last year, I drove four hours to the Gold Coast through pouring rain to witness some horrible football played on a soaked Metricon Stadium. Despite the difficult conditions I never saw a team throw in the towel.

This year's NAB Challenge game was played in hot steamy conditions under the noonday sun that was made solely for mad dogs and Englishmen. While I don't like making excuses, it didn't help Melbourne's cause to come out against a near full strength Suns outfit with a team bereft of its best key backs and forwards, a number of its midfield prospects and a few others of value and then go into a game in energy sapping conditions with a smaller bench and less rotations. Losing Colin Garland to a knock in the head didn't help matters either.

Still, while I'm making excuses, there are no excuses for skill errors like missing easy targets, poor decision making and plain, scrappy football. With just two weeks to go before the season opener against Port Adelaide, Mark Neeld and his football department have the job ahead of them.

Before looking at Melbourne's individual performers, I think it's appropriate to pay homage to The Maestro who was the difference between the two teams on the day. Gary Ablett Junior with his two goals and 24 disposals, mostly to his team's advantage was worth making the trip to the Coast even if he was on the wrong side as far as I was concerned. To have him in the side lights up any midfield and he alone outshone the entire Demon contingent in this area.

Notwithstanding, it was Melbourne which started off the better of the two teams and the nine point lead at quarter time was something of an injustice to the visitors. However, by early in the second term, a fifty metre penalty to Mark Jamar, who had started strongly in the ruck, saw the Demons score their second goal of the term and race to a 21 point lead. Unfortunately, that was that as far a Melbourne was concerned. The Suns took over and bridged the gap to take a 2 point lead into the sheds at half time.

After the break, the Gold Coast forwards took control of a weakened Demon defence with Garland off as a result of a head knock. Restricted in their capacity to make rotations, they withered and gave away five goals to one and the game was over at the final break. The team fought out the last quarter and did well to contain the Suns in the end. To that extent, it was at least a game played by the team under dress rehearsal conditions even if it lacked the intensity of the real thing.

Jack Watts was close to Ablett for best on ground honours picking up 25 disposals at a high level of efficiency and was head and shoulders above his teammates. Skipper Jack Grimes (22 touches) and Nathan Jones worked hard but were used sparingly in the second half. Newcomers Matt Jones and Dean Terlich earned their keep and youngsters Jimmy Toumpas and Jesse Hogan provided hope for the future.

So the preseason is over and, despite the grueling conditions, Melbourne played it out to the finish which is a damn sight better than North Melbourne which wimped out at the end of its rain sodden encounter with Hawthorn half a continent away.

But all that matters little for the Demons. In the absence of someone like The Maestro in their midfield, the future still seems a long way away.

Melbourne 2.3.15 4.3.27 5.5.35 8.7.55

Gold Coast 1.0.6 4.5.29 9.6.60 12.7.79

Goals

Melbourne Sellar 3 Hogan Jamar M Jones Pederson Terlich

Gold Coast Hall 3 Ablett Dixon 2 Gorringe Harbrow Hutchins Lonergan Smith

Best

Melbourne Watts Grimes Sellar Hogan Terlich Toumpas

Gold Coast Ablett Dixon Hall Smith Harbrow Lonergan

Injuries

Melbourne Nil

Gold Coast Lonergan (wrist)

Reports Nil

Umpires Kamolins Foot Mollison

Crowd 3,000 estimated at Fankhauer Reserve, Southport

Port's list is terribly underrated on here. We should beat them because it's at the G, but I won't be holding my breath.

Their midfield is easily better: Boak, Hartlett and Ebert are better than any mid we've got*, add Wingard, Broadbent, Cornes and Wines. Up forward Schulz is better than Dawes. Their backline is sound with Carlile, Stewart and Trengove plus they've picked up Stevenson, who uses it well. Lobbe and Redden are sound in the ruck. Robbie Gray would be a gun if he wasn't always injured. Neade looks promising as the small forward. Like us their developing, but as a Melbourne supporter I'd hardly look down my nose at their list. In fact I'd say many neutrals would prefer it.

*I know many would have Jones the equal of their top 3 mids, but on talent I'd definitely have Hartlett and Boak ahead and last year on output Ebert was too.

Don't read too much into Watt's stats - I was there and a lot of his possessions were in the backline passing from one pocket to the other under no pressure. So you can discount about half his possessions in real terms...

I too agree that Toumpas will take some time to adjust to the tempo and physicality of AFL footy, but he'll do it quicker playing AFL than at Casey.

And it's not about gifting games, it's about investing in our future. I have enough confidence in Toumpas that he'll pick up the speed quickly. I saw Gaff playing in his first year at West Coast and he looked out of his depth, but those games were invaluable to get him to the level required, so that by year two he was not only ready, but impacted games. Toumpas needs to be in the seniors.

The MFC ought to sell red and blue monickered razor blades.....make a fortune for the club !!

They would also make far more money selling MFC sanctioned Blood Spill Kits. Customised as big glossy red and blue buckets for control of blood spillage and also suitable for collecting other sundry bodily wastes. Much much bigger profit margin.

Edited March 17, 201312 yr by Muvver Jones

Did I read that correctly? Have you been through some kind of Watts reeducation program?

Okay, perhaps I was getting ahead of myself there. But I just so desperately want to believe in this guy. He has all the tools.

I will scale my assesment back a bit to say he won't make AA until he starts competing more in the air. On four or five clear occasions he opted out of contests he should have gotten involved in. It must be a real bugbear of Neeld's that he does this.

Okay, perhaps I was getting ahead of myself there. But I just so desperately want to believe in this guy. He has all the tools.

I will scale my assesment back a bit to say he won't make AA until he starts competing more in the air. On four or five clear occasions he opted out of contests he should have gotten involved in. It must be a real bugbear of Neeld's that he does this.

I have been a staunch supporter of Watts but he must become more aggressive at the contest - particularly in those marking situations that you allude to. BH takes a much stronger line on this but I have been prepared to allow Watts some slack because he was just a kid. However, I reckon his time has come. This must be a year where he not only garners possesions but is prepared to impact on the contest.

I have been a staunch supporter of Watts but he must become more aggressive at the contest - particularly in those marking situations that you allude to. BH takes a much stronger line on this but I have been prepared to allow Watts some slack because he was just a kid. However, I reckon his time has come. This must be a year where he not only garners possesions but is prepared to impact on the contest.

He needed to show this willingness in his first year. He doesn't have a competitive bone in his body. He will never show it.

Time for me to move on.

On four or five clear occasions he opted out of contests he should have gotten involved in. It must be a real bugbear of Neeld's that he does this.

I don't know that it is. I actually wonder whether or not Jack has been instructed to stay out of contests where possible so he's ready to receive. You would presume that if it was a pressing issue, the coaching staff would have been onto it.

On the other hand, I read a review in Another Place that cited a few occasions yesterday when Jack was well and truly in the thick of it.

He needed to show this willingness in his first year. He doesn't have a competitive bone in his body. He will never show it.

Time for me to move on.

It shows what a complete moron you are. His first year he was 17 and still doing his year 12. Completely unready for AFL football. And you wanted him to 'impact a contest.'

We get you don't like him. No-one cares. Move on.

In fact even better, I have just found the ignore button.

I don't know that it is. I actually wonder whether or not Jack has been instructed to stay out of contests where possible so he's ready to receive. You would presume that if it was a pressing issue, the coaching staff would have been onto it.

On the other hand, I read a review in Another Place that cited a few occasions yesterday when Jack was well and truly in the thick of it.

Absolutely he was involved in a lot of the play down back. Played with refreshing poise and confidence. Even tackled pretty well.

But it was noticeable that he didn't contest in the air. Strange instruction if true because the Suns' forwards got on top in he second half largely due to a lack of defensive pressure aerially.

Edited March 17, 201312 yr by Range Rover

Great report RR,i was also at the game and in my report last night,i stated that when Ablett,Swallow,Hunt ,Jaeger,Rischitelli and Matera got going we had no answers and our midfield will struggle all year.I agree Toumpas isn't ready yet and should spend time at Casey.He looks good in space with with disposal but so do 90% of AFL players.He'll struggle early racking up enough numbers.

Everyone keeps saying we had our spine out,but the biggest problem we'll have this year and in 2014 is our midfield.We only have one quality mid in Jones,but you put Jones in Collingwood or West Coast's midfield and he'd be ranked about no. 6-7 and we don't have the support he needs.We will lose the midfield battle in 80% of games this year and our backline will once again be under enormous pressure and our Clark & Dawes won't get enough supply.

So yes,we have an improving spine but our midfield will keep us bottom 2-3 this year.

I want to disagree with your post but I can't Jack7. You're spot on.

No opposition team in the AFL will look at our midfield set-up this year and not believe they can dictate terms to us.

We should also be drastically scaling back our expectations as supporters of what Toumpas and Viney can achieve in their debut seasons. They will be bit players in the engine room for the time being.

I want to disagree with your post but I can't Jack7. You're spot on.

No opposition team in the AFL will look at our midfield set-up this year and not believe they can dictate terms to us.

We should also be drastically scaling back our expectations as supporters of what Toumpas and Viney can achieve in their debut seasons. They will be bit players in the engine room for the time being.

So even though our midfield is awful, two of the most highly rated mids of last year's draft will be "bit-players"? How can that be true?

So even though our midfield is awful, two of the most highly rated mids of last year's draft will be "bit-players"? How can that be true?

Umm .. because they're 18yo. You surely can't expect these boys - however highly rated - to carry the weight of an AFL midfield on their shoulders in their first seasons? Impossible.

Umm .. because they're 18yo. You surely can't expect these boys - however highly rated - to carry the weight of an AFL midfield on their shoulders in their first seasons? Impossible.

I can if they're competing against hacks.

Umm .. because they're 18yo. You surely can't expect these boys - however highly rated - to carry the weight of an AFL midfield on their shoulders in their first seasons? Impossible.

We're not talking about carrying the midfield. We're talking about becoming (intially) the seventh and eighth members of it.

Range Rover, on 17 Mar 2013 - 19:41, said:

Absolutely he was involved in a lot of the play down back. Played with refreshing poise and confidence. Even tackled pretty well.

But it was noticeable that he didn't contest in the air. Strange instruction if true because the Suns' forwards got on top in he second half largely due to a lack of defensive pressure aerially.

Do you mean that he lets an opposing player mark uncontested? Or does he avoid being the third or fourth Demon going up in a pack situation?

It shows what a complete moron you are. His first year he was 17 and still doing his year 12. Completely unready for AFL football. And you wanted him to 'impact a contest.'

We get you don't like him. No-one cares. Move on.

It's really, really difficult to communicate with someone who has no idea how to have discussion without reverting to personal abuse.

It's really, really difficult to communicate with someone who has no comprehension of the modern game.

Do you mean that he lets an opposing player mark uncontested? Or does he avoid being the third or fourth Demon going up in a pack situation?

A bit of both. The ones that stood out occurred when he absolutely had the 'sit' but chose not to go, instead opting to stay with his man and wait for a spillage.

On several occasions they were decisions which contributed to Suns' goals.

I'm sorry but, due mainly to poor umpiring, that's not true.

Sad to learn haha... I though we always had the wood on them at the G

Guess I won't have to be as disappointed now in rd 1

I'm talking overall list not just mids. I haven't heard too many footy people say Port's list is better than ours, on paper of course. I'm not assuming a win, how can you when you follow the Dees, but a loss to Port (who we beat with very few of our good players 2 weeks ago) on our home ground would be extremely deflating to the very few hopes we have for this year.

The game against port a few weeks ago most of the experts seemed to think Port would win due to their superior list depth. They were genuinely surprised that our young fringe players were able to beat theirs. I would suggest that this means that most of the experts have their list ahead of ours.

Personally, I think that they have a far better midfield, a similar forward line and probably a worse backline although a lot of people really rate Carlisle. Remember that while we think we may have solved the scoring problems it is an entirely unproven forward unit we are relying on this year. It could flop as easily as fire.