Jump to content

  • IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

    Posting unsubstantiated rumours on this website is strictly forbidden.

    Demonland has made the difficult decision to not permit this platform to be used to discuss & debate the off-field issues relating to the Melbourne Football Club including matters currently being litigated between the Club & former Board members, board elections, the issue of illicit drugs in footy, the culture at the club & the personal issues & allegations against some of our players & officials ...

    We do not take these issues & this decision lightly & of course we believe that these serious matters affecting the club we love & are so passionate about are worthy of discussion & debate & I wish we could provide a place where these matters can be discussed in a civil & respectful manner.

    However these discussions unfortunately invariably devolve into areas that may be defamatory, libelous, spread unsubstantiated rumours & can effect the mental health of those involved. Even discussion & debate of known facts or media reports can lead to finger pointing, blame & personal attacks.

    The repercussion is that these discussions can open this website, it’s owners & it’s users to legal action & may result in this website being forced to shutdown.

    Our moderating team are all volunteers & cannot moderate the forum 24/7 & as a consequence problematic content that contravenes our rules & standards may go unnoticed for some time before it can be removed.

    We reserve the right to delete posts that offend against our above policy & indeed, to ban posters who are repeat offenders or who breach our code of conduct.

    WE HAVE BUILT A FANTASTIC ONLINE COMMUNITY AT DEMONLAND OVER THE PAST 23 YEARS & WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE CLUB WE LOVE & ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT.

    Thank you for your continued support & understanding. Go Dees.


TEAM SELECTION AND MATCH PREVIEW - ROUND 1


Demonland

Recommended Posts

20 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

Hope Jimmy Hannan wears his mouth guard

If he does, we won't be able to see his nice new teeth !!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

There are six Jacks playing in this game, and another one named as an emergency.  Weird.

Just had a look .... in 1996 Jack ranked fifth in most popular baby names .... beaten by Joshua, Daniel, James and Matthew.... all very biblical !!

PS Had a look at a few other years around 1996 and Jack remained around the 5 or 6 mark. Obviously they outperformed the Daniels etc of this world !!

Edited by Diamond_Jim
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Biffen said:

Mitch Hannan gets a chance to cut his teeth in the big time.

Pleased we have gone with Smith as well.

Goodwin at least giving the kids a run .

Thought was was over giving de kidniks a run. We want action, now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, big_red_fire_engine said:

Harmes JLT was putrid. Surprised ANB ahead of Bugg but hoping ANB is given a good chance early in season to see if can convert his VFL form up a level and cement a spot if he's good enough.

Tyson and Kent clearly best 22 but both are the type that need more run and touch to be at their best. I know Weid's JLT did not set the world on fire but think it is right to persevere with him ahead of two rucks with one as a make shift forward. The thing he does well already is create space for Hogan, you very rarely see them go the same ball which the same cant be said once Gawn/Spencer rest there. 

I have to disagree with the "make space" aspect Big Red. I find Weids often running into the potential running lanes of Hogan and also taking up the space in front of him as well, dragging his opponent into the contest instead of away from. He might not be contesting the same ball very often as you say but IMO is limiting Hogan's potential to impact more often.

I also can't agree with you re Maxy/Spencil. If anything they take a little pressure and focus away from Hogan when resting forward as they are a legit marking target and are viable pack/overhead marking options, whereas Weids isn't at this point. Having said that I wouldn't play both Maxy & Spencil at Shitihad. Peds a better option at this venue than Spencil/Weids for mine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aggressive game style / aggressive at the selection table. I love it!  .........  yeah, I know both can go pear-shaped, but I have faith that both will prevail on Saturday arvo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Deeoldfart said:

Aggressive game style / aggressive at the selection table. I love it!  .........  yeah, I know both can go pear-shaped, but I have faith that both will prevail on Saturday arvo.

God I hope u r right deeoldfart. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


22 minutes ago, Rusty Nails said:

I have to disagree with the "make space" aspect Big Red. I find Weids often running into the potential running lanes of Hogan and also taking up the space in front of him as well, dragging his opponent into the contest instead of away from. He might not be contesting the same ball very often as you say but IMO is limiting Hogan's potential to impact more often.

I also can't agree with you re Maxy/Spencil. If anything they take a little pressure and focus away from Hogan when resting forward as they are a legit marking target and are viable pack/overhead marking options, whereas Weids isn't at this point. Having said that I wouldn't play both Maxy & Spencil at Shitihad. Peds a better option at this venue than Spencil/Weids for mine.

Does make you think who will pinch hit in the 2nd ruck dept.....back to Watts i guess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Macca said:

St Kilda represents the same problem that we witnessed last year - they are fleet of foot and use the ball well, it's a fast track and they spread well.  Plus, Hickey's recent record against Gawn is quite good.

Playing Spencer could be a mistake in terms of being 1 rotation down for the midfielders and the 4th quarter is where that 1 less rotation can really hurt (especially in the first game of the season)

But if he doesn't play then who does the relief ruck work?  It has to be someone (Watts?) who has done zero ruck work in the 3 practice games.  That's not ideal either.

Turning the ball over is fatal in today's footy but losing clearances because of incompetent ruck work is also a big concern.  It was a concern last year when Watts or Pedersen did the relief ruck work and it's something that Goodwin needs to fix. 

Watts was actually pretty good in the ruck last year. i'd say far from incompetent. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, Wadda We Sing said:

Does make you think who will pinch hit in the 2nd ruck dept.....back to Watts i guess.

No Peds so I would run Weids through there myself. Watts is our silk, our Burgoyne without the run & carry. Wouldn't play/risk a Burgoyne type in this role and same applies to JW. Better used/positioned, and more damaging, elsewhere. Could get a massive corky also. Not worth it this early in the season

Edited by Rusty Nails
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's terrific that we are only playing 100% fit players. Can't wait for Tyson and Kent to get match fit and come back in. A nervous coach would put ck the big names even if not fully fit 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, rjay said:

After watching Cripps tonight it's probably best that Dom has another run at Casey...Cripps was off the pace (hope he stays off it next week), interrupted preseason and only one JLT game.

 

As every season passes the more I wonder about this desire to rush players to be fit for round 1. If they are injured during preseason and they need game time, well the 2s is a good place to get match fit. 

The thoughts on its a massive set back if you miss time over preseason, why can't they reset the players preseason to 0 and build them up for say round 2, 4 or 10? Isn't it better to bring them in with enough conditioning than way under?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Cards13 said:

As every season passes the more I wonder about this desire to rush players to be fit for round 1. If they are injured during preseason and they need game time, well the 2s is a good place to get match fit. 

The thoughts on its a massive set back if you miss time over preseason, why can't they reset the players preseason to 0 and build them up for say round 2, 4 or 10? Isn't it better to bring them in with enough conditioning than way under?

In Carlton's case, no one they put in would have had a better output than an underdone Cripps. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Mickey said:

Don't particularly like the inclusion of ANB as a forward

 

4 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

Who says he plays forward?  The inclusion of Hannan may see ANB spend most of his time through the midfield.

Unfortunately, ANB has shown absolutely no sign he's capable of playing midfield at the highest level. Really strange call and wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't near it if Kent was fit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


16 minutes ago, DubDee said:

It's terrific that we are only playing 100% fit players. Can't wait for Tyson and Kent to get match fit and come back in. A nervous coach would put ck the big names even if not fully fit 

Given we're supposed to be only playing 100% fit players, I'm surprised Hannan and Jetta got a gig. 

Both spent much of Jan-Mar in rehab.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, A F said:

Watts was actually pretty good in the ruck last year. i'd say far from incompetent. 

Well I never actually said Watts was incompetent in the ruck.  The reference to ruck incompetence was a 'general' comment and you've drawn your own conclusion.  Good ruck work = clearances = score involvements (obviously, not every time)  If we're doing the opposite of that then the result can be described as incompetent.

I'm not sure the team gets a lot of score involvements when either Pedersen or Watts are rucking and I do believe the opposition tends to outscore us when either player rucks (if we broke it all down)  Any tap-outs that Pedersen and Watts get for us are generally not to our advantage either.  But that's just the eye test. 

For the record Watts got 42 tap-outs in 22 games last year & Pedersen fared a little better with 33 hit-outs from 9 games.  We know that Gawn tends to ruck for a great majority of the games (is it 90%?) but our relief rucking is a weakness within the team all the same.  And Gawn should be rucking for about 75% - 80% of the games if we want to preserve the bloke.

Many others here tend to focus on individual errors and turnovers (of which there are often many) but from my point of view, as soon as Gawn isn't rucking, I'm concerned. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Cards13 said:

How would we know? 

Because their emergencies were Rhys Palmer and Kerridge. And they have no one else that could play inside mid in the heat of round 1 like Cripps. 

I agree with your initial point, I'm just saying Carlton had no better option. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

Absolutely, dazzle.  I think we've got a good combination of class and X-factor in that forward line.  We look a little short in the back half, however I'd like to think Jetta and Smith will rotate through a few players down there as well while The McDonald brothers take the main two talls, whoever they turn out to be.

I feel as though we've named a very strong side.

I don't think we're concerned with matching them for height at the back. It's all about the zone and intercept marking. We do that well and it doesn't matter how tall our guys are.

4 hours ago, brendan said:

Forgot about Tyson lucky we bat deep in the middle, Salem plays his role so not a massive loss 

Tyson is a massive loss. Salem does not play the Tyson role at all. Tyson is our extractor and arguably our most important mid. Oliver will play his role though and can hopefully be so dominant we can cover Tyson's loss.

I'm glad we're not taking any chances though. As has been said, the Brayshaw selection last year set him back the entire year.

4 hours ago, ProDee said:

I'm not a Neal-Bullen fan, but he's been included due to his pressure/tackling.  When a side gets the ball inside 50 they try to lock it in and Neal-Bullen works in that regard.  I prefer him forward than in the midfield, as he's a fumler under pressure and panics.  He's aggressive though, so the forward-line makes some sense.

Kent, Tyson and Hibberd are best 22 outs.  vandenBerg arguable.

Hannan is a smooth left footer with class.  For him to be selected is very exciting, because he's obviously shown the club the attributes they saw when they drafted him.

Clubs do match simulation every single week, so don't get too hung up on non JLT appearances, especially for players that were underdone due to injury (like Hannan) and not quite ready to go. 

I agree that he's a fumbler under pressure and panics, but it's his leg speed playing the forward role that worries me the most. I think this'll backfire. I hope I'm wrong.

Edited by A F
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

Pumped to see the teams, and I feel that there will be plenty of conjecture amongst supporters when they drop.  Spencer and Watts will be the big talking points, and I doubt we'll see them both selected. 

Congrats to Joel Smith, too.  I thought his first two JLT games were terrific and he might be a smokey to play on someone like Membrey.  He has the pace, agility and size to do it.

If you are pumped to see this team you are easily pumped ! It is a very weak team, without Tyson, Kent, Hibberd, Frost, VdB.

Bugg and Harnes are needed in R1 rather than a new kid Hannan. Spencer has played all practice matches yet is dropped. Hannan has played none and is picked. . For some reason coaches have lost direction at the last minute. I predict a thrashing . Will be happy with 60 points loss. I'm not bullshitting, I think it's an awful team

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    LEADERS OF THE PACK by The Oracle

    I was asked to write a preview of this week’s Round 8 match between Melbourne and Geelong. The two clubs have a history that goes right back to the time when the game was starting to become an organised sport but it’s the present that makes the task of previewing this contest so interesting. Both clubs recently reached the pinnacle of the competition winning premiership flags in 2021 and 2022 respectively, but before the start of this season, many good judges felt their time had passed - n

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 4

    PODCAST: Kade Chandler Interview

    I'm interviewing Melbourne Football Club's small forward Kade Chandler tomorrow for the Demonland Podcast. I'll be asking him about his road from being overlooked in the draft to his rookie listing to his apprenticeship as a sub to VFL premiership to his breakout 2023 season to mainstay in the Forwadline and much more. If you have any further questions let me know below and I'll see if I can squeeze them in. I will release the podcast at some time tomorrow so stay tuned.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 25

    TRAINING: Monday 29th April 2024

    Demonland Trackwatcher Kev Martin was on hand at Gosch's Paddock for Monday's training session and made the following observations. About 38 to 40  players down at training.  BBB walking laps.  Charlie Spargo still in rehab, doing short run throughs.  Christian Salem has full kit on and doing individual work with a trainer. He is is starting to get into some sprints. I cannot see Andy Moniz-Wakefield out there. Jack Viney and Kade Chandler have broken away from the

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    DISCO INFERNO by Whispering Jack

    Two weeks ago, when the curtain came down on Melbourne’s game against the Brisbane Lions, the team trudged off the MCG looking tired and despondent at the end of a tough run of games played in quick succession. In the days that followed, the fans wanted answers about their team’s lamentable performance that night and foremost among their concerns was whether the loss was a one off result of fatigue or was it due to other factor(s) of far greater consequence.  As it turns out, the answer to

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 16

    TIGERS PUNT CASEY by KC from Casey

    The afternoon atmosphere at the Swinburne Centre was somewhat surreal as the game between Richmond VFL and the Casey Demons unfolded on what was really a normal work day for most Melburnians. The Yarra Park precinct marched to the rhythm of city life, the trains rolled by, pedestrians walked by with their dogs and the traffic on Punt Road and Brunton Avenue swirled past while inside the arena, a football battle ensued. And what a battle it was? The Tigers came in with a record of two wins f

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Casey Articles

    PREGAME: Rd 08 vs Geelong

    After returning to the winners list the Demons have a 10 day break until they face the unbeaten Cats at the MCG on Saturday Night. Who comes in and who goes out for this crucial match?

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 551

    PODCAST: Rd 07 vs Richmond

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 29th April @ 8:30pm. Join George, Binman & I as we analyse the Demons victory at the MCG against the Tigers in the Round 07. You questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human. Listen & Chat

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 44

    VOTES: Rd 07 vs Richmond

    Last week Captain Max Gawn overtook reigning champion Christian Petracca in the Demonland Player of the Year Award. Steven May, Jack Viney & Alex Neal-Bullen make up the Top 5. Your votes for the win against the Tigers. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 54

    POSTGAME: Rd 07 vs Richmond

    The Demons put their foot down after half time to notch up a clinical win by 43 points over the Tigers at the MCG on ANZAC Eve keeping touch with the Top 4.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 387
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

×
×
  • Create New...