Jump to content

Discussion on recent allegations about the use of illicit drugs in football is forbidden
  • 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.


A DOZEN DEAD OCEANS by Whispering Jack


Demonland

Recommended Posts

Whispering Jack predicts that a twelve year hoodoo will fall by the wayside on Sunday ...
 
A DOZEN DEAD OCEANS by Whispering Jack
 
"Oh, where have you been, my blue-eyed son?
And where have you been my darling young one?
I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I've walked and I've crawled on six crooked highways
I've stepped in the middle of seven sad forests
I've been out in front of a dozen dead oceans
I've been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, and it's a hard
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall." - by 2016 Nobel Poet Laureate Bob Dylan (A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall)
 
In recent years, Melbourne has been smashing its hoodoos like dinner plates at a Greek restaurant leaving very few left for the club to break.
 
There's still North Melbourne and heaven knows whether we can cross Subiaco off the list before they shut that god forsaken place down forever, but there's imminent challenge looming close on the horizon that must be dealt with in the coming week - the curse of round two. This Sunday will mark the passing of twelve years since the Demons last won a match in the second round of an AFL season. 
 
It was exactly on 2 April, 2005 before a meagre crowd of 13,481 at the ground then known as the "Telstra Dome" that Melbourne 20.11.131 beat the Western Bulldogs 15.21.111. The Demons were travelling well in those days. They made a good start to the season, suffered a mid-season slump but recovered to make the finals as they had done the year before and would do in the year after. However, that game against the Doggies in 2005 was to be the last time, the team would salute in an AFL round two game and what's more, the majority of the defeats in between have been in the most humiliating of circumstances.
 
Another dismal round two flop against Carlton this Sunday would be the unkindest cut of them all.
 
The long run of second round outs began at the Docklands on 8 April, 2006 with a 47 point whipping at the hands of the Bulldogs. The Dees had already suffered a shock result to Carlton in the opening round and it lost again the following week but a long run of wins followed to see them safely into the finals. More second round debacles were to come:-
 
2007 - after the opening round disaster against St Kilda, Melbourne was confident of beating Hawthorn which had been a struggler in recent seasons. But the Hawks were on their way up and the Demons lowered their colours by 22 points to an opponent which was closing in on a premiership era. The Demons won their last game for the year - the infamous Kreuzer Cup - but by then, long-time coach Neale Daniher had already been given his marching orders and a caretaker coach has seen out the long death throes of an old era. The club was looking into the mouth of a graveyard.
 
2008 - Melbourne heralded in the Dean Bailey era with a 104 point defeat to the emerging Hawks but it did manage to stave off another 100 point plus losing margin when it lost by 95 points to the Western Bulldogs in another round two train crash. It took a while to get onto the winning list but that was done in style against Fremantle when the team stormed back from a massive deficit to win by a goal in round 7.
 
2009 - an anaemic Melbourne side lost in round 1 to North Melbourne and it was more of the same the following week when the Magpies 17.15.117 made mincemeat out of the Demons 10.4.64 before an MCG crowd of 43,176. Things were so bad that Nathan Jones' father was clocked on his way out of the ground by a an inebriated normal Collingwood fan celebrating his team's win. 
 
2010 - after copping a hiding in the season opener against the Hawks, the Demons faced the Pies again in their next up match over the Easter break. They were in sight of victory when Ricky Petterd's lunge for a mark in the goalsquare failed with seconds left in the game.
 
2011 - for once, Melbourne managed to stave off defeat in its opening game. However, it didn't exactly win either. In a dramatic finish, the round 1  game against the Sydney Swans ended as a draw - 11.18.84 each. Against the Hawks in round 2, the Demons held a 19 point lead at half time before they were strangled into submission in the third quarter by a hard press, eventually losing by 45 points. The club was on a roller coaster ride to disaster. The rain was about to fall hard.
 
If you think the foregoing was bad, prepare yourself for a horror story.
 
2012 - the early optimism of a new beginning under Mark Neeld had dissipated long before the Brisbane Lions crushed Melbourne by 41 points in the season opener. Jimmy Stynes had recently died and the club was beset by troubles but nobody was really prepared for what was to come at Subiaco Oval in week 2. On Saturday, 7 April, the West Coast Eagles inflicted a 25.16.166 to 9.4.58 flogging on Neeld's charges before a crowd of 35,674 but even that would pale against what happened in round 2 in the following season.
 
2013 - after a few seasons as AFL whipping boy, Port Adelaide made an impressive start to the season winning 19.19.133 to 8.6.54 over Melbourne at the MCG. At the same ground a week later and in the midst of the developing drug saga, Essendon was the host when it blasted Neeld's charges to the tune of 148 points - 28.16.184 to 5.6.36. The slaughter reverberated around the club and precipitated several changes at the top which saw the departures of the CEO, the chairman and ultimately the coach in the weeks and months to follow.
 
2014 - the arrival of Paul Roos at coach/saviour of the club didn't bring immediate joy on the playing field. The team lost its opening game to the Saints by 17 points thanks in part to their woeful kicking for goal, but the next match was another round 2 disaster - a 93 point loss to the West Coast Eagles before a crowd of only 22,230 at the MCG with the home team managing a meagre 4.6.30.
 
2015 - the club broke its opening round hoodoo against an injury riddled Gold Coast Suns and things were looking up at Star Trak Oval when the Demons led the Giants by 33 points in the shadows of half time before the round two curse took hold and the home side kicked 14 of the next 15 goals to win by 56 points.
 
And now for the steak knives.
 
2016 - after an exciting round 1 win by two points over the highly rated GWS Giants, Melbourne was expected to record a handsome victory over an Essendon team decimated by the CAS ruling which outed a dozen of their players for the season, leaving them with a rag tag bunch of youngsters and football mercenaries, many of who would otherwise have been playing in the VFL or local competitions in round 2. As always, the Demons approached the game on 2 April, 2016 as if they were millionaires and ended like beggars on a street corner in skid row. At the end of the day the MCG scoreboard read "Essendon 11.14.80 defeated Melbourne 10.7.67".
 
That score line still leaves me with dread in my heart 12 months later wondering how on earth is it possible that to avert the calamity of another round 2 that turns us all into April Fools even when opposition supporters believe that their team is too young, too inexperienced and not good enough to win?
 
I've found a way and will reveal all shortly.
 
THE GAME
 
Melbourne v Carlton at MCG Sunday 2nd April, 2017 at 3.20pm.
 
HEAD TO HEAD
 
Overall  Melbourne 89 wins Carlton 117 wins Drawn 2
 
At MCG Melbourne 49 wins Carlton 50 wins
 
Past five meetings Melbourne 1 win Carlton 4 wins
 
The Coaches Goodwin 0 Bolton 0 wins 
 
MEDIA
 
TV - Fox Sports 3, Channel 7 at 3.00pm
 
RADIO - Triple M 3AW 
 
THE BETTING
 
Melbourne to win $1.22 - Carlton $4.40 to win - $4.40
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
 
Carlton 11.12.78 defeated Melbourne 7.16.58 at the MCG Round 22, 2016
 
The Demons were raging favourites to win at $1.24 and didn't fail to disappoint the fans and themselves with an insipid performance at a time when victory would have kept their finals hopes alive. They played like a young team that had run out steam and hit the wall - the same wall their supporters were banging their heads into at the end of the game.
 
THE TEAMS
 
MELBOURNE
 
B: Jayden Hunt, Oscar McDonald, Jake Melksham
HB: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Nathan Jones
C: Christian Salem, Jordan Lewis, Billy Stretch
HF: Clayton Oliver, Sam Weideman, Jack Watts
F: Christian Petracca, Jesse Hogan, Jeff Garlett
FOLL: Max Gawn, Angus Brayshaw, Jack Viney
I/C: Mitch Hannan, James Harmes, Alex Neal-Bullen, Dom Tyson
EMG: Ben Kennedy, Dean Kent, Jake Spencer
 
IN: James Harmes, Ben Kennedy, Dom Tyson

OUT: Joel Smith (shoulder), Bernie Vince (suspended)

CARLTON
 
B: Jarrod Pickett, Caleb Marchbank, Lachie Plowman 
HB: Harrison Macreadie, Sam Rowe, Sam Docherty 
C: Matthew Wright, Bryce Gibbs, Kade Simpson 
HF: Jack Silvagni, Levi Casboult, Charlie Curnow 
F: Simon White, Jacob Weitering, Sam Petrevski-Seton 
FOLL:  Matthew Kreuzer, Patrick Cripps, Marc Murphy 
I/C: Dennis Armfield, Ed Curnow, Nick Graham, Sam Kerridge, Harry McKay,  Billie Smedts, Dale Thomas 
EMG: Nick Graham, Sam Kerridge, Harry McKay

NO CHANGE

BLUE SKIES

Twelve months ago, I was enjoying a holiday break cruising the North China Sea somewhere between the tip of South Korea and the Chinese mainland. We left Australia a few days after Melbourne's barnstorming come-from-behind victory over GWS and all was well with the world notwithstanding the ominous proximity to mad Kim Jong-un's battery of missiles. Thousands of miles away to the south east, the Demons were about to take on the Bombers' B team. I was supremely confident that the Dees were on course for a 2 - 0 start to the season.  
 
Suddenly, our ship sailed into a thick fog and we were enveloped in a misty grey-yellow shroud. You could barely hear the lapping of the tiny waves around us as we ploughed through the eerily silent waters. Internet communication via satellite was intermittent and limited. I picked up an early score that had Essendon leading 1.2.8 to nil but I wasn't worried. The next time I managed to get on line, it was Melbourne leading by two goals midway through the second quarter. We were on our way.
 
They had a trivia competition on board and the rules were strict - no cell phones. My confidence was up and I wasn't worried but a little over an hour later when I was back on line, I had to look twice as the ¾ time score flashed on the screen to show the Bombers leading by nine points. The fog was thicker than a pea soup. The air became frozen. I was literally overcome by a sickening feeling like sailing the Titanic through another dead ocean with an iceberg directly under the bow. 
 
There was never a satisfactory explanation given as to why Melbourne crashed so badly that day. The Bombers were the competition's easybeats copping defeat after defeat in the weeks and months that followed and it looked as if the Demons would be their only victim for the season until they triumphed over an injury depleted Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium in Round  21.
 
Some put it down to poor preparation in the week before the game while others claimed that Melbourne got ahead of itself, that the players had big heads and turned up lacking focus.
 
At the other end of that season in the second last round, Melbourne suffered another humiliation at the hands of a lowly team in Carlton when it needed a victory to maintain its finals hopes.  At least there was an explanation for that result - the young team was rapidly tiring after a long exhausting season. It was at least a plausible if not entirely comforting excuse for a loss to an opponent going through its own long string of defeats.
 
This time around there are no excuses whatsoever. There is nothing and nobody left to blame. All of the stars are nicely aligned and you simply cannot question, the current board, CEO, coach, conditioning staff, playing list, ground announcer or boot studder. There is no reason on the strength of the form shown by the team last week; the coolness, the calmness and the discipline that we saw from a team which shrugged off an early four goal deficit to blitz to a well fancied opponent with ten consecutive consecutive goals in the period before and after half time. 
 
The sort of form that is epitomised by four of your players (including a 19 year old who played 75% of game time) accumulating 30 touches or more and another nine clocking up at least 20 disposals when the team is down a player from before quarter time is irrepressible and simply can't be overturned in the space of a week. Even the loss through suspension of Bernie Vince who was one of the team's 30 possession men against the Saints - something that once might once have been regarded as catastrophic - is not a major problem when Dom Tyson is waiting in the wings to replace him.
 
Carlton toiled hard in the season opener against Richmond but was outclassed and saved by further ignominy thanks to its accuracy in front of goal. They won't have to contend with a Dustin Martin this weekend but instead, face an opposition with a multitude of mid sized runners led by the AFL's leading ruckman and some very classy talls at either end of the ground. The players have the right mindset and are now well and truly used to disposing of any hoodoo or curse they might encounter along their football journey.
 
I even checked the weather forecast in the region of the North China sea and am led to believe that it will be all sunshine and blue skies on Sunday. No fog, no hard rain.
 
The evidence is there for all to see - another hoodoo will bite the dust in the most emphatic manner.
 
Melbourne by 65 points
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    DEPTH CHARGE by Whispering Jack

    The jubilation on the coach’s face as he danced a celebratory jig by the playing bench after the final siren sounded to record his team’s four-point victory over the Demons when the teams last met, said it all.    On that rainy Friday night at the Adelaide Oval, Ken Hinkley’s young midfield secured much more than four points on offer. The victory over one of the big dogs of the competition after a succession of wins over some of its lesser lights gave his team respect and validation fo

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 5

    TRAINING: Monday 25th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Demon Dynasty & Kev Martin were trackside at Gosch's Paddock today to bring you their observations from training. DEMON DYNASTY'S TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Kade Chandler's left knee heavily strapped. BBB, Spargs & Jake Lever also in rehab group. Jake Bowey solo running separate kicking/sprint/agility drills. Super fine morning / early arvo at Gosch's for the boys to blow out some cobwebs. Choco initially had the light duties / rehab group

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    HIBERNATING by KC from Casey

    When they locked up the rooms for summer at the end of last year’s football season, the rooms gathered cobwebs, the atmosphere became dense and the place developed a sleepy feel. They opened up the rooms to let Casey out to play on Sunday but the team was still hibernating and they missed the bulk of the opening quarter. By the time they worked out it was game on, their opponents from Box Hill had accumulated five goals and, if the game wasn’t over, it might as well have been. For a se

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Casey Articles

    A FORK IN THE HAWK by George on the Outer

    For too long in the past, Demon fans became habitually sick and tired of watching the Hawks hand out thrashings to their side. But Melbourne’s empahtic 55-point win at the MCG on Saturday has truly put a fork in the Hawk and turned that history well and truly on its head. The Demons have now won nine of their last ten encounters with the other result, a draw.     And like a fork, it was the multi-pronged options that Melbourne had all across the ground.  It certainly helped that Hawthorn

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Match Reports 8

    PREGAME: Rd 03 vs Port Adelaide

    The Demons head on the road for the next 2 weeks as they travel to Adelaide to play Port on Saturday and then have a 5 Day break before facing the Crows in the Gather Round. With injuries to May and Lever who comes in and who goes out?

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 262

    PODCAST: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 25th March @ 8:30pm. Join George, Binman & I as we analyse the Demons victory at the MCG against the Hawks in the Round 02. 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 46

    VOTES: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    Last week Steven May took the lead in the Demonland Player of the Year Award from Jack Viney. Clayton Oliver & Max Gawn round out the Top 4. Your votes for the win/loss against/to the Hawks. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 50

    POSTGAME: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demons cruised to an easy 55 point win over the Hawks at the MCG but but paid a heavy toll on the injury front with Steven May & Jake Lever possibly sidelined for a number of weeks.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 357

    GAMEDAY: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    It's Game Day and after mixed results in the first two weeks of the season the Demons have the opportunity to capitalise on their good form last week when they take on the Hawks at the MCG today.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 437
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!
  • Podcast 

  • Podcast 

  • Podcast Stream 


    Open Stream in
    New Window
        TuneIn    Opens in New Tab
  • Support Demonland  



  • 2021 Premiership  

  • Social Media 

  • Non MFC Games  

    NON-MFC: Round 03

    Discussion of all the other games that don't involve the Demons in Round 03 ... READ MORE

    Demonland | Round 03

  • Match Preview      

    DEPTH CHARGE by Whispering Jack

    The jubilation on the coach’s face as he danced a celebratory jig by the playing bench after the final siren sounded to record his team’s four-point victory over the Demons when the teams last met, said it all ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 27

  • Latest Podcast      

    PODCAST: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The boys dissected the clinical thrashing of Hawks praising the immense performance of Christian Petracca whilst lamenting the injury toll to our defensive unit ... LISTEN

    Demonland | March 26

  • Training  

    Monday, 25th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Demon Dynasty & Kev Martin were trackside at Gosch's Paddock today to bring you their observations from training ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 25

  • Casey Report      

    HIBERNATING by KC from Casey

    When they locked up the rooms for summer at the end of last year’s football season, the rooms gathered cobwebs, the atmosphere became dense and the place developed a sleepy feel. They opened up the rooms to let Casey out to play on Sunday but the team was still hibernating and they missed the bulk of the opening quarter ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 25

  • PreGame      

    PREGAME: Rd 03 vs Port Adelaide

    The Demons head out on the road for the next 2 weeks as they travel to Adelaide to play Port on Saturday and then have a 5 Day break before facing the Crows in Gather Round. With injuries to May and Lever who comes in and who goes out? ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 28

  • Match Report      

    A FORK IN THE HAWK by George on the Outer

    For too long in the past, Demon fans became habitually sick and tired of watching the Hawks hand out thrashings to their side. But Melbourne’s empahtic 55-point win at the MCG on Saturday has truly put a fork in the Hawk and turned that history well and truly on its head ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Post Game      

    POSTGAME: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demons cruised to an easy 55 point win over the Hawks at the MCG but but paid a heavy toll on the injury front with Steven May & Jake Lever possibly sidelined for a number of weeks ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Votes      

    VOTES: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    Last week Steven May took the lead in the Demonland Player of the Year Award from Jack Viney. Clayton Oliver & Max Gawn round out the Top 4. Your votes for the win/loss against/to the Hawks. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Game Day      

    GAMEDAY: Round 02 vs Hawthorn

    It's Game Day and after mixed results in the first two weeks of the season the Demons have the opportunity to capitalise on their good form last week when they take on the Hawks at the MCG today ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Training  

    Friday, 22nd March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatcher Kev Martin and I attended the Captain's Run at Gosch's Paddock on this lovely sunny morning to bring you the following observations from the training session ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 22

  • Training  

    Tuesday, 19th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Kev Martin & Walking Civil War attended Tuesday morning's training session at Gosch's Paddock to bring you the following observations ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 19

  • Training  

    Saturday, 16th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Kev Martin and Dee Zephyr wandered down to Gosch's Paddock on Saturday morning to bring you their observations from the Captain's Run in the lead up to Sunday's Round One match against the Bulldogs ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 16

  • Farewell  

    Angus Brayshaw Retires

    After 167 games including the drought breaking Premiership Angus Brayshaw has made the heart breaking decision to medically retire from football as a result of a series of serious head knocks over his nearly decade of footy. We wish Gus all the best and he'll always be a hero at Demonland ... READ MORE

    Demonland | February 22

  • Latest Podcast  

    PODCAST: Koltyn Tholstrup Interview

    I interview the Melbourne Football Club’s newest recruit Koltyn Tholstrup to have a chat about his journey from the farm to the Demons, his first few weeks of preseason training, which Dees have impressed him on the track and his aspirations of playing Round 1 ... LISTEN

    Demonland | December 14

  • Latest Podcast  

    PODCAST: Jason Taylor Interview

    I interview the Melbourne Football Club's National Recruitment Manager Jason Taylor to have a chat about our Trade and Draft period, our newest recruits, our recent recruits who have yet to debut as well as those father son prospects on the horizon ... LISTEN

    Demonland | November 27

  • Next Match 

    .

    Round 03

       vs   

    Saturday 30th March 2024
    @ 07:30pm (AO)

  • MFC Forum  

  • Match Previews & Reports  

  • Training Forum  

  • AFLW Forum  

  • 2024 Player Sponsorship

  • Topics

  • Injury List  


      PLAYER INJURY LENGTH
    Jake Lever Knee Test
    Clayton Oliver Hand Test
    Oliver Sestan Concussion Test
    Steven May Ribs 1 Week
    Lachie Hunter Calf 1 Week
    Daniel Turner Hip 2-3 Weeks
    Charlie Spargo Achilles 2-4 Weeks
    Shane McAdam Hamstring 3-5 Weeks
    Jake Bowey Shoulder 7 Weeks
    Jake Melksham ACL 12-14 Weeks
    Joel Smith Suspension TBA

  • Player of the Year  


        PLAYER VOTES
    1 Christian Petracca 27
    2 Steven May 25
    3 Max Gawn 21
    4 Jack Viney 20
    5 Bayley Fritsch 19
    6 Clayton Oliver 18
    7 Christian Salem 12
    8 Blake Howes 11
    9 Jack Billings 10
    9 Alex Neal-Bullen 10

        FULL TABLE
  • Demonland Interviews 



  • Upcoming Events 

×
×
  • Create New...