Jump to content

Featured Replies

Posted

?Β LEVER08's Match Sim Report

MELBOURNE defender Jake Lever didn't play in the club's final match simulation at Casey Fields on Saturday ahead of next week's clash with Carlton but will face the Blues.

Lever emerged from the shutdown period as one of the Demons' fittest players but they opted to manage his loads and he instead trained on an adjacent oval with injured teammate Aaron Nietschke.

The 24-year-old intercept specialist dominated Melbourne's 1km time trials when everyone returned to training in May and he looks primed to deliver on the Dees' big investment in him.

Lever and another key defensive recruit from recent years, Steven May, played together only four times last season because of respective injuries.

May was a strong performer in the four quarters of game practice, including taking a series of intercept marks, firstly playing in the royal blue side before swapping to the navy blue team.

Most of the Demons' first-choice players started in navy blue, except for defenders such as May, Neville Jetta, James Harmes and Christian Salem – but they all switched during the half-time break.

The player to watch could be athletic backman Joel Smith, who's always been a source of intrigue for the Melbourne coaching staff despite injuries restricting him to only 11 matches.

The Demons think so highly of Smith they promoted him for their 2018 preliminary final at Bayley Fritsch's expense but he missed all of last season with a groin problem.

The son of ex-Demon Shaun played in the same defensive set-up with May, Jetta, Harmes and Salem throughout the solid hitout.

Melbourne looks to have a mostly healthy list, with Aaron vandenBerg (foot) – who also last played in that 2018 preliminary final – among those to play.

Salem (glandular fever) and ex-skipper Nathan Jones (Achilles) are the likeliest additions to Melbourne's team for the contest with Carlton at Marvel Stadium next Saturday.

Harley Bennell (calf) also looks in good nick and has given his new club something to think about with his track efforts in recent weeks.

Bennell joined young midfielders Tom Sparrow and James Jordon as the royal blue side's most common centre-bounce combination, with either Sam Weideman or Category B rookie Austin Bradtke rucking.

The former Docker and Sun also spent time up forward after switching into navy blue in the second half.

Weideman has fallen out of favour for the time being but worked hard and presented well.

He could yet be in calculations, given Mitch Brown, who played in round one, spent all of simulation in royal blue, while No.3 draft pick Luke Jackson and Weideman swapped teams at half-time.

Back-up big man Braydon Preuss, who's been sidelined with a knee injury, did not play.

The Demons rotated the likes of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, Angus Brayshaw and Jack Viney through the middle in the navy blue squad, with All-Australian ruckman Max Gawn.

Recruits Ed Langdon and Adam Tomlinson won plenty of possession on opposite wings, while Fritsch, Tom McDonald and Kysaiah 'Kozzy' Pickett were all lively in attack.

Small forwards Alex Neal-Bullen, Toby Bedford and Charlie Spargo appear to be locked in a battle for potentially one spot after all played in the season-opening loss to West Coast.

The trio played for the royal blue team for the match's duration.

Β 

Anybody there that can fill us in?

  • Author

Β 

Β 

Β 

Β 

 

Smith to replace Oscar?

Β 

B: JETTA, MAY, LEVER

HB: SALEM, SMITH, HIBBERD

C : LANGDON, PETRACCA, TOMLINSON

HF: PICKETT, JACKSON, JONES

F: MELKSHAM, T.MCDONALD, FRITSCH

FOLL: GAWN, OLIVER, VINEY

IC: LOCKHART(BACK), HARMES(MID), BRAYSHAW(MID), HANNAN(FORWARD)

EMRG: BENNELL, O.MCDONALD, RIVERS, WEIDEMAN


Pretty poor that the Melbourne website hasn't got a write up on the match sim.

Β 

Obviously Joel Smith is a defender again but I thought he looked good as a forward. No doubt will be thrown there ASAP if we're kicking 6.12.48 every week.

I take it from the article that Lever is still being managed after being also managed during the week. Apparently back to his best running wise. Is this a worry that he’s missed last two contact sessions? Anyone know more?


  • Author
Just now, Hunt29 said:

I take it from the article that Lever is still being managed after being also managed during the week. Apparently back to his best running wise. Is this a worry that he’s missed last two contact sessions? Anyone know more?

Article says he will play against Carlton but I won't be surprised if he misses given what we also read in the article.Β 

Just got excited about footy for the first time in a long time (feels like years anyway).

Bring on Saturday!

Β 

Β 

Would love to know if there were any interesting/surprising players lining up in the royal blue "seconds".

Defenders aside, sounds like Bennell and Brown were royal blue and Weideman and Jackson played half-and-half.

Edit: looks like lots of players spent time in both colours: from the TMac interview video, I can see Jones, AVB, Bennell and J Wagner all spent time in both royal and navy blue. I can also see ANB and Hunt in royal and Lockhart in navy.

Edited by titan_uranus

Very excited that AVB and Bennell are in full training. We play much better with AVB and no doubt a fit Bennell makes us much better.Β 
Β 

Smith intrigues me though. Has the agility and speed not many have. Thought we’d keep him forward as well. Could be a handful with Fritsch floating around as well.Β 


From the footage on the MFC website and Twitter, I get the sense that we were keeping more players forward of the ball. Seemed to be more options forward of the ball carrier in each clip than what we saw in Round 1 and for most of 2019.

  • Popular Post

I was there. Watched behind the perimeter fence on far wing. So good to see live action!

observations:

- 4x 25 min quarters no time on played

-Lots of swapping of players between the two teams

-Lever Pruess Petty KK and Nietscke only 5 who didn’t play

- May starred, BOG easilyΒ 

-Bennell played all 4 quarters, 1st half on ball 2nd half on HFF

-Spargo did some great things, I’m not always a fan but he looked at the level today

-Fritsch was the best forward

-J Smith will be close to selection, either if Lever doesn’t come up or instead of O Mac.

- I rate Sparrow. HIGHLY!! Head to head with Viney all game and not a backward step taken.

- No injuries during the game to anyone. Relief!

- Rivers and Hibberd were in a showdown for the final HBF spot. Both played well today

- Dont expect to see any of the two Wagners,Β or Baker early in season. They look like the last in line depth players to me

- Actually think Bradtke showed he can play. 20% better than his Casey 2019 form

- Goalkicking am issue, but expect it will be for all 18 clubs next weekend till the season gets into its rhythmΒ 

- Hunt looks out of favour

- My biggest take - get on Brayshaw for a return to form. Played with no helmet, and moved and hunted the ballΒ like it was 2018 again.

HappyΒ to answer questionsΒ 

Β 

Edited by Lever08

6 minutes ago, Lever08 said:

I was there. Watched behind the perimeter fence on far wing. So good to see live action!

Β 

Thanks, Lever08.Β  Nice debut!

8 minutes ago, Lever08 said:

I was there. Watched behind the perimeter fence on far wing. So good to see live action!

observations:

- 4x 25 min quarters no time on played

-Lots of swapping of players between the two teams

-Lever Pruess Petty KK and Nietscke only 5 who didn’t play

- May starred, BOG easilyΒ 

-Bennell played all 4 quarters, 1st half on ball 2nd half on HFF

-Spargo did some great things, I’m not always a fan but he looked at the level today

-Fritsch was the best forward

-J Smith will be close to selection, either if Lever doesn’t come up or instead of O Mac.

- I rate Sparrow. HIGHLY!! Head to head with Viney all game and not a backward step taken.

- No injuries during the game to anyone. Relief!

- Rivers and Hibberd were in a showdown for the final HBF spot. Both played well today

- Dont expect to see any of the two Wagners,Β or Baker early in season. They look like the last in line depth players to me

- Actually think Bradtke showed he can play. 20% better than his Casey 2019 form

- Goalkicking am issue, but expect it will be for all 18 clubs next weekend till the season gets into its rhythmΒ 

- Hunt looks out of favour

- My biggest take - get on Brayshaw for a return to form. Played with no helmet, and moved and hunted the ballΒ like it was 2018 again.

HappyΒ to answer questionsΒ 

Β 

Great write up!

How did Chandler, Hannan and Bedford go?

Who gets the spot? Hibberd or Rivers?


Yes great and very timely first post. How did Mitch Hannan go?

Β 

Β 

duck hunting season ends this weekend, so i guess that's when the relief starts....at least for the ducks


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...

Featured Content

  • NON-MFC: Round 13

    Follow all the action from every Round 13 clash excluding the Dees as the 2025 AFL Premiership Season rolls on. With Melbourne playing in the final match of the round on King's Birthday, all eyes turn to the rest of the competition. Who are you tipping to win? And more importantly, which results best serve the Demons’ finals aspirations? Join the discussion and keep track of the matches that could shape the ladder and impact our run to September.

      • Thanks
    • 13 replies
  • PREVIEW: Collingwood

    Having convincingly defeated last year’s premier and decisively outplayed the runner-up with 8.2 in the final quarter, nothing epitomized the Melbourne Football Club’s performance more than its 1.12 final half, particularly the eight consecutive behinds in the last term, against a struggling St Kilda team in the midst of a dismal losing streak.Β Just when stability and consistency were anticipated within the Demon ranks, they delivered a quintessential performance marked by instability and ill-conceived decisions, with the most striking aspect being their inaccuracy in kicking for goal, which suggested a lack of preparation (instead of sleeping in their hotel in Alice, were they having a night on the turps) rather than a well-rested team. Let’s face it - this kicking disease that makes them look like raw amateurs is becoming a millstone around the team’s neck.

      • Thanks
    • 1 reply
  • CASEY: Sydney

    The Casey Demons were always expected to emerge victorious in their matchup against the lowly-ranked Sydney Swans at picturesque Tramway Oval, situated in the shadows of the SCG in Moore Park. They dominated the proceedings in the opening two and a half quarters of the game but had little to show for it. This was primarily due to their own sloppy errors in a low-standard game that produced a number of crowded mauls reminiscent of the rugby game popular in old Sydney Town. However, when the Swans tired, as teams often do when they turn games into ugly defensive contests, Casey lifted the standard of its own play and … it was off to the races. Not to nearby Randwick but to a different race with an objective of piling on goal after goal on the way to a mammoth victory. At the 25-minute mark of the third quarter, the Demons held a slender 14-point lead over the Swans, who are ahead on the ladder of only the previous week's opposition, the ailing Bullants. Forty minutes later, they had more than fully compensated for the sloppiness of their earlier play with a decisive 94-point victory, that culminated in a rousing finish which yielded thirteen unanswered goals. Kicks hit their targets, the ball found itself going through the middle and every player made a contribution.

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 1 reply
  • REPORT: St. Kilda

    Hands up if you thought, like me, at half-time in yesterday’s game at TIO Traeger Park, Alice Springs that Melbourne’s disposal around the ground and, in particular, its kicking inaccuracy in front of the goals couldn’t get any worse. Well, it did. And what’s even more damning for the Melbourne Football Club is that the game against St Kilda and its resurgence from the bottomless pit of its miserable start to the season wasn’t just lost through poor conversion for goal but rather in the 15 minutes when the entire team went into a slumber and was mugged by the out-of-form Saints. Their six goals two behinds (one goal less than the Demons managed for the whole game) weaved a path of destruction from which they were unable to recover. Ross Lyon’s astute use of pressure to contain the situation once they had asserted their grip on the game, and Melbourne’s self-destructive wastefulness, assured that outcome. The old adage about the insanity of repeatedly doing something and expecting a different result, was out there. Two years ago, the score line in Melbourne’s loss to the Giants at this same ground was 5 goals 15 behinds - a ratio of one goal per four scoring shots - was perfectly replicated with yesterday’s 7 goals 21 behinds.Β 
    This has been going on for a while and opens up a number of questions. I’ll put forward a few that come to mind from this performance. The obvious first question is whether the club can find a suitable coach to instruct players on proper kicking techniques or is this a skill that can no longer be developed at this stage of the development of our playing group? Another concern is the team's ability to counter an opponent's dominance during a run on as exemplified by the Saints in the first quarter. Did the Demons underestimate their opponents, considering St Kilda's goals during this period were scored by relatively unknown forwards?Β Furthermore, given the modest attendance of 6,721 at TIO Traeger Park and the team's poor past performances at this venue, is it prudent to prioritize financial gain over potentially sacrificing valuable premiership points by relinquishing home ground advantage, notwithstanding the cultural significance of the team's connection to the Red Centre?Β 

      • Thanks
    • 4 replies
  • PREGAME: Collingwood

    After a disappointing loss in Alice Springs the Demons return to the MCG to take on the Magpies in the annual King's Birthday Big Freeze for MND game. Who comes in and who goes out?

      • Thanks
    • 232 replies
  • PODCAST: St. Kilda

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 2nd June @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we have a chat with former Demon ruckman Jeff White about his YouTube channel First Use where he dissects ruck setups and contests. We'll then discuss the Dees disappointing loss to the Saints in Alice Springs.
    Your 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.
    Listen LIVE: https://demonland.com/

      • Thanks
    • 47 replies