Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.
Demonland

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Welcome to Demonland: Jacob Van Rooyen

MadAsHell
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

On 17/05/2025 at 16:42, beelzebub said:

You grant far too much kudos to our coaching. Our forward craft is in a word, pathetic . In so far as being useful at AFL level our forward structure and training ( might as well throw in selection ) is immature.

There's NO ONE there capable of instructing JVR or any really in anything useful.

He's getting "Melbourned" .... royally

Still think that?

  • Quote
    • 4 weeks later...
     

    Just saw this quote about JVR taken from Zero Hanger:

    "However, winning a hitout is just half the battle of a ruck contest. The other half is knocking the ball to the advantage of a teammate to gain possession. No other non-ruck has been better at this facet of ruck craft than Jacob van Rooyen this season.

    The Demons key forward has rotated in and out of the Melbourne side in 2025, having featured in just eight games with struggles to get opportunities in front of the big sticks. However, when required, he's been much more than a servicable replacement for the AFL's greatest ruckman Max Gawn, hitting the Sherrin to advantage 33.3% of the time. While van Rooyen understandably has one of the lower ruck contests competed in per game with 12.5, he is wildly effective in those contests. In fact, van Rooyen's hitout to advantage rate of 33.3% is not just the best amongst non-rucks, it's the best in the entire league with rucks included too!"

    Perhaps we should view him as a forward pocket ruckman rather than a key position forward. Jeffo and Turner as keys, with JVR in the pocket.

  • Quote
    • Like 11
    • Thanks 1
    • Clap 3
    5 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

    Just saw this quote about JVR taken from Zero Hanger:

    "However, winning a hitout is just half the battle of a ruck contest. The other half is knocking the ball to the advantage of a teammate to gain possession. No other non-ruck has been better at this facet of ruck craft than Jacob van Rooyen this season.

    The Demons key forward has rotated in and out of the Melbourne side in 2025, having featured in just eight games with struggles to get opportunities in front of the big sticks. However, when required, he's been much more than a servicable replacement for the AFL's greatest ruckman Max Gawn, hitting the Sherrin to advantage 33.3% of the time. While van Rooyen understandably has one of the lower ruck contests competed in per game with 12.5, he is wildly effective in those contests. In fact, van Rooyen's hitout to advantage rate of 33.3% is not just the best amongst non-rucks, it's the best in the entire league with rucks included too!"

    Perhaps we should view him as a forward pocket ruckman rather than a key position forward. Jeffo and Turner as keys, with JVR in the pocket.

    not the worst suggestion. my only question would be defensive pressure.

  • Quote
    • Like 2
     
    3 hours ago, Neil Crompton said:

    Just saw this quote about JVR taken from Zero Hanger:

    "However, winning a hitout is just half the battle of a ruck contest. The other half is knocking the ball to the advantage of a teammate to gain possession. No other non-ruck has been better at this facet of ruck craft than Jacob van Rooyen this season.

    The Demons key forward has rotated in and out of the Melbourne side in 2025, having featured in just eight games with struggles to get opportunities in front of the big sticks. However, when required, he's been much more than a servicable replacement for the AFL's greatest ruckman Max Gawn, hitting the Sherrin to advantage 33.3% of the time. While van Rooyen understandably has one of the lower ruck contests competed in per game with 12.5, he is wildly effective in those contests. In fact, van Rooyen's hitout to advantage rate of 33.3% is not just the best amongst non-rucks, it's the best in the entire league with rucks included too!"

    Perhaps we should view him as a forward pocket ruckman rather than a key position forward. Jeffo and Turner as keys, with JVR in the pocket.

    Who is he rucking against in those contests though? Might be the other teams part timer most of the time.

    Having said that it's a pretty interesting stat and he's a super useful player in that area. At the end of the day we're better off if JVR doesn't have the burden of being our number one forward, at least until he's 25 at least.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    4 hours ago, Neil Crompton said:

    Just saw this quote about JVR taken from Zero Hanger:

    "However, winning a hitout is just half the battle of a ruck contest. The other half is knocking the ball to the advantage of a teammate to gain possession. No other non-ruck has been better at this facet of ruck craft than Jacob van Rooyen this season.

    The Demons key forward has rotated in and out of the Melbourne side in 2025, having featured in just eight games with struggles to get opportunities in front of the big sticks. However, when required, he's been much more than a servicable replacement for the AFL's greatest ruckman Max Gawn, hitting the Sherrin to advantage 33.3% of the time. While van Rooyen understandably has one of the lower ruck contests competed in per game with 12.5, he is wildly effective in those contests. In fact, van Rooyen's hitout to advantage rate of 33.3% is not just the best amongst non-rucks, it's the best in the entire league with rucks included too!"

    Perhaps we should view him as a forward pocket ruckman rather than a key position forward. Jeffo and Turner as keys, with JVR in the pocket.

    The other stat re. JVR is that of the 8 games he has played we have lost every one and, you guessed it, the 5 he didn’t play we have won. No blame intended but doubt that would be good for his confidence.

    Edited by Maxie

  • Quote

    4 hours ago, Neil Crompton said:

    Just saw this quote about JVR taken from Zero Hanger:

    "However, winning a hitout is just half the battle of a ruck contest. The other half is knocking the ball to the advantage of a teammate to gain possession. No other non-ruck has been better at this facet of ruck craft than Jacob van Rooyen this season.

    The Demons key forward has rotated in and out of the Melbourne side in 2025, having featured in just eight games with struggles to get opportunities in front of the big sticks. However, when required, he's been much more than a servicable replacement for the AFL's greatest ruckman Max Gawn, hitting the Sherrin to advantage 33.3% of the time. While van Rooyen understandably has one of the lower ruck contests competed in per game with 12.5, he is wildly effective in those contests. In fact, van Rooyen's hitout to advantage rate of 33.3% is not just the best amongst non-rucks, it's the best in the entire league with rucks included too!"

    Perhaps we should view him as a forward pocket ruckman rather than a key position forward. Jeffo and Turner as keys, with JVR in the pocket.

    Are we sure he was trying to tap to advantage and not mark the ball?

  • Quote

    FWIW there was in the 70s a forward at toiges who did not prosper and was traded to the swannies.

    He still did not prosper until he was switched from FF to the ruck.

    He ended up winning the brownlow. His name was Graeme (Graham?) Teasdale.

    Why not try?

  • Quote
    • Thanks 1
    • Clap 1

    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...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • AFLW PREVIEW: Western Bulldogs

      The Dogs reigned supreme in 2018 with an inaugural AFLW premiership cup and the Demons matched this feat by winning the cup as the Season 7 2022 champions.Meggs wasn’t born when the Doggies won their first VFL premiership cup against the Demons in 1954. Covid prevented many Demons fans from legally witnessing the victorious 2021 AFL Grand Final cup performance between the Demons and the Bulldogs, but we all grin when remembering those magnificent seven third quarter goals.  

      • 1 reply
      Demonland

    • PREVIEW: Hawthorn

      Hawthorn and Melbourne. Two teams with impressive form from last week but with seasons that are travelling on different trajectories meet in Saturday’s twilight game for what could well be the most intriguing contest of the AFL’s penultimate round. Sadly, the game has been relegated to that unappealing time slot in the weekend when Melburnians are typically preoccupied with activities other than football. It falls between the morning's shopping, afternoon sport and recreation, and Saturday night fever. A time usually reserved for relatively insignificant events but this one is not a nothingburger for either of the clubs or their fans.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • AFLW: 2025 Season Preview

      Ten seasons. Eighteen teams. With the young talent pathway finally fully connected, Women’s Australian Rules football is building momentum and Season 2025 promises to be the best yet. In advance of Season 10, the AFL leadership has engaged in candid discussions with all clubs regarding strategies to boost attendance and expand fan bases. Concerningly, average attendances in 2024 were 2,660 fans per match, with the women’s game incurring an annual loss of approximately $50 million.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Western Bulldogs

      The next coach of the Melbourne Football Club faces the challenge of teaching his players how to win games against all comers. At times during this tumultuous season, that task has seemed daunting, made more so in light of the surprise news last week of the sacking of premiership coach Simon Goodwin. However, there were also some positive signs from yesterday’s match against the Western Bulldogs that the challenge may not be as difficult as one might think. The two sides presented a genuine football spectacle, featuring pulsating competitive play with eight lead changes throughout the afternoon, in a display befitting a finals match.The result could have gone either way and in the end, it came down to which team could produce the most desperate of acts to provide a winning result. It was the Bulldogs who had their season on the line that won out by a six point margin that fitted the game and the effort of both sides.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Brisbane

      The rain had been falling heavily in south east Queensland when the match began at Springfield, west of Brisbane. The teams exchanged early goals and then the Casey Demons proceeded like a house on fire in the penultimate game of the VFL season against a strong opponent in the Brisbane Lions. Sparked by strong play around the ground by seasoned players in Charlie Spargo and Jack Billings, a strong effort from Bailey Laurie and promising work from youngsters in Kynan Brown and  Koltyn Tholstrup, the Demons with multiple goal kickers firing, raced to a 27 point lead late in the opening stanza. A highlight was a wonderful goal from Laurie who brilliantly sidestepped two opponents and kicked beautifully from 45 metres out.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Hawthorn

      The Demons return to the MCG this time as the visiting team where they get another opportunity to put a dent into a team's top 8 placing when they take on the Hawks on Saturday afternoon. Who comes in and who goes out?

        • Like
      • 157 replies
      Demonland
    View All

    Configure browser push notifications
    Chrome (Android)
    1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
    2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
    3. Adjust your preference.
    Chrome (Desktop)
    1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
    2. Select Site settings.
    3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.