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.

DEVIL IN THE DEETALE by George On The Outer

Demonland
in Match Reports

Featured Replies

Posted
It was third vs fourth on the ladder and everything was on the line for both Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions. The prize was a place in the top four of the AFL ladder going into the 2022 final series. A season’s tale not dissimilar to that which prevailed in the last round of 2021 when the Demons played against the Cats.
What the Lions didn’t realise was it was the Melbourne Premiership side with more Devil in their approach to the game and it saw them run out winners by nearly 10 goals.
 
Right from the start it was all Melbourne. The fans would have been familiar with the style of play they had seen late last year and earlier this year. As the Demons approach finals time, the defensive lines are returning to impenetrable with Jake Lever, Steven May and Harry Petty marking, spoiling or intercepting everything coming their way. Michael Hibberd, in his 99th game for the club, blanketed the Lions’ Charlie Cameron and kept him goalless - again. Trent Rivers, Jake Bowey and Jayden Hunt have found their old mojo, sweeping the ball effortlessly from out of the defensive zone. 
 
At quarter time the Demons had a five goal lead and the game would have been as good as over for most other teams, but Brisbane are the highest scoring side in the competition, so the danger existed still. The challenge came with two early goals to the Lions, but then the Devil in the Demons’ tale came out again, and the next seven in a row came all too easily it seemed.  By the major break Melbourne had opened up an 11 goal lead while Brisbane could only manage two goals to that point in the game.  
 
Up forward Kysaiah Pickett and Bayley Fritsch have rediscovered their dashing best with Kozzy putting four majors through before the half time siren. Ben Brown also helped to break Brisbane hearts with accurate, unwavering set shots at goal, including one from the boundary after the half time siren. There was also an unrecognised effort from Brown who tapped the ball on at least three occasions from highly contested marking events, to the advantage of Pickett and Petracca. No stats there, but without his efforts the goals would not have come.
 
The game continued on its way with a lot of spite. After all both sides had much at stake and the Lions could see their chances disappearing quickly.  Zorko in particular took every opportunity to rub his opponent faces into the turf and apparently followed that up with some unsavoury remarks to Petty.  It was all for nothing and did nothing to advance the cause. When you take out a pact with the Devil, the payback is required, and the Demons continued to grind their opponents through superior football in spite of the nasty cheap shots.
 
In the middle we saw the return to form of Max Gawn and Luke Jackson, who looked to have much more spring in their step and their marking capabilities which had been missing in past weeks.  They also effectively negated the efforts of McInerney and the Brisbane mids with hitouts 43 to 34 in the Demons favour, and stoppage clearances 31 to 20. All around the ground the Demons were simply out muscling and outplaying their opponents.  
 
The return of Angus Brayshaw to the middle saw no drop off from when Christian Petracca was playing more minutes. His 27 disposals and 450 metres gained were only exceeded by Clayton Oliver who probably put another three Brownlow votes in the bag with 30 touches and an incredible 578 metres gained.
 
This game saw a return to the form for Melbourne that scares opposition sides.  Geelong, Bulldogs and now Brisbane know what that means.  Other aspirants in season 2022 would have been watching and dreading having to come up against the Demons in the coming weeks.  
 
The players are running with ease, the defensive systems have returned to their ruthlessly miserly returns.  The mids are powerful and unrelenting.  The overlap run is back and the forwards are taking full advantage of the upfield swift movement.
 
This is the Tale of the Demons again in 2022 - absolutely hitting their straps at exactly the right time of the year. With almost a full list to choose from and prospective opponents dispatched with ease, the team is physically well prepared and at its peak.
 
The Devil in the Demons is back to create Hell for those who might dare to challenge.

MELBOURNE 6.2.38 13.3.81 17.4.106 18.7.115
 
BRISBANE LIONS 1.1.7 2.3.15 5.6.36 8.9.57
 
GOALS 
 
MELBOURNE Fritsch Pickett 4 Brown 3  Petracca 2 Jackson Langdon Lever Melksham Neal-Bullen
 
BRISBANE LIONS Daniher McCluggage 2 McCarthy McStay Rayner Robinson 
 
BEST
 
MELBOURNE Oliver Petracca Brayshaw Pickett May Fritsch
 
BRISBANE LIONS Neale McCluggage Rich McInerney
 
INJURIES 
 
MELBOURNE Christian Salem (groin soreness) replaced in the selected side by Jake Bowey Luke Jackson (calf)
 
BRISBANE LIONS Jarrod Berry (ankle) 
 
REPORTS 
 
MELBOURNE Nil
 
BRISBANE LIONS Cam Rayner for a dangerous tackle on Ben Brown
 
SUBSTITUTES
 
MELBOURNE James Jordon (replaced Luke Jackson)
 
BRISBANE LIONS Mitch Robinson (replaced Jarrod Berry) 
 
UMPIRES Matt Stevic Andrew Stephens Brendan Hosking 
 
CROWD 32,172 at The Gabba 
ReportRd232022.png
    • Like 3
     
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • AFLW REPORT: Collingwood

      Expectations of a comfortable win for Narrm at Victoria Park quickly evaporated as the match turned into a tense nail-biter. After a confident start by the Demons, the Pies piled on pressure and forced red and blue supporters to hold their collective breath until after the final siren. In a frenetic, physical contest, it was Captain Kate’s clutch last quarter goal and a missed shot from Collingwood’s Grace Campbell after the siren which sealed a thrilling 4-point win. Finally, Narrm supporters could breathe easy.

        • Thumb Down
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 1 reply
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Williamstown

      The Casey Demons issued a strong statement to the remaining teams in the VFL race with a thumping 76-point victory in their Elimination Final against Williamstown. This was the sixth consecutive win for the Demons, who stormed into the finals from a long way back with scalps including two of the teams still in flag contention. Senior Coach Taylor Whitford would have been delighted with the manner in which his team opened its finals campaign with high impact after securing the lead early in the game when Jai Culley delivered a precise pass to a lead from Noah Yze, who scored his first of seven straight goals for the day. Yze kicked his second on the quarter time siren, by which time the Demons were already in control. The youngster repeated the dose in the second term as the Seagulls were reduced to mere

        • Thanks
      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • AFLW PREVIEW: Collingwood

      Narrm time isn’t a standard concept—it’s the time within the traditional lands of Narrm, the Woiwurrung name for Melbourne. Indigenous Round runs for rounds 3 and 4 and is a powerful platform to recognise the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in sport, community, and Australian culture. This week, suburban footy returns to the infamous Victoria Park as the mighty Narrm take on the Collingwood Magpies at 1:05pm Narrm time, Sunday 31 August. Come along if you can.

        • Thumb Down
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 9 replies
      Demonland

    • AFLW REPORT: St. Kilda

      The Dees demolished the Saints in a comprehensive 74-pointshellacking.  We filled our boots with percentage — now a whopping 520.7% — and sit atop the AFLW ladder. Melbourne’s game plan is on fire, and the competition is officially on notice.

        • Clap
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 4 replies
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Collingwood

      It was yet another disappointing outcome in a disappointing year, with Melbourne missing the finals for the second consecutive season. Indeed, it wasn’t even close, as the Demons' tally of seven wins was less than half the number required to rank among the top eight teams in the competition. When the dust of the game settled and supporters reflected on Melbourne's  six-point defeat at the hands of close game specialists Collingwood, Max Gawn's words about his team’s unfulfilled potential rang true … well, almost. 

        • Thanks
      • 1 reply
      Demonland

    • POSTGAME: Collingwood

      Thank god this season is over. Bring on 2026.

        • Clap
        • Like
      • 379 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.