Jump to content

BRUISE FREE by The Oracle

Demonland
in Match Previews

Featured Replies

Posted

The noise surrounding Melbourne’s 2023 performances to date suggests the club is poised to again play a part in the AFL’s September action as one of the “flag favourites”, a situation not all that much different to last year when it started off with a 10-match winning streak but finished losing more than half the remaining games in the run home and into the finals.

This time around, it’s six W’s from eight matches with the Round 1 victory over the Bulldogs being the only one over a current top eight side. The club has monstered some of the lowly teams, lost to the Bombers in Adelaide and struggled last week against the admittedly greatly improved Gold Coast Suns on their home turf. But if we’re looking for answers as to where the club is really headed in 2023, this week’s fixture might not be very helpful.

The bottom-of-the-ladder Hawks haven’t exactly set the world alight - their only win being a 19-point victory against North Melbourne at UTAS Stadium. In their last outing they were thrashed by Fremantle at Optus Stadium much to the enjoyment of some of their fans who are fixated on the idea of drafting everyone’s favourite No. 1 pick Harley Reid as their salvation. Little wonder that nobody is expecting a classic contest at the ungodly hour of 4.35pm on Saturday evening.

Last Saturday night, I was stuck with a group of people watching the coronation of King Charles III and I managed to talk them into a few moments respite from the pageantry to watch the football. We settled on the game between Fremantle and Hawthorn at Optus Stadium which, on reflection was a mistake because the standard of the fare on offer, particularly from the Hawks, was so mediocre that everyone suddenly turned into a monarchist and nobody objected to reverting to watching the cavalcade of military uniforms, choirs and unintelligible praying back at the Abbey. 

Still, I had seen enough of the Hawks. Like the Kangaroos and the Eagles, they are causing the AFL some embarrassment this season and the powers that be need to do something about a situation whereby three constituent clubs are uncompetitive one third of the way into the season. 

Every game of football is different. You have to respect your opponent and I do trust that the Demons will respect the Hawks on Saturday evening. They do play well for at least half a game every week and are expecting a couple of handy players back in Luke Breust and Changkuoth Jiath after they were “managed” last week (once upon a time this practice was called “tanking” and massive fines were imposed). 

However, I don’t think the Hawks have the staying power or the depth of talent to mix it with the Demons even if the AFL is trying to manage their young guns namely key forward Jacob van Rooyen via its Tribunal and in doing so, making the game totally bruise free. 

So even if they move in the direction to where the game is heading by donning tutus and wearing lipstick and makeup, I’m tipping the Demons to win this one by 49 points.

THE GAME

Hawthorn v Melbourne at the MCG Saturday 13 May, 2023 at 4.35pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Hawthorn 87 wins Melbourne 80 wins 1 draw

At the MCG Hawthorn 46 wins Melbourne 40 wins 1 draw

Last 5 meetings Hawthorn 0 wins Melbourne 4 wins 1 draw

The Coaches Mitchell 0 wins Goodwin 0 wins 

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

Melbourne 13.13.91 defeated Hawthorn 11.15.81 in Round 7, 2022 at The MCG

Simon Goodwin and five players were ruled out of the game under Covid19 health & safety protocols but that failed to prevent the Demons from continuing their winning run despite a goalless final term. Max Gawn was outstanding in the ruck. Oliver and Petracca were irrepressible in the midfield.

TEAMS 

HAWTHORN 

B J. Sicily S. Frost J. Weddle
HB F. Maginness S. Mitchell J. Blanck J. Impey
C C. Nash J. Newcombe K. Amon
HF J. Worpel J. Koschitzke C. Wingard
F D. Moore M. Lewis L. Breust
FOLL L. Meek W. Day C. Mackenzie
I/C S. Butler B. Hardwick C. Jiath H. Morrison SUB L. Bramble EMG F. Greene J. Scrimshaw

IN J. Blanck L. Breust S. Butler C. Jiath J. Koschitzke C. Mackenzie

OUT T. Brockman (suspended) F. Greene (omitted) C. Macdonald (illness) N. Reeves (ankle) J. Scrimshaw (omitted) J. Ward (foot) 

MELBOURNE

B A. Brayshaw  S. May M. Hibberd
HB J. McVee J. Lever J. Bowey
C E. Langdon C. Oliver A. Neal-Bullen 
HF B. Fritsch B. Grundy L. Hunter 
F K. Chandler J. van Rooyen K. Pickett
FOLL M. Gawn C. Petracca J. Viney
I/C H. Petty T. Rivers C. Spargo T. Sparrow SUB J. Jordon EMG B. Laurie T. McDonald D. Turner

IN M. Hibberd C. Spargo

OUT J. Harmes (omitted) D. Turner (omitted)

Milestone: Steven May 200 games

Injury and Suspension List: Round 9

Christian Salem - Knee | Available 
Tom McDonald - Ankle | Test
Jacob van Rooyen - Suspension | Free and Available 
Luke Dunstan - Knee | 3 - 5 Weeks 
Kye Turner - Groin | 5 - 6 Weeks 
Will Verrall - Pelvis  | 5 - 6 Weeks

PreviewRd092023.png

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 3
     
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • NON-MFC: Round 15

      As the Demons head into their Bye Round, it's time to turn our attention to the other matches being played. Which teams are you tipping this week? And which results would be most favourable for the Demons if we can manage to turn our season around? Follow all the non-Melbourne games here and join the conversation as the ladder continues to take shape.

        • Like
      • 276 replies
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Port Adelaide

      Of course, it’s not the backline, you might argue and you would probably be right. It’s the boot studder (do they still have them?), the midfield, the recruiting staff, the forward line, the kicking coach, the Board, the interchange bench, the supporters, the folk at Casey, the head coach and the club psychologist  It’s all of them and all of us for having expectations that were sufficiently high to have believed three weeks ago that a restoration of the Melbourne team to a position where we might still be in contention for a finals berth when the time for the midseason bye arrived. Now let’s look at what happened over the period of time since Melbourne overwhelmed the Sydney Swans at the MCG in late May when it kicked 8.2 to 5.3 in the final quarter (and that was after scoring 3.8 to two straight goals in the second term). 

        • Clap
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 3 replies
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Essendon

      Casey’s unbeaten run was extended for at least another fortnight after the Demons overran a persistent Essendon line up by 29 points at ETU Stadium in Port Melbourne last night. After conceding the first goal of the evening, Casey went on a scoring spree from about ten minutes in, with five unanswered majors with its fleet of midsized runners headed by the much improved Paddy Cross who kicked two in quick succession and livewire Ricky Mentha who also kicked an early goal. Leading the charge was recruit of the year, Riley Bonner while Bailey Laurie continued his impressive vein of form. With Tom Campbell missing from the lineup, Will Verrall stepped up to the plate demonstrating his improvement under the veteran ruckman’s tutelage. The Demons were looking comfortable for much of the second quarter and held a 25-point lead until the Bombers struck back with two goals in the shadows of half time. On the other side of the main break their revival continued with first three goals of the half. Harry Sharp, who had been quiet scrambled in the Demons’ first score of the third term to bring the margin back to a single point at the 17 minute mark and the game became an arm-wrestle for the remainder of the quarter and into the final moments of the last.

        • Clap
      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Gold Coast

      The Demons have the Bye next week but then are on the road once again when they come up against the Gold Coast Suns on the Gold Coast in what could be a last ditch effort to salvage their season. Who comes in and who comes out?

        • Thanks
      • 120 replies
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: Port Adelaide

      The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 16th June @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect the Dees disappointing loss to the Power.
      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
      • 33 replies
      Demonland

    • POSTGAME: Port Adelaide

      The Demons simply did not take their opportunities when they presented themselves and ultimately when down by 25 points effectively ending their finals chances. Goal kicking practice during the Bye?

        • Haha
        • Thanks
      • 252 replies
      Demonland
    View All