Hey all, hard to believe Round 1 kicks off tomorrow night. The lack of media attention has been deafening. I know we are in the midst of finals but we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Women's sport is undergoing a revolution and the AFL is (slowly) getting on board

What's not to get excited about??

• local game at Prinny Park with hopefully a big crowd
• Unfurling our first flag
• Daisy in attendance
• Missy Higgins on the pre game entertainment
• First game for Hore as captain
• Macca first game back after her ACL

Hope to see y'all there

Game Day info

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/matches/5832#game-guide

Very much looking forward to Friday. 

 

Great to have AFLW back. Big chance of going back to back.

go dees 

Nice short injury list to kick us off:

Two confirmed outs from the GF team (Chaplin and Daisy).

McNamara already a confirmed return from that spinal injury. Much like I still worry for Angus's head at times, I'm sure there'll be some nervous moments as Eliza doesn't shy away from the contest. Have to say she looked full of confidence in the praccy match.

Nice video here with the announcement:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwkCoQ6hthb/

So, there'll be at least one other in for Round 1.

I'm going with my daughter. The first time we have gone to a footy match together for over 10 years. 

She hasn't been to an AFLW game and has no interest in the AFL.

Interestingly though she really got into the Women's work cup and went to the fans sites multiple times. Is going to join Melb city women's team as a member such is her new found enthusiasm for soccer.

I say interestingly because when i asked if she wanted to come with me to watch the dees AFLW game tomorrow night i was really surprised when she said yes, and is really keen. I couldn't get her to a game, men's or women's, last season and i have no doubt the experience of being at AAMI park to watch the Matildas is why she is keen to go to a footy match. 

Edited August 31, 20232 yr by binman

2 hours ago, binman said:

 I couldn't get her to a game, men's or women's, last season and i have no doubt the experience of being at AAMI park to watch the Matildas is why she is keen to go to a footy match. 

A rising tide lifts all boats!

ROUND 1 TEAM

MELBOURNE

B: L.Birch 9 T.Gillard 17  
HB: S.Heath 30 M.Gay 3 S.Goldrick 23
C: S.Lampard 8 O.Purcell 2 E.McNamara 22
HF: T.Harris 7 L.Mithen 14 A.Bannan 16
F: E.Zanker 29 K.Hore - C 10
Foll: L.Pearce 15 T.Hanks 5 P.Paxman 4
I/C: B.Mackin 31 G.Campbell 1 E.West 11 C.Sherriff 18 M.Fitzsimon 24  

Emerg: G.Colvin 32 C.Wilson 20 S.Johnson 25

Melbourne's first father-daughter signing, Georgia Campbell, comes in for her second game.

A big congratulations to Tyla Hanks who plays her 50th game.

Melbourne's Ikon Park win-loss record: 5-0

Opponent venue win-loss record: 4-5

Melbourne's win-loss record against Collingwood: 3-2 (Last played Collingwood in R5 2021, a 35-point loss).

Opponent formline: Collingwood finished S7 with 7 wins and 3 losses, 6th on the ladder, before being knocked out in a Semi-Final against Adelaide.

COLLINGWOOD

B: S.Casey 22 S.Livingstone 12  
HB: S.Sansonetti 16 S.Karlson 20 A.Brazill 10
C: J.Allen 6 B.Davey - C 3 T.White 29
HF: G.Campbell 13 E.Morris 21 E.James 2
F: N.Morris-Dalton 17 S.Rowe 7
Foll: S.Frederick 1 M.Cann 25 B.Bonnici 8
I/C: A.Porter 9 E.Fowler 15 L.Brazzale 24 T.Brown 26 A.Sheridan 14  

Emerg: I.Barnett 4 C.Blair 28 E.Smith 33

New faces: Grace Campbell, Selena Karlson, Eleri Morris, Nell Morris-Dalton, Tarni White
Notable absences: Lauren Butler (foot), Jo Lin (foot), Ruby Schleicher (foot)

Gates open at 4pm. There’s a curtain raiser after which the Flag unfurling ceremony will take place (at around 6:45pm).

The Demon Army will be sitting in Bays 5/6/7 on the upper deck, behind the goals in the Legends stand.

Hanksy’s 50th and her first game as VC.

Sneak peek…

🏆 🏆🏆🏆 ❤️💙🏆🏆🏆🏆

4 hours ago, binman said:

I'm going with my daughter. The first time we have gone to a footy match together for over 10 years. 

She hasn't been to an AFLW game and has no interest in the AFL.

Interestingly though she really got into the Women's work cup and went to the fans sites multiple times. Is going to join Melb city women's team as a member such is her new found enthusiasm for soccer.

I say interestingly because when i asked if she wanted to come with me to watch the dees AFLW game tomorrow night and i was really surprised when she said yes, and is really keen. I couldn't get her to a game, men's or women's, last season and i have no doubt the experience of being at AAMI park to watch the Matildas is why she is keen to go to a footy match. 

So good to hear @binman

The girl's enthusiasm and sense of enjoyment playing footy is really quite infectious. 

I'm sure your daughter will get hooked on our team.

Really looking forward to our season opener.  I reckon the AFL have really buggered up the timing and venues for the AFLW season, but I do have to admit that this is a perfect ‘heart starter’ to Melbourne vs C’wood at the G next Thursday.  
I love the way that our girls ‘stuck fat’ with the team during the off season, while there were a  myriad of player moves at other Clubs.  What a wonderful culture we have at the MFC.  
Dees by 16 pts en route to back-to-back Flags.

Edited August 31, 20232 yr by Deeoldfart
Typo

That's a strong side. Interested to see Campbell the only girl I don't know much about.

That's a strong interchange bench...

What a great way start our season. Excellent article.

 

Tears, family and Demon Spirit: Inside Melbourne's emotion-charged preparations - https://www.afl.com.au/news/1021293

Pies will be much stronger this year with the return of Davey and Bonnici. 

Good to see Eliza McNamara back to strengthen the mids.  Our side is looking particularly strong as well, given Gabby Colvin can't get into the side for her return after injury.  She was definitely one of the first selected in the past. 

And when Rhi Watt and our super smokey Aimee Makin aren't in the running, it makes for a truly competitive unit.

We just have to stop Livingstone controlling the backline for them, so someone out of Hore, Harris or Zanker has to make her accountable, particularly in marking contests.

52 minutes ago, Palace Dees said:

What a great way start our season. Excellent article.

 

Tears, family and Demon Spirit: Inside Melbourne's emotion-charged preparations - https://www.afl.com.au/news/1021293

A sensational glimpse inside the four walls of our AFLW program.

 

This is a critical match if we want to win the McCelland Trophy. Each AFLW match is worth 8 points. We win this and we will be equal with Collingwood and well placed to win the $1m prize money on offer. 
 

I’m really looking forward to this match. 

5 hours ago, Palace Dees said:

What a great way start our season. Excellent article.

 

Tears, family and Demon Spirit: Inside Melbourne's emotion-charged preparations - https://www.afl.com.au/news/1021293

Thanks @Palace Dees

I reckon this is the first time in 50 odd years of supporting the Dees, that we have a team that would be truly feared by all teams in the comp.

Not one player left for another club. They are such a cohesive unit now.

I think they're going to smash the competition this year.

Edited September 1, 20232 yr by Brownie

it will be very interesting to see how the extended time periods and reduced interchanges effect scoring, which seems to be the generic complaint about aflw

i think it'll help teams such as ours, tassie, and the bears, who are coming from a strong base

Well we play the filth twice in a week so lets hope the girls get us of to a good start with a convincing win.

Great to see McNamara back in the side. One of the best skillled aflw players out there. West and Mithen to bury themselves into everything. Would be great to see Bannon burn of the filth of princess park as well.

22 hours ago, DubDee said:

 

• Macca first game back after her ACL

 

Point of correction, Macca didn't do her ACL, she broke her back when a weight dropped on her.

Sam Johnson played in the praccy a couple of weeks ago, four months after giving birth. FOUR MONTHS!!!

Four months after giving birth I celebrated just being able to walk further than the letterbox 😂

3 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Sam Johnson played in the praccy a couple of weeks ago, four months after giving birth. FOUR MONTHS!!!

Four months after giving birth I celebrated just being able to walk further than the letterbox 😂

She's a superstar, our Sammie J :)

Hey, it’s GAMEDAY and our premiership winning women deserve a GAMEDAY thread as much as our men. More so as we raise our premiership flag tonight in front of the old enemy.

Go Demons!!!

5 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Hey, it’s GAMEDAY and our premiership winning women deserve a GAMEDAY thread as much as our men. More so as we raise our premiership flag tonight in front of the old enemy.

Go Demons!!!

They sure do, WJ! They’ve continued to work extremely hard, no premiership hangover here, that’s for sure. They’re raring to go!!!

GO THE MIGHTY DEES!!!

Us by 14 points ❤️💙