The rejuvenated Demons out tussled the Tigers by 13 points to make it four wins on the trot on Saturday which means that the slight possibility of a finals appearance remains alive in 2024. This is despite the AFLW handicapping the Demons against their peers yet again (more later).

Lots to celebrate as it was Kids Day at Casey Fields and both teams ran onto the ground modelling their Pride jumpers.  

Kate Hore won the toss and kicked to the Clyde end. Thankfully, the notorious Casey gusty wind was not much of a factor during the match. 

As expected, the top four aspirant Richmond started fiercely and kicked the first goal but Alyssa Bannan responded with a fine snap to open the Demons account.  A minute later, a lace-out pass from Kate Hore to Georgia Gall allowed the emerging young tall to give the Dees the lead.

Richmond’s captain and key marking forward Katie Brennan injured her ankle and was taken out of the game. Gun-mid Ellie McKenzie kicked a spectacular run and bounce ‘goal of the year’ contender.  

Bannan then responded once again with a super snap under heavy pressure. 

Melbourne’s ferocity amped up from the second quarter onwards.  Mick Stinear would later comment that once we started sticking our tackles and getting the ball outside to runners we got on top.

The Demons dominated for a long period of the match kicking 6 unanswered goals.  

When leading by 33 points at the 11-minute mark of the last quarter, our bodies began to tire and Caitlin Greiser kicked 3 late Richmond goals which helped window dress their final losing margin.

Stats-wise it was fairly even on the day.  Both teams had 234 disposals with Melbourne having more kicks and made the most of its scoring chances. A high work-rate was demonstrated by laying 87 tackles to 66.  

Loz Pearce was a welcome return and and together with Rhi Watt they won the hit outs 44 to 24.  

Richmond’s dynamic midfield team won the centre clearances 9 to 5 but our group matched them in intensity.  Superstar Mon Conti’s usual elite output was scratchy at times due to the close attention of Shelley Heath who laid a match-high 14 tackles.

Awesome Foursome

The story of the day was our fan-favourite forward Alyssa Bannan with her awesome four goals. Mick Stinear praised Banno today.  He said she was dangerous in the air, at ground level, and created many chances for others. Banno is having a purple patch with 8 goals in her last 4 games. Notably her 4th goal was her 50th goal in AFLW.

Congratulations Banno!  

Death-riding scenarios

To have any chance of making finals, Melbourne needs to win its last two games to finish with 28 points, the minimum threshold required to secure a top eight berth.

If any team currently sitting in positions 5-8 finishes on 28 points or more, the Dees will miss finals due to our lowly percentage caused by the Kangas and Bombers smashings.  

Fremantle and Port Adelaide will almost certainly finish above us.

That leaves us fans death-riding Essendon on 20 points (who must lose 2 games against either Kangas, Richmond, or Carlton) or Richmond on 24 points (lose both Bombers and Hawks games). If Essendon beat both Richmond and Carlton and then Richmond beat Hawthorn, it’s sayonara Season 2024.

Unjust fixture handicaps the Dees (yet again). 

Unbelievably, the AFLW has given last year’s premiers the softest draw of all the top teams. Brisbane only plays 2 top 8 teams this year Melbourne plays 7 top 8 teams, just not Port Adelaide.  

The competing ladder cohort of Port, Freo Essendon and Hawthorn have had comparatively softer draws than the Dees.  

It is not a level playing field and there is no allowance for fixture difficulty.

For the Dees 

The coach was happy.  

Kate Hore and Tyla Hanks continue to lead with distinction.

Superhero Liv Purcell, donning her stunning black face mask,was industrious again alongside the ‘blanketeer’ Shelley Heath.  Eliza McNamara was not as busy as last week but a fine contributor once again.  It was good to see Blaithin Mackin returning from calf injury, and she will be better for the run.

Our defensive group has really grown in the back half of the season.  Their grit, physical pressure and springboarding has inspired.  Gillard would have been pleased with her game, Chaplin, Goldie, Lampy, and Denby T too.  The new Taylor,Saraid, made a fine debut in defence.  

Special mention to Georgia Gall for providing marking options leading up the ground and gaining the confidence of her teammates.  Her 2 goals, a great reward.

Coaches and next week

Melbourne Coach Mick Stinear and his coaching team were really pleased with the victory.  He praised his team’s ability to compete in the contest game and keep turning up all game.  

He commented that Richmond’s big-bodied mids McKenzie and Sheerin really tested us. After quarter time we wore the Tigers down and put on scoreboard pressure which set up thegreat win.

There was no Ryan Ferguson (Richmond Coach) press conference video available.

Next week is Indigenous Round.  The Demons next play Hawthorn at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns on Thursday night.  Richmond play Essendon at TIO Stadium in Darwin on Saturday.

Go Dees.  

MELBOURNE 3.1.19 4.1.25 5.3.33 8.3.51

RICHMOND 2.1.13 2.2.14 2.5.17 5.8.38

GOALS

MELBOURNE Bannan 4 Gall 2 Hanks Zanker

RICHMOND Greiser 3 McKenzie Sheerin

BEST

MELBOURNE Bannan Purcell Hore Zanker Gall

RICHMOND Sheerin Conti McKenzie Greiser Kelly

INJURIES

MELBOURNE Nil

RICHMOND Brennan (ankle)

REPORTS

MELBOURNE Nil

RICHMOND Nil

CROWD 2,026 at Casey Fields

4 hours ago, Demonland said:

Unbelievably, the AFLW has given last year’s premiers the softest draw of all the top teams. Brisbane only plays 2 top 8 teams this year Melbourne plays 7 top 8 teams, just not Port Adelaide

I presume the draw was based on last year's ladder positions, so, from the 8 after finals, Brisbane scored 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 while we scored 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8. Not so unequal?

More unbalanced in the 'non-8s', though: we scored 9, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 16, while they got 17 and 18, to go with 9, 11 and 12.

So, the issues arise more from not playing everyone once, venue when not playing everyone twice, and improvements or falls, affected by list/trade rules. All things the AFL could influence.

Regarding improvements/falls, we got Hawthorn (14>2) and Fremantle (13>6), while Brisbane got Geelong (4>12), Sydney (6>15) and Gold Coast (7>17)

When you have only ten or eleven rounds in a competition with 18 teams you are always going to get an unbalanced fixture, even if the organizers try to keep things balanced.  The problem we have with the AFLW is that the organizers don't care.  In fact it is even worse than that, as they are happy to take advantage of the short season to actively rig the draw to try to give the impression of a balanced competition.

I guess the key is to remember that the AFL is not running a sporting competition.  From their perspective they are managing a product.  Shameful.

50 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

... the issues arise more from not playing everyone once ...

We all can agree with this statement.

Brisbane doesn't play Hawthorn (current ladder position 2), Richmond (5), Fremantle (6), Port (7) or Essendon (8) this season and their 7 wins so far were against Adel (3) and 6 teams not in the eight.   

It has indisputably been a soft draw compared to the Dees who play every team in the eight other than Port.   

But we're at the pointy end of the home and away season and going alright.  Two more wins plz and hoping that Essendon have hit the wall.  

Go Dees.

 

5 hours ago, Demonland said:

Awesome Foursome

I was wondering who the 4 would be, not thinking it was Banno's 4 goals...

So anyway...if we think forwards, the group of tall's is pretty awesome now...Banno, Gall, Campbell and Zanker.

Will cause a lot of problems for opposition teams.

 

49 minutes ago, Meggs said:

We all can agree with this statement.

Brisbane doesn't play Hawthorn (current ladder position 2), Richmond (5), Fremantle (6), Port (7) or Essendon (8) this season and their 7 wins so far were against Adel (3) and 6 teams not in the eight.   

It has indisputably been a soft draw compared to the Dees who play every team in the eight other than Port.   

But we're at the pointy end of the home and away season and going alright.  Two more wins plz and hoping that Essendon have hit the wall.  

Go Dees.

 

I saw your 🤔 response then the above, Meggs. Apologies for my verbosity, I guess?

I wasn't disputing they have a soft draw, either absolutely or relative to us. Rather, I was just pointing out it probably wasn't set up that way - well, at least as far as last year's top 8 goes, though less so regarding the other 10.