RETURN TO NORMAL by Whispering Jack

One of my prized possessions is a framed, autographed guernsey bearing the number 31 worn by my childhood hero, Melbourne’s champion six time premiership player Ronald Dale Barassi who passed away on 16 September 2023, aged 87. The former captain who went on to a successful coaching career, mainly with other clubs, came back to the fold in his later years as a staunch Demon supporter who often sat across the way from me in the Northern Stand of the MCG cheering on the team.

Barassi died the day after Melbourne was unexpectedly bundled out of the 2023 finals by Carlton in a semi final. On the morning after the news of his death was broadcast, I noticed the frame around my prized guernsey of the great man was askew and I wondered whether he was among the football gods sending a message; perhaps predicting the following year’s decline as penance. I left that frame exactly at an angle and that’s how it remained until yesterday when I returned home from the game at Arden Street and noticed that it had miraculously straightened on its own.

The likely explanation is that the day’s heavy winds had shaken the walls and returned #31 back to square but could it be RDB declaring that all is forgiven and we can now return to normal. It certainly appeared to be so in yesterday’s preseason hit out against the Kangaroos when a makeshift Demon side with about ten regulars missing, easily disposed of a near full strength opponent. 

I had to keep reminding myself that it was only a practice game (or to be more precise, a match simulation exercise) and that premierships are won in September but there was something alluring about the way the Demons went about the match. It was as if the day was an extension of everything done by the club since the disappointing end of the 2024 season to put into place its swift rehabilitation and return to a place among the elite of the competition.

While many of the team’s leading lights took an early break on the sidelines and others nursed injuries in the lead up to the finals, the fans would be happy to see a strong defensive structure in operation throughout the game and especially early given that on ball division was well below full strength. As the game went on, the Demons moved into attack mode and effectively wore down the Roos at the end, even against that gusting wind which made things difficult for the marking tall timber.

Stand in ruckman Tom Campbell toiled hard for three quarters and shared the honours with North’s Tristan Xerri. Similarly, the on ball division remained on par in a real arm wrestle with its opponents that saw the home side winning lots of the ball except for the moments when Clayton Oliver was holding court and showing he was back in midfield town and ready to add to his bag of club best and fairest honours. At those times, even the classy Davies-Uniacke and McKercher were forced into the background. With Kysaiah Pickett making his impact when spending time on the ball and Trent Rivers continuing his rise as an on baller, you would think the Demons’ would be well placed to surge with the return in the coming weeks of Viney, Petracca and Langdon.

That’s before you even consider that the teenage recruits, Harvey Langford and Xavier Lindsay also made  their play for inclusion in the team for the season’s opener. Langford initially lined up at full forward and displayed great poise and strength both there and when moved into the midfield. I can see him combining with Petracca going from midfield to forward and causing havoc. Lindsay is more an outside player with classy delivery who will be a great asset, even early in the season.

Harry Sharp couldn’t break into the Brisbane premiership side but the club has nevertheless struck gold with his recruitment. He looks good as a high half forward replacement for Alex Neal-Bullen given he has a similar tank and similar goal sense. His four goals showed how much of a handful he proved to the Kangaroo defence.

Jake Lever showed he’s bounced back from last year’s injury woes which limited his capacity and commanded the defence, well aided by Harry Petty, Tom McDonald and Blake Howes. Jake Bowey and Andy Moniz-Wakefield, until his late injury, mopped up in defence and were creative with their attacking moves. The bad news is that scans taken after the game have revealed that he has ruptured his ACL, PCL and damaged his meniscus which means he will miss the 2025 season. We wish him well with his recovery.

Jacob van Rooyen continued with his upward trajectory as a key forward of quality. He was backed up by Daniel Turner and Matt Jefferson who both showed some promising signs with their forward craft. Aidan Johnson and Kynan Brown came on for some cameo time at the end and both did well with the former, executing some great bullocking work in the ruck and the latter kicking a clever goal as the Demons stretched their winning lead to 47 points in the end. 

It’s worth mentioning again that the result was meaningless, there’s still lots of work to be done and that only the first steps of a marathon journey have been taken, but a return to normal is on the cards. 

MELBOURNE 3.3.21 6.6.42 12.7.79 18.9.117

NORTH MELBOURNE 2.3.15 5.3.33 9.8.62 10.10.70

GOALS

MELBOURNE Sharp van Rooyen 4 Pickett Sparrow 2 Billings Brown Campbell Jefferson  Turner Woewodin
 

NORTH MELBOURNE Larkey 3 Curtis 2 Daniel Darling Phillips Powell Sheezel

BEST 

MELBOURNE Oliver van Rooyen Pickett Sharp Lever Campbell 

NORTH MELBOURNE Davies-Uniacke Daniel Phillips Powell Curtis Larkey Comben

INJURED 

MELBOURNE Marty Hore (broken hand) Andy Moniz-Wakefield (knee)

NORTH MELBOURNE Nil