The Demons hit the road for what will be their first of 8 interstate trips this year when they play their final practice match before the 2025 AFL Premiership Season against the Fremantle Dockers in Perth on Sunday, 2nd March @ 6:10pm (AEDT).

2025 AAMI Community Series

Sun Mar 2
Fremantle v Melbourne, Rushton Oval, Mandurah, 3.10pm AWST (6.10pm AEDT)

 

After seeing Clarry with his quick hands and pace back yesterday my big watch is on Langdon.

If Clarry and Lingers have chemistry in the centre, which i have a feeling they will. We will be extremely hard to win against.

It's only a praccy, but this is a good early opportunity to send a message for 2025.

We were embarrassed by the dockers twice last year, I'm looking forward to a more positive mindset and display from the boys (not too fussed if we win - just want to see some interesting plays/something different, and pride).

FWIW, I think we are going to have an excellent year, and will display the fruits of the honest chats the boys have had, a few more of the kids on deck, and our culture shining through.

Final dress rehearsal before round 1. 

I imagine we'll be fielding something close to our best 22 if Messrs Petracca, Viney, Gawn and co are all fit.

1 hour ago, Demon Jack said:

Final dress rehearsal before round 1. 

I imagine we'll be fielding something close to our best 22 if Messrs Petracca, Viney, Gawn and co are all fit.

Those players available would then, in subsequent games, be enhanced by our 'now' very broad contingent of real novice class. Yes, season looking good, vibes in the bones, heads up.

I’ll be trekking down to Mandurah to watch the game. Will any other Demonlanders be doing the same? 

I don't see any good reason for fielding our best most experienced side based on a few things that i have seen in yesterday's game.

Max unless he wants should not necessarily travel in my op, he is theoretically our most valuable player, but the big fellah who filled in yesterday was very very competitive and should hold his own against their blokes including Jackson. 

i reckon he actually overpowered their number one ruck yesterday and deserves another  go.

Very impressed with our youngsters speed yesterday and i would pick mostly the same and see how they go against one of the faster sides..

It's only a practice game.

1 hour ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

I’ll be trekking down to Mandurah to watch the game. Will any other Demonlanders be doing the same? 

What's the venue like, ET? Good playing surface?

11 minutes ago, Willmoy1947 said:

I don't see any good reason for fielding our best most experienced side based on a few things that i have seen in yesterday's game.

Max unless he wants should not necessarily travel in my op, he is theoretically our most valuable player, but the big fellah who filled in yesterday was very very competitive and should hold his own against their blokes including Jackson. 

i reckon he actually overpowered their number one ruck yesterday and deserves another  go.

Very impressed with our youngsters speed yesterday and i would pick mostly the same and see how they go against one of the faster sides..

It's only a practice game.

They need a serious hit out before round 1. GWS will have played round zero and if we have too many players hitting round one cold we’ll get belted.

In my view.

we need close to best possible side, 

they will have a week off for round zero. So why not.   At least a half or three quarters. 
result  who gives a flying , means nothing but they need to be ready for GWS.

Best side available plays imo

Best side for sure, but if that includes an experienced gun like Max needing another few weeks then that’s fine with me.

He knows what he’s doing and will be a very strong player in round 1, whether or not he’s played a scratch match.

Would definitely prefer Trac plays a half (even if just in the forward half), but that’s only because of his time off.

Edited February 23, 20251 yr by Demon 16

21 hours ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

What's the venue like, ET? Good playing surface?

Not sure, haven’t been down that way for years. @Pennant St Dee might have more of an idea. 

On 23/02/2025 at 13:57, Demon Jack said:

Final dress rehearsal before round 1. 

I imagine we'll be fielding something close to our best 22 if Messrs Petracca, Viney, Gawn and co are all fit.

Tracc playing according to Max on the news tonight

 

I think we need at least one full hit out with a strong side before the real stuff starts.

Edited February 24, 20251 yr by jnrmac

On 23/02/2025 at 15:49, Ethan Tremblay said:

I’ll be trekking down to Mandurah to watch the game. Will any other Demonlanders be doing the same? 

ET are you a W.Alien?

On 23/02/2025 at 15:49, Ethan Tremblay said:

I’ll be trekking down to Mandurah to watch the game. Will any other Demonlanders be doing the same? 

We'll be there too.  Should be a good WA demon turnout as normal.

It will be nice to have a ruck this game, unlike at Optus last year. 

Edited February 24, 20251 yr by darkhorse72

Chaplin said we will have 8 to 9 changes this week. So this is my predicted team:

B: Lever, May, Bowey

HB: Salem, Petty, Windsor

C: Billings, Rivers, Langdon

HF: Petracca, Turner, Pickett

F: Fritsch, van Rooyen, Chandler

FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Viney

IC: Sharp, Howes, Sparrow, Langford, Lindsay, Woewodin, Henderson, Campbell

EMERG: Jefferson, McDonald, Laurie, Johnson

On 23/02/2025 at 20:44, 640MD said:

In my view.

we need close to best possible side, 

they will have a week off for round zero. So why not.   At least a half or three quarters. 
result  who gives a flying , means nothing but they need to be ready for GWS.

Sensible but there's the travel factor.

You could give Max a similar input with some intense match sim at Casey. Salem is another that I would tread carefully with. Perhaps the same with May.

It's a very very long season.

I presume, according to most on here that  most clubs field their best team barring circumstances for their final hit out.

I think that this situation, after their last hit out could need discussion, for obvious reasons.

Gawn on radio yesterday said he’s playing, and he expects everyone to play except Melksham and McVee.

On 23/02/2025 at 15:49, Ethan Tremblay said:

I’ll be trekking down to Mandurah to watch the game. Will any other Demonlanders be doing the same? 

Unfortunately I’ve got family commitments and also seen I have a clash with coaching commitments on the Saturday night we play West Coast over here. Murphys law, get one Saturday night game for the season and it’s the Saturday Melbourne travel here

So unless we play a final over here no live watch outside of Melbourne for me this year 

15 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Not sure, haven’t been down that way for years. @Pennant St Dee might have more of an idea. 

Surface down there is good, like a lot of WA grounds not much give in them underfoot but far more easier on the body than Optus.

Big ground with wide pockets which can cause some set shot inefficiencies 

12 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

Chaplin said we will have 8 to 9 changes this week. So this is my predicted team:

B: Lever, May, Bowey

HB: Salem, Petty, Windsor

C: Billings, Rivers, Langdon

HF: Petracca, Turner, Pickett

F: Fritsch, van Rooyen, Chandler

FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Viney

IC: Sharp, Howes, Sparrow, Langford, Lindsay, Woewodin, Henderson, Campbell

EMERG: Jefferson, McDonald, Laurie, Johnson

I can't believe the DL'ers leaving out TMac. I'm really  hoping Howes can take his place, sooner rather than later, but the reality is that TMac was our 10th best  player last year. I'll bet he's just as fit as he was in Feb 2024, and given we're unlikely to select Campbell or AJ v GWS, TMac is a second ruck option. Howes isn't, and I'd prefer JvR wasn't (used in the ruck).

9 hours ago, Willmoy1947 said:

I presume, according to most on here that  most clubs field their best team barring circumstances for their final hit out.

I think that this situation, after their last hit out could need discussion, for obvious reasons.

Why?

Players can get injured at any time, in games against opposition, intraclub games and during training.

The most important thing is to try to get the players match fit by round 1. You can’t do that by just wrapping everyone in cotton wool.

If we rested our best players again this week then we run into GWS in round 1 with those players having zero match play before the game, whereas GWS would’ve had two practice matches and then also played in round 0.

We’d get absolutely run off our legs.