It's Game Day and the Demons have hit the road for their first of 8 interstate trips this season when they take on the Fremantle Dockers in their final practice match before the start of their 2025 Premiership Campaign.

GAME: Melbourne Demons vs Fremantle Dockers

TIME: 6:10pm AEDT

VENUE: Mandurah’s Rushton Park.

TEAMS:

MELBOURNE

B Steven May Jake Lever Blake Howes
HB Jake Bowey Trent Rivers Christian Salem
C Ed Langdon Christian Petracca Jack Billings 
HF Harry Sharp Bayley Fritsch Daniel Turner 
F Tom Sparrow Jacob van Rooyen Kade Chandler 
FOLL Max Gawn Clayton Oliver Jack Viney
I/C Jed Adams Aidan Johnson Harvey Langford Xavier Lindsay Tom McDonald Kysaiah Pickett Caleb Windsor Taj Woewodin 
EMG Kynan Brown Tom Campbell Matt Jefferson Bailey Laurie 

FREMANTLE

B Corey Wagner Brennan Cox Luke Ryan
HB Brandon Walker Heath Chapman Jordan Clark
C Jeremy Sharp Caleb Serong Matthew Johnson
HF Sam Switkowski Michael Frederick Shai Bolton
F Luke Jackson Josh Treacy Jye Amiss
FOLL Liam Reidy Andrew Brayshaw Jaeger O'Meara
I/C Bailey Banfield Hugh Davies Neil Erasmus Nathan O'Driscoll Murphy Reid Patrick Voss Michael Walters  Karl Worner
EMG James Aish Will Brodie Cooper Simpson Sam Sturt

the only way to win in the preseason is to come out of it with less injuries

we've already lost one depth player to a full knee knack...no more injuries please

Why isn't Petty playing?

23 minutes ago, Wizard of Koz said:

Why isn't Petty playing?

For all those who don't read my comments, I don't know.

Going to hone in on the centre line battle of the Sharps. Expect sparks to fly on that wing. Freo appear ‘loaded’  with offensive ability, if it recalls Henry Lawson’s “Loaded Dog” and blows up in their faces. Terrific.

Christian Salem, Bowser and Kid Windsor will have their work cut out, add Shai Bolton to the small’s mix. Their young talls Treacy, Amiss and Jackson will be equally challenging.

Midfields will be pivotal, with both stacked with plenty of A grade talent. Experience plus youth. Our re-built and reinforced midfield will be much more up to the task than last season’s witches’ hats.

If the upfield ball movement has gained confidence plus fluidity this pre-season and the forwards under the tutelage of Troy Chaplin have learned their lessons well. The  forward choreography should be much more productive and workman like.  

Van Rooyen and Disco Turner are blue collar, maturing young talls. Add the polish of Bayley Fritisch and the mercurial quicksilver brilliance of Kysaiah Pickett the goals will come. Plus the midfielder contributions to the score sheet from Petracca et al.

Given the status of the game, may both teams use the opportunity as a final dress rehearsal and play accordingly. Get through the real stuff without further injury.

Edited March 1Mar 1 by Tarax Club

39 minutes ago, Willmoy1947 said:

For all those who don't read my comments, I don't know.

You must have thought was a real zinger to post @ 2am Melb time. And no, sorry, I don't read every post in every thread. 

Petty has the honour of being the first mystery out for the season.

No injuries, please. Don’t really care what happens outside of that. 

5 hours ago, Willmoy1947 said:

For all those who don't read my comments, I don't know.

He's too slow...both in running and decision making. Much better half back line with  two accurate kicks on the flanks and run and carry from CHB TMac ahead of Petty..is sound.

1 minute ago, DeeBlood said:

He's too slow...both in running and decision making. Much better half back line with  two accurate kicks on the flanks and run and carry from CHB TMac ahead of Petty..is sound.

Not only that, although he's a good mark.. he always slows down the play after marking, and kicking is not so reliable ..Looks as if theyre wanting to move the ball faster now. Seems 2023 was beginner's luck...a bit flukey and when expectations rose he couldn't produce.

 

1 hour ago, Smokey said:

No injuries, please. Don’t really care what happens outside of that. 

No 100 point thumpings?

6 hours ago, Wizard of Koz said:

You must have thought was a real zinger to post @ 2am Melb time. And no, sorry, I don't read every post in every thread. 

It is a classic Dad joke, it will resonate through this thread

I’m really looking forward to this game. It will be a great opportunity for our boys to shed some of the inevitable early season rust, and it should give us supporters some genuine insights into the Dees of 2025.
No injuries is, of course, an imperative!      
Unlike some Demonlanders who have said that the scoreboard is unimportant, I really want a win.  Beating a quality side on the road, will be the perfect builder of confidence and self belief to kick start the new season.    
Go Dees!  ❤️ 💙

7 hours ago, Wizard of Koz said:

You must have thought was a real zinger to post @ 2am Melb time. And no, sorry, I don't read every post in every thread. 

Judgey much? It’s a 24/7 forum

And yes, it is a real zinger since it’s a nod to something funny in another thread.

LOL says she who bursts into tears at every second reply, replies which she really shouldn’t read. 🤣

Edited March 1Mar 1 by Ghostwriter

3 hours ago, M_9 said:

Petty has the honour of being the first mystery out for the season.

Petts was at training on Friday and nothing seemed amiss 🤷‍♀️ 

39 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

Petts was at training on Friday and nothing seemed amiss 🤷‍♀️ 

Our key defender is amiss and their key forward is Amiss. Send out a search party to the main street of Mandurah!

Edited March 1Mar 1 by John Demonic

Just get through the game unscathed please

44 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

Petts was at training on Friday and nothing seemed amiss 🤷‍♀️ 

It’s pretty obvious you need to do some work on your relationship with Petts. Cannot believe he didn’t tell you he wasn’t playing after training finished. What have you done to him? (Or not done maybe?). We send you to training to elicit just this type of news. Please lift your game. 

In two minds with Kozzy playing.

1 I think we should be trying to play without him because he’s obviously suspended until round 4 

2 I just love watching him play

 

Either way I’m just hoping for no injuries! 

NRL are expecting 50k at the opening NRL game in Vegas. Amazing if true

Can someone at the game keep giving the scores and snippets of information about who might of might not be playing well. 
casey was deplorable. And I cannot find any vision .   I will be glued to my phone and watching the news

no injuries please    Thanks in advance

11 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

It’s pretty obvious you need to do some work on your relationship with Petts. Cannot believe he didn’t tell you he wasn’t playing after training finished. What have you done to him? (Or not done maybe?). We send you to training to elicit just this type of news. Please lift your game. 

I’m sorry NC. I’ll try harder, I’ll make sure I earn the $$$ I’m paid to report, which shouldn’t be hard since IT’S A WHOPPING GRAND TOTAL OF SWEET [censored] ALL.

 

Trac playing against opposition for the first time since KB. Good luck to him.

Hes got the day off to catch up on GWs sheet ironing,and get over a minor niggle.(Sheet burn)

49 minutes ago, John Demonic said:

Our key defender is amiss and their key forward is Amiss. Send out a search party to the main street of Mandurah!

Then go for TMac at CHB; Turner is better leading up the flanks - hence, I'd put the Muscled Brute into CHF, rotating with JVR  at/into FFwd.