29 minutes ago, 640MD said:

If the new forward structure does not include Harrison Petty. Then the competition between him and May will be interesting and might make him a player. Then again he might be let go next year for a round one pick and May retires, and we start again

as per Saturday night live

Very interesting

I am not convinced either of May or Petty are fast enough to play as AFL defenders anymore. That said, May might have been injured at the back end of the year.

We could play Turner, Lever, Howes and Rivers.

Petty played well as a forward in the last month of the year. He was marking well and kicking straight.

3 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

I am not convinced either of May or Petty are fast enough to play as AFL defenders anymore. That said, May might have been injured at the back end of the year.

We could play Turner, Lever, Howes and Rivers.

Petty played well as a forward in the last month of the year. He was marking well and kicking straight.

Problem is we can't play Petty, Mihocek, van Rooyen and Fritsch together

3 minutes ago, SthSea22 said:

Problem is we can't play Petty, Mihocek, van Rooyen and Fritsch together

And Melksham!

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

MELBOURNE

B: D.Turner, S.May, C.Salem

HB: T.Rivers, J.Lever, J.Bowey

C: E.Langdon, J.Viney, X.Lindsay

HF: B.Fritsch, B.Mihocek, K.Chandler

F: J.Melksham, H.Petty, J.van Rooyen

FOLL: M.Gawn (c), J.Steele, K.Pickett

I/C: C.Windsor, H.Langford, T.Sparrow, K.Tholstrup, C.Jiath

EMG: B.Howes, J.Culley, M.Jefferson

Key ins: Jack Steele, Brody Mihocek, Changkuoth Jiath, Max Heath

Key outs: Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, Judd McVee Jack Billings, Charlie Spargo

WE SAY: A world of list change at the Demons during trade and free agency to kickstart a new era under Steven King. The addition of Jack Steele helps fill the midfield void left by premiership pair Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver. Plenty of others options to roll through there including Trent Rivers, Caleb Windsor and Harvey Langford all set for more on-ball time. Brody Mihocek brings his own flag-winning pedigree in the forward half and Changkuoth Jiath provides handy dash off half-back. The loss of Judd McVee leaves a void in defence. Steven May returns after he wasn’t able to find a new home during the trade window. But it wouldn’t be a shock if King begins to look past the veteran defender, with the potential for Harrison Petty to return to the backline. Max Heath also joined the club as ruck cover for Max Gawn and we expect Heath to be just that. Two top 10 draft picks to come in as well.

This looks a decent side on paper. But the forward line is top heavy and the backline depends on May getting speed back.

It will be interesting how the extra man on the bench changes things. I don't see it being used as a ruckman because it is actually the best part of JVR's game.

I think the biggest issues with our best 22 is the lack of another small forward and elite midfielders. Hopefully Windsor, Langford, Lindsay and Tholstrup can become high quality AFL mids.

I hope Rivers plays back rather than midfield because he is an average midfielder and one of the best half backs in the game.

14 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

You don't have to be quick you just have to be smart. The people writing off Melksham is amazing. Our best forward this year. Mihocek hasn't even played a game for us. I agree Roo has been disappointing but getting the second best defender now should help him out.

Melksham is my favourite player and the best kick in the AFL, I'm def not writing him off! But he is 34 and wont play a full season. If things dont work early, keen to see the magnets be moved around.

33 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

I am not convinced either of May or Petty are fast enough to play as AFL defenders anymore. That said, May might have been injured at the back end of the year.
We could play Turner, Lever, Howes and Rivers.
Petty played well as a forward in the last month of the year. He was marking well and kicking straight.

He kicked a total of five against Footscray and meth coke - neither of who have a backline.

3 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

He kicked a total of five against Footscray and meth coke - neither of who have a backline.

I don't really see Petty working as a defender. He can still play as a forward if he takes big marks and kicks straight, which he did in the last month. All of May, Lever and Petty are getting caught out for speed in the modern game.

4 hours ago, SthSea22 said:

Off Fox Sports

B: D.Turner, S.May, C.Salem

HB: T.Rivers, J.Lever, J.Bowey

C: E.Langdon, J.Viney, X.Lindsay

HF: B.Fritsch, B.Mihocek, K.Chandler

F: J.Melksham, H.Petty, J.van Rooyen

FOLL: M.Gawn (c), J.Steele, K.Pickett

I/C: C.Windsor, H.Langford, T.Sparrow, K.Tholstrup, C.Jiath

EMG: B.Howes, J.Culley, M.Jefferson

May is on the outer so I think he will have to earn his spot. Culley has to be in front of Sparrow and Tholstrup, Culley had the makings of a gun at the end of this year. In: Culley Out: May

B: Lever, Petty, Salem

HB: Lindsay, Turner, Bowey

C: Culley, Steele, Langford

HF: Chandler, van Rooyen, Langdon

F: Fritsch, Mihocek, Melksham

FOLL: Gawn, Rivers, Pickett

IC: Windsor, Sparrow, Tholstrup, Jiath, Viney

Edited 17 hours ago17 hr by WERRIDEE

Just wondering about the change in the ruck rules? Will this help or hinder max.

Will we need less bulls and more kozz/Windsor in the middle?

Can someone else take CB leaving Max to intercept behind the ball?

May and or May and Petty forward. Culley will play closer to goal. JVR to play back. Does not anyone know about Hardie who played for Casey Age,Ht and Wt ?

1 hour ago, Coolx2 said:

May and or May and Petty forward. Culley will play closer to goal. JVR to play back. Does not anyone know about Hardie who played for Casey Age,Ht and Wt ?

What do I look like a search engine to you, an LLM?

8 hours ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

A lot depends on what happens in the off-season. Who has niggles. Who bursts suddenly into prominence. Who finds a new position. Who fades for one reason or another.

But if I was guessing, I think there are very strong indications that King, who has politely said in public he won't throw everything out, will throw almost everything out. For that reason, and because I think we need to do it, I'd be looking at a Round 1 team that looks very different to Goodwin teams of the past 18 months or two years.

Salem Petty Howes
Jiath Turner Bowey
Lindsay Sparrow Windsor
Fritsch Kentfield Chandler
Viney Mihocek Langford
Gawn Pickett Rivers
Adams Steele Culley McAdam Heath

Ed Langdon?

B: Howes Petty May

HB: Jiath Turner Bowey

C: Langdon Rivers Windsor

R: Gawn Steele Pickett

HF: Langford JVR Chandler

F: Viney Mihocek Fritsch

I: Salem Lindsay Culley Tholstrup Heath

E: Lever Sparrow Melksham

B: Salem Petty Lever

HB: Jiath Turner Bowey

C: Windsor Viney Lindsay

HF: Langford Mihocek Chandler

FF: Fritsch JvR Melksham

FOL: Gawn Rivers Pickett

INT: Langdon Culley Steele Tholstrup Heath

Adams, Jefferson, Kentfield, Howes, McAdam*, AMW, and our 2 draft picks right on the fringe of best 23 for me. Time to move past May and Sparrow imo.

*He was looking very good last preseason prior to the Achilles tear. I know a lot have written him off but I’m hoping against hope that he can become a decent half forward

Melbourne

B: Lever, Petty, Salem

HB: Lindsay, Turner, Bowey

C: Culley, Steele, Langford

HF: Chandler, van Rooyen, Langdon

F: Melksham, Mihocek, Fritsch

FOLL: Gawn, Rivers, Pickett

IC: Windsor, Sparrow, Tholstrup, Jiath, Viney

EMERG: Pick 7, Pick 8, Howes

Casey

B: Adams, May, Berry

HB: Howes, McDonald, Moniz-Wakefield

C; Sinnema, Laurie, Sharp

HF: Henderson, Johnson, Mentha

F: McAdam, Kentfield, Jefferson

FOLL: Campbell, Pick 7, Pick 8

IC: Heath, White, Pick 37, Bonner, Cross

EMERG: Smith, Baldi, Yze

On 16/10/2025 at 16:45, Dees051321 said:

Does anyone know when the team gets back to training?

The young guys start back on November 11th. The seniors start on December 1st.

17 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

Melbourne

B: Lever, Petty, Salem

HB: Lindsay, Turner, Bowey

C: Culley, Steele, Langford

HF: Chandler, van Rooyen, Langdon

F: Melksham, Mihocek, Fritsch

FOLL: Gawn, Rivers, Pickett

IC: Windsor, Sparrow, Tholstrup, Jiath, Viney

EMERG: Pick 7, Pick 8, Howes

Casey

B: Adams, May, Berry

HB: Howes, McDonald, Moniz-Wakefield

C; Sinnema, Laurie, Sharp

HF: Henderson, Johnson, Mentha

F: McAdam, Kentfield, Jefferson

FOLL: Campbell, Pick 7, Pick 8

IC: Heath, White, Pick 37, Bonner, Cross

EMERG: Smith, Baldi, Yze

We need another livewire small forward who going to bring tackle pressure.

The ball will bounce out of our F50.

4 hours ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

We need another livewire small forward who going to bring tackle pressure.

Hopefully we pick up Lachy Dovaston in the draft.

Who is our lock down small defender. Particularly relevant in the current style of footy where small forwards play such an important role?

Could Viney or Sparrow play this role?

2 hours ago, Ungarieboy said:

Who is our lock down small defender. Particularly relevant in the current style of footy where small forwards play such an important role?

Could Viney or Sparrow play this role?

Depending how much hope we want to pin it on Andy Moniz-Wakefield, but if he can get his body right and put in a strong pre season then I feel thats his spot to own.

11 hours ago, old55 said:

Ed Langdon?

No.

Steven May is a superior and more versatile footballer than Lever or TMac and I'd struggle to see Adams played ahead of him unless we're full development mode. The reason he was on the trade table wasn't about football abilty. I think he has to figure in best 23 and if he can reform his ways under the new regime maybe there's an extension there.

Still a bit early but here is what I'd roll with (Dovaston a lock for mine in the draft):

AMW Petty Lever

Bowey Turner Salem

Langdon Rivers Windsor

Kolt Mihocek Chandler

Dovaston JVR Fritta

Max Kozzy Langford

CJ Lindsay Steele Viney Heath

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by Adam The God