Men’s Grand Final eve

On Friday, the Demons return to our Casey Fields fortress where they have a 77% win rate. The scent of September is in the air and the struggling Suns are on the horizon. The Cranbourne weather forecast? Ominous, like the match itself: a strong chance of carnage.

Let’s be honest, last week’s first half against the West Coast was a training drill but we dropped our guard in the final quarter. While this match is a mismatch on paper — second versus seventeenth — football is won in the wind, the contests, and the moments.

After Daisy Pearce’s homecoming last week, it’s heart and soul warrior Lily Mithen who returns.

Lily was an inspirational rover, podcaster, MC, team leader, who was adored by her teammates and the Demon faithful. A Geelong girl with a family link to Melbourne great Laurie Mithen, her grandfather’s cousin, Lil’ was a foundation player and still has red and blue in her veins.

She moved to the Suns during the 2024 trade period, which landed Melbourne pick two which eventually became pick three as Gold Coast secured the talented academy player Havana Harris. The Demons used the pick to select highly promising running half back Molly O’Hehir. It was a good trade.

The Match-up

Gold Coast and Melbourne have met three times, with the Demons victorious on each occasion.

 

Melbourne’s Round 6 demolition of West Coast was a statement (at least the first three quarters anyways). Our forward line has been feasting on weaker defences and Gold Coast are certainly leaky, averaging more than 11 goals a game.

Expect Eden Zanker, Georgia Gall, Tayla Harris, and Kate Hore, the four-headed monster, to cause defensive headaches for Rhyce Shaw coaching his first match against Melbourne.

The Suns showed glimpses against Adelaide last week. Gun midfield colossus Charlie Rowbottom was immense, going toe-to-toe with Ebony Marinoff. Lily Mithen is in career-best form, ex-Dee breakaway mid Claudia Whitfort continues to be their barometer, and Lucy Shingle is the best tagger in the business.

The Suns lack polish, and their defensive structures won’t hold up for eighty minutes.

Our midfielders are having stellar seasons. Tyla Hanks and Kate Hore are slaying it in the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year leaderboard, currently sitting in the top 4. Shelley Heath, Eliza McNamara, and Megan Fitzsimon are commendably covering for the loss of Liv Purcell to an ACL.

The backline, now in situation normal with the returns of Tahlia Gillard and Sinead Goldrick, provides composure, rebounding and intercepts. The Suns forwards Jacqui Dupuy and Jamie Stanton will find it tough going against Melbourne’s defensive structures.

And with Alyssia Pisano finding her feet, could the monster grow a fifth head?

Selection this week

Meggs is not anticipating many changes. Last week we swapped an injured tall for a small.

Pleasingly ruck Georgia Campbell has recovered and is available, speedy defender Denby Taylor is too, while Irish star Blaithin Mackin is inching closer to a return.

Gold Coast Suns have several players listed as ‘Test’: ex-Dee Charlotte Wilson, Darcie Davies, Katie Lynch, and Sienna McMullen.

Kick it to Kate

 On century-watch we note our captain needs just seven more career goals to be the first player in AFLW history to hit a century.

Meggs wonders if Lil’ marks or wins a free kick on Friday, will she reflexively kick it to Kate like she did so many times in the red and blue?

Go on, do it.

Meggs’ musings

Key Matchups

Rowbottom versus Hanks – two midfield bulls, mismatched for size, expect some bruises.

Zanker versus Fitzpatrick – dual-coder Irishwoman Clara is their wall and Edo our wrecking ball.

Single versus Hore – the Blanketeer Lucy has strength and a knack for being an annoying shadow.

Meggs loved seeing Maeve Chaplin back to her roots in the midfield and Tayla Harris in the ruck. Mick Stinear has a versatile group and is not afraid to mix it up. 

Once on the ground, expect the Demons to be in “we’re not here to make friends” mode. We’ve got the deeper talent and defensive and offensive weapons to pound the scoreboard.

Make the sun set early, Dees — but enjoy catching up with old friends.

Go Dees!

Tip: Melbourne by 39 points

THE GAME

Round 7 Melbourne v Gold Coast on Friday 26 September 2025 at 1:05pm (AEST) at Casey Fields, Melbourne – Wurundjeri/Boon Wurrung

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall: Melbourne 3 wins | Gold Coast 0 wins

At Casey Fields: Melbourne 1 win | Gold Coast 0 wins

Coaches: Stinear 0 wins | Shaw 0 wins

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

Season 7, Round 8 – 15 October 2022 at Carrara Oval

MELBOURNE 3.1.19 5.1.31 7.2.44 9.4.58

GOLD COAST 0.0.0 1.0.6 1.3.9 1.3.9

GOALS

MELBOURNE Harris 3, Zanker 2, Hore 2, Fitzsimon, Pearce

 GOLD COAST Dupuy

BEST

MELBOURNE Purcell, Mithen, Heath, West, Harris, Hanks

GOLD COAST Drennan, Single, Saad, Rowbottom

 CROWD 1,004 at Carrara Oval

Melbourne surged to second place on the ladder, effortlessly dismissing Gold Coast, running out 49-point winners. It was captain Daisy Pearce’s 50th game and she celebrated by kicking the first goal of the match. Our forwards feasted on the lopsided 45-9 inside-50 opportunities with Tayla Harris (3 goals), Eden Zanker (2) and Kate Hore (2) the main beneficiaries. The mids, led by Oliva Purcell (32 disposals), Tyla Hanks (20), Eliza West (19, 11 tackles) and now-Sun Lily Mithen (21) were all prolific.

MEDIA COVERAGE

Foxtel, Kayo, AFL Live Official App

THE TEAMS 

MELBOURNE

FB [32] Gabrielle Colvin, [17] Tahlia Gillard

HB [23] Sinead Goldrick, [19] Laela Ebert, [13] Maeve Chaplin

C [22] Elizabeth McNamara, [5] Tyla Hanks [4] Paxy Paxman,

HF [24]Megan Fitzsimon, [6] Alyssa Bannan

[29] Eden Zanker

FF [7] Tayla Harris, [9] Georgia Gall

FOLL [15] Lauren Pearce, [10] Kate Hore, [30] Shelley Heath

I/C [31] Alyssia Pisano, [20] Maggie Mahony, [12] Ryleigh Wotherspoon, [33] Lily Johnson, [43] Jemma Rigoni

EMG [11] Georgia Campbell, [14] Amelia Dethridge, [18] Denby Taylor

GOLD COAST

FB [22] Charlotte Wilson, [9] Clara Fitzpatrick

HB [26] Kiara Bischa, 125] Meara Girvan, [11] Niamh McLaughlin

C [14] Lily Mithen, [8] Charlie Rowbottom, [18] Georgia Clayden

HF [16] Ella Smith, [12] Havana Harris, [1] Annabel Kievit

FF [27] Jacqueline Dupuy, [17] Jamie Stanton

FOLL [2] Lauren Bella, [5] Maddy Brancatisano, [13] Lucy Single

I/C [4] Claudia Whitfort, [10] Ella Maurer, [28] Tara Harrington, [33] Ellie Veerhuis, [44] Taya Oliver

EMG [15] Wallis Randell [19], Mia Salisbury [32] Tayla Gregory

IN Charlotte Wilson, Taya Oliver

OUT  Mia Salisbury (omitted), Tayla Gregory (omitted)

Injury List: Round 7

Melbourne

Tahlia Gillard — knee / Test

Sinéad Goldrick — shoulder / Test

Denby Taylor foot — foot / 1 week

Sarah Lampard — calf / 3 – 4 weeks

Grace Beasley — knee / 4 – 6 weeks

Blaithin Mackin — knee / 5 – 7 weeks

Olivia Purcell — knee / Season

Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive

Aimee Mackin — knee / Inactive

Gold Coast

Charlotte Wilson — leg / Test

Darcie Davies — knee / Test

Katie Lynch — ankle / Test

Sienna McMullen — foot / Test

Nyalli Milne — ankle / 4-6 weeks

Elise Barwick — knee/ Season

Daisy D’Arcy — knee / Season

Heidi Talbot — shoulder / Season

Thanks as always @Meggs . Love your work.

Why did Lily Mithen leave the Dees? From memory, we were given a round 1 draft pick in return. Who did we draft?

3 hours ago, Dee in a Kilt said:

Thanks as always @Meggs . Love your work.

Why did Lily Mithen leave the Dees? From memory, we were given a round 1 draft pick in return. Who did we draft?

It was part of a mega trade involving some of our other picks - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024%E2%80%9325_AFL_Women%27s_player_movement_period#Trades But essentially we ended up getting O'Hehir and Mahony at picks 3 and 21.

More on the reasons here - the club was happy for her to stay or to facilitate a trade if she decided to go. I'd call it a win for all parties, at this early stage.

melbournefc.com.au

A Kate and Lily reunion | Revisiting the Mithen trade

We revisit the Lily Mithen trade from last year as we get set to face the Suns this Friday at Casey Fields.

3 hours ago, Dees_In_October said:

It was part of a mega trade involving some of our other picks - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024%E2%80%9325_AFL_Women%27s_player_movement_period#Trades But essentially we ended up getting O'Hehir and Mahony at picks 3 and 21.

More on the reasons here - the club was happy for her to stay or to facilitate a trade if she decided to go. I'd call it a win for all parties, at this early stage.

melbournefc.com.au

A Kate and Lily reunion | Revisiting the Mithen trade

We revisit the Lily Mithen trade from last year as we get set to face the Suns this Friday at Casey Fields.

Thanks so much @Dees_In_October. Much appreciated.

Mithen versus McNamara was an interesting tussle. In my view, McNamara was the clear winner despite Eliza only having a 9 point better fantasy score. Mithen had her hands full with McNamara so she wasn’t able to impact elsewhere.

There was one point in the 4th when McN did five consecutive high pressure acts that ended in a Dees goal. She’s certainly fit.

In McN, Hore, Hanks and Wotherspoon there’s considerable football smarts.

O’Hehir & Mahony are great trades for Lily. O’Hehir has considerable upside which I guess is stating the obvious being #3 in the draft.