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Troy Broadbridge, who played 40 games for the Demons passed away on this day 15 years ago. Troy married Trisha Silvers on 18 December 2004. Eight days later, while spending their honeymoon in the Phi Phi Islands, Thailand, he drowned after being swept out to sea by the tsunami that followed the Indian Ocean earthquake. Trisha survived. The red headed defender was a terrific team manager. He will always be remembered.

It's a pretty sad list really, I guess an indication of where we've been as a club. Not wishing to denigrate any on the list for fine contributions in difficult times but in reality only Oliver and Gawn stack up as A graders.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all Demonlanders. It’s been a tough year for our beloved club. Let’s hope we can bounce back in 2020. I want to thank our Mods @Nasher, @Whispering_Jack, @Grapeviney, @george_on_the_outer. They go above and beyond in their tireless work of keeping the forum civil and a friendly, inviting and inclusive place. Things can get heated in here especially in the tough times and the mods do a great job of keeping the peace. Thanks to my Podcast cohosts @Grapeviney, @Supermercado & @george_on_the_outer. It’s a tough job having to front up week in week out when you only win 5 games so thank you guys for not bailing on me. A big big thank you to our regular preseason trackwatchers @kev martin, @Baghdad Bob, @Satyriconhome, @DeeSpencer & anyone else who I’ve missed out. This year you guys have raised the bar and I look forward to your reports in the New Year. A million thank yous. And lastly but certainly not least thank you to all of you who make up this wonderful community. This forum is nothing without its contributors. Hopefully 2020 brings us that elusive Premiership so that we can all bitch about the cup not being shiny enough together. Bring on 2020. ???

A huge thank you to Andy and all others who make Demonland such a wonderful place for us to meet and share our woes, disappointments, hopes, dreams and occasional joys. As an 'interstater', remote from the Melbourne media, I honestly don't know where !'d be without a healthy serve of Demonland to go with my Weet Bix and muesli 365 days a year. Hope Santa was generous with red and blue gifts for everyone, and that 2020 brings something very special, even if we do have to wait until September!

Tom Gillies stiff.

He got to 99 and got bored so he stopped.

Happy Hanukkah too! May you gorge yourself on donuts.

A very Merry Christmas to all at Demonland and a safe and very happy new year?

A few days after Christmas, a mother was working in the kitchen listening to her young son playing with his new electric train in the living room. She heard the train stop and her son said, "All of you sons of b*tches who want off, get the hell off now, cause this is the last stop! And all of you sons of b*tches who are getting on, get your asses in the train, cause we're going down the tracks." The mother went nuts and told her son, "We don't use that kind of language in this house. Now I want you to go to your room and you are to stay there for TWO HOURS. When you come out, you may play with your train, but I want you to use nice language." Two hours later, the son comes out of the bedroom and resumes playing with his train. Soon the train stopped and the mother heard her son say, "All passengers who are disembarking from the train, please remember to take all of your belongings with you. We thank you for riding with us today and hope your trip was a pleasant one. We hope you will ride with us again soon." She hears the little boy continue, "For those of you just boarding, we ask you to stow all of your hand luggage under your seat. Remember, there is no smoking on the train. We hope you will have a pleasant and relaxing journey with us today." As the mother began to smile, the child added, "For those of you who are [censored] off about the TWO HOUR delay, please see the b*tch in the kitchen."

Sounds like a very professional approach from everyone, club, players, and the Pereira family. What a story it will be whatever the outcome. Feel free to keep us up to date, you're part of the demonland family now.

hi all, the experience was awesome, he really enjoyed the players and it gave him an insight on what is needed to be elite. The coaches were happy with what they saw. Some of the questions that were asked of him was his height, and predicted height. We did a bone test on him about 3 years ago, and his predicted height will be around the 211 cm mark, fully grown. So we keep praying for that. Overall the Melbourne players really got around the academy boys, and made them feel part of the team and we couldn't be more thankful to be part of a great bunch of men.

If your only metric is money then sure mills might be happier. But it is unlikely pendles only metric is money or else he would have picked bball . He's playing the game he loves. In front of massive crowds. Who love him. He gets to live in Australia, in his home town. And sleep most of the year in his own bed. Occasional trips to Perth but otherwise short plane rides and max one night in a hotel. Plays one game a week. On the money front would be a multi millionaire by the time his career finishes. Would have opportunities to go into media post career (unlike patty, probably). And how much money do you need? Is there a sliding scale of happiness the more millions you have? I reckon both would be equally happy with their choices.

When I peruse this forum with my cheese plater and IPA or vintage Shiraz, I for one value people's experience, as I am so far removed from any sort of football reality, be it juniors or otherwise, that I profess to have zero knowledge. I guess I naively, assume people who assert their knowledge on here 'must' know their area of expertise. Because I wouldn't go around posturing for areas I know SFA about. What I get confused by, is when there is such a discrepancy between said 'veteran U18 watcher' and his/her opinions and then what the MFC recruiting department choose to do, with all their data, direct and indirect relationships over numerous years with whom they draft. How can the MFC get it so wrong... no really, HOW can they get it so wrong? (spoiler... they aint) I think one lens to look through is if one of the top teams were getting pick 3 (or wherever) who would they be taking... again the conversation is between 'needs' and 'pure genetic giftedness' (talent) In all seriousness, all teams pick 'busts' in all rounds of the draft, so to take the [censored] by saying that we are worse than any other team beggars belief. They are all calculated/forensic risks by the club. The MFC aint wrong with whom they pick. As it is all educated guesses with conjecture about potential. And potential is just that, potential. ...I am sure there is another thread discussing the merits between drafting genetically gifted speciments vs development somewhere here

Do you agree? Who’s in your Top 10? 10. Jesse Hogan 9. Mark Jamar 8. Neville Jetta 7. Bernie Vince 6. James Frawley 5. Jack Viney 4. Tom McDonald 3. Clayton Oliver 2. Max Gawn 1. Nathan Jones

Would assume this is based on contribution over the decade rather than a list of simply 'best players'. As good as Gawn and Clarry are, they've both only had 3-4 years each of high impact compared to the consistent performance of Jones over the 10 year time frame.

Jones gets a legacy vote, sure, but our best player? Just have been a slow decade. Its Gawn by a country mile.

Saints, Packers...............................................................................................'49ers. Bring it home boys

i'm surprised anyone is surprised ?

Because the chances of it working smoothly for every game are almost nil. Especially if you're trying to get young kids through the gates at the same time

Other than Gawn and Oliver they struggle to rate against the competition's elite. However, the list is Melbourne's best 10 of the decade and I'm struggling to think of anyone else you could add. Bluey winners are 2010 - Green, 2011 - Moloney, 2012-14 - Jones, 2015 - Vince, 2016 - Viney, 2017 - Oliver, 2018 - Gawn and 2019 Gawn and Oliver. Both Moloney and Green were done during the Neeld era. It's an accurate (and sad) reflection on our last 10 years. I'd argue Jones is a couple of spots too high but I can understand why he'd be put first.

I was thinking the same. No wonder we’ve had the decade we’ve had. Oliver and Gawn aside (and a couple of very good early seasons from Hogan) the rest are serviceable players.

Saints, Packers, Steelers

Yes would normally agree DP but Jacko looks more like an athletic freak ego has skills of a mid snd therefore I believe he will thrive Early in AFL because of this and his very very competitive nature. My take us very few Casey games as he builds a stellar career while learning in the big time and we are the winners. Ruck ruck rover CHF FF or flanker even mid as Goody has said. Just let him loose and he will leap onto stardom!!!

Saints, Packers, Eagles

It is.raining here Bin so I could restart the cheroot!!... oh peter Green on the stereo.......

I’m hoping 1 Melbourne player can play an A+ game in my lifetime on grand final day. Malion Pickett didn’t get selected to debut on grand final day for no reason. He is an absolute jet.

Seems the simple solutions are lost in business these days dc.

Because they say “buy now and receive your membership pack before Christmas.” Other than that, I couldn’t give a [censored]. But, why say it? It’s fail upon fail.

Saints, packers, Steelers

ScoMo went for a little break while the country burned. Who cares, Kev bolted while Dees preseason was in full swing. Unforgiveable. Only joking Kev, you're an absolute legend. I could never put into words what your preseason reports have meant to me during a tough time in my life. I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. Have a great Christmas.

Merry Christmas Demonlanders. I’d like to apologise for anything stupid I’ve said and all the other stupid things I’m bound to say over the forthcoming season. As a long-game Christmas gift to you all, I have decided that if we don’t win the flag in 2020, I will super-glue myself to the statue of Norm Smith outside the G, and simultaneously hold a hunger strike until all the other teams acquiesce into just letting us win 2021’s flag. This is something Darren Burgess hasn’t thought about, and I feel it’s the missing link in our plan.

Our Presents... May well be delivered around Sept 2020?? ALL THE BEST TO ALL DEMONLANDERS Enjoy time with family and friends! Cheers and good luck!! PF!

My presence is your present

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to all at Demonland. Thank you to everyone who makes this site such a great site. Hope that 2020 is a great year for the Demons

An accumulator of the footy with elite disposal, peripheral vision and decision making isn’t going to be delisted at the end of the season no matter what happens this season. The fact his professionalism is off the charts for his age and he has a pretty good tank leave me confident of where he is headed.

by my quick calculation it was 74 wins for the decade ... take out 2017 and 2018 and.... well you don't want to know PS.. we won 72 games during the '70's so perhaps we are on the way up

Yep it's good that Max didn't nurse hmself but I don't believe you can wrap em up in bubble wrap either. If this activity keeps him vibrant, positive and in good spirits it's ok by me. Enjoy yourself and keeping agile and fit at the same time is all good

When I saw this I thought exactly the same thing. The one point win against Gold Coast would almost fall in by default.

I’ll take the $50 million (and counting) and a less battered and bruised body.

From what I have seen at training, if we have a small forward or 2 for Rd 1, we have Chandler, C Wagner, Bedford and Pickett competing for the same spot, it is hard to judge Pickett as he has been pulled out of the full match sim, more often than he has been in it, Xfactor at junior level is not easily replicated at AFL level, but he shows flashes To have 4 when we have struggled in that position lately, can only be a good thing Same as the medium size, Melksham and Fritsch look a lock but Hunt is making every post a winner as well upto now and we have to fit ,Trac, ANB and Jones (according to Goody) up there as well Think it will come down to the pre season games Jordon and Sparrow are developing nicely but with Viney, Brayshaw, Oliver etc all looking like they will be fit, it wil take something exceptional to force their way in Lockhart is being developed as a small defender, obviously as cover for Nev, but to give hime some competition as well Dunkley is being groomed as a winger, obviously with the cloud over Tomlinson at the moment, there is a spot, he is one of the natural footballers we have on the list Petty is going to be a star, knocking a fully fit May off the line of the ball to take an uncontested mark, in your first match sim after rehab, is a good start Forgot AVB as well, if they all stay fit, Casey is going to have quite a team

I chose the hard card option this year for both my son (5 yo) and myself. Felt there was something special about a dad and his son getting all decked out in our Demons gear, membership card around our neck, scanning it as we walk in to the MCG. We do live in a digital world, but because I chose the sentimental option, we miss out on the couple of free tickets (which would've covered my non-Demon daughter and wife for the one or two trips to the 'G as a family. Fortunately I can cover their entry, but I'm sure some struggle.

Bare bones Membership came in the mail today. Cut backs because of 2019. I will return to full Membership/MCC once the club shows some serious fight...

I get my 20 year membership this year.... just waiting for the postman. Not bad for someone who has only lived in the country for 21 years.

Good post. Jetta will surprise many by having a close to AA year. Core player for me

If Young is a genuine gun he'd improve our side by a bit, but imo it will be as a defender not as a mid. But we're not a lot worse off by not having him if we have a fit back 6/7 who can string games together. If Jackson is a genuine gun forward/ruck he improves our list a lot and becomes irreplaceable. Not to mention he and Gawn would become the most dominant tall duo in the game. At worst Jackson looks like he'll be very good. An added bonus is that I don't see a long apprenticeship at Casey for this boy.

De-composing ?

I've always liked Tom Lehrer's line (in a somewhat different context): It is a sobering thought that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years.

What becomes more evident as you get older is just how young 18 is. It gets harder and harder to reconcile how 18 can count as “adult”. The interview with Jackson was one of a kid in a man’s body bouncing off the walls with excitement (which I loved by the way). Unsure at what point I officially became an old fart but it appears to have happened.

Watching us last year it was clear we needed the following; Outside run Tall Forward option Small Forward So far we've brought in Tomlinson, Langdon, Jackson, Pickett and potentially Brown and Bennell. imagine the coaches had a fair bit of influence on the wish-list