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This is surreal. I’m going to a GF in Perf that my beloved Demons are playing in. Giddy up!! 🔴🔵💪

I don’t know why, but this has really hit home for me. I’ve been posting on here (mostly garbage) since 2005 and my life has changed a lot in that time but Demonland has been a constant throughout. While most of us are stuck in our homes it has more than been the football community we all need, so thank you @Demonlandfor giving us nuffies somewhere to vent and connect with fellow Melbourne fans.

Too distracted to post much of late. I think we win, and win pretty easily in the end. Objectively the bookies have got the price right at 1.65 (it has been the quote for two weeks now). We have won our last six matches, including 3 wins against top 4 sides. In doing so we averaged 100.5 per game. In that same period the dogs have gone 4 wins and 3 losses and averaged 80 points per game. In that period we have significantly improved two key elements - we have been scoring from stoppages and starting fast. All season the dogs have been terrific in both these areas, but have fallen away in the last 6 weeks Even with the two week break to freshen up, the dogs are playing two players that are the very least suspect fitness wise in Keath and Martin - and that is always a huge risk in a Grand Final. The Martin selection was tacit acknowledgement the model they have used all year of basically no ruck and sharking the opposition ruck man just won't cut it. At least not against us. By contrast, we could barely be fitter. We are fitter and stronger than the dogs and will run out the game better. As we have shown all season, if the dogs have a lead at 3 quarter time they will struggle to hold us off. Conversely if we have a lead, which i expect we will, we will be very hard to run down. Despite reports to the contrary, Beveridge is not a coaching savant who will magic up tactical moves that will bamboozle Goodie and his coaching team and overcome our advantages. Many are suggesting the two week break really helps the dogs. Not sure why. Who knows what impact it will have, but we were able to have a full scale hit out las Saturday arvo. They couldn't becuase they needed to freshen up their weary troops. Also the dogs get an advantage from the two week break narrative cuts against the us against the world palaver Beveridge loves to engineer. And the dogs would have probably preferred to keep going given their momentum - and bevo could also play the we have been in quarantine and the dees haven't, look at them at the beaches and cafe, card. Our preparation has been perfect, we have established a routine over the last month - one that as Pert noted on the Demonland podcast, was planned with exactly this scenario in mind. Our game is built for the g and Optus oval is almost exactly the same dimensions. It suits us and with our defensive system and running power of all players, gives us a considerable comparative advantage. And this will be third time we have played there in the last 2 months. And in that time we have probably trained there at least 5 times Many seem to be considering the dog's performance in the prelim to be the equal of ours. I don't. Port were woeful and bizarrely did not bring the heat in the first quarter. Perhaps it was something to do with the fact Port thrive on the energy of their home crowd and there was on 26, 000 people there. The Cats were hard at it all game as evidenced by the pressure rating for the match, which was something like 185 to 175 our way. That's a really poor preparation for the blitzkrieg they will face tonight. And there is no way we give Hannan and Smith the space to run into Port did. And it's worth noting Port beat them round 23 in a cut throat, must win game And prior to the Port win, they were very lucky to just get over the top of the lions. A team we touched up by 7 goals (could easily have been 10) in our first final. I'm surprised more people have not pointed out the advantage we get of having already experienced the insanity of packed Optus Oval with its colour, intensity and above all deafening noise. That will all come as a shock to the dogs as might the fact it will be a very pro demons crowd. The major issue for the dogs is that we are unlikely to concede more than 70 points. Which means they have to keep us under 70 points to win. On a perfect deck, in perfect conditions and with our offensive weapons' and ability to generate repeat inside 50s on back of forward half pressure, they will struggle mightily to do so. I think we will come out of the blocks and blitz them. They might stick with us for a quarter, maybe even a quarter and a half. But i expect we will get on top and be better place to take advantage of periods in the first half when we get the momentum. I can see us with 4-5 goal lead at half time, with the dogs pressing super hard in the third quarter but not being able to significantly bridge the gap. So a 4-5 goal lead at three quarter time. Last quarter the dogs have spent there petrol tickets and we keep rolling to a 43 point win. Tracc or Viney for the Norm Smith. Good luck and super positive vibes to the Demonland posse. Thanks to all for your fantastic posts and for the dees community vibe. I've loved that aspect and its gone along to way to mitigate the impact of the game not being here at the g. I hope everyone has wonderful days. See you on the other side. Go redlegs.

PREMIERS 2021

I’ve got nothing done in the 5 years since the prelim.

We're ready, perfect day for a GF. We've got this!!

Happy to bag the win and move on to our next opponent.

Are you even a Melbourne supporter if you don’t cheese?

Well, it has arrived. Who would've thought?

I believe the boys will do it for them and for all of us. Go Dees!

Have we beaten anyone yet? I'm not crying, we're all crying. This is for Neale, Jim, Robbie, Jonesy, Dean, Ron 😍 We have waited so long. And finally. After 57 long years. We have broken through. We have pushed away from our ageing legacy and now face the future as Goliaths. We are going to be scary good next year. HEART. BEATS. TRUE. ❤️

Sent via a mate of a mate. Apparently the dog's name is Roger..

Engage full nuffy mode. Go Demons!!!

My partner's six-year-old daughter just sent me a drawing of the "Demon robot crushing the other team". Her dad is Collingwood, but the rest of her family on that side are Melbourne. I think that's Bontempelli in the bottom-right, and Macrae on the left.

Absolutely churning in my stomach, 88 and 00 wasn’t like this maybe it’s the reality that we are favourites, or maybe age. So proud of this club, we will have the majority of support, I have handed out countless scarves, tee shirts, hats, flags and jumpers for friends and family to wear at the game or GF parties. I could have given three times as much away the support for us has been that big in Perth and the requests I received. The boys have embraced being here and their time out of quarantine has seen Perth people adopt them. I’m still pinching myself for so long from 2004 to 2017 Perth was a place we didn’t win in and we were pitied. Now we may finally break the drought here, why not, we broke the 12 year finals drought here when we won in round 22 of 2018. It’s game day and there’s been a lot of pain to get here but despite years of scarring making me believe it would never actually happen (even at halftime in the Prelim) I have woken today thinking it’s time. I want the boys to win for Jonesy, Nev, Jimmy, RDB, Sean, The Rev, Bails, Robbie, themselves and for those supporters no longer with us. But most of all I want a win for those of us who never gave up and endured the pain of this journey. You have all earned the right to enjoy this, I feel for those of you who through no fault of your own can’t be there, but I hope the boys do it for you and make you proud. It’s our day let’s go Dees

'88 and 2000 I was just hoping . This time it's belief based in reality and ability. Our opponents deserve to be playing in a GF. Bring it on.

I wanted to acknowledge my Dad. Howard - died of MND 5 years ago this past May. Thanks for all the kicks of football on the farm in the orchard. Thanks for buying me a banana milkshake when Jimmy ran over the mark. Thanks for supporting me and driving me to all my sports, and taking me up to the MCG, sharing your love of Hassa Mann and Tiger Ridley, your disdain for all acts of thugery and violence on the field and teaching me that as I was left footed it gave me an advantage over most people that turned to kick on their right (didn't help). Thanks for buying me my first Demons top -made of wool, wearing it on cold cold junior footy nights and being covered in mud - the only one in Portland, with all other kids wearing Tigers, Geelong or Collingwood. Thanks for washing it.. a lot. Thanks for linking me into a team with a shared history of under performing... plenty of exposure to uncomfortable emotions learned early 😍 *these are some photos of Dad in his last stages of MND -> holding my son (family's first grand child) for the fist time, linked in to Danihers Drive and finally, the night before he died.(lets not turn away from the realities of existence). As Neale has said - it is a 'beast' of a disease. It would have been tremendous to have you watch us finally have some shared success, and now with the third generation - your 5yo grandson - a lover of all things Kossie Pickett and red and blue.

This is a danger game.

Since I wrote “game over” in the match day thread we kicked 17 goals to one. I clearly could see what was about to happen. I can’t believe it, I just can’t believe it. Love to you all.

I love this club. I love all of you. I am delirious.

THIS IS NOT A DRILL WE ARE PREMIERS 💙❤️🏆🍾

I've felt like I've been unusually calm the past few weeks...especially reading the extreme (by comparison) feelings of other people on socials. It's hit me this afternoon though...starting with that video of the past player messages. It got to the point where my better half suggested I might need to go for a bit of a walk around the block (done). Part of me is so jealous that I'm not there...we upgraded our memberships a few years back for the Grand Final guarantee. Anywho there are tons in the same boat, and also those with more investment in the club than me..past players, players partners and families etc. We did pass our barcodes on to one of my wife's school friends, a Freo fan. She and her son are there and absolutely cheering for the Dees. She sent this photo a few minutes ago of Goody photobombing them! Thinking of turning the phone off now for my own mental health. Love youse all at Demonland, see you on the other side. Go Dees.

I’ve had a few tears already this morning. Feeling heartbroken waking up to record case numbers in Victoria and knowing in any other year I would have been at the MCG today cheering on the boys. It has been an awful year. You’d be hard pressed to find a Melbournian who isn’t burnt out and just sad. But our boys have given us so much hope in a year that feels hopeless. And so much joy in a year where joy has been hard to find. I am incredibly proud of what our club has achieved already. What our team stands for, and how well they’ve represented the jumper on and off the field. Today we deserve to win. We’ve been the best team for the majority of the season. We finished on top. We beat every team bar one. We smashed records in defense. We smashed our own win loss records as a club. We have done everything right, and I think it’s fair to say we all need a win in Melbourne right now. Every single one of us. Go Dees ❤️🏆💙

In '88 & 2000 we were all hoping the earth would open up & swallow our opponents. Since the late seventies, where my memories begin being driven up Nepean hwy in dad's car, there's never been an expectation, for such a complete team, within a country mile of this. Many of us have waited far too long. Both these facts have turned my guts into a front load washing machine. Our time has come. Rain all Hell!

Thanks Demonland for making the football more enjoyable, Andy, George, & Binman for the podcast - great body of work! To all the rest of the fans on Demonland, may you end the day Deliriously Happy!! Keep this piece of play in the back of your mind from the PF, where cats were out and looked sure to kick a goal, Demons chased desperately, and rather than Cats goal, Brayshaw smothers a pressured kick over the boundary line. That act of desperation when the game was over exemplifies why we win today! 57 years of joy coming up! GO DEMONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After a lifetime of nerves and screaming at the television, I've felt an odd detachment for most of this year, calmly watching each match with the occasional quiet fist pump here and there. Even round 23 failed to launch me off the couch as it would have in the past. I have wondered if maybe I had run out of emotional puff, right as the club was coming good. But no, it's the confidence I have in the coaches and team, like a proud parent having done their job through the multitude of challenges and finally sending their offspring out into the world. Today is graduation day, and I don't feel nervous at all. I'm not even all that concerned if we lose, as I know we have built such a solid team with another gear yet to come. That feeling may change closer to kick-off. I'm hoping Gawny will give us another knowing smile during the anthem, and then I'll know we're ready to roll. I'm also hoping that if we do happen to succumb to the occasion, then Demonland will be a place for shared disappointment and a celebration for what we have achieved - rather than anger and reprisals. Good luck everyone, with my thoughts especially going out to those enduring lock-down and unable to enjoy the game with extended family and friends. In a way, the isolation itself will be a unique shared experience among many supporters, unlikely to be repeated again, and another special chapter in the storied history of the Melbourne Football Club. One final, and emphatic, Go Dees!

The last two weeks might have dragged but in reality this season has flown by in these difficult times for a lot of people. It’s extremely difficult not to think about the result later on tonight and there’s a touch of sadness that this is the final game of the year already. Only because if you take a few deep breaths and just appreciate how good the club has been this season and the joy they’ve given us the last 6 months you might realise you don’t want this feeling to end. Extremely proud of everyone involved at the MFC on their efforts to make a lifelong dream come true by bringing the Cup back home. They’ve given themselves every possible chance to achieve this dream and I believe they are very capable of handling the occasion to make this a reality. Believe!

For me, this could be my last chance to see one. I doubt I have another year left. Not to be a downer, just giving it some context. It’s all I want see in life, so it really is everything to me. My earliest memory was getting a Demons jumper off my uncle. It probably fit me 2 years later. And was my prized possession. Just my luck it was Melbourne, gotta do everything the hard way. Only knew one other Dees supporter in all of my schooling, none at footy training, and no real Demon supporting mates until the Internet came along. It was me and my uncle v the world. He’s not doing too well either and it sucks that we won’t be watching it together tomorrow (but superstition says it’s great because winning percentage is through the roof when we aren’t together). I converted my little brother from a Richmond supporter, so I owe him a flag or 3. I went to all the games in Melbourne from the mid 90’s to 2012, when I basically went straight from Richmond belting us at the G, to ICU with pneumonia. That’s [censored] dedication! And stupidity. I’ve had to take life easy ever since and never went to another game after that. So it’s been a hard team to follow, but I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way. We need it. I need it. Let’s get it.

T-minus 90 minutes. Thank you M_9

Thanks all - that’s me who wrote it. Long time reader/lurker but rare poster. I’m confident all the [censored] we’ve gone through is behind us now, win or lose tonight.

My household for the next 13 hours. RIP me.

We miss you, Jimmy. Maxy wore your number and made us all proud.💚💚💚

Unbelievable. After all these years! THANK YOU, BOYS! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

Still in shock this is happening, I’ve been a Dees fan since I was 5 (I just liked the colours) and couldn’t stand Freo or Eagles. This team has put me through some psychological damage, bullying wearing the Dees kit at footy training and pure heartbreak after games like that loss to Ess in 2013. But here we are and I am so damn pumped. It’s a beautiful day here in Perth. I can’t wait till first bounce and hopefully the nerves will settle. I’m confident we can get it done. Feeling for you all back in VIC, but I’ve converted a bunch of WA fans to Red and Blue today. I’ll be 100% losing my voice today. Let’s go. Dees by 22.

I arrived in Australia in 1991. I fell in love with the local religion, football. I barracked for the Demons because of fellow Irishmen, Jim Stynes and Sean Wight. I went to games with Irish mates who also barrack for the Demons. The club is like family for a fella who is a long way from home. After everything that has happened in the last 30 years, this is a great day. We miss Jimmy and Sean. They would be so proud today. I am proud to be a Melbourne member. We have a great club that we can all be proud of. I can’t wait to do more screaming at the ‘G! See you there! I love yee all.

We did it. We did it. I can’t. I have no words. We are premiers.

Luke Jackson going into the middle was the difference.

I’m [censored] stunned. I’m crying, but [censored] stunned. Miss my old man like crazy right now, would have loved to see it with h8m, but this is just crazy.

Since 59-40, we kicked 100 points to 7 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a way to burn down the curse. 🔥

WHO SIGNED OFF ON THIS BEING A NIGHT GAME????

Andy Lovell hit the nail on the head “Your brand stacks up boys, you just need to trust in the brand, trust in each other and you may as well go and win it, hunt ‘em to death lads. Good luck”

After believing all year, I was having a bit of an MFCSS panic last night, because as good as we've been, on the day anything could happen. So I re-watched the first three quarters of the Geelong PF to calm my nerves. For the past 5 years I've wanted us to finish top 4, to set us up for a genuine crack at the big one. And now we are here. Plan to setup a TV in my outdoor entertaining space to watch pre game shows etc while having a few pre game beers to calm the nerves have a bbq and then head upstairs for the big game. Need to pace myself, because it could get kind of messy if I go too early. NRL neighbors arn't going need to watch the game to get a score update. Fellow Demonlanders in the word of Goody The Great - Lets just be us (not sure how that translates to Demonland, but anyways). Thanks for your comradery. Strangely, over the years, I have enjoyed the ride and hope to be back here sometime tomorrow morning posting in a delirious half drunk celebratory mood.

I wish i could stop pacing around.. Dreamed of this day since the dark times of 2013 and all those posts about the light at the end of the tunnel. Well here we are. Once more to the bridge my friends ! History beckons.