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Though I know not your name, lone Demon, nor from whence you come, I salute thee....

And that’s it for today. I will be back Wednesday for more updates.

It really did feel like a final. ❤️💙⭐️❤️💙

Tholstrop is also training with the main group.

Slow start, Melk working really hard with trainers, looks super fit, players wandering out now. Tom Mc is in runners with left knee strapped. May and Clarry with main group. Clarry wearing hand guard,

Even if BB didn’t get up, I doubt we’d go with Schache. Can play Petty forward if May is fit and if not, Tomo can come into to let Petty go forward. Then play Kolt as a medium forward if we have to. lots of options before having to consider Schache again. Surely!

Hats off to Jibroni and Bedigo D much appreciated

Have a sneaking suspicion that Kolt could get a call up this week given they've flown him up and with clouds over Chin & perhaps Trac.

As training progresses (very casually) and the boys start handing out little footys, BBB and Chin are alternating on the bike. Clarry is in seemingly no discomfort, May still seems sore, Tom Mc did stuff all, Trac was VERY limited and had a long chat with Goody, Chin was very down, shaking his head, BBB walking ok, but not trying to do anything intense. Everybody else seemed ok, BUT, I am 58 and I could have completed that training no problem!!

Can I just say that I'm loving the commitment and spirit that Jake Melksham has shown since his ACL. He could've proudly retired last year, but has the hunger for one last shot. His professionalism in rehab is showing the rest of the list that we must not take winning for granted, this is our time. He's going to be an asset in the back half of the season

May he rest in peace!

I agree his output has been limited this year, but his work rate in the last quarter v Port included lots of crashing packs and 2nd efforts up the ground. This attitude and willingness to compete secures his place in the 22.

Jack wearing Gus’ helmet. 👌

Interesting that nobody has mentioned Tom Sparrow’s Goal in the last quarter. It’s an absolute cracker, the ball is red hot and he slots it with brute strength and accuracy Well played young man…

A real shame as he’s had a great start to the season.

Nah that’s Shazza Nibbla. She sat with us for the game and it was so cool to see her reaction to her boy playing arguably his best ever. Nibs hugged her, Chin hugged her, but the Clarrie hug was extra special because she’s close to Michelle Oliver and she knows in detail the pain his family has been through with those vultures in the media. Mrs Fritta didn’t attend the match last night.

Interesting comments from Goodwin in today’s presser “He’s loving his time at Melbourne and that’s where he’ll be”

It looked to me like he jarred his knee. Very frustrating they never followed up. But he seemed to run it out by the next contest and played out the game. If he did jar it he would be mighty sore today. Fingers crossed he gets up.

I personally don’t think there’s ever a good time for a 5 day break. They only exist to satisfy Channel 7 and their insatiable desire for Thursday night footy. Which, when we’re involved, I hate.

Smacca (McAdam) said he'll be right to play by next Monday (roughly).* Whether that's via Casey or straight in... who knows. *subject to no further setbacks

I’ll do my best. Crowd has swelled to over 100, unfortunately no coffee van, ( or for the old bloke, no bar open either.)

First scan post the Port game is in…

I think you something to do with cheer squad wcw. Can I say what a fabulous effort you put in setting up a mighty albeit surrounded by ferals presence at the goals end at Adelaide. It looked wonderful on TV and I reckon was hugely appreciated by the players. Well done on the huge flag waving effort during the faux INXS power pre game anthem too. That clubs got an inferiority complex imo. Great job.

Great to see Adelaide floundering for 2 reasons: 1. It might make Petty rethink being traded to them; 2. If he insists on joining them, it looks like we'll get a top 10 draft pick in the trade.

Those complaining about Kosi going for marks, need to understand that Kosi is an instinctive player. If you try to rob him of the freedom to be the unique player he is, you will ruin him. He is so special and does things very few are capable of. It’s what makes him so good. He should be given license to go for goals and marks he believes are realistic, so long as he’s not burning teammates in the process. He does more than enough at ground level to fly for a few marks here and there.

TMac has been regularly training in runners in the recovery and Captain's run this season, (the strapping is new). BBB as well.

Ben Brown in sneakers, no sign of Chandler, McAdam, Schache and Kolt here too. I get the feeling McAdam might play. Lot of love for him from staff and players. Chandler in sneakers with heavy strapping on right knee.

I went through the five stages of grief while waiting for the page to load.

Joey Montagna : Melbourne best leaders and culture in the game !

Wild stuff but I heard yesterday that Trac was sore. Is Kolt there for him? Laurie or Woewodin would step in for Chandler. Side note; I loved Chandlers game. It’s exactly the type of game I think he can play consistently if healthy. He’s a tough little bugger.

they really didn't

Crows played Friday in Perth. It's fair Look on the bright side. We are playing Adelaide when they are in a slump and the same with the Lions. Win those two and we are setting up a solid launchpad for top 4. Five weeks ago few if any would have thought we could win all three

We really should have been scheduled to play Port on the Friday night giving us a 6 day break. The AFL should try to avoid 5 day breaks as much as possible if not at all.

There was one point in the 3rd that Trac pulled up sore in a contest.

So, apart from BBB and Chin, all players named are doing run through. BBB walking laps. Chin doing rehab stuff, very low key. BBB doing kick to kick, Chin has started that too.

A seven-point victory to the Melbourne Demons over Port Power at Adelaide oval, saw the real power tools on the inside of the fence, as opposed to those versions on the other side, around the ground. Their pre-game chant of “never tear us apart” obviously didn’t carry any weight with the Melbourne players, as that was exactly what happened during the course of the game. This was a most ”un-Melbourne like game” in the way it was played. At various times during the match it all came down to individual efforts. This was a game where BOTH teams had ten goal kickers. It wasn’t about a dominant area of the ground for either side, it was, in a way a return to the old fashioned one on one type football. Often we hear the coaches speak of “moments’ in the game. Well in this game it was one moment, followed by another as each side traded blow for blow and the lead swung back and forth with the maximum margin being only 18 points during the match. Scarily, for opposition sides, the Demons showed that if that is the way you want to play, we will beat you at that game as well. We have often heard the phrase “a captain’s goal” and certainly that happened when Max Gawn managed to kick straight after the ¾ time siren to bring the game back to near level pegging. But that effort which tore the hearts of the Port fans out, was repeated time and time again by other Melbourne players during the game. Led by Jack “hammer” Viney in his 200th game for the Demons, it was him against the Port mids, particularly in the first quarter, but he just kept willing himself to contest, and despite the Power breaking out to a 3 goal lead early on, the team just pegged it back, as Jack hammered the opposition into submission. When needed it was Ben “the drill ” Brown who nailed shots from long range, that never looked to deviate from straight and true. It was Alex “reciprocating saw” Neale-Bullen who kept coming back and forth to the contest, and probably playing his best ever game for the side, at a time when that was exactly what was needed. Then it was the turn of Caleb “ buzz-saw” Windsor who sped past the floundering Port defenders to record his first ever major for the Demons. Another was when Bayley “Polisher” Fritsch calmly went back with only a couple of minutes to run on the clock and split the big sticks from on the boundary line. Down in defence the “Fire extinguishers “ of Jake Lever and Trent Rivers, kept blanketing any potential outbreaks coming from the Port forwards. But this was also about the whole fire crew of Tom McDonald, Blake Howes, Marty Hore and Christian Salem coming just in time to put paid to any spot fires which might develop. Even more impressive was that despite an incredible 66 inside 50s and the Fire Chief of Steven May being absent, all these individual saves simply denied Port a winning score. In the middle it was the “grinders” of Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Tom Sparrow alongside Jack Viney who had the job to just wear down the Port mids. Make no mistake, they had a seriously good combination, and by all statistical measures, they were ascendant. But like last week against the Hawks, the stats just don’t matter, when the quality is what is being sought. To reiterate what Simon Goodwin said “we are comfortable with that, unless it has scoreboard impact”! So the Demons power tools all over the ground did indeed “tear them apart” . The toothless voices heard before the match, like their black and white counterparts in Melbourne were seen streaming from the ground before the match finished. Perhaps they realised their team didn’t have wings, but was never going to fly like the Power of the Melbourne Demons. MELBOURNE 3.2.20 7.3.45 10.4.64 15.6.96 PORT ADELAIDE 4.1.25 7.3.45 10.8.68 13.11.89 GOALS MELBOURNE Brown 3 Fritsch Neal-Bullen Sparrow 2 Gawn Langdon Oliver Pickett Viney Windsor PORT ADELAIDE Byrne-Jones Finlayson Rioli 2 Dixon Evans Houston McEntee Marshall Rozee Soldo BEST MELBOURNE Neal-Bullen Gawn Petracca Rivers Viney Oliver PORT ADELAIDE Drew Houston Rozee Wines Butters Soldo INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil PORT ADELAIDE Boak (head knock) REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil PORT ADELAIDE Nil SUBSTITUTIONS MELBOURNE Taj Woewodin, replaced Jack Billings in the fourth quarter PORT ADELAIDE Jase Burgoyne, replaced Francis Evans in the third quarter UMPIRES Hayden Gavine Alex Whetton Robert Findlay Martin Rodger CROWD 38,105 at Adelaide Oval

McAdam time

Trac and Tom Mc have joined main group

I know May is as tough as nails, but he still looks in some discomfort even doing just basic stuff.

Tom Mc and Trac are in rehab group.

Nobody is sprinting except Melk!!

I was hoping one of the games was in Greece.

And saw losers!

This ain’t cool. Plenty of stuff we can joke about, but this isn’t it.

The kid is just what we need. Lightning quick line breaker who can kick. A couple of people have questioned his defensive efforts. I've been impressed with what I've seen. He's relentless, must have a huge tank, be interesting to know his kms covered. There's a reason Goodwin's playing him and I'll tip the pressure he puts on defensively is a big one. Loves his defence does Goody.

This is what happens when your family tree is actually a wreath.

Underrated moment. Also Chandler’s tap to ANB in the fourth. Both great reads of the play and uses of space.

Windsor doesn’t look as though he needs a rest. At his rate of improvement he’ll probably be in our best 6 at the club after next week. I haven’t seen a player come at our club come do what Windsor has. We’re a top 4 level club, and this kid comes in first year and improves the side drastically. Unless he gets injured he’ll be winning the rising star.