Leaderboard

G'day Demonland Wishing you guys the best of luck this week in the GF. What a tremendous season you've had and I'm hoping it ends in Premiership glory. Melbourne has been the best team all year and thoroughly deserve to be favourites, and I think you guys will be far too good for the Bulldogs on Saturday It's hilarious that my 2 Melbourne loving daughters at ages 15 and 12 think they have had to put up with a bit to get to this point. If only they knew what a different generation of Dees fan has had to endure. I know I don't post on here anymore (that may change), but like I said, I just wanted to check in and wish the Melbourne FC all the best for the GF, and I hope all of you are enjoying the excitement of GF week and fingers crossed can celebrate premiership glory come Saturday night. Good luck, (and for this week only) GO DEES!!!!

It's the year 2000. A new era. I am an 11 year old boy in Melbourne town, just 3 years down from Brisbane. A rugby state. But footy or rugby I wasn't in a round ball state of mind. I didn't "get it". And so, there I was, a nominal Melbourne supporter ushered to Grand Final Day early in the morning to (now I understand) get some bloody tickets. Melbourne. I'm 11. It's a Grand Final. Nothing special, I think to myself. My Grandpa Jim has seen this before, and his calmness soothes me. And so I watched. And we lost. I didn't mind. I didn't really "get" the 2000 Grand Final. We lost. I didn't really care. I care now. I didn't understand how hard that one was to reach. It was just the 2nd in 43 years I now am able to calculate in the fulness of time. Now I get it. Fast forward from 2000. It's now mid-late 2004. Nathan Brown is killing it for the dees. I like this bloke. I like the Demons. My Grandfather's team. I might watch them on free-to-air and see how we go. We win. This is it my friends. A life-long passion is born. In 2004 - I listened to an entire Elimination Final on the radio. My god I could not do that now. It's 2005. Jeff White gets his head caved in. I remember nothing but pain, but I see this live. I hear it and feel it live. It's 2006. Nathan Jones debuts. In the finals, a kindly Saints fan gifts me a ticket and I watch the game from the wing live. We beat St Kilda, and Chook McLean stamps himself on my psyche in a way I'll never forget. No matter what happens afterward. It's 2007. Demonland seems like a nice place to vent after a pretty terrible year. I might sign up. 2008, 9, 10, 11 pass as years tend to do, and we seem not to want to win any longer. My grandpa, who took me to that 2000 grand final and instilled that love for Melbourne, passes away. And still the years press on: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Pain, pain pain. And I see it all in person. I cannot imagine the pain of those born in the 60s, or 70s, or 80, but I can fathom it. And then we get to experience 2018. What a joyous year it was, but ultimately one built on sand, and we know that now. But it was fun, and I see it to its bitter conclusion in Perth, in person. I had officially become a nuffy. And still time rolls on, and I roll with it, now completely pulled in, never to escape. 2019, 2020. Pain again, and I think this might be the lot of Melbourne forever, and me too (of course, because why should I be happy?) And then 2021comes. Just a joyous year in spite of everything non-football related that we all know about. I could talk forever about why this year means what it means from a football sense, but let me say this at least: Here is a chance for Melbourne to come full circle now. I think back to that kid who went to a grand final just a couple of years after coming down from Brisbane, and how little he "got" it. I get it now. I want it. I need it. Go dees. I'll have a beer for you Grandpa Jim, like I said I would, way back in 2011 when it looked bad for you and the club both. Melbourne recovered, and I'm Melbourne. I'm Melbourne, and I'm Melbourne through and through.

Grand Final Open Training: Weather is going to be perfect for footy, maybe a touch windy in the first quarter but will be crisp for most of the game Most of the crowd will be Dees fans (many here have jumped on board given our history) Harmes looked like a kid in a candy shop, he’s super excited Salem was taking it very easy with the drills Langdons kicking is still pretty hit and miss Chandler is a great kick and really like his craft. He didn’t miss a shot or target. Tomlinson was watching on looking quite flat and I felt for him. Poor guy. May was kicking from 40+ out. No worries at all with him and his back. Bowey didn’t miss a target all session. He’s building very nicely. Troy Chaplin is in a moon boot. Not sure why haha. Tracc was doing his own thing for most of it just taking set shots The small forwards (Sparks, Nibbler, Harmes, Kozzi) we’re doing a lot of frontal pressure work and then hitting up Tmac, BB and Fritta Backs were doing marking drills and short 15m, 45 degree chip kicks then long to Gawn Lever did extras with Chocco in a quick ball throw at his head and he’d get his hands out front to mark Viney did extras with Chocco too. Ground ball gets and tackles. I’m tipping him for a massive game tomorrow. Obviously a very light session but conditions are looking excellent and I’m growing more and more confident. Feeling for you all in VIC. 1 more sleep. Let’s go Dees 🔴🔵

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

Lid is finally off.

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.

Word is it that we are sticking with the same combination, including James Jordon as the sub. Here's my view on why Jayden Hunt should be named in that role ahead of JJ. 1) The sub role in the GF is different to the role required throughout the season - it requires an impact player. For 22 weeks plus the finals to date, the sub role was there to cover significant game-ending injuries and the coaches honored the AFL request to use it in that manor. But the grand final is different. Sure it might be activated early if a club sustains a serious injury, but this time there is a guarantee that the side that is trailing at three-quarter time will try and use it like they did during the short-loved sub era from 2011-15. And the Dogs will almost certainly name the pacey Anthony Scott or small forward Laitham Vandermeer for the role, allowing them the chance to take off one of their talls (Martin, Scache or English if they are getting beaten) to help provide spark. Perth Stadium is a big ground and that injection of pace could be crucial if it's a close game. James Jordon is a hard-working mid who is a great prospect - but he ain't going to provide a lively role up forward and he has had no training down back. Jayden Hunt is electric, even if his pre-2021 reputation is that he's somewhat erratic, and he is experienced in playing both down back and up forward. 2) The sub role should help with covering a key injury and ideally should have the potential to help with our two players under injury clouds - May and Spargo. Clearly the only player on our list (other than Tomlinson) that can try and fill the May void is Joel Smith. But he is also under an injury-cloud so would be a poor choice as sub. If May was to tweak his hammy further, the most likely scenario is that either T-Mac is sent back to play on English or Schache or Hibberd would be moved on to Schache and shifted off minding Roarke Smith and Bontempelli when resting. In both scenarios Hunt can provide value in being able to cover Hibberd's role down back or add forward pressure if sent up there in a quasi T-Mac role. Hunt also could switch into Spargo's small forward/tackle pressure role if Spargs ankle proves worse than thought. Jordon can do neither - he is best suited in the middle and would be ideal back-up if Angus, Trac, Olly or Viney get injured, although not crucial because Harmes, ANB and Sparrow can play more mid if needed. 3) Is it unfair to drop JJ after he's been in the 23 all season? I think JJ has been the sub for the past five weeks and we all should respect the fact that he is developing fast and has shown admirable courage. But he's been the sub - his omission does not alter team balance. All season he has won plaudits - but let's face it, he is a development player and his best years will be ahead. Will he feel aggrieved? Of course. Every player who narrowly misses will feel disappointed. Jayden Hunt must feel mega frustrated that after finally establishing himself as lockdown defender who links up well and playing every minute of our first 19 games before getting injured that he has been overlooked for a 19-year-old and a 20-year-old, albeit two very talented ones. Anyway to me it's clear cut - Jayden Hunt should be the sub. Just as the Dogs will try and inject pace late in the game, we need to be ready to do so as well. Hopefully the sub issue will be a non-issue and we have the game in our keeping anyway, but what's your view?

Garry Lyon has interviewed 8 Dees players since the prelim. He said that 7 of them were really relaxed and looking forward to the challenge, one of them, an unnamed father son selection, looked like he was ready to kill somebody.

At the ground now, fair crowd here already. Living the dream.

Congratulations Goody

I’m an old so and so, who was fortunate enough to live through our Golden Era of the late 1940s, the 1950’s and (obviously) 1964 as well. I have my place adorned with Dees flags, as shown in the ‘Flying the Flag’ thread. I was sitting on my front porch this evening, enjoying a glass of Shiraz, and taking in my attractive garden as the twilight took over. When the evening breeze began to flutter the flags it caught my attention. I spontaneously and unashamedly, burst into tears. That’s what a premiership would mean to me! Cross my heart, that’s a true story.

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.

Apparently it was just Jack Viney tackling a semi-trailer nothing to see here

But is he the right guy?

Update 20 Players leaving ground now. Thanks to Demonland poster Anti-Saint for the updates from the ground. Cheers everyone. QD.

Near mt buller , ski gods angry no dees supporters skiing

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

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

What a champion Jetta has been for us. I have a feeling once the dust settles he'll be announcing his retirement but is sticking with the team until our 2021 journey comes to an end. At his best Jetta was a fantastic defender and one of few leaders to stand out and stick tough over the past 15 years. A great role model for our younger boys, indigenous or not. Thank your for service Neville

I don’t post here that often, but thought I’d drop my analysis in from a BigFooty post. I’m generally a pessimist with MFCSS, however I’m strangely confident. If Melbourne and the Bulldogs bring their standard game, Melbourne will be too strong. This is why Melbourne are ~80% chance to win in my eyes: - Melbourne are the stronger contested team, having bettered the Bulldogs throughout the year and in the two contests between these teams during H&A. - The round 19 game was a draw on “expected scores” meaning non-standard accuracy on the night was a major factor. - Round 19, in the wet, was statistically Melbourne’s worst disposal efficiency game for the year, whereas Bulldgos went at their season norm which indicates a more significant opportunity for Melbourne to improve. Gawn, Petracca and Pickett all had their least efficient games for the year that night, which is highly unlikely to repeat. - Round 19 saw the Bulldogs kick almost half their score (37 points) from forward stoppages, which is many factors higher than their average score from this method and therefore highly unlikely to repeat. - Round 19 saw a statistically anamoulously high gap (41% margin) between each team’s normal aggregate “free kicks for” which is unlikely to repeat. - Josh Bruce scored almost a quarter of the Bulldogs’ goals in the previous four hours of game time between these teams. His replacement is Josh Schache who won’t demand the same respect defensively. - Stef Martin didn’t play in the two H&A games and is called out as a big difference maker, but I don’t think he can go with Gawn at all. Martin played 16 games across 2020 to 2021. Discounting one game where he got injured and subbed out, he could only better 77% time on ground twice so he doesn’t have the fitness to handle Gawn. Across that period if you make a Frankenstein’s monster of what would be Martin’s statistically best game (15 disposals, 30 hit outs, 4 tackles, 2 contested marks, 6 clearances, 1 goal) it’s probably still weaker than Gawn’s average game* across that period (19, 35, 3, 2.2, 4.5, 0.5). Add onto that Stef is a lovely guy, he doesn’t have it in him to be over the top physically brutal against Gawn as has been suggested. * adjust 2020 for equivalent 20 minute quarters The Bulldogs can win of course, but they will need to rely on the game being unusual and not following the norms established during 2021. It would require several of: - masterful tactical moves by Beveridge that Goodwin can’t counter, the most obvious one being the Bulldogs change how they bring the ball into their forward line which counters Melbourne’s backline. If the Bulldogs kick long at Naughton, while he will mark a few through the game, Melbourne’s backline will dominate as it’s too predictable. - multiple “out of the box” performances from Bulldogs’ players, and not just the top line players as there will be plans to counter the obviously dangerous players. - multiple “down” performances from Melbourne’s players, which if it happens would likely be related to Beveridge comprehensively out coaching Goodwin. - persistent unusual accuracy or inaccuracy when kicking for goal. - significant impact of in-game injuries.

My Geelong family made good on our annual bet.

Confirmed 2 year deal. https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1019907/weideman-signs-on

I wasn't going to do anything and then I thought I really wanted my kids to get into the spirit of it..... Have a couple of things to add with the kids tomorrow and then should be ready to go! ps The banner was paid for on Sunday, address given to them on Mon and delivered today, outstanding service! Red Exhibitions well done!

Someone printed out the Demonland Banner at their house.

Really fascinating interview with Peter Jackson around his journey with the Melbourne Football Club. Talks about the period around Mark Neeld era and also the Paul Roos recruitment. Also talks about flying to Sydney to catch up with James McDonald and mend that relationship with him and inviting him back to the club. Said it was an emotional meeting with junior and pointed to having a lot of scarring that need to be repaired. Well worth a listen. https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=905242

Fixed it!

Not sure if I’ve done this correctly. If I have, enjoy my handiwork. If I haven’t, you’ll just have to die wondering. 😆

Found these on my doorstep this morning… My son would’ve had them Uber-ed to me. ❤️💙💕 At least, I think it was my son. 🤔

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

My Dad's place in Meredith, Victoria. He was born in February, 1965, so here's to hoping he witnesses the first Dees flag in his 56 years tomorrow. Go Dees!

I can’t remember a time I didn’t follow the Dees. It wasn’t as though there was a particular event or date. Rather, it has been an intrinsic part of me as long as I can recall, such that every time I see red and blue I can’t help but fantasize about moments past, present or future involving the Dees. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing. I remember a question like it was yesterday, though 1996 was some 25 years ago now. We were in the front room of the house and, in hindsight, I hope Dad was pulling my leg. “What about the Swans, what do you say we switch teams?”. I couldn’t blame Dad, but I also couldn’t possibly imagine a life without the Demons. The thought repulsed me, in fact. “You can switch Dad, but I will stay with the Demons”. It was my first proper year following the Dees. Genuine or not as the question may have been, it would be my first test in a lifetime of tribulations that following this team would present me. But it wasn’t a choice as far as I was concerned. You pick your team, or in my case your team is picked for you, and you stick with it...come hell or high water. Admittedly they didn’t have a lot to offer at that stage, the Dees. But they didn’t have to. I was sold the moment I laid eyes on the red and the blue. There would be no turning back. I was on the train, stopping all stations to premiership glory. I didn’t know it then, but it would be one of the longest journeys of my life. I still remember my first few years going to the footy with Dad. I loved the build-up. The trip in. The nervous chatter on game day. The speculation. The cursory stop at the jam-donuts-stand. The unsuccessful attempts to accumulate more badges or merchandise. Poor Dad...after I was finished with these antics, I used to make us go home at half-time. Back then once the half-time kick was over, there were often few highlights to look forward to anyway...being 1996 and 1997. Suffice to say, most of those first few years, at least as far as game-day went, concluded in harsh, swift lessons on accepting defeat. I guess I learnt the consequences of watching your heroes fail. The empty hole in your heart on the trip home. The missed opportunities that had unfolded before your eyes. The what-ifs and the why-nots. Bit by bit, adding up to broken dreams and opportunities gone begging. It would put me in good stead in future years when I found myself looking to the sky, wet and cold, wondering why I still bothered? Why do I still care? Is there something wrong with me? In 1997 Dad took me to my first finals game, a prelim between the Bulldogs and the Adelaide Crows. It was a glimpse into the magical never-land that is September football, where dreams are simultaneously forged and crushed all in one siren. This day was no different. The dogs had led all afternoon, up by 22 points at 3 quarter-time. It seemed a foregone conclusion that they would play in their first Grand Final since 1961. However, Jarman and his crew had other ideas. I remember the brutal shift in emotions in the Bulldogs group in front of me as they watched their hopes slip through their fingers, one shattering goal at a time. Then finally, I remember the soul-crushing moment Chris Grant ran for the goals, right in front of me, his kick intercepted on the line along with the hopes and dreams of an entire fanbase. The simultaneous scenes of jubilation and tragedy were something I did not yet understand, but would soon experience myself. The first Demons finals campaign I went to was the next year, in 1998. I had been to the footy for a few seasons by now with Dad, but hadn’t quite experienced true excitement or passion yet. I mean, I understood that the footy was a good thing – that the trip in was a privilege and that, academically at least, it was something you should want to attend. However, not until that final's series did I truly understand why for two years I had witnessed grown men and women shout and scream and look to the sky, like I would one day too, asking “why do I bother?”. The first game against Adelaide was great. We thumped the reigning premiers and sailed through to the semi’s in the old top 8 system. When we came back the next week, we made light work of the Saints. I was getting used to this feeling. The joy of winning finals. Each week, with the ante upped, I was keener to see the next showdown. There was a palpable excitement in the air and a sense of community. I was only young, but I think I was starting to get a sense for it. This is what it was all about. This is why we come to the footy. Then on one warm Friday night in September, it all came crashing down. The Kangaroos were a fantastic side, no doubt, but no logic or reason could have prepared me for the hurt I would experience that evening. The ultimate abyss. There would be no next week. No plans or fixes. This was it, and just like that our finals campaign came to a grinding halt. The loss was seared into my memory and would become the bedrock of familiar, but unwelcome emotions that would invade my psyche repeatedly in the future. The next finals campaign I saw was different. I was a hardened fan by now. With a few years under my belt, Dad and I were now watching games in full. My fondest memory came in the Qualifying Final against Carlton. To 3 quarter-time the Blues had built a 21 point lead. Dad and I sat in silence, in the same spot we’d watched Chris Grant 3 years earlier, awaiting a similar fate ourselves. I remember distinctly the sense of dread. The impending feeling of emptiness that would await a loss in finals. Then, something clicked. A young Brad Green and Cameron Bruce made their mark. Yze kicked us to the lead with an impossible soccer goal. We had pulled ourselves back from the brink and kicked 7 last quarter goals against a side that had earlier that year beaten us by 98 points. It all happened so fast. If you blinked you’d have missed it. It is hard to describe, but all of the sudden, time seemed to stand still. It was a sacred moment where you lose a sense of everything else in your life and feel at one with your team. Every kick hits. Every tackle sticks. Every ball bounces true and it is as though the football gods themselves have written the script this way just for you. It was a feeling of pure joy and belief. An elusive feeling I would find only a handful of times in the ensuing decades. A few weeks later we would be filling the night air with “A Grand Old Flag” in the streets of Richmond, kicking our way into the Grand Final after belting the Kangaroos. We sang till our throats were horse, though deep down I think we all knew that in 8 day’s time we would be heartbroken yet again. I was at that Grand Final in 2000 and remember watching on, trance-like, as Hirdy celebrated before me at the final siren. It was not our day. We’d had our moment already, and the football gods had moved on to greener pastures. Though there were many finals campaigns in the Daniher years, none would quite match the feeling of excitement and hope I felt in those first two of 1998 and 2000. We always seemed to get up there, at least every even year, but couldn't quite reach that fabled epiphany we so badly longed for. I remember too the dark days from 2007. When the Reverand was gone, we lost our way. So many times I would take comfort in the quarter-time breaks, knowing Daniher would fix it. Now, with a string of poor recruits and off-field tragedies, the Dees saw themselves in perhaps their lowest days since the 80’s, or the “No Merger” time. I found myself to have grown into one of those adults I’d watched as a kid, full of dismay, looking skyward for an answer I’d never find. Each week on the walk home we’d laugh and joke, a coping mechanism for the brave. But each new failure ate away at our souls. I remember the shame I felt when we lost to Geelong, and Essendon, by well over 100 points. I felt anger. I felt pity. For myself, my fellow fans, for Jonesy and for those that fronted up regardless of the walls crumbling in around them. Deep down though, one thought sustained us. It was that impossible dream, of one fine day in September, when the ticking of time melts into insignificance and you can almost feel your hands closing around the cup’s fine silver handles. I was at the Grand Final of 2017. I remember the tension in the crowd. That familiar bravado that one puts on when they both believe and cannot believe their side will win at the same time. I remember after 2 early Adelaide goals, that feeling of “here we go again” began to creep into the stands. Then, Richmond bounced back, before exceeding the Crows with a vigor not seen since the 80’s. It quickly became apparent that after almost 4 decades of failures, it was Richmond’s time. As Dustin Martin saved his best till last, I looked around and witnessed my 10 year old self in the faces of the Richmond faithful. The late afternoon sun was shining upon the faces of those who perhaps never thought they would see a Tiger’s flag. I’m sure, at least for them, they were in that ethereal zone where nothing else matter. Again, I started to dream. Is this what it could be like? That look of awe and wonder when your team finally reaches the impossible. When the nay-sayers have closed up shop and the believers join in unison, a chorus of celebration flooding the land. Such a resounding performance it was that to entertain the idea Adelaide were ever going to win verged on lunacy. This was no mere victory, it was fate. I was there in 2018 when we returned to September football. As the crowd trickled in, I took a moment to walk to the top of the stands and think. This had been the scene of so many close calls, and even more tragedies. Now, here we were, a force to be reckoned with...to play in front of 95,000 faithful against a team who had dominated the league for over 10 years. I can’t explain the sense of pride I felt when Jonesy kicked what was arguably the sealer, and a zoomed in camera slowly came out from an outrageously large contingent of red and blue. There were games in the past 10 years I had been to where it felt like the entire stadium had less people than a single bay on this night. Watching the Demon’s army in the flesh, I felt like I was watching a metaphorical pulse return, after what had been a prolonged and traumatic near-death experience for the club. As Hannan kicked that goal, I recall jumping for joy, hugging and high-fiving every one within sight. It was all that mattered. The next week against the Hawks something strange happened – I felt confidence. For the first time in a long time, I let myself believe this team could do something special. Though we were dosed with a swift reality check the next week in Perth, it felt as though something great had been awakened which could not be put to bed. Not this time. Which leads me to round 23, 2021. 44 points down in Geelong and melt-down mode was in full swing. My usual coping mechanisms were unfolding with routine precision. It is like the only control you feel sometimes is to write off the team that you love so dearly. You express your rage and disdain like a spell, in the hope you cure your team’s inadequacy, or as consolation, at least your own torment. You couldn’t face the prospect of being let down again, least of all to the Cats who have disrespected you for as long as you remember. Watching Scott calmly put the “cue in the rack” for the last quarter, our dreams of a minor premiership were all but over. Then Kozzie kicked an early goal, and the rustlings of hope started to stir. Then Spargo. Then Oliver. And that mystic twilight zone was unfolding before our eyes in the most unlikely circumstances. The comeback was so fiendishly improbable that Norm Smith himself couldn’t have planned a better way to reach the top. Though it wasn’t a premiership, it was a taste. And a taste was all we needed. After years of learning to protect ourselves. After years of rationalising losses and expecting the worst, finally it was our pessimism which was wrong for all the right reasons. I watched through a TV screen, in this bizarre pandemic world, as a side that played so clearly for each other and their fans shared in the spoils of victory for a much-deserved token of respect. It wasn’t just the top of the ladder that we proved worthy of that night. It was an unequivocal statement that the “never say die demons”, for so long bandied around as an ironic jest by friends and foes alike, was again a reality. And you could disrespect us at your own peril. Maybe, on Saturday, there will come a point late in the game when time starts to slow. Where the Dees pull ahead and the path is finally cleared for glory. Where every tackle sticks. Every ball bounces true. Every kick hits. Where all those years of anger, pain and loss crystalize into layers of experiences that you will finally be grateful for. And when you look around you there are the people who have shared years – decades – of ups and downs by your side. Who have put up with your tears, and you theirs, through heartbreak and stolen dreams. And you will see that look of awe in the faces of those whose heart beats true. That child-like feeling of joy, where you are 10 again, and all that matters in life is that the red and blue are winning. And the football gods will smile upon us once more, and the immense talent of this side will come to the fore against a worthy adversary. Then maybe, just maybe, for one pure, magical moment, time will once again stand still, and simply wait for fate to catch up.

Now 'flying the flag' 24/7 from my part of Brisbane, with a little tribute to the fallen Demons of my generation of supporting the MFC.

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

Cheers from Sihanoukville, Cambodia Hi Dees supporters. I've been a MFC/MCC supporter for over 50 years, and I'm currently stuck and cant get back. (Obvious reasons) I'd give anything to be able to get back and see the game or at least with a buch of Dees fans. At least I bought a few things over to feel a part of it as possible. Go Dees

Nev is not being spoken about enough. At the forefront of the culture change at the club. Persistent, tough and selfless. At his peak was almost never beaten in a contest. Love this man, embodies the new MFC, hope we can keep him around the club in whatever capacity.

I have a mate at the ground now: First drill was circuit work (goal square to CHF to centre and back). May did not participate Rehab group consists of May, Smith and Tomlinson. They are doing lite drills Now a kick to kick from CHF to CHB. May is participating along with Smith and Tomlineson. More to come.

I do not understand why people speak of trading Brayshaw. He is one of our best players and is better than Cerra.

'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.

This is a danger game.

My heart breaks for Hunt. Plays 20 games, does his ankle, gets back up and misses the grand final. Very tough. I suppose he might still be the sub but time will tell. I think they’ll go with a mid as a sub so JJ it is.

I've heard he's as good as ours from someone who would know (for whatever that's worth)

This is still a work in progress. I inadvertently bought almost a kilometre of ribbon last week (I explained this in another thread) so I’ve still got a ways to go… Just realised I should’ve windexed before I posted. 😁

Since we are playing in a night grand final.

I think sport and religion fill a very similar place in people's souls/psychology. Basically, humans need to belong to a tribe. Melbourne Football Club is my tribe, and with that comes the sense of belonging, family connections, care, investment, and everything else that would go along with the basic human tribal nature. So what would it mean? It would mean my primitive ape brain has won a great lifelong struggle for dominance against those 17 other tribes just over the hill there, and all the sacrifices my tribemates and ancestors and kin have made to make it happen were worth it. The sun will rise on Sunday 26 of September and every day after that, just as always. But my tribe will be the best, and that will mean a lot to me.

Many years ago me and a couple members here joined forces to produce a Robert Flower highlights dvd. I'm very pleased to say that my collection of Robbie Flower highlights has grown and as tribute to the Dees making (and hopefully winning) the 2021 GF, I have uploaded a highlights video to Youtube of the greatest Melbourne player in my life time. So if you have a spare 40 mins or so, have a look at it. If you are too young to have seen him play, you need to see this. If you are old enough to have seen him play and remember what he was like, please enjoy.

Demons rising from the depths of Hell !