Demonland

The Consultant has become the Consulted.

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It seemed as if the whole purpose of the Anzac Eve clash at the MCG between the Demons and the Tigers was building toward that single, unforgettable moment when Kozzie Pickett soared above Campbell Gray and all but fittingly etched his name onto the face of the 2026 Frank ‘Checker’ Hughes Medal. Hughes was the former Richmond man who took Melbourne over as coach and rebranded the club from the image of a flower in the Fuchsia into that of the Demon. The mark, surely a contender for mark of the year, was the defining and demonic image of a performance that demanded recognition for best player on the ground. The electrifying forward, reshaped into a midfielder out of necessity following the changing of the coaching guard at the club under Steven King, was the difference early and became the decisive influence as the contest built up toward its crescendo. Early on, Richmond’s energy and youthful exuberance kept the margin tight, but as the game wore on and Pickett’s influence deepened, the gap between the sides steadily widened. Eventually, the dam wall burst, with the maestro producing a sublime display of 29 disposals, four marks, six clearances, 773 metres gained, four goals, and relentless pressure across the ground. It wasn’t a one-man show, though. In a short time, King’s philosophy has made one thing clear - collective effort is king. Caleb Windsor set the tone early with one of the finest performances of his young career, while experienced leaders Max Gawn and Jack Steele dug in to assert control around the contest. Tom Sparrow continues to flourish in the engine room, growing in confidence and impact now that he has finally stepped out from the shadow of more established prominent names that have moved on. Melbourne continues to reap the rewards of shrewd list movement. The St Kilda Football Club’s decision to part with its captain now looks a costly misjudgment. Steele has proven emphatically that he has plenty left to offer, while fellow former Saint Max Heath is emerging as a genuine long-term ruck prospect. As Gawn went about his usual work - collecting big numbers of contested possessions and finishing with 21 hit-outs, Heath more than held his own, even surpassing his skipper in ruck hit out numbers, a rarity that underlined his presence and promises to keep his captain on the park longer than we might usually expect. Brody Mihocek and Changkuoth Jiath are also proving their worth as low profile imports from other clubs, another tribute to the club’s own list management team. On the morning of the game I was uneasy reading the glowing reports in both city dailies about the club’s progress this year. They mirrored the praise from two weeks earlier, just before the club stumbled against the Bombers in Adelaide during Gather Round. Would the five-day break after last Sunday’s tight win over the Lions prove energy-sapping and lead to another humiliating loss? In the end, there was nothing to fear and we witnessed a complete team performance, highlighted by encouraging signs from emerging talents such as Daniel Turner, Blake Howes and Matt Jefferson, along with a promising second outing from Xavier Taylor. The injury to Jai Culley, however, was a sour note on an otherwise impressive night. Melbourne continues to edge its way up the ladder, with its season building momentum toward a crescendo of its own. Richmond, by contrast, remains in the midst of a slower, more patient rebuild. Before the game, both teams ran through a banner together that read "Lest We Forget," but it ended up a game for the Tigers to forget but still memorable for the Demons who are going places now. Next week’s game presents a significant test for them in Sydney against the competition’s new flavour of the month form side in a clash that promises fast, furious and high-quality football. Bring it on. MELBOURNE 4.4.28 10.5.65 13.9.87 19.12 126 RICHMOND 3.1.19 7.2.44 10.5.65 11.6 72 GOALS MELBOURNE K Pickett 4 Mihocek 3 Fritsch Jefferson Windsor 2 Chandler Gawn Langford Laurie Sharp Sparrow RICHMOND Campbell Lefau 2 Cumming Faull Green Lalor Lynch McAuliffe Ralphsmith BEST MELBOURNE K Pickett Windsor Sparrow Steele Howes Gawn RICHMOND Prestia Ross Brown Lefau Retschko Campbell LATE CHANGES MELBOURNE Nil RICHMOND Jayden Short (personal reasons) replaced in selected side by James Trezise INJURIES MELBOURNE Jai Culley (knee) RICHMOND Nil REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil RICHMOND Nil UMPIRES Matt Stevic Nicholas Brown Tom Bryce Eleni Tee CROWD 67,364 at the MCG

Posting this from the plane. Managed to watch the first quarter before take off. After that I could only watch the scores tick over. Terrible trip management. I actually thought I was home on the morning of the match but I got the dates wrong. 🤦‍♂️ Guess I will be watching the replay before the Podcast on Monday night. Don’t forget to get your questions and comments in.

The Demons are back on the road again for the third time this season when they take on the red hot ladder leaders the Sydney Swans at the SCG. Can the Demons take another big scalp? Who comes in and who goes out?

Captain and reigning back to back Champion Max Gawn has healthy lead over Kozzy Pickett in the Demonland Player of the Year Award. Jack Steele, Harvey Langford & Tom Sparrow round out the Top 5. Your votes please. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

The Dees have gone 5-0 on their fortress at the MCG brushing aside Richmond by 54 points in a commanding performance on ANZAC Eve.

Binman presents his Long Form Stats Files Preview of the upcoming match against the Richmond. I'm still traveling and didn't have time to put together an Intro/Outro for the show so you get a raw and unfiltered Binman this week. I also will be flying during the match so I will only get to watch the scores update. Lucky me. Hopefully we win so I get to watch it once I land. After the match on tonight you can also post your questions and comments for Binman, George & I for the Review podcast here. Go Demons.

afl.com.auThe 'massive' decision that changed Latrelle Pickett's fo...Josh Gabelich tracks Latrelle Pickett's incredible journey from Glenelg reserves to the No.12 pick in last year's draft

It's Game Day on Friday night. ANZAC Eve. The big stage at the ‘G. The Demons return to the spotlight for one of our most significant nights on the football calendar, taking on the Tigers in a clash that always carries extra weight given the gravity of occasion of the commemoration of the ANZAC Spirit. Under the lights, in front of a packed house, this is where moments are made. Can the Dees rise to the occasion and deliver on the big stage, or will Richmond spoil the night? All the build-up, discussion, and in-game reactions here. Go Dees.

Love jumping up a spot on the ladder without even playing.

Round 7 is here, with the ANZAC commemoration games taking centre stage. Who are you tipping this week, and which results would be most favourable for the Demons?