Demonland

A couple of retirement announcements and a Category B rookie pick at Melbourne bring us to this year’s HATCH MATCH & DESPATCH thread. There will be many more to come over the coming months - here’s this year’s version of the ins and outs at the AFL Clubs ~ ADELAIDE IN OUT BRISBANE IN OUT CARLTON IN OUT COLLINGWOOD IN OUT ESSENDON IN OUT FREMANTLE IN OUT GEELONG IN OUT GOLD COAST SUNS IN OUT GWS GIANTS IN OUT HAWTHORN IN OUT MELBOURNE IN Oscar Berry (Category B rookie) OUT NORTH MELBOURNE IN OUT PORT ADELAIDE IN OUT RICHMOND IN OUT ST KILDA IN OUT SYDNEY SWANS IN OUT WEST COAST EAGLES IN OUT Jeremy McGovern (retired) Dom Sheed (retired) WESTERN BULLDOGS IN OUT

What’s next for a beleagured Melbourne Football Club down in form and confidence, facing intense criticism and disapproval over some underwhelming recent performances and in the midst of a four game losing streak? Why, it’s Adelaide which boasts the best percentage in the AFL and has won six of its last seven games. The Crows are hot and not only that, the game is at the Adelaide Oval; yet another away fixture and the third in a row at a venue outside of Victoria. One of the problems the Demons have these days is that they rarely have the luxury of true home ground advantage, something they have enjoyed just once since mid April. Still, the club seems to have done well at the Adelaide Oval against the Crows over the years but that was mainly while they were in the doldrums. These days, things are somewhat different and with Melbourne’s finals hopes out of reach and Adelaide well in the fight for a top four berth, it’s not looking promising for the visitors. The Dees have been slow starters throughout the season, a condition exacerbated by their continual inaccurate efforts when shooting for goal. Last week they were appalling with a solitary point for and 5 goals 7 behinds kicked against them. Thanks to a couple of outstanding efforts from veteran Jake Melksham and newly re-signed Kozzy Pickett, they almost fought their way back into contention but overall, they gave away too great a lead. Another half-hearted display to open proceedings will kill all interest in the contest and seeing that the game is being played in the wilderness time of 3.15pm on Sunday afternoon, it doesn’t command the most exciting play bill of the week anyway. If Melksham and Pickett were the stars of last week’s game, then there’s very little that can be said for what were formerly the team’s strengths. The midfield stars are no longer shining brightly and in fact are the problematic with their disposal to the forwards, but what can be said about the defence? Last week, two of its former stars in Tom McDonald and Jake Lever were languishing in the Casey side while Steven May struggled without much support and lucked about a little with the Suns’ poor kicking for goal early in the game. This week the backline must contend with the dominant presence of Riley Thilthorpe who marked strongly and finished with an equal-career-high five goals over Richmond. The question is who will stop him and even If he doesn’t score the goals then Fogarty, Walker and Rachele most likely will be the ones! I’d like to be my confident self this week but last week’s pathetic first quarter effort is permanently etched in my memory. I’m not able to let that go so it’s Adelaide by 51 points. THE GAME Adelaide v Melbourne at The Adelaide Oval on Sunday 6 July 2025 at 3.15pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall - Adelaide 26 wins Melbourne 20 wins At Adelaide Oval - Adelaide 2 wins Melbourne 6 wins Past five meetings - wins Adelaide 1 win Melbourne 4 The Coaches - Matthew Nicks 1 win Simon Goodwin 5 wins THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 10.18.78 defeated Adelaide 8.15.63 at the Adelaide Oval, Round 4, 2024 This was Melbourne’s second game at the Adelaide Oval in five days and it was well in control of the game from quarter time to complete a convincing double in the City of Churches. Max Gawn dominated in the ruck and Christian Petracca was outstanding with 29 touches. THE TEAMS (to be loaded when available) ADELAIDE MELBOURNE Injury List: Round 17 Charlie Spargo — Scapula / Test Oliver Sestan — hamstring / 1 week Blake Howes — concussion / 1 - 2 weeks Harry Petty — concussion / 1 - 2 weeks Aidan Johnson — ankle / 3 - 4 weeks Shane McAdam — Achilles / season Andy Moniz-Wakefield — knee / season

Who are you tipping this week?

Goals from Free Kicks (After 14 Rounds): Best differentials1 - Carlton (+12) 2 - Brisbane (+11) 3 - Hawthorn (+6) Eq.4 - North Melbourne & Geelong (+5) Worst differentials1 - St Kilda (-16) 2 - Adelaide (-7) 3 - Melbourne (-6) 4 - Sydney (-5) Eq.5 - Richmond, Port Adelaide & GWS (-3) Most goals kicked from frees1 - Hawthorn (29) Eq.2 - Brisbane, Gold Coast & Bulldogs (28) 5 - North Melbourne (26) 6 - Carlton (25) Least goals kicked from frees1 - St Kilda (9) 2 - West Coast (14) 3 - Adelaide (15) 4 - Collingwood (16) Eq.5 - Essendon & Fremantle (17) Most goals conceded from frees1 - Melbourne (27) 2 - Western Bulldogs (26) 3 - St Kilda (25) Eq.4 - Gold Coast & Sydney (24) Least goals conceded from frees1 - Carlton (13) 2 - Collingwood (15) Eq.3 - Fremantle & West Coast (16) Eq.5 - Brisbane & Geelong (17) The 2025 Goals from Free Kicks Ladder - Round 14Carlton (+12) sits atop the Goals from Free Kicks differential with 25 goals and only 13 against. They've been conscientious in that regard. Second is Brisbane (+11) with the equal second most goals from frees (28) and 17 goals conceded, ahead of Hawthorn (+6) who have the most goals from frees with 29. Making up the top five is North Melbourne and Geelong (+5) with Gold Coast (+4) next. The team that has seemingly not been looked after when it comes to Goals from Free Kicks is... look away Saints fans... St Kilda with just nine majors from frees. Their differential of -16 is comfortably the worst in the league. Second bottom is Adelaide (-7) with only 15 goals from frees, narrowly behind Melbourne (-6) and Sydney (-5). See the Goals FK Ladder after Round 14 below: We also thought we'd throw in the Goals from 50-Metre Penalties differential for your perusal. NOTE: Seven clubs (Geelong, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hawthorn, GWS, Melbourne & West Coast) have played 14 games. 10 clubs (Collingwood, Fremantle, Bulldogs, Carlton, Port Adelaide, Essendon, Sydney, St Kilda, North Melbourne & Richmond) have played 13 games. One club (Gold Coast) has played 12 games.

After Round 16: Best differentials1 - Hawthorn (+56) 2 - Carlton (+47) 3 - Brisbane (+33) 4 - Gold Coast (+29) 5 - Melbourne (+26) Worst differentials1 - Port Adelaide (-69) 2 - North Melbourne (-51) 3 - GWS Giants (-39) 4 - West Coast (-37) 5 - Fremantle (-18) Most frees for1 - Carlton (338) 2 - Hawthorn (323) 3 - Adelaide (316) 4 - Melbourne (305) 5 - Brisbane (299) Least frees for1 - GWS Giants (252) 2 - Port Adelaide (256) 3 - Richmond (266) 4 - Essendon (269) 5 - West Coast (271) Most frees against1 - North Melbourne (331) 2 - Port Adelaide (325) 3 - Adelaide (315) 4 - Fremantle (310) 5 - West Coast (308) Least frees against1 - Essendon (255) 2 - Gold Coast (264) Eq.3 - Western Bulldogs & Brisbane (266) 5 - Hawthorn (267) The 2025 Free Kick Ladder - Round 16Last time we took a look at these numbers was after Round 10 when Hawthorn led the way with a differential of +63. The Hawks (+56) remain on top but the gap has been somewhat bridged by Carlton (+47) who sit second thanks to the most frees for (338). Brisbane (+33) occupies third position after sitting fifth six weeks ago, slightly ahead of Queensland compatriots Gold Coast (+29), with Melbourne (+26) making up the top five. At the foot of the table, Port Adelaide (-69) are on the nose with the match officials, attracting the second fewest frees (256) and giving away the second most (325). North Melbourne (-51) has also copped the raw end of the deal, infringing most frequently with 331 frees against. GWS (-39) sits third bottom, while the noise of affirmation in 2025 for WA duo West Coast (-37) and Fremantle (-18) is not quite there. See the FK Ladder after Round 16 below: NOTE: Gold Coast and Essendon have played 14 games, the rest of the clubs have played 15. Just to mix it up a little, we’ve thrown in a quick glimpse at the individual free kick numbers on the back of Tom Lynch’s five frees against in Round 16. Most frees for (player) 43 - Darcy Cameron (COL) 36 - Max Gawn (MEL) 35 - Jarrod Witts (GCS) 35 - Tristan Xerri (NM) 33 - Jai Newcombe (HAW) 32 - Tim English (WB) 31 - Patrick Cripps (CAR) 30 - Reilly O’Brien (ADE) 30 - Caleb Serong (FRE) 29 - Andrew Brayshaw (FRE) 29 - Nick Daicos (COL) Most frees against (player) 43 - Harley Reid (WCE) 40 - Rowan Marshall (STK) 37 - Matt Rowell (GCS) 33 - Brodie Grundy (SYD) 30 - Toby Nankervis (RIC) 29 - Patrick Cripps (CAR) 29 - Tristan Xerri (NM) 27 - Luke Davies-Uniacke (NM) 27 - Max Gawn (MEL) 26 - Jordon Sweet (PA)

test

After a slow start, Melbourne dominated the next two quarters and held firm in the last term to complete a convincing double in the city of churches. MELBOURNE 2.0.12 6.7.43 10.13.73 10.18.78 ADELAIDE 2.5.17 3.8.36 6.9.45 8.15.63 GOALS MELBOURNE Fritsch 3 Pickett van Rooyen 2 Chandler Petracca Petty ADELAIDE Fogarty 2 Dawson Keays Laird Rachele Rankine Walker BEST MELBOURNE Petracca May Gawn McVee Sparrow Viney ADELAIDE Soligo Dawson Laird Keane Rankine THE TEAMS ADELAIDE B J. Worrell, J. Butts, B. Smith HB P. Parnell, M. Keane, M. Michalanney C M. Hinge, J. Dawson, C. Jones HF J. Soligo, I. Rankine, J. Rachele F B. Cook, D. Fogarty, T. Walker FOLL R. 0 Brien, R. Laird, B. Keays. I/C C. Burgess, M. Crouch, N. McHenry, L. Nankervis SUB S. Berry EMG J. Borlase, L. Gollant, L. Pedlar IN S. Berry, J. Butts, B. Cook, L. Nankervis, P. Parnell OUT J. Borlase (omitted), W. Milera (knee), L. Murphy (knee), L. Pedlar (omitted), L. Sholl (omitted) MELBOURNE B T. Rivers, S. May, T. McDonald HB B. Howes, J. Lever, J. McVee C E. Langdon, C. Petracca, J. Billings HF A. Neal-Bullen, H. Petty, K. Pickett F J. van Rooyen, B. Brown, B. Fritsch FOLL M. Gawn, J. Viney, C. Oliver I/C K. Chandler, C. Salem, T. Sparrow, C. Windsor SUB T. Woewodin EMG B. Laurie, J. Schache, A. Tomlinson IN S. May OUT M. Hore (thumb)

Going to cut the questions off here. Thank you all for your contributions. Feeling flat. Hopefully I can come out firing from the first bounce and not have to rely on a quarter time spray.