Demonland

Melbourne's inaugural match against Port Adelaide The undefeated Demons venture across the continent to the spiritual home of the Port Adelaide Football Club on Saturday afternoon for the inaugural match for premiership points between these long-historied clubs. Alberton Oval will however, be a ground familiar to our players following a practice match there last year. We lost both the game and Liv Purcell, who missed 7 home and away matches after suffering facial fractures in the dying moments of the game. Demons coach Mick Stinear will test his wits against Port’s Lauren Arnell this week. Lauren has an impressive women’s CV. She was the first former AFLW player to become a senior coach and won nine premierships playing during the incredibly successful Darebin Falcons era. With 36 games of AFLW, her last game a Brisbane premiership, so we can expect her to challenge the Demons brains trust. Ideal footy conditions are forecast —17 degrees, overcast skies, and a light breeze—expect a brutal, physical game. So long as we switch on and match their intensity, our ruthlessly efficient and tall timbered forward line will severely test the defensive capabilities of Port Adelaide at their home. The Match-up The Demons have four straight wins and sit second on the ladder, and while the Power have been competitive, their only win was against the struggling Suns. Port players to watch include their talented ruck Matilda Scholz, secret-weapon half-back Molly Brooksby and genuine young gun Shineah Goody. Throw in tough cookies Abby Dowrick and Kirsty Lamb and forward craft talent in Gemma Houghton and ex-Dee Ash Woodland and expect this is to be a hard-hitting away encounter. Melbourne starts favourites ($1.20) but there’s no room for complacency. Selection this week News that Goldrick and Gillard are 1-2 weeks away is heartwarming. Could it be that the rehab bad juju is finally lifting? No changes this week other than our name. Port has made one forced change, bringing back the experienced Kirsty Lamb from injury. Meggs’ musings As predicted, last week the all-conquering North Melbourne has broken Melbourne’s longest winning streak (14 games, R5 2022-R5 2023) to have 15 wins on the trot since R3 2024 and still going. Which team will be the first to defeat the Kangas? This week Kate Hore surpasses Lily Mithen’s record for most games in the Red and Blue (82), noting the perennial Paxy Paxman trails Kate by just one game. Our skipper is having a stellar season, has been a matchwinner and leads the competition all-time goalkicking with 88 goals. Running out of superlatives. Vice-captain Tyla Hanks is starring this season too with 32 AFLWPA Coaches Award votes, to sit equal second, 3 votes shy of North’s ball-magnet Ash Riddell. Apart from Hore’s expected games tally record, three Demons will reach their own games milestones on Saturday. Tayla Harris will be playing her 75th game overall while Megan Fitzsimon celebrates 50 games and father/daughter Georgia Campbell will reach 25 games played. Congratulations all and yet another reason why Meggs is looking forward to switching on the telly to watch the Dees win from the couch 😊. C’mon Dees! Tip: Melbourne by 16. Expect a hard-fought win in hostile territory. THE GAME Round 5: Melbourne v Port Adelaide on Saturday 13 September 2025 at 3:05pm (AEST) at Alberton Oval, Adelaide – Kaurna HEAD TO HEAD Overall: Melbourne 0 wins | Port Adelaide 0 wins At Alberton Oval: Melbourne 0 wins | Port Adelaide 0 wins Coaches: Stinear 0 wins | Arnell 0 wins MEDIA COVERAGE Foxtel, Kayo AFL Live Official App THIS WEEK’S TEAMS MELBOURNE FB [28] Saraid Taylor [32] Gabrielle Colvin HB [11] Molly O'Hehir [19] Laela Ebert [13] Maeve Chaplin C [22] Eliza McNamara [5] Tyla Hanks [4] Paxy Paxman HF [24] Megan Fitzsimon [6] Alyssa Bannan [7] Tayla Harris FF [29] Eden Zanker [9] Georgia Gall FOL [15] Lauren Pearce [10] Kate Hore [30] Shelley Heath I/C [1] Georgia Campbell [12] Ryleigh Wotherspoon [20] Maggie Mahony [33] Lily Johnson [43] Jemma Rigoni EMG [3] Alyssia Pisano [14] Amelia Dethridge [35] Mekah Morrissy* NO CHANGE *Top-up player PORT ADELAIDE FB [20] Sachi Syme [21] Amelia Borg HB [12] Ella Heads [30] Teagan Germech [6] Molly Brooksby C [16] Shineah Goody [5] Abby Dowrick [17] Ella Boag HF [1] Justine Mules-Robinson [32] Jasmin Sowden [27] Gemma Houghton FF [8] Ashleigh Woodland [10] Indy Tahu FOL [29] Matilda Scholz [35] Kirsty Lamb [9] Maria Moloney I/C [2] Ebony O’Dea [3] Jasmine Evans [31] Chloe Gaunt [44] Katelyn Pope [23] Alissa Brook EMG [7] Lily Paterson [13] Jasmin Stewart [19] Coby Morgan IN Jasmine Evans, Kirsty Lamb OUT Lily Paterson (omitted), Cheyenne Hammond (injured) Injury List: Round 5 Melbourne Tahlia Gillard — knee / 1 - 2 weeks Sinéad Goldrick — shoulder / 1 - 2 weeks Denby Taylor foot — foot / 2 - 3 weeks Sarah Lampard — calf / 3 - 4 weeks Grace Beasley — knee / 5 - 7 weeks Blaithin Mackin — knee / 6 - 8 weeks Olivia Purcell — knee / Season Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive Aimee Mackin — knee / Inactive Port Adelaide Jemima Charity — knee / TBC Lauren Young — concussion / 1 week Janelle Cuthbertson — foot / 1-3 weeks Piper Window — ankle / 1-3 weeks Julia Teakle — foot / 2-4 weeks Cheyenne Hammond — finger / 3-5 weeks Caitlin Wendland — knee /Season

IF ...I've always rated the footy smarts of Charlie Spargo ... THEN ...I still don't believe that his exit as an unrestricted free agent to North Melbourne would be worthy of any compensation. Let's see the secret herbs and spices that go into this one.

Interesting that Sammy Edmund says that Buckley is still favourite "should he continue in the process .. I don't know if that is an absolute given at the moment".

From 13:15 mins

Check the Trac thread: https://demonland.com/forums/topic/61260-petracca-oliver-at-the-dees-in-2026/page/77/#findComment-2694920 Trying to make something out of nothing or is it where there is smoke there is fire. Anyway don't discuss here. Click the thread to read and discuss the tea leaves there.

PETRACCA RAISES EYEBROWS AT DEES’ B & FChristian Petracca raised the eyebrows of former Melbourne players in the room with a curious answer to his motivations to returning to the club this year. But he did appear to commit himself to the club for 2026 as he accepted his runner-up award in the best-and-fairest behind victor Max Gawn. When asked by host Clint Stanaway how he had worked so hard to get back to playing after last year’s serious internal injuries he replied: “I get paid … It’s my job”. Ex-players in the room had hoped he might have reflected on his love of the jumper or his club. But to be fair to Petracca he quickly spoke about his passion for the game as he said he would work over the off-season to help restore the Demons to their 2021 premiership heights. “It’s not just my job, it’s my passion. I love footy. I am competitive,” he said. “When you have an injury like last year, some setback or traumatic injury it makes you realise how precious life is and also how appreciative we are for the job we have a players. “It’s amazing walking back into the footy club and doing what we do every day which is being around the boys and kicking the footy. “Day one of pre-season and over off-season I will reflect on the season we had but also how can I get better but also as a team. On behalf of all the players we are fortunate to have tasted success in 2021 and there is no greater feeling.”

Luke Jackson is adamant he is staying at Fremantle but is keen to train across summer in the position where he will be played in 2026. He had his exit interview on Wednesday and has no intention of looking around at another club, comfortable staying at the Dockers. Jackson was continually linked to a return to Melbourne this season with his partner Kelsey Browne from Geelong. Jackson had spent most of last off-season in Victoria, with the Demons keen to drag him home. But he has no intention of pursuing a trade and his contract through to 2029 has incentives and games-based triggers to make it extremely lucrative while extending it past that date. Jackson trained as a forward all of last summer but the emergence of Patrick Voss as a forward and Sean Darcy’s early injury concerns meant he played mostly ruck early. The club then took a horses for courses approach to the ruck setup depending upon the opponent. But if Jackson is to play as a ruckman and onballer he will be keen to train in that position across summer and continue his rate of improvement. The club has lost the retiring Nat Fyfe and veteran Michael Walters but kept inside mid Neil Erasmus for the next three years. It is understood at one stage he was leaning towards moving to the Dogs to get more inside midfielder opportunities and had made up his mind to explore a new home. But he woke up on the Sunday morning of the pre-finals bye after a solid month-long stretch of football and made it clear he was staying. A deal was quickly brokered by the Dockers.

DEES COACHING SEARCH LATESTMelbourne believes it has as many as three elite coaching candidates from its five remaining contenders despite Hayden Skipworth’s withdrawal from the coaching process. Geelong assistant coach James Kelly is seen as the outsider in the race given his relative inexperience and would be at the longest odds to win the role. But even if Nathan Buckley eventually withdrew from the Demons coaching race, the interviewees were extremely impressive. Some of the candidates are said to have blown the coaching search panel away, which puts them in a good spot given a range of quality candidates. Daniel Giansiracusa, Brendon Lade, Kelly and Steven King are all in the race along with former Pies senior coach Buckley. Three of those candidates are believed to have interviewed extremely well and put themselves in the race for the job.

Always a Premiership Hero

It definitely wasn't a slip by Richo considering there was a graphic on the screen with his image amongst the delisted players. I don't know why it wasn't announced amongst the other delistings on the MFC socials earlier in the day or separately or even communicated since.

September was coming and the finals beckoned as Footscray made its inaugural visit to the MCG as a VFL club in a game that almost culminated in disaster for the Redlegs. Harry Davie proved to be the hero once again, just one week after his record-breaking 13-goal performance against Carlton. Round 15, 1925 Melbourne vs Footscray Saturday 29 August Venue: MCG Attendance: 11,364 MELBOURNE 5.2.32 6.4.40 7.4.46 10.9.69 FOOTSCRAY 6.7.43 7.10.52 9.13.67 9.13.67 Goalkickers: Harry Davie 3, Bert Chadwick 1, Bob Corbett 1, Col Deane 1, Hugh Dunbar 1, Harry Moyes 1, Percy Tulloh 1, Stan Wittman 1 Footscray's inaugural season had been a significant letdown, with only three victories, but it saved its most impressive display for Melbourne at the MCG. As a premiership contender, the host club's performance was subpar in the first three quarters; they were outmanoeuvred and outplayed, trailing by 21 points at the commencement of the final term. The comeback by Melbourne was facilitated by the fact that they held their opponents goalless in the final term for the second consecutive week. The applied great pressure to kick three goals in the first five minutes of the quarter aided by captain Bert Chadwick’s tactical shift into the ruck of Bob Corbett who became one of the driving forces behind the team’s revival. Melbourne gradually drew level then took the lead with two behinds at the end - to Davie and Mollison - which made the difference. Davie finished with three goals for the day. Thomas, Deane and Corbett were best Seconds: Footscray 8.8 d. Melbourne 4.8 Round 16, 1925 Following a narrow escape against one VFL newcomer, Melbourne stumbled and succumbed to another in North Melbourne at Arden Street. This marked the Shinboners' first victory over the oldest team in the country. North Melbourne vs Melbourne Saturday 5 September Venue: Arden Street Attendance: 5,000 MELBOURNE 0.2.2 2.7.19 3.10.22 6.10.46 NORTH MELBOURNE 3.3.21 5.3.33 8.7.55 11.7.73 Goalkickers: Jack Cannan 2, George Haines 1, Harry Moyes 1, Ivor Warne-Smith 1, Stan Wittman 1 The win against Footscray had secured the club a game and a half lead within the top four, and half a game ahead of third-placed Collingwood in the battle for the double chance but despite the fact that their finals spot almost certainly sewn up Melbourne was still shocked by North intent and aggression at the football. The Shinboners took an early lead with three goals in the opening term and maintained their ascendancy to the main break, courtesy of some shocking inaccuracy from the visitors. Sensing weakness from their opponents, they pushed their lead to over three goals at the final break and defended strongly at the end. Melbourne never really threatened and North fully deserved their historic victory. For the Fuchsias, the setback occurred at the most inopportune moment, just two weeks shy of the finals, with the possibility of a loss to Richmond in the final game potentially causing them to miss out on the top four entirely. Thomas, Corbett and Deane were Melbourne's best. Seconds: Melbourne 15.14.104 d. North Melbourne 9.11.63 Round 17, 1925 Melbourne was on the cusp of missing the finals and facing potential elimination from the top four. With Collingwood and Fitzroy, who were placed fourth and fifth, trailing by two points and competing against lowly teams, the Redlegs were susceptible to being dumped from the premiership race at the final moment. Ultimately, all three contenders secured easy victories, and Melbourne qualified for the first time in a decade, finishing third and earning the opportunity to challenge minor premiers Geelong in the opening week of the final series. Melbourne vs Richmond Saturday 12 September Venue: MCG Attendance: 16,989 MELBOURNE 3.2.20 5.5.35 8.7.55 11.7.73 RICHMOND 1.5.11 2.6.18 2.10.22 2.12.24 Goalkickers: Jimmy Davidson 2, Harry Davie 2, Harry Moyes 2, George Haines 1, Derek Mollison 1, Stan Wittman 1 The club was so desperate for the win that it recalled Alf Wilson from Adelaide to make his first appearance for the season to provide assistance for the cause. He had rushed to Melbourne, paying his own way, to support his former team in this critical matchup. Because of Melbourne’s recent poor form, Richmond went in favourites but the Fuchsias were desperate for the win and settled any pre-match nerves by scoring the first three goals against the wind in a game played in slippery conditions. They were faster and more skilful and their defence was almost impregnable for most of the game. The visitors had their chances but they were wasteful up forward. It was clear by the last quarter that they had denied Fitzroy of any chance of breaking into the top four. Best players were Corbett, Davidson and Deane. Seconds: Richmond 11.11 d. Melbourne 9.18 It was a milestone 50th game for Dick Taylor who was to go on and have a storied career with Melbourne as a player and administrator and who is remembered by the club to this day through the Dick Taylor Memorial Trophy for Best and Fairest Fifth Place as follows:- Dick Taylor – Best and Fairest Fifth Place Guernsey No. 35 Heritage No. 404 1922 – 1931, 1935 164 games, 100 goals Premiership 1926 Life Member Richard "Dick" John Taylor was born in the year after Melbourne won its first VFL premiership, and made his debut with the struggling Redlegs in the final home and away match of the 1922 season against Fitzroy. He was considered one of the finest centremen of his era and a model of consistency. Taylor played a pivotal role in Melbourne’s 1926 premiership triumph, appearing in 164 games for the club, including 127 consecutive matches from his debut until an injury sustained from a kick to the leg in the violent and spiteful game against Footscray late in 1929 in which he kicked six goals. Taylor was renowned for his exceptional ground skills, and during that era, his partnership with teammate Stan ‘Bunny’ Wittman sprinting down the MCG wing was the stuff of legend. During his tenure at Melbourne, he represented Victoria in interstate football on 15 occasions and finished equal second, alongside Carlton's Alex Duncan, behind Collingwood's Syd Coventry in the 1927 Brownlow Medal count. He was cleared to North Melbourne in 1932, where he assumed the role of captain-coach, but returned to Melbourne in 1935, playing another three senior games before retiring at the end of the season. Taylor was a true man of Melbourne, He as the club’s Chairman of Selectors (1947-1950), as its VFL delegate (1953-1962), and as a Director (1936, 1937, 1939-1942, and 1945-1962). He passed away in 1962 after a lifetime in which he was involved with ten of Melbourne’s eleven premiership flags during that period. To be continued …

Demon premiership player Christian Salem was awarded the 2025 Dick Taylor Memorial Trophy at last night’s Bluey Truscott Memorial Trophy evening. Read about the man after who the trophy was named and his exploits in this thread. He was also a Demon premiership player but from a different era who was significant contributor to the history of our great club.

Photos courtesy of @Redleg