Demonland

No Kozzy 🤣

2025 ladder position: 14th (7 wins, 16 losses) 2025 best-and-fairest: Max Gawn Senior coach: Steven King A rearguard effort to restore continuity that eventually became a definitive turning of the page of Melbourne’s most successful modern era. Simon Goodwin went into the season bullish that a revamped game plan – more on the specifics below – could revitalise a list beginning to show the ill effects of age and discontent. His stated belief that his side could still contend if he pushed the right buttons looked naive after a 0-5 start that made everything else academic. You can’t lose by 10 goals to North Melbourne and expect things to stay the same. The season wasn’t without highlights – a win at the Gabba! – and the Dees were desperately unlucky on the numbers. But it didn’t change the fundamental fact: this cycle had run its course, and the club’s board believed Goodwin wasn’t the right man to start the new one. Not many coaches have been sacked three days after winning a game by 83 points. But then, not many coaches had a reign quite like Goodwin’s: an astonishingly dominant flag year followed by two seasons that yielded zero finals wins and a string of off-field headlines. It’s not possible to succinctly capture how Melbourne fans felt: relief, mingled with gratitude at what Goodwin had delivered and regret that there wasn’t more of it. Troy Chaplin assumed the reins on an interim basis, and on September 12th, Steven King (not the horror writer) was appointed as Melbourne’s new Senior Coach. His appointment reflected a decisive break with the past: the club sanctioned the departures of club legends Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver, failed to keep hold of Judd McVee, delisted seven players, and brought in 10. The king is dead; long live the King. For most of the Simon Goodwin era, the Demons played with one of the clearest identities in the AFL: win contests, own territory, overwhelm opponents with volume. The fullest expression of that was the final 45 minutes of the 2021 Grand Final – 45 minutes of the most destructive footy played this decade. But by 2024 (it still worked in the 2023 finals series! Sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce the right way), that system was beginning to fray. Some of it was opponents getting better at absorbing what Melbourne threw at them. But just as much, probably more, was personnel-based: Angus Brayshaw’s retirement, Clayton Oliver’s personal drama, Steven May’s physical decline (and personal drama). The model grew increasingly dependent on episodic individual brilliance to offset systemic wear. Goodwin’s late-era – last-gasp – response was to try and adapt instead of doubling down. Before the beginning of the 2025 season, Melbourne signalled a desire to move away from brawn and towards brains: cleaner exits, more overlap handball, earlier involvement of outside runners. In theory, that evolution made sense. But in practice, it proved destabilising. Last season, the Demons were still one of the league’s strongest contested sides. But the clearance strength that had powered their dominance had degraded due to the combination of personnel decline and structural change. The Demons suddenly became leaky in the middle and lost their ability to close space quickly enough to constrict opposition transition. They won enough of the ball, but retention didn’t translate into control or damage. The problem was that Goodwin believed that the old Premiership core, overlaid onto this new game plan, was capable of taking Melbourne back to the summit. The club’s hierarchy believed differently – and decided to go in a different direction. King’s early influence has been decisive. The club’s moves during the trade and draft period, as well as early pre-season games, point to further steps in the direction Goodwin was trying to go: away from clearance-centric football toward a faster, more networked system built around speed and transition. Early patterns have (wisely) funnelled play through Kysaiah Pickett, not as a static forward target but as a mobile forward-half connector who receives on the move, gains territory via carries, and links via handball chains. Instead of relying on repeat inside 50s and contested marking to grind opponents down, Melbourne are positioning themselves to score more frequently from turnover and secondary transition. A renewed emphasis on speed and two-way running is designed to restore the integrity of the defensive layer. The caveats are clear: it’s early and no serious footy has been played yet. But it represents a decisive break with the Premiership identity and towards something faster, more exciting – and, perhaps, more dangerous. In: Xavier Taylor (2025 National Draft, Pick #11) Latrelle Pickett (2025 National Draft, Pick #12) Thomas Matthews (2025 National Draft, Pick #30) Changkuoth Jiath (trade – Hawthorn) Brody Mihocek (trade – Collingwood) Jack Steele (trade – St Kilda) Max Heath (trade – St Kilda) Riley Onley (Rookie Draft) Kalani White (Category A Rookie, father/son) Oscar Berry (Category B rookie) Out: Clayton Oliver (trade – Greater Western Sydney) Christian Petracca (trade – Gold Coast) Judd McVee (trade – Fremantle) Charlie Spargo (free agent – North Melbourne) Jack Billings (delisted) Kynan Brown (delisted) Tom Fullarton (delisted) Marty Hore (delisted) Oliver Sestan (delisted) Will Verrall (delisted) Taj Woewodin (delisted) Number of top-10 draft picks: four (T-13th) Average age at Opening Round: 25.6 (3rd) Average number of games played: 80.8 (4th) Melbourne’s off-season had two clear themes: to move on from the Goodwin Era and to recruit for speed. It’s not often you trade out two players who, between them, have seven All-Australian nominations, two Coaches Association Player of the Year awards, and a Norm Smith. It’s rarer still that doing so is the right decision. Petracca and Oliver will forever be heroes of the Melbourne Football Club. But enough baggage had accumulated that a reset felt necessary. Petracca fetched a significant return: Picks 7, 8 and 37 in the 2025 draft (used on Xavier Taylor, Latrelle Pickett and Thomas Matthews), plus the Suns’ 2026 first-rounder. Oliver garnered only a future third-round pick from GWS – a blunt reflection of his diminished standing. Those departures were the beginning rather than the end of Melbourne’s list recalibration. Brody Mihocek arrived from Collingwood to mentor the younger talls and manufacture ground ball opportunities for smalls. Jack Steele adds leadership and a mature body to a midfield that suddenly looks short on both. The compensation pick for Charlie Spargo became Changkuoth Jiath. On draft night, the Dees targeted pace and rebound in Taylor and – to some surprise – Glenelg small forward Latrelle Pickett. Judd McVee, who had agitated for midfield time, departed for Fremantle, where he is unlikely to get any. Seven delistings underlined the appetite for renovation. Taken together, these moves prioritise experience, speed and flexibility over star power – a profile that makes more sense in the context of Steven King’s likely preference for overlap, width and transition rather than contest dominance. The biggest defensive question surrounds Steven May. He was integral to Melbourne’s early-decade success, but he may no longer fit the club’s strategic direction, and the off-field noise now clearly outweighs the on-field value. To me, the answer looks clear: see what it looks like without him. Melbourne aren’t short of key defenders – Jake Lever, Tom McDonald (is he still doing that all-meat diet?), Harrison Petty (surely back where he belongs), Daniel Turner and Jed Adams can probably form a workable rotation. Even if they can’t, that’s valuable information in a year designed for recalibration. Jake Bowey remains the preferred distributor. Beyond him, the small and medium mix is unsettled: Andy Moniz-Wakefield is returning from an ACL, King might want to see Jiath on a wing, and Christian Salem’s skills remain exquisite but, at 30, the club may decide it’s time to see a younger face in his role. Across two seasons, Melbourne’s midfield has shifted from the league’s most recognisable to one defined by transition. There is still talent. Max Gawn remains the best ruck in the game. Kysaiah Pickett is now a bona fide – and very good – midfielder. Steele offsets some of what was lost, even if he can’t replicate it. Jack Viney is the last of the old guard, but concussion interruptions and a serious achilles injury make it difficult to see him returning to his peak. Trent Rivers shapes as a more permanent midfield piece after a 2025 season in which he attended the majority of centre bounces in the games Viney missed with a concussion and almost none for the rest of the season. Melbourne fans, however, will be most excited to see Caleb Windsor and Harvey Langford. Langford’s debut season was impressive and further physical development should take him to the next level. Windsor’s second year was disrupted by injury and a switch to half-back that made some sense on paper but never really did on grass. He has looked sharp this pre-season. The wing roles, meanwhile, appear genuinely open – Ed Langdon (probably running laps of the MCG as I type), Xavier Lindsay, Jiath, Jai Culley (post-injury) and Harry Sharp all in the frame. An average forward line worked well enough when Melbourne overwhelmed opponents with volume. That equation probably no longer holds. But a new method might produce greater efficiency. Kozzie Pickett will be Melbourne’s best forward when stationed inside 50 and their best midfielder when rotated on-ball. His cousin Latrelle will add speed and flair. Bayley Fritsch remains a reliable medium target; Kade Chandler is a clever and underrated small. Beyond that core lie many unresolved questions. Does Mihocek have two more strong seasons left? Is Jacob van Rooyen trending toward genuine second/third tall quality or plateauing as serviceable? Is there hope left for Matt Jefferson? Can King extract anything from Shane McAdam? Is it time to phase out Jake Melksham? What exactly is Koltyn Tholstrup? The virtue of Melbourne’s current phase is that they can afford the patience required to find out. Defence: Average Midfield: Average Forward: Average Ruck: Elite The disappointment of seeing a once-great side not quite fulfil its awesome potential before fading into irrelevance and acrimony might linger. But in 2026, another set of more positive emotions should begin competing for space in the hearts of Dees fans: curiosity about what the next great Melbourne side could look like, excitement about a faster, more attacking style, and hope that the club’s – perhaps belated – recognition of its predicament augurs well for its ability to keep doing the same in the future. Style is not a trivial matter. Attritional footy is easy to accept if it delivers success. It’s rather harder to swallow if it produces a 14th-placed finish. This isn’t an argument against developing effective defensive structures. It’s recognition of the fact that there are many supporters who evaluate their relationship with their team – or at least the choice to spend their hard-earned to go to the footy on a freezing night – based on the endeavour of the stuff that’s served up. Melbourne shifting to a more exciting brand is something to look forward to. There is cause for significant optimism, too, about several of the club’s recent draftees. There is lots of excited chatter about Caleb Windsor this pre-season. Harvey Langford looked excellent in his debut season. Both now have fewer players between them and meaningful midfield roles. Xavier Lindsay’s first year wasn’t as attention-grabbing as Langford’s, but he still looks like he could be an important piece of the next generation. There’s still hope for players like Koltyn Tholstrup. Jacob Van Rooyen should benefit from the presence of Brody Mihocek. It’s too early to say anything definitive about Xavier Taylor or Latrelle Pickett – perhaps beyond the fact that both make for good media interviews – but there’s also nothing wrong with getting excited about the prospect of Latrelle and Kysaiah linking up for the next decade. Not every draftee becomes a star. But extrapolating based on promising early glimpses is a core part of the footy fan experience. Long may it reign. The cherry on top is that, despite Melbourne’s manifest frailties last season, they were a better team than their win-loss record showed. Based on expected scores, they should have won four more games than they did – the same number as Carlton and only 1.5 behind Greater Western Sydney. It’s interesting to consider what choice the club hierarchy would have made about Goodwin had those expected wins materialised into real ones. They might have been more open to his claims that last season’s list could still contend. Obviously, many of the players who contributed to the side in 2025 won’t be there in 2026. But some of them will be. If they perform, and the pendulum swings the other way, that may already be enough to put the Dees in the play-in conversation. The first steps of any rebuild are especially treacherous because, in addition to the high stakes riding on every high-end draft pick, there’s a fundamental tension: coaches are motivated to seek wins to consolidate their job security, even if it might ultimately undermine the long-term objectives of the build. That’s why it’s so important that the board and CEO give the coach genuine permission to lose now in order to win later. Well-run clubs have a strong alignment between what the CEO and Board expect, and what the coach is trying to do. Melbourne have not been an obviously well-run club for many of the past few seasons. Supporters ought to be heartened by the early moves of the Brad Green/Steven Smith era, especially their steadfastness in sacking Simon Goodwin. But their resolve hasn’t been tested by on-field results not meeting off-field expectations. There is risk there. Clubs undertake rebuilds because they recognise that their list can no longer compete at the pointy end of the ladder. Lists that can no longer compete at the pointy end typically lack two important things: enough star players and a coherent distribution of AFL-level talent. Those issues overlap but aren’t the same. In Kysaiah Pickett, the Demons have one of the brightest stars in footy. Until further notice, Max Gawn is still the best at what he does. The departures of Petracca and Oliver and decline of Steven May mean that’s probably where it ends (for now). The distribution of AFL-level players is lumpy – contributors at the top end, but holes created by players not yet living up to their draft position. There are multiple ways to interpret Melbourne’s choice to bring in Brody Mihocek. The most benign is that he’s there to provide structure, physical support, and experience to a callow crop of tall forwards. The least benign is that the club is concerned about the development of said tall forwards. Either way, importing short-term solutions to solve long-term development problems at the beginning of a rebuild is risky. There are similar questions to be asked of the key defensive posts. Melbourne tried hard to make Steven May another club’s problem during the Trade Period. They did not succeed. The situation is far from ideal: a Premiership hero whose persistent off-field issues appear to have broken containment. The football solution is clear. The off-field solution is less clear; unresolved culture problems can metastasise. To an extent, bad lists are self-correcting: they tend to finish lower down the ladder and have more opportunities to select better talent to drive improvement. But the impending entrance of Tasmania into the AFL landscape makes the next few years a more dangerous time to be rebuilding. The Demons have a productive Next Generation Academy (as Melbourne fans know, there’s a world, very similar to this one, where Mac Andrew wears red and blue) but that looks like rather small beer next to the Northern Academies. The AFL’s equalisation mechanisms are under stress. Dees fans know what it’s like to be stuck at the bottom for so long that you re-evaluate your relationship with footy. It shouldn’t be this bad this time. There is still top-end talent, a decent mid-career core, draftees that have shown great promise, and a capacity to develop talent. But they are still taking the first steps down a very long road. Not everyone gets to the end. Harvey Langford finished fourth in last year’s Rising Star award. He impressed all who watched him (a shrinking audience, given how quickly Melbourne’s season went south). And yet it was clear that one was watching a player only beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. The disposal skill and quality of decision-making are already apparent. The next step is more meat on the bones. When Langford develops the strength to move inside and reliably shrug opposition tackles, his game should ascend to the next level. Kysaiah Pickett’s status as Melbourne’s most important player for the rest of the decade and beyond was cemented on June 12th last year, when he quashed persistent chat about his future to sign a contract until the end of 2034. His move into the midfield – only Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver attended more centre bounces! – elevated him into the game’s very top bracket as both a clearance winner and goal-kicker. Kozzie is a delight to watch. And for as long as he’s a Demons player (now almost certainly the rest of his playing days), there will be optimism. Throughout this preview, I’ve largely accepted the premise that Melbourne is embarking on a rebuild. There is strong circumstantial evidence this is the case: a new coach, with a new plan, and many new players. But it’s not quite definitive. There could be an element within the club which believes that a good season from key players, faster-than-expected development from emerging talent, and better luck could result in a return to finals. Given that, the decisions that King and his selection committee make about players like Steven May, Jack Viney (when they’re available) will probably reveal their preference: build, with the pain that implies, or hedge? When the Melbourne board made the decision to sack Simon Goodwin and trade out Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver, it implicitly agreed to the proposition that the win-loss record and ladder position should rank low on Melbourne’s list of performance indicators for 2026. It also committed to the idea that progress in 2026 is better measured by how successfully a new coach can embed a new game plan, how much younger players develop, and how much information is gained about which areas of the list need most attention. And, ideally, that process would also be rewarded with another couple of high-end draft picks. This time last year, Melbourne fans were debating whether to stick with the core and the coach that had delivered a drought-breaking Premiership or twist. That question was definitively answered. 2026 will be the dawn of a new era. There’ll be bad days. But, unlike the last two years, it might actually be fun.

RICHMONDDo not panic: The Tigers were thrashed at stoppages by Essendon on Friday and suffered a heavy 50-point loss, but their heavily managed first-choice midfield group was only together for the first quarter. In that opening term, Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper and Sam Lalor seized early control of the game and were well supported by Jack Ross, Kane McAuliffe and Taj Hotton. Richmond will be far more competitive come round 1, as they were this time last year after a heavy pre-season defeat to Collingwood sparked concern they would go winless in 2025. Ready to ‘sizzle’: Top-10 pick Sam Grlj looks ready to play across halfback after he was the Tigers’ go-to rebounder for much of his pre-season debut. Grlj was always going to catch the eye with his speed, but he was also clean and composed against a competitive Bombers forward line. Nasty rules for Nank: Captain Toby Nankervis looks among the ruckmen least suited to the new rules preventing players from crossing the centre line at ball-ups. The 31-year-old struggled against the high-jumping Lachie Blakiston and gave away a free kick early in the contest trying to block his run. Ollie Hayes-Brown appears to be improving, but the Tigers are very thin on ruck depth and will need their skipper to work out a method against the leapers. Lefau is very good: Richmond supporters who have watched his 11 games would already know this, but Mykelti Lefau is just a very good footballer. The New Zealand-born tall issued an early reminder of his lovely set shot kicking against the Bombers, and it looks like he will be able to handle the second-ruck duties. Because his defensive pressure is so strong, it means the Tigers can also play both Harry Armstrong and Jonty Faull alongside Tom Lynch in attack. Defensive squeeze: Adem Yze has his work cut out for him trying to strike the right backline balance with Nathan Broad, Nick Vlastuin, Noah Balta and Sam Banks all missing from the line-up against Essendon. It could be Josh Gibcus against WA Origin representative Broad for the third tall spot, while Tom Brown is no selection certainty after 23 games last year. - Ed Bourke

MELBOURNEEasy pickings: All Dees fans drove away from Casey Fields talking about the Pickett pairing, as cousins Latrelle and Kysaiah tore up the Roos. Kysaiah bagged five goals and had his way with the game, while Latrelle added the exact exciting energy Steven King is after as coach. Expect Latrelle to play in round 1, it’s impossible to keep him out now, surely. Max factor: Could we have the first double Max ruck pairing? Max Heath, already known as the ‘Moose’ at Melbourne, jumped all over Tristan Xerri and impressed in his first outing as a Demon, and appears primed to give a chop out to Max Gawn this year. Dwayne Russell is already listing puns for his commentary. Supermax, maximum impact, Maxibomb … Luker’s leap: If some questions were answered by the scratch match, the tall forward mix clearly wasn’t. Brody Mihocek didn’t make it to quarter-time due to concussion, but he should be fine to play round 1. Jacob van Rooyen and Matthew Jefferson were quiet, while Luker Kentfield shone with three goals to put his hand up. If Heath is picked, that means van Rooyen, Jefferson and Kentfield are likely fighting for one spot, which surely goes to van Rooyen to start. Man of Steele: Jack Steele’s composure and smarts stood out in a new-look Melbourne midfield without Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver or Jack Viney. He could be one of the bargain pick-ups of the year. Harvey Langford is set for more centre minutes, and Caleb Windsor has had a strong summer. With Trent Rivers also floating through, the Dees batted deep enough to be able to rotate Kysaiah Pickett forward whenever needed. It looked a good mix against the Roos. Attacking flair: We’re not going crazy about a scratch match but the signs were all positive for Steven King’s new attacking style as the Dees booted 19 goals. Only once last year did Melbourne kick more in a game. - Josh Barnes

MELBOURNE Result: 80-point win over North Melbourne (129-49) What we learned: Dees fans would be going into 2026 with more optimism after a dominant 80-point win over North Melbourne in Casey in a game the Pickett cousins put on a show. Melbourne unofficially kicked off the Steven King era on a high note and a preview into some exciting footy to come this season. The Dees played a more daring brand where they looked to move the ball quickly at just about every opportunity and embraced a more chaotic style. It saw Kysaiah Pickett thrive in a five-goal masterclass as the best player on the ground, splitting his time between midfield and forward. “That run and gun through the middle with Pickett – he’s just so quick with ball in hand. And not only is he quick, but he can execute a kick on the run like that. It’s such a great asset for them to use him through that middle of the ground,” Carlton AFLW player Harriet Cordner praised on Kayo Sports commentary. His cousin, Latrelle Pickett, also had some dazzling moments that would’ve got Demons fans seriously excited. More of that from the Pickett cousins in 2026, please! Elsewhere, Jack Steele delivered a strong performance in the midfield in his first showing for Melbourne, while Brody Mihocek kicked the first two goals for Melbourne before his day ended prematurely due to concussion and 2024 mid-season recruit Luker Kentfield kicked three wearing a ‘Batman’ mask.

Of course not. We're 2nd on the Preseason Ladder.

TEST

I wouldn't look to the legacy media for any validation of our footy team/club. Even when we were good for 5 minutes they were sharpening knives.

MELBOURNE SCOUTING NOTESCALEB WINDSOR The summer standout started in the middle and won the first clearance but wasn’t as impactful as some of his midfield teammates. Only played midfield as he transitions to become a full-time onballer. JACOB VAN ROOYEN Presented often but didn’t trouble the scorers until late in the final term and wasn’t needed for the Dees to rack up a big score. BRODY MIHOCEK Kicked two opportunistic goals in the first term before being ruled out of the rest of the game with concussion. MATTHEW JEFFERSON Quiet day for the young forward and was outshone by Kentfield. HARVEY LANGFORD Plenty of inside midfield minutes for the onballer, who showed no signs he will slow down after a very impressive debut season. Bagged a monster goal in the final term. MAX HEATH The ex-Saint looks a winner of the new era of jumping rucks as he took it up to Tristan Xerri at ball ups, including a glorious tap to Kysaiah Pickett for a goal. With Tom Campbell injured, Heath is clearly the No.2 ruck. Courageous effort in the first part of scenario play secured the win. LATRELLE PICKETT There is not much to him physically he is just full of talent. Knew how to get involved in link play and create some space, and will play for the Dees early. Already Dees fans get up whenever Pickett wins the ball and can run into space. XAVIER LINDSAY Had a heap of ball coming off half-back and could be one player to benefit by the loss of Judd McVee and Jake Bowey. XAVIER TAYLOR Only came on in the final term and had a couple of moments. Dees didn’t appear to miss him in defence so his chances of a round 1 debut may have taken a step back. CHANGKUOTH JIATH Turned into Nedd Brockman as he ripped through a long running session when pulled out of the match at half-time, even doing laps while the game was being played. Took one excellent intercept grab and tried to add run out of defence. KYSAIAH PICKETT With ball in hand he was as vicious as a drunk bride at a MAFS dinner party. A genuine class above as he sent a serious warning to the league with five goals. LUKER KENTFIELD Wearing a Phantom of the Opera mask to protect a facial injury, came from the shadows to put a hand up for an AFL debut. The big man showed some good glimpses, kicking three goals and jumping hard in the ruck. JACK STEELE Has all the markings of being the shrewdest pickup of the trade period. Steele did all the basics right, directed the midfield at stoppages and looked the part in his new colours. Kicked two final term goals. KOLTYN THOLSTRUP Playing a new role at half-back this year and performed well, added some rebound will doing enough defensively. Floated forward for a nice goal. TOM MCDONALD Absolutely rock solid at full-back and worked well in tandem with Jake Lever. DANIEL TURNER Keep buying stocks in the defender. Positioning was superb and he is on track to take another leap towards the better defenders in the game. BLAKE HOWES A forgotten man outside of Melbourne’s fan base, played an integral role as a hybrid tall defender in a structure where the Dees were clearly desperate to create a loose man.

Ed Langdon tossed the coin and lost.

And the leader after Match Sim vs North Melbourne is Kozzy:

It’s late February. Two teams widely predicted to finish near the foot of the AFL table in 2026 face off against each other in sweltering 30-degree heat deep in outer suburbia in a match simulation with fresh new faces and uneven team numbers. There are no nearby sheep stations on offer; the result promises nothing more than bragging rights for the winner. Nevertheless, the loser appears hopelessly adrift, whereas the other seems to have found its footing after a couple of years of struggle – perhaps a hint at bigger things to come? Actually, it’s more than just a hint. What we saw in Melbourne’s emphatic 86-point win (including Harry Sharp’s goal in the final two minute simulation) over North Melbourne was fast movement, pace and more pace, a mixture of old and new that may well put to rest one of the myths of the 2025 post season. Whenever I was involved in a discussion about the club’s future, I was told that the Demons were doomed in the short to medium term because they would struggle to replace their two hard nosed midfield premiership champions in Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver. That pair, along with Angus Brayshaw who retired two years ago with recurring concerns about concussion formed a midfield par excellence in 2021 with Jack Viney who now faces a long stint on the sidelines following Achilles surgery. Leaving aside off field and locker room issues, the problem with that is the fact that by 2025, the midfield had become out of touch with the new modern game; despite being served by a multiple All-Australian ruckman, it was ranked 13th in clearances and when it won the ball out the middle, the connection with the forwards left much to desired. It was abysmal. Enter new coach Steven King and the new guard that promised swifter and smarter movement of the ball around the field. The first glimpses were there on Friday afternoon. Kozzie Pickett was already transitioning into more midfield minutes and he continued in his role mixing it with explosive movement inside the forward line. He was joined up there in combination with his brilliant cousin Latrelle who dazzled with his quick footwork in a great first up display. The pair promise to wreak havoc anywhere from the middle of the ground to the goal line. The new look midfield was complemented by former Saints captain Jack Steele, promising youngster Harvey Langford and premiership pair Trent Rivers and Tom Sparrow who have spent years waiting for the opportunities that now await them. The refreshing thing about Steele was his steadiness in and around packs and his reliability around goal. This new generation in the engine room is giving new freedom of opportunity for the forwards. Brodie Mihocek had a brief two goal cameo before going off on concussion protocols but his replacement, the uncapped Luker Kentfield, complete with Batman-like mask to protect a facial injury, staked his claim with three nice goals of his own. Jacob van Rooyen and Bayley Fritsch were always dangerous and Kade Chandler, effective as always. The performances of another former Saint in big Max Heath as cover for Max Gawn who was rested after State of Origin duties, with the assistance of Kentfield suggest that the club’s recruiting for specific needs is a likely winner. The talk of the town might be the impact of the two Picketts and the new found midfield but the resurgence of the defence should not be underestimated. The leadership of Jake Lever and Tom McDonald, the growing stature of Daniel Turner and the rise in confidence of Blake Howes were instrumental in containing the opposition to a sub 50 point score. Newcomer Changkuoth Jiath was lively with some ground breaking runs in the first half and Koltyn Tholstrup and Xavier Lindsay showed the benefit of the development time they have experienced. We also saw a glimpse of 2025 first round pick Xavier Taylor. Let’s not forget that a year ago, the Demons thrashed the Roos in a preseason game at Arden Street only to have the table turned decisively in Round 2. Still, while you’re only as good as your opposition, the season’s first competitive workout suggests that a lot more has been found than lost over the post season. MELBOURNE 6.3.39 9.8.62 13.11.89 20.15.135 NORTH MELBOURNE 2.4.16 4.6.30 6.6.42 7.7.49 GOALS MELBOURNE K Pickett 5 Kentfield 3 Chandler Mihocek Steele 2 Fritsch Langford Laurie Sharp Tholstrup van Rooyen NORTH MELBOURNE Darling Larkey 2 Duursma Powell Zurhaar BEST MELBOURNE K Pickett Steele Langford Lindsay Turner L Pickett NORTH MELBOURNE Simpkin Davies-Uniacke Larkey Daniel INJURIES MELBOURNE Brodie Mihocek (concussion) NORTH MELBOURNE Riley Hardeman (ankle) REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil NORTH MELBOURNE Nil CROWD TBA at Casey Fields VFL CASEY DEMONS 5.1.31 7.2.44 12.5.77 NORTH MELBOURNE 3.2.20 8.7.55 11.12.78 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Ah-Mu Laplanche Matthews 2 Bowden Cheffers Kentfield Onley Sharp

Melksham has been back in full training for several weeks and took part in last week’s intraclub match. He was also on the track on Wednesday, so unless there’s been a new setback or recurrence, he was probably just managed this week. I’d expect him to line up against the Tigers.

According to Chaplin towards the end of this interview Max should be back to take on the Tigers as well as Petty. CJ & Salem are expected to play the full game. The Demons are defending their second place spot on the AFL’s unofficial ladder:-

The Demons hit the road for their last practice hit out before the start of the 2026 AFL Premiership season when they take on the Tigers at Mars Stadium in Ballarat.

Are you already lining up outside BASS for Grand Final tickets? 😜