Demonland

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Melbourne match simulation squad vs North Melbourne2. Jacob Van Rooyen 3. Christian Salem 4. Harvey Langford 5. Xavier Lindsay 6. Caleb Windsor 8. Jake Lever 9. Jack Steele 10. Daniel Turner 12. Koltyn Tholstrup 14. Changkuoth Jiath 15. Ed Langdon 16. Bailey Laurie 19. Xavier Taylor 21. Matthew Jefferson 22. Blake Howes 24. Trent Rivers 25. Tom McDonald 26. Jed Adams 27. Max Heath 28. Brody Mihocek 30. Harry Sharp 31. Bayley Fritsch 32. Tom Sparrow 33. Latrelle Pickett 36. Kysaiah Pickett 37. Kade Chandler 39. Ricky Mentha Jnr 44. Luker Kentfield

MELBOURNE’S Matt Jefferson is a fly-under-the-radar type of Demon. A quiet character around the club, he’s someone who puts in the hard work without much fuss. Since arriving at the Dees in 2022, he’s been slowly building year on year, with his reserved but determined routine now key to his development. “I’ve learned a lot, now I know what I need to do to be able to get the best out of myself, I feel like the first couple of years I struggled a bit with that,” Jefferson said. “Every day I come in and know the level of training, gym, vision, recovery I need. “With this type of routine and focus, I know that if I don’t get selected [for AFL] that I’m prepared to play that standard no matter what, because of the work I’ve put in during the week.” Jefferson played back-to-back seasons in the VFL after first arriving at the club, kicking a total of 51 goals across 37 games. He was named Best VFL Player in 2024 and earned himself an AFL debut in Round 1 of 2025. “It was pretty cool to have my debut in Round 1 and get that AFL experience,” Jefferson said. “I felt like I was ready for the step up, ready for that challenge having played some good VFL footy in 2024. “I think overall, it was a good year because I learned a lot. After debuting in Round 1, he was omitted on three separate occasions throughout the year, playing the majority of his footy in the VFL. This week-to-week pressure was something Jefferson was forced to get comfortable with in the last 12 months. “It can be challenging when you’re in and out of the team, because you feel like you’re playing really good VFL footy but then you get to AFL and you’re not playing as well as you’d hoped,” Jefferson said. “But I think knowing that I’ve put in the work during the week, that really helped me last year when I went back to the VFL. “I didn’t drop my head, I tried to see each VFL game I played as an opportunity to not only get back into the team but improve my game.” From week-to-week pressure to in-game pressure, forwards are met with plenty of match moments that call upon their ability to stay focused. Jefferson admitted that this type of focus during games was another challenge that he faced. “When I first got here, that’s something that I really struggled with, being able to stay focused in games,” Jefferson said. “As a forward, you do have games where the ball just doesn't go near you. “I have become a lot better at that. In my first or second year, if I was playing and I hadn’t had a good first half, my second half would be just as bad. “Now I feel like I can pull myself out of that mindset.” As a Melbourne forward, Jefferson is part of a reasonably young playing group that is hoping to impress in 2026 under a fresh coaching mix. In addition to the appointment of new senior coach Steven King, the Dees also added Matthew Scarlett, AFL great and 284-gamer for Geelong, to the coaching cohort. Scarlett joined the Dees as a development coach specialising in talls, which has meant working closely with Jefferson this pre-season. “He has a bit of an aura about him, he’s an AFL great,” Jefferson said. “[Brody Mihocek] coming in has also been really good for us young forwards, I think he’s similar to me in that he’s not necessarily the biggest key forward but he’s just really smart so he’s been able to help me and the other forwards make sure we play to our strengths. “[Jacob van Rooyen] has also been really helpful, I know he’s a similar age to me but he’s built up his leadership over the last few years and has been really good at helping me bring my focus back in games.” Jefferson finished 2025 with seven senior games under his belt and if this pre-season is any preview of 2026, he’s looking to come back with a bang this season. “In my off-season, I really wanted to focus on my quality of training,” Jefferson said. “I got injured at the end of the season which meant I didn’t really stop training [because of rehab], so my mindset changed. “I looked at the off-season as an opportunity to build my fitness. I wanted to come back for pre-season and be fit that day, I didn’t want to chase that fitness. “When you've got a good group of young players, you’re all learning together, you’re all on a similar path, building to where you need to be and we’re all building towards the same goal.”

Lids off ....

A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers were blessed with some beautiful Wednesday morning weather to give their observations of one of the final open training session at Gosch's Paddock prior to our first practice hit out against another team this weekend. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONSIt’s a beautiful day down at Gosch’s Paddock for some preseason training. Previous week's rehabbers CJ, Henderson, Culley, McAdam, Salem are all doing warmups with the squad. Petty is not wearing the fluoro yellow no contact hat. Max and Rivers warming up separately with some trainers. Perhaps because of State of Origin. Kozzy warming up with the squad. Spoke to soon with Petty. Yellow No Contact Hat is now on. Absent: May (Personal), Viney (Achilles), Campbell (Neck), Johnson (?) Jake Bowey on the bikes in the shed. Culley doing warmups that don’t include contact. Henderson has already head off to do rehab with the trainers. I’ll update the other rehabbers once they break off from the warmups and training proper begins. Campbell has arrived still in the neck brace. Campbell briefly joined Bowser on the bikes. Drills proper have started and there aren’t any rehabbers out of the usual suspects. Salem, CJ, McAdam, AMW and even Culley are participating in the drills. 3 drills: 8 vs 8 keepings off handball drill. (Mids/Half Forwards/Half Backs) One on One marking drill. Ball kicked high to two players. (Taller Defenders/Forwards) The big Russian Mark Jamar is taking Max, Heath & Kentfield for ruck craft drills in the middle. Earlier JVR was having a one on one tutorial with Jamar and the ruck bag. AMW, McAdam, Petty & Culley have split off from the drills as they are contact heavy and are working separately with a trainer. Match Simulation type drill in progress. Petty, Culley, AMW, McAdam & Kentfield are not participating. Jefferson limping off and being looked at by the medicos. Looks like an ankle or foot. Just been given tablets by medico (pain or inflammation). Bandaging the ankle. Petty, Culley, AMW & Kentfield running laps together. McAdam on a separate running program with a trainer. Shorter faster running. Jeffo has had his ankle strapped and is back on the field. he only players that were present and did not participate in the contact drills were Petty, Culley, AMW, McAdam & Kentfield. Henderson was doing separate rehab. Everyone else who was present participated in every drill. May and Viney were absent whilst Bowey and Campbell were present but did not participate in anything other than time on the bike. FRITTA AND TURNER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONSGood news is that the Pink Lemonaide Cafe outside of Richmond station has re opened. Bowey having a short distance kick to kick with J Rivers then on the bike. Reece Conca was eating a banana. A couple of players were firmly reminded that they had 5 minutes to be out on the ground. (Some players are out there 40 mins early and others with a minute to go). No May or Viney. TC arrived late still in the brace, though on him it looks more like a horse collar. CJ and Tommy Matthews were having their photo taken when Reg walked past and squeezed CJs bottom. Max, Moose and Luker (no mask) were practising ruck work in the centre with Jamar holding the bag. Moose knocked Jamar to the ground. Fritta did a warm up on the fence, similar to what I did at pilates last week. I was sore for 3 days. Jeffo came off to get his foot strapped. When I was young a broken arm was a plaster cast with 50 signatures. Culley had a large 'bandaid' on his arm. Nearly everyone took part in the warm up drills. Luker, Petty, Culley, AMW and McAdam did not take part in the contested ball work. This group did some fitness work along the boundary. Chaplin very vocal. If Kossy doesnt win the medal it will be because Windsor stole some votes. KEV'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONSGorgeous morning for a training run down at Gosch's Paddock. They were out early again. Plenty of running in the warm ups. Looks like they are building their aerobic capacity, getting them match fit. The drills appeared to emphasise pressure and skills. The sims consisted of two 10 minute periods and a rest after 5 minutes in both. Mainly taken by Rivers who got the mids to set up with gentleness on either side of the midfield, before they floated a ball down back, from where it got more serious. The attackers were able to create turn overs if the backs weren't tuned in. The tackling remains restrained, competing in aerials is nearly non-existent. Some of the ball movement was fast, very little looking for the central corridor, most taking it around the boundary. The passes into the forwards are improving. Plenty of leads of the back of the pack. The mids continue to work on overlap, causing the defenders to work hard on hand overs as they close the space ahead of them. I like what Kolt is doing, reads the play well off half-back and gut runs up the field for more possessions. Still learning his position as he makes sure he is in the area delegated to him by asking Lever. He is not the only one with extensive movement, Adams is also doing it. We will be doing plenty of getting to the contest area in a game, if they persist with full field runs from the backs. Steele will tackle anything, his field kicking and decision making is great. Heath loves bringing his runners into the game, presents well and quickly hands off the ball. Melksham still has his craftiness. His kicking is getting even better. I am still on the fence with Mathews, beautiful kick but not getting enough of the ball. Latrelle is a happy and gregarious man. The set of tall backs on one side were, Turner (also looking good, creates time and has poise), Tmac (doing everything right), and Lever (lots of chasing and captaining the backs). The set of tall forwards on the same side were, Miochek (mister reliable), Jeffo (getting separation), and JVR (imposing himself). After the sims they went into their line groups. Loved that the goal kicking practice was only the forwards. You could see the mids wanted to be in there kicking but no, only forwards. Even Lever wanted into that “sacred” space. Chaplin has them in a structured environment, with plenty of success and connection within that group. Someone parked their car and then sprinted onto the Paddock with the black mask of Luke in hand. With only 5 minutes of the sim to go it made no difference. My guess as to why Kentfield was on light duties, he forgot it.

Kane vindicating himself.

At training he splits his time between the midfield and forward line, though he’s predominantly used up forward. That said, most of the match simulation drills aren’t traditional 18-on-18 practice matches. They’re more scenario-based, with the ball launched from different spots around the ground. Whenever I’ve seen the team train in genuine practice match conditions, he’s lined up forward.

🚨🚨Opposition Watch 🚨🚨 Fellow Roos youngster George Wardlaw is also racing the clock for round one after a recent hamstring injury, but the club is also confident he will be able to play the Power. The Roos will play Melbourne in a match simulation on Friday before they face Collingwood in the AAMI Community Series on March 1. The Roos have dealt with multiple injury issues this pre-season. Draftee Blake Thredgold underwent surgery to repair a Lisfranc injury, while Jackson Archer will miss 2026 due to an ACL injury. Aidan Corr, Luke McDonald and Charlie Spargo have also dealt with injuries this pre-season.

Do we know what the injury is (besides the obvious) and has he had to have had surgery?

Yes. He and Salem featured in all the drills up until the point I had to leave. The only players that were present and did not participate in the contact drills were Petty, Culley, AMW, McAdam & Kentfield. Henderson was doing separate rehab. Everyone else who was present participated in every drill. May and Viney were absent whilst Bowey and Campbell were present but did not participate in anything other than time on the bike.

Often communicating with the coaches and giving feedback on the drills.

Jeffo has had his ankle strapped and is back on the field.

Petty, Culley, AMW & Kentfield running laps together. McAdam on a separate running program with a trainer. Shorter faster running.

Jefferson limping off and being looked at by the medicos. Looks like an ankle or foot. Just been given tablets by medico (pain or inflammation). Bandaging the ankle.

Match Simulation type drill in progress. Petty, Culley, AMW, McAdam & Kentfield are not participating.

AMW, McAdam, Petty & Culley have split off from the drills as they are contact heavy and are working separately with a trainer.

2 drills: 8 vs 8 keepings off handball drill. (Mids/Half Forwards/Half Backs) One on One marking drill. Ball kicked high to two players. (Taller Defenders/Forwards)