Demonland

Dom Tyson is also in and Hibberd is also out.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-03-07/watts-named-for-jlt-series-game 1. Jesse Hogan 2. Nathan Jones 3. Christian Salem 4. Jack Watts 5. Christian Petracca 6. Jordan Lewis 7. Jack Viney 9. Jack Trengove 10. Angus Brayshaw 11. Max Gawn 12. Dom Tyson 13. Clayton Oliver 15. Billy Stretch 18. Jake Melksham 20. Colin Garland 23. Bernie Vince 25. Tom McDonald 26. Sam Weideman 28. Oscar McDonald 29. Jayden Hunt 30. Alex Neal-Bullen 32. Tomas Bugg 33. Jake Spencer 43. James Harmes

An errant Melbourne blew its premiership chances with a five point loss in the rain against previously winless Greater Western Sydney Giants at Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney. The Demons simply could not find the goals in a game in which they doubled the home team's scoring shots and managed 29 inside 50s to 13. The game was lost in the opening quarter when the Giants scored two goals to nil. After that they managed 1.1 to 1.8 and that was the story of the game. The Demons' big guns in Karen Paxman and Daisy Pearce played strongly but the team simply didn't have the firepower up forward in the wet conditions to convert the opportunities that came their way. With Carlton winning their game at the weekend Melbourne's chances of making the grand final are slim. They must win both remaining games and hope that other results fall their way but when you go through a game and have so many opportunities and finish with just a single goal, the odds are slim. Melbourne 0.1.1 0.3.3 1.4.10 1.9.15 Greater Western Sydney Giants 2.1.13 2.1.13 3.1.19 3.2.20 Goals Melbourne Phillips Greater Western Sydney Giants Barclay Beeson Schmidt Best Melbourne Paxman Pearce Mithen Greater Western Sydney Giants Dal Pos Swanson Collier Williams Barclay Injuries Melbourne A Newman (corked) Greater Western Sydney Giants Nil Umpires Barr Garroway Geddes Estimated crowd 2,000 at Blacktown International Sportspark

SLIM ODDS by Bewitched An errant Melbourne blew its premiership chances with a five point loss in the rain against previously winless Greater Western Sydney Giants at Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney. The Demons simply could not find the goals in a game in which they doubled the home team's scoring shots and managed 29 inside 50s to 13. The game was lost in the opening quarter when the Giants scored two goals to nil. After that they managed 1.1 to 1.8 and that was the story of the game. The Demons' big guns in Karen Paxman and Daisy Pearce played strongly but the team simply didn't have the firepower up forward in the wet conditions to convert the opportunities that came their way. With Carlton winning their game at the weekend Melbourne's chances of making the grand final are slim. They must win both remaining games and hope that other results fall their way but when you go through a game and have so many opportunities and finish with just a single goal, the odds are slim. Melbourne 0.1.1 0.3.3 1.4.10 1.9.15 Greater Western Sydney Giants 2.1.13 2.1.13 3.1.19 3.2.20 Goals Melbourne Phillips Greater Western Sydney Giants Barclay Beeson Schmidt Best Melbourne Paxman Pearce Mithen Greater Western Sydney Giants Dal Pos Swanson Collier Williams Barclay Injuries Melbourne A Newman (corked) Greater Western Sydney Giants Nil Umpires Barr Garroway Geddes Estimated crowd 2,000 at Blacktown International Sportspark

I'm not sure what Jonesy's answer to the question is.

Aiming for Round 1 return: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-02-28/wagner-aims-for-round-one-return

The is not a thread about Jack Watts. He can be discussed ad nauseum here: We needed a new poll on the homepage so this thread is purely to state your opinion on whether he should be picked for Round 1.

THE LID IS BACK - LET'S KEEP IT ON by George on the Outer It was only a pre-season practice match despite what some may think, but the result and the way that Melbourne comprehensively demolished a near full strength Carlton side, makes it very hard to dampen expectations among the supporters. The real contrast for the game was the style of play. The 2017 Demons play the same hard-at-it type of football that won Footscray a Premiership, and Carlton simply do not. The result was a one way game as Melbourne in each and every quarter simply was ferocious at the ball and opposition players. Carlton was never allowed a free rein, as Melbourne players attacked them en-mass and then when they had finally wrested possession from the Blues, there were Demon players aplenty around as options. The number of times that Melbourne took the ball from one end of the ground to the other without Carlton so much as being in the contest as it moved up the ground was lost. And the 0.17.14 final tally could have been so much more. Now some may question why the Demons didn’t put the cue in the rack at half-time, because it was all well and truly over by then, and there is always the risk of injury to critical players. But thinking about this after the match the answer became more apparent. This is the no mercy approach that we as supporters have been longing for. This is now a relentless, fierce, no half-efforts or take the easy approach team that Paul Roos and now Simon Goodwin have been building. We don’t slack off. And Melbourne plays Carlton in Round 2 of the season proper so what better way to send a chilling message to them? Now I could wax lyrical about many players with a game like this - and with a long bench to run there wasn’t the same fatigue factor that is present in a normal AFL game. However, for starters, Christian Petracca showed just how good he is with a four goal haul, including a ripper from the boundary. But it was his 10 contested possession in a total of 19 and his six marks that made him stand out. Carlton simply had no answer to him. Up forward Jesse Hogan was the Hulk. He is simply brutal and recorded three goals against his name for the game. We also saw Goodwin using him in the middle a number of times, and what a frightening prospect that will be for opposition teams? That and the continuous parade of tough, hard midfielders that Melbourne now has at its disposal. With Nathan Jones and Jack Viney leading and Jordan Lewis as back up, the opposition never get a rest with Bernie Vince, Clayton Oliver, Angus Brayshaw, Petracca and now Christian Salem to throw into that mix. Then it all starts again. Salem was a real highlight as no-one expected him to be playing mid-field. His 21 touches and seven contested possessions showed that he can and has obviously been developed for this new role. Best of all he has the vision and situational awareness that Lewis and Oliver also possess, such that they know where the ball is going before they get it. And then they deliver precisely and effectively. What a change has now occurred. Just a couple of years ago Nathan Jones held everything together on his own in the middle. Now he has an army of brutal assassins around him, and he has the pleasure of sitting off to the side a little more rather than being hammered week in and week out. As a result we will see much more of him and also preserve his career for longer. Oh, and I forgot about Max who had a normal day at the office - 19 hitouts and two goals. Having the luxury of being able to rest in the forward line while Spencer took the ruck role gave the Carlton defenders nightmares. The same situation will probably not happen in the season proper, as Spence is simply at a level below, but he was probably equal to Kruezer on the day, given his time on the ground, so not a bad back-up. West Coast in WA is the next JLT Community Series game, and there are plenty of players pushing for selection. What will the coaches want to do with a decent break before the first game proper? We can only wait and see, but for now it's time for a break - THE LID IS BACK - LET'S KEEP IT ON! Melbourne 0.5.4.34 0.9.5.59 0.12.10.82 0.17.14.116 Carlton 0.1.2.8 0.3.5.23 0.7.6.48 0.9.8.62 Supergoals Melbourne Nil Carlton Nil Goals Melbourne Petracca 4 Hogan 3 Gawn Salem vandenBerg Viney 2 Kennedy-Harris Neal-Bullen Carlton Casboult Pickett 2 Cunningham Curnow Lebois Thomas Weitering Best Melbourne Petracca Hogan Viney Jones Gawn Salem Vince Carlton Simpson, Gibbs Marchbank Kreuzer Injuries Melbourne Nil Carlton Gorringe (leg) Reports Melbourne Nil Carlton Nil Umpires Schmitt Ryan McInerny Glouftsis Crowd 7,256 at Casey Fields, Cranbourne

It was only a pre-season practice match despite what some may think, but the result and the way that Melbourne comprehensively demolished a near full strength Carlton side, makes it very hard to dampen expectations among the supporters. The real contrast for the game was the style of play. The 2017 Demons play the same hard-at-it type of football that won Footscray a Premiership, and Carlton simply do not. The result was a one way game as Melbourne in each and every quarter simply was ferocious at the ball and opposition players. Carlton was never allowed a free rein, as Melbourne players attacked them en-mass and then when they had finally wrested possession from the Blues, there were Demon players aplenty around as options. The number of times that Melbourne took the ball from one end of the ground to the other without Carlton so much as being in the contest as it moved up the ground was lost. And the 0.17.14 final tally could have been so much more. Now some may question why the Demons didn’t put the cue in the rack at half-time, because it was all well and truly over by then, and there is always the risk of injury to critical players. But thinking about this after the match the answer became more apparent. This is the no mercy approach that we as supporters have been longing for. This is now a relentless, fierce, no half-efforts or take the easy approach team that Paul Roos and now Simon Goodwin have been building. We don’t slack off. And Melbourne plays Carlton in Round 2 of the season proper so what better way to send a chilling message to them? Now I could wax lyrical about many players with a game like this - and with a long bench to run there wasn’t the same fatigue factor that is present in a normal AFL game. However, for starters, Christian Petracca showed just how good he is with a four goal haul, including a ripper from the boundary. But it was his 10 contested possession in a total of 19 and his six marks that made him stand out. Carlton simply had no answer to him. Up forward Jesse Hogan was the Hulk. He is simply brutal and recorded three goals against his name for the game. We also saw Goodwin using him in the middle a number of times, and what a frightening prospect that will be for opposition teams? That and the continuous parade of tough, hard midfielders that Melbourne now has at its disposal. With Nathan Jones and Jack Viney leading and Jordan Lewis as back up, the opposition never get a rest with Bernie Vince, Clayton Oliver, Angus Brayshaw, Petracca and now Christian Salem to throw into that mix. Then it all starts again. Salem was a real highlight as no-one expected him to be playing mid-field. His 21 touches and seven contested possessions showed that he can and has obviously been developed for this new role. Best of all he has the vision and situational awareness that Lewis and Oliver also possess, such that they know where the ball is going before they get it. And then they deliver precisely and effectively. What a change has now occurred. Just a couple of years ago Nathan Jones held everything together on his own in the middle. Now he has an army of brutal assassins around him, and he has the pleasure of sitting off to the side a little more rather than being hammered week in and week out. As a result we will see much more of him and also preserve his career for longer. Oh, and I forgot about Max who had a normal day at the office - 19 hitouts and two goals. Having the luxury of being able to rest in the forward line while Spencer took the ruck role gave the Carlton defenders nightmares. The same situation will probably not happen in the season proper, as Spence is simply at a level below, but he was probably equal to Kruezer on the day, given his time on the ground, so not a bad back-up. West Coast in WA is the next JLT Community Series game, and there are plenty of players pushing for selection. What will the coaches want to do with a decent break before the first game proper? We can only wait and see, but for now it's time for a break - THE LID IS BACK - LET'S KEEP IT ON! Melbourne 0.5.4.34 0.9.5.59 0.12.10.82 0.17.14.116 Carlton 0.1.2.8 0.3.5.23 0.7.6.48 0.9.8.62 Supergoals Melbourne Nil Carlton Nil Goals Melbourne Petracca 4 Hogan 3 Gawn Salem vandenBerg Viney 2 Kennedy-Harris Neal-Bullen Carlton Casboult Pickett 2 Cunningham Curnow Lebois Thomas Weitering Best Melbourne Petracca Hogan Viney Jones Gawn Salem Vince Carlton Simpson, Gibbs Marchbank Kreuzer Injuries Melbourne Nil Carlton Gorringe (leg) Reports Melbourne Nil Carlton Nil Umpires Schmitt Ryan McInerny Glouftsis Crowd 7,256 at Casey Fields, Cranbourne

In a must win match against Carlton Light (the colours worn by their AFLW opponents), Daisy Pearce with a great 29 disposal game, led her team to a victory which has kept the Demons final hopes alive. Similarly, the result dropped the early season favourite out of contention. The Demons must keep winning to stay in the hunt, but the two competition leaders in Adelaide and Brisbane play each other in a fortnight, when one must lose and that could give Melbourne the chance to break into the top two. A scrambly (is that a word?) first quarter saw each team register a solitary behind, although Melbourne played with more fluency one it got the ball outside. However, unforced errors continued to give the Blues opportunities and on a number of occasions left the Demons well exposed. In the second quarter, Melbourne came out firing as the Daisy chain started in motion. All around her we had players starting to blossom and Cat Phillips started to give Daisy first use of the ball and the goals came. While the Light Blues also managed a couple of goals these were both from dubious free kicks and fifty metre penalties. The AFLW seriously has to look at the fifty metre penalty for the competition, as it is simply too harsh, given that the majority of players at the moment are barely capable of kicking anything near that distance. Melbourne was moving the ball quickly by handball and benefitting from the clearer air after the first quarter congestion. Carlton on the other hand was almost solely dependant upon Vescio who continued to get the ball out and up forward. The third quarter saw a more aggressive Melbourne with tackling the highlight. It shut the Light Blues down, as they could only manage two points in 20 minutes while Melbourne scored 2 goals 4 behinds. The Demon forwards were still found lacking when needed in contests - they were often simply not there and it was up to the mids and flankers to do the hard lifting. Surely a three goal lead when the Light Blues had only scored two in ¾ of footy would be enough, but the Demons took the foot off the accelerator and fell asleep in the last. Suddenly, they found the scores level at the nine minute mark and from then on it became a great physical contest. This was the challenge and Daisy, Alyssa Mifsud, Elise O’Dea and Richelle Cranston all stood up to it do well. There was one more goal for the game - to Cranston - and that was enough to put the team in front and eventually win the game. With plenty of time remaining, others were asked to stop the furious charge from Carlton, and Brooke Patterson took a particularly telling mark in the backline to deny them their final opportunity and turn them into an even lighter shade of pale. Melbourne 0.1.1 3.2.20 5.6.36 6.6.42 Carlton 0.1.1 2.3.15 2.5.17 5.6.36 Goals Melbourne Mifsud 2 Berry Cranston O'Dea Scott Carlton Ayre 2 Jackobsson Sheirlaw Vescio Best Melbourne Pearce O'Dea Paxman Mithen Mifsud Carlton Hosking Exon Vescio Ayre Injuries Melbourne Nil Carlton Nil Umpires Patrick Burns Ben Cheever Brodie Rayner Crowd 3,965 at Casey Fields, Cranbourne

THE DAISY CHAIN by Georgina on the Outer In a must win match against Carlton Light (the colours worn by their AFLW opponents), Daisy Pearce with a great 29 disposal game, led her team to a victory which has kept the Demons final hopes alive. Similarly, the result dropped the early season favourite out of contention. The Demons must keep winning to stay in the hunt, but the two competition leaders in Adelaide and Brisbane play each other in a fortnight, when one must lose and that could give Melbourne the chance to break into the top two. A scrambly (is that a word?) first quarter saw each team register a solitary behind, although Melbourne played with more fluency one it got the ball outside. However, unforced errors continued to give the Blues opportunities and on a number of occasions left the Demons well exposed. In the second quarter, Melbourne came out firing as the Daisy chain started in motion. All around her we had players starting to blossom and Cat Phillips started to give Daisy first use of the ball and the goals came. While the Light Blues also managed a couple of goals these were both from dubious free kicks and fifty metre penalties. The AFLW seriously has to look at the fifty metre penalty for the competition, as it is simply too harsh, given that the majority of players at the moment are barely capable of kicking anything near that distance. Melbourne was moving the ball quickly by handball and benefitting from the clearer air after the first quarter congestion. Carlton on the other hand was almost solely dependant upon Vescio who continued to get the ball out and up forward. The third quarter saw a more aggressive Melbourne with tackling the highlight. It shut the Light Blues down, as they could only manage two points in 20 minutes while Melbourne scored 2 goals 4 behinds. The Demon forwards were still found lacking when needed in contests - they were often simply not there and it was up to the mids and flankers to do the hard lifting. Surely a three goal lead when the Light Blues had only scored two in ¾ of footy would be enough, but the Demons took the foot off the accelerator and fell asleep in the last. Suddenly, they found the scores level at the nine minute mark and from then on it became a great physical contest. This was the challenge and Daisy, Alyssa Mifsud, Elise O’Dea and Richelle Cranston all stood up to it do well. There was one more goal for the game - to Cranston - and that was enough to put the team in front and eventually win the game. With plenty of time remaining, others were asked to stop the furious charge from Carlton, and Brooke Patterson took a particularly telling mark in the backline to deny them their final opportunity and turn them into an even lighter shade of pale. Melbourne 0.1.1 3.2.20 5.6.36 6.6.42 Carlton 0.1.1 2.3.15 2.5.17 5.6.36 Goals Melbourne Mifsud 2 Berry Cranston O'Dea Scott Carlton Ayre 2 Jackobsson Sheirlaw Vescio Best Melbourne Pearce O'Dea Paxman Mithen Mifsud Carlton Hosking Exon Vescio Ayre Injuries Melbourne Nil Carlton Nil Umpires Patrick Burns Ben Cheever Brodie Rayner Crowd 3,965 at Casey Fields, Cranbourne

Demonland could only afford to be the undies sponsor.

The questions is; would you want to win that premiership this way 17 years later?

I'd like the club to embrace sustainability and partner with Tesla. This might conflict with the current sponsor.

"At this stage, we think it's about a four- to six-week injury." Josh Mahoney