Demonland

I guess no news is good news until we get the bad news.

..... after we sack Norm Smith.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-29/young-demon-avoids-ban-for-sling-tackle Might just be me but I was kinda proud of him for that tackle.

I agree. I wouldn't want this to bite us in the bum down the track.

Post match discussion now open here

SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL by Whispering Jack Since time immemorial, pre season practice matches, be they the intraclub variety or contests between clubs played for trophies or otherwise, have always needed to be looked at with a dose of skepticism. Coaches and clubs use these games for different purposes, teams are often of different strength and there's plenty of experimentation. I will not therefore allow myself to get too carried away with Melbourne's big second half effort to defeat Port Adelaide 0.15.5.95 to 1.10.7.76 in its opening NAB Challenge match of 2016. By the same token there were some excellent signs from the team that missed the bulk of the older, more experienced heads of its list that give cause for some optimism for the year ahead. We know that Paul Roos historically is known to place very little store on winning these pre season games but his stand in Simon Goodwin was a bit of an unknown on that score. After his charges started slowly and hesitantly on the large sized Playford Alive Oval in Elizabeth SA, they regrouped in the second term and ran over the top of what was a close to full strength Port Adelaide team in the last half. The turnaround was huge. For years, the Demons have been unable to mount come from behind victories. Nor have they been able to master the type of grounds where there's extra space and greater distance to goal. It requires the ability to get the contested ball in the first instance and fitness and hard running on the outside to bring the ball into the forward line quickly and decisively. The dominance of big Maxy Gawn in the ruck (42 hitouts, mainly in the first three quarters because he sat out most of the last) gave Jack Viney who had 16 contested possessions in a game high 28, Dom Tyson, Aaron vandenBerg and recruit Clayton Oliver an armchair ride at the stoppages. They got the ball out to the likes of Jack Watts, Matt Jones and hard nosed newcomers in Tomas Bugg from the Giants and Ben Kennedy from Collingwood and if they didn't score, their work was usually finished off by the likes of Jeff Garlett, Dean Kent and James Harmes. Collectively, they stunned the crowd of just under 5,000 and the many more viewers of Foxtel and a few here and there who watched on pirated broadcasts. Port Adelaide clearly planned their defensive game on shutting down Jesse Hogan and they achieved that by double and triple teaming him (at times with questionable methods). In the past when Melbourne had few dangerous options up forward, that tactic might have worked. The fact that the Demons are developing a good array of attacking weapons saw them to victory in this instance. And we know that there's plenty more to come. Melbourne's defense was tidy after the poor start. In the opening stanza they were far too loose but, led well by Tom McDonald, Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn and Neville Jetta, they tightened up and ultimately strangled the opposition keeping it scoreless in the the third quarter. When was the last time Melbourne did that in any game? The loss of Angus Brayshaw in the opening piece of play followed immediately by a hard hit on Tyson which saw him momentarily dazed followed by three goals (one of the super variety) to the home state side spelled doom and disaster. Demon fans of the fisted forever school were already foretelling that world was at an end - Armageddon had arrived ten minutes into the season. It was good then to come out with the non-existent four points and a medical report on Brayshaw that suggested a low level medial ligament injury that might see him back by round one of the real thing. There is of course a lot to work on - Hogan's key forward partner is more likely Cam Pedersen than Sam Frost at this stage. I would like to see the club give one of its tall forwards in waiting (Sam Weideman or Liam Hulett) a cameo run next week. Perhaps some fine tuning with the midfield mix and the second ruck - these games are practice matches after all and we can't get carried away - yet. Melbourne 0.2.2.14 0.4.3.27 0.10.5.65 0.15.5.95 Port Adelaide 1.3.3.30 1.6.5.50 1.6.5.50 1.10.7.76 Goals Melbourne Garlett 3 Kent Pedersen vandenBerg 2 Harmes Hogan Kennedy M Jones Salem Tyson Port Adelaide Boak Westhoff 3 R Gray Schulz White Young Best Melbourne Gawn Viney Watts vandenBerg Garlett Grimes Tyson Port Adelaide R Gray Boak Toumpas Pittard S Gray Broadbent Injuries Melbourne Brayshaw (left knee) Port Adelaide Nil Umpires Chris Donlon Jacob Mollison Craig Fleer Nick Brown Crowd 4,981 at Playford Alive Oval

Since time immemorial, pre season practice matches, be they the intraclub variety or contests between clubs played for trophies or otherwise, have always needed to be looked at with a dose of skepticism. Coaches and clubs use these games for different purposes, teams are often of different strength and there's plenty of experimentation. I will not therefore allow myself to get too carried away with Melbourne's big second half effort to defeat Port Adelaide 0.15.5.95 to 1.10.7.76 in its opening NAB Challenge match of 2016. By the same token there were some excellent signs from the team that missed the bulk of the older, more experienced heads of its list that give cause for some optimism for the year ahead. We know that Paul Roos historically is known to place very little store on winning these pre season games but his stand in Simon Goodwin was a bit of an unknown on that score. After his charges started slowly and hesitantly on the large sized Playford Alive Oval in Elizabeth SA, they regrouped in the second term and ran over the top of what was a close to full strength Port Adelaide team in the last half. The turnaround was huge. For years, the Demons have been unable to mount come from behind victories. Nor have they been able to master the type of grounds where there's extra space and greater distance to goal. It requires the ability to get the contested ball in the first instance and fitness and hard running on the outside to bring the ball into the forward line quickly and decisively. The dominance of big Maxy Gawn in the ruck (42 hitouts, mainly in the first three quarters because he sat out most of the last) gave Jack Viney who had 16 contested possessions in a game high 28, Dom Tyson, Aaron vandenBerg and recruit Clayton Oliver an armchair ride at the stoppages. They got the ball out to the likes of Jack Watts, Matt Jones and hard nosed newcomers Tomas Bugg from the Giants and Ben Kennedy from Collingwood and if they didn't score, their work was usually finished off by the likes of Jeff Garlett, Dean Kent and James Harmes. Collectively, they stunned the crowd of just under 5,000 and the many more viewers of Foxtel and a few here and there who watched on pirated broadcasts. Port Adelaide clearly planned their defensive game on shutting down Jesse Hogan and they achieved that by double and triple teaming him (at times with questionable methods). In the past when Melbourne had few dangerous options up forward, that tactic might have worked. The fact that the Demons are developing a good array of attacking weapons saw them to victory in this instance. And we know that there's plenty more to come. Melbourne's defense was tidy after the poor start. In the opening stanza they were far too loose but, led well by Tom McDonald, Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn and Neville Jetta, they tightened up and ultimately strangled the opposition keeping it scoreless in the the third quarter. When was the last time Melbourne did that in any game? The loss of Angus Brayshaw in the opening piece of play followed immediately by a hard hit on Tyson which saw him momentarily dazed followed by three goals (one of the super variety) to the home state side spelled doom and disaster. Demon fans of the fisted forever school were already foretelling that world was at an end - Armageddon had arrived ten minutes into the season. It was good then to come out with the non-existent four points and a medical report on Brayshaw that suggested a low level medial ligament injury that might see him back by round one of the real thing. There is of course a lot to work on - Hogan's key forward partner is more likely Cam Pedersen than Sam Frost at this stage. I would like to see the club give one of its tall forwards in waiting (Sam Weideman or Liam Hulett) a cameo run next week. Perhaps some fine tuning with the midfield mix and the second ruck - these games are practice matches after all and we can't get carried away - yet. Melbourne 0.2.2.14 0.4.3.27 0.10.5.65 0.15.5.95 Port Adelaide 1.3.3.30 1.6.5.50 1.6.5.50 1.10.7.76 Goals Melbourne Garlett 3 Kent Pedersen vandenBerg 2 Harmes Hogan Kennedy M Jones Salem Tyson Port Adelaide Boak Westhoff 3 R Gray Schulz White Young Best Melbourne Gawn Viney Watts vandenBerg Garlett Grimes Tyson Port Adelaide R Gray Boak Toumpas Pittard S Gray Broadbent Injuries Melbourne Brayshaw (left knee) Port Adelaide Nil Umpires Chris Donlon Jacob Mollison Craig Fleer Nick Brown Crowd 4,981 at Playford Alive Oval

Sounds like a good old Melbourne 426.

I'm sure someone will let us know on the Game Day thread.

Which of these lads are you most excited to see play in 2016?

No

The forum software updates keeps removing this 3rd party mod. I never got satisfactory feedback on whether it should be double or single line spacing.

INTO THE GRAY by Whispering Jack The gray drizzly conditions that faced the very few who braved the trip to Casey Fields for yesterday's Melbourne training session were in stark contrast to my last visit for a training run two years ago when a north wind blew, the temperature hovered above the forty mark and the flies were impossible [FAREWELL TO MADAME TUSSAUD]. This time, the ground had been soaked by heavy overnight rain that persisted into the morning and was still coming down when the players ran out onto the ground. Despite the conditions, it was a good standard work out but one needs to remember that the start of the season is two months away and training sessions such as these are a long way from the real thing. Paul Roos watched proceedings from under cover in the grandstand while his assistants supervised on the field. There was a main group which did a spirited warm up and then there were others doing different forms of work, mainly rehab stuff but they were thankfully reasonably low in numbers. Jake Spencer ran on his own most of the time, Chris Dawes ran around a bit and then disappeared (from my view at least), Heitier Lumumba made a brief appearance, Jack Trengove was on the far side of the ground working with two assistants clad in red. From time to time, a player or groups of players broke off to do some specialised work, Jesse Hogan ran off on his own once or twice and later, we saw Ben Newton and Christian Petracca walking laps. Very few of the main list were missing altogether. I didn't see Dean Terlich and of course, Jake Melksham is off limits until November. After some running and ball work, the larger part of the group was split into three groups of 10-12 in blue, green and white tops for a form of match simulation but because of their numbers, you couldn't really get a sense of their proposed positions or roles for the season. Melbourne's midfield has been underperforming over the past decade. It has been a concern for years and to overcome this was one of Roos' main objectives on assuming his role as coach. We have seen good improvement since but in the main, it's been slow and it's hard to assess the change between seasons because of the operation of the midfield theory of relativity. By this I mean, that while we know the makeup of that division in the other clubs, it's difficult to work out how much we need to improve to reach the standard of the other midfields which themselves change from year to year. We know that we have an abundance of youth in contention for midfield places alongside Nathan Jones and Bernie Vince, that Dom Tyson is emerging in class despite injury setbacks last year, that Jack Viney's an absolute tiger for the football, that Angus Brayshaw and Christian Salem are up and comers who could rise up the charts like a bullet and Aaron vandenBerg looks in great shape as a big bodied mid. There are also some kids like Alex Neal-Bullen, Billy Stretch and recruit Clayton Oliver who could burst their way into the mix with a few others like Matt Jones who looks stronger this year, the injured Newton and possibly Petracca if the coaches decide to play him in that role. Viv Michie looks the logical selection if the club elevates him from the rookie list. But how will they set up and how much will other clubs improve or come back to the field in this area? One session in the wet certainly won't answer the question and we've been through so many episodes of false hope over the years to guess. I remember not all that long ago, coming to this ground and witnessing Tom Scully and Jack Trengove light up the entire playing group in their very early days as young recruits at the club at a time when other young hopefuls with midfield promise were plentiful in number but look how that worked out? That said, I liked the way the midfield worked together; their competitiveness stood out and if they have to fight for positions as hard as I expect they will in 2016, then there will be improvement. Whether that improvement will translate to elevation out of the bottom third into the middle of the table and even better will, I suspect, also depend very much on a more than a few players from outside the midfield zone. Jesse Hogan looked great in the wet. He's a big, brooding hulk of a man who stands out even at training. The competition's rising star gives the impression that in a bigger, stronger form in the next couple of seasons, he is going to take the competition by the scruff of the neck and, in doing so, the team's fortunes could soar. I thought much the same a few years ago with Mitch Clark before he was injured but he simply lacked the support around him to enable the forward line to become a force. We bemoaned the lack of crumbers around Clark to take advantage of on ground contested situations around the big man if the opposition spoiled him. These days we will have Jeff Garlett, Dean Kent, Jay Kennedy-Harris and possibly Ben Kennedy to take roles up forward and that's not to mention the rapidly improving James Harmes and also Petracca who will possibly start as a half forward. The second key forward position might be problematic given Dawes' continuing leg problems but Cam Pedersen is one of those good honest toilers who could fill the bill (as well as provide some in game ruck relief) in the interim while some of the younger tall forward prospects develop. Alternatively, Sam Frost could be used there and of course, there is always the hope that Jack Watts' sublime skills finally achieve enlightenment with a mid career step up in the intensity of his output. Watts did some very nice things on the ground yesterday interspersed with the odd wet weather error but he moves so smoothly and disposes so neatly that he could become Paul Roos' last big challenge. Find him a role where that talent can finally come to the fore. I doubt whether Max Gawn has had a true pre season since he came to the club already in rehab after his first knee reconstruction. He is experiencing one now and looks the goods. Known as a bit of a joker around the club, he could seriously force his way into the upper echelon of AFL ruckmen and if he does that, then the club gets an immediate lift. If he's injured or drops in form, it could spell trouble as there's not a great deal of back up depth. Jake Spencer is running laps at the moment and the King boys are a way off. Tom McDonald is now the main man in what is looming as a solid defence along with the likes of Lynden Dunn, Colin Garland and I hope Frost is played there as well. Tom Bugg looks like someone who will fit in well with Nev Jetta and hopefully Lumumba will get back to his exciting best from the Collingwood years. Then there are the two former captains Jack Grimes and Trengove. They were dealt a harsh hand given the captaincy of a troubled club without the full support of a fractured playing group and things were made tougher for them as a result of some frustrating injuries. They are among the club's wild cards. If they can regain regular places and play to the standards they were once considered capable of reaching in mid-career, it would make an enormous difference to the club's fortunes. Grimes, who was showing some good signs late last season, trained solidly yesterday. Trengove is still in rehab from his foot injury woes, but worked out with some of the assistant coaches and did not look that far from resuming full training. Two years ago and just before his current injury flared, he played a dominant role in a NAB Challenge upset victory over Richmond. It's all a matter of luck and outside chance from here on in, but nothing will be achieved from lack of trying and Trengove appears to be working his butt off to claim his last chance to resurrect his career. Clayton Oliver's 12 month journey from an overweight sufferer of osteitis pubis to Morrish Medallist and number four draft selection is well documented. It still worried me that Melbourne passed on such a well credentialed midfielder as Darcy Parish to get Oliver but seeing him out there in the wet competing with and against some experienced AFL bodies was mighty comforting. He could come very close to repeating Angus Brayshaw's 2015 effort of making the team for the first round. Sam Weideman moved well, has good height and I can see him getting game time later in the season. Liam Hulett already has a good build but his lack of grounding at TAC Cup level might mean he has to wait a bit longer. It was hard to draw any conclusions on Mitch King in the conditions and given that I didn't see that much ruck work in the hour that I was there. Of the rookies, Josh Wagner didn't look lost at sea and contested well in the match simulation - I'm sure he'll get a chance during the NAB Challenge. I wasn't expecting much from Joel Smith given that he's a category B rookie coming from outside the system but he's athletic and keen and the day in the wet at Casey would have been a good tune up for him at the place that will be his home ground for the next twelve months. Here's hoping he becomes another Mark Blicavs. After an hour, it was time to leave. I noticed Colin Garland leaving the field early but nothing looked amiss. It didn't leave me without a spring in the step in the expectation of the coming season which, after this weekend will creep up on us after the tennis and cricket are finally behind us.

The gray drizzly conditions that faced the very few who braved the trip to Casey Fields for yesterday's Melbourne training session were in stark contrast to my last visit for a training run two years ago when a north wind blew, the temperature hovered above the forty mark and the flies were impossible [FAREWELL TO MADAME TUSSAUD]. This time, the ground had been soaked by heavy overnight rain that persisted into the morning and was still coming down when the players ran out onto the ground. Despite the conditions, it was a good standard work out but one needs to remember that the start of the season is two months away and training sessions such as these are a long way from the real thing. Paul Roos watched proceedings from under cover in the grandstand while his assistants supervised on the field. There was a main group which did a spirited warm up and then there were others doing different forms of work, mainly rehab stuff but they were thankfully reasonably low in numbers. Jake Spencer ran on his own most of the time, Chris Dawes ran around a bit and then disappeared (from my view at least), Heitier Lumumba made a brief appearance, Jack Trengove was on the far side of the ground working with two assistants clad in red. From time to time, a player or groups of players broke off to do some specialised work, Jesse Hogan ran off on his own once or twice and later, we saw Ben Newton and Christian Petracca walking laps. Very few of the main list were missing altogether. I didn't see Dean Terlich and of course, Jake Melksham is off limits until November. After some running and ball work, the larger part of the group was split into three groups of 10-12 in blue, green and white tops for a form of match simulation but because of their numbers, you couldn't really get a sense of their proposed positions or roles for the season. Melbourne's midfield has been underperforming over the past decade. It has been a concern for years and to overcome this was one of Roos' main objectives on assuming his role as coach. We have seen good improvement since but in the main, it's been slow and it's hard to assess the change between seasons because of the operation of the midfield theory of relativity. By this I mean, that while we know the makeup of that division in the other clubs, it's difficult to work out how much we need to improve to reach the standard of the other midfields which themselves change from year to year. We know that we have an abundance of youth in contention for midfield places alongside Nathan Jones and Bernie Vince, that Dom Tyson is emerging in class despite injury setbacks last year, that Jack Viney's an absolute tiger for the football, that Angus Brayshaw and Christian Salem are up and comers who could rise up the charts like a bullet and Aaron vandenBerg looks in great shape as a big bodied mid. There are also some kids like Alex Neal-Bullen, Billy Stretch and recruit Clayton Oliver who could burst their way into the mix with a few others like Matt Jones who looks stronger this year, the injured Newton and possibly Petracca if the coaches decide to play him in that role. Viv Michie looks the logical selection if the club elevates him from the rookie list. But how will they set up and how much will other clubs improve or come back to the field in this area? One session in the wet certainly won't answer the question and we've been through so many episodes of false hope over the years to guess. I remember not all that long ago, coming to this ground and witnessing Tom Scully and Jack Trengove light up the entire playing group in their very early days as young recruits at the club at a time when other young hopefuls with midfield promise were plentiful in number but look how that worked out? That said, I liked the way the midfield worked together; their competitiveness stood out and if they have to fight for positions as hard as I expect they will in 2016, then there will be improvement. Whether that improvement will translate to elevation out of the bottom third into the middle of the table and even better will, I suspect, also depend very much on a more than a few players from outside the midfield zone. Jesse Hogan looked great in the wet. He's a big, brooding hulk of a man who stands out even at training. The competition's rising star gives the impression that in a bigger, stronger form in the next couple of seasons, he is going to take the competition by the scruff of the neck and, in doing so, the team's fortunes could soar. I thought much the same a few years ago with Mitch Clark before he was injured but he simply lacked the support around him to enable the forward line to become a force. We bemoaned the lack of crumbers around Clark to take advantage of on ground contested situations around the big man if the opposition spoiled him. These days we will have Jeff Garlett, Dean Kent, Jay Kennedy-Harris and possibly Ben Kennedy to take roles up forward and that's not to mention the rapidly improving James Harmes and also Petracca who will possibly start as a half forward. The second key forward position might be problematic given Dawes' continuing leg problems but Cam Pedersen is one of those good honest toilers who could fill the bill (as well as provide some in game ruck relief) in the interim while some of the younger tall forward prospects develop. Alternatively, Sam Frost could be used there and of course, there is always the hope that Jack Watts' sublime skills finally achieve enlightenment with a mid career step up in the intensity of his output. Watts did some very nice things on the ground yesterday interspersed with the odd wet weather error but he moves so smoothly and disposes so neatly that he could become Paul Roos' last big challenge. Find him a role where that talent can finally come to the fore. I doubt whether Max Gawn has had a true pre season since he came to the club already in rehab after his first knee reconstruction. He is experiencing one now and looks the goods. Known as a bit of a joker around the club, he could seriously force his way into the upper echelon of AFL ruckmen and if he does that, then the club gets an immediate lift. If he's injured or drops in form, it could spell trouble as there's not a great deal of back up depth. Jake Spencer is running laps at the moment and the King boys are a way off. Tom McDonald is now the main man in what is looming as a solid defence along with the likes of Lynden Dunn, Colin Garland and I hope Frost is played there as well. Tom Bugg looks like someone who will fit in well with Nev Jetta and hopefully Lumumba will get back to his exciting best from the Collingwood years. Then there are the two former captains Jack Grimes and Trengove. They were dealt a harsh hand given the captaincy of a troubled club without the full support of a fractured playing group and things were made tougher for them as a result of some frustrating injuries. They are among the club's wild cards. If they can regain regular places and play to the standards they were once considered capable of reaching in mid-career, it would make an enormous difference to the club's fortunes. Grimes, who was showing some good signs late last season, trained solidly yesterday. Trengove is still in rehab from his foot injury woes, but worked out with some of the assistant coaches and did not look that far from resuming full training. Two years ago and just before his current injury flared, he played a dominant role in a NAB Challenge upset victory over Richmond. It's all a matter of luck and outside chance from here on in, but nothing will be achieved from lack of trying and Trengove appears to be working his butt off to claim his last chance to resurrect his career. Clayton Oliver's 12 month journey from an overweight sufferer of osteitis pubis to Morrish Medallist and number four draft selection is well documented. It still worried me that Melbourne passed on such a well credentialed midfielder as Darcy Parish to get Oliver but seeing him out there in the wet competing with and against some experienced AFL bodies was mighty comforting. He could come very close to repeating Angus Brayshaw's 2015 effort of making the team for the first round. Sam Weideman moved well, has good height and I can see him getting game time later in the season. Liam Hulett already has a good build but his lack of grounding at TAC Cup level might mean he has to wait a bit longer. It was hard to draw any conclusions on Mitch King in the conditions and given that I didn't see that much ruck work in the hour that I was there. Of the rookies, Josh Wagner didn't look lost at sea and contested well in the match simulation - I'm sure he'll get a chance during the NAB Challenge. I wasn't expecting much from Joel Smith given that he's a category B rookie coming from outside the system but he's athletic and keen and the day in the wet at Casey would have been a good tune up for him at the place that will be his home ground for the next twelve months. Here's hoping he becomes another Mark Blicavs. After an hour, it was time to leave. I noticed Colin Garland leaving the field early but nothing looked amiss. It didn't leave me without a spring in the step in the expectation of the coming season which, after this weekend will creep up on us after the tennis and cricket are finally behind us.

If you start a post in a thread and do not complete that post and leave the thread the forum software auto saves that post for you in that thread. When you come back to that thread and attempt to post that saved post will still be in the reply box. If you delete that post in the reply box before exiting the thread it will not be there the next time you go into the thread. THIS IS NOT A SOFTWARE GLITCH.

If you start a post in a thread and do not complete that post and leave the thread the forum software auto saves that post for you in that thread. When you come back to that thread and attempt to post that saved post will still be in the reply box. If you delete that post in the reply box before exiting the thread it will not be there the next time you go into the thread. THIS IS NOT A SOFTWARE GLITCH.

This has now been fixed.

This seems to have been broken in the latest forum software update. I have put in a tech support ticket regarding this.

For the most part of the past decade, Melbourne has gone through cycles of constant defeat, times of failure, setbacks and an inability to deal with its own demons but there were signs during 2015 that the time is ripe for the club to rise and reclaim a position among the better clubs in the AFL community. Melbourne's progression might have been slow in 2015 but it certainly went in the right direction. However, while the final outcome saw it rise on the ladder of four places to 13th with seven wins against four in 2014 and two in 2013, most supporters would still have come out of the season with an empty feeling about the overall result. There were some great moments but it was the team's wildly erratic form over the year that took the gloss off the highs. The lows were devastating not only because they often were so dreadful but also because they came upon the heels of the highs. In addition, there were the dramatic turnarounds from the good to the very bad within the course of single games. It was a pattern that delivered the fans many moments of frustration, the worst often coming against teams which finished below them on the ladder. Of six games against such sides, Melbourne won only two - the opening game against Gold Coast and a dreary defensive slog against Brisbane. It went down twice to St Kilda with one defeat coming after meekly conceding a goal in the dying moments that could have been saved with better organisation and numbers behind the ball in defence. The other losses against Essendon (who were at their lowest ebb), St Kilda (the return game) and an absolute shocker against wooden spooner Carlton when the team capitulated in the first half were appalling. Five of those six games were played on the MCG and most of them came in the second half of the season. Then there were the times when the Demons started games like a house on fire and not only failed to go on with the task of winning, but ended up conceding by wide margins. They dominated most of the first halves of football against GWS (the earlier game), Adelaide and Port Adelaide and then stopped almost to a walk after seemingly being so much in control. And then there were the horror matches against Hawthorn, the second Bulldogs game and the two against Fremantle to go with the loss at the hands of lowly Carlton. The angst was not confined to concerns about the team's form but also to the level of injuries which have been running on high over the long period during which the club has been conducting its well-documented sets of rebuilds. The toughest break came in the preseason when the club's top draft selection from 2014 Christian Petracca damaged his ACL and joined former captain Jack Trengove (foot) on the sidelines for the entire season. Soon after, the club lost key defender Sam Frost (broken toe) who had been traded from the Giants to cover for the loss of James Frawley and then improver Dean Kent to a hamstring injury. Important players such as Jack Viney, Dom Tyson, Heritier Lumumba and skipper Nathan Jones were all hampered by injuries that limited their output during the season. Of course, there were the standard injuries that affect every team as well but at a young struggling club, the impact is felt more because of the effect on team depth. On the other side of the ledger were the wins which included victories over five teams that finished higher on the ladder, mostly mid ladder sides. One of those wins was against eventual finalist Richmond (by 32 points) when Jesse Hogan underlined his huge potential by blanketing and overpowering All Australian defender Alex Rance. At that stage, the record of two wins and two defeats was a barely acceptable one but you would take it. A bad stretch against three strong teams left the team somewhat battered but they came back with a 39 point win over the Bulldogs and yet a week later blew a six goal lead in the middle of the second term to go down by ten at Treagar Park to a struggling Port Adelaide. It was the story of the team's year. From rags to riches and back to rags again in the blink of an eye. Without doubt, the pinnacle of the season was the win against Geelong at the Cattery without Jesse Hogan in Corey Enright's 300th game, closely followed by the victory over Collingwood when the teams met in Round 18. In both instances, the Demons broke long-running hoodoos which was something they were becoming accustomed to having broken the drought of wins for season openers against Gold Coast and then breaking through for a win at Etihad Stadium in the final round against the GWS Giants after 23 straight losses there. The great challenges remaining are to come up with consecutive wins, to win games in the west and to reward the NT government and the faithful by picking up premiership points in places where the club has sold home matches to enable the books to be balanced. The improvement of the club in terms of wins and ladder position was in a large part due to the continued improvement of the quality of on field personnel being brought into the club. The highlights from a long term perspective were the youngsters introduced to the team with NAB Rising Star award winner, Jesse Hogan, being the stand out and midfielder Angus Brayshaw not that far behind him. When you add the likes of Aaron vandenBerg (a revelation given his initial recruitment as a rookie), Alex Neal-Bullen, Billy Stretch, James Harmes, Oscar McDonald and Mitchell White who all debuted for the club in 2015 and Christian Petracca who will do so (body permitting) early next season, the future looks very promising especially in terms of the quest to lift the club's midfield from third world to top shelf status. The club also recruited some handy mature age recruits from other clubs in Heritier Lumumba and Jeff Garlett along with the lesser known Frost and Ben Newton. Lumumba looked exciting in the pre season but was not the force in defence that was anticipated when recruited, perhaps as a result of injury but Garlett proved to be a value selection kicking forty goals for the year. Newton showed enough to suggest that he can help make the team's midfield more competitive. We didn't really see enough of Frost to draw any conclusions but he does look adaptable and capable of adding to the key position depth when fit. Bernie Vince was outstanding throughout the year and his club champion honours were well deserved. It was no coincidence that the club's worst moments came on the rare occasions when he was down on form. When he was on song he often made the difference winning the football and often succeeding when called upon to blanket some of the game's biggest names. Jack Viney's name crept up high onto the honour board and he could easily have joined father Todd among the list of tough nuts to have won a Bluey - there's a lot more to come from this young man. Tom McDonald was living up to his potential and on his way to All Australian honours until he ran into Travis Cloke in rare form in front of the sticks. He shrugged off a mid season trough and finished the season strongly. Then there was the skipper Nathan Jones. We all knew how good he is but although not as dominant as he has been in recent years and he carried an injury for most of the second half of the season, he continued to feature strongly. Daniel Cross was solid throughout and it was a pity he could not be afforded another contract but he will not be lost entirely as he has a position in 2016 as a senior assistant coach. Two other players at the club whose seasons were affected by injuries and recovery from them could make significant inroads in the quest to improve its midfield stocks with a full season in 2016. It took Max Gawn almost half a season to gain senior selection after recovering from the setback he suffered with the knee injury incurred at the end of 2014. His first game back was a triumph in the game at Simonds Stadium where he dominated in Melbourne's win and he threatens to move into the highest echelon of ruckmen in the competition. Christian Salem lost a large slab of the middle part of the year due to hamstring issues. His immaculate kicking and fearless attitude was a bonus in defence but he might be destined for the midfield where those assets would prove invaluable. There are of course, the newcomers traded and drafted in the post season which was an interesting period for the club. It's said at this time every year but we can only wait in hope that this time the club's recruiters reap the rewards of their labours over the past few seasons. The main hope is in the view that the characteristics displayed by Melbourne this year is common to all emerging clubs and a breakthrough is not far away. The Western Bulldogs won seven matches in 2014 and doubled that number in 2015. While we bandy about expressions such as third world midfield and lack of experience, leadership and maturity to explain the club's on field woes, it's abundantly clear that the problems at Melbourne have largely persisted as a result of its off field weaknesses. The truth is that the club has been in many respects a third world power in AFL circles for far too long. There have been far too many power struggles; too many boards have assumed the reins with good intentions and failed to produce, leaving too many jobs undone. The present set up which sees the club still under a form of patronage from the AFL above seems to be working well but Glenn Bartlett, Peter Jackson and co are expected to ultimately produce results on the field in terms of finals appearances at some time in the near future. As we enter 2016 it remains to be seen whether the stability they have brought to the club can translate into an escalation of the improvement and gains of the past couple of seasons and in that regard much will depend on how the young Demons mature and how smoothly the transition of the coaching role from Paul Roos to Simon Goodwin can be carried out.

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