Demonland

You could see on Clint's face that day that he was hurting. Condolences again to Clint and his family from all at Demonland. Clint was our sponsored player in 2007 & 2008 and he has always done us proud.

Delusional Dave will be at the ground to report on today's game for Demonland. You can put your own match day thoughts here.

<!--fonto:Verdana--><span style="font-family:Verdana"><!--/fonto--><b>KICKING SAND AT THE COAST</b> by Delusional Dave from Dianella The travelling Demons embark this week on their second road trip of the season. This time they cross the continent and their destination is the Western Australian capital city of Perth where they take on one-time rivals the West Coast Eagles. Yes, once they were rivals and those expatriate Melbournians who live out in the west and follow the Demons witnesses some exciting battles between their old home town team and the new local addition to what was becoming a national competition. Those were the early days when they met each other regularly in finals, when the Jakovich brothers featured on the football stage and when men wearing white shoes were the captains of the nation's industry. But those days are now long gone as the two clubs struggle in football's cellar. Having finished last and second last in 2008 the two seem destined for the scrap heap again this year but they also have some company in the form of the dismal Dockers, the troubled Tigers and the ailing Kangaroos. And with quite a few clubs already facing some form of strife at this stage of the year, Sunday's game presents these clubs with the perfect opportunity for a morale boosting win for their supporters and a chance to rise above the mire. With the game being played at Subiaco it's the home side that will start out as favourite. After all, they have beaten two teams regarded much more highly at this ground already this year but they let themselves down last week with some atrocious kicking for goal against Freo. Melbourne has been plucky against good opposition in the past fortnight but it struggles to kick goals and I can't remember the last time the Demons won on any foreign soil let alone at Subiaco my memory doesn't go back as far as Round 11, 2004). The trouble with the boys in the red and the blue is that when they cross the Victorian border they become like one of those 90 pound skinny weaklings who have sand kicked in their faces by the bullies at the beach. But whilst all this might point us in the direction of a West Coast victory a little voice inside my head says this week will be different. Something is telling me that Melbourne is about to emerge from its shell; the ugly duckling is awakening. <b>THE GAME</b> West Coast v Melbourne at Subiaco – Sunday 10 May 2009 at 4.40pm (AEST) <b>HEAD TO HEAD</b> Overall: West Coast 23 wins Melbourne 14 wins At Subiaco West Coast 10 wins Melbourne 5 wins Since 2000: West Coast 7 wins Melbourne 6 wins The Coaches: Worsfold 0 wins Bailey 1 win <b>MEDIA</b> TV Fox Sports 1 - Live from 4.30pm (AEST) Radio ABC774 SEN <b>THE BETTING</b> West Coast to win $1.18 Melbourne to win $4.50 <b>LAST TIME THEY MET</b> Melbourne 11.13.79 d West Coast 5.15.45 in Round 20, 2008 at the MCG Here's the scenario: West Coast had just beaten Essendon at Subiaco to record its fourth win of the season. Another victory would have deprived the Eagles of the chance to gain a priority pick in the upcoming draft and would also have denied them eligibility for a first round priority in 2009 given their final two matches were against Hawthorn and Geelong respectively. Melbourne was at the bottom of the ladder with a paltry two wins and a percentage hovering around 60%. Result: Surprise, surprise. The Eagles came over and played as if the who team was collectively suffering from the symptoms of swine flu and Melbourne easily won an historic match by 34 points. After the game AFL chief reiterated his claim that AFL clubs don't tank just as a cluster of pigs was seen circling the MCG and scaring off the seagulls. <b>THE TEAMS WEST COAST</b> Backs David Wirrpanda Darren Glass Mark Nicoski Half backs Shannon Hurn Eric Mackenzie Adam Selwood Centreline Matt Rosa Daniel Kerr Andrew Embley Half forwards Adam Cockie Josh Kennedy Sam Butler Forwards Mark LeCras Quinten Lynch Ben McKinley Followers Dean Cox Matt Priddis Chris Masten Interchange (from)<b> </b>Mitch Brown Adam Hunter Brett Jones Jamie McNamara Will Schofield Scott Selwood Matt Spangher In<b> </b>Josh Kennedy Jamie McNamara Will Schofield Scott Selwood Matt Spangher Out Ashley Hansen Brent Staker (hand) <b>MELBOURNE</b> Backs James Frawley Matthew Warnock Ricky Petterd Half backs Cameron Bruce Jared Rivers Aaron Davey Centreline Clint Bartram Colin Sylvia Brock McLean Half forwards Cale Morton Lynden Dunn Russell Robertson Forwards Brad Miller Stefan Martin Matthew Bate Followers Paul Johnson Brent Moloney James McDonald Interchange (from) Jamie Bennell Kyle Cheney Jack Grimes Neville Jetta Nathan Jones Addam Maric Michael Newton In Kyle Cheney Jack Grimes Neville Jetta Michael Newton Out John Meesen (foot) <b>THE LINE IN THE SAND </b> So where was I? That's right. I was going on about the 90 pound skinny weaklings getting sand kicked in their faces and this is where I will draw on some recent football history to help guide the Demons onward to better things. I look back now on the early days of Alastair Clarkson’s coaching career when the Hawks were regularly beaten up by most sides not only on the scoreboard but also physically. Then one day, someone at the club called Dermott thought it might be a good idea for the Hawks to hit back; to draw a line in the sand and to say "we've had enough of the humiliation." Skipper Richie Vandenberg, Campbell Brown and several others made their stand against Essendon and showed so much vigour that they were given a rest from the game courtesy of the AFL Tribunal. The Bombers who were winning the game well, went on to win by more and the whole exercise appeared to be one of futility on the day. Many Hawk supporters however, point to the incident as one that was a turning point in their team's history. The next time they played Essendon, they lost again but it was only by a narrow margin. The Bombers have not beaten the Hawks since. Now, I'm not advocating that Melbourne has to start a fight and risk the wrath of the Match Review Panel, Tribunal, Appeals Court and the Supreme Court to win some respect but you can draw the line in the sand by having a red hot dip and by performing consistently wherever the game might be played. There's absolutely no reason why the Melbourne team which disposed of West Coast with great ease back in August last year, can't repeat the dose again this weekend at Subiaco. People point to the ruck dominance of Dean Cox against the Dees' dwindling number of ruckmen but I don't buy that. Cox played against them last year and Paul Johnson has all the incentive in the world to shine against his old club. Besides, Melbourne's midfield simply shrugged off the brilliance of Big Cox when they last met and players like Cameron Bruce, Cale Morton and Colin Sylvia blew the Eagles away. They're all back again this year and so are Brock McLean, Brent Moloney and Nathan Jones. On top of that Aaron Davey is in brilliant form with his accurate disposal all around the ground. And if you can't beat a team that needs to play a Cockie, then you're sure in trouble. In summary then, I select Melbourne to win by 25 points by drawing the line in the sand in kicking it in the face of West Coast. <!--fontc--></span><!--/fontc-->

KICKING SAND AT THE COAST by Delusional Dave from Dianella The travelling Demons embark this week on their second road trip of the season. This time they cross the continent and their destination is the Western Australian capital city of Perth where they take on one-time rivals the West Coast Eagles. Yes, once they were rivals and those expatriate Melbournians who live out in the west and follow the Demons witnesses some exciting battles between their old home town team and the new local addition to what was becoming a national competition. Those were the early days when they met each other regularly in finals, when the Jakovich brothers featured on the football stage and when men wearing white shoes were the captains of the nation's industry. But those days are now long gone as the two clubs struggle in football's cellar. Having finished last and second last in 2008 the two seem destined for the scrap heap again this year but they also have some company in the form of the dismal Dockers, the troubled Tigers and the ailing Kangaroos. And with quite a few clubs already facing some form of strife at this stage of the year, Sunday's game presents these clubs with the perfect opportunity for a morale boosting win for their supporters and a chance to rise above the mire. With the game being played at Subiaco it's the home side that will start out as favourite. After all, they have beaten two teams regarded much more highly at this ground already this year but they let themselves down last week with some atrocious kicking for goal against Freo. Melbourne has been plucky against good opposition in the past fortnight but it struggles to kick goals and I can't remember the last time the Demons won on any foreign soil let alone at Subiaco my memory doesn't go back as far as Round 11, 2004). The trouble with the boys in the red and the blue is that when they cross the Victorian border they become like one of those 90 pound skinny weaklings who have sand kicked in their faces by the bullies at the beach. But whilst all this might point us in the direction of a West Coast victory a little voice inside my head says this week will be different. Something is telling me that Melbourne is about to emerge from its shell; the ugly duckling is awakening. THE GAME West Coast v Melbourne at Subiaco – Sunday 10 May 2009 at 4.40pm (AEST) HEAD TO HEAD Overall: West Coast 23 wins Melbourne 14 wins At Subiaco West Coast 10 wins Melbourne 5 wins Since 2000: West Coast 7 wins Melbourne 6 wins The Coaches: Worsfold 0 wins Bailey 1 win MEDIA TV Fox Sports 1 - Live from 4.30pm (AEST) Radio ABC774 SEN THE BETTING West Coast to win $1.18 Melbourne to win $4.50 LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 11.13.79 d West Coast 5.15.45 in Round 20, 2008 at the MCG Here's the scenario: West Coast had just beaten Essendon at Subiaco to record its fourth win of the season. Another victory would have deprived the Eagles of the chance to gain a priority pick in the upcoming draft and would also have denied them eligibility for a first round priority in 2009 given their final two matches were against Hawthorn and Geelong respectively. Melbourne was at the bottom of the ladder with a paltry two wins and a percentage hovering around 60%. Result: Surprise, surprise. The Eagles came over and played as if the who team was collectively suffering from the symptoms of swine flu and Melbourne easily won an historic match by 34 points. After the game AFL chief reiterated his claim that AFL clubs don't tank just as a cluster of pigs was seen circling the MCG and scaring off the seagulls. THE TEAMS WEST COAST Backs David Wirrpanda Darren Glass Mark Nicoski Half backs Shannon Hurn Eric Mackenzie Adam Selwood Centreline Matt Rosa Daniel Kerr Andrew Embley Half forwards Adam Cockie Josh Kennedy Sam Butler Forwards Mark LeCras Quinten Lynch Ben McKinley Followers Dean Cox Matt Priddis Chris Masten Interchange Adam Hunter Brett Jones Jamie McNamara Emergencies Will Schofield Scott Selwood Beau Wilkes In Josh Kennedy Jamie McNamara Matt Spangher Out Mitch Brown (hamstring) Ashley Hansen (omitted) Brent Staker (hand) MELBOURNE Backs James Frawley Matthew Warnock Ricky Petterd Half backs Cameron Bruce Jared Rivers Aaron Davey Centreline Clint Bartram Colin Sylvia Brock McLean Half forwards Cale Morton Lynden Dunn Russell Robertson Forwards Brad Miller Stefan Martin Matthew Bate Followers Paul Johnson Brent Moloney James McDonald Interchange Jamie Bennell Jack Grimes Nathan Jones Addam Maric Emergencies Kyle Cheney Neville Jetta Michael Newton In Jack Grimes Out John Meesen (foot) THE LINE IN THE SAND So where was I? That's right. I was going on about the 90 pound skinny weaklings getting sand kicked in their faces and this is where I will draw on some recent football history to help guide the Demons onward to better things. I look back now on the early days of Alastair Clarkson's coaching career when the Hawks were regularly beaten up by most sides not only on the scoreboard but also physically. Then one day, someone at the club called Dermott thought it might be a good idea for the Hawks to hit back; to draw a line in the sand and to say "we've had enough of the humiliation." Skipper Richie Vandenberg, Campbell Brown and several others made their stand against Essendon and showed so much vigour that they were given a rest from the game courtesy of the AFL Tribunal. The Bombers who were winning the game well, went on to win by more and the whole exercise appeared to be one of futility on the day. Many Hawk supporters however, point to the incident as one that was a turning point in their team's history. The next time they played Essendon, they lost again but it was only by a narrow margin. The Bombers have not beaten the Hawks since. Now, I'm not advocating that Melbourne has to start a fight and risk the wrath of the Match Review Panel, Tribunal, Appeals Court and the Supreme Court to win some respect but you can draw the line in the sand by having a red hot dip and by performing consistently wherever the game might be played. There's absolutely no reason why the Melbourne team which disposed of West Coast with great ease back in August last year, can't repeat the dose again this weekend at Subiaco. People point to the ruck dominance of Dean Cox against the Dees' dwindling number of ruckmen but I don't buy that. Cox played against them last year and Paul Johnson has all the incentive in the world to shine against his old club. Besides, Melbourne's midfield simply shrugged off the brilliance of Big Cox when they last met and players like Cameron Bruce, Cale Morton and Colin Sylvia blew the Eagles away. They're all back again this year and so are Brock McLean, Brent Moloney and Nathan Jones. On top of that Aaron Davey is in brilliant form with his accurate disposal all around the ground. And if you can't beat a team that needs to play a Cockie, then you're sure in trouble. In summary then, I select Melbourne to win by 25 points by drawing the line in the sand in kicking it in the face of West Coast.

Melbourne and West Coast last locked horns at Subiaco on 20 May 2007. These were the teams selected for that match:- WEST COAST Backs David Wirrpanda Darren Glass Brett Jones Half backs Tyson Stenglein Adam Hunter Adam Selwood Centreline Matt Rosa Matt Priddis Michael Braun Half forwards Daniel Chick Ashley Hansen Shannon Hurn Forwards Beau Waters Quinten Lynch Rowan Jones Followers Mark Seaby Chris Judd Daniel Kerr Interchange Dean Cox Chad Fletcher Mitchell Morton Brent Staker Emergencies Steven Armstrong Mitchell Brown Mark LeCras In Dean Cox Chad Fletcher Mitchell Morton Out Steven Armstrong Mitchell Brown Mark LeCras MELBOURNE: Backs Daniel Ward Nathan Carroll Adem Yze Half backs Nathan Brown Ryan Ferguson Daniel Bell Centreline Matthew Bate James McDonald Aaron Davey Half forwards Brad Green Brad Miller Cameron Bruce Forwards Colin Sylvia David Neitz Lynden Dunn Followers Jeff White Simon Godfrey Travis Johnstone Interchange Paul Johnson Nathan Jones Ricky Petterd Matthew Whelan Emergencies Ben Holland Brock McLean Matthew Warnock In Ryan Ferguson Ricky Petterd Matthew Whelan Out Brent Moloney (groin) Ben Holland Matthew Warnock Notice anything?

by The Oracle Patrons had barely taken their seats for yesterday's encounter at the MCG when Geelong's champion midfielder evoked memories of Usain Bolt as he crashed out of the centre unimpeded, ran to the fifty metre line and rammed home the quickest opening goal in the history of the game. It was yet another example of Gary Ablett Junior magic 2009 style. There and then, many feared that a massacre was looming of similar proportions to that which befell the Demons when they met the Cats on the MCG last August on the eve of the Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony. Back then, the Demons took the result sitting down but it was a different story yesterday. The final result was a flogging by 43 points but it took the visitors until well into the second quarter to assert themselves and, after a period of domination in the third quarter, they were even outscored in the last term by a dogged young Melbourne combination that kept plugging away all day against an opposition that is a sheer class above. Despite conceding the first two goals of the game, Melbourne was desperately unlucky not to take a handy lead into the first break. Experienced players in Bruce (twice), Davey, Miller and Robertson worked hard to establish shots at goal and missed. Miller's attempt failed to make the distance and supporters watch in dismay as a handful of Cats ran a raffle to decide who would clear the ball from the last line of defence. It took youngsters in Ricky Petterd and Cale Morton to show the way with consecutive goals to give the team the lead late in the quarter before Mooney spoiled the party with the reply. Still, the quarter time score line of 2.4.16 to 3.3.21 read favourably compared with last August's 0.0.0 to 8.3.51. Geelong hasn't won 48 out of its last 51 games for nothing and despite James McDonald keeping a reasonably tight rein on Ablett Junior and the emerging Demon defence of Matty Warnock, Stef Martin, Jared Rivers and James Frawley working their butts off to stem the flow, the Cats were able to break away with six goals to two in the second term. This was mainly thanks to the superior class of their midfield with Chapman and Bartel in superb form and the superb finish skills of Steve Johnson. By contrast, Melbourne continued to struggle up forward although Robbo straightened them up to an extent and did finally manage to snag his 400th goal for the club. The third quarter could easily have turned into an embarrassment for Melbourne but for Geelong's wayward kicking for goal but the defence should take some credit for applying the pressure and keeping up to it's task against the Cats' high possession on ball brigade that persistently pushed the ball forward. At the other end, Robertson kicked a couple to make things look a little more honourable for the Demons' beleaguered attack. The main feather in Melbourne's cap was the winning of the final quarter by a few points. Admittedly, the Cats were resting Scarlett and Ablett and had probably put up the shutters but the Demons kept plugging away and the likes of Morton, Sylvia, McLean, Jones and the hard working Aaron Davey finished the game off strongly. Special mention should be made of Frawley and a couple of teenagers in Jamie Bennell and Addam Maric. Both made mistakes under pressure but, like many of their team mates on the day, they battled on and never gave in. They would have learned plenty from competing at close quarters against such a champion team and that sort of experience will hold them in good stead as the team's development phase continues through the next season or so. Melbourne 2.4.16 4.6.30 6.7.43 10.8.68 Geelong 3.3.21 9.8.62 12.17.89 15.21.111 Goals Melbourne Robertson 3 Miller 2 Bennell Johnson Morton Petterd Sylvia Geelong S Johnson 4 Mooney 3 Varcoe 2 Rooke 2 Stokes Ablett Hawkins Chapman Best Melbourne Davey Robertson Morton Sylvia Frawley McLean Geelong Chapman Bartel S Johnson Selwood Enright Mackie Injuries Melbourne Nil Geelong Ablett (groin soreness) Changes Melbourne Nil Geelong Nil Reports Nil Umpires Kennedy Ryan Dalgleish Crowd 36,932 at the MCG

TIGERS TAMED by KC from Casey After a slow start to the season the Casey Scorpions have continued to gather momentum and in front of a big crowd at ABD Group Stadium on Saturday they recorded a resounding 42 point win over the Coburg Tigers. The Burgers had a long string of top level AFL players in their line up headed by Ben Cousins, Troy Simmonds, Kane Pettifer, Andrew Raines, Jay Schultz, Jake King and Trent Cotchin but it was the evenness of the Casey combination that won the day. Exactly half of the Scorpions team were AFL listed (three of them rookies) and they included number 1 draft pick Jack Watts for the first time. The Tigers made the early running winning the clearances through Simmonds' strong work in the ruck, which allowed them to control possession all around the ground. They booted the first two goals and were doing most of the attacking but strong defensive work from Alex Silvagni, Kyle Cheney and Matthew Whelan enabled Casey to keep Coburg in check and a fine snap by Watts late in the opening quarter saw them trailing by seven points at the first change. The Scorpions lifted their intensity in the second quarter with Matthews and Valenti taking control of the middle. This allowed the team to play a more free flowing open game and, with Wall having an influence and Newton starting to convert (he added three goals for the term), Casey went into the rooms at the main break holding a narrow lead. Valenti continued to shine with a magnificent third quarter and managed to overshadow Cousins and Cotchin as Casey took control of the contest through the agency of some string marking from Danny Hughes who booted three goals for the term. The siren sounded with the visitors 29 points in front and this heralded an interesting few minutes of pushing and shoving in front of the social club as frustration set into among the Tiger camp. However, if any complacency had crept into the minds of the Scorpions, the home side took just four minutes to sow some seeds of doubt in their minds with two Coburg goals early in the final term. The team-lifter for Casey came when the youngest player on the ground won the ball from a ruck contest, paddled the ball, turned to the left and swung through an amazing snap goal to restore his team's advantage to 22 points. It was Jack Watts' third goal on a very impressive senior debut and was awarded VFL Goal of the Day for Round 4. Coburg was quick to reply but a Valenti leg break sealed the issue. Silvagni continued to produce good work in defence and defender Peter Faulks was playing his best game since coming to the club at the start of the season from the Sydney Swans. Newton came off the interchange to add two goals to make his tally five for the game earning him the ABC award for best on ground. Valenti continued to win the ball and finished with 29 touches and youngsters MacReadie and McGough were impressive. Hard working young ruckman Tim Mohr (24 disposals, 6 marks) improved as the game went on and forward Matt Moore underlined his promise kicking the last two goals as Casey ran out easy winners by 42 points. The Scorpions now have a week's rest courtesy of the bye and resume hostilities in a fortnight's time at home to the Box Hill Hawks. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Rohan Bail (6 kicks,10 handballs, 6 marks) - has good pace, sure hands, reads the play well and makes reasonably good decisions. Needs to work a little on his disposal but looks a likely type. Daniel Bell (6 kicks,12 handballs, 4 marks) - coming back from a badly broken thumb, Bell was right into the thick of things tackling strongly in the midfield and getting involved particularly in the packs, winning a fair bit of the contested ball and dishing it out well. Gave away a few free kicks but all in all, it was a good comeback game for Bell. Kyle Cheney (10 kicks, 11 handballs, 4 marks) - started like a house on fire and was strong and sure in defence all day. Pressing for a return to higher ranks with that display. Jack Grimes (12 kicks, 11 handballs, 4 marks) - the unsung Jack in Casey's team against Coburg, Grimes went about his work with a minimum of fuss but was a very effective player on the day. Creative and efficient, Grimes quietly pressed his case for promotion to the AFL next week. Daniel Hughes (13 kicks, 4 handballs, 8 marks) - continues to work hard in his quest to make up time for lost time after a couple of horror seasons with injury. Had a great third quarter scoring all three of his goals. Jordie McKenzie (8 kicks, 8 handballs, 3 marks) - the young rookie worked hard at ground level, is a good decision maker, kicks well on both sides and has been a real surprise packet at the club this year. Tom McNamara (10 kicks, 10 handballs, 4 marks) - a solid game from the young defender who has had his share of injury worries. Ran forward well and generated options and had a few shots on goal, including a pearler that split the middle from the boundary line in the third quarter. Made good decisions and was sure with this ball handling. Michael Newton (10 kicks, 2 handballs, 5 marks) - kicked five goals (it could easily have been seven) and was one of the best on the ground. Juice was allocated a number of tasks during the game and even did some of the early ruck work. If he can gain some confidence in aspects of his game where he was found wanting at the higher level it could be the making of him as a player. Shane Valenti (21 kicks, 8 handballs, 3 marks) – worked really hard, got a lot of the football and was influential in turning an arm wrestle into a triumph for Casey after half time. Jack Watts (10 kicks, 6 handballs, 3 marks) - Casey coach Peter German was effusive about the youngster when he spoke to reporters after the game: "Jack showed his class, I can't remember him fumbling the ball. "He showed why he was Melbourne's number 1 draft pick." Matthew Whelan (8 kicks, 9 handballs, 4 marks) - all class in defence as he makes his return from injury. Looked a little proppy every time he came off the ground but never once let his team down. Austin Wonaeamirri (5 kicks, 4 handballs, 2 marks) - struggled to get into the game with Jake King wearing him like a glove and niggling him all day long. Still, the main thing from his point of view was to make it through a game after a long lay off through injury. Casey Scorpions 1.1.7 7.6.48 11.11.77 17.13.115 Coburg Tigers 2.2.14 7.4.46 7.6.48 11.7.73 Goals Casey Scorpions Newton 5 Hughes Moore Watts 3 McNamara Valenti Wall Coburg Tigers Hislop Liddle Pettifer 2 Allan Connors Horne King Schulz Best Casey Scorpions Newton Mohr McKenzie Faulks Watts Silvagni Coburg Tigers Edwards Cousins Simmonds Morgan King Caruso The reserves led for most of the day and had to withstand a spirited last quarter comeback from the Burgers to win by two points. Luke Williams was again solid and Augustine Patti showed the benefit of some seniors experience in a good quality reserves game. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Four Melbourne listed players took part with Strauss the pick of them. His disposal was excellent but he was reported during the game. Rhys Healey continued to show good form but needs to improve his kicking. Trent Zomer had an interesting battle against Cleeve Hughes who finished with six goals. On the comeback trail after injuring himself after round 1 in the AFL, Simon Buckley showed some dash. Casey Scorpions 2.4.16 9.5.59 16.7.103 17.7.109 Coburg Tigers 3.6.24 6.10.46 11.11.77 15.17.107 Goals Casey Scorpions Scanlon 4 Vernon 3 Bolton Chivers Healey 2 McLeod Oldmeadow Patti Taylor Coburg Tigers Hughes 6 Browne Clifton Deledio De Sousa Kandilakis Kellett Hislop Polak Rayson Best Casey Scorpions Williams Patti Strauss Healey Chivers Vernon Coburg Tigers Hughes Ambrose Groves Browne Rayson Cattapan

SITTING DOWN by The Oracle Patrons had barely taken their seats for yesterday's encounter at the MCG when Geelong's champion midfielder evoked memories of Usain Bolt as he crashed out of the centre unimpeded, ran to the fifty metre line and rammed home the quickest opening goal in the history of the game. It was yet another example of Gary Ablett Junior magic 2009 style. There and then, many feared that a massacre was looming of similar proportions to that which befell the Demons when they met the Cats on the MCG last August on the eve of the Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony. Back then, the Demons took the result sitting down but it was a different story yesterday. The final result was a flogging by 43 points but it took the visitors until well into the second quarter to assert themselves and, after a period of domination in the third quarter, they were even outscored in the last term by a dogged young Melbourne combination that kept plugging away all day against an opposition that is a sheer class above. Despite conceding the first two goals of the game, Melbourne was desperately unlucky not to take a handy lead into the first break. Experienced players in Bruce (twice), Davey, Miller and Robertson worked hard to establish shots at goal and missed. Miller's attempt failed to make the distance and supporters watch in dismay as a handful of Cats ran a raffle to decide who would clear the ball from the last line of defence. It took youngsters in Ricky Petterd and Cale Morton to show the way with consecutive goals to give the team the lead late in the quarter before Mooney spoiled the party with the reply. Still, the quarter time score line of 2.4.16 to 3.3.21 read favourably compared with last August's 0.0.0 to 8.3.51. Geelong hasn't won 48 out of its last 51 games for nothing and despite James McDonald keeping a reasonably tight rein on Ablett Junior and the emerging Demon defence of Matty Warnock, Stef Martin, Jared Rivers and James Frawley working their butts off to stem the flow, the Cats were able to break away with six goals to two in the second term. This was mainly thanks to the superior class of their midfield with Chapman and Bartel in superb form and the superb finish skills of Steve Johnson. By contrast, Melbourne continued to struggle up forward although Robbo straightened them up to an extent and did finally manage to snag his 400th goal for the club. The third quarter could easily have turned into an embarrassment for Melbourne but for Geelong's wayward kicking for goal but the defence should take some credit for applying the pressure and keeping up to it's task against the Cats' high possession on ball brigade that persistently pushed the ball forward. At the other end, Robertson kicked a couple to make things look a little more honourable for the Demons' beleaguered attack. The main feather in Melbourne's cap was the winning of the final quarter by a few points. Admittedly, the Cats were resting Scarlett and Ablett and had probably put up the shutters but the Demons kept plugging away and the likes of Morton, Sylvia, McLean, Jones and the hard working Aaron Davey finished the game off strongly. Special mention should be made of Frawley and a couple of teenagers in Jamie Bennell and Addam Maric. Both made mistakes under pressure but, like many of their team mates on the day, they battled on and never gave in. They would have learned plenty from competing at close quarters against such a champion team and that sort of experience will hold them in good stead as the team's development phase continues through the next season or so. Melbourne 2.4.16 4.6.30 6.7.43 10.8.68 Geelong 3.3.21 9.8.62 12.17.89 15.21.111 Goals Melbourne Robertson 3 Miller 2 Bennell Johnson Morton Petterd Sylvia Geelong S Johnson 4 Mooney 3 Varcoe 2 Rooke 2 Stokes Ablett Hawkins Chapman Best Melbourne Davey Robertson Morton Sylvia Frawley McLean Geelong Chapman Bartel S Johnson Selwood Enright Mackie Injuries Melbourne Nil Geelong Ablett (groin soreness) Changes Melbourne Nil Geelong Nil Reports Nil Umpires Kennedy Ryan Dalgleish Crowd 36,932 at the MCG

BUMP Volunteers still needed for tomorrow night. We've made 30k. Now let's go for 32!

Aaron Davey has moved further in front after 6 rounds. He's going to be hard to catch but a couple of winning games would help his challengers if they're good enough on the day. 57.613 Aaron Davey 26.850 Brent Moloney 23.000 Brock McLean 17.852 Cale Morton 15.764 Brad Miller 15.545 Nathan Jones 15.064 James Frawley 11.805 Ricky Petterd 11.293 Matthew Warnock 11.148 Brad Green 9.411 Colin Sylvia 8.624 Kyle Cheney 7.347 Cameron Bruce 6.126 Russell Robertson 6.122 Matthew Bate 5.717 Jared Rivers 3.333 James McDonald 3.261 Stefan Martin 3.077 Neville Jetta 2.552 Clint Bartram 2.449 Jamie Bennell 0.667 Lynden Dunn 0.663 Paul Johnson 0.613 John Meesen

6,5,4,3,2,1 ... go!

The lineup according to ABC1 CASEY SCORPIONS Backs Cheney Silvagni Panozza Half Backs Bail Faulks McNamara Centreline Matthews Grimes Wall Half Forwards McGough Newton Hughes Forwards Wonaeamirri Moore Stockdale Followers Mohr MaCreadie Valenti Interchange (from) Bell McKenzie Watts Whelan

In other words, we're only going to win by about 5 goals !

MELBOURNE Backs Matthew Whelan Nathan Carroll Chris Johnson Half backs James Frawley Matthew Warnock Paul Wheatley Centreline Cale Morton Cameron Bruce Simon Buckley Half forwards Brad Green Matthew Bate Lynden Dunn Forwards Paul Johnson Colin Sylvia Addam Maric Followers Mark Jamar Clint Bartram James McDonald Interchange Nathan Jones Stef Martin Shane Valenti Austin Wonaeamirri Emergencies Jace Bode Jeff White* Adem Yze In Nathan Carroll James Frawley Nathan Jones Out Daniel Bell (hamstring) Aaron Davey (foot) Colin Garland (hamstring) * Jeff White took Mark Jamar's place in the team after the Russian withdrew with an injury. GEELONG Backs Tom Harley Matthew Scarlett Andrew Mackie Half backs Harry Taylor Josh Hunt Corey Enright Centreline James Kelly Max Rooke Jimmy Bartel Half forwards Gary Ablett Cameron Mooney Steve Johnson Forwards Mathew Stokes Tom Lonergan Joel Selwood Followers Brad Ottens Cameron Ling Joel Corey Interchange Mark Blake Shannon Byrnes Ryan Gamble Brent Prismall Emergencies Simon Hogan Kane Tenace Travis Varcoe In Gary Ablett Shannon Byrnes Out Darren Milburn (suspended) Travis Varcoe

by KC from Casey The Casey Scorpions literally broke the ice on Sunday with a 39 point victory over the Dolphins at Frankston City Oval. There was a cold, howling westerly whipping up the white caps on nearby Port Phillip Bay and skipper Kyle Matthews had no hesitation on winning the toss in kicking to the Young Street end which was aided by a stiff 6 goal breeze. The winning of the toss ultimately to prove significant because it was well nigh impossible to score into the teeth of the wind for most of the day. Casey made a number of changes to last week's team bringing in newcomers Glen Chivers and Augustine Patti along with four Demon listed players in Daniel Bell, Kyle Cheney, Danny Hughes and Austin Wonaeamirri who had yet to represent the club in senior matches. Patti is an over age player from the Gippsland Falcons who is eligible to play as the 23rd man under the VFL's new rules encouraging participation of TAC Cup players at VFL clubs. The opening quarter belonged to Russell Robertson on the comeback trail after being out for some 10 months with a torn Achilles. The wily forward opened proceedings with a goal in the first minute and by quarter time had snagged two more helping the Scorpions to lead by the total of their score of 5.3.33. Defender Alex Silvagni was moved forward and had a goal to his name while Hughes was the other goal scorer. Things were altogether different after the teams changed ends. The home side wasted no time in its quest to bridge the gap and, despite the efforts of the Casey backline, the home team managed to take the lead. A desperate last five minutes of strong defensive football managed to limit the visitors' deficit to just three points at half time. The wind was still having an effect on the game in the third term as Casey swept ahead thanks to its hardworking midfield led by Matthews and the busy Shane Valenti who were getting the ball forward with regularity to Robertson and Silvagni until some slip ups in defence late in the quarter gave the Dolphins the first score against the wind and the tide - a goal. At the final break it was Casey holding an identical lead to the one it held at quarter time and it was still anybody's game at this stage. The Scorpions dug deep in the early moments of the final term and it was here that the game was won. Robertson kicked his team's first goal (and his own fifth) at the "non-scoring" end with a magnificent kick that seemed to somehow defy the elements. The defence of the Scorpions led by James Wall held the Dolphins out for long enough to knock the wind out of their sails and it was the Scorpions who were now in attacking mode. Two more goals - one each to youngster Beau Vernon in only his second senior game and Hughes saw Casey run out easy winners in the end. HOW THE DEMONS FARED (comments from Casey coach Peter German on the melbournefc.com.au site) Daniel Bell – He only played a half. He took a heavy knock, so he was rested up in the second half. He played in the midfield and got his hands on the ball a bit, so hopefully he'll be OK to play this week. Kyle Cheney – Kyle played in the backline. He did a solid job, gave us that run, and gave us good composure. He was quite serviceable. Jack Grimes – He played wing/half-back and was good. Jack used the ball well and without being outstanding, (and) was a solid contributor. Daniel Hughes – Daniel was very good. He got a bit of a knock early, but pushed through it and kicked a couple of goals. He kicked the most outstanding goal of the day, from the boundary and into the breeze about 40 metres out – it was almost from an impossible angle. He came up from the reserves to show some of the class he's got. Daniel also took some fine marks as a hit-up forward. It was a really solid game from him. Jordie McKenzie – Jordie played onball and on the wing and was probably one of our better players. He also pushed back. He also took some fine marks and was prepared to run hard. In the last quarter, he took some strong marks, which we hadn't seen before, so there is a lot of upside with him. Tom McNamara – Tom played at half-back and was in our top four players. He restricted his opponent and also got his hands on the ball. He read the ball really well in the windy conditions. Russell Robertson – Russell did a terrific job. He could only score in two of the quarters, because of the conditions. He made the most of his opportunities, but the last couple of weeks he's been showing good signs, kicking 3.5 last week and five goals this week. Shane Valenti – Shane was given close attention again. He did a lot of the grunt work and a lot of the team things. He was outstanding in doing that and he helped his teammates out. Shane was one of our really strong team players on the day. Austin Wonaeamirri – Aussie played in bursts in his first game back. He had about 13 disposals as a forward pocket. We pushed him up onto the wing in the last quarter and he had an opportunity to run around a bit more. It was good for him to get a run under his belt. He showed some good zip and explosiveness at ground level. Casey Scorpions 5.3.33 5.3.33 11.9.75 14.12.96 Frankston 0.0.0 5.6.36 6.6.42 8.9.57 Goals Casey Scorpions Robertson 5 Silvagni 3 Hughes 2 McNamara Vernon Wall Wonaeamirri Frankston Berry Dickson Lourey 2 Magner Pollard Best Casey Scorpions Matthews Wall Robertson Valenti Silvagni Stockdale Frankston Ablett Casboult Baguley Lombardozzi Dickson Ongarello The day began on a good footing for the alignment when the Casey Reserves scored their first win for 2009 after heading the home side from start to finish and keeping them down to just four goals for the day. Rohan Bail was outstanding in the midfield. HOW THE DEMONS FARED (comments from Casey coach Peter German on the melbournefc.com.au site) Rohan Bail – Rohan was the best player in the seconds. He got through the game and will almost certainly be called up for senior duties for us next week. Rohan played half-back and on the ball, using it really well. He's a good young talent we have high expectations for. Simon Buckley – Simon only played a half. It was about him getting a run. He did that OK and actually wanted to play a bit more. Next week, he should be able to play a full game. Rhys Healey – Rhys knows how to get the ball – he's a magnet. He worked hard to win the ball, but he needs to tidy up his disposal at times. He gained 20-odd possessions. Jack Watts – He played a bit onball and down back as well. Jack's showed clean ball-handling skills and decision-making ability and his class in tough conditions. Matthew Whelan – Matty got a bit more game time in. He's played at 50 or 60 per cent, but was up to 80 this week. He was solid and strong in the backline and should be getting close to playing senior footy for us. Trent Zomer – Trent worked hard in the ruck. We didn't want to go too tall in the seniors, so it was a good opportunity for him to have a run around in the seconds. He did a really good job. Casey Scorpions 2.5.17 4.5.29 8.11.59 8.12 60 Frankston 0.2.2 2.5.17 3.5.23 4.7 31 Goals Casey Scorpions Zomer 2 Oldmeadow 2 Blaser Scanlon Snow Bolton Frankston Potts 2 Morris 2 Best Casey Scorpions Bail Blaser Williams Zomer Watts Oldmeadow Frankston Hibberd Potts Bosward Rogasch Hobbs Sienkiewicz

BUMP

by Whispering Jack I had to look twice at the report in the Herald Sun headed "Footy fans blast MCC after being shut out". I thought that was strange because when I arrived at around 4.30 pm the MCC staff member outside was on his hands and knees begging people to come inside to watch the game. Then, an hour or so later when Melbourne had failed to trouble the goal umpire officiating at its end with the task of waving two flags for a Demon goal, there was a rumour spreading around the ground that patrons were being locked in. Was it possible that the newspaper article was about a different game? By today's standards the MCG was nearly empty for Melbourne's second "home" game of the season against Adelaide. So were the feelings inside the hearts of most Demon fans as they watched their team trudge off at half time with the scoreboard blinking "0.3.3" against its name. The standard of football on display up to that time had been nothing short of appalling. Both teams were guilty but Melbourne was the major culprit. The Demons overused handball, kicked poorly and made some shocking decisions. That was in the pre game warm up. And it only got worse once play actually got under way. Actually, Melbourne's first five minutes were reasonably good but for the fact that it failed to get a score on the board despite probably half a dozen fruitless forays deep into the forward line. Brad Miler set the scene with a miss from 25 metres that went out on the full. After that it was a bonanza for the Adelaide defence which outnumbered its opposition and always had an extra man in position to take the mark when the inevitable miskick came their way. The Demons simply couldn't penetrate the Crow's defensive zone and ultimately it was they who were able to break the flood, score a couple of goals in each of the first two quarters and take a stranglehold on the game. The game was quite an eyesore and deserved the pathetic 14,129 crowd which paled in comparison to the previous day's attendance that was well in excess of 80,000 when Essendon and Collingwood strutted their stuff and gave them a tremendous spectacle to boot. Sunday's game was something different; a bizarre chess match in which the pawns dominated a board that was almost totally bereft of the sleeker major pieces. The kings, queens, knights, bishops and rooks were missing from the park while the lesser men wandered aimlessly around. For almost three quarters Adelaide dictated terms setting up ultra defensive zones and allowing Melbourne's ineptitude to do the rest. What more can you expect when a key forward misses twice from 10 metres out, the second time with a poorly executed banana kick. Thankfully, Lynden Dunn went forward to kick his team's first goal midway through the third term but by then, some of his team's fans had already found a way out of the ground. The Demons weren't all bad. Aaron Davey stood out with his clean disposal and his pace, Brent Moloney with his hard bodied work and the defenders were terrific, particularly James Frawley, Matty Warnock and Stefan Martin. A two minute lapse from that department early in the final quarter allowed Tippet in for two goals that effectively killed off the game but otherwise they remained on top in a battle of defences. Late in the game when all was virtually lost, the Demons ditched the mad handball thing and started using the corridor, a tactic that gave them 8 goals in a quarter a week ago against Richmond. Bingo! Three goals and all of a sudden, they were only 15 points down with plenty of time to win. Adelaide simply tightened the screws and held off the Melbourne charge leaving fans with an empty feeling and wondering what might have happened had the selectors done the obvious in the first place and picked Robbo and Addam Maric (i.e. forward line players who can score goals) for this game. Melbourne 0.1.1 0.3.3 1.6.12 4.10.34 Adelaide 2.4.16 4.6.30 5.7.37 7.9.51 Goals Melbourne Dunn 2 McDonald McLean Adelaide Tippett 2 Johncock McLeod Porplyzia Stevens Walker Best Melbourne Davey Moloney McLean Frawley Warnock Dunn Adelaide Goodwin Bock Johncock Thompson Vince Tippett Injuries Melbourne Nil Adelaide Nil Reports Nil Changes Melbourne Nil Adelaide Nil Umpires Hendrie Armstrong Schmitt Crowd 14,129 at the MCG

BREAKING THE ICE by KC from Casey The Casey Scorpions literally broke the ice on Sunday with a 39 point victory over the Dolphins at Frankston City Oval. There was a cold, howling westerly whipping up the white caps on nearby Port Phillip Bay and skipper Kyle Matthews had no hesitation on winning the toss in kicking to the Young Street end which was aided by a stiff 6 goal breeze. The winning of the toss ultimately to prove significant because it was well nigh impossible to score into the teeth of the wind for most of the day. Casey made a number of changes to last week's team bringing in newcomers Glen Chivers and Augustine Patti along with four Demon listed players in Daniel Bell, Kyle Cheney, Danny Hughes and Austin Wonaeamirri who had yet to represent the club in senior matches. Patti is an over age player from the Gippsland Falcons who is eligible to play as the 23rd man under the VFL's new rules encouraging participation of TAC Cup players at VFL clubs. The opening quarter belonged to Russell Robertson on the comeback trail after being out for some 10 months with a torn Achilles. The wily forward opened proceedings with a goal in the first minute and by quarter time had snagged two more helping the Scorpions to lead by the total of their score of 5.3.33. Defender Alex Silvagni was moved forward and had a goal to his name while Hughes was the other goal scorer. Things were altogether different after the teams changed ends. The home side wasted no time in its quest to bridge the gap and, despite the efforts of the Casey backline, the home team managed to take the lead. A desperate last five minutes of strong defensive football managed to limit the visitors' deficit to just three points at half time. The wind was still having an effect on the game in the third term as Casey swept ahead thanks to its hardworking midfield led by Matthews and the busy Shane Valenti who were getting the ball forward with regularity to Robertson and Silvagni until some slip ups in defence late in the quarter gave the Dolphins the first score against the wind and the tide - a goal. At the final break it was Casey holding an identical lead to the one it held at quarter time and it was still anybody's game at this stage. The Scorpions dug deep in the early moments of the final term and it was here that the game was won. Robertson kicked his team's first goal (and his own fifth) at the "non-scoring" end with a magnificent kick that seemed to somehow defy the elements. The defence of the Scorpions led by James Wall held the Dolphins out for long enough to knock the wind out of their sails and it was the Scorpions who were now in attacking mode. Two more goals - one each to youngster Beau Vernon in only his second senior game and Hughes saw Casey run out easy winners in the end. HOW THE DEMONS FARED (comments from Casey coach Peter German on the melbournefc.com.au site) Daniel Bell – He only played a half. He took a heavy knock, so he was rested up in the second half. He played in the midfield and got his hands on the ball a bit, so hopefully he'll be OK to play this week. Kyle Cheney – Kyle played in the backline. He did a solid job, gave us that run, and gave us good composure. He was quite serviceable. Jack Grimes – He played wing/half-back and was good. Jack used the ball well and without being outstanding, (and) was a solid contributor. Daniel Hughes – Daniel was very good. He got a bit of a knock early, but pushed through it and kicked a couple of goals. He kicked the most outstanding goal of the day, from the boundary and into the breeze about 40 metres out – it was almost from an impossible angle. He came up from the reserves to show some of the class he's got. Daniel also took some fine marks as a hit-up forward. It was a really solid game from him. Jordie McKenzie – Jordie played onball and on the wing and was probably one of our better players. He also pushed back. He also took some fine marks and was prepared to run hard. In the last quarter, he took some strong marks, which we hadn't seen before, so there is a lot of upside with him. Tom McNamara – Tom played at half-back and was in our top four players. He restricted his opponent and also got his hands on the ball. He read the ball really well in the windy conditions. Russell Robertson – Russell did a terrific job. He could only score in two of the quarters, because of the conditions. He made the most of his opportunities, but the last couple of weeks he's been showing good signs, kicking 3.5 last week and five goals this week. Shane Valenti – Shane was given close attention again. He did a lot of the grunt work and a lot of the team things. He was outstanding in doing that and he helped his teammates out. Shane was one of our really strong team players on the day. Austin Wonaeamirri – Aussie played in bursts in his first game back. He had about 13 disposals as a forward pocket. We pushed him up onto the wing in the last quarter and he had an opportunity to run around a bit more. It was good for him to get a run under his belt. He showed some good zip and explosiveness at ground level. Casey Scorpions 5.3.33 5.3.33 11.9.75 14.12.96 Frankston 0.0.0 5.6.36 6.6.42 8.9.57 Goals Casey Scorpions Robertson 5 Silvagni 3 Hughes 2 McNamara Vernon Wall Wonaeamirri Frankston Berry Dickson Lourey 2 Magner Pollard Best Casey Scorpions Matthews Wall Robertson Valenti Silvagni Stockdale Frankston Ablett Casboult Baguley Lombardozzi Dickson Ongarello The day began on a good footing for the alignment when the Casey Reserves scored their first win for 2009 after heading the home side from start to finish and keeping them down to just four goals for the day. Rohan Bail was outstanding in the midfield. HOW THE DEMONS FARED (comments from Casey coach Peter German on the melbournefc.com.au site) Rohan Bail – Rohan was the best player in the seconds. He got through the game and will almost certainly be called up for senior duties for us next week. Rohan played half-back and on the ball, using it really well. He's a good young talent we have high expectations for. Simon Buckley – Simon only played a half. It was about him getting a run. He did that OK and actually wanted to play a bit more. Next week, he should be able to play a full game. Rhys Healey – Rhys knows how to get the ball – he's a magnet. He worked hard to win the ball, but he needs to tidy up his disposal at times. He gained 20-odd possessions. Jack Watts – He played a bit onball and down back as well. Jack's showed clean ball-handling skills and decision-making ability and his class in tough conditions. Matthew Whelan – Matty got a bit more game time in. He's played at 50 or 60 per cent, but was up to 80 this week. He was solid and strong in the backline and should be getting close to playing senior footy for us. Trent Zomer – Trent worked hard in the ruck. We didn't want to go too tall in the seniors, so it was a good opportunity for him to have a run around in the seconds. He did a really good job. Casey Scorpions 2.5.17 4.5.29 8.11.59 8.12 60 Frankston 0.2.2 2.5.17 3.5.23 4.7 31 Goals Casey Scorpions Zomer 2 Oldmeadow 2 Blaser Scanlon Snow Bolton Frankston Potts 2 Morris 2 Best Casey Scorpions Bail Blaser Williams Zomer Watts Oldmeadow Frankston Hibberd Potts Bosward Rogasch Hobbs Sienkiewicz

EMPTY by Whispering Jack I had to look twice at the report in the Herald Sun headed "Footy fans blast MCC after being shut out". I thought that was strange because when I arrived at around 4.30 pm the MCC staff member outside was on his hands and knees begging people to come inside to watch the game. Then, an hour or so later when Melbourne had failed to trouble the goal umpire officiating at its end with the task of waving two flags for a Demon goal, there was a rumour spreading around the ground that patrons were being locked in. Was it possible that the newspaper article was about a different game? By today's standards the MCG was nearly empty for Melbourne's second "home" game of the season against Adelaide. So were the feelings inside the hearts of most Demon fans as they watched their team trudge off at half time with the scoreboard blinking "0.3.3" against its name. The standard of football on display up to that time had been nothing short of appalling. Both teams were guilty but Melbourne was the major culprit. The Demons overused handball, kicked poorly and made some shocking decisions. That was in the pre game warm up. And it only got worse once play actually got under way. Actually, Melbourne's first five minutes were reasonably good but for the fact that it failed to get a score on the board despite probably half a dozen fruitless forays deep into the forward line. Brad Miler set the scene with a miss from 25 metres that went out on the full. After that it was a bonanza for the Adelaide defence which outnumbered its opposition and always had an extra man in position to take the mark when the inevitable miskick came their way. The Demons simply couldn't penetrate the Crow's defensive zone and ultimately it was they who were able to break the flood, score a couple of goals in each of the first two quarters and take a stranglehold on the game. The game was quite an eyesore and deserved the pathetic 14,129 crowd which paled in comparison to the previous day's attendance that was well in excess of 80,000 when Essendon and Collingwood strutted their stuff and gave them a tremendous spectacle to boot. Sunday's game was something different; a bizarre chess match in which the pawns dominated a board that was almost totally bereft of the sleeker major pieces. The kings, queens, knights, bishops and rooks were missing from the park while the lesser men wandered aimlessly around. For almost three quarters Adelaide dictated terms setting up ultra defensive zones and allowing Melbourne's ineptitude to do the rest. What more can you expect when a key forward misses twice from 10 metres out, the second time with a poorly executed banana kick. Thankfully, Lynden Dunn went forward to kick his team's first goal midway through the third term but by then, some of his team's fans had already found a way out of the ground. The Demons weren't all bad. Aaron Davey stood out with his clean disposal and his pace, Brent Moloney with his hard bodied work and the defenders were terrific, particularly James Frawley, Matty Warnock and Stefan Martin. A two minute lapse from that department early in the final quarter allowed Tippet in for two goals that effectively killed off the game but otherwise they remained on top in a battle of defences. Late in the game when all was virtually lost, the Demons ditched the mad handball thing and started using the corridor, a tactic that gave them 8 goals in a quarter a week ago against Richmond. Bingo! Three goals and all of a sudden, they were only 15 points down with plenty of time to win. Adelaide simply tightened the screws and held off the Melbourne charge leaving fans with an empty feeling and wondering what might have happened had the selectors done the obvious in the first place and picked Robbo and Addam Maric (i.e. forward line players who can score goals) for this game. Melbourne 0.1.1 0.3.3 1.6.12 4.10.34 Adelaide 2.4.16 4.6.30 5.7.37 7.9.51 Goals Melbourne Dunn 2 McDonald McLean Adelaide Tippett 2 Johncock McLeod Porplyzia Stevens Walker Best Melbourne Davey Moloney McLean Frawley Warnock Dunn Adelaide Goodwin Bock Johncock Thompson Vince Tippett Injuries Melbourne Nil Adelaide Nil Reports Nil Changes Melbourne Nil Adelaide Nil Umpires Hendrie Armstrong Schmitt Crowd 14,129 at the MCG

The Flash extends his lead:- 49.036 Aaron Davey 26.850 Brent Moloney 20.550 Brock McLean 15.764 Brad Miller 15.545 Nathan Jones 11.388 James Frawley 11.293 Matthew Warnock 11.148 Brad Green 9.967 Ricky Petterd 8.624 Kyle Cheney 7.347 Cameron Bruce 6.825 Cale Morton 6.348 Colin Sylvia 6.122 Matthew Bate 5.717 Jared Rivers 3.333 James McDonald 3.261 Stefan Martin 3.077 Neville Jetta 2.449 Jamie Bennell 1.327 Clint Bartram 0.667 Lynden Dunn 0.663 Paul Johnson

We're getting close now and Geoff has confirmed the group is operating tonight (Mon 27th April) and Wednesday night 29 April and on Monday and Wednesday nights next week. Start is 5.45pm onwards through to 8pm at the clubs office on level 3. Entry is by the Southern Stand vehicle entrance. Check in with security as an MFC volunteer. Car parking is available there. Take lift 14 to level 3 & proceed 50 metres around towards the city end. Call Geoff 0425 832 522

Frankston 0.2 2.5 3.5 4.7 (31) Casey Scorpions 2.5 4.5 8.11 8.12 (60) GOALS: Frankston: Potts 2 Morris 2 Casey Scorpions: Zomer 2 Oldmeadow 2 Blaser Scanlon Snow Bolton BEST: Frankston: Hibberd Potts Bosward Rogasch Hobbs Sienkiewicz Casey Scorpions: Bail Blaser Williams Zomer Watts Oldmeadow REPORTED PLAYERS: Frankston: nil Casey Scorpions: nil

THE INTOXICATING SMELL OF SUCCESS IS HEADING OUR WAY by JVM The smell of success is both infectious and intoxicating and the cock a hoop Demons are lusting for more after their big victory last weekend against the Tigers. However, unlike the Blues who were crowing a few weeks back about back to back flags after their 2-0 start to the season, Melbourne's sights are set much lower. The Dees are taking things in the traditional football vein - one week at a time. They're looking only at back to back wins and they have the chance to do it this week with a home game against the Crows who seem to struggle whenever they play on the MCG (leaving aside the first game of the season when they beat Collingwood). The last time these teams met on the MCG, Melbourne opened its account for the 2007 season with a 17 point win over the highly fancied Crows who were on their way to the finals later that year. Going back further into history the Demons crushed this mob on the same ground in a finals game at the G in 1998 - a year in which Adelaide went on to win the premiership (I won't bother explaining the finals system that allowed such a thing to happen). What this all means is probably nothing but I'm using it to make the point that this is an eminently winnable game for the Melbourne Football Club. Now you might think I'm being unrealistic when I pump up the Demons' tyres but who ion their right mind would have believed before the start of the season that they would be level on premiership points with the reigning premiers after four rounds? I expect Adelaide to be totally confused and disorientated when its team takes to the field on Sunday in the twilight hours just before the setting of the sun. They have never been in this territory at that time of the day or week before whereas Melbourne covered itself in glory in its most recent foray into twilight football at the MCG. I remember it well. Sunday 2 September 2007 at 5.10pm when our red and blue heroes bade farewell to such luminaries as Byron Pickett, Daniel Ward and Nathan Brown by whipping that band of triers from Carlton Town to within an inch of their lives. At the same time, they also waved goodbye to a priority draft pick that year and another one last year but that's another story. Fact is the Dees are dynamite on their home ground and in these conditions. The other thing about this game is that Adelaide will no doubt be dispirited after being kicked around their own park by Geelong or more particularly by G. Ablett Jr. Their spirit and morale must be at a low ebb and they're going to feel a lot worse when they turn up at the MCG on Sunday to see a Melbourne team replete with more than a handful of players who sport the same bald cranium as the great god from down sleepy hollow way. That should be sufficient to freak the Crows off their game and leave the Demons sniffing the sweet and intoxicating smell of success for the second week running. THE GAME Melbourne v. Adelaide at the MCG – 26 April 2009 at 4.40pm (AEST) HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 9 wins Adelaide 17 wins At MCG Melbourne 5 wins Adelaide 4 wins Since 2000 Melbourne 4 wins Adelaide 9 wins The Coaches Bailey 0 Craig 1 MEDIA TV Fox Sports 1 4pm (live EST) RADIO ABC774 SEN THE BETTING Melbourne to win $3.15 Adelaide to win $1.33 LAST TIME THEY MET Adelaide 22.18.150 d Melbourne 11.8.74, Round 8, 2008, at AAMI Stadium Melbourne was coming off its first win after a dismal start to the season having come for more than fifty points down to shock Fremantle on the MCG. With a week's break in between game thanks to the All Stars game (a total non event for Demons everywhere) the club and its supporters came down to earth with a thud when the team visited the City of Churches to take on the Crows. The team put up some resistance early but once the Birdman got going late in the opening term, it became a slaughter. Burton finished with five goals and Tippet managed four. McLeod did what he wanted and the game gave Adelaide youngsters Van Belo and Vince an opportunity to showcase their talents. The Dees had a few triers. Cale Morton was one of them. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Neville Jetta Matthew Warnock Clint Bartram Half backs James Frawley Stefan Martin Aaron Davey Centreline Jared Rivers Ricky Petterd Brock McLean Half forwards Cale Morton Michael Newton Nathan Jones Forwards Brad Miller Colin Sylvia Matthew Bate Followers John Meesen Cameron Bruce James McDonald Interchange Jamie Bennell Lynden Dunn Paul Johnson Brent Moloney Emergencies Kyle Cheney Addam Maric Russell Robertson In James McDonald Out Brad Green (broken jaw) ADELAIDE Backs Graham Johncock Ben Rutten Andrew Otten Half backs Michael Doughty Nathan Bock Nathan van Berlo Centreline Patrick Dangerfield Simon Goodwin David Mackay Half forwards Richard Douglas Taylor Walker Andrew McLeod Forwards Jason Porplyzia Kurt Tippett Bernie Vince Followers Jon Griffin Tyson Edwards Scott Thompson Interchange Myke Cook Jared Petrenko Brent Reilly Scott Stevens Emergencies Jarrhan Jacky Brad Moran Robert Shirley In Myke Cook Jon Griffin Scott Stevens Out Ivan Maric Robert Shirley Brad Symes (both omitted) Umpires Hendrie Armstrong Schmitt NOT EASY BEING GREEN Melbourne suffered a massive blow last week when Brad Green and Alex Rance, both with eyes on the football, clashed at the MCG in the first quarter of last week's game. Green was rushed to hospital, had surgery and has now been declared a four to week six week proposition as far as his return to the team is concerned. Anyone aware of the Demons' recent history would understand the ominous nature and significance of an injured player being classified in this manner. Greenie was in good form before the accident and we wish him well for a speedy return but his departure leaves a gaping hole in the Demon line up even if the team managed to rally and win without him last week. Against the Crows, Green will be missed. He is the club's most versatile player and excels wherever he plays. He is the leading goal kicker, has done some great work in the middle and then taken courageous marks when pushing down back. It will take three players to replace him. The skipper's back in the middle so that's one. Perhaps Kyle Cheney might have to come in to take the back line and Adam Maric is the natural for the forward replacement. I like Maric. He's a cheeky forward who kicks well and knows where the goals are. Adelaide coach Neil Craig was humbled and forced to apologise for giving his team's Maric a bake last week. I'm suggesting that he'll be humiliated by another Maric this week – Melbourne's Maric! And on that basis I'm selecting the Demons to win with flying colours and that on Sunday's night we'll be toasting another successful result. Melbourne by 15 points.

by JVM The smell of success is both infectious and intoxicating and the cock a hoop Demons are lusting for more after their big victory last weekend against the Tigers. However, unlike the Blues who were crowing a few weeks back about back to back flags after their 2-0 start to the season, Melbourne's sights are set much lower. The Dees are taking things in the traditional football vein - one week at a time. They're looking only at back to back wins and they have the chance to do it this week with a home game against the Crows who seem to struggle whenever they play on the MCG (leaving aside the first game of the season when they beat Collingwood). The last time these teams met on the MCG, Melbourne opened its account for the 2007 season with a 17 point win over the highly fancied Crows who were on their way to the finals later that year. Going back further into history the Demons crushed this mob on the same ground in a finals game at the G in 1998 - a year in which Adelaide went on to win the premiership (I won't bother explaining the finals system that allowed such a thing to happen). What this all means is probably nothing but I'm using it to make the point that this is an eminently winnable game for the Melbourne Football Club. Now you might think I'm being unrealistic when I pump up the Demons' tyres but who ion their right mind would have believed before the start of the season that they would be level on premiership points with the reigning premiers after four rounds? I expect Adelaide to be totally confused and disorientated when its team takes to the field on Sunday in the twilight hours just before the setting of the sun. They have never been in this territory at that time of the day or week before whereas Melbourne covered itself in glory in its most recent foray into twilight football at the MCG. I remember it well. Sunday 2 September 2007 at 5.10pm when our red and blue heroes bade farewell to such luminaries as Byron Pickett, Daniel Ward and Nathan Brown by whipping that band of triers from Carlton Town to within an inch of their lives. At the same time, they also waved goodbye to a priority draft pick that year and another one last year but that's another story. Fact is the Dees are dynamite on their home ground and in these conditions. The other thing about this game is that Adelaide will no doubt be dispirited after being kicked around their own park by Geelong or more particularly by G. Ablett Jr. Their spirit and morale must be at a low ebb and they're going to feel a lot worse when they turn up at the MCG on Sunday to see a Melbourne team replete with more than a handful of players who sport the same bald cranium as the great god from down sleepy hollow way. That should be sufficient to freak the Crows off their game and leave the Demons sniffing the sweet and intoxicating smell of success for the second week running. <b>THE GAME </b> Melbourne v. Adelaide at the MCG – 26 April 2009 at 4.40pm (AEST) <b>HEAD TO HEAD</b> Overall Melbourne 9 wins Adelaide 17 wins At MCG Melbourne 5 wins Adelaide 4 wins Since 2000 Melbourne 4 wins Adelaide 9 wins The Coaches Bailey 0 Craig 1 <b>MEDIA</b> TV Fox Sports 1 4pm (live EST) RADIO ABC774 SEN <b>THE BETTING</b> Melbourne to win $3.15 Adelaide to win $1.33 <b>LAST TIME THEY MET</b> Adelaide 22.18.150 d Melbourne 11.8.74, Round 8, 2008, at AAMI Stadium Melbourne was coming off its first win after a dismal start to the season having come for more than fifty points down to shock Fremantle on the MCG. With a week's break in between game thanks to the All Stars game (a total non event for Demons everywhere) the club and its supporters came down to earth with a thud when the team visited the City of Churches to take on the Crows. The team put up some resistance early but once the Birdman got going late in the opening term, it became a slaughter. Burton finished with five goals and Tippet managed four. McLeod did what he wanted and the game gave Adelaide youngsters Van Belo and Vince an opportunity to showcase their talents. The Dees had a few triers. Cale Morton was one of them. <b>THE TEAMS MELBOURNE</b> Backs Neville Jetta Matthew Warnock Clint Bartram Half backs James Frawley Stefan Martin Aaron Davey Centreline Jared Rivers Ricky Petterd Brock McLean Half forwards Cale Morton Michael Newton Nathan Jones Forwards Brad Miller Colin Sylvia Matthew Bate Followers John Meesen Cameron Bruce James McDonald Interchange Jamie Bennell Lynden Dunn Paul Johnson Brent Moloney Emergencies Kyle Cheney Addam Maric Russell Robertson In James McDonald Out Brad Green (broken jaw) <b>ADELAIDE </b> Backs Graham Johncock Ben Rutten Andrew Otten Half backs Michael Doughty Nathan Bock Nathan van Berlo Centreline Patrick Dangerfield Simon Goodwin David Mackay Half forwards Richard Douglas Taylor Walker Andrew McLeod Forwards Jason Porplyzia Kurt Tippett Bernie Vince Followers Jon Griffin Tyson Edwards Scott Thompson Interchange Myke Cook Jared Petrenko Brent Reilly Scott Stevens Emergencies Jarrhan Jacky Brad Moran Robert Shirley In Myke Cook Jon Griffin Scott Stevens Out Ivan Maric Robert Shirley Brad Symes (both omitted) Umpires Hendrie Armstrong Schmitt <b>NOT EASY BEING GREEN</b> Melbourne suffered a massive blow last week when Brad Green and Alex Rance, both with eyes on the football, clashed at the MCG in the first quarter of last week's game. Green was rushed to hospital, had surgery and has now been declared a four to week six week proposition as far as his return to the team is concerned. Anyone aware of the Demons' recent history would understand the ominous nature and significance of an injured player being classified in this manner. Greenie was in good form before the accident and we wish him well for a speedy return but his departure leaves a gaping hole in the Demon line up even if the team managed to rally and win without him last week. Against the Crows, Green will be missed. He is the club's most versatile player and excels wherever he plays. He is the leading goal kicker, has done some great work in the middle and then taken courageous marks when pushing down back. It will take three players to replace him. The skipper's back in the middle so that's one. Perhaps Kyle Cheney might have to come in to take the back line and Adam Maric is the natural for the forward replacement. I like Maric. He's a cheeky forward who kicks well and knows where the goals are. Adelaide coach Neil Craig was humbled and forced to apologise for giving his team's Maric a bake last week. I'm suggesting that he'll be humiliated by another Maric this week – Melbourne's Maric! And on that basis I'm selecting the Demons to win with flying colours and that on Sunday's night we'll be toasting another successful result. Melbourne by 15 points.

Demonlanders might be interested in this report from Paul Amy of Leader News which appears on the Casey website: