Demonland

SCORPIONS DO IT SWEETLY by Ice Station The Casey Scorpions scored their second successive come from behind narrow victory of the season with a six-point win over the Coburg Tigers at Mantello Holden Oval (Coburg City Oval). Casey won the game off a dominant first half when it led by as much as eight goals during the second term after conceding the first goal of the match. They lost Jordan Gysberts who hobbled off with an ankle injury before half time and the Tigers came back strongly. Demons Lynden Dunn and Tom McDonald with three goals each proved a formidable combination in front of goal. It was a fine effort in particular from Dunn who was emergency for Melbourne and didn't get to the ground until quarter time. Leading by 31 points at the main break and looking to be in full control in the warm and woolly conditions, the Scorpions fell into a hole in much the same way as their alignment partner down the road at the MCG failing to score a goal against the home side in the third quarter. A shaky lead of 15 points at the final break soon evaporated to nothing as the Tigers rammed home three successive goals and the Scorpions looked done and dusted before gathering a second wind. Like last week, they found enough to get their noses in front and then hang on to a six-point victory. The result was sweet revenge for the Scorps who reversed two of last year's most disappointing performances when they lost both games to the then lowly Tigers who are considered one of the improving teams of 2012. Casey was without injured co-skipper Kyle Matthews and dour defender Wade Lees but Matt Fieldsend (24 disposals) signalled a promising return to the form he showed in his debut season two years ago and Rian McGough was handy near the big sticks with two goals. Debutant Jordan Pollard and Will Petropoulos were also handy for the Scorpions. Michael Riseley is one of 21 young players included in the inaugural intake for the AFL Victoria VFL Academy. Cale Morton (23 possessions) and Jamie Bennell were both strong in defence and with Adelaide recruit James Sellar, they put their hands up for promotion for Melbourne's trip west next week. Former Magpie VFL player Tom Couch was top possession winner with 25. The Scorpions will play host to neighbourhood rival Frankston on Easter Sunday. Casey Scorpions 3.4.22 9.6.60 9.10.64 13.15.93 Coburg Tigers 1.4.10 4.5.29 7.7.49 13.9.87 Goals Casey Scorpions Dunn McDonald 3 McGough 2 Couch Fitzpatrick Lawrence Petropoulos Pollard Coburg Tigers Maric 4 Carnell 3 White 2 Browne Contin Graham O'Hanlon Best Casey Scorpions McDonald Morton Couch Sellar Bennell Fieldsend Coburg Tigers Maric Arnot White Wheeler Batchelor Carnell 2012 AFL Vic Development League Casey Scorpions 1.0.6 2.1.13 3.1.19 7.9.51 Coburg Tigers 8.6.54 11.9.75 14.13.97 14.17.101 Goals Casey Scorpions Smith 3 Rosier 2 Galvin Page Coburg Tigers Hore 3 Thomas 3 Cole 2 Iudica Uysal Linton Egger Robertella Younan Best Casey Scorpions Plummer Smith Gent Patti Lindsay Bolton Coburg TigersThomas Masters Cole Cartelli Uysal Groves

DARKNESS COMES EARLY by Mean Gene Earth Hour came early for Demon fans on Saturday when the club was plunged into darkness a good 5½ hours earlier than the official time planned for the environmentally symbolic annual event. It all happened within minutes of the start of the third quarter that the Melbourne Football Club simply switched off against the Brisbane Lions after an even first half in which the game ebbed and flowed until the visitors grabbed a four point lead at the main break. When the lights went off at the MCG for the Demons there was nothing they could do to save themselves. There was no emotion in the way they played despite the fact that they should have been celebrating a lost comrade's departure from the earth. Indeed, it seemed that Brisbane's Irishman Pierce Hanley seemed more emotionally attached to the day than any Melbourne player after he pumped his fists towards the heavens when he booted a long goal from outside fifty. To be sure, the Demons are employing a new and different game plan but the result was no different to some of the worst rubbish they served up last year. It was hard to work out just how the plan was supposed to operate especially when the team was beaten comprehensively in the ruck by Ben Hudson and mauled by the likes of Black, Rich, Adcock and co at stoppages. When they got the ball the gist of it was that you bombed the ball long and high into the forward line hoping someone would take a mark (but it hardly ever happened) or that someone would crumb the ball (but it never happened). Brisbane was able to run and run without much challenge and with far more desperation and determination, greater skills and with purpose. Melbourne looked slow because it was slow. It was an indictment on the team that only first gamer James Magner could hold his head up high after the rest of his teammates produced such an insipid performance. That standard was matched by a coach's box that seemed to have no answers and didn't appear to be interested in cutting off the opposition strengths such as veteran midfielder Simon Black who dominated around the packs. His younger opponents looked so tired and jaded that they didn't even have the strength to blow out a candle. Melbourne 3.3.21 7.4.46 8.8.56 11.12.78 Brisbane Lions 1.4.10 7.8.50 13.13.91 17.17.119 Goals Melbourne Clark Howe Magner 2 Davey Green Martin Trengove Watts Brisbane Lions Banfield Polkinghorne Rockliff 3 Hanley Merrett 2 Adock Leuenberger McGrath Sheldon Best Melbourne Magner, Trengove, Watts, Frawley, Howe, Jones Brisbane Lions Black Rich Hanley Rockliff Adcock McGrath Substitutes Melbourne Sam Blease replaced by Matthew Bate at three-quarter time Brisbane Lions Rohan Bewick replaced by Sam Sheldon at three-quarter time Injuries Melbourne Magner (ankle) Brisbane Lions Nil Reports Melbourne Clint Bartram for executing a completely innocuous sling tackle (please don't get me started). Brisbane Lions Nil Umpires Dalgleish, Leppard, Grun Official crowd 33,473 at MCG

DARKNESS COMES EARLY by Mean Gene Earth Hour came early for Demon fans on Saturday when the club was plunged into darkness a good 5½ hours earlier than the official time planned for the environmentally symbolic annual event. It all happened within minutes of the start of the third quarter that the Melbourne Football Club simply switched off against the Brisbane Lions after an even first half in which the game ebbed and flowed until the visitors grabbed a four point lead at the main break. When the lights went off at the MCG for the Demons there was nothing they could do to save themselves. There was no emotion in the way they played despite the fact that they should have been celebrating a lost comrade's departure from the earth. Indeed, it seemed that Brisbane's Irishman Pierce Hanley seemed more emotionally attached to the day than any Melbourne player after he pumped his fists towards the heavens when he booted a long goal from outside fifty. To be sure, the Demons are employing a new and different game plan but the result was no different to some of the worst rubbish they served up last year. It was hard to work out just how the plan was supposed to operate especially when the team was beaten comprehensively in the ruck by Ben Hudson and mauled by the likes of Black, Rich, Adcock and co at stoppages. When they got the ball the gist of it was that you bombed the ball long and high into the forward line hoping someone would take a mark (but it hardly ever happened) or that someone would crumb the ball (but it never happened). Brisbane was able to run and run without much challenge and with far more desperation and determination, greater skills and with purpose. Melbourne looked slow because it was slow. It was an indictment on the team that only first gamer James Magner could hold his head up high after the rest of his teammates produced such an insipid performance. That standard was matched by a coach's box that seemed to have no answers and didn't appear to be interested in cutting off the opposition strengths such as veteran midfielder Simon Black who dominated around the packs. His younger opponents looked so tired and jaded that they didn't even have the strength to blow out a candle. Melbourne 3.3.21 7.4.46 8.8.56 11.12.78 Brisbane Lions 1.4.10 7.8.50 13.13.91 17.17.119 Goals Melbourne Clark Howe Magner 2 Davey Green Martin Trengove Watts Brisbane Lions Banfield Polkinghorne Rockliff 3 Hanley Merrett 2 Adock Leuenberger McGrath Sheldon Best MelbourneMagner, Trengove, Watts, Frawley, Howe, Jones Brisbane Lions Black Rich Hanley Rockliff Adcock McGrath Substitutes Melbourne Sam Blease replaced by Matthew Bate at three-quarter time Brisbane Lions Rohan Bewick replaced by Sam Sheldon at three-quarter time Injuries Melbourne Magner (ankle) Brisbane Lions Nil Reports Melbourne Clint Bartram for executing a completely innocuous sling tackle (please don't get me started). Brisbane Lions Nil Umpires Dalgleish, Leppard, Grun Official crowd 33,473 at MCG

The Demonland Player of the Year is on again in 2012 ... After the final siren your votes on a 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 basis are welcome!

THE HEAT IS ON by the Oracle The forecast for the coming days in Melbourne is that the place is warming up. Friday will be hot and sunny and likewise for Saturday with a maximum temperature predicted of 29 degrees with a possible late shower. Not only that but the heat is well and truly on at the Melbourne Football Club because nothing else will be acceptable for this week's season opener and the coaching debut of Mark Neeld than a big win over the Brisbane Lions. The Demons had a lacklustre 2011 after promising so much late the year before and they failed to deliver. Instead, they fell in a disappointing heap during the last couple of months of the home and away season as things turned ugly with the sacking of coach Dean Bailey attended by rumours of internal divisions. However, there was one area where the team excelled during the year and that was in MCG home matches against clubs from interstate. They drew their opening encounter against the Swans, beat the Lions a fortnight later and had some monster victories against the likes of Adelaide and Fremantle at the home of football. Consequently, it must be considered a bonanza for the Melbourne Football Club to be handed a round 1 home game against Brisbane who finished 15th last year and who start without the services of their forward line playmaker in Jonathan Brown against the club that managed to steal the Lions' other key forward Mitch Clark from under their noses during the off season. In turn, Clark will have a pivotal role in his first game for his adopted club. Having been presented with Jimmy Stynes' famous number 11, Clark will undoubtedly feel the sense of occasion wearing the champion Demon's guernsey into battle on an emotional afternoon in which the fans will have the opportunity to applaud their fallen hero's exploits in the week following his funeral. And after that, they will be hoping to applaud the new generation of heroes in the cauldron of their home ground. Why not? The Demons have had a tough pre-season with the fallout from the departure of Tom Scully, the reconstruction of the football department with a new coach and a number of new assistants and other key personnel, the changes of leadership at the top both on and off the field, injuries, the Liam Jurrah saga, the controversy over the development of Jack Watts and the passing of the great Jimmy Stynes. These Demons must be used to the heat by now! THE GAME Melbourne v Brisbane at The MCG - Saturday, 31 March 2011 at 1.45pm. HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 19 wins Brisbane 10 wins MCG Melbourne 5 Brisbane 2 wins Since 2000 Melbourne 8 wins Brisbane 7 wins The Coaches Neeld 0 wins Voss 0 win MEDIA TV Fox Footy (live at 1:30pm AEST) RADIO SEN ABC774 3AW Triple M THE BETTING Melbourne $1.42 Brisbane $3.00 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 12.10.82 defeated Brisbane 11.5.71 at The MCG Round 3, 2011 The Lions got the jump on the Demons and looked set for a big win when they led by five goals into the second term but the home side fought back thanks to the midfield dominance of Brent Moloney and the magic of Liam Jurrah who was at his best and booted five goals. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Joel Macdonald James Frawley Clint Bartram Half backs Rohan Bail Jared Rivers Colin Garland Centreline Jack Watts Jack Grimes Nathan Jones Half forwards Jack Trengove Brad Green Jeremy Howe Forwards Aaron Davey Mitch Clark Stef Martin Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney James Magner Interchange Matthew Bate Sam Blease Jordie McKenzie Josh Tynan Emergencies Tom Couch Lynden Dunn James Sellar New Mitch Clark (Brisbane) James Magner (Sandringham) Josh Tynan (Gippsland Power) BRISBANE Backs Niall McKeever Daniel Merrett Ashley McGrath Half backs Mitch Golby Matt Maguire Daniel Rich Centreline Tom Rockliff Jed Adcock Pearce Hanley Half forwards Jared Polec Joel Patfull Todd Banfield Forwards James Polkinghorne Matthew Leuenberger Ryan Lester Followers Ben Hudson Simon Black Jack Redden Interchange Claye Beams Rohan Bewick Sam Sheldon Cheynee Stiller Emergencies Ryan Harwood Billy Longer Jesse O’Brien New Ben Hudson (Western Bulldogs) THE HARDEST TEAM TO BEAT Rookie coach Mark Neeld has been working over the summer in an attempt to make Melbourne a harder team to play against and the reason is obvious. The feeling in the football fraternity is that the Demons are fragile and this was borne out in 2011 when they gave supporters a roller coaster ride lurching from massive victories to pathetic losses from one week to another. Inconsistency in performance is not only infuriating, it's a sign that a team has some deep seated problems. When the chips were down this team awful as it was on that fateful day in July last year when it meekly succumbed to the eventual premiers Geelong without so much of a whimper to Geelong at Skilled Park or Simmonds Stadium (whatever they’re calling it these days – we all know where it is). Several months down the track and the entire group is well aware that this performance needs to be erased from the memory banks and that it can only be atoned for on the field by a major improvement in standard and endeavour right across the ground. Many of us thought we were getting there when the team beat Collingwood in NAB Cup Week 2 despite it being a pre season game against a weakened Magpie line up. But it took less than a week for that to unravel with a weak effort against Hawthorn and then again a week later in Adelaide. The excuse that these aberrations occurred in Mickey Mouse matches played in March was proffered but only partly accepted.The fact is that Melbourne has not finished higher than 12th since 2006 and the team building excuse is wearing off. What is needed are some visible signs of progress and Saturday can't come soon enough. So what will we be looking to see with the Demons? The way is see it, Melbourne looks the better side on paper in most of the positions around the ground but the big question mark is how will its revamped midfield perform? What can it do against an up and coming Brisbane group that includes the likes of Rich, Rockliff, Redden and the irrepressible Simon Black. Melbourne has a good array of hard workers who have been winning the contested ball but falling down with the (in)efficiency of their disposal and some poor decision-making. Neeld has worked them hard in the off season and there's more grunt there so if his team can win in this department and get the ball to Clark and co on the forward line, I expect the Dees will get off to a good start. Melbourne by 33 points.

THE HEAT IS ON by the Oracle The forecast for the coming days in Melbourne is that the place is warming up. Friday will be hot and sunny and likewise for Saturday with a maximum temperature predicted of 29 degrees with a possible late shower. Not only that but the heat is well and truly on at the Melbourne Football Club because nothing else will be acceptable for this week's season opener and the coaching debut of Mark Neeld than a big win over the Brisbane Lions. The Demons had a lacklustre 2011 after promising so much late the year before and they failed to deliver. Instead, they fell in a disappointing heap during the last couple of months of the home and away season as things turned ugly with the sacking of coach Dean Bailey attended by rumours of internal divisions. However, there was one area where the team excelled during the year and that was in MCG home matches against clubs from interstate. They drew their opening encounter against the Swans, beat the Lions a fortnight later and had some monster victories against the likes of Adelaide and Fremantle at the home of football. Consequently, it must be considered a bonanza for the Melbourne Football Club to be handed a round 1 home game against Brisbane who finished 15th last year and who start without the services of their forward line playmaker in Jonathan Brown against the club that managed to steal the Lions' other key forward Mitch Clark from under their noses during the off season. In turn, Clark will have a pivotal role in his first game for his adopted club. Having been presented with Jimmy Stynes' famous number 11, Clark will undoubtedly feel the sense of occasion wearing the champion Demon's guernsey into battle on an emotional afternoon in which the fans will have the opportunity to applaud their fallen hero's exploits in the week following his funeral. And after that, they will be hoping to applaud the new generation of heroes in the cauldron of their home ground. Why not? The Demons have had a tough pre-season with the fallout from the departure of Tom Scully, the reconstruction of the football department with a new coach and a number of new assistants and other key personnel, the changes of leadership at the top both on and off the field, injuries, the Liam Jurrah saga, the controversy over the development of Jack Watts and the passing of the great Jimmy Stynes. These Demons must be used to the heat by now! THE GAME Melbourne v Brisbane at The MCG - Saturday, 31 March 2011 at 1.45pm. HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 19 wins Brisbane 10 wins MCG Melbourne 5 Brisbane 2 wins Since 2000 Melbourne 8 wins Brisbane 7 wins The Coaches Neeld 0 wins Voss 0 win MEDIA TV Fox Footy (live at 1:30pm AEST) RADIO SEN ABC774 3AW Triple M THE BETTING Melbourne $1.42 Brisbane $3.00 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 12.10.82 defeated Brisbane 11.5.71 at The MCG Round 3, 2011 The Lions got the jump on the Demons and looked set for a big win when they led by five goals into the second term but the home side fought back thanks to the midfield dominance of Brent Moloney and the magic of Liam Jurrah who was at his best and booted five goals. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Joel Macdonald James Frawley Clint Bartram Half backs Rohan Bail Jared Rivers Colin Garland Centreline Jack Watts Jack Grimes Nathan Jones Half forwards Jack Trengove Brad Green Jeremy Howe Forwards Aaron Davey Mitch Clark Stef Martin Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney James Magner Interchange Matthew Bate Sam Blease Jordie McKenzie Josh Tynan Emergencies Tom Couch Lynden Dunn James Sellar New Mitch Clark (Brisbane) James Magner (Sandringham) Josh Tynan (Gippsland Power) BRISBANE Backs Niall McKeever Daniel Merrett Ashley McGrath Half backs Mitch Golby Matt Maguire Daniel Rich Centreline Tom Rockliff Jed Adcock Pearce Hanley Half forwards Jared Polec Joel Patfull Todd Banfield Forwards James Polkinghorne Matthew Leuenberger Ryan Lester Followers Ben Hudson Simon Black Jack Redden Interchange Claye Beams Rohan Bewick Sam Sheldon Cheynee Stiller Emergencies Ryan Harwood Billy Longer Jesse O’Brien New Ben Hudson (Western Bulldogs) THE HARDEST TEAM TO BEAT Rookie coach Mark Neeld has been working over the summer in an attempt to make Melbourne a harder team to play against and the reason is obvious. The feeling in the football fraternity is that the Demons are fragile and this was borne out in 2011 when they gave supporters a roller coaster ride lurching from massive victories to pathetic losses from one week to another. Inconsistency in performance is not only infuriating, it's a sign that a team has some deep seated problems. When the chips were down this team awful as it was on that fateful day in July last year when it meekly succumbed to the eventual premiers Geelong without so much of a whimper to Geelong at Skilled Park or Simmonds Stadium (whatever they’re calling it these days – we all know where it is). Several months down the track and the entire group is well aware that this performance needs to be erased from the memory banks and that it can only be atoned for on the field by a major improvement in standard and endeavour right across the ground. Many of us thought we were getting there when the team beat Collingwood in NAB Cup Week 2 despite it being a pre season game against a weakened Magpie line up. But it took less than a week for that to unravel with a weak effort against Hawthorn and then again a week later in Adelaide. The excuse that these aberrations occurred in Mickey Mouse matches played in March was proffered but only partly accepted.The fact is that Melbourne has not finished higher than 12th since 2006 and the team building excuse is wearing off. What is needed are some visible signs of progress and Saturday can't come soon enough. So what will we be looking to see with the Demons? The way is see it, Melbourne looks the better side on paper in most of the positions around the ground but the big question mark is how will its revamped midfield perform? What can it do against an up and coming Brisbane group that includes the likes of Rich, Rockliff, Redden and the irrepressible Simon Black. Melbourne has a good array of hard workers who have been winning the contested ball but falling down with the (in)efficiency of their disposal and some poor decision-making. Neeld has worked them hard in the off season and there's more grunt there so if his team can win in this department and get the ball to Clark and co on the forward line, I expect the Dees will get off to a good start. Melbourne by 33 points.

We used to use Oztips.com for footy tipping on Demomland but I really disliked their new interface since being taken over by Yahoo so we moved to Footytips.com.au. If you already have a Footytips.com.au log in then there is no need to start a new account. All you have to do then is join the Demonland comp. if you just joined then your name might not show up on the ladder until they next do an update which will probably be after the next match.

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Bump

The round three match up was played almost 12 months ago on 10 April 2011. The Demons gave us a scare when they fell five goals in arrears early in the game before fighting back to win thanks to some magic from Liam Jurrah who kicked five goals. Beamer was bog. MELBOURNE Backs Luke Tapscott James Frawley Clint Bartram Half backs Jared Rivers Colin Garland Jamie Bennell Centreline Colin Sylvia Jack Grimes Rohan Bail Half forwards Austin Wonaeamirri Stef Martin Jack Trengove Forwards Brad Green Liam Jurrah Jordan Gysberts Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Aaron Davey Interchange (from) Lynden Dunn Nathan Jones Cale Morton Ricky Petterd James Strauss Matthew Warnock Jack Watts BRISBANE Backs Cheynee Stiller Daniel Merrett Jed Adcock Half backs Ashley McGrath Joel Patfull Pearce Hanley Centreline Jack Redden Simon Black Tom Rockliff Half forwards Jesse Ryan Lester Luke Power Forwards Todd Banfield Mitchell Clark James Polkinghorne Followers Matthew Leuenberger Andrew Raines Daniel Rich Interchange (from) Claye Beams Rohan Bewick Eamonn Buchanan Tom Collier Aaron Cornelius Broc McCauley Jared Polec

With only one game having been played so far it is not too late to join the Demonland Footy Tipping Competition. Obviously you don't get to tip Sydney over GWS so you will only be one tip behind. Here is the information you need to join the Demonland Footy Tipping Competition. We are moving away from Oztips and are now using Footytips.com.au. You will need to create a new Username and Password and then join the Demonland comp using the information below. Post here once you have joined to let us know you are competing. Competition Name: Demonland Password: demons For more details, go to: http://www.footytips...onland&p=demons