Demonland

FIXING A HOLE by K C from Casey The scenes in the home side's change rooms at half time at Casey Fields must have been interesting. Casey had been outplayed in virtually every facet of the game and the score line had it trailing the lowly Gold Coast Suns by 44 points after a nine goals to four second quarter. The Scorpions had dug a big hole for themselves and Brad Gotch now expected his charges to work their way out of the mire. With the finals in sight, the team's hard fought position in the top four of the VFL ladder was at stake. A loss in the its final home game of the season was simply unacceptable and nothing less than a comprehensive team effort was necessary to extricate itself from this position. The Suns had started the game in brilliant fashion showing great pace, fierce tackling and a great measure of youthful enthusiasm. The crowd witnessed a team that had some of the nation's truly elite teenage talent mixed with a sprinkling of seasoned footballers who tackled and harassed the Scorpions and ran them off their feet in a frenetic opening half. By contrast, Casey was hesitant and slow, often messing up its switches of the play and lacking in confidence. The Suns first draft pick, David Swallow opened proceedings with a long goal that bounced through but that was answered by Danny Nicholls who goaled from a free. The lead see-sawed early but only because the Suns were off target in front of goals. Brad Miller and Michael Newton were in good marking form and their goals kept their team in the game as it ended the first term two goals in arrears with only Matty Warnock at full back and Ben MacReadie able to hold their heads high. Gold Coast had ten scoring shots to three at that stage. The second quarter was a procession for the visitors who scored at will and played as if they were one of the competition's leading flag contenders rather than the occupant of one of its bottom rungs. The Suns put two goals on the board within minutes but Luke Tapscott and Miller replied to momentarily get the Scorpions back into the contest before Gold Coast went into a goal kicking spree that included one from rugby league recruit Karmichael Hunt who was playing in midfield. A goal on the siren gave the Suns a lead in excess of seven goals and left the home crowd stunned. Gotch used the half time break to address a few matters. Changes were made and the players were asked to improve their work rate. Tapscott went onto the dangerous Matera, Matthew Bate and Evan Panozza started on the wings and things started to happen. Miller turned on a master class in the third quarter seeing off several opponents including Hunt. The ball only had to be delivered somewhere near him and he was going to kick a goal. He booted six of his team's seven goals for the term (Tom McNamara scored the other) and the Scorps momentarily hit the front in a stunning fight back. A late goal by Swallow had the Suns clinging to a narrow three point lead at the final break. As good as Miller was at his end of the ground, the fans were also treated to an equally great performance at full back from Warnock. His ability to read the flight of the ball, out position his opponent and take a relatively comfortable mark is surely the best seen in the competition this season. Newton's assistance in the ruck to young Jack Fitzpatrick was also crucial at this juncture. The Suns made one further stand and drew away to a fourteen point lead with the first two goals of the final stanza. A Nicholls snap saw the Scorpions narrow the gap and, with newcomer Sam Blease showing great pace and Bate and Miller combining well, the Scorpions grabbed back the lead and then held on to record a famous victory for the club. The final quarter effort from Casey was pleasing as many players lifted against a wilting opposition. Kyle Cheney produced some brave saves while Ben Macreadie (14 kicks, 11 handballs, 9 marks and a goal), Evan Panozza (12 kicks, 8 handballs, 7 marks) and Matt Fieldsend (14 kicks, 4 handballs and 2 marks) were the best of the Casey listed players. This was the last of two encounters between Casey and the Gold Coast Suns who will, in just over six month's time, begin their campaign in the country's leading competition. In the meantime, the Scorpions have more immediate business over the coming month. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Matthew Bate 10 kicks, 5 handballs, 7 marks, 1 goal - quiet in the first half but was in his element in the second roaming far and wide between half forward and wing. Will find it tough to gain promotion with the intense competition for places at the club. Daniel Bell 10 kicks, 13 handballs, 7 marks, 1 behind - had a consistent game. Strong in the clinches and clever with his use of the ball by hand and foot. Sam Blease 10 kicks, 4 handballs, 1 mark - started on the bench in his first VFL senior game and was slowly eased into the game. Looked at ease on both sides of the body and, although some of his kicks went wide of the mark he kept going and, by the final quarter, was having an influence on the game with his pace and ball movement. Kyle Cheney 13 kicks, 5 handballs, 5 marks - continued with his fine form at VFL level with a steady game in defence. Held his ground brilliantly with some strong saving marks when things were tight at the end. Jack Fitzpatrick 7 kicks, 6 handballs, 3 marks, 2 behinds - continued to work hard in the ruck and up forward. Shaded in his ruck work but is coming along well on a long learning curve. Neville Jetta 5 kicks, 3 handballs, 3 marks - had a quiet day by his standards and to make matters worse, injured his shoulder in the last quarter and will have scans taken today. Tom McNamara 11 kicks, 2 handballs, 5 marks, 1 goal - another who was beaten early but came back in the second half to play a role in his teams comeback. Addam Maric 10 kicks, 3 handballs, 5 marks - disappointing in the first half and did better and ran more freely in the second half with some handy contributions to the team's forward efforts. Brad Miller 19 kicks, 6 handballs, 11 marks, 10 goals, 4 behinds - saw off a number of opponents of different sizes and ages in a polished performance at full forward that beckons a call for promotion. Michael Newton 13 kicks, 4 handballs, 9 marks, 1 goal - starting to mature after several years at the club. Has also found his niche in a second ruck/forward who can take a strong mark and is adequate in the big man department and this was a good performance after several weeks out with injury. James Strauss 10 kicks, 2 handballs, 4 marks - another player just returning from a fair stint out with injury and his fairly anonymous display down back, particularly in the first half was testament to this. Luke Tapscott 7 kicks, 1 handball, 2 marks, 1 goal - started at half forward and had a relatively quiet day but he did a few nice things that suggest he has an edge of quality and hardness about him. Impressive when he threw himself into the fray and, at one stage, he had the crowd holding their collective breaths with a clever diving mark. Matthew Warnock 12 kicks, 9 handballs, 11 marks - superlative four quarter effort at full back. Casey Scorpions 3.0.18 7.2.44 14.9.93 18.11.119 Gold Coast Suns 4.6.30 13.10.88 14.11.95 17.13.115 Goals Casey Scorpions Miller 10 Nicholls 2 Bate McGough McNamara MacReadie Newton Tapscott Gold Coast Suns Swallow 5 Matera 3 Magin D Stanley 2 Fowler Hunt Lock Smith J Stanley Best Casey Scorpions Miller Warnock Cheney Newton MacReadie Panozza Gold Coast Suns Swallow Smith Crawford Matera D Stanley Lock The Casey Reserves were outclassed by Box Hill for the second week in a row. Will Petropolous was his team's best. Young ruckman Max Gawn suffered a setback when he strained a medial ligament in his knee. Casey Scorpions 1.4.10 3.8.26 7.12.5.Box Hill Hawks 7.5.47 9.6.60 14.9.93 17.11.113 Goals Casey Scorpions Plummer 2 Costigan Lees McDonald Petropoulos Waite Weekes Box Hill Hawks Orr 4 Smithwick 3 Burnage Johns Renton 2 Duryea George Johnston Kitchin Best Casey Scorpions Petropoulos Riseley Plummer Healey Patti Costigan Box Hill Hawks Sierakowski Mirra Walker Duryea Williams Orr

FIXING A HOLE by K C from Casey The scenes in the home side's change rooms at half time at Casey Fields must have been interesting. Casey had been outplayed in virtually every facet of the game and the score line had it trailing the lowly Gold Coast Suns by 44 points after a nine goals to four second quarter. The Scorpions had dug a big hole for themselves and Brad Gotch now expected his charges to work their way out of the mire. With the finals in sight, the team's hard fought position in the top four of the VFL ladder was at stake. A loss in the its final home game of the season was simply unacceptable and nothing less than a comprehensive team effort was necessary to extricate itself from this position. The Suns had started the game in brilliant fashion showing great pace, fierce tackling and a great measure of youthful enthusiasm. The crowd witnessed a team that had some of the nation's truly elite teenage talent mixed with a sprinkling of seasoned footballers who tackled and harassed the Scorpions and ran them off their feet in a frenetic opening half. By contrast, Casey was hesitant and slow, often messing up its switches of the play and lacking in confidence. The Suns first draft pick, David Swallow opened proceedings with a long goal that bounced through but that was answered by Danny Nicholls who goaled from a free. The lead see-sawed early but only because the Suns were off target in front of goals. Brad Miller and Michael Newton were in good marking form and their goals kept their team in the game as it ended the first term two goals in arrears with only Matty Warnock at full back and Ben MacReadie able to hold their heads high. Gold Coast had ten scoring shots to three at that stage. The second quarter was a procession for the visitors who scored at will and played as if they were one of the competition's leading flag contenders rather than the occupant of one of its bottom rungs. The Suns put two goals on the board within minutes but Luke Tapscott and Miller replied to momentarily get the Scorpions back into the contest before Gold Coast went into a goal kicking spree that included one from rugby league recruit Karmichael Hunt who was playing in midfield. A goal on the siren gave the Suns a lead in excess of seven goals and left the home crowd stunned. Gotch used the half time break to address a few matters. Changes were made and the players were asked to improve their work rate. Tapscott went onto the dangerous Matera, Matthew Bate and Evan Panozza started on the wings and things started to happen. Miller turned on a master class in the third quarter seeing off several opponents including Hunt. The ball only had to be delivered somewhere near him and he was going to kick a goal. He booted six of his team's seven goals for the term (Tom McNamara scored the other) and the Scorps momentarily hit the front in a stunning fight back. A late goal by Swallow had the Suns clinging to a narrow three point lead at the final break. As good as Miller was at his end of the ground, the fans were also treated to an equally great performance at full back from Warnock. His ability to read the flight of the ball, out position his opponent and take a relatively comfortable mark is surely the best seen in the competition this season. Newton's assistance in the ruck to young Jack Fitzpatrick was also crucial at this juncture. The Suns made one further stand and drew away to a fourteen point lead with the first two goals of the final stanza. A Nicholls snap saw the Scorpions narrow the gap and, with newcomer Sam Blease showing great pace and Bate and Miller combining well, the Scorpions grabbed back the lead and then held on to record a famous victory for the club. The final quarter effort from Casey was pleasing as many players lifted against a wilting opposition. Kyle Cheney produced some brave saves while Ben Macreadie (14 kicks, 11 handballs, 9 marks and a goal), Evan Panozza (12 kicks, 8 handballs, 7 marks) and Matt Fieldsend (14 kicks, 4 handballs and 2 marks) were the best of the Casey listed players. This was the last of two encounters between Casey and the Gold Coast Suns who will, in just over six month's time, begin their campaign in the country's leading competition. In the meantime, the Scorpions have more immediate business over the coming month. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Matthew Bate 10 kicks, 5 handballs, 7 marks, 1 goal - quiet in the first half but was in his element in the second roaming far and wide between half forward and wing. Will find it tough to gain promotion with the intense competition for places at the club. Daniel Bell 10 kicks, 13 handballs, 7 marks, 1 behind - had a consistent game. Strong in the clinches and clever with his use of the ball by hand and foot. Sam Blease 10 kicks, 4 handballs, 1 mark - started on the bench in his first VFL senior game and was slowly eased into the game. Looked at ease on both sides of the body and, although some of his kicks went wide of the mark he kept going and, by the final quarter, was having an influence on the game with his pace and ball movement. Kyle Cheney 13 kicks, 5 handballs, 5 marks - continued with his fine form at VFL level with a steady game in defence. Held his ground brilliantly with some strong saving marks when things were tight at the end. Jack Fitzpatrick 7 kicks, 6 handballs, 3 marks, 2 behinds - continued to work hard in the ruck and up forward. Shaded in his ruck work but is coming along well on a long learning curve. Neville Jetta 5 kicks, 3 handballs, 3 marks - had a quiet day by his standards and to make matters worse, injured his shoulder in the last quarter and will have scans taken today. Tom McNamara 11 kicks, 2 handballs, 5 marks, 1 goal - another who was beaten early but came back in the second half to play a role in his teams comeback. Addam Maric 10 kicks, 3 handballs, 5 marks - disappointing in the first half and did better and ran more freely in the second half with some handy contributions to the team's forward efforts. Brad Miller 19 kicks, 6 handballs, 11 marks, 10 goals, 4 behinds - saw off a number of opponents of different sizes and ages in a polished performance at full forward that beckons a call for promotion. Michael Newton 13 kicks, 4 handballs, 9 marks, 1 goal - starting to mature after several years at the club. Has also found his niche in a second ruck/forward who can take a strong mark and is adequate in the big man department and this was a good performance after several weeks out with injury. James Strauss 10 kicks, 2 handballs, 4 marks - another player just returning from a fair stint out with injury and his fairly anonymous display down back, particularly in the first half was testament to this. Luke Tapscott 7 kicks, 1 handball, 2 marks, 1 goal - started at half forward and had a relatively quiet day but he did a few nice things that suggest he has an edge of quality and hardness about him. Impressive when he threw himself into the fray and, at one stage, he had the crowd holding their collective breaths with a clever diving mark. Matthew Warnock 12 kicks, 9 handballs, 11 marks - superlative four quarter effort at full back. Casey Scorpions 3.0.18 7.2.44 14.9.93 18.11.119 Gold Coast Suns 4.6.30 13.10.88 14.11.95 17.13.115 Goals Casey Scorpions Miller 10 Nicholls 2 Bate McGough McNamara MacReadie Newton Tapscott Gold Coast Suns Swallow 5 Matera 3 Magin D Stanley 2 Fowler Hunt Lock Smith J Stanley Best Casey Scorpions Miller Warnock Cheney Newton MacReadie Panozza Gold Coast Suns Swallow Smith Crawford Matera D Stanley Lock The Casey Reserves were outclassed by Box Hill for the second week in a row. Will Petropolous was his team's best. Young ruckman Max Gawn suffered a setback when he strained a medial ligament in his knee. Casey Scorpions 1.4.10 3.8.26 7.12.5.Box Hill Hawks 7.5.47 9.6.60 14.9.93 17.11.113 Goals Casey Scorpions Plummer 2 Costigan Lees McDonald Petropoulos Waite Weekes Box Hill Hawks Orr 4 Smithwick 3 Burnage Johns Renton 2 Duryea George Johnston Kitchin Best Casey Scorpions Petropoulos Riseley Plummer Healey Patti Costigan Box Hill Hawks Sierakowski Mirra Walker Duryea Williams Orr

8½! by The Oracle The great Italian film maker Federico Fellini directed the classic movie 8½ in 1963 and today, this work is regarded by many film buffs as one of the great cinematic achievements. The following has nothing in common with Fellini at all. My story is about an achievement of sorts in another form of entertainment medium - the sport of football. For me, the number "8½" isn't about scantily clad women and funny business at all but rather, it represents the number of wins Melbourne has achieved in the year to date after disposing of Richmond at the weekend. You can call me a Phillistine or a primitive if you like, but my 8½ is what I call a remarkable achievement given from where the Demons have come this year and whether or not that number improves further by season's end, it's going to be a great story - and one that will only get better in the fullness of time. This story is about how the Demons got to 8½ but let me say from the outset that I'm not getting carried away by Melbourne's hard fought 29 point win over Richmond. Indeed, I consider the game as something of a let down. The let down we had to have, if you like. The Demons won the game by overwhelming the Tigers in the final quarter when their skillful players took the game on and completely ran over their opposition but things were very different at the start. I've been developing this theory that, in the second half of the season in particular, most teams will inevitably have their ups and their downs. Take the Bombers and the Saints over recent weeks. Each has enjoyed highs and lows of winning and losing big games. This phenomenon generally applies right across the board with the only exceptions being the teams at the extremes of the spectrum - Collingwood and West Coast. They're either very good all of the time in the case of the Pies or poor all of the times like the Eagles who seem to be heading for the wooden spoon (how on earth did we let them beat us on the G earlier this year?). I took this theory on board during the week leading up to this game and was therefore concerned that the Demons were facing a danger game against the Tigers because this had to be the time for their scheduled downer. My worst fears were realised from the start of the game. To paraphrase the words of a former coach, they "didn't come out to play"; the flair, the excitement and the precision play of the Swans game a fortnight ago were all missing. There had been rumours that Mark Jamar would be a late omission from the team due to some sort of infection in his foot. The Russian duly appeared but he seemed out of sorts. His ruckwork wasn't up to the usual 2010 levels (he's obviously missing his mate Beamer who was the real late withdrawal from the team) and he failed to take a mark for the game. So for starters, the Demons lacked his usual drive in the ruck and therefore lost one of the key advantages they were expected to have over the Tigers. In the opening half of the game it was Melbourne which struggled. Players had trouble keeping their feet, their delivery and decision-making were terrible, turnovers were committed and marks were dropped. By half time, the Tigers held an advantage of 8 inside-50s but remarkably led by a single point, thanks to the fact that the Demons were able to muster a few individual efforts that led to goals. After the break, things slowly started to improve for the Demons but it remained a tough slog and they can be truly thankful for the sterling defensive efforts of James Frawley as he works his way into All Australian contention. Last week he did the job on Jonathan Brown and this week he blanketed Coleman Medal leader Jack Riewoldt, keeping him down to a single goal for the game. At the other end of the ground, his team started showing the crowd of 45,844 the advantage of not being focussed on a single player to provide the goals. Lynden Dunn was having a good day and found himself at the end of some good forward movements, Brad Green continued to produce his dangerous form up forward and Liam Jurrah started to emerge after his early burst of two goals. For a while there, the Jurrahcane was struggling to hold his marks and then he had the kicking yips with four behinds in a row. Now he was beginning to threaten again. A long goal from Dunn kicking from beyond fifty metres right on three quarter time gave the Demons a seven point buffer but the Tigers fought back to level the scores. Now was the time for the club's number one draft choices to put on a show. Tom Scully (#1 in the 2009 national draft) was once again in sparkling final quarter form collecting 10 disposals. Jack Watts (#1 in the 2008 national draft) picked up eight including a goal after a beautiful blind turn and pass from Rohan Bail. Liam Jurrah (#1 in the 2009 pre season draft) was electric, adding two more goals to finish with four. Jack Trengove (#2 in the 2009 national draft) had been experiencing a dirty day on return from a hip injury also did some nice things in the final term. And let's not forget Aaron Davey (an early number in a rookie draft some years ago ago) who was in brilliant form all day. Suddenly, the Demons were five goals ahead and it was game over. Now, if you add all the early numbers to the #3 of 100 gamer Colin Sylvia from back in the 2003 national draft and award half a point for Davey's rookie selection, you'll finish up with the magical 8½ that the Demons achieved on this cool August afternoon. That's not bad for an off day and if they can stay on song for the next few weeks the numbers will only get better. Melbourne 3.1.19 7.5.47 10.10.70 16.13.109 Richmond 2.5.17 7.6.48 9.9.63 11.14.80 Goals Melbourne Dunn 5 Jurrah 4 Green 3 Jamar Jones Watts Wonaeamirri Richmond Cousins Graham King Morton White 2 Riewoldt Best Melbourne Frawley Dunn Bruce Green Scully Davey Jurrah Richmond Morton Jackson Cousins Newman Injuries Melbourne Nil RichmondNil Changes Melbourne Moloney replaced by Jones in the selected side Richmond Nil Reports Melbourne Nil Richmond Nil Umpires Schmitt Vozzo Jennings Crowd 45,844 at the MCG

Your votes please 6,5,4,3,2,1 ...

THE VIEW FROM BASE CAMP - DEBT DEMOLISHED by Whispering Jack Mike Sheahan, who is surely the game's foremost journalist, described the Melbourne Football Club Debt Demolition Dinner as a "feelgood function" and, to the extent that it's possible for in excess of 350 people to part with their hard earned cash to help in the revival of the club that they love, this was almost the ultimate in feel good experiences. We know of course, that the real "ultimate" in our national sport is still some time away for the Demons. Our president Jim Stynes and former captain Garry Lyon, who was compere for the evening, both went to great pains to emphasise that despite recent improved team performances and media speculation of a sweeping come-from-nowhere run into the finals, it was wrong for the players and the club faithful to get ahead of themselves. Coach Dean Bailey has also re-iterated that message. Stynes put it succinctly and clearly when he described the club's current position in relation to the task of conquering the premiership mountain as like being assembled at base camp which is precisely our location in the early days of the last month of the home and away part of season 2010. On arriving at the club's "Foundation Heroes" function at AAMI Park on Wednesday night the first thing you noticed when entering the foyer was the number of real heroes in attendance - the heroes of the past and the present - the players. The current playing list was there from the rookies all the way up to the skipper James McDonald. Their attendance was a given but there was a large number of former players on hand, most of them prepared to dig in and support the club for which they gave their sweat and blood and, in some cases, who actually reached the premiership summit. Ron Barassi, Noel McMahon, Frank "Bluey" Adams, Geoff Case, Barry Bourke and apologies to those I might have left out. The oldest was a man who played on a wing in the 1941 premiership team. Ninety-year-old West Australian Stan "Pops" Heal was stationed in Victoria during World War 2 when he played his eight games (including the flag) for the club. His teammate, Sid Anderson, who played on the opposite wing on grand final day, was less fortunate than AFL Hall of Famer Heal. He gave his life for his country not long after tasting the glory against Richmond on a September day nearly seven decades in the past. I met Stan Alves at the beginning of the evening. A great bloke and a great footballer who filled the void on a wing created by the departure of six time premiership player Bluey Adams at the end of 1964. Sadly, Stan had to leave the club to gain a taste of premiership glory with North Melbourne after a decade as a Demon in tough times for the club. Robbie Flower was another champion who missed out on the glory. He stayed on just long enough to get a taste of the finals in 1987. By that time, the likes of Stynes, Lyon and Todd Viney had arrived on the scene. Better times but still no premiership. These were among the heroes at the Debt Demolition Dinner. We were taken by guides (in our case, Paul Johnson and Ricky Petterd) on a tour of the club's facilities at AAMI Park - the Bubble Dome in Swan Street across the railway tracks from the MCG. To get to the training area we filed straight past a glass trophy cabinet that houses a dozen trophies: the club's premiership cups starting from 1900 going all the way to the last one from 1964. Was it that long ago? The club has just made the move from the worst training set up in the competition to the best. I immediately thought of the Carlton skipper Chris Judd who knocked the Demons back when he changed clubs, allegedly because of the poor state of the Junction Oval (as if the money had nothing to do with it). I guess he simply didn't understand that a long journey of a thousand steps never starts without being pissed upon by a possum for good luck! First stop was the players' locker room and there was not a single possum in sight. In fact, conditions were so pristine that you could even sleep on the floor. Aaron Davey's locker had pictures of his kids and a photo of Sam Allica, club runner to Norm Smith in the 60's who was still at the club until his recent passing. Another link to the premiership past. David Neitz described the old locker rooms at the Junction and referred to places such as these as being perfect for developing team spirit. He told stories of the pranks that players like Paul Hopgood used to get up to - many of them devised in the locker room. One time, a young player Michael Polley cut off the top of a finger in a lawn mower accident. When he returned to training his locker was full of grass clippings. I guess you had to be there. Later in the evening we had the opportunity to bid in a silent auction for naming rights on these lockers and at one stage I was leading bidder for three players (none of who are currently in the senior team) but I made my run at the wrong time and was outbid. The auction was still going when I left at 11.30 pm. Cameron Bruce took us through the gymnasium which the club shares with the other codes that are based at AAMI Park. He mentioned the good rapport with the boys from the Storm who lead the way and are pushing our players when it comes to the weights. The forlorn presence of the Rugby League's replica trophies was a sad reminder of the honest toil and effort required to earn the honour of being the premier club in any sort. Colin Sylvia and Jordie McKenzie sparred in the boxing ring, a few of the blokes were using the pool and the spas (both warm and freezing cold) and others were heaving weights. We moved on to the theatrette where James McDonald talked us through how invaluable this part of the facility is for the purpose of game analysis and discussion by the coaches with the various team groups based on the lines of play. We were shown a brief film of Dean Bailey addressing the players before the Swans game - the uncut version with expletives included. The tour continued around the main pitch which looked a brilliant green in readiness for the A League debut of the Melbourne Heart the following night. The team itself trains on an MCG sized oval immediately outside of the Bubbledome. There was a fleeting moment when we thought we were lost in the concrete bowels of AAMI Park but we finally made our way back to the function rooms for drinks and pass arounds. A film was shown of some of the tough physical clashes of past days. Garry Lyon started the ball rolling with Chris Connolly and continued the toughness angle by reminiscing of the day when Rod Grinter was relishing being given the job of moving onto Garry Ablett Senior after an unfortunate incident had seen a teammate being taken off the ground unconscious. Speaking of hard nuts, it was time for Todd Viney to be introduced and, while Todd spoke of knowing which of his teammates were prepared to commit by putting their heads over the ball, I couldn't help but see a flash of the future at the club in visions of Todd's 16 year old son Jack who they're raving about as a father/son prospect of the future but that's a matter for another time and another place. We moved on to the main function room where the 350 gathered were going to get down to the business of eliminating the club's long standing debt problems. The speakers loudly blared out the Dylan song "Hurricane" and I wondered if someone thought of me (one of Bob's long time fans) as if this would persuade me to double my contribution. Lots of people gave on the night, some more than double what they expected to give and for that we can all thank the brilliant Jimmy Stynes and his hardworking lieutenant Don McLardy whose tireless efforts allowed all expectations to be well and truly exceeded. By the end of the night, the debt had been wiped out and the club had a bonus nest egg for future capital works. I took my seat at a table next to Scott West. Max Gawn was there and so was former player David Williams and the rest of us were mere mortals honored by the club with the title of "Foundation Heroes". Garry Lyon was in good form as MC. The coach and the leadership group briefly outlined their visions and told of what it takes to lift themselves in the pursuit of team success. There are no adequate superlatives to describe Jimmy. His two years as president have been inspirational and he was in his element among the Demon faithful on this night. Those who scoffed all those years ago at Melbourne's Irish experiment would be eating their words now and so would those who questioned his ability to drag the club out of the mire when he took the reins two years ago. When Jimmy spoke of the club's courage to do what it set out to achieve - to reduce debt, mend bridges, improve our facilities and lift the team from the bootstraps - he failed to mention the greatest act of courage and that was the way in which he has led us all by example in his circumstances. With courage comes with humility and it was Jimmy's acknowledgement of the club's previous board for their work and their vision at the beginning of the Olympic Park precinct that resonated with me along with his tribute to Peter Szental, the club Director who passed away after his own battle with cancer. I remembered with sadness a different Peter to the one who matched his hard work and enthusiasm for the club with the largest single contribution at the inaugural Debt Demolition Dinner in 2008. Back in our university days Peter was a leather jacketed bikie whose long curly hair bristled in the wind. We were introduced to Rupert McCall who recited a magnificent poem about the Emblem which was unveiled by CEO Cameron Schwab who described the things it personified from the club's very roots, its heritage and hope and the players highlighting past and present. He introduced "Pop" Heal of the 40s, our one and only 300 gamer in Neita, Ron Barassi (we played like Demons), Jim Stynes (not only the greatest story the game has produced but who gave us our sense of place at the MCG), Robert Flower (grace, touch and something pure) to Liam Jurrah (from red dirt to green grass). They handed out sweets at the end of the function and I gathered some red and blue jellybeans for the grandchildren. The kids are just starting to appreciate their footy, there's no doubt about which club they love and they will enjoy this nice touch today and even more, the things that are promised for the future. I can't help but think how blessed they are to be present at the very same time that the team is poised to move out of base camp and upward to the skies.

THE VIEW FROM BASE CAMP - DEBT DEMOLISHED by Whispering Jack Mike Sheahan, who is surely the game's foremost journalist, described the Melbourne Football Club Debt Demolition Dinner as a "feelgood function" and, to the extent that it's possible for in excess of 350 people to part with their hard earned cash to help in the revival of the club that they love, this was almost the ultimate in feel good experiences. We know of course, that the real "ultimate" in our national sport is still some time away for the Demons. Our president Jim Stynes and former captain Garry Lyon, who was compere for the evening, both went to great pains to emphasise that despite recent improved team performances and media speculation of a sweeping come-from-nowhere run into the finals, it was wrong for the players and the club faithful to get ahead of themselves. Coach Dean Bailey has also re-iterated that message. Stynes put it succinctly and clearly when he described the club's current position in relation to the task of conquering the premiership mountain as like being assembled at base camp which is precisely our location in the early days of the last month of the home and away part of season 2010. On arriving at the club's "Foundation Heroes" function at AAMI Park on Wednesday night the first thing you noticed when entering the foyer was the number of real heroes in attendance - the heroes of the past and the present - the players. The current playing list was there from the rookies all the way up to the skipper James McDonald. Their attendance was a given but there was a large number of former players on hand, most of them prepared to dig in and support the club for which they gave their sweat and blood and, in some cases, who actually reached the premiership summit. Ron Barassi, Noel McMahon, Frank "Bluey" Adams, Geoff Case, Barry Bourke and apologies to those I might have left out. The oldest was a man who played on a wing in the 1941 premiership team. Ninety-year-old West Australian Stan "Pops" Heal was stationed in Victoria during World War 2 when he played his eight games (including the flag) for the club. His teammate, Sid Anderson, who played on the opposite wing on grand final day, was less fortunate than AFL Hall of Famer Heal. He gave his life for his country not long after tasting the glory against Richmond on a September day nearly seven decades in the past. I met Stan Alves at the beginning of the evening. A great bloke and a great footballer who filled the void on a wing created by the departure of six time premiership player Bluey Adams at the end of 1964. Sadly, Stan had to leave the club to gain a taste of premiership glory with North Melbourne after a decade as a Demon in tough times for the club. Robbie Flower was another champion who missed out on the glory. He stayed on just long enough to get a taste of the finals in 1987. By that time, the likes of Stynes, Lyon and Todd Viney had arrived on the scene. Better times but still no premiership. These were among the heroes at the Debt Demolition Dinner. We were taken by guides (in our case, Paul Johnson and Ricky Petterd) on a tour of the club's facilities at AAMI Park - the Bubble Dome in Swan Street across the railway tracks from the MCG. To get to the training area we filed straight past a glass trophy cabinet that houses a dozen trophies: the club's premiership cups starting from 1900 going all the way to the last one from 1964. Was it that long ago? The club has just made the move from the worst training set up in the competition to the best. I immediately thought of the Carlton skipper Chris Judd who knocked the Demons back when he changed clubs, allegedly because of the poor state of the Junction Oval (as if the money had nothing to do with it). I guess he simply didn't understand that a long journey of a thousand steps never starts without being pissed upon by a possum for good luck! First stop was the players' locker room and there was not a single possum in sight. In fact, conditions were so pristine that you could even sleep on the floor. Aaron Davey's locker had pictures of his kids and a photo of Sam Allica, club runner to Norm Smith in the 60's who was still at the club until his recent passing. Another link to the premiership past. David Neitz described the old locker rooms at the Junction and referred to places such as these as being perfect for developing team spirit. He told stories of the pranks that players like Paul Hopgood used to get up to - many of them devised in the locker room. One time, a young player Michael Polley cut off the top of a finger in a lawn mower accident. When he returned to training his locker was full of grass clippings. I guess you had to be there. Later in the evening we had the opportunity to bid in a silent auction for naming rights on these lockers and at one stage I was leading bidder for three players (none of who are currently in the senior team) but I made my run at the wrong time and was outbid. The auction was still going when I left at 11.30 pm. Cameron Bruce took us through the gymnasium which the club shares with the other codes that are based at AAMI Park. He mentioned the good rapport with the boys from the Storm who lead the way and are pushing our players when it comes to the weights. The forlorn presence of the Rugby League's replica trophies was a sad reminder of the honest toil and effort required to earn the honour of being the premier club in any sort. Colin Sylvia and Jordie McKenzie sparred in the boxing ring, a few of the blokes were using the pool and the spas (both warm and freezing cold) and others were heaving weights. We moved on to the theatrette where James McDonald talked us through how invaluable this part of the facility is for the purpose of game analysis and discussion by the coaches with the various team groups based on the lines of play. We were shown a brief film of Dean Bailey addressing the players before the Swans game - the uncut version with expletives included. The tour continued around the main pitch which looked a brilliant green in readiness for the A League debut of the Melbourne Heart the following night. The team itself trains on an MCG sized oval immediately outside of the Bubbledome. There was a fleeting moment when we thought we were lost in the concrete bowels of AAMI Park but we finally made our way back to the function rooms for drinks and pass arounds. A film was shown of some of the tough physical clashes of past days. Garry Lyon started the ball rolling with Chris Connolly and continued the toughness angle by reminiscing of the day when Rod Grinter was relishing being given the job of moving onto Garry Ablett Senior after an unfortunate incident had seen a teammate being taken off the ground unconscious. Speaking of hard nuts, it was time for Todd Viney to be introduced and, while Todd spoke of knowing which of his teammates were prepared to commit by putting their heads over the ball, I couldn't help but see a flash of the future at the club in visions of Todd's 16 year old son Jack who they're raving about as a father/son prospect of the future but that's a matter for another time and another place. We moved on to the main function room where the 350 gathered were going to get down to the business of eliminating the club's long standing debt problems. The speakers loudly blared out the Dylan song "Hurricane" and I wondered if someone thought of me (one of Bob's long time fans) as if this would persuade me to double my contribution. Lots of people gave on the night, some more than double what they expected to give and for that we can all thank the brilliant Jimmy Stynes and his hardworking lieutenant Don McLardy whose tireless efforts allowed all expectations to be well and truly exceeded. By the end of the night, the debt had been wiped out and the club had a bonus nest egg for future capital works. I took my seat at a table next to Scott West. Max Gawn was there and so was former player David Williams and the rest of us were mere mortals honored by the club with the title of "Foundation Heroes". Garry Lyon was in good form as MC. The coach and the leadership group briefly outlined their visions and told of what it takes to lift themselves in the pursuit of team success. There are no adequate superlatives to describe Jimmy. His two years as president have been inspirational and he was in his element among the Demon faithful on this night. Those who scoffed all those years ago at Melbourne's Irish experiment would be eating their words now and so would those who questioned his ability to drag the club out of the mire when he took the reins two years ago. When Jimmy spoke of the club's courage to do what it set out to achieve - to reduce debt, mend bridges, improve our facilities and lift the team from the bootstraps - he failed to mention the greatest act of courage and that was the way in which he has led us all by example in his circumstances. With courage comes with humility and it was Jimmy's acknowledgement of the club's previous board for their work and their vision at the beginning of the Olympic Park precinct that resonated with me along with his tribute to Peter Szental, the club Director who passed away after his own battle with cancer. I remembered with sadness a different Peter to the one who matched his hard work and enthusiasm for the club with the largest single contribution at the inaugural Debt Demolition Dinner in 2008. Back in our university days Peter was a leather jacketed bikie whose long curly hair bristled in the wind. We were introduced to Rupert McCall who recited a magnificent poem about the Emblem which was unveiled by CEO Cameron Schwab who described the things it personified from the club's very roots, its heritage and hope and the players highlighting past and present. He introduced "Pop" Heal of the 40s, our one and only 300 gamer in Neita, Ron Barassi (we played like Demons), Jim Stynes (not only the greatest story the game has produced but who gave us our sense of place at the MCG), Robert Flower (grace, touch and something pure) to Liam Jurrah (from red dirt to green grass). They handed out sweets at the end of the function and I gathered some red and blue jellybeans for the grandchildren. The kids are just starting to appreciate their footy, there's no doubt about which club they love and they will enjoy this nice touch today and even more, the things that are promised for the future. I can't help but think how blessed they are to be present at the very same time that the team is poised to move out of base camp and upward to the skies.

These wonderful words originally penned and posted on 14 April 2010 were reprinted on the decorative placemats provided at the Melbourne Football Club's Debt Demolition Dinner on 4 August 2010 a - the day that the club's supporters helped it become debt free for the first time in decades ... A COURAGEOUS CLUB by dandeeman I have supported this club for 38 years. As a supporter I love to see displays of courage. Success takes a combination of many things such as skill, fitness, teamwork but success doesn’t occur without courage. Courage is not something that begins and ends on a football field. In fact successful teams make courageous decisions long before a winning list takes the field. It takes courage for a club to go to its members, sponsors and supporters and ask for more support and money after a period of sustained failure. It takes courage to sign a completely unproven coach against a lifetime coach who has had sustained success. It takes more to justify his appointment and offer him another year after 2 years of failure on the score-board. It takes courage to remove proven performers from your playing list, again weakening your short term on-field strength. It takes courage to sell a plan that strips the playing list bare and guarantees a lack of immediate success and just hope the membership can share the vision and project forward. It takes courage to stare down the media and football world in the face or ridicule and profess to have a plan with no evidence of same or results to speak of. It takes courage to develop a playing list at the correct pace capable of playing at the highest level not bowing to the impatience of the football world. It takes courage to pay your playing list well when they have achieved so little. It takes courage to sign player for 3 years who is yet to take the field at AFL level. These risks have been undertaken in an effort to achieve the ultimate success and have been geared to the long term of the club as a whole. But it was undertaken when the club was most vulnerable both on and on the field. For the plan to succeed the club as a whole, from the admin to the footy dept to the sponsors, members and supporters need to reciprocate trust. Will this club win a flag with our current list… who knows? History says it’s difficult for a club to come from as far back as we have. The odds are against us. But what this club has done is truly unique…. and history is created on a daily basis. When I see our battling president attending games, speaking to my kids at family days and urging the club and members on from his hospital bed after brain surgery, I can sense that this club is rebuilding itself on a courageous new model. Like an young Irish boy from humble beginnings coming to a new country to play an unknown game, this club has risked its immediate future to make a play for glory. Its time to support your club people. I for one can feel the beating heart of this club grow stronger day by day.

...and to give it the full recognition it deserves, we're pinning it up and giving it full article status on Demonland! Well done.

CROUCHING TIGERS, HIDDEN DEMONS by The Oracle In days of yore when the biggest footy competition in the land was called the VFL, games were played between twelve clubs and the home and away season lasted 18 rounds. Originally, only the top four teams on the ladder contested the finals and you therefore usually needed to win somewhere between 11 to 13 games to play off for the coveted premiership. These days however, things are very different with a final eight and 22 rounds and that is why some Melbourne supporters are talking finals even though their team has won a ridiculously low seven and a half games and lost well over half of their 18 matches to date. The fact that a team that was fighting it out in the bottom four just a month ago can now be even considered as a possible finals contender reflects the evenness of the competition below the top five or six teams in the competition but there's something surreal about this scenario. Let's face it; while Melbourne's young list is developing along very nicely and has shown some good form lately, all of this talk is a distraction from the main aim which is to ensure that the club will become a football power and remain so for many years moving forward into the future. In other words, we're all getting ahead of ourselves. I'm not suggesting that it's a crime to aim high but by focussing on what might happen in four week's time, we're forgetting what lies immediately ahead in the form of the crouching Tigers who lie in wait and ready to pounce on the Demons for who the immediate aim of tackling this week head on seems to have been hidden from view. Richmond coach Damien Hardwick must be grinning from ear to ear with all of this talk of Melbourne making the finals by winning most, if not all, of its remaining four games. After all, his own Tigers have an even better form line in more recent times. One television football programme displayed a form ladder for the last seven rounds which had Richmond on five wins in fourth spot behind Collingwood, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs as well ahead of the ninth placed Melbourne on three and a half wins. Yes, there was an aberration when they were crushed by the Pies a fortnight ago but they are much like the Demons - a young team that can and will produce inconsistent performances. Fact is that if anyone takes the Tigers lightly, does so at his own peril. The moral of the story is that Melbourne supporters should, for the time being, forget all of the talk of finals and whether they can beat the Hawks or win a game at last in Adelaide. Instead, we should follow the eternal football wisdom of taking things one week at a time and concentrate wholly and solely on the task of taming those crouching Tigers who are ready to take another victim if given the opportunity. I'm sure that's the message that Dean Bailey will be doing his best to get across to his players. THE GAME Melbourne v Richmond at MCG - Sunday 8 August 2010 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 77 wins Richmond 99 wins 2 draws At the MCG Melbourne 58 wins Richmond 65 wins 1 draw Since 2000 Melbourne 7 wins Richmond 10 wins The Coaches Bailey 1 win Hardwick 0 wins MEDIA TV Channel 7 at 3:00pm (delayed telecast) Radio TripleM 3AW THE BETTING Melbourne to win $1.50 Richmond to win $2.50 LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 20.13.133 defeated Richmond 11.12.78 in Round 4, 2010 at the MCG Richmond fielded a weakened team after a number of players decided to spend a night on the tiles after their defeat the previous week against the Sydney Swans. Despite this and the fact that the Tigers had a couple of first gamers in the side, they started full of spirit but the Demons reined them back in by quarter time but ran cold in the second term to hold a slim half time lead. After that, the Melbourne forwards ran riot with Colin Sylvia, on return from his broken jaw finishing with five goals. Brad Green kicked four and Matthew Bate three. Sylvia was easily the best on ground as Melbourne cruised to a comfortable 55 point win. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Colin Garland Jared Rivers Clint Bartram Half backs Rohan Bail James Frawley Joel Macdonald Centreline Brent Moloney James McDonald Jordie McKenzie Half forwards Liam Jurrah Jack Watts Tom Scully Forwards Jamie Bennell Lynden Dunn Brad Green Followers Mark Jamar Colin Sylvia Aaron Davey Interchange Cameron Bruce Paul Johnson Jack Trengove Austin Wonaeamirri Emergencies Nathan Jones Brad Miller Cale Morton In Brent Moloney Jack Trengove Out Nathan Jones Cale Morton RICHMOND Backs Chris Newman Will Thursfield David Astbury Half backs Brett Deledio Kelvin Moore Daniel Connors Centreline Mitch Morton Dustin Martin Shane Edwards Half forwards Ben Nason Mitch Farmer Jake King Forwards Matt White Jack Riewoldt Ben Cousins Followers Angus Graham Shane Tuck Daniel Jackson Interchange Andrew Browne Robbie Hicks Luke McGuane Jeromey Webberley Emergencies Andrew Collins Alex Rance Tyrone Vickery No change PRESSURE There's one thing the young Demon team hasn't experienced very much of in recent years and that's the pressure to win games. When you're down in the dumps and not expected to perform all that well then you generally focus on other things like improving individual performance, doing the team things, becoming competitive and preparing yourselves for the day when the focus will be fully on the task of winning matches, making the finals and ultimately ... dare I say it, taking out the premiership flag. With every step you take along the road, the pressure builds. Ironically, Melbourne suddenly is set to encounter the most intense pressure it has faced since it was a finallist back in 2006 when it takes on Richmond at the MCG this week. This is the battle of the improvers. A fight between two of the best young teams in the competition. The pressure is on both clubs to show their fans and the football public how far they've developed in the months since they each commenced their respective seasons with morale shattering 56 point defeats in Round 1. It was Melbourne which showed the first signs of advancement with some vastly improved form over the ensuing weeks when it stretched Collingwood and then won three in a row, including that 55 point win over the Tigers in Round 4 (which almost ruled out the margin from the opening round disaster against the Hawks) before falling into a trough with some inconsistent form. Since its move out of the Junction Oval to the plush new facility in the Olympic Park the club has flourished with three wins in its last four matches. Richmond has come a long way over the past two months after languishing winless over the first nine rounds of the season. By that time the bookies had written them off as certain wooden-spooners but they seem to have a thing about interstate clubs beating them all over their past nine games bringing their season's tally to six. The Tigers have a particular penchant against beating up South Australian teams in foul conditions starting with their first win over Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium and ending with their big victory over Adelaide in the hail at the MCG last weekend. Their achievement has been testimony to the fighting spirit coach Damien Hardwick has instilled into his team. The result of the upsurge in fortunes of both clubs has lifted the profile of Sunday's game immensely. Unlike their near farcical clash last year when both teams appeared to be intent upon snatching defeat from the jaws of defeat (if you get my drift), this one should be an absolute ripper. Many of us are hoping to see a fantastic duel between two young players drafted one position apart in the first round of the national draft of 2006. Over the course of the year, Jack Riewoldt and James Frawley have both stamped themselves as candidates for All Australian honours and the outcome of their tussle could well decide this game if they are indeed pitted against each other. Both clubs also have young emerging midfields but, with the return this week of Brent Moloney and Jack Trengove and with Colin Sylvia playing his 100th game and in dominant form, I think the Demons might just hold sway in this department, particularly in view of the absence of Trent Cotchin (suspended) and Nathan Foley for the Tigers. If there's any doubt left about who will win in this department, then it should be determined by Mark Jamar's ruck and around the ground dominance. The Demons need to work on their consistency throughout their games. Against the Dockers a few weeks back, they were dreadful in the first half and brilliant in the second. Lat week it was the other way around in Brisbane. In between, they played a near perfect game at home against the Swans. They might be under greater pressure this week but, with the memory of the Swans game still fresh, I expect them to get up against the persistent and improving Tigers in front of what should be a bumper crowd to round off what has been a fantastic week for the game's oldest club. Melbourne to win by 18 points

CROUCHING TIGERS, HIDDEN DEMONS by The Oracle In days of yore when the biggest footy competition in the land was called the VFL, games were played between twelve clubs and the home and away season lasted 18 rounds. Originally, only the top four teams on the ladder contested the finals and you therefore usually needed to win somewhere between 11 to 13 games to play off for the coveted premiership. These days however, things are very different with a final eight and 22 rounds and that is why some Melbourne supporters are talking finals even though their team has won a ridiculously low seven and a half games and lost well over half of their 18 matches to date. The fact that a team that was fighting it out in the bottom four just a month ago can now be even considered as a possible finals contender reflects the evenness of the competition below the top five or six teams in the competition but there's something surreal about this scenario. Let's face it; while Melbourne's young list is developing along very nicely and has shown some good form lately, all of this talk is a distraction from the main aim which is to ensure that the club will become a football power and remain so for many years moving forward into the future. In other words, we're all getting ahead of ourselves. I'm not suggesting that it's a crime to aim high but by focussing on what might happen in four week's time, we're forgetting what lies immediately ahead in the form of the crouching Tigers who lie in wait and ready to pounce on the Demons for who the immediate aim of tackling this week head on seems to have been hidden from view. Richmond coach Damien Hardwick must be grinning from ear to ear with all of this talk of Melbourne making the finals by winning most, if not all, of its remaining four games. After all, his own Tigers have an even better form line in more recent times. One television football programme displayed a form ladder for the last seven rounds which had Richmond on five wins in fourth spot behind Collingwood, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs as well ahead of the ninth placed Melbourne on three and a half wins. Yes, there was an aberration when they were crushed by the Pies a fortnight ago but they are much like the Demons - a young team that can and will produce inconsistent performances. Fact is that if anyone takes the Tigers lightly, does so at his own peril. The moral of the story is that Melbourne supporters should, for the time being, forget all of the talk of finals and whether they can beat the Hawks or win a game at last in Adelaide. Instead, we should follow the eternal football wisdom of taking things one week at a time and concentrate wholly and solely on the task of taming those crouching Tigers who are ready to take another victim if given the opportunity. I'm sure that's the message that Dean Bailey will be doing his best to get across to his players. THE GAME Melbourne v Richmond at MCG - Sunday 8 August 2010 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 77 wins Richmond 99 wins 2 draws At the MCG Melbourne 58 wins Richmond 65 wins 1 draw Since 2000 Melbourne 7 wins Richmond 10 wins The Coaches Bailey 1 win Hardwick 0 wins MEDIA TV Channel 7 at 3:00pm (delayed telecast) Radio TripleM 3AW THE BETTING Melbourne to win $1.50 Richmond to win $2.50 LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 20.13.133 defeated Richmond 11.12.78 in Round 4, 2010 at the MCG Richmond fielded a weakened team after a number of players decided to spend a night on the tiles after their defeat the previous week against the Sydney Swans. Despite this and the fact that the Tigers had a couple of first gamers in the side, they started full of spirit but the Demons reined them back in by quarter time but ran cold in the second term to hold a slim half time lead. After that, the Melbourne forwards ran riot with Colin Sylvia, on return from his broken jaw finishing with five goals. Brad Green kicked four and Matthew Bate three. Sylvia was easily the best on ground as Melbourne cruised to a comfortable 55 point win. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Colin Garland Jared Rivers Clint Bartram Half backs Rohan Bail James Frawley Joel Macdonald Centreline Brent Moloney James McDonald Jordie McKenzie Half forwards Liam Jurrah Jack Watts Tom Scully Forwards Jamie Bennell Lynden Dunn Brad Green Followers Mark Jamar Colin Sylvia Aaron Davey Interchange Cameron Bruce Paul Johnson Jack Trengove Austin Wonaeamirri Emergencies Nathan Jones Brad Miller Cale Morton In Brent Moloney Jack Trengove Out Nathan Jones Cale Morton RICHMOND Backs Chris Newman Will Thursfield David Astbury Half backs Brett Deledio Kelvin Moore Daniel Connors Centreline Mitch Morton Dustin Martin Shane Edwards Half forwards Ben Nason Mitch Farmer Jake King Forwards Matt White Jack Riewoldt Ben Cousins Followers Angus Graham Shane Tuck Daniel Jackson Interchange Andrew Browne Robbie Hicks Luke McGuane Jeromey Webberley Emergencies Andrew Collins Alex Rance Tyrone Vickery No change PRESSURE There's one thing the young Demon team hasn't experienced very much of in recent years and that's the pressure to win games. When you're down in the dumps and not expected to perform all that well then you generally focus on other things like improving individual performance, doing the team things, becoming competitive and preparing yourselves for the day when the focus will be fully on the task of winning matches, making the finals and ultimately ... dare I say it, taking out the premiership flag. With every step you take along the road, the pressure builds. Ironically, Melbourne suddenly is set to encounter the most intense pressure it has faced since it was a finallist back in 2006 when it takes on Richmond at the MCG this week. This is the battle of the improvers. A fight between two of the best young teams in the competition. The pressure is on both clubs to show their fans and the football public how far they've developed in the months since they each commenced their respective seasons with morale shattering 56 point defeats in Round 1. It was Melbourne which showed the first signs of advancement with some vastly improved form over the ensuing weeks when it stretched Collingwood and then won three in a row, including that 55 point win over the Tigers in Round 4 (which almost ruled out the margin from the opening round disaster against the Hawks) before falling into a trough with some inconsistent form. Since its move out of the Junction Oval to the plush new facility in the Olympic Park the club has flourished with three wins in its last four matches. Richmond has come a long way over the past two months after languishing winless over the first nine rounds of the season. By that time the bookies had written them off as certain wooden-spooners but they seem to have a thing about interstate clubs beating them all over their past nine games bringing their season's tally to six. The Tigers have a particular penchant against beating up South Australian teams in foul conditions starting with their first win over Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium and ending with their big victory over Adelaide in the hail at the MCG last weekend. Their achievement has been testimony to the fighting spirit coach Damien Hardwick has instilled into his team. The result of the upsurge in fortunes of both clubs has lifted the profile of Sunday's game immensely. Unlike their near farcical clash last year when both teams appeared to be intent upon snatching defeat from the jaws of defeat (if you get my drift), this one should be an absolute ripper. Many of us are hoping to see a fantastic duel between two young players drafted one position apart in the first round of the national draft of 2006. Over the course of the year, Jack Riewoldt and James Frawley have both stamped themselves as candidates for All Australian honours and the outcome of their tussle could well decide this game if they are indeed pitted against each other. Both clubs also have young emerging midfields but, with the return this week of Brent Moloney and Jack Trengove and with Colin Sylvia playing his 100th game and in dominant form, I think the Demons might just hold sway in this department, particularly in view of the absence of Trent Cotchin (suspended) and Nathan Foley for the Tigers. If there's any doubt left about who will win in this department, then it should be determined by Mark Jamar's ruck and around the ground dominance. The Demons need to work on their consistency throughout their games. Against the Dockers a few weeks back, they were dreadful in the first half and brilliant in the second. Lat week it was the other way around in Brisbane. In between, they played a near perfect game at home against the Swans. They might be under greater pressure this week but, with the memory of the Swans game still fresh, I expect them to get up against the persistent and improving Tigers in front of what should be a bumper crowd to round off what has been a fantastic week for the game's oldest club. Melbourne to win by 18 points

It was round four when we played the Tigers and beat them to give ourselves a 2/2 record. RICHMOND Backs Shane Edwards Alex Rance Matthew Dea Half backs Mitchell Farmer Kelvin Moore Matt White Centreline Dustin Martin Brett Deledio Trent Cotchin Half forwards Troy Taylor Jack Riewoldt Mitch Morton Forwards Ben Nason Jayden Post Richard Tambling Followers Troy Simmonds Daniel Jackson Shane Tuck Interchange David Astbury Andrew Collins Tom Hislop Tyrone Vickery Emergencies Jake King Robin Nahas Graham Polak In David Astbury Andrew Collins Matthew Dea Mitchell Farmer Tom Hislop Troy Taylor Out Daniel Connors (club suspension) Ben Cousins (club suspension) Luke McGuane (club suspension) Chris Newman (leg) Dean Polo (club suspension) Relton Roberts New David Astbury (North Ballarat) Matthew Dea (North Ballarat) Troy Taylor (South Alice Springs/NT Thunder) MELBOURNE Backs James McDonald Matthew Warnock James Frawley Half backs Cameron Bruce Colin Garland Lynden Dunn Centreline Jack Trengove Aaron Davey Clint Bartram Half forwards Brad Green Ricky Petterd Nathan Jones Forwards Colin Sylvia Matthew Bate, Rohan Bail Followers Mark Jamar Jack Grimes Brent Moloney Interchange Jamie Bennell Joel MacDonald Jordie McKenzie Tom Scully Emergencies Kyle Cheney Michael Newton Jake Spencer In Colin Sylvia Out Michael Newton

Chip holds his lead from The Russian and the fast moving Colin Sylvia. 128.234 James Frawley 115.334 Mark Jamar 103.454 Colin Sylvia 92.551 Brad Green 75.042 Brent Moloney 70.951 James McDonald 64.773 Jack Grimes 59.078 Jack Trengove 55.561 Jordie McKenzie 51.289 Tom Scully 41.130 Aaron Davey 34.170 Cameron Bruce 33.878 Matthew Bate 26.305 Clint Bartram 24.150 Nathan Jones 22.896 Jamie Bennell 20.846 Lynden Dunn 20.656 Ricky Petterd 19.634 Joel Macdonald 17.368 Cale Morton 17.257 Jordan Gysberts 17.065 Matthew Warnock 14.122 Colin Garland 9.077 Rohan Bail 8.073 Neville Jetta 7.064 Brad Miller 6.353 Jack Watts 6.174 Austin Wonaeamirri 4.335 Jared Rivers 1.732 Paul Johnson

KC will add the HOW THE DEMONS FARED section later in the day but in the meantime, here are the stats (I would venture to say a higher proportion applied to most players in the first half - exception one or two defenders) Matthew Bate 12 kicks 6 handballs 4 marks 2 goals Daniel Bell 6 kicks 1 handball 2 marks Kyle Cheney 8 kicks 8 handballs 1 mark Jack Fitzpatrick 4 kicks 7 handballs 2 marks Neville Jetta 12 kicks 7 handballs 1 behind Tom McNamara 9 kicks 5 handballs 2 marks Addam Maric 8 kicks 2 handballs 2 marks 2 goals 1 behind Brad Miller 9 kicks 1 handball 6 marks 2 goals 2 behinds James Strauss 8 kicks 4 handballs 3 marks Luke Tapscott 12 kicks 7 handballs 6 marks 1 behind Jack Trengove 13 kicks 8 handballs 6 marks 2 goals Matthew Warnock 10 kicks 6 handballs 8 marks

BLOWN AWAY by KC from Casey The Casey Scorpions dominated the scoreboard in the first half of their away fixture against the Box Hill Hawks but faded badly with the wind and heavy weather to go down by 11 points on a disappointing day for the club. A blustery wind was blowing in roughly from the east as the game opened and, while the Hillmen, with a large contingent of AFL listed players had as much of the play as the visitors, it was Casey that dominated the scoring thanks to its better movement of the football when going forward and some classy football from young Demon rising star Jack Trengove who put on a clinic in the opening term with five kicks, five handballs and two goals from the midfield. Trengove received solid support from his young Adelaide schoolmate Luke Tapscott, livewire small men in Neville Jetta and Addam Maric and the robust play of Ben MacReadie. Jetta was particularly creative around the ground and gave some beautiful passes to his forwards as the Scorpions held sway with a five goal to one opening term. After the break, Box Hill set about narrowing Casey's 21 point lead and it threatened on a couple of occasions but the visitors always seemed to have the answers. Matthew Bate showed his class up forward and together with Brad Miller, was proving a handful for the Box Hill defence. James Wall was busy and beanpole ruckman Jack Fitzpatrick worked hard in the ruck against stronger, bigger bodied and more experienced opponents. The Hawks were persistent but the likes of Matthew Wanock, Tom McNamara, Kyle Cheney and Evan Panozza stood firm in defence and, when Miller goaled from a difficult angle with his after the siren shot, Casey had managed to extend its lead to 26 points at half time. The Scorpions achieved their lead despite being down on the inside 50 count for the half as a result of some free flowing style play and their willingness to switch play and to take risks. However, with dark skies threatening heavy weather during the half time break, the big question was whether the Hawks had the qualities necessary to mount a fight back under difficult conditions. The answer was most definitive The good sized crowd witnessed an arm wrestle in the opening minutes of the third term and it was the home side that eventually prevailed as the pressure was applied and Casey committed some costly turnovers allowing a couple of goals and suddenly Box Hill had a sniff. The rain and hail that eventually came was preceded by heavy gusting winds and, in those circumstances, the initiative was taken by the Hawks who had the combined advantages of local knowledge, bigger bodies and the superior fitness that comes with having so many AFL listed players on their side. Their small contingent of VFL players proved invaluable with Hoegel and Kiel kicking six goals between them by the end of the day. Casey was now struggling to go forward and when it did, its attacks were easily repelled by long, direct kicks. Box Hill prevailed, narrowed the gap and a snap kick that rolled through the goals late in the quarter was to prove invaluable as it brought the margin back to seven points. The Hawks had booted 3.2.20 to a solitary point for the quarter. They had completely taken the wind out of the Scorpions' sails. The nightmare continued for Casey after the break with Box Hill dictating the play by dominating at the stoppages, applying the pressure and forcing errors. The inevitable happened when the Hawks took the lead early in the term and, by the time they kicked their lucky 13th goal for the match, the home side held a 19 point lead following seven unanswered goals. A late rally by the Scorpions yielded a consolation goal to Bate in a rare last half foray into attack. A couple of points were added in a last ditch effort but it was all too little, too late. The game had been blown away. For the Scorpions, MacReadie (23 touches), Warnock, Trengove (21 disposals) and Wall (19) were the best while first year player Matt Fieldsend was again in fine touch with 18 possessions. All in all, it was a sad and sorry display against a team whose work rate was far superior when the going got tough. Casey will need to be at its best next Saturday when it meets the emerging Gold Coast Suns in its final home game for the season in what is a must win game if the Scorpions wish to secure the double chance going into the finals. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Matthew Bate 12 kicks 6 handballs 4 marks 2 goals - proved a handfull for the Box Hill defenders in the first half. Kicked Casey's only goal for the second half played in difficult conditions for forward line players. Daniel Bell 6 kicks 1 handball 2 marks - had a quiet day. Kyle Cheney 8 kicks 8 handballs 1 mark - did well to marshall the troops, particularly when under intense pressure in the second half. His game was marred by a couple of costly defensive errors. Jack Fitzpatrick 4 kicks 7 handballs 2 marks - had a tough assignment against Taylor. Handled himself well in the first half but battled in the second, especially when his back up Tim Mohr went off with an injury leaving him as a lone hand in the ruck. Neville Jetta 12 kicks 7 handballs 1 behind - lively and hardworking in the first half but, like many of his teammates, faded when the foul weather came. Tom McNamara 9 kicks 5 handballs 2 marks - good early and battled manfully when the Hawks mounted their assault in the third and final quarters. Addam Maric 8 kicks 2 handballs 2 marks 2 goals 1 behind - was in everything and particularly dangerous in the first half. Another casualty of the team's second half fadeout. Brad Miller 9 kicks 1 handball 6 marks 2 goals 2 behinds - dangerous up forward when Casey was on a roll and kicked a lovely goal at the main break to give his team the biggest lead of the day. After that the ball never got in his vicinity. James Strauss 8 kicks 4 handballs 3 marks - back after a break with injury and will improve for the run. Luke Tapscott 12 kicks 7 handballs 6 marks 1 behind - along with Warnock probably the best of his team's four quarter players. Tough and a strong mark, he will make his AFL debut before the season is out the way he's going. Jack Trengove 13 kicks 8 handballs 6 marks 2 goals - a brilliant first half and kept plugging away under adversity after that. Far too good for this level. Matthew Warnock 10 kicks 6 handballs 8 marks - superb in defence. Obviously must bide his time for a vacancy to present itself at Melbourne but otherwise his form warrants a promotion. Casey Scorpions 5.2.32 11.4.70 11.5.71 12.7.79 Box Hill Hawks 1.5.11 6.8.44 9.10.64 13.12.90 Goals Casey Scorpions Bate MacReadie Maric Trengove 2 McGough Nicholls Box Hill Hawks J Hoegel 4 Fagan 2 Breust Lisle Milne Pedersen Peterson Shiels Suckling Best Casey Scorpions Warnock MacReadie Trengove Wall Tapscott Bate Box Hill Hawks Peterson Muston Schoenmakers Lisle Suckling Pedersen The Casey reserves were swept off the park when second placed Box Hill booted the first seven goals of the game. They fought back manfully but were generally outclassed. Mark Weekes was the best of the Scorpions. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Sam Blease 9 kicks 10 handballs 2 marks 1 behind - still working on his fitness after a long lay off and continues to improve. Was very good when he got the football Max Gawn 4 kicks 1 handball 0 marks - played only a half. Took on three big men in Grimley, Renton and Robbie Campbell (yes, the Hawk who supposedly retired) and handled himself very well in the ruck contests. Rhys Healey 8 kicks 12 handballs 7 marks - good on comeback. Worked hard. Stef Martin - selected but did not play. Has been troubled by a hip injury and I would suggest his absence again this week could possibly puts the rest of his 2010 campaign in doubt. Casey Scorpions 0.2.2 3.8.26 3.10.28 5.14.44 Box Hill Hawks 6.4.40 7.5.47 12.8.80 14.13.97 Goals Casey Scorpions Clay 2 Sykes Waite Weekes Box Hill Hawks Cass 5 Hoegel 4 George Johnston McGuinness Sierakowski Tobin Best Casey Scorpions Weekes Burke McDonald Riseley Cleven Creed Box Hill Hawks Van Unen McGuinness Smithwick Cass George Tobin

BLOWN AWAY by KC from Casey The Casey Scorpions dominated the scoreboard in the first half of their away fixture against the Box Hill Hawks but faded badly with the wind and heavy weather to go down by 11 points on a disappointing day for the club. A blustery wind was blowing in roughly from the east as the game opened and, while the Hillmen, with a large contingent of AFL listed players had as much of the play as the visitors, it was Casey that dominated the scoring thanks to its better movement of the football when going forward and some classy football from young Demon rising star Jack Trengove who put on a clinic in the opening term with five kicks, five handballs and two goals from the midfield. Trengove received solid support from his young Adelaide schoolmate Luke Tapscott, livewire small men in Neville Jetta and Addam Maric and the robust play of Ben MacReadie. Jetta was particularly creative around the ground and gave some beautiful passes to his forwards as the Scorpions held sway with a five goal to one opening term. After the break, Box Hill set about narrowing Casey's 21 point lead and it threatened on a couple of occasions but the visitors always seemed to have the answers. Matthew Bate showed his class up forward and together with Brad Miller, was proving a handful for the Box Hill defence. James Wall was busy and beanpole ruckman Jack Fitzpatrick worked hard in the ruck against stronger, bigger bodied and more experienced opponents. The Hawks were persistent but the likes of Matthew Wanock, Tom McNamara, Kyle Cheney and Evan Panozza stood firm in defence and, when Miller goaled from a difficult angle with his after the siren shot, Casey had managed to extend its lead to 26 points at half time. The Scorpions achieved their lead despite being down on the inside 50 count for the half as a result of some free flowing style play and their willingness to switch play and to take risks. However, with dark skies threatening heavy weather during the half time break, the big question was whether the Hawks had the qualities necessary to mount a fight back under difficult conditions. The answer was most definitive The good sized crowd witnessed an arm wrestle in the opening minutes of the third term and it was the home side that eventually prevailed as the pressure was applied and Casey committed some costly turnovers allowing a couple of goals and suddenly Box Hill had a sniff. The rain and hail that eventually came was preceded by heavy gusting winds and, in those circumstances, the initiative was taken by the Hawks who had the combined advantages of local knowledge, bigger bodies and the superior fitness that comes with having so many AFL listed players on their side. Their small contingent of VFL players proved invaluable with Hoegel and Kiel kicking six goals between them by the end of the day. Casey was now struggling to go forward and when it did, its attacks were easily repelled by long, direct kicks. Box Hill prevailed, narrowed the gap and a snap kick that rolled through the goals late in the quarter was to prove invaluable as it brought the margin back to seven points. The Hawks had booted 3.2.20 to a solitary point for the quarter. They had completely taken the wind out of the Scorpions' sails. The nightmare continued for Casey after the break with Box Hill dictating the play by dominating at the stoppages, applying the pressure and forcing errors. The inevitable happened when the Hawks took the lead early in the term and, by the time they kicked their lucky 13th goal for the match, the home side held a 19 point lead following seven unanswered goals. A late rally by the Scorpions yielded a consolation goal to Bate in a rare last half foray into attack. A couple of points were added in a last ditch effort but it was all too little, too late. The game had been blown away. For the Scorpions, MacReadie (23 touches), Warnock, Trengove (21 disposals) and Wall (19) were the best while first year player Matt Fieldsend was again in fine touch with 18 possessions. All in all, it was a sad and sorry display against a team whose work rate was far superior when the going got tough. Casey will need to be at its best next Saturday when it meets the emerging Gold Coast Suns in its final home game for the season in what is a must win game if the Scorpions wish to secure the double chance going into the finals. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Matthew Bate 12 kicks 6 handballs 4 marks 2 goals - proved a handfull for the Box Hill defenders in the first half. Kicked Casey's only goal for the second half played in difficult conditions for forward line players. Daniel Bell 6 kicks 1 handball 2 marks - had a quiet day. Kyle Cheney 8 kicks 8 handballs 1 mark - did well to marshall the troops, particularly when under intense pressure in the second half. His game was marred by a couple of costly defensive errors. Jack Fitzpatrick 4 kicks 7 handballs 2 marks - had a tough assignment against Taylor. Handled himself well in the first half but battled in the second, especially when his back up Tim Mohr went off with an injury leaving him as a lone hand in the ruck. Neville Jetta 12 kicks 7 handballs 1 behind - lively and hardworking in the first half but, like many of his teammates, faded when the foul weather came. Tom McNamara 9 kicks 5 handballs 2 marks - good early and battled manfully when the Hawks mounted their assault in the third and final quarters. Addam Maric 8 kicks 2 handballs 2 marks 2 goals 1 behind - was in everything and particularly dangerous in the first half. Another casualty of the team's second half fadeout. Brad Miller 9 kicks 1 handball 6 marks 2 goals 2 behinds - dangerous up forward when Casey was on a roll and kicked a lovely goal at the main break to give his team the biggest lead of the day. After that the ball never got in his vicinity. James Strauss 8 kicks 4 handballs 3 marks - back after a break with injury and will improve for the run. Luke Tapscott 12 kicks 7 handballs 6 marks 1 behind - along with Warnock probably the best of his team's four quarter players. Tough and a strong mark, he will make his AFL debut before the season is out the way he's going. Jack Trengove 13 kicks 8 handballs 6 marks 2 goals - a brilliant first half and kept plugging away under adversity after that. Far too good for this level. Matthew Warnock 10 kicks 6 handballs 8 marks - superb in defence. Obviously must bide his time for a vacancy to present itself at Melbourne but otherwise his form warrants a promotion. Casey Scorpions 5.2.32 11.4.70 11.5.71 12.7.79 Box Hill Hawks 1.5.11 6.8.44 9.10.64 13.12.90 Goals Casey Scorpions Bate MacReadie Maric Trengove 2 McGough Nicholls Box Hill Hawks J Hoegel 4 Fagan 2 Breust Lisle Milne Pedersen Peterson Shiels Suckling Best Casey Scorpions Warnock MacReadie Trengove Wall Tapscott Bate Box Hill Hawks Peterson Muston Schoenmakers Lisle Suckling Pedersen The Casey reserves were swept off the park when second placed Box Hill booted the first seven goals of the game. They fought back manfully but were generally outclassed. Mark Weekes was the best of the Scorpions. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Sam Blease 9 kicks 10 handballs 2 marks 1 behind - still working on his fitness after a long lay off and continues to improve. Was very good when he got the football Max Gawn 4 kicks 1 handball 0 marks - played only a half. Took on three big men in Grimley, Renton and Robbie Campbell (yes, the Hawk who supposedly retired) and handled himself very well in the ruck contests. Rhys Healey 8 kicks 12 handballs 7 marks - good on comeback. Worked hard. Stef Martin - selected but did not play. Has been troubled by a hip injury and I would suggest his absence again this week could possibly puts the rest of his 2010 campaign in doubt. Casey Scorpions 0.2.2 3.8.26 3.10.28 5.14.44 Box Hill Hawks 6.4.40 7.5.47 12.8.80 14.13.97 Goals Casey Scorpions Clay 2 Sykes Waite Weekes Box Hill Hawks Cass 5 Hoegel 4 George Johnston McGuinness Sierakowski Tobin Best Casey Scorpions Weekes Burke McDonald Riseley Cleven Creed Box Hill Hawks Van Unen McGuinness Smithwick Cass George Tobin

FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING by Scoop Junior As the Melbourne Football Club knows all too well, winning on the road is tough. It is probably only when you are actually at an interstate game that you realise how difficult it is, as television does not give a full picture of the ground, the surface, the surroundings, the weather, the vociferous home fans and the travel involved. Combine these factors and you are in for a tough day at the office. There has been much talk in the media of Melbourne’s poor traveling record and rightly so as we have not performed well. But the fact is winning on the road is never easy and you need to be a decent side to be able to perform consistently away from home. Since 2006, the Dees’ last win over an interstate club at their home venue, Melbourne simply has not been a decent side. It’s little wonder then that they haven’t managed to get over the line on the road until now. Even taking into account the Lions’ horrid form of late and the Demons’ sensational thumping of Sydney last week, Brisbane went into this match at the Gabba as favourite, which shows you something about the difficulties of beating an interstate side at home. Finally, though, the Demons saluted on enemy territory and put their interstate hoodoo to bed. While it could be viewed by outsiders as a scrappy game and quite possibly an ugly win against an out-of-sorts opponent, what should not be underestimated is the importance of this win for the development of Melbourne's young side. For them to experience such a win gives them the belief that they actually can leave the State and take a result back home. Winning interstate is something that good teams do regularly, but it has got to start somewhere. Hopefully for the Demons, after a few near misses, Saturday night was the start they needed. It's an old cliché but the game really was a tale of two halves. In the first, Melbourne showed elements of its best football this year with the ability to win the hard ball in the middle of the ground and the players' willingness to run and spread when a teammate was in possession. With pinpoint passing to position, Melbourne controlled possession and the tempo of the game, which is no mean feat when away from home. The backline probably was not as tested in the first half as it has been at times this season, but it stood up to whatever Brisbane could conjure up and the ability of the defenders to get involved in the run and spread overwhelmed the Lions. The second half however, was almost the direct opposite, apart from the backline which not for the first time this season stood up when required. Brisbane got on top in the middle of the ground, particularly at the stoppages, and started to use the ball better. In contrast, the Demons struggled to win the hard ball and their efficient ball use which was on display in the first half fell away. Whether this was due to the lack of regular service, poor decision making and execution further up the ground, the Lions' tactic to increase numbers in the Demons' forward line or a combination of all these factors, the forward line fell apart and was rendered ineffective. To be fair, the decision making and kicking skills forward of centre were in complete contrast to the first half, which makes the job of any forward line difficult indeed. One forward 50 mark for the half just about summed it up. Despite this poor second half from an execution perspective, the effort was still admirable and the fact that they held on to win in difficult conditions at an interstate venue was a great result for the club. True, there was an element of good fortune in the sense that Melbourne received a fairly good run from the men in white and its only two goals for the second half were the result of a free kick and a 50m penalty respectively. But the Demons led pretty much from start to finish and comprehensively outplayed the Lions in the first half and definitely deserved to win the game. It was a decent performance by the midfield on the whole, ranging from an excellent first half to a slightly disappointing but nevertheless gritty performance in the second. Colin Sylvia was fantastic all game and was probably best on ground for the second game running. In the absence of the number one clearance player in Moloney, Sylvia took up the slack and not only worked hard inside the packs but also laid important tackles and kicked two classy goals. He was capably assisted by Jordie McKenzie, who is becoming somewhat of a revelation for a rookie pick. His willingness to put his head over the footy and burrow in all night combined with his ability to win the ball in close was a key factor in the Demons' win. Tom Scully found a lot of the ball and his work rate was terrific but he let himself down on occasions with poor decision making. After keeping Ryan O'Keefe to 10 touches last week, Caemron Bruce backed up with another excellent stopping performance on Luke Power, while the ever-improving Mark Jamar was once again critical not only in the ruck but in his ability to win important touches around the ground. The best performance of the night however, must go to the backline. While they did what was expected in the first half, their ability as a unit to absorb pressure in the second half, to read and intercept the Brisbane attacking thrusts and to generally hold the fort in the last term when the Lions looked like snatching the game was tremendous. Not only did they do a great job defensively, but they provided run and drive and spread options to springboard a number of attacking moves. I refer to the backline as a whole but they were superb individually as well as collectively. Jared Rivers in the last couple of weeks has begun to show glimpses of the form that made him such an exciting key position prospect a number of years ago. In particular, his foot skills have been much better and his ability to read the play and mark the ball from opposition kicks was critically important on the night. Colin Garland completely nullified Fevola early with his closing speed and played a fantastic game in defence, while James Frawley comprehensively beat Jonathan Brown for the second time this season. While Brown has looked below par fitness wise on both occasions, even holding a three-quarter fit Brown is a difficult task. Joel Macdonald got sweet revenge on his former employers on two fronts: one, the Demons beat them on their own dunghill and two, he was one of the best players in the win, with his attack on the ball and drive off half back important. Clint Bartram continued his great season with another solid outing and put his body on the line with some really courageous efforts. While not seeing a lot of the ball, Lynden Dunn was a key contributor. He kicked three long range goals on a night when goals were hard to come by. His last one, with three minutes on the clock, which gave the Demons some breathing space, should not be underestimated. This was a 55m bomb, with tired legs, at a critical stage of the game and with the pressure of the Gabba crowd urging him to miss. To nail this set shot showed composure, skill and class. Jack Watts saw a lot of the footy and showed a lot of promise. What was interesting about his game is that he was really good at the things he probably has not yet shown so much of at senior level, such as the ability to run to the right spots to get the footy and having a consistent four-quarter impact, while dropping off a bit in areas he has shown immense talent in, such as his clean hands and clever decision making. This was a very encouraging game from Watts, as we know he has these talents, so when he develops further and puts it all together, watch out! On a final note, walking round the Gabba before and after the game, it was incredible to see the number of Melbourne supporters. I’ve been to a number of interstate games and this was by far the most Melbourne fans I’ve seen at such a game. I don’t know the reason for it but it was fantastic to see the red and blue army invade the Gabba and provide some noise and support in amongst the Brisbane fans. Anyone who was at the Pineapple Hotel for the after-match function would attest to the amazing vibe in there and the incredible level of support for the Dees up in Brisbane. After four long years of interstate losses, you cannot say that we didn’t enjoy it! Melbourne 4.3.27 9.5.59 10.8.68 11.8.74 Brisbane Lions 2.2.14 4.5.29 7.6.48 9.10.64 Goals Melbourne Dunn 3 Green Sylvia 2 Bail Johnson Morton Wonaeamirri Brisbane Lions Proud 3 Brown 2 Banfield Brennan Harwood Rischitelli Best Melbourne Sylvia Garland McKenzie Rivers Macdonald Jamar Frawley Brisbane Lions Rischitelli Brennan Rich Proud Black Rockcliffe Injuries Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions X Clarke (hamstring) Fevola (hamstring) Changes Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions Polkinghorne replaced by Sherman in the selected side Reports Melborne Nil Brisbane Lions Nil Umpires McLaren Hay Grun Crowd 26,144 at the Gabba

But despite that he boasted to the media before the game that he would kick seven tonight:)!!!

Your votes please 6,5,4,3,2,1 ...

Game now over so please post after match discussion here thanks!

FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING by Scoop Junior As the Melbourne Football Club knows all too well, winning on the road is tough. It is probably only when you are actually at an interstate game that you realise how difficult it is, as television does not give a full picture of the ground, the surface, the surroundings, the weather, the vociferous home fans and the travel involved. Combine these factors and you are in for a tough day at the office. There has been much talk in the media of Melbourne’s poor traveling record and rightly so as we have not performed well. But the fact is winning on the road is never easy and you need to be a decent side to be able to perform consistently away from home. Since 2006, the Dees’ last win over an interstate club at their home venue, Melbourne simply has not been a decent side. It’s little wonder then that they haven’t managed to get over the line on the road until now. Even taking into account the Lions’ horrid form of late and the Demons’ sensational thumping of Sydney last week, Brisbane went into this match at the Gabba as favourite, which shows you something about the difficulties of beating an interstate side at home. Finally, though, the Demons saluted on enemy territory and put their interstate hoodoo to bed. While it could be viewed by outsiders as a scrappy game and quite possibly an ugly win against an out-of-sorts opponent, what should not be underestimated is the importance of this win for the development of Melbourne's young side. For them to experience such a win gives them the belief that they actually can leave the State and take a result back home. Winning interstate is something that good teams do regularly, but it has got to start somewhere. Hopefully for the Demons, after a few near misses, Saturday night was the start they needed. It's an old cliché but the game really was a tale of two halves. In the first, Melbourne showed elements of its best football this year with the ability to win the hard ball in the middle of the ground and the players' willingness to run and spread when a teammate was in possession. With pinpoint passing to position, Melbourne controlled possession and the tempo of the game, which is no mean feat when away from home. The backline probably was not as tested in the first half as it has been at times this season, but it stood up to whatever Brisbane could conjure up and the ability of the defenders to get involved in the run and spread overwhelmed the Lions. The second half however, was almost the direct opposite, apart from the backline which not for the first time this season stood up when required. Brisbane got on top in the middle of the ground, particularly at the stoppages, and started to use the ball better. In contrast, the Demons struggled to win the hard ball and their efficient ball use which was on display in the first half fell away. Whether this was due to the lack of regular service, poor decision making and execution further up the ground, the Lions' tactic to increase numbers in the Demons' forward line or a combination of all these factors, the forward line fell apart and was rendered ineffective. To be fair, the decision making and kicking skills forward of centre were in complete contrast to the first half, which makes the job of any forward line difficult indeed. One forward 50 mark for the half just about summed it up. Despite this poor second half from an execution perspective, the effort was still admirable and the fact that they held on to win in difficult conditions at an interstate venue was a great result for the club. True, there was an element of good fortune in the sense that Melbourne received a fairly good run from the men in white and its only two goals for the second half were the result of a free kick and a 50m penalty respectively. But the Demons led pretty much from start to finish and comprehensively outplayed the Lions in the first half and definitely deserved to win the game. It was a decent performance by the midfield on the whole, ranging from an excellent first half to a slightly disappointing but nevertheless gritty performance in the second. Colin Sylvia was fantastic all game and was probably best on ground for the second game running. In the absence of the number one clearance player in Moloney, Sylvia took up the slack and not only worked hard inside the packs but also laid important tackles and kicked two classy goals. He was capably assisted by Jordie McKenzie, who is becoming somewhat of a revelation for a rookie pick. His willingness to put his head over the footy and burrow in all night combined with his ability to win the ball in close was a key factor in the Demons' win. Tom Scully found a lot of the ball and his work rate was terrific but he let himself down on occasions with poor decision making. After keeping Ryan O'Keefe to 10 touches last week, Caemron Bruce backed up with another excellent stopping performance on Luke Power, while the ever-improving Mark Jamar was once again critical not only in the ruck but in his ability to win important touches around the ground. The best performance of the night however, must go to the backline. While they did what was expected in the first half, their ability as a unit to absorb pressure in the second half, to read and intercept the Brisbane attacking thrusts and to generally hold the fort in the last term when the Lions looked like snatching the game was tremendous. Not only did they do a great job defensively, but they provided run and drive and spread options to springboard a number of attacking moves. I refer to the backline as a whole but they were superb individually as well as collectively. Jared Rivers in the last couple of weeks has begun to show glimpses of the form that made him such an exciting key position prospect a number of years ago. In particular, his foot skills have been much better and his ability to read the play and mark the ball from opposition kicks was critically important on the night. Colin Garland completely nullified Fevola early with his closing speed and played a fantastic game in defence, while James Frawley comprehensively beat Jonathan Brown for the second time this season. While Brown has looked below par fitness wise on both occasions, even holding a three-quarter fit Brown is a difficult task. Joel Macdonald got sweet revenge on his former employers on two fronts: one, the Demons beat them on their own dunghill and two, he was one of the best players in the win, with his attack on the ball and drive off half back important. Clint Bartram continued his great season with another solid outing and put his body on the line with some really courageous efforts. While not seeing a lot of the ball, Lynden Dunn was a key contributor. He kicked three long range goals on a night when goals were hard to come by. His last one, with three minutes on the clock, which gave the Demons some breathing space, should not be underestimated. This was a 55m bomb, with tired legs, at a critical stage of the game and with the pressure of the Gabba crowd urging him to miss. To nail this set shot showed composure, skill and class. Jack Watts saw a lot of the footy and showed a lot of promise. What was interesting about his game is that he was really good at the things he probably has not yet shown so much of at senior level, such as the ability to run to the right spots to get the footy and having a consistent four-quarter impact, while dropping off a bit in areas he has shown immense talent in, such as his clean hands and clever decision making. This was a very encouraging game from Watts, as we know he has these talents, so when he develops further and puts it all together, watch out! On a final note, walking round the Gabba before and after the game, it was incredible to see the number of Melbourne supporters. I’ve been to a number of interstate games and this was by far the most Melbourne fans I’ve seen at such a game. I don’t know the reason for it but it was fantastic to see the red and blue army invade the Gabba and provide some noise and support in amongst the Brisbane fans. Anyone who was at the Pineapple Hotel for the after-match function would attest to the amazing vibe in there and the incredible level of support for the Dees up in Brisbane. After four long years of interstate losses, you cannot say that we didn’t enjoy it! Melbourne 4.3.27 9.5.59 10.8.68 11.8.74 Brisbane Lions 2.2.14 4.5.29 7.6.48 9.10.64 Goals Melbourne Dunn 3 Green Sylvia 2 Bail Johnson Morton Wonaeamirri Brisbane Lions Proud 3 Brown 2 Banfield Brennan Harwood Rischitelli Best Melbourne Sylvia Garland McKenzie Rivers Macdonald Jamar Frawley Brisbane Lions Rischitelli Brennan Rich Proud Black Rockcliffe Injuries Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions X Clarke (hamstring) Fevola (hamstring) Changes Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions Polkinghorne replaced by Sherman in the selected side Reports Melborne Nil Brisbane Lions Nil Umpires McLaren Hay Grun Crowd 26,144 at the Gabba

MY DAY IN PARADISE by Whispering Jack The past week has been a very good one for die hard Demon supporters. Suddenly, we have the respect of the football world. It's there in the media, in public transport and it's there around the water cooler at work. It's everywhere. From casual acquaintances to close friends, Melbourne's sensational drubbing of top eight side, the Sydney Swans has elevated the club to rock star status and if you happen to be a Demon fan, then welcome aboard for the ride. You've become this week's Paul McCartney or Madonna. And for those who are too young to remember those two, think Justin Beiber or Miley Cyrus. Even rival coach Michael Voss of the Brisbane Lions has jumped onto the bandwagon calling us the next "superpower," when he told the AFL website: "The way they moved and the way that they played the game, you certainly think, 'Are we seeing the superpower of the future?' "That’s the way Geelong (play), being able to move the ball like that and with the younger players that they have got in there at their disposal, it is quite impressive. "I would imagine they are probably talking finals." Voss fairly gushed when speaking of Melbourne's stockpile of top draft picks who were making an immediate impact, adding how they had "vastly improved since the teams last met in Round 5, when the Demons won by 50 points." When he reached this point the penny dropped and you knew he was engaging in what the coaching world calls "psychological warfare". A desperate man attempting a desperate tactic that would backfire if his own charges took the wrong message from their coach. Of course, the wags would say that the Brisbane Lions aren't really listening to his message anyway and that the only bloke they take any notice of is the Messiah aka Travis Johnstone who won't be taking his place in the team this week because he'll be too busy ministering to his homeless brothers in Vulture Street. Pity that one time #1 draft choice TJ left the Dees because he would have loved the adulation that the football world is heaping on the club. He had his days in paradise but he also knows only too well how easily the applause can come to an end if you bask in the glory but fail to continually do the hard work and apply yourself to the task of improving in all facets of the game. And that should be a lesson to his own former club as well. THE GAME Brisbane v Melbourne at The Gabba - Saturday, 31 July 2010 at 7.10pm. HEAD TO HEAD Overall Brisbane 10 wins Melbourne 17 wins Gabba Brisbane 8 wins Melbourne 3 wins Since 2000 Brisbane 7 wins Melbourne 6 wins The Coaches Voss 1 win Bailey 1 win MEDIA TV Fox Sports1 Live at 7.00pm RADIO ABC774 SEN THE BETTING Brisbane $1.76 Melbourne $2.07 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 15.13.103 defeated Brisbane Lions 7.11.53 at The MCG Round 5, 2010 Before the game the task of taking on the undefeated Lions looked a daunting prospect but the Demons dominated from the start booting 9.6 to 3.6 in the first half. They then held Brisbane's much vaunted forward line goalless in the final term to record their third win on the trot. They were brave, courageous and bold, ran all night and gave their fans hope for the future. THE TEAMS BRISBANE Backs Xavier Clarke Daniel Merrett Ashley McGrath Half backs Luke Power Brent Staker Joel Patfull Centreline Jack Redden Daniel Rich Tom Rockliff Half forwards James Polkinghorne Jonathan Brown Albert Proud Forwards Jared Brennan Brendan Fevola Todd Banfield Followers Mitchell Clark Simon Black Michael Rischitelli Interchange Pearce Hanley Ryan Harwood Matthew Leuenberger Cheynee Stiller Emergencies Aaron Cornelius James Hawksley Justin Sherman In Simon Black Xavier Clarke Ashley McGrath Cheynee Stiller Out Amon Buchanan (quad) Aaron Cornelius James Hawksley Matt Maguire MELBOURNE Backs Colin Garland Jared Rivers Clint Bartram Half backs Cameron Bruce James Frawley Joel Macdonald Centreline Rohan Bail James McDonald Brad Green Half forwards Lynden Dunn Jack Watts Tom Scully Forwards Jamie Bennell Paul Johnson Austin Wonaeamirri Followers Mark Jamar Colin Sylvia Aaron Davey Interchange Jordie McKenzie, Cale Morton, Nathan Jones, Liam Jurrah Emergencies Jack Trengove, Addam Maric, Matthew Warnock In James McDonald Out Addam Maric ONE WEEK ... I would really like to see Melbourne live up to the adulation heaped upon the team by Voss and the talking heads in the media who have in the space of a single week created this new Demon bandwagon thanks to their adulation and their constant comparisons with the Cats. I'd like to jump on and see it turn into a juggernaut proving correct those who have gotten stuck into their AFL ladder predictors to come up with weird scenarios that include Melbourne miraculously jumping into the final eight after winning the last dramatic home and away game of 2010. The problem is that it's little more than a pipedream and there's not much chance of it all seeing the light of day in the real world. I keep returning to the old cliché about taking things one week at a time and remembering the week after Melbourne thrashed the Brisbane Lions earlier this season. Demon fans also walked with a swagger then. They looked at an AFL ladder which had their team outside the top eight on percentage only (1.1% behind the Bulldogs), a ladder that had them equal on premiership points with the reigning premiers and well ahead of their upcoming opponent North Melbourne. The contest against the Kangaroos might well have been fixed to take place at Etihad Stadium where the Dees have not fared well of late but it still seemed like it would be a picnic in the park during the week leading up to the game. Yet reality set in on the first day of May when North rocked our socks and cleared out to an eight goal lead during the second quarter. The inconsistency bug bit us bloody hard on the bum and persisted with us throughout the remainder of the season. We managed a tie against today's ladder leader and premiership favourite one day but the next time we played we were chopped liver. Is there any guarantee that history won't repeat itself by the first day of August? Those of you who believe Melbourne's scorching form against the Swans will automatically be repeated when the team travels north this week should take care. The game will be the team's second road trip in a fortnight and I didn't want to mention it but the Demons don't travel very well. Their last win at a regular non-Victorian venue came four years ago. In football playing terms that's half a lifetime ago. What Melbourne does have in its favour is recent exposed form: Melbourne: DLLWLW Brisbane Lions: LLLLLL The Demons also have the advantage of having their skipper back on the park for the first time in almost two months although the Lions also do have some handy returnees led by Simon Black who always does well against Melbourne. The bookies have the Lions as slight favourites which suggests that recent form means nothing while home ground advantage is an important factor. I agree the result of the game will be a lot closer than many would have us think and perhaps Vossy's little attempt at some form of reverse psychology might even work. But while I'm predicting that it will be a tight affair I can't go past Melbourne's speedy ball movers to get it across the line although by only a narrow margin this time. Melbourne by 3 points.

Could posters please refrain from posting private email addresses without the consent of the intended recipients please. It should be sufficient to address the club through the website but not private email addresses or phone numbers unless requested. In this case it seems that the club has responded positively and we hope that all 90 year old Demons are well rewarded and get lots of enjoyment from our great club. Thanks everybody.

MY DAY IN PARADISE by Whispering Jack The past week has been a very good one for die hard Demon supporters. Suddenly, we have the respect of the football world. It's there in the media, in public transport and it's there around the water cooler at work. It's everywhere. From casual acquaintances to close friends, Melbourne's sensational drubbing of top eight side, the Sydney Swans has elevated the club to rock star status and if you happen to be a Demon fan, then welcome aboard for the ride. You've become this week's Paul McCartney or Madonna. And for those who are too young to remember those two, think Justin Beiber or Miley Cyrus. Even rival coach Michael Voss of the Brisbane Lions has jumped onto the bandwagon calling us the next "superpower," when he told the AFL website: "The way they moved and the way that they played the game, you certainly think, 'Are we seeing the superpower of the future?' "That’s the way Geelong (play), being able to move the ball like that and with the younger players that they have got in there at their disposal, it is quite impressive. "I would imagine they are probably talking finals." Voss fairly gushed when speaking of Melbourne's stockpile of top draft picks who were making an immediate impact, adding how they had "vastly improved since the teams last met in Round 5, when the Demons won by 50 points." When he reached this point the penny dropped and you knew he was engaging in what the coaching world calls "psychological warfare". A desperate man attempting a desperate tactic that would backfire if his own charges took the wrong message from their coach. Of course, the wags would say that the Brisbane Lions aren't really listening to his message anyway and that the only bloke they take any notice of is the Messiah aka Travis Johnstone who won't be taking his place in the team this week because he'll be too busy ministering to his homeless brothers in Vulture Street. Pity that one time #1 draft choice TJ left the Dees because he would have loved the adulation that the football world is heaping on the club. He had his days in paradise but he also knows only too well how easily the applause can come to an end if you bask in the glory but fail to continually do the hard work and apply yourself to the task of improving in all facets of the game. And that should be a lesson to his own former club as well. THE GAME Brisbane v Melbourne at The Gabba - Saturday, 31 July 2010 at 7.10pm. HEAD TO HEAD Overall Brisbane 10 wins Melbourne 17 wins Gabba Brisbane 8 wins Melbourne 3 wins Since 2000 Brisbane 7 wins Melbourne 6 wins The Coaches Voss 1 win Bailey 1 win MEDIA TV Fox Sports1 Live at 7.00pm RADIO ABC774 SEN THE BETTING Brisbane $1.76 Melbourne $2.07 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 15.13.103 defeated Brisbane Lions 7.11.53 at The MCG Round 5, 2010 Before the game the task of taking on the undefeated Lions looked a daunting prospect but the Demons dominated from the start booting 9.6 to 3.6 in the first half. They then held Brisbane's much vaunted forward line goalless in the final term to record their third win on the trot. They were brave, courageous and bold, ran all night and gave their fans hope for the future. THE TEAMS BRISBANE Backs Xavier Clarke Daniel Merrett Ashley McGrath Half backs Luke Power Brent Staker Joel Patfull Centreline Jack Redden Daniel Rich Tom Rockliff Half forwards James Polkinghorne Jonathan Brown Albert Proud Forwards Jared Brennan Brendan Fevola Todd Banfield Followers Mitchell Clark Simon Black Michael Rischitelli Interchange Pearce Hanley Ryan Harwood Matthew Leuenberger Cheynee Stiller Emergencies Aaron Cornelius James Hawksley Justin Sherman In Simon Black Xavier Clarke Ashley McGrath Cheynee Stiller Out Amon Buchanan (quad) Aaron Cornelius James Hawksley Matt Maguire MELBOURNE Backs Colin Garland Jared Rivers Clint Bartram Half backs Cameron Bruce James Frawley Joel Macdonald Centreline Rohan Bail James McDonald Brad Green Half forwards Lynden Dunn Jack Watts Tom Scully Forwards Jamie Bennell Paul Johnson Austin Wonaeamirri Followers Mark Jamar Colin Sylvia Aaron Davey Interchange Jordie McKenzie, Cale Morton, Nathan Jones, Liam Jurrah Emergencies Jack Trengove, Addam Maric, Matthew Warnock In James McDonald Out Addam Maric ONE WEEK ... I would really like to see Melbourne live up to the adulation heaped upon the team by Voss and the talking heads in the media who have in the space of a single week created this new Demon bandwagon thanks to their adulation and their constant comparisons with the Cats. I'd like to jump on and see it turn into a juggernaut proving correct those who have gotten stuck into their AFL ladder predictors to come up with weird scenarios that include Melbourne miraculously jumping into the final eight after winning the last dramatic home and away game of 2010. The problem is that it's little more than a pipedream and there's not much chance of it all seeing the light of day in the real world. I keep returning to the old cliché about taking things one week at a time and remembering the week after Melbourne thrashed the Brisbane Lions earlier this season. Demon fans also walked with a swagger then. They looked at an AFL ladder which had their team outside the top eight on percentage only (1.1% behind the Bulldogs), a ladder that had them equal on premiership points with the reigning premiers and well ahead of their upcoming opponent North Melbourne. The contest against the Kangaroos might well have been fixed to take place at Etihad Stadium where the Dees have not fared well of late but it still seemed like it would be a picnic in the park during the week leading up to the game. Yet reality set in on the first day of May when North rocked our socks and cleared out to an eight goal lead during the second quarter. The inconsistency bug bit us bloody hard on the bum and persisted with us throughout the remainder of the season. We managed a tie against today's ladder leader and premiership favourite one day but the next time we played we were chopped liver. Is there any guarantee that history won't repeat itself by the first day of August? Those of you who believe Melbourne's scorching form against the Swans will automatically be repeated when the team travels north this week should take care. The game will be the team's second road trip in a fortnight and I didn't want to mention it but the Demons don't travel very well. Their last win at a regular non-Victorian venue came four years ago. In football playing terms that's half a lifetime ago. What Melbourne does have in its favour is recent exposed form: Melbourne: DLLWLW Brisbane Lions: LLLLLL The Demons also have the advantage of having their skipper back on the park for the first time in almost two months although the Lions also do have some handy returnees led by Simon Black who always does well against Melbourne. The bookies have the Lions as slight favourites which suggests that recent form means nothing while home ground advantage is an important factor. I agree the result of the game will be a lot closer than many would have us think and perhaps Vossy's little attempt at some form of reverse psychology might even work. But while I'm predicting that it will be a tight affair I can't go past Melbourne's speedy ball movers to get it across the line although by only a narrow margin this time. Melbourne by 3 points.

Earlier this year at the MCG MELBOURNE Backs James McDonald Matthew Warnock James Frawley Half backs Cameron Bruce Colin Garland Lynden Dunn Centreline Jack Trengove Aaron Davey Clint Bartram Half forwards Brad Green Ricky Petterd Nathan Jones Forwards Colin Sylvia Matthew Bate Rohan Bail Followers Mark Jamar Jack Grimes Brent Moloney Interchange Jamie Bennell Joel Macdonald Jordie McKenzie Tom Scully Emergencies Kyle Cheney Jordan Gysberts Stefan Martin No change BRISBANE Backs Ashley McGrath Daniel Merrett Joel Patfull Half backs Travis Johnstone Matt Maguire Josh Drummond Centreline Jared Brennan Daniel Rich Andrew Raines Half forwards Justin Sherman Jonathan Brown Jack Redden Forwards Todd Banfield Brendan Fevola Brent Staker Followers Matthew Leuenberger Michael Rischitelli James Polkinghorne Interchange Simon Black Mitch Clark James Hawksley Emergencies Matt Austin Albert Proud Troy Selwood In Simon Black Mitch Clark Ashley McGrath Out Luke Power (hip) Albert Proud Troy Selwood

DAWN by Whispering Jack As the near full moon dipped into the horizon on a crisp Sunday morning in midwinter, those who were up to greet the dawn could not have imagined what would unfold later in the day. Certain events were highly predictable. Gillard and Abbot would put up a semblance of a debate and bore the living suitcases out of their television audience while a much greater number of viewers would see Adam annointed as this year's Masterchef. Those things were virtually a given. But who, in their right minds would have envisaged a near perfect performance from a young football side that's going through its own dawn in a tough competition? That was Melbourne taking on the Sydneysiders at the home of football - a home that's been kind to the Swans when they've met the Demons there of late, albeit not that very often. The Demons shrugged off their customary tendency to start slowly and banged on eight goals two behinds in the opening quarter. They kept up some of the most relentless pressure, forward and back, that we've seen from them for many a long day and even improved their first term effort by two points in the third. The party continued until well into the last quarter when they led at one stage by 91 points before putting up the shutters and letting through a few junk time goals. There were many heroes on the day which is what you expect when you're winning in virtually every position on the ground. The early catalyst was Brad Green with three first quarter goals on his way to a total of five for the match. He was in exquisite form, marking and kicking goals, roaming wide at times and dazzling the beleaguered Sydney defence who seemed helpless in his wake. And if Green didn't get it then Lynden Dunn or one of the brothers would swoop in for a goal. For the most part they were fed by the brilliance of Colin Sylvia who took on the role of the dominant dynamo, the likes of which have been rarely seen in red and blue since the days when Ron Barassi Junior made ruck roving an art among football's gladiators half a century ago. He notched up 28 touches, nine marks and seven tackles in the absence of his injured skipper James McDonald and late withdrawal Brent Moloney who has taken on the strongman role of late. He was backed up by the grunt of Nathan Jones and the rapidly improving Jordie McKenzie who had a big day with a dozen tackles and the silky skilled talents of Tom Scully. Acting skipper Cameron Bruce shut out Ryan O'Keefe and was fantastic with his own run out of defence, ably backed up by Joel McDonald and Jared Rivers but the big performances were those of James Frawley who is writing his name into contention for an All Australian centre half back spot and the equally exciting Colin Garland, superb with his second and third efforts. There was so much to like about this performance but I believe a few more special mentions are in order. This was Dean Bailey's day in the sun. It's hard to assess the performance of a coach in charge of a development team. There is so much frustration and inconsistency that the doubts inevitably raise themselves. It was Bailey's biggest win to date and a great one over a master tactician in Paul Roos. The Demons' coach has definitely shown more adaptability of late and the dividends of his hard work are there for all to see. His team is starting to blossom under his tutelage and the indications are that there's more to come judging by the amount of emerging talent available to him both within and outside the team that took on Sydney. Mark Jamar killed them in the ruck, Clint Bartram started as a run with but became an important player giving run in the rebound out of defence and finally, there was Cale Morton. Morton's opponent, dual Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes is an absolute freak and he proved it once again while the rest of his team imploded around him. He stood tall and finished with four goals including a couple late in the game when the Melbourne trumpeter was girding his lungs in readiness to accompany the fat lady for a chorus or two. Despite Goodes' goals and his 27 touches, Morton gave him a run for his money and got more of a valuable education in how to play like a champion in one game than he otherwise would in an entire season. Morton was not disgraced picking up 23 disposals and a goal himself but the dividends of the day to both player and club will come some time in the future when the dawn has well and truly broken and turned into a brilliant new era for the Melbourne Football Club. That day is coming. (apologies to those not mentioned - you were all worthy on the day) Melbourne 8.2.50 12.4.76 20.8.128 22.10.142 Sydney 2.1.13 4.4.28 6.6.42 10.9.69 Goals Melbourne Green 5 Dunn 3 Jamar Jones Jurrah Morton 2, Bruce Davey Johnson Scully Watts Wonaeamirri Sydney Goodes 4 White 3 McVeigh Pyke Richards Best Melbourne Sylvia, Green Frawley Bruce Jamar Scully Morton Sydney Goodes, Hannebery, Malceski injuries Melbourne Nil Sydney Nil Reports Melbourne Nil Sydney Nil Changes Melbourne Brent Moloney replaced in the selected side by Austin Wonaeamirri Sydney Nil Umpires Stevic Wenn Findlay Crowd 29,374 at the MCG