Demonland

NO REST FOR THE WICKED by The Oracle It was a diabolically clever move by the Melbourne brains trust to rest brilliant youngsters Jack Trengove and Tom Scully and to omit strong tackling surprise packet of the year Jordie McKenzie for the annual pilgrimage to Skilled Stadium where Geelong was already odds on favourite to commit the now routine ritual slaughter of a rival team on its own dung heap. The selections were indeed wise and intended to enhance the durability of the club's leading young talent but they also sent out some mixed messages. For many Demon fans they were the final nail in the coffin if they were still toying with the idea of braving the cold, windy and rainy onset of winter and the hour's drive down a drab highway bereft of any decent scenery into the hell hole that masquerades as the State's second city. Most simply took the right-minded and sober decision not to turn up and risk a drenching and the possibility of contracting pneumonia for the simple pleasure of watching their team cop a drubbing especially if the game could be watched on one hour delay in the warm comfort of your own home or local pub. Well ... there are exceptions to the rule and your correspondent was one of them this week. No rest for the wicked. Actually, on the subject of rest, I have developed a theory quite early that the selectors had erred too much on the side of caution this time. The rigours of negotiating the energy sapping heat and humidity of the Top End as well as the travel and recovery time and regimen involved were always going to cause grief to a young side so patently outmatched by this machine sitting irresistibly on top of the table with an extra day's break and an average winning margin of 90 points from its three previous games at the Cattery. And if you needed any proof of the effects of tropical fatigue syndrome that affects teams travelling to the Top End you only needed to look at what was happening on the same afternoon elsewhere in the land when winless Richmond decimated the other survivor of last Saturday night's northern rumble. The answer to all of this was quite clearly that the selectors should have been even more daring. They should have rested even more players in a move that, in my view, would have produced a much closer result than the eventual 54 point percentage killing defeat that that those of us who bothered to go the full distance managed to witness. The Demons went into the game with a top heavy defence which was clearly an error when taking on a slick, well oiled attacking machine like the Cats on a ground where they can't be beaten even in a single quarter let alone for a whole match. One of those defenders could easily have been given the day off to play a round of golf back in town rather than to be monstered by a Podsiadly (was it Nathan Carroll who used to routinely do a number on him when he was a middle aged spud at Werribee?) or a Hawkins. Surely, a fresh Kyle Cheney or James Strauss would have provided a little more balance and allowed less latitude to the Cats (exception James Frawley who kept Johnson under reasonable check after quarter time) than our over-abundant defensive talls - especially given that the Casey Scorpions had the bye last week? The same can be said up forward where the Melbourne forwards struggled to find the big sticks (exception Brad Green who has been a shining example of reliability this year). It would have been a brave act to rest Jamie Bennell after last week's four goal performance but he could have done with the break. Austin Wonaeamirri isn't quite up with the pace of the game after his lengthy injury lay off. I appreciate the fact that he had only played the one game in Darwin but I suspect that a few weeks back in the VFL would not have hurt him in his quest to return to his old powers. A fully rested Addam Maric, who has shown some recent form in the VFL, would have been an excellent replacement. I suppose in the final analysis the forwards had a good rest for most of the afternoon out there on the ground because they didn't have to do much other than watch their opponents clean up whenever the ball found its way into their vicinity. My "give them all a rest" theory was, of course, vindicated by the performance of newcomer Jordan Gysberts who showed great composure for a first gamer, collected disposals at will and finished with a team-high 26 disposals. The promising first round draft pick from 2009 spent last week cooling his heels after three or four consecutive good performances with Casey. Apart from Green, he had few rivals for the mantle of his team's best player in an exciting debut game but next week, with the return of the Scullgoves and hopefully McKenzie, the future Demon midfield should be well and truly on display. And the story of this game? Geelong was in control from go to whoa kicking the first three and the last three goals of the game. If you were feeling charitable and took away those six goals then you might say Melbourne's performance was reasonable with all things considered. Hopefully, one day soon it won't be necessary to rationalise the outcome of games that way and - rest or no rest - we will be demanding a more full blooded contest from every Melbourne team that steps out on the field. We saw what a great team like Geelong can do. They are wicked in the way they crush their opposition and, when you're that good, there is no rest for the wicked. Melbourne 2.1.13 4.4.28 7.6.48 10.7.67 Geelong 5.5.35 9.6.60 14.8.92 18.13.121 Goals Melbourne Green 3 Davey 2 Bennell Jetta Miller Morton Wonaeamirri Geelong Podsiadly 5 Hawkins 4 Stokes 3 Ablett Johnson 2 Chapman Selwood Best Melbourne Green Gysberts Davey Moloney Frawley McDonald Geelong Ablett Podsiadly Selwood Enright Stokes Chapman Varcoe Hawkins injuries Melbourne Garland (jarred knee) Geelong Nil Changes Nil Reports Nil Umpires Farmer, McLaren, Jennings Crowd 24,525 at Skilled Stadium DISCUSS HERE: http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21219

Game over. Thread closed but post match discussion invited here - http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21219

Oh dear ...

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

NO REST FOR THE WICKED by The Oracle It was a diabolically clever move by the Melbourne brains trust to rest brilliant youngsters Jack Trengove and Tom Scully and to omit strong tackling surprise packet of the year Jordie McKenzie for the annual pilgrimage to Skilled Stadium where Geelong was already odds on favourite to commit the now routine ritual slaughter of a rival team on its own dung heap. The selections were indeed wise and intended to enhance the durability of the club's leading young talent but they also sent out some mixed messages. For many Demon fans they were the final nail in the coffin if they were still toying with the idea of braving the cold, windy and rainy onset of winter and the hour's drive down a drab highway bereft of any decent scenery into the hell hole that masquerades as the State's second city. Most simply took the right-minded and sober decision not to turn up and risk a drenching and the possibility of contracting pneumonia for the simple pleasure of watching their team cop a drubbing especially if the game could be watched on one hour delay in the warm comfort of your own home or local pub. Well ... there are exceptions to the rule and your correspondent was one of them this week. No rest for the wicked. Actually, on the subject of rest, I have developed a theory quite early that the selectors had erred too much on the side of caution this time. The rigours of negotiating the energy sapping heat and humidity of the Top End as well as the travel and recovery time and regimen involved were always going to cause grief to a young side so patently outmatched by this machine sitting irresistibly on top of the table with an extra day's break and an average winning margin of 90 points from its three previous games at the Cattery. And if you needed any proof of the effects of tropical fatigue syndrome that affects teams travelling to the Top End you only needed to look at what was happening on the same afternoon elsewhere in the land when winless Richmond decimated the other survivor of last Saturday night's northern rumble. The answer to all of this was quite clearly that the selectors should have been even more daring. They should have rested even more players in a move that, in my view, would have produced a much closer result than the eventual 54 point percentage killing defeat that that those of us who bothered to go the full distance managed to witness. The Demons went into the game with a top heavy defence which was clearly an error when taking on a slick, well oiled attacking machine like the Cats on a ground where they can't be beaten even in a single quarter let alone for a whole match. One of those defenders could easily have been given the day off to play a round of golf back in town rather than to be monstered by a Podsiadly (was it Nathan Carroll who used to routinely do a number on him when he was a middle aged spud at Werribee?) or a Hawkins. Surely, a fresh Kyle Cheney or James Strauss would have provided a little more balance and allowed less latitude to the Cats (exception James Frawley who kept Johnson under reasonable check after quarter time) than our over-abundant defensive talls - especially given that the Casey Scorpions had the bye last week? The same can be said up forward where the Melbourne forwards struggled to find the big sticks (exception Brad Green who has been a shining example of reliability this year). It would have been a brave act to rest Jamie Bennell after last week's four goal performance but he could have done with the break. Austin Wonaeamirri isn't quite up with the pace of the game after his lengthy injury lay off. I appreciate the fact that he had only played the one game in Darwin but I suspect that a few weeks back in the VFL would not have hurt him in his quest to return to his old powers. A fully rested Addam Maric, who has shown some recent form in the VFL, would have been an excellent replacement. I suppose in the final analysis the forwards had a good rest for most of the afternoon out there on the ground because they didn't have to do much other than watch their opponents clean up whenever the ball found its way into their vicinity. My "give them all a rest" theory was, of course, vindicated by the performance of newcomer Jordan Gysberts who showed great composure for a first gamer, collected disposals at will and finished with a team-high 26 disposals. The promising first round draft pick from 2009 spent last week cooling his heels after three or four consecutive good performances with Casey. Apart from Green, he had few rivals for the mantle of his team's best player in an exciting debut game but next week, with the return of the Scullgoves and hopefully McKenzie, the future Demon midfield should be well and truly on display. And the story of this game? Geelong was in control from go to whoa kicking the first three and the last three goals of the game. If you were feeling charitable and took away those six goals then you might say Melbourne's performance was reasonable with all things considered. Hopefully, one day soon it won't be necessary to rationalise the outcome of games that way and - rest or no rest - we will be demanding a more full blooded contest from every Melbourne team that steps out on the field. We saw what a great team like Geelong can do. They are wicked in the way they crush their opposition and, when you're that good, there is no rest for the wicked. Melbourne 2.1.13 4.4.28 7.6.48 10.7.67 Geelong 5.5.35 9.6.60 14.8.92 18.13.121 Goals Melbourne Green 3 Davey 2 Bennell Jetta Miller Morton Wonaeamirri Geelong Podsiadly 5 Hawkins 4 Stokes 3 Ablett Johnson 2 Chapman Selwood Best Melbourne Green Gysberts Davey Moloney Frawley McDonald Geelong Ablett Podsiadly Selwood Enright Stokes Chapman Varcoe Hawkins injuries Melbourne Garland (jarred knee) Geelong Nil Changes Nil Reports Nil Umpires Farmer, McLaren, Jennings Crowd 24,525 at Skilled Stadium

My brother-in-law who is a fair weathered Geelong fan (won't say supporter as you will see why) when asked if he would go to the footy this week said he only goes to the footy on Grand Final Day.

Tigers have a big half time lead over Port Adelaide. Obviously, the Darwin Syndrome is real. Go Tiges anyway!

Classical comment via SMS from Whispering Jack who is watching the telecast at home:

As bad as it looks, they've kicked 7.1 to 4.4 since half time. The point was rushed by Garland.

Jordan Gysberts is our leading possession winner at half time with 15. Equal third in the game behind Ablett and Enright! At least that's a good sign from this game.

Gysberts -7 touches in his first quarter!

Getting things under way. I don't understand why they don't have Geelong v Casey as the curtain raiser when Melbourne plays here! At least it's a win for the red and the blue (and they're singing Its a Grand Old Flag) because Port Melbourne score a win over Geelong VFL.

LEGENDS OF THE SKILLED by the Oracle There's not too much to say about this game. Geelong has beaten Melbourne by an average of nearly 10 goals in their past five encounters and the Demons have a poor recent record at Skilled Stadium having won only once there since the late '80s. This week's hosts are the top of their form at the moment. They spanked Collingwood in their top of the table clash last Friday night and are aiming for their twentieth consecutive win at the Cattery. The Demons also enjoyed a last up victory at the weekend but that game, played in far away Darwin in 30 degree heat and high humidity, is said to have knocked the stuffing out of the players. On top of that they had to travel halfway across the continent and back to take part in the game. Fatigue and a radically changed training regime to cater for the situation won't help their cause. Although it was a young, keen and fit Melbourne side that went up to the Top End, you could literally see the strength leaving their bodies as the game wore on and, by the final quarter, they were all but spent. It took a miracle to get them across the line but the problem is that miracles don't happen often at Skilled. The game has been variously billed as "Mission Impossible" and a "Super Challenge" for the young Demon side. Certainly, it will be a daunting task to take on the Cats on their home turf but it should be stressed that this remains a development year for the club. They're taking it seriously because they're training there tomorrow and staying in Geelong overning (god - please make sure they stick to the curfew). Whatever the result, the experience of mixing it with the best in the competition can only be a good thing for Melbourne's youngsters - particularly those in the midfield where they have some real up and comers like Jack Grimes although some of the other young midfield guns will be watching the game from the stands because they're being rested. Though I'm selecting Geelong to win, it's possible for there to be two winners in this game because the experience will be invaluable for the Demon team that remains very much a team of the future. Geelong by 21 points. Having disposed of the business of previewing the game it's important to point out that this is not a lost cause and it remains possible that the tiny number of Demon fans who fortunate enough to gain admission to the ground might leave Corio Bay feeling happy or at least not too disillusioned. During the week, we featured Scoop Junior's original Demonland report from the drawn game of Round 21 of 2006 (see here). Below, he will describe the euphoria of that day in 2005 when he and many other Demon fans ventured down the Princes Highway to witness the club's only victory at the venue in almost a quarter of a century. Then there's the little gem of a story from Whispering Jack about his trip to Geelong one day early in 2000 when he came back all smiles. NEVER IN DOUBT by Whispering Jack Melbourne's record at Kardinia Park where Skilled Stadium is located wasn't all that bad in the early days when the Geelong Football Club first played its home games on the eastern oval at Kardinia Park. The Cats moved there when their previous home ground, Corio Oval, was requisitioned for military use in 1941 (and just for the record, I wasn't around then). When the Demons were a power house in the 1950's they rarely lost anywhere so a trip down the highway held no fear for them. Even in the sixties and seventies it was always an enjoyable trip down the Princes Highway to Sleepy Hollow although, if the team lost, the drive home in failing light always seemed to last forever. I missed the win there on Anzac Day 1983 because the wife went into labour and delivered our daughter the following day. I still remind her of the significance of that birth date - a day after our expensive recruit Kelvin Templeton kicked eight goals and played his only decent game for us in a short and undistinguished career at the club. You have to get your priorities in the right place! I can't remember much about our next win at Kardinia Park in 1988 but it was to be the last victory for a long, long time. I grew to despise the place over the years when it went through several name changes ending up as Skilled Stadium at some time in the last decade. We simply stopped winning games at the damned place! During the pre season competition ten years ago (please don't ask me what the comp or the ground was called at the time) Melbourne was drawn to play Geelong at Kardinia Park in a semi final. The Demons had a good team in 2000 and, as I drove down the highway in the direction of the Ford Factory and Corio Bay, I was feeling supremely confident of victory at last. The day was fine and even the obligatory weekend road works that usually clog up the road and turn the drive into an horrific ordeal were missing. However, I should have known something was amiss when I managed to snaffle a parking spot in Moorabool Street immediately outside the gates of the stadium. They let me into the ground for nothing because there was some doubt about whether the game would start on time, if at all. Turned out that one side of the ground was flooded when an underground pipe burst near a wing. We waited, waited and waited and nothing happened. People wandered around the ground inspecting the surface near the affected area. The PA system kept putting back the start of the game and, when a few of the players walked out, looked at the mess and shook their heads, I knew it was time to toss it in and drive home. At that stage, it was around 3.00 pm and I can truthfully say, the result was never in doubt. I was cruising past Lara when they announced the game had been called off. The remainder of the return trip was a breeze compared to my many other hard slogs back into town after a heartbreaking defeat at that cursed ground so I was still smiling when I finally got to the front door. Epilogue: A few nights later, the game was finally played at VFL Park in front of a pitiful crowd and guess what? We lost, but at least it wasn't such a long drive home. THE GAME Geelong v Melbourne at Skilled Stadium on Saturday 29 May 2010 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Geelong 121 wins Melbourne 83 wins 2 draws At Skilled Stadium Geelong 33 wins Melbourne 17 wins 1 draw Since 2000 Geelong 11 wins Melbourne 6 wins 1 draw The Coaches Thompson 4 Bailey 0 MEDIA TV Channel 10 at 3pm (1 hour delay) RADIO K-Rock Triple M 3AW THE BETTING Geelong to win $1.05 Melbourne to win $10.00 LAST TIME THEY MET Geelong 17.15.117 defeated Melbourne 11.5.71 at the MCG in Round 16 2009 By quarter time, the Cats had kicked seven goals and the Demons had yet to score a single goal. It was goal for goal for the rest of the game but few of spectators cared. It was a feast for Matthew Scarlett while Ablett and Chapman did as they wished. Cale Morton went forward for the Demons and kicked a few goals but otherwise the encounter was extremely forgettable (as was much of 2009). THE TEAMS GEELONG Backs Darren Milburn Tom Lonergan Josh Hunt Half backs Andrew Mackie Harry Taylor Corey Enright Centreline James Kelly Cameron Ling Gary Ablett Half forwards Mathew Stokes Tom Hawkins Paul Chapman Forwards Travis Varcoe Cameron Mooney Steve Johnson Followers Mark Blake Joel Selwood Jimmy Bartel Interchange Shannon Byrnes Simon Hogan James Podsiadly David Wojcinski Emergencies Mitchell Duncan Taylor Hunt Dawson Simpson In Simon Hogan Out Matthew Scarlett (hamstring) MELBOURNE Backs Clint Bartram Jared Rivers Colin Garland Half backs Cameron Bruce Matthew Warnock James Frawley Centreline Brad Green Jack Grimes Aaron Davey Half forwards Jamie Bennell Brad Miller Jordan Gysberts Forwards Nathan Jones Jack Watts Neville Jetta Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Colin Sylvia Interchange Joel Macdonald James McDonald, Cale Morton Austin Wonaeamirri Emergencies Lynden Dunn Addam Maric Jake Spencer In Cameron Bruce Jordan Gysberts Matthew Warnock Out Jordie McKenzie Tom Scully (rested) Jack Trengove New Jordan Gysberts (Eastern Ranges) FLASHBACK by Scoop Junior When I reflect back on my most memorable home and away games over the last 20 years of watching Melbourne, two games automatically spring to mind. One was the win against West Coast at Subiaco back in 1998. Despite this now being 12 years ago, I would think that most Melbourne supporters would have pretty fond memories of this game. I guess the 'memorable' factor was heightened for me as I was at the game, my first trip to Subiaco to see the Dees. But no one could deny how incredible that win was, as not only was it against a powerhouse in their own backyard, but Melbourne had a lengthy injury list featuring many of their best players and had been absolutely belted the previous two weeks against Geelong and St Kilda. The other game that jumps up is the Round 20, 2005 match versus Geelong at Skilled Stadium. After witnessing loss after loss at Geelong over the years, it was with a sense of deja vu that I arrived at Skilled Stadium that day to see the Demons try to get their finals hopes back on track. Deja vu on two counts - one, we had not won at Geelong since 1988 and another depressing drive back to Melbourne after the game looked on the cards, and two, we had lost our previous seven games (after sterling early season form had seen us climb to second on the ladder mid-season) and this appeared as though it was going to be number eight. So, while in the context of the season the game was a massive one, there was always that feeling in the back of the mind that this was Geelong at Geelong and we simply do not win these games. By half time my pessimistic pre-game thoughts were realised. Five goals down, only four goals kicked to half time, a number of behinds and mis-kicks as the team again struggled to deal with the local breeze and the narrow confines of the ground. However, something special happened over the next 60 minutes of football that will be reflected on by Melbourne supporters for a long period of time. The Demons clicked into gear, Russell Robertson providing the spark up forward, and a six goal to two third quarter had the visitors in front at three quarter time to the stunned disbelief of the home fans (and it must be said the away fans as well). But we'd been here before at Skilled, we've seen this a number of times. Geelong would quickly find their feet, gain the momentum and run away with a big win. [Note: On Tuesday night on Foxtel they showed the Geelong-Melbourne match at Kardinia Park in 1994, where the Dees played some great footy in the third quarter and looked like winning it, only for Gary Ablett Snr and co. to go ballistic in the final quarter to win running away. So we'd seen this before, it was nothing new.] However, the Melbourne side on this day were made of stern stuff and despite Geelong improving in the final quarter and threatening to sneak over the line, the Demons held firm and responded to everything the Cats threw at them. We (the few Melbourne fans that were there) were screaming our lungs out and praying for the boys to get over the line, but our cries were completely drowned out by the vocal home fans. Then it hit me. Deep into the last term, for the first time I could remember since going to Geelong, I thought, "we can win this". But I should emphasize the word "can", because I still had the nagging thought that somehow the dark spiritual forces of Kardinia Park would combine to ensure that the Dees would go home empty-handed yet again. And so it proved when Matthew Egan marked within shooting distance and the siren sounded with the Demons leading by two points. Oh, how cruel. We get to within a few seconds of winning at Geelong and have this happen to us. "We will never win here" I thought. Football is about moments and the feelings that those moments elicit. As Egan's shot slowly faded to the left and the Demons players started celebrating the fact that they had won by a point, Melbourne fans had one of those moments. It was a feeling of sheer joy mixed with a sense of bewilderment and amazement. Did we just beat the Cats in Geelong? Surely not. Well to me it still felt that way (despite my jumping around like a lunatic suggesting otherwise), and it took about an hour to sink in that we had actually done it. The Melbourne fans that were there hung around for what seemed an eternity after the game, singing the song and just lapping up the feeling of what they had just seen. It was about as surreal a feeling and an atmosphere as you could imagine. The train ride home was also a fantastic experience. The club had organised a special train to take Melbourne fans back to Spencer Street (I think it was called the 'Demon Train'). The usual long trip home went by in a flash as repeated renditions of 'It's a Grand Old Flag' reverberated in the carriages filled with Demons fans who simply could not contain their excitement at what had been a most memorable day out. DISCUSS HERE: http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21190

LEGENDS OF THE SKILLED by the Oracle There's not too much to say about this game. Geelong has beaten Melbourne by an average of nearly 10 goals in their past five encounters and the Demons have a poor recent record at Skilled Stadium having won only once there since the late '80s. This week's hosts are the top of their form at the moment. They spanked Collingwood in their top of the table clash last Friday night and are aiming for their twentieth consecutive win at the Cattery. The Demons also enjoyed a last up victory at the weekend but that game, played in far away Darwin in 30 degree heat and high humidity, is said to have knocked the stuffing out of the players. On top of that they had to travel halfway across the continent and back to take part in the game. Fatigue and a radically changed training regime to cater for the situation won't help their cause. Although it was a young, keen and fit Melbourne side that went up to the Top End, you could literally see the strength leaving their bodies as the game wore on and, by the final quarter, they were all but spent. It took a miracle to get them across the line but the problem is that miracles don't happen often at Skilled. The game has been variously billed as "Mission Impossible" and a "Super Challenge" for the young Demon side. Certainly, it will be a daunting task to take on the Cats on their home turf but it should be stressed that this remains a development year for the club. They're taking it seriously because they're training there tomorrow and staying in Geelong overning (god - please make sure they stick to the curfew). Whatever the result, the experience of mixing it with the best in the competition can only be a good thing for Melbourne's youngsters - particularly those in the midfield where they have some real up and comers like Jack Grimes although some of the other young midfield guns will be watching the game from the stands because they're being rested. Though I'm selecting Geelong to win, it's possible for there to be two winners in this game because the experience will be invaluable for the Demon team that remains very much a team of the future. Geelong by 21 points. Having disposed of the business of previewing the game it's important to point out that this is not a lost cause and it remains possible that the tiny number of Demon fans who fortunate enough to gain admission to the ground might leave Corio Bay feeling happy or at least not too disillusioned. During the week, we featured Scoop Junior's original Demonland report from the drawn game of Round 21 of 2006 (see here). Below, he will describe the euphoria of that day in 2005 when he and many other Demon fans ventured down the Princes Highway to witness the club's only victory at the venue in almost a quarter of a century. Then there's the little gem of a story from Whispering Jack about his trip to Geelong one day early in 2000 when he came back all smiles. NEVER IN DOUBT by Whispering Jack Melbourne's record at Kardinia Park where Skilled Stadium is located wasn't all that bad in the early days when the Geelong Football Club first played its home games on the eastern oval at Kardinia Park. The Cats moved there when their previous home ground, Corio Oval, was requisitioned for military use in 1941 (and just for the record, I wasn't around then). When the Demons were a power house in the 1950's they rarely lost anywhere so a trip down the highway held no fear for them. Even in the sixties and seventies it was always an enjoyable trip down the Princes Highway to Sleepy Hollow although, if the team lost, the drive home in failing light always seemed to last forever. I missed the win there on Anzac Day 1983 because the wife went into labour and delivered our daughter the following day. I still remind her of the significance of that birth date - a day after our expensive recruit Kelvin Templeton kicked eight goals and played his only decent game for us in a short and undistinguished career at the club. You have to get your priorities in the right place! I can't remember much about our next win at Kardinia Park in 1988 but it was to be the last victory for a long, long time. I grew to despise the place over the years when it went through several name changes ending up as Skilled Stadium at some time in the last decade. We simply stopped winning games at the damned place! During the pre season competition ten years ago (please don't ask me what the comp or the ground was called at the time) Melbourne was drawn to play Geelong at Kardinia Park in a semi final. The Demons had a good team in 2000 and, as I drove down the highway in the direction of the Ford Factory and Corio Bay, I was feeling supremely confident of victory at last. The day was fine and even the obligatory weekend road works that usually clog up the road and turn the drive into an horrific ordeal were missing. However, I should have known something was amiss when I managed to snaffle a parking spot in Moorabool Street immediately outside the gates of the stadium. They let me into the ground for nothing because there was some doubt about whether the game would start on time, if at all. Turned out that one side of the ground was flooded when an underground pipe burst near a wing. We waited, waited and waited and nothing happened. People wandered around the ground inspecting the surface near the affected area. The PA system kept putting back the start of the game and, when a few of the players walked out, looked at the mess and shook their heads, I knew it was time to toss it in and drive home. At that stage, it was around 3.00 pm and I can truthfully say, the result was never in doubt. I was cruising past Lara when they announced the game had been called off. The remainder of the return trip was a breeze compared to my many other hard slogs back into town after a heartbreaking defeat at that cursed ground so I was still smiling when I finally got to the front door. Epilogue: A few nights later, the game was finally played at VFL Park in front of a pitiful crowd and guess what? We lost, but at least it wasn't such a long drive home. THE GAME Geelong v Melbourne at Skilled Stadium on Saturday 29 May 2010 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Geelong 121 wins Melbourne 83 wins 2 draws At Skilled Stadium Geelong 33 wins Melbourne 17 wins 1 draw Since 2000 Geelong 11 wins Melbourne 6 wins 1 draw The Coaches Thompson 4 Bailey 0 MEDIA TV Channel 10 at 3pm (1 hour delay) RADIO K-Rock Triple M 3AW THE BETTING Geelong to win $1.05 Melbourne to win $10.00 LAST TIME THEY MET Geelong 17.15.117 defeated Melbourne 11.5.71 at the MCG in Round 16 2009 By quarter time, the Cats had kicked seven goals and the Demons had yet to score a single goal. It was goal for goal for the rest of the game but few of spectators cared. It was a feast for Matthew Scarlett while Ablett and Chapman did as they wished. Cale Morton went forward for the Demons and kicked a few goals but otherwise the encounter was extremely forgettable (as was much of 2009). THE TEAMS GEELONG Backs Darren Milburn Tom Lonergan Josh Hunt Half backs Andrew Mackie Harry Taylor Corey Enright Centreline James Kelly Cameron Ling Gary Ablett Half forwards Mathew Stokes Tom Hawkins Paul Chapman Forwards Travis Varcoe Cameron Mooney Steve Johnson Followers Mark Blake Joel Selwood Jimmy Bartel Interchange Shannon Byrnes Simon Hogan James Podsiadly David Wojcinski Emergencies Mitchell Duncan Taylor Hunt Dawson Simpson In Simon Hogan Out Matthew Scarlett (hamstring) MELBOURNE Backs Clint Bartram Jared Rivers Colin Garland Half backs Cameron Bruce Matthew Warnock James Frawley Centreline Brad Green Jack Grimes Aaron Davey Half forwards Jamie Bennell Brad Miller Jordan Gysberts Forwards Nathan Jones Jack Watts Neville Jetta Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Colin Sylvia Interchange Joel Macdonald James McDonald, Cale Morton Austin Wonaeamirri Emergencies Lynden Dunn Addam Maric Jake Spencer In Cameron Bruce Jordan Gysberts Matthew Warnock Out Jordie McKenzie Tom Scully (rested) Jack Trengove New Jordan Gysberts (Eastern Ranges) FLASHBACK by Scoop Junior When I reflect back on my most memorable home and away games over the last 20 years of watching Melbourne, two games automatically spring to mind. One was the win against West Coast at Subiaco back in 1998. Despite this now being 12 years ago, I would think that most Melbourne supporters would have pretty fond memories of this game. I guess the 'memorable' factor was heightened for me as I was at the game, my first trip to Subiaco to see the Dees. But no one could deny how incredible that win was, as not only was it against a powerhouse in their own backyard, but Melbourne had a lengthy injury list featuring many of their best players and had been absolutely belted the previous two weeks against Geelong and St Kilda. The other game that jumps up is the Round 20, 2005 match versus Geelong at Skilled Stadium. After witnessing loss after loss at Geelong over the years, it was with a sense of deja vu that I arrived at Skilled Stadium that day to see the Demons try to get their finals hopes back on track. Deja vu on two counts - one, we had not won at Geelong since 1988 and another depressing drive back to Melbourne after the game looked on the cards, and two, we had lost our previous seven games (after sterling early season form had seen us climb to second on the ladder mid-season) and this appeared as though it was going to be number eight. So, while in the context of the season the game was a massive one, there was always that feeling in the back of the mind that this was Geelong at Geelong and we simply do not win these games. By half time my pessimistic pre-game thoughts were realised. Five goals down, only four goals kicked to half time, a number of behinds and mis-kicks as the team again struggled to deal with the local breeze and the narrow confines of the ground. However, something special happened over the next 60 minutes of football that will be reflected on by Melbourne supporters for a long period of time. The Demons clicked into gear, Russell Robertson providing the spark up forward, and a six goal to two third quarter had the visitors in front at three quarter time to the stunned disbelief of the home fans (and it must be said the away fans as well). But we'd been here before at Skilled, we've seen this a number of times. Geelong would quickly find their feet, gain the momentum and run away with a big win. [Note: On Tuesday night on Foxtel they showed the Geelong-Melbourne match at Kardinia Park in 1994, where the Dees played some great footy in the third quarter and looked like winning it, only for Gary Ablett Snr and co. to go ballistic in the final quarter to win running away. So we'd seen this before, it was nothing new.] However, the Melbourne side on this day were made of stern stuff and despite Geelong improving in the final quarter and threatening to sneak over the line, the Demons held firm and responded to everything the Cats threw at them. We (the few Melbourne fans that were there) were screaming our lungs out and praying for the boys to get over the line, but our cries were completely drowned out by the vocal home fans. Then it hit me. Deep into the last term, for the first time I could remember since going to Geelong, I thought, "we can win this". But I should emphasize the word "can", because I still had the nagging thought that somehow the dark spiritual forces of Kardinia Park would combine to ensure that the Dees would go home empty-handed yet again. And so it proved when Matthew Egan marked within shooting distance and the siren sounded with the Demons leading by two points. Oh, how cruel. We get to within a few seconds of winning at Geelong and have this happen to us. "We will never win here" I thought. Football is about moments and the feelings that those moments elicit. As Egan's shot slowly faded to the left and the Demons players started celebrating the fact that they had won by a point, Melbourne fans had one of those moments. It was a feeling of sheer joy mixed with a sense of bewilderment and amazement. Did we just beat the Cats in Geelong? Surely not. Well to me it still felt that way (despite my jumping around like a lunatic suggesting otherwise), and it took about an hour to sink in that we had actually done it. The Melbourne fans that were there hung around for what seemed an eternity after the game, singing the song and just lapping up the feeling of what they had just seen. It was about as surreal a feeling and an atmosphere as you could imagine. The train ride home was also a fantastic experience. The club had organised a special train to take Melbourne fans back to Spencer Street (I think it was called the 'Demon Train'). The usual long trip home went by in a flash as repeated renditions of 'It's a Grand Old Flag' reverberated in the carriages filled with Demons fans who simply could not contain their excitement at what had been a most memorable day out.

The title has been snipped. Posters are requested to exercise extreme caution when dealing with this subject.

Skilled Stadium in that Sleepy Hollow known at Geelong has been a hoodoo ground for many of the AFL's clubs. So much so that Eddie McGuire who, as everybody knows runs the competition, has ruled that the Magpies never have to visit the place when they play the Cats. However, the challenge of Skilled remains for the Demons and next Saturday the boys take on the Cats when at their height in form having beaten Eddie's boys in Friday Night Football. This week we're focussing on Geelong. The team will travel there early and put every effort into succeeding where others have failed. We'll be looking at our better moments at Skilled Stadium as the week unfolds. Here's how Scoop Junior looked at the 2006 encounter that ended in a draw:- HALF HIGHWAY, HALF HEARTACHE by Scoop Junior A trip down the highway is no longer a mere formality. After 17 years of sameness at Kardinia Park, in which time the Demons could not manage a single win, the past two outings at the Cattery have produced unforgettable results. Last year, the Dees travelled to Geelong with their season on the line. In a stirring second half comeback, they led by two points when Matt Egan marked within range in the dying moments. With almost a sense of theatre, the timekeepers sounded the final siren, giving the Cats defender the chance to win the game off his own boot. The kick drifted to the left and the Demons won by a point in the most thrilling fashion. Fast forward a year later and Melbourne returned to Geelong with a similar smell of September in the year. This time, though, the Demons were not trying to keep their finals hopes alive, but rather their top four chances. All week we had been doing the calculations and the consensus was that a win would leave our top four hopes resting on the Round 22 trip to Adelaide, while a loss would in all probability end our top four dreams. What wasn't built into the equation was a draw. Who would have thought it even possible? Hence the confusion experienced by Melbourne fans when, with what seemed like the second year running of a unique sense of theatre, the timekeepers blew the siren a second before Bartel rushed what would have been the match-winning behind to Geelong. The initial thoughts were somewhere between "thank goodness we didn't lose that one" and "how did we not win that game after being 38 points up?" But, after overcoming the shock of the side's first draw since Round 7 1992, thoughts then turned to the consequences for the Dees' finals aspirations. The draw would enable Melbourne to remain in the top four for the duration of the round, with its position to be determined by the Adelaide game next week. A win would not have changed this scenario. However, a loss to Adelaide could mean an elimination final at Subiaco against Fremantle had the Dockers lost to the Eagles. In light of this situation, the lost two points could have proven costly. However, with the Dockers thumping the Eagles, it appears now that Neale Daniher's optimism at the result, in the sense that a draw was as good as a win, was justified. In light of the Round 21 results, two points is just about as good as four points, in the sense that a win next week will see the Dees make the top four and a loss will result in a home elimination final. Like last week, it was a tale of two halves. This time, though, the Demons came flying out of the blocks only to be caught in their tracks and almost overrun in the second half. The first half was tremendous. Playing at a difficult venue, the Demons exhibited their A-grade pressure game that has been the hallmark of most of their victories this season. The tackling and ability to get numbers to the footy ensured there was plenty of heat around the footy. The Cats struggled to cope and as a result of the pressure fumbled, rushed their disposals and failed to hit targets and string together passages of play. This is the type of footy that wins finals and the Demons were excelling at it. With Cameron Bruce, Travis Johnstone and James McDonald, Melbourne was well on top out of the middle and despite some problems up forward with the absence of skipper David Neitz, the amount of supply forward of centre resulted in 10 first-half goals. Adem Yze was a threat deep forward while the Dees rotated a number of smaller players through the forward positions, including Simon Godfrey, Brad Green, Aaron Davey and Byron Pickett. Daniel Ward also provided excellent run off half back and his ability to carry the ball was invaluable. The highlight of the first half was Yze's mark in the goal square. TV failed to do justice to what was truly a screamer. From the angle where I was sitting (front on to the mark), all you could see was Hunt under a high ball. All of a sudden, Yze just appeared on his shoulders and, as he took the mark, he lost balance in the air and fell forward, making it all the more spectacular. Despite the brilliant first half, the worry was that the team was only five goals ahead. Five goals in modern footy is not a big lead, especially at an away ground where momentum generated by crowd support can shift so quickly. Melbourne was completely dominant and should have been further ahead. They well might have been but for two contentious goal umpiring decisions. Davey's snap at the city end looked well and truly over the line but the umpire inexplicably paid it touched. How the decision was not either a mark or goal was baffling, as Egan took the ball cleanly. Soon after, Mark Jamar was denied a mark and goal by the boundary umpire, after the goal umpire, in perfect position, was overruled. May I ask where this boundary umpire with super human vision was when Davey's kick was marked over the line? Why wasn’t he there to interfere and overrule that decision? The Jamar one was all the more costly when the Cats transferred the ball down the other end for an Ottens goal just before the siren. What would have been a 7-goal halftime lead was whittled back to 5 goals: far more physically and mentally surmountable. On its own dunghill, Geelong was always going to come back; it was just a matter of when. The inevitable happened halfway through the third term. Holding a 38-point lead, the Demons were showing signs of fatigue. The Cats lifted out of the middle through Ling, Bartel and Ablett and with a few quick goals, the home crowd sprung to life. All of a sudden, it was Geelong applying the pressure and intensity and Melbourne could not cope. So clean in the first half, the Dees became jittery and fumbled and struggled to win clean possession. The result was that their inside 50's were rushed long bombs, playing into the hands of the tall Geelong defenders. Within 9 points at three-quarter time, the Cats were charging. An Yze goal gave Melbourne some breathing space but they looked out on their feet. The run and pressure of the first half had disappeared and the Cats were finding too many loose players. Ward rolled the dice a couple of times in attacking the contest, but the ball was turned over and Steve Johnson, cheating off the back off the pack, kicked two goals to close the margin. Whelan's absence was an enormous problem as Daniel Bell, who would have been a better match-up for Johnson than Ward or Clint Bartram, had to curtail Ablett. Ben Holland bravely put his head over the footy in a critical contest and Johnson charged into him. It wasn't malicious, but a free should have been paid to the Melbourne defender. Instead, the umpire waved play on and Scarlett kicked Geelong into the lead. As Daniher said, it would have taken a courageous umpire to blow the whistle and incur the wrath of the Geelong faithful behind the old Hickey Stand. The Demons looked gone, but with their last ounce of strength, forced the ball forward where Jamar marked and coolly slotted through one of the most important goals so far in the Dees' season. An Yze point then gave the Demons the lead, only for Ottens to choke up on his set-shot to level the scores. In a frantic final few minutes, Geelong looked the more likely team to win the game. If not for some desperate defending from Bartram, Holland and Bell, the Cats would have scored. Bell made some mistakes but attacked the contest hard and repelled a few attacks at critical stages in the last term, while Holland showed his usual desperation to thwart Geelong deep in defence from rushing a behind. Bartram played a terrific game and his effort to restrict Ablett, one of the best one-on-one players in the league, from breaking clear and scoring deep in the pocket in the dying minutes was superb. With one last sting in the tail, a fatigued Nathan Carroll ran back deep in defence in an attempt to take an uncontested chest mark. He dropped the seemingly "undroppable" and as the ball hit the deck, the siren sounded a second prior to Bartel scoring a point. Talk about being seconds from disaster. Melbourne's game next week now takes on mammoth proportions. Win and the team will be well placed for a crack at a Grand Final; lose and it will be an extremely difficult run to get to the big one. The Demons must focus on producing a four-quarter effort. It has looked a top two side for four quarters over the least two weeks, with the other four quarters indicative of a bottom eight side. Davey and Pickett will be better for the run and Neitz and Matthew Bate are chances to come back this week. The Dees also need a lift from Russell Robertson, who seemed too content to take back position to try and climb on Harley's back. He needs to lead out harder and be prepared to play from in front. He should benefit from the return of Neitz, as should the rest of the side as they prepare for a September-shaping clash in Adelaide. Melbourne 5.2.32 10.5.65 12.8.80 14.10.94 Geelong 2.1.13 5.4.34 11.5.71 14.10.94 Goals Yze 3 McDonald Robertson 2 Bartram Bruce Jamar Johnstone Miller Pickett Sylvia Best Ward McDonald Yze Bartram Bruce Johnstone Injuries Neitz (hip flexor) replaced in selected side by Sylvia Whelan (hamstring) Umpires Meredith Wenn Ellis Crowd 23,006 at Skilled Stadium

We lost (surprise) ... GEELONG Backs Darren Milburn Matthew Scarlett Corey Enright Half backs Harry Taylor Tom Harley Andrew Mackie Centreline Joel Corey Cameron Ling David Wojcinski Half forwards Mathew Stokes Cameron Mooney Shannon Byrnes Forwards Paul Chapman Tom Hawkins Max Rooke Followers Shane Mumford Joel Selwood Gary Ablett Interchange Travis Varcoe Simon Hogan Tom Lonergan Kane Tenace Emergergencies Tom Gillies Jeremy Laidler Trent West In Gary Ablett Matthew Scarlett Andrew Mackie Travis Varcoe Cameron Ling Darren Milburn Out Jimmy Bartel (hip) Nathan Djerrkura (thigh) Mark Blake Ryan Gamble Jeremy Laidler Tom Gillies MELBOURNE Backs Cale Morton Matthew Warnock James Frawley Half backs Brent Moloney Jared Rivers Jack Grimes Centreline Neville Jetta Brock McLean Aaron Davey Half forwards Cameron Bruce Matthew Bate Ricky Petterd Forwards Russell Robertson Brad Green Liam Jurrah Followers Mark Jamar James McDonald Nathan Jones Interchange Clint Bartram Lynden Dunn Stephan Martin Paul Wheatley Emergencies Jamie Bennell Paul Johnson Brad Miller In Clint Bartram Out Daniel Bell (shoulder)

THEY BURNT THE POWER by Pringle ​On the bus ride back into Darwin after the game last night, I stood next to an indigenous lady, her nephew and her little baby boy. The lady spoke in broken English that was occasionally difficult to understand. She told me that "they burnt the Power" tonight. For three quarters, the Power was indeed being burned by a Demons team on fire. At three quarter time the game looked over as a rampant Melbourne ran rings around their opponents. Youthful exuberance, strong all over the ground pressure and swift ball movement had the Dees up by nearly six goals at the final break and the result seemed a foregone conclusion. But as is often the way with a young side, they were unable to put the game away, and the more experienced Power heads stormed their way back into the game. In fact, this was the pattern for most of the game. Melbourne started each of the first two quarters brightly and looked an inch away from breaking the game open. However the Demons were often wasteful going forward and the latter part of each quarter saw the Power make the most of scarce opportunities to remain in the game. The first quarter saw the Melbourne come out hard and put a few goals on the board before the Power even stirred. The experienced James McDonald, Aaron Davey and Brad Green were well complemented by classy indigenous youngsters Jamie Bennell, Neville Jetta and (semi) local hero Austin Wonaeamirri, the later having not graced an AFL football field in over 18 months after a promising debut season. Jack Watts and Brad Miller were combining well up forward and the Dees were on their way. But an early four goal lead was whittled away to two at the first break thanks to a couple of well taken chances against the flow of play by Port. The second quarter was much the same, the Dees again breaking away with some early hard work to a five goal lead. Trengove, Green and Sylvia were coming into the game and using their silky footskills to great effect, whilst Aaron Davey and Wonaeamirri were showing the adoring fans why their local products are amongst the most exciting players in the AFL. Once again, however, the Power held their nerve when it counted and made the most of a couple of difficult chances and a lucky free kick in front of goal after McKenzie was penalised for a dubious holding the ball decision. The margin at half time was once again two goals, however the third term saw a break in the trend of play. The Demons piled on five goals to Port's one and the game looked to be well and truly in the hands of the Demons, who were running rings around their opponents. Frawley, Macdonald and Grimes were comfortably on top of the Port forwards and it looked unlikely that the Power could rally to kick a winning score with a deficit of 33 points and only 8 goals to three quarter time. Yet rally they did. Two early goals by Port were swiftly answered by the Demons through Brad green, but from there on it was all the Power. The predominantly pro-Demon crowd looked on helplessly as the Power piled on six unanswered goals in a 15 minute goal-scoring frenzy. Suddenly, the unthinkable was happening and when Port Adelaide took the lead via a Rodan snap with still ample time remaining on the clock, it looked as if Melbourne might end up losing comfortably. But the "home" side fought back and edged in front again to give hope to the Northern Dee fans. After two heartbreaking losses to Collingwood and the Dogs in recent weeks, these boys had newfound steel about them. Port again edged in front with another goal but a Brad Green reply saw the scores levelled with already over 30 minutes on the clock. The quarter was to last nearly 35 nerve-racking minutes, but as the clock ticked down, Mark Jamar took a mark 10 meters from goal to surely seal the game for the demons. Once again, however, drama was to intervene, the ball adjudicated to have been touched and a ball-up the result. Enter Jack Trengove, who showed maturity beyond his years, throwing himself into the ruck contest as the third man up to punch through what was to prove to be the winning point. As I jubilantly rode the bus home, my scarf and Dees jumper proudly on display, the indigenous lady (who barracks for Essendon) told me her young son barracks for Melbourne now. He had been dressed in a home-made Demons guernsey. She pulled out her phone and proudly showed me two photos she had taken at the game. The stars in her eyes were plain to see. The first was of our inspirational president Jimmy Stynes, who was only too happy to mingle with the crowd pre-game. His story resonates across all cultures. However her real pride and joy that night was being lucky enough to get a close-up shot of Northern Territory star. Liam Jurrah. She and her son idolise Jurrah and Wanaeamirri and it was incredible to see the influence these young boys - who come from remote areas far removed from the life we know – can have on their kinsfolk. If anyone ever doubted the value of bringing the AFL to the Top End, you only had to see their faces glow as they talked about their heroes to realize what a difference a simple game with a simple ball can make in the lives of the traditional owners of this great land. Last night we not only "burnt the Power", but also lit a fire in many young people's imaginations… a fire that will hopefully burn red and blue for many years to come in this part of the world and elsewhere. DISCUSS HERE: http://demonland.com...showtopic=21090 Melbourne 5.2.32 9.6.60 14.7.91 17.9.111 Port Adelaide 3.3.21 7.6.48 8.10.58 16.14.110 Goals Melbourne Miller 5 Bennell 4 Green 3 Watts 2 Jetta Sylvia Wonaeamirri Port Adelaide Boak Hitchcock 3 Davenport 2 C Cornes Ebert Motlop Pearce Rodan Salopek Schulz Trengove Best Melbourne Sylvia Trengove Jetta Jamar Davey Miller Port Adelaide Boak, Chaplin Cassisi Brogan Injuries Melbourne Nil Port Adelaide Nil Changes Melbourne Jake Spencer (back) replaced in selected side by Neville Jetta. Port Adelaide Robbie Gray (back) replaced in selected side by Jay Nash. Reports Melbourne Brent Moloney for allegedly doing something. Port Adelaide Nil Umpires McLaren Sully Findlay Crowd 8,848 at TIO Stadium DISCUSS HERE: http://demonland.com...showtopic=21090

Junior and the Russian both polled the same number of votes so it's still the skipper by very little with Chip and one of the Jacks next. 69.844 James McDonald 68.360 Mark Jamar 60.593 James Frawley 56.401 Jack Grimes 50.125 Brent Moloney 36.527 Jack Trengove 33.071 Tom Scully 32.347 Colin Sylvia 30.616 Brad Green 22.147 Matthew Bate 20.656 Ricky Petterd 20.446 Aaron Davey 19.567 Jordie McKenzie 18.567 Jamie Bennell 15.431 Nathan Jones 15.283 Matthew Warnock 10.760 Cameron Bruce 8.211 Rohan Bail 8.073 Neville Jetta 7.921 Lynden Dunn 7.064 Brad Miller 5.250 Clint Bartram 2.453 Jack Watts 1.705 Joel Macdonald

WJ's reached $190.00 in donations. Although I have my own fundraising webpage, I heartily endorse WJ's efforts and thank those who have donated so far. Given that we won tonight, let's give some thought to those who are less fortunate than us. Cheers!

Game's over folks - Post match discussion here. Thanks.

Votes please ... 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

THEY BURNT THE POWER by Pringle ​On the bus ride back into Darwin after the game last night, I stood next to an indigenous lady, her nephew and her little baby boy. The lady spoke in broken English that was occasionally difficult to understand. She told me that "they burnt the Power" tonight. For three quarters, the Power was indeed being burned by a Demons team on fire. At three quarter time the game looked over as a rampant Melbourne ran rings around their opponents. Youthful exuberance, strong all over the ground pressure and swift ball movement had the Dees up by nearly six goals at the final break and the result seemed a foregone conclusion. But as is often the way with a young side, they were unable to put the game away, and the more experienced Power heads stormed their way back into the game. In fact, this was the pattern for most of the game. Melbourne started each of the first two quarters brightly and looked an inch away from breaking the game open. However the Demons were often wasteful going forward and the latter part of each quarter saw the Power make the most of scarce opportunities to remain in the game. The first quarter saw the Melbourne come out hard and put a few goals on the board before the Power even stirred. The experienced James McDonald, Aaron Davey and Brad Green were well complemented by classy indigenous youngsters Jamie Bennell, Neville Jetta and (semi) local hero Austin Wonaeamirri, the later having not graced an AFL football field in over 18 months after a promising debut season. Jack Watts and Brad Miller were combining well up forward and the Dees were on their way. But an early four goal lead was whittled away to two at the first break thanks to a couple of well taken chances against the flow of play by Port. The second quarter was much the same, the Dees again breaking away with some early hard work to a five goal lead. Trengove, Green and Sylvia were coming into the game and using their silky footskills to great effect, whilst Aaron Davey and Wonaeamirri were showing the adoring fans why their local products are amongst the most exciting players in the AFL. Once again, however, the Power held their nerve when it counted and made the most of a couple of difficult chances and a lucky free kick in front of goal after McKenzie was penalised for a dubious holding the ball decision. The margin at half time was once again two goals, however the third term saw a break in the trend of play. The Demons piled on five goals to Port's one and the game looked to be well and truly in the hands of the Demons, who were running rings around their opponents. Frawley, Macdonald and Grimes were comfortably on top of the Port forwards and it looked unlikely that the Power could rally to kick a winning score with a deficit of 33 points and only 8 goals to three quarter time. Yet rally they did. Two early goals by Port were swiftly answered by the Demons through Brad green, but from there on it was all the Power. The predominantly pro-Demon crowd looked on helplessly as the Power piled on six unanswered goals in a 15 minute goal-scoring frenzy. Suddenly, the unthinkable was happening and when Port Adelaide took the lead via a Rodan snap with still ample time remaining on the clock, it looked as if Melbourne might end up losing comfortably. But the "home" side fought back and edged in front again to give hope to the Northern Dee fans. After two heartbreaking losses to Collingwood and the Dogs in recent weeks, these boys had newfound steel about them. Port again edged in front with another goal but a Brad Green reply saw the scores levelled with already over 30 minutes on the clock. The quarter was to last nearly 35 nerve-racking minutes, but as the clock ticked down, Mark Jamar took a mark 10 meters from goal to surely seal the game for the demons. Once again, however, drama was to intervene, the ball adjudicated to have been touched and a ball-up the result. Enter Jack Trengove, who showed maturity beyond his years, throwing himself into the ruck contest as the third man up to punch through what was to prove to be the winning point. As I jubilantly rode the bus home, my scarf and Dees jumper proudly on display, the indigenous lady (who barracks for Essendon) told me her young son barracks for Melbourne now. He had been dressed in a home-made Demons guernsey. She pulled out her phone and proudly showed me two photos she had taken at the game. The stars in her eyes were plain to see. The first was of our inspirational president Jimmy Stynes, who was only too happy to mingle with the crowd pre-game. His story resonates across all cultures. However her real pride and joy that night was being lucky enough to get a close-up shot of Northern Territory star. Liam Jurrah. She and her son idolise Jurrah and Wanaeamirri and it was incredible to see the influence these young boys - who come from remote areas far removed from the life we know – can have on their kinsfolk. If anyone ever doubted the value of bringing the AFL to the Top End, you only had to see their faces glow as they talked about their heroes to realize what a difference a simple game with a simple ball can make in the lives of the traditional owners of this great land. Last night we not only "burnt the Power", but also lit a fire in many young people's imaginations… a fire that will hopefully burn red and blue for many years to come in this part of the world and elsewhere. Melbourne 5.2.32 9.6.60 14.7.91 17.9.111 Port Adelaide 3.3.21 7.6.48 8.10.58 16.14.110 Goals Melbourne Miller 5 Bennell 4 Green 3 Watts 2 Jetta Sylvia Wonaeamirri Port Adelaide Boak Hitchcock 3 Davenport 2 C Cornes Ebert Motlop Pearce Rodan Salopek Schulz Trengove Best Melbourne Sylvia Trengove Jetta Jamar Davey Miller Port Adelaide Boak, Chaplin Cassisi Brogan Injuries Melbourne Nil Port Adelaide Nil Changes Melbourne Jake Spencer (back) replaced in selected side by Neville Jetta. Port Adelaide Robbie Gray (back) replaced in selected side by Jay Nash. Reports Melbourne Brent Moloney for allegedly doing something. Port Adelaide Nil Umpires McLaren Sully Findlay Crowd 8,848 at TIO Stadium

THE NOT SO MERRY MONTH OF MAY? by Stan the Stats Man Statistically, the month of May has not been kind to the Melbourne Football Club. After a sensational April when it won three out of four games (and let's face it the loss in the other one against Collingwood was a travesty so the record should have been 100%) this month has proven to be a drought of gargantuan proportions. Late in April, things were looking good for the once beleaguered Demons and some were even speaking in hushed voices of a surprise visit to the finals in September but since May Day when Melbourne lost to North Melbourne (a surprise defeat), it's more likely to be off to the knackery well before August is over. The club threw away another game that should have been won against the Western Bulldogs and then it suffered another surprise defeat when it started as the firm favourite taking on West Coast at home. With Geelong at Skilled Stadium to round off the month of May next week, the club's chances of achieving some joy this month hinge on its trip north to Darwin where it takes on Port Adelaide at TIO Stadium - a place where the boys have at least won before in the opening game of the pre season Wizard Cup a few years back in 2006. That season was also the last year that Melbourne won an interstate game - way back in Round 14, 2006. Since then, it has lost 17 games in a row outside Victoria. Worse still, the Demons have not beaten Port Adelaide away from the MCG for almost exactly 10 years - since Round 8, 2000. Melbourne's record against the Power hasn't been impressive either losing four of their last five matches by an average of 57 points. Statistically therefore, Melbourne's prospects are not bright but there are some factors that defy statistics. In many ways the team has played well when pitted against teams in the top eight. Despite the defeats, the performances against Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs were not too shabby. Further this week's game might be on foreign territory but it's not exactly Port Adelaide's home ground either. They only have a 50% record from four games at TIO Stadium. The Demons have a number of Northern Territorians on their list and, headed by Aaron Davey, the lads will be keen to treat Darwin as their second home. I'm not sure what the weather's like over there at the moment but it's raining in Central Australia which is Liam Jurrah's home territory and I'm therefore tipping Saturday night's game to be a May drought breaker for the club. Melbourne by 17 points. THE GAME Melbourne v Port Adelaide Saturday 22 May 2010 at TIO Stadium, Darwin 7.40pm AEST HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 9 wins Port Adelaide 11 wins At TIO Stadium Melbourne 0 wins Port Adelaide 0 wins Since 2000 Melbourne 6 wins Port Adelaide 9 wins The Coaches Bailey 1 win Williams 2 wins MEDIA TV Fox Sports Live from 7.30 pm. Radio ABC774 SEN THE BETTING Melbourne to win $2.35 Port Adelaide to win $1.60 LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 15.11.101 defeated Port Adelaide 13.12.90 Round 15 at the MCG Liam Jurrah and Ricky Petterd had stand out games on the forward line with four goals each as lowly Melbourne shocked finals contender Port Adelaide on the MCG to score its second win in a row. Brent Moloney was the star of the Demon midfield and was rewarded with three Brownlow Medal votes. THE TEAMS (to be loaded when available) MELBOURNE Backs Clint Bartram Joel Macdonald Jared Rivers Half backs Jack Grimes James Frawley Colin Garland Centreline James McDonald Jack Trengove Aaron Davey Half forwards Jamie Bennell Brad Miller Cale Morton Forwards Nathan Jones Brad Green Jack Watts Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Colin Sylvia Interchange Jordie McKenzie Tom Scully Jake Spencer Austin Wonaeamirri Emergencies Lynden Dunn Neville Jetta James Strauss In Joel Macdonald Brad Miller Cale Morton Jake Spencer Austin Wonaeamirri Out Matthew Bate (ankle) Cameron Bruce (hamstring) Daniel Hughes Paul Johnson Matthew Warnock (soreness) PORT ADELAIDE Backs Jacob Surjan Alipate Carlile Troy Chaplin Half backs Paul Stewart Chad Cornes Steven Salopek Centreline Danyle Pearce Domenic Cassisi Jason Davenport Half forwards Matt Thomas Justin Westhoff David Rodan Forwards Robbie Gray Brett Ebert Daniel Motlop Followers Dean Brogan Travis Boak Kane Cornes Interchange Cameron Hitchcock Tom LoganJay Schulz Jack Trengove Emergencies Josh Carr Jay Nash Daniel Stewart No change THE SEASON SO FAR As usual at this time of year, I provide a statistical overview of each player's season so far with brief comments. These are my views – no doubt others may disagree but here is the first instalment: BAIL, Rohan MFC - 3 games 3 goals, Casey Seniors - 1 game 0 goals. Exciting and enterprising this surprise packet's great start has been ruined by a quad injury from which he has only just returned through Casey. BARTRAM, Clint MFC - 7 games 2 goals. Playing some of his best footy since his debut season although the last couple of games have been a little hit and miss. BATE, Matthew MFC - 8 games 10 goals. A slow start coming back from injury and was returning to good form until an ankle injury hampered him in the Eagles game. BELL, Daniel Casey Seniors - 4 games 0 goals. Coming back slowly at Casey after an AC injury incurred during the pre season. BENNELL, Jamie MFC - 8 games 4 goals. Flashes of brilliance interspersed with a few lowlights. BLEASE, Sam Casey Reserves - 3 games 1 goal. Making slow progress on the comeback trial after a bad foot injury last year. BRUCE, Cameron MFC - 8 games 0 goals. A steady performer. Injured a hamstring late in his last game. CHENEY, Kyle Casey Seniors - 6 games 0 goals. Has been knocking on the door to AFL selection with some solid performances in defence at Casey but finding it hard to get in. DAVEY, Aaron MFC - 8 games 3 goals. Not as predominant as he was last year but has had his good games. DUNN, Lynden MFC - 7 games 4 goals. A few glimpses of good form but went off the boil in his more recent games. FITZPATRICK, Jack Casey Reserves - 2 games 3 goals. Suffered an injured shoulder immediately after a best on ground with Casey Reserves. FRAWLEY, James MFC - 8 games 0 goals. Growing in stature as a strong, fast young defender. GARLAND, Colin MFC - 6 games 0 goals. Gradually finding his feet in defence after a long layoff with injury. GAWN, Max Long term injury. GREEN, Brad MFC - 8 games 18 goals. Has shown outstanding leadership and courage and is the team's top goal kicker. GRIMES, Jack MFC - 8 games 0 goals. Outstanding season so far in defence. GYSBERTS, Jordan Casey Seniors - 5 games 2 goals. Keeps thrusting his name in front of the noses of the Melbourne selectors with consistently good performances at Casey. HEALEY, Rhys ® Casey Seniors - 4 games 2 goals. Still learning the ropes. HUGHES, Daniel ® MFC - 2 games 2 goals, Casey Seniors - 3 games 2 goals. Impressed on debut with the Demons. JAMAR, Mark MFC - 8 games 4 goals. Stepped up in the ruck in the early part of the season but has had his hands full with Hudson and Cox in recent weeks. JETTA, Neville Casey Seniors - 5 games 6 goals. Has done well at Casey on return from a groin injury. JOHNSON, Paul MFC - 2 games 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 4 games 1 goal. JONES, Nathan MFC - 8 games 3 goals. Has been good this season but lowered his colours last week. JURRAH, Liam Long term injury. MACDONALD, Joel MFC - 6 games 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 2 games 1 goal. Added some spice and variety to the defence but had to make way because of the number of defenders of the same type in the team. MCDONALD, James MFC - 8 games 4 goals. Vintage football from the veteran. MCKENZIE, Jordie ® MFC - 7 games 2 goals. A revelation in his first full season. Incredible to think he's still on the rookie list! McNAMARA, Tom Casey Seniors - 6 games 1 goal. Showing improvement at Casey but has the job ahead of him to break into the Demon defence. MARIC, Addam Casey Seniors - 6 games 4 goals. Pushing hard for AFL selection in recent weeks. MARTIN, Stefan MFC - 2 games 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 2 games 6 goals. Hasn't fulfilled his early promise and currently on the sidelines with a hip injury. MEESEN, John ® Long term injury. MILLER, Brad MFC - 1 game 2 goals , Casey Seniors - 6 games 12 goals. Lost his way a little after a poor first up effort against the Hawks but has been doing well and kicking goals at Casey in recent times. MOLONEY, Brent MFC - 8 games 0 goals. Strong and improved form in the engine room. MORTON, Cale Casey Seniors - 2 games 4 goals. Early stages of comeback from knee surgery. NEWTON, Michael ® MFC - 2 games 1 goal, Casey Seniors - 4 games 8 goals. After a couple of early games with the Demons, has been kicking goals at Casey. PETTERD, Ricky MFC - 6 games 12 goals. Added bite to the forward line early before damaging his shoulder and joining the list of players out with long term injuries. RIVERS, Jared MFC - 4 games 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 1 game 0 goals. Had some injury woes and hasn't yet produced his best after coming back into the side in the last month. SCULLY, Tom MFC - 8 games 3 goals. Great start to what should be a long and stellar career. SPENCER, Jake ® MFC - 1 game 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 5 games 1 goal. Played forward in the opening game of the season without much success. Has been improving at Casey in the first ruck role. STRAUSS, James MFC - 2 games 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 5 games 0 goals. Had a taste of AFL football and is promising. SYLVIA, Colin MFC - 5 games 8 goals. Was going gangbusters in his first couple of games after his broken jaw but very subdued lately. TAPSCOTT, Luke Long term injury. TRENGOVE, Jack MFC - 8 games 4 goals. Along with Scully, one of the club's shining young lights. WARNOCK, Matthew MFC - 8 games 0 goals. Very handy in defence this season and has some big scalps. WATTS, Jack MFC - 1 game 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 5 games 7 goals. Showed glimpses in his first game last week. WONAEMIRRI, Austin Casey Seniors - 2 games 2 goals, Casey Reserves - 2 games 4 goals. Has been eased slowly back into the swing of things after missing all of last year with knee and hamstring problems, the latter of which recurred during the pre season. DISCUSS HERE: http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21052

THE NOT SO MERRY MONTH OF MAY? by Stan the Stats Man Statistically, the month of May has not been kind to the Melbourne Football Club. After a sensational April when it won three out of four games (and let's face it the loss in the other one against Collingwood was a travesty so the record should have been 100%) this month has proven to be a drought of gargantuan proportions. Late in April, things were looking good for the once beleaguered Demons and some were even speaking in hushed voices of a surprise visit to the finals in September but since May Day when Melbourne lost to North Melbourne (a surprise defeat), it's more likely to be off to the knackery well before August is over. The club threw away another game that should have been won against the Western Bulldogs and then it suffered another surprise defeat when it started as the firm favourite taking on West Coast at home. With Geelong at Skilled Stadium to round off the month of May next week, the club's chances of achieving some joy this month hinge on its trip north to Darwin where it takes on Port Adelaide at TIO Stadium - a place where the boys have at least won before in the opening game of the pre season Wizard Cup a few years back in 2006. That season was also the last year that Melbourne won an interstate game - way back in Round 14, 2006. Since then, it has lost 17 games in a row outside Victoria. Worse still, the Demons have not beaten Port Adelaide away from the MCG for almost exactly 10 years - since Round 8, 2000. Melbourne's record against the Power hasn't been impressive either losing four of their last five matches by an average of 57 points. Statistically therefore, Melbourne's prospects are not bright but there are some factors that defy statistics. In many ways the team has played well when pitted against teams in the top eight. Despite the defeats, the performances against Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs were not too shabby. Further this week's game might be on foreign territory but it's not exactly Port Adelaide's home ground either. They only have a 50% record from four games at TIO Stadium. The Demons have a number of Northern Territorians on their list and, headed by Aaron Davey, the lads will be keen to treat Darwin as their second home. I'm not sure what the weather's like over there at the moment but it's raining in Central Australia which is Liam Jurrah's home territory and I'm therefore tipping Saturday night's game to be a May drought breaker for the club. Melbourne by 17 points. THE GAME Melbourne v Port Adelaide Saturday 22 May 2010 at TIO Stadium, Darwin 7.40pm AEST HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 9 wins Port Adelaide 11 wins At TIO Stadium Melbourne 0 wins Port Adelaide 0 wins Since 2000 Melbourne 6 wins Port Adelaide 9 wins The Coaches Bailey 1 win Williams 2 wins MEDIA TV Fox Sports Live from 7.30 pm. Radio ABC774 SEN THE BETTING Melbourne to win $2.35 Port Adelaide to win $1.60 LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 15.11.101 defeated Port Adelaide 13.12.90 Round 15 at the MCG Liam Jurrah and Ricky Petterd had stand out games on the forward line with four goals each as lowly Melbourne shocked finals contender Port Adelaide on the MCG to score its second win in a row. Brent Moloney was the star of the Demon midfield and was rewarded with three Brownlow Medal votes. THE TEAMS (to be loaded when available) MELBOURNE Backs Clint Bartram Joel Macdonald Jared Rivers Half backs Jack Grimes James Frawley Colin Garland Centreline James McDonald Jack Trengove Aaron Davey Half forwards Jamie Bennell Brad Miller Cale Morton Forwards Nathan Jones Brad Green Jack Watts Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Colin Sylvia Interchange Jordie McKenzie Tom Scully Jake Spencer Austin Wonaeamirri Emergencies Lynden Dunn Neville Jetta James Strauss In Joel Macdonald Brad Miller Cale Morton Jake Spencer Austin Wonaeamirri Out Matthew Bate (ankle) Cameron Bruce (hamstring) Daniel Hughes Paul Johnson Matthew Warnock (soreness) PORT ADELAIDE Backs Jacob Surjan Alipate Carlile Troy Chaplin Half backs Paul Stewart Chad Cornes Steven Salopek Centreline Danyle Pearce Domenic Cassisi Jason Davenport Half forwards Matt Thomas Justin Westhoff David Rodan Forwards Robbie Gray Brett Ebert Daniel Motlop Followers Dean Brogan Travis Boak Kane Cornes Interchange Cameron Hitchcock Tom LoganJay Schulz Jack Trengove Emergencies Josh Carr Jay Nash Daniel Stewart No change THE SEASON SO FAR As usual at this time of year, I provide a statistical overview of each player's season so far with brief comments. These are my views – no doubt others may disagree but here is the first instalment: BAIL, Rohan MFC - 3 games 3 goals, Casey Seniors - 1 game 0 goals. Exciting and enterprising this surprise packet's great start has been ruined by a quad injury from which he has only just returned through Casey. BARTRAM, Clint MFC - 7 games 2 goals. Playing some of his best footy since his debut season although the last couple of games have been a little hit and miss. BATE, Matthew MFC - 8 games 10 goals. A slow start coming back from injury and was returning to good form until an ankle injury hampered him in the Eagles game. BELL, Daniel Casey Seniors - 4 games 0 goals. Coming back slowly at Casey after an AC injury incurred during the pre season. BENNELL, Jamie MFC - 8 games 4 goals. Flashes of brilliance interspersed with a few lowlights. BLEASE, Sam Casey Reserves - 3 games 1 goal. Making slow progress on the comeback trial after a bad foot injury last year. BRUCE, Cameron MFC - 8 games 0 goals. A steady performer. Injured a hamstring late in his last game. CHENEY, Kyle Casey Seniors - 6 games 0 goals. Has been knocking on the door to AFL selection with some solid performances in defence at Casey but finding it hard to get in. DAVEY, Aaron MFC - 8 games 3 goals. Not as predominant as he was last year but has had his good games. DUNN, Lynden MFC - 7 games 4 goals. A few glimpses of good form but went off the boil in his more recent games. FITZPATRICK, Jack Casey Reserves - 2 games 3 goals. Suffered an injured shoulder immediately after a best on ground with Casey Reserves. FRAWLEY, James MFC - 8 games 0 goals. Growing in stature as a strong, fast young defender. GARLAND, Colin MFC - 6 games 0 goals. Gradually finding his feet in defence after a long layoff with injury. GAWN, Max Long term injury. GREEN, Brad MFC - 8 games 18 goals. Has shown outstanding leadership and courage and is the team's top goal kicker. GRIMES, Jack MFC - 8 games 0 goals. Outstanding season so far in defence. GYSBERTS, Jordan Casey Seniors - 5 games 2 goals. Keeps thrusting his name in front of the noses of the Melbourne selectors with consistently good performances at Casey. HEALEY, Rhys ® Casey Seniors - 4 games 2 goals. Still learning the ropes. HUGHES, Daniel ® MFC - 2 games 2 goals, Casey Seniors - 3 games 2 goals. Impressed on debut with the Demons. JAMAR, Mark MFC - 8 games 4 goals. Stepped up in the ruck in the early part of the season but has had his hands full with Hudson and Cox in recent weeks. JETTA, Neville Casey Seniors - 5 games 6 goals. Has done well at Casey on return from a groin injury. JOHNSON, Paul MFC - 2 games 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 4 games 1 goal. JONES, Nathan MFC - 8 games 3 goals. Has been good this season but lowered his colours last week. JURRAH, Liam Long term injury. MACDONALD, Joel MFC - 6 games 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 2 games 1 goal. Added some spice and variety to the defence but had to make way because of the number of defenders of the same type in the team. MCDONALD, James MFC - 8 games 4 goals. Vintage football from the veteran. MCKENZIE, Jordie ® MFC - 7 games 2 goals. A revelation in his first full season. Incredible to think he's still on the rookie list! McNAMARA, Tom Casey Seniors - 6 games 1 goal. Showing improvement at Casey but has the job ahead of him to break into the Demon defence. MARIC, Addam Casey Seniors - 6 games 4 goals. Pushing hard for AFL selection in recent weeks. MARTIN, Stefan MFC - 2 games 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 2 games 6 goals. Hasn't fulfilled his early promise and currently on the sidelines with a hip injury. MEESEN, John ® Long term injury. MILLER, Brad MFC - 1 game 2 goals , Casey Seniors - 6 games 12 goals. Lost his way a little after a poor first up effort against the Hawks but has been doing well and kicking goals at Casey in recent times. MOLONEY, Brent MFC - 8 games 0 goals. Strong and improved form in the engine room. MORTON, Cale Casey Seniors - 2 games 4 goals. Early stages of comeback from knee surgery. NEWTON, Michael ® MFC - 2 games 1 goal, Casey Seniors - 4 games 8 goals. After a couple of early games with the Demons, has been kicking goals at Casey. PETTERD, Ricky MFC - 6 games 12 goals. Added bite to the forward line early before damaging his shoulder and joining the list of players out with long term injuries. RIVERS, Jared MFC - 4 games 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 1 game 0 goals. Had some injury woes and hasn't yet produced his best after coming back into the side in the last month. SCULLY, Tom MFC - 8 games 3 goals. Great start to what should be a long and stellar career. SPENCER, Jake ® MFC - 1 game 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 5 games 1 goal. Played forward in the opening game of the season without much success. Has been improving at Casey in the first ruck role. STRAUSS, James MFC - 2 games 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 5 games 0 goals. Had a taste of AFL football and is promising. SYLVIA, Colin MFC - 5 games 8 goals. Was going gangbusters in his first couple of games after his broken jaw but very subdued lately. TAPSCOTT, Luke Long term injury. TRENGOVE, Jack MFC - 8 games 4 goals. Along with Scully, one of the club's shining young lights. WARNOCK, Matthew MFC - 8 games 0 goals. Very handy in defence this season and has some big scalps. WATTS, Jack MFC - 1 game 0 goals, Casey Seniors - 5 games 7 goals. Showed glimpses in his first game last week. WONAEMIRRI, Austin Casey Seniors - 2 games 2 goals, Casey Reserves - 2 games 4 goals. Has been eased slowly back into the swing of things after missing all of last year with knee and hamstring problems, the latter of which recurred during the pre season.