Demonland

TANGLED UP IN BLUES by JVM This week Melbourne and Carlton, two of the oldest clubs in the competition, meet for only the third time since they played in that infamous 2007 end-of season twilight game whose result was so meaningful for all of the wrong reasons. It was also the Demons' last win over the Blues and while it ended a long saga of Carlton tank battles, it was only the beginning for Melbourne. Both clubs have emerged from this recent era full of hope for the future. In Carlton's case, it seems to have retained a position whereby it remains at least two years ahead of its rival this Saturday, aided by a seemingly bottomless war chest and an ability to defy what was once conventional salary cap logic thanks to promotions allowances and the like. The end result is that it has one of the best midfield combinations that money and what they call good "list management" can buy. Although the rest of its list can only be described as adequate, the result at a point two and a half seasons down the track is a team that has already tasted the experience of the finals and seems poised to feature in them again in 2010. By way of contrast, Melbourne has a midfield of youth and inexperience with seemingly limitless but mainly untapped talent. Whereas the club traded away one of its former shining midfield lights in Brock McLean to the Blues in an off season trade, it has introduced a bevy of quality young midfielders into its engine room during the current season and one or two others immediately before. And there are more to come. The Demons have also introduced lots of youth into other segments of their make up but have resisted the urge to wave a big cheque book or max out on their credit cards to top up its talent pool. As a result, Saturday's clash between these two traditional clubs looks like a potential mis-match that is likely to go the way of their two most recent meetings - an easy win to Carlton. But looks can sometimes be deceiving and I believe this game is a winnable one for Melbourne provided it comes out with the mindset it displayed in a number of its earlier matches including one or two that were lost but which demonstrated what can be achieved if a youthful team comes out into a game fully focussed on doing what's necessary to win a game. There's no doubt that this game means a great deal to the Melbourne hierarchy and the players. Since the end of the Daniher era and that crazy twilight game at Priority Pick Park (the name then given to the G) that, for both clubs, saw the curtain go down for the 2007 season, the Blues seem to have thwarted a good few of the Demons' plans. They beat them to the punch over the recruitment of Chris Judd and Robert Warnock and they snaffled away two players in Chris Johnson and former captaincy aspirant Brock McLean in off season movements. While most at the club are feeling mighty chuffed about the prospective 200 game player it snared with the draft pick traded for McLean, the clubs remain tangled up in an added air of tension as a result of this scenario. THE GAME Carlton v Melbourne at the MCG - Saturday 5 June 2010 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Carlton 111 wins Melbourne 88 wins 2 draws At MCG Carlton 44 wins Melbourne 48 wins Since 2000 Carlton 6 wins Melbourne 8 wins The Coaches Ratten 2 wins Bailey 0 wins MEDIA TV - Channel 10 at 3:00 pm (delayed telecast) Radio - ABC774 Triple M 3AW THE BETTING Carlton to win $1.36 Melbourne to win $3.10 THE LAST TIME THEY MET - Carlton 24.9.153 defeated Melbourne 15.6.96 at Etihad Stadium, Round 21, 2009 It was a bizarre high scoring game in which both sides kicked accurately but neither exerted much pressure on the other. Judd starred and Fevola kicked seven goals while Mark Jamar and Russell Robertson each booted five. James McDonald was best for the Demons. THE TEAMS CARLTON Backs Aaron Joseph Michael Jamison Bret Thornton Half backs Steven Browne Andrew Walker Jordan Russell Centreline Kade Simpson Chris Judd Heath Scotland Half forwards Ryan Houlihan Jarrad Waite Andrew Carrazzo Followers Eddie Betts Setanta O’hAilpin Matthew Kreuzer Rucks Sam Jacobs Bryce Gibbs Marc Murphy Interchange Joe Anderson Jeff Garlett Richard Hadley Mitch Robinson Emergencies Shaun Grigg Lachie Henderson Brock McLean In Ryan Houlihan Jarrad Waite Out Lachie Henderson Henderson Brock McLean MELBOURNE Backs Clint Bartram James Frawley Cameron Bruce Half backs Jack Grimes Jared Rivers James McDonald Centreline Brad Green Jack Trengove Aaron Davey Half forwards Nathan Jones Brad Miller Tom Scully Forwards Jamie Bennell Jack Watts Cale Morton Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Neville Jetta Interchange Matthew Bate Colin Garland Jordan Gysberts Colin Sylvia Emergencies Kyle Cheney Jordie McKenzie Michael Newton In Matthew Bate Tom Scully Jack Trengove Out Joel MacDonald Matthew Warnock Austin Wonaeamirri MISSING A great deal of pre match publicity has focussed on the feeling of the Melbourne players about Brock McLean and his defection from the club at the end of last season. One newspaper report went to great lengths mentioning Brent Moloney's stinging rebuke of McLean at last year's club champion count and also relating that Demon coach Dean Bailey had been looking forward to this contest for some time; that "Melbourne vs McLean/Carlton would not be just another game". He was alluding to the fact that it was going to "be an important clash for us when we play Carlton." Well the Blues have spoiled the party. They've gone and dropped their midfield recruit to the VFL, a move which has taken a great deal of potential niggle out of the game. It should be stressed however, that there is absolutely no truth in the rumour that the Blues are sending him to Casey Fields as a forward scout for their VFL affiliate, the Northern Bullants. It's not true and it won't happen. Brocky doesn't like the long, hard, demanding drive out into the sticks anyway! Still, the absence of McLean does not detract from the game's importance. At 4/6 and going into the mid point of a season, "important" would seem to be an understatement. If you took a cue from the challenge of the midfield alone, the edge that Carlton has in this game would indeed seem compelling, particularly if one recalls that the Blues have recently beaten both of the 2009 grand finallists and Geelong and St Kilda are blessed with midfield strength. Who is going to stop Judd? Murphy anyone? Gibbs? And if you stop them does it mean that the likes of Carazzo and Scotland will be freed up to cause some damage? The Demons face some interesting challenges this weekend. How will young midfielders Scully and Trengove fare after their week off last week. Can the Demon forward line kick a big enough score to win? Will they be able to stop Setanta and his little helpers? All of these questions will be answered shortly and I fear that Carlton's experience will help it across the line but only just. Carlton by 5 points. 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TANGLED UP IN BLUES by JVM This week Melbourne and Carlton, two of the oldest clubs in the competition, meet for only the third time since they played in that infamous 2007 end-of season twilight game whose result was so meaningful for all of the wrong reasons. It was also the Demons' last win over the Blues and while it ended a long saga of Carlton tank battles, it was only the beginning for Melbourne. Both clubs have emerged from this recent era full of hope for the future. In Carlton's case, it seems to have retained a position whereby it remains at least two years ahead of its rival this Saturday, aided by a seemingly bottomless war chest and an ability to defy what was once conventional salary cap logic thanks to promotions allowances and the like. The end result is that it has one of the best midfield combinations that money and what they call good "list management" can buy. Although the rest of its list can only be described as adequate, the result at a point two and a half seasons down the track is a team that has already tasted the experience of the finals and seems poised to feature in them again in 2010. By way of contrast, Melbourne has a midfield of youth and inexperience with seemingly limitless but mainly untapped talent. Whereas the club traded away one of its former shining midfield lights in Brock McLean to the Blues in an off season trade, it has introduced a bevy of quality young midfielders into its engine room during the current season and one or two others immediately before. And there are more to come. The Demons have also introduced lots of youth into other segments of their make up but have resisted the urge to wave a big cheque book or max out on their credit cards to top up its talent pool. As a result, Saturday's clash between these two traditional clubs looks like a potential mis-match that is likely to go the way of their two most recent meetings - an easy win to Carlton. But looks can sometimes be deceiving and I believe this game is a winnable one for Melbourne provided it comes out with the mindset it displayed in a number of its earlier matches including one or two that were lost but which demonstrated what can be achieved if a youthful team comes out into a game fully focussed on doing what's necessary to win a game. There's no doubt that this game means a great deal to the Melbourne hierarchy and the players. Since the end of the Daniher era and that crazy twilight game at Priority Pick Park (the name then given to the G) that, for both clubs, saw the curtain go down for the 2007 season, the Blues seem to have thwarted a good few of the Demons' plans. They beat them to the punch over the recruitment of Chris Judd and Robert Warnock and they snaffled away two players in Chris Johnson and former captaincy aspirant Brock McLean in off season movements. While most at the club are feeling mighty chuffed about the prospective 200 game player it snared with the draft pick traded for McLean, the clubs remain tangled up in an added air of tension as a result of this scenario. THE GAME Carlton v Melbourne at the MCG - Saturday 5 June 2010 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Carlton 111 wins Melbourne 88 wins 2 draws At MCG Carlton 44 wins Melbourne 48 wins Since 2000 Carlton 6 wins Melbourne 8 wins The Coaches Ratten 2 wins Bailey 0 wins MEDIA TV - Channel 10 at 3:00 pm (delayed telecast) Radio - ABC774 Triple M 3AW THE BETTING Carlton to win $1.36 Melbourne to win $3.10 THE LAST TIME THEY MET - Carlton 24.9.153 defeated Melbourne 15.6.96 at Etihad Stadium, Round 21, 2009 It was a bizarre high scoring game in which both sides kicked accurately but neither exerted much pressure on the other. Judd starred and Fevola kicked seven goals while Mark Jamar and Russell Robertson each booted five. James McDonald was best for the Demons. THE TEAMS CARLTON Backs Aaron Joseph Michael Jamison Bret Thornton Half backs Steven Browne Andrew Walker Jordan Russell Centreline Kade Simpson Chris Judd Heath Scotland Half forwards Ryan Houlihan Jarrad Waite Andrew Carrazzo Followers Eddie Betts Setanta O’hAilpin Matthew Kreuzer Rucks Sam Jacobs Bryce Gibbs Marc Murphy Interchange Joe Anderson Jeff Garlett Richard Hadley Mitch Robinson Emergencies Shaun Grigg Lachie Henderson Brock McLean In Ryan Houlihan Jarrad Waite Out Lachie Henderson Henderson Brock McLean MELBOURNE Backs Clint Bartram James Frawley Cameron Bruce Half backs Jack Grimes Jared Rivers James McDonald Centreline Brad Green Jack Trengove Aaron Davey Half forwards Nathan Jones Brad Miller Tom Scully Forwards Jamie Bennell Jack Watts Cale Morton Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Neville Jetta Interchange Matthew Bate Colin Garland Jordan Gysberts Colin Sylvia Emergencies Kyle Cheney Jordie McKenzie Michael Newton In Matthew Bate Tom Scully Jack Trengove Out Joel MacDonald Matthew Warnock Austin Wonaeamirri MISSING A great deal of pre match publicity has focussed on the feeling of the Melbourne players about Brock McLean and his defection from the club at the end of last season. One newspaper report went to great lengths mentioning Brent Moloney's stinging rebuke of McLean at last year's club champion count and also relating that Demon coach Dean Bailey had been looking forward to this contest for some time; that "Melbourne vs McLean/Carlton would not be just another game". He was alluding to the fact that it was going to "be an important clash for us when we play Carlton." Well the Blues have spoiled the party. They've gone and dropped their midfield recruit to the VFL, a move which has taken a great deal of potential niggle out of the game. It should be stressed however, that there is absolutely no truth in the rumour that the Blues are sending him to Casey Fields as a forward scout for their VFL affiliate, the Northern Bullants. It's not true and it won't happen. Brocky doesn't like the long, hard, demanding drive out into the sticks anyway! Still, the absence of McLean does not detract from the game's importance. At 4/6 and going into the mid point of a season, "important" would seem to be an understatement. If you took a cue from the challenge of the midfield alone, the edge that Carlton has in this game would indeed seem compelling, particularly if one recalls that the Blues have recently beaten both of the 2009 grand finallists and Geelong and St Kilda are blessed with midfield strength. Who is going to stop Judd? Murphy anyone? Gibbs? And if you stop them does it mean that the likes of Carazzo and Scotland will be freed up to cause some damage? The Demons face some interesting challenges this weekend. How will young midfielders Scully and Trengove fare after their week off last week. Can the Demon forward line kick a big enough score to win? Will they be able to stop Setanta and his little helpers? All of these questions will be answered shortly and I fear that Carlton's experience will help it across the line but only just. Carlton by 5 points.

CARLTON Backs Aaron Joseph Bret Thornton Jordan Russell Half backs Dennis Armfield Paul Bower Ryan Houlihan Centreline Heath Scotland Marc Murphy Bryce Gibbs Half forwards Kade Simpson Andrew Walker Chris Judd Forwards Eddie Betts Brendan Fevola Setanta O'hAilpin Followers Matthew Kreuzer Nick Stevens Richard Hadley Interchange Andrew Carrazzo Cameron Cloke Jeff Garlett Simon Wiggins Emergencies Joe Anderson Sam Jacobs Chris Yarran In Jeff Garlett Out Mitch Robinson (foot) MELBOURNE Backs Matthew Whelan James Frawley Cale Morton Half backs Kyle Cheney Jared Rivers Tom McNamara Centreline Colin Sylvia Brent Moloney Aaron Davey Half forwards Nathan Jones Russell Robertson Liam Jurrah Forwards Paul Johnson Stefan Martin Brock McLean Followers Jake Spencer Neville Jetta Matthew Bate Interchange James McDonald Jordie McKenzie Ricky Petterd Shane Valenti Emergencies Clint Bartram Jamie Bennell Mark Jamar In Jordie McKenzie Jake Spencer Matthew Whelan Out Clint Bartram Lynden Dunn Brad Miller Mark Jamar came in as a last minute inclusion and kicked five goals.

THE LAST GASP by KC from Casey Casey's Rian McGough is the toast of the town after his last gasp goal secured victory for the Scorpions over the Bendigo Bombers on Sunday. The win ensured that the Scorpions retained third placing in what is becoming an exciting battle at the top of the VFL leader board and, with wins away from home against both of the competition's teams from Provincial Victoria, the club has now set an exciting benchmark for the remainder of the 2010 season. Bendigo was hampered by the loss through suspension of coach Shannon Grant but put in a fantastic performance under caretaker Gary O'Donnell by coming back twice under difficult circumstances to put themselves into a seemingly winning position late in the game. The conditions at the picturesque Queen Elizabeth Oval that greeted the visitors were certainly daunting. Rain during the week and three Bendigo Football League games on Saturday ensured that the ground's surface was muddy, particularly through the corridor and in the goal squares. A cold, biting wind blew straight down the oval and rain squalls were the order of the day. The visitors kicked to the scoring end aided by the gusty breeze which locals assessed as giving a five to six goal advantage and opened with early goals to Lynden Dunn and Daniel Hughes. After a quick reply from the Bombers, Casey went on to dominate the quarter taking a lead of 37 points into the first break after Michael Newton's goal (his second) on the siren. The Scorpions had 13 shots at goal to the Bomber's one at quarter time. Casey's on ball division led by Danny Nicholls was working hard at the stoppages as the team kicked into the wind in the early part of the second term and, when Ben Macreadie scored his team's second for the quarter at the six-minute mark, it held a commanding 43-point lead. The defence held firm for several minutes before Bendigo began its run in mid-term and an avalanche of goals followed with the assistance of the roaring gale. When Bomber Kyle Reimers goaled on the siren, it completed a remarkable fight back of six unanswered goals in fifteen minutes that saw his team within a goal of the lead as they marched into the sheds. The second half opened with Casey regaining the ascendency through a Jake Spencer goal followed by three more in relatively quick succession but, just when it seemed that the Scorpions would establish an unassailable lead, Bendigo struck back again in midterm. The Bombers kicked two goals into the teeth of the wind while Casey remained stuck on 12 goals and, when Lynden Dunn's after-the-siren shot, missed its target, the 19-point three quarter time lead simply didn't appear to be enough. If anything, the wind was strengthening. Coach Brad Gotch pushed an extra man down into defence in an attempt to curb the expected onslaught and implored his troops to play tight and fight hard for possession of the football. The Bombers attacked but squandered their opportunities as they slowly narrowed the gap. Casey suffered a setback when big ruckman Spencer injured his knee and had to be stretchered off the ground. The Scorpions had already lost Rohan Bail early in the game when he left the field clutching what appeared to be an injured jaw. The excitement was mounting as the seconds ticked away. The Bombers kept missing the goals until a free kick from ten metres to Hayden Skipworth narrowed the gap to 10 points with plenty of time left. This was a time for dour defence and the Scorpion backline held firm. A dour James Taylor was at his bustling best and he had strong support from Evan Panozza, James Wall, Kyle Cheney, Michael Stockdale and Tom McNamara. Newton came back to take some telling marks and the team's defensive pressure was forcing the home team into errors as the clock ran down. A goal to Darcy Daniher made it a two point game with 30 minutes gone and the Bombers continued to attack for two more points to level the scores for the first time since the game's opening moments. Just when all seemed lost for the Scorpions, who had not scored for the entire quarter and had not goaled since midway through the third, fate stepped in. The defence was able to push the ball along the wing and into the forward line where McGough marked some fifty metres out, and with the entire space in front of him vacant, the Casey youngster played on into an open goal to kick his team's lucky 13th major with a minute left to go. The Scorpion defence then duly ate up the remaining sixty seconds to see their team record a famous against the odds victory for their club. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Rohan Bail - lasted all of five minutes before sustaining a facial injury. Daniel Bell - strong bodied midfielder who worked hard but didn't do enough to thrust his name in front of the selectors against other midfield rivals. Kyle Cheney - played what has become characteristic of his defensive games. Hard at the ball, strong marking and the usual desperation in defence. Lynden Dunn - marked strongly and worked hard around the ground. Kicked an early goal and was handy in the desperate final moments. Rhys Healey - had little impact. Daniel Hughes - kicked a couple of nice goals but didn't put his stamp on the game. Paul Johnson - moved between defence and the ruck and had to do most of the ruckwork when Spencer was injured. Was probably more effective down back. Jordie McKenzie - solid performance that would not have harmed his prospects of a return to the Melbourne team next weekend. Tom McNamara - was part of a formidable defence that held firm for most of the day in trying conditions for backmen. Addam Maric - had a solid first half but then faded. Stefan Martin - played down back and up forward with the occasional run on the ball and needed the run after a couple weeks off with injury. Michael Newton - a solid game. Took some great marks in attack and in defence and kicked two goals. One of the team's best. Jake Spencer - a very good performance in the ruck until he injured a knee early in the last quarter and was stretchered off after looking decidedly wonky. James Strauss - fulfilled a marking role in defence and did that well. Also showed out with excellent disposal. Casey Scorpions 6.7.43 8.10.58 12.13.85 13.13.91 Bendigo Bombers 1.0.6 8.5.53 10.6.66 12.13.85 Goals Casey Scorpions Hughes Macreadie McGough Newton Spencer 2 Dunn Fieldsend Maric Martin Spencer Bendigo Bombers Daniher Skipworth 2 Bellchambers Carlisle Colyer Houli Quinn Reimers Still Silverlock Best Casey Scorpions Panozza Newton Taylor MacReadie Wall Dunn Bendigo Bombers Bellchambers Slattery Crameri Skipworth Silverlock Hardingham The Reserves went down to Port Melbourne by 8 points in a closely fought out game at TEAC Oval on Saturday. Tim Smith and Ben Waite booted four goals each while Mark Weekes was his team's best. Casey Scorpions 7.4.46 10.7.67 13.10.88 17.13.115 Port Melbourne 3.2.20 11.5.71 17.8.110 19.9.123 Goals Casey Scorpions Smith Waite 4 Simpson 3 Petropoulos Sykes 2 David Bell Purdy Port Melbourne Oakley 5 Burstin Suckling 3 Bond Debruin 2 Free Kyriakides Mullins Scipione Best Casey Scorpions Weekes Patti David Bell Sykes Chivers M Dowse Port Melbourne Fanning Kyriakides Suckling Burstin Keely Oakley

THE LAST GASP by KC from Casey Casey's Rian McGough is the toast of the town after his last gasp goal secured victory for the Scorpions over the Bendigo Bombers on Sunday. The win ensured that the Scorpions retained third placing in what is becoming an exciting battle at the top of the VFL leader board and, with wins away from home against both of the competition's teams from Provincial Victoria, the club has now set an exciting benchmark for the remainder of the 2010 season. Bendigo was hampered by the loss through suspension of coach Shannon Grant but put in a fantastic performance under caretaker Gary O'Donnell by coming back twice under difficult circumstances to put themselves into a seemingly winning position late in the game. The conditions at the picturesque Queen Elizabeth Oval that greeted the visitors were certainly daunting. Rain during the week and three Bendigo Football League games on Saturday ensured that the ground's surface was muddy, particularly through the corridor and in the goal squares. A cold, biting wind blew straight down the oval and rain squalls were the order of the day. The visitors kicked to the scoring end aided by the gusty breeze which locals assessed as giving a five to six goal advantage and opened with early goals to Lynden Dunn and Daniel Hughes. After a quick reply from the Bombers, Casey went on to dominate the quarter taking a lead of 37 points into the first break after Michael Newton's goal (his second) on the siren. The Scorpions had 13 shots at goal to the Bomber's one at quarter time. Casey's on ball division led by Danny Nicholls was working hard at the stoppages as the team kicked into the wind in the early part of the second term and, when Ben Macreadie scored his team's second for the quarter at the six-minute mark, it held a commanding 43-point lead. The defence held firm for several minutes before Bendigo began its run in mid-term and an avalanche of goals followed with the assistance of the roaring gale. When Bomber Kyle Reimers goaled on the siren, it completed a remarkable fight back of six unanswered goals in fifteen minutes that saw his team within a goal of the lead as they marched into the sheds. The second half opened with Casey regaining the ascendency through a Jake Spencer goal followed by three more in relatively quick succession but, just when it seemed that the Scorpions would establish an unassailable lead, Bendigo struck back again in midterm. The Bombers kicked two goals into the teeth of the wind while Casey remained stuck on 12 goals and, when Lynden Dunn's after-the-siren shot, missed its target, the 19-point three quarter time lead simply didn't appear to be enough. If anything, the wind was strengthening. Coach Brad Gotch pushed an extra man down into defence in an attempt to curb the expected onslaught and implored his troops to play tight and fight hard for possession of the football. The Bombers attacked but squandered their opportunities as they slowly narrowed the gap. Casey suffered a setback when big ruckman Spencer injured his knee and had to be stretchered off the ground. The Scorpions had already lost Rohan Bail early in the game when he left the field clutching what appeared to be an injured jaw. The excitement was mounting as the seconds ticked away. The Bombers kept missing the goals until a free kick from ten metres to Hayden Skipworth narrowed the gap to 10 points with plenty of time left. This was a time for dour defence and the Scorpion backline held firm. A dour James Taylor was at his bustling best and he had strong support from Evan Panozza, James Wall, Kyle Cheney, Michael Stockdale and Tom McNamara. Newton came back to take some telling marks and the team's defensive pressure was forcing the home team into errors as the clock ran down. A goal to Darcy Daniher made it a two point game with 30 minutes gone and the Bombers continued to attack for two more points to level the scores for the first time since the game's opening moments. Just when all seemed lost for the Scorpions, who had not scored for the entire quarter and had not goaled since midway through the third, fate stepped in. The defence was able to push the ball along the wing and into the forward line where McGough marked some fifty metres out, and with the entire space in front of him vacant, the Casey youngster played on into an open goal to kick his team's lucky 13th major with a minute left to go. The Scorpion defence then duly ate up the remaining sixty seconds to see their team record a famous against the odds victory for their club. HOW THE DEMONS FARED Rohan Bail - lasted all of five minutes before sustaining a facial injury. Daniel Bell - strong bodied midfielder who worked hard but didn't do enough to thrust his name in front of the selectors against other midfield rivals. Kyle Cheney - played what has become characteristic of his defensive games. Hard at the ball, strong marking and the usual desperation in defence. Lynden Dunn - marked strongly and worked hard around the ground. Kicked an early goal and was handy in the desperate final moments. Rhys Healey - had little impact. Daniel Hughes - kicked a couple of nice goals but didn't put his stamp on the game. Paul Johnson - moved between defence and the ruck and had to do most of the ruckwork when Spencer was injured. Was probably more effective down back. Jordie McKenzie - solid performance that would not have harmed his prospects of a return to the Melbourne team next weekend. Tom McNamara - was part of a formidable defence that held firm for most of the day in trying conditions for backmen. Addam Maric - had a solid first half but then faded. Stefan Martin - played down back and up forward with the occasional run on the ball and needed the run after a couple weeks off with injury. Michael Newton - a solid game. Took some great marks in attack and in defence and kicked two goals. One of the team's best. Jake Spencer - a very good performance in the ruck until he injured a knee early in the last quarter and was stretchered off after looking decidedly wonky. James Strauss - fulfilled a marking role in defence and did that well. Also showed out with excellent disposal. Casey Scorpions 6.7.43 8.10.58 12.13.85 13.13.91 Bendigo Bombers 1.0.6 8.5.53 10.6.66 12.13.85 Goals Casey Scorpions Hughes Macreadie McGough Newton Spencer 2 Dunn Fieldsend Maric Martin Spencer Bendigo Bombers Daniher Skipworth 2 Bellchambers Carlisle Colyer Houli Quinn Reimers Still Silverlock Best Casey Scorpions Panozza Newton Taylor MacReadie Wall Dunn Bendigo Bombers Bellchambers Slattery Crameri Skipworth Silverlock Hardingham The Reserves went down to Port Melbourne by 8 points in a closely fought out game at TEAC Oval on Saturday. Tim Smith and Ben Waite booted four goals each while Mark Weekes was his team's best. Casey Scorpions 7.4.46 10.7.67 13.10.88 17.13.115 Port Melbourne 3.2.20 11.5.71 17.8.110 19.9.123 Goals Casey Scorpions Smith Waite 4 Simpson 3 Petropoulos Sykes 2 David Bell Purdy Port Melbourne Oakley 5 Burstin Suckling 3 Bond Debruin 2 Free Kyriakides Mullins Scipione Best Casey Scorpions Weekes Patti David Bell Sykes Chivers M Dowse Port Melbourne Fanning Kyriakides Suckling Burstin Keely Oakley

Junior (our most senior player) has stretched his lead a little but it's still a close battle. Good to see Jordan Gysberts winning votes on debut. 70.951 James McDonald 68.360 Mark Jamar 62.808 James Frawley 56.401 Jack Grimes 52.340 Brent Moloney 40.583 Brad Green 36.527 Jack Trengove 33.071 Tom Scully 32.347 Colin Sylvia 25.983 Aaron Davey 22.147 Matthew Bate 20.656 Ricky Petterd 19.567 Jordie McKenzie 18.567 Jamie Bennell 15.431 Nathan Jones 15.283 Matthew Warnock 11.314 Cameron Bruce 9.680 Clint Bartram 8.211 Rohan Bail 8.073 Neville Jetta 7.921 Lynden Dunn 7.752 Jordan Gysberts 7.064 Brad Miller 2.812 Joel Macdonald 2.453 Jack Watts

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