Demonland

Votes please!

OLD HEADS OVER YOUNG LEGS by Whispering Jack The new-look Demons are learning their lessons quickly but then again, they had so much to learn when the season began and so little time. With just under one third of the season elapsed it is fair to say that they must surely by under way given that they have managed to stretch each of last year's losing preliminary finalists to within a goal of victory. The problem is that in both instances, Melbourne could also lay claim on each occasion to being the better of the two sides on the day or night and therein lies the tale of one lesson that the dual wooden spooner of the last two seasons has yet to learn fully - the art of winning the close contest. What I mean by this is not simply the knowledge of how to hold one's ground when leading by nine points in wet conditions when there are less than four minutes remaining in a game. That's important but the game against the Western Bulldogs was ultimately won by wise heads over younger legs and it was set up at the beginning when everything was fresh. Despite each team having equal opportunity to score in the first quarter (15 inside 50's apiece), the Bulldogs managed 3.2 to the Demons' wasteful 0.6. And in that time, it was the youthful, enthusiastic Melbourne team that chipped the ball sideways and made some critical unforced errors for which the greasy conditions alone cannot be blamed. One inspired move made by Rodney Eade was the decision (presumably dictated by the conditions) to replace young tall Jordan Roughead for the more nimble and agile Josh Hill. The latter's two goals and ten tackles probably turned the game the way of his team. The player he replaced was hardly needed as Bulldog ruckman Ben Hudson lowered Mark Jamar's colours. Melbourne did regroup with its first goal coming at the 13 minute mark of the second term but only after conceding a 22 point lead. From that point to late in the final quarter when they held sway by 9 points it was the young Demon legs in the form of the exquisite Tom Scully (39 possessions in a dazzling best-on-ground performance) and Jack Trengove, the exciting Jack Grimes in defence and an emerging Jordie McKenzie that won the hearts of the crowd. Some older heads were doing quite nicely as well. Cameron Bruce was in everything and James McDonald and Aaron Davey lifted the team with their steadiness and persistence. Nathan Jones was terrier-like in his attack on the ball and Clint Bartram continued his revival after some years in the wilderness. The Melbourne defence led by Matthew Warnock (who demolished Barry Hall), James Frawley (who gave Robert Murphy a bath), Colin Garland and Jared Rivers all stuck to their tasks and threatened to squeeze the life out of the Bulldog attack. Up forward, Matthew Bate and Jamie Bennell threw off the early shackles and were dangerous in front of goals and Daniel Hughes was lively on debut. One lesson the young Demons could have done without learning was the need to discern between their own teammates and the umpires in the heat of the battle. The decision to clothe them in pink tops and dark shorts was atrocious and appears to have contributed to Melbourne's loss in the end when Bartram handballed to an umpire instead of to a teammate in the dying minutes of the game. This was followed soon after by the two Bulldog goals to Brian Lake and Ryan Griffen that got them home by the skin of their teeth. I won't start on the two Melbourne goals overruled by the intervention of the field umpires and on the say so of boundary umpires who were hardly in a better position than the man on the spot. Nor is there a need to comment on the dicey deliberate out of bounds paid against James Frawley late in the game or for that matter the deliberate running through of a point by a Western Bulldog defender - a rule emasculated by the powers that be when a field umpire was dropped for applying it in last week's round. You have to live with the umpiring be it good or atrocious and that's another lesson that Melbourne will need to learn on its long journey forward. Reflecting on the game, perhaps the one benefit of defeat in these circumstances is that the lessons of the loss will be better understood and therefore hold the young legs and their young heads in good stead in the future for this is truly how one best gains experience. Melbourne 0.6.6 3.9.27 7.10.52 9.12.66 Western Bulldogs 3.2.20 5.5.35 8.7.55 10.10.70 Goals Melbourne Bate 3 Bennell Davey Green Hughes Jones Scully Western Bulldogs Hill 2 Akermanis Boyd Everitt Grant Griffen Higgins Lake Stack Best Melbourne Scully Jones Trengove Grimes Davey Warnock Bate Bennell Western Bulldogs Higgins Hudson Morris Akermanis Cross Giansiracusa Injuries Nil Changes Western Bulldogs Josh Hill replaced Jordan Roughead in selected side Reports Nil Umpires Donlon, Findlay, McBurney Crowd 45,444 at MCG

PINK VOID by Lucky Lucy The most coveted fixture of the AFL calendar is the Friday night game which has in recent years become the competition's showcase. The clubs vie heavily for the honour, prestige, exposure and the big bucks that Friday night football can bring, especially if it's your home game. Tomorrow night the Melbourne Football Club gets a rare opportunity to step up onto the big stage and it is doing so together with the Western Bulldogs in a classy fashion by giving something back to the community in the form of its support of Australians diagnosed with breast cancer through the Breast Cancer Network Australia when, for the first time in a number of years, thousands will stand together and create the Pink Lady before the game. This was first done in 2005 before a Melbourne v Adelaide game and the clubs are filling in a "pink void" by reprising the event for which it is anticipated that up to 16,000 women and men (yes, men can also be directly affected by breast cancer) will take part on the MCG's hallowed turf. According to Melbourne Football Club Director Karen Hayes, the Hayes said the purpose of the event is to build awareness and to demonstrate the support for women and families affected by breast cancer and to raise funds towards the network's ongoing resources. Congratulations to both clubs on taking part in this worthwhile initiative and it is hoped that all football followers turn up to give their support and to be part of what will be a great evening. The Demons will be getting into the spirit of the event by wearing pink and blue guernseys instead of the traditional red and blue and judging by the picture of Brent Moloney who modeled the uniform in the Herald Sun, the boys should go well in their new one off gear. I hope a big crowd will join me out there tomorrow night. THE GAME Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at MCG – Friday 7 May 2010 at 7.40pm (AEST) HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 83 wins Western Bulldogs 68 wins At MCG Melbourne 43 wins Western Bulldogs 24 wins Since 2000: Melbourne 10 wins Western Bulldogs 8 wins The Coaches: Bailey 0 wins Eade 3 wins MEDIA Channel 7 - Delayed Telecast from 8.30pm (AEST) Radio ABC774 K-Rock SEN Triple M 3AW THE BETTING Melbourne to win $3.65 Western Bulldogs to win $1.28. LAST TIME THEY MET Western Bulldogs 15.14.104 defeated Melbourne 15.7.97 in Round 8, 2009 at The MCG. The Demons gave the Doggies a big fright and made all of the early running until Jason Akermanis, who had been quiet early, suddenly hit his straps and started kicking goals just before half time. Melbourne still held the lead at the main break (by three points) but the Western Bulldogs, with eyes firmly planted on a top four spot, were too good in the end and ran out 7 point winners. Best players for Melbourne were Cale Morton, Brent Moloney and Matthew Bate. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Cameron Bruce Matthew Warnock James Frawley Half backs James McDonald Colin Garland Clint Bartram Centreline Jack Trengove Jordie McKenzie Jared Rivers Half forwards Brad Green Colin Sylvia Lynden Dunn Forwards Nathan Jones Matthew Bate Aaron Davey Followers Mark Jamar Jack Grimes Brent Moloney Interchange Jamie Bennell Daniel Hughes Paul Johnson Tom Scully Emergencies Neville Jetta Joel Macdonald Michael Newton In Daniel Hughes Paul Johnson Jordie McKenzie Out Joel Macdonald Stefan Martin Ricky Petterd (shoulder) New Daniel Hughes (Sandringham 23 186cm 82kg) WESTERN BULLDOGS Backs Jarrod Harbrow Brian Lake Dale Morris Half backs Ryan Hargrave Tom Williams Lindsay Gilbee Centreline Ryan Griffen Daniel Cross Andrejs Everitt Half forwards Robert Murphy Mitch Hahn Shaun Higgins Forwards Daniel Giansiracusa Barry Hall Jason Akermanis Followers Ben Hudson Matthew Boyd Adam Cooney Interchange Dylan Addison Jarrad Grant Jordan Roughead Brennan Stack Emergencies Josh Hill Will Minson Easton Wood In Matthew Boyd Brennan Stack Out Nathan Eagleton (leg) Brad Johnson (groin)<br style=""> <br style=""> WHATEVER IT TAKES by Whispering Jack Friday night's game at the MCG promises to be an absorbing battle between two teams that allowed opportunity to go begging last week. The Western Bulldogs had St. Kilda on the ropes with ten minutes to go in what was a dull and dour affair considering the fact that both were top four aspirants. They allowed the game to fall out of their grasp in a game where neither side scored 50 points but the victors managed to boot three goals in the last six or seven minutes of play. It was the lowest scoring game ever at the Docklands and was roundly criticised as a spectacle. The Dogs lost an ugly game in an ugly sort of way and, in doing so, the early season premiership favourites lost their place in the top eight. As a result of the Bulldogs' last minute collapse at the hands of the Saints, the Demons had a chance to fill the void and grab that position from their paws. It would have been an unlikely scenario at the beginning of the season but they were favourites against the Kanngaroos after beating Adelaide, Richmond and the Brisbane Lions in consecutive weeks. Melbourne's 50-point win over the then undefeated Lions was probably their finest moment since winning an elimination final in 2006. They were on their way back and a victory would have been the first time in Dean Bailey's 50 game coaching career that his team would have occupied a position in the top half of the ladder. However, it was not to be. Melbourne didn't play ugly. It just played poorly in the first half allowing North Melbourne to dictate the terms by applying pressure and forcing them to make basic errors. They reverted to their nice flowing game in the third quarter in a six goal comeback but there were too many errors made at the end and the Kangaroos prevailed. Tomorrow, Melbourne simply cannot allow the Western Bulldogs to dictate terms, whether it be by sheer pressure or by negative tactics. The Demons will need to try to replicate the way they went about their games against Richmond and the Lions. Brad Green made it clear in the media that Bailey wants the side to take the game on by launching "an all-out attack on the Western Bulldogs". To my mind I don't care whether a team plays ugly or nice as long as it does whatever it takes to achieve the best possible result and usually that means to win. The Demons don't have the equipment to take on a team of that calibre in an ultra-defensive slug fest so the philosophy of taking a game on does have its appeal. Green believes that the game will be fast with both teams playing "quick, attacking footy ... it's going to be exciting," he told afl.com.au. That's certainly what Melbourne did in the main when it went through that mini winning streak but some subtle changes to the team's make up as a result of the last minute withdrawals by injured players in the last two weeks altered the team's make up. Although Rohan Bail and Jordie McKenzie are both young and inexperienced, the team lost a lot of run when they were replaced by taller men in Stef Martin and Jared Rivers in consecutive weeks. The loss for what in all likelihood will be the remainder of the season of busy forward Ricky Petterd, with a shoulder injury will not help matters. The selectors appear to have addressed matters reasonably well by including McKenzie, Paul Johnson (in for his first game this year) and newcomer Daniel Hughes who started out as a rookie way back in 2006. It's a tribute to his persistence that he's made it this far and, in a way, I liken him to those recruits from the VFL like Fremantle's Michael Barlow and Alex Silvagni and Geelong's JamesPodsiadly who had to earn their stripes the hard way. Like Petterd, Hughes is not tall for a key forward but plays tall and can take a good grab. He has improved his ground play enormously since starting at the club and it will be interesting to see how he goes on debut. Given that Green indicated that he expects the team to play attractive attacking football, it's interesting that the most interesting match ups will centre on the team's defence and, in particular, who will take on Barry Hall. I think Matthew Warnock will take on Hall, leaving James Frawley to look after Mitch Hahn with Colin Garland and Rivers on hand just in case. I'm going to go out on a limb and tip the Dees by a narrow margin for no other reason than that they are back on the MCG under lights and, no disrespect to the Dishlickers who are a good side down on their luck but it's about time the home team shone on the Friday night stage. The last time, they had that honour was on a drizzly August night in 2008 when the Cats destroyed them to the tune of 116 points. I reckon they've improved by 20 goals since then! My prediction: The Dees to be in the pink tomorrow night. Melbourne by 4 points. DISCUSS HERE: http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20741

PINK VOID by Lucky Lucy The most coveted fixture of the AFL calendar is the Friday night game which has in recent years become the competition's showcase. The clubs vie heavily for the honour, prestige, exposure and the big bucks that Friday night football can bring, especially if it's your home game. Tomorrow night the Melbourne Football Club gets a rare opportunity to step up onto the big stage and it is doing so together with the Western Bulldogs in a classy fashion by giving something back to the community in the form of its support of Australians diagnosed with breast cancer through the Breast Cancer Network Australia when, for the first time in a number of years, thousands will stand together and create the Pink Lady before the game. This was first done in 2005 before a Melbourne v Adelaide game and the clubs are filling in a “pink void” by reprising the event for which it is anticipated that up to 16,000 women and men (yes, men can also be directly affected by breast cancer) will take part on the MCG’s hallowed turf. According to Melbourne Football Club Director Karen Hayes, the Hayes said the purpose of the event is to build awareness and to demonstrate the support for women and families affected by breast cancer and to raise funds towards the network's ongoing resources. Congratulations to both clubs on taking part in this worthwhile initiative and it is hoped that all football followers turn up to give their support and to be part of what will be a great evening. The Demons will be getting into the spirit of the event by wearing pink and blue guernseys instead of the traditional red and blue and judging by the picture of Brent Moloney who modeled the uniform in the Herald Sun, the boys should go well in their new one off gear. I hope a big crowd will join me out there tomorrow night. THE GAME Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at MCG – Friday 7 May 2010 at 7.40pm (AEST) HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 83 wins Western Bulldogs 68 wins At MCG Melbourne 43 wins Western Bulldogs 24 wins Since 2000: Melbourne 10 wins Western Bulldogs 8 wins The Coaches: Bailey 0 wins Eade 3 wins MEDIA Channel 7 - Delayed Telecast from 8.30pm (AEST) Radio ABC774 K-Rock SEN Triple M 3AW THE BETTING Melbourne to win $3.65 Western Bulldogs to win $1.28. LAST TIME THEY MET Western Bulldogs 15.14.104 defeated Melbourne 15.7.97 in Round 8, 2009 at The MCG. The Demons gave the Doggies a big fright and made all of the early running until Jason Akermanis, who had been quiet early, suddenly hit his straps and started kicking goals just before half time. Melbourne still held the lead at the main break (by three points) but the Western Bulldogs, with eyes firmly planted on a top four spot, were too good in the end and ran out 7 point winners. Best players for Melbourne were Cale Morton, Brent Moloney and Matthew Bate. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Cameron Bruce Matthew Warnock James Frawley Half backs James McDonald Colin Garland Clint Bartram Centreline Jack Trengove Jordie McKenzie Jared Rivers Half forwards Brad Green Colin Sylvia Lynden Dunn Forwards Nathan Jones Matthew Bate Aaron Davey Followers Mark Jamar Jack Grimes Brent Moloney Interchange Jamie Bennell Daniel Hughes Paul Johnson Tom Scully Emergencies Neville Jetta Joel Macdonald Michael Newton In Daniel Hughes Paul Johnson Jordie McKenzie Out Joel Macdonald Stefan Martin Ricky Petterd (shoulder) New Daniel Hughes (Sandringham 23 186cm 82kg) WESTERN BULLDOGS Backs Jarrod Harbrow Brian Lake Dale Morris Half backs Ryan Hargrave Tom Williams Lindsay Gilbee Centreline Ryan Griffen Daniel Cross Andrejs Everitt Half forwards Robert Murphy Mitch Hahn Shaun Higgins Forwards Daniel Giansiracusa Barry Hall Jason Akermanis Followers Ben Hudson Matthew Boyd Adam Cooney Interchange Dylan Addison Jarrad Grant Jordan Roughead Brennan Stack Emergencies Josh Hill Will Minson Easton Wood In Matthew Boyd Brennan Stack Out Nathan Eagleton (leg) Brad Johnson (groin)<br style=""> <br style=""> WHATEVER IT TAKES by Whispering Jack Friday night's game at the MCG promises to be an absorbing battle between two teams that allowed opportunity to go begging last week. The Western Bulldogs had St. Kilda on the ropes with ten minutes to go in what was a dull and dour affair considering the fact that both were top four aspirants. They allowed the game to fall out of their grasp in a game where neither side scored 50 points but the victors managed to boot three goals in the last six or seven minutes of play. It was the lowest scoring game ever at the Docklands and was roundly criticised as a spectacle. The Dogs lost an ugly game in an ugly sort of way and, in doing so, the early season premiership favourites lost their place in the top eight. As a result of the Bulldogs' last minute collapse at the hands of the Saints, the Demons had a chance to fill the void and grab that position from their paws. It would have been an unlikely scenario at the beginning of the season but they were favourites against the Kanngaroos after beating Adelaide, Richmond and the Brisbane Lions in consecutive weeks. Melbourne's 50-point win over the then undefeated Lions was probably their finest moment since winning an elimination final in 2006. They were on their way back and a victory would have been the first time in Dean Bailey's 50 game coaching career that his team would have occupied a position in the top half of the ladder. However, it was not to be. Melbourne didn't play ugly. It just played poorly in the first half allowing North Melbourne to dictate the terms by applying pressure and forcing them to make basic errors. They reverted to their nice flowing game in the third quarter in a six goal comeback but there were too many errors made at the end and the Kangaroos prevailed. Tomorrow, Melbourne simply cannot allow the Western Bulldogs to dictate terms, whether it be by sheer pressure or by negative tactics. The Demons will need to try to replicate the way they went about their games against Richmond and the Lions. Brad Green made it clear in the media that Bailey wants the side to take the game on by launching "an all-out attack on the Western Bulldogs". To my mind I don’t care whether a team plays ugly or nice as long as it does whatever it takes to achieve the best possible result and usually that means to win. The Demons don't have the equipment to take on a team of that calibre in an ultra-defensive slug fest so the philosophy of taking a game on does have its appeal. Green believes that the game will be fast with both teams playing "quick, attacking footy ... it's going to be exciting," he told afl.com.au. That's certainly what Melbourne did in the main when it went through that mini winning streak but some subtle changes to the team's make up as a result of the last minute withdrawals by injured players in the last two weeks altered the team's make up. Although Rohan Bail and Jordie McKenzie are both young and inexperienced, the team lost a lot of run when they were replaced by taller men in Stef Martin and Jared Rivers in consecutive weeks. The loss for what in all likelihood will be the remainder of the season of busy forward Ricky Petterd, with a shoulder injury will not help matters. The selectors appear to have addressed matters reasonably well by including McKenzie, Paul Johnson (in for his first game this year) and newcomer Daniel Hughes who started out as a rookie way back in 2006. It's a tribute to his persistence that he's made it this far and, in a way, I liken him to those recruits from the VFL like Fremantle's Michael Barlow and Alex Silvagni and Geelong’s JamesPodsiadly who had to earn their stripes the hard way. Like Petterd, Hughes is not tall for a key forward but plays tall and can take a good grab. He has improved his ground play enormously since starting at the club and it will be interesting to see how he goes on debut. Given that Green indicated that he expects the team to play attractive attacking football, it's interesting that the most interesting match ups will centre on the team's defence and, in particular, who will take on Barry Hall. I think Matthew Warnock will take on Hall, leaving James Frawley to look after Mitch Hahn with Colin Garland and Rivers on hand just in case. I'm going to go out on a limb and tip the Dees by a narrow margin for no other reason than that they are back on the MCG under lights and, no disrespect to the Dishlickers who are a good side down on their luck but it's about time the home team shone on the Friday night stage. The last time, they had that honour was on a drizzly August night in 2008 when the Cats destroyed them to the tune of 116 points. I reckon they've improved by 20 goals since then! My prediction: The Dees to be in the pink tomorrow night. Melbourne by 4 points.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET MELBOURNE Backs Clint Bartram Matthew Warnock Ricky Petterd Half backs Cameron Bruce Lynden Dunn Aaron Davey Centreline Jack Grimes Colin Sylvia Brock McLean Half forwards Cale Morton Brad Miller Russell Robertson Forwards Nathan Jones Stefan Martin Matthew Bate Followers Paul Johnson Brent Moloney James McDonald Interchange Kyle Cheney Addam Maric Shane Valenti Matthew Whelan Emergencies Mark Jamar Neville Jetta Michael Newton In Kyle Cheney Shane Valenti Matthew Whelan Out Jamie Bennell (omitted) James Frawley (thigh) Jared Rivers (ankle) WESTERN BULLDOGS Backs Jarrod Harbrow Dale Morris Brian Lake Half backs Lindsay Gilbee Tom Williams Ryan Hargrave Centreline Nathan Eagleton Matthew Boyd Daniel Cross Half forwards Robert Murphy Mitch Hahn Brad Johnson Forwards Jason Akermanis Will Minson Josh Hill Followers Ben Hudson Adam Cooney Ryan Griffen Interchange Andrejs Everitt Daniel Giansiracusa Liam Picken Scott Welsh Emergencies Dylan Addison Shaun Higgins Callan Ward No change

Mark Jamar has polled votes every week and is our leader after Round 6: 57.042 Mark Jamar 51.255 James Frawley 48.898 Brent Moloney 48.713 James McDonald 35.228 Jack Grimes 28.994 Brad Green 26.292 Colin Sylvia 20.656 Ricky Petterd 20.034 Jack Trengove 17.419 Aaron Davey 16.100 Tom Scully 15.547 Matthew Bate 12.512 Jamie Bennell 12.491 Jordie McKenzie 11.660 Nathan Jones 9.717 Matthew Warnock 8.211 Rohan Bail 7.921 Lynden Dunn 5.250 Clint Bartram 4.160 Cameron Bruce 1.705 Joel Macdonald

CASEY HITS THE COAST by KC from Casey The Casey Scorpions travelled north for their round 4 game on Saturday afternoon and did just enough to come home with the four points against the VFL newcomers Gold Coast after a tight contest at Fankhauser Reserve, Southport this afternoon. The game opened in brilliant sunshine and an early free kick to Liam Patrick, a cousin of injured Demon forward Liam Jurrah, saw the home team take the early lead but Casey replied with a nice snap across the body from Paul Johnson. There was plenty of early heat in the game as the teams went goal for goal and it was not until late in the term that the Scorpions broke through for a goal through Rhys Healey to take a two point lead into the first break. The players gained some welcome relief with the build up of cloud cover but the improved playing conditions seemed to turn the game into a defensive struggle with several bruising contests. The game itself remained tight with both sides laying claim to the ascendency. Scorpions Ben Macreadie and Danny Nicholls were working hard on the ball and Paul Johnson dominated the ruck duels. Rian McGough booted a long goal and young first gamer Will Petropoulos added another but the Coasters always seemed to have an answer. Nathan Ablett, who was quiet for most of the game, bobbled up for a mark and his first goal for his club to give Gold Coast a nine-point half time lead. The Scorpions were fired up at the start of the third quarter determined to show they meant business. Their resurgence was started by a mark and goal from Brad Miller which was answered by a long bomb from ex Magpie midfielder Danny Stanley. Casey then wasted a few opportunities in front of goal but was gaining control in general play if not on the scoreboard until another strong mark from Miller was converted when he kicked truly to give them the lead. When Miller's partner in crime Michael Newton kicked another from long range the lead was stretched to 8 points. Though not a big lead, this margin seemed a reasonable buffer against a young team that looked to be tiring by three quarter time. Full credit must go to the defence which held firm for most of the game. Tom McNamara, Kyle Cheney and Michael Stockdale were all but impassable and acting skipper James Wall's strong marking held up many promising Gold Coast forward moves. The home team refused to give in but the Scorpions had all the answers in the final stanza. It was still goal for goal but the cream finally rose to the top when Jack Watts booted a goal and had a hand in another to Miller. Casey looked like it might slip away from the Gold Coast but to their credit, they persisted and peppered the goals but they were off their feet by this stage and the visitors came home with an eight point victory to give them a handy well earned 3-1 record at this early stage of proceedings. It was a real hit and run win for the Scorpions. They had arrived on the Coast on Friday afternoon and by 7pm the team was back on its way to Melbourne. HOW THE DEMONS FARED by Whispering Jack Daniel Bell - still finding his feet after injury and had little impact on the game. Kyle Cheney - the best defender on the ground. Cheney was cool under pressure, delivered the ball well and was excellent in spoiling opponents. Jordan Gysberts - silky smooth with his ball use by foot or by hand, Gysberts linked up well in the midfield. Rhys Healey - kicked a goal early and had a hand in a few nice patches of play. Danny Hughes - moved well around the forward line, took some nice marks and kicked a goal. Was at his most effective in the first half. Neville Jetta - flashed in and out of the play but let himself down with some average disposal. Paul Johnson - won convincingly in the ruck and proved a handfull for the inexperiencef opposition big men with his marking and sleek movement around the ground. Tom McNamara - a solid game in defence where he kept his opponent covered most of the time through close checking and good spoiling. Addam Maric - something of an enigma in that he looked dangerous at times around goal and would then go missing for patches of time. For a player who had a reputation for accuracy in front of goals at TAC Cup level, he continues to disappoint in this aspect of his play. Brad Miller - started in defence but was soon moved forward and had a significant influence on the game after half time when he provided a strong marking target and contributed three goals. Michael Newton - a good game from Juice who played forward with the occassional stint in the ruck. Marred his game with a few missed kicks but could be in line for a recall to the AFL. James Strauss - quiet and unobtrusive but he move the ball to good effect and was a solid contributor. Jack Watts - would not be happy with his game today as it wasn't what you would expect from a # 1 draft choice. However, I remain convinced that he has what it takes to eventually become a champion key forward for the Melbourne Football Club. Despite having a dirty day and copping flak from some of the idiots in the crowd, he showed more than a few things that suggest he is a cut above most others of his ilk with his fantastic pace and quick thinking. Watts always seems to have the time to make the right decisions, shows composure and had a few fantastic second and third efforts. I'm told that last week he kicked the goal to put Casey in front for the first time against North Ballarat. On Saturday, he kicked a vital goal in the last quarter and, a little later put in a terrific effort that allowed Brad Miller to kick the goal that sealed Gold Coast's fate. Casey Scorpions 3.5.23 5.9.39 8.14.52 10.17.77 Gold Coast 3.3.21 7.4.46 8.6.54 10.9.69 Goals Casey Scorpions Miller 3 Healey Hughes Johnson McGough Newton Petropoulos Watts Gold Coast Shreeve Stanley 2 Ablett Ah Chee Dixon Iles Patrick Shaw Best Casey Scorpions Miller Johnson Cheney McNamara Gysberts McGough Gold Coast Stanley Iles Matera Swallow Dixon Ablett The presence of a few AFL listed players did not help a disappointing Scorpions Reserves who folded in a disappointing last half against the Werribee Tigers at Casey Fields today. Wade Lees was best and comeback Demon Austin Wonaeamirri booted three nice goals. Casey Scorpions 5.1.31 8.5.53 10.10.70 12.15.87 Werribee Tigers 4.3.27 9.7.61 13.9.87 20.11.131 Goals Casey Scorpions Wonaeamirri 3 Fieldsend 2 Blease M Dowse Lillie Plummer Simpson Spencer Sykes Werribee Tigers Henderson Perkins 3 Baddeley Black Denton McKerracher Risol 2 Garland Kennedy Martiniello Simpson Best Casey Scorpions Lees Weekes Riseley Waite Fieldsend Wonaeamirri Werribee Tigers Martiniello Baddeley Kennedy Harrison Gardiner Denton

CASEY HITS THE COAST by KC from Casey The Casey Scorpions travelled north for their round 4 game on Saturday afternoon and did just enough to come home with the four points against the VFL newcomers Gold Coast after a tight contest at Fankhauser Reserve, Southport this afternoon. The game opened in brilliant sunshine and an early free kick to Liam Patrick, a cousin of injured Demon forward Liam Jurrah, saw the home team take the early lead but Casey replied with a nice snap across the body from Paul Johnson. There was plenty of early heat in the game as the teams went goal for goal and it was not until late in the term that the Scorpions broke through for a goal through Rhys Healey to take a two point lead into the first break. The players gained some welcome relief with the build up of cloud cover but the improved playing conditions seemed to turn the game into a defensive struggle with several bruising contests. The game itself remained tight with both sides laying claim to the ascendency. Scorpions Ben Macreadie and Danny Nicholls were working hard on the ball and Paul Johnson dominated the ruck duels. Rian McGough booted a long goal and young first gamer Will Petropoulos added another but the Coasters always seemed to have an answer. Nathan Ablett, who was quiet for most of the game, bobbled up for a mark and his first goal for his club to give Gold Coast a nine-point half time lead. The Scorpions were fired up at the start of the third quarter determined to show they meant business. Their resurgence was started by a mark and goal from Brad Miller which was answered by a long bomb from ex Magpie midfielder Danny Stanley. Casey then wasted a few opportunities in front of goal but was gaining control in general play if not on the scoreboard until another strong mark from Miller was converted when he kicked truly to give them the lead. When Miller's partner in crime Michael Newton kicked another from long range the lead was stretched to 8 points. Though not a big lead, this margin seemed a reasonable buffer against a young team that looked to be tiring by three quarter time. Full credit must go to the defence which held firm for most of the game. Tom McNamara, Kyle Cheney and Michael Stockdale were all but impassable and acting skipper James Wall's strong marking held up many promising Gold Coast forward moves. The home team refused to give in but the Scorpions had all the answers in the final stanza. It was still goal for goal but the cream finally rose to the top when Jack Watts booted a goal and had a hand in another to Miller. Casey looked like it might slip away from the Gold Coast but to their credit, they persisted and peppered the goals but they were off their feet by this stage and the visitors came home with an eight point victory to give them a handy well earned 3-1 record at this early stage of proceedings. It was a real hit and run win for the Scorpions. They had arrived on the Coast on Friday afternoon and by 7pm the team was back on its way to Melbourne. HOW THE DEMONS FARED by Whispering Jack Daniel Bell - still finding his feet after injury and had little impact on the game. Kyle Cheney - the best defender on the ground. Cheney was cool under pressure, delivered the ball well and was excellent in spoiling opponents. Jordan Gysberts - silky smooth with his ball use by foot or by hand, Gysberts linked up well in the midfield. Rhys Healey - kicked a goal early and had a hand in a few nice patches of play. Danny Hughes - moved well around the forward line, took some nice marks and kicked a goal. Was at his most effective in the first half. Neville Jetta - flashed in and out of the play but let himself down with some average disposal. Paul Johnson - won convincingly in the ruck and proved a handfull for the inexperiencef opposition big men with his marking and sleek movement around the ground. Tom McNamara - a solid game in defence where he kept his opponent covered most of the time through close checking and good spoiling. Addam Maric - something of an enigma in that he looked dangerous at times around goal and would then go missing for patches of time. For a player who had a reputation for accuracy in front of goals at TAC Cup level, he continues to disappoint in this aspect of his play. Brad Miller - started in defence but was soon moved forward and had a significant influence on the game after half time when he provided a strong marking target and contributed three goals. Michael Newton - a good game from Juice who played forward with the occassional stint in the ruck. Marred his game with a few missed kicks but could be in line for a recall to the AFL. James Strauss - quiet and unobtrusive but he move the ball to good effect and was a solid contributor. Jack Watts - would not be happy with his game today as it wasn't what you would expect from a # 1 draft choice. However, I remain convinced that he has what it takes to eventually become a champion key forward for the Melbourne Football Club. Despite having a dirty day and copping flak from some of the idiots in the crowd, he showed more than a few things that suggest he is a cut above most others of his ilk with his fantastic pace and quick thinking. Watts always seems to have the time to make the right decisions, shows composure and had a few fantastic second and third efforts. I'm told that last week he kicked the goal to put Casey in front for the first time against North Ballarat. On Saturday, he kicked a vital goal in the last quarter and, a little later put in a terrific effort that allowed Brad Miller to kick the goal that sealed Gold Coast's fate. Casey Scorpions 3.5.23 5.9.39 8.14.52 10.17.77 Gold Coast 3.3.21 7.4.46 8.6.54 10.9.69 Goals Casey Scorpions Miller 3 Healey Hughes Johnson McGough Newton Petropoulos Watts Gold Coast Shreeve Stanley 2 Ablett Ah Chee Dixon Iles Patrick Shaw Best Casey Scorpions Miller Johnson Cheney McNamara Gysberts McGough Gold Coast Stanley Iles Matera Swallow Dixon Ablett The presence of a few AFL listed players did not help a disappointing Scorpions Reserves who folded in a disappointing last half against the Werribee Tigers at Casey Fields today. Wade Lees was best and comeback Demon Austin Wonaeamirri booted three nice goals. Casey Scorpions 5.1.31 8.5.53 10.10.70 12.15.87 Werribee Tigers 4.3.27 9.7.61 13.9.87 20.11.131 Goals Casey Scorpions Wonaeamirri 3 Fieldsend 2 Blease M Dowse Lillie Plummer sImpson Spencer Sykes Werribee Tigers Henderson Perkins 3 Baddeley Black Denton McKerracher Risol 2 Garland Kennedy Martiniello Simpson Best Casey Scorpions Lees Weekes Riseley Waite Fieldsend Wonaeamirri Werribee Tigers Martiniello Baddeley Kennedy Harrison Gardiner Denton

THE STREAK AND HOW IT ENDED by The Oracle The wise heads have been saying that developing teams often lack consistency of performance and this proved true of Melbourne whose three-game "winning streak" came to an abrupt end when the team was well and truly derailed by its 26-point victory loss to North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium. The Demons started well enough when Brad Green posted the game's first goals but the next 50 minutes of football belonged to the Kangaroos whose harder bodies prevailed through hard tackling and relentless pressure. Their dominance was so comprehensive that by the five minute mark of the third quarter they held a 46-point lead that could have been a lot greater had they been a little more accurate in front of goal. Melbourne went into the game with Jared Rivers replacing an injured Jordie McKenzie who led the club's tackle count for the season to date. It was the second consecutive week that a midfield player was involved in a late replacement by a taller man and the immediate thought was that the balance of the team that swept aside Richmond and Brisbane was upset by a definite loss of run. The selectors clearly wanted Jared Rivers in the side after a brilliant display for the Casey Scorpions the week before but the resulting change in the team's structure wasn't to its advantage. Moreover, a number of players were down on their form of previous weeks. James McDonald, Brent Moloney and Jack Trengove all received that special Brad Scott attention and, fresh from his appearance on The Footy Show. Colin Sylvia was in the wars with his disposal. For the first time this year Mark Jamar didn't have things all his own way despite being the best of the big men in statistical terms. The Demons also didn't seem quite at home at Etihad Stadium but they are going to have to come to terms with playing on grounds other than the MCG. They have yet to win away from home under Dean Bailey. The good news is that this Demon team did not capitulate in the way that it would have done when confronted by this situation in 2008 or 2009. Rather, it stuck to its task and performed a meritorious comeback which saw it peg back the deficit to 14 points at the last break thanks to a six goal burst, three of them from Green who along with Aaron Davey (nine possessions in the third quarter) was instrumental in the team's fight back. Melbourne had "won" the final quarter of each of its five games to date and with this thought in mind, the confidence of the Demon fans was uppermost in their thinking that their team was about to bring off a famous victory. However, it was North Melbourne that had all the answers against the inefficient Demons who wasted an advantage of around sixty possessions through poor disposal by hand and foot brought about by the pressure that was brought to bear upon them by a persistent opposition. The Roos scored two opportunistic goals to push their lead beyond four goals and that was enough to put the game beyond doubt. With Matthew Bate well down and Ricky Petterd well covered and then winged by what appears to be a serious shoulder problem, Melbourne was crying out for a tall, marking forward. Does anyone know where such a player can be found? The Demons were well served by Clint Bartram who seems to have returned to the high standards of his debut season and who kept Brent Harvey relatively quiet. Jack Grimes was good again in defence and Tom Scully showed his usual high quality. Cameron Bruce got a lot of the ball. The Demons missed a major opportunity to establish themselves among the competition's upper echelon. In doing so, they showed they were not quite ready or up to the task. Then again, that should have been obvious when three games was considered a "winning streak" rather than the routine. Melbourne 2.1.13 3.3.21 9.4.58 12.6.78 North Melbourne 3.3.21 8.7.55 10.12.72 15.14.104 Goals Melbourne Green 4 Petterd 2 Bartram Bate Dunn Jamar Sylvia Trengove North Melbourne Hale Wright 3 Anthony Wells 2 Goldstein Harvey McIntosh Swallow Warren Best Melbourne Green Grimes Bartram Bruce Davey Scully North Melbourne Swallow Thompson Firrito Wells Anthony Adams Injuries Melbourne Petterd (shoulder) North Melbourne Hansen (nose) Changes Melbourne McKenzie (general soreness) replaced in selected side by Rivers North Melbourne Nil Reports Nil Umpires Chris Donlon Todd Keating Dean Margetts Crowd 26,763 at Etihad Stadium DISCUSS HERE: http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20624

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

THE STREAK AND HOW IT ENDED by The Oracle The wise heads have been saying that developing teams often lack consistency of performance and this proved true of Melbourne whose three-game "winning streak" came to an abrupt end when the team was well and truly derailed by its 26-point victory loss to North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium. The Demons started well enough when Brad Green posted the game's first goals but the next 50 minutes of football belonged to the Kangaroos whose harder bodies prevailed through hard tackling and relentless pressure. Their dominance was so comprehensive that by the five minute mark of the third quarter they held a 46-point lead that could have been a lot greater had they been a little more accurate in front of goal. Melbourne went into the game with Jared Rivers replacing an injured Jordie McKenzie who led the club's tackle count for the season to date. It was the second consecutive week that a midfield player was involved in a late replacement by a taller man and the immediate thought was that the balance of the team that swept aside Richmond and Brisbane was upset by a definite loss of run. The selectors clearly wanted Jared Rivers in the side after a brilliant display for the Casey Scorpions the week before but the resulting change in the team's structure wasn't to its advantage. Moreover, a number of players were down on their form of previous weeks. James McDonald, Brent Moloney and Jack Trengove all received that special Brad Scott attention and, fresh from his appearance on The Footy Show. Colin Sylvia was in the wars with his disposal. For the first time this year Mark Jamar didn't have things all his own way despite being the best of the big men in statistical terms. The Demons also didn't seem quite at home at Etihad Stadium but they are going to have to come to terms with playing on grounds other than the MCG. They have yet to win away from home under Dean Bailey. The good news is that this Demon team did not capitulate in the way that it would have done when confronted by this situation in 2008 or 2009. Rather, it stuck to its task and performed a meritorious comeback which saw it peg back the deficit to 14 points at the last break thanks to a six goal burst, three of them from Green who along with Aaron Davey (nine possessions in the third quarter) was instrumental in the team's fight back. Melbourne had "won" the final quarter of each of its five games to date and with this thought in mind, the confidence of the Demon fans was uppermost in their thinking that their team was about to bring off a famous victory. However, it was North Melbourne that had all the answers against the inefficient Demons who wasted an advantage of around sixty possessions through poor disposal by hand and foot brought about by the pressure that was brought to bear upon them by a persistent opposition. The Roos scored two opportunistic goals to push their lead beyond four goals and that was enough to put the game beyond doubt. With Matthew Bate well down and Ricky Petterd well covered and then winged by what appears to be a serious shoulder problem, Melbourne was crying out for a tall, marking forward. Does anyone know where such a player can be found? The Demons were well served by Clint Bartram who seems to have returned to the high standards of his debut season and who kept Brent Harvey relatively quiet. Jack Grimes was good again in defence and Tom Scully showed his usual high quality. Cameron Bruce got a lot of the ball. The Demons missed a major opportunity to establish themselves among the competition's upper echelon. In doing so, they showed they were not quite ready or up to the task. Then again, that should have been obvious when three games was considered a "winning streak" rather than the routine. Melbourne 2.1.13 3.3.21 9.4.58 12.6.78 North Melbourne 3.3.21 8.7.55 10.12.72 15.14.104 Goals Melbourne Green 4 Petterd 2 Bartram Bate Dunn Jamar Sylvia Trengove North Melbourne Hale Wright 3 Anthony Wells 2 Goldstein Harvey McIntosh Swallow Warren Best Melbourne Green Grimes Bartram Bruce Davey Scully North Melbourne Swallow Thompson Firrito Wells Anthony Adams Injuries Melbourne Petterd (shoulder) North Melbourne Hansen (nose) Changes Melbourne McKenzie (general soreness) replaced in selected side by Rivers North Melbourne Nil Reports Nil Umpires Chris Donlon Todd Keating Dean Margetts Crowd 26,763 at Etihad Stadium

I never thought we'd need spoiler tags on Demonland.

The issue has been fixed now. If you have your time in your settings set to Melbourne (or whichever timezone you are in) time then it should display the correct time now.

THE GAME IS IN A STATE OF FLUX by JVM There are some strange things happening in the football world. Unexpected events like last year's grand finalists Geelong and St. Kilda both losing when they were expected to win. Like last year's wooden spooner Melbourne tapping on the door to the top eight and beating the top side last week. Like Sydney, which has lost so many talented and experienced players occupying top spot on the ladder and unfancied Fremantle sitting in the top four. No, we're not in a Bizarro World where everything is topsy turvy and the opposite of what is expected happens as a matter of routine. They tell us it's just an aberration and that things will settle down in a week or two ... but what if they don't? Take the Demons. Here is a team which after five rounds has already won as many games as it did in all of the 2008 season and just one less than they did last year. It's only a month ago that this team was the butt of all jokes and looked upon with disdain by those who professed to know everything. And yet, had Rohan Bail's pass to Ricky Petterd arrived a split second earlier and caressed his fingertips a few millimetres closer to the mark then this mob would have been in the top four themselves. Of course, all that means nothing because it ain't over until it's over and there's a lot more water to flow under the bridge but there does seem to be something happening at Demonland. And may it keep getting better by the week. THE GAME North Melbourne v Melbourne on Saturday 1 May 2010 at Etihad Stadium at 2.10 pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall North Melbourne 65 wins Melbourne 83 wins 1 draw At Etihad Stadium North Melbourne 3 wins Melbourne 0 wins Since 2000 North Melbourne 9 wins Melbourne 7 wins The Coaches Scott 0 wins Bailey 0 wins MEDIA Channel 10 - on delay from 3.00pm RADIO - I went to the AFL site to find out who was doing the radio broadcast and kept getting an advertisement for Betfair betting on the footy. I think this is probably the lowest and most sleasy form of advertising for gambling you can get. Having said that - see the betting on the game immediately below. THE BETTING North Melbourne to win $2.10 Melbourne to win $1.75 LAST TIME THEY MET North Melbourne 19.9.123 defeated Melbourne 8.13.61 at Etihad Stadium in Round 19 2009 The Kangaroos dominated in the big man department (Goldstein – 5 goals; Petrie starred) and Brent Harvey was the game breaker, winning the three Brownlow Medal votes on offer in a canter. The Demons, who were severely undermanned with a long injury list, were embarrassing. THE TEAMS NORTH MELBOURNE Backs Michael Firrito Scott Thompson Brady Rawlings Half backs Nathan Grima Lachlan Hansen Sam Wright Centreline Jack Ziebell Ben Cunnington Ryan Bastinac Half forwards Aaron Edwards Todd Goldstein Brent Harvey Forwards Daniel Wells David Hale Ben Warren Followers Hamish McIntosh Andrew Swallow Liam Anthony Interchange Leigh Adams Levi Greenwood Scott McMahon Lindsay Thomas Emergencies Cruize Garlett Ben Ross Josh Smith In Sam Wright Out Gavin Urquhart (knee) MELBOURNE Backs James McDonald Matthew Warnock James Frawley Half backs Cameron Bruce Colin Garland Clint Bartram Centreline Jack Trengove Aaron Davey Nathan Jones Half forwards Brad Green Ricky Petterd Lynden Dunn Forwards Colin Sylvia Matthew Bate Stefan Martin Followers Mark Jamar Jack Grimes Brent Moloney Interchange Jamie Bennell Joel MacDonald Jordie McKenzie Tom Scully Emergencies Rohan Bail Jared Rivers Jake Spencer No change THE MONKEY OFF THE BACK North Melbourne is one of those sides that has had the wood on Melbourne over the past few seasons. The Kangaroos have emerged victorious at the last six meetings between these clubs and generally these games have not been pretty for the Demons. Indeed, their average losing margin against North over the three years from 2007 to 2009 has been just under 40 points. On that basis, it's difficult to comprehend that Melbourne is starting as favourite in Saturday's game despite the fact that eight home and away games ago, the same team beat it at the same venue by 10 goals. But things can and do change quickly in a vibrant competition like the AFL where form can be fickle and good form can be paramount. The fact is that the Demons are flying at the moment with three wins in a row and that is a result of having a team that is brim full of confidence and self-belief. Their main ruckman Mark Jamar is in rare career best form and, if he continues in this vein, he will be a chance for All Australian honours at the end of the year. Moreover, the Big Russian's presence around the ground has given the hitherto ineffectual Melbourne midfield a major lift. Skipper James McDonald has been constant since he reached football's middle age but the likes of Brent Moloney and Nathan Jones have stepped up a notch or two and have given the midfield some extra grunt to match the youth and exuberance of recruits Tom Scully and Jack Trengove and the AFL's most improved young player Jordie McKenzie. North also has an emerging young midfield but it will be the usual suspect Brent Harvey who is the danger man for Melbourne. If he can turn on one of 30 plus possession games which are his norm against the Dees (and just about everybody else) then it could spell trouble. And what a matchup it would be if Daniel Wells stood Aaron Davey? The last time they played, the Kangaroos had too much tall timber up forward for the Demons. Tomorrow, it should be a more level playing field with Frawley and Hale matched up and Warnock taking on Edwards. Garland is there in the wings in case any back up is needed. The Demons have some dangerous medium sized forwards in Ricky Petterd and Colin Sylvia and it's been pleasing during the early stage of their revival to see others coming in to share the load of scoring goals. In the end it all comes down to form and while North have been patchy in recent weeks, Melbourne has been high on confidence so while the Kangaroos can boast about having the edge in recent seasons, it's the Demons who are close to the form team of the competition and that's why I'm selecting them to get this monkey off their backs. Melbourne by 10 points. DISCUSS HERE: http://demonland.com...showtopic=20589

In the meantime, he hasn't been selected to play anywhere this weekend after starring in the Casey reserves last week. Anybody know why?

THE GAME IS IN A STATE OF FLUX by JVM There are some strange things happening in the football world. Unexpected events like last year's grand finalists Geelong and St. Kilda both losing when they were expected to win. Like last year's wooden spooner Melbourne tapping on the door to the top eight and beating the top side last week. Like Sydney, which has lost so many talented and experienced players occupying top spot on the ladder and unfancied Fremantle sitting in the top four. No, we're not in a Bizarro World where everything is topsy turvy and the opposite of what is expected happens as a matter of routine. They tell us it's just an aberration and that things will settle down in a week or two ... but what if they don't? Take the Demons. Here is a team which after five rounds has already won as many games as it did in all of the 2008 season and just one less than they did last year. It's only a month ago that this team was the butt of all jokes and looked upon with disdain by those who professed to know everything. And yet, had Rohan Bail's pass to Ricky Petterd arrived a split second earlier and caressed his fingertips a few millimetres closer to the mark then this mob would have been in the top four themselves. Of course, all that means nothing because it ain't over until it's over and there's a lot more water to flow under the bridge but there does seem to be something happening at Demonland. And may it keep getting better by the week. THE GAME North Melbourne v Melbourne on Saturday 1 May 2010 at Etihad Stadium at 2.10 pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall North Melbourne 65 wins Melbourne 83 wins 1 draw At Etihad Stadium North Melbourne 3 wins Melbourne 0 wins Since 2000 North Melbourne 9 wins Melbourne 7 wins The Coaches Scott 0 wins Bailey 0 wins MEDIA Channel 10 - on delay from 3.00pm RADIO - I went to the AFL site to find out who was doing the radio broadcast and kept getting an advertisement for Betfair betting on the footy. I think this is probably the lowest and most sleasy form of advertising for gambling you can get. Having said that - see the betting on the game immediately below. THE BETTING North Melbourne to win $2.10 Melbourne to win $1.75 LAST TIME THEY MET North Melbourne 19.9.123 defeated Melbourne 8.13.61 at Etihad Stadium in Round 19 2009 The Kangaroos dominated in the big man department (Goldstein – 5 goals; Petrie starred) and Brent Harvey was the game breaker, winning the three Brownlow Medal votes on offer in a canter. The Demons, who were severely undermanned with a long injury list, were embarrassing. THE TEAMS NORTH MELBOURNE Backs Michael Firrito Scott Thompson Brady Rawlings Half backs Nathan Grima Lachlan Hansen Sam Wright Centreline Jack Ziebell Ben Cunnington Ryan Bastinac Half forwards Aaron Edwards Todd Goldstein Brent Harvey Forwards Daniel Wells David Hale Ben Warren Followers Hamish McIntosh Andrew Swallow Liam Anthony Interchange Leigh Adams Levi Greenwood Scott McMahon Lindsay Thomas Emergencies Cruize Garlett Ben Ross Josh Smith In Sam Wright Out Gavin Urquhart (knee) MELBOURNE Backs James McDonald Matthew Warnock James Frawley Half backs Cameron Bruce Colin Garland Clint Bartram Centreline Jack Trengove Aaron Davey Nathan Jones Half forwards Brad Green Ricky Petterd Lynden Dunn Forwards Colin Sylvia Matthew Bate Stefan Martin Followers Mark Jamar Jack Grimes Brent Moloney Interchange Jamie Bennell Joel MacDonald Jordie McKenzie Tom Scully Emergencies Rohan Bail Jared Rivers Jake Spencer No change THE MONKEY OFF THE BACK North Melbourne is one of those sides that has had the wood on Melbourne over the past few seasons. The Kangaroos have emerged victorious at the last six meetings between these clubs and generally these games have not been pretty for the Demons. Indeed, their average losing margin against North over the three years from 2007 to 2009 has been just under 40 points. On that basis, it's difficult to comprehend that Melbourne is starting as favourite in Saturday's game despite the fact that eight home and away games ago, the same team beat it at the same venue by 10 goals. But things can and do change quickly in a vibrant competition like the AFL where form can be fickle and good form can be paramount. The fact is that the Demons are flying at the moment with three wins in a row and that is a result of having a team that is brim full of confidence and self-belief. Their main ruckman Mark Jamar is in rare career best form and, if he continues in this vein, he will be a chance for All Australian honours at the end of the year. Moreover, the Big Russian's presence around the ground has given the hitherto ineffectual Melbourne midfield a major lift. Skipper James McDonald has been constant since he reached football's middle age but the likes of Brent Moloney and Nathan Jones have stepped up a notch or two and have given the midfield some extra grunt to match the youth and exuberance of recruits Tom Scully and Jack Trengove and the AFL's most improved young player Jordie McKenzie. North also has an emerging young midfield but it will be the usual suspect Brent Harvey who is the danger man for Melbourne. If he can turn on one of 30 plus possession games which are his norm against the Dees (and just about everybody else) then it could spell trouble. And what a matchup it would be if Daniel Wells stood Aaron Davey? The last time they played, the Kangaroos had too much tall timber up forward for the Demons. Tomorrow, it should be a more level playing field with Frawley and Hale matched up and Warnock taking on Edwards. Garland is there in the wings in case any back up is needed. The Demons have some dangerous medium sized forwards in Ricky Petterd and Colin Sylvia and it's been pleasing during the early stage of their revival to see others coming in to share the load of scoring goals. In the end it all comes down to form and while North have been patchy in recent weeks, Melbourne has been high on confidence so while the Kangaroos can boast about having the edge in recent seasons, it's the Demons who are close to the form team of the competition and that's why I'm selecting them to get this monkey off their backs. Melbourne by 10 points.

Hard to believe that it was not all that long ago that we played North Melbourne at Etihad and they thrashed us in the end. Rohan Bail and Tom McNamara made their debuts with Bail's entry into the elite level of the game being shortlived - a minute or two. We owe North Melbourne one! NORTH MELBOURNE Backs Daniel Pratt Scott Thompson Gavin Urquhart Half backs Brady Rawlings Nathan Grima Scott McMahon Centreline Josh Gibson Michael Firrito Liam Anthony Half forwards Matt Campbell Corey Jones Brent Harvey Forwards Leigh Adams Drew Petrie Lindsay Thomas Followers Hamish McIntosh Andrew Swallow Levi Greenwood Interchange (from) Todd Goldstein Lachie Hansen Daniel Harris Sam Power Emergencies Aaron Edwards Cruize Garlett Ed Lower In Leigh Adams Aaron Edwards Cruize Garlett Daniel Harris Ed Lower Out Leigh Harding (hamstring) Adam Simpson (retired) MELBOURNE Backs Shane Valenti James Frawley Kyle Cheney Half backs Clint Bartram Jared Rivers Cameron Bruce Centreline Lynden Dunn James McDonald Aaron Davey Half forwards Brent Moloney Michael Newton Cale Morton Forwards Brad Miller Stefan Martin Matthew Bate Followers Jake Spencer Neville Jetta Nathan Jones Interchange Rohan Bail Tom McNamara Ricky Petterd Colin Sylvia Emergencies Simon Buckley Paul Johnson Russell Robertson In Rohan Bail Simon Brent Moloney Cale Morton Tom McNamara Colin Sylvia Out Jamie Bennell (knee) Jack Grimes (hip) Paul Johnson Matthew Warnock (ankle) Matthew Whelan (foot) New Rohan Bail (Mount Gravatt, Qld) Tom McNamara (South Adelaide, SA)

Great article by Cameron Schwab. A must read for all Demons fans. http://gameplans.tumblr.com/post/549942291/ron-barassi-jim-stynes-and-the-mcg

We welcome the return of one of old correspondents Billy from the Bush with his report on the Casey Scorpions' big win at North Ballarat. The article's on our Casey Scorpions board which you can visit through here. On match days there's usually a full discussion on the game at the Casey Board. Demonlanders are requested to post there rather than on the Demonland Message Board. Thanks!

EUREKA!!! by Billy from the Bush There were many stories told back in the early colonial days about those hardy souls who managed to reverse their fortunes in life after venturing to parts of Central Victoria and striking gold and that's how it was on Saturday for the Casey Scorpions who had a similar experience when they travelled north to chilly Ballarat. Last week, the team was overrun on an unusually warm Autumn day by Collingwood at Casey Fields but things were different this time and they managed to emulate their opening round heroics by coming home strongly in a low scoring game striking gold against the reigning VFL premiers North Ballarat at Eureka Stadium Ballarat to win by 10 points - 11.7.73 to 9.9.63. The City of Ballarat turned on some bleak conditions for the visitors. There was a light drizzle and a cold wind blew to the eastern end of the ground to which the Roosters kicked in the first term. The Scorpions would have been buoyed as they ran out onto the ground knowing that their mates in the reserves had snuck home by a point on the strength of the breeze in the nail-biting curtain raiser. Casey went into the game with some tall timber missing after losing key defender Tim Mohr through injury and goal kicking forward/ruckman Stefan Martin, a late withdrawal to the AFL. Defender Glenn Chivers wasn't able to come up from an ankle problem and matters were made worse when beanpole ruckman Jake Spencer also suffered an injury during the game. Both he and Daniel Bell, returning from an injury lay off, sat on the sidelines in the final quarter. On the credit side, plucky Ryan Creed earned a promotion from the reserves. The Roosters are rarely beaten at home and they made better use of the conditions early skipping away to a 22 point lead at the first break. They maintained control well into the second term and at one stage led by 27 points before the Scorpions regrouped in the rain to narrow the gap to nine points by half time. The game never reached a high standard because of a swirly wind and the greasy conditions. The third quarter was a slog on the hard ground made slippery by the rain and, while Casey managed to score only once during this time, the defence held firm with Jared Rivers and Kyle Cheney dominating. Recruit Danny Nicholls was in everything, providing great cover in the absence of injured skipper Kyle Matthews, and using his penetrating left foot to good effect. After a quiet game against Collingwood, Rian McGough was consistently good throughout and appeared to enjoy the tough going. The Roosters had the home crowd crowing when they scored a goal late in the third term and another four minutes into the last. Suddenly, they had stretched the lead to 23 points and one could have been forgiven for thinking that the game was over given the conditions and the fact that they had the home crowd roaring them on to victory against a team that had fallen apart in the final term of their game just six days ago. But the Scorpions were not finished. They dug into their reserves and did everything they couldn't do in last week's final term. They ran hard, applied pressure and tackled strongly to regain the momentum and they hit the lead when young Jack Watts ran into an open goal halfway through the quarter. In the end, they ran all over North Ballarat after slamming home the last five goals of the game. Nicholls was on top in the midfield and he was well backed up by James Taylor who played a good shutdown role on a variety of Rooster opponents, including earning a free kick in the last term for an opponent "infringing" on him off the ball. With Brad Miller showing his strength up forward and Paul Johnson and Michael Newton dominating the rucks, the Scorpions literally came home with a wet sail. The Casey Scorpions are certainly giving their supporters a good run for their money this year. All three of their games to date have been close with final margins down to less than two goals and all have seen exciting come from behind final quarter finishes. The pattern could well continue when the Scorps travel even further north next week when they take on the new Gold Coast team which scored its first VFL points after a draw against Werribee last Saturday night. The game will be played at Labrador AFC Ashton Street Labrador on Queensland's Gold Coast on Saturday 1 May at 2pm. Casey Scorpions 1.1.7 5.3.33 6.3.39 11.7.73 North Ballarat 4.5.29 6.6.42 8.6.54 9.9.63 Goals Casey Scorpions Newton 3 Miller Watts 2 McGough MacReadie Maric Stockdale McGough Maric North Ballarat Dinnell 2 Benjamin Driscoll Jones Peters Richardson Smith Tyler Best Casey Scorpions Nicholls Rivers McGough Maric Taylor Miller North Ballarat Harding Sewell Greig Pratt Tyler Moloney HOW THE DEMONS FARED Daniel Bell - a reasonable first up effort after injuring his AC joint in a NAB Challenge match. Played a little more than half a game and should get more game time next week. Kyle Cheney - solid and consistent self down back, Cheney is growing in stature as a tough defender who not only shuts down his immediate opponent but also is important in helping his team's overall defensive effort. Danny Hughes - workmanlike at half forward without being spectacular. Neville Jetta - showed a nice turn of pace and did well in conditions which didn't really suit him. Paul Johnson - played in defence as well as in the ruck, worked hard, marked strongly and had a role in his team's win. Tom McNamara - injured last week, McNamara seemed out of sorts and did not have a great impact on this game. Addam Maric - kicked a nice goal and was in the play often. Lively up forward and gives the impression that he would do better in higher company but it will not be easy for him to force his way into the Melbourne team at the moment. Brad Miller - showed leadership when the game was there to be won and played a strong game. Pushing hard for a berth with the Demons. Michael Newton - another hard working effort from Juice who chased and tackled strongly and livened things up in the final term when he went into the ruck and took on bigger opposition. Jared Rivers - the dominant player on the ground, Rivers marked strongly, read the play well, ran the ball well out of defence and hit his targets. A great game coming back after three weeks out with an injury. Jake Spencer - was just going until injured. James Strauss - a superb kick of the ball, Strauss was once again the designated kicker from full back and was also very impressive with his run out of defence and his linking up down the ground. Jack Watts - started slowly but gradually worked his way into the game and kicked a couple of vital goals. He is very quick on a lead and kicks well. Dean Bailey said a couple of weeks ago that he wants Watts to play four or five games at Casey and to earn his spot at Melbourne. That's the right policy and the kid is more than half way there. The Scorpions Reserves broke the ice for the season with a one point win over North Ballarat. After holding a 15 point lead at half time, the Scorpions were jumped in the third quarter but came home strongly to boot seven goals with the wind and they just fell over the line. Michael Johnson continued his good form off half back and will enter discussions for a promotion, while key forwards Ben Waite and Jack Fitzpatrick booted four and two goals respectively for the winners. Brad Sykes, a pacy wingman/goalkicker played his first game for the season after a shoulder injury and showed he hasn't missed a beat. More good news for the Scorpions was the Casey debut of Scott Simpson who was recruited to the club after being delisted from Geelong's AFL side. Simpson required pre-season surgery for an ankle injury sustained last year and, in his first game since Round 3 2009, the big key forward played the first half and kicked a couple of goals. In his own words he was 'very rusty' but he got through with no problems which augers well for the rest of 2010. Casey Scorpions 4.3.27 10.4.64 12.8.80 19.12.126 North Ballarat 4.0.24 8.1.49 15.4.94 19.11.125 Goals Casey Scorpions Waite 4 Fitzpatrick Plummer Simpson Weekes 2 Hillberge Johnson Lillie Petropolous Smith Sykes Wonaemirri North Ballarat McKenzie 4 Jones 3 Bell Couch Linke Nicholls Peters Struth 2 Best Casey Scorpions Johnson Fitzpatrick Sykes Smith Waite Patti North Ballarat McKenzie Couch Peters Tate Jones Lower HOW THE DEMONS FARED Sam Blease - serviceable without being outstanding which, together with general soreness, was all that could be expected after his first game since being drafted at the end of 2008. Jack Fitzpatrick - played up forward kicking a couple of quality goals and had a run in the ruck and was close to Casey's best. Mobile for a big bloke and kicks well so he has a bit going for him. Austin Wonaeamirri - played the second half only and kicked a goal but again, the main thing was he got through the game. Will possibly play in the reserves again with a step up in game time next week.

EUREKA!!! by Billy from the Bush There were many stories told back in the early colonial days about those hardy souls who managed to reverse their fortunes in life after venturing to parts of Central Victoria and striking gold and that's how it was on Saturday for the Casey Scorpions who had a similar experience when they travelled north to chilly Ballarat. Last week, the team was overrun on an unusually warm Autumn day by Collingwood at Casey Fields but things were different this time and they managed to emulate their opening round heroics by coming home strongly in a low scoring game striking gold against the reigning VFL premiers North Ballarat at Eureka Stadium Ballarat to win by 10 points - 11.7.73 to 9.9.63. The City of Ballarat turned on some bleak conditions for the visitors. There was a light drizzle and a cold wind blew to the eastern end of the ground to which the Roosters kicked in the first term. The Scorpions would have been buoyed as they ran out onto the ground knowing that their mates in the reserves had snuck home by a point on the strength of the breeze in the nail-biting curtain raiser. Casey went into the game with some tall timber missing after losing key defender Tim Mohr through injury and goal kicking forward/ruckman Stefan Martin, a late withdrawal to the AFL. Defender Glenn Chivers wasn't able to come up from an ankle problem and matters were made worse when beanpole ruckman Jake Spencer also suffered an injury during the game. Both he and Daniel Bell, returning from an injury lay off, sat on the sidelines in the final quarter. On the credit side, plucky Ryan Creed earned a promotion from the reserves. The Roosters are rarely beaten at home and they made better use of the conditions early skipping away to a 22 point lead at the first break. They maintained control well into the second term and at one stage led by 27 points before the Scorpions regrouped in the rain to narrow the gap to nine points by half time. The game never reached a high standard because of a swirly wind and the greasy conditions. The third quarter was a slog on the hard ground made slippery by the rain and, while Casey managed to score only once during this time, the defence held firm with Jared Rivers and Kyle Cheney dominating. Recruit Danny Nicholls was in everything, providing great cover in the absence of injured skipper Kyle Matthews, and using his penetrating left foot to good effect. After a quiet game against Collingwood, Rian McGough was consistently good throughout and appeared to enjoy the tough going. The Roosters had the home crowd crowing when they scored a goal late in the third term and another four minutes into the last. Suddenly, they had stretched the lead to 23 points and one could have been forgiven for thinking that the game was over given the conditions and the fact that they had the home crowd roaring them on to victory against a team that had fallen apart in the final term of their game just six days ago. But the Scorpions were not finished. They dug into their reserves and did everything they couldn't do in last week's final term. They ran hard, applied pressure and tackled strongly to regain the momentum and they hit the lead when young Jack Watts ran into an open goal halfway through the quarter. In the end, they ran all over North Ballarat after slamming home the last five goals of the game. Nicholls was on top in the midfield and he was well backed up by James Taylor who played a good shutdown role on a variety of Rooster opponents, including earning a free kick in the last term for an opponent "infringing" on him off the ball. With Brad Miller showing his strength up forward and Paul Johnson and Michael Newton dominating the rucks, the Scorpions literally came home with a wet sail. The Casey Scorpions are certainly giving their supporters a good run for their money this year. All three of their games to date have been close with final margins down to less than two goals and all have seen exciting come from behind final quarter finishes. The pattern could well continue when the Scorps travel even further north next week when they take on the new Gold Coast team which scored its first VFL points after a draw against Werribee last Saturday night. The game will be played at Labrador AFC Ashton Street Labrador on Queensland's Gold Coast on Saturday 1 May at 2pm. Casey Scorpions 1.1.7 5.3.33 6.3.39 11.7.73 North Ballarat 4.5.29 6.6.42 8.6.54 9.9.63 Goals Casey Scorpions Newton 3 Miller Watts 2 McGough MacReadie Maric Stockdale McGough Maric North Ballarat Dinnell 2 Benjamin Driscoll Jones Peters Richardson Smith Tyler Best Casey Scorpions Nicholls Rivers McGough Maric Taylor Miller North Ballarat Harding Sewell Greig Pratt Tyler Moloney HOW THE DEMONS FARED Daniel Bell - a reasonable first up effort after injuring his AC joint in a NAB Challenge match. Played a little more than half a game and should get more game time next week. Kyle Cheney - solid and consistent self down back, Cheney is growing in stature as a tough defender who not only shuts down his immediate opponent but also is important in helping his team's overall defensive effort. Danny Hughes - workmanlike at half forward without being spectacular. Neville Jetta - showed a nice turn of pace and did well in conditions which didn't really suit him. Paul Johnson - played in defence as well as in the ruck, worked hard, marked strongly and had a role in his team's win. Tom McNamara - injured last week, McNamara seemed out of sorts and did not have a great impact on this game. Addam Maric - kicked a nice goal and was in the play often. Lively up forward and gives the impression that he would do better in higher company but it will not be easy for him to force his way into the Melbourne team at the moment. Brad Miller - showed leadership when the game was there to be won and played a strong game. Pushing hard for a berth with the Demons. Michael Newton - another hard working effort from Juice who chased and tackled strongly and livened things up in the final term when he went into the ruck and took on bigger opposition. Jared Rivers - the dominant player on the ground, Rivers marked strongly, read the play well, ran the ball well out of defence and hit his targets. A great game coming back after three weeks out with an injury. Jake Spencer - was just going until injured. James Strauss - a superb kick of the ball, Strauss was once again the designated kicker from full back and was also very impressive with his run out of defence and his linking up down the ground. Jack Watts - started slowly but gradually worked his way into the game and kicked a couple of vital goals. He is very quick on a lead and kicks well. Dean Bailey said a couple of weeks ago that he wants Watts to play four or five games at Casey and to earn his spot at Melbourne. That's the right policy and the kid is more than half way there. The Scorpions Reserves broke the ice for the season with a one point win over North Ballarat. After holding a 15 point lead at half time, the Scorpions were jumped in the third quarter but came home strongly to boot seven goals with the wind and they just fell over the line. Michael Johnson continued his good form off half back and will enter discussions for a promotion, while key forwards Ben Waite and Jack Fitzpatrick booted four and two goals respectively for the winners. Brad Sykes, a pacy wingman/goalkicker played his first game for the season after a shoulder injury and showed he hasn't missed a beat. More good news for the Scorpions was the Casey debut of Scott Simpson who was recruited to the club after being delisted from Geelong's AFL side. Simpson required pre-season surgery for an ankle injury sustained last year and, in his first game since Round 3 2009, the big key forward played the first half and kicked a couple of goals. In his own words he was 'very rusty' but he got through with no problems which augers well for the rest of 2010. Casey Scorpions 4.3.27 10.4.64 12.8.80 19.12.126 North Ballarat 4.0.24 8.1.49 15.4.94 19.11.125 Goals Casey Scorpions Waite 4 Fitzpatrick Plummer Simpson Weekes 2 Hillberge Johnson Lillie Petropolous Smith Sykes Wonaemirri North Ballarat McKenzie 4 Jones 3 Bell Couch Linke Nicholls Peters Struth 2 Best Casey Scorpions Johnson Fitzpatrick Sykes Smith Waite Patti North Ballarat McKenzie Couch Peters Tate Jones Lower HOW THE DEMONS FARED Sam Blease - serviceable without being outstanding which, together with general soreness, was all that could be expected after his first game since being drafted at the end of 2008. Jack Fitzpatrick - played up forward kicking a couple of quality goals and had a run in the ruck and was close to Casey's best. Mobile for a big bloke and kicks well so he has a bit going for him. Austin Wonaeamirri - played the second half only and kicked a goal but again, the main thing was he got through the game. Will possibly play in the reserves again with a step up in game time next week.

The Russian's stellar season continues but he faces a big challenge next week against the North Melbourne tall timber: 54.191 Mark Jamar 51.778 James Frawley 49.346 Brent Moloney 46.463 James McDonald 28.478 Jack Grimes 26.404 Colin Sylvia 20.768 Ricky Petterd 20.295 Jack Trengove 19.282 Brad Green 15.846 Matthew Bate 12.512 Jamie Bennell 12.491 Jordie McKenzie 11.885 Nathan Jones 10.850 Tom Scully 9.904 Matthew Warnock 8.211 Rohan Bail 6.919 Aaron Davey 4.171 Lynden Dunn 3.410 Cameron Bruce 1.705 Joel Macdonald

With Geelong 5 goals down at half time looks like we'll be knocked out of the eight. That is unless the Blues win by 50+ points and then we'll overtake Geelong.

Was just watching the highlights and his goal was a beauty too.

SHELTER FROM THE STORM by Whispering Jack These past few days have been chaotic for sporting teams that bear the name of our city. Across the road and over the railway line from the MCG, where they used to set off fireworks when the team scored, there was a dark eerie silence. The ghosts were dancing in the place where the Storm had imploded a few days earlier under the weight of one of the nation's biggest ever sporting scandals but it was altogether different at the hub of sport where the team that carried such little expectation took further steps forward at the very beginning of its long journey. It must have been fate that had determined the point at which its promising future intersected and overtook a neighbour whose own tawdry conduct had just caused it to be stripped of a glorious past. Melbourne 15.13.103 defeat Brisbane 7.11.53. The Brisbane Lions and their twin key forwards have been running amok this season but they were brought down with a thud when David brandished his slingshot, aimed truly and decisively brought down the juggernaut. From the opening bounce it was clear that the Demons were intent on applying pressure to the Brisbane attack with its heavy reliance on the scoring power of Jonathan Brown and Brendan Fevola. The signs were good as James Frawley and Matthew Warnock stood firm against their men, each of who managed to get away for one goal in the first term but that was it for Brown. Fevola's night was a little more productive but he had a fascinating duel all night with Warnock. Colin Garland, Jack Grimes and Joel Macdonald gave tremendous support in defence and the latter would have been a happy man to have shoved the indignity of his delisting back in his former coach's face. In stark contrast to what was happening on the Brisbane forward line, Melbourne's goals came from numerous sources, a fact which would have pleased coach Dean Bailey no end. After fluffing up his first attempt to goal, Ricky Petterd took a couple of special contested marks for two first quarter goals and the Demons were away to an 11 point lead at the break. He was to score no more goals for the night but he did attract heavy guard. Travis Johnstone was sent down back and he rekindled some memories of the Demon past not only with his flashy play but with that beard and the holy man look, he portrayed a reasonable facsimile of his former club chairman Joe Gutnick. Meanwhile, sitting a few metres to my right and one row behind was the current chairman, Jimmy Stynes flanked by club legend Ron Barassi and CEO Cameron Schwab, all enjoying the proceedings as their team's resurgence unfolded in front of them. There was no time to reflect on past glories. They were viewing the future. It's coming soon! With Petterd now somewhat subdued, others were allowed to take stage up forward to add to the goal tally and to keep the scoreboard ticking over for the night. Matthew Bate, Jack Trengove and Aaron Davey all took their turns to be dangerous up forward. Trengove was brilliant everywhere. Mark Jamar dominated the rucks and Stefan Martin was proving his perfect foil. The experienced Lions midfield, led superbly by a silky smooth Simon Black, were still able to win more than their share of the clearances but skipper James McDonald, Brent Moloney and Nathan Jones were strong in the clinches and the younger midfield brigade responded. Trengove, Tom Scully and Jordie McKenzie were all significant contributors. Cameron Bruce was everywhere. Colin Sylvia tackled hard and forcibly. Together, the Melbourne midfield broke the game wide open with five goals to one in the second quarter leaving the crowd of 36,396 in awe as the Demons took to the rooms at half time with a lead of six goals. They stretched it by another goal early in the third term before the Lions started clawing their way back into the contest but the relentless pressure and strong tackling of the home side meant that any thought of a Brisbane comeback would be shortlived. It was Melbourne that finished full of running and kept what was considered as the competition's most potent attack goalless in the final quarter. As a light drizzle fell on the ground, the Demons peppered the goals and finished with a winning margin of 50 points or more for the second week running. With final quarter goals to the team's oldest player in McDonald and its youngest in Scully, Melbourne made a stunning statement. The team whose stormy pre season was so wracked with injuries and poor form that it was universally consigned by the pundits to the scrapheap for two, three, four and more years is on the move. What is now emerging is a combination of the old, the new and everything in between coming together in a chaos made even more stunning by the fact that this is only the beginning. Our storm is over. DISCUSS HERE: http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20434 Melbourne 4.2.26 9.6.60 12.7.79 15.13.103 Brisbane 2.3.15 3.6.24 7.9.51 7.11.53 Goals Melbourne Davey Petterd Sylvia Trengove 2 Bate Green Jamar Jones McDonald McKenzie Scully Brisbane Fevola 4 Brown Clark Drummond Best Melbourne Trengove Moloney Sylvia Bate McDonald Frawley Brisbane Black Johnstone Rischitelli Leuenberger Staker Patfull Injuries Melbourne Nil Brisbane Merrett (hamstring) Reports Nil Changes Melbourne Rohan Bail (quad) replaced by Stefan Martin Brisbane Justin Sherman (corked thigh) by Albert Proud Umpires Jennings Kennedy Wenn Crowd 36,396 at the MCG DISCUSS HERE: http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20434