Demonland

I’m one of those cockroaches scavenging around at about 12:02am the next day.

Another one bites the dust.

Would definitely love to interview Choco. It's on my radar.

Channel 7 would love that. They would start 2 hours before and hype it up with lots of betting ads.

This is certainly an interesting angle.

I thought I saw a social media post last week or the week before from one of the other team's cheer squad claiming that people had stolen their giant players heads. Perhaps some teens are doing it for a lark or some tik tok challenge.

Only remember the fridge magnet from that game.

Suns game? Adelaide late in the year? Have no stats in front of me.

That's a great question. Thank you.

I'll be interviewing Demon forward Jake Melksham on Wednesday so if you have anything you want me to ask him then please let me know. I will be posting the interview here and on all your favourite podcasting apps some time on Wednesday.

We'll be LIVE in 15 minutes. Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

I've got to cut off the questions here. Hard cut guys. I have a lot to put together to get all these to flow seemlessly. Love all of your contributions. They are an integral part of the show. PRO TIP: Get questions in early.

Melbourne avenged its 2022 qualifying defeats in comprehensive fashion in a game that saw promising 19-year-old forward Jacob van Rooyen kick three goals on debut. MELBOURNE 6.1.37 9.3.57 14.4.88 21.8.134 SYDNEY SWANS 1.3.9 6.6.42 9.9.63 12.12.84 THE TEAMS MELBOURNE
 B T. Rivers S. May J. Lever HB K. Chandler H. Petty L. Hunter C J. Jordon C.Oliver E. Langdon HF T. Sparrow B. Fritsch A. Brayshaw F A. Neal-Bullen B. Brown C. Spargo FOLL B. Grundy C. Petracca J. Viney I/C J. Bowey M. Hibberd J. McVee J. van Rooyen SUB J. Melksham EMG L. Dunstan B. Laurie T. McDonald IN M. Hibberd J. Jordon S. May J. van Rooyen OUT M. Gawn (knee) J. Harmes (personal reasons) T. McDonald (omitted) A. Tomlinson (omitted) NEW J. van Rooyen (East Fremantle WAFL) SYDNEY SWANS B T. McCartin D. Rampe P. McCartin HB O. Florent J. Lloyd N. Blakey C E. Gulden L. Parker D. Stephens HF I. Heeney W. Hayward J. Amartey F T. Papley L. Franklin L. McDonald FOLL P. Ladhams J. Rowbottom C. Mills I/C B. Campbell H. Cunningham J. McInerney C. Warner SUB M. Roberts EMG H. Hall-Kahan H. McLean A. Sheldrick IN L. Franklin OUT H. McLean (omitted)

With a maximum of four games to play for the season, Christian Petracca is 37 votes ahead of Jack Viney - the only other possible winner of the Demonland Player of the Year. 228. Christian Petracca 181. Jack Viney 136. Clayton Oliver 94. Angus Brayshaw 89. Max Gawn 72. Steven May 68. Trent Rivers 64. Jake Lever 54. Lachie Hunter Kysaiah Pickett 46. Christian Salem 40. Brodie Grundy 28. Tom Sparrow 27. Jake Bowey Ed Langdon 24. Judd McVee 22. Alex Neal-Bullen 19. Bayley Fritsch Jake Melksham 18. Kade Chandler 16. Harry Petty 13. Jacob van Rooyen 9. Ben Brown 8. Charlie Spargo 5. Tom McDonald 4. Michael Hibberd 3. James Jordon Adam Tomlinson

4. MELBOURNE (15-7, 124.8%) Round 24 game: Sydney Swans at the SCG, Sunday 3:20pm Win: Finish 2nd if Brisbane (vs St Kilda) and Port Adelaide (vs Richmond) both lose, 3rd if one loses, 4th if both win Lose: Finish 4th Analysis: They’ve at least locked up a top-four spot after avoiding the Hawthorn banana peel some of their top-eight rivals couldn’t, and by the time the Demons play in Round 24, they may already be locked into fourth spot. That in fact appears to be the most likely scenario, and they’re probably getting an MCG qualifying final against the Magpies in that case. If the Lions or Power slip up however, there’s a chance to move a bit higher up. Both would have to lose for Melbourne to host a qualifying final, which would be against Brisbane. Prediction: Finish 4th, ‘away’ to Collingwood in a qualifying final

The Demons locked in a top four spot on the AFL 2023 ladder on Sunday with a 27-point victory against the Hawks denying them a third top end scalp in a row. Melbourne is now primed for finals action in September, although at this late stage who and where it will play in the first week is the loaded question as its final ladder position depends upon games yet to be played. This match was a hard tussle with barely a goal or two in it until the Demons broke the shackles in the final term. Indeed, Hawthorn got within six points in that final quarter, only to see Melbourne break away convincingly. Shackles were certainly the way the Hawks wanted to play, with Finn Maguiness locked onto Clayton Oliver like a leech, restricting him to just 14 touches. Was it worth it? Perhaps, but it shows the respect that oppositions show to a player like Oliver in just his second game back from a ten week layoff. It was a strange game to watch, as the Melbourne movers and shakers just seemed to be below their best. Except, of course, for Jack Viney who just kept on barrelling in with 25 touches including 9 contested possessions. Angus Brayshaw with 20 disposals, Christian Petracca with 22, and Tom Sparrow 17 are probably not the numbers we have become accustomed to from the mids. However, when needed it was Oliver and Petracca in those final minutes who conjured the damaging goals. The disposal disease wasn’t restricted to the middle of the ground. Kysaiah Pickett only touched the ball five times with a single effective disposal. Kade Chandler, Jacob van Rooyen and Joel Smith each finished with seven touches to their names. The problems of the forward line were still lurking and it was left to Jake Melksham with 15 disposals and 3 goals to show the way, although both Smith and van Rooyen capitalised on the low possession count with two and three goals respectively. Not to mention 100% & 85% disposal efficiency from those paltry opportunities. Even Chandler didn’t miss a target for the whole night. The backline structures also looked shaky until the final term, when Smith was sent back there and suddenly Steven May and Jake Lever won the ball again and again. Lever with 13 marks including a magnificent one on one victory when the Hawks were within a goal, simply changed the course of the game. Trent Rivers had been busily holding the fort prior to that final surge, and he was easily the best performed MFC player to that point. He finished the game with 27 touches and a very creditable 496 metres gained. Rivers is rapidly becoming the springboard out of defence with his run and long kicking that is so damaging in today’s game. Down the wings, Ed Langdon was his damaging best, as Hawthorn hadn’t learnt the lessons of others who keep the ball away from his side of the ground. He finished with 18 touches producing 435 metres contribution to the territory game for the side. That the side was able to win this tight tussle, with a good number of players well below their best was a credit, particularly when it resulted in that top four outcome. They may not need to win next week, but that is not the Melbourne way in this game. A top two finish still possible at this point in time and the players will know if that is the case before they enter the ground next Sunday. The other inspiration for the players is that of playing not only in finals but also in a potential premiership side. The other contenders at the top end are suddenly looking tired and the inevitable injuries are showing up their weaknesses. With the Demons looking to load up with more silverware, then locking in a spot in the side now means nothing less than 100% commitment and output from each and every individual. MELBOURNE 3.2.20 6.5.41 10.6.66 13.9.87 HAWTHORN 4.2.26 6.3.39 8.5.53 9.6.60 GOALS MELBOURNE Melksham van Rooyen 3 Smith 2 Brayshaw Chandler Oliver Petracca Sparrow HAWTHORN Breust Hustwaite McDonald 2 Day Grainger-Barass Moore BEST MELBOURNE Melksham Lever Viney Rivers Brayshaw Petracca HAWTHORN Worpel Nash Maginness Day Sicily Amon INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil HAWTHORN Nil REPORTS

 MELBOURNE Nil HAWTHORN Nil LATE CHANGES MELBOURNE Nil HAWTHORN Jai Newcombe (replaced in the selected side by Henry Hustwaite) SUBSTITUTIONS

 MELBOURNE Josh Schache (replaced Adam Tomlinson in the fourth quarter) HAWTHORN Jai Serong (replaced Max Ramsden at three-quarter time) UMPIRES Andrew Stephens Brendan Hosking Alex Whetton Nathan Toner CROWD 50,142 at the MCG PINK LADY DAY Congratulations to the fans who turned up to support their team and the heartening revival of the Breast Cancer initiative at our games.

The Casey Demons’ premiership defence continued its problematic end run with its third single digit figure defeat in a row on Sunday. The two-point loss to the Brisbane Lions was the more galling as it took place at the club’s home fortress after its early dominance had seen it build up a 33 point lead by early in the second term. After going down to Carlton by 8 points and losing at home to Williamstown before the bye by a single point, Casey has fallen from being in top four calculations a month ago into seventh place and a wild card playoff against tenth placed North Melbourne (details to be announced) to remain in the finals race. The Demons looked to be well on top in the early going against the Lions and appeared to have shaken off last week’s goal front yips with seven goals from eight scoring shots. Tom McDonald was putting his hand up for an early recall to the Melbourne team with two first quarter goals, Brodie Grundy was winning the ruck duels and Luke Dunstan was raking up the possessions. However, the Brisbane team regrouped and turned the game on its head after the ten minute mark of the second quarter booting 10.10 to 5.5 for the remainder of the game. By half time, the Lions had reduced the deficit to seven points and although the accurate Demons fought back in the third, they put the home team to the sword in the last on the back of a sturdy defensive effort in the last. They fought back with the only two goals of the term and edged ahead in the final desperate moments to score a couples of points that was enough to push themselves into the top four and leave their hosts lamenting. For the Demons, Luke Dunstan was again their best player amassing his usual team-high number of disposals - this time 31 - to go with his six clearances and two goals. Casey’s old hands, Jimmy Munro (23 disposals and an incredible 14 tackles) and skipper Mitch White (24 touches, 2 goals) again led the team’s charge with their customary hardness at the football. The home team was also well served by Charlie Spargo with 23 possessions, 10 marks and a goal and newly re-signed Taj Woewodin continuing with his impressive forward trajectory with 20 touches as well as his goal which looked to spark a Demon revival early in the second half. Grundy finished with 37 hitouts and a dozen disposals in a close battle with Darcy Fort while McDonald’s final tally of three goals should keep the Melbourne selectors minds engaged as they look to their best lineup coming into the finals. The player of the most interest however, might well be unlucky defender Daniel Turner who returned from a break with injury and was right in the action with 25 touches and eight marks. Young key forward Matt Jefferson was busy early but faded. Michael Hibberd went off early after a head knock. The game marked an impressive debut from young local player Ziggy Toledo-Glasman who moved well and kicked two goals. In the end, the Demons can lament about wasting opportunities late in the season, but let’s face it — if you can’t kick a goal at home in the final quarter of a do or die game, you don’t deserve to win. CASEY DEMONS 5.1.31 7.2.44 12.3.75 12.6.78 BRISBANE LIONS 1.4.10 5.7.37 9.10.64 11.14.80 GOALS CASEY DEMONS McDonald 3 Dunstan Toledo-Glasman White 2 Jefferson Spargo Woewodin BRISBANE LIONS Buzza Lohmann Reville Smith 2 Cockatoo Fullarton Tunstill BEST CASEY DEMONS Dunstan Munro Spargo D Turner Woewodin White BRISBANE LIONS Mathieson Fort Reville Sharp Prior Dunkley Statistics Jed Adams 5 kicks 1 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 26 dream team points Matt Buntine 8 kicks 8 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 38 dream team points Luke Dunstan 2 goals 17 kicks 14 handballs 31 disposals 6 marks 4 tackles 127 dream team points Kyah Farris-White 2 tackles 8 dream team points Tom Freeman kicks handballs disposals marks tackles 34 dream team points George Grey 3 kicks 8 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 38 dream team points Brodie Grundy 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 37 hit outs 75 dream team points Michael Hibberd 12 kicks 5 handballs 17 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 57 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 goal 8 kicks 6 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 58 dream team points Tom McDonald 3 goals 12 kicks 2 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 2 hit outs 89 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 1 behind 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 48 dream team points James Munro 7 kicks 16 handballs 23 disposals 3 marks 14 tackles 116 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 5 kicks 2 handballs 7 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 48 dream team points Deaykin Smith 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 42 dream team points Charlie Spargo 1 goal 1 behind 13 kicks 10 handballs 23 disposals 10 marks 3 tackles 108 dream team points Roan Steele 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 59 dream team points Ziggy Toledo-Glasman 2 goals 1 behind 6 kicks 1 handball 7 disposals 2 marks 34 tackles dream team points Daniel Turner 19 kicks 6 handballs 25 disposals 8 marks 1 tackle 98 dream team points Kye Turner 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 37 dream team points Ryan Valentine 1 kick 1 handball 2 disposals 1 mark 8 dream team points Will Verrall 4 kicks 5 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 9 hit outs 35 dream team points Mitch White 2 goals 15 kicks 9 handballs 24 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 94 dream team points Taj Woewoedin 1 goal 10 kicks 10 handballs 20 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 96 dream team points

LAMENTING by KC from Casey The Casey Demons’ premiership defence continued its problematic end run with its third single digit figure defeat in a row on Sunday. The two-point loss to the Brisbane Lions was the more galling as it took place at the club’s home fortress after its early dominance had seen it build up a 33 point lead by early in the second term. After going down to Carlton by 8 points and losing at home to Williamstown before the bye by a single point, Casey has fallen from being in top four calculations a month ago into seventh place and a wild card playoff against tenth placed North Melbourne (details to be announced) to remain in the finals race. The Demons looked to be well on top in the early going against the Lions and appeared to have shaken off last week’s goal front yips with seven goals from eight scoring shots. Tom McDonald was putting his hand up for an early recall to the Melbourne team with two first quarter goals, Brodie Grundy was winning the ruck duels and Luke Dunstan was raking up the possessions. However, the Brisbane team regrouped and turned the game on its head after the ten minute mark of the second quarter booting 10.10 to 5.5 for the remainder of the game. By half time, the Lions had reduced the deficit to seven points and although the accurate Demons fought back in the third, they put the home team to the sword in the last on the back of a sturdy defensive effort in the last. They fought back with the only two goals of the term and edged ahead in the final desperate moments to score a couples of points that was enough to push themselves into the top four and leave their hosts lamenting. For the Demons, Luke Dunstan was again their best player amassing his usual team-high number of disposals - this time 31 - to go with his six clearances and two goals. Casey’s old hands, Jimmy Munro (23 disposals and an incredible 14 tackles) and skipper Mitch White (24 touches, 2 goals) again led the team’s charge with their customary hardness at the football. The home team was also well served by Charlie Spargo with 23 possessions, 10 marks and a goal and newly re-signed Taj Woewodin continuing with his impressive forward trajectory with 20 touches as well as his goal which looked to spark a Demon revival early in the second half. Grundy finished with 37 hitouts and a dozen disposals in a close battle with Darcy Fort while McDonald’s final tally of three goals should keep the Melbourne selectors minds engaged as they look to their best lineup coming into the finals. The player of the most interest however, might well be unlucky defender Daniel Turner who returned from a break with injury and was right in the action with 25 touches and eight marks. Young key forward Matt Jefferson was busy early but faded. Michael Hibberd went off early after a head knock. The game marked an impressive debut from young local player Ziggy Toledo-Glasman who moved well and kicked two goals. In the end, the Demons can lament about wasting opportunities late in the season, but let’s face it — if you can’t kick a goal at home in the final quarter of a do or die game, you don’t deserve to win. CASEY DEMONS 5.1.31 7.2.44 12.3.75 12.6.78 BRISBANE LIONS 1.4.10 5.7.37 9.10.64 11.14.80 GOALS CASEY DEMONS McDonald 3 Dunstan Toledo-Glasman White 2 Jefferson Spargo Woewodin BRISBANE LIONS Buzza Lohmann Reville Smith 2 Cockatoo Fullarton Tunstill BEST CASEY DEMONS Dunstan Munro Spargo D Turner Woewodin White BRISBANE LIONS Mathieson Fort Reville Sharp Prior Dunkley Statistics Jed Adams 5 kicks 1 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 26 dream team points Matt Buntine 8 kicks 8 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 38 dream team points Luke Dunstan 2 goals 17 kicks 14 handballs 31 disposals 6 marks 4 tackles 127 dream team points Kyah Farris-White 2 tackles 8 dream team points Tom Freeman kicks handballs disposals marks tackles 34 dream team points George Grey 3 kicks 8 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 38 dream team points Brodie Grundy 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 37 hit outs 75 dream team points Michael Hibberd 12 kicks 5 handballs 17 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 57 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 goal 8 kicks 6 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 58 dream team points Tom McDonald 3 goals 12 kicks 2 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 2 hit outs 89 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 1 behind 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 48 dream team points James Munro 7 kicks 16 handballs 23 disposals 3 marks 14 tackles 116 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 5 kicks 2 handballs 7 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 48 dream team points Deaykin Smith 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 42 dream team points Charlie Spargo 1 goal 1 behind 13 kicks 10 handballs 23 disposals 10 marks 3 tackles 108 dream team points Roan Steele 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 59 dream team points Ziggy Toledo-Glasman 2 goals 1 behind 6 kicks 1 handball 7 disposals 2 marks 34 tackles dream team points Daniel Turner 19 kicks 6 handballs 25 disposals 8 marks 1 tackle 98 dream team points Kye Turner 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 37 dream team points Ryan Valentine 1 kick 1 handball 2 disposals 1 mark 8 dream team points Will Verrall 4 kicks 5 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 9 hit outs 35 dream team points Mitch White 2 goals 15 kicks 9 handballs 24 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 94 dream team points Taj Woewoedin 1 goal 10 kicks 10 handballs 20 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 96 dream team points

The Demons travel to the SCG in Round 24 as they take on the Sydney Swans with Top 4 and the double chance sewn up. Who comes in and who goes out?