Demonland

The game was over in a little more than the blink of an eye. Twelve minutes and nineteen seconds into the game to be exact. That was how long it took for Melbourne to kick five straight goals through the courtesy of Kade Chandler, Bayley Fritsch (twice), Kysaiah Pickett, Tom Sparrow and the players downfield who split North Melbourne’s defences to set up a lightning start to the match. Soon after, play was suspended to enable the paramedics to collect the unfortunate Charlie Comben from the ground with a broken leg and by this time the Kangaroos were shattered and the game was already more or less over. After a long delay, proceedings continued and the Demons added three more goals to take a 44-point lead into the first break. Alastair Clarkson’s nightmare did not end there. His team continued to receive blows on the injury front as well as on the scoreboard. By night’s end, he had lost Callum Coleman-Jones from concussion after coming off second-best in a marking contest with Steven May and Tom Powell went off after rolling his ankle late in the game. Predictably, the Demon ruck and on ball division was dominant with Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca in ripping form, Chandler, Fritsch and Pickett causing havoc up forward and 150 gamer Angus Brayshaw mopping up everything that came his way in defence. This was the quintessential Demon demolition of a young team in distress and under duress. Notwithstanding that they were coming off a five-day break and coach Simon Goodwin is still tinkering with his lineup, they smashed their way to an eleven goal half time lead and then pushed back on the throttle in the third term adding only four points to that lead. But the adversary was on its knees at three quarter time and Melbourne went for the Roo kill to pile on six goals to hold a 108-point lead minutes into time on. To their credit, the Roos refused to give up. They managed to score the game’s last three goals in quick succession but, despite that late flurry, the end result was a 22.7 (139) to 7.7 (49) win for Melbourne which marked North's biggest losing margin under Clarkson, the Demons' fourth 100-plus score for the year: a result that has seen the move to second spot on the AFL ladder. Goodwin was satisfied. "It was exactly what we wanted," he said. "We really wanted to put the defensive side of our game to them and we did that for the majority of the night." Of course, for teams with high expectations, games like these are never really good indicators of what they need to do in order to achieve the aims to which they aspire. These will come further down the track and not in the blink of an eye. MELBOURNE 8.2.50 13.3.81 16.4.100 22.7.139 NORTH MELBOURNE 1.0.6 2.3.15 4.6.30 7.7.49 GOALS MELBOURNE Fritsch 4 Chandler Petracca Pickett 3 Grundy 2 Bowey Neal-Bullen Rivers Schache Sparrow van Rooyen Viney NORTH MELBOURNE Zurhaar 3 Larkey 2 Cunnington Shiels BEST MELBOURNE Petracca Oliver Fritsch Chandler Brayshaw Viney Bowey NORTH MELBOURNE Sheezel Simpkin Zurhaar Ziebell McDonald INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil NORTH MELBOURNE Comben (leg) Coleman-Jones (concussion) Tom Powell (ankle) REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil NORTH MELBOURNE Nil SUBSTITUTIONS MELBOURNE James Harmes (replaced Michael Hibberd in the fourth quarter) NORTH MELBOURNE Daniel Howe (replaced Charlie Comben in the first quarter) UMPIRES Chris Donlon Ray Chamberlain Martin Rodger Matthew Young CROWD 29,455 at the MCG

GONE BUSH by KC from Casey After the disappointment of the home loss to Richmond VFL, the Casey Demons’ next challenge was to take on the undefeated Box Hill Hawks in unfamiliar bush surroundings at Wonthaggi. The trip to the country did them no harm because, at the end of the game, they were well and truly back in town. The Demons signalled their intentions early with strong attack on the football. A nice passage of play saw Ben Brown goal five minutes into the game with help from James Harmes and Tom McDonald. Despite being well beaten early in the ruck the Demons held sway for the first half of the opening term but the Tigers grabbed the momentum to boot three goals before McDonald goaled late to make the deficit five points at quarter time. Casey came out after the break full of purpose. The instigator of the comeback was Joel Smith returning from injury. Playing in attack, he kicked his first goal to level the score and, after Taj Woewodin’s goal to put the Demons in front, Smith kicked his second. Box Hill was not to be undone and the Hawks fought back once more to reduce Casey’s lead to single figures deep into the opening half. But Smith was on fire. He scored his third goal for the day at the 32 minute mark but Jake Melksham’s remarkably slick goal from the boundary a minute later had the crowd in raptures as the team stretched the lead to 17 points at the halfway mark. The game opened up after the break with the Hawks scoring first followed by another smart goal from Melksham. Bailey Laurie and Ollie Sestan added to Casey’s tally with Melksham chiming in with his third. By the final break Casey was 23 points in front. The Demons coasted home to a five goal victory at the end with Melksham adding two more to his tally in a best on ground performance. The team was bolstered by the return of skipper Mitch White, as resolute as ever. It was well served in defence by the likes of Tomlinson, Daniel Turner and Blake Howes. Last week’s hero Luke Dunstan limped off in the third quarter with what appeared to be a calf injury. Like their AFL affiliate, the Casey Demons are back in second place and have another challenge coming up when they face up to another undefeated team, the Gold Coast Suns on their home deck at Carrara next Saturday. CASEY DEMONS 2.3.15 8.5.53 13.7.85 16.10.106 BOX HILL HAWKS 3.3.21 5.6.36 9.8.62 11.10.76 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Melksham 5 J Smith 3 McDonald Woewoedin 2 Brown Jefferson Laurie Sestan BOX HILL HAWKS Jeka Koschitzke 2 Bramble Butler McDonald Mascitti O’Sullivan Porter Stanley BEST CASEY DEMONS Melksham White J Smith Tomlinson McDonald Harmes BOX HILL HAWKS Brown Meek McDonald McKenzie Butler Koschitzke Statistics Jed Adams 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 2 marks 19 dream team points Jack Bell 7 kicks 1 handball 8 disposals 3 tackles 14 hit outs 51 dream team points Ben Brown 1 goals 1 behind 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 48 dream team points Matt Buntine 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 32 dream team points Luke Dunstan 5 kicks 6 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 40 dream team points Zane Duursma 3 kicks 6 handballs 9 disposals 2 tackles 29 dream team points Kyah Ferris-White 1 handball 1 disposal 1 tackle 5 hit outs 11 dream team points Max Gregory 2 kicks 5 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 22 dream team points George Grey 4 kicks 5 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 33 dream team points James Harmes 1 behind 13 kicks 12 handballs 25disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 83 dream team points Blake Howes 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 41 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 goal 5 kicks 2 handballs 7 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 44 dream team points Bailey Laurie 1 goal 6 kicks 12 handballs 18 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 65 dream team points Tom McDonald 2 goals 1 behind 11 kicks 3 handballs 14 disposals 8 marks 2 tackles 1 hit out 85 dream team points Jake Melksham 5 goals 2 behinds 13 kicks 4 handballs17 disposals 6 marks 1 tackle 101 dream team points Oliver Sestan 1 goal 8 kicks 1 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 47 dream team points Deaykin Smith 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 51 dream team points Joel Smith 3 goals 1 behind 10 kicks 4 handballs 14 disposals 7 marks 3 tackles 91 dream team points Roan Steele 8 kicks 1 handball 9 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 44 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 15 kicks 6 handballs 21 disposals 8marks 1 tackle 1 hit out 86 dream team points Daniel Turner 11 kicks 1 handballs 12 disposals 7 marks 1 tackle 62 dream team points Mitch White 18 kicks 5 handballs 23 disposals 4 marks 6 tackles 97 dream team points Taj Woewodin 2 goals 1 behind 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 64 dream team points

We spoke about it last week. Hunter added a new trick to his arsenal this week; the underground kick.

Collingwood just don’t know how to lose.

I’d like to report a murder.

As much as I want Adelaide to win I’m appalled by this umpiring

Clarry still well ahead - 93. Clayton Oliver 72. Christian Petracca 33. Brodie Grundy 30. Jack Viney 29. Jake Lever 26. Max Gawn 18. Lachie Hunter Ed Langdon 15. Kysaiah Pickett 14. Angus Brayshaw 11. Trent Rivers 10. Kade Chandler 9. Ben Brown Bayley Fritsch 7. Charlie Spargo 6. Judd McVee 5. Jake Bowey Tom McDonald 4. Tom Sparrow 3. James Jordon Alex Neal-Bullen 2. Jacob van Rooyen 1. Michael Hibberd Harry Petty Steven May

On a sodden ground and in humid conditions, the Demons looked weary and managed to escape with the points against the improving Suns. MELBOURNE 3.1.19 9.1.55 12.5.77 12.10.82 GOLD COAST SUNS 2.3.15 6.5.41 8.7.55 10.9.69 THE TEAMS GOLD COAST SUNS B: D.Swallow 24 S.Collins 25 S.Lemmens 23 HB: R.Atkins 2 C.Ballard 10 W.Powell 27 C: J.Sharp 20 T.Miller 11 - C B.Ellis 4 HF: N.Holman 7 L.Casboult 30 J.Lukosius 13 F: S.Flanders 26 M.Chol 1 B.Ainsworth 9 Foll: J.Witts 28 - C M. Rowell 18 N.Anderson 15 I/C: A.Davies 5 B.Fiorini 8 C.Graham 46 A. Sexton 6 Sub: D.Macpherson 44 Emerg: J. Corbett 19 In: R.Atkins S.Flanders Out: MELBOURNE B: A. Tomlinson 20 S.May 1 J.Hunt 29 HB: T.Rivers 24 J.Smith 44 J.Bowey 17 C: A.Brayshaw 10 C.Oliver 13 E.Langdon 15 HF: K.Pickett 36 B.Brown 50 J.Harmes 4 F: B.Fritsch 31 T.McDonald 25 A.Neal-Bullen 30 Foll: M.Gawn - C 11 C.Petracca 5 J.Viney 7 I/C: L.Jackson 6 C.Spargo 9 J.Jordon 23 T.Sparrow 32 Sub: T.Bedford 12 Emerg: J.Melksham 18 S.Weideman 26 L.Dunstan 27 In: T.Rivers Out: C.Salem (knee)

The last time we played there it absolutely bucketed down the night before. It was a beautiful day the day of the match but when I went onto the field after the game the pitch was sopping wet. The ball was very slick that night. No rain forecast between now and the game and mid to low 20s all week. 4:35pm match so conditions should be fine.

There are certain games that are part of the history of the Melbourne Football Club that fans would prefer to forget. One of them was the 1988 VFL Grand Final which the Demons lost by a then record margin for a season decider — 96 points. I won’t dwell on this too much other than to mention that Jamie Duursma was named at centre half back in the game, that his brother Dean was also on the club’s list at the time and that the family connection will be revived today when Dean’s son and Jamie’s nephew Zane debuts in Demon colours out at Wonthaggi when Casey takes on the Box Hill Hawks. Back in the 1980s, the Duursma boys certainly moved around in their search for a VFL home. Jamie Duursma was recruited by the Sydney Swans in 1986 from Sandringham after a stint in the Hawthorn Under 19s and Reserves but was shipped off to the Brisbane Bears in 1987 after the Swans ran into salary cap problems. At the time he was also approached by Essendon. His season in Queensland was curtailed by knee surgery and he managed just one game for the Bears. Melbourne coach John Northey had faith in Jamie Duursma and encouraged him to play with the Demons when he returned to Victoria at the beginning of 1988. In his first season, he was instrumental in helping the club to that first grand final in 24 years by blanketing the dangerous Stephen Kernahan in the Preliminary Final against Carlton. The grand final a week later was a tougher challenge. Jamie Duursma wore guernsey number 28 and played 39 games for Melbourne in 1988-9 but required a knee reconstruction after an injury in the 1990 Fosters Cup Semi Final and despite, a swift five month recovery period, Duursma never played VFL again. His brother Dean Duursma was an Under 19s player in 1986 and remained on the list until 1988 wearing the number 48 in the Reserves but he didn't play seniors. He also had stints at other clubs including Sandringham and he played in a premiership at North Hobart in 1989. Today, he’s the proud dad of an emerging football dynasty as his children, named alphabetically from X to Z are all making their mark on the game. Xavier Duursma has been with Port Adelaide since 2019 (he made his debut on the MCG against the Demons in Round 1) and has played 64 games. He was subbed out at quarter time on Friday night against the Saints after limping from the field with a knee injury and is expected to be out for several weeks with suspected damage to his PCL. Sister Yasmin has already played 4 games for Port Adelaide’s AFLW team after being drafted through the Casey Demons and Gippsland Power. Zane is an Australian Academy player and in his third season with the Gippsland Team. An athletic 189cm, he’s a clever player capable of finding the goals, versatile and predicted to go in the top five in November’s AFL Draft. AFL draft guru recently rated him as high as a potential number one pick - Kicking and reaching goals no issue for potential No.1 pick — although Harley Reid from Bendigo appears to have that spot well and truly stitched up according to many good judges. Zane did work experience of a pre season stint at Melbourne with the Stingrays’ Cooper Simpson as part of the AFL Academy programme. Both impressed observers at these sessions. Simpson played for Casey last week and this week Duursma gets his chance with a bye in the Coates Talent League. The connection doesn’t tie him to the Melbourne Demons but there are many draft watchers who would be delighted if that were to happen at November’s AFL National Draft.

The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 1st May @ 8:30pm. Join Binman and I as we analyse the thumping victory over the Kangaroos on Saturday at the MCG. You questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human. Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

The Demons are heading back on the road for the fourth time this season to take on the Gold Coast Suns at Heritage Bank Stadium in a bid to win their third game on the trot. Who comes in and who goes out?

After a blistering first quarter the Demons never looked back thrashing North Melbourne by 90 points at the MCG on Saturday Night, jumping to top spot on the ladder pending the results of Sunday's matches.

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Why did they get rid of the wires at the top of the stadium that kept the majority of the seagulls out? Back with a vengeance tonight. More seagulls than north fans.

There might be a seagull sitting in it.

Strange that he didn’t train with the 3 other emergencies in the Captain’s Run

Fritta warming up and having shots for goal

Now head over to the GAMEDAY thread to talk about tonight.

What’s it like being the #1 Draft pick? ‘It smacks you in the face’: What it’s really like being a No.1 draft pick Warning: Article contains a couple of ugly memories from a bit over a decade ago.

The cards are all stacked in Melbourne’s favour for tonight’s clash against Al Clarkson’s North Melbourne. They are out of form, young, inexperienced, have lost their gun player in LDU and haven’t won a game at the G since 2016. They desperately need to fix their defensive system because they’ve been leaking goals of late while the Demons have been trying to right their forward line for the past 12 months. Melbourne are favourites and rightly so but need the fans to come out and support them tonight!