Demonland

"I think we have got a team that can win a premiership, and if we get in this year, I don't think there is a team that is going to want to play us. This year is not a write-off, I don't concede that. Not at all." — Collingwood President Jeff Browne. I love this sort of optimism from the Magpie President after his club’s eleven goal defeat at the hands of the fast rising Hawks. It’s consistent with the fighting spirit of the club that won last year’s flag. I only wish I could say the same about Melbourne after its own heart-wrenching capitulation to Fremantle last Sunday. However, despite the imminent return of captain Max Gawn for Saturday night’s clash against the GWS Giants and the fact that the team still sits ever so close to the top eight, there’s a pall of gloom over the club. That’s due to the inconsistency of performance that we’ve witnessed throughout the year both during games and between matches. How could the team go from crushing the previously undefeated Cats in the final quarter of their Round 8 clash to opening with nothing to five straight goals in Round 9 against Carlton and then come home with a rush at the end to just lose? How do you explain a brilliant attacking third term against the Saints followed by a near 100 point capitulation in Alice Springs a week later? A pulsating eight goal second quarter in Brisbane to go goalless in the final term and concede the same match? Or last week’s humiliating total inability to win the ball at stoppages with the previous week’s heroic attack on the football against the Bombers? Perhaps it’s the number of young, inexperienced players or the missing ruckman or the superstar upon whose shoulders they rely heavily, premiership midfielders out of form or a tiring flight interstate? These are all excuses — this week is their last chance. Perform, or most likely sit out the business end of the season with the likes of Collingwood and one or two other prospective finalists while the likes of Hawthorn shoot up the ladder for a taste of September action. The Giants are potentially vulnerable because they, like the Demons, perform their best at home and are shaky away from their own nest. However, Melbourne desperately needs to mix up its repertoire to drag itself out of the hot and cold routine rut that it has found itself in this season. With this week’s game to be played in front of a majority crowd of its own fans at the MCG, I would like to see the selectors try something different and pick two ruckmen to play in the ruck. Give Will Verrall the opportunity to be understudy to the best ruckman in the competition and give Harry Petty and Jacob van Rooyen roles as key position forwards. The idea might sound a little unconventional but who knows, it might help bring some consistency into the Demon equation. My own accuracy in tipping winners this year has been a little inconsistent so please forgive me for tipping the Giants who seem more focused on winning at the moment, to salute the judges by a margin of 23 points at the end of the night. THE GAME Melbourne v GWS Giants at the MCG, Saturday 27 July 2024 at 7:30pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall – Melbourne 9 wins GWS Giants 8 wins At the MCG – Melbourne 5 wins GWS Giants 3 wins Past five meetings – Melbourne 2 wins GWS Giants 3 wins The Coaches – Goodwin 0 wins Kingsley 1 win THE LAST TIME THEY MET GWS Giants 7.5.47 Melbourne 5.15.45 at TIO Traeger Park, Round 16 2023 They say that bad kicking is bad football. Melbourne played some bad football on an unseasonably wet and wild day in the red heart of the country. It was all over the Giants but failed time and time to convert with a kick from outside fifty by Josh Kelly finding its way through the goals to give them the lead late in the game. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B Tom McDonald, S. May, J. McVee HB J. Bowey, J. Lever, A. Moniz-Wakefield C E. Langdon, C. Oliver, C. Windsor HF K. Pickett, J. van Rooyen, J. Melksham F K. Chandler, B. Fritsch, H. Petty FOLL M. Gawn, J. Viney, T. Rivers I/C J. Billings, B. Laurie, A. Neal-Bullen, D. Turner, T. Woewodin EMG K. Brown, B. Howes, T. Sparrow IN M. Gawn, B. Laurie, T. Woewodin OUT C. Salem (hamstring), T. Sparrow (omitted), K. Tholstrup (concussion) GWS GIANTS B C. Idun, J. Buckley, H. Himmelberg HB L. Whitfield, S. Taylor, H. Perryman C C. Ward, T. Green, T. McMullin HF B. Daniels, Jake Riccardi, T. Bedford F T. Greene, J. Hogan, D. Jones FOLL K. Briggs, F. Callaghan, J. Peatling I/C L. Ash A. Cadman, J. Fonti, X. O’Halloran, H. Thomas EMG N. Haynes, L. Keeffe, C. Stone IN S. Taylor OUT I. Cummings (hamstring) Injury List: Round 20 Lachie Hunter — calf / available Max Gawn — ankle / test Jed Adams — lung / 1 week Koltyn Tholstrup — concussion / 1 - 2 weeks Christian Salem — hamstring / 3 - 4 weeks Charlie Spargo — Achilles / season Christian Petracca — spleen / indefinite

Good catch. Very similar.

Name Injury Expected Return Lachie Hunter Calf Available Max Gawn Ankle Test Jed Adams Lung 1 week Koltyn Tholstrup Concussion 1 - 2 weeks Christian Salem Hamstring 3 - 4 weeks Charlie Spargo Achilles Season Christian Petracca Spleen Indefinite

PLAYER VOTES 1 Max Gawn 162 2 Steven May 100 3 Christian Petracca 97 4 Jack Viney 86 5 Alex Neal-Bullen 85 6 Trent Rivers 81 7 Kysaiah Pickett 57 8 Jacob van Rooyen 55 9 Clayton Oliver 53 10 Ed Langdon 49 11 Judd McVee 45 12 Christian Salem 44 13 Jake Lever 40 =14 Bayley Fritsch 31 =14 Tom McDonald 31 16 Caleb Windsor 25 17 Tom Sparrow 17 =18 Kade Chandler 14 =18 Harry Petty 14 20 Jack Billings 12 =21 Blake Howes 11 =21 Daniel Turner 11 23 Adam Tomlinson 9 24 Jake Melksham 2 25 Jake Bowey 1

After Round 19

Apologies for anyone wanting to listen LIVE and when we can on the stream we were 25 mins in to the show. The streaming service changed the stream address on me and I didn't realise that we weren't on the stream until 20 mins in and then I had to remember how to change the address in the streaming software. Lucky for Binman's stats files I had time to work it out on the fly.

I've reopened the thread but we're not taking anymore questions. See you at 7:30pm

We're LIVE at our NEW TIME TONIGHT @ 7:30pm Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

Going to cut the questions off here. Thank you to all the Posters who contributed with Questions and Comments. It forms an integral part of the show and as the podcast is essentially an audio version of Demonland. See you tonight.

Melbourne’s worst fears about the absence of Max Gawn were realised when it received a shellacking from Fremantle’s ruckmen Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson who dominated the hit out tally in their game at Optus Stadium on Sunday by a massive 47 to 19. As a result, the 50-point deficit at the end of the game proved to be a loss that was long foreseen that was two years in the making and demonstrated a complete lack of hindsight and planning from the club. To add insult to injury, Jackson was a Demon ruckman two years ago and the club had plenty of time to find a backup ruckman for its skipper when he departed. The first attempt to do so netted Brodie Grundy and that was a failure. The club knew well before the end of the 2023 season that Grundy would not be playing for it this year but its attempt to supply with a big man capable of providing a contest in the ruck against one competent ruckman, let alone two, was another abject failure. Without the teeming rain of the previous Saturday night to give a helping hand, it sent two key forwards in Harrison Petty and Jacob van Rooyen. who might be a decent size for that role but not when the task is to curb two influential big ruckmen with size and skills. The result was predictable and what made it worse was that by moving two strong key forwards to other duties impaired the operation of the forward line which failed to function with any effect. Again, we saw a goalless quarter – this time in the first. Melbourne was thrashed in the very area where from which play starts, conceding the worst first half clearance figures since the statistic was first recorded late last century. Fremantle led clearances 24-3 at the main break with both Caleb Serong and Hayden Young having five by that time. This, on the same ground that the Demons had that many in a three-minute patch late in the third term of a grand final not so long ago. By game’s end, the Dockers mids had the upper hand in clearances by 47-15, 13 more forward entries and significant victory at a crucial time when a top four and finals eight appearance was on the line. As coach Simon Goodwin said: “There was a lot more to the game than just hit outs. Our midfield’s ability to win the ball, defend contest areas with the right method, stop allowing the ball to get to the outside – there are things that we’ll look at. True, they were well beaten in contests and when the opposition win 40 more than you do, then it’s game, set and match but it’s made immeasurably worse when, on the occasions, you get your hands on the footy, you can’t hit your targets. It doesn’t help when premiership midfielders Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney are in struggle mode because your younger brigade relies heavily upon them for inspiration . Trent Rivers was the best of a beaten midfield. Despite being well beaten in the ruck, Jacob van Rooyen worked hard and was the Demons best player in his home State. Steven May was strong in a losing defence and Judd McVee, another local did his best under strong enemy fire. A special mention to Jack Billings who has copped a bit off flack in recent times. He returned as a sub and made such a difference when he came on in the third term that I named him in the best players for his team although on this week, that’s not such a big deal. However, it is a big deal on limited game time to finish with 18 touches and a goal, seven marks, most inside fifties and third in metres gained. More from the coach: “We’ve got six days playing the Giants at home, we just get back to work, and work on our game, and get our contests game back. That’s the first thing that needs to come back and come back really quickly.” He’s not kidding because unless they come back quickly, the worst of our fears will be realised. MELBOURNE 0.2.2 3.3.21 6.5.41 10.6.66 FREMANTLE 3.5.23 7.9.51 11.11.77 17.14.116 GOALS MELBOURNE Chandler van Rooyen 2 Billings Langdon Melksham Petty Turner Windsor FREMANTLE Amiss Walters 4 Sturt Treacy 3 Clark Jackson Serong BEST MELBOURNE van Rooyen May McVee Rivers Billings Petty FREMANTLE Brayshaw Treacy Serong Darcy Young Walters Clark INJURIES MELBOURNE Salem (tight hamstring) FREMANTLE Jackson (corked calf) Pearce (arm) REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil FREMANTLE Nil SUBSTITUTIONS MELBOURNE Jack Billings (replaced Koltyn Tholstrup in the third quarter) FREMANTLE James Aish (replaced Alex Pearce in the third quarter) UMPIRES Brendan Hosking Simon Meredith Nathan Toner Andre Gianfagna CROWD 42,215 at Optus Stadium

Did anyone say Alice Springs? MELBOURNE 1.5.11 2.9.21 4.12.36 5.15.45 GWS GIANTS 1.0.6 3.3.21 6.4.40 7.5.47 THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B J. McVee S. May C. Salem HB T. Sparrow J. Lever T. Rivers C L. Hunter J. Viney E. Langdon HF C. Petracca B. Fritsch J. Smith F A. Neal-Bullen B. Grundy K. Chandler FOLL M. Gawn A. Brayshaw J. Harmes I/C J. Bowey B. Brown H. Petty K. Pickett SUB J. Melksham EMG J. van Rooyen C. Spargo A. Tomlinson IN J. Bowey B. Brown J. Harmes J. Melksham OUT M. Hibberd (kidney) James Jordon (omitted) C. Spargo (omitted) J. van Rooyen GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY GIANTS B J. Buckley S. Taylor C. Idun HF L. Ash H. Himmelberg N. Haynes C J. Kelly C. Ward F. Callaghan HF D. Lloyd J. Riccardi T. Bedford F X. O'Halloran J. Hogan T. Greene FOLL K. Briggs S. Coniglio T. Green I/C C. M. Brown I. Cumming L. Keefe H. Perryman SUB R. Angwin EMG A. Cadman J. Fahey M. Flynn IN R. Angwin I. Cumming J. Hogan OUT A. Cadman (omitted) J. Fahey (omitted) L. Whitfield (suspension)

This could be the first round in the history of the Demonland Player of the Year where nobody registers a vote

The Demons return to the MCG in Round 20 to take on the GWS Giants and will be hoping the injured Captain Max Gawn is fit to return to his role in the ruck as their season is slipping away. Who comes in and who comes out?

The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 22nd July @ 7:30pm. Join George, Binman & I as we analyse the Demonsl oss at Optus Stadium against the Dockers in the Round 19. 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 injured Max Gawn has a considerable lead over the injured reigning champion Christian Petracca in the Demonland Player of the Year Award. Jack Viney, Alex Neal-Bullen & Steven May make up the Top 5. Your votes for the loss against the Dockers. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

The Demons were once again outclassed, outplayed and outcoached by the Fremantle Dockers in 2024 ultimately going down by 50 points at Optus Stadium in Perth as they plummet to tenth on the ladder.

How is that a high tackle to a player who wasn’t involved in the play?