Demonland

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?

The Frankston Dolphins broke a run of six straight losses against their neighbours, the Casey Demons and kept their hopes for a long-awaited return to the VFL finals alive with a 27 point victory over at Kinetic Stadium. Casey was welcomed to the Peninsula by grey skies, heavy rain and angry seas with threatening white-capped waves whipped up by gale force winds. After a slow start in the opening term when they failed to take advantage of the breeze, it appeared that the Demons had decided to take a rain check on participation in the fray in the next stanza. They were duly blown out of the game by a powerful Dolphin surge that netted seven goals to a single major and they never recovered from the onslaught that saw them 27 points down at the main break. To their credit however, the visitors did manage to claw back a couple of points in a fairly dull and colourless second half of football but a full comeback to challenge Frankston’s lead was out of the question. Casey was always going to be under the pump from the moment its team selection revealed that five AFL listed players of various levels of experience were out of the side from last week’s win against Essendon. The late withdrawal of two more in Ben Brown and Taj Woewodin to be replaced by one emergency only leaving the bench one player short was a major blow. It was a major advantage for the Dolphins to have an extra on the bench when running into the wind with mud and slush under foot can be so energy slashing. Statistically, the teams were fairly even apart from the all-important conversion rate in front of goals but this belied the fact that Frankston was a far more even in its makeup and, with a possible finals appearance beckoning, was more intense in its approach to the game in wet, blustery and bitterly cold conditions. In any event, the statistics in the conditions that prevailed on Saturday saw different numbers than those which apply under what you would describe as “normal” playing conditions. There are less marks taken, more tackles and stoppages and many more ruck contests. The standout on the day was Melbourne rookie Kynan Brown who announced himself as a true mudlark. He took on the contest fearlessly and racked up some big numbers, gathering 27 disposals, 11 clearances and a goal and a club season high 24 tackles. This should assure him of a senior role, if not next up, then at least the next time Simon Goodwin is handed an adverse weather report for an upcoming game. Goodwin might also be comforted by the performance of Brown’s fellow rookie Will Verrall who had a great duel with his Dolphin counterpart in the ruck to pick up 45 hit outs, but won comfortably around the ground with 14 kicks 4 handballs and seven clearances. Defenders Marty Hore (10 marks) and Blake Howes (six tackles) each amassed 21 touches and were backed up by Josh Schache who picked up 18 disposals in a move to defence. Shane McAdam’s forte of his marking and kicking were affected by the conditions but he persisted with a strong performance in laying 12 tackles. Young forwards Matt Jefferson and Ollie Sestan weren’t suited to the heavy going but persisted throughout. Casey Demons coach Taylor Whitford did all that he could in the circumstances and the list he was given. He could well have done with a couple more VFL hardened bodies like his indefatigable skipper Mitch White who toiled hard all day for his 24 disposals and 13 tackles. He had strong backing from Roan Steele, Tyler Edwards and Mitch SzybkowskI who had a point to prove against his old club. Jack Bell also provided good support as second ruckman and his two goals were invaluable. One wonders why Melbourne looked far and wide to find a back up ruckman for Max Gawn when they had a player of this calibre on their doorstep. The Demons next start is an early one, next Saturday morning when they take on the UWS Giants at 11:35am back at Casey Fields. CASEY DEMONS 2.1.13 3.3.21 4.9.33 5.11.41 FRANKSTON 1.0.6 8.2.50 9.4.58 10.8.68 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Bell 2 K Brown Kentfield Peters FRANKSTON Johnson 4 Murphy 2 Burke Gown Newnes Quirk BEST CASEY DEMONS K Brown White Hore Steele Verrall SzybkowskI FRANKSTON Murphy Quirk Johnson Voss Grant Barlow Statistics Jed Adams 2 kicks 2 disposals 1 tackle 10 dream team points Jack Behnk 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 4 tackles 26 dream team points Jack Bell 2 goals 8 kicks 3 handballs 11 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 12 hit outs 68 dream team points Kynan Brown 1 goal 16 kicks 11 handballs 27 disposals 24 tackles 175 dream team points Tyler Edwards 18 kicks 5 handballs 23 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 85 dream team points Roy George 1 behind 5 kicks 8 handballs 13 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 40 dream team points Max Gregory 2 kicks 4 handballs 6 disposals 7 tackles 42 dream team points Blake Howes 13 kicks 8 handballs 21 disposals 5 marks 6 tackles 89 dream team points Marty Hore 20 kicks 1 handball 21 disposals 10 marks 1 tackles 97 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 behind 6 kicks 8 handballs 14 disposals 1 mark 1 tackles 43 dream team points Luker Kentfield 1 goal 1 kick 2 handballs 3 disposals 2 tackles 12 dream team points Brayden Laplanche 5 kicks 5 disposals 2 tackles 23 dream team points Shane McAdam 3 behinds 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 12 tackles 95 dream team points Nick Moodie 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 31 dream team points Charlie Peters 1 goal 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 8 tackles 70 dream team points Josh Schache 14 kicks 4 handballs 18 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 72 dream team points Ollie Sestan 2 behinds 13 kicks 5 handballs 18 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 55 dream team points Roan Steele 1 behind 19 kicks 4 handballs 23 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 87 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 11 kicks 6 handballs 17 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 76 dream team points Will Verrall 14 kicks 4 handballs 18 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 45 hitouts 107 dream team points Mitch White 20 kicks 4 handballs 24 disposals 2 marks 13 tackles 120 dream team points Kai Windsor 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 8 tackles 63 dream team points

RAIN CHECK by Whispering Jack The Frankston Dolphins broke a run of six straight losses against their neighbours, the Casey Demons and kept their hopes for a long-awaited return to the VFL finals alive with a 27 point victory over at Kinetic Stadium. Casey was welcomed to the Peninsula by grey skies, heavy rain and angry seas with threatening white-capped waves whipped up by gale force winds. After a slow start in the opening term when they failed to take advantage of the breeze, it appeared that the Demons had decided to take a rain check on participation in the fray in the next stanza. They were duly blown out of the game by a powerful Dolphin surge that netted seven goals to a single major and they never recovered from the onslaught that saw them 27 points down at the main break. To their credit however, the visitors did manage to claw back a couple of points in a fairly dull and colourless second half of football but a full comeback to challenge Frankston’s lead was out of the question. Casey was always going to be under the pump from the moment its team selection revealed that five AFL listed players of various levels of experience were out of the side from last week’s win against Essendon. The late withdrawal of two more in Ben Brown and Taj Woewodin to be replaced by one emergency only leaving the bench one player short was a major blow. It was a major advantage for the Dolphins to have an extra on the bench when running into the wind with mud and slush under foot can be so energy slashing. Statistically, the teams were fairly even apart from the all-important conversion rate in front of goals but this belied the fact that Frankston was a far more even in its makeup and, with a possible finals appearance beckoning, was more intense in its approach to the game in wet, blustery and bitterly cold conditions. In any event, the statistics in the conditions that prevailed on Saturday saw different numbers than those which apply under what you would describe as “normal” playing conditions. There are less marks taken, more tackles and stoppages and many more ruck contests. The standout on the day was Melbourne rookie Kynan Brown who announced himself as a true mudlark. He took on the contest fearlessly and racked up some big numbers, gathering 27 disposals, 11 clearances and a goal and a club season high 24 tackles. This should assure him of a senior role, if not next up, then at least the next time Simon Goodwin is handed an adverse weather report for an upcoming game. Goodwin might also be comforted by the performance of Brown’s fellow rookie Will Verrall who had a great duel with his Dolphin counterpart in the ruck to pick up 45 hit outs, but won comfortably around the ground with 14 kicks 4 handballs and seven clearances. Defenders Marty Hore (10 marks) and Blake Howes (six tackles) each amassed 21 touches and were backed up by Josh Schache who picked up 18 disposals in a move to defence. Shane McAdam’s forte of his marking and kicking were affected by the conditions but he persisted with a strong performance in laying 12 tackles. Young forwards Matt Jefferson and Ollie Sestan weren’t suited to the heavy going but persisted throughout. Casey Demons coach Taylor Whitford did all that he could in the circumstances and the list he was given. He could well have done with a couple more VFL hardened bodies like his indefatigable skipper Mitch White who toiled hard all day for his 24 disposals and 13 tackles. He had strong backing from Roan Steele, Tyler Edwards and Mitch SzybkowskI who had a point to prove against his old club. Jack Bell also provided good support as second ruckman and his two goals were invaluable. One wonders why Melbourne looked far and wide to find a back up ruckman for Max Gawn when they had a player of this calibre on their doorstep. The Demons next start is an early one, next Saturday morning when they take on the UWS Giants at 11:35am back at Casey Fields. CASEY DEMONS 2.1.13 3.3.21 4.9.33 5.11.41 FRANKSTON 1.0.6 8.2.50 9.4.58 10.8.68 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Bell 2 K Brown Kentfield Peters FRANKSTON Johnson 4 Murphy 2 Burke Gown Newnes Quirk BEST CASEY DEMONS K Brown White Hore Steele Verrall SzybkowskI FRANKSTON Murphy Quirk Johnson Voss Grant Barlow Statistics Jed Adams 2 kicks 2 disposals 1 tackle 10 dream team points Jack Behnk 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 4 tackles 26 dream team points Jack Bell 2 goals 8 kicks 3 handballs 11 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 12 hit outs 68 dream team points Kynan Brown 1 goal 16 kicks 11 handballs 27 disposals 24 tackles 175 dream team points Tyler Edwards 18 kicks 5 handballs 23 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 85 dream team points Roy George 1 behind 5 kicks 8 handballs 13 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 40 dream team points Max Gregory 2 kicks 4 handballs 6 disposals 7 tackles 42 dream team points Blake Howes 13 kicks 8 handballs 21 disposals 5 marks 6 tackles 89 dream team points Marty Hore 20 kicks 1 handball 21 disposals 10 marks 1 tackles 97 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 behind 6 kicks 8 handballs 14 disposals 1 mark 1 tackles 43 dream team points Luker Kentfield 1 goal 1 kick 2 handballs 3 disposals 2 tackles 12 dream team points Brayden Laplanche 5 kicks 5 disposals 2 tackles 23 dream team points Shane McAdam 3 behinds 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 12 tackles 95 dream team points Nick Moodie 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 31 dream team points Charlie Peters 1 goal 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 8 tackles 70 dream team points Josh Schache 14 kicks 4 handballs 18 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 72 dream team points Ollie Sestan 2 behinds 13 kicks 5 handballs 18 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 55 dream team points Roan Steele 1 behind 19 kicks 4 handballs 23 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 87 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 11 kicks 6 handballs 17 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 76 dream team points Will Verrall 14 kicks 4 handballs 18 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 45 hitouts 107 dream team points Mitch White 20 kicks 4 handballs 24 disposals 2 marks 13 tackles 120 dream team points Kai Windsor 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 8 tackles 63 dream team points

It's Game Day and the Demons have a golden opportunity to stamp their 2024 finals credentials as well as make amends for their disastrous first meeting against the Dockers earlier in the season when they take on Fremantle at Optus Stadium.