Demonland

Congratulations to Daisy’s Dees on a huge 78-point one-sided win against West Coast in challenging windy and wet conditions at Casey Fields. The banner celebrating Sarah Lampard’s 50 games was a victim of the wind, but nonetheless Lampy received a warm round of applause from the parochial crowd in attendance. Melbourne has the double-chance and is excited about its chances in the Season 7 AFLW finals. If this means the Grand Final is played at Metricon and the Demond make it, then they will be ready. Finishing the home and away season in second position was a great result. So why does a 78-point win feel like a 1-point loss? Well, scoring that extra point would have secured the minor premiership and theoretically, a home grand final. Missed by that much. After Brisbane demolished Collingwood by 45 points on Friday night, most pundits and supporters regarded Melbourne’s chances of being minor premiers as a longshot. The Coach did too. However, the defensive set up proved impassable. It has been great for several weeks, and this is the fourth match in a row where Melbourne has kept the opposition scoreless in the first term. West Coast only scored a single point for the entire match, the equal lowest score in AFLW history (It was still one too many!). They had a miserable 14 inside-fifty entries for the match. The girls were excellent and unrelenting. Tayla Harris’s ruck work and long kicking were outstanding. Purcell, West, Mithen, and Paxman were again really strong around the contest and spreading well. And a big shout out to @Deearmy during that last quarter. There was wild cheering for each goal, and urging of the team to score in those final desperate minutes. Alas, it was not to be, missing by a miniscule 0.3%. Let’s not dwell on it. The truth is, there were several gettable shots they missed over the day (and in recent weeks). It was windy all day and it rained heavily during the main break. Tough conditions to score big. Q1 Five minutes in, Paxy kicks the first major of the day. Lampy is getting some early touches in her milestone game. The Dees are dominating but not making the most of their chances. Finally, Meg Fitzsimon nails a great snap on her left. Her team rally around her. Next, Purcell snaps truly in traffic after some nice work from Paxy. This game is all one-way traffic. At quarter time Melbourne 3.5.23 to West Coast 0.0.0 (Melb 251.6% v Bris 282.4%) Q2 West Coast playing much better to start the second quarter with the first four inside fifties. Melbourne defends strongly. It’s great to see Maddison Gay out there. Her experience, toughness and skillset will be important against the top teams in finals. Bannan kicks the first second quarter goal after Tayla Harris marks and handballs to her in the goal square. Zanker juggles a contested mark then goes back and kicks a beauty from 40 metres. Sheriff hits the post. Bad luck Casey. We keep attacking for the remainder of the quarter but are unable to convert our opportunities. Here comes the rain. At half time Melbourne 5.8.38 to West Coast 0.1.1. (Melb 251.6% v Bris 282.4%) Q3 It’s slippery out there now, still windy and the lights are on. And the PA doesn’t work! Melbourne continue their domination and Kate Hore marks and makes no mistake from directly in front. To us supporters standing at the Clyde end, a clever Daisy Pearce snap on the run appears to be a goal. However, the goal umpire immediately calls it a behind. Replays seem to support the view that it was probably a goal. Blaithin Mackin runs on to a perfectly weighted handball from Hore and kicks an impressive goal. All her team mob her as they know it’s her first career goal. Well done B. At three-quarter time Melbourne 7.12.54 to West Coast 0.1.1. (Melb 268.5% v Bris 282.4%) Q4 While the match result is a foregone conclusion, interest turns to whether the Dees can score 26 points to secure the minor premiership. Hanks marks and kicks the first of the last. Closely followed by Kate Hore converting a free kick with a banana from the boundary line. The tempo is rising as Melbourne plays on at all costs. Fitzy, on her non-preferred foot, hits up Zanker whose set shot delivers another goal. Harris is having a great last quarter. Her booming kick from halfback sets up an opportunity for Shelley Heath to run on to and she slots the goal. Loz Pearce snaps for a point and we are into the final minute. Daisy marks within range of goal but unwittingly centres the ball instead of trying to score and it’s cleared by West Coast. The final siren sounds and it’s a 78-point thumping victory to Melbourne and the double chance. Melbourne 11.13.79 to West Coast 0.1.1. (Melb 282.1% v Bris 282.4%) The Coaches and next week: Melbourne Coach Mick Stinear was really content to achieve a top 2 finish and the double chance. He admitted the minor premiership was not a key coaching focus. He wanted the players to continue to be in the moment. It was a strong defensive performance again. Mick praised Libby Birch for her game, said Sinead Goldrick did really well and that Maddi Gay was excellent in her return from injury. Michael Prior was not particularly glowing about his charge’s efforts. The gap was huge he said. He will be gobsmacked if young star Ella Roberts does not win a Rising Star nominee this week. He also flagged that post-season exit meetings will be brutal for some of his players. The Demons play reigning premiers Adelaide on Friday Night in the Qualifying Final at Ikon Park which we hope continues to be a happy hunting ground for them. Come along if you can and support our women. Go Dees!!! MELBOURNE 3.5.23 5.8.38 7.12.54 11.13.79 WEST COAST EAGLES 0.0.0 0.1.1 0.1.1 0.1.1 GOALS MELBOURNE Hore Zanker 2 Bannan Fitzsimon Hanks Heath Mackin Paxman Purcell WEST COAST EAGLES Nil BEST MELBOURNE Paxman Purcell Birch Hore Mithen WEST COAST EAGLES Thomas Roberts McCarthy Lakay INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil WEST COAST EAGLES Swanston (hamstring) REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil WEST COAST EAGLES Nil CROWD 726 at Casey Fields

You can blame @Whispering_Jack for that one.

A knee injury in the opening game of the season was bad news for the dashing Demon defender. The club missed his accurate boot and great decision making while he was out of action and he was never at his top on return. "The star half-back missed 10 games in the first half of the season after surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his knee. Returned in round 12 to play all of the Demons’ remaining games. Locked away until 2026 after signing a five-year contract extension last year." - Herald Sun Date of Birth: 15 July 1995 Height: 184cm Weight: 84kg Games MFC 2022: 13 Career Total: 143 Goals MFC 2022: 1 Career Total: 25

Looks like this position is open again.

The final home and away match of Season 7, sees the mighty Dees at Fortress Casey hosting the 16th placed West Coast. A win assures the Dees of a Top-2 finish, with the ultimate placings dependent upon the previous night’s result between Brisbane and Collingwood and the relative percentages. As our match is anticipated to be one-sided, interest may turn to monitoring the live ladder to see whether or not Melbourne has secured the minor premiership. The Demons (Lions and Crows) were handed the hardest draw this season according to AFLW gurus Sarah Black and Gemma Bastiani. The bizarre analysis determined a ‘fixture difficulty’ rating but notwithstanding the unabashed handicapping by AFL House, Melbourne and Brisbane have managed to be the best performed teams of Season 7. Our opponents this week, the West Coast Eagles, have a developing list but have won only two games this year — against Port Adelaide and GWS. Captain Emma Swanson has been very consistent and would almost certainly be leading her club’s best and fairest. Swanson is ably supported in the midfield by Isabella Lewis, Irish and ex Bulldog Aisling McCarthy and the experienced Dana Hooker. Our super strong midfield of Hanks, Purcell, West and Paxman will certainly challenge them, and it was great to see Loz Pearce return following that head clash. With so much of the play in their defence this year young defender Charlotte Thomas and the capable Belinda Smith are gaining valuable experience and racking up possessions. But they come up this week against the in-form firepower of Harris, Hore, Zanker, and Bannan. Look out. The Eagles have some developing young talent in their forward group, and their coach will be hoping for some better defensive efforts this week with only 2 tackles last week. Melbourne has conceded a miserly 9 points a game for the last three weeks. Expecting Birch and our newly minted rising star nominee Tahlia Gillard to continue the strong defensive form. Our core playing group is balanced, with no obvious deficiencies plus we have shown good depth. Mick Stinear has the gameplan humming. We are such an entertaining team to watch. There is real momentum heading into the final few weeks. Our players continue to improve their skills in and out of seasons but there is also definite improvement in their footy awareness and game sense. A credit to everyone at the Club. Hopefully the Casey wind is manageable this week so that (1) @Deearmy has no issues raising their wonderful banner and (2), we knock the Eagles out of the park and secure a commensurate increase in our percentage. History has seen these teams play only once, in 2020 at Casey Fields, with the Demons winning easily by 59 points. That year was the Eagles inaugural season in AFLW. Michael Prior, the Eagles Senior Coach, said his team is really looking forward to taking on the Dees. He wants to bring a competitive mindset and see where it takes them. He will be accompanied in the box by his midfield coach, Hamish Brayshaw. Mick Stinear said he wants his team to take their chances, play for each other, live in the moment and if, in the end, the scoreboard reflects a percentage boost, that’s a bonus. It’s beyond our control, he said. Possible ins this week include Maddi Gay, Jordy Ivey and Sabreena Duffy. If Maddi is fit, you would expect that Charlotte Wilson will make way. We should be too strong but by how much and will it be enough? Melbourne by 45 points THE GAME Melbourne v West Coast at Casey Fields, on Saturday 29 October 2022 at 1:10pm (Melbourne time) HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 1 win West Coast 0 wins At Casey Fields Melbourne 1 win West Coast 0 wins The Coaches Stinear 0 wins Prior 0 wins MEDIA TV - live on 7 and Kayo. Check your local guides. Radio - check your local guides. THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 10.6 (66) defeated West Coast 1.1 (7) at Casey Fields, 8 March 2020 The Demons smashed the Eagles by 59 points in Sarah Perkin’s first game in the red and blue. Karen Paxman was a driving force behind the big win, Elise O’Dea and Zanker were busy, while Irish duo Goldrick and McEvoy had 27 disposals and a goal between them. Sarah Lampard scored her first goal in AFLW and Tex Perkins her first for the Dees on debut. GOALS Melbourne: Zanker 2, Lampard, Hore, McEvoy, Scott, Emonson, Cunningham, Parry, Perkins West Coast: Collier BEST Melbourne: Paxman, Goldrick, Zanker, O’Dea, McEvoy, Scott West Coast: Hooker, Atkins, Swanson, Bowen, Radan, Laurie TEAM SELECTION In: Gay Out: Wilson

I not 100% sure but the way I read it is we took over his current contract with the Dogs. Prior to the trade what was his contract status?

The club’s jack-of-all-trades was almost lost to the club when invited to tour the facilities at the Hangar but wiser heads prevailed and the loyal Demon is back on board for a couple more years. "Harmes was linked to Essendon during the trade period with reports he was weighing up a trade request in pursuit of more midfield time, but he has remained a Demon and still has another two years to run on his deal at the club. Harmes played 21 games this year, including both finals." - Herald Sun Date of Birth: 5 October 1995 Height: 186cm Weight: 85kg Games MFC 2022: 143 Career Total: 21 Goals MFC 2022: 12 Career Total: 77 Games CDFC 2022: 3 Goals CDFC 2022: 0 Brownlow Medal: 2 votes

It's quite a long article that gives a little blurb about each player. I won't post the whole thing but below is the contract status of each player on the list according to them. 1. Steven May. Age: 30 | Games: 193 | Status: Contracted to 2023 3. Christian Salem.Age: 27 | Games: 143 | Status: Contracted to 2026 4. James Harmes. Age: 27 | Games: 143 | Status: Contracted to 2024 5. Christian Petracca. Age: 26 | Games: 151 | Status: Contracted to 2029 7. Jack Viney. Age: 28 | Games: 172 | Status: Contracted to 2025 8. Jake Lever. Age: 26 | Games: 136 | Status: Contracted to 2024 9. Charlie Spargo. Age: 22 | Games: 83 | Status: Contracted to 2025 10. Angus Brayshaw. Age: 26 | Games: 143 | Status: Contracted to 2028 11. Max Gawn. Age: 30 | Games: 181 | Status: Contracted to 2025 13. Clayton Oliver. Age: 25 | Games: 147 | Status: Contracted to 2030 14. Michael Hibberd. Age: 32 | Games: 185 | Status: Out of contract 15. Ed Langdon. Age: 26 | Games: 132 | Status: Contracted to 2024 16. Bailey Laurie. Age: 20 | Games: 0 | Status: Contracted to 2024 17. Jake Bowey. Age: 20 | Games: 24 | Status: Contracted to 2024 18. Jake Melksham. Age: 31 | Games: 208 | Status: Out of contract 20. Adam Tomlinson. Age: 29 | Games: 168 | Status: Contracted to 2024 21. Jacob van Rooyen. Age: 19 | Games: 0 | Status: Contracted to 2023 22. Blake Howes. Age: 19 | Games: 0 | Status: Contracted to 2023 23. James Jordan. Age: 21 | Games: 47 | Status: Contracted to 2023 24. Trent Rivers. Age: 21 | Games: 52 | Status: Contracted to 2023 25. Tom McDonald. Age: 30 | Games: 202 | Status: Contracted to 2024 27. Luke Dunstan. Age: 27 | Games: 121 | Status: Contracted to 2023 30. Alex Neal-Bullen. Age: 26 | Games: 128 | Status: Contracted to 2023 31. Bayley Fritsch. Age: 25 | Games: 109 | Status: Contracted to 2026 32. Tom Sparrow. Age: 22 | Games: 51 | Status: Contracted to 2024 34. Deakyn Smith. Age: 20 | Games: 0 | Status: Contracted to 2023 35. Harrison Petty. Age: 22 | Games: 48 | Status: Contracted to 2025 36. Kysaiah Pickett. Age: 21 | Games: 62 | Status: Contracted to 2023 37. Kade Chandler. Age: 22 | Games: 10 | Status: Contracted to 2023 40. Taj Woewodin. Age: 19 | Games: 0 | Status: Contracted to 2023 41. Judd McVee. Age: 19 | Games: 0 | Status: Contracted to 2023 42. Daniel Turner. Age: 20 | Games: 1 | Status: Contracted to 2024 44. Joel Smith. Age: 26 | Games: 28 | Status: Contracted to 2024 45. Andy Moniz-Wakefield. Age: 18 | Games: 0 | Status: Contracted to 2023 50. Ben Brown. Age: 29 | Games: 162 | Status: Contracted to 2024 RECRUITS Brodie Grundy. Age: 28 | Games: 177 | Status: Contracted to 2027 Lachie Hunter. Age: 27 | Games: 173 | Status: Contracted to 2024 Josh Schache. Age: 25 | Games: 72 | Status: Contracted to 2023

He was down on his stellar 2021 form but he remained part of a formidable defensive unit, particularly when all parts were in place on the field together. His intercept marking remains a feature of his game. "The intercept marking king didn’t match the form he showed in Melbourne’s premiership year. Fifth in last year’s best-and-fairest, Lever didn’t feature inside the top 10 this year. He signed a three-year contract extension early last year to tie him to the club until the end of 2024." - Herald Sun Date of Birth: 5 March 1996 Height: 195cm Weight: 92kg Games MFC 2022: 19 Career Total: 136 Goals MFC 2022: 1 Career Total: 4 Brownlow Medal: 1 vote

Spargo is a lively small forward with football smarts and an accurate kicking foot. His pressure game continued to be important to the team strategy but he was not as effective later in the season than he was in the premiership year. "Signed a three-year contract extension in May, tying him to the club until 2025. The forward played every game for the Demons in 2022, kicking 10 goals – down on his 18 from the Dees’ premiership season." - Herald Sun Date of Birth: 25 November 1999 Height: 173cm Weight: 76kg Games MFC 2022: 23 Career Total: 85 Goals MFC 2022: 10 Career Total: 52

Or you could just not click on the thread.