Demonland

Garry says to rest Gawn.

14 photos from training today put up on the website just now and Max is not in any of them. https://www.melbournefc.com.au/albums/1123215/training-gallery-may-10

The club's injury report usually goes up on their website and YouTube on Tuesday afternoons so expect something soon.

Join @george_on_the_outer, @binman & I on the Demonland Podcast tonight LIVE @ 8:30pm for breakdown of the Round 8 match against St. Kilda. Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

For those that didn't watch On The Couch they talked about the comparison with the Dees of 2013 at the top of the show.

From about 30 mins in.

Climbing up the Ladder

The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE tomorrow night (Tuesday 10/5) @ 8:30pm.

Didn’t deserve anything but having said that probably could have murdered someone and got away with it.

Without getting off topic if Max received the same protection as the St. Kilda forwards yesterday he would have had about 5 extra free kicks.

Votes Player (Club) 9 Clayton Oliver (MELB) 8 Angus Brayshaw (MELB) 5 Christian Petracca (MELB) 5 Ed Langdon (MELB) 3 Steven May (MELB) Leaderboard Votes Player Club 53 Patrick Cripps CARL 47 Andrew Brayshaw FRE 47 Clayton Oliver MELB 39 Lachie Neale BL 35 Christian Petracca MELB 31 Jack Crisp COLL 31 Hugh McCluggage BL 31 Callum Mills SYD 31 Darcy Parish ESS 29 Touk Miller GCFC 28 Charlie Curnow CARL 28 Max Gawn MELB 27 Shai Bolton RICH 27 Jeremy Cameron GEEL 27 Jack Higgins STK 27 James Sicily HAW 26 Jack Steele STK 25 Jayden Short RICH 24 Bailey Smith WB

It was an unforgettable night that ended in thunder, in lightning and in rain. WEST COAST EAGLES B: T. Cole 28 H. Edwards 42 S. Hurn 25 HB: L. Edwards 35 J. McGovern 20 B. Sheppard 5 C: A. Gaff 3 T. Kelly 11 J. Redden 8 HF: C. West 36 J. Darling 27 J. Cripps 15 F: J. Petruccelle 21 J. Kennedy 17 O. Allen 12 Foll: N. Naitanui 9 E. Yeo 6 D. Sheed 4 I/C: M. Hutchings 34 J. Nelson 30 N. Vardy 19 A. Witherden 23 Emerg: L. Edwards 35 Z. Langdon 16 J. Rotham 35 J. Waterman 2 IN: L. Edwards J. Nelson N. Vardy A. Witherden OUT: L. Duggan (knee) X. O'Neill (omitted) J. Rotham (omitted) J. Waterman (omitted) MELBOURNE B: J. Bowey 17 S. May 1 H. Petty 35 HB: J. Hunt 29 J. Lever 8 C. Salem 3 C: A. Brayshaw 10 C. Petracca 5 E. Langdon 15 HF: K. Pickett 36 J. Melksham 18 C. Spargo 9 F: Neal-Bullen 30 B. Brown 50 B. Fritsch 31 Foll: M. Gawn 11 C. Oliver 13 J. Harmes 4 I/C: L. Jackson 6 J. Jordon 23 T. Rivers 24 T. Sparrow 32 Sub: A. vandenBerg 22 Emerg: M. Hibberd 14 S. Weideman 26 IN: J. Melksham A. vandenBerg Out: T. McDonald (back) J. Viney (suspended)

Max Gawn admits he is battling a knee injury after a centre-square collision with St Kilda ruckman Paddy Ryder on Sunday. Gawn went in for scans on Monday after a clash of knees against Ryder that also saw him stumble and fall as the pair exited the stoppage. The Melbourne star ruckman lined up for a long shot for goal only a minute later but instead passed the ball off. He spent much of the game forward after the contest in the dying minutes of the first half, but was able to play the game out. Ruckmen including Brodie Grundy and Marc Pittonet have suffered recent PCL sprains but Gawn will be hopeful he has not suffered the same collision-based injury. The fact he was able to play the game out would indicate even if he has suffered damage to his PCL he might be able to play through the injury.

Clarrie still in control at the top. 91. Clayton Oliver 70. Christian Petracca 60. Max Gawn 52. Steven May 46. Ed Langdon 45. Angus Brayshaw 22. Jake Bowey 19. Luke Jackson 18. James Harmes 13. Ben Brown Jack Viney 11. James Jordon 9. Alex Neal-Bullen 6. Sam Weideman 5. Jayden Hunt Harry Petty Charlie Spargo Tom Sparrow 4. Kysaiah Pickett 3. Joel Smith 2. Bayley Fritsch

Robbo's solution to stopping the Demons. Is it time to tag Petracca, Oliver and Langdon? It’s radical because clubs generally don’t like running with a single tag or stoppage “cooler”, but it might take something radical to disrupt the all-conquering Demons. Because on Sunday Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Ed Langdon had 39, 38 and 36 disposals. The week before it was 33, 31 and nine (when Langdon was tagged). The week before that it was 41, 25 and 30. St Kilda pitted its system against Melbourne’s system and failed. They will need to adjust. Does every team need to adjust and try something different because you seriously can’t expect to win when Oliver Petracca and Landon each have 35-plus disposals. How could a three-way cooling process work? The obvious answer from coaches is it won’t because their “system” won’t allow it, but as we speak, there’s not a system without taggers threatening the Demons. So, why not be radical? It’s time to explore and maybe the Saints will do that next time they meet. On Sunday, Oliver and Petracca didn’t have a direct opponent and Langdon played mainly on Daniel McKenzie. That surely has to change.

The Casey Demons closed off their game against the Southport Sharks with a comfortable 30-point win off the back of a monster six goal opening term in which they put the Southport Sharks to the sword and kept them scoreless. Despite losing Toby Bedford to AFL medical sub duty, Majak Daw and Bailey Laurie, the Demons still fielded a strong list of 13 MFC players and also managed to blood two more local newcomers in Tyler Edwards and Tom Macrae after adding four debutants last week. The Sharks took over a strong group of experienced campaigners including ex-Demons Jay Lockhart and Zac Foot who played a number of games with Casey last year. Veteran talk forward Mitch Brown was in scintillating early form for Casey, booting the first three goals in ten minutes and a fourth with a kick as the siren sounded to end the opening term. Youngster Andy Moniz-Wakefield playing the best game of his short career to date booted a goal early as did the busy Luke Dunstan. The onslaught continued into the second term with goals to Jacob Van Rooyen and Brown’s fifth, at which point the Demons had reached the half century mark and led by 47 points. At this stage however, the weather turned bleak and to their credit, the visitors fought back and scored the next four goals to end the half in arrears by 25 points, making the rest of the game an interesting contest for the hardy group of spectators at Casey Fields. It was a dour struggle for the remainder of the day as the scoring dried up but the Casey midfield held strong in the clinches. In the absence of Daw, Southport’s rucks of Crossley and Thurlow dominated that contest but Kade Chandler (26 possessions, seven marks), Luke Dunstan and Jimmy Munro (17 touches each) and Mitch White (16) did the hard work at the coal face and around the ground while Jake Melksham was classy and kicked a brilliant goal just when the Sharks looked threatening, The defence was well led by Adam Tomlinson (23 touches) who continued his good form since his return to the VFL team. Moniz-Wakefield finished with two goals, 18 touches and six tackles while Van Rooyen booted two goals, chipped in to help in the ruck and tackled strongly. It was a pity that the powers that be decided to fixture a clash of times between the two Demon sides who both are undefeated and occupy top spot on the ladder. With Melbourne heading off to Optus Stadium in Perth next Sunday evening, at least there will be no clash for Casey’s game against North Melbourne VFL for their game at Arden Street at midday. CASEY DEMONS 6.2.38 8.5.53 10.9.69 13.11.89 SOUTHPORT 0.0.0 4.4.28 6.8.44 8.11.59 GOALS CASEY DEMONS M.Brown 6 Moniz-Wakefield Van Rooyen 2 Dunstan Melksham Weideman SOUTHPORT Woodcock 2 Crossley Dawson Gowers Joyce Pescud Thurlow BEST CASEY DEMONS M.Brown Moniz-Wakefield Tomlinson White Chandler Dunstan SOUTHPORT Crossley Dawson Fyfe Thurlow Willis Joyce Statistics Oskar Baker 12 kicks 2 handballs 14 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 76 dream team points Riley Baldi 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 39 dream team points Jake Bell 8 kicks 1 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 1 tackles 10 hit outs 45 dream team points Mitch Brown 6 goals 2 behinds 16 kicks 1 handball 17 disposals 12 marks 1 tackle 130 dream team points Matt Buntine 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 49 dream team points Kade Chandler 2 behinds 15 kicks 11 handballs 26 disposals 7 marks 3 tackles 98 dream team points Luke Dunstan 1 goal 11 kicks 6 handballs 17 disposals 4 marks 5 tackles 81 dream team points Tyler Edwards 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 60 dream team points Corey Ellison 3 kicks 1 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 24 dream team points George Grey 1 behind 10 kicks 5 handballs 15 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 66 dream team points Tom Macrae 1 kick 1 handball 2 disposals 5 dream team points Judd McVee 5 kicks 6 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 33 dream team points Jake Melksham 1 goal 11 kicks 5 handballs 16 disposals 4 marks 6 tackles 71 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 2 goals 1 behind 13 kicks 5 handballs 18 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 96 dream team points James Munro 1 behind 11 kicks 5 handballs 16 disposals 2 marks 7 tackles 62 dream team points Fraser Rosman 8 kicks 3 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 43 dream team points Deakyn Smith 3 kicks 7 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 1 hit out 43 dream team points Roan Steele 2 kicks 3 handballs 5 disposals 1 mark 15 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 20 kicks 3 handballs 23 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 79 dream team points Daniel Turner 3 kicks 3 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 34 dream team points Jacob Van Rooyen 2 goals 4 kicks 1 handballs 5 disposals 2 marks 7 tackles 6 hit outs dream 60 team points Sam Weideman 1 goal 2 behinds 6 kicks 8 handballs 14 disposals 6 marks 2 tackles 4 hit outs 72 dream team points Mitch White 1 behind 12 kicks 5 handballs 17 disposals 1 marks 5 tackles 65 dream team points

Just when St.Kilda thought it was heading toward Saintly Heaven in Season 2022, it was brought crashing to earth quickly by the ruthless Demons machine. It wasn’t a long drawn out process before the Saints discovered how fragile they were. The Demons simply took the game apart in the first quarter piling on four goals against a paltry three behinds. Even when Membrey was going to score a major right on the ¼ time bell from 15m out in front, he failed to bypass the outstretched hands of Harry Petty on the mark, causing the Saints’ hearts to fall even further. They were staring down the barrel of a disastrous day on the park, as Kozzy Pickett had already notched two majors in the first quarter and could easily have put four on the board. Little did they know that with Melbourne you can hold down one player but sooner or later someone else will bob up to cause you damage. That someone in the second quarter was Clayton Oliver who only had six touches to quarter time but had the statisticians pencils blunted by ½ time when he had recorded 22. Fortunately, he doesn’t do this for the whole game, as this would mean he would amass over 60 touches, but then one day he might just do that. He finished the game with 38 possessions in any case, which probably would be enough to add considerably to his Brownlow tally. The main break saw the game as good as over with the Demons holding nearly a six goal lead, and nothing from the Saints indicating they would challenge seriously. Every time they tried to switch the ball from one side to the other, there were Melbourne players already there to block their path. None more so than Ed Langdon, who must have found Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak, since no-one ever seemed to be near him, or when the Saints kicked it to free space, he just seemed to appear. Perhaps it was that nobody wanted to go and stand near him, because he would just leave them floundering behind. Why the Saints coaching staff didn’t move Brad Hill to his wing to try to curb his influence was confounding, but they leave him alone to pick up an incredible 39 possessions, and gain 566 metres. Meanwhile, the backline just kept mopping up the St.Kilda forward thrusts, be it May, Lever or Petty. But then they had plenty of assistants like Brayshaw chipping in for 11 intercepts for the game. The third quarter saw a slight revival from the Saints, but by this time the Demons were coasting, and still St.Kilda could only put through two majors for the term, as the defence held firm. The final term was basically a rinse and repeat of the previous with Melbourne putting through four majors while the Saints could only manage three to run out with a final margin of 38 points. Up forward Tom McDonald celebrated his 200th game with a couple of goals and seven marks, but it was his bullocking work and attack on the ball to create opportunities for others that will guarantee his position in the side for a long time. His work in partnership with Ben Brown is simply too much for opposition defenders. The latter capped of a good day at the office with three goals and six marks. Pickett was back to his dangerous best and was a constant threat whenever the ball hit the ground. He finished the game with 3 as well. And did we mention Petracca who finished with 36 touches as well? Or Brayshaw with 31 of his own? That’s the scary thing that Simon Goodwin keeps bringing up at his press conferences … Melbourne are capable of getting better. This was a Saints side that sat with a fourth spot on the ladder in reach prior to the game. They thought they were in with a chance. But their hopes were dashed very quickly as the Demons marched on to their 15th successive victory to keep Jake Bowey’s running record intact. With upcoming games against the Eagles and North, it looks likely the streak will continue. With the players having produced an 8-0 scoreline so far this season, they are truly heading for our own version of Demon Heaven for the fans as well. MELBOURNE 4.2.26 9.3.57 10.5.65 14.9.93 ST KILDA 0.3.3 3.4.22 5.7.37 8.7.55 GOALS MELBOURNE Brown Pickett 3 Harmes McDonald 2 Brayshaw Fritsch Rivers Spargo ST KILDA King Marshall 2 Higgins Membrey Ryder Windhager BEST MELBOURNE Oliver Langdon Brayshaw Petracca Harmes Sparrow May ST KILDA Steele Sinclair Crouch Ross Membrey Howard INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil ST KILDA Butler (ankle) REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil ST KILDA Nil SUBSTITUTES MELBOURNE T.Bedford (unused) ST KILDA M.Windhager (replaced Butler) UMPIRES Matt Stevic Brendan Hosking John Howorth CROWD 35,767 at The MCG

TO THE SWORD by KC from Casey The Casey Demons closed off their game against the Southport Sharks with a comfortable 30-point win off the back of a monster six goal opening term in which they put the Southport Sharks to the sword and kept them scoreless. Despite losing Toby Bedford to AFL medical sub duty, Majak Daw and Bailey Laurie, the Demons still fielded a strong list of 13 MFC players and also managed to blood two more local newcomers in Tyler Edwards and Tom Macrae after adding four debutants last week. The Sharks took over a strong group of experienced campaigners including ex-Demons Jay Lockhart and Zac Foot who played a number of games with Casey last year. Veteran talk forward Mitch Brown was in scintillating early form for Casey, booting the first three goals in ten minutes and a fourth with a kick as the siren sounded to end the opening term. Youngster Andy Moniz-Wakefield playing the best game of his short career to date booted a goal early as did the busy Luke Dunstan. The onslaught continued into the second term with goals to Jacob Van Rooyen and Brown’s fifth, at which point the Demons had reached the half century mark and led by 47 points. At this stage however, the weather turned bleak and to their credit, the visitors fought back and scored the next four goals to end the half in arrears by 25 points, making the rest of the game an interesting contest for the hardy group of spectators at Casey Fields. It was a dour struggle for the remainder of the day as the scoring dried up but the Casey midfield held strong in the clinches. In the absence of Daw, Southport’s rucks of Crossley and Thurlow dominated that contest but Kade Chandler (26 possessions, seven marks), Luke Dunstan and Jimmy Munro (17 touches each) and Mitch White (16) did the hard work at the coal face and around the ground while Jake Melksham was classy and kicked a brilliant goal just when the Sharks looked threatening, The defence was well led by Adam Tomlinson (23 touches) who continued his good form since his return to the VFL team. Moniz-Wakefield finished with two goals, 18 touches and six tackles while Van Rooyen booted two goals, chipped in to help in the ruck and tackled strongly. It was a pity that the powers that be decided to fixture a clash of times between the two Demon sides who both are undefeated and occupy top spot on the ladder. With Melbourne heading off to Optus Stadium in Perth next Sunday evening, at least there will be no clash for Casey’s game against North Melbourne VFL for their game at Arden Street at midday. CASEY DEMONS 6.2.38 8.5.53 10.9.69 13.11.89 SOUTHPORT 0.0.0 4.4.28 6.8.44 8.11.59 GOALS CASEY DEMONS M.Brown 6 Moniz-Wakefield Van Rooyen 2 Dunstan Melksham Weideman SOUTHPORT Woodcock 2 Crossley Dawson Gowers Joyce Pescud Thurlow BEST CASEY DEMONS M.Brown Moniz-Wakefield Tomlinson White Chandler Dunstan SOUTHPORT Crossley Dawson Fyfe Thurlow Willis Joyce Statistics Oskar Baker 12 kicks 2 handballs 14 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 76 dream team points Riley Baldi 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 39 dream team points Jake Bell 8 kicks 1 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 1 tackles 10 hit outs 45 dream team points Mitch Brown 6 goals 2 behinds 16 kicks 1 handball 17 disposals 12 marks 1 tackle 130 dream team points Matt Buntine 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 49 dream team points Kade Chandler 2 behinds 15 kicks 11 handballs 26 disposals 7 marks 3 tackles 98 dream team points Luke Dunstan 1 goal 11 kicks 6 handballs 17 disposals 4 marks 5 tackles 81 dream team points Tyler Edwards 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 60 dream team points Corey Ellison 3 kicks 1 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 24 dream team points George Grey 1 behind 10 kicks 5 handballs 15 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 66 dream team points Tom Macrae 1 kick 1 handball 2 disposals 5 dream team points Judd McVee 5 kicks 6 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 33 dream team points Jake Melksham 1 goal 11 kicks 5 handballs 16 disposals 4 marks 6 tackles 71 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 2 goals 1 behind 13 kicks 5 handballs 18 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 96 dream team points James Munro 1 behind 11 kicks 5 handballs 16 disposals 2 marks 7 tackles 62 dream team points Fraser Rosman 8 kicks 3 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 43 dream team points Deakyn Smith 3 kicks 7 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 1 hit out 43 dream team points Roan Steele 2 kicks 3 handballs 5 disposals 1 mark 15 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 20 kicks 3 handballs 23 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 79 dream team points Daniel Turner 3 kicks 3 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 34 dream team points Jacob Van Rooyen 2 goals 4 kicks 1 handballs 5 disposals 2 marks 7 tackles 6 hit outs dream 60 team points Sam Weideman 1 goal 2 behinds 6 kicks 8 handballs 14 disposals 6 marks 2 tackles 4 hit outs 72 dream team points Mitch White 1 behind 12 kicks 5 handballs 17 disposals 1 marks 5 tackles 65 dream team points

I worry about my football team more than is healthy for an fully grown adult but even I’m not worried about these games. That is of course unless Mick Malthouse declares that we cannot lose. Then I’ll start [censored] myself.