Demonland

I want to clarify that I did not call or think the coach and coaching staff are nitwits. I don't even believe that was implied. My frustration comes from us not changing anything in this match. Clearly teams have to some extent worked out ways to nullify our strategies and we can't simply rely on the Melbourne Way to just work in the end. I don't believe that our coaching staff can't react and change. I believe that we have some very creative and good football minds. We won a flag afterall. I just hope they're not being stubborn in thinking that if we just keep playing the Melbourne Way eventually it will work. We need to adapt because the competition has adapted to us. I bristled a bit at the notion of us not showing all our cards in this match and that the Cats have showed us their finals footy hand. If this is true and we're going to go through our remaining games not showing our hands then we better be prepared to win the lot from 7th or 8th and watch the first and 3rd week of finals on TV.

If we lose this week the gloves will be right off.

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VOTES PLAYER (CLUB) 8 Cameron Guthrie (GEEL) 8 Mitch Duncan (GEEL) 8 Patrick Dangerfield (GEEL) 2 Christian Petracca (MELB) 2 Tom Atkins (GEEL) 1 Clayton Oliver (MELB) 1 Mark Blicavs (GEEL) LEADERBOARD VOTES PLAYER CLUB 84 Clayton Oliver MELB 72 Andrew Brayshaw FRE 72 Touk Miller GCFC 68 Lachie Neale BL 67 Christian Petracca MELB 65 Patrick Cripps CARL 63 Jeremy Cameron GEEL 62 Connor Rozee PORT 49 Callum Mills SYD 46 Charlie Curnow CARL 46 James Sicily HAW 45 Sam Walsh CARL 45 Peter Wright ESS 43 Hugh McCluggage BL 43 Bailey Smith WB 42 Jack Crisp COLL 42 Jack Sinclair STK 41 Sam Docherty CARL 41 Darcy Parish ESS

Never fear Jake Melksham is here.

Join @george_on_the_outer, @binman & I on the Demonland Podcast Monday night 11th July LIVE @ 8:30pm for breakdown of the Round 17 loss to Geelong. Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

There were more than a few stories about Friday night’s game between the Casey Demons and Geelong at GMHBA Stadium. The first was one of complete domination in the first quarter (six goals to nil), ascendency in the last (five to two) and the second was about the void in between (zero to seven). The third was about how, in the end, the Demons retained their unbeaten record despite the hell of a scare they had on the rainswept spaces of the Cattery. However, the story that folk might be telling somewhere down the track in the future is the one about how a few of the club's young guns approached readiness for higher achievements in the rain and the gloom of Corio Bay where their senior counterparts had met with a humiliating defeat only 24 hours earlier. Casey was so quick off the blocks that they had six goals on the board in the blink of an eye with some fine input from the team’s solid mix of performers including, pleasingly, a few Demon young guns in Bailey Laurie, Jacob Van Rooyen and Taj Woewodin. Then, after something of an arm wrestle for the first half of the second term, the Cats gained the momentum through ruckman Jonathon Ceglar (returning after a long injury lay off) and goal kicking utility Francis Evans to kick the next eight goals of the match over a period that stretched to close on the 10 minute mark of the final quarter when Laurie kicked his second. During the period in which the Cats had the ascendency, the Demons resembled their senior counterparts from the night before as the seemed frozen when it came to their approach to goals. In between Laurie’s first goal late in the opening term and his second, Casey managed nine consecutive behinds and it appeared that it would almost certainly suffer its first loss of the VFL season. However, once the team regained its composure, the goals flowed and the Demons returned to normality to peg back a 12 point deficit to win 11.9 (75) to 9.10 (64). Laurie (29 touches) in particular was outstanding and he and Van Rooyen showed that they are approaching readiness for higher glory while Woewodin will almost certainly have to wait for 2023. Trent Rivers and Jayden Hunt put their hands up for their more immediate return and Kade Chandler and Luke Dunstan must also be close. Sam Weideman also had his moments. Casey stalwart Jimmy Munro (24 touches) was also tough in the clinches. In the end, the tired Demons walked off the ground having notched up their 14th win for the season having well earned a rest for next week’s bye but I suspect that some of them will not be resting at all and that rather, they have a long trip to the centre of the country ahead of them. CASEY DEMONS 6.1.37 6.3.39 6.7.43 11.9.75 GEELONG VFL 0.3.3 4.3.27 7.6.48 9.10.64 Goals Casey Demons Laurie 3 Van Rooyen Weideman 2 M Brown Chandler Hunt Woewodin Geelong VFL Evans 5 Neale 2 Chafer Stephens Best Casey Demons Laurie Dunstan Rivers Hunt Woewodin Van Rooyen Chandler Geelong VFL Evans Ceglar Narkle McLaughlan Narkle Byrne Capiron Statistics Oskar Baker 10 kicks 5 handballs 15 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 62 dream team points Jack Bell 1 behind 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 21 hit outs 53 dream team points Mitch Brown 1 goal 11 kicks 2 handballs 13 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 52 dream team points Matt Buntine 4 kicks 6 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 39 dream team points Kade Chandler 1 goals 11 kicks 8 handballs 19 disposals 5 marks 70 dream team points George Churchill Grey 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 3 tackles 22 dream team points Luke Dunstan 19 kicks 10 handballs 29 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 91 dream team points Corey Ellison 4 kicks 1 handball 5 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 26 dream team points Kobe George goals 1 handball 1 disposal 2 dream team points Jayden Hunt 1 goals 12 kicks 5 handballs 17 disposals 7 marks 3 tackles 82 dream team points Bailey Laurie 3 goals 1 behind 16 kicks 13 handballs 29 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 118 dream team points Judd McVee 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 31 dream team points Jake Melksham 1 behind 11 kicks 9 handballs 20 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 78 dream team points James Munro 6 kicks 18 handballs 24 disposals 2 marks 9 tackles 94 dream team points Trent Rivers 11 kicks 9 handballs 20 disposals 2 marks 51 dream team points Fraser Rosman 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 38 dream team points Deakyn Smith 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 6 tackles 41 dream team points Roan Steele 1 behinds 4 kicks 1 handball 5 disposals 1 tackle 14 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 15 kicks 1 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 47 dream team points Jacob Van Rooyen 2 goals 9 kicks 2 handballs 11 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 5 hit outs 80 dream team points Sam Weideman 2 goals 2 behinds 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 1 hit out 57 dream team points Taj Woewodin 1 goal 7 kicks 6 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles dream team points Mitch White 11 kicks 4 handballs 15 disposals 1 mark 1 tackles 48 dream team points

STORIES by KC from Casey There were more than a few stories about Friday night’s game between the Casey Demons and Geelong at GMHBA Stadium. The first was one of complete domination in the first quarter (six goals to nil), ascendency in the last (five to two) and the second was about the void in between (zero to seven). The third was about how, in the end, the Demons retained their unbeaten record despite the hell of a scare they had on the rainswept spaces of the Cattery. However, the story that folk might be telling somewhere down the track in the future is the one about how a few of the club's young guns approached readiness for higher achievements in the rain and the gloom of Corio Bay where their senior counterparts had met with a humiliating defeat only 24 hours earlier. Casey was so quick off the blocks that they had six goals on the board in the blink of an eye with some fine input from the team’s solid mix of performers including, pleasingly, a few Demon young guns in Bailey Laurie, Jacob Van Rooyen and Taj Woewodin. Then, after something of an arm wrestle for the first half of the second term, the Cats gained the momentum through ruckman Jonathon Ceglar (returning after a long injury lay off) and goal kicking utility Francis Evans to kick the next eight goals of the match over a period that stretched to close on the 10 minute mark of the final quarter when Laurie kicked his second. During the period in which the Cats had the ascendency, the Demons resembled their senior counterparts from the night before as the seemed frozen when it came to their approach to goals. In between Laurie’s first goal late in the opening term and his second, Casey managed nine consecutive behinds and it appeared that it would almost certainly suffer its first loss of the VFL season. However, once the team regained its composure, the goals flowed and the Demons returned to normality to peg back a 12 point deficit to win 11.9 (75) to 9.10 (64). Laurie (29 touches) in particular was outstanding and he and Van Rooyen showed that they are approaching readiness for higher glory while Woewodin will almost certainly have to wait for 2023. Trent Rivers and Jayden Hunt put their hands up for their more immediate return and Kade Chandler and Luke Dunstan must also be close. Sam Weideman also had his moments. Casey stalwart Jimmy Munro (24 touches) was also tough in the clinches. In the end, the tired Demons walked off the ground having notched up their 14th win for the season having well earned a rest for next week’s bye but I suspect that some of them will not be resting at all and that rather, they have a long trip to the centre of the country ahead of them. CASEY DEMONS 6.1.37 6.3.39 6.7.43 11.9.75 GEELONG VFL 0.3.3 4.3.27 7.6.48 9.10.64 Goals Casey Demons Laurie 3 Van Rooyen Weideman 2 M Brown Chandler Hunt Woewodin Geelong VFL Evans 5 Neale 2 Chafer Stephens Best Casey Demons Laurie Dunstan Rivers Hunt Woewodin Van Rooyen Chandler Geelong VFL Evans Ceglar Narkle McLaughlan Narkle Byrne Capiron Statistics Oskar Baker 10 kicks 5 handballs 15 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 62 dream team points Jack Bell 1 behind 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 21 hit outs 53 dream team points Mitch Brown 1 goal 11 kicks 2 handballs 13 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 52 dream team points Matt Buntine 4 kicks 6 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 39 dream team points Kade Chandler 1 goals 11 kicks 8 handballs 19 disposals 5 marks 70 dream team points George Churchill Grey 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 3 tackles 22 dream team points Luke Dunstan 19 kicks 10 handballs 29 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 91 dream team points Corey Ellison 4 kicks 1 handball 5 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 26 dream team points Kobe George goals 1 handball 1 disposal 2 dream team points Jayden Hunt 1 goals 12 kicks 5 handballs 17 disposals 7 marks 3 tackles 82 dream team points Bailey Laurie 3 goals 1 behind 16 kicks 13 handballs 29 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 118 dream team points Judd McVee 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 31 dream team points Jake Melksham 1 behind 11 kicks 9 handballs 20 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 78 dream team points James Munro 6 kicks 18 handballs 24 disposals 2 marks 9 tackles 94 dream team points Trent Rivers 11 kicks 9 handballs 20 disposals 2 marks 51 dream team points Fraser Rosman 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 38 dream team points Deakyn Smith 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 6 tackles 41 dream team points Roan Steele 1 behinds 4 kicks 1 handball 5 disposals 1 tackle 14 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 15 kicks 1 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 47 dream team points Jacob Van Rooyen 2 goals 9 kicks 2 handballs 11 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 5 hit outs 80 dream team points Sam Weideman 2 goals 2 behinds 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 1 hit out 57 dream team points Taj Woewodin 1 goal 7 kicks 6 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles dream team points Mitch White 11 kicks 4 handballs 15 disposals 1 mark 1 tackles 48 dream team points

Clarrie will miss next week but will still be well in front at the end of the game. 187. Clayton Oliver 129. Christian Petracca 97. Angus Brayshaw 94. Jack Viney 84. Max Gawn 71. Steven May 63. Ed Langdon 48. James Jordon 31. Luke Jackson 27. Jake Lever 25 James Harmes 22. Jake Bowey 18. Harry Petty 17. Kysaiah Pickett 15. Tom Sparrow 13. Ben Brown Bayley Fritsch 12. Michael Hibberd 11. Alex Neal-Bullen 8. Tom McDonald 6. Sam Weideman 5. Jayden Hunt Charlie Spargo 4. Christian Salem 3. Joel Smith

Melbourne’s twenty eight point loss to Geelong down at Taxpayer Funded Park provided plenty of cat-nip for the Geelong fans and their team. After all, the Cats go away thinking they have now got the Demons sorted after the embarrassments heaped upon them last season and their taste of this cat-nip will get even stronger in the coming weeks, courtesy of the AFL draw which gives them three more home games at the same venue in the six remaining rounds. Yet Melbourne, despite this loss, were within a kick half way through the final quarter, and were they to steal a win, would have truly put terror into Geelong’s future prospects when playing the Demons. It wasn’t to be, but just as equally it should be recognised how well Geelong prepared for the game and executed that tactic so well. Within the skinny confines of Mordor oval, the Cats have completely changed their approach and tactics. Last season it was all about possession, chip and kick, move around the flanks until sending the ball to the tall forwards. In this match it was all about territory, something at which Melbourne has been the exponent experts for quite a while. Equally, Melbourne were forced into the “robbing Peter to pay Paul” scenario with its forward structure. Without a second tall, the plan was to move Petracca forward more often and deeper. Yes, it produced three goals from him, but what was the cost to the midfield? Centre clearances 16:8. …. Clearances around the ground, 54: 36. Problem for Melbourne was that with this skinny ground, and losing particularly the centre square, is that the ball finished in the Geelong forward line again and again. Putting Harmes into the middle means Petracca wasn’t there. Petracca finished with only 2 clearances for the game. Two!! Can’t blame him because he was cooling his jets trying to mend a forward line hole. No Petracca made it doubly easy for the Cats. Stick a tag on Oliver, and while you can’t hold him back, he has no partner in crime to get the ball to, when things get tight. And it releases Guthrie from having to go head to head with the best in the competition. The backs simply played magnificently considering the onslaught coming in from the middle. At one point in the game the ball stayed in Geelong’s forward line for 15 minutes straight!. The Demons simply couldn’t get the ball out of there….why? Skinny ground and compounded by Geelong defenders, particularly their tall ones moving up the ground. De Koning, Blicavs and Henry only had to worry about Ben Brown, and they could set a wall up across the centre. And with Gawn and Jackson returning from injury, their output proved to be severely curtailed with Gawn not managing to record a single mark in the game! But Geelong were smart. They moved the ball through the centre with long kicks to gain territory. This completely nullified the advantage of James Jordan and Ed Langdon on the wings, and more importantly stopped the up-ground pressure from the likes of Alex Neal-Bullen, Toby Bedford and Kozzy Pickett. Without that pressure it has to be questioned the value of a couple of those players to the overall performance, if they can’t do anything else other than run around. Not much use if the ball has gone over your head and is 40 m away in the opposition forward line. Cameron was playing a long way up the ground instead of out of the goal square. This dragged the Melbourne defenders further forward, but while they didn’t follow blindly, it just left Cameron free-wheeling in the middle of the ground, with his long kicking capability. Melbourne goes away licking its wounds from this game. However, the problems they faced in this game will not be replicated on grounds where finals are played. There is also the lesson questioning the role allocated to certain players, when the environment has changed, and the opposition utilise different tactics. But the Cats have exposed themselves now. This plan works in one location only. Their ageing legs are not producing as they once were. Hawkins 1 goal for the game. Selwood barely 60% time on ground. 15 minutes of attack without barely a score. Just getting over the line against a side bereft of tall forwards. When the next meeting comes the flowering hopes of the already cat-nipped Geelong supporters will be nipped in the bud! MELBOURNE 3.1.19 5.4.34 7.6.48 9.9.63 GEELONG 3.3.21 5.8.38 8.12.60 12.19.91 GOALS MELBOURNE Petracca 3 Bedford Brown Fritsch Neal-Bullen Oliver Pickett GEELONG Duncan C Guthrie Rohan 2 Atkins Close Hawkins Holmes Smith Stengle BEST MELBOURNE Viney Petracca Oliver Neal-Bullen Brayshaw Petty GEELONG Atkins Henry C Guthrie Dangerfield Smith Duncan INJURIES MELBOURNE C Oliver (thumb) GEELONG Nil REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil GEELONG Nil SUBSTITUTES MELBOURNE J Hunt (unused) GEELONG Q Narkle (unused) UMPIRES Justin Power Simon Meredith Robert Findlay CROWD 21,501 at GMHBA Stadium

Who comes in and who goes out?

It’s a long way from last September.

Kindly let us have your votes folks 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 …

We’ll get murdered from here. Lot of passengers.

Salem is not himself.

Can we buy a holding the ball?

Purple patch from the umps.

We are so unclean by hand and foot.

Why are we outnumbered all over the ground?

They get them