Demonland

Casey Fields was awash with pink as Melbourne once again showed its support for the Breast Cancer Network Australia Pink Lady Cause. The Blues have built form in the last few weeks, so this was a danger game, especially with the Demons coming off such a sensational victory in the West. Ex-teammates became foes, with Gay and Harris lining up against their former side as well as ex-Dees O’Dea and Guerin playing for Carlton. Birch notched up 50 games, while Daisy reached forty. With a top spot a possibility and top two on the line, it all started well with the Dees winning the toss and electing to kick with the breeze. FIRST QUARTER The first five minutes were played between the arcs, with neither side able to make any meaningful forward entries. Melbourne players were repeatedly brought up short due to Carlton’s pressure, before a good chain through the midfield eventually found Harris presenting 45 metres out. Soon after, in Harris’s first contest deep forward, the Blues were well represented, in a sign of things to come. When Demon reinforcements arrived, the forward pressure was there but they lacked the killer instinct that might have created a scoring opportunity. Soon after, another chance went begging as players tried to find the perfect option, going one or two handpasses too many before Daisy pulled the trigger for no score. Daisy then attempted to shepherd through a Sherriff attempt, but it leapt offline at the last second. She was right back in the action after Bannan was alert to a poor kick in, gathered cleanly and hit up Daisy directly in front for the game’s first goal. Gillard won the next clearance and kicked long, and eventually, after Mithen pushed Prespakis over the line and nearly into the Casey Fields Lake, the ball made its way forward and Hore missed a soccer opportunity. When the Blues did make their way forward, it came through Demon errors, including a shocker from the milestone woman in Birch. The backline worked hard to get numbers back and then launched a counterattack virtually unopposed down the outer wing, with Daisy’s pass to the pink ribboned Bannan perfectly read and then converted. With the seconds ticking down, Harris wheeled around quickly from 50 to try to add another, but her shot was just offline. After an even start, the Dees had controlled the last part of the quarter, but real scoreboard damage had proven elusive. SECOND QUARTER Carlton’s tackling pressure was on show early, exemplified by former Demon Guerin who was having none of L Pearce’s trademark straight-out-of-the-ruck clearance manoeuvre. The Blues were intent on disrupting Melbourne’s clearance game, sending an extra to the stoppage. At first, this generally just meant the ball landed in the hands of the Melbourne spare. Yet Melbourne wasn’t making any inroads forward either, with a poor kick by Mithen inside 50 compounded by a 50-metre-penalty. Heath bobbed up for a mark to halt the resultant Carlton forward thrust, but another soon followed, with a chaotic bouncing ball finding its way past a Prespakis-Birch skirmish to Stevens out the back and she kicked a gem. Melbourne had the quick reply, courtesy of a cheap 50-metre-penalty to Bannan, her second a valuable one against the wind. In the next play, McNamara floundered under a high ball and was challenged strongly by Prespakis. The ball spilled to Gee—now on the wing and probably happy to get away from Heath. Stevens’ ensuing minor score was a fortuitous let off. The Blues weren’t lying down though and returned the ball inside 50 with pace. An unlucky bounce saw the ball clear Lampard then Birch opted to try to take possession instead of spoiling to the advantage of the multiple Demons waiting, and Stevens was the beneficiary with her second. A comprehensive Blues win at the next bounce allowed Prespakis to stream out the front and soon the away team was within two points. Gay halted the next attempt, and Melbourne moved forward, again through the Bannan-Daisy combination. In a repeat entry, Purcell kicked neatly to Bannan, who kicked a career-best third goal, a much-needed settler. However, loose checking gave Sherar a shot on goal, and a lapse in positioning on the goal line ensured it went through. Suffice to say, Melbourne was under the pump. THIRD QUARTER Any notion of a percentage-boosting win and a chance at top spot was out the window, and it was now a battle for victory to retain second. The ball darted between the arcs early, with Melbourne having the most of the footy but Carlton able to cut off the ball with a spare back. Some sloppy disposals let the Demons down and didn’t exactly inspire confidence. There was a sense that many players were trying to do a bit too much, a prime example being Daisy summing up her options a second too long and getting run down. The quarter seemed to flash by in a blur of tackles, smothers and fumbles, with few moments of clean footy or time and space. Harris put in a failed attempt at mark of the year but was otherwise almost unsighted. Things became increasingly brutal, with some big hits, particularly a series of contests involving Heath, Gee, Prespakis, Lampard and Guerin, capped off by Gay blatantly pushing Guerin over after the resultant free kick (lucky not to be paid downfield). Guerin’s kick went to the square and Paxman saved the day on the last line. The Dees barely clung to possession as they escaped along the wing, but somehow kept it going forward until Goldrick found herself in space and facing that familiar quandary of whether or not to risk a bounce. She did, it came back (praise the footy gods!) and she linked with Bannan who went in the Harris direction. For once, she didn’t have fifteen Blues hanging off her, but the kick fell short and she was forced into a rushed shot on goal, for no score. Mithen won a free shortly after about 40 metres out, and she pinpointed a pass to a diving Daisy who kicked a goal made crucial by the fact it was the only score of the quarter. FOURTH QUARTER Carlton had succeeded in making it a scrap, but could they find the goals with the game on the line and Melbourne putting everything into defence? Goldie was up for the fight with some big repeat efforts early. Their decision-making and spread left a bit to be desired and with eight minutes remaining, it was a seven-point margin. The Dees continued to kick into the corridor where the Blues had numbers, constantly flirting with danger. One such example by McNamara gifted the Blues a forward entry, and Stevens made another goal out of nothing, again assisted by Melbourne’s poor defence of the goal line. That narrowed the margin to one point, and Carlton, led by a dominant Moody in the ruck, were up and about. With four minutes to go, thanks to Bannan cutting off a pass in the middle, Hore had a chance at a matchwinner; alas she could only expand the margin to two points. As Melbourne kept the ball trapped forward, the Dees cheer squad were vocal, urging our team on with enough volume for me to hear from the opposite end. We chewed off two minutes, before Laloifi gathered and drove it to Carlton’s half-forward line. A high free kick against Goldrick handed Prespakis the ball on 50 and with a minute remaining, the ball was camped in Carlton’s goal square. A rolling scrum pushed the ball to the boundary, rather than the preferred option of a rushed behind. Goldrick gathered from the throw-in, tried to step Vescio and failed to connect her kick as she was thrown in the tackle. So, with 30 seconds on the clock, it was Vescio, the competition’s all-time leading goalkicker, with the chance to win the game from the pocket…and they missed. Dees fans united to try to convince the umpire that Harris had marked on the goal line— she had very much not! Still, a slight delay allowed Melbourne every opportunity to get organised for the kick-in. “Never retire!” someone yelled as Daisy prudently chose the safe option, and a well-positioned Gay marked strongly to see off the Blues’ challenge. It was unconvincing, it was ugly, but it their thirteenth straight victory at Casey and took the Demons through to a preliminary final for the third year running. STATS & STAND-OUTS Melbourne had more of the ball, with 267 disposals to Carlton’s 218, winning both the contested (119-109) and uncontested battles (149-110), with disposal efficiency fairly even (63% to 58%). Inside 50s were even (31-28), as was efficiency inside 50 (29% to 36%). Again, Melbourne was able to dominate the marking (44-25), including 4 contested marks to 1, and 7 to 3 inside 50. Carlton had the better of the clearances (25 to Melbourne’s 17), winning in the centre (8 to Melbourne’s 5) and at the stoppages (17 to Melbourne’s 12). Key to this was Carlton’s ascendency in the ruck, with 31 hit-outs to 11. L Pearce (9 hit outs) had little influence, while Carlton’s Moody solidified her claim for the All-Australian ruck with 22 hit outs. Stevens’ three goals for Carlton were exceptional, matched at the other end by the ever-improving Bannan. Daisy’s double bookended Melbourne’s scoring and was vital. Mithen led the disposals with 26 (8 tackles), with Hanks close behind (25, 4 clearances), followed by Paxman (15, racking up her 1,000th disposal in the process), ex-Dee Guerin (19 and 12 tackles) and the Blues’ young star Hill (19). West (7 tackles) and Purcell strived to be involved but were less impactful. McNamara looked unusually hesitant, while the milestone woman in Birch had a game to forget, beaten soundly by Stevens. Colvin and Gay had 4 marks apiece in the backline and had some important moments, while Lampard was consistent. Heath impressed again one-on-one, while Goldrick put in her usual effort but was let down by some errors in defence. The forward line never really got going, with Harris triple teamed at times and repeatedly out of position. It was her first goalless game as a Demon, putting an end to her season’s highest goalkicker campaign. Meanwhile, Hore and Scott weren’t able to contribute as they’d have liked. Daisy and Bannan provided other avenues to goal; however, we’ll need a more even spread against stronger opposition. Fitzsimon does the hard stuff consistently and shows some real footy smarts. Carlton knew if they brought the pressure, that was their best hope of snatching victory, and they very nearly did. The issue is well-identified by now: Melbourne struggles against tackling teams. It will likely rue the opportunity to gain percentage here and challenge for top spot, with 10% going down the gurgler. At the end of the home and away season, it’s worth noting that the 90% H&A win percentage from 10 games is Melbourne’s best in AFLW, in the longest H&A season to date. MELBOURNE 2.3.15 4.3.27 5.3.33 5.4.34 CARLTON 0.0.0 4.1.25 4.1.25 5.3.33 GOALS MELBOURNE Bannan 3 D Pearce 2 CARLTON Stevens 3 Good Sherar BEST MELBOURNE Hanks Bannan D Pearce Mithen Paxman CARLTON Stevens Hill Guerin Hill Prespakis Egan INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil CARLTON Nil REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil CARLTON Nil CROWD TBC at Casey Fields NEXT - FINALS A week off and then our first AFLW home preliminary final against the winner of Brisbane vs. Collingwood. THE LAST WORD Time to refresh and re-group, finals are a different beast.

Results: GF: 15/17 Premier: 10/17 Top 8: 17/17 Minor Premiers: 11/17 Brownlow: 8 (5 Oliver, 3 Petracca) MARK ROBINSON Bolter and slider: Carlton, Geelong GF match-up: Melbourne v Western Bulldogs Premier: Back-to-back Demons Wooden Spoon: Collingwood Brownlow: Clayton Oliver. Hard watch: The Suns. Under the coaching spotlight from the get-go. I’m confident … Sean Darcy will be in the All-Australian squad of 40. Not confident … Charlie Curnow will find his best. Short odds: Melbourne, Bulldogs to make top four. Long odds: Saints and Carlton will make top eight. Talent burst: Harry Jones to take giant strides. Bold headliner: Grant Thomas challenges at teetering Saints TOP EIGHT Melbourne Western Bulldogs Port Adelaide Sydney Brisbane Lions Richmond Essendon GWS DAVID KING Bolter and slider: Richmond, Port Adelaide GF match-up: Western Bulldogs v Brisbane Lions Premier: Western Bulldogs Wooden Spoon: Adelaide, if it is wise. Brownlow: Marcus Bontempelli. One of only four to five players who can get 30+ votes. Hard watch: Freo for past six years. When will it change? I’m confident … The Brownlow will be won by a midfielder. Not confident … In anything rules related that has been “tinkered with”… disaster looming. Short odds: The head ain’t that sacrosanct. Michael Christian, Brad Scott? Long odds: Josh Rachele wins goal of the year. Talent burst: Is Jason Horne-Francis really a first-year player? Bold headliner: Saints hierarchy spill mid-season as fans storm Linton St TOP EIGHT Brisbane Lions Western Bulldogs Melbourne Richmond Sydney Essendon Port Adelaide Geelong MICK MALTHOUSE Bolter and slider: Carlton. Michael Voss will toughen up the new team. Port Adelaide. Its midfield is too slow and key forwards fail in the big games. GF match-up: Western Bulldogs v Essendon Premier: Essendon Wooden spoon: North Melbourne Brownlow: Sam Walsh (sorry, Bont, runner-up again). Hard Watch: Man on the mark rule looks like junior football. It’s useless and amateur. I’m confident … The final eight won’t be the same as in 2021. Who will make room for the replacements? Not confident … The best teams will make the final eight, but instead the teams with the deepest senior lists to cover for Covid-affected players. Short odds: Covid to disrupt the season. Long odds: Richmond to win another premiership. Too reliant on too few — mainly Dusty. Talent burst: Sam Draper will start dominating the ruck, giving his mids an armchair ride. Bold headliner: McGowan hinders WA teams’ chances of making finals TOP EIGHT Western Bulldogs Essendon Melbourne Brisbane Lions Sydney Carlton Richmond Geelong JAY CLARK Bolter and slider: Fremantle, GWS GF match-up: Melbourne v Western Bulldogs Premier: Western Bulldogs. Wooden spoon: Hawthorn Brownlow: Hugh McCluggage. Get on now at $81 before he explodes and his odds shrink like Ollie Wines. Hard Watch: Geelong’s coaching box. New set-up, new zen. Not sure everyone was on same page in there last year. I’m confident … Carlton will get its defensive game in order. David Teague’s departure was horribly handled, but change was necessary. Not confident … Sydney will have a big crack at Darcy Moore, making Collingwood pay top dollar to keep the star. Short odds: Bulldogs top four. A lock at $1.90. Long odds: Hawthorn least wins, $8. Bumpy start for Mitch. Talent burst: Oliver Henry. Catches it like his brother, Jack. Bold headliner: Shown de door: Pies part ways with free agent De Goey TOP EIGHT Western Bulldogs Melbourne Brisbane Lions Port Adelaide Sydney Geelong Richmond Fremantle JON RALPH Bolter and slider: Sydney, GWS GF match-up: Melbourne v Port Adelaide Premier: Melbourne Wooden spoon: Adelaide. There is still pain to come. Brownlow: Clayton Oliver. Hard Watch: Love Gold Coast to have a season where the coach wasn’t under the pump. I’m confident … The fans will eventually flock to the footy. Not confident … The AFL actually wants to pony up the cash for a 19th side. Short odds: Richmond is $1.44 for round 1 against Carlton. The Blues might win eventually, but not this year. Long odds: Denver Grainger-Barass is $41 for the Rising Star. Should be closer to $20 with his intercept marking skills. Talent burst: If Zac Reid and Kaine Baldwin can put together 15-game seasons, the Dons can erase their big-man deficiencies. Bold headliner: Buddy the Great: Franklin signs new one-year deal TOP EIGHT Melbourne Port Adelaide Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions Geelong Essendon Sydney Richmond GLENN McFARLANE Bolter and slider: Sydney, West Coast GF match-up: Melbourne v Western Bulldogs Premier: Melbourne. Ron Barassi to present the 2022 cup in front of a packed MCG. Wooden spoon: Gold Coast. Sorry, Dewy! Brownlow: Marcus Bontempelli. Time to double up on him. Hard Watch: Not sure about Eagles. Time for a rebuild? I’m confident … New one-year deal beckons for Buddy. Not confident … Of seeing free-flowing, high-scoring footy. Short odds: Melbourne and Bulldogs in top four multi. Long odds: Dees flag into “The Bont” to win the Brownlow. Talent burst: Nick Daicos. Do believe the hype! Bold headliner: Tassie gains entry to AFL, Clarko to take reins in 2025 TOP EIGHT Melbourne Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions Port Adelaide Sydney Richmond Geelong Essendon MICK McGUANE Bolter and slider: Richmond, GWS GF match-up: Melbourne v Brisbane Lions Premier: Melbourne Wooden spoon: Gold Coast. Expectation v reality poles apart. Brownlow: Clayton Oliver gets reward for his toughness and consistency. Hard Watch: Craig McRae. Can he fix Collingwood’s scoring woes? Is he hard enough to make the hard calls? I’m confident … More emphasis on attack at Hawthorn under new coach Sam Mitchell. But will he go too far? Not confident … Carlton will justify the hype and expectation to make the eight. Short odds: Demons fans will be emotionally charged and will fill the MCG to see the unfurling of the flag. Long odds: Anyone but an onballer wins the Brownlow Medal. It’s become a farce. Talent burst: Nick Daicos is skilful and competitive, the ideal combination to force the ageing Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom out of primary midfield roles. Bold headliner: ‘Over-dew”: Suns sack Dew, Clarko on the menu TOP EIGHT Melbourne Brisbane Lions Port Adelaide Sydney Western Bulldogs Geelong Richmond Essendon SCOTT GULLAN Bolter and slider: Collingwood, GWS GF match-up: Western Bulldogs v Melbourne Premier: Western Bulldogs Wooden spoon: Hawthorn. Trying to sell your best players in the first week of a new job may come back to haunt Sammy. Brownlow: Dustin Martin. When the Tigers are good, he wins everything. And the Tigers are going to be good again. Hard Watch: GWS and Stephen Coniglio. Dumped as solo captain, now part of three-man leadership, which has fur on it. Is he still in best 22? I’m confident … Jordan De Goey will win the Pies B&F by 35 votes and then ride off to Sydney on his Harley. Not confident … that anyone will understand the intent issue around match review panel findings with high tackles. Will be a debacle. Short odds: Carlton for top eight. Take the $2.85 right now. Long odds: Jordan De Goey $51 for Brownlow. Hello. Talent burst: Sam De Koning. Bold headliner: AFL looks to Tiley: Sacked TA boss on league radar TOP EIGHT Western Bulldogs Melbourne Richmond Port Adelaide Geelong Carlton Fremantle Brisbane Lions SAM LANDSBERGER Bolter and slider: North Melbourne, Geelong GF match-up: Melbourne v Western Bulldogs Premier: Western Bulldogs Wooden spoon: Adelaide. Things still going wrong. Brownlow: Marcus Bontempelli, will be best Bulldog yet. Hard Watch: Hawthorn. Mitchell needs time and draft picks. I’m confident … Telstra erects a new tower to handle calls placed to unrestricted free agent Alastair Clarkson. Not confident … The MCG is filled four times in round 1. Short odds: Jason Horne-Francis for the Rising Star. Long odds: Patrick Cripps should not be $41 for Brownlow. Talent burst: Ben Hobbs. Dons finds next Jobe Watson. Bold headliner: Halo Jordan. De Goey born again as a Saint TOP EIGHT Melbourne Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions Richmond Sydney Fremantle Port Adelaide Carlton LAUREN WOOD Bolter and slider: North Melbourne, Geelong GF match-up: Melbourne v Richmond Premier: Melbourne Wooden Spoon: Adelaide Brownlow: Christian Petracca. The premiership was one thing but he has all the hallmarks of a Charlie winner. Hard watch: Hawthorn. To say it was a messy end to the season was an understatement. I’m confident … Nathan Buckley will be a great addition to the AFL media landscape. Can’t wait. Not confident … That we can have a seamless season. Short odds: Carlton at almost $3 for eight. Expect that to shorten fast. Long odds: Josh Kelly at $51 for the Brownlow. Talent burst: Darcy Fogarty. The Crows need to find their new man up forward and he should be the one. Bold headliner: Buddy up: Franklin to go again in 2023 for one last time TOP EIGHT Melbourne Brisbane Lions Western Bulldogs Richmond Fremantle Essendon Port Adelaide Carlton MATT TURNER Bolter and slider: Carlton, GWS GF match-up: Melbourne v Western Bulldogs Premier: Western Bulldogs Wooden Spoon: Gold Coast. It seems inevitable that Stuart Dew will not be at the helm beyond this year. Brownlow: Marcus Bontempelli Hard watch: Hawthorn. Senior players’ trade value remains, with not enough early draft picks on the list. I’m confident … Port’s Mitch Georgiades will have at least one mark of the year nomination. Not confident … West Coast and Fremantle will be able to play all their games in Perth. Short odds: Jason Horne-Francis for Rising Star, paying $5. Long odds: Jack Macrae looks overs at $26 for Brownlow. Talent burst: Josh Rachele. Adelaide has needed some forward-line pizzazz since Eddie Betts left. Bold headliner: North lures Nathan Buckley out of coaching hiatus TOP EIGHT Melbourne Western Bulldogs Geelong Port Adelaide Brisbane Lions Richmond Carlton Sydney DANIEL HOYNE Bolter and slider: Richmond, GWS GF match-up: Brisbane Lions v Melbourne Premier: Brisbane Lions Wooden Spoon: Gold Coast Brownlow: Christian Petracca Hard watch: The Suns. Lowest scoring team in 2022. I’m confident … Tigers to bounce if injury free. Not confident … where West Coast will finish. Short odds: Melbourne and Brisbane Lions top four. Long odds: More than two changes to last year’s top eight. Talent burst: Fremantle’s Neil Erasmus to win the Rising Star award. Bold headliner: It will be the highest scoring season in five years TOP EIGHT Brisbane Lions Melbourne Port Adelaide Richmond Western Bulldogs Geelong Sydney St Kilda REBECCA WILLIAMS Bolter and slider: Collingwood, Geelong GF match-up: Melbourne v Western Bulldogs Premier: Melbourne Wooden Spoon Adelaide Brownlow: Marcus Bontempelli Hard watch: The weekly outs on team lists (Covid). I’m confident … The Tigers’ early finish to season 2021 was an aberration and they’ll be back in the finals mix. Not confident … The 2022 season progressing without Covid causing significant disruptions. Short odds: The Demons to again feature heavily in the All-Australian line-up. Long odds: The Hawks making a significant rebound in the first year of new coach Sam Mitchell’s tenure. Talent burst: Collingwood father-son recruit Nick Daicos to make an instant impact at the Magpies. Bold headliner: Clarko signs up for I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here TOP EIGHT Melbourne Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions Richmond Port Adelaide Geelong Sydney Carlton BEN HORNE Bolter and slider: Sydney to lock in a top-four slot, Port Adelaide to slide big time. GF match-up: Melbourne v Brisbane Lions Premier: Melbourne Wooden Spoon: Sam Mitchell’s Hawks to bottom out. Brownlow: Clayton Oliver to upstage Marcus Bontempelli. Hard watch: Teams trying to juggle playing lists in the wake of ongoing Covid outbreaks. I’m confident … Buddy Franklin will nail his 1000th goal and go on to boot more than 50 for the year. Not confident … GWS skipper Toby Greene can keep his nose clean for an entire season. Short odds: Bobby Hill to create havoc in Giants forward line, despite requesting a trade last year. Long odds: Sydney gets a crack at hosting the grand final. Talent burst: Swans forward Logan McDonald hits his straps. Bold headliner: Buddy hell: Swans superstar signs for another two years TOP EIGHT Melbourne Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions Sydney Essendon Richmond GWS Geelong CHRIS CAVANAGH Bolter and slider: Richmond, West Coast GF match up: Melbourne v Port Adelaide Premier: Melbourne Wooden Spoon: North Melbourne Brownlow: Christian Petracca Hard watch: Gold Coast. Well overdue to rise to relevance. I’m confident … Richmond will be back playing finals. Not confident … Fremantle will be the September bolter some people think. Short odds: Melbourne and Port Adelaide to finish top four. Long odds: Sydney, Essendon and Richmond to finish top eight. Talent burst: Nick Daicos. He was selected at No.4, but in most drafts he would have been a clear No.1. Watch out. Bold headliner: Brave Michael Hurley returns for farewell match TOP EIGHT Melbourne Port Adelaide Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions Sydney Richmond Geelong Essendon NICK SMART Bolter and slider: Sydney, Geelong GF match-up: Melbourne v Sydney Premier: Dees again, but this time in front of the collared shirts sitting on the MCC green seats. Wooden Spoon: Hawthorn. A hard, but necessary, bottoming out first year for new coach Sam Mitchell. Brownlow: Marcus Bontempelli. This is his year. Hard watch: Nat Fyfe trying to carry Freo on his shoulders. I’m confident … Carlton plays finals in 2022. Not confident … Essendon plays finals in 2022. Short odds: Melbourne to finish top four, if not top two. Long odds: Tired Cats miss the eight after a horror year. Talent burst: Nick Daicos. Most exciting start to an AFL career since Chris Judd 20 years ago. Bold headliner: AFL get its man as Clarko takes charge at the Suns TOP EIGHT Western Bulldogs Melbourne Sydney Brisbane Lions Richmond Port Adelaide St Kilda Carlton SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON Bolter and slider: Fremantle, GWS GF match-up: Melbourne v Western Bulldogs, boring I know. Premier: Melbourne. We’re in a Dee-Dynasty. Wooden Spoon: Hawthorn, the team is bottoming out. Brownlow: Clayton Oliver Hard watch: The Suns. How are they in the league and Tasmania doesn’t have a team yet? I’m confident … Sean Darcy is All-Australian starting ruck. Not confident … Brett Ratten can get the Saints back to where he had them in 2020. Short odds: Richmond returning to the top eight. Long odds: Hawthorn for least wins, ahead of North Melbourne, Gold Coast and Adelaide. Talent burst: Josh Rachele. Nick Daicos or Jason Horne‑Francis will be the Rising Star, but Rachele will have the highlights. TOP EIGHT Melbourne Brisbane Lions Western Bulldogs Port Adelaide Geelong Richmond Sydney Fremantle

I've still tentatively tipped the Eagles only because I simply can't bring myself to tip against them at home against the Suns even given their preseason woes and now this. The writing is on the wall for the Eagles I just don't have the [censored] to tip against them yet. Hopefully they languish on the bottom for a while. It will be nice to travel to Perth for an easy win at our fortress.

I didn't like her insinuation either that many of the coaches and people from other clubs would have frowned upon what was said by Kate. i heard snippets from her speech and thought it was fantastic. I think Kate is very well spoken and her passion shines through. Nothing arrogant about anything I ever hear her say. Seems like Caro was making something out of nothing.

I got a message during the week on our Facebook page from one of the guys involved in producing it and he said it's amazing.

Tomorrow night I'd imagine. Usually about 6:30ish

@Whispering_Jack has quite the collection but I don't know if he is willing to part with any.

When friends and acquaintances have spoken to me about the Premiership and I tell them I just really want to be there to see one they say we're a good team and will win a few and be up there for a long time. My mind always seems to wander back to the Bombers of 2000. After the disappointment of 1999 they only dropped 1 game for the season and people thought that would kick off a dynasty. They've barely won a final since then. In fact today marks day 6,400 since they won a final. My MFCSS has warped into an inadequacy that we won't be able to back it up and perform on the big stage.

From the moment the Melbourne team decided to celebrate its 2021 AFL Grand Final premiership victory with the same song the Bulldogs sang after their Preliminary Final win over Port Adelaide, it was game on. Legend has it that the losers were so incensed at what they considered a sleight on their character as footballers that the teams almost came to blows at a Perth nightclub just days after the premiership decider. As an interested observer of human nature, I was intrigued about how far the game had come in the 57 years since the Demons had won their last flag. Back then the Magpies dealt with a grand final defeat in the traditional way of getting sloshed and returning to work on Monday a little worse for wear but otherwise getting on with life. On the other hand, the Doggies have done it hard and never forgot the alleged theft of their favourite song. They’re champing at the bit and clamouring for revenge which makes Wednesday night’s opening round rematch at the MCG a little bit of a danger game for Melbourne. Melbourne supporters have continued to celebrate in various ways ranging from a month or two’s stint in a Perth prison to nightly replays, hoisting red and blue flags over their balconies and turning up at the G in December to lift up the premiership cup, the Western Bulldogs fans, their players and coach have been seething in silence, plotting their revenge. While coach Luke Beveridge claimed that he wouldn’t use that nightclub incident to motivate his group before the season opener, it keeps coming up whenever the game comes under discussion. The pity for them is that they showed more fight on the dance room floor than on the grass of Optus Stadium because the trauma has lived on rent free in their minds for far too long after the event. And the news for the Bulldogs is that come Wednesday night, it’s going to be the same old song (but with a different meaning since the premiership’s been gone). The reason is that games of football are rarely based on emotion these days but on ability and talent. The Demons look set to go into the game with a couple of solid defenders missing through injury in Harry Petty and Trent Rivers but they look to have the depth to replace them. The main battle will be fought as usual in the midfield where the memory of the dominance of Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, Jack Viney, assisted in the ruck by skipper Max Gawn and Luke Jackson has managed to haunt the Bulldogs throughout the summer. Their own midfield, led by Marcus Bontempelli, is pretty, pretty good but it won’t be enough to cover the chinks in their armour elsewhere around the ground. The only thing that will hurt the Demons is their own hubris and the boneheadedness that blighted them in the pre season Challenge Cup when they decided to take on the umpires and gave away well over half a kilometre of territory through their own stupidity. On Wednesday night, it will be a case of back to earth, the unfurling of a long-awaited and well earned premiership flag and back to business on the home turf of the MCG. Melbourne to win by 19 points. THE GAME Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at The MCG, Wednesday March 16, 2022 at 7.10 pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 90 wins 1 draw Western Bulldogs 78 wins At The MCG Melbourne 46 wins Western Bulldogs 29 wins Last Five Meetings Melbourne 3 wins Western Bulldogs 2 wins The Coaches Goodwin 5 wins Beveridge 3wins MEDIA TV live and on demand on Kayo and live on the Seven Network and Foxtel. Check your local guides. Radio - check your local guides. THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 21.14.140 defeated Western Bulldogs 10.6.66 at Optus Stadium in the 2021 Grand Final One of the club’s most famous victories. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: J.Smith 44 S.May 1 C.Salem 3 HB: J.Bowey 17 A. Tomlinson 20 J.Harmes 4 C: A.Brayshaw 10 C.Oliver 13 E.Langdon 15 HF: C.Spargo 9 T.McDonald 25 A.Neal-Bullen 30 F: J.Viney 7 B.Brown 50 B.Fritsch 31 Foll: M.Gawn - C 11 C.Petracca 5 T.Sparrow 32 I/C: L.Jackson 6 J.Jordon 23 J.Hunt 29 K.Pickett 36 Sub: T.Bedford 12 Emerg: S.Weideman 26 L.Dunstan 27 WESTERN BULLDOGS B: E.Richards 20 A.Keath 42 B.Williams 34 HB: C.Daniel 35 Z.Cordy 12 B.Dale 31 C: B.Smith 6 J.Dunkley 5 R. Gardner 43 HF: C.Weightman 19 J.Schache 13 A.Treloar 1 F: L.Vandermeer 23 A.Naughton 33 L. Hunter 7 Foll: T.English 44 J.Macrae 11 M.Bontempelli - C 4 I/C: H. Crozier 9 T.Liberatore 21 M.Hannan 29 R.Smith 37 Sub: J. Ugle-Hagan 2 Emerg: S. Martin 8 R.McComb 27 J. Lever came out of Melbourne’s and J. Johannisen came out of the Western Bulldogs’ team - injured. Injury List: Round 1 Michael Hibberd (calf) — Round 2 Jake Lever (ruptured plantar fascia) — Round 2/3 Harry Petty (knee) — Round 3/4 Trent Rivers (knee) — Round 3/4

Thank you for listening. I hope we don’t get tired of all the winning. 😛

Interesting point

The Cats are back to Open training. Come on Dees.

I hope we run out to that song.