Demonland

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.

I guess this can be filed here.