Demonland

Melbourne fans were put through the wringer on Saturday and ended the night with a sinking feeling as their team suffered a two-point loss to the GWS Giants at the MCG in front of their ailing coach and fell to 11th on the AFL ladder, a game and percentage outside of the top eight. With only four rounds left to play, they must now win every game to advance to the finals. The Demons welcomed back skipper Max Gawn and were off to a flyer as they kicked five goals to one to take a quarter-time lead of 27 points. In the cut throat game that football has become in a year when so many teams are in line for September action, you need to take advantage of every opportunity and whilst they had a handy lead at the first break, it could have been greater with one or two opportunities lost through poor disposal when going forward. The Giants had come back from an even worse position three or four weeks ago against the Blues and they repeated the dose this time kicking 12 of the next 15 goals. They did it by taking control of the midfield, and breaking the Demons’ defensive structures with plenty of run and spread. They kicked with greater accuracy both in front of goal (65% to 52% in scoring shots) and disposed of the ball better in general play where they led by 74% to 66% in effective disposals. GWS also had some luck with a clear 50m penalty missed that could have given away a goal early and a clever drop of the knees by Toby Greene that drew a free kick in front of goal. You need these things to go your way in close results but the visitors earned the victory by taking their chances against a more predictable opponent. They did that to good effect in coming back to within three points at the main break and then weathered the Demons’ storm in the arm wrestle that ensued until time on in the third quarter when held goalless during a period when they were on the back foot. They then changed gears, applied the heat and kicked three goals to one to take the lead by three points at the final break. With former Demon Jesse Hogan on fire, taking marks at will and kicking goals with his stuttering run up, the Giants stunned the embarrassingly small crowd of 16,246 with four goals in the first seven minutes of the final term to open up a 27-point lead, marking a 54-point turnaround since quarter time. The following 25 minutes of time to the final siren were excruciating for Demonkind as their team made a late surge that fell short by two points, their third defeat by less than a goal for the season. Imagine, an extra goal in each of those games, would have put them in second position on the table at this stage. Although the team was beaten in the middle, Clayton Oliver responded to his critics (as if he had to) and Trent Rivers and Jack Viney plugged away for their team. Jake Lever was a stout defender and Ed Langdon added with his drive from the wing. Max Gawn was clearly not at his best after a two week absence with his ankle injury but there were too many others who failed to apply themselves for the full hundred minutes. The irony of Hogan’s match winning goal kicking was not lost on the fans who missed out on similar heroics at their end of the field. The Demons return to action on Friday night when they take on the rising Western Bulldogs who look likely finalists after occupying Melbourne’s current place just a few weeks back. That will give coach Simon Goodwin some pause for thought as he makes his recovery to good health and considers the way to prevent his team from sinking out of the finals picture. We wish him well. MELBOURNE 5.5.35 6.7.43 8.9.57 12.11.83 GWS GIANTS 1.2.8 6.4.40 9.6.60 13.7.85 GOALS MELBOURNE Chandler Fritsch 2 Gawn Langdon Melksham Neale-Bullen Petty Pickett van Rooyen Viney GWS GIANTS Hogan 4 Greene 3 Daniels 2 Bedford Green McMullin Ward BEST MELBOURNE Rivers Viney Lever May Oliver Langdon GWS GIANTS Green Greene Hogan Daniels Callaghan Whitfield INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil GWS GIANTS Nil REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil GWS GIANTS Nil SUBSTITUTIONS MELBOURNE Daniel Turner, replaced Jack Billings at three-quarter time GWS GIANTS Joe Fonti, unused UMPIRES Nick Foot Justin Power Hayden Gavine CROWD 16,246 at the MCG

Leaderboard After Round 20 PLAYER VOTES 1 Max Gawn 165 2 Steven May 104 3 Christian Petracca 97 4 Jack Viney 94 5 Trent Rivers 91 6 Alex Neal-Bullen 85 7 Clayton Oliver 65 8 Kysaiah Pickett 60 9 Ed Langdon 58 10 Jacob van Rooyen 55 11 Judd McVee 49 12 Christian Salem 44 13 Jake Lever 43 =14 Bayley Fritsch 31 =14 Tom McDonald 31 16 Caleb Windsor 25 17 Kade Chandler 19 18 Tom Sparrow 17 19 Harry Petty 14 20 Jack Billings 12 =21 Blake Howes 11 =21 Daniel Turner 11 23 Adam Tomlinson 9 =24 Jake Melksham 2 =24 Andy Moniz-Wakefield 2 26 Jake Bowey 1

There was a stage deep in the third term of the game at Casey Fields when UTS Giants fans were deep in despair. Three and a half minutes of time on had elapsed, the rains were coming down, the wind was howling and the lights on the scoreboard on the outer brightly shone like a distress signal as their team’s season sagged on the line - • Casey Demons 6 goals 9 behinds 45 points • UWS Giants 3 goals 3 behinds 21 points. The Giants were being dominated in the wet conditions and while the deficit of four goals was not insurmountable, it looked impossible. The fact of the matter was that but for the home side’s inaccuracy in front of goals, their season would have already been well and truly sunk. As it turned out, there was no need to panic. The Giants’ winning key forward Max Gruzewski was about to boot through his fourth goal to raise their faint hopes of a revival. When the siren sounded to signal three quarter time he was still their only goal kicker and they trailed by 20 points. Then followed eighteen frenetic minutes to remember as the Giants added another four goals (including Max Gruzewski’s fifth in a row) to Casey’s four behinds to level the scores at 51 each another nine minutes before Callum Brown kicked a point to put the team in front. That was enough to win it but, for good measure, they added another at a little over a minute left. The final score board flashed - • Casey Demons 6 goals 15 behinds 51 points • UWS Giants 9 goals 4 behinds 58 points. The final score would have been familiar to a couple of AFL premiership players in Tom Sparrow and Lachie Hunter who played in similarly unfriendly conditions in Alice Springs against the Giants last year (5.15.45 to 7.5.47) so they would be well aware that the adage about bad kicking being bad football is so very much an important indicator of how games in this sport are won and lost. To a lesser extent the AFL Demons learned the same lesson last night. The defeat was certainly not the fault of either of those players. Sparrow entered the fray determined to atone for his omission from the Melbourne team with 31 disposals, nine tackles and nine clearances. One of those tackles was a bone jarring tackle that showed his teammates the way as they began their period of dominance in the second and third quarters. Even when the Giants’ revival was on the cards, he was burrowing in hard for the football to will his team home. Hunter finished with 18 possessions, three marks and a couple of tackles after resting on the bench in the game’s early stages. Other Melbourne listed players to do well were Tom Fullarton with 25 disposals, 16 hitouts, ten clearances and o goal and defenders Marty Hore and Adam Tomlinson was strong with 23 and 22 touches respectively. Matthew Jefferson continues to showcase a future of promise with his 17 disposals but could have learned from Gruzewski when it came to accuracy in front of the big sticks. His only goal from four shots came from a long way out. Young rookies in Ollie Sestan and Will Verrall showed that they remain worthy of perseverance going into the future. Mitch White was once again the leader of the pack of VFL listed players along with Tyson Edwards but in the main this cohort tired badly in the end along with many of the AFL listed players who struggled to find touch in the difficult conditions in a game that got away. CASEY DEMONS 2.2.14 4.5.29 6.11.47 6.15.51 UWS GIANTS 2.2.14 3.3.21 4.3.27 9.4.58 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Bell Fullarton Jefferson Verrall White Yze UWS GIANTS Gruzewski 5 Delana Hebron Wardius Wehr BEST CASEY DEMONS Sparrow Hore Fullarton White Jefferson Sestan UWS GIANTS Gruzewski Haynes Leake Brown Stone Angwin Statistics Jack Bell 1 goals 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 2 marks 22 dream team points Kynan Brown 3 kicks 7 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 54 dream team points Tyler Edwards 9 kicks 7 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 41 dream team points Tom Fullarton 1 goal 1 behind 14 kicks 10 handballs 24 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 16 hitouts 95 dream team points Roy George 3 behinds 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 44 dream team points Max Gregory 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 17 dream team points Blake Howes 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 33 dream team points Marty Hore 17 kicks 6 handballs 23 disposals 11 marks 1 tackle 97 dream team points Lachie Hunter 1 behind 12 kicks 6 handballs 18 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 66 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 goal 3 behinds 8 kicks 9 handballs 17 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 73 dream team points Luker Kentfield 1 behind 4 kicks 4 disposals 1 mark 15 dream team points Nick Moodie kicks handballs disposals marks tackles 41 dream team points Harvey Neocleous kicks handballs disposals marks tackles dream team points Charlie Peters 1 behind 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 4 tackles 48 dream team points Josh Schache 6 kicks 1 handballs 7 disposals 3 marks 30 dream team points Ollie Sestan 1 behind 12 kicks 3 handballs 15 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 79 dream team points Tom Sparrow 1 behind 17 kicks 14 handballs 31 disposals 4 marks 9 tackles 133 dream team points Roan Steele 12 kicks 3 handballs 15 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 64 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 17 kicks 4 handballs 21 disposals 8 marks 78 dream team points Will Verrall 1 goal 1 behind 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 11 hitouts 64 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal 16 kicks 5 handballs 21 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 86 dream team points Kai Windsor 10 kicks 2 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 42 dream team points Noah Yze 1 goals 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 7 tackles 57 dream team point

Get your questions in guys. Will be closing questions off sometime before midday Monday so I can prepare the runsheet.

GOT AWAY by KC from Casey There was a stage deep in the third term of the game at Casey Fields when UTS Giants fans were deep in despair. Three and a half minutes of time on had elapsed, the rains were coming down, the wind was howling and the lights on the scoreboard on the outer brightly shone like a distress signal as their team’s season sagged on the line - • Casey Demons 6 goals 9 behinds 45 points • UWS Giants 3 goals 3 behinds 21 points. The Giants were being dominated in the wet conditions and while the deficit of four goals was not insurmountable, it looked impossible. The fact of the matter was that but for the home side’s inaccuracy in front of goals, their season would have already been well and truly sunk. As it turned out, there was no need to panic. The Giants’ winning key forward Max Gruzewski was about to boot through his fourth goal to raise their faint hopes of a revival. When the siren sounded to signal three quarter time he was still their only goal kicker and they trailed by 20 points. Then followed eighteen frenetic minutes to remember as the Giants added another four goals (including Max Gruzewski’s fifth in a row) to Casey’s four behinds to level the scores at 51 each another nine minutes before Callum Brown kicked a point to put the team in front. That was enough to win it but, for good measure, they added another at a little over a minute left. The final score board flashed - • Casey Demons 6 goals 15 behinds 51 points • UWS Giants 9 goals 4 behinds 58 points. The final score would have been familiar to a couple of AFL premiership players in Tom Sparrow and Lachie Hunter who played in similarly unfriendly conditions in Alice Springs against the Giants last year (5.15.45 to 7.5.47) so they would be well aware that the adage about bad kicking being bad football is so very much an important indicator of how games in this sport are won and lost. To a lesser extent the AFL Demons learned the same lesson last night. The defeat was certainly not the fault of either of those players. Sparrow entered the fray determined to atone for his omission from the Melbourne team with 31 disposals, nine tackles and nine clearances. One of those tackles was a bone jarring tackle that showed his teammates the way as they began their period of dominance in the second and third quarters. Even when the Giants’ revival was on the cards, he was burrowing in hard for the football to will his team home. Hunter finished with 18 possessions, three marks and a couple of tackles after resting on the bench in the game’s early stages. Other Melbourne listed players to do well were Tom Fullarton with 25 disposals, 16 hitouts, ten clearances and o goal and defenders Marty Hore and Adam Tomlinson was strong with 23 and 22 touches respectively. Matthew Jefferson continues to showcase a future of promise with his 17 disposals but could have learned from Gruzewski when it came to accuracy in front of the big sticks. His only goal from four shots came from a long way out. Young rookies in Ollie Sestan and Will Verrall showed that they remain worthy of perseverance going into the future. Mitch White was once again the leader of the pack of VFL listed players along with Tyson Edwards but in the main this cohort tired badly in the end along with many of the AFL listed players who struggled to find touch in the difficult conditions in a game that got away. CASEY DEMONS 2.2.14 4.5.29 6.11.47 6.15.51 UWS GIANTS 2.2.14 3.3.21 4.3.27 9.4.58 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Bell Fullarton Jefferson Verrall White Yze UWS GIANTS Gruzewski 5 Delana Hebron Wardius Wehr BEST CASEY DEMONS Sparrow Hore Fullarton White Jefferson Sestan Fullarton UWS GIANTS Gruzewski Haynes Leake Brown Stone Angwin Statistics Jack Bell 1 goals 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 2 marks 22 dream team points Kynan Brown 3 kicks 7 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 54 dream team points Tyler Edwards 9 kicks 7 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 41 dream team points Tom Fullarton 1 goal 1 behind 14 kicks 10 handballs 24 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 16 hitouts 95 dream team points Roy George 3 behinds 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 44 dream team points Max Gregory 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 17 dream team points Blake Howes 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 33 dream team points Marty Hore 17 kicks 6 handballs 23 disposals 11 marks 1 tackle 97 dream team points Lachie Hunter 1 behind 12 kicks 6 handballs 18 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 66 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 goal 3 behinds 8 kicks 9 handballs 17 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 73 dream team points Luker Kentfield 1 behind 4 kicks 4 disposals 1 mark 15 dream team points Nick Moodie kicks handballs disposals marks tackles 41 dream team points Harvey Neocleous kicks handballs disposals marks tackles dream team points Charlie Peters 1 behind 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 4 tackles 48 dream team points Josh Schache 6 kicks 1 handballs 7 disposals 3 marks 30 dream team points Ollie Sestan 1 behind 12 kicks 3 handballs 15 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 79 dream team points Tom Sparrow 1 behind 17 kicks 14 handballs 31 disposals 4 marks 9 tackles 133 dream team points Roan Steele 12 kicks 3 handballs 15 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 64 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 17 kicks 4 handballs 21 disposals 8 marks 78 dream team points Will Verrall 1 goal 1 behind 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 11 hitouts 64 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal 16 kicks 5 handballs 21 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 86 dream team points Kai Windsor 10 kicks 2 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 42 dream team points Noah Yze 1 goals 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 7 tackles 57 dream team points

The Demons head over to Marvel Stadium for the first time this season when they take on the Western Bulldogs on Friday Night. Who comes in and who goes out?

The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 29th July @ 7:30pm. Join George, Binman & I as we analyse the Demons loss at the MCG against the Giant in the Round 20. You questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human. Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

Steven May shot up the leaderboard last week and sits in 2nd place behind returning Captain Max Gawn. Christian Petracca, Jack Viney & Alex Neal-Bullen round out the Top 5. Your 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. votesd

Despite being in the hunt for most of the game the Demons capitulated early in the last quarter against the Giants before mounting a comeback but falling short by 2 points effectively ending our 2024 season.

It's Game Day and this could be the Demons last roll of the dice for their chances at making finals this season as the come face to face with the hot and cold GWS Giants tonight at the MCG in a true 8 point game.

Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons?

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What's our record coming up against coaches that have just re-signed? @Supermercado

“Just my opinion, there’s no world that I’d be changing or trading Clayton Oliver. There’s no footy world where I follow that I would contemplate trading Clayton Oliver,” Lyon said on SEN. Oliver signed a monster contract extension in 2022 which ties him to Melbourne on a $1m-season deal until 2030. Lyon said he would hand back his membership if the Demons paid any portion of Oliver’s deal while he played for another club. “If they paid another club to take him, that’d be the last straw,” he said. The former Demons skipper said with the emergence of Trent Rivers and return of Christian Petracca in 2025, Oliver could recapture his mantle as one of the AFL’s premier midfielders. “He’s 27 years old, he’s won four best-and-fairests, he’s won two coaches awards, he’s a premiership player. He’s a superstar of the game who is in a bit of a hole, relatively. He’s still averaging 25 touches,” he said. Lyon added: “If you believe everything you read he’s like a 10-possession player that can’t impact. He’s nowhere near his peak. But we know his issues. “We know how well documented they are. And if I’m the Melbourne footy club, I’m looking at him as getting through this year, hopefully still playing good footy and then cracking in, big summer, Petracca back, midfield going and go again.”