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When the combatants that are due to face off on Monday night at Optus Stadium last met, it was 11 days after the World Health Organization had declared the Covid19 outbreak a global pandemic. In Australia, the first cases had just come to light, including visiting US actors Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, the toilet paper panic was in full flight and the world was starting to reel in anticipation of impending disaster. Half an hour before this last game of the opening round was due to commence, the AFL season was postponed, effective from the final siren. Not for the only time during the plague, was Melbourne to be shunted across the country under difficult circumstances. Despite a solid fight back after a slow start, they capitulated. When the season resumed after a break of one and a half months, the Demons went through their share of ups and downs and in the end they just missed out on making the finals. Things have been turned around on their head since that day almost 1½ years ago. Millions have died, world leaders have come and gone and the delayed Tokyo Summer Olympics will have come to an end before the opening bounce of this match. The Eagles are no longer a force to be feared, even on their home turf. In the Bizarro World of today, the Demons are still accumulating frequent flyer points but their arrival and stay in Perth is expected to be more comfortable than last time when a late evening hotel switch was said to be one of many disruptions they faced in their match preparation. The Demons are on the home stretch of their most successful season in decades after a fantastic start, a few hiccups along the way but fresh from a strong showing in their last outing against the hapless Suns. They face an out of form Eagles who are struggling for consistency and are low on confidence but Melbourne knows only full too well that such a situation must not be taken lightly. This however, is a different West Coast, one so very long ago and far away from the powerful combination that strangled Melbourne at this ground in the preliminary final of 2018, in May 2019 and again in March 2020. The Demons overcame a listless month or so with a return of their early season high pressure game against the Gold Coast Suns last week. Admittedly, the opposition were in disarray from the start and appeared to be a young, tiring team nearing the end of a tough season but the Demons were relentless in their attack on the ball throughout the game. There’s no reason why they can’t repeat the dose on the Eagles and return in kind the treatment that West Coast meted out to them in the faraway past before the world took its dramatic turn in mid Autumn of last year. The Demons solid defence and dominant midfield were in their element as they cut a swathe through the Suns’ resistance. As a consequence, the forwards looked irresistible as they took advantage of the constant supply and kicked their highest score for the season. We can expect more of the same this week against the Eagles who are looking old, frail and well past their use by date. Melbourne to win by 29 points. THE GAME West Coast v Melbourne at Optus Stadium Monday 9 August, 2021 at 8.10 pm. HEAD TO HEAD Overall West Coast 37 wins Melbourne 17 wins At Optus Stadium West Coast 3 wins Melbourne 1 win Past five meetings West Coast 4 wins Melbourne 1 win The Coaches Simpson 4 wins Goodwin 1 win MEDIA TV - live and on demand on Kayo and live on Foxtel & Ch7. Check your local guides for details. Radio - check your local guides THE LAST TIME THEY MET West Coast Eagles 12.6.78 defeated Melbourne 7.9.51 at Optus Stadium in Round 1, 2020 Melbourne went into the game with five new faces - Mitch Brown, Ed Langdon and Adam Tomlinson along with youngsters Toby Bedford and Kysaiah Pickett but the team failed to overcome five unanswered goals in the opening term and went down by 27 points. THE TEAMS 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 (from): M. Hutchings 34 J. Nelson 30 N. Varda 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) Injury and Suspension List: Round 21 Tom McDonald (back spasms) — Test Mitch Brown (heel) — Test Deakyn Smith (concussion) — 1 Week Jack Viney (suspension) — 2 Weeks Marty Hore (knee) — 4 to 6 Weeks Aaron Nietschke (knee) — Season Adam Tomlinson (knee) — Season

No crowds for the Monday night Perth game?

Positive case may have been out in the community in WA.

There is a new case in Victoria so I assume this case will have knock on effects particularly when it comes to WA.

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We'll be interviewing Gary Pert tomorrow for the podcast. If you've got a question for Gary then let us know. Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

At this stage the game is on Monday 9th August, 2021 at Optus Stadium at 6.10pm.

Clarrie gets the double ton - 203. Clayton Oliver 171. Christian Petracca 121. Christian Salem 106. Jake Lever 97. Max Gawn 77. Steven May 66. Tom McDonald 63. Ed Langdon 55. Luke Jackson 39. James Harmes 33. Bayley Fritsch 31. Kysiah Pickett 27. James Jordon 20. Jayden Hunt 15. Angus Brayshaw 14. Jack Viney 13. Harry Petty 11. Charlie Spargo 10. Alex Neal-Bullen 7. Michael Hibberd Trent Rivers 5. Ben Brown 1. Adam Tomlinson

Geelong have got to be the only team to have profited from COVID.

Just our luck playing the Eagles when the heat from the blowtorch is on high. Also Jaded I know you like a good Doomsday scenario. How about a situation where there are cases in Melbourne forcing us to play Adelaide in South Australia. ?

ROUND 21 Friday August 6 Geelong Cats v GWS Giants, GMHBA Stadium (7.50pm) Saturday August 7 Carlton v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium (1.45pm) Richmond v North Melbourne, MCG (4.35pm) St Kilda v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium (7.40pm) Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm) Sunday August 9 Hawthorn v Collingwood, UTAS Stadium (2.10pm) Western Bulldogs v Essendon, Marvel Stadium (3.20pm) Fremantle v Brisbane Lions, Optus Stadium (5.10pm) Monday August 9 West Coast Eagles v Melbourne, Optus Stadium (8.10pm)

9 Christian Petracca (MELB) 9 Clayton Oliver (MELB) 6 Max Gawn (MELB) 3 Luke Jackson (MELB) 3 Jake Lever (MELB) Leaderboard Votes Player Club 101 Clayton Oliver MELB 94 Marcus Bontempelli WB 90 Samuel Walsh CARL 89 Ollie Wines PORT 85 Touk Miller GCFC 79 Jack Steele STK 77 Zach Merrett ESS 70 Darcy Parish ESS 66 Christian Petracca MELB 61 Max Gawn MELB 61 Rory Laird ADEL 61 David Mundy FRE 59 Hugh McCluggage BL 59 Nic Naitanui WCE 58 Jack Macrae WB 57 Jarryd Lyons BL 54 Tom Stewart GEEL 51 Tom Mitchell HAW 50 Jordan De Goey COLL 50 Cameron Guthrie GEEL

There was an ill wind blowing for the home side at Casey Fields on Saturday but you wouldn’t have noticed if you turned up seven or eight minutes into the second quarter with the scoreboard showing the Casey Demons holding a lead of 7.5.47 to Footscray’s solitary point. Up to that stage, the depleted Dees combination had taken full advantage of the windy conditions and headed by veterans Nathan Jones, Jimmy Munro and Mitch White had came out of the blocks and plundered the Bulldogs’ defence. The game took a dramatic turn after that. The Bulldogs scored their first major at the 9 minute mark of the second quarter and went on to add five more unanswered goals to be within reach of the rapidly tiring Demons by half time. The slaughter continued unabated and, apart from a single third quarter goal in the middle of the third term, the Demons were able to add a couple of late game junk time goals to George Grey to fall by an inglorious 37 points. This was only Casey’s second loss for the season, the first was by just a point, but it plunged the Demons down the ladder into fifth place. No excuses are acceptable but it should be said that the Delta strain of the Covid19 panic played a crucial role in the outcome. While the Bulldogs AFL side was playing locally on Saturday, the Melbourne Demons were flying around the country with a large contingent of players who would otherwise have been playing for Casey. Players such Chandler, Daw, Melksham, Joel Smith, Weideman and vandenBerg should have formed the backbone of the team but instead, were flying backward and forward between Melbourne and Brisbane. The total number of changes was seven - all of them AFL listed Demons! It was left to the very few older hands such as Jones, Nev Jetta and Jay Lockhart and the Casey older guard to lead a very green group of younger players from suburban and country competitions into the fray. Many had been playing very little football of any sort in recent weeks due to the lockdowns and it showed after the frenetic pace of the opening. In the ensuing gloom of the day, the Demons’ mid season rookie Kye Declase once again stood out. He amassed 27 disposals and kicked a goal in a promising display. Oskar Baker also had his moments With Melbourne and its extended squad up in the air again this week, little respite can be expected for the Delta Demons next week. 2021 VFL Mens Casey Demons 6.4.40 7.5.47 8.9.57 10.9.69 Footscray Bulldogs 0.1.1 6.3.39 11.5.71 16.10.106 Goals Casey Demons Grey 3 White 2 Baker Bedford Declase Ellison Jones Footscray Bulldogs Cavarra McNeil West 3 Bedendo Drummond Craig-Peters Glass-McCasker McComb Vandermeer William Best Casey Demons Jones White Declase Ellison Lockhart Jetta Footscray Bulldogs West McComb Sullivan Bedendo Young Cavarra Statistics Oskar Baker 1 goal 14 kicks 6 handballs 20 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 83 dream team points Toby Bedford 1 goal 7 kicks 7 handballs 14 disposals 3 marks 8 tackles 80 dream team points Jack Bell 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 12 hit outs 49 dream team points Aaron Bradtke 4 kicks 3 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 7 hit outs 22 dream team points Jaxon Briggs 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 5 tackles 52 dream team points Kye Declase 1 goal 16 kicks 11 handballs 27 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 86 dream team points Corey Ellison 1 goals 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 6 marks 4 tackles 2 hit outs 61 dream team points Zac Foot 1 behind 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 38 dream team points Tom Freeman 8 kicks 8 disposals 3 marks 33 dream team points George Grey 3 goals 4 kicks 1 handballs 5 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 62 dream team points Jack Hutchins 4 kicks 4 disposals 4 marks 18 dream team points Neville Jetta 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 58 dream team points Nathan Jones 1 goals 3 behinds 20 kicks 9 handballs 29 disposals 4 marks 3 ttackles 105 dream team points Bayley Laurie 5 kicks 2 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 41 dream team points Jay Lockhart 11 kicks 5 handballs 16 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 66 dream team points James Munro kicks handballs disposals marks tackles dream team points Fraser Rosman 1 behind 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 42 dream team points Deakyn Smith 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 1 tackles 36 dream team points Ryan Sparkes 5 kicks 1 handballs 6 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 44 dream team points Cory Stockdale 1 behind 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 42 dream team points Daniel Turner 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 4 marks 1 tackles 51 dream team points Mitch White 2 goals 1 behinds 11 kicks 2 handballs 13 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 81 dream team points

In another big win for the Demons, the club has secured State Government funding which should help kickstart the development of a new home in the city. Melbourne has secured State Government funding to upsize its training oval at Gosch’s Paddock as part of plans to develop a new home base in the city. The Demons have been hampered in recent years by the small size of their oval, which chief executive Gary Pert recently dubbed a “junior-size football oval”. But in a win for the club, talks with Government this year have helped secure the funds to increase the width and length to AFL-standard size.

DELTA DEMONS by KC from Casey There was an ill wind blowing for the home side at Casey Fields on Saturday but you wouldn’t have noticed if you turned up seven or eight minutes into the second quarter with the scoreboard showing the Casey Demons holding a lead of 7.5.47 to Footscray’s solitary point. Up to that stage, the depleted Dees combination had taken full advantage of the windy conditions and headed by veterans Nathan Jones, Jimmy Munro and Mitch White had came out of the blocks and plundered the Bulldogs’ defence. The game took a dramatic turn after that. The Bulldogs scored their first major at the 9 minute mark of the second quarter and went on to add five more unanswered goals to be within reach of the rapidly tiring Demons by half time. The slaughter continued unabated and, apart from a single third quarter goal in the middle of the third term, the Demons were able to add a couple of late game junk time goals to George Grey to fall by an inglorious 37 points. This was only Casey’s second loss for the season, the first was by just a point, but it plunged the Demons down the ladder into fifth place. No excuses are acceptable but it should be said that the Delta strain of the Covid19 panic played a crucial role in the outcome. While the Bulldogs AFL side was playing locally on Saturday, the Melbourne Demons were flying around the country with a large contingent of players who would otherwise have been playing for Casey. Players such Chandler, Daw, Melksham, Joel Smith, Weideman and vandenBerg should have formed the backbone of the team but instead, were flying backward and forward between Melbourne and Brisbane. The total number of changes was seven - all of them AFL listed Demons! It was left to the very few older hands such as Jones, Nev Jetta and Jay Lockhart and the Casey older guard to lead a very green group of younger players from suburban and country competitions into the fray. Many had been playing very little football of any sort in recent weeks due to the lockdowns and it showed after the frenetic pace of the opening. In the ensuing gloom of the day, the Demons’ mid season rookie Kye Declase once again stood out. He amassed 27 disposals and kicked a goal in a promising display. Oskar Baker also had his moments With Melbourne and its extended squad up in the air again this week, little respite can be expected for the Delta Demons next week. 2021 VFL Mens Casey Demons 6.4.40 7.5.47 8.9.57 10.9.69 Footscray Bulldogs 0.1.1 6.3.39 11.5.71 16.10.106 Goals Casey Demons Grey 3 White 2 Baker Bedford Declase Ellison Jones Footscray Bulldogs Cavarra McNeil West 3 Bedendo Drummond Craig-Peters Glass-McCasker McComb Vandermeer William Best Casey Demons Jones White Declase Ellison Lockhart Jetta Footscray Bulldogs West McComb Sullivan Bedendo Young Cavarra Statistics Oskar Baker 1 goal 14 kicks 6 handballs 20 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 83 dream team points Toby Bedford 1 goal 7 kicks 7 handballs 14 disposals 3 marks 8 tackles 80 dream team points Jack Bell 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 12 hit outs 49 dream team points Aaron Bradtke 4 kicks 3 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 7 hit outs 22 dream team points Jaxon Briggs 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 5 tackles 52 dream team points Kye Declase 1 goal 16 kicks 11 handballs 27 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 86 dream team points Corey Ellison 1 goals 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 6 marks 4 tackles 2 hit outs 61 dream team points Zac Foot 1 behind 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 38 dream team points Tom Freeman 8 kicks 8 disposals 3 marks 33 dream team points George Grey 3 goals 4 kicks 1 handballs 5 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 62 dream team points Jack Hutchins 4 kicks 4 disposals 4 marks 18 dream team points Neville Jetta 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 58 dream team points Nathan Jones 1 goals 3 behinds 20 kicks 9 handballs 29 disposals 4 marks 3 ttackles 105 dream team points Bayley Laurie 5 kicks 2 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 41 dream team points Jay Lockhart 11 kicks 5 handballs 16 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 66 dream team points James Munro kicks handballs disposals marks tackles dream team points Fraser Rosman 1 behind 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 42 dream team points Deakyn Smith 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 1 tackles 36 dream team points Ryan Sparkes 5 kicks 1 handballs 6 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 44 dream team points Cory Stockdale 1 behind 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 42 dream team points Daniel Turner 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 4 marks 1 tackles 51 dream team points Mitch White 2 goals 1 behinds 11 kicks 2 handballs 13 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 81 dream team points

After spending most of the previous day in the air, flying between Queensland and Victoria, it was hard to imagine the Demons would be at their best. But this team was on the fly on the field as well and produced a clinical display which saw them record a 98 point win to put aside any questions about the side being out of form. Certainly, the Suns who have fallen away badly in the second half of the season were their opponents, but with the Demons looking for a confidence booster, this was the one. Not only was a form reversal essential, but Melbourne and its coaches had to find solutions to their inaccuracy in front of goal and indeed to find better methods when entering the forward 50. More output from the mids was needed in front of goal as well. Those answers were there to be seen before half -time with 80 points on the scoreboard, Ben Brown with four goals for the game, the same as Luke Jackson. Christian Petracca was involved with scoring 15 times, and an inside 50 count differential which exceeded the league record. Other mids in Clayton Oliver, Max Gawn and Jackson simply put the icing on the cake, and exactly what the coaches would have wanted to see. At ¾ time the scoreline had blown out to 95 points, the 4th largest ¾ time score the club had recorded in its history. The final quarter saw the pace drop away, not unexpectedly as the Demons started putting the cue in the rack. Still they had multiple opportunities but could only manage 1.6, but the inaccuracy wasn’t from the same players who had put the side so far in front in the first half of the game. In the final quarter, Petracca was rested up forward, Oliver spent a good amount of time on the bench, Tom McDonald was subbed out with a back complaint and given he had spent 7 hours in an aeroplane the previous day that was not surprising. What would have particularly pleased the coaches was the change in the pressure that was being brought to bear. Inside 50 tackles was “off the charts”, at 29 to 6. A bit needs to be explained by the fact the ball was rarely in the Suns 50m arc, but the 29 total was first class, and what the players need to do coming into the pressure cooker of finals. The backs, once again, were simply a wall led by May and Lever with 7 and 8 intercepts respectively. They have found another brick in that wall in Jake Bowey in his first game with four of his own, while naturally Christian Salem, Jayden Hunt and Trent Rivers rounded out the cement job with 2 and a pair of 5’s. Importantly, Bowey had 93% disposal efficiency, so with a half back line of Rivers, Salem and now Bowey we now have the skill set and kicking abilities which we have so long sought. The mids had a party day, with Oliver again leading the charge with 35 touches, to partner Petracca’s 32. Max and Luke had an equal day out in the ruck, but that was not surprising with the Suns only able to bring in Zac Clarke since they could not field anyone else. Around the stoppages, this engine room simply bullied the Suns with a one sided count of 30 to 17. It wasn’t surprising that the forwards were licking their lips with the delivery coming from upfield. We now have the answer in front of goal, and the results from the main players in that area would have given them plenty of confidence. Ben Brown was back to his straight as a die best, the same for Bayley Fritsch. In fact the first 6 shots at goal from set shots yielded 6 majors. There is still room for improvement with some selfish Hollywood style play happening when simple team orientated play was required. Jack Viney needs to re-assess his style and just get the ball on the boot as first option. He was caught holding the ball 3 times in the first half alone. He probably received a coaching message at half-time to stop it, and he did. James Harmes playing in a side which won by 98 points was as ordinary as could be possible. Six critical errors in the 2nd quarter alone resulted in turnovers, combined with multiple brain fades throughout the game, same as last week. Was he tagging anyone? Hopefully not Touk Miller who had 34 touches. Nathan Jones will surely provide more to the side after a high possession game for the Casey Demons on Saturday. After this flying both on and off the field this week, the Demons now face the prospect of more time in the air flying to Perth and back this coming weekend. Let’s hope they don’t get there only to find the W.A. government calls a snap lockdown as its Queensland counterpart did on Saturday. The game is a vital one for Melbourne so they must keep flying on the field. MELBOURNE 6.4.40 12.8.80 17.14.116 18.20.128 GOLD COAST 3.2.20 3.3.21 3.3.21 4.6.30 GOALS Melbourne Brown Jackson 4 Fritsch Gawn Pickett 2 McDonald Oliver Petracca Spargo Gold Coast Suns Burgess Corbett Flanders Sexton BEST Melbourne Oliver Petracca Harmes May Jackson Brown Viney Gold Coast Miller Ballard Rowell Swallow INJURIES Melbourne T. McDonald (sore back) Gold Coast Suns Nil REPORTS Melbourne Nil Gold Coast Suns Nil SUBSTITUTES Melbourne J. Jordon (replaced T. McDonald) Gold Coast Suns Will Brodie (unused) UMPIRES Mathew Nicholl John Howorth Cameron Dore Official Crowd 0 at Marvel Stadium