Demonland

So much for 2-3 weeks. Having let the bone heal and gradually increased his loading, Viney said he plans to resume running on Tuesday and is confident he will be back to face the Magpies in five weeks’ time in round 13, in what has become the annual FightMND Big Freeze fundraiser led by inspirational former Demons coach Neale Daniher.

Steven May, Melbourne, has been charged with Striking Lance Franklin, Sydney Swans, during the first quarter of the Round Eight match between Melbourne and the Sydney Swans, played at the MCG on Saturday May 8, 2021. In summary, he can accept a $2000 sanction with an early plea. Based on the available evidence, the incident was assessed as Careless Conduct, Low Impact, High Contact. The incident was classified as a $3000 sanction as a first offence. The player can accept a $2000 sanction with an early plea.

We’re the home team. They should have been the ones to change their socks. They should have been wearing fluro yellow for all I care.

Noticed these at the game. Is this the first time we’ve worn these this year?

He's been carrying an injury all year. I would exploit whatever it is if I was the Dees.

With seven consecutive wins for 2021 behind it, and not having played well in its previous game, Melbourne was ripe for the picking (or plucking) by the Sydney Swans. However, in the end, it was the Ducks who found themselves plucked by a Demons side that continues its relentless successful roll for the Season. Or did the Demons narrowly duck a plucking themselves? Sydney brought its usual game style to the M.C.G. Get in front and then shut down the game, scrap and refuse to move the ball forward, just to deny the opposition possession. It worked so well for the Swans is against Richmond earlier this year so why not try again? Two early goals saw them institute their typical scenario, but it doesn’t make for enjoyable football from the spectators perspective. But Melbourne is not Richmond and it pulled back the lead to only two points come the bell to end the first term. In the drizzling rain, that blighted the match Melbourne then pressed hard in the second quarter, but one farcical error after another saw it fail to capitalize on the scoreboard. A certain goal to Bayley Fritsch was already marked down, all he had to do was get his foot to the ball in the empty goal-square, but he couldn’t pick up the footy and fumbled it through for a minor score. Fritsch wasn’t alone, and the normally efficient Demons squandered numerous chances and managed only 2.5 for the quarter. Still they had opened the margin to nearly two goals, and again unfortunately for the spectators the score was to revolve around this mark for the rest of the game. Sydney would close the gap, only for Melbourne to widen it again. In the final quarter, a Sydney goal brought the margin back to merely four points and the ever present MFCSS was starting to boil, if not already overflowing ... A sharp snap from Charlie Spargo gave the fans some breathing space, but again the Swans replied. Then Tom McDonald took a spectacular pack mark on the edge of the goal square to open the game to a ten point margin with about seven minutes on the clock. Further scraps took place with Sydney threatening to score again, but two game saving tackles from Spargo and then Jordon, ensured the Demons had plucked the Ducks before the final siren sounded. Make no mistake, this was a game in which Melbourne did not play well. Around the ground players were well below their best, and the Swans, despite their abysmal playing method were sitting fourth on the ladder prior to the game. This game style also denied Melbourne their modus operandi that comes from an intercepting back-line. When they refuse to enter the 50m zone and chip it around until a shorter target is reached, it means Lever, May and the other defenders cannot zone and intercept. But the defence still held strong, and May in particular put Franklin to the sword with his strength. Franklin is a shadow of his best, and cannot run or kick as once before, now depending on out muscling his opponent. Not against Steven. Franklin often found himself on the ground instead having been beaten in the strength contest, and could only finish the game with six touches and no score! The mids were beaten comprehensively. The addition of James Harmes was questionable, for although he finished with plenty of touches, he failed to shut down the Sydney mids, and it resulted in clearance differential of 17 to 4. We really could have used the second and third efforts that Viney would have provided in the engine room. This was further compounded by Max Gawn’s drop off in output, as Tom Hickey had six clearances despite losing the tapouts. We have become accustomed to Max’s marking around the ground, but he managed only three of those for the game. Without Clayton Oliver’s 35 touches in the middle and around the ground, the Demons would have been in real trouble. James Jordan is proving his worth in this season, and had 11 touches in the 1st quarter, 17 to half time, but dropped off in the second half. As mentioned his game saving tackle in the final minutes denied Sydney that last roll of the dice, emphasizing the importance of never giving up. The forwards provided a mixed bag. Brown and McDonald were fantastic and provided the targets we needed, especially and critical times in the game. Between them they put seven goals of the team’s total of ten on the board. Charlie Spargo was the spark and threat around the packs, but Pickett went missing this week. Melksham was horrible, and once again his commitment has to be questioned as he allows his opponents to influence the game. He failed to follow Lloyd into the 50m arc in the third quarter, that ensured an easy goal instead of a kick from outside. In a game where they only managed eight goals this becomes critical. Fritsch had a “mare” of a game and couldn’t get into the action, even when presented with gimme opportunities. Fortunately, the slack was taken up by TMac and BBB. That also put paid to any suggestions of a role for Sam Weidemann next week, especially since the Casey game was postponed due to Covid restrictions. Another win puts the Demons in top spot with eight wins in 2021. With the two wins to close off the 2020 season, this means the club has won ten in succession! However, unless a good number of players can lift their output in the next game against Carlton, (which will turn out to be a goal-scoring fest), then it will be the Demons who might find themselves ripe for the plucking ... MELBOURNE 3.1.19 5.6.36 8.6.54 10.7.67 SYDNEY SWANS 3.3.21 3.7.25 6.8.44 8.10.58 GOALS Melbourne T McDonald 4 Brown 3 Melksham Petracca Spargo Sydney Swans Hayward 2 Hickey Lloyd McInerney Mills Papley Sinclair BEST Melbourne Oliver McDonald Petracca Harmes Salem Jordon Sydney Swans Parker Rampe Mills Lloyd Rowbottom Hickey INJURIES Melbourne Nil Sydney Swans Nil REPORTS Melbourne Nil Sydney Swans Nil SUBSTITUTES Melbourne Kade Chandler (unused) Sydney Swans Nick Blakey (unused) Umpires Jeff Dalgleish Curtis Deboy Brendan Hosking Crowd 35,567 at the MCG

He most definitely did. Although in his defence it did used to be called ProVision (I think). It is now called AFL Stats Pro. https://www.afl.com.au/stats/stats-pro I will make a mental note to mention this on the next podcast to clear it up as another person emailed me to ask the same thing.

Just glad we didn't have to play in that graveyard fixture.

After a brilliant start the Demons slowed to a walk and almost threw the game away. CARLTON FB Lachie Plowman, Liam Jones, Nic Newman HB Sam Docherty, Jacob Weitering, Sam Petrevski-Seton C Sam Walsh, Patrick Cripps, Will Setterfield HF Mitch McGovern, Levi Casboult, Jack Martin FF Eddie Betts, Harry McKay, Michael Gibbons FOL Marc Pittonet, Ed Curnow, Marc Murphy IC Kade Simpson, Jack Newnes, Jack Silvagni, David Cuningham IN Eddie Betts Harry McKay Marc Pittonet OUT Paddy Dow (omitted) Zac Fisher (injured) Matthew Kreuzer (injured) NEW Marc Pittonet (Hawthorn) MELBOURNE FB Neville Jetta, Steven May, Christian Salem HB Nathan Jones, Jake Lever, James Harmes C Ed Langdon, Clayton Oliver, Adam Tomlinson HF Bayley Fritsch, Tom McDonald, Angus Brayshaw FF Alex Neal-Bullen, Luke Jackson, Christian Petracca FOL Max Gawn, Jake Melksham, Jack Viney IC Harley Bennell, Trent Rivers, Jayden Hunt, Joel Smith IN Harley Bennell Jayden Hunt Luke Jackson Nathan Jones Trent Rivers OUT Toby Bedford (omitted) Mitch Brown (omitted) Michael Hibberd (omitted) Jay Lockhart (omitted) Oscar McDonald (omitted) Kysaiah Pickett (suspended) Charlie Spargo (omitted) NEW Harley Bennell (Fremantle) Luke Jackson (East Fremantle) Trent Rivers (East Fremantle)

We have a new leader ... 73. Clayton Oliver 60. Max Gawn Christian Petracca 51. Christian Salem 46. Jake Lever 37. Ed Langdon 31. Tom McDonald 30. Steven May 26. Kysiah Pickett 17. Bayley Fritsch Luke Jackson 12. Jayden Hunt 10. Jack Viney 9. James Harmes 7. Michael Hibberd 4. James Jordon 3. Angus Brayshaw 2. Charlie Spargo 1. Alex Neal-Bullen Adam Tomlinson

They kick big scores but conversely give up big scores. Lot of the matches they win are shootouts. If we’re strong in defence we should outscore them. Having said that I’m still worried they’ll beat us.

Got to be a couple of different factors at play. COVID concerns for older patrons, ticketing issues for some, no/less walk up general admin, less neutral supporters going & perhaps people now prefer to watch on TV.

Unbelievable. They've done it again. Why are the umps wearing light blue when the Eagles are playing in predominately blue. FMD.

Good Question. Also how did they work out who you played twice in that time period. I doubt they did it the way we do now.

paging Dr @binman

Who comes in and who goes out for our clash against the Blues?

Tracc limping. Doesn't look great.

Your votes please 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Never in doubt - 8-0