Demonland

I'm N49. The Best seats in the house in my humble opinion.

Managed to get Prime Position seating for the game. Much better than my regular seats. Perhaps these covid restrictions aren't so bad after all. Feels like a final. Bring on Saturday Night.

Of the Top 20 players the Dees have 4 players. Melbourne 4 Bulldogs 3 Adelaide 2 GWS 2 Port Adelaide 2 Carlton 1 Collingwood 1 Essedon 1 Fremantle 1 Hawthorn 1 Richmond 1 West Coast 1 Brisbane 0 Geelong 0 Gold Coast 0 North 0 St. Kilda 0 Sydney 0

The Casey Demons made a successful return to the playing field with a 51 point away from home victory over the Box Hill Hawks. The visitors were starting over after a hiatus of almost 20 months and fielded a strong team of 14 AFL listed players against an undermanned opponent. And they showed from the first bounce that they were out to make up for lost time with an aggressive opening that saw them off to 21 point lead at the first break with thanks to a dominant midfield and two key forwards in Ben Brown and Sam Weideman with livewire small forward Toby Bedford abuzz at their feet. The Demons continued at this elevated level through the second term piling on another five goals with Aaron vandenBerg and Joel Smith standing out and Weideman putting on a clinic in front of goal. The half time lead of 33 points was doubled to 66 by the final break with Weideman’s goal tally going to five on the way to seven. They eased off in the last and conceded five goals to the Hawks (to three of their own) but it was pretty much a day of total dominance by the Demons. Bedford was quieter after half time but Kade Chandler took over the role of the team’s brilliant small man and finished with 24 touches. Neville Jetta showed that he is by no means cooked collecting 25 possessions. Defender Jay Lockhart was also busy and workmanlike underlining the club’s depth in a variety of positions. Young supplemental lister Deakyn Smith also showed promise in his first game after being recruited just over a month ago. Jake Bowey and Fraser Rosman are young draftees who also look to be future prospects. Big men Majak Daw and Aaron Bradtke were overshadowed in the ruck. The main dampener for Casey was that Joel Smith who was coming off some long stints on the sidelines and was playing strongly, appeared to have suffered a nasty knee injury in the latter part of the game. Casey’s old stagers Jimmy Munro, Mitch White and Jack Hutchins all worked hard for the victory while young players in Luca Goonan, George Grey and last minute replacement Ryan Sparkes who slotted through a nice goal and looks a likely prospect at this level. The Demons have a tough challenge for their second match of the season with an encounter against Richmond at the Swinburne Centre in Punt Road as a virtual curtain raiser to the Anzac Eve blockbuster later in the evening. With a 16 game roster and 22 teams, every post has to be a winner. 2021 VFL Mens Casey Demons 5.3.33 10.10.70 14.15.99 17.16 118 Box Hill Hawks 2.0.12 4.3.27 5.3.33 10.7.67 Goals Casey Demons Weideman 7 Brown 3 Bedford Rosman 2 Chandler Sparkes vandenBerg Box Hill Hawks Jeka Greene Mascitti 3 Brooksby Best Casey Demons Weideman Chandler Lockhart Bedford vandenBerg D Smith Box Hill Hawks Newcombe Hartley Mascitti Maginness Porter Statistics Oskar Baker 5 kicks 2 handballs 7 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 32 dream team points Toby Bedford 2 goals 10 kicks 5 handballs 15 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 79 dream team points Jake Bowey 16 kicks 6 handballs 22 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 76 dream team points Aaron Bradtke 2 behinds 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 8 hit outs 36 dream team points Ben Brown 3 goals 1 behind 14 kicks 4 handballs 18 disposals 6 marks 1 hit out 90 dream team points Kade Chandler 1 goal 2 behinds 14 kicks 10 handballs 24 disposals 10 marks 3 tackles 112 dream team points Majak Daw 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 23 hit outs 62 dream team points Zac Foot 8 kicks 5 handballs13 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 48 dream team points Tom Freeman 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 6 marks 54 dream team points Luca Goonan 1 behind 10 kicks 7 handballs 17 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 72 dream team points George Grey 1 behind 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 53 dream team points Jack Hutchins 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 35 dream team points Neville Jetta 1 behind 19 kicks 6 handballs 25 disposals 7 marks 5 tackles 113 dream team points Jay Lockhart 20 kicks 3 handballs 23 disposals 9 marks 2 tackles 99 dream team points James Munro 6 kicks 8 handballs 14 disposals 3 marks 8 tackles 74 dream team points Fraser Rosman 2 goals 8 kicks 8 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 49 dream team points Deakyn Smith 14 kicks 5 handballs 19 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 78 dream team points Joel Smith 11 kicks 7 handballs 18 disposals 5 marks 62 dream team points Ryan Sparkes 1 goal 1 behind 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 69 dream team points Aaron vandenBerg 1 goal 16 kicks 9 handballs 25 disposals 7 marks 5 tackles 113 dream team points Sam Weideman 7 goals 2 behinds 12 kicks 4 handballs 16 disposals 7 marks 2 hit outs 110 dream team points Mitch White 2 behinds 12 kicks 4 handballs 16 disposals 8 marks 5 tackles 91 dream team points

STARTING OVER by KC from Casey The Casey Demons made a successful return to the playing field with a 51 point away from home victory over the Box Hill Hawks. The visitors were starting over after a hiatus of almost 20 months and fielded a strong team of 14 AFL listed players against an undermanned opponent. And they showed from the first bounce that they were out to make up for lost time with an aggressive opening that saw them off to 21 point lead at the first break with thanks to a dominant midfield and two key forwards in Ben Brown and Sam Weideman with livewire small forward Toby Bedford abuzz at their feet. The Demons continued at this elevated level through the second term piling on another five goals with Aaron vandenBerg and Joel Smith standing out and Weideman putting on a clinic in front of goal. The half time lead of 33 points was doubled to 66 by the final break with Weideman’s goal tally going to five on the way to seven. They eased off in the last and conceded five goals to the Hawks (to three of their own) but it was pretty much a day of total dominance by the Demons. Bedford was quieter after half time but Kade Chandler took over the role of the team’s brilliant small man and finished with 24 touches. Neville Jetta showed that he is by no means cooked collecting 25 possessions. Defender Jay Lockhart was also busy and workmanlike underlining the club’s depth in a variety of positions. Young supplemental lister Deakyn Smith also showed promise in his first game after being recruited just over a month ago. Jake Bowey and Fraser Rosman are young draftees who also look to be future prospects. Big men Majak Daw and Aaron Bradtke were overshadowed in the ruck. The main dampener for Casey was that Joel Smith who was coming off some long stints on the sidelines and was playing strongly, appeared to have suffered a nasty knee injury in the latter part of the game. Casey’s old stagers Jimmy Munro, Mitch White and Jack Hutchins all worked hard for the victory while young players in Luca Goonan, George Grey and last minute replacement Ryan Sparkes who slotted through a nice goal and looks a likely prospect at this level. The Demons have a tough challenge for their second match of the season with an encounter against Richmond at the Swinburne Centre in Punt Road as a virtual curtain raiser to the Anzac Eve blockbuster later in the evening. With a 16 game roster and 22 teams, every post has to be a winner. 2021 VFL Mens Casey Demons 5.3.33 10.10.70 14.15.99 17.16 118 Box Hill Hawks 2.0.12 4.3.27 5.3.33 10.7.67 Goals Casey Demons Weideman 7 Brown 3 Bedford Rosman 2 Chandler Sparkes vandenBerg Box Hill Hawks Jeka Greene Mascitti 3 Brooksby Best Casey Demons Weideman Chandler Lockhart Bedford vandenBerg D Smith Box Hill Hawks Newcombe Hartley Mascitti Maginness Porter Statistics Oskar Baker 5 kicks 2 handballs 7 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 32 dream team points Toby Bedford 2 goals 10 kicks 5 handballs 15 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 79 dream team points Jake Bowey 16 kicks 6 handballs 22 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 76 dream team points Aaron Bradtke 2 behinds 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 8 hit outs 36 dream team points Ben Brown 3 goals 1 behind 14 kicks 4 handballs 18 disposals 6 marks 1 hit out 90 dream team points Kade Chandler 1 goal 2 behinds 14 kicks 10 handballs 24 disposals 10 marks 3 tackles 112 dream team points Majak Daw 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 23 hit outs 62 dream team points Zac Foot 8 kicks 5 handballs13 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 48 dream team points Tom Freeman 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 6 marks 54 dream team points Luca Goonan 1 behind 10 kicks 7 handballs 17 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 72 dream team points George Grey 1 behind 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 53 dream team points Jack Hutchins 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 35 dream team points Neville Jetta 1 behind 19 kicks 6 handballs 25 disposals 7 marks 5 tackles 113 dream team points Jay Lockhart 20 kicks 3 handballs 23 disposals 9 marks 2 tackles 99 dream team points James Munro 6 kicks 8 handballs 14 disposals 3 marks 8 tackles 74 dream team points Fraser Rosman 2 goals 8 kicks 8 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 49 dream team points Deakyn Smith 14 kicks 5 handballs 19 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 78 dream team points Joel Smith 11 kicks 7 handballs 18 disposals 5 marks 62 dream team points Ryan Sparkes 1 goal 1 behind 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 69 dream team points Aaron vandenBerg 1 goal 16 kicks 9 handballs 25 disposals 7 marks 5 tackles 113 dream team points Sam Weideman 7 goals 2 behinds 12 kicks 4 handballs 16 disposals 7 marks 2 hit outs 110 dream team points Mitch White 2 behinds 12 kicks 4 handballs 16 disposals 8 marks 5 tackles 91 dream team points

After yesterday’s superb performance, Max edges to the front. 52. Max Gawn 45. Clayton Oliver 42. Jake Lever 38. Christian Petracca 31. Ed Langdon 21. Christian Salem 18. Steven May 12. Jayden Hunt Kysiah Pickett 11. Tom McDonald 10. Jack Viney 7. Michael Hibberd 3. Angus Brayshaw 2. Charlie Spargo 1. Bayley Fritsch James Jordon Alex Neal-Bullen Adam Tomlinson

Blow the siren ...

What an amazing effort from an an amazing servant of the club. This guy bleeds red and blue. He carried the team on his shoulders for so many years during some dark times. As loyal as the come. Congratulations Nathan Jones. ❤️??

They had us covered for most of the day but our performance wasn’t too shabby. It was the weekend before we went into complete lockdown. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: Joel Smith Steven May Michael Hibberd HB: James Harmes Jake Lever Christian Salem C: Ed Langdon Clayton Oliver Adam Tomlinson HF: Mitch Hannan Tom McDonald Angus Brayshaw F: Kysaiah Pickett Christian Petracca Bayley Fritsch Foll: Max Gawn Jake Melksham Jack Viney I/C: Jayden Hunt Jay Lockhart Trent Rivers Aaron vandenBerg Emerg: Mitch Brown Luke Jackson Oscar McDonald Charlie Spargo No change RICHMOND B: Nick Vlastuin Dylan Grimes Noah Balta HB: Bachar Houli Nathan Broad Jayden Short C: Kamdyn McIntosh Dion Prestia Josh Caddy HF: Jack Higgins Shane Edwards Jason Castagna F: Dustin Martin Tom J Lynch Jack Riewoldt Foll: Toby Nankervis Trent Cotchin Kane Lambert I/C: (from) Jake Aarts Liam Baker Mabior Chol Ryan Garthwaite Jack Graham Marlion Pickett Daniel Rioli In: Jake Aarts Noah Balta Mabior Chol Daniel Rioli Out: David Astbury (injured) Shai Bolton (omitted) Jack Ross (omitted) Sydney Stack (omitted)

Q: How to crack a tough nut? A: Use a bigger hammer! It took Melbourne until the last quarter to crack the Hawthorn nut. These days, the Hawks under Alastair Clarkson simply don’t have the talent that served them so well in years gone, and they have to rely on not losing rather than trying to win. The result is that the match became a slog for three quarters, as Hawthorn clogged the game, flooded heavily and simply stopped the Melbourne run. Even in the first quarter the signs were already there, as they managed four goals, but three of those came from the Demons’ mistakes. It wasn’t helped with Melbourne continuing to mis-fire in front of goal, although constantly forcing the ball into the 50m arc again and again. As in previous weeks, the set-shot kicking wasn’t up to standard and this kept Hawthorn within striking range. The reality was that the Hawks lack any reputable forward line, and with Jake Lever having another day out marshalling the troops in defence, they were denied any avenues to goal. The first quarter saw a masterclass in ruckwork from Max Gawn with nine hitouts and nine disposals to put McEvoy in his place. But the Demons could not capitalise, and despite the same number of shots at goal, they trailed by ten points at the first break. The second quarter was much the same, with Melbourne slowly pegging back the lead to be down by just 2 points at the main break. It was not great football to watch, and Clarkson’s tactics of denying Ed Langdon the ball, by playing away from his wing, resulted in fewer possessions to him, but he managed to hit the scoreboard a couple of times instead. More was to come. But he was doing it on his own as at least three other easy set shots were squandered. The third quarter was a repeat of the first two but this time the Demons pegged the lead back and by the end of the term they held a ten point lead. A miraculous save on the goal line by Hibberd, stopped a certain goal to the opposition, and this seemed to lift the side from their stupor. Cue the final stanza, and the paranoia of the doubters among the supporter group must have risen to high levels, as the Hawks jagged a goal within 30 seconds. The lead was only four points ... And at this point in time, out came the large sledgehammer for use on the Hawthorn nut! And what a sledgehammer! Max led the way by slotting a magnificent goal from outside 50m. And Jack Viney decided he had had enough and simply threw himself at everything and everyone. Tom McDonald was marking everything coming his way finishing with ten for the game, and Mitch Brown also found himself on the end of a couple of clean entries, and kicked truly. Even Jake Melksham was gifted a couple of majors, as the Hawks struggled to clear the Melbourne 50m zone, while former Demon Sam Frost managed one of his “Frost balls” following a run out of defence and duly depositing the ball onto Trent Rivers’ chest. Let’s not forget the mids with Clarry Oliver leading the way with 30 disposals. Unlike Mitchell and O’Meara, his touches are effective and paired with Christian Petracca they eventually wore down the Hawthorn midfield. Mitchell had a single clearance for the game, showing how statistics for possessions mean nothing if they are dinky handballs and kicks to no-one in particular. After being only four points in front just seconds into the final term, it became all one-way traffic for the Demons. Eight goals and four behinds, essentially all in succession just blew the opposition away. Make no mistake, the Demons were still going strong and we are now seeing the results of our superior fitness levels. We are also seeing the outcomes of our recruiting and development strategies from previous years, as the coach now has the enviable task, after five successive wins, of deciding who gets to play next week. The Casey side demolished the Box Hill Hawks as well, with Sam Weideman scoring seven majors and Ben Brown three. The Melbourne side against the Hawks were missing their full-back and full-forward, yet still pulled off a 50 point win. Yes, we can all say we were playing a team barely off the bottom rung of the ladder, but you can only beat what is given to you as opposition. Importantly although challenged, yet again, Melbourne decisively put the challenger to the sword. So next week, we have a bigger nut to crack in Richmond. Will Nathan Jones play his well-deserved 300th game in front of the home crowd? We couldn’t wish for a more suitable hard-nut as our own to run onto the field. And we still have some even bigger sledge-hammers to bring to the contest as well. MELBOURNE 2.5.17 4.7.31 7.10.52 15.14 104 HAWTHORN 4.3.27 5.3.33 6.6.42 8.6.54 GOALS Melbourne Langdon Melksham 3 Brown T McDonald Petracca Pickett 2 Gawn Hawthorn Breust Hanrahan O'Brien 2 McEvoy, Moore BEST Melbourne Gawn Langdon Salem Oliver Hibberd McDonald Petracca Hawthorn O'Meara, Mitchell, Impey, Wingard Scrimshaw INJURIES Melbourne Nil Hawthorn Nil REPORTS Melbourne Nil Hawthorn Nil SUBSTITUTES Melbourne T. Sparrow (unused) Hawthorn J. Cousins (unused) Umpires Dean Margetts Brendan Hosking Cameron Dore CROWD 36,337 at the MCG

Took 10 marks today and kicked 2 goals. Can't really drop him. A good dilemma to have but a dilemma nonetheless.

In Tassie? For his 300th?

No way Jones is getting dropped for next week. After that ...

Jordon had a great game. Would be very stiff.

Looked healthy to me.

Who comes in and who goes out for the three ANZAC Eve match against the Tigers?

5-0

Frostball

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

#freekickmelbourne 14-6

A couple late ones from Carlton dropped some of Ports % gain.