Demonland

The media has performed a complete reversal in its coverage of the Melbourne Football Club over the past month and a half. Having endured intense criticism from all quarters in the press, which continually identified new avenues for scrutiny of every aspect, both on and off the field, and prematurely speculated about the departures of coaches, players, officials, and various employees from a club that lost its first five matches and appeared out of finals contention, the narrative has suddenly shifted to one of unbridled optimism. The Demons have won five of their last six matches, positioning themselves just one game (and a considerable amount of percentage) outside the top eight at the halfway mark of the season. They still trail the primary contenders and remain far from assured of a finals berth. Their current ladder position (11th, 5-6) does, however, place them on equal footing with the Western Bulldogs of last season and ahead of the eventual premiers, the Brisbane Lions (13th, 4-1-6), and Hawthorn (14th, 4-7), all of whom surged from the lower half of the ladder into finals action in September. With Melbourne experiencing its resurgence and displaying an attractive, attacking brand of football, the entire organization has become the darling of a media that is eager to lavish praise upon the club. One example of the media turnaround is this piece from the Herald Sun: "Nathan Buckley was full of praise for Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin's ‘change of tact’ in recent weeks, particularly in the way the Dees had found a more efficient method in the forward half of the ground." By defeating last year’s grand finalists with thanks to this ‘change of tact,’ the Demons find themselves back in town (or at least closer to the CBD than a month or so ago) but their next up challenge takes them way out of town to Alice Springs. There, Ross Lyon, awaits. He’s a cunning opponent known more for his lack of tact than anything else and with his team languishing, Lyon has been deflecting attention from their poor performances by making provocative comments like the pre-game "nepo baby" attack on the Suns that had people scrambling to google its meaning. The concern for the Demons is that Lyon’s mind games, his uber negative approach and the unconventional location of this match in the country’s Red Centre all could potentially disrupt their momentum in a match that remains imperative to win. Melbourne’s financially lucrative sale of its home game to play at TIO Traeger Park might be culturally significant but from a performance perspective it’s been a wipeout in the past two seasons. In 2023, it rained uncharacteristically for the region over several days and nights before the game against the Giants and the Demons kicked themselves out of contention with 5.15.45 to 7.5.47, a last minute 60 metre plus goal from Josh Kelly that rolled and rolled into an unprotected goal area sealing their fate. Last year, they were insipid as the Fremantle Dockers brushed them aside by 92 points to send their confidence plummeting. It took them a long time to hit the floor after that! Melbourne won its only previous encounter against the Saints in Alice Springs — in Covid ravaged season 2000 when it fell in by two points inspired by Christian Petracca’s four goals, the dominance of Steven May at full back and the ruckwork of Max Gawn. They didn’t play in Alice Springs in the premiership year (still the pandemic) but Kysaiah Pickett put on a one man show in front of his adoring fans in 2022 when he racked up six majors to give the Demons the edge in the game and to finally run out winners by 14 points. As it happens, the players just mentioned are all at the top of their game at the moment along with Clayton Oliver who is slowly getting back to his premiership best. I can’t see a negative Nellie like Ross the Nepo Man making enough changes of tact or doing enough to stop them in front of their adoring community of fans in the heart of the country. Melbourne by 25 points. THE GAME Melbourne v St Kilda at TIO Traeger Park, Alice Springs on Sunday 1 June 2025 at 3.20pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 126 wins St Kilda 94 wins 1 drawn At TIO Traeger Park Melbourne 1 win St Kilda 0 wins Past five meetings Melbourne 5 wins St Kilda 0 wins The Coaches Goodwin 2 wins Lyon 0 wins THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 14.16.100 defeated St Kilda 8.10.58 at The MCG, Round 12 2024 The Demons applied the pressure from the very start and led all day to win in a canter. It was probably the last time for the year that the club could truly claim to be a contender. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B J. Bowey, S. May, C. Salem HB C. Windsor, J. Lever, X. Lindsay C K. Chandler, C. Petracca, E. Langdon HF H. Langford, B. Fritsch, H. Petty F J. Melksham, H. Petty, K. Pickett FOLL M. Gawn, C. Oliver, T. Sparrow I/C A. Johnson, B. Laurie, J. McVee, D. Turner, T. Rivers EMG J. Adams, J. Henderson, J. van Rooyen IN B. Laurie OUT C. Spargo (scapula) ST KILDA B I. Keeler, C. Wilkie, J. Webster HB M. Windhager, N. Wanganeen-Milera, T. Travaglia C M. Wood, J. Sinclair, B. Hill HF J. Higgins, M. Phillipou, D. Butler F C. Sharman, A. Caminiti, M. Owens FOLLR. Marshall, Z. Jones, J. Steele I/C H. Boxshall, R. Byrnes, J. Carroll, H. Clark, M. Hall EMG A. Hastie, M. Heath, L. O Connell IN D. Butler, J. Carroll, A. Hastie OUT L. O’Connell (omitted), D. Wilson (omitted) Injury List: Round 12 Jack Viney — concussion / Test Marty Hore — calf / 1 - 2 weeks Charlie Spargo — scapula/ 4 - 6 weeks Shane McAdam — Achilles / next season Andy Moniz-Wakefield — knee / next season

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They used to always be recalled.

So Cox doesn't want to admit that Gawn is better than him.

Working on it but I have been so busy it has been put on the back burner.

Going to cut off the questions here. See you at 8:00pm

A few weeks ago, I visited a fellow Melbourne Football Club supporter in hospital, and our conversation inevitably shifted from his health diagnosis to the well-being of our football team. Like him, Melbourne had faced challenges in recent months, but an intervention - in his case, surgery, and in the team's case, a change in game style - had brought about much improvement. The team's professionals had altered its game style from a pedestrian and slow-moving approach, which yielded an average of merely 60 points for five winless games, to a faster and more direct style. This shift led to three consecutive wins and a strong competitive effort in the fourth game, albeit with a tired finish against Hawthorn, a strong premiership contender. As we discussed our team's recent health improvement, I shared my observations on the changes within the team, including the refreshed style, the introduction of new young talent, such as rising stars Caleb Windsor, Harvey Langford, and Xavier Lindsay, and the rebranding of Kozzy Pickett from a small forward to a midfield machine who can still get among the goals. I also highlighted the dominance of captain Max Gawn in the ruck and the resurgence in form in a big way of midfield superstars Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver. I attributed a significant amount of the credit to the professionalism and creative thinking of coach Simon Goodwin, who was transforming the team from a state of ill health to a thriving unit. I even ventured to suggest that Melbourne might exceed expectations and secure victories in the coming weeks against the reigning premiers and the team they beat in the grand final. To my chagrin, my friend met my optimism with hostility, disbelief and a dismissive wave, labelling my prediction as 'rubbish' and launching into a heated tirade against Goodwin. He argued it was time for the coach to depart, citing over a dozen reasons to support the claim. As the conversation became increasingly heated from the patient’s side, the numbers on the screen of the machine by his bed rose accordingly and a nurse intervened. Like Goody, it was time for me to go and I took my leave as he muttered something about writing another letter demanding action to the club’s president Brad Green. In the two weeks since my visit, the Melbourne Football Club's health has continued to improve, and my predictions have proven accurate. The team secured victories against both 2024 grand finalists (the first Narrm clean sweep in the history of the AFL’s Indigenous Round), making it five wins out of six matches since Goodwin's intervention early in the season. My friend is also due to be discharged from rehabilitation today. Currently, the focus is on Kozzy Pickett, who delivered a match-winning performance with 24 possessions, five goals, and six clearances. His speed and ability to attack and hit centre stoppages caused havoc in the middle, while the damage he caused up forward was equally impressive. All done while he wore the Indigenous guernsey designed by his father for Sir Doug Nicholls Round. Another subject for discussion this week is the team's almost complete all-round game, marred only by kicking errors in the second and third quarters. It was a testament to its defensive prowess and ability to force errors. Also in the news is the continued resurgence of the premiership combination of Oliver and Petracca, under the masterful ruckmanship of Max Gawn, a key factor in the team's success. I could go on and mention the renewed combination of May and Lever in defence along with a most impressive and improved Daniel Turner, the young guns, Trent Rivers and Tom Sparrow’s growth and development, Ed Langdon’s gut busting running and the attacking combination of Melksham, Fritsch and Chandler. All talking points of worthy of note but none that could have occurred but for the man who directed proceedings when the club was in crisis mode languishing on the AFL operating table at zip and five after Gather Round. There’s still a way to go but it’s time for chief surgeon, Professor Goodwin to take a bow. NARRM 3.3.21 6.11.47 11.15.81 19.17.131 SYDNEY SWANS 2.1.12 4.1.25 7.3.45 12.6.78 GOALS NARRM Pickett 5 Melksham 3 Fritsch Sharp Sparrow 2 Gawn Oliver Petracca Petty Salem SYDNEY SWANS Heeney 3 Ladhams 2 Blakey Campbell Hamling Hayward McLean Mills Warner BEST NARRM Pickett Oliver Petracca Salem Gawn Rivers SYDNEY SWANS Heeney Warner Rowbottom Roberts Grundy Sheldrick INJURIES NARRM Nil SYDNEY SWANS Sam Wicks (hamstring) REPORTS NARRM Nil SYDNEY SWANS Nil SUBSTITUTIONS NARRM Harry Sharp (replaced Charlie Spargo in the third quarter) SYDNEY SWANS Taylor Adams (replaced Sam Wicks in the third quarter) UMPIRES Jeff Dalgleish Craig Fleer Paul Rebeschini Cameron Jones CROWD 38,520 at The MCG

The Demons and the Saints last faced off against each other as part of the 2024 Sir Doug Nicholls Round in a game dominated by Max Gawn’s 34 hit out and 27 disposal performance in the ruck and the two Christian’s, Perracca and Salem, on the ball.and around the ground. They were far too good for Euro-Yroke. Despite their total dominance, there were heavy clouds on the horizon as the team was about to spiral down the ladder in the months ahead. As it turned out, they failed to make an impact on the finals race in the second half of the season after looking so good in the first eight rounds. NARRM 4.7.31 5.9.39 11.10.76 14.16.100 EURO-YROKE 1.0.6 4.3.27 5.5.35 9.8.62 GOALS NARRM van Rooyen 3 Fritsch Petracca Viney 2 Chandler Gawn Hunter May Pickett EURO-YROKE M King 3 Higgins 2 Owens Steele Sinclair Wilson BEST NARRM Gawn Petracca Salem Viney Tomlinson May EURO-YROKE Steele Wanganeen-Milera Sinclair Wood Dow Higgins THE TEAMS NARRM B J. Bowey, S. May, T. Rivers HB J. McVee, T. McDonald, C. Salem C E. Langdon, C. Oliver, C. Windsor HF A. Neal-Bullen, H. Petty, K. Pickett F K. Chandler, B. Fritsch, S. McAdam FOLL M. Gawn, J. Viney, C. Petracca I/C L. Hunter, T. Sparrow, A. Tomlinson, J. Van Rooyen SUB T. Woewodin EMG J. Billings, T. Fullarton, B. Howes IN L. Hunter, E. Langdon, A. Tomlinson, J. van Rooyen OUT J. Billings (omitted), B. Brown (omitted), B. Howes (omitted), J. Lever ((knee) EURO-YROKE B J. Battle, D. Howard, C. Wilkie HB J. Webster, L. Stocker, N. Wanganeen-Milera C S. Ross, J. Sinclair, M. Wood HF D. Wilson, B. Hill, L. Henry F J. Higgins, M. King, A. Caminiti FOLL R. Marshall, J. Steele, M. Windhager I/C R. Bonner, L. Collard, P. Dow, M. Owens SUB: C. Sharman EMG R. Byrnes, Z. Jones, B. Paton IN J. Higgins, S. Ross, L. Stocker OUT Z. Jones (omitted), B. Paton (omitted), M. Phillipou (omitted)

The Demons head to the Red Centre to face St Kilda in Alice Springs, aiming for a third straight win to keep their push for a Top 8 spot alive. Who comes in and who goes out?

The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 26th May @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we analyse a crushing victory by the Demons over the Swans at the G. Your 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. Listen LIVE: https://demonland.com/

Max Gawn still has an almost unassailable lead in the Demonland Player of the Year award. Jake Bowey, Christian Petracca, Harvey Langford, Kade Chandler & Ed Langdon round out the Top 5. Your votes please. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

The Demons controlled the contest from the outset, though inaccurate kicking kept the Swans in the game until half time. But after the break, Melbourne put on the jets and blew Sydney away and the demolition job was complete.

Noticed this a lot myself not just this year.

The Casey Demons travelled to a windy Cramer Street, Preston yesterday and blew the Northern Bullants off the ground for three quarters before shutting up shop in the final term, coasting to a much-needed 71-point victory after leading by almost 15 goals at one stage. It was a pleasing performance that revived the Demons’ prospects for the 2025 season but, at the same time, very little can be taken from the game because of the weak opposition. These days, the Bullants are little more than road kill. The once proud club, situated behind the Preston Market in a now culturally diverse area, is currently facing significant financial and on-field challenges, having failed to secure a win to date in 2025. This particular match drew a modest crowd, and the atmosphere was markedly different from the club's heyday in the 1960s to 1980s, when the ground was consistently filled to capacity with enthusiastic local supporters. Recent affiliations with the Northern Knights and Carlton AFL have been met with discomfort, resulting in a substantial decline in the club's fortunes. Furthermore, a recent board upheaval led to the appointment of a new club president, who has pledged to implement changes, including a rebranding initiative that will see the club revert to its original name, the Preston Football Club, in 2026. Against this backdrop, the Casey Demons arrived with a team of 16 AFL affiliated players and the remaining handful of VFL-listers in good form. They smelt blood and smashed the home side mercilessly starting in the ruck where Tom Campbell amassed 30 hitouts to go with his 23 disposals, nine clearances and a goal. He combined with rising understudy Will Verrall who managed 28 hitouts, 17 touches and nine clearances. With that level of might in the boiler room, the on ball division couldn’t help but to fire up in a big way. For the Demons, Jack Billings led the way with 31 disposals, eight marks and a goal and Bailey Laurie managed 26 possessions and two goals. Taj Woewodin was also busy with 21 possessions and a goal while Kynan Brownpicked up 19 disposals and 4 tackles while Jack Henderson laid a game-high 10 tackles to go with his 15 touches of the football. Jai Culley was used sparingly as he was on standby as an emergency for the AFL team and only saw one half of the action, still getting his hands on the football ten times. A trio of VFL listed players who have lifted the club all season in Riley Bonner, Mitch Hardie and Riley Baldi all stood out in Casey’s impressive victory with 34, 31 and 24 disposals respectively and they were joined by 19 year old Tyson Sruk from the Eastern Ranges Coates Talent League who impressed with 21 touches and a goal on debut. But the big story of the day was the key forwards with Matt Jefferson starring with five goals on the strength of a much improved performance in the air and on the ground, capably assisted by Tom Fullarton with three goals and Jacob van Rooyen who booted two but impressed with his efforts around the forward line amassing 13 marks Blake Howes and Oliver Sestan were also prominent and continued their impressive form of recent weeks as they wait on a call into AFL ranks. Jed Adams did some nice work in defence while Koltyn Tholstrup, Luker Kentfield and Ricky Mentha all contributed. CASEY DEMONS 5.8.38 8.11.59 13.17.85 17.19.121 NORTHERN BULLANTS 0.2.2 1.4.10 1.5.11 7.8.50 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Jefferson 5 Fullarton 3 Laurie van Rooyen 2 Billings Campbell Henderson Sruk Woewodin NORTHERN BULLANTS Andrew Jorgensen 2 Mackie Schreiber Vellisaris BEST CASEY DEMONS Bonner Billings Campbell Hardie Jefferson van Rooyen NORTHERN BULLANTS Hamilton Velissaris Andrew Mackie Coghlan Schreiber Statistics

ROAD KILL by KC from Casey The Casey Demons travelled to a windy Cramer Street, Preston yesterday and blew the Northern Bullants off the ground for three quarters before shutting up shop in the final term, coasting to a much-needed 71-point victory after leading by almost 15 goals at one stage. It was a pleasing performance that revived the Demons’ prospects for the 2025 season but, at the same time, very little can be taken from the game because of the weak opposition. These days, the Bullants are little more than road kill. The once proud club, situated behind the Preston Market in a now culturally diverse area, is currently facing significant financial and on-field challenges, having failed to secure a win to date in 2025. This particular match drew a modest crowd, and the atmosphere was markedly different from the club's heyday in the 1960s to 1980s, when the ground was consistently filled to capacity with enthusiastic local supporters. Recent affiliations with the Northern Knights and Carlton AFL have been met with discomfort, resulting in a substantial decline in the club's fortunes. Furthermore, a recent board upheaval led to the appointment of a new club president, who has pledged to implement changes, including a rebranding initiative that will see the club revert to its original name, the Preston Football Club, in 2026. Against this backdrop, the Casey Demons arrived with a team of 16 AFL affiliated players and the remaining handful of VFL-listers in good form. They smelt blood and smashed the home side mercilessly starting in the ruck where Tom Campbell amassed 30 hitouts to go with his 23 disposals, nine clearances and a goal. He combined with rising understudy Will Verrall who managed 28 hitouts, 17 touches and nine clearances. With that level of might in the boiler room, the on ball division couldn’t help but to fire up in a big way. For the Demons, Jack Billings led the way with 31 disposals, eight marks and a goal and Bailey Laurie managed 26 possessions and two goals. Taj Woewodin was also busy with 21 possessions and a goal while Kynan Brownpicked up 19 disposals and 4 tackles while Jack Henderson laid a game-high 10 tackles to go with his 15 touches of the football. Jai Culley was used sparingly as he was on standby as an emergency for the AFL team and only saw one half of the action, still getting his hands on the football ten times. A trio of VFL listed players who have lifted the club all season in Riley Bonner, Mitch Hardie and Riley Baldi all stood out in Casey’s impressive victory with 34, 31 and 24 disposals respectively and they were joined by 19 year old Tyson Sruk from the Eastern Ranges Coates Talent League who impressed with 21 touches and a goal on debut. But the big story of the day was the key forwards with Matt Jefferson starring with five goals on the strength of a much improved performance in the air and on the ground, capably assisted by Tom Fullarton with three goals and Jacob van Rooyen who booted two but impressed with his efforts around the forward line amassing 13 marks Blake Howes and Oliver Sestan were also prominent and continued their impressive form of recent weeks as they wait on a call into AFL ranks. Jed Adams did some nice work in defence while Koltyn Tholstrup, Luker Kentfield and Ricky Mentha all contributed. CASEY DEMONS 5.8.38 8.11.59 13.17.85 17.19.121 NORTHERN BULLANTS 0.2.2 1.4.10 1.5.11 7.8.50 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Jefferson 5 Fullarton 3 Laurie van Rooyen 2 Billings Campbell Henderson Sruk Woewodin NORTHERN BULLANTS Andrew Jorgensen 2 Mackie Schreiber Vellisaris BEST CASEY DEMONS Bonner Billings Campbell Hardie Jefferson van Rooyen NORTHERN BULLANTS Hamilton Velissaris Andrew Mackie Coghlan Schreiber Statistics

It’s Game Day, and the Demons have a golden opportunity to build on last week’s stirring win by toppling Sydney at the MCG. A victory today would keep them firmly in the hunt for a finals spot and help them stay in touch with the pack chasing a place in the Top 8. Can the Dees make it two in a row and bring down the Swans?

Wait until he finds out about Gather Round

Round 11, the second week of The Sir Doug Nicholls Round, kicks off on Thursday night with the Cats hosting the Bulldogs at Kardinia Park. Geelong will be looking to to continue their decade long dominance over the Bulldogs, while the Dogs aim to take another big scalp as they surge up the ladder. On Friday night it's he Dreamtime at the 'G clash between Essendon and Richmond. The Bombers will want to avoid another embarrassing performance against a lowly side whilst the Tigers will be keen to avenge a disappointing loss to the Kangaroos. Saturday footy kicks off as the Blues face the Giants in a pivotal clash for both clubs. Carlton need to turn around their up and down season while GWS will be eager to bounce back and reassert themselves as a September threat. At twilight sees the Hawks taking on the Lions at the G. Hawthorn need to cement themselves in the Top 4 but they’ll need to be at their best to challenge a Brisbane side eager to respond after last week’s crushing loss to the Dees on their home turf. The first of the Saturday night double headers opens with North Melbourne up against the high-flying Magpies. The Roos will need a near-perfect performance to trouble a Collingwood side sitting atop the ladder. Over in Perth, Fremantle hosts Port Adelaide in what looms as a fierce contest. Needing a win to crack into the 8 the Dockers but will be tested by a Power outfit desperate to prove they're not a bottom 4 side. Sunday kicks off in Adelaide as the Crows welcome the Eagles in a game the Crows should easily win despite West Coast breaking their 2025 duck last week. The round concludes with St Kilda facing the Suns under the roof at Marvel. The Saints need to make a move now if they're serious about finals, while Gold Coast are aiming to prove they can win away from their Northern fortresses. Who are you tipping and what are the best results for the Demons?

With some help from Chat GPT. 🎙️ 1. “Pickett Fences”Hosted by: Kysaiah Pickett A tongue-in-cheek name that plays on the iconic TV show Picket Fences. Kozzie talks footy, life, and knocking down defensive walls. 🎙️ 2. “The Gawn Age”Hosted by: Max Gawn A regal, end-of-times vibe – Gawn delivers judgment on the footy week that was. Bonus: works for a leadership-themed podcast. 🎙️ 3. “Oliver Twist(ed)”Hosted by: Clayton Oliver Clayton serves up twisted takes and unexpected spins on footy news and life in the AFL. “Please sir, I want some more... footy talk!” 🎙️ 4. “Petty Grievances”Hosted by: Harrison Petty A weekly vent session where Petty (ironically not petty at all) unpacks AFL drama, opposition whingers, and social media nonsense. 🎙️ 5. “Petracattacks”Hosted by: Christian Petracca Fast-paced, explosive, and aggressive like his game. Trac goes hard on hot topics, interviews, and challenges his guests. 🎙️ 6. “Langdon’t Hold Back”Hosted by: Ed Langdon Known for his run, now known for his run-of-the-mouth. Ed gets candid and uncensored. 🎙️ 7. “Howes That?”Hosted by: Blake Howes Cricket pun meets AFL. A Q&A-driven podcast where Blake asks the big questions — and fields them too. 🎙️ 8. “The Vine Yard”Hosted by: Jack Viney Deep dives, thoughtful analysis, and a touch of vintage grit. Where footy chat matures well. 🎙️ 9. “Marty Party”Hosted by: Marty Hore Laid-back, left-field stories from the locker room and beyond. 🎙️ 10. “Fritsch & Chips”Hosted by: Bayley Fritsch and a rotating guest A casual, banter-heavy show about footy, food, and post-game feeds. 🎙️ 11. “Salem’s Lot”Hosted by: Christian Salem Mysterious, intelligent, and insightful — footy talk with a dark, brooding twist. 🎙️ 12. “Tholstruck”Hosted by: Koltyn Tholstrup A high-octane, youth-focused podcast — “You’ve been Tholstruck!” Think energy, chaos, and punchy footy banter. 🎙️ 13. “Leveraging the Game”Hosted by: Jake Lever A strategic, defensive masterclass where Lever breaks down how to out-think and out-manoeuvre the opposition. Smart and sharp. 🎙️ 14. “Roo Who?”Hosted by: Jacob van Rooyen & rotating guests Forward-line antics and surprise guest appearances each week. Casual and unpredictable. 🎙️ 15. “Chandler’s List”Hosted by: Kade Chandler Weekly list-based podcast — Top 5 moments, goals, sledge fests, or teammate pranks. 🎙️ 16. “Woewodin It Be Nice”Hosted by: Taj Woewodin Uplifting stories, hard work, and a touch of nostalgia — named in tribute to his dad and the Dees’ glory days. 🎙️ 17. “The Fullarton Frontal”Hosted by: Tom Fullarton Unfiltered and unexpected. A wildcard podcast that covers more than just footy — music, media, mayhem. 🎙️ 18. “Jack of All Trades”Hosted by: Jack Viney & Jack Billings Two Jacks, different footy journeys — one pod.

The two teams competing at the MCG on Sunday afternoon have each traversed a long and arduous path since their previous encounter on a sweltering March evening in Sydney a season and a half ago. Both experienced periods of success at various times last year. The Demons ran out of steam in midseason while the Swans went on to narrowly miss the ultimate prize in the sport. Now, they find themselves outside of finals contention as the season approaches the halfway mark. The winner this week will remain in contact with the leading pack, while the loser may well find itself on a precipice, staring into the abyss. The current season has presented numerous challenges for most clubs, particularly those positioned in the middle tier. The Essendon experience in suffering a significant 91-point loss to the Bulldogs, just one week after defeating the Swans, may not be typical, but it illustrates the unpredictability of outcomes under the league’s present set up. Narrm travelled into hostile territory in Brisbane last week and demonstrated that, following a period of struggle under coach Simon Goodwin's revised game plan, the team has finally adapted, embracing the changes with renewed energy and enthusiasm, as evidenced by their accelerated ball movement and enhanced overall gameplay. All I can say is, “Vive la différence!” That difference is between a style of play that had them among the bottom three or four clubs in the competition in the following statistical categories from Rounds 0 to 5 through an unbelievable transformation from Rounds 6 to 10 — • Fifth in points for. • First in contested possession differential. • Second in inside 50 differential. • First in tackling differential and • Second in clearances differential. These statistics provide a clear indication of the differences between the current combination and the one observed earlier in the season. Our visual assessment and intuition are confirmed by the data, highlighting the distinct characteristics of this team. Nevertheless, securing a victory over Sydney will be a formidable challenge, given their exceptional midfield including that mercurial duo of Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner, who are both performing at an elite level. The Swans also possess ample pace around the wings and flanks, which has historically caused difficulties for the Demons. One of Narrm’s greats in Christian Petracca is likely to be matched up against one of the Swans’ gun midfielders in his 200th game for the club. Not only will he be pumped up for action against the likes of Heeney because of his fantastic milestone, but to turn the tables on him for the ridiculously staged specky that Heeney took over him in that insufferable Colgate Ad! The ruck division is also expected to be a fiercely contested area, with former teammates Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy facing off for the first time since last year's Round Zero clash, in which Grundy emerged victorious. Max Gawn, being a proud individual, will be determined to prevent a repeat of this outcome. With the anticipated return of Jake Lever and Jack Viney, the former of whom will be renewing his defensive partnership with Steven May for the first time since late last year, I believe that Narrm possess a new-found stability that the Sydneysiders will struggle to counter. I am therefore placing my confidence in the resurgent Narrm Demons, anticipating their continued success and a victory over one of last year's grand finalists for the second consecutive week. If the Dees can capitalize on their scoring opportunities, which they have been unable to do at all this year, let alone consistently, it could even result in a significant victory for them. Narrm by 37 points. THE GAME Narrm vs Sydney Swans at the MCG on Sunday 25 May 2025 at 3.20pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Narrm 96 wins Sydney Swans 118 wins 2 drawn At The MCG Narrm 51 wins Sydney Swans 47 wins 2 drawn Last 5 meetings Narrm 2 wins Sydney Swans 3 wins The Coaches Goodwin 0 wins Cox 0 wins THE LAST TIME THEY MET Sydney Swans 12.14.86 defeated Melbourne 9.10.64 in Round 0 2024 at the SCG The weather was hot and humid, the ground squelched under the players’ feet and the Demons had difficulty getting the ball through the big sticks against an improved Sydney unit. THE TEAMS NARRM B J. Bowey S. May C. Salem HB J. McVee J. Lever C. Windsor C X. Lindsay C. Petracca E. Langdon HF K. Chandler H. Petty T. Sparrow F C. Spargo J. Melksham K. Pickett FOLL M. Gawn C. Oliver H. Langford I/C B. Fritsch A. Johnson T. Rivers D. Turner SUB H. Sharp EMG J. Culley B. Laurie T. McDonald IN J. Lever OUT T. McDonald (omitted) SYDNEY SWANS B S. Wicks T. McCartin D. Rampe HB M. Roberts N. Blakey R. Bice C C. Mills I. Heeney J. Lloyd HF Corey Warner J. Hamling B. Campbell F W. Hayward P. Ladhams C. Cleary FOLL B. Grundy Chad Warner J. Rowbottom I/C O. Florent J. Jordon H. McLean A. Sheldrick SUB T. Adams EMG N. Bowman C. Mitchell B. Paton IN T. Adams H. McLean C. Mills OUT J. Amartey (suspension) A. Francis (concussion) J. Mclnerney (suspension) Injury List: Round 11 Jack Viney — concussion / Test Marty Hore — calf / 3 - 4 weeks Shane McAdam — Achilles / next season Andy Moniz-Wakefield — knee / next season