Demonland

I can barely contain my schadenfreude.

So when do Hawthorn get relegated? * story from June

The late Norm Smith, who played in four Melbourne premierships and coached another six, was a strong disciplinarian. Known as the Red Fox for his auburn hair and his cunning, Smith was a man of a different age to the here and now. Born during the Great War, he survived the Spanish Flu Pandemic, grew up in depression times, played mostly through the Second World War and its aftermath and coached in a period of rebuilding and recovery to a time of prosperity. Smith’s success was built on team discipline from which he developed closely knit teams that cut no corners to be the fastest, fittest and most confident side on the park. He would make debutants sit out their entire first game on the bench and once ordered a player who turned up to training with a mustache to shave it off. The days of the hard nosed disciplinarian football coaches are long gone but this does not mean that discipline is unimportant in developing a team ethic. We saw this at the weekend when Demons’ coach Simon Goodwin bit the bullet and omitted then leading goal kicker Bayley Fritsch for turning up late to the team’s final training session at its Sunshine Coast hub. Tom McDonald and James Harmes also sat the game out against the Saints after a series of below par games. It was a strong statement from the coach. Few Demon fans would have imagined earlier in the year that McDonald, Harmes and Fritsch would all be dropped on the eve of an all important season defining match but this was a logical consequence of having so many players turning up late after the main break in their game against the Bulldogs. Against the Saints who dominated statistically in most key performance indicators bar accuracy in front of goal, they willed themselves over the line to pull off an unexpected but gritty victory that lifted them into the top eight. We are about to discover in the coming weeks whether it was luck or something deeper and more significant. On the face of it, the immediate road ahead against two lowly sides in Sydney and Fremantle in short sequence in Far North Queensland appears straightforward. But not so fast. The game against the Swans at Cazaly’s Stadium is scheduled to start at 4.40pm in steamy conditions with temperatures in their high 20s and with the next game taking place four days later. The challenge for the coaching panel is to add resilience to the hard effort that saw them make the most of their chances in Alice Springs. The Demons can’t rest on their laurels against the flakey Swans who only recently put on a blinder to beat their more talented crosstown rivals. Melbourne must take care therefore, to work hard at improving on takeaways from stoppages. Despite the presence of an All Australian ruckman and a much vaunted contested ball winning midfield, they were well beaten in the clearances last week. And as much as improvement is needed in getting more of the ball into attack, the forwards have to lift their game when it gets there. Last week’s tally of twelve scores for the game is hardly enough to win most games — it’s up to the small and medium forwards to apply more pressure on the opposition defence and to set up scoring more opportunities. Melbourne’s strength last week was in its defence which, apart from a couple of lapses late in the second term, strangled the opposition of scoreboard oxygen. For most of this season, Sydney has struggled to hit the scoreboard particularly when the dynamic Tom Papley has been kept quiet. If the Demon defenders stick to their game, they will go a long way to helping their side to the four points against the injury depleted Swans. A good win could see them overtake St Kilda on the ladder and put even greater pressure on the teams below that are lining up for a place in the finals. For the Melbourne Football Club which languished in so much disappointment in 2019, it could mean that Goodwin’s strong statement at the selection table last week is about to bring about lasting consequences that would have made the Red Fox proud. Melbourne by 37 points. THE GAME Sydney Swans v Melbourne at Cazaly’s Stadium Thursday 3 September 2020 at 4.40pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Sydney Swans 114 wins Melbourne 93 wins 2 drawn At Cazaly’s Stadium Sydney Swans 0 wins Melbourne 0 wins Last 5 meetings Sydney Swans 4 wins Melbourne 1 win The Coaches Longmire 3 wins Goodwin 1 win MEDIA TV - Footy Channel Live at 4.30pm RADIO - TBA THE LAST TIME THEY MET Sydney Swans 15.5.95 defeated Melbourne 5.12.42 in Round 22 2019 at the MCG The injury hit Demons were competitive in the opening term but were outclassed by the Swans for the remainder of a very dull late season game that was fairly meaningless for both sides in the general scheme of things. THE TEAMS SYDNEY SWANS FB Aliir Aliir Lewis Melican Robbie Fox HB Jake Lloyd Callum Mills Ryan Clarke C Jackson Thurlow Luke Parker Nick Blakey HF Will Hayward Sam Reid Lewis Taylor FF Tom Papley Tom McCartin Jordan Dawson FOL Callum Sinclair Josh P. Kennedy Oliver Florent I/C Harry Cunningham Justin McInerney James Rowbottom Sam Wicks EMG James Bell Will Gould Hayden McLean Dylan Stephens IN Lewis Taylor OUT James Bell (omitted) MELBOURNE FB Jake Lever Steven May Adam Tomlinson HB Christian Salem Oscar McDonald Trent Rivers C Ed Langdon Jack Viney Nathan Jones HF James Harmes Sam Weideman Christian Petracca FF Bayley Fritsch Mitch Brown Jake Melksham FOL Max Gawn Angus Brayshaw Clayton Oliver IC Alex Neal-Bullen Joel Smith Charlie Spargo Josh Wagner EMG Neville Jetta Braydon Preuss Aaron vandenBerg Corey Wagner IN Bayley Fritsch James Harmes Alex Neal-Bullen Joel Smith OUT Mitch Hannan (omitted) Michael Hibberd (ankle) Kysaiah Pickett (managed) Aaron vandenBerg (omitted) Injury List: Round 15 Michael Hibberd (ankle) – 1 week Luke Jackson (hamstring) – 3 weeks Tom Sparrow (collarbone) – 3 weeks James Jordon (finger) – 3 - 5 weeks Marty Hore (quad) – indefinite Harry Petty (groin) – indefinite Kade Kolodjashnij (head) – indefinite Aaron Nietschke (knee) – season

Thank you.

Nominated for goal of the year. let’s get him over the line.

Just a bit of fun. Hopefully it annoys some Saints fans who might have it sent to them.

Join @george_on_the_outer, @binman & I as we discuss our win over the Saints @ 8:30pm Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

Order to end of Round 14 — Adelaide 1 10 20 28 42 50 61 Brisbane Lions 17 19 40 65 Carlton 7 26 44 Collingwood 14 34 39 67 Essendon 8 43 63 69 72 Fremantle 5 30 Geelong 11 15 18 36 Gold Coast Suns 6 25 35 71 GWS Giants 29 47 68 Hawthorn 4 21 41 45 59 64 Melbourne 23 48 60 62 North Melbourne 2 12 27 57 66 Port Adelaide 24 32 37 49 55 Richmond 16 31 52 70 St Kilda 13 58 73 Sydney 3 22 53 56 West Coast Eagles 33 51 54 Western Bulldogs 9 38 46

Some footage from Collingwood.

One St. Kilda nuffy on social media was claiming that they should take the points away from Melbourne and award the match to St. Kilda. Another suggested that they should replay the game mid-week. Not sure when mid-week is considering we play again on Thursday.

Christian Petracca has increased his lead but Steven May is moving up the leader board. 135. Christian Petracca 105. Steven May 103. Clayton Oliver 93. Jack Viney 88. Max Gawn 52. Jake Lever 49. Ed Langdon 36. Michael Hibberd 29. Angus Brayshaw 23. Christian Salem 15. Jay Lockhart 13. Oscar McDonald 12. Trent Rivers 10. Jake Melksham Sam Weideman 8. Kysaiah Pickett 7. James Harmes Luke Jackson 6. Mitch Hannan 5. Adam Tomlinson 4. Tom McDonald Charlie Spargo 3. Jayden Hunt 1. Braydon Preuss

or over the shoulder. or chopping the arm.

The last of this year’s indigenous games was played in the red heart of the country and could well have determined Melbourne’s finals aspirations but it was St Kilda that had its top four hopes dashed after a nail-biting finish in Alice Springs which saw them unceremoniously marched out of the position in football heaven occupied by them for much of this season. It all came down in the end to a goal-line decision as to whether a freakish shot by Christian Petracca was touched and the goal umpire who stood barely a metre away got the decision right. In all probability, the ball had no right to roll through the big sticks but it took a right-angle turn, worth of a Shane Warne leggie, to head across the line for the six point outcome. The Saints should know all about footballs bouncing around in front of goal after their loss in the 2010 Grand Final, and this time it was the Demons who were the beneficiaries. That score put Melbourne 10 points up with six minutes to play. The Saints still managed to score another major to whittle the lead down to less than a goal and the last two minutes just became a battle of the wills. WATCH THE LAST 2 MINUTES OF MELBOURNE VS ST. KILDA It is worth looking at the number of telling individual efforts in those two minutes to save the game for the Demons. Jake Lever, Charlie Spargo, Michael Hibberd, Jack Viney, Clayton Oliver, Ed Langdon, Adam Tomlinson, Max Gawn, Christian Salem and Oscar McDonald all threw themselves at the ball and contest to deny the opposition. For most of the match, it was much the same, as apart from the first quarter, the scores at each change were separated by barely a goal. The Demons came out of the blocks early and with straight kicking opened up a 15 point break courtesy of Petracca and Weideman. It was much the same for most of the second term but in the final minutes before the main break three successive fails on behalf of Tomlinson, Nathan Jones and Christian Petracca gifted the Saints goals and the difference was back to two points. The Melbourne supporters went to half- time to top up their Valium supplies, as all too often they had seen the same before. Easily accounting for the opposition, only to let them back into the game, eventually to be over-run. Fortunately, the backline held together despite an inside 50m deficit of 30 to 46! Steven May, on his own, made sure that Max King, St.Kilda’s great hope for the future, was given the customary bath that May reserves for opposing full-forwards, conceding only three disposals for the match. He amassed 22 touches of his own including nine marks, six of which were intercepts and held the defence together. Combined with Lever, Salem and Hibberd the ball was forced back again and again, while up the ground Tomlinson and Langdon always seemed to be the outlet, Langdon having 22 touches, but his run, spread and carry was telling throughout the match. In the middle it was Max against the rest. He held up, but one does question how he did as team selections meant he had to do it all on his own against Ryder and Marshall. They won the hitouts and clearances which has been a failing for the side who prides themselves on contested ball. Tellingly their ruckmen each scored majors while resting in the forward line, because they can do that when there are two of them. Poor Max had to spend his time taking on both in succession. The forwards, particularly the smalls left a lot to be desired. Certainly their forward pressure was much improved from last week, to deny St.Kilda’s run and carry from the back half, but there was simply not enough output from any of them. Tackles from the forwards were up from a low base, but most were further down the ground. It is well below standards required inside 50m, at least for a side that has finals aspirations. Three goals alone came from the big forwards, and they need more support around the fall of the ball to be able to win matches consistently. Having gotten over this hurdle, and with the Bulldogs dropping a game, the chances for a finals berth have opened up again. The winning of this match now must be followed by emphatic performances in the coming week or so against Sydney and Fremantle in the heat of Cazaly’s Stadium because only in that way, will we see Demons marching into Finals Heaven! MELBOURNE 4.0.24 5.1.31 7.3.45 8.4.52 ST KILDA 1.3.9 4.5.29 6.6.42 7.7.49 GOALS Melbourne Petracca 4 Weideman 2 Brown Gawn St Kilda Battle King Marshall Membrey Phillips Ryder Steele BEST Melbourne May Petracca Gawn Oliver Langdon Rivers St Kilda Steele Hill Jones Coffield Wilkie INJURED Melbourne Hibberd (right ankle) St Kilda Nil REPORTED Melbourne Nil St Kilda Nil UMPIRES Nick Foot, Andrew Stephens, Brendan Hosking VENUE TIO Traeger Park

Oh I’m not finished yet. I have a mental list. This is not over.

The only touched controversy with this goal should be whether it was touched before Trac marked the ball. Clear mark in my book. Goes back and kicks a regular goal. The fact that Saints supporters and others like Cornes are upset only makes me hope it was touched before the line. Pay back for all the other crappy decisions and non decisions that have not gone our way in my Footy lifetime.