Demonland

Who are you tipping this week?

It hasn't been cancelled. The match has been postponed and will take place sometime after Round 12. As a result our bye was considered to be in Round 3.

@Deespicable I merged your thread with this one as they're essentially linked. The Coach doesn't agree with you. I think it makes sense to rest certain players.

There was a tweet from the club that has since been deleted that mentioned a time change for the Round 9 Port Adelaide match. Link is now obviously dead. Anyone know what it said.

"Our plan is not to rest anyone – our plan will be to pick the best team," Goodwin told reporters. "Now, we certainly won't be reckless with that. If players are sore and unavailable, then they won't play. But, our plan is to play the best team available. "We think we've prepared our players to handle the loads that are going to be presented to them and we're certainly not going to be a club that's going to be in the process of resting players." Goodwin said Burgess' program during the COVID-19-enforced season shutdown prepared the Demons' footballers for the potential of four-day breaks, which are now a reality. They have one of the healthiest playing lists in the competition, with Aaron vandenBerg – who underwent surgery on his fractured cheekbone on Tuesday – the only first-choice option unavailable.

The Demons have used 32 players in a search for their best form, which is beginning to emerge. There are still 13 footballers yet to appear at senior level, headlined by Marty Hore, Tom Sparrow, James Jordon, Harry Petty, Braydon Preuss and Kade Kolodjashnij. Only young midfielders Sparrow (two games last year) and Jordon haven't experienced a long-term injury this season out of that group. Melbourne's onball rotation is a tough nut to crack but the pair might get a look during the truncated fixture ahead. Austin Bradtke, son of basketball great Mark, has made strides with his development this year, while the Wagner brothers, Josh and Corey, have shown they can play at AFL level. - Marc McGowan Of those listed I'd love to see Sparrow and Jordon get a game during the compacted rounds. Bedford with 1 game in 2020 might get a call up if they rest Kozzy. They omitted Oskar Baker from the list.' Who would you like to see play in 2020?

I thought it was his kick to handball ratio.

PLAYER INJURY LENGTH Tom McDonald Eye Test Aaron vandenBerg Cheek 2 Weeks Marty Hore Toe/Quad Indefinite Harry Petty Groin Indefinite Kade Kolodjashnij Head Indefinite Aaron Nietschke Knee Season

I'm not positive but it might not just be the slightly longer travel time. Having to fly in, fly out is way different in terms of preparation than coming a day or two before & getting a session in on an unfamiliar ground. The Kangaroos are playing at BA the week before. It will be interesting if they get to stay in Tas or also fly in fly out. In any event they may have a slight advantage by having played there the week before.

It would but North probably have to play a certain amount of games in Tassie. We're likely to get a game in the NT for the same reason. North are playing 2 weeks in a row in Tassie and will likely have to fly back and forward from QLD.

Then roll out the red carpet then.

Current Leaderboard 40 – Lachie Neale (BRIS) 31 – Jack Steele (STK) 30 – Christian Petracca (MELB) 30 – Matthew Rowell (GCS) 29 – Travis Boak (PORT) 27 – Joel Selwood (GEEL) 26 – Scott Pendlebury (COLL) 25 – Max Gawn (MELB)

The travelling COVID circus moves north of the border yet again and, unless at some time in the near future, Papua New Guinea opens its borders, this could be the last time this phenomenon happens. And as fortune would dictate, the resurgent Demons are walking directly into the sights of the locals from the bright lights of Brizvegas to Carrara - the scene of some long-forgotten (and deservedly so) battles with one of the Lions’ former incarnations, namely, the Brisbane Bears. But unlike the old koala clowns, the Lions are a serious football team and one of the flag favourites. Sunday’s game will be no circus. A year ago, when these sides met, the Demons threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Lions in the opening half at the Gabba but they were overrun by a rampant Brisbane in the third quarter and the home side coasted to a comfortable victory. The challenge for Melbourne then is to rise to a level even higher than that which it achieved last week against Hawthorn. In their favour is the fact that they play the Lions on a neutral ground, albeit one close to home. In addition, the Melbourne lineup is far more stable - when they met last year the Demons had an disastrous injury list 14 players deep. But more importantly, the Dees are in form. Melbourne continues to be strong in the middle of the ground where Max Gawn is in dominant form in the ruck and he has a formidable engine room with Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney taking the game on through the stoppages and in general play. The Lions are no slouches in the midfield but they have been unsettled away from their home in Brisbane. I’m expecting the Demons to kick on further and why not? They have a couple of young talls up forward in Weideman and Jackson and a couple of classy movers in Harley Bennell and Kysaiah Pickett who add so much composure with ball in hand. The defence is looking much better with the re-inclusion of Oscar McDonald and Neville Jetta to complement Jake Lever and Steven May. I’m tipping the Demons to upset another Queensland team on their trip onward to the north of yet another border. Melbourne by 22 points. THE GAME Melbourne v Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium Sunday, 26 July, 2020 at 6.10pm HEAD TO HEAD  Overall Melbourne 25 wins Brisbane Lions 21 wins At Metricon Stadium* Melbourne 0 wins Brisbane Lions 0 wins Last Five Meetings Melbourne 4 wins Brisbane Lions 1 win The Coaches Goodwin 2 wins Fagan 1 win * does not include Brisbane Bears games MEDIA TV - Fox Footy Channel Live at 6.00pm Radio - 3AW SEN MMM ABC AFL NATION LAST TIME THEY MET Brisbane 15.17.107 defeated Melbourne 11.8.74 at the Gabba, Round 15, 2019 It was a bruising encounter at the Gabba and the Demons surprised the Lions with a concerted first half effort which saw them in front by a goal at the main break. The home team hit the gas pedal with six goals to three in the third quarter and went on to record a comfortable 33 point victory. Clayton Oliver and Christian Salem both accumulated 30 plus possessions and Jack Viney wasn’t far behind them but the Lions were too strong. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE FB Michael Hibberd Steven May Jay Lockhart HB Christian Salem Jake Lever Oscar McDonald C Ed Langdon Clayton Oliver Bayley Fritsch HF Jake Melksham Sam Weideman James Harmes FF Kysaiah Pickett Mitch Hannan Harley Bennell FOL Max Gawn Christian Petracca Jack Viney I/C Angus Brayshaw Luke Jackson Neville Jetta Nathan Jones EM Tom McDonald Alex Neal-Bullen Joel Smith Adam Tomlinson IN Nathan Jones OUT Aaron vandenBerg (fractured cheek bone) BRISBANE LIONS FB Ryan Lester Harris Andrews Darcy Gardiner HB Daniel Rich Grant Birchall Brandon Starcevich C Mitch Robinson Dayne Zorko Hugh McCluggage HF Jarrod Berry Eric Hipwood Cam Rayner FF Zac Bailey Daniel McStay Charlie Cameron FOL Oscar McInerney Jarryd Lyons Lachie Neale I/C Callum Ah Chee Thomas Berry Lincoln McCarthy Archie Smith EM Connor Ballenden Keidean Coleman Rhys Mathieson Alex Witherden IN Archie Smith OUT Stefan Martin (back) Injury List: Round 8 Aaron vandenBerg (fractured cheekbone) – 2 weeks Marty Hore (toe and quad) – indefinite Harry Petty (groin) – indefinite Kade Kolodjashnij (head) – indefinite Aaron Nietschke (knee) – season

Also of note is the * next to our match against North in Tassie. The Venue is still subject to Tasmanian Government Approval. Could this match potentially not even be played in Tasmania?

Not sure if this has been mentioned already but the times of our games in the Rounds 9 to 12 block are in. Round 9 vs Port @ The Gabba on Thursday 30 July @ 8:10pm Round 10 vs Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval on Wednesday 5 August @ 8:10pm (Melb Time) 7:40pm (Adel Time) Round 11 vs North @ Blunstone Arena on Sunday 9 August @ 6:10pm Round 12 vs Collingwood @ The Gabba on Saturday 15 August @ 5:10pm