Demonland

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

We'll 100% have to travel to NT and you can bet we'll play Sydney in Sydney. Hopefully the rest of our games are in QLD.

The Demonland Podcast will be LIVE tonight 21/7 at 8:30pm. Join @george_on_the_outer, @binman & I to discuss the crushing victory over the Hawks, changes for next week vs the Lions and the implications of our jam packed draw for the next block of 4 matches. Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

We’re going a bit early on this because of the interest surrounding Melbourne’s trade of its 2020 future # 1 draft pick last year. Here’s the table created by bigfooty poster Lore based on the current ladder:- Adelaide 1 6 20 29 41 53 67 Brisbane Lions 18 19 40 61 Carlton 8 27 45 Collingwood 17 34 39 68 Essendon 9 49 64 66 69 Fremantle 4 26 Geelong 11 12 15 33 Gold Coast Suns 13 31 36 72 GWS Giants 25 43 71 Hawthorn 5 21 42 46 60 65 Melbourne 24 44 59 63 North Melbourne 2 7 28 57 62 Port Adelaide 23 35 37 50 55 Richmond 16 32 52 70 St Kilda 14 58 73 Sydney 3 22 54 56 West Coast Eagles 30 48 51 Western Bulldogs 10 38 47

Just making sure North’s Tassie commitments are met. We’ll probably get Freo in the NT in the next batch.

2020 AFL FIXTURE (All times local) ROUND 9 Wednesday July 29 Western Bulldogs vs Richmond (Metricon Stadium), 7:10pm Thursday July 30 Melbourne vs Port Adelaide (Gabba), 7:50pm Friday July 31 Carlton vs Hawthorn (Optus Stadium), 5:40pm Essendon vs Brisbane Lions (Metricon Stadium), 8:10pm Saturday August 1 North Melbourne vs Adelaide Crows (Metricon Stadium), 2:35pm St Kilda vs Sydney Swans (Gabba), 5:10pm West Coast vs Geelong Cats (Optus Stadium), 8:10pm Sunday August 2 Gold Coast vs GWS Giants (Metricon Stadium), 3:35pm Fremantle vs Collingwood (Optus Stadium), 6:10pm ROUND 10 Monday August 3 Port Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs (Adelaide Oval), 6:40pm Tuesday August 4 Richmond vs Brisbane Lions (Metricon Stadium), 7:10pm Wednesday August 5 Geelong Cats vs North Melbourne (Gabba), 5:40pm Adelaide Crows vs Melbourne (Adelaide Oval), 7:40pm Thursday August 6 Collingwood vs Sydney Swans (Gabba), 5:40pm Gold Coast Suns vs St Kilda (Metricon Stadium), 8:10pm Friday August 7 Essendon vs GWS Giants (Metricon Stadium), 7:50pm BYES: Fremantle, West Coast Eagles, Hawthorn, Carlton ROUND 11 Saturday August 8 Port Adelaide vs Richmond (Adelaide Oval), 4:05pm Brisbane Lions vs Western Bulldogs (Gabba), 7:40pm Sunday August 9 West Coast Eagles vs Carlton (Optus Stadium), 1:35pm North Melbourne vs Melbourne (Blundstone Arena), 6:10pm Monday August 10 Geelong Cats vs St Kilda (Gabba), 6:10pm Fremantle vs Hawthorn (Optus Stadium), 6:40pm Tuesday August 11 Adelaide Crows vs Collingwood (Adelaide Oval), 6:40pm Wednesday August 12 Gold Coast Suns vs Essendon (Metricon Stadium), 7:10pm BYES: GWS Giants, Sydney Swans ROUND 12 Thursday August 13 Sydney Swans vs GWS Giants (Optus Stadium), 6:10pm Friday August 14 Geelong vs Port Adelaide (Gabba), 7:50pm Saturday August 15 North Melbourne vs Brisbane Lions (Blundstone Arena), 2:35pm Melbourne vs Collingwood (Gabba), 5:10pm Fremantle vs Carlton (Optus Stadium), 6:10pm Sunday August 16 Western Bulldogs vs Adelaide Crows (Metricon Stadium), 1:05pm St Kilda vs Essendon (Gabba), 3:35pm West Coast Eagles vs Hawthorn (Optus Stadium), 4:10pm Monday August 17 Richmond vs Gold Coast Suns (Gabba), 7:10pm

Agreed. Was spot on with the news we were taking all the remaining fit players to the QLD hub.

Nor here. Injury List Tom McDonald Eye | Test Marty Hore Toe & Quad | Indefinite Harry Petty Groin | Indefinite Kade Kolodjashnij Head | Indefinite Aaron Nietschke Knee | Season

Dees posted this on Twitter 3 minutes ago with no mention of any injury to AVB. Injury List Tom McDonald Eye | Test Marty Hore Toe & Quad | Indefinite Harry Petty Groin | Indefinite Kade Kolodjashnij Head | Indefinite Aaron Nietschke Knee | Season

That doesn't sound great. Does he need surgery? Players usually miss a month with fractured cheekbones. My MFCSS is tingling.

In deference to the new world order and the movement to change place names to something more appropriate to the current time, may I suggest “Wankaratta”?

2020 NAB AFL WOMEN’S DRAFT ORDER FIRST ROUND 1 Richmond 2 West Coast Eagles 3 Western Bulldogs 4 Adelaide Crows 5 Geelong Cats 6 St Kilda 7 Gold Coast SUNS 8 Brisbane Lions 9 GWS GIANTS 10 Collingwood 11 Melbourne 12 Carlton 13 North Melbourne 14 Fremantle 15 Richmond 16 West Coast Eagles SECOND ROUND 17 Richmond 18 West Coast Eagles 19 Western Bulldogs 20 Adelaide Crows 21 Geelong Cats 22 St Kilda 23 Gold Coast SUNS 24 Brisbane Lions 25 GWS GIANTS 26 Collingwood 27 Melbourne 28 Carlton 29 North Melbourne 30 Fremantle THIRD ROUND 31 Richmond 32 West Coast Eagles 33 Western Bulldogs 34 Adelaide Crows 35 Geelong Cats 36 St Kilda 37 Gold Coast SUNS 38 Brisbane Lions 39 GWS GIANTS 40 Collingwood 41 Melbourne 42 Carlton 43 North Melbourne 44 Fremantle

Max and the Truck are the front runners... 77. Max Gawn 66. Christian Petracca 50. Jack Viney 43. Clayton Oliver 24. Steven May 21. Ed Langdon 19. Michael Hibberd 13. Oscar McDonald 12. Angus Brayshaw 7. James Harmes 6. Mitch Hannan Jake Lever Kysaiah Pickett Trent Rivers 5. Adam Tomlinson 4. Tom McDonald Christian Salem 3. Jayden Hunt Sam Weideman 2. Jay Lockhart

One of the Hawthorn Football Club’s valued sponsors is Azep® Nasal Spray and given the thrashing handed out to the Hawks in today’s game, it would appear that they need a huge supply of the sponsor’s product because they are simply on the nose. This condition was caused by the sheer dominance of the Demons, led magnificently by skipper Max Gawn with 27 hitouts and 22 disposals including two clearances. Around him in the middle were Christian Petracca with 29 touches, Clayton Oliver (also on 29), Jack Viney (19 with 6 tackles) and Angus Brayshaw (16) who collectively made the Hawthorn mids look like under-age footballers. The makers of Azep® Nasal Spray claim that their product “works in 15 minutes” which is precisely what happened for Hawthorn in this game. They led Melbourne until just after the 15 minute mark of the first term when Mitch Hannan booted the team’s second goal which levelled the scores. After that nothing worked for Al Clarkson’s men. In the end, the result blew out to a 43 point win, but when the Hawks challenged in the the third quarter, the Demons simply responded with more of the same and blew the half time difference of five goals out to seven. Importantly, the Melbourne set up and defensive structures denied Hawthorn their traditional possession, kick and chip game. Time and time again, they found nowhere to go with no options other than down the line. And there waited the giant figure of Max Gawn who took eight telling marks, nearly all contested. Hawthorn’s other avenue to goal, Isaac Smith was blanketed completely by Brayshaw and Aaron vandenBerg on one wing, which allowed Ed Langdon to run riot on the other. It wasn’t just the touches Ed amassed, but the run and carry which simply upset the opposition’s defences, since they didn’t know whether to stay back or come forward. With all this drive from up the field, the forwards had a party. Firstly, Bayley Fritsch with a couple of majors early on, then Kysiah Pickett, Harley Bennell and Hannan again chimed in with more before half time. However, the big effect was from Sam Weidemann and Luke Jackson who combined for four goals between them by simply taking the tallest and best Hawthorn defenders away, leaving the Melbourne smalls to have their own field day. Best on ground was Christian Petracca, who produced the type of game that the Melbourne faithful have been wanting to see now for a couple of years. Brute strength and a strong vertical leap troubled the opposition all game, and he is now playing with the confidence which will see him become something special in the future. Once again, the backs held together strongly. The addition of Oscar McDonald has been the missing link in the defence, and he just plays that goal-keeper role so well when he doesn’t have to play on the oppositions best and biggest forwards. Steven May and Jake Lever can just go about their business, Oscar becomes the back-stop and Michael Hibberd and Christian Salem run it out to start the attacking moves up the ground. The whole line just worked like clockwork, so barring any injuries this should be the defence to stay in place for the season. Harley Bennell showed his adept skills again with some telling touches early on, and while he faded in the second half, it was to be expected since he has been a long time out of the game. While he remains uninjured, his confidence builds, his fitness will improve and he is becoming the good news story of the season. For the second week in a row, the defensive structures were right. The two tall forwards proved not only right, but a vital component of what became a seven goal win. With Max dropping back into the defence, and Jackson picking up the ruck duties up forward everything went the way the doctor ordered. This brings the side to within a game of the eight with a game in hand. The season is back on track, and the players are playing an exciting brand of football. It wasn’t just a win, it was the sort of football that the fans want to see — even if they can’t be there to see it! While the winds blowing down Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn are smelling decidedly foul, things are different down Melbourne way where we are sensing a very different and more pleasant fragrance that promises something exciting in the breeze. The club still has virtually a full list to choose from, it definitely has a new found belief and is working its way into form. It remains to be seen what this belief can produce from here but it also promising something that smells very, very nice! MELBOURNE 3.2.20 7.3.45 11.6.72 14.7.91 HAWTHORN 1.2.8 2.3.15 4.6.30 7.6.48 GOALS Melbourne Weideman 3 Fritsch Hannan Pickett 2 Bennell Jackson Melksham Petracca Viney Hawthorn Gunston 3 Wingard 2 Morris O’Meara BEST Melbourne Petracca Gawn Oliver Viney May Weideman Langdon Hawthorn Frost Sicily Day Henderson Gunston INJURIES Melbourne Nil Hawthorn O'Brien (left ankle) REPORTS Melbourne Nil Hawthorn Nil UMPIRES Fisher Deboy Fleer VENUE Giants Stadium