Demonland

Impressed with Lockhart but did he just start playing footy 15 days ago with that kick?

Not a high tackle on Selwood.

How was that not dropping the ball?

Kudos to the Hawks medical team.

? | https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/moneyball-melbourne-will-be-busy-again-during-the-trade-period/news-story/dbb278c5841e8f2d4e18cec0e836871e

12 to 14 years which means he'll miss 16 years.

Could be back in time for Round 6.

? | https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/melbourne/melbourne-still-paying-the-price-for-preliminary-final-run/news-story/7799d50db1b1734778b9eda48a3e9c1b

? | https://www.sen.com.au/news/2019/03/28/what-jones-wants-to-see-from-melbourne

Why is this game being played at Werribee?

It's in the linked article but I thought it bears repeating. Richmond have been blessed on the injury front.

? | https://www.exclusiveinsight.com/kade-kolodjashnij-why-my-best-is-ahead-of-me/

Richmond look rattled.

Sad news for Lynden if true.

Lockhart's VFL Dreamteam scores.

? | https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-demons-must-find-the-power-to-intimidate-20190328-p518fy.html

? | https://www.sen.com.au/news/2019/03/27/gawn-was-beaten-fairly-the-whinging-is-embarrassing "Someone should tell Goodwin that Ryder is 12 centimetres shorter than Gawn and is 14-15 kilograms lighter. Oh, and there’s the small fact that he was playing with a fractured cheekbone. Obviously Gawn and Melbourne couldn’t handle a few tiny midfielders in Karl Amon, Steven Motlop and 18-year-old first-year player Connor Rozee bumping him off the ball. Port captain Tom Jonas also had his way with Gawn dropping him off the ball. Michael Christian, the AFL’s Match Review Officer, dealt with Jonas accordingly and fined him $2,000 for the incident. Jonas has no regrets and said he would do it again. Rather than whinging to the AFL on the back of a shock loss, Melbourne, Gawn and Goodwin should take a leaf out of Port’s book and step up. There was nothing illegal about these tactics and it’s what has made our game great for so long. The Demons need to take responsibility for their own performance or they could be waiting another 55 years to taste premiership success."

How much should we be making out of Melbourne’s opening round loss on its home ground against an unfancied team from interstate in Port Adelaide? The game was barely over before the excuses were coming out that about the lack of preparation of the team, the fact that some players were playing injured or unfit and unable to handle the humidity and the heat, the team’s lack of run and spread, the lack of experience and having too many key players injured or (in the case of Steven May) suspended. The resort to excuses or reasons for failure should not sit well in light of the fact that it was not that long ago when Melbourne was being strongly touted as a top four team, if not a strong contender for the flag. There really will be no excuses this week with the game played at night (17 degrees and possible showers predicted), players returning from injury and big Maxy over the after effects of his minor skin surgery and the challenge of winning in Sleepy Hollow awaiting a team that will benefit from having the run of last week’s game out of its legs. In many ways this will be a game of redemption for both sides. The Cats will be looking to redeem themselves for their humiliating exit from last year’s final series when they were overpowered early by the enthusiastic Demons while Melbourne will be looking to redeem itself for last week’s crushing loss where it was made to look slow and without any focus up forward. In fact, it has been horrific in front of goal in its last two matches - no goals in the entire first half of the Preliminary Final and none in more than a quarter and a half at the end of last week’s game. The club will also be looking to redeem itself for that nightmare after-the-siren defeat late last year at at GMHBA Stadium which put paid to its efforts to finish in the top four before the finals. This week will be different with the long anticipated debut of Steven May who will no doubt be called upon to stop Tom Hawkins who was the match winner booting seven straight when the teams last met at this ground. The strength and aggression of the former Gold Coast skipper should certainly be significant after the limp efforts of the Demons’ key backs last week on the MCG. And speaking of skippers, one would hope that Melbourne co-captains Nathan Jones and Jack Viney will provide the sort of leadership that was sorely lacking last week and led to a diminished output from the rest of the midfield. I expect Max Gawn to stand up strong and proud and for a much better midfield which faces the quality of Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett and Tim Kelly. In the end however, the team is coming from a long way back on the basis of its lethargic performance against Port Adelaide and I fear that they aren’t ready yet to redeem themselves in the hostile territory of GMHBA Stadium. Geelong by 10 points. THE GAME Geelong v Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday 30 March 2019 at 7.25pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Geelong 130 wins Melbourne 85 wins 2 draws At GMHBA Stadium Geelong 39 wins Melbourne 18 wins 1 draw The last five meetings Geelong 3 wins Melbourne 2 wins The Coaches Scott 3 wins Goodwin 1 win MEDIA TV - Fox Footy Channel 7 live RADIO - ABC Triple M 3AW LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 10.15.75 defeated Geelong 6.10.46 Elimination Final 2018 at the MCG It was happy days for the Demons as they booted the first five goals for the game to hammer home an advantage through Max Gawn’s ruck dominance over the inexperienced Ryan Abbo tt provided silver service to the midfield led by Clayton Oliver and Angus Brayshaw and full forward Sam Weideman delivered with three goals. Two quarters of inaccuracy in front of goal prevented a complete slaughter. THE TEAMS Round 2 Injury List: Harry Petty (foot) – Test Tim Smith (calf) – Test Jeff Garlett (shoulder) – 1 - 2 weeks Jordan Lewis (hamstring) – 2 - 3 weeks Aaron vandenBerg (foot) – 4 - 6 weeks Joel Smith (groin) – TBA Mitch Hannan (knee) – 6-10 weeks Jake Lever (knee) – 6-10 weeks Jay Kennedy Harris (knee) – 10-12 weeks Guy Walker (shoulder) – indefinite Aaron Nietschke (knee) – season

REDEMPTION? by the Oracle How much should we be making out of Melbourne’s opening round loss on its home ground against an unfancied team from interstate in Port Adelaide? The game was barely over before the excuses were coming out that about the lack of preparation of the team, the fact that some players were playing injured or unfit and unable to handle the humidity and the heat, the team’s lack of run and spread, the lack of experience and having too many key players injured or (in the case of Steven May) suspended. The resort to excuses or reasons for failure should not sit well in light of the fact that it was not that long ago when Melbourne was being strongly touted as a top four team, if not a strong contender for the flag. There really will be no excuses this week with the game played at night (17 degrees and possible showers predicted), players returning from injury and big Maxy over the after effects of his minor skin surgery and the challenge of winning in Sleepy Hollow awaiting a team that will benefit from having the run of last week’s game out of its legs. In many ways this will be a game of redemption for both sides. The Cats will be looking to redeem themselves for their humiliating exit from last year’s final series when they were overpowered early by the enthusiastic Demons while Melbourne will be looking to redeem itself for last week’s crushing loss where it was made to look slow and without any focus up forward. In fact, it has been horrific in front of goal in its last two matches - no goals in the entire first half of the Preliminary Final and none in more than a quarter and a half at the end of last week’s game. The club will also be looking to redeem itself for that nightmare after-the-siren defeat late last year at at GMHBA Stadium which put paid to its efforts to finish in the top four before the finals. This week will be different with the long anticipated debut of Steven May who will no doubt be called upon to stop Tom Hawkins who was the match winner booting seven straight when the teams last met at this ground. The strength and aggression of the former Gold Coast skipper should certainly be significant after the limp efforts of the Demons’ key backs last week on the MCG. And speaking of skippers, one would hope that Melbourne co-captains Nathan Jones and Jack Viney will provide the sort of leadership that was sorely lacking last week and led to a diminished output from the rest of the midfield. I expect Max Gawn to stand up strong and proud and for a much better midfield which faces the quality of Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett and Tim Kelly. In the end however, the team is coming from a long way back on the basis of its lethargic performance against Port Adelaide and I fear that they aren’t ready yet to redeem themselves in the hostile territory of GMHBA Stadium. Geelong by 10 points. THE GAME Geelong v Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday 30 March 2019 at 7.25pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Geelong 130 wins Melbourne 85 wins 2 draws At GMHBA Stadium Geelong 39 wins Melbourne 18 wins 1 draw The last five meetings Geelong 3 wins Melbourne 2 wins The Coaches Scott 3 wins Goodwin 1 win MEDIA TV - Fox Footy Channel 7 live RADIO - ABC Triple M 3AW LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 10.15.75 defeated Geelong 6.10.46 Elimination Final 2018 at the MCG It was happy days for the Demons as they booted the first five goals for the game to hammer home an advantage through Max Gawn’s ruck dominance over the inexperienced Ryan Abbo tt provided silver service to the midfield led by Clayton Oliver and Angus Brayshaw and full forward Sam Weideman delivered with three goals. Two quarters of inaccuracy in front of goal prevented a complete slaughter. THE TEAMS GEELONG B Jack Henry Mark Blicavs Tom Stewart HB Jake Kolodjashnij Harry Taylor Mitch Duncan C Joel Selwood Patrick Dangerfield Jordan Clark HF Luke Dahlhaus Esava Ratugolea Brandan Parfitt F Gary Ablett Tom Hawkins Gary Rohan FOLL Rhys Stanley Tim Kelly Tom Atkins I/C Charlie Constable Sam Menegola Gryan Miers Mark O'Connor EMG Ryan Abbott Zach Guthrie Lachie Henderson Jamaine Jones NO CHANGE MELBOURNE B Jay Lockhart Oscar McDonald Neville Jetta HB Jayden Hunt Steven May Nathan Jones C Bayley Fritsch Clayton Oliver Christian Salem HF Alex Neal-Bullen Tom McDonald Jack Viney F Jake Melksham Sam Weideman Christian Petracca FOLL Max Gawn James Harmes Angus Brayshaw I/C Sam Frost Michael Hibberd Kade Kolodjashnij Tom Sparrow EMG Marty Hore Declan Keilty Braydon Preuss Charlie Spargo IN Kade Kolodjashnij Jay Lockhart Steven May OUT Marty Hore (omitted) Charlie Spargo (omitted) Corey Wagner (omitted) Round 2 Injury List: Harry Petty (foot) – Test Tim Smith (calf) – Test Jeff Garlett (shoulder) – 1 - 2 weeks Jordan Lewis (hamstring) – 2 - 3 weeks Aaron vandenBerg (foot) – 4 - 6 weeks Joel Smith (groin) – TBA Mitch Hannan (knee) – 6-10 weeks Jake Lever (knee) – 6-10 weeks Jay Kennedy Harris (knee) – 10-12 weeks Guy Walker (shoulder) – indefinite Aaron Nietschke (knee) – seasonn