Demonland

Here's a snippet from tonight's episode.

The Preseason Documentary To Hell and Back: Episode 2 Premieres tonight (16/2/20) @ 7:00pm.

This 12-minute episode, which begins on Day 1 of the Dees’ pre-season campaign, will give fans a look at the boys’ training schedule, as led by performance manager Darren Burgess.

While the Demons get to work in November, 35-gamer Aaron vandenBerg is still stuck on the sidelines due to his on-going foot injury.

The 27-year-old opens up about how he monitors the pain and shows how he prepares his body for a session in the rehab group.

In other news, former Docker and Sun, Harley Bennell, meets Simon Goodwin and the Melbourne recruiting team for the very first time.

We sit in on Bennell’s meeting at AAMI Park, as he looks to earn one last chance at AFL level.

1 hour ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Can't do it, due to other commitments and I would feel absolutely irresponsible, abjectly disappointed with myself and altogether remiss if I missed this conversation with one of our greats - and certainly, one of my own personal favourites from the footballing fraternity across the years. Is there a way to get this recorded online, for example, to listen at a later time? No.14 - what a footballer!

Yes. I'll post a link to the stream in this thread once it is available. It's usually 2 or 3 days after airing for the This Is Your Sporting Life shows.

Or you can listen to his interview on the Demonland Podcast.

17 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

The club has posted a GIF on the website this morning about Valentine’s Day hugs and if that video was taken this morning it looks like the boys are getting ready for a training session at Goschs. 

If that's the case then it is an Closed Open Session.

Just now, At the break of Gawn said:

I think a golf score on a Par 3 hole is the best way I can rate this:

Bogey: 9th again - Goodwin probably keeps his job

Par: Finals - first or second round exit

Birdie: Finals - 2 wins and a Prelim appearance again

Eagle - Premiership. 

 

Double Bogey? Albatross?

17 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

A few clubs had theirs today and tomorrow. I see there has been no announcement or news regarding ours. Any know if we are actually conducting one?

There’s a closed Training session tomorrow presumably at Casey. Perhaps that will be an intra-club match. That is, if we have enough men to fill two teams. ?

24 minutes ago, BW511 said:

Agree with all of the above. He's very articulate and well spoken.

My theory is he will keep being all those things without any title. 

That can be said about any player in or out of the leadership group. 

2 hours ago, Dee Zephyr said:

That does sound like he’s talking about the Saints, my bad. I’m not on Twitter, it popped up in a conversation last night about our captaincy that he was reporting our vote was done. I assumed it was on 7 news.   

Do we usually announce the leadership group before the preseason matches commence? 

Captaincy and leadership group is usually voted for and announced during the Maroochydore camp (at least in the last few years).

Presumably as someone else mentioned they are hoping to ride the media wave of the preseason doco and intertwine the announcement with some narrative from the series.

What's your pass mark for the Dees in 2020?

From this article: Eagle Jack Darling fractures cheekbone

Jeremy McGovern (heel) and Tom Barrass (foot) are set to increase their training loads over the coming weeks.

Big men Oscar Allen (hernia), Nathan Vardy (ankle) and Tom Hickey (calf) are also making steady progress.

10 minutes ago, BW511 said:

I'm not so passionate about T-mac being in there.

My thoughts on TMac are based purely on his ability to talk in front of the media. As someone else mentioned in the Co-Captains Model thread you need a mix of PR person and leader on the field which is why Max and Jack make a good pairing if you have to go down the Co route.

As for TMac's on field leadership role I cannot speak to. For some reason I do think it's important to have leaders across all lines. TMac for mine seems like the best option up forward.

Just now, Lord Nev said:

Trying to guess what it will be, rather than what I would like...

Viney & Gawn as co-captains

Then Jetta, Lever, TMac and possibly Melksham.

I think TMac into the leadership group is a no brainer. Well spoken and key player in the forward line.

Hard to see Jetta not being in the group.

We keep hearing and, if you head down to training see, how good a leader Lever is. Playing Devil's Advocate he does have a susceptibility to injury. He's had 2 ACLs. We need leaders on the field. Perhaps that is me being a little harsh. On paper I like Lever as a leader.

Never really thought of Melksham in that way.

Semi-related in terms of numbers. Recent years have seen the Dees cut down the numbers of people in the Leadership Group. A number of years ago I recall having a large group.

Do you prefer a smaller group?

Brisbane have named a 9 man leadership group this year meaning that half the players on the field are officially "leaders".

With the Captaincy likely to be announced in the coming days/week who do you think will form the 2020 Leadership Group?

2019 Leadership group
Nathan Jones (co-captain)
Jack Viney (co-captain)
Max Gawn
Neville Jetta

With Nathan Jones vacating the captaincy does he still retain a spot in the Leadership Group?

Who else deserves a call up? Tom McDonald? Jake Lever? Steven May?

8 minutes ago, Demon3 said:

Hard to argue with that really. Getting a win in R1 is not the be all and end all, but imagine sneaking R1 in Perth, what a boost that would be.

Last year when we lost the first two on the trot the stats were that not many teams ever make the finals from 0-2. 0-3 would be a disaster.

What’s your 2020 Doomsday Scenario?

Another Preliminary Final heartbreak ?, Demons start season 0-3 ?: Your AFL club’s doomsday scenario >>> Your AFL club’s doomsday scenario for 2020 season 

MELBOURNE – The Demons start the season 0-3 

It’s a long way back when you start the season with three losses on the trot – and Simon Goodwin’s side don’t have the easiest of introductions in 2020. The Demons travel to Perth to play West Coast in Round One before taking on GWS at the MCG in Round Two. In both matches, Melbourne’s opposition will start as favourites. A home game against Fremantle in Round Three shapes as the club’s best opportunity to walk away with the four points, but even that match isn’t straightforward. But start the season at 0-3 and you can all but kiss finals goodbye.

23 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

Did anyone catch what Mark Stevens had to say yesterday? Apparently the players have voted for captaincy with an announcement coming as early as next week. 

Are you referring to the following tweet?

I believe the vote he is referring to is about the Saints.

AFL.COM.AU article  yesterday regarding the Dees captaincy mentioned voting & announcement in the coming weeks.

"MELBOURNE is poised to vote on its captaincy structure in the coming weeks"

Also added that "the Demons didn't hold the leadership group vote on their recent Maroochydore training camp and have 10 days before their first Marsh Community Series game."

1 hour ago, loges said:

Finding new ways to beat yourselves up.

It's a sport in itself. 

EXCLUSIVE: AFL men may be asked to give up future extra earnings to AFLW players, if the AFL cannot secure a significant increase in the TV rights money. 

Male players may give up cash to fund AFLW pay rises