Demonland

I have a feeling Smurf included the click to get around the profanity filter.

YEAR PLAYER 2001 Adem Yze 2002 Adem Yze 2003 Clint Bizzell 2004 Jeff White 2005 Travis Johnstone 2006 Cameron Bruce 2007 Nathan Jones 2008 Brad Green 2009 Aaron Davey 2010 James Frawley 2011 Jack Trengove 2012 Nathan Jones 2013 Nathan Jones 2014 Nathan Jones 2015 Jack Viney 2016 Max Gawn 2017 Clayton Oliver 2018 Clayton Oliver 2019 Max Gawn 2020 Christian Petracca 2021 Clayton Oliver 2022 Clayton Oliver 2023 Christian Petracca

PLAYER VOTES 1 Max Gawn 200 2 Jack Viney 105 3 Steven May 104 4 Trent Rivers 102 5 Christian Petracca 97 6 Alex Neal-Bullen 93 7 Kysaiah Pickett 76 8 Ed Langdon 69 9 Clayton Oliver 65 10 Jacob van Rooyen 56 11 Judd McVee 50 12 Christian Salem 48 13 Jake Lever 43 14 Tom McDonald 35 15 Bayley Fritsch 32 =16 Tom Sparrow 25 =16 Caleb Windsor 25 =18 Kade Chandler 19 =18 Harry Petty 19 20 Jack Billings 13 =21 Blake Howes 11 =21 Daniel Turner 11 23 Jake Bowey 10 24 Adam Tomlinson 9 =25 Jake Melksham 2 =25 Andy Moniz-Wakefield 2

History will probably not remember Melbourne’s Round 22 loss to Port Adelaide on Saturday night at the MCG. After all, what was there worthy of retaining in the memory banks for supporters to take away from a game where the sides found it a struggle to find the goals and their combined score barely passed 100 points? Perhaps, the meagre attendance of less than 18,000 at a Melbourne game against a finals-bound opponent at the MCG for the second time in a fortnight that saw so many embarrassing gaps in the stadium’s sitting areas and a singular lack of crowd participation to cheer the team home in a close finish? Or, if one AFL club coach is to be believed, to provide sufficient noise of affirmation to draw a favourable umpiring decision for the home side at a crucial moment late in the game? Or the efforts of Kysaiah Pickett, who scored four of his team’s seven goals (including the goal that put Melbourne back in front at the eleven minute mark of the final quarter) in a best on ground performance which almost singlehandedly won the game for his team? On top of those four goals, Pickett who has been criticized recently for not contributing enough in matches, put together a classy display of 21 disposals, four marks, six tackles, eight score involvements and multiple high pressure acts. Or the number of opportunities squandered after Pickett’s final term goal that could have seen an unlikely Demon victory in light of Port’s demolition of league leader Sydney by almost 19 goals a week earlier? Squandered opportunities that led to the club’s fourth defeat this season by less than a single goal. Let that sink in - an extra goal per game could have seen the club still vying for a qualifying final appearance. As Melbourne Simon Goodwin said afterwards: “I thought certainly through the middle part of the (last) quarter we had some dominance where we could have hit the scoreboard a little bit more and I think that was probably the story of the night.” Or the heroic effort of injury-stricken leaders Max Gawn and Jack Viney as they constantly willed themselves into a contest that each could be excused for having given a miss altogether? The Demons had far too few consistent four quarter contributions in the game although honourable mentions should go to Alex Neal-Bullen and Christian Salem who played their hearts out and a number of others who tried and kept Melbourne in the game against a hard-working and more motivated opponent. After all, the Demons won the contested possession count 160 to 130 - an area in which they have been deficient for a good part of the season. Or the possibility that illness within the group soured the team’s last ditch stand to maintain credibility among the competition’s middle tier? Perhaps one memorable highlight might be that Max cemented his All-Australian credentials because he is far and above every other contender for that post in this competition? The best that can be said of Melbourne is that it ends the round as one of the better sides to ever sit in thirteenth place on the ladder - a fact that is not one that will ever provide a lasting memory to many Demon fans.  MELBOURNE 2.3.15 4.5.29 6.5.41 7.9.51 PORT ADELAIDE 2.4.16 3.8.26 5.8.38 7.11.53 GOALS MELBOURNE Pickett 4 Fritsch
 Langdon Neal-Bullen PORT ADELAIDE Dixon Horne-Francis 2 Butters Byrne-Jones Narkle BEST MELBOURNE Pickett Gawn Viney Neal-Bullen Salem
 Petty PORT ADELAIDE Horne-Francis Butters Rozee Houston Boak Burgoyne INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil PORT ADELAIDE Marshall (concussion) LATE CHANGES MELBOURNE Taj Woewodin (illness) replaced in selected side by Jack Billings Jake Bowey replaced in selected side by Blake Howes PORT ADELAIDE Nil REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil PORT ADELAIDE Nil SUBSTITUTIONS MELBOURNE Jake Melksham replaced Jacob van Rooyen in the fourth quarter
 PORT ADELAIDE Quinton Narkle replaced Todd Marshall at half-time UMPIRES Hayden Gavine Andrew Heffernan Brent Wallace Nicholas McGinness CROWD 17,867 at the MCG

Back in front at the halfway mark.

Just passed the 18km mark and Jack’s sister in front. Has she gone too early?

Melbourne won but not without receiving a fright from the up and coming Suns. The Demons best players were Petracca, Gawn, Brayshaw and Oliver. MELBOURNE 4.4.28 8.5.53 11.6.72 13.12.90 GOLD COAST SUNS 3.3.21 7.4.46 11.6.72 13.7.85 THE TEAMS GOLD COAST SUNS B S. Lemmens S. Collins B. Long HB D. Macpherson C. Ballard W. Powell C B. Fiorini D. Swallow B. Ellis HF T. Berry J. Lukosius M. Rosas F B. Humphrey B. King M. Chol FOLL J. Witts M. Rowell N. Anderson I/C R. Atkins L. Casboult A Davies S. Flanders SUB J. Tsitas EMG H. Oea A. Sexton J. Stein IN T. Berry, L. Casboult, S. Flanders J. Tsitas 
 OUT B. Ainsworth (quad) N. Holman (foot) A. Sexton (omitted) L. Weller (knee) MELBOURNE B J. Lever S. May T. Rivers HB J Bowey H. Petty D. Turner C J. Jordon C. Oliver L. Hunter HF E. Langdon B. Fritsch T. Sparrow F K. Chandler B. Grundy K. Pickett FOLL M. Gawn C. Petracca J. Viney I/C A. Brayshaw A. Neal-Bullen J. McVee J. van Rooyen SUB J. Harmes EMG B. Laurie J. Schache IN H. Petty D. Turner OUT M. Hibberd (managed) J. Schache (omitted)

Questions and comments will close in just under 24 hours (Midday Monday).

The Demons head back on the road again for the final time this season as they take on the Gold Coast Suns at People First Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Who comes in and who goes out?

The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 12th August @ 7:30pm. Join George, Binman & I as we analyse the Demons lossat the MCG against the Power in the Round 22. You questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human. Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

Captain Max Gawn leads the injured Steven May in the Demonland Player of the Year. Trent Rivers, Christian Petracca & Jack Viney round out the Top 5. Your votes please. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Well the Demons chances to make their fourth consecutive finals series have been dashed and the season is officially over after going down by 2 points to the Port Adelaide Power at the MCG.

Fair few Port supporters about

Train is empty. Mostly Essendon supporters.

It's Game Day and on the back of 3 straight losses this is officially our last roll of the dice to attempt to make finals in season 2024. A win (and percentage) will keep us in the hunt for another week whereas a loss will end the dream of making a 4th straight final's series.

Trac’s back on the track