Demonland

QB They kicked 9 goals straight to 4.8 in the second half and won comfortably. COLLINGWOOD B Brayden Maynard Jordan Roughead Levi Greenwood HB Jack Crisp Darcy Moore Jeremy Howe C Tom Phillips Scott Pendlebury Chris Mayne HF Josh Thomas Brody Mihocek Will Hoskin-Elliott F Jaidyn Stephenson Jordan De Goey Callum L. Brown FOLL Brodie Grundy Steele Sidebottom Adam Treloar I/C James Aish Mason Cox Brayden Sier Travis Varcoe EMG Ben Crocker Josh Daicos Isaac Quaynor Ben Reid IN Mason Cox Brayden Sier OUT Dayne Beams (hip) Ben Reid (omitted) MELBOURNE B Michael Hibberd Steven May Jake Lever HB James Harmes Sam Frost Christian Salem C Bayley Fritsch Jack Viney Oskar Baker HF Nathan Jones Tom McDonald Jayden Hunt F Jeff Garlett Sam Weideman Christian Petracca FOLL Max Gawn Angus Brayshaw Clayton Oliver I/C Mitch Hannan Marty Hore Tim Smith Charlie Spargo EMG Alex Neal-Bullen Braydon Preuss Billy Stretch Josh Wagner IN Marty Hore Jake Lever Steven May Christian Salem OUT Jay Kennedy Harris (omitted) Oscar McDonald (omitted) Billy Stretch (omitted) Josh Wagner (omitted)

This week, it’s your chance to be part of our match preview for the game v Collingwood. Tell us in your own words, who will win and why? It can be short or long and the best entries make it into our match preview * Give it a try - you might even influence the result? * subject to editing if necessary

It’s going to be hard for Carrie to beat Max now! 209. Max Gawn 182. Clayton Oliver 134. Christian Salem 127. James Harmes 74. Angus Brayshaw 66. Jack Viney 54. Sam Frost 49. Nathan Jones 44. Bayley Fritsch 42. Marty Hore 38. Christian Petracca 36. Steven May 31. Jake Melksham 28. Jayden Hunt 27. Tom McDonald 16. Michael Hibberd 12. Jay Lockhart 7. Jake Lever Harry Petty 5. Oskar Baker Braydon Preuss 4. Josh Wagner 3. Corey Wagner Sam Weideman 2. Alex Neal-Bullen 1. Kyle Dunkley Jeff Garlett Neville Jetta Jordan Lewis Oscar McDonald Billy Stretch

The feeling when turning up to the MCG on a Saturday night to play a top four side in Richmond, while the Melbourne sits cemented in close proximity to the bottom of the table is like attending the Colosseum in Ancient Roman times. The expectation is that a bloodbath is about to occur. There are 100,000 Richmond members and 50,000 Melbourne members, and despite the fact that it turned out to be a wet night after half-time, a crowd of only 37K bothered to turn up. That should never have happened. This should be a warning to the AFL that something is seriously wrong with the way they are running the game, after a smaller crowd indoor at Docklands on Friday night, even after stacking the numbers with Medallion club seats. Then Melbourne came out and held the Tigers for the first half to a meagre three point lead at the mid-way point. That shouldn’t have happened. The umpires were trying to make sure that the result was going to be as expected after awarding 12 frees to Richmond in that first half, while the Demons were given a paltry 4, despite the scores being within a couple of points. That shouldn’t have happened. Then the Bureau of Meteorology got it wrong and down came the rain during the half-time interval. That shouldn’t have happened. Was there some hope for the Melbourne faithful, especially after one of them won a brand new Jaguar just for coming to the match? Surely the Richmond mosquito squad would be slowed. Surely the tall Richmond forwards would struggle now in the wet? Well Lynch and Riewoldt barely got a touch in that second half, but the Richmond runners weren’t hampered by the wet conditions. That shouldn’t have happened. More importantly, it was Melbourne who failed to start playing wet weather football. It is pretty simple as any U10’s coach, player or spectator will tell you. Just kick the ball as far as you can, kick it off the ground instead of trying to pick it up, don’t handball just get boot to ball. That should have happened, but only one side was doing it….the Tigers. The result was a five goal third quarter to Richmond, while Melbourne could only manage one major. The Demons have been put in this situation on a number of occasions in season 2019, and each time they didn’t change the way they played to suit the conditions. Surely the coaches and players would have learnt their lessons? They didn’t, except for the old head, Jordan Lewis. Again, it shouldn’t have happened. Well the Toiyges ran out winners, not unexpectedly. It wasn’t a blood-bath that the crowd (as such) had come to see. Melbourne can pin some hope on the fact that it wasn’t. It can pin some hope on the appalling injury list that the side has had all season. It can pin some hope on the emergence of players like Petty and Dunkley. What it can’t pin any positives on was the lack of pressure. Across the board, in those wet conditions, that lack of tackling was telling. Jones and Viney failed to both the statistician in this regard, yet others like Brayshaw and Harmes led the numbers for both sides. It all cannot be expected from one or two. It has to be a team effort. It shouldn’t have happened. Without May and Jetta, the backline looked weaker, not unexpectedly. But then the ease of entry and two targets in front of goal made Richmond look the goods. Remarkably, neither Lynch nor Riewoldt troubled the scorers in the second half. It was all those Tiger running players and small who were being let loose by their Melbourne opponents. Without tackling from the Melbourne opponents, and without playing that wet weather football, they had a field day. Martin, Prestia and Edwards all had over 30 touches while Clayton Oliver was the only Melbourne player with 30. The next best was Hibberd, and he is a back man! The other mids struggled to get 20 touches each! That shouldn’t be happening. The bloodbath didn’t happen. The season still cannot come to an end quickly enough for the Demon supporters. And after the performance of 2017 ... that shouldn’t have happened. Melbourne 3.1.19 6.2.38 7.4.46 9.6.60 Richmond 3.2.20 6.5.41 11.9.75 13.15.93 Goals Melbourne Fritsch 3 Dunkley Lewis 2 Brayshaw C Wagner Richmond Lynch 3 Graham 2 Bolton Caddy Castagna Chol Lambert Martin Rioli Soldo Best Melbourne Gawn Oliver Fritsch Salem Harmes Jones Richmond Martin Houli Edwards Prestia Vlastuin Lynch Injured Melbourne Nil Richmond Nil Reports Melbourne Nil Richmond Nil Umpires Foot, Rosebury, McInerney Crowd 37,254 at the MCG

Just a reminder for posters to leave the grammar policing to the grammar police This thread is for discussing the match.

A young and undermanned Casey Demons were sent out on Saturday to the Swinburne Centre in the shadows of the MCG on a man’s errand against a very experienced Richmond VFL combination which is the clear ladder leader and fielded no less than 18 AFL listed players. It was expected to be a rout and the Tigers made easy work of it in the early stages when they held a 26 point lead by quarter time. To their credit however, the Demons weathered the storm and kept their opponents within the range of that margin until a late run of goals saw them lose by a margin of 35 points in the end. Richmond’s accuracy when kicking for goal probably made that margin somewhat flattering. Given that the Demons had only nine MFC listers (including Category B rookie Austin Bradtke who is only finding his feet after spending several years as a basketballer) and lost Jimmy Munro who has been in exceptional form to a rib injury before half time, it was a far better display than anyone could reasonably have expected. With half a dozen in the side having played no more than a handful of games at this level, the Casey side stuck to the plan and defended well against the odds. The man who held the defence together in outstanding fashion was former Magpie VFL player Marty Hore who collected 34 touches and spent the afternoon harassing the opposition and intercepting many of their scoring attempts, a particularly courageous display in light of the fact that less than a month ago he suffered a broken collarbone on the MCG. He certainly thrust his name before the Melbourne selectors for a return to that venue in a week’s time against the Magpies. Another returning Demon who shone out was Billy Stretch who has been bedeviled by foot injuries over the past twelve months. He provided great drive on one wing but unfortunately, the cupboard was mostly bare and bereft of key forward talent and this was the team’s ultimate downfall Although slightly beaten on the day by Richmond’s 2017 premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis, Casey’s big man Liam Wale-Buxton battled manfully and picked up 31 hit outs in a great tussle against the Tiger who is coming back from injury and is expected to return to the senior Richmond side before the finals. Former skipper Jack Hutchins had his best game for a while and 19-year-old Nick Lowden was impressive with two goals, one of which was a great snap from the boundary. With just two games left for the season, Casey is unlikely to contest the finals but will be keen to finish the season on a winning note. 2019 Hard Yakka / Totally Workwear VFL Casey Demons 1.1.7 3.3.21 4.6.30 6.7.43 Richmond VFL 5.3.33 7.4.46 8.5.53 12.6.78 Goals Casey Demons Lowden 2 Bedford Lockhart Munro White Richmond VFL Aarts Markov Menadue Miller 2 Coleman-Jones Grewar Nankervis Pickett Best Casey Demons Hutchins Keilty Hore White Stretch Wale-Buxton Richmond VFL Aarts Morris Coleman-Jones Nankervis Naish Eggmolesse-Smith Statistics Toby Bedford 1 goal 7 kicks 4 handballs 11 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 62 dream team points Austin Bradtke 1 behind 2 kicks 3 handballs 5 disposals14 dream team points Jaxon Briggs 11 kicks 3 handballs 14 disposals 7 marks 2 tackles 69 dream team points Kade Chandler 5 kicks 8 handballs 13 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 45 dream team points Dylan Collis 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 40 dream team points Joe Di Pasquale 2 behinds 13 kicks 2 handballs 15 disposals 6 marks 1 tackle 70 dream team points Tom Freeman 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 2 marks 40 dream team points Matt Gahan 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 31 dream team points Marty Hore 30 kicks 4 handballs 34 disposals 6 marks 5 tackles 133 dream team points Jack Hutchins 3 behinds 15 kicks 5 handballs 20 disposals 9 marks 5 tackles 106 dream team points James Jordon 2 kicks 12 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 58 dream team points Declan Keilty 2 kicks 6 handballs 8 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 22 dream team points Mykelty Lefau 2 kicks 2 disposals 2 tackles 12 dream team points Jay Lockhart 1 goal 12 kicks 2 handballs 14 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 81 dream team points Nick Lowden 2 goals 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 8 marks 72 dream team points Ariek Lual 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 32 dream team points James Munro 1 goal 6 kicks 5 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 64 dream team points Cory Stockdale 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 52 dream team points Billy Stretch 16 kicks 7 handballs 23 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 79 dream team points Luke Tynan 9 kicks 6 handballs 15 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 63 dream team points Josh Wagner 13 kicks 5 handballs 18 disposals 5 marks 7 tackles 95 dream team points Liam Wale-Buxton 5 kicks 1 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 31 hit outs 78 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal - details unavailable

A young and undermanned Casey Demons were sent out on Saturday to the Swinburne Centre in the shadows of the MCG on a man’s errand against a very experienced Richmond VFL combination which is the clear ladder leader and fielded no less than 18 AFL listed players. It was expected to be a rout and the Tigers made easy work of it in the early stages when they held a 26 point lead by quarter time. To their credit however, the Demons weathered the storm and kept their opponents within the range of that margin until a late run of goals saw them lose by a margin of 35 points in the end. Richmond’s accuracy when kicking for goal probably made that margin somewhat flattering. Given that the Demons had only nine MFC listers (including Category B rookie Austin Bradtke who is only finding his feet after spending several years as a basketballer) and lost Jimmy Munro who has been in exceptional form to a rib injury before half time, it was a far better display than anyone could reasonably have expected. With half a dozen in the side having played no more than a handful of games at this level, the Casey side stuck to the plan and defended well against the odds. The man who held the defence together in outstanding fashion was former Magpie VFL player Marty Hore who collected 34 touches and spent the afternoon harassing the opposition and intercepting many of their scoring attempts, a particularly courageous display in light of the fact that less than a month ago he suffered a broken collarbone on the MCG. He certainly thrust his name before the Melbourne selectors for a return to that venue in a week’s time against the Magpies. Another returning Demon who shone out was Billy Stretch who has been bedeviled by foot injuries over the past twelve months. He provided great drive on one wing but unfortunately, the cupboard was mostly bare and bereft of key forward talent and this was the team’s ultimate downfall Although slightly beaten on the day by Richmond’s 2017 premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis, Casey’s big man Liam Wale-Buxton battled manfully and picked up 31 hit outs in a great tussle against the Tiger who is coming back from injury and is expected to return to the senior Richmond side before the finals. Former skipper Jack Hutchins had his best game for a while and 19-year-old Nick Lowden was impressive with two goals, one of which was a great snap from the boundary. With just two games left for the season, Casey is unlikely to contest the finals but will be keen to finish the season on a winning note. 2019 Hard Yakka / Totally Workwear VFL Casey Demons 1.1.7 3.3.21 4.6.30 6.7.43 Richmond VFL 5.3.33 7.4.46 8.5.53 12.6.78 Goals Casey Demons Lowden 2 Bedford Lockhart Munro White Richmond VFL Aarts Markov Menadue Miller 2 Coleman-Jones Grewar Nankervis Pickett Best Casey Demons Hutchins Keilty Hore White Stretch Wale-Buxton Richmond VFL Aarts Morris Coleman-Jones Nankervis Naish Eggmolesse-Smith Statistics Toby Bedford 1 goal 7 kicks 4 handballs 11 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 62 dream team points Austin Bradtke 1 behind 2 kicks 3 handballs 5 disposals14 dream team points Jaxon Briggs 11 kicks 3 handballs 14 disposals 7 marks 2 tackles 69 dream team points Kade Chandler 5 kicks 8 handballs 13 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 45 dream team points Dylan Collis 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 40 dream team points Joe Di Pasquale 2 behinds 13 kicks 2 handballs 15 disposals 6 marks 1 tackle 70 dream team points Tom Freeman 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 2 marks 40 dream team points Matt Gahan 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 31 dream team points Marty Hore 30 kicks 4 handballs 34 disposals 6 marks 5 tackles 133 dream team points Jack Hutchins 3 behinds 15 kicks 5 handballs 20 disposals 9 marks 5 tackles 106 dream team points James Jordon 2 kicks 12 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 58 dream team points Declan Keilty 2 kicks 6 handballs 8 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 22 dream team points Mykelty Lefau 2 kicks 2 disposals 2 tackles 12 dream team points Jay Lockhart 1 goal 12 kicks 2 handballs 14 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 81 dream team points Nick Lowden 2 goals 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 8 marks 72 dream team points Ariek Lual 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 32 dream team points James Munro 1 goal 6 kicks 5 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 64 dream team points Cory Stockdale 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 52 dream team points Billy Stretch 16 kicks 7 handballs 23 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 79 dream team points Luke Tynan 9 kicks 6 handballs 15 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 63 dream team points Josh Wagner 13 kicks 5 handballs 18 disposals 5 marks 7 tackles 95 dream team points Liam Wale-Buxton 5 kicks 1 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 31 hit outs 78 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal - details unavailable

Bah ... humbug

As we approach the final hurdle, please cast your votes people. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...

Goodwin on the next month: We’re just trying to pull it all together in all phases, and play our best footy. We want to give some opportunity to some guys, which will then give us a chance to see what we can be in the next four weeks. Goodwin: Our method in our offence needs to improve - we’re well aware of that. Some of it’s decision-making and some of it’s execution. One of our challenges is to not waste the next four weeks, but to implement changes that will help us to get better. Goodwin: When you’ve won five games for the year, you have to continue to work on building that confidence and belief back in the group. The only way to do that is through action - training to a high level, finding little wins in games and and getting results in games. Goodwin: We’re certainly not overhauling our game. We’re tinkering with certain aspects, and bridging the gap between our offence and defence. That takes time, but there are things we are doing that we’re hopeful will have immediate impact tomorrow night. Goodwin: I understand there’s a frustration among our supporter base and the footy community about where it’s got to - we take responsibility for that. We’re just trying to look forward and work out how to get better. Goodwin: What I can do is make sure our club is incredibly united. Our players have been unbelievable in staying together and continuing to forge ahead. They are motivated to win every single week. They’re competitors. Goodwin: Steven May will play next week - it’s a really minor hamstring. He was close this week but we just felt he needed one more week. Neville Jetta won’t play again this year. He’ll go in for some more surgery on his knee, as he’s still getting some continually swelling. Goodwin on Jones: Nathan is a highly-valued person of the Melbourne Football Club. He has been and always will be. I’m highly confident Nathan will be a one-club player and that will get sorted out very shortly. Goodwin on Gawn and Preuss: We do have a shortage of personnel in our forward half, and that give us an opportunity to play two rucks. Braydon had an outstanding game in the VFL last week, so we get another chance to have a really good look at how the two work together.

I never thought I'd utter this sentence but ... We want Carlton to win as many games possible and get out of the bottom 6.

Mostly dead rubbers for the Dees. Best results to assist us in 2020 in terms of our bracket of 6 to play twice? ?‍♀️

You just had a month off for baiting and sniping. Last public warning for you. Permanent ban next time for farting in the wrong direction.

Round 20 - Melbourne v Richmond Saturday 27 July, 7.25pm AEST MCG Melbourne are back at the 'G for the first time in four weeks for a blockbuster Saturday night clash with the Tigers. And thanks to our Co-Principal Partner Jaguar Australia, every person who takes their seat will go into the draw to win a Jaguar E-PACE valued at $69,990 (View Terms and Conditions >). Members will also receive FREE entry to the VFL curtain-raiser at the Swinburne Centre from 2.30pm on Saturday afternoon. Game day timings 2.30pm: VFL curtain-raiser at the Swinburne Centre (Punt Rd Oval). Members can enter for FREE from 2.00pm. 5.00pm: Demon Shop opens. The shop will be open until 30 minutes after the game. 5.00pm: MCC gates open 5.30pm: AFL and public reserve opens 7.25pm: First bounce 8.00pm (approx.): Be in your seat at quarter time for the chance to win a Jaguar E-PACE. Members As a home game, Melbourne members can scan into the game for general admission access. However with a large crowd expected, we recommend you upgrade to a reserved seat via Ticketek. 3XL Membership Get your 3XL Membership for $99 today to experience every moment of the Big 3 at the 'G, which includes access to Saturday's game, Round 21 against Collingwood and Round 22 against the Swans. Not only does this membership give fans access to the three games, it also includes three complimentary tickets to bring a friend. Get your 3XL Membership now > General public Get your tickets to the match via Ticketek > General admission seating Great Southern Stand M3-M12 M13 Rows A-X (DRY) Q1-Q15 Ponsford Stand M28-M36 Q29-Q36 Olympic Stand M56-M57 Q49-Q57 Please note the general admission areas are subject to change. Look out for the screens displaying the map of available general admission areas on a match day, located inside each entry gate. Cheer squad bays Melbourne: M3 Rows A-T Richmond: M33 Rows A-S Set to be one of the biggest giveaways in the club’s history, one lucky fan who scans into the MCG this Saturday will drive home in a Jaguar E-PACE valued at $69,990! All fans have to do is collect a ‘GOAL’ sign upon entering the ground and make sure they’re in their seat at quarter time. See Terms and Conditions for Jaguar Prize at: $69,990 > Public transport The MCG is located a short walk from Jolimont and Richmond train stations. The ground is also serviced by the 48, 75 (stopping at Wellington Parade) and 70 (stopping at Hisense Arena) tram routes. Plan your train journey to the ground using the PTV Journey Planner > Car parking There will be no public parking in Yarra Park across all Round 20 MCG games. Parking will also be closed to disability and accredited pass holders. Patrons with mobility issues can be dropped off on the corner of Jolimont Terrace and Jolimont St. To assist with getting to the ground, the FREE Travelers Aid buggy service has been extended to begin three hours prior to gate opening times. Find out more about Travelers Aid HERE. Stock up on all your red and blue merchandise needs at the Demon Shop from 5.00pm until 30 minutes after the game. The store is located on Brunton Avenue underneath the concourse between gates 6 and 7. Zurich Collector Cups + Keyrings Grab the fifth cup in the Zurich Collector Cup series featuring Clayton Oliver. You can collect your cup plus a Zurich keyring from in between gates 2 and 3 from 5.00pm on Saturday night. Match Day Predictor The pre-game Match Day Predictor returns this Saturday night, with a 2019 signed AFL or AFLW guernsey up for grabs. Simply download the Melbourne FC mobile app and make your match predictions from 3.00pm until the first bounce. The most correct will win! All broadcast info in local times. Melbourne: Seven – 7.00pm + Foxtel – 7.20pm Sydney: 7mate – 7.00pm + Foxtel – 7.20pm Brisbane: 7mate – 7.00pm + Foxtel – 7.20pm Adelaide: Foxtel – 6.50pm Perth: 7mate – 5.00pm + Foxtel – 5.20pm Tasmania: Seven – 7.00pm + Foxtel – 7.20pm ACT: 7mate – 7.00pm + Foxtel – 7.20pm NT: Foxtel – 6.50pm For all other regions and radio info, refer to the AFL Broadcast Guide. Mobile app Live scores, stats and match highlights are available at the tap of a finger in the club's mobile app. Download it for iOS or Android. Social media Match hashtag: #AFLDeesTigers Follow the club on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for live match coverage and a behind-the-scenes insight into match day. VFL curtain raiser Get behind Casey's VFL team in their push for a finals berth against Richmond this Saturday at the Swinburne Centre. As a special offer, Melbourne members can access the curtain raiser for FREE! Present your membership card to gain free access and enter via Gate 1 at the Tiger Superstore and Gate 2A. Match details Richmond v Casey Saturday August 3, 2.30pm (Gates open at 2.00pm) Swinburne Centre, Richmond (Punt Rd Oval) Tickets Melbourne members: FREE Adults: $10 Concession/pensioner: $5 Juniors under 15: FREE VFLW at Casey Fields In a standalone game at Casey Fields, the Demons will take on Elise O'Dea and Lauren Pearce's Darebin Falcons from 11.30am on Saturday. Match details Casey v Darebin Falcons Saturday August 4, 11.30am Casey Fields Coverage Social media Follow the Casey Demons on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for behind-the-scenes + live coverage of both matches. THAT’S FOOTBALL by Whispering Jack As the season rolls on towards the finals and the football world witnesses the aftermath of the sacking of the league’s unsuccessful coaches, it’s almost inevitable that the spotlight will turn firmly upon the complete and utter failure of season 2019 - the Melbourne Football Club. For a team that finished in fourth place last year and was heavily touted as a premiership contender, the fall from grace has been dramatic. As things stand, the Demons look certain to finish 13 places down on their 2018 placing and even below the Blues who, they beat last year by 109 points and who only a month ago, they took apart for three quarters before their injury curse saw them almost drop the unlosable game. Since then, Carlton has won three on the trot while Melbourne has been winless, allowing it to be leapfrogged by last year’s wooden spooner. The only positive I can come up with about Melbourne is that the team is undefeated at its MCG home since the Queens Birthday loss to Collingwood back in early June. But that’s only two games and this week the team comes up against Richmond which seemingly plays every week at that ground and usually thumps the opposition every week. It’s not as if the injury-dogged Demons are being routinely thrashed. In every one of their four defeats since the mid season bye they’ve been either in front or close to the mark at the start of the final term before fading out late in each game. And before the break, they also dropped a couple of games when they were in winning positions late in their contests. The statistic that stands out here is the one that says that over their past four games, the Demons have scored an average of 13.3 points in the final quarter, while conceding an average of 28.5 points. That’s a damning statistic when looking at close encounters - in fact, it’s the stuff that forces the fans to collectively tear their hair out. It might be argued that the team’s depth has been tested by a season from hell on the injury front and therefore, the fade outs are understandable. Possibly understandable but still not forgivable in light of the number of unforced errors leading to turnovers that should never happen and missed shots at goal that were so easily converted last year. My fear is that coming up against a resurgent and rampant Richmond which is overcoming its earlier injury woes and consequent drop in form, the club’s confidence crisis brought upon by the negativity now surrounding it, will result in a Saturday night blowout. The main thing Melbourne has going for it is Max Gawn. It’s midfield is well down on last year. The defence hasn’t been together for most of the year and the forward line is decimated. Simon Goodwin is on a hiding to nothing and I’ll make the following predictions for Saturday night - 1. Tigers by 85 points 2. Goodwin will really be facing the blow torch by the end of the round. That’s football. THE GAME Melbourne v Richmond on Saturday 3 August 2019 at 7.20pm at the MCG HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 75 wins Richmond 106 wins Drawn 2 At MCG Melbourne 63 wins Richmond 71 wins Drawn 1 Past five meetings Melbourne 2 wins Richmond 3 wins The Coaches Goodwin 0 wins Hardwick 3 wins MEDIA TV - Channel Seven Live at 7.00pm Fox Footy Channel Live at 7.20pm Radio - TBA THE LAST TIME THEY MET Richmond 12.13.85 defeated Melbourne 6.6.42 in Round 6, 2019 at the MCG Melbourne decided to try something different for this game in an effort to revive its season. The team went super defensive - Tom McDonald was moved back into a defensive role and some strong tags were put onto the star Tigers but the tactic backfired after a competitive first half. Melbourne managed just two goals after quarter-time and with the exception of Max Gawn in the ruck, Michael Hibberd’s tagging of Dustin Martin and hardworking midfielders Clayton Oliver and Angus Brayshaw who picked up 29 touches each, the effort on Anzac Eve was nothing short of miserable. THE TEAMS Injury List: Round 20 Mitch Hannan (groin) – test Steven May (hamstring) – test Charlie Spargo (calf) – 1 week Tom Sparrow (knee – 2-3) weeks Aaron vandenBerg (foot) – TBC Jeff Garlett (shoulder) – season Kade Kolodjashnij (head) – season Tom McDonald (knee) – season Aaron Nietschke (knee) – season Joel Smith (groin) – season Sam Weideman (jaw) – season Guy Walker (shoulder) – indefinite

All good. I usually peruse the board before starting a new thread and failed miserably in my attempt to immediately get a click baity topic up for discussion/meltdown.

A+ for passive aggressiveness.

Well that escalated quickly. MELBOURNE 16th Under-23 players: 14 players in total Clayton Oliver (78 games), Bayley Fritsch (41 games), Sam Weideman (31 games), Charlie Spargo (24 games), Corey Wagner (15 games), Harrison Petty (nine games), Oskar Baker (seven games), Kyle Dunkley (two games), Tom Sparrow (two games), Toby Bedford, Austin Bradtke, Kade Chandler, James Jordon, Aaron Nietschke Rising Star nominees: One player Clayton Oliver (2016) No.1 star: No one even comes close to Clayton Oliver. He's among the premier onballers in the competition and few can match him at the coalface. Biggest upside: Despite injuries decimating Melbourne's forward line and the delivery not always being great, Bayley Fritsch has shown potency in attack. He hasn't really settled into a position and might suit the team more across half-back or on the wing, where the Dees can make the most of his pinpoint delivery. Needs to show more: It was tantalising to see what Sam Weideman produced in the Demons' first two finals last year. Those games were the reason the club felt confident it could send Jesse Hogan to Fremantle and still contend. That hasn't worked out, and Weideman's copped a couple of niggles, but the club needs the key forward to rebound next year. Summary: There's a steep drop-off after the three names mentioned. Oskar Baker has serious dash but it remains to be seen whether the others can become consistent contributors in a good side. However, considering much of the club's core is only a little older than this group, there aren't any major concerns around the make-up of the list. - Dinny Navaratnam

As the season rolls on towards the finals and the football world witnesses the aftermath of the sacking of the league’s unsuccessful coaches, it’s almost inevitable that the spotlight will turn firmly upon the complete and utter failure of season 2019 - the Melbourne Football Club. For a team that finished in fourth place last year and was heavily touted as a premiership contender, the fall from grace has been dramatic. As things stand, the Demons look certain to finish 13 places down on their 2018 placing and even below the Blues who, they beat last year by 109 points and who only a month ago, they took apart for three quarters before their injury curse saw them almost drop the unlosable game. Since then, Carlton has won three on the trot while Melbourne has been winless, allowing it to be leapfrogged by last year’s wooden spooner. The only positive I can come up with about Melbourne is that the team is undefeated at its MCG home since the Queens Birthday loss to Collingwood back in early June. But that’s only two games and this week the team comes up against Richmond which seemingly plays every week at that ground and usually thumps the opposition every week. It’s not as if the injury-dogged Demons are being routinely thrashed. In every one of their four defeats since the mid season bye they’ve been either in front or close to the mark at the start of the final term before fading out late in each game. And before the break, they also dropped a couple of games when they were in winning positions late in their contests. The statistic that stands out here is the one that says that over their past four games, the Demons have scored an average of 13.3 points in the final quarter, while conceding an average of 28.5 points. That’s a damning statistic when looking at close encounters - in fact, it’s the stuff that forces the fans to collectively tear their hair out. It might be argued that the team’s depth has been tested by a season from hell on the injury front and therefore, the fade outs are understandable. Possibly understandable but still not forgivable in light of the number of unforced errors leading to turnovers that should never happen and missed shots at goal that were so easily converted last year. My fear is that coming up against a resurgent and rampant Richmond which is overcoming its earlier injury woes and consequent drop in form, the club’s confidence crisis brought upon by the negativity now surrounding it, will result in a Saturday night blowout. The main thing Melbourne has going for it is Max Gawn. It’s midfield is well down on last year. The defence hasn’t been together for most of the year and the forward line is decimated. Simon Goodwin is on a hiding to nothing and I’ll make the following predictions for Saturday night - 1. Tigers by 85 points 2. Goodwin will really be facing the blow torch by the end of the round. That’s football. THE GAME Melbourne v Richmond on Saturday 3 August 2019 at 7.20pm at the MCG HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 75 wins Richmond 106 wins Drawn 2 At MCG Melbourne 63 wins Richmond 71 wins Drawn 1 Past five meetings Melbourne 2 wins Richmond 3 wins The Coaches Goodwin 0 wins Hardwick 3 wins MEDIA TV - Channel Seven Live at 7.00pm Fox Footy Channel Live at 7.20pm Radio - TBA THE LAST TIME THEY MET Richmond 12.13.85 defeated Melbourne 6.6.42 in Round 6, 2019 at the MCG Melbourne decided to try something different for this game in an effort to revive its season. The team went super defensive - Tom McDonald was moved back into a defensive role and some strong tags were put onto the star Tigers but the tactic backfired after a competitive first half. Melbourne managed just two goals after quarter-time and with the exception of Max Gawn in the ruck, Michael Hibberd’s tagging of Dustin Martin and hardworking midfielders Clayton Oliver and Angus Brayshaw who picked up 29 touches each, the effort on Anzac Eve was nothing short of miserable. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B Michael Hibberd Oscar McDonald Jake Lever HB Christian Salem Sam Frost Jordan Lewis C James Harmes Christian Petracca Nathan Jones HF Kyle Dunkley Harrison Petty Jayden Hunt F Jake Melksham Clayton Oliver Bayley Fritsch FOLL Max Gawn Jack Viney Angus Brayshaw I/C Oskar Baker Jay Kennedy Harris Braydon Preuss Corey Wagner EMG Kade Chandler Marty Hore Alex Neal-Bullen Josh Wagner IN Kyle Dunkley Jay Kennedy Harris Jake Melksham Braydon Preuss OUT Neville Jetta (knee) Alex Neal-Bullen (omitted) Tim Smith (foot) Josh Wagner (omitted) RICHMOND B David Astbury Nathan Broad Dylan Grimes HB Bachar Houli Nick Vlastuin Shane Edwards C Jayden Short Dion Prestia Shai Bolton HF Daniel Rioli Brandon Ellis Kane Lambert F Liam Baker Jack Riewoldt Tom J. Lynch FOLL Ivan Soldo Josh Caddy Dustin Martin I/C Dan Butler Jason Castagna Mabior Chol Jack Graham EMG Callum Coleman-Jones Connor Menadue Patrick Naish Jacob Townsend IN Dan Butler Josh Caddy OUT Trent Cotchin (hamstring) Sydney Stack (calf) Injury List: Round 20 Mitch Hannan (groin) – test Steven May (hamstring) – test Charlie Spargo (calf) – 1 week Tom Sparrow (knee – 2-3) weeks Aaron vandenBerg (foot) – TBC Jeff Garlett (shoulder) – season Kade Kolodjashnij (head) – season Tom McDonald (knee) – season Aaron Nietschke (knee) – season Joel Smith (groin) – season Sam Weideman (jaw) – season Guy Walker (shoulder) – indefinite

Had you listened to our interview with Balls a few weeks ago you would know this already. ?

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