Demonland

It took little time for Footscray to establish its domination over the Casey Demons in their VFL Round 19 clash at Mission Whitten Oval on Friday afternoon. The Doggies had the early advantage of the breeze and, as those with a knowledge of the old VFL venue second only to Essendon’s ground for swirly winds will tell you, a good start is vital in such conditions. The five goal to one opening term which saw Footscray’s midfield dominate possession, turned out to be enough to secure the win as Casey was never really unable to make inroads on their supremacy. The visitors bravely fought a tie over the next two quarters to remain 29 points down at the final break and they still had the wind at their backs on the home stretch to give them some hope. Seven straight goals from the Bulldogs put an end to that and the 56 point margin at the end was a fitting one and a real sight for motorists driving home from town on a Friday afternoon. There were very few shining lights for the Demons as they spluttered their way through their last Victorian game in a disappointing season. They have a bye next week and then follow that up with a 10:00am game in the final round at People First Stadium against last year’s premiers, the Gold Coast Suns. It’s time to look forward to the future for the club and the combined entity it represents. The combine has been at its strongest when the VFL team has been at its best as it was two or three years ago. This year, injuries have been at play and, despite the lionhearted efforts of skipper Mitch White, assisted from time to time by Tyler Edwards and Roan Steele, the cupboard has been relatively bare. Similarly, Melbourne’s own contribution has not been as significant as in the past. In this game, Casey’s best was Bailey Laurie 29 disposals and ten tackles but he was well and truly overshadowed by Footscray’s Riley Sanders and Jack MacRae who, along with former Demon Oskar Baker monstered his team in every way on the ground and statistically. From. An AFL point of view, Laurie has been in and out of the team like a yo yo so fans will most likely have to look elsewhere for inspiration. Inspiration will most certainly not come from the likes of Ben Brown, Jack Billings, Adam Tomlinson or Lachie Hunter who are nearing the end of their careers. Shane McAdam booted two goals but will need good health and a strong pre season if he is to have an impact in 2025. Tom Fullarton had a strong game around the ground but was easily overshadowed in the ruck duels. This leaves Matthew Jefferson as this team’s leading light for the future and, unlike his 2023 fadeout, the young key forward is presenting well. His four goals in a team that well beaten at stoppages should not be underestimated and he is a 50:50 chance for elevation for an AFL game now that Melbourne’s season is over. Kynan Brown also impressed with his 18 disposals and eight tackles and also stands in line for promotion late in the season. He needs to improve the depth of his kicking but looks like a good learner. Ollie Sestan made a strong start but faded while Jed Adams was serviceable in defence. Along with young ruckman Will Verrall and midseason recruit Luker Kentfield, they are on a long journey to the big time. And so, the VFL season tapers off to a subdued ending at a distance in a fortnight’s time. CASEY DEMONS 1.1.7 5.4.34 8.5.53 10.8.68 FOOTSCRAY 5.6.36 8.6.54 12.10.82 19.10.124 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Jefferson 4 McAdam 2 B Brown K Brown Fullarton Kentfield FOOTSCRAY Sanders 3 Baker Bianco Gallagher Hargraves Owen 2 Bedendo Clarke Freijah Jones Smith Sparkman BEST CASEY DEMONS Hore Jefferson Laurie McAdam White Tomlinson FOOTSCRAY Sanders MacRae Baker Gallagher Owen Freijah Statistics Jed Adams 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 40 dream team points Jack Billings 8 kicks 10 handballs 18 disposals 3 tackles 47 dream team points Ben Brown 1 goal 7 kicks 7 disposals 5 marks 43 dream team points Kynan Brown 1 goal 13 kicks 5 handballs 18 disposals 3 marks 8 tackles 94 dream team points Jesse Craven 1 behind 1 kick 3 handballs 4 disposals 1 tackle 14 dream team points Tyler Edwards 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 56 dream team points Tom Fullarton 1 goal 10 kicks 10 handballs 20 disposals 6 tackles 28 hitouts 111 dream team points Roy George 1 kick 5 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 13 dream team points Max Gregory 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 3 tackles 30 dream team points Marty Hore 16 kicks 16 disposals 8 marks 1 tackle 76 dream team points Lachie Hunter 10 kicks 7 handballs 17 disposals 7 marks 1 tackle 66 dream team points Matt Jefferson 4 goals 1 behind 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 77 dream team points Luker Kentfield 1 goal 2 behinds 4 kicks 1 handball 5 disposals 1 marks 2 tackles 35 dream team points Bailey Laurie 14 kicks 15 handballs 29 disposals 3 marks 10 tackles 119 dream team points Shane McAdam 2 goals 2 behinds 9 kicks 6 handballs 15 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 76 dream team points Nick Moodie 2 kicks 1 handball 3 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 15 dream team points Josh Schache 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 54 dream team points Ollie Sestan 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 59 dream team points Roan Steele 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 4 tackles 47 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 17 kicks 6 handballs 23 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 86 dream team points Will Verrall 3 kicks 1 handballs 4 disposals 3 tackles 5 hitouts 28 dream team points Mitch White 14 kicks 7 handballs 21 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 91 dream team points Kai Windsor 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 1 mark 13 dream team points

Melbourne fell out of the premiership race after producing a half-hearted effort against Footscray on Friday night. The team was barely recognizable from the one that, earlier in the season, established a 6/2 win-loss ratio that included a 55-point thumping of the Bulldogs in Round 1. It was a poor effort from a team that had its entire season on the line and the blame falls almost squarely on the midfield which has collapsed from being a peerless premiership-winning combination to the level of bumbling incompetence, this despite having a valiant leader in the form of skipper Max Gawn winning the ruck duels. Given the Demons were playing against a team on a five day break, it was important that they came out, played competitively and remained in the game, forcing the Bulldogs to expend energy and wilt later in the game. None of that happened and, instead it was the Demons who presented as a sinking ship, tired and listless. From the opening bounce, it was obvious that only one of the teams had come out to play. The hungry Bulldogs relishing the occasion of returning to their Footscray roots, carved up their opponents all over the ground but it started at in the boiler room where they hunted the ball, made space, created multiple avenues to goal and used their height advantage to perfection. The Demons were routed at the stoppages early in the game. They conceded the first ten clearances to the Bulldogs (a fortnight ago it was the first 15 against the Dockers) and it was only the errant kicking of the Footscray forwards that prevented it from being a massacre of Alice Springs proportions. The team looked disorganized and inept, there was little run and spread, the use of handball was poor and too many kicks went high in the air which suited an opponent with a significant height advantage. Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney were well down on their best with neither looking fully fit. To add to the disarray, Steven May was off before the main break with a recurrence of his early season rib injury. There was no Christian Petracca to conjure up goal scoring opportunities like Marcus Bontempelli and no Kozzy Pickett magic to replicate the way Cody Weightman created chaos in their attacking zone. Gawn stood tall as usual but the Bulldogs overwhelmed the Demons with their tall timber. His lieutenant Jacob van Rooyen continues to make inroads as does Trent Rivers while Tom Sparrow responded to his recent omission with a solid performance. The overreaching feeling from the game was how apparent it was that the Bulldogs are building towards a promising month or two ahead while Melbourne has lapsed and run completely out of puff at the business end. MELBOURNE 1.1.7 5.1.31 7.3.45 9.5.59 FOOTSCRAY 4.7.31 6.13.49 11.17.83 15.20.110 GOALS MELBOURNE Fritsch Pickett Sparrow 2 Gawn Rivers Woewodin FOOTSCRAY Bontempelli Naughton Treloar Ugle-Hagan Wightman 2 Darcy English Poulter Richards Williams BEST MELBOURNE Gawn Bowey Rivers Sparrow Langdon van Rooyen FOOTSCRAY Bontempelli Treloar Dale Lobb Weightman Liberatore INJURIES MELBOURNE Steven May (ribs) FOOTSCRAY Tom Liberatore (right ankle) REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil FOOTSCRAY Nil SUBSTITUTIONS MELBOURNE Daniel Turner (replaced Steven May at half time) FOOTSCRAY Caleb Daniel (replaced Tom Liberatore at three-quarter time) UMPIRES Brett Rosebury Matt Stevic Jamie Broadbent Brent Wallace CROWD 33,000 at Marvel Stadium

Alex Neal-Bullen turned in a blinder as he combined with the old firm of Max Gawn, Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney to destroy the Power’s midfield might. MELBOURNE 3.2.20 7.3.45 10.4.64 15.6.96 PORT ADELAIDE 4.1.25 7.3.45 10.8.68 13.11.89 THE TEAMS PORT ADELAIDE B R. Burton, E. Ratugolea, B. Zerk-Thatcher 
HB L. Jones, A. Allir, D. Houston
 C M. Bergman, W. Drew, T. Boak
 HF D. Byrne-Jones, T. Marshall, C. Rozee 
F J. Finlayson, C. Dixon, W. Rioli 
FOLL I. Soldo, O. Wines, Z. Butters 
I/C F. Evans, K. Farrell, J. McEntee, J. Mead
 SUB J. Burgoyne EMG T. Clurey T. McKenzie, D. Visentini, IN J. McEntee OUT D. Williams (omitted) MELBOURNE B J. McVee, J. Lever, B. Howes HB T. Rivers, T. McDonald, C. Salem C E. Langdon, C. Petracca, C. Windsor HF T. Sparrow, B. Fritsch, K. Pickett F A. Neal-Bullen, J. Van Rooyen, K. Chandler FOLL M. Gawn, J. Viney, C. Oliver I/C J. Billings, B. Brown, M. Hore, H. Petty SUB T. Woewodin EMG T. Fullarton B. Laurie, A. Tomlinson IN T. Woewodin OUT S. May (ribs)

LEARNINGS by KC from Casey It took little time for Footscray to establish its domination over the Casey Demons in their VFL Round 19 clash at Mission Whitten Oval on Friday afternoon. The Doggies had the early advantage of the breeze and, as those with a knowledge of the old VFL venue second only to Essendon’s ground for swirly winds will tell you, a good start is vital in such conditions. The five goal to one opening term which saw Footscray’s midfield dominate possession, turned out to be enough to secure the win as Casey was never really unable to make inroads on their supremacy. The visitors bravely fought a tie over the next two quarters to remain 29 points down at the final break and they still had the wind at their backs on the home stretch to give them some hope. Seven straight goals from the Bulldogs put an end to that and the 56 point margin at the end was a fitting one and a real sight for motorists driving home from town on a Friday afternoon. There were very few shining lights for the Demons as they spluttered their way through their last Victorian game in a disappointing season. They have a bye next week and then follow that up with a 10:00am game in the final round at People First Stadium against last year’s premiers, the Gold Coast Suns. It’s time to look forward to the future for the club and the combined entity it represents. The combine has been at its strongest when the VFL team has been at its best as it was two or three years ago. This year, injuries have been at play and, despite the lionhearted efforts of skipper Mitch White, assisted from time to time by Tyler Edwards and Roan Steele, the cupboard has been relatively bare. Similarly, Melbourne’s own contribution has not been as significant as in the past. In this game, Casey’s best was Bailey Laurie 29 disposals and ten tackles but he was well and truly overshadowed by Footscray’s Riley Sanders and Jack MacRae who, along with former Demon Oskar Baker monstered his team in every way on the ground and statistically. From. An AFL point of view, Laurie has been in and out of the team like a yo yo so fans will most likely have to look elsewhere for inspiration. Inspiration will most certainly not come from the likes of Ben Brown, Jack Billings, Adam Tomlinson or Lachie Hunter who are nearing the end of their careers. Shane McAdam booted two goals but will need good health and a strong pre season if he is to have an impact in 2025. Tom Fullarton had a strong game around the ground but was easily overshadowed in the ruck duels. This leaves Matthew Jefferson as this team’s leading light for the future and, unlike his 2023 fadeout, the young key forward is presenting well. His four goals in a team that well beaten at stoppages should not be underestimated and he is a 50:50 chance for elevation for an AFL game now that Melbourne’s season is over. Kynan Brown also impressed with his 18 disposals and eight tackles and also stands in line for promotion late in the season. He needs to improve the depth of his kicking but looks like a good learner. Ollie Sestan made a strong start but faded while Jed Adams was serviceable in defence. Along with young ruckman Will Verrall and midseason recruit Luker Kentfield, they are on a long journey to the big time. And so, the VFL season tapers off to a subdued ending at a distance in a fortnight’s time. CASEY DEMONS 1.1.7 5.4.34 8.5.53 10.8.68 FOOTSCRAY 5.6.36 8.6.54 12.10.82 19.10.124 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Jefferson 4 McAdam 2 B Brown K Brown Fullarton Kentfield FOOTSCRAY Sanders 3 Baker Bianco Gallagher Hargraves Owen 2 Bedendo Clarke Freijah Jones Smith Sparkman BEST CASEY DEMONS Hore Jefferson Laurie McAdam White Tomlinson FOOTSCRAY Sanders MacRae Baker Gallagher Owen Freijah Statistics Jed Adams 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 40 dream team points Jack Billings 8 kicks 10 handballs 18 disposals 3 tackles 47 dream team points Ben Brown 1 goal 7 kicks 7 disposals 5 marks 43 dream team points Kynan Brown 1 goal 13 kicks 5 handballs 18 disposals 3 marks 8 tackles 94 dream team points Jesse Craven 1 behind 1 kick 3 handballs 4 disposals 1 tackle 14 dream team points Tyler Edwards 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 56 dream team points Tom Fullarton 1 goal 10 kicks 10 handballs 20 disposals 6 tackles 28 hitouts 111 dream team points Roy George 1 kick 5 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 13 dream team points Max Gregory 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 3 tackles 30 dream team points Marty Hore 16 kicks 16 disposals 8 marks 1 tackle 76 dream team points Lachie Hunter 10 kicks 7 handballs 17 disposals 7 marks 1 tackle 66 dream team points Matt Jefferson 4 goals 1 behind 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 77 dream team points Luker Kentfield 1 goal 2 behinds 4 kicks 1 handball 5 disposals 1 marks 2 tackles 35 dream team points Bailey Laurie 14 kicks 15 handballs 29 disposals 3 marks 10 tackles 119 dream team points Shane McAdam 2 goals 2 behinds 9 kicks 6 handballs 15 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 76 dream team points Nick Moodie 2 kicks 1 handball 3 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 15 dream team points Josh Schache 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 54 dream team points Ollie Sestan 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 59 dream team points Roan Steele 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 4 tackles 47 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 17 kicks 6 handballs 23 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 86 dream team points Will Verrall 3 kicks 1 handballs 4 disposals 3 tackles 5 hitouts 28 dream team points Mitch White 14 kicks 7 handballs 21 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 91 dream team points Kai Windsor 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 1 mark 13 dream team points

The Demons return to the MCG on Saturday night to take on the Port Adelaide Power in the hopes to salvage some pride out of a disappointing season. Who comes in and who goes out?

The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 5th August @ 7:30pm. Join George, Binman & I as we analyse the Demons loss at Marvel Stadium against the Bulldogs in the Round 21. 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 now injured Steven May in the Demonland Player of the Year. Christian Petracca, Jack Viney & Trent Rivers round out the Top 5. Your votes please. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

It’s Season Over for the Demons as they were blown out of the water from the outset of the match against the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium ultimately going down by 51 points.

For 2024, the main changes will be: Clubs having access from pick No.1 onwards for NGA prospects in a return to previous rules to align with northern Academy and the father-son bidding system. The AFL has prioritised this change, revealed by AFL.com.au last month, because it does not want to further see a decline in diverse and Indigenous talent. The AFL will also continue to run its review on changing the NGA zones ahead of Tasmania's entrance into the game and the required eligibility and sign-up process for NGA draftees. Free agency compensation picks will from now take into account contract length as a determining factor, however contracts less than two years, or more than five, will not be given any weight. The League will be more transparent with its free agency compensation formula using the year lengths of deals. Clubs will be able to retain rookies for up to a maximum of five years, up from the current three years. This is to help give clubs more time to develop key position and taller talents as well as players from different backgrounds. Stipulations will mean the player cannot have played more than 10 games at the end of his fourth or fifth season to retain rookie status. More flexibility in the drafting of father-son prospects as primary-listed players or rookie-listed players. Current rules mean clubs have to nominate before the national draft if a player will be a national or rookie father-son, with the tweak giving more scope to make decisions during the live draft. For 2025, the main changes will be: The revised draft value index and bidding system will be introduced. The new DVI will make it harder for clubs to stockpile draft selections to match multiple bids on Academy and father-son selections. As part of this, the 20 per cent points discount applied to matched bids will be reduced to 10 per cent. However, the AFL will continue to review this and assess whether it should apply to all or some of father-son, NGA and northern Academy players. The new DVI will see points attached to only the first 54 picks (down from the current system of the first 73 picks). There will be more than 10,000 points shaved off the value of the next DVI. Future trading of picks will be extended to two years in advance. For 2026, the main change will be: Live trading will be introduced for the 2026 mid-season rookie draft, allowing clubs to move up and down in the order or trade into the draft using end of year selections.

Who are you tipping and what the best results for the Dees (with the exception of us just winning every game).

It's Game Day, and the Demons' hopes for making the finals in the 2024 season are hanging by a thread. A loss would be the final blow to a disappointing season, while a win against the in-form Bulldogs would offer a temporary reprieve. LFG!

MELBOURNE Kysaiah Pickett (gen forward), Christian Petracca (midfielder), Alex Neal-Bullen (mid-forward), Max Gawn (ruck) A very good soldier, Neal-Bullen is a surprise on this list. But that speaks to the lack of depth in that position. The players who didn’t quite make the cut as mid-forwards were Jy Simpkin, Pat Lipinski and Ollie Dempsey. Neal-Bullen does his job each week but averages just 18.7 disposals and 0.4 goals per game. Petracca hit the games threshold to make it here before his injury, while Gawn is clear as the top ruck according to player ratings. ADELAIDE Mitch Hinge (general defender), Izak Rankine (gen forward) BRISBANE LIONS Dayne Zorko (gen defender), Cam Rayner (gen forward) CARLTON Charlie Curnow (key forward), Harry McKay (key forward), Patrick Cripps (midfielder) COLLINGWOOD Nick Daicos (midfielder) ESSENDON Nil FREMANTLE Caleb Serong (midfielder) GEELONG Max Holmes (gen defender), Gryan Miers (gen forward), Tyson Stengle (gen forward), Jeremy Cameron (key forward) GOLD COAST Sam Flanders (gen defender), Sam Collins (key defender), Matt Rowell (midfielder) GWS GIANTS Brent Daniels (gen forward), Toby Greene (gen forward), Jesse Hogan (key forward), Callan Ward (wing) HAWTHORN Dylan Moore (gen forward), James Sicily (key defender), Massimo D’Ambrosio (wing) MELBOURNE Kysaiah Pickett (gen forward), Christian Petracca (midfielder), Alex Neal-Bullen (mid-forward), Max Gawn (ruck) NORTH MELBOURNE Harry Sheezel (gen defender), Tristan Xerri (ruck) PORT ADELAIDE Dan Houston (gen defender), Zak Butters (midfielder) RICHMOND Liam Baker (mid-forward), Shai Bolton (mid-forward) ST KILDA Jack Sinclair (gen defender), Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (gen defender) SYDNEY Nick Blakey (gen defender), Tom Papley (gen forward), Isaac Heeney (midfielder), Errol Gulden (wing), Justin McInerney (wing) WEST COAST Tom Barrass (key defender), Jeremy McGovern (key defender), Jake Waterman (key forward) WESTERN BULLDOGS Bailey Dale (gen defender), Aaron Naughton (key forward), Marcus Bontempelli (midfielder), Adam Treloar (midfielder)

2024 NATIONAL DRAFT COMBINE LIST VIC COUNTRY Jasper Alger (Oakleigh Chargers) James Barrat (Bendigo Pioneers) Joe Berry (Murray Bushrangers) Floyd Burmeister (Greater Western Victoria Rebels) Harry Charleson (Greater Western Victoria Rebels) Archer Day-Wicks (Bendigo Pioneers) Jonty Faull (Greater Western Victoria Rebels) Cooper Hynes (Dandenong Stingrays) Lachie Jaques (Geelong Falcons) Sam Lalor (Greater Western Victoria Rebels) Harvey Langford (Dandenong Stingrays) Xavier Lindsay (Gippsland Power) Noah Mraz (Dandenong Stingrays) Finn O'Sullivan (Oakleigh Chargers) Jack Ough (Greater Western Victoria Rebels) Alix Tauru (Gippsland Power) Tobie Travaglia (Vic Country) Rhys Unwin (Greater Western Victoria Rebels) Oliver Warburton (Murray Bushrangers) Jack Whitlock (Murray Bushrangers) Matt Whitlock (Murray Bushrangers) VIC METRO Cody Anderson (Eastern Ranges) Harry Armstrong (Sandringham Dragons) Levi Ashcroft (Sandringham Dragons) Adrian Cole (Sandringham Dragons) Jesse Dattoli (Northern Knights) Josh Dolan (Sandringham Dragons) Tom Gross (Oakleigh Chargers) Taj Hotton (Sandringham Dragons) Isaac Kako (Calder Cannons) Christian Moraes (Eastern Ranges) Harry O'Farrell (Calder Cannons) Harrison Oliver (Sandringham Dragons) Murphy Reid (Sandringham Dragons) Thomas Sims (Northern Knights) Josh Smillie (Eastern Ranges) Jagga Smith (Oakleigh Chargers) Gabriel Stumpf (Northern Knights) Luke Trainor (Sandringham Dragons) SOUTH AUSTRALIA Ned Bowman (Norwood) Ben Camporeale (Glenelg) Lucas Camporeale (Glenelg) Angus Clarke (Glenelg) Alex Dodson (Sturt) Sid Draper (South Adelaide) Phoenix Hargrave (South Adelaide) Jacob Newton (Norwood) Charlie Nicholls (Central District) Charlie West (Woodville-West Torrens) WESTERN AUSTRALIA Bo Allan (Peel Thunder) Cody Angove (Claremont) Jaxon Artemis (South Fremantle) Malakai Champion (Subiaco) Hamish Davis (Claremont) Clancy Dennis (Claremont) Kayle Gerreyn (West Perth) Will Hayes (Claremont) Aiden Riddle (Claremont) Luke Urquhart (East Fremantle) QUEENSLAND Leo Lombard (Gold Coast Academy) Sam Marshall (Brisbane Academy) NEW SOUTH WALES-ACT Cooper Bell (Giants Academy) Joel Cochran (Sydney Academy) Jobe Shanahan (Bendigo Pioneers) Logan Smith (GWS Academy) FIRST INTAKE 2024 STATE COMBINE LIST Benny Barrett (South Adelaide/SA) Hugh Boxshall (Claremont/WA) Evan Bradley (North Adelaide/SA) Charlie Burke (Subiaco/WA) Zane Cochrane (Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro) Sam Davidson (Richmond VFL/Vic Metro) Oliver Dean (Tasmania Devils/North Launceston) Josaia Delana (Giants Academy/NSW-ACT) Asher Eastham (Gippsland Power/Vic Country) Tom Gillett (Brisbane Academy/QLD) Lucca Grego (Western Jets/Vic Metro) Kade Herbert (Woodville-West Torrens/SA) Lennox Hofmann (Sandringham/Vic Metro) Damon Hollow (Calder Cannons/Vic Metro) Lucas Impey (Western Jets/Vic Metro) Xavier Ivisic (Geelong Falcons/Vic Country) Zak Johnson (Northern Knights/Vic Metro) Ben Kennedy (Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country) Nash King (Calder Cannons/Vic Metro) Thomas McKay (Glenelg/South Australia) Ricky Mentha (Gippsland Power/NT) Josh Murphy (Murray Bushrangers/NSW-ACT) Jayden Nguyen (Calder Cannons/Vic Metro) Harrison Ramm (Glenelg/South Australia) Tyler Welsh (Adelaide/South Australia)

After losing their last two games in a row to finals aspirants, the Demons’ season has unravelled in the blink of an eye. They take on the Bulldogs on Friday night at Marvel Stadium in what has become a “do-or-die” contest to remain in contention for September AFL action and the reality is that they have been forced into a situation in which they are already thinking in terms of mathematical possibilities despite the fact that it’s still a close race and even with four rounds left to play. The coach and the players are facing their own Demons in what is a situation of their own making. Whether or not you like the term “eight point game”, that’s precisely what every game from now on is to the club at a time where a defeat in any of the remaining games is likely to be fatal to their chances. As I noted in my preview of last week, the gap between their best and their worst is wide both between and during games. Consistency is so important and yet, they were so inconsistent in their game last week against the Giants. They were strong in the opening term but faltered in the second. They kept GWS scoreless in the first twenty minutes of the third quarter but conceded three goals to one in seven minutes, late in the term and four in the space of five minutes early in the next before scoring the last four goals of the game to almost steal the points. The inability to apply constant pressure led to their downfall. Melbourne has had a knack in recent times of coming up against opponents at the exact moment when they are at the top of their game. That's where the Bulldogs are at the moment, particularly with their height advantage all over the ground. It starts with Tim English in ruck and extends to their intercept defenders Liam Jones, Buku Khamis and Rory Lobb and tall forwards Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy. Let’s not forget their midfield champion Marcus Bontempelli who at 194cm is the same height as Jacob van Rooyen, the Demons’ relief ruckman. And, under the stadium’s closed roof, there is no chance that an unexpected downpour can come to their aid as it did a fortnight ago when their undersized team triumphed against Essendon. The teams met in the opening round when Melbourne prevailed by 55 points at the MCG. They managed to easily subdue the taller Western Bulldogs with their superior fitness and run all over the ground. Max Gawn was too good in the ruck, the Doggies’ forward talls were nullified by the Demon defenders and the forwards had enough supply from the mids to ensure a comfortable afternoon’s work for the team. Recent form has seen a massive turnaround in the fortunes of the respective teams. While we can rely on the tall Demon defensive duo of Steven May, Jake Lever and Tom McDonald to play their role, their midfielders have let them down of late and there are major question marks about the ability of those in place without Christian Petracca and now, young speedster Caleb Windsor, to provide sufficient supply to the forwards who are not performing up to the standards required to win games and make the finals. The only hope for the Demons is the tiredness factor because of the five day break between the Dogs' last game and Friday night's encounter. However, I'm not sure that Melbourne has the ability to play four quarters of consistent, intense pressure football while facing both the Bulldogs and their own Demons. Footscray by 27 points. THE GAME Western Bulldogs v Melbourne at Marvel Stadium Friday 2 August 2024 at 7.15 pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Western Bulldogs 79 wins Melbourne 92 wins 1 draw At Marvel Stadium Western Bulldogs 11 wins Melbourne 9 wins Last Five Meetings Western Bulldogs 1 win Melbourne 4 wins The Coaches Beveridge 4 wins Goodwin 8 wins THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 16.13.109 defeated Western Bulldogs 9.10.64 at The MCG in Round 1, 2024 After a slow start, the Demon machine clicked into action with its relentless defence headed by Steven May smashing the Bulldogs which the old firm of Gawn, Oliver and Petracca having a slight edge on the Bulldog midfield as the team cruised to a 55-point victory. THE TEAMS FOOTSCRAY B T. Duryea, B. Khamis, N. Coffield HB L. Bramble, R. Lobb, B. Dale C L. Vandermeer, E. Richards, B. Williams HF A. Treloar, A. Naughton, J. Ugle-Hagan F C. Weightman, S. Darcy, R. West FOLL T. English, M. Bontempelli, T. Liberatore I/C C. Daniel, R. Garcia, L. Jones, L. McNeil, C. Poulter EMG O. Baker, J. Freijah, J. Macrae MELBOURNE B J. Lever, S. May, J. McVee HB J. Bowey, T. McDonald, A. Moniz-Wakefield C E. Langdon, C. Oliver, A. Neal-Bullen HF K. Pickett, J. Van Rooyen, B. Fritsch F K. Chandler, H. Petty, J. Melksham FOLL M. Gawn, J. Viney, T. Rivers I/C B. Howes, T. Sparrow, K. Tholstrup, D. Turner, T. Woewodin EMG J. Billings, B. Laurie, A. Tomlinson Injury List: Round 21 Jed Adams — lung / available Koltyn Tholstrup — concussion / test Christian Salem — hamstring / 1 - 2 weeks Caleb Windsor — ankle / TBC Charlie Spargo — Achilles / season Christian Petracca — spleen / indefinite

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it

Trac now listed as indefinite. 😱