Demonland

Commentators mentioned that there was not a breath of wind at the beginning of the match. Ball seems very wet though and players are comically dropping it.

Ball must be pretty wet.

I hope I don't get banned by the AFL for some of the things I've said about the umpires in my living room.

I'd love to be gifted goals in the forward line like our opposition get week in week out.

How did Viney have prior?

Gus in the guts.

Petracca is a much better kick from outside 45.

We missed Hibberd.

Crowd sounds very pro-Crows. So much for home ground advantage.

Mystery injuries of the week go to Petty and Lockhart.

Agreed. Hopefully @RedLegs23 can show form.

Conventional wisdom says that a club reaches the point of no return in the AFL competition if it has won less than four matches at the mid point of the season. What this means for Melbourne is that in order for it to remain in the race for a top-eight position, it must start winning games now. Moreover, It's not enough to win the next game but it must also start stringing wins together to make up for its deficit in both wins and percentage. With so much at stake there will be no excuses for another lacklustre performance of the sort displayed by the Demons in the first three quarters of their game at the MCG last Sunday against the GWS Giants. Injuries, you say? All clubs suffer injuries throughout a season but the strong can overcome that diversity and fight back against the tide. Collingwood suffered a suitcase load of them in 2018 and still came to within a sniff of taking off a premiership. Melbourne’s immediate opponents are the Adelaide Crows at TIO Stadium in Darwin where the club has had mixed results in the past. It destroyed the Dockers there last year but succumbed to the Crows at that venue two years ago. We are likely to see a restructured lineup for this week’s game but Simon Goodwin needs to get far more out of his midfield than he had been getting over the past month or so. Adelaide itself has displayed some flakey form of its own but will be tough to beat at close to full strength. I’m reminded however, of that game at Adelaide Oval in 2017 when the Demons came from a fair way back and essentially reinvented themselves to win big against the then flag favourites. This is Goodwin’s old club and it will be his mission this week to overturn the conventional wisdom about his new club being totally cooked for the season and to come up with some magic and another reinvention into to kickstart its 2019 campaign and to avoid it reaching the point of no return. Melbourne by 1 point DISCUSSION THE GAME Melbourne v Adelaide at TIO Stadium Darwin Saturday 1 June, 2019 at 7.40pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall - Melbourne 15 wins Adelaide 24 wins At TIO Stadium - Melbourne 0 wins Adelaide 1 win Past five me etings - Melbourne 3 wins Adelaide 2 wins The Coaches - Simon Goodwin 3 wins Don Pyke 1 win MEDIA TV - Channel 7 Fox Sports 3 Live at 7.30pm RADIO - Triple M SEN THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 13.12.90 defeated Adelaide 10.17.77 Round 19, 2018 at Adelaide Oval Melbourne started slowly in Jordan Lewis' 300th game before putting on the afterburners to take a comfortable 32 point lead at the final break. In the last quarter, the Crows were dominant in the wet conditions but they were unable to peg back the lead and failed by a margin of 13 points in the end. Clayton Oliver was the Demons’ best. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B Michael Hibberd Sam Frost Josh Wagner HB Marty Hore Oscar McDonald Jayden Hunt C Angus Brayshaw Jack Viney Oskar Baker HF Nathan Jones Tom McDonald Christian Petracca F Jeff Garlett Tim Smith James Harmes FOLL Max Gawn Mitch Hannan Clayton Oliver I/C Bayley Fritsch Christian Salem Charlie Spargo Billy Stretch EMG James Jordon Jay Kennedy Harris Corey Wagner Sam Weideman IN Mitch Hannan Michael Hibberd Christian Salem OUT Harrison Petty (knee) Jay Lockhart (knee) Corey Wagner (omitted) ADELAIDE CROWS B Luke Brown Daniel Talia Kyle Hartigan HB Brodie Smith Alex Keath Rory Laird C Wayne Milera Brad Crouch Rory Atkins HF Paul Seedsman Taylor Walker Tom Lynch F Lachlan Murphy Josh Jenkins Eddie Betts FOLL Reilly O'Brien Bryce Gibbs Rory Sloane I/C Cameron Ellis-Yolmen Jordan Gallucci Hugh Greenwood Jake Kelly EMG Elliott Himmelberg Chayce Jones Riley Knight David Mackay IN Bryce Gibbs Josh Jenkins Tom Lynch OUT Elliott Himmelberg (omitted) Chayce Jones (omitted) Riley Knight (omitted) Injury/Suspension List: Round 11 Nathan Jones (head) – available Christian Salem (concussion – available Michael Hibberd (collarbone) – test Kade Kolodjashnij (concussion) – test Jake Lever (ankle ) – test Steven May (groin) – test Alex Neal-Bullen (concussion) – test Harry Petty (knee) – test Jordan Lewis (suspension) – 1 week Corey Maynard (concussion) – 1 week Joel Smith (groin) – 4-6 weeks Aaron vandenBerg (foot) – 4-6 weeks Jake Melksham (foot) – 5-6 weeks Neville Jetta (knee) – 6-8 weeks Guy Walker (shoulder) – indefinite Aaron Nietschke (knee) – season

Trained in the rehab group and was pictured with ice on the calf after training. Optimist says it's just a corky and he'll play. Pessimist says 4 to 6.

I thought we all agreed that no-one had an interrupted preseason. Too soon?

Look away Dees fans.

Round 11 Melbourne v Adelaide Saturday 1 June, 7.10pm ACST TIO Stadium, Darwin Members need to purchase a valid ticket to attend. Tickets to the game can be purchased via NTix. Public transport Public buses operate the number 5 service along Abala Road with a stop at TIO Stadium. For information, including route details and timetables, visit the Northern Territory Department of Transport. Car parking Free public car parking is available at a number of locations around TIO Stadium at both the Ah Mat and Bonson Gates, Marrara Sporting Complex and surrounding streets. View a map of TIO Stadium HERE. TV times All broadcast info in local times. Melbourne: Seven + Fox Footy – 7.30pm Sydney: Fox Footy – 7.30pm Brisbane: Fox Footy – 7.30pm Adelaide: Seven + Fox Footy – 7.00pm Perth: 7mate + Fox Footy – 5.30pm Tasmania: Seven + Fox Footy – 7.30pm Canberra: Fox Footy – 7.30pm Darwin: Seven + Fox Footy – 7.00pm 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: #AFLDeesCrows Follow the club on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for live match coverage and a behind-the-scenes insight into match day. VFL Round 9 Werribee v Casey Saturday June 1, 2.00pm Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee Admission prices Melbourne/Casey Demons Members: $5 when you present your card on entry Adult General Admission: $10 Concession/Pensioner General Admission: $5 Children Under 15: Free VFLW Round 4 Casey v Southern Saints Sunday June 2, 12.00pm Casey Fields Admission prices Melbourne/Casey Demons Members: FREE when you present your card on entry Adult General Admission: $10 Concession/Pensioner General Admission: $5 Children Under 15: Free Coverage Social media: Follow the Casey Demons on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for behind-the-scenes + live coverage of the match. POINT OF NO RETURN by The Oracle Conventional wisdom says that a club reaches the point of no return in the AFL competition if it has won less than four matches at the mid point of the season. What this means for Melbourne is that in order for it to remain in the race for a top-eight position, it must start winning games now. Moreover, It's not enough to win the next game but it must also start stringin g wins together to make up for its deficit in both wins and percentage. With so much at stake there will be no excuses for another lacklustre performance of the s ort displayed by the Demons in the first three quarters of their game at the MCG last Sunday against the GWS Giants. Injuries, you say? All clubs suffer injuries throughout a season but the strong can overcome that diversity and fight back against the tide. Collingwood suffered a suitcase lo ad of them in 2018 and still came to within a sniff of taking off a premiership. Melbourne’s immediate opp onents are the Adelaide Crows at TIO Stadium in Darwin where the club has had mixed results in the past. It destroyed the Dockers there last year but succumbed to the Crows at tha t venue two years ago. We are likely to see a restructured lineup for this week’s game but Simon Goodwin needs to get far more out of his midfield than he had been getting over the past month or so. Adelaide itself has displayed some flakey form of its own but will be tough to b eat at close to full strength. I’m reminded however, of that game at Adelai de Oval in 2017 when the Demons came from a fair way back and essentially reinvented themselves to win big against the then flag favourites. This is Goodwin’s old club and it will be his mission this week to overturn the conventional wisdom about his new club being totally cooked for the season and to come up with some magic and another reinvention into to kickstart its 2019 campaign and to avoid it reaching the point of no return. Melbourne by 1 point THE GAME Melbourne v Adelaide at TIO Stadium Darwin Saturday 1 June, 2019 at 7.40pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall - Melbourne 15 wins Adelaide 24 wins At TIO Stadium - Melbourne 0 wins Adelaide 1 win Past five me etings - Melbourne 3 wins Adelaide 2 wins The Coaches - Simon Goodwin 3 wins Don Pyke 1 win MEDIA TV - Channel 7 Fox Sports 3 Live at 7.30pm RADIO - Triple M SEN THE LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 13.12.90 defeated Adelaide 10.17.77 Round 19, 2018 at Adelaide Oval Melbourne started slowly in Jordan Lewis' 30 0th game before putting on the afterburners to take a comfortable 32 point lead at the final break . In the last quarter, the Crows were dominant in the wet conditions but they were unable to peg back the lead and failed by a margin of 13 points in the end. Clayton Oliver was the Demons’ best. THE TEAMS Injury/Suspension List: Round 11 Nathan Jones (head) – available Christian Salem (concussion – available Michael Hibberd (collarbone) – test Kade Kolodjashnij (concussion) – test Jake Lever (ankle ) – test Steven May (groin) – test Alex Neal-Bullen (concussion) – test Harry Petty (knee) – test Jordan Lewis (suspension) – 1 week Corey Maynard (concussion) – 1 week Joel Smith (groin) – 4-6 weeks Aaron vandenBerg (foot) – 4-6 weeks Jake Melksham (foot) – 5-6 weeks Neville Jetta (knee) – 6-8 weeks Guy Walker (shoulder) – indefinite Aaron Nietschke (knee) – season