Whispering_Jack

I believe there might be a full moon tonight for the supporters of both teams to howl at during the breaks in play.

Perhaps not but he’s not optimistic about continuing when he says things like this:- “I’m not going to string it out as long as I possibly can. I’m going to leave the game at the end of the year feeling really fulfilled in what I’ve achieved, absolutely. Source

They come and they go - the end of season list changes have started. Please feel free to post additions to this list when they arise. ADELAIDE In: Ben Crocker ® (Collingwood) Billy Frampton (Port Adelaide) Lachlan Gollant (Calder Cannons) Ben Keays ® Midfielder, Brisbane Lions Fischer McAsey (Sandringham Dragons) Ronin O’Connor (Claremont WA) Harry Schoenberg (Woodville West Torrens SA) Josh Worrell (Sandringham Dragons) Out: Eddie Betts (Carlton) Richard Douglas (retired) Cam Ellis-Yolmen (Brisbane) Hugh Greenwood (Gold Coast) Paul Hunter ® (delisted) Sam Jacobs (GWS Giants) Josh Jenkins (Geelong) Andy Otten (retired) BRISBANE LIONS In: Callum Ah Chee (Gold Coast) Grant Birchall (Hawthorn) Keidean Coleman (Morningside Q) Cam Ellis-Yolmen (Adelaide) Corey Lyons ® (redrafted) Jaxon Prior (West Perth WA) Deven Robertson (Perth WA) Sam Skinner ® (redrafted) Archie Smith ® (redrafted) Brock Smith (Gippsland Power) Out: Ryan Bastinac (delisted) Tom Cutler (Essendon) Matt Eagles (delisted) Luke Hodge (retired) Ben Keays (Adelaide) Corey Lyons (delisted) Sam Skinner (delisted) Archie Smith (delisted) Lewis Taylor (Sydney) Josh Walker (delisted) CARLTON In: Eddie Betts (Adelaide) Josh Honey ® (Western Jets) Brodie Kemp (Bendigo Pioneers) Jack Martin (Gold Coast) Jack Newnes (St Kilda) Fraser Phillips ® (Gippsland Power) Sam Philp (Northern Knights) Marc Pittonet (Hawthorn) Sam Ramsay (Calder Cannons) Out: Tom Bugg ® (retired) Josh Deluca (delisted) Alex Fasolo (retired) Jarrod Garlett (delisted) Patrick Kerr (delisted) Kym Lebois ® (delisted) Matthew Lobbe (delisted) Andrew Phillips (Essendon) Jarrod Pickett (delisted) Angus Schumacher (delisted) Dale Thomas (retired) COLLINGWOOD In: Trent Bianco (Oakleigh Chargers) Darcy Cameron (Sydney) Jay Rantall (GWV Rebels) Trey Ruscoe (East Fremantle WA) Out: James Aish (Fremantle) Ben Crocker (Adelaide) Lynden Dunn (delisted) Tyson Goldsack (retired) Sam Murray (delisted) Daniel Wells (retired) ESSENDON In: Nick Bryan (Oakleigh Chargers) Ned Cahill (Dandenong Stingrays) Tom Cutler (Brisbane) Mitchell Hibberd ® (North Melbourne) Lachlan Johnson (Calder Cannons) Harrison Jones (Calder Cannons) Cian McBride ® (Category B) Ross McQuillan ® (Category B) Andrew Phillips (Carlton) Out: Mark Baguley (retired) Mitch Brown (delisted) Zac Clarke (delisted) Matt Dea (retired) Michael Hartley (Hawthorn) Jordan Houlahan (delisted) Tom Jok ® (delisted) Luke Lavender ® (retired) Jake Long (delisted) Ben McNiece ® (delisted) David Myers (retired) Trent Mynott ® (delisted) FREMANTLE In: Blake Acres (St Kilda) James Aish (Collingwood) Hugh Dixon ® (Fremantle) Minairo Frederick (Woodville-West Torrens SA) Liam Henry (Claremont WA) Tom North ® (Fremantle) Jarvis Pina ® (Peel WA) Caleb Serong (Gippsland Power) Hayden Young (Dandenong Stingrays) Out: Hayden Ballantyne (delisted) Harley Bennell (delisted) Hugh Dixon (rookied) Brad Hill (St Kilda) Scott Jones (delisted) Shane Kersten (delisted) Ed Langdon (Melbourne) Tom North (rookied) Ryan Nyhuis ® (delisted) Aaron Sandilands (retired) GEELONG Oscar Brownless ® (redrafted) Bradley Close ® (Glenelg SA) Sam De Koning (Dandenong Stingrays) Francis Evans (Calder Cannons) Lachie Henderson ® (redrafted) Josh Jenkins (Adelaide) Cooper Stephens (Geelong Falcons) Jack Steven (St Kilda) Cameron Taheny (Norwood SA) Out: Ryan Abbott (St Kilda) Oscar Brownless (rookied) Wylie Buzza (Port Adelaide) Jordan Cunico (delisted) Lachie Henderson (rookied) Jamaine Jones (delisted) Tim Kelly (West Coast Eagles) Scott Selwood (delisted) Zac Smith (Gold Coast) GOLD COAST SUNS In: Noah Anderson (Oakleigh Chargers) Connor Budarick ® (Gold Coast Academy) Matt Conroy ® (Gold Coast Academy) Brandon Ellis (Richmond) Sam Flanders (Gippsland Power) Jy Farrar (Scotch Old Collegians) Hugh Greenwood (Adelaide) Malcolm Rosas ® (NT Thunder) Matthew Rowell (Oakleigh Chargers) Josh Schoenfeld: ® (redrafted) Jeremy Sharp (East Fremantle WA) Zac Smith (Geelong) Out: Callum Ah Chee (Brisbane) Brayden Crossley (delisted) Jack Leslie (delisted) Tom Nicholls (retired) Connor Nutting (delisted) Michael Rischitelli (retired) Brad Scheer delisted) Josh Schoenfeld (rookied) Harrison Wigg (delisted) Aaron Young (delisted) GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY In: Lachlan Ash (Murray Bushrangers) Tom Green (GWS Academy) Thomas Hutchesson (Adelaide SANFL) Sam Jacobs (Adelaide) Jake Riccardi (Werribee VFL) Jake Stein: ® (redrafted) Tom Sheridan: ® (redrafted) Zachary Sproule ® (redrafted) Out: Aiden Bonar (North Melbourne) Dylan Buckley (delisted) Brett Delidio (retired) Jonathon Patton (Hawthorn) Tom Sheridan (rookied) Dawson Simpson (retired) Zach Sproule ® (rookied) Jake Stein ® (rookied) Adam Tomlinson (Melbourne) HAWTHORN In: Will Day (West Adelaide SA) Sam Frost (Melbourne) Michael Hartley (Essendon) Emerson Jeka ® (Western Jets) Finn Maginness (Sandringham Dragons) Josh Morris (Woodville West Torrens SA)Jonathon Patton (GWS Giants) Out Grant Birchall (Gold Coast) Kaiden Brand (delisted) Teia Miles (delisted) Darren Minchington (delisted) David Mirra (delisted) Tim Mohr ® (retired) Marc Pittonet (Carlton) Jarryd Roughead (retired) Ryan Schoenmakers (retired) MELBOURNE In: Luke Jackson East Fremantle WA) Ed Langdon (Fremantle) Kysaiah Pickett (Woodville West Torrens SA) Trent Rivers (East Fremantle WA) Adam Tomlinson (GWS Giants) Out: Sam Frost (Hawthorn) Jeff Garlett (delisted) Declan Keilty ® (delisted) Jay Kennedy Harris (delisted) Jordan Lewis (retired) Corey Maynard (retired) Tim Smith ® (retired) Billy Stretch (delisted) Guy Walker ® (retired) NORTH MELBOURNE In: Aiden Bonar (GWS Giants) Charlie Comben (Gippsland Power) Jack Mahony (Sandringham Dragons) Flynn Perez (Bendigo Pioneers) Out: Nathan Hrovat (delisted) Tom McKenzie ® (delisted) Red Óg Murphy ® (retired) Scott Thompson (retired) Declan Watson (delisted) Tom Wilkinson ® (delisted) Sam Wright (retired) PORT ADELAIDE In: Miles Bergman (Sandringham Dragons) Trent Burgoyne ® (Woodville-West Torrens SA) Wylie Buzza (Geelong) Mitch Georgiades (Subiaco WA) Riley Grundy ® (redrafted) Jackson Mead (Woodville West Torrens SA) Jake Pasini ® (Swan Districts WA) Dylan Williams (Oakleigh Chargers) Boyd Woodcock ® (redrafted) Out: Matthew Broadbent (delisted) Billy Frampton (Adelaide) Sam Gray (delisted) Riley Grundy (rookied) Cam Hewett ® (delisted) Dougal Howard (St Kilda) Aydin Johnson (delisted) Kai Pudney ® (delisted) Paddy Ryder (St Kilda) Jack Trengove (delisted) Boyd Woodcock (rookied) RICHMOND In: Noah Cumberland (Brisbane Lions Academy) Thomson Dow (Bendigo Pioneers) Will Martyn (Brisbane Lions Academy) Bigoa Nyuon (Dandenong Stingrays) Hugo Ralphsmith (Sandringham Dragons) Out: Dan Butler (St Kilda) Brandon Ellis (Gold Coast Suns) Shaun Grigg (retired) Commor Menadue (delisted) Callum Moore (delisted) Jacob Townsend (delisted) Maverick Weller ® (retired) ST KILDA In: Ryan Abbott (Geelong) Jack Bell ® (Sandringham Dragons) Dan Butler (Richmond) Ryan Byrnes (Sandringham Dragons) Leo Connolly (Gippsland Power) Brad Hill (Fremantle) Dougal Howard (Port Adelaide) Zak Jones (Sydney) Darragh Joyce (Category B upgrade) Paddy Ryder (Port Adelaide) Out: Blake Acres (Fremantle) David Armitage (delisted) Josh Bruce ((Western Bulldogs) Billy Longer (delisted) Patrick McCartin (delisted) Jack Newnes (Carlton) Lewis Pierce (delisted) Sam Rowe (delisted) Jack Steven (Geelong) Bailey Rice (delisted) Robbie Young (delisted) Brandon White (delisted) SYDNEY SWANS In: Will Gould (Glenelg SA) Jack Maibaum: ® (redrafted) Brady Rowles: ® (Bendigo Pioneers) Dylan Stephens (Norwood SA) Elijah Taylor (Perth WA) Lewis Taylor (Brisbane) Chad Warner (East Fremantle WA) Out: Darcy Cameron (Collingwood) Heath Grundy (retired) Cody Hirst ® (delisted) Kieren Jack (retired) Zak Jones (St Kilda) Jarrod McVeigh (retired) Jack Maibaum (rookied) Daniel Menzel (delisted) Toby Pink ® (delisted) James Rose (delisted) Nick Smith (retired) Durak Tucker ® (delisted) WEST COAST EAGLES In: Brendon Ah Chee ® (redrafted) Hamish Brayshaw ® (redrafted) Callum Jamieson (Claremont WA) Ben Johnson (Perth WA) Tim Kelly (Geelong) Mitch O’Neill ® (North Hobart) Anthony Treacy ® (Claremont WA) Out: Brendon Ah Chee (rookied) Matthew Allen (delisted) Patrick Bines ® (delisted) Hamish Brayshaw (rookied) Keegan Brooksby (delisted) Chris Masten (delisted) Fraser McInnes ® (delisted) Kurt Mutimer (delisted) Brodie Riach ® (delisted) Josh Smith ® (delisted) WESTERN BULLDOGS In: Josh Bruce (St Kilda) Louis Butler (Sandringham Dragons) Riley Garcia (Swan Districts WA) Alex Keath (Adelaide) Cody Weightman (Dandenong Stingrays) Out: Tom Boyd (retired) Dale Morris (retired) Liam Picken (retired) Fletcher Roberts (delisted) Lukas Webb (delisted)

Every Demon fan who lived through that golden era would be shedding tears today. Bluey was one of our true greats - as a player and a bloke. Condolences to his family.

Cal Twomey's 2019 Phantom Form Guide: August update

For a team bound for the finals with pretensions to a top four spot, GWS’s waving of the white flag last night was shameful.

Can a game against our long time traditional rivals breathe some life into this team?

It’s Draft Power rankings time and here are two of them - Knightmare and AFL Draft Central

Their fans will still complain. There are reports today that Mason Cox is out the year with a damaged retina, Ben Reid out with soft tissue concerns, Darcy Moore still out and. Jordan De Goey will also miss.

Nor is ANB although he could be the player held back as an emergency for tonight’s game. Who knows?

Game on tonight, I believe.

Less than 10 MFC listers = 0.01% chance of a win against the top side.

I don’t believe that injuries alone explain the team’s fall from grace this year but I recall last year’s two home finals against Geelong and Hawthorn when we had Tom McDonald and Sam Weideman fit, firing and available. I don’t think we had a problem with “brand” back then - why is that an issue this year when we are bereft of key forwards. I think Roos’ comments are fairly superficial and quite frankly, dumb.

The great 60’s rock group Buffalo Springfield has this song called “Something’s Happening” that opened with the lines- “There's something happening here What it is ain't exactly clear” It was a song about paranoia in the days of the Vietnam War but it comes to mind when I look at what’s happened with this week’s team selections. The first two players on the injury list are declared available and they go straight into Melbourne’s team for tonight against the Saints (Tim Smith actually played for Casey last week after already recovering from whatever ailed him the previous week). Jack Viney and Harry Petty pass their fitness tests and remain in the team for that game. Jake Melksham (after several weeks of wavering from 4-5 to 3-4 miraculously became a “test”), Marty Hore, Sam Weideman and Billy Stretch all pass their tests and are selected for Casey. So does rookie Austin Bradtke who was presumably rested last week. So just when we have what should be a season low injury list of a mere 8 players, there’s also a season high of up to four “mystery injuries of the week”. A day after the injury list is issued, Steven May misses with a hamstring injury. Well, we knew he might have had an issue there because in the game against the Eagles in Alice Springs he went “into the rooms during the third quarter with a tight hamstring but eventually returned”. Another player injured who returns to the ground only to miss at least the following game. Then there is the strange case of three “outs” from the Casey team - Mitch Hannan, Corey Maynard and Charlie Spargo - none of who were listed as injured. So, if that was really the case, were they rested from a must win game for the Casey Demons (they have to win every remaining game to have a chance of making the finals) when their inclusion would given them a season high of 16 AFL listed players? There's something happening here. I just can’t figure it out and nobody’s telling us what it is even if it probably doesn’t matter.

On the basis of our pattern of play throughout the entire season, this is one of the few games left which we could possibly win. However, if the Saints dictate the way the game is played as they did earlier in the season and we do nothing to resist their style, it’s going to be a long evening.

It was really disappointing for me to read this thread this morning. Not so much because of Casey’s loss which was half expected due to the sheer lack of AFL experience. I think Scott Selwood has more AFL games under his belt than the 10 Melbourne listed players who took part. My disappointment was due to the fact that a number of posts had to be deleted by our moderators as a result of the unnecessary derailing of the thread for the purpose of chest beating and preaching when it wasn’t warranted or relevant. People come here to read the thread mainly to find out how some of our younger prospects and our out of form or players returning from injury are faring. We want to know if our VFL partner can make the finals. Demonland is not about individual posters. It’s about our club and it’s players. A great deal of what I read was crap and was rightfully removed. We won’t tolerate it here so before anyone thinks of posting “I’m better than you” posts, think again because they won’t be visible for very long.

It’s hard to fathom exactly what’s gone wrong since the last time that Melbourne ventured into the red centre when it comprehensively demolished Adelaide a week over recording that 100+ points win over Carlton (we sit today behind both on the ladder). I suppose the troubles began immediately upon our return home when Jake Lever twisted his knee at the former Etihad Stadium but, apart from a couple of wins late last year and the euphoria of those two home finals, it’s never been the same. The win against the Eagles at Optus Stadium in Round 22 last year was in the minds of many, our finest achievement of the season. Here’s hoping we can reach those heights again in the near future and provide them with a contest today.

What happened to the honourable tradition in football of taking things one week at a time?

After witnessing the winning performances in this round of two other clubs heavily affected by injuries - Collingwood and Essendon - all I can say is the time for making excuses is well and truly over.

Young Tiernan Stynes played for South Metro JFL side Port Melbourne/South Melbourne last year in the Under 13s and was also in their interleague team. I checked on the league website and it appears he’s not playing for them this year. The fact that he’s at Wesley might have something to do with this because the schools in the APS play their inter school matches on Saturday mornings which often puts pressure on young kids backing up for games with club teams on Sundays. I believe that Jeff White’s son is showing some promise as a sportsman and is perhaps a year or two younger. Wouldn’t it be great if we had a young Stynes and a young White combining for the Demons in around five or six year’s time after Maxy retires?

Put Cooper Sharman down as a smokie - Balwyn forward Cooper Sharman attracting AFL attention Perhaps somewhere later in the draft?

Both Carlton and St Kilda have made the finals during the current decade so what are they complaining about. Melbourne also did it once but are now languishing in the bottom four and is a game and %age behind the Saints. Had Jayden Hunt’s shot at goal on Sunday gone the way of most of his team’s set shots, we would have been behind the Blues on the ladder as well. Therefore, we have as much right as those two teams to a priority pick - and it would correct an historical wrong as well. #prioritypicforDees2019 ?

Some more serious reading about the 2019 crop of draft prospects - AFL Draft Power Rankings: State MVPs make a run up the board Under 18 Championships: 5 AFL draft prospects who elevated their stocks AFL Draft Wrap: Unique defender with booming boot looms as a first-round force

Fox Sports “If Match Review Officer Michael Christian grades the incident as careless conduct, low impact and high contact, Lewis would receive a fine.”

Zac Fisher played out the game and appeared unaffected. Low impact. Lewis cops a fine at worst despite his record.