Demonstone

The responses have picked up in volume, but not in accuracy. It doesn't relate to a mathematical concept nor to postcodes. Remember, it is footy related and it's rather obvious by now that it is based on jumper numbers.

I was recently in a chicken shop that had a special offer for that day only whereby, if you sang a 70s pop song for them, they’d throw in a free large serve of chips with your order. Sure enough, after I sang an Abba song for them I duly received my freebies. If I had to do the same again, I would my friend … for Nando’s.

A suggestion has been received that the players wore multiple jumper numbers. Although that is not correct, it's so close to the answer as to be on the hot side of warm.

And so it came to pass that @Roger Mellie went beyond the brink and came up with the answer. Congratulations to him. I haven't mentioned the three emergencies for my team. They could well be James Frawley, Clint Bartram and Jeff Garlett. As mentioned, the players names aren't relevant. What they are wearing is germane.

That man on the telly, @Roger Mellie is on the brink of being the first to crack the puzzle. For any others still pondering, here is some information that will either make the answer obvious or infuriate greatly. James Harmes could replace Jack Watts on the bench while still retaining his spot as rover, thus simultaneously filling two positions in the team. What the?

A submission that all in my team played a game without a senior coach is, alas, incorrect. The answer requires some lateral thinking as it doesn't relate to the individual players themselves.

Seecamp copped three weeks for snotting Pearce. He came to Melbourne as part of a swap for Martin Pike, whose off-field activities could no longer be tolerated despite his obvious talent. After leaving Fitzroy, Pike of course went on to play in a premiership with North Melbourne then three more with Brisbane over a golden five-year span.

Highlight the relevant text, copy and paste to desired thread.

Yes, @Timothy Reddan-A'Blew isn't allowed to play because he had prior knowledge of the point of the exercise. PM replied to.

Things are a bit quiet around here. People are probably spending too much time thinking about the players and their careers instead of looking elsewhere.

One incorrect response so far (that the players named in their correct position goaled with their first kick). To be continued. Be advised that the solution is very much football related.

What in Hades is going on here? We have a team as usual but there are some very strange aspects to it. All have represented the mighty Demons, but we have a mix of current players, past players and one at another club. Some players are in their normal position and some are decidedly not. There is no coach selected. How can the side possibly be expected to know their roles? And did the author not get the memo about there being five on the bench as from 2026? The Temptation's to say that the whole thing is just a Ball Of Confusion. B: Christian Salem David Neitz Jared Rivers H/B: Steven May Rod Grinter Colin Garland C: Jacob van Rooyen Angus Brayshaw Blake Howes H/F: Jack Viney Jeff Farmer Ben Brown F: Caleb Windsor Koltyn Tholstrup Liam Jurrah R: Xavier Lindsay Allen Jakovich James Harmes I/C: Jack Watts Max Gawn Harrison Petty If you can tell me what links the above players, let me know VIA A PM ONLY. You know the drill by now.

There will always be peroxide. Unless you meant lightning? 😁

His name is Oscar Berry and he's going bald.

Tommy Matthews would challenge Kozzy for this honour. At 171cm, both would find the ceiling very high indeed.

This. The post was ambiguous and I didn't understand the intent.

You're way off. They played together for nine seasons, from 1987 to 1995 inclusive.

Wouldn't the suns be the bright light?

CaLEB

I think most of us are pretty confident that Harvey Langford will turn out to be a Fairstar.

A poster on Bomberblitz is posting an assessment of every team for 2026 and this is his take on Melbourne. People will no doubt quibble with some of his comments, but I think he does a pretty reasonable job for a non-MFC fan. (Why was I looking at Blitz? Because there's not much footy news to be found and it pays to know your enemy.) Melbourne Coach – Steven King 2025 – Points For – 10th Points Against – 12th Top 5 Best and Fairest 1 – Max Gawn 2 – Christian Petracca 3 – Kysaiah Pickett 4 – Jake Bowey 5 – Christian Salem 2025 Rising Star Noms Harvey Langford (Rnd 3) Xavier Lindsay (Rnd 7) Ins – Oscar Berry, Max Heath, Changkuoth Jiath, Thomas Matthews, Brodie Mihocek, Riley Onley, Latrelle Pickett, Jack Steele, Kalani White, Xavier Taylor Outs – Jack Billings, Kynan Brown. Tom Fullarton, Marty Hore, Judd McVee, Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, Oliver Sestan, Charlie Spargo, Will Verall, Taj Woewodin My Prediction Melbourne were one of the surprise packets of last season. In retrospect, their miserable year was probably always coming, the lunatics have been running that asylum for a while. 2026 has all the hallmarks of a reset and I am not sure a good one, they have taken a coach from Geelong after heavily courting Buckley. This has potential disaster written all over it. The backline looks pretty similar to last season, they shopped May around but surprisingly few takers. Lever looks to have hit the injured phase of his career and they lack KP depth. They found one last year in Turner who was very handy. Bowey rediscovered some of his early career form. They lose McVee who had been very solid. The midfield is really going to be interesting. No more throwing Petracca in the middle and the vague hope that Oliver will become a good player again is no longer teasing the fans. They found one in Windsor, Langdon will continue on the other wing with his very gradual decline that no one seems to have noticed. Bringing in Steele could be a masterstroke although him and Viney feel like the same player and I am not sure you carry two of them in modern football. Their midfield looks to have gone from a strength to a genuine concern. The forward line has been broken even when they won their premiership. They have brought in Mihocek in a search for answers but I am not sure he is it. I understand why he took the deal he was offered but he is aging and wont be around next time this team is a contender. They will miss Petracca up forward and Van Rooyen looks like a player that looks like a player (without actually ever becoming a player). Pickett is a freak and they have brought in a stable mate to at least make them exciting to watch. The forward line remains as problematic as ever. The ruck surely has to slow down at some stage. The way Gawn has stayed at the top of the game in a position when not many can is phenomenal. They have brought in Heath which is almost the exact opposite of Gawn in that he has never looked real flash or consistent. The coach seems an moneyball sort of selection. He will need time but looking at their recruits, I am not convinced that the Demons recognise the window has closed. I don’t see the Demons as a challenger even for the playoffs this year. They have relied on too few for too much over the last couple of years and they are even thinner for talent this year. I am not sure they slide too much further although its possible. I think they finish in the 12-14 range.

My English teacher said that I'd never be any good at poetry because of my dyslexia. Well, I showed her. So far I've made two vases, a coffee mug and an ashtray.

The four ages of men ... 1 - You believe in Santa 2 - You don't believe in Santa 3 - You pretend to be Santa 4 - You look like Santa

That last one's pretty good apart from the one little eye and the way too small (and wonkily drawn) cup.

That's very, very good @jnrmac ! I'll see your Petracca song and raise you a DDJ (Double Dad Joke). Sherlock Holmes is out skindiving with his faithful associate when Watson exclaims "My goodness Holmes, what's that weird creature over there?". The detective has a look and replies "It's a yellow manta ray, my dear Watson". Just then Dean Martin swims by and says "And that eel next to it? That's a moray".