Tarax Club

T’was born in Toorak according to my original birth certificate but never dwelt there for long. After a spell in the Goulburn Valley returned to the big smoke to live in Port Melbourne. Which back then was not upwardly, demographically, orientated like today. The local primary school was a very tough gig, with a notorious bully and his offsider lurking in the playground. Being the new kid copped it of course, but memorably at great surprise to myself, squared matters in my first school fight. Aided by the courageous intervention of another classmate to even up the numbers. Later settled in Bentleigh which was to become part of Melbourne’s patchwork of suburban zones along with Prahran. Russell Colcott played with Bentleigh in the Federal league after his brief career at the Demons, joined Bob Johnson at Oakleigh in the VFA. Ross Brewer was at Bentleigh High School and later Brett Bailey at St Peter’s. Robert Flower was from the nearby adjoining suburb of Murrumbeena. There were probably some other local players who may have got on MFC supplementary lists? But don’t recall those now. The Bentleigh connection goes back much further than the VFL creation of zones, suburban and rural.* Hugh Dunbar the 1926 Premiership ruckman, famously celebrated the flag win with his teammates at his milkbar in Centre Rd Bentleigh. Which at the time except for the outer beach side suburbs would have probably been the end of the main suburban rail line. One assumes more than milk was on offer. *(Which proved to be a significant cause of inequality amongst the twelve league clubs over time. To perhaps paraphrase Sir Kenneth Luke VFL visionary ‘All zones are equal but some are more equal than others.’) Of course the Demons’ exile and return to premiership glory was of almost mythic rivalry to the Odyssey. So what is the MFC heartland?

Given a fair run at it, Kade has settled admirably with his confidence growing weekly. Now the radar is set he is delivering offensively on top of a sound defensive game. Given the degree of difficulty, he kicked some clutch goals against the swannies. Refreshing to see some new faces up forward this season. May the goals keep coming.

So we’re enjoying cordon bleu and nouveau cuisine in the ruck and they’d be lucky for stale crusts and potable water.

Pre-game posting can be cathartic and sometimes fun. During the game the raw emotion roller-coaster can be too intense and ultimately taxing. Felt like pulling the demon jet out of an almost 😅 terminal dive. Hopefully. learnt my lesson? As a survivor of full blown MFCSS, still take an occasional peek to check the pulse of the Demonlandscape.

6 Clayton Oliver 5 Christian Petracca 4 Edward Langdon 3 Brodie Grundy 2 Steven May 1 Jacob Van Rooyen Honourable mentions; James Jordon Alex Neal-Bullen Trent Rivers Angus Brayshaw Jake Lever Kade Chandler “The whole team” Opposition Hyperpole watch; T Papley; beyond the usual cameos, wider audience mercifully spared the full bantam rooster routine back to feather dusters. L Franklin; it appears now only deigns to participate when the spotlight is at its brightest, centre stage. After the now too brief high octane moments fades like yesterday’s star into the wings. From the director’s chair; Congratulations to Simon Goodwin and the off celluloid support crew. Another brilliant production with fresh ideas, innovation and new faces. But with no hint of throwing out the baby with the bath water. Adjudication; Remained anonymous as they should, although a hint of over-zealousness has crept in with the fourth. Overall much more good than harm. Broadcasters; BT managed to keep the amateurish bombast largely in check. Cameron Ling has actually improved, with the addition of some intelligent insights. An enjoyable listen overall, guess it goes with being on the winning side.

joeboy a well balanced and fare analysis. Keep the good work going!

Still a scramble for positions after the green flag from the season starting grid. Some early surprises amongst the front runners. A winning lap here will position red/blue team behind the early ladder leaders in the slipstream and provide opportunity to accelerate through the field and lap those descending down the ladder. No better time to reset after last week’s hiccup and unleash some demonpower on horse and his cart(el).

He’s a big unit, Steven May ain’t no shrinking violet.

Some great names mentioned by the commentary team, Hassa Mann resplendent in #29, John Townsend #16, Ray Groom #31 and Frank Davis #6. Now they seem like distant echoes of an earlier almost primeval Big Bang time. When the footy universe was dominated by MFC. Loved going to the footy back then, when the centre square was a ‘sea’ of black Merri Creek mud. Greg Parke was of course a favourite player, young, blonde locks flying, rising in the pack to take a big speccie. Although his kicking could be wayward, looking at his ball drop now, it appears a little awkward. Yes, young Jacob’s approaching debut is probably the most anticipated debut since Christian Petracca’s. Excited! If we can get a signal on Sunday shall be watching. Go well young fella, expecting an emphatic response to last week’s bunker mishaps. Get out the 2-iron. Go Demons!

On the road will be preferably viewing Casey Demons replay rather than Melbourne Demons. Unless someone can point me to the last 12 minutes edit.

Something like this ET?

Little Goffy it’s all OK, as Frank Zappa once observed as long you ‘don’t eat the yellow snow’.

Cheers BDA you are a scholar and a gentleman. Snowflakes have gone to hell :)

Au contraire, walked outside AM to find crystalline precipitation actually falling on my shoulders. Still upright and walking with a regular gait. If there is a joke it is subtle, self-deprecating and aimed at the cognoscenti.

Good day Demonlanders. After the gloom of last weekend’s sub-par round in the Vegas sauna bath. Something to brighten up your day. Snow is falling this morning. All downhill skiers may now rejoice.

Gordon Ramsay? Prize [censored] stirrer give the man a wooden spoon!

Tom MacDonald’s epic fall from being the messianic missing link to DL whipping boy must be an all time record plunge over the popularity precipice. Does he get the Jack Watts cat o’ nine tails an Oscar or a Gordon Ramsay nomination?

Luke Dunstan was under utilized at senior level last season IMO. Given the limited opportunities he was offered, he delivered determined consistent, honest blue collar performances. He is not afraid to get his head over the ball and plays for the team. Given the ferocity of contest around the ball, his skills aren’t as shabby as some here would think. Get him in the engine room. Andy Moniz-Wakefield could be anything!🤞 Not gripping, but rushing blokes back based on reputations has fallen through the floorboards again. Team performance would be better served if match ready guys had been fully rehabilitated through Casey.

On an autobahn in Germany, just dropped in to DL to get the washup. Have the evil Borg arrived or were were we just totally eclipsed by the dreaded Zorko?

A serious barrelling there admire Bayley Smith’s composure under extreme fire.

Admittedly a little envious of DL fraternity in situ at the ‘G. But just arrived at Terminal 21 after the road trip from the periphery. In good time to view the game. Wishing all fellow Demonlanders a great evening. Will hopefully be celebrating a hard fought victory with the local brew. Go Dees!

Swooper would have this in a heartbeat. Redundant communist era propaganda from the brain’s trust at the Footscray Soviet. Demons we are not intimidated by the bully boys from out west. Throw this puerile nonsense back over the Maribyrnong. The taller the monolithic facade the greater the fall.