spirit of norm smith

Keep thinking about this “Melbourne's scoring efficiency from their inside 50s is currently the league's poorest. The Demons have scored from just 35.7 per cent of their inside 50 this year. If the season were to end now, their conversion rate would be the worst since North Melbourne's in 2020. Questions have hovered over whether Melbourne's emerging talents can progress, as concerns over the Demons' options in attack loom large. So far in 2025, the concerns have been proven valid”. last week … inside 50s Dees -56 times. 9 goals. Kangas - 53 times. 19 goals. fyi Power. 56 times. 21 goals Crows 63 times. 25 goals. Three years and still no solutions !!!

Charlie Spargo has become one of many players. Too good for VFL Footy but not contributing enough at AFL level. Hoping he can get back match fitness after missing 2024 and if he can add more.

If the job was vacant today … the media list would be something like John Longmire Adam Simpson Jaymie Graham James Hird Leon Cameron not sure Nathan Buckley would even raise an eyebrow!!

Also wanted to call out young Mitch Kirkwood-Scott. He was at Sandy Dragons last year and I mentioned him several times as a young player with elite disposal and ability to kick 50m+ easily. Plays as a small defender. Captained Haileybury last year and excelled in the APS. Great to see him at Casey and see how he develops.

Blockbuster of TV tonight. Switch the phone off and get the popcorn ready.

Agree. Assume Johnson will replace Jefferson but I wouldn’t mind seeing what Fullerton might offer as tall forward/2nd ruck relief. Need to see why he was traded in and what he has to offer.

B: Lever, May, Bowey HB: Rivers, Petty, Salem C: Langdon, Oliver, Windsor HF: Sparrow, Johnson, Sharp F: Fritsch, JVR, Chandler Fol: Gawn, Petracca, Viney IC: Campbell, Lindsay, Langford, Chandler Sub: Henderson in. May. Windsor. Johnson. Campbell. Langford. outs. Tmac. Howes. Woey jnr. Spargo. Jefferson on thin ice … Fritsch, unavailable. Pickett (suspended)

Anyone tell me why Bailey Laurie is still on the list. I know we have to give youngsters chances to shine but he’s had chances & is going backwards. I saw him in the under 18s and he had a yard of pace, was smart and could hit a target in left or right foot. Seriously has not developed at all and I couldn’t see why we extended his contract. Given what he shows, this has to be his last year.

Ditto. No excuses for players who can’t hit a target. It’s a disgrace. Most butcher if even with little if any pressure. Even Bowey has gone backwards since he started at the club. He was an elite kick in 2021 in his first year but now can be unreliable at times.

Goalkicking practice this week. Mandatory!!

It’s just the end of Round 2 only … too early to panic !!!

CASEY DEMONS B: R. Bonner (52), J. Adams (26), M. Gregory (57) HB: N. Yze (49), M. Hore (27), M. Kirkwood-Scott (51) C: J. Billings (14), B. Laurie (16), T. Edwards (58) HF: K. Brown (41), T. Fullerton (33), R. Mentha (39) F: K. Windsor (66), C. Lewis (70), O. Sestan (38) R: T. Campbell (29), H. Langford (19), R. Baldi (56) INT: A. Lual (74), P. Cross (64), C. Doultree (61), W. Verrall (28). 23rdman: J. Craven (75) 11 MFC listed , 12 Casey listed missing - Casey: Deakyn Smith (susp) Mitch Hardie (?) Dees (9 unavailable) : Pickett, Johnson (susp) , Melksham, May, Windsor, McVee, Throlstrup, Culley, Kentfield Roos have recruited strongly and probably go in as favourites with MFC and Casey missing so many

Speculated by many … McRae. 5 N Daicos 4 Houston 3 Sidebottom 2 McStay 1 Membrey Hinkley. 5 Houston 4 Sidebottom 3 McStay 2 Rozee 1 Lipinski Maybe the AFL should show what we’re each coach’s votes !!!

Pies supporters staggered at this Collingwood v Port Adelaide 9 Dan Houston (COLL) 7 Steele Sidebottom (COLL) 5 Daniel McStay (COLL) 5 Nick Daicos (COLL) 2 Connor Rozee (PORT) 1 Patrick Lipinski (COLL) 1 Tim Membrey (COLL) …allegedly McRae gave N.Daicos 5 and Houston 4. His bias is unhinged !!! Definitely not BOG and would’ve been lucky to squeak a vote or two. Btw Hinkley gave Daicos ZERO !!

“new Casey captain Deakyn Smith has accepted a one-match suspension for rough conduct in the weekend practice match”.

Learnings ? Goody here’s one stat to share this week Melbourne vs GWS. Scores in the first 25 minutes of a quarter vs scores 25+ minute mark First 25 mins (all 4 qtrs) Melb 71 GWS 51 After 25+minute mark …GWS 26 Melb 3 Junk time is Dees worst period. It happens year after year. Play out the quarter !!!

This award is perhaps one of the most biased voting systems ever … with coaches often giving their players votes in preference to any “objective” review. Giants win by 3 points with a goal in the very last minute Melbourne v Greater Western Sydney 10 Toby Greene (GWS) 5,5 6 Tom Green (GWS). 3,3 6 Christian Petracca (MELB) 2,4 5 Finn Callaghan (GWS) 4,1 2 Max Gawn (MELB) 0,2 1 Jake Lever (MELB) 1,0 KINGSLEY IS JOKING !! 5 Toby 4 Callaghan 3 Green 2 Trac 1 Lever Goody (too kind) 5 Toby 4 Trac 3 Green 2 Gawn 1 Callaghan and … in a see sawing match that could have gone either way as well … Lions won by 4 points Sydney v Brisbane 9 Josh Dunkley (BL) 8 Zac Bailey (BL) 4 James Jordon (SYD) 4 Darcy Wilmot (BL) 3 Jarrod Berry (BL) 2 Dayne Zorko (BL) FAGAN IS JOKING !!!! And someone the bias needed to Dean Cox !! Votes Player (Club) 10 Toby Greene (GWS) 6 Tom Green (GWS) 6 Christian Petracca (MELB) 5 Finn Callaghan (GWS) 2 Max Gawn (MELB) 1 Jake Lever (MELB) Leaderboard Votes Player Club 15 Finn Callaghan GWS 13 Karl Amon HAW 11 Toby Greene GWS 10 Jordan Dawson ADEL 10 Will Day HAW 10 Ed Richards WB 10 Bailey Smith GEEL 10 Jarrod Witts GCFC 9 Jye Caldwell ESS 9 Josh Dunkley BL 9 Dan Houston COLL 9 Dylan Moore HAW 9 Toby Nankervis RICH 9 Jack Ross RICH 8 Noah Anderson GCFC 8 Zac Bailey BL 8 Bailey Dale WB 8 James Sicily HAW 8 Jake Soligo ADEL 8 Sam Taylor GWS

Updated … UNAVAILABLE FOR ROUND 1 SUSPENSION Kozzzzy Pickett (available Round 4) INJURED Marty Hore (hand) — TBC Jake Melksham (hamstring) — TBC Charlie Spargo (Achilles) — TBC *Steven May - larynx - TBC 2-6 weeks Judd McVee (hamstring) — 4-6 weeks Koltyn Tholstrup (back) — 6-8 weeks Luker Kentfield (illness) — TBC Replaced on list- unavailable for the season Shane McAdam (Achilles) Andy Moniz-Wakefield (knee) *Bizarre injury strikes again Premiership defender Steven May was a late out for the Dees, with club officials confirming the two-time All Australian had fractured his larynx in an incident at training on Friday. Freakishly, May becomes the second Demon to suffer the injury in a matter of months, with captain Max Gawn suffering the same injury late last year. Gawn took six weeks to recover, however Melbourne believes May's injury is not as serious. May was replaced in the starting line-up by swingman Tom McDonald.

6 - Gawn 5 - Petracca 4 - Petty 3 - Lever 2 - Lindsay 1 - Salem apologies to Sparrow, Bowey, Tmcd

So so good. Inspirational stuff heading into round 1. Fire up Dees 🔥

Here goes the negative spin again from Barrett. He takes every chance to pile into the Dees. Even when we are transparent and open, he wants a negative spin. I mute him on the Tv now. He loves the hate!!! 666 is his number. IF ... it's been on off-season of declarations of love and positivity, and some more love, and then some more love after that ... THEN ... while I don't yet believe it, I don't mind the public strategy planning behind it. It ultimately won't mean anything, though, if the Demons don't get back into the finals.

I like the team but a few shifts. Johnson in for his debut. B: Lever, May, Bowey HB: Salem, Petty, Rivers C: Langdon , Viney, Windsor HF: Sparrow, Turner, Sharp F: Fritsch, van Rooyen, Chandler FOLL: Gawn, Petracca, Oliver IC: Howes, Lindsay, Langford, Johnson SUB: Billings EMERG: Woey jnr, Jefferson, T. McDonald (Kozzzzy, McVee & Kolt out of best 22!!!)

Loved it … great fun !!

Predicting the ladder. Here we go …

UNAVAILABLE FOR ROUND 1 SUSPENSION Kozzzzy Pickett (available Round 4) INJURED Marty Hore (hand) — TBC Jake Melksham (hamstring) — TBC Charlie Spargo (Achilles) — TBC Judd McVee (hamstring) — 4-6 weeks Koltyn Tholstrup (back) — 6-8 weeks Luker Kentfield (illness) — TBC Replaced on list- unavailable for the season Shane McAdam (Achilles) Andy Moniz-Wakefield (knee)