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The writing was on the wall from the very first bounce of the football. The big men went up, Max Gawn more often than not, decisively won the ruck hit out and invariably a Brisbane Lions onballer either won the battle on the ground or halved the contest and they went at it repeatedly until they finally won out. Melbourne managed the first goal from Alex Neal-Bullen but after that the visitors shut out every area of Demon presence around the ground except in the ruck duels. It was a mauling. However, even Gawn’s herculean dominance throughout the night in that division worked to the advantage of the Lions. There, the numbers told the story of the game in stark detail. For the night, Melbourne won 58 hit outs to Brisbane’s 27, a figure that might at first brush indicate a thrashing in favour of the Demons. The clearance figures had them down by 35 to 44 (it would have been worse, but Brisbane released the pressure valve near the end). The Lions were so successful at brushing off the Dees and sharking Gawn’s hit outs that I found myself at times hoping that McInerney would win the tap out so that the rhythm of the game would be disrupted sufficiently to afford a clearance opportunity to Melbourne. The match had been dubbed as “season defining” for the Lions, one that could spell the end of their 2024 top four hopes even this early in the season. On the other hand, a win would have them in the frame to getting their season back on track. And given that it was dual Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale's 250th game, they had a further purpose in their plans to unseat the Demons and put to bed their Melbourne hoodoo after last year’s narrow defeat in the Grand Final and in the last encounter between the two sides in Round 18 2023 when they were monstered in the midfield late in the game in an epic come-from-behind thriller. This time, it would be different. Cam Rayner was on fire in the midfield from the very beginning. He dominated the game inside and out with 12 first quarter disposals, seven of them contested, six clearances and seven inside 50s. By the end of the game, his count was 25 disposals, 14 contested possessions, ten inside 50s, nine clearances, and seven score involvements. Josh Dunkley finished with 30 disposals and nine marks while Neale himself knocked up 24 disposals and eight clearances. To put it simply, they were first to the ball. I place emphasis of these numbers because Brisbane left Melbourne in their wake with the much-vaunted trio of Christian Petracca, Jack Viney, and Clayton Oliver notching up a mere 61 disposals and 10 clearances combined for the game – also improved late by the release of the Lions’ pressure. So dominant were the Brisbane mid-size brigade in the first half that Neale, who usually leads this group numerically, had the only sixth highest number of team possessions with 12 which equalled Melbourne’s best, namely Kade Chandler and Max Gawn. The latter’s figures were exemplary, he finished equal top in possessions with Jack Viney and accumulated 149 Dream Team points which was 57 points greater than Ed Langdon who was next in his side. The Demons were clearly flat after their successful trip to Adelaide where fans could have noticed that writing on the wall when they were goalless in final quarter against the Crows. This was their fourth match in 19 days, the third in 12 days but the fans were expecting so much more after the success of their business trip to the City of Churches. Before they left Adelaide, the team should have stepped into one of those churches and prayed for more strength and energy because the first three quarters of last night’s game were emblematic of a group that was perilously low on petrol tickets. It left them with an aggregate of three goals over their past four quarters, a figure they exceeded in the final term when the Lions had well and truly taken their feet off the pedal. At half time, the crowd was treated on the MCG screens with a magic act from Magic Mike, a Demon fan. The club would have done better employing him to work some magic and remove the wall that the team was about to hit because the mounting pressure on the field and on the scoreboard induced a sense of panic that left supporters frustrated. Two examples of the panic were Petracca’s attempt to goal from well outside range that was easily mopped up by a Brisbane defender and Caleb Windsor’s blistering run of three bounces which ended similarly. A more measured approach in both cases would almost certainly have resulted in a score, most likely a goal. Petracca should have done better in the circumstances; Windsor will learn from his experience. It was a bad night for the many young players in the team including first gamer, Koltyn Tholstrop who looked a little overawed but did show some good signs for the future. Like Windsor, he will also learn from the experience. The failure to win clearances clearly added pressure on the team and made it harder to score. Moreover, Melbourne struggled to move the ball from its defensive fifty throughout the game with 28 of 47 chains intercepted by Brisbane and only six going inside fifty for a single goal. All of this reflected in the embarrassing statistics in terms of possessions and marks for the likes of Ben Brown, Bayley Fritsch, Harrison Petty and Jacob van Rooyen (at least he was giving Max a chop out in the ruck) – again made to look better in the last half of that final stanza when the Lions went for a well-earned end of game nap. Of course, the Lions’ midfield dominance added to the pressure on the defence which did well in the circumstances to hold the opposition to 82 points for the night. At times, Brisbane was able to use pace to slice through Melbourne’s defences with ease, but credit should also go to Steven May, Jake Lever and Tom McDonald in holding them to that score, and in the end, the difference of 22 points, was enormously flattering to the club. Melbourne simply couldn’t take a trick. The loss of Christian Salem early to a hamstring injury was compounded by the injury to Jake Bowey and retirement of Angus Brayshaw. By way of contrast, the Lions so comfortably negotiated the evening that they didn’t bother employing the tactical sub, so James Tunstill sat on the bench for 100 minutes. The bye could not have come any sooner. MELBOURNE 2.0.12 2.4.16 3.7.25 8.12.60 BRISBANE LIONS 4.2.26 7.4.46 10.8.68 12.10.82 GOALS MELBOURNE Fritsch 2 Brown Chandler Gawn Lever Neal-Bullen van Rooyen BRISBANE LIONS Cameron 3 Daniher Hipwood McCluggage 2 Bailey Fletcher Lohmann BEST MELBOURNE Gawn Chandler Viney Rivers Langdon McDonald BRISBANE LIONS Rayner McCluggage Dunkley Neale Andrews Bailey INJURIES MELBOURNE Christian Salem (hamstring) BRISBANE LIONS Nil REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil BRISBANE LIONS Nil SUBSTITUTIONS MELBOURNE Taj Woewodin (replaced Christian Salem in the first quarter) BRISBANE LIONS James Tunstill (unused) UMPIRES Findlay Gavine Nicholls Power CROWD 43,098 at the MCG

You wouldn’t believe it but the phrase “break a leg” is actually a term of encouragement, usually said to one who is about to perform before an audience, but in the case of the Melbourne Football Club, it’s gone a step further and taken the expression literally. The Demons are about to step out onto the MCG in a big semi final match up with one of its finest carrying a broken fibula, albeit of the hairline variety. The stunt is all about bringing "good luck" to the team and let’s face it — after the game against the Swans last week, they need some good luck! And not only do they need luck but in the words of coach Simon Goodwin speaking after Melbourne’s Qualifying Final loss … "We've got to be clear as a club that we need to learn from what we did tonight." It was only two games ago that Melbourne completed its second decisive win for the year over the Brisbane Lions, the fourth in two seasons. On that basis, you would think that this week’s Second Semi Final on Friday night at the MCG against the same opponent minus its number one ruckman is a lay down mizere but it’s not! That would be because of the Demons’ demise under the pressure to the Sydney Swans after quarter time in last week’s Qualifying Final. The team was terrible in leaking goals after turnovers even though it could be argued they were the victims of some cruel momentum turning decisions by the umpires at crucial points in the game. They also had some bad breaks like Christian Petracca injuring his calf muscle and fracturing that fibula as well as a few other assorted ailments but there really are no excuses for the almost complete shutdown of the forward line — Ben Brown kicked a solitary goal, Jake Melksham and Kozzy Pickett only touched the ball five and four times respectively, yet they missed at least four none too difficult chances between them. Alex Neal-Bullen was ineffective and Charlie Spargo could have done better before he got it in the neck. And not for the first time this year, the team failed at the finish with no goals in the final term. With all that said, a 22 point loss doesn’t sound all that bad but the look of it was awful at the end and, without Steven May and Clayton Oliver, it would have been a true bloodbath. So can they turn it around this week against the Brisbane Lions who would be approaching this game with the incentive of overturning two major humiliations heaped on them this year and the bonus of a Preliminary Final berth for doing so? This brings me to the above Simon Goodwin quote about learnings. Melbourne’s forward woes that have underlined its second half of the season (six wins, seven defeats) have been well documented. They recur about once in every two weeks in the form of predictable ball movement into the forward line, dropped marks, turnovers, fumbling and poor kicking for goal. You have to ask yourself why, if the coach says that we have to learn from what we did, that we keep repeating the same mistakes every few weeks with our entries into the forward 50? Why we don’t mix things up a bit more and why we don’t employ different players in the goal front? Well, part of the riddle might be answered on Friday night because it’s quite within the realms of possibility that the decision might be forced. The brains trust could well depart from tradition and play Trac at full forward because it has no choice. Anyway, I’m tipping the Demons to win because, as I mentioned earlier, those forward yips happen every second week and this one’s not one of those second weeks. But watch out the next time they play!!! Melbourne to win by 48 points. THE GAME Melbourne v Brisbane Lions at The MCG, Friday 9 September, 2022 at 7:50pm HEAD TO HEAD * Overall: Melbourne 29 wins, Brisbane Lions 22 wins At The MCG: Melbourne 15 wins, Brisbane 3 wins Last Five Meetings: Melbourne 4 wins, Brisbane Lions 1 win The Coaches: Goodwin 7 wins, Fagan 2 wins * does not include Brisbane Bears or Fitzroy games MEDIA TV live and on demand on Kayo and live on Foxtel. Check your local guides. Radio - check your local guides. LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 18.7.115 defeated Brisbane Lions 8.9.57 at The Gabba, Round 23, 2022 Everything went well for the Demons from the opening bounce and the Lions were driven to distraction in front of their home crowd. How do you think they’ll go in front of a hostile crowd of fanatical Demon fans? THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: C.Salem 3 S.May 1 H.Petty 35 HB: A.Brayshaw 10 J.Lever 8 M.Hibberd 14 C: T.Sparrow 32 C.Oliver 13 E.Langdon 15 HF: J.Melksham 18 M.Gawn 11 J.Harmes 4 F: A.Neal-Bullen 30 B.Fritsch 31 C.Spargo 9 Foll: L.Jackson 6 J.Viney 7 C.Petracca 5 I/C: B.Brown 50 J.Hunt 29 K.Pickett 36 T.Rivers 24 Sub: J.Smith 44 Emerg: T.Bedford 12 J.Bowey 17 J.Van Rooyen 21 No change BRISBANE LIONS B: D.Gardiner 27 D.McStay 25 D.Rich 10 HB: B.Starcevich 37 H.Andrews 31 K.Coleman 18 C: Z.Bailey 33 J.Berry 7 C.Ah Chee 4 HF: D.Zorko 15 E.Hipwood 30 L.McCarthy 11 F: J.Payne 40 T.Fullarton 21 3 C.Cameron 23 Foll: D.Fort 32 46 L.Neale 9 H.McCluggage 6 I/C: N.Answerth 43 C.Rayner 16 D.Robertson 2 D.Wilmot 44 Emerg: K.Lohmann 1Emerg: R.Lester 35 K.Lohmann 1 R.Mathieson 36 J.Prior 20 In: N.Answerth D.Fort T.Fullarton C.Rayner Out: J.Daniher (personal reasons) O.McInerney (ill) R.Mathieson (omitted) J. Prior (omitted) M.Robinson (omitted) Injury List: First Semi Final Christian Petracca - Calf | Available Clayton Oliver - Face | Available Bayley Fritsch - Knee | Available Andy Moniz-Wakefield - Groin | Available Charlie Spargo - Throat | Test James Jordon - Foot | 2 Weeks

Remember when? THE TEAMS BRISBANE LIONS B: D.Gardiner 27 J.Payne 40 D.Rich 10 HB: B.Starcevich 37 H.Andrews 31 K.Coleman 18 C: Z.Bailey 33 D.Zorko 15 H.McCluggage 6 HF: C.Rayner 16 E.Hipwood 30 L.McCarthy 11 F: D.McStay 25 J.Daniher 3 C.Cameron 23
Foll: O.McInerney 46 L.Neale 9 J.Berry 7 I/C: N.Answerth 43 J.Lyons 17 R.Mathieson 36 J.Prior 20 Sub: M.Robinson 5 Emerg: D.Fort 32 R.Lester 35 K.Lohmann 1 In: 

M.Robinson Out: R.Lester (omitted) MELBOURNE B: H.Petty 35 J.Lever 8 J.Bowey 17 HB: T.Rivers 24 S.May 1 M.Hibberd 14 C: J.Melksham 18 C.Oliver 13 E.Langdon 15 HF: T.Sparrow 32 B.Brown 50 B.Fritsch 31 F: A.Neal-Bullen 30 L.Jackson 6 K.Pickett 36 Foll: M.Gawn 11 J.Viney 7 C.Petracca 5 I/C: A.Brayshaw 10 J.Harmes 4 J.Hunt 29 C.Spargo 9 Sub: J.Jordon 23 Emerg: T.Bedford 12 J.Smith 44 In: 
J.Bowey Out: C.Salem (groin soreness)

The top of the table Brisbane Lions came into their game against Melbourne thinking they were kings of the AFL Jungle. However, by game’s end they were shown to be toothless, as the rampant Demons gave them a lesson about the exact level you have to be at to justify that mantle. The first quarter saw Brisbane squander some easy chances in front of goal, which kept Melbourne within striking distance and, as a result, the Lions led by a mere goal. Of course, it could have been so much different and in addition, they expended a great deal of energy just getting to that point. The question before the game was how would Melbourne cope without their inspirational captain, Max Gawn in the ruck. What they discovered they had another inspirational captain in Jack Viney who stepped up to the role and then went even further during the game. Time and time again, he threw himself at man and contest, and time and time again, he came up with the crown of brutal superiority around the ball. By game’s end he had amassed an incredible 34 touches of which 19 were contested possessions. The second term saw Melbourne slam on six goals, and it could easily have held the Lions scoreless in that stanza, but for a Steven May blunder late in the quarter when he kicked the ball to the opposition to gift them their solitary score in 20 minutes of footy. Still not to worry, he might have been a little rusty but the addition of May to the side was a telling factor in the return of the stingy Melbourne defensive structure. And with May holding down the goalkeeper role, and making Joe Daniher look like a goose that he often emulates with his flopping tactics, the players around him picked up the vibe that has been missing or three weeks. Jake Lever returned to his best, and with the freedom from May’s presence, simply intercepted everything that came his way. His 15 intercepts including eight marks broke the hearts of the Brisbane mid-field as they simply could not pass him. Alongside, Michael Hibberd gave the Brisbane goal-sneak in Charlie Cameron a lesson in how a premiership defensive structure works, by giving him absolutely nothing. As a result Cameron scored nothing himself, while Hibberd racked up 14 disposals and six intercepts. In the third quarter, the Demons continued their assault, and while only scoring three goals, it should have been more given they also kicked seven minor scores. Once again, the lead was extended with the Lions only producing 2 goals 3 behinds for themselves. Meanwhile, the big question around the ruck was being emphatically answered by Luke Jackson, who gave away height and weight to McInerney, but his athleticism and second efforts around the ball were more effective than the output from the Brisbane ruck. His 21 disposals and 9 tackles and over 300m gained is not what a ruck normally produces, but his performance simply added to the mid-field dominance of the Demons. Alongside Jackson was the triumvirate of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and Viney with their relentless approach to the contest, which resulted in 100 disposals among the trio. No side is capable of withstanding this sort of pressure and output and the Lions wilted even further in the final quarter conceding another five goals to the Demons while only producing a single major yet again. So in the end, Melbourne ran away with a 64 point win against a team which for a little over a week in time, had claimed top spot. Once again it put the Demons at the top of the ladder, and silenced the critics who had been all too willing to come up with all sorts of scuttlebutt, innuendo and fanciful claims about the side and the club. The fans came out in droves for a Thursday night game, with 37,000 coming through the gate, which was in sharp contrast to the numbers attending from other bigger membership clubs in recent times. They were treated to a display that was well worth their while attending mid-week in the middle of a bleak Melbourne winter. They got to see the Kings of the Jungle show their mettle. They got to see what has been showcased as “The Melbourne Way”. And once again, the other sides in the competition would be just a little more worried about what they could be facing in the second half of the season. None more so than the Lions who have to face the Demons again in the final round, knowing what happened to them in this game without Max Gawn and Tom McDonald on the field. One thing is for sure today — there is no doubt today about who is King. MELBOURNE 2.4.16 8.10.58 11.17.83 16.21.117 BRISBANE LIONS 3.4.22 4.4.28 6.7.43 7.11.53 GOALS MELBOURNE Fritsch 3 Bedford Harmes Jordon Pickett 2 Brown Jackson Neal-Bullen Spargo Sparrow BRISBANE LIONS Hipwood Robinson 2 Daniher McCarthy Rayner BEST MELBOURNE Viney Oliver Lever Jordon Petracca Brayshaw Jackson BRISBANE LIONS Coleman McCluggage Rich Rayner INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil BRISBANE LIONS Andrews (shoulder) Lyons (sternum) REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil BRISBANE LIONS Nil SUBSTITUTES MELBOURNE Jayden Hunt (unused) BRISBANE LIONS Callum Ah Chee (replaced Jarryd Lyons in the last quarter UMPIRES Nick Foot Brendan Hosking Simon Meredith CROWD 37,728 at the MCG

The winds of change have blown through the Melbourne Football Club over the past month or so as the team previously known for applying relentless pressure on opponents dramatically fell from its pedestal to a low not seen for some three years. This is a team that had the luxury of going through last season with one of the healthiest lists in the competition. And that health was not only reflected in a weekly injury list that revealed very few key players missing, but importantly, even fewer injuries during games. As a consequence, the Demons of 2021 were mostly able to retain their structure and to apply high levels of pressure whenever needed. It got them through a few games that ultimately made the difference between a top two placing and a more difficult series of battles in the finals. However, things have been different in recent times with injuries suffered during the course of matches becoming one of the main factors behind the Demons’ current woes. With a team that relies so heavily on its strong defensive game, it simply can’t afford to have two or three key defenders out of the game or missing large slabs of the action by half time as it has over its past three matches. With limited rotations as a result, we’ve witnessed a disturbing fall off in pressure in each final half. If the pattern continues, it will spell disaster for the team’s aspirations in going for back to back flags. This week the team takes one step forward regaining Steven May, fresh from his experiences with concussion and some fisticuffs with Jake Melksham at the Entrecôte Restaurant in Grenville Street and one step back with the loss of skipper Max Gawn. The loss of Maxy will be huge but his absence opens up other prospects and adds some unpredictability to the team makeup which might not be such a bad thing. Hopefully, the worst case scenario is that the two will balance each other out and as long as the team can stay on their feet throughout the game, their prospects for a return to winning form are good. A number of Demons who have been out of sorts and down on form will relish the brief break and should be supercharged to return to their best form. In particular Ed Langdon, Christian Salem and Ben Brown who are all due to stand up and take responsibility as they did at this juncture and then later in the finals of last year. There’s an ongoing debate about whether the Demons are loading for the run home to the finals but it has to be said that the Lions weren’t traveling all that well before the break either. They’ve lost two of their last four games, looked out of sorts against the Giants and appeared to be blowing hard against the Saints in their last game. The MCG hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for them in recent years - they haven’t won a game there since 2014. Melbourne last won there on 8 May so I’m going for the Demons to win on the basis of home ground advantage which against this opponent has historically been strong. Melbourne to win by 10 points. THE GAME Melbourne v Brisbane Lions at The MCG, Thursday 23 June, 2022 at 7.20pm HEAD TO HEAD * Overall: Melbourne 27 wins Brisbane Lions 22 wins At MCG: Melbourne 14 wins, Brisbane 3 wins Last Five Meetings: Melbourne 3 wins Brisbane Lions 2 wins The Coaches: Goodwin 4 wins Fagan 2 wins * does not include Brisbane Bears or Fitzroy games MEDIA TV live and on demand on Kayo and live on Foxtel. Check your local guides. Radio - check your local guides. LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 13.15.93 defeated Brisbane Lions 9.6.60 at Adelaide Oval, Qualifying Final, 2021 A superhuman effort by Lachie Neale (46 touches) and 5 goals from Charlie Cameron weren’t enough to keep the accurate Lions from being any more than pests as the Demons ploughed their way into the finals series. Mind you, it was the skipper who dominated with 37 hit outs but the Demon stars were shining brightly at Adelaide Oval in the first week of the final series. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: .Harmes 4 H.Petty 35 S.May 1 HB: J.Jordon 23 J.Lever 8 C.Salem 3 
C: A.Brayshaw 10 C.Petracca 5 E.Langdon 15 HF: B.Brown 50 B.Fritsch 31 T.Sparrow 32 F: A.Neal-Bullen 30 S.Weideman 26 C.Spargo 9 Foll: L.Jackson 6 C.Oliver 13 J.Viney 7 I/C: T.Bedford 12 J.Bowey 17 M.Hibberd 14 K.Pickett 36 Sub: J.Hunt 29 Emerg: M.Brown 38 L.Dunstan 27 A.Tomlinson 20 In: T.Bedford J.Hunt S.May S.Weideman 
 Out: M.Brown (omitted) K.Chandler (omitted) M.Gawn (ankle) D.Turner (face) BRISBANE B: J.Payne 40 H.Andrews 31 M.Adams 24 HB: B.Starcevich 37 D.Rich 10 N.Answerth 43 C: J.Berry 7 T.Berry 13 H.McCluggage 6 HF: C.Rayner 16 E.Hipwood 30 L.McCarthy 11 F: D.McStay 25 J.Daniher 3 C.Cameron 23 Foll: O.McInerney 46 J.Lyons 17 L.Neale 9 I/C: K.Coleman 18 D.Robertson 2 M.Robinson 5 J.Tunstill 29 Sub: C.Ah Chee 4 Emerg: D.Fort 32 R.Lester 35 J.Madden 14 In: C.Ah Chee T.Berry J.Payne D.Tunstill Out: Z.Bailey (H&S Protocol) D.Fort (omitted) D.Gardiner (lungs) D.Zorko (hamstring) Injury List: Round 15 Max Gawn - Ankle | 2-4 Weeks Daniel Turner - Face | 3-4 Weeks Blake Howes - Foot | 3-5 Weeks Joel Smith - Ankle | 3-5 Weeks Majak Daw - Pectoral | 4 Weeks Tom McDonald - Foot | 10-12 Weeks

The Demons last met the Lions on neutral territory in last year’s Qualifying Final at Adelaide Oval. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: Trent Rivers 24 S. May 1 H. Petty 35 HB: J. Bowey 17 J. Lever 8 C. Salem 3 C: A. Brayshaw 10 C. Petracca 5 E. Langdon 15 HF: C. Spargo 9 T. McDonald 25 J. Viney 7 F: A. Neal-Bullen 30 B. Brown 50 B. Fritsch 31 Foll: M. Gawn 11 C. Oliver 13 K. Pickett 36 I/C: J. Harmes 4 L. Jackson 6 J. Smith 44 T. Sparrow 32 Sub: J. Jordon 23 Emerg: M. Hibberd 14 N. Jones 2 J. Melksham 18 NO CHANGE BRISBANE LIONS B: D. Gardiner 27 H. Andrews 31 B. Starcevich 37 HB: G. Birchall 14 M. Adams 24 D. Rich 10 C: H. McCluggage 6 Z. Bailey 33 J. Berry 7 HF: L. McCarthy 11 D. McStay 25 D. Zorko 15 F: N. Cockatoo 12 J. Daniher 3 C. Cameron 23 Foll: O. McInerney 46 J. Lyons 17 L. Neale 9 I/C: K. Coleman 18 T. Fullarton 21 J. Prior 20 M. Robinson 5 Sub: R. Mathieson 36 Emerg: C. Ballenden 38 T. Berry 13 R. Mathieson 36 J. Payne 40 IN: H. Andrews M. Robinson OUT: C. Ah Chee (injured) R. Lester (injured)

With nine finals debutants in the side, the Melbourne Football Club had a daunting assignment ahead of it in the First Qualifying Final — to overcome the competition’s highest scoring side, the Brisbane Lions. In the end, the Demons accomplished the task by putting the bite on their opponents on their way to taming the Lions and recording a 33 point win that propelled them into one the two Preliminary Finals of 2021. It was one of those debutants, Luke Jackson, who put the bite in more than most, losing a tooth but still showing why he took out the AFL’s Rising Star Award for the year. Once again, this being a 1 v 4 game in finals, it was expected to be a tight contest with skilled players showing their wares on both sides. The first quarter was a classic shoot out, which probably suited Brisbane’s style of play with nine goals recorded between the two teams. At the end of the term, Melbourne led by just over a goal, but even at this early stage it was obvious it was going to be a “knock them down, drag them out” type of affair. Early on, the backs had their hands full with Charlie Cameron, who posted three majors in that first quarter, and shuffling of defenders was needed, but it failed to stop his early influence. They were helped when Daniel McStay left the field early with concussion after collision with a team mate. Through Jake Lever and Harry Petty they started to gain the upper hand late, while Steven May held Joe Daniher out of the game, and in the end limited him to a single paltry behind for the night, the first time this year that he failed to score a major. The forwards were kicking goals themselves but they also had the dual job of trying to limit Daniel Rich and his lethal kicking and make adjustments to quell his influence. Around the ground the Demons were starting to find their mojo as their ever-reliable systems fell into place. The small snippets of control evident in the first quarter, bloomed in the second when the Demons piled on four goals to one. The only downside was that the set shot kicking continued to fall below par with Jackson, Tom McDonald and Ed Langdon missing shots at goal. Christian Petracca likewise, but from snaps that he also would have normally made. Six of the Demons ten scores were behinds, and the game could have been all over if just a few of them hit their mark. Still despite that five goal lead at half-time, the problem areas remained with Cameron still elusive, lucky to not score a major and Rich still roaming freely. Would it cost the team come the final stanza? But with Max Gawn starting to grind McInerney down in the ruck, Jackson also providing drive from the contests and the Lions missing an effective second string in the ruck, the Lions had a struggle ahead of them. The third quarter turned into a typical finals slog that saw only two goals scored, both to the Lions. Once again, Cameron got free to record another major, while Brisbane adopted the chip and kick game method to try to break down the Melbourne defensive systems. This was their style in those high scoring games and it certainly denied the Demons the ball, but would it work to win the game? With the lead whittled down to 19 points at the last break, Melbourne of all teams knew that a deficit of that magnitude could be overcome easily in 30 minutes of football. Had the stage been set for another nail biting finish? Bayley Fritsch starting proceedings by putting the Demons further ahead early on, but the Lions manufactured a reply from McCarthy. Fritsch chimed In again with a contested mark that he had no right to take, from which he duly converted but Brisbane wasn’t done and Cameron was paid a free to score his fifth. In the heat of the battle, there were some important contributions at the right time. Trent Rivers had two critical intercepts on the half-back line which denied Brisbane further chances, and then to shut down the Lions’ momentum, Petracca finished it off with a couple of majors to put Melbourne five goals up with only minutes to play. In the game’s dying minutes, the Demons had the luxury of an all-star bench comprising Gawn, Oliver, Petracca and May. It was a game of the Melbourne Brand working at its ruthless best. There was not a single player all around the ground who didn’t put in a play his role when required. This is what finals football is all about, the weak links get found out and the margins for error are small. The backs were challenged again and again, and held up. Jake Bowey and Rivers looked like they had played in 10 finals series not their first. Importantly, the defence only allowed the Lions 5 goals after ¼ time. The Lever and May combination once again took the oppositions forward thrusts apart, Lever with 15 intercepts, while Rivers had 11 to his name. May just kept Daniher away from the ball the whole game, and allowed the others to do their thing. The forwards while adopting different methods during the game, put sufficient score on the board when needed, but the set-shot kicking will leave the door open for the opposition at the big dance. The mids were enormous, none more so than Oliver who has changed his attacking mode in recent weeks, and is kicking goals and delivering more into the forward line than has been seen before. Petracca similarly, is taking his chances in front of goal, and it provides another avenue for the side to score. The wingers in Angus Brayshaw and Langdon also took their opponents apart. McCluggage and Robinson got plenty of touches, but simply weren’t effective. It isn’t all about offensive statistics, but for this important position, it is equally the defensive. How many times did we see this pair taking the ball away from deep in the opposition’s forward line, or simply being there as an outlet option? Langdon’s incredible running ability is even more remarkable, in that he didn’t come off the ground for the whole game, something usually reserved for deep defenders. Well the Demons have now progressed to the Preliminary Final stage. With a well deserved rest, it will enable the bodies to recover, but as we have seen with Darren Burgess in control, they will not be any less ready for the challenge. The coaching and selection committee have an unenviable task with the likes of Nathan Jones, James Jordon, Jake Melksham, Jayden Hunt others all fit and ready to play a role. In what promises to be an exciting game for long suffering Melbourne supporters, especially for those locked down on the other side of the country, they are expecting a far better outcome than the most recent Preliminary Final result in WA in 2018. This is a different Melbourne to every side that has represented the club since its last Premiership. It plays a different game, it is prepared and executes in a different way. It is coached to perform and produce a style of football which is finals successful. This is no tame side. It has real bite. MELBOURNE 5.4.34 9.10.64 9.12.66 13.15.93 BRISBANE LIONS 4.2.26 5.4.34 7.5.47 9.6.60 GOALS Melbourne Fritsch 4 Petracca Pickett 2 Brown Langdon Oliver Spargo Sparrow Brisbane Lions Cameron 5 Bailey Berry McCarthy McCluggage BEST Melbourne Oliver Petracca Lever Viney Fritsch Neal-Bullen Gawn Brisbane Lions Neale Cameron Rich McCluggage Coleman Bailey INJURIES Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions D. McStay (concussion) REPORTS Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions Nil SUBSTITUTES Melbourne J. Jordon (unused) Brisbane Lions R. Mathieson (replaced D. McStay) UMPIRES Chris Donlon Ray Chamberlain Craig Fleer OFFICIAL CROWD 13,784 lucky people at the Adelaide Oval

I’ve always believed that when the home and away matches come to an end, the football season takes on a completely different shape and character. During the regular season, each team’s goals progress as the weeks pass and if you’re good enough to survive and make the grade, the situation changes. The comparison can be made with the life cycle of a butterfly going through stages from egg to larva to caterpillar, cocoon and in the end to a bright and colourful creature that emerges from darkness into the sky. This could easily fit into a description of Melbourne’s journey to date but, as Simon Goodwin put it so aptly this week when he preached to his players about the need to reset and start anew for the finals. “One season's down, another one begins." The Demons escaped from their cocoon in the dying moments of last Saturday’s game when Maxy’s shot split the goalposts. The euphoria and raw emotion of the occasion took the Demons into a heavenly flight. The feeling for all was one of freedom and liberation much like moment of chrysalis to a butterfly heading skyward for the first time. Goodwin recognised the need for calm. Reaching the finals is not as an end in itself, but a new stage in the quest for a premiership. The fact that Melbourne finished on top of ladder is now irrelevant. This is a new season to be taken head on with no room for complacency — the minor premiership is part of a past life and should not be treated as our grand final. The Demons might well be favourites in Adelaide against the Brisbane Lions but the game will start with each team on level pegging. One team had the most premiership points in the competition, the other, the highest percentage and the most quarters won during the regular season. As we saw last week when Geelong surprised Melbourne to pile on what seemed an endless stream of goals on end in the second term, anything can happen in any given game. The minor advantage of top place means that the game is taking place at the preferred location of Adelaide Oval (in the absence of the MCG), a venue where the Demons have tasted some success in recent years. However, it’s still a neutral ground. The Lions themselves managed to pull off their own minor miracle by running the Bulldogs down in the three weeks after their Round 20 loss to the Hawks and deprived them of the double chance. On the first day of this month, the Western Bulldogs were on top of the ladder with 15 wins and a percentage of 142.0. The Lions were three games behind them and sitting on 124.6%. They overtook the Doggies in the dying seconds of the regular season. But monstering sides that finished the year in disarray is not in the same category in terms of preparation for the finals season as the pressure cooker of the game at GMHBA Stadium against the Cats was for the Demons. It was a great tune up for the season of finals and mirrored the come-from-behind game they played against the Lions at Giants Stadium in mid season. It epitomised the conversion of this Melbourne team from a failed outsider in 2020 to a formidable contender in 2021. The metamorphosis began with a preseason that saw their development into a healthy team fit both in body and mind. The players have built an excellent relationship and connection with each other and their game style and team discipline is such that it simply wears the opposition into submission. The more mature Lions in Round 12 and the Cats in Round 23 expended so much energy at various stages of their matches that, in the end, as a collective, they were powerless to stem the tide. The Brisbane Lions will be no pushover. They have a good spread of talent across the ground including a strong midfield that overcame Max Gawn’s ruck dominance to give them a narrow victory at Metricon Stadium last year. But the Demons have moved forward at a rapid rate since then. They have their fair share of stars but the end result of their metamorphosis is that they have become a team primed and capable of victory every time it takes to the ground in the hard grind of the new finals season. Melbourne to win by 27 points. THE GAME Melbourne v Brisbane Lions at Adelaide Oval, Saturday 28 August, 2021 at 7.30pm HEAD TO HEAD * Overall Melbourne 26 wins Brisbane Lions 22 wins At Adelaide Oval Melbourne 0 wins Brisbane Lions 0 wins Last Five Meetings Melbourne 3 wins Brisbane Lions 2 wins The Coaches Goodwin 3 wins Fagan 2 wins * does not include Brisbane Bears or Fitzroy games MEDIA TV live and on demand on Kayo and live on Foxtel. Check your local guides. Radio - check your local guides. LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 14.13.97 defeated Brisbane Lions 11.9.75, at Giants Stadium Round 12, 2021 After an even start, the Lions took control of proceedings to hold a 20 point lead at the main break. After half time, the Demons turned things around to take the lead going into the final term and then raced away to win by 22 points. Their best players on the night were Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: Trent Rivers 24 S. May 1 H. Petty 35 HB: J. Bowey 17 J. Lever 8 C. Salem 3 C: A. Brayshaw 10 C. Petracca 5 E. Langdon 15 HF: C. Spargo 9 T. McDonald 25 J. Viney 7 F: A. Neal-Bullen 30 B. Brown 50 B. Fritsch 31 Foll: M. Gawn 11 C. Oliver 13 K. Pickett 36 I/C: J. Harmes 4 L. Jackson 6 J. Smith 44 T. Sparrow 32 Sub: J. Jordon 23 Emerg: M. Hibberd 14 N. Jones 2 J. Melksham 18 NO CHANGE BRISBANE LIONS B: D. Gardiner 27 H. Andrews 31 B. Starcevich 37 HB: G. Birchall 14 M. Adams 24 D. Rich 10 C: H. McCluggage 6 Z. Bailey 33 J. Berry 7 HF: L. McCarthy 11 D. McStay 25 D. Zorko 15 F: N. Cockatoo 12 J. Daniher 3 C. Cameron 23 Foll: O. McInerney 46 J. Lyons 17 L. Neale 9 I/C: K. Coleman 18 T. Fullarton 21 J. Prior 20 M. Robinson 5 Sub: R. Mathieson 36 Emerg: C. Ballenden 38 T. Berry 13 R. Mathieson 36 J. Payne 40 IN: H. Andrews M. Robinson OUT: C. Ah Chee (injured) R. Lester (injured) Injury List: First Qualifying Final Jayden Hunt (ankle) — 1 to 2 Weeks Marty Hore (knee) — Season Aaron Nietschke (knee) — Season Adam Tomlinson (knee) — Season

It was back in Round 12 during one of Victoria’s Covid19 lockdowns that the two clubs had to find refuge in the western suburbs of Sydney where Gladys reigned supreme and things were safe and sound in the State of New South Wales for everything except footy teams from Brisbane. Melbourne can pick and choose where to play next week (subject to no unforeseen circumstances arising and when does that ever happen these days?😀) but it won’t be at Giants Stadium. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: M. Hibberd 14 S. May 1 J. Lever 8 HB: C. Salem 3 H. Petty 35 A. Brayshaw 10 C: T. Sparrow 32 C. Petracca 5 J. Hunt 29 HF: J. Jordon 23 T. McDonald 25 C. Spargo 9 F: B. Fritsch 31 L. Jackson 6 A. Neal-Bullen 30 Foll: M. Gawn 11 C. Oliver 13 K. Pickett 36 I/C: J. Harmes 4 J. Melksham 18 T. Rivers 24 S. Weideman 26 Emerg: O. Baker 33 T. Bedford 12 J. Bowey 17 M. Brown 38 In: O. Baker Out: Ed Langdon (concussion) BRISBANE LIONS B: J. Prior 20 H. Andrews 31 B. Starcevich 37 HB: D: Rich 10 M. Adams 24 G. Birchall 14 C: D. Zorko 15 L. Neale 9 H. McCluggage HF: C. Ah Chee 4 J. Daniher 3 L. McCarthy 11 F: D. McStay 25 E. Hipwood 30 C. Cameron 23 Foll: O. McInerney 46 J. Lyons 17 M. Robinson 5 I/C Z. Bailey 33 K. Coleman 18 R. Lester 35 D. Robertson 2 Sub: R. Mathieson 36 Emerg: C. Ballenden 38 T. Fullarton 21 J. Madden 42 In: R. Lester L. Neale Out: T. Berry (omitted) J. Madden (omitted)

In an enthralling game between two top four sides, it was the Demons who tamed the Lions, and propelled themselves into the position of premiership favourite even though the season is barely past the halfway mark. This is because Melbourne keeps on beating those teams around them who might provide a challenge. Not only that, it keeps winning with emphatic displays of resilience and toughness that have not been seen in a Demons side for many, many years. Challenged in the first half of the game, which saw the Brisbane Lions lead by 13 points at ¼ time and then extend that lead to 20 points at the major break, Melbourne just had to respond. It took a while even in the third quarter to get to a controlling position on the ground, and then the goals started to come. The score line differential was eliminated by the ¾ time siren and then opened up for the Demons to ultimately record a 22 point victory. So what happened to cause this remarkable turnaround? The answer is not easy to discern given that with the exception of those privileged enough to be in Sydney, most of us had to view on our television screens without the benefit of a full ground view. The match was always going to be a close run thing, with the Lions early lead coming about as a result of some silly errors from a few Demon players. Brisbane brought a more physical aspect into the contest, whereas Melbourne was and is more a “control the ball” team. Compounding the issue was the first half aerial superiority of the Lions, particularly up forward where Daniher and Hipwood were beating May and Lever. In the middle, Brisbane was superior and, at the main break, the Lions led in just about every recorded statistic possible. Yet, despite those silly first quarter errors, the 2021 Demons with their 10-1 winning run were still an opponent to be feared given they were still within striking range. Whatever it took and whatever the change at half-time, it was a different Melbourne that took the field in the second half. Max Gawn took over completely in ruck contests, for his 31 hit-outs were only exceeded by his four clearances, and 17 disposals. This provided the supply to the Christian Petracca and Oliver duo who exploded from their quiet first half, Oliver only having 8 touches at the first break. James Harmes had lost the battle with Neale to date, but suddenly found himself involved. Alex Neal-Bullen did not have a single touch in the second quarter, but he also found himself back in the action. James Jordon found his feet, and finished with 20 disposals to complement the Petracca/Oliver team’s disposal count of 51. The change happened swiftly and decisively. All around the ground players started playing to the Melbourne plan again. The defensive structures (not just the defenders) was evident from that point on. Brisbane players looked up and simply had nowhere to go, and the contest and turnovers eventuated. Three goals after half-time against nine for the Demons was the sealer. The Lions were being tamed by a team of professionals. Once the structures had been re-established, the team of Lever, May and now Petty swung into action. Intercept after intercept became the norm, and this drove the Demons well into attack. The absence of Ed Langdon as the link player up the line was taken up by Christian Salem and Charlie Spargo, who had moved well up the ground. Spargo was instrumental in seven score involvements, and despite giving away inches to opponents often succeeded in getting the ball to ground or simply tapping it on the better placed team-mates. Pickett proved to be a constant thorn in the side of Brisbane defenders and finished with three goals, which easily could have been five, save for a couple of easy missed set shots. Tom McDonald also bustled and fought strongly to finish with three as well, while Bayley Fritsch continued with his reliable couple of goals in this game as well. Sam Weidman replicated his game from the previous week, with a solitary touch until half way through the third quarter, and then his first mark at the same point. This despite a number of missed marks where he got both hands to the ball. An easy set shot went missing and he could only manage a similar output in the final quarter to finish with 1 point. He has had his chance yet again, and probably burnt it. Likewise, Jack Melksham who was used for only 57% of game time for a meagre five touches has surely used up all of his nine lives. With Ed Langdon due back next week, and Tom Sparrow showing enough in this game, the selectors look to have an easy option. Challenged once again, the Demons did what they had to do. Players played their roles, and the result came their way again. They have now learnt how important the team aspect is to producing success. The supporters have supported that success with 50,000 now having signed up, many in anticipation of the near guaranteed September appearances. Like the Western Bulldogs in the previous week, the Lions were serious competitors. Their respective ladder positions showed that, and Brisbane had come into the game with 7 successive wins. They probably have shown their cards, and their best performance capabilities in this game. Players like McStay, Robinson and Cameron, who had been instrumental in recent wins, were unsighted. When the final siren came they and the majority of their team-mates had been well and truly tamed by the Demons, who simply chalked up another win in their 2021 tally. MELBOURNE 2.3.15 5.4.34 10.9.69 14.13.97 BRISBANE 4.4.28 8.6.54 10.8.68 11.9.75 GOALS Melbourne McDonald Pickett 3 Fritsch Petracca 2 Gawn Jackson Neal-Bullen Sparrow Brisbane Lions Bailey 4 Cameron 2 Coleman Daniher Hipwood McCarthy Zorko BEST Melbourne Petracca Harmes Oliver May Gawn Neal-Bullen Brisbane Zorko Bailey Lyons Andrews Neale INJURIES Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions Ryan Lester (hamstring) REPORTS Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions Dayne Zorko (allegedly striking Tom McDonald) in the third quarter SUBSTITUTES Melbourne Oskar Baker (unused) Brisbane Lions Rhys Mathieson (replaced Ryan Lester) UMPIRES Donlon Rosebury Howorth OFFICIAL CROWD 3,772 at Giants Stadium

In the classic Australian poem, A B “Banjo” Paterson sought the answer by letter to a question concerning the whereabouts of a drover named “Clancy”. The response from Clancy’s shearing mate was written with a thumb-nail dipped in tar: “Clancy’s gone to Queensland droving, and we don’t know where he are.” Most of us would have felt a little bit that way earlier in the week wondering about the possible whereabouts of the Melbourne team for this week’s encounter against Brisbane. Were they going to meet in Alice Springs or perhaps Brisbane? Or somewhere down the Lachlan River where young Clancy was last sighted? As it turned out, it’s all happening on Friday night on the windswept plains to the west of Sydney at a venue where the two teams have never before met each other so it’s still a more or less neutral venue as TIO Traeger Park would have been anyway. I suspect however, that Giants Stadium will suit Melbourne right down to a tee and further, the team has the maturity and resilience to adapt to the week’s lockdown circumstances. They will need all of that adaptability for their duel against the AFL’s other form team in Brisbane which has been thumping opposition sides and is closing on Melbourne’s season high undefeated run of nine consecutive wins. These are the competition’s dueling banjos. The contest between the two teams promises to be an intriguing one. The Demons have the competition’s strongest defence; one that has settled into a steady and stable unit now that Harry Petty has had the opportunity to settle down in Adam Tomlinson’s vacated position. Against that, Brisbane has close to the best attack in the competition having posted five century plus scores in its current run of seven wins (they scored 93 and 95 in the other two). The teams will be circling and feeling each other out in a dangerous duel that will go a long way to deciding the outcome in the race for places in the top four. The respective midfields aren’t too shabby either and it was in this part of the game that the Lions gained the ascendancy at Metricon Stadium last year when Lachie Neale picked Max Gawn’s pockets at ruck contests with such regularity that he almost completely nullified the Demon skipper’s 41 hit out dominance. Despite this, Brisbane stuttered over the line by 4 points after a kick from Mitch Hannan late in the game went out on the full and Bayley Fritsch gave away a 50m penalty. Neale has been out for several weeks and in his absence, Lyons, McCluggage and Zorko are flying the flag high. He’s been mentioned in despatches as a likely returnee. With him or without, I think the Demon midfield has improved enough to turn the tables this time. Melbourne to win by 9 points. THE GAME Melbourne v Brisbane Lions at Giants Stadium Friday, 4 June, 2021 at 7.50pm HEAD TO HEAD * Overall Melbourne 25 wins Brisbane Lions 22 wins At Giants Stadium Melbourne 0 wins Brisbane Lions 0 wins Last Five Meetings Melbourne 3 wins Brisbane Lions 2 wins The Coaches Goodwin 2 wins Fagan 2 wins * does not include Brisbane Bears games MEDIA TV live and on demand on Kayo and live on Foxtel. Check your local guides. Radio - check your local guides. LAST TIME THEY MET Brisbane Lions 7.11.53 defeated Melbourne 7.7.49 at Metricon Stadium, Round 8, 2020 After an even first quarter, the Brisbane Lions on ball brigade took control of proceedings for the middle terms of the game. This came about despite Max Gawn’s complete domination of the ruck contests. Lauchie Neale was outstanding with 33 touches as the Lions went to a three goal lead at the final break. Melbourne launched a comeback and was in with a chance right up to the final siren but failed to take advantage of some late opportunities to win. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: M. Hibberd 14 S. May 1 J. Lever 8 HB: C. Salem 3 H. Petty 35 A. Brayshaw 10 C: T. Sparrow 32 C. Petracca 5 J. Hunt 29 HF: J. Jordon 23 T. McDonald 25 C. Spargo 9 F: B. Fritsch 31 L. Jackson 6 A. Neal-Bullen 30 Foll: M. Gawn 11 C. Oliver 13 K. Pickett 36 I/C: J. Harmes 4 J. Melksham 18 T. Rivers 24 S. Weideman 26 Emerg: O. Baker 33 T. Bedford 12 J. Bowey 17 M. Brown 38 In: O. Baker Out: Ed Langdon (concussion) BRISBANE LIONS B: J. Prior 20 H. Andrews 31 B. Starcevich 37 HB: D: Rich 10 M. Adams 24 G. Birchall 14 C: D. Zorko 15 L. Neale 9 H. McCluggage HF: C. Ah Chee 4 J. Daniher 3 L. McCarthy 11 F: D. McStay 25 E. Hipwood 30 C. Cameron 23 Foll: O. McInerney 46 J. Lyons 17 M. Robinson 5 I/C Z. Bailey 33 K. Coleman 18 R. Lester 35 D. Robertson 2 Sub: R. Mathieson 36 Emerg: C. Ballenden 38 T. Fullarton 21 J. Madden 42 In: R. Lester L. Neale Out: T. Berry (omitted) J. Madden (omitted) Injury List: Round 12 Ed Langdon (concussion) — 1 Week Jack Viney (toe) — 1 to 2 Weeks Joel Smith (knee) — 2 to 3 Weeks Bailey Laurie (eye socket) — 3 to 4 Weeks Deakyn Smith (ankle) — 3 to 4 Weeks Marty Hore (knee) — 10 to 12 Weeks Aaron Nietschke (knee) — Season Adam Tomlinson (knee) — Season

Your votes for today's game please - 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Our chance to get back in town.

The travelling COVID circus moves north of the border yet again and, unless at some time in the near future, Papua New Guinea opens its borders, this could be the last time this phenomenon happens. And as fortune would dictate, the resurgent Demons are walking directly into the sights of the locals from the bright lights of Brizvegas to Carrara - the scene of some long-forgotten (and deservedly so) battles with one of the Lions’ former incarnations, namely, the Brisbane Bears. But unlike the old koala clowns, the Lions are a serious football team and one of the flag favourites. Sunday’s game will be no circus. A year ago, when these sides met, the Demons threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Lions in the opening half at the Gabba but they were overrun by a rampant Brisbane in the third quarter and the home side coasted to a comfortable victory. The challenge for Melbourne then is to rise to a level even higher than that which it achieved last week against Hawthorn. In their favour is the fact that they play the Lions on a neutral ground, albeit one close to home. In addition, the Melbourne lineup is far more stable - when they met last year the Demons had an disastrous injury list 14 players deep. But more importantly, the Dees are in form. Melbourne continues to be strong in the middle of the ground where Max Gawn is in dominant form in the ruck and he has a formidable engine room with Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney taking the game on through the stoppages and in general play. The Lions are no slouches in the midfield but they have been unsettled away from their home in Brisbane. I’m expecting the Demons to kick on further and why not? They have a couple of young talls up forward in Weideman and Jackson and a couple of classy movers in Harley Bennell and Kysaiah Pickett who add so much composure with ball in hand. The defence is looking much better with the re-inclusion of Oscar McDonald and Neville Jetta to complement Jake Lever and Steven May. I’m tipping the Demons to upset another Queensland team on their trip onward to the north of yet another border. Melbourne by 22 points. THE GAME Melbourne v Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium Sunday, 26 July, 2020 at 6.10pm HEAD TO HEAD  Overall Melbourne 25 wins Brisbane Lions 21 wins At Metricon Stadium* Melbourne 0 wins Brisbane Lions 0 wins Last Five Meetings Melbourne 4 wins Brisbane Lions 1 win The Coaches Goodwin 2 wins Fagan 1 win * does not include Brisbane Bears games MEDIA TV - Fox Footy Channel Live at 6.00pm Radio - 3AW SEN MMM ABC AFL NATION LAST TIME THEY MET Brisbane 15.17.107 defeated Melbourne 11.8.74 at the Gabba, Round 15, 2019 It was a bruising encounter at the Gabba and the Demons surprised the Lions with a concerted first half effort which saw them in front by a goal at the main break. The home team hit the gas pedal with six goals to three in the third quarter and went on to record a comfortable 33 point victory. Clayton Oliver and Christian Salem both accumulated 30 plus possessions and Jack Viney wasn’t far behind them but the Lions were too strong. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE FB Michael Hibberd Steven May Jay Lockhart HB Christian Salem Jake Lever Oscar McDonald C Ed Langdon Clayton Oliver Bayley Fritsch HF Jake Melksham Sam Weideman James Harmes FF Kysaiah Pickett Mitch Hannan Harley Bennell FOL Max Gawn Christian Petracca Jack Viney I/C Angus Brayshaw Luke Jackson Neville Jetta Nathan Jones EM Tom McDonald Alex Neal-Bullen Joel Smith Adam Tomlinson IN Nathan Jones OUT Aaron vandenBerg (fractured cheek bone) BRISBANE LIONS FB Ryan Lester Harris Andrews Darcy Gardiner HB Daniel Rich Grant Birchall Brandon Starcevich C Mitch Robinson Dayne Zorko Hugh McCluggage HF Jarrod Berry Eric Hipwood Cam Rayner FF Zac Bailey Daniel McStay Charlie Cameron FOL Oscar McInerney Jarryd Lyons Lachie Neale I/C Callum Ah Chee Thomas Berry Lincoln McCarthy Archie Smith EM Connor Ballenden Keidean Coleman Rhys Mathieson Alex Witherden IN Archie Smith OUT Stefan Martin (back) Injury List: Round 8 Aaron vandenBerg (fractured cheekbone) – 2 weeks Marty Hore (toe and quad) – indefinite Harry Petty (groin) – indefinite Kade Kolodjashnij (head) – indefinite Aaron Nietschke (knee) – season

We were struggling at the time but put up a good fight for half a game at the Gabba. THE TEAMS BRISBANE B Luke Hodge Harris Andrews Daniel Rich HB Alex Witherden Darcy Gardiner Noah Answerth C Dayne Zorko Lachie Neale Lincoln McCarthy HF Cam Rayner Eric Hipwood Mitch Robinson F Charles Cameron Daniel McStay Zac Bailey FOLL Stefan Martin Hugh McCluggage Jarryd Lyons I/C Jarrod Berry Allen Christensen Ryan Lester Oscar McInerney EMG Ben Keays Corey Lyons Sam Skinner Brandon Starcevich IN Zac Bailey Jarrod Berry OUT Jacob Allison (omitted) Rhys Mathieson (omitted) MELBOURNE B Jay Lockhart Steven May Christian Salem HB Nathan Jones Sam Frost Bayley Fritsch C Oskar Baker James Harmes Angus Brayshaw HF Jayden Hunt Tim Smith Christian Petracca F Mitch Hannan Tom McDonald Sam Weideman FOLL Max Gawn Jack Viney Clayton Oliver I/C Michael Hibberd Marty Hore Alex Neal-Bullen Harrison Petty EMG Jordan Lewis Oscar McDonald Braydon Preuss Corey Wagner IN Michael Hibberd OUT Josh Wagner (omitted)

Talk about defining matches for the season.

EARNING AND LEARNING by George on the Outer Despite the fact that the Brisbane Lions are on the bottom rung of the AFL ladder, they made Melbourne earn its win at the MCG on Sunday. The younger Demons also learned that wins are not a given; you must work and continue to work even when the team is five goals up in the final quarter. This is precisely the type of lesson this team needs in the lead up to September action for possibly the first time in over ten years. The Lions were able to bring the game back to within a couple of kicks with about ten minutes to play, but Melbourne rallied, especially through Cam Pedersen and Angus Brayshaw when the game was all on the line. Pedersen repaid the faith that the club had in him after it re-signed him again for next year, and his rucking, marking and willingness to push himself to the limit when required saw him finish the day with three goals, including the one which finally put paid to the Brisbane revival. Angus Brayshaw showed maturity far beyond his years when he provided an option for Mitch Hannan in the dying seconds, ran the clock down further, and then finally slotted the goal to ensure the Demons ran out 13 point winners. Melbourne started badly, with an attitude that the fans had seen all too often when playing against a lowly ranked side. Zorko, Beams and Rockliff ran riot in the middle and it wasn’t until Jake Melksham was assigned the task of curtailing Zorko, that the Demons started to get some value from the middle. In the middle, the side truly missed the inside work of Jack Viney, and Nathan Jones became the sole “get it” man. Dom Tyson was in sorry form again, and if he continues to give the ball to the opposition by hand, he won’t be playing finals, especially when both Viney and Corey Maynard are there knocking at the door. Fortunately, swinging Petracca and Melksham into the middle stopped the rot and both Jones and Oliver were able to produce some influence. Up forward, Jesse Hogan had a fine day out with 6 goals which should give him a lot of confidence after his season from Hell. While he provides that target that the team so desperately needs, he also distracts the opposition defencewhich can leave Pedersen and Garlett unmarked as was witnessed on a number of occasions. If he can refine his leads, he will become something truly special. The backs did well when called upon, but most of the Brisbane scores came from swift ball movement, and precise kicking. Combined with the lack of run and pressure on the ball carrier they went coast to coast on numerous occasions, and had multiple goals from the goal square without a Melbourne player in sight. Where to now? A place in the finals is relatively certain, bar a substantial loss to Collingwood, and an equally substantial win by the West Coast Eagles against Adelaide. But with that game being played after our match next week, it is important not to give them the incentive to win and make finals. Our future is well and truly in our own hands. We hope the lessons from this week have been learned in order that we can say that our spot in the finals has indeed been earned. Melbourne 3.3.21 6.6.42 11.8.74 16.8.104 Brisbane Lions 2.3.15 6.3.39 9.5.59 14.7.91 Goals Melbourne Hogan 6 Pedersen 3 Garlett 2 Brayshaw Harmes Melksham Petracca Vince Brisbane Lions D Beams 3 Rockliff 2 Allison Barrett Bastinac Close Gardiner Hipwood McCluggage Walker Zorko Best Melbourne Hogan Pedersen Petracca Jones Oliver Hibberd Melksham Brisbane Lions D Beams Zorko Bastinac Taylor Rockliff Witherden Changes Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions Nil Injuries Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions C Beams (head) D Beams (head) Reports Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions Nil Umpires Rosebury, Gavine, Mollison Official crowd 30,422 at the MCG

Just do it!

FROM LITTLE THINGS, BIG THINGS GROW by Georgina on the Outer In a game of firsts, the new AFLW Demons side lowered their colours to the Brisbane Lions in what became a scrappy tussle. But this was the game that had firsts and more firsts. The first ever game for a womens team playing for the Melbourne Football Club. The first ever game played at Casey Fields for AFL championship points. The first time an AFL level game had to be stopped due to the danger of lightning strike! And it was entertaining to boot! The first quarter was played mostly in idyllic conditions in front of what must have been a crowd of 10-15K. The locals turned out in their droves with kids in tow, and demonstrated why the MFC investment in the Casey alignment is starting to pay off. The Melbourne supporters also turned up in their droves, but what was truly surprising was the strong contingent of women supporters for both sides. Girls who obviously play the game at lower levels, but were there just the same. All in all it was an impressive start, but the Demons squandered their chances. While conditions were conducive to a free running and quick ball movement the Demons took advantage. Daisy Pearce was simply a class above anyone else on the field, but we only have one of her. The ball finished up multiple times in the forward line, but the forwards simply weren’t there, didn’t play in front or couldn’t kick relatively simply opportunities when they presented. Despite multiple attacks the Demons had 4 behinds to show for it while the Lions with barely a single forward thrust scored a major. Then the storm hit. Lightning and thunder struck overhead, and the field umpires took the players off the field. Rather wisely it would seem as the skies turned black and the torrential rain began. All was not lost during that period as the crowd on the other wing was entertained by the security guard trying to put on a poncho while the wind and rain tried its hardest to remove it from him. A few renditions of The Village Peoples' “Macho man” helped him along, but it was finally one of the mothers in the crowd who showed him where his head was supposed to fit. Unfortunately, too late, because the rain then stopped following a 10 or 15 minute delay and all returned. But the Melbourne side seemed unaware that the ground was now drenched, with a slippery cake of soap substituting for the ball. They continued to try to play dry weather football, handballing and kicking short. It didn’t work time and time again, while Brisbane simply scrambled the ball forward to their advantage. Melbourne then helped the situation with two 50 metre penalties for running over the mark, both which resulted in goals. And that became the difference between winning and losing. Mel Hickey tried everything to lift the side around the packs, and Daisy was moved forward to try to provide some spark, but it was to no avail. Elise O’Dea and Karne Paxman put in more than creditable performances, but there were simply too many Melbourne players who barely troubled the statisticians. At least, the Demons are only a game out of the top four let's hope that they go into next week's game against Collingwood with more than one goal in mind which is what both teams achieved at the weekend. This was a great first game, the result may not have been what we wanted, the conditions weren’t the best, but let's remember that Paul Kelly (the singer, not the footballer) one said that "from little things, big things grow". This competition has a great future, and it is hoped the fans continue to support it in full. Melbourne 0.3.3 1.4.10 1.4.10 1.4.10 Brisbane Lions 0.0.0 2.0.12 2.1.13 4.1.25 Goals Melbourne Grierson Brisbane Lions Campbell Frederick-Traub Gibson McCarthy Best Melbourne Pearce Paxman O'Dea Hickey Brisbane Lions Virgo Bates Frederick-Traub Kaslar Randall Crowd approx. 6,000 at Casey Fields

In a game of firsts, the new AFLW Demons side lowered their colours to the Brisbane Lions in what became a scrappy tussle. But this was the game that had firsts and more firsts. The first ever game for a womens team playing for the Melbourne Football Club. The first ever game played at Casey Fields for AFL championship points. The first time an AFL level game had to be stopped due to the danger of lightning strike! And it was entertaining to boot! The first quarter was played mostly in idyllic conditions in front of what must have been a crowd of 10-15K. The locals turned out in their droves with kids in tow, and demonstrated why the MFC investment in the Casey alignment is starting to pay off. The Melbourne supporters also turned up in their droves, but what was truly surprising was the strong contingent of women supporters for both sides. Girls who obviously play the game at lower levels, but were there just the same. All in all it was an impressive start, but the Demons squandered their chances. While conditions were conducive to a free running and quick ball movement the Demons took advantage. Daisy Pearce was simply a class above anyone else on the field, but we only have one of her. The ball finished up multiple times in the forward line, but the forwards simply weren’t there, didn’t play in front or couldn’t kick relatively simply opportunities when they presented. Despite multiple attacks the Demons had 4 behinds to show for it while the Lions with barely a single forward thrust scored a major. Then the storm hit. Lightning and thunder struck overhead, and the field umpires took the players off the field. Rather wisely it would seem as the skies turned black and the torrential rain began. All was not lost during that period as the crowd on the other wing was entertained by the security guard trying to put on a poncho while the wind and rain tried its hardest to remove it from him. A few renditions of The Village Peoples' “Macho man” helped him along, but it was finally one of the mothers in the crowd who showed him where his head was supposed to fit. Unfortunately, too late, because the rain then stopped following a 10 or 15 minute delay and all returned. But the Melbourne side seemed unaware that the ground was now drenched, with a slippery cake of soap substituting for the ball. They continued to try to play dry weather football, handballing and kicking short. It didn’t work time and time again, while Brisbane simply scrambled the ball forward to their advantage. Melbourne then helped the situation with two 50 metre penalties for running over the mark, both which resulted in goals. And that became the difference between winning and losing. Mel Hickey tried everything to lift the side around the packs, and Daisy was moved forward to try to provide some spark, but it was to no avail. Elise O’Dea and Karne Paxman put in more than creditable performances, but there were simply too many Melbourne players who barely troubled the statisticians. At least, the Demons are only a game out of the top four let's hope that they go into next week's game against Collingwood with more than one goal in mind which is what both teams achieved at the weekend. This was a great first game, the result may not have been what we wanted, the conditions weren’t the best, but let's remember that Paul Kelly (the singer, not the footballer) one said that "from little things, big things grow". This competition has a great future, and it is hoped the fans continue to support it in full. Melbourne 0.3.3 1.4.10 1.4.10 1.4.10 Brisbane Lions 0.0.0 2.0.12 2.1.13 4.1.25 Goals Melbourne Grierson Brisbane Lions Campbell Frederick-Traub Gibson McCarthy Best Melbourne Pearce Paxman O'Dea Hickey Brisbane Lions Virgo Bates Frederick-Traub Kaslar Randall Crowd approx. 6,000 at Casey Fields

Ho hum ...

Cast your votes please ... 6,5,4,3,2,1

THE SEVEN YEAR SWITCH by George on the Outer After seven years in the wilderness, the Fans in the Outer may have reason to overcome their MFCSS (Melbourne Football Club Supporter Syndrome). A game against Brisbane who sat in 16th place with a solitary win for the season, against the Demons having four wins under their belt, and sitting just outside the 8 was a cause for angst. In the past going into the game as favourites, home at the MCG, on a fine day with nearly a full side to select from and wanting to stay in finals contention was a sure recipe for completely stuffing up the opportunity sitting before them. So to come out of the game with a ten goal win might finally see the end of the MFCSS, and a march toward something completely different from the last seven years of anguish. The match was previewed by an exhibition match between the Melbourne and Brisbane Lions’ women’s’ sides. It was a sheer delight to watch the skills of AFL on display without the rolling mauls and scrambling play and continuous ball-ups that blights the male version today. Make no mistake - the girls play it hard and tough as well, but if you want to see some real football talent on display, make sure you get along to the next game, and watch Daisy Pearce and her team in action. The girls set the tone for the day with an over 10 goal win of their own. The dominance of the MFC players was marked, and the game effectively was over by ¼ time. Let us see more of them in the coming years. Melbourne 6.4.40 8.5.53 10.7.67 14.7.91 Brisbane Lions 0.0.0 1.0.6 1.1.7 3.2.20 Goals Melbourne Cameron 6 Boyd 3 Eva Foley Kemp D Pearce L Pearce Brisbane Lions McCarthy 2 Law Best Melbourne Cameron Blackburn Hardiman Hosking Lockland D Pearce Boyd Brisbane Lions Hunt Virgo Zieke Anderson And now, onto the boys … like the girls, the direction of the game was set by quarter time, with the Demons putting through five majors and then another five to make it ten by half time. The Lions squandered chances in the third quarter with multiple set shots going wide of the mark. Strangely, the wind affected the kicking for goal for both sides, when the MCG is usually devoid of any real wind advantage. It just swirled around and was fluky, making the shots for goal a hit and miss scenario. Still, the Demons did it better and finished by nearly doubling the Lions score. It’s a long time since we have witnessed such high scores from Melbourne sides and it makes for some interesting exhibitions of football. With a last minute withdrawal of Dom Tyson, the midfield just wasn’t as dominant as it can be, and this demonstrates Tyson’s influence on the team’s performance this year. Without his partner in crime, Jack Viney was unusually quiet with only 19 touches (still can’t complain about that, can we?). But the slack was picked up by Christian Petracca and Billy Stretch. Billy ran riot on the flanks and had 31 touches. The old heads among the fan base will remember and be able to compare his skills with that of his father. If he keeps performing in this manner, we are in for some wonderful displays in the future. Max Gawn was targeted again this week, and got little help from the umpires as third man up and opposition rucks just jump into him while the first ruckman simply held onto him. He could barely walk at the end of the game, and next week it is essential that he get some relief from a second ruck. Jack Watts provided the relief this week, and did a simply superb job and the hit outs with eight of his own. It was a brilliant move by the coaches, and forced Watts into the game a lot more than he has been in the past couple of weeks. But he is not the solution, as Max needs help around the ground and shouldn’t have to run to each and every contest. We simply cannot afford from him to break down this season. The backline unfortunately leaked like a sieve again this week. The current game plan or failure to execute the game plan sees the opposition getting easy goals and marks from inside the defensive 50. Colin Garland provides a big body in contested situations but simply stands off or loses his man too easily. Viv Michie was horrible at HBF and only two possessions to half time hopefully has marked his cards for next week. There are too many pushing for senior selection to carry passengers. Oscar McDonald was way out of his depth this week, but he needs the experience for the future. We simply cannot afford too many NQR players against better opposition. Yes, a 10 goal win is something delightful after the years of pain we have suffered. Now if the side really wants to bury the MFCSS, a win in Alice Springs against a side, which like us is challenging for a finals spot and only one place below us on the ladder, is essential. Let’s do it! Melbourne 5.6.36 10.7.67 13.10.88 19.17.131 Brisbane Lions 2.3.15 5.5.35 6.10.46 9.14.68 Goals Melbourne Hogan 5 Harmes 4 Garlett 2 Jones Kennedy Kent Michie Newton Stretch Viney Watts Brisbane Lions Bell 3 Lester 2 Freeman Keays Taylor Zorko Best Melbourne Hogan Bugg Petracca Garlett Oliver Watts Brisbane Lions Zorko Robinson Bell Rich Changes Melbourne Tyson (ill) replaced by Newton Brisbane Lions Nil Injuries Melbourne Clayton Oliver (corked thigh) Brisbane Lions Nil Reports Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions Nil Umpires Deboy Findlay Harris Official crowd 26,892 at the MCG

After seven years in the wilderness, the Fans in the Outer may have reason to overcome their MFCSS (Melbourne Football Club Supporter Syndrome). A game against Brisbane who sat in 16th place with a solitary win for the season, against the Demons having four wins under their belt, and sitting just outside the 8 was a cause for angst. In the past going into the game as favourites, home at the MCG, on a fine day with nearly a full side to select from and wanting to stay in finals contention was a sure recipe for completely stuffing up the opportunity sitting before them. So to come out of the game with a ten goal win might finally see the end of the MFCSS, and a march toward something completely different from the last seven years of anguish. The match was previewed by an exhibition match between the Melbourne and Brisbane Lions’ women’s’ sides. It was a sheer delight to watch the skills of AFL on display without the rolling mauls and scrambling play and continuous ball-ups that blights the male version today. Make no mistake - the girls play it hard and tough as well, but if you want to see some real football talent on display, make sure you get along to the next game, and watch Daisy Pearce and her team in action. The girls set the tone for the day with an over 10 goal win of their own. The dominance of the MFC players was marked, and the game effectively was over by ¼ time. Let us see more of them in the coming years. Melbourne 6.4.40 8.5.53 10.7.67 14.7.91 Brisbane Lions 0.0.0 1.0.6 1.1.7 3.2.20 Goals Melbourne Cameron 6 Boyd 3 Eva Foley Kemp D Pearce L Pearce Brisbane Lions McCarthy 2 Law Best Melbourne Cameron Blackburn Hardiman Hosking Lockland D Pearce Boyd Brisbane Lions Hunt Virgo Zieke Anderson And now, onto the boys … like the girls, the direction of the game was set by quarter time, with the Demons putting through five majors and then another five to make it ten by half time. The Lions squandered chances in the third quarter with multiple set shots going wide of the mark. Strangely, the wind affected the kicking for goal for both sides, when the MCG is usually devoid of any real wind advantage. It just swirled around and was fluky, making the shots for goal a hit and miss scenario. Still, the Demons did it better and finished by nearly doubling the Lions score. It’s a long time since we have witnessed such high scores from Melbourne sides and it makes for some interesting exhibitions of football. With a last minute withdrawal of Dom Tyson, the midfield just wasn’t as dominant as it can be, and this demonstrates Tyson’s influence on the team’s performance this year. Without his partner in crime, Jack Viney was unusually quiet with only 19 touches (still can’t complain about that, can we?). But the slack was picked up by Christian Petracca and Billy Stretch. Billy ran riot on the flanks and had 31 touches. The old heads among the fan base will remember and be able to compare his skills with that of his father. If he keeps performing in this manner, we are in for some wonderful displays in the future. Max Gawn was targeted again this week, and got little help from the umpires as third man up and opposition rucks just jump into him while the first ruckman simply held onto him. He could barely walk at the end of the game, and next week it is essential that he get some relief from a second ruck. Jack Watts provided the relief this week, and did a simply superb job and the hit outs with eight of his own. It was a brilliant move by the coaches, and forced Watts into the game a lot more than he has been in the past couple of weeks. But he is not the solution, as Max needs help around the ground and shouldn’t have to run to each and every contest. We simply cannot afford from him to break down this season. The backline unfortunately leaked like a sieve again this week. The current game plan or failure to execute the game plan sees the opposition getting easy goals and marks from inside the defensive 50. Colin Garland provides a big body in contested situations but simply stands off or loses his man too easily. Viv Michie was horrible at HBF and only two possessions to half time hopefully has marked his cards for next week. There are too many pushing for senior selection to carry passengers. Oscar McDonald was way out of his depth this week, but he needs the experience for the future. We simply cannot afford too many NQR players against better opposition. Yes, a 10 goal win is something delightful after the years of pain we have suffered. Now if the side really wants to bury the MFCSS, a win in Alice Springs against a side, which like us is challenging for a finals spot and only one place below us on the ladder, is essential. Let’s do it! Melbourne 5.6.36 10.7.67 13.10.88 19.17.131 Brisbane Lions 2.3.15 5.5.35 6.10.46 9.14.68 Goals Melbourne Hogan 5 Harmes 4 Garlett 2 Jones Kennedy Kent Michie Newton Stretch Viney Watts Brisbane Lions Bell 3 Lester 2 Freeman Keays Taylor Zorko Best Melbourne Hogan Bugg Petracca Garlett Oliver Watts Brisbane Lions Zorko Robinson Bell Rich Changes Melbourne Tyson (ill) replaced by Newton Brisbane Lions Nil Injuries Melbourne Clayton Oliver (corked thigh) Brisbane Lions Nil Reports Melbourne Nil Brisbane Lions Nil Umpires Deboy Findlay Harris Official crowd 26,892 at the MCG

I'm camping at Winton V8's and it's too cold to sleep (should have listened to wife and brought an extra blanket) so I'll start game day. Hopefully we learnt out lesson agianst Essendon and just get the job done today, 4 points is a non negotiable.