How delightfully old fashioned!
The Melbourne Demons take on the Richmond Tigers at the MCG on a Saturday afternoon!  I’m reminded of those lyrics from the iconic Paul Kelly:

I’m high on the hill
Looking over the bridge
To the M.C.G
And way up on high
The clock on the silo
Says eleven degrees,
………
I remember I remember
I go leaps and bounds
I remember everything

This game is expected to draw a big crowd to watch these two emerging teams and I for one can’t resist and am going to join them.  I expect to also be able to read the results in the Sporting Globe (pink copy of course)!

Mark Jamar is back after he missing the past six matches with a knee injury and Jordan Gysberts also returns to the midfield rotation after missing the last game.  Max Gawn and Clint Bartram have been omitted.  Gawn, Matthew Bate and Sam Blease are the emergencies.

The team
B: James Strauss, James Frawley, Daniel Nicholson
HB: Colin Garland, Jared Rivers, Jack Trengove
C: Tom Scully, Colin Sylvia, Jeremy Howe
HF: Nathan Jones, Jack Watts, Ricky Petterd
F: Jamie Bennell, Mark Jamar, Brad Green
FOLL: Stef Martin, Brent Moloney, Jordie McKenzie
I/C: Jordan Gysberts, Joel Macdonald, Cale Morton, Liam Jurrah
EMG: Matthew Bate, Max Gawn, Sam Blease
IN: Mark Jamar, Jordan Gysberts
OUT: Clint Bartram, Max Gawn

Melbourne v Richmond Live on the Big Screen – 2.10pm – Saturday 25 June
Join the NSW Demons to watch the game on the big screen at the Camelia Grove Hotel, 146 Henderson Rd, Alexandria. Ph: 02 9516 5611.  Check out www.nswdemons.com and www.thecammy.com.au for more information.

Melbourne v Fremantle Live on the Big Screen -1.10pm – Sunday 19 June

Melbourne v Fremantle Live on the Big Screen -1.10pm – Sunday 19 June

Good to be over those pesky Friday night and Monday games and back to a nice quiet early Sunday afternoon to watch the Dees take on Freo this weekend.   Join the NSW Demons to watch the game and welcome back Ricky Petterd who joins the mid field rotation following a scintillating 39 possession, 13 tackle game for Casey last Sunday.

Watch the game on the big screen at the Camelia Grove Hotel, 146 Henderson Rd, Alexandria. Ph: 02 9516 5611.  Check out www.thecammy.com.au for more information.

Match Report
Ace reporter Darren is on leave this week so unfortunately there is no report from the Queens Birthday match.

Media update
Hope you caught Dean Bailey “On the Couch” earlier this week.  After a “tough day at the office” Bailey was clear and direct and amongst many interesting points here are some of his comments:

• the inconsistency in the contested possession count from week to week is a major frustration
• the club has recruited for kicking skills and emphasised kicking the ball over the past two to three years
• they have been working on “the press” for over a year and it is still a work in progress
• the lack of games and experience leads to the current weekly patience/impatience cycle
• the importance of backmen playing in front of their opponents
• St Kilda, Geelong and Collingwood all took six to eight years to build to a Grand Final / Premiership

What Brings Happiness? – Round 11 Match Review

By Darren Spence

‘Bruise free’ footy they say??….Bah Humbug. From the time the boys ran through the banner which read “Whatever it takes – mongrel or brilliance, go hard, go Dees, push the limits” the Demons had only one thing on their mind and that was to prove to the football world that this side is no push over and a side to be feared and reckoned with.  And didn’t we how!!!  Frank McKinney “Kin” Hubbard once was quoted as saying….”It’s pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness.  Poverty and wealth have both failed”.  Well Frank I know the answer!!….Nothing brings more happiness than beating Essendon on the big stage of a Friday night.  And what was just as pleasing was how the boys fought back into the game after going behind in the 2nd quarter.  That showed great intestinal fortitude and a strong desire to win – cornerstones I am confident that will be the hallmark of the club for the future.
The game had many highlights and it was very difficult to find a bad player on the night.  All the more pleasing was that this was the youngest team we have had on the field since 1982 and, as hard as it seems to believe, our side on Friday night had actually played a combined number of games LESS than the Gold Coast Suns!!…AMAZING!

Some of the highlights…
Dean Bailey – let’s start at the finish.  How good was the scene with Bailey thumping the roof of the dugout after the siren?  A man not normally known for sharing his emotions, his public display says just as much about the media pressure he has been under as it does for his reward for all the hard work he has put in for this young side.
Bennell – Probably his best game for the Demons.  He was quick, his disposal was top rate and basically he looked dangerous every time he had the ball.
Eyeballing Evans – Another great game from the rookie.  He seems at ease at this level and his set up for Sylvia’s goal was a gem.  He had 56 dream team points at half time and is showing great promise for the future.
Gawking at Gawn – how great was it to see big Maximus get his first game?  Bound to be a cult hero at the club, he did some pleasing things on the night and another showing promise for the future.  A player I will keep an eye on for the rest of the year.
Green – The skipper led from the front and kicked a goal in each quarter.  I must say I love seeing him playing up forward and I think we will see more of that as our key midfielders get back on the park.
Heeding Howe – An amazing first game from Jeremy!  His marking and kicking were first rate and he set up many key passages during the game.  In the game turning 3rd quarter, Jeremy had 9 disposals.  Another player under my watch for the rest of the year.
Manlove 1 update – Sadly another week confined to the rehab room at AAMI.  Hopefully it won’t be too long till we see Luke back in the red and blue.
Manlove 2 update – Now where do I start!  My manlove devotion is being paid back in spades with Jordan BOG and nominated for another Rising Star award.  The Gys had game and career high 30 possessions with 11 to quarter time.  The way he gets into packs and gets the ball is a pure delight.  My manlove is growing.
Jetta – Neville is really starting to show signs that he belongs at this level and this is great to see.  He is tackling well this year and playing with much more vigor and hardness.
Martin – just when you thought you had seen it all from Stef he continues to rise and rise.  I would say it was his best game on the weekend.  He ended up with a career high 25 possessions.  Up against the three Bomber talls he took the points on the night and if there was ever an example of a breakout season this is it.
McKenzie – This man is an integral part of our side and I don’t think people realised how much we have missed him until he came back.  He is so hard, tenacious and provides so much grunt for us.  He had a career high 13 tackles on the night.
Morton – Cale got better as the match went on.  He backs himself and is surprisingly fast for his size.  He would have been happy with his game on Friday.
Rivers – Old Man had another stellar game! He was hardly beaten, was confident in delivery and is in career best form.
Scully – now where do I start???….to come back after 1/2 a VFL game all year and to put in that kind of performance shows the world why he was taken No.1 and why we must move heaven and earth to keep him.  Most players take weeks to get up to speed but not our Tom – he is a gun!
Strauss – ‘Johann’ had his best game for the Dees by far.  It was pleasing to see as he has been on the fringes for a while now.  He had a career high possession count and hopefully will be able to string some great games together.
Trengove – Jack showed on Friday night how critical he is to our side.  He brings that touch of class with everything he does.  His disposal and decision making is beyond 1st class (if that’s possible:-))
Watts – How was his marking??…How was his decision making???…..How were his foot skills??…..How was his speed??…..How on earth did anyone question his status as No.1 draft pick????

We now draw our attention to the QB Monday and our traditional clash with our traditional enemies.  Our record of late has been more than admirable against the Pies and we will go in with a great deal of momentum.  Yes we still have a few key injuries but so do the Pies and anything short of a similar effort on Monday as was shown on Friday night would be a disappointment.  I finish with a confession…..when I said nothing brings more happiness than beating the Bombers – I lied…….beating the Pies on QB Monday….I think that will take the cake!

Melbourne v Essendon Live on the Big Screen at 7.40pm tonight

ROUND 10 MATCH REVIEW

ROUND 10 MATCH REVIEW
By Darren Spence
Last week saw the Demons parade themselves on the big stage of Friday Night football.  Unfortunately the game mirrored reading a copy of Hansard as a spectacle but with an injury list that has the World Health Organisation contemplating issuing a hazard warning at AAMI Park it is hardly surprising that the game was such a dour affair.  With everything seemingly going against the Demons at the moment, the fact that we were still in touch at half time gives us the glimpses of hope for that which we are so desperately searching.
Let’s look at some of the highlights…….
Jetta – he was very lively early and continues to tackle hard.  He has been a solid improver this year and hopefully he can string some good performances together as he has his chance now with all of our outs.
Watts – Killer is going from strength to strength at present.  He was used by Bailey as an extra defender and picked possessions up at will.  He has played at least 6 games in a row in our best I reckon and I am loving watching every minute of him.
Bennell – Great to see Jamie back.  He played a fantastic game on the dangerous Garlett and definitely can hold his head up high after the weekend.
McKenzie – Jordie has taken off from where he left last year – leading our tackle count.  He is a tough nut and boy have we missed him in our engine room.
MacDonald – In Joel’s 100th AFL game he finished with a game high possession count for the Demons.  He marked well and applied a high level of pressure.
Martin – Stef has definitely stepped up (as has been mentioned before).  Without a doubt our most improved player this year.  He had a career high hit out count and presented himself around the ground.  If there can ever be a good thing that has come out of the Russian going down then Stef Martin is the silver lining.
Sylvia – quickly becoming Colin’s most consistent year as he continues to be hard at the ball and led the team for contested possessions on the night.
Manlove 1 update – sadly still confined to the rehab room at AAMI Park.
Manlove 2 update – Another solid game by the Gys.  Clearly had more influence on the game than Brock which brought a huge smile to my face.  He spent some time tagging some of the Blues elite midfielders which augurs well for his experience and future development.
Eyeballing Evans – not as eye catching as his debut but Michael tackled hard and like Jordan spent some time on Judd, Murphy et al and as the say in racing parlance….’he will be better for the run’.
Jones – another player arguably playing his best season, Nathan continues to win plenty of the hard ball and his physicality at the ball has gone up on previous years.
Jimma – watching big Jim belting out tunes with Russ Robertson and ONJ just has to get a mention.  It is fair to say though it is the most uncomfortable I have ever seen Big Jimma on the MCG….But I don’t think he will mind me saying that.
We look forward now to another Friday Night game and again against one of the big Victorian teams.  With Dermie’s and Mitch Robinson’s words still ringing in their ears I for one cannot wait to see the response this week against the Bombers.  Nothing cuts more to the bone than to be called ‘soft’ and I have no doubt that the Demons will come out all guns blazing come Friday.  The game can’t come soon enough………

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