THE heat remains on embattled Melbourne coach Mark Neeld and while some key media personalities from Melbourne’s major newspapers the Herald Sun and The Age were calling for his head today, it appears likely that Neeld may well see out at least another week. The Demons’ hierarchy are reluctant to sack Neeld this week despite

THERE are murmurings from senior media officials that Mark Neeld’s tenure as coach of Melbourne could be up as early as Monday with Melbourne set to lose to the Gold Coast Suns. Neeld, who has been under increasing pressure since its start to the season, has struggled to help some of the key Melbourne brigade

IF they didn’t have bad luck the Demons would have no luck at all.

The Melbourne Football Club has revealed that co-captain Jack Grimes is set to miss up to eight weeks of football after breaking his collarbone in this afternoon’s 61-point loss to Carlton at the

FORMER club great David Schwarz has cast doubt on Melbourne coach Mark Neeld being at the helm as coach next season. Schwarz appeared clearly frustrated at his old clubs’ situation and doesn’t believe that players are improving or performing for the coach. “I don’t think so. No,” Schwab said on Fox Footy’s Open Mike. “I

MELBOURNE is embroiled in more controversy after a connection with sports scientist Stephen Dank with some of its players last year

EVEN though many commentators predicted his resignation, it still came as big news when Cameron Schwab announced that he would be stepping down from his position of CEO at the Melbourne Football Club. It ends his 9 year involvement with the club on a sour and glum note, in which he was often praised and

AFTER a week in hell, the Demons have decided that their best chance at salvation this week is without the talented but much-maligned Jack Watts. Announcing their team for Saturday afternoon’s game against the West Coast Eagles, Melbourne has omitted the first overall draft pick from the 2008 National Draft. Per the Melbourne website, football

HOW did they get here?

Right now I think I would rather be Julia Gillard’s election campaign manager then an executive at the Melbourne Football Club.

Winning is built on a culture, a way of life for professional sportsmen (and apparently Charlie Sheen) who have good training habits and generally have the will and determination to win

UPDATE: MELBOURNE chief executive Cameron Schwab has resigned in the wake of the Dees’ dismal start and crisis. Schwab was forced to stand down despite signing a three year deal with the club last August. Demons president Don McLardy said at today’s press conference: ”What has happened in the past two games is clearly not acceptable,”

THE Melbourne Football Club has revealed that Chris Dawes will miss up to four weeks of football after re-injuring his hamstring in training. “Chris is unfortunately having some ongoing issues with his hamstring,” said Demons football manager Josh Mahoney in a quote on the club’s website. “He’s injured it again during training last week, so at

PORT Adelaide midfielder Ollie Wines has won the nomination of round one for the AFL Rising Star award. Wines, who was linked to Melbourne early in the draft, dominated against the Demons with 24 disposals including 16 contested, in the 79-point drubbing. On debut, Wines was brilliant but had also showed great form over the

COLLINGWOOD star Dale Thomas is expected to miss the Pies round one clash against North Melbourne after pulling out of last night’s VFL practice match against the Northern Blues. Thomas was in line to play for some match fitness after an ankle injury derailed his pre-season. He has missed the entire NAB Cup and is

Guest contributor RowdyOne continues his series looking at each club’s best 22 players for the upcoming 2013 season.   Key Personnel Questions for the Demons: A sub-par season last year meant that Chris Dawes was suddenly expendable. Now that he’s at a new club, can he recapture his 2010 season form and be the forward target the

THE Demons were extremely active in the draft and trade period adding a good mix of veteran and young talent but now faces the task of finding a way of getting the right combination of players onto the field.

ON a blistering hot and windy day at Casey Fields the Melbourne Football Club started their match well against St Kilda. From a scoring perspective the second half was ok as well relative, of course, to what the Saints were able to put on the board

A GAME that was largely in their control for the whole day threatened to slip away from the Melbourne Football Club in the dying minutes of the fourth quarter

MELBOURNE showcased new midfielders Jack Viney and Jimmy Toumpas, in last Friday nights NAB Cup matches, but will be without another one for up to two months. The club has revealed on its website that Sam Blease had sustained a high ankle sprain that we will see him miss four to six weeks and quite possibly,

MELBOURNE’S first round draft pick Jimmy Toumpas has signed as many contracts with the Demons as he has played games for them with the club revealing that they have already inked the young midfielder to a two year extension. Also on Football Nation: NAB Cup Scores (North Melbourne v Richmond v Melbourne) Toumpas, 19, was

LIKE pretty much every club that has had to play back to back games in the first round of this year’s NAB Cup, the Demons came out firing in the first game and ran out of steam in the second. In spite of that though there was a lot to like about Melbourne in their

UPDATE: THE AFL has found Melbourne not guilty of tanking, however it has handed more severe than first thought suspensions to former coach Dean Bailey, now at Adelaide, and former football manager Chris Connolly. Connolly has been suspended until February, 2014 while Bailey has been suspended for the first 16 games of the 2013 season.

FOR those fantasy footy coaches hoping to get some value out of Melbourne draftees Jack Viney and Jimmy Toumpas, you may be interested in this. Melbourne coach Mark Neeld has hosed down the expectations on the promising duo, suggesting that they will be nursed through their debut seasons and may not be a regular senior

THE heat has fallen on former football operations boss Chris Connolly from the Melbourne tanking saga back in 2009. The Demons will get away with drafting and trading as usual but will be fined $500,000 for their flunking in 2009 for draft picks.

OVER the last week the AFL was asked for and has given permission to a pair of seventeen year olds to take the field in this year’s NAB Cup competition. Gold Coast recruit Jack Martin received approval from the league on Monday and he will be joined by Melbourne’s Jesse Hogan who was approved today.

MELBOURNE’S Dean Terlich has been taken to hospital by ambulance after sustaining a blow to his head during a training session at Moorabbin Oval this afternoon. The injury occurred after a collision during the training session although it is not yet known who he collided with. The club has reported on its website that after examination Terlich has been

MELBOURNE will field almost a completely different team than to what was fielded last season with up to a dozen changes expected in round one of the season proper against Port Adelaide at the MCG. It is expected that new experienced recruits Shannon Byrnes, Tom Gillies, David Rodan, Chris Dawes and Cam Pedersen will all

PART of the re-tooling of the Melbourne list involved getting not only more talent but more leadership and experience with a winning culture. It seems like the Demons like what they have in former Collingwood forward Chris Dawes and Geelong small forward Shannon Byrnes with the club announcing that both players  have been included in the club’s 2013

TALENTED but dogged by off-field issues, former Melbourne footballer Liam Jurrah has been charged with drink driving in Adelaide after an incident  on Monday night in Para Hills. He is alleged to have registered a blood alcohol level of almost 0.27, more than five times over the legal limit. Making matters worse is that Jurrah is

KEY Melbourne players Mitch Clark and Jack Trengove will have a late start to full pre-season training due to injuries and the Demons aren’t bucking to any urgency of getting them back on the track earlier. Both players have foot injuries, with Trengove spending the last six weeks in a moon boot but won’t compete

MELBOURNE says the tanking allegations are having a “minimal” effect on the team entering the 2013 season despite discussions heating up between the club and AFL investigators. The AFL is investigating Melbourne’s mediocre efforts in 2009 which eventually won it a priority draft selection – although fate did have an unkind way of justifying the

FROM a VFL premiership medal to now embarking on a leadership role at Melbourne, Shannon Byrnes says he is now training himself how to speak more in order to become an influential member of the on-field brigade. Byrnes, a premiership player at the Cats, made the move as a free agent to the Demons after

LIST season is in full swing and we continue our end of the year top five series with a a look back on the year that was and give you our opinion on the Top 5 Rivalries of the 2012 AFL season. 1. Eddie McGuire v Mick Malthouse – Expect their to be an army-like

NEW Melbourne midfielder Matt Jones was one that was on the radar of AFL recruiters but there were some around him at Box Hill that may well have thought they were in a better place for a look-in. Luke Andrews is one who shone bright in the latter part of the season and is perhaps

PERHAPS unlucky to be delisted by Melbourne, utility Matthew Bate has shown enough at VFL level over the past two seasons to give himself every opportunity of a second chance. Bate has been a vital cog up forward for the Casey Scorpions in the VFL, where he worked in tandem with Brendan Fevola last year

ESSENDON chose Frankston’s 22-year-old Dylan Van Unen at pick 51 in last night’s AFL draft and expect him to play at senior level next season along with Nick Kommer from East Perth, who was taken later in the draft. Melbourne also chose Box Hill Hawks midfielder Matt Jones, a 25 year old who was one of

WE take a club by club look at this year’s draft and, where we have them, we link to our prospect profiles for more details and video of individual players

FOOTBALL NATION brings you the full list of retirements and delistings – club by club – and as they come to hand for

LAST month the Geelong Football Club delisted Tom Gillies  signalling an end to a disappointing career with the Cats. This month however the defender has been thrown a lifeline with the Melbourne Football Club announcing that it has signed Gillies to a  one-year contract. The former Cat had been training with the Demons in the

IT what is sure to be greeted as great news by fans of the Melbourne Football Club, the HeraldSun is reporting that the  club will not be penalised any picks in the 2012 National Draft that will be held at the Gold Coast next Thursday. This is not to suggest that the Demons have been

MELBOURNE is poised to field a stand alone VFL team from next season after its feeder team the Casey Scorpions have today admitted it is undergoing some financial concern. The Scorpions, who had only recruited Brendan Fevola two years ago for one season as it appeared cashed-up, has ended up quite short-handed by an unsuccessful

                ROUND   DATE OPPONENT VENUE   TIME 1 Sunday, March 31 Port Adelaide MCG Home 1.10pm 2 Saturday, April 6 Essendon MCG Away 7.40pm 3 Saturday, April 13 West Coast Eagles MCG Home 2.10pm 4 Sunday, April 21 GWS GIANTS MCG Home 1.10pm 5 Sunday, April 28

FOR the Melbourne Football Club 2009 was a year that they had hoped would be consigned to the dustbin of history, re-appearing only when they needed to look back to see how far they had come

MELBOURNE has slashed its list further today with eight more delistings to add to its mass changes over the trade period. Matthew Bate, Ricky Petterd, Jamie Bennell, Lucas Cook, Liam Jurrah and rookies Jai Sheahan, Leigh Williams and Kelvin Lawrence were all given the chop as the Dees to look to transform its list and

MELBOURNE has continued an active off season and final day of the trade period this time announcing that Stefan Martin has been traded to the Brisbane Lions in exchange for picks 53 and 73 in the upcoming draft. Martin, 25, joins another former Demon, Brent Moloney, who was added to the Brisbane two weeks ago via free

FORMER first round pick Cale Morton will have a chance to energise his career out west after a trade was finalised today with Melbourne that will see the Eagles send the 88th pick in exchange for the for out of favour Demons midfielder/forward. As we reported yesterday, Morton was spotted some 200 metres from Subiaco Oval

WITH just a few hours left in this year’s trade period North Melbourne key forward Cameron Pedersen has been traded to Melbourne in exchange for midfielder Jordan Gysberts. The Roos will apparently be including a draft pick as part of the deal. Pedersen, 25, was in demand by the Demons from the very start of the

PORT ADELAIDE has snared forgotten Eagles defender Lewis Stevenson in a three way deal that provided David Rodan a new home at Melbourne today. West Coast received pick 88 in the deal, which is the pick that Port Adelaide acquired earlier in the day from the Demons for Rodan. Stevenson, 23 joined the Eagles as

MELBOURNE continues what has been an active trade period for them with a deal today that will see Port Adelaide midfielder David Rodan join the club. David Rodan tweets that he’s joining Melbourne Rodan, 29, took to Twitter and announced “nek minnit …im a demon. Can’t wait to get started #bringon2013 #thirdtimelucky #carnthedees!” The move comes

THERE’S a saying that goes “the streets have eyes”, and that was certainly the case yesterday when on observant footy fan in Perth spotted Melbourne’s Cale Morton metres from Subiaco Oval. Morton was on his mobile phone and was heard to say “(it) went ok see what happens”. So with less than two full days remaining

AFTER an initial flurry of player movements in the AFL’s inaugural free agency period, it had been quiet for a few days until this afternoon when the Geelong Football Club announced that  they had signed defender Jared Rivers as free agent from Melbourne. Rivers, 28, was linked to Geelong early in the free agency period

UPDATE 16/10/12: The Melbourne Football Club has announced that a deal for Chris Dawes has been agreed to with the Demons sending picks 20 and 45 to Collingwood in exchange for the forward and pick 58. On an announcement on the club website the Demons report that they will lodge paperwork with the league tomorrow. General

MELBOURNE’S Brent Moloney is the latest player to take advantage of the new free agency rules accepting an offer today from the Brisbane Lions on a two-year deal. The deal is subject to Moloney passing a physical which he is expected to undergo tomorrow. Moloney’s agent Bruce Kaider confirmed the news to Gillette AFL Trade

AFTER getting an early Christmas present yesterday when they acquired Father-Son selection Jack Viney for the 26th pick in this year’s draft, the Melbourne Football Club has dived back into the trade market and done a deal to secure WA youngster Jesse Hogan. Hogan is a solid and very tough 17 year old key forward and the

AFTER a lot of “toing and froing” in the media last week with Gold Coast suggesting it would use the second pick in the 2012 Draft on Jack Viney and Viney, for his part vowing to make the Melbourne Football Club pay if they pass on him, Christmas has come early for the Demons. In

DESPITE some of its talent wanting out, Melbourne need free agency and the trade period to revitalise its list reports BRENT DIAMOND. MELBOURNE spent endless hours and money chasing Brisbane Lions tall Mitch Clark during last year’s trade period. He filled a gap for the Demons but not the gap it really wanted to be

SEE the full list of all the club best and fairest winners for 2012 here as Sam Mitchell collects his fourth medal at the Hawks

JACK Viney, the son of  former Melbourne great Todd Viney, will be drafted and will play in the AFL. The only questions is: who will he be playing for? As recently as a few weeks ago there would have been no doubt that he would be playing for anyone other than Melbourne, but a lot

UNRESTRICTED free agent and two-time Geelong premiership player Shannon Byrnes has become the fifth player to change clubs in the AFL’s free agency era. After 108 games for the Cats the talented forward will don the Melbourne red and blue for 2013. The Demons had made their interest in the 28-year-old forward even before the season was

CASEY coach Brett Lovett believes his team is in a “far stronger position” heading into finals than this time last year given the large focus of development on its VFL-listed players. Melbourne is expected to contribute up to 10 AFL-listed players this season with Jake Spencer, James Strauss and Neville Jetta among those, while Melbourne-bound

MELBOURNE’S Sam Blease has continued his rise to redemption with the Round 20 AFL Rising Star nomination. After the first round of the 2012 season Blease, 21, was unceremoniously dropped from the seniors list before making his way back in Round 8. His return was completed with his five goal performance Round 20 performance against

MELBOURNE midfielder Nathan Jones and high-flyer Jeremy Howe have signed three year deals to remain at the Dees which was announced today. “We are really pleased that we’ve had further proof of players showing their commitment and confidence in the club,” Melbourne’s general manager of list management Tim Harrington told melbournefc.com.au. “Nathan Jones is going

MELBOURNE midfielder Brent Moloney found some form at VFL level with 20 touches for Casey yesterday to suggest that he may earn a recall against Port Adelaide,  according to Scorpions coach Brett Lovett. “I think he was solid. I think he won 10 or 12 clearances throughout the day. He won about 20 odd possessions.

ONE week after winning the Rising Star nomination, Melbourne youngster Tom McDonald was hospitalised after a collision with Brisbane Lions forward Daniel Merrett at the Gabba yesterday

AFTER a shocking run to start the season, and even with the injury to Mitch Clark, things are on the upswing at the Melbourne Football Club. Now, on the back of a two-game win streak, Melbourne received more good news as young Demon Tom McDonald  has received the NAB Rising Star nomination for Round 13. McDonald, 19, was

MELBOURNE’S star recruit Mitch Clark has been ruled out for the rest of the season after he suffered a Lisfranc tear to his right foot against the GWS Giants on Sunday. The injury was thought to have come after a spectacular collision with team-mate James Magner (see video below) in which it was originally thought that Clark had

MELBOURNE bound youngster Jack Viney has recovered from a broken jaw and is set to return to footy this weekend. Viney will play for Carey Grammar in the APS competition on Saturday. He made a controversial VFL debut with Casey several weeks ago when he broke his jaw after a heavy hit from Geelong’s David

AFTER the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

MELBOURNE midfielder Jordan Gysberts and Demon-bound midfielder Jack Viney both suffered suspected broken jaw injuries in Casey’s big win by 46-points against Geelong at Simonds Stadium today. Viney was lining up for just his first game of the season for Casey and was impressing early. He collided with experienced Cat David Wojcinski who is likely to

MELBOURNE forward Liam Jurrah will make his return for the Casey Scorpions against Geelong next Saturday at Simonds Stadium instead of tomorrow against North Ballarat. Scorpions coach Brett Lovett said Jurrah was “touch and go” this week to return from a wrist injury. Demons football manager Josh Mahoney said that the club was taking a

MELBOURNE’S mature-age rookie Tom Couch could finally make his AFL debut after a dominant display in the Casey Scorpions’ slender one-point win over Frankston at Casey Fields on Sunday. Couch was among the best with 33 touches, while Cale Morton and Luke Tapscott also impressed to be in the mix for a recall against Richmond on Saturday. Out-of-favour midfielder

UPDATE: MELBOURNE has dumped sponsor Energy Watch after distasteful comments by CEO Ben Polis attacking Aborigines, Asians, women, Muslims and Jews on his Facebook page. The club has labelled it as “disgraceful and abhorrent” and it became obvious that an action would formally be taken today. It completes an eventful week at Demon land which has included

THE AFL’s community engagement officer Jason Mifsud was behind the rumour that made Melbourne coach Mark Neeld extremely “angry” yesterday

IT is with great sadness that we write of the passing of AFL and Melbourne Football Club legend Jim Stynes has passed away. Stynes, (23 April 1966 – 20 March 2012) passed away at 8.20am this morning after a long battle with with brain cancer. He was just 45 years old and is survived by

THE DEMONS were demoralised by the Hawks on Saturday night. Perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised – but the raw fact was that the Demons were supposed to be a legitimate finals contender and improver this season

The Melbourne Football Club has announced that Liam Jurrah is being held by police following an incident overnight.

FOOTBALL NATION OPINION AFTER last night’s impressive victory over Collingwood, Melbourne coach Mark Neeld found himself  standing up for and defending 20-year-old forward, Jack Watts. “I see Jack as a very talented young footballer who has played 40 games … people talk about his whole career – his whole career is about two years long,”

MELBOURNE co-captain Jack Grimes is out for two weeks after suffering ligament damage to his shoulder. In spite of the injury, the news was greeted with relief by the club and supporters as initial fears suggested far more serious damage.

CHANNEL 7 reporter Tom Brown has just tweeted that Melbourne co-captain Jack Grimes has left practice after injuring his shoulder

MELBOURNE Mitch Clark is the big arrival over summer. Lots of expectations on him. You’d take a punt on him to deliver up forward. Colin Sylvia needs a big season to remain on the list. Nathan Jones is a good ball-magnet. We also like rookies Dan Nicholson, who had a taste last season, and mature

MELBOURNE midfielder Tom Scully appears almost certain to be the next big signing as Greater Western Sydney promises to reveal more key recruits in the next fortnight. Callan Ward will join GWS on a five year deal believed to be worth as much as $4 million. And more recently GWS has snared Fremantle midfielder Rhys

FORMER Melbourne high-flyer Russell Robertson was reluctant to admit the club was tanking despite being dropped to the VFL in his final season in the AFL ranks. With sacked coach Dean Bailey’s departing words at a press conference last week signalling that the club may have tanked, Robertson admits being disappointed at being dropped after

MELBOURNE forward Matthew Bate is one that will be chased after from opposition clubs after dominating at VFL level but struggling to get games in the AFL. Demons development coach Brad Gotch admitted Bate is down in the pecking order at the Dees this season. Bate could easily be trade bait at the end of

MELBOURNE midfielder Tom Scully is likely to return for the Dees vital clash against Essendon on Friday night after starring in the VFL last weekend. Scully racked up 19 disposals but got his game going in the second half and was brilliant in the clinches for Casey. It was his first game back from a

MELBOURNE midfielder Tom Scully will make his return from injury for the Casey Scorpions against Williamstown on Saturday at Avalon Aiport Oval in Werribee. Scully, a former No.1 draft selection, is expected to play a full game for the Scorpions against the Seagulls on Saturday. Scully will line-up alongside Casey recruit and former AFL star

MELBOURNE’S members are furious over the insipid loss to West Coast at Patersons Stadium on Thursday night. In fact so furious that there has been hundreds of members on Facebook involved in a group hoping the Dees sack coach Dean Bailey. Older Melbourne heads such as Brian Dixon have called for heads as well meaning

MELBOURNE president Jim Stynes believes suggestions of star midfielder Tom Scully signing at Greater Western Sydney are “just rumours. “You always hate hearing when rumours are sent around,” Stynes said on Monday morning when asked for his reaction to McGuire’s claims. “When you’re in a club and the place that we’re going, you’re always going to get

JACK Watts appears likely to be a solid third year player given his initial NAB Cup workout for Melbourne on Friday night. Watts, a controversial number one draft pick ahead of Nic Naitanui at West Coast, has had a slow start to his AFL career but it is earmarked that this year; a much more

FORMER Melbourne high flyer Russell Robertson appears certain to win the Geelong-based St Joseph’s coaching job for next season after telling the Shepparton Demons that he was looking for a football home closer to town. Robertson, who kicked 428 goals in 228 games for Melbourne before being forced into retirement in 2009, said yesterday that he

FORMER Melbourne midfielder Shane Valenti is confident he can win an opportunity at another AFL club in the lead up to the AFL draft. Valenti said he was been boxing and working on his endurance over the off-season to help impress prospective AFL clubs. He was delisted by the Demons at the end of the

MELBOURNE and Brisbane played an exhibition match in China over the weekend in which 7000 people attended. To the observers and by all reports, the game was played in good spirits and without the biffo that exhibition matches had been reputed by in recent times. The Demons players were also treated to lessons of kung

AXED Melbourne forward Brad Miller says he is confident of resurrecting his AFL career after speaking to a “few clubs” during the season. Miller admitted this week that he was quick to realize he would be shown the door by the Demons at the end of the season – after he failed to be given

  MELBOURNE’S exciting talent Liam Jurrah will make a return from a shoulder injury he sustained in a practice match during the pre-season. The indigenous talent will line-up for Melbourne’s VFL affiliate the Casey Scorpions tomorrow against Williamstown. Demons development coach and Scorpions coach Brad Gotch confirmed today that Jurrah will play in the VFL

MELBOURNE youngster Tom Scully is proving that he has all the elements to be the next Chris Judd. Last year’s No.1 draft pick has handled the pressure of the tag as the best draftee in the country supremely as he shows that his endurance over four quarters is much better than most other young men

THE Western Bulldogs stole the points against Melbourne after trailing by nine points in the final term to win by four points against the fast finishing Demons on Friday night at the MCG. Late goals to Brian Lake and Ryan Griffin helped the Bulldogs win, 10.10 (70) to 9.12 (66). Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade was

NORTH Melbourne cruised to a 26-point win over Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday. Leigh Adams and Liam Anthony were sensational in the midfield for the Roos, ending a three game winning streak by the Dees, 15.14 (104) to 12.6 (78). Roos coach Brad Scott was delighted with the teams’ performance. “I think the hype

MELBOURNE is in full flight after scoring its second win in a row against Richmond on Sunday by 55 points at the MCG. Colin Sylvia kicked five goals while Brent Moloney had 37 disposals in the 20.13 (133) to 11.12 (78) win. “We battled hard in the first half and the Tigers came and took

MELBOURNE won its first game of the season over Adelaide by 16-points at the MCG on Sunday. Skipper James McDonald and Nathan Jones sealed the 7.15 (57) to 5.11 (41) win. “They got some confidence from last week and the challenge was always going to be how they rebound this week from the closeness of

PERHAPS it was one of the greatest ever escapes – Collingwood coming back from the dead to beat Melbourne by one point at the MCG on Saturday. The Demons, who were demoralised last week against the Hawks, impressed and led by two goals midway through the final term before the Magpies scraped over the line.

MELBOURNE’S Jack Watts is likely to be missing from the senior squad until at least round four after being on a modified program by the Demons on return from a back injury. The 2008 No.1 draft selection appeared sharp playing just more than half a match on Saturday for Casey Scorpions but Demons development coach

HAWTHORN kicked off its 2010 campaign in style with a 56-point win over reigning wooden spooners Melbourne at the MCG. The Hawks unleashed some beauties with Carl Peterson, Jarryd Kaylor-Thomson and ex-Lion Rhan Hooper in the 17.15 (117) to 8.13 (61) win. “It’s been a job that Cyril (Rioli) has had for so much of

MELBOURNE’S top two draft selections Tom Scully and Jack Trengove will make their AFL debut against Hawthorn on Saturday. Demons football manager Chris Connolly said both players deserve to play in round one after having exceptional pre-seasons. “Tom and Jack have worked extremely hard over the pre-season and have earned the right to play for