WAFL 2025: Boorloo forward Daniel Hill says Demons are building something special after breaking Shark hoodoo
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News.com.au
3 days ago
- News.com.au
Melbourne caretaker coach Troy Chaplin expects speculation over Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver
Melbourne caretaker coach Troy Chaplin fully expects speculation surrounding the futures of star midfielders Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver to intensify again heading into this year's exchange period. At around about this time last year, it was widely reported that Petracca wanted out of the Demons in favour of a big club such as Collingwood, while Oliver came within a whisker of being traded to Geelong. At the time, they had five and six years respectively remaining on their monster contracts. Both players remained at Melbourne ultimately, but the disquiet about where they will play beyond this year won't completely go away, as the Demons embark on a new chapter that will see them install a new CEO, president and coach all in the one off-season. 'There's always going to be noise. We're not the only club that's going to be dealing with it,' Chaplin said. 'But what I do know is those players are really important to this club and the way we move forward. 'Those decisions, though, like, from a list management point of view and my position, that'll be the new coach coming in and working closely with the list management team. 'But there'll no doubt be noise again. That's just the position we're in. That's just the industry. 'So all we can focus on is how we move forward as a group, and what that looks like, I can't be sure of either.' After producing competitive performances in the previous month, the Demons got spanked by Hawthorn on Saturday, but Chaplin was confident the six-goal loss was only a 'blip on the radar' for them and it wasn't a sign they had 'put the cue in the rack' with their season ending next week. 'You want to finish the year off really strong, and to have a game like that where it just doesn't go your way, and we contributed to that with a lot of our errors, that's the disappointing thing around it, but I don't see it as a setback,' he said. However, forward inefficiency, which has been an issue that has dogged the Demons since their 2021 premiership, reared its ugly head again as they could only manage eight goals from 56 inside 50s against the Hawks. 'I think that's where a bit of the frustration and disappointment lies, because since the bye, we've been really good in that area,' Chaplin said. 'It's always going to come back because that's where we've sort of been in the past. We haven't been great at it. 'It's an opportunity to understand when you play against the best team, you can't be poor in that area, because it really makes it hard.' Chaplin said it was important that Melbourne ended the season on a high note in their final game against Collingwood on Friday night. 'This is bigger than the individuals and that (playing) group, this is about the club, putting pride in performance for our supporters, wearing the jumper with pride,' Chaplin said. 'We can't waste another week, so we can't turn up to training and go through the motions, we can't turn up Friday night not switched on ready to go.'
7NEWS
3 days ago
- 7NEWS
Tayla Harris taken to hospital after painful self-inflicted eye injury during Melbourne's AFLW win over Bulldogs
An Olivia Purcell masterclass has propelled Melbourne to a dominant 48-point AFLW win over the Western Bulldogs, despite losing Tayla Harris for the second half. Purcell finished with a monster haul of one goal, 33 disposals and seven clearances to help the Demons steamroll the hosts 9.8 (62) to 1.8 (14) and retain the Hampson-Hardeman Cup. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Tayla Harris suffers painful self-inflicted eye poke. But the Demons didn't come out of their fourth straight win over the Bulldogs unscathed, with ruck-forward Harris suffering an eye injury. Harris showed glimpses of her All Australian best in her first game back from a shoulder injury before being forced out late in the second quarter. After pulling off a trademark speccy just moments earlier, Harris poked herself in the eye in a marking contest with Bulldogs counterpart Alice Edmond. Melbourne coach Mick Stinear later said Harris was taken to the eye hospital to be assessed. 'She's doing OK but just probably in the best possible hands,' he said. 'I think there was contact involved. I think we needed to send her there to get the proper treatment, but she's doing OK and we'll know more (soon). 'I'm not expecting anything too sinister there, but certainly needed expert attention.' Harris, who only played one game last year before surgery on her left shoulder, was seemingly in good spirits. Stinear laughed as he recounted Harris telling him it was a self-inflicted eye poke. 'That's what she told me (while) coming off, so yeah,' he said. 'But she was doing OK. We'll just figure out exactly what's happening.' Melbourne, semi-finalists the previous year, missed the top eight in her absence. Tyla Hanks was just as busy on Saturday with 29 disposals, and kicked two goals to match Kate Hore and Eden Zanker. The Western Bulldogs had their own returning star, with former skipper Ellie Blackburn collecting 17 touches through managed minutes. Blackburn was limited to three games last season before hurting her foot. Jasmyn Smith was the Bulldogs' main ball winner with 21 disposals. Demons debutant Maggie Mahoney was denied the first goal of the game on the line by Bulldogs defender Issy Grant. Melbourne found the opener from an unlikely source, defender Shelley Heath breaking through almost 13 minutes into the first quarter. It was Heath's fifth goal in her eighth AFLW season. Demons skipper Hore then hit the scoreboard to help set up a 12-point lead at halftime after intercepting a dangerous kick-out meant for Grant. Heidi Woodley slotted the home side's first and only goal after winning a scrap in the second quarter. Bulldogs midfielder Jess Fitzgerald could have reduced the halftime deficit after the siren but hit the post with her set shot. Melbourne's ascendancy continued well into the second half, building a 39-point lead after kicking 4.3 against the scoreless Bulldogs in the third quarter. Stream free on
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
Star Demon hits top gear in dominant win over Bulldogs
An Olivia Purcell masterclass has propelled Melbourne to a dominant 48-point AFLW win over the Western Bulldogs. Purcell finished with a monster haul of one goal, 33 disposals and seven clearances to help the Demons steamroll the hosts 9.8 (62) to 1.8 (14) and retain the Hampson-Hardeman Cup. But the Demons didn't come out of their fourth straight win over the Bulldogs unscathed, with ruck-forward Tayla Harris suffering an eye injury. Harris showed glimpses of her All-Australian best in her first game back from a shoulder injury, before being forced out in the second quarter. After pulling off a trademark speccy just moments earlier, Harris copped an arm to her face in a marking contest with Bulldogs counterpart Alice Edmond. The 28-year-old had only played one game last year, requiring surgery after hurting her left shoulder. Melbourne, semi-finalists the previous year, missed the top eight in her absence. Tyla Hanks was just as busy on Saturday with 29 disposals, and kicked two goals to match Kate Hore and Eden Zanker. The Western Bulldogs had their own returning star, with former skipper Ellie Blackburn collecting 17 touches through managed minutes. Blackburn was limited to three games last season before hurting her foot. Jasmyn Smith was the Bulldogs' main ball winner with 21 disposals. Demons debutant Maggie Mahoney was denied the first goal of the game on the line by Bulldogs defender Issy Grant. Melbourne found the opener from an unlikely source, defender Shelley Heath breaking through almost 13 minutes into the first quarter. It was Heath's fifth goal in her eighth AFLW season. Demons skipper Hore then hit the scoreboard to help set up a 12-point lead at halftime after intercepting a dangerous kick-out meant for Grant. Heidi Woodley slotted the home side's first - and only - goal after winning a scrap in the second quarter. Bulldogs midfielder Jess Fitzgerald could have reduced the halftime deficit after the siren but hit the post with her set shot. Melbourne's ascendancy continued well into the second half, building a 39-point lead after kicking 4.3 against the scoreless Bulldogs in the third quarter. An Olivia Purcell masterclass has propelled Melbourne to a dominant 48-point AFLW win over the Western Bulldogs. Purcell finished with a monster haul of one goal, 33 disposals and seven clearances to help the Demons steamroll the hosts 9.8 (62) to 1.8 (14) and retain the Hampson-Hardeman Cup. But the Demons didn't come out of their fourth straight win over the Bulldogs unscathed, with ruck-forward Tayla Harris suffering an eye injury. Harris showed glimpses of her All-Australian best in her first game back from a shoulder injury, before being forced out in the second quarter. After pulling off a trademark speccy just moments earlier, Harris copped an arm to her face in a marking contest with Bulldogs counterpart Alice Edmond. The 28-year-old had only played one game last year, requiring surgery after hurting her left shoulder. Melbourne, semi-finalists the previous year, missed the top eight in her absence. Tyla Hanks was just as busy on Saturday with 29 disposals, and kicked two goals to match Kate Hore and Eden Zanker. The Western Bulldogs had their own returning star, with former skipper Ellie Blackburn collecting 17 touches through managed minutes. Blackburn was limited to three games last season before hurting her foot. Jasmyn Smith was the Bulldogs' main ball winner with 21 disposals. Demons debutant Maggie Mahoney was denied the first goal of the game on the line by Bulldogs defender Issy Grant. Melbourne found the opener from an unlikely source, defender Shelley Heath breaking through almost 13 minutes into the first quarter. It was Heath's fifth goal in her eighth AFLW season. Demons skipper Hore then hit the scoreboard to help set up a 12-point lead at halftime after intercepting a dangerous kick-out meant for Grant. Heidi Woodley slotted the home side's first - and only - goal after winning a scrap in the second quarter. Bulldogs midfielder Jess Fitzgerald could have reduced the halftime deficit after the siren but hit the post with her set shot. Melbourne's ascendancy continued well into the second half, building a 39-point lead after kicking 4.3 against the scoreless Bulldogs in the third quarter. An Olivia Purcell masterclass has propelled Melbourne to a dominant 48-point AFLW win over the Western Bulldogs. Purcell finished with a monster haul of one goal, 33 disposals and seven clearances to help the Demons steamroll the hosts 9.8 (62) to 1.8 (14) and retain the Hampson-Hardeman Cup. But the Demons didn't come out of their fourth straight win over the Bulldogs unscathed, with ruck-forward Tayla Harris suffering an eye injury. Harris showed glimpses of her All-Australian best in her first game back from a shoulder injury, before being forced out in the second quarter. After pulling off a trademark speccy just moments earlier, Harris copped an arm to her face in a marking contest with Bulldogs counterpart Alice Edmond. The 28-year-old had only played one game last year, requiring surgery after hurting her left shoulder. Melbourne, semi-finalists the previous year, missed the top eight in her absence. Tyla Hanks was just as busy on Saturday with 29 disposals, and kicked two goals to match Kate Hore and Eden Zanker. The Western Bulldogs had their own returning star, with former skipper Ellie Blackburn collecting 17 touches through managed minutes. Blackburn was limited to three games last season before hurting her foot. Jasmyn Smith was the Bulldogs' main ball winner with 21 disposals. Demons debutant Maggie Mahoney was denied the first goal of the game on the line by Bulldogs defender Issy Grant. Melbourne found the opener from an unlikely source, defender Shelley Heath breaking through almost 13 minutes into the first quarter. It was Heath's fifth goal in her eighth AFLW season. Demons skipper Hore then hit the scoreboard to help set up a 12-point lead at halftime after intercepting a dangerous kick-out meant for Grant. Heidi Woodley slotted the home side's first - and only - goal after winning a scrap in the second quarter. Bulldogs midfielder Jess Fitzgerald could have reduced the halftime deficit after the siren but hit the post with her set shot. Melbourne's ascendancy continued well into the second half, building a 39-point lead after kicking 4.3 against the scoreless Bulldogs in the third quarter.
