2009 Melbourne Football Club season

2009 list changes

Retirements and delistings

National draft

Pre-season draft

Rookie draft

2009 squad

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2009 season

Pre-season

NAB Cup and NAB Challenge

Week 1

Practice Matches

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Home and away season

Round 1

Debut(s): Jamie Bennell, Kyle Cheney, Neville Jetta, Jake Spencer

Milestone(s): Neville Jetta (1st AFL Goal)

Brownlow Votes: Hamish McIntosh () 3 votes, Leigh Harding () 2 votes, Nathan Jones () 1 vote

Record: 0 Wins, 1 Loss, 0 Draws (66.34%)

Ladder Position: 13th

Round 2

Milestone(s): Matthew Bate (50th AFL Game)

Brownlow Votes: Josh Fraser () 3 votes, Alan Didak () 2 votes, Aaron Davey () 1 vote

Record: 0 Wins, 2 Losses, 0 Draws (60.1%)

Ladder Position: 15th

Round 3

Debut(s): John Meesen

Milestone(s): Aaron Davey (100th AFL Game) Jamie Bennell (1st AFL Goal)

Brownlow Votes: Warren Tredrea () 3 votes, Daniel Motlop () 2 votes, Danyle Pearce () 1 vote

Record: 0 Wins, 3 Losses, 0 Draws (60.5%)

Ladder Position: 15th

Round 4

Brownlow Votes:Matthew Richardson () 3 votes, Aaron Davey () 2 votes, Brock McLean () 1 vote

Record: 1 Win, 3 Losses, 0 Draws(70.2%)

Ladder Position: 14th

Round 5

Brownlow Votes: Simon Goodwin () 3 votes, Ben Rutten () 2 votes, Bernie Vince () 1 vote

Record: 1 Win, 4 Losses, 0 Draws (69.9%)

Ladder Position: 15th

Round 6

Milestone(s): Clint Bartram (50th AFL Game)

Brownlow Votes: Paul Chapman () 3 votes, Jimmy Bartel () 2 votes, Steve Johnson () 1 vote

Record: 1 Win, 5 Losses, 0 Draws (68.3%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 7

Milestone(s): Paul Johnson (50th AFL Game)

Brownlow Votes: Mark LeCras () 3 votes, Nathan Jones () 2 votes, Adam Selwood () 1 vote

Record: 1 Win, 6 Losses, 0 Draws(71.2%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 8

Brownlow Votes: Matthew Boyd () 3 votes, Paul Johnson () 2 votes, Jason Akermanis () 1 vote

Record: 1 Win, 7 Losses, 0 Draws (74.0%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 9

Milestone(s): Stefan Martin (1st AFL Goal)

Brownlow Votes: Colin Sylvia () 3 votes, Jordan Lewis () 2 votes, Brad Sewell () 1 vote

Record: 1 Win, 8 Losses, 0 Draws (74.9%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 10

Milestone(s): James Frawley (1st AFL Goal)

Brownlow Votes: Lenny Hayes () 3 votes, Leigh Montagna () 2 votes, Nick Riewoldt () 1 vote

Record: 1 Win, 9 Losses, 0 Draws (73.3%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 11

Debut(s): Jack Watts

Brownlow Votes: Scott Pendlebury () 3 votes, Colin Sylvia () 2 votes, Brad Dick () 1 vote

Record: 1 Win, 10 Losses, 0 Draws (70.4%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 12

Debut(s): Liam Jurrah

Brownlow Votes: Jobe Watson () 3 votes, Scott Lucas () 2 votes, Adam McPhee () 1 vote

Record:1 Win, 11 Losses, 0 Draws (69.7%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 13

Brownlow Votes: Simon Black () 3 votes, Jonathan Brown () 2 votes, Luke Power () 1 vote

Record: 1 Win, 12 Losses, 0 Draws (68.1%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 14

Brownlow Votes: Jack Grimes () 3 votes, Brent Moloney () 2 votes, Nathan Jones () 1 vote

Record: 2 Wins, 12 Losses, 0 Draws (71.5%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 15

Brownlow Votes: Brent Moloney () 3 votes, Domenic Cassisi () 2 votes, Toby Thurstans () 1 vote

Record: 3 Wins, 12 Losses, 0 Draws (73.8%)

Ladder Position: 15th

Round 16

Brownlow Votes: Matthew Scarlett () 3 votes, Paul Chapman () 2 votes, Gary Ablett () 1 vote

Record: 3 Wins, 13 Losses, 0 Draws (72.9%)

Ladder Position: 15th

Round 17

Debut(s): Jordie McKenzie

Brownlow Votes: Ryan O'Keefe () 3 votes, Rhyce Shaw () 2 votes, Darren Jolly () 1 vote

Record: 3 Wins, 14 Losses, 0 Draws (73.0%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 18

Main article: Melbourne vs Richmond (2009 AFL season)

Brownlow Votes: Ben Cousins () 3 votes, James McDonald () 2 votes, Brett Deledio () 1 vote

Record: 3 Wins, 15 Losses, 0 Draws (74.0%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 19

Debut(s): Rohan Bail, Tom McNamara

Milestone(s): Lynden Dunn (50th AFL Game)

Brownlow Votes: Brent Harvey () 3 votes, Todd Goldstein () 2 votes, Drew Petrie () 1 vote

Record: 3 Wins, 16 Losses, 0 Draws (72.5%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 20

Milestone(s): Tom McNamara(1st AFL Goal)

Brownlow Votes: Aaron Davey () 3 votes, Matthew Bate () 2 votes, Shane Valenti () 1 vote

Record: 4 Wins, 16 Losses, 0 Draws (76.5%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 21

Brownlow Votes: Chris Judd () 3 votes, Brendan Fevola () 2 votes, Marc Murphy () 1 vote

Record: 4 Wins, 17 Losses, 0 Draws (75.5%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Round 22

Brownlow Votes: Nick Dal Santo () 3 votes, Nick Riewoldt () 2 votes, Lenny Hayes () 1 vote

Record: 4 Wins, 18 Losses, 0 Draws (74.7%)

Ladder Position: 16th

Notable matches

NAB Cup and NAB Challenge

Week 1: Melbourne looked to be on the verge of causing an upset over the 2008 Premiers, Hawthorn, leading 1.8.8 (65) to 0.5.2 (32) at three-quarter time. However, the Hawks made a successful comeback, keeping the 2008 wooden spooners goal-less in the final quarter as Jarryd Roughead snatched the lead back for Hawthorn with a mark and a goal 30 seconds from full-time.

Home and away season

Round 4: Melbourne registered their first win of the season defeating a winless Richmond by 8 points. Despite holding a 31-point lead at half time, the Demons held off a fast finishing Tigers outfit in the final quarter to secure their first win against a Victorian team since round 22, 2007. It was also Melbourne's first win as the "away" side since round 14, 2007.

Round 10: Melbourne put up a brave first half effort against an undefeated St Kilda, trailing by only 8 points at the main break. However, the Saints kept Melbourne goalless in the second half to finish out comfortable winners by 27 points.

Round 11: In the Queen's Birthday clash, the 2008 number 1 draft pick Jack Watts made his debut against Collingwood. He received a harsh welcoming to the AFL when he came off from the interchange bench for the first time in the game: Watts was immediately crunched by the larger bodies of three Collingwood players while the ball came his direction, as Melbourne suffered its biggest loss for the season (66 points).

Round 12: Liam Jurrah (the first AFL player from a remote tribal community) made his AFL debut, against Essendon. He kicked his first goal with a marking attempt that turned into a falling crumb in the goal-square. This goal was nominated for Goal of the Year. Melbourne were out-classed by the Bombers, losing easily by 48 points.

Round 14: On 2 July, in an emotional press conference, Melbourne president Jim Stynes announced that he was diagnosed with cancer and had to step down as president for the rest of the season. Melbourne played its most emotional game of the year against West Coast and recorded its highest first quarter score of the season. Despite a late charge by the Eagles in the final quarter, Melbourne resisted the attack and won the game by 20 points. After the match, the players headed into the dressing rooms holding up Stynes' infamous number 37 guernsey, which he wore during the 1987 Preliminary Final against Hawthorn. Jack Grimes received the NAB Rising Star nomination for round 14.

Round 15: Melbourne won consecutive games for the first time since round 11, 2007 when it downed Port Adelaide by 11 points, after holding a 30-point lead midway through the third quarter. Liam Jurrah received the NAB Rising Star nomination for Round 15.

Round 18: In a match that was criticised for tanking strategies, Jordan McMahon took a mark in Richmond's forward 50 and goaled after the final siren to give the Tigers a 4-point win. During the game Melbourne coach Dean Bailey placed several players in unusual positions. These included placing ruckman Paul Johnson and midfielder James McDonald in the backline; playing forward Brad Miller in the ruck; placing defenders James Frawley and Matthew Warnock in the forward line, as well as leaving Russell Robertson and Colin Sylvia out of the game for Michael Newton and rookie Jake Spencer.

Round 20: In front of a crowd of only 13,004, Melbourne inflicted its only thrashing of the season against fellow cellar dwellers Fremantle after a blowout in the second quarter to win by 63 points. They would record its first 60-point victory since round 8, 2006 as well as the first time they scored 20 or more goals in a game since round 22, 2007.

Round 22: Veterans Russell Robertson, Paul Wheatley and Matthew Whelan played their last ever AFL match, against ladder leaders St Kilda. Melbourne put on another strong first half performance, trailing by only a goal at half time, which included a backwards goal from Liam Jurrah at the start of the quarter. However, St Kilda ran over the top of Melbourne in the second half, winning comfortably by 47 points to secure the minor premiership. Melbourne, on the other hand, received the wooden spoon and ensured that their priority pick would be safe. They had the first and second picks in the 2009 AFL draft.

Ladder

Ladder breakdown by opposition

Brownlow Medal

[[Brownlow Medal]] tally

Awards

[[Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal]] tally (top 10)

Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy – Aaron Davey

Sid Anderson Memorial Trophy (Second in the Best and Fairest) – Brent Moloney

Ron Barassi Snr Memorial Trophy (Third in the Best and Fairest) – Cameron Bruce

Ivor Warne-Smith Memorial Trophy (Fourth in the Best and Fairest) – Matthew Bate

Dick Taylor Memorial Trophy (Fifth in the Best and Fairest) – Nathan Jones, Colin Sylvia, Matthew Warnock

Harold Ball Memorial Trophy (Best First Year Player) – Liam Jurrah

Troy Broadbridge Trophy (highest polling MFC player in the Casey Best and Fairest) – Shane Valenti

Ron Barassi Leadership Award – Brent Moloney

Ian Ridley Club Ambassador Award – Shane Valenti

Norm Smith Memorial Trophy (Coach's Award) – James Frawley

Leading Goalkicker Award – Russell Robertson (29)

References

References

1. (15 January 2009). "Melbourne confirms midfielder Jame McDonald as captain".
2. (2 July 2009). "Support floods in for Stynes".
3. [http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/melbourne-demons-record-profit/story-e6frf9jf-1225812448670 Melbourne Demons Record Profit] ''Herald Sun'' {{dead link. (November 2022)
4. "Demons achieve profit in 2009 - Official AFL Website of the Melbourne Football Club".
5. "Motorsport Video |Motorsport Highlights, Replays, News, Clips".
6. Cooper, Adam. (20 February 2013). "Integrity intact: Demons". The Age.
7. Baum, Greg. (9 June 2009). "Demon diehards applaud their glimpse of the future - RFNews - theage.com.au". The Age.
8. (2 August 2011). "How Melbourne tanked in 2009".