The Demons 2009/10 Intermission
My last words were:
"So, three rounds in—after a comfortable win over Hawthorn East Melbourne Waverley Monash University Kingston Saints Hawks—the Demons sat 3-0 and liked their white-ball cricket. With Simon Dart (Darty) back from detention, everything looked rosy for the red, white, and blue at this juncture.
I will be back with you soon."
And, we're finally back, after a lengthy intermission!
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Since we last spoke, there have been many new subscribers who, no doubt, are wondering when I will actually start speaking about cricket!
Well, without labouring the point, personally, it has been a rough last few weeks, and an improvement in my state of mind is not rushing forward yet.
With this in mind, and in an attempt to break the curfew, I decided to summarise the story so far, with links to the first four parts.
First, here is a high-level overview.
The Melbourne Cricket Club (The Demons) premiership account of 2009/10 chronicles their pursuit of a Victorian club premiership after several years in the shadow of neighbouring rivals St Kilda.
Under the leadership of former Australian swing bowler Adam "Doemer" Dale as captain/coach, the narrative weaves through the club's transformation following their one-day success in 2008/09. With key recruits like returning fast bowler Rob "Jerry" Cassell and batter Simon Dart, alongside emerging talents spotted by tireless recruiter Doug Patrick, the Demons built a redoubtable squad.
The story attempts to capture the nuances of Australian premier cricket, from strategic pre-season preparations and selection headaches to the alternating personalities that every team holds. There are personal friendships to explore, old and new heads that often clash, cricket philosophy, and the pressure from the periphery. After all, Melbourne cricket club is supposed to win premierships!
Part 1
The Gambler, Kenny Rogers, and the Melbourne Cricket Club, an unlikely trinity
Read the full post here.
Part 1 introduces the unexpected connection between Kenny Rogers and his acclaimed song, "The Gambler", and the Melbourne Cricket Club's premiership journey in 2009/10.
The narrative begins with two seemingly random events—Kenny Rogers appearing in the writer's music playlist and messages dropping in a WhatsApp group titled "Reunion 09/10 Premiership." The story then reveals how the writer joined Melbourne CC after crossing paths with Adam "Doemer" Dale in a shared car park in Cheltenham, transitioning from his playing days at Hawthorn Waverley and Dandenong.
The opening chapter establishes the historical context of Melbourne's premiership drought, contrasted with rival St Kilda's six flags between 1997 and 2006, setting the stage for the underdog tale to follow—well, more rival than underdog.
The personal connection between the writer and Dale, initially as opponents and later as coaching colleagues, provides an intimate glimpse into the relationships defining the Demons' 2009/10 premiership triumph.
The chapter concludes by foreshadowing how Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler" would become the perfect vehicle for the writer's optimistic message to the team during finals, capturing how "the universe can give you what you need" at the right moment.
Part 2
The Early Going
Read the full post here.
Part 2 briefly looks back to the Melbourne CC's 2008-09 season, which the writer describes as "serviceable" with "new handlers, different methods, and similar outcomes." The chapter highlights the Demons' traditional strength in 50-over cricket—dating back to stars like Dean Jones, and later Brad Hodge and Andrew Kent—culminating in their one-day flag triumph over near-neighbours, Prahran.
The narrative spotlights Phil "Big Bish" Halbish, whose match-winning performance (4-35 with the ball and crucial 33 with the bat) secured the one-day premiership. Through Halbish, the writer recounts the classic bowler-batter divide in typical team culture, with Bish's steadfast belief that "bowlers controlled and won cricket matches". At the same time, batters were merely "pretenders, prone to cracking under pressure."
This section also provides deeper insight into Adam Dale's remarkable cricket journey—from North Melbourne to Queensland, to Test cricket with Australia (where he dismissed Sachin Tendulkar), and back to Melbourne as captain/coach. The writer reflects on club cricket's unique position in Australian cricket's ecosystem, where players juggle careers and cricket while trying to discover their ceiling in the sport.
The 2008-09 season concludes with contrasting fortunes: a one-day championship but a rain-affected first-round exit in the main competition. With recruiter Doug Patrick "already preparing his annual scouting presentation," the foundations were laid for a genuine premiership push in 2009-10.
Part 3
The Demons Rally
Read the full post here.
Part 3 shifts focus to Melbourne's pre-season preparations for the 2009/10 campaign, opening with the observation that pre-seasons in sport typically "oscillate between overplayed optimism and pragmatic concern." The narrative highlights the club's successful recruitment drive, securing key returnees Rob "Jerry" Cassell and Simon Dart. Doug Patrick continued his tireless work finding emerging talent like dual-sport prodigy Alex Keath from Shepparton.
The writer recalls a Saturday morning training session at Albert Park Lake, where the team ran a "lake-lap" in "Indian file" formation before breaking into strategy groups. This setting provides a canvas for a light-hearted moment—a humorous clash between captain Dale and senior player Eiv Bowen, who interrupts Doemer's "miserly" oratory with an extended hallucination "that would put ChatGPT to shame."
Through this interaction, the writer reveals more about Dale's character—his exceptional listening skills (contradicting "a salesman's modus operandi") and his carefully crafted, dependable speaking style that mirrors his bowling approach. The confrontation leaves an impression that "there was resistance between the two", afterwards, offering readers a glimpse into the team dynamics that would shape their premiership run.
The chapter concludes with another nod to Kenny Rogers' wisdom as the Demons prepare for the season proper: "If you're gonna play the game, boy. You gotta learn to play it right."
Part 4
'Jerry' Cassell gets the Demons rolling
Read the full post here.
Part 4 opens with the customary tension of selection meetings before round one, capturing the "pin-the-donkey moments inevitable when picking teams with limited data available. The writer vividly portrays a typical Thursday night team announcement—from the training session to the clubroom gathering with its "promise of a free feed," where volunteers run "their pre-season drills", ensuring "the urn runs hot" while players anxiously await their fate.
The chapter humorously details the social dynamics around the BBQ, where "rusted-on volunteers or maverick Republican committee people" cook sausages in "a reservoir of oil," often burning one side while distracted by footy stories. Meanwhile, players position themselves based on "a loose form of seniority," primarily concerned with their place in the eleven.
With Simon Dart unavailable ("due to a two-week meeting with his accountant"), the Demons finalise their round one side against Footscray at the Albert Ground. The story then celebrates an emphatic victory powered by Cassell's triumphant return—4-16 including the top four Footscray batters—and Dale's miserly 3-12, as they dismiss the opposition for just 97 runs.
The writer provides insight into Cassell's bowling style—"a bustler rather than a glider" with a "mixed action" producing "speedy away-swing"—and recounts his father Barry's contrasting assessment that Rob was "merely a medium-pacer." The Demons comfortably chase down their target, enjoying the Albert Ground tradition of "a tray of assorted cans—as cold as a Halbish stare-down".
The chapter concludes with Melbourne building momentum through victories in rounds two and three, reaching a perfect 3-0 record with Dart returning from "detention," setting up the next phase of their premiership campaign.
What's next?
And so, cricket friends, that is the intermission summary of where we've been in the Demons' premiership journey. With the team sitting at 3-0 and the return of key players, we're poised at a critical moment in the campaign.
I hope there will be no more lengthy intermissions, and the remainder of this premiership tale will unfold with the rhythm and pace it deserves, much like a Jerry Cassell spell of rapid away-swingers.
The following chapters hold the meat of our story: the mid-season challenges, the strategic gambits by Doemer and the coaching staff, the emergence of unexpected heroes, and ultimately, the premiership push that returned Melbourne CC to glory after their hiatus.
I appreciate your patience during this interval, and I look forward to continuing our journey through the 2009/10 season together. As Kenny Rogers might say, metaphorically, now that we've counted our money, it's time to return to the table.
See you in Part 5.
Best,
