NOBODY embodies the Demon Spirit quite like Des Bell.

The 99-year-old war veteran is Melbourne’s oldest living past player, having donned the red and blue on seven occasions between 1946 and 1948.

And while the crafty forward possessed plenty of talent, he was never destined to play in the VFL.

Bell initially moved to Melbourne with a cricket career in his sights, before his skills with the footy in hand were identified.

And when he opened the paper one morning to read that a young Demon was set to debut, he realised his life had changed forever.

That weekend, in the change rooms of Punt Road Oval, Bell was introduced to his teammates just moments before their clash with St Kilda.

Playing under Frank ‘Checker’ Hughes and alongside skipper Norm Smith, the prestigious Demons claimed victory in Bell’s first outing, tying him to Melbourne for life.

On Thursday, a mere 76 years after he first pulled on the colours, Bell made the trek out to Casey Fields – with past-player Daniel Ward by his side – to reunite with his club on the eve of a big finals campaign.

“It’s absolutely wonderful,” Bell told Melbourne Media.

“It’s great to see them out there on the field.”

Following the completion of training, Bell had the opportunity to address the playing group and inspire his now-heroes for the weeks ahead.

Reflecting on his nine months spent at World War II, Bell said the most valuable thing he learned was “absolute mateship”.

And that was a quality he urged the Demons to take out onto the field in September.

While for the most-part Bell has been enjoying Melbourne’s recent rise to glory from afar, his connection to the Demon Spirit has made him feel as close as can be.

The passionate Dees fan has red and blue running through his veins, and after receiving a visit from Angus Brayshaw and the 2021 premiership cup last year, his expectations are high for the backend of 2022.