FIND out what’s being said about the club in the major daily newspapers on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Herald Sun
Standing ovation for defiant Jim
By Sam Edmund
A DEFIANT Jim Stynes has declared the worst of his cancer fight over after making an emotional appearance at Melbourne's best-and-fairest count last night. The inspirational Demons president, who was given temporary leave from hospital, drew a standing ovation from nearly 1000 guests when he walked slowly on stage at Crown Palladium. "I've got through probably the toughest part of it all," Stynes said. "I can feel over the last week or so that I'm starting to come through, so it's really great to be here. You guys really give me that great inspiration and I'll give back as much as I can." Stynes joked that he was only allowed out of hospital if he promised to behave himself, which he guaranteed he was.
Brent bounces back to claim trophy
By Sam Edmund
MELBOURNE midfielder Brent Moloney won the Demons' best-and-fairest award last night. In what was a rollercoaster season for player and club, Moloney played all 22 games for the first time to win his maiden Keith "Bluey" Truscott Memorial Trophy. Moloney, 27, who finished second in 2009, polled 227 votes to defeat defenders Jared Rivers and James Frawley. Tom Scully, who walked out on the Demons for Greater Western Sydney at the end of season, finished 19th with 66 votes from 10 games. It was a much-deserved honour for Moloney, who was stripped of the vice-captaincy in April after being embroiled in an early-morning alcohol-fuelled incident at a St Kilda bar. The midfield general was reinstated two months later and devoted the rest of the season to repaying the club for which he barracked as a youngster.
The Age
Moloney best of Demons
By Jesse Hogan
THE first acknowledgement of Brent Moloney's redemption for an after-match drinking binge came midway through the season when he was quietly reinstated to the club's leadership group. The second, much more public and significant than the first, came last night when he won Melbourne's best and fairest award. Moloney, 27, claimed the Keith ''Bluey'' Truscott Trophy ahead of key defenders Jared Rivers and James Frawley at a function at Crown Palladium. Two of Moloney's midfield teammates, Nathan Jones and Jack Trengove, were fourth and fifth respectively. Recruited from Geelong seven years ago, Moloney was shaping as a lost cause after injury limited him to 25 matches between 2006 and 2008. After a return to fitness in 2009 he played 21 matches and finished runner-up in the best and fairest, at which he reinforced his loyalty to the Demons by publicly chiding Brock McLean for walking out on the club. Moloney was consistent throughout this season but was at his best when able to rove to ruckman Mark Jamar. In round seven he claimed 19 clearances and he led the Demons in all of the crucial midfield categories: kicks (282), clearances (153) and, of course, contested possessions (271).
Demons champ bitter at finals slip
By Jesse Hogan
MELBOURNE'S newest club champion, Brent Moloney, is bitter the Demons have let another year slip without making the finals and urged his teammates to make amends next season. Moloney won his first Keith ''Bluey'' Truscott Trophy on Friday night, ahead of defenders Jared Rivers and James Frawley, and dedicated it to his grandmother who died a fortnight ago. While appreciative of the help he had received from his family, friends and coaches, one of the themes of his acceptance speech was his frustration at again being at the club's end-of-season function during finals time. ''Boys, it's another year gone,'' he said, ''another year without finals. It kills me to watch the finals … absolutely kills me. I think, 'Joel Selwood, why does he get to play finals?' It's because he plays at a club with strong culture - that's what we need to build on.''
