Demonbracket 2014 - Preview

Friends, MFC sympathisers, opposition fans and competitors. The countdown to Demonbracket 2014 starts here. On Monday 27 January we'll welcome competitors from all over the world (well, 44 from Australia and one from New Zealand) to the third edition of the Battle For The Bracket.

To recap for those of you who are just joining us, Demonbracket asks you to make an arbitrary decision on a match-up between two or more listed MFC players based on whatever criteria you see fit. Actual footballing ability and performance can be used as the basis for judgement if you want, but so can their Playstation prowess, the colour of their hair, numerology, astrology, model of car driven, the fact that he slept with a close family member or whatever else you feel strongly about.

Voting will be conducted via Twitter, email, comments, forums and any other formats we come up with by the time the first draw is released on Monday 20 January. The first matches will be played a week later, then each weekday until we crown a new champion on Wednesday 12 February - just in time for the season to start.

Meanwhile, can your company provide a suitably jaunty trophy for the winner (as well as two to be retrospectively awarded to the previous winners)? If so then you could be the Demonbracket 2014 sponsor of Demonbracket 2014. Contact me with your proposal by 20 January. Best offer not involving a sex toy gets naming rights.

Honour Roll

In its first two years Demonbracket has become the premier award for MFC backmen. Can the Defender's Union broker a third straight victory, or will midfielders do what they've done to every other award in the AFL? And what of forwards and ruckmen? Your votes will decide their fate. The previous grand finals: (click the year for the full bracket results)

2012 - James Frawley d. Nathan Jones
2013 - Tom McDonald d. Mitch Clark

Rules

• Vote on whatever criteria you see fit. We won't ask questions, and nor should anyone else
• Voting will be conducted between 7am and 7pm AEDST unless otherwise noted
• You must cast a valid vote for every match that day or none of your votes for that day will count
• You must pick a winner in every match up. No half votes, no "I can't split them". Yes you can, and you will
• Non-MFC fans are more than welcome to vote on as many days as you like as long as you follow all other rules
• Players are more than welcome to use social media, real media or paid advertising to promote themselves. Outright bribery, however, is not permitted
• In the event of a tie both players will advance to the next round
• If a match features three or more players and two or more tie for the most votes they will advance with all other players eliminated
• In the event of a Grand Final tie there will be a replay the next day
• The decision of the Demonbracket Organising Committee (i.e me) is final

The draw

In a change from the 2012 and 2013 events, seedings are no longer based on who's in the leadership group (and not just because it hasn't been confirmed yet and might not be by the first round draw) and will instead consist of the defending champion and the top seven highest surviving finishers from the 2013 Best and Fairest.

1. Tom McDonald
2. Nathan Jones
3. Colin Garland
4. Dean Terlich
5. Matt Jones
6. Lynden Dunn
7. James Frawley
8. Jack Trengove

The eight seeds plus 12 players made up of the remainder of the 2013 leadership group and the most experienced players (MFC games only) go straight to the first round while everyone else battles to the death in the preliminary round.

The preliminary round draw will be held on Monday 20 January followed by the first round draw on Tuesday 21 January. If the 2014 leadership group is confirmed by 20 January the field will be adjusted accordingly.

Non-seeded players with a bye to Round 1 (G = games, L = leadership group)
1. Jack Watts (G)
2. Chris Dawes (L)
3. Shannon Byrnes (L)
4. Mitch Clark (L)
5. Jordie McKenzie (G/L)
6. Sam Blease (G)
7. Daniel Nicholson (G)
8. Jack Grimes (G/L)
9. Luke Tapscott (G)
10. Jeremy Howe (G)
11. Mark Jamar (G)
12. Rohan Bail (G)

Players entered in the Preliminary Round (11 singles matches and one triple threat - winners advance to the main draw)
1. Jesse Hogan
2. Christian Salem
3. Jimmy Toumpas
4. Jack Viney
5. Dom Tyson
6. Mitch Clisby
7. Dean Kent
8. Daniel Cross
9. James Strauss
10. Cameron Pedersen
11. Viv Michie
12. Bernie Vince
13. Jay Kennedy-Harris
14. Aidan Riley
15. Jayden Hunt
16. Michael Evans
17. Dominic Barry
18. Max Gawn
19. Neville Jetta
20. Jake Spencer
21. Jack Fitzpatrick
22. Alex Georgiou
23. James Harmes
24. Max King
25. Maia Westrupp

Preliminary Round

Monday 27 January (7am to 1pm)
[1] Daniel Cross vs Bernie Vince
[2] Max Gawn vs James Strauss
[3] Aiden Riley vs Alex Georgiou

Monday 27 January (1pm to 7pm)
[4] Michael Evans vs Jimmy Toumpas
[5] Jayden Hunt vs Dom Tyson
[6] Jay Kennedy-Harris vs Christian Salem

Tuesday 28 January (7am to 1pm)
[7] Jack Fitzpatrick vs James Harmes
[8] Viv Michie vs Maia Westrupp
[9] Dean Kent vs Neville Jetta

Tuesday 28 January (1pm to 7pm)
[10] Jesse Hogan vs Mitch Clisby
[11] Dominic Barry vs Jake Spencer
[12] Cameron Pedersen vs Jack Viney vs Max King

Round One

Wednesday 29 January
1. Tom McDonald vs ?
? vs ?
? vs ?
? vs 8. Jack Trengove

Thursday 30 January
5. Matt Jones vs ?
? vs ?
? vs ?
? vs 4. Dean Terlich

Friday 31 January
3. Colin Garland vs ?
? vs ?
? vs ?
? vs 6. Lynden Dunn

Monday 3 February
7. James Frawley vs ?
? vs ?
? vs ?

? vs 2. Nathan Jones

Round Two

Tuesday 4 February
? vs ?
? vs ?
? vs ?
? vs ?

Wednesday 5 February
? vs ?
? vs ?
? vs ?
? vs ?

Quarter Finals

Thursday 6 February
? vs ?
? vs ?

Friday 7 February
? vs ?
? vs ?

Semi Final

Monday 10 February
? vs ?

Tuesday 11 February
? vs ?

Final

Wednesday 12 February
? vs ?