THERE’S more to the Demons’ seven and three start to the season than fast ball movement and some new off-season recruits.

There’s a feeling of camaraderie and closeness off the field that shows this group is on the 2026 journey together.

It’s not hard to find examples of a bond that extends beyond the four walls of Casey Fields or AAMI Park.

Look no further than how the side has rallied behind the much-loved Jai Culley.

The second-year Demon was on a seemingly unstoppable rise in his second year at the club, with a blistering summer earning him a regular place in Steven King’s best side to start the season.

Opening 2026 with the longest uninterrupted stretch of AFL football of his career, momentum was building for the 23-year-old childhood Melbourne fan.

It all came to an abrupt halt on ANZAC Day Eve against the Tigers when Culley fell to the earth clutching at his knee after an innocuous change of direction.

Scans confirmed the second ACL tear of his young career.

So when vice-captain Jack Viney heard his rehab group teammate was moving house fresh off a knee reconstruction, he told Culley to cancel the moving crew.

The playing group was stepping in.

Viney behind the wheel of the club property van.

“I booked the removalists and the boys put their heads together and thought it would be a good idea to come down here and sort the house out,” Culley said.

“It actually means a lot.”

It wasn’t long before Viney had commandeered the club’s property truck and pulled up outside Culley’s apartment.

He’d brought a good 20 teammates with him.

The two-bedroom apartment was no match for an AFL football team, clearing the home in under an hour, including Culley’s home gym and sauna.

Culley's gym squat rack on the move.

Culley’s partner Genie provided the bacon and egg rolls, while Tholstrup and Langdon played Jenga in the back of the truck.

Tholstrup and Langdon making moves in the back of the truck.

 

Lever worked the comic relief as Turner, Johnson and Kentfield provided some key position muscle.

Jacob van Rooyen sped things along by launching pillows and chairs off the second story balcony.

Many hands had made light work, which isn’t a bad representation of Narrm’s 2026 season to date.

van Rooyen gets creative.