Jump to content

Discussion on recent allegations about the use of illicit drugs in football is forbidden
  • IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

    Posting unsubstantiated rumours on this website is strictly forbidden.

    Demonland has made the difficult decision to not permit this platform to be used to discuss & debate the off-field issues relating to the Melbourne Football Club including matters currently being litigated between the Club & former Board members, board elections, the issue of illicit drugs in footy, the culture at the club & the personal issues & allegations against some of our players & officials ...

    We do not take these issues & this decision lightly & of course we believe that these serious matters affecting the club we love & are so passionate about are worthy of discussion & debate & I wish we could provide a place where these matters can be discussed in a civil & respectful manner.

    However these discussions unfortunately invariably devolve into areas that may be defamatory, libelous, spread unsubstantiated rumours & can effect the mental health of those involved. Even discussion & debate of known facts or media reports can lead to finger pointing, blame & personal attacks.

    The repercussion is that these discussions can open this website, it’s owners & it’s users to legal action & may result in this website being forced to shutdown.

    Our moderating team are all volunteers & cannot moderate the forum 24/7 & as a consequence problematic content that contravenes our rules & standards may go unnoticed for some time before it can be removed.

    We reserve the right to delete posts that offend against our above policy & indeed, to ban posters who are repeat offenders or who breach our code of conduct.

    WE HAVE BUILT A FANTASTIC ONLINE COMMUNITY AT DEMONLAND OVER THE PAST 23 YEARS & WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE CLUB WE LOVE & ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT.

    Thank you for your continued support & understanding. Go Dees.


HS Bicks weighs your AFL team’s chances with his 2017 preview


JAG007

Recommended Posts

2 minutes ago, JAG007 said:

Has anyone seen the content in this article referring to Melbourne?

Yes I have...actually it really only evolved around making sure we applied 100% forward defensive pressure..Seems tot hink otherwise we're not so bad.  ( my take ) 

I'd ....actually agree.. we NEED to keep ball inthe 50..best way is not let it out :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, JAG007 said:

Yes I can remember one analyst (can't recall who now) stating that statistics MFC were the 3rd worst for defensive pressure acts when not in possession.

probably right.... we've dropped the ball ( sic) on this. Hard enough to get it..best not to lose it.. Whilst it's in OUR 50 the chances of scoring go up...up...and UP !!   simples !!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Yes I have...actually it really only evolved around making sure we applied 100% forward defensive pressure..Seems tot hink otherwise we're not so bad.  ( my take ) 

I'd ....actually agree.. we NEED to keep ball inthe 50..best way is not let it out :)

Doesn't mention forward pressure once (although it is a problem of ours). I'm assuming we're reading the same article:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/bicks-weighs-your-afl-teams-chances-with-his-2017-preview/news-story/7622c2abca6aa7d449204770f6bbee1c

Short version is consistency is still a problem, has tipped us to finish 9th.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure that I agree with his pessimism and (from my read of the training reports) he has under-rated Hogan! I disagree with his prediction that we will finish ninth (Richmond's spot) and that Petracca is our sole "gem", although his assessments of some of our opposition teams are incisive! Aside from my comments above, the article was a good summary, and at least he hasn't raised unreasonable expectations on us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What Bickley has written is fair enough for an outsider..Rounds 22 & 23 of this year are still what we are being judged on even with a wiff of finals

Clubs will still expect to Roll us with the right pressure at this stage.

It depends how hungry our list is

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

MELBOURNE

75da1f1e3e947b8f7574acd4819609ea?width=6
Christian Petracca ... will get more midfield minutes. Picture: Sarah Reed

The Dees have new coach in Simon Goodwin, emerging confidence and a talented list, but will that translate to enough wins to play finals? We saw late last year the problem with the Demons — they have a ground breaking win against Hawthorn only to lose to Carlton when a finals spot is on the line.

Gem

Christian Petracca is an aggressive, big-bodied midfielder who played mainly forward in 2016. It ws his first season after a knee reconstruction and with greater fitness and confidence, he should see more midfield minutes.

Under the pump

Jesse Hogan is the Demons’ great hope inside forward 50, but just three goals in the last six games of the year, should show him that it’s not going to just happen. After his fourth pre-season, he should be bigger and stronger. He will need to kick 60-plus goals for the Demons to play finals.

Forecast

This list looks more than capable but I still have my doubts on their consistency and who will help Hogan up forward. The Demons will improve again but finish just outside thefinals in ninth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


2 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

What Bickley has written is fair enough for an outsider..Rounds 22 & 23 of this year are still what we are being judged on even with a wiff of finals

Clubs will still expect to Roll us with the right pressure at this stage.

It depends how hungry our list is

A fair assessment - we must learn to

- win games that we should

- not fold under pressure

- answer pressure with pressure

- follow but a single piece of Mark Neeld's wish list, being the hardest team to play against. We have only seen it in flashes, v Hawks, and v Cats 2015 - if repeated we can go places. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't disagree with his critique about us losing games we shouldn't. Who would. Though in some ways i reckon our failure to beat Carlton might in the end be a blessing in disguise as it provides a fire that should burn.

But Hogan under the pump? Becasue he only kicked 3 goals in the lat six games? Please. That's nonsense, though to be fair to Bickley even some Demons fans underestimate Hogan (as evidenced by various poster on DL),

And who will help Hogan up forward? Maybe Watts?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like a lot of these things, a broad brush approach to the critique.

...but I think his overall summation of the 18 clubs is pretty good.

I would probably swap us with the Saints bringing us into the 8 but that's of course taking into account my personal bias.

I'm not as concerned as many about losing games we shouldn't, due to the inexperience of the team in 2016.

If it happens in 2017 then I would be...

 

Edited by rjay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The youngest team in the comp hit the wall in round 22.  It wasn't a "consistency" issue.  In 2013 we lost 11 games by 60 points or more.  We did this once in 2016.  We won more quarters than the Saints and finished with a higher percentage.

We'll be fitter, stronger and more experienced in 2017.

We will get good very quickly.

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, ProDee said:

The youngest team in the comp hit the wall in round 22.  It wasn't a "consistency" issue.

Yes it was. They're young, so they were inconsistent. Beat Hawthorn then lose to Carlton, what else would you call that?

"We'll be fitter, stronger and more experienced in 2017." Translates to: We'll be more consistent.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, stuie said:

Yes it was. They're young, so they were inconsistent. Beat Hawthorn then lose to Carlton, what else would you call that?

"We'll be fitter, stronger and more experienced in 2017." Translates to: We'll be more consistent.

 

I hope it's that simple stuie, I do worry that a lot of our consistency issues might be above the shoulders though. Perhaps experience will help with that but our losses to Essendon and Carlton show we still drop a lot of games we should win 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Abe said:

I hope it's that simple stuie, I do worry that a lot of our consistency issues might be above the shoulders though. Perhaps experience will help with that but our losses to Essendon and Carlton show we still drop a lot of games we should win 

Agreed Abe. I do think our consistency issues come down to fitness (young group still building their tanks), experience and leadership, all areas we have improved on during this offseason, so you'd naturally think then that we should be able to improve in that area next year.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, stuie said:

Yes it was. They're young, so they were inconsistent. Beat Hawthorn then lose to Carlton, what else would you call that?

"We'll be fitter, stronger and more experienced in 2017." Translates to: We'll be more consistent.

 

Stu, as the new year approaches I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself and will remove the yellow lines that follow you around.

As I said in the post you quoted they were cooked by round 22, i.e. the Carlton game.  I was fortunate enough to attend a club function post season where a very senior footy person within the club said all the signs were there in the second half of the Port game that the young players were spent (notwithstanding the victory).  Subsequently, they were worried about the final two games.  Those fears were realised as the long year caught up with them.

Just one 10 goal+ thrashing (when we were cooked), good percentage, 10 wins and a healthy number of quarters won.  In one win we fielded 3 teenagers.

I accept your point that inconsistency follows young teams who will naturally develop weary bodies.  Any team that doesn't make the 8 has degrees of inconsistency, but overall the consistency factor was as good as any "reasonable" supporter could hope for from such a young group.

As this new gameplan becomes second nature their performances will be stronger and more consistent.  I'm confident this will be the case in 2017.

Edited by ProDee
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, ProDee said:

Stu, as the new year approaches I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself and will remove the yellow lines that follow you around.

As I said in the post you quoted they were cooked by round 22, i.e. the Carlton game.  I was fortunate enough to attend a club function post season where a very senior footy person within the club said all the signs were there in the second half of the Port game that the young players were spent (notwithstanding the victory).  Subsequently, they were worried about the final two games.  Those fears were realised as the long year caught up with them.

Just one 10 goal+ thrashing (when we were cooked), good percentage, 10 wins and a healthy number of quarters won.  In one win we fielded 4 teenagers.

I accept your point that inconsistency follows young teams who will naturally develop weary bodies.  Any team that doesn't make the 8 has degrees of inconsistency, but overall the consistency factor was as good as any "reasonable" supporter could hope for from such a young group.

As this new gameplan becomes second nature their performances will be stronger and more consistent.  I'm confident this will be the case in 2017.

"Redeem myself"? Ok then, likewise I will grant you a clean slate from previous behaviour and allow you another chance to win me over :pj:

I think we're on the same page pretty much, and totally agree that the list changes we've made, offseason work and progress we would naturally expect should translate to a far more consistent team in 2017. I don't think either the original article or my post was slamming the side for inconsistency, but rather saying it was an understandable factor, and one which I have more faith in being less of an issue in 2017 than Bickley does.

Excited about the developing game plan (no small part of which is the innovation we will see from Goodwin), but for mine I think the greatest improvement will come from our better leadership and fitness (as in, more mature bodies with better tanks).

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


17 hours ago, stuie said:

Doesn't mention forward pressure once (although it is a problem of ours). I'm assuming we're reading the same article:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/bicks-weighs-your-afl-teams-chances-with-his-2017-preview/news-story/7622c2abca6aa7d449204770f6bbee1c

Short version is consistency is still a problem, has tipped us to finish 9th.

 

I confused the Bickz article with another Herald piece. Lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, stuie said:

"Redeem myself"? Ok then, likewise I will grant you a clean slate from previous behaviour and allow you another chance to win me over :pj:

I think we're on the same page pretty much, and totally agree that the list changes we've made, offseason work and progress we would naturally expect should translate to a far more consistent team in 2017. I don't think either the original article or my post was slamming the side for inconsistency, but rather saying it was an understandable factor, and one which I have more faith in being less of an issue in 2017 than Bickley does.

Excited about the developing game plan (no small part of which is the innovation we will see from Goodwin), but for mine I think the greatest improvement will come from our better leadership and fitness (as in, more mature bodies with better tanks).

 

One thing I didn't touch on was that save for the Essendon game in round 2 and the final two games of the year I thought mentally we were good for such a young team.  I think the physical effort was good, which is the real sign of a team's mental consistency.

Good and experienced teams have the Essendon type games too, like Geelong did in round 4 when Essendon were ahead in the third, the difference is they know how to eke out a victory in circumstances they put down to "one of those days".

Unlike Abe, I'm very comfortable we have a mentally strong hard-nosed group developing within our midst.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, ProDee said:

One thing I didn't touch on was that save for the Essendon game in round 2 and the final two games of the year I thought mentally we were good for such a young team.  I think the physical effort was good, which is the real sign of a team's mental consistency.

Good and experienced teams have the Essendon type games too, like Geelong did in round 4 when Essendon were ahead in the third, the difference is they know how to eke out a victory in circumstances they put down to "one of those days".

Unlike Abe, I'm very comfortable we have a mentally strong hard-nosed group developing within our midst.

Agreed pro dee, I just wonder if the Essendon game in particular was a result of a level of complacency amoung other things, which I think is understandable for such a young team that had been in particularly good form around that time having won all three nab cup games and won in round 1 as well. 

I understand your point that sides sometimes have a bad day and we need to find a way to win, and I agree but I also see a pattern against teams we start favourites against and that is something we should have a look at, can't afford to drop many of those games if we are to play finals in 2017. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ProDee said:

....

As I said in the post you quoted they were cooked by round 22, i.e. the Carlton game.  I was fortunate enough to attend a club function post season where a very senior footy person within the club said all the signs were there in the second half of the Port game that the young players were spent (notwithstanding the victory).  Subsequently, they were worried about the final two games.  Those fears were realised as the long year caught up with them.

...

I watched a replay of that match recently and it was obvious (as it was not to me at the time) that something was very wrong in the second half.  Energy was well down. They often looked as if they were playing in treacle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, sue said:

I watched a replay of that match recently and it was obvious (as it was not to me at the time) that something was very wrong in the second half.  Energy was well down. They often looked as if they were playing in treacle.

And yet we doubled our lead in the last quarter against Port after they had got a head of steam up and got back in the game for a  period of time. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    DISCO INFERNO by Whispering Jack

    Two weeks ago, when the curtain came down on Melbourne’s game against the Brisbane Lions, the team trudged off the MCG looking tired and despondent at the end of a tough run of games played in quick succession. In the days that followed, the fans wanted answers about their team’s lamentable performance that night and foremost among their concerns was whether the loss was a one off result of fatigue or was it due to other factor(s) of far greater consequence.  As it turns out, the answer to

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 5

    TIGERS PUNT CASEY by KC from Casey

    The afternoon atmosphere at the Swinburne Centre was somewhat surreal as the game between Richmond VFL and the Casey Demons unfolded on what was really a normal work day for most Melburnians. The Yarra Park precinct marched to the rhythm of city life, the trains rolled by, pedestrians walked by with their dogs and the traffic on Punt Road and Brunton Avenue swirled past while inside the arena, a football battle ensued. And what a battle it was? The Tigers came in with a record of two wins f

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Casey Articles

    PREGAME: Rd 08 vs Geelong

    After returning to the winners list the Demons have a 10 day break until they face the unbeaten Cats at the MCG on Saturday Night. Who comes in and who goes out for this crucial match?

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 92

    PODCAST: Rd 07 vs Richmond

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 29th April @ 8:30pm. Join George, Binman & I as we analyse the Demons victory at the MCG against the Tigers in the Round 07. You questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human. Listen & Chat

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 10

    VOTES: Rd 07 vs Richmond

    Last week Captain Max Gawn overtook reigning champion Christian Petracca in the Demonland Player of the Year Award. Steven May, Jack Viney & Alex Neal-Bullen make up the Top 5. Your votes for the win against the Tigers. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 52

    POSTGAME: Rd 07 vs Richmond

    The Demons put their foot down after half time to notch up a clinical win by 43 points over the Tigers at the MCG on ANZAC Eve keeping touch with the Top 4.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 305

    GAMEDAY: Rd 07 vs Richmond

    It's Game Day and the Demons once again open the round of football with their annual clash against Richmond on ANZAC Eve. The Tigers, coached by former Dees champion and Premiership assistant coach Adem Yze have a plethora of stars missing due to injury but beware the wounded Tiger. The Dees will have to be switched on tonight. A win will keep them in the hunt for the Top 4 whilst a loss could see them fall out of the 8 for the first time since 2020.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 683

    TRAINING: Tuesday 23rd April 2024

    Demonland Trackwatcher Kev Martin ventured down to Gosch's Paddock to bring you his observations from this morning's Captain's Run including some hints at the changes for our ANZAC Eve clash against the Tigers. Sunny, though a touch windy, this morning, 23 of them no emergencies.  Forwards out first. Harrison Petty, JvR, Jack Billings, Kade Chandler, Kozzy, Bayley Fritsch, and coach Stafford.  The backs join them, Steven May, Jake Lever, Woey, Judd McVee, Blake Howes, Tom McDonald

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    OOZEE by The Oracle

    There’s a touch of irony in the fact that Adem Yze played his first game for Melbourne in Round 13, 1995 against the club he now coaches. For that game, he wore the number 44 guernsey and got six touches in a game the team won by 11 points.  The man whose first name was often misspelled, soon changed to the number 13 and it turned out lucky for him. He became a highly revered Demon with a record of 271 games during which his presence was acknowledged by the fans with the chant of “Oozee” wh

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Match Previews 3
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!
×
×
  • Create New...