The Other Preliminary Final

[Redleg 37,474]

1 minute ago, P-man said:

He seems to have a lot of “bad nights” for a supposed great. Lost count of the number of times he gets exposed 1v1.

He’s a good player sure but the bloke isn’t fit to clean Scarlett’s boots. Annoys me when he gets placed in the same conversation.

Disagree and I would say that most of the footy world would agree with me.

 

[dieter 3,325]

7 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Agree Nasher. 

I've also taken a loathing to the recent smug grin on Hardwicke's face. I have hated him ever since the Wallis/Hardwicke assault on Brad Green in the 2000 Grand Final.

[SaberFang 7,141]

Based on tonight's form, can't imagine any Dee who wouldn't have preferred paying Richmond next week. 

Either way, we still gotta get through the Eagles and that's a huge ask at Optus. Play the same game at the MCG and we'd smash em. 

Please get the job done Dees!! 

[dieter 3,325]

2 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I reckon that's unfair.

We haven't played yet and we still have more wins against top 8 sides so far this season than Collingwood does.

They got into the finals on the back of a draw which gave them 14 games against the bottom 10.

Full credit to them for making a Grand Final with the injuries they've had, but going the "well I always said they were good" route is unfair when the criticism of them was completely warranted given their record.

Melbourne's draw wasn't the toughest either.

[Redleg 37,474]

2 minutes ago, phuket demon said:

St Kilda would have beaten Richmond tonight.

Losing sides often look sh-thouse but it is usually the other side that causes that. It is not just that they played poorly, they were made to play poorly by a better side on the night. 

Credit when credit is due.

[SaberFang 7,141]

6 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

They got into the finals on the back of a draw which gave them 14 games against the bottom 10.

Two years in a row a team in the bottom 6 has played in the following year's Grand Final. The fixture is a huge reason why.

Same thing wouldn't happen if each team played the other 17 teams only once. 

Edited September 21, 2018 by SaberFang

[titan_uranus 22,219]

8 minutes ago, dieter said:

Melbourne's draw wasn't the toughest either.

Indeed that is true, in fact ours was probably softer, but we won an extra game against a top 8 side, and have won two more since, such that even if we lose tomorrow, we'll still have a better record against the top 8 than Collingwood does.

They got a double chance by going 14-0 against the bottom 10. 

[Demon Disciple 10,899]

Just got to get it done tomorrow. 

Pies showed tonight that anything is possible on game day. 

[dl4e 5,580]

Richmond did not play the yank correctly. Have to get around his side and unbalance him. Look at what wet coke did a couple of games ago. I give a huge chance against the filth but beating wet coke will be hard. 

I see they are giving finished 13 the year before and coach nearly sacked as the big wrap. I have always maintained that with Buckley as coach the pies wouldn't win a flag even though he is a good coach.

I really hate the filth.

[Redleg 37,474]

18 minutes ago, dieter said:

I've also taken a loathing to the recent smug grin on Hardwicke's face. I have hated him ever since the Wallis/Hardwicke assault on Brad Green in the 2000 Grand Final.

Believe it or not my wife, daughter  and grand daughter met him and he couldn’t have been nicer. Very friendly and gave them time he didn’t need to. 

[rjay 23,852]

10 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I reckon that's unfair.

We haven't played yet and we still have more wins against top 8 sides so far this season than Collingwood does.

They got into the finals on the back of a draw which gave them 14 games against the bottom 10.

Full credit to them for making a Grand Final with the injuries they've had, but going the "well I always said they were good" route is unfair when the criticism of them was completely warranted given their record.

Nup.

We were also criticised for not having beaten anyone until recently but I always thought we were better than those results.

They are a good team, you could see it if you really looked. Some peoples opinion was predicated on hatred of the black & white rather than a more objective analysis.

They were very impressive against us earlier in the year & tonights game from them was a facsimile.

3 minutes ago, dl4e said:

I have always maintained that with Buckley as coach the pies wouldn't win a flag even though he is a good coach.

I really hate the filth.

Here's a prime example.

There is no logical reason why Bucks can't take them to a flag.

[spirit of norm smith 12,834]

Pies are a very good side

tough. Skilled.  

Transition through Phillips and Sidebottom.

Toughness  Crisp  Maynard Adams 

Intercept backs Langdon. 

Versatile.  Mayne Sier Varcoe 

Skilled goalkicker De Goey

Ruck domination Grundy

Wildcard Cox

[At the break of Gawn 3,474]

Nup, the Pies aren’t that good. They took it up to West Coast but couldn’t get the job done. They almost lost to a Giants team who didn’t show up until the second qtr plus DeGoey put on a masterclass. They played a Richmond team who couldn’t get going at all and Cox played his best game in 10 weeks. 

If we get through tomorrow, I fancy our chances much more than if the results were reversed tonight.

[Beetle 4,280]

I cannot believe how important it is, not just for us Demons supporters, but for all of humanity....that we win tomorrow!

Edited September 21, 2018 by Beetle

[Sir Why You Little 34,407]

Just makes tomorrow’s game that much bigger...

Get the job done boys...

[picket fence 15,046]

59 minutes ago, SaberFang said:

Collingwood weren't playing like this earlier in the year. 

Yeah and they still beat us comfortably! But then again we have struck a rare vein of form!!

[picket fence 15,046]

50 minutes ago, Fifty-5 said:

No Martin no Richmond.

I have always believed this!

[Wadda We Sing 10,685]

I dont like it they get an extra day and we come back from Perth. But we gotta get there first.

[DEE fence 4,415]

41 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Are you guys serious? Rance is a great, he just had a bad night. 

Tell me you wouldn’t have him in our side.

Hi Red,

Rance can do some brilliant things, fair enough, but with respect disagree re having in the side; Davis, Stewart, Hurn, Laird, McGovern are all players I would love before Rance, his acting really irritates the bejeezus out of me. 

[Pates 9,536]

I have actually had a quiet respect for the Pies this year. They've had quite a few injury concerns to deal with and have managed to find a way to keep winning. Everyone kept waiting for the classic Colliwobbles but it hasn't come, if anything (like us) they have actually gone from strength to strength towards the end of the year.

They played finals football tonight, a perfect example of what we need to do tomorrow. 

I tip my cap to Bucks (and hope we get the chance to smash them into the ground next week!).

[Dwight Schrute 16,722]

It would take our best footy to beat the pies but we are good enough. Just need to get past the eagles. 

[Willmoy1947 3,760]

Couple of things out of the game.

Noticed quite a number of non handballs that were tap on with the open hands, sometimes in a row by Coll.

Noticed lots of unpaid free kicks, in packs, in backs and high. So a lesson to tomorrows Umpires or just wishful thinking,

Were the players happy with Dustin, i wonder because should he have declared not fit?

[Lord Travis 10,141]

58 minutes ago, P-man said:

He seems to have a lot of “bad nights” for a supposed great. Lost count of the number of times he gets exposed 1v1.

He’s a good player sure but the bloke isn’t fit to clean Scarlett’s boots. Annoys me when he gets placed in the same conversation.

Spot on. Rance is a decent footballer when he's allowed to roam around loose without a man, but as soon as he has to go one on one he is poor. A legitimate liability, and every time this year that coaches have gone through his man he's been exposed big time. Got smashed by Josh Jenkins, Kennedy, Melksham, Cox and then De Grey tonight. He was directly responsible for 6 goals tonight. He was atrocious, and yet the commentators barely mentioned his horrible performance. Tigers would've been better of with Tom Gillies at full back tonight!

Rance is one of the most overrated players of the modern era. It's laughable to hear him discussed as an all time great defender alongside Scarlett, Jakovich etc. He's not a pinch of sh*t on them. Seeing him get thrown around like a sack of sh*t tonight was the highlight of the year for me outside of Melbourne's performances. 

Edited September 21, 2018 by Lord Travis

[Lord Travis 10,141]

I'm ecstatic with that win. Made a $100 bet with a mate at work about two months back that Richmond wouldn't win the flag. The team that finishes top of the ladder is rarely the premier. Only happened 2-3 times this millennium so far. It's a mindset thing. The team coming for them have nothing to lose and throw everything they have at them and take risks. The team on top have everything to lose, everyone against them, and don't take risks. Happens nearly every year. 

The Pies were brilliant in the first half. It just goes to show if you work hard, keep up the pressure and intensity around the ball, it doesn't matter who you're playing, you are a chance. Credit to them for making the grand final despite massive injury list. It's a fantastic achievement and they've learnt a lot of respect for their efforts.

If we win tomorrow it's a Melbourne vs Collingwood grand final. Nobody would've picked that, and it would be an epic. Let's hope it happens! Fire up Dees!!!

[Watson11 1,881]

Richmond got found out for being weak in contested possession and clearances, things Collingwood are pretty good at.  They were vulnerable against any team good at those two things.