Say what you want, I’m proud of this club this year.

[Demon trucker 1,776]

13 hours ago, picket fence said:

PROUD??

No im not proud at all

No goals in a half of footy

Players slipping and sliding 

Missed handballs

Lack of skills missed targets

Some should have played their last games

Lewis, Maybe Jones, Tyson, Spargo to small and too slow, Neal Bullen? Frost?

Damning I know but EXPOSED in bright lights 

Schoolboys playing against Men

Pathetic performance.

NO GOALS IN A HALF OF FOOTY!!!?

no longer interested in Wins against shizen opposition.

Will not go to watch any game next year ! Same ho hum yeah yeah yadda yadda

THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS NOW IS A GF AND WIN

GUTTED!

You are chicken little pickets, did not hear from you much in the last few weeks when we were winning. You did say we would go backwards this year that we would not make the 8, you are captain MFCSS, what do you want to delist half the list rebuild a young side, who has won 16 games, spargo is not slow, you have no idea, in the preseason you said we where no good, don't  go to any games next year, no one really cares.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,586]

9 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

Up there in the list of biggest disappointments for 2018, IMO, is Garlett.

The way we played this year, with the volume of inside 50s and ground balls to be won in there, should have suited him. Spargo was generally good but Garlett at his best would have been much, much more impactful.

Agree.  Particulaly when we somewhat lack leg speed and Garlett is such an absolute jet.

I'm not one for throwing the baby out with the bath water though and I distinctly remember him being a big part of the reason for us beating Brisbane at the Gabba early in the season.  Garlett has proven X factor and goal kicking ability.  Seemed like his head wasn't in it for parts this season and perhaps there are family issues, self doubt, game style, personality clashes or something that's preventing him from playing his best football.  My real preferance is that we can invest in him personally, get him back on track and reap the rewards.  However if his issues are seen as totally irratreavable, then I wouldn't begrudge trading him either as it would be great to see him happy and playing good footy again (so long as he doesn't hurt us by doing it for another good team).  If he was to be traded, I'd hope that we would get more for him than the loose change we got him for, but perhaps that's unrealistic.

I do like the look of Spargo, but I think he needs to develop much more to be a real weapon.  I thought there were games this year that he played only because we lacked another in-form player of his type.  Similar to Garlett, I'd love to see Dean Kent get a really good crack at it next year.  Thought he was really good when he played this year, but as was the case last season, he was crueled by injury.

[faultydet 7,593]

While i would love to be negative, the side deserves praise for the way we have progressed this season.

 

Our prime movers are still kids in AFL terms, but we can see the large improvemnts this year.

The must-have takeaways are:

Must win every "gimme" game against the bottom 10. Not a single loss. Look what it meant to the Pies

Top 4 is simply a must, to avoid the interstate travel at finals time. We would not have been smacked like that away from the Boo factory.

Other positives we can look forward to are a drastically improved fixture, including heaps of prime time games (Friday/Sat nights etc) The big crowds will make the players feel at home at finals time, and improve the bottom line.

 

Negatives. I still think we need a gorilla minder.

 

[CityDee 738]

We have a chance to demolish weagles next year in a final at the G . I cant wait . 

[buck_nekkid 5,496]

I am very proud to be a demon member.  Many years I would not be able to say that.  Pass mark was making finals, but at a deeper level it was the way we played.  I’m really happy that something special is being built in terms of culture and attitudes.

we outperformed all expectations, and did so with a hard at it, derring do attitude that made us the highest scoring team in the competition.

i believe we have a nucleus of a great team.  Some outside speed and polish, and some maturity, and who knows?  Several players have the chance to become elite.

after I get over the WCE horror show, I rate the season an A, effort 1.  (A+ would have been the gf)

[Dee*ceiving 915]

Plenty of positives for the Demons.

The coach and players learnt several lessons throughout the year, the biggest one yesterday.

I agree that not playing Frost against the Saints in all likelihood cost us top 4 but at the same time that disappointment showed us what this group can do with their backs against the wall.

Next year top 4 is a must and we have proven we can win finals against hardened teams. Unfortunately we spent all out pennies doing so and came up against a powerful and rested side on their home deck. A side that sensed our trepidation, pounced early and enjoyed raucous support to a level you would be unlikely to experience in any other stadium in the country. I'd suspect more Demons would have made the trek to Adelaide than Perth and the northern states simply aren't as fanatical.

Despite a terrible first half they did not turn their toes up, which would have been easy to do. Embarrassing none the less but a display of grit and pride we shouldn't underestimate.

As for the team, we have a good coach with a steady hand and steely determination. He knows he made some blues this year, but they provide the opportunity to learn.

We have 3 genuine A graders, Oliver, Gawn and T McDonald. They're class will remain. In Viney we have a powerful young leader, a bull that needs some luck with his body. He spent every ounce of fuel he had in those first 2 finals coming off no match practise. He will improve. 

Lever and Hogan back in will inject further talent, Lever a potential A grader if he gets a good run at it.

Harmes, Brayshaw, Jetta, Hibberd, Melksham and Salem clearly belong. They are good enough to steer us forward.Likewise I am confident in Fritsch and Joel Smith

Petracca teases, he was much better in the second half yesterday and I'd expect him to improve again next year. Weideman too has shown he can add value.

it is time for Lewis and Tyson to depart (Garlett, Bugg & Kent too). For Jones a swan song year in 2019. Has been a loyal Warrior chunk but his time approaches rapidly.

Frost, O McDonald, Neal-Bullen & Vandenberg provide the motivation for the young bucks to improve for it is their spots that will be threatened by those not yet drafted plus Hunt, Baker, Petty, Keilty; Johnstone & Stretch. 

Bring on 2019! 

 

Edited September 23, 2018 by Dee*ceiving

[Dees_In_October 3,346]

I think as supporters we have to constantly remind ourselves (I do, anyway) that all the stuff we think and feel about the club is wrapped up in decades and decades of misery and missed opportunities and some very poor finals performances on the rare occasions we've made it - but it's not like that for the players. Rightly, they take the positive 'culture' stuff from the good times and understand where the fans come from, but apart from that, maybe except those who grew up as Dees fans, it's about the team here and now.

The team here and now just made its first finals, won its first two finals and experienced its first devastating finals loss. That's a lot! They'll know how those first two games felt and how the last one felt and I think that puts the younger crew who'll be part of the ongoing push for a flag in good stead. No easy success, no guarantees. In some ways it's the same as at the start of this season: we'll see if they're up to the task of facing up to what went wrong yesterday or if they're content to be 'near enough'. Maybe we'll regress a few steps next year? Maybe we'll fall off the cliff completely and be wooden spooners? (That's the MFCSS talking)

When it's all said and done though, I'd watch this team at their best over any team in (my) living memory. They'd have to serve up a lot more heartbreak to even get close to some previous teams! We're all used to having to look forward to next season, but it's in a different way this time.

[Sparkledemon 81]

2017-Rd 23 Gutted

2018-Prelim Final Disappointed

2019-Looks bright to me!

As a 'long time' reader of the Demonland site and new member this year one of the highlights of the season was having the opportunity to listen to, reflect on and chat about our great team with you fine folk.

Here's to a successful trade period and an even better 2019.

Go Dee's ❤️?

 

 

Edited September 23, 2018 by Sparkledemon

[titan_uranus 22,456]

3 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Agree.  Particulaly when we somewhat lack leg speed and Garlett is such an absolute jet.

I'm not one for throwing the baby out with the bath water though and I distinctly remember him being a big part of the reason for us beating Brisbane at the Gabba early in the season.  Garlett has proven X factor and goal kicking ability.  Seemed like his head wasn't in it for parts this season and perhaps there are family issues, self doubt, game style, personality clashes or something that's preventing him from playing his best football.  My real preferance is that we can invest in him personally, get him back on track and reap the rewards.  However if his issues are seen as totally irratreavable, then I wouldn't begrudge trading him either as it would be great to see him happy and playing good footy again (so long as he doesn't hurt us by doing it for another good team).  If he was to be traded, I'd hope that we would get more for him than the loose change we got him for, but perhaps that's unrealistic.

I do like the look of Spargo, but I think he needs to develop much more to be a real weapon.  I thought there were games this year that he played only because we lacked another in-form player of his type.  Similar to Garlett, I'd love to see Dean Kent get a really good crack at it next year.  Thought he was really good when he played this year, but as was the case last season, he was crueled by injury.

I think we'd have been a better side this year with Garlett at his absolute best, as well if Hunt had taken the next step rather than gone backwards.

The development we put into Spargo and Fritsch will hold us in good stead going forward but what Garlett and Hunt are capable of bringing to our side is what we often find ourselves to be lacking when we struggle.

Not the only two things to work on, though.

I'd also love to see Kent become a regular but his body has to be a concern.

3 hours ago, faultydet said:

While i would love to be negative, the side deserves praise for the way we have progressed this season.

 

Our prime movers are still kids in AFL terms, but we can see the large improvemnts this year.

The must-have takeaways are:

Must win every "gimme" game against the bottom 10. Not a single loss. Look what it meant to the Pies

Top 4 is simply a must, to avoid the interstate travel at finals time. We would not have been smacked like that away from the Boo factory.

Other positives we can look forward to are a drastically improved fixture, including heaps of prime time games (Friday/Sat nights etc) The big crowds will make the players feel at home at finals time, and improve the bottom line.

 

Negatives. I still think we need a gorilla minder.

 

I'm not sure we can ask for us to be undefeated against the bottom 10 every season. Yes, Collingwood did it, and we should always be aiming to win games against sides below us (and the bottom 10 should all be below us next year...!), but most sides don't get through the year without one poor loss.

If we had to target one home and away season problem, IMO it would be the close losses - 0-5 in games decided by under two goals is where we lost our top 4 spot, I think. My hope is that the Adelaide and West Coast wins and the two finals wins have helped us learn how to win close games and how to win in front of big crowds, so hopefully next year when we're in close games we are able to do better than a 0% success rate.

[Blinkybill 276]

15 hours ago, rjay said:

 

GWS 5.4 9.7 15.10 19.11 (125)
WEST COAST 3.0 4.2 5.2 9.4 (58)

Last years semi result.

Scoreline looks familiar....

Obviously it scarred the Eagles so badly they are in a GF next weekend...

It 'aint necessary so Robbo

 

Excellent post. We are good enough and well coached, so why can’t we bounce back just as WC did?

[DeezNuts 624]

Terrific year lads. You’ve brought pride back to the club, so proud of you all - next year it’s time to get ruthless! Go Dees!

[picket fence 15,244]

Maybe I just expect far too much!

But after 54 bloody mostly wretched years!

And being passionate to the point of obsession

And knowing Rob and a few other formers 

Sheeit I sometimes Go too far!

Apologies!

?

Edited September 23, 2018 by picket fence

[drysdale demon 4,174]

8 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Maybe I just expect far too much!

But after 54 bloody mostly wretched years!

And being passionate to the point of obsession

And knowing Rob and a few other formers 

Sheeit I sometimes Go too far!

Apologies!

?

Go and sit on your picket fence

[spirit of norm smith 12,978]

Yesterday I was angry and disappointed 

Today I still have hope and faith in the future 

[layzie 28,935]

We need to stick together 

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

On 9/22/2018 at 5:59 PM, Gorgoroth said:

Been a disappointment today, but I think this club has had a great year and while we had an opportunity it didn’t pan out our way.

welcome back Lever, Hogan, Tmac and Viney for full years and I think we go one step further next year.

Must Hunt top four and stay in Melbourne for all our finals.

 

GO DEES!

I could not agree more.  I think most of us said at the start of the season that we wanted finals.  We got that.  We got a hell of a lot better than that.  We got to see our team knock over two of our bogey sides for two winning finals.  We came back from the wilderness and won two finals.  Going further would have been nice, but I am thrilled with what the team achieved this season. 

[Skin Deeamond 339]

We should be looking forward to a Grand Final by our team this week.

instead we will be watching yet another performance by scum like De Goey et al.

The melt down in Perth is unacceptable.

get stuffed MFC.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

13 hours ago, picket fence said:

Maybe I just expect far too much!

You expected us to finish tenth.

[picket fence 15,244]

1 minute ago, Clint Bizkit said:

You expected us to finish tenth.

Except for finals experience may have well of!

[Superunknown 3,331]

I'm very happy with this year with the exception of:

Geelong both games

Hawks early in year

St Kilda

Sydney

PF @ optus

Port I can live with as we woz robbed by the umpires

 

Let's all hope Goodwin rams home the unacceptable nature of the PF loss (1st half effort in particular) and the fact this might have been their one and only chance to win a flag (unlikely, yes, but certainly possible). Hope it drives them forward.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

2 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Except for finals experience may have well of!

You're right, nothing good can possibly come from beating Hawthorn and Geelong in front of 90,000 people at the MCG as the youngest and least experienced finals team having not even been there for twelve years.

[layzie 28,935]

7 hours ago, Stormy Dee said:

We should be looking forward to a Grand Final by our team this week.

instead we will be watching yet another performance by scum like De Goey et al.

The melt down in Perth is unacceptable.

get stuffed MFC.

Really? Get stuffed?

[Watson11 1,889]

21 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

I think we'd have been a better side this year with Garlett at his absolute best, as well if Hunt had taken the next step rather than gone backwards.

The development we put into Spargo and Fritsch will hold us in good stead going forward but what Garlett and Hunt are capable of bringing to our side is what we often find ourselves to be lacking when we struggle.

Not the only two things to work on, though.

I'd also love to see Kent become a regular but his body has to be a concern.

I'm not sure we can ask for us to be undefeated against the bottom 10 every season. Yes, Collingwood did it, and we should always be aiming to win games against sides below us (and the bottom 10 should all be below us next year...!), but most sides don't get through the year without one poor loss.

If we had to target one home and away season problem, IMO it would be the close losses - 0-5 in games decided by under two goals is where we lost our top 4 spot, I think. My hope is that the Adelaide and West Coast wins and the two finals wins have helped us learn how to win close games and how to win in front of big crowds, so hopefully next year when we're in close games we are able to do better than a 0% success rate.

Agree but would add that we had a big problem at the MCG until the last 4 weeks.  We fixed that by defending rebounds out of our inside 50, and beat 3 top 8 sides at the G including smashing GWS who arguably have the best outside runners in the league.  Add Lever and I'll be disappointed if we don't finish H&A top or second in 2019 if Max is healthy next year.

[Thehardtackler 785]

Interesting that we are the only team in the AFL not to have a player banned this season. Surely that should be a factor in the Brownlow. We are certainly a fair team. 

Edited September 24, 2018 by Thehardtackler

[Skin Deeamond 339]

40 minutes ago, Thehardtackler said:

Interesting that we are the only team in the AFL not to have a player banned this season. Surely that should be a factor in the Brownlow. We are certainly a fair team. 

Maybe we need some more thugs. Look at the two teams in the Grand Final.