Hawthorn's first half last week was much, much better than our best against Sydney.

On that exposed form I'll be happy with a competitive result.

The day we roll Hawthorn over (perhaps Esserdon) is the day we have turned the corner. I am sick and tied of being slapped up by those b*****s!

i think the Hawks are over rated at the start of each season since their flag. Yes they have alot of quality players, but i dont see them in the same league as Collingwood, Saints, Cats etc. They're more like Carlton, lots of good player but over reliant on their dominant player to be dominant.

Tha being said we're probably in the rung below, but our best is good enough to beat them.

I like our backline and think that we can do a good job in this area (even without frawley). The key is stopping their midfield from being able to deliver it to their fowards lace out. Goodes was dominant early last week, but i feel it was more a case of good delivery than poor defending. Our midfield need to be accountable and must apply alot of pressure on the ball carriers - no easy kicks. If we can do that we can give our backline half a chance.

Perfectly said. The midfield is key. And hopefully Jamar can give us this advantage, as he is our advantage if we can use it well.

The MFC are a serious chance this sunday if the go in with the right attitude-from the first bounce.

We must get off to a good start and/or restrict their scoring.

Hawthorn have treated us with disdain for 30+ years, with our new young list that can be negated, but they must play tight and tackle Hard.

I hope Beamer can play like he did in the final term last week, it reminded me of Mclean during the '06 final.

We need those performances from our senior players.

i think Beamer has really Benefitted from our new Training facilities (The Weight Room particularly)

Big game for Bailey as well, an early win against a rated opponent would be massive for him too.

Expect to win.

I'm not so confident we can win, we really have to hit targets and use the ball smarter more often otherwise we will get smashed. The hawks have more exprerienced mature bodies and if roughy and buddy get there hands on it and kick straight we are in strife. Hope fawley plays if 100% fit! Great test and would love to be wrong. Hawks by 22

The MFC are a serious chance this sunday if the go in with the right attitude-from the first bounce.

We must get off to a good start and/or restrict their scoring.

Hawthorn have treated us with disdain for 30+ years, with our new young list that can be negated, but they must play tight and tackle Hard.

I hope Beamer can play like he did in the final term last week, it reminded me of Mclean during the '06 final.

We need those performances from our senior players.

i think Beamer has really Benefitted from our new Training facilities (The Weight Room particularly)

Big game for Bailey as well, an early win against a rated opponent would be massive for him too.

Expect to win.

Absolutely, can't wait for Sunday.

If Hodge plays, I would expect to see him predominantly in the back half. I think we need Petterd or Dunn as the defensive forward.

No chance whatsoever. Here's the kool-aid.

If you need to be convinced as to why we might have some chance of winning, I'm afraid there's no hope for you.

We are a big chance if we can stay with them until halt time or thereabouts. In most games last round players got tired due to the sub rule. This caused games to open up, which will suit us more than the Hawks. Last year the reason we lost was due to the wet conditions & their bigger bodies. I'm hoping we can negate their clearance & stoppage play which is one of their biggest strengths & try keep the game as open as possible. If we can play the game on our terms & try to exploit their lack of pace as much as possible I think we are a good chance.

I read somewhere it'll be the first time Bruce hits a Melb player on the [censored]. ROFL

When you think about this logically, I can't see us losing.

We are 2 goals better off for Bruce not giving 2 goals away.

And we are another 2 goals better off by Bruce giving us those goals by fact we are playing against him!

Brilliant!

We still haven't stuck it up Kennett for suggesting we go to the Gold Coast, though we have come very close. For that reason, plus the arrogance of the sample of their supporters I've had the misfortune of sitting next to in recent years, I dearly, dearly want to beat the hawks, and I imagine a number of players on our list feel the same. That might give us the extra boost needed to overcome what is probably a better side on paper right now. God I hope so.

Last year we moved up from "absolutely belted" to "honourable loss" against Hawks. Practice match was "honourable loss" too.

If we're going to make progress, Hawthorn is the sort of team where we need to turn "honourable loss" into "close win".

I'm expecting "honourable loss", but there's definitely a good chance that we can do better, if we keep up the last quarter form and kick straighter. Which is certainly not beyond our capabilities.

Current forecast for Sunday: min 12o max 19o, partly cloudy, EVENING SHOWER... hmmm... Bloody twilight games!

And the papers on monday will say "poor attendance at Hawks / Demons game"

It is all about TV we don't matter particularly in the eyes of "7"

What a disgrace they are, almost choked on my coffee this week when I saw Essendon complaining

there Sunday game would be on delay.

So join the club "Bombers" what makes you so special!

Last year we moved up from "absolutely belted" to "honourable loss" against Hawks. Practice match was "honourable loss" too.

If we're going to make progress, Hawthorn is the sort of team where we need to turn "honourable loss" into "close win".

I'm expecting "honourable loss", but there's definitely a good chance that we can do better, if we keep up the last quarter form and kick straighter. Which is certainly not beyond our capabilities.

Akum you are hitting a very raw nerve with me.

There is no such thing as "an honourable Loss"

It is just a loss pure and simple we did not win!

You said it 4 times in four lines.

Get it out of your head. you never hear the coaching staff say those words.

Have you ever heard Leigh Matthews, Mick Malthouse say those words.

Did Ross Lyon say that after the 2009 GF loss.

You are expecting an "honourable Loss" on sunday!

Please as Dees fans we have to get over it do not accept anything less than a win.

Edited March 30, 201114 yr by old dee

Akum you are hitting a very raw nerve with me.

There is no such thing as "an honourable Loss"

It is just a loss pure and simple we did not win!

You said it 4 times in four lines.

Get it out of your head. you never hear the coaching staff say those words.

Have you ever heard Leigh Matthews, Mick Malthouse say those words.

Did Ross Lyon say that after the 2009 GF loss.

You are expecting an "honourable Loss" on sunday!

Please as Dees fans we have to get over it do not accept anything less than a win.

Ugh.

Akum you are hitting a very raw nerve with me.

There is no such thing as "an honourable Loss"

It is just a loss pure and simple we did not win!

You said it 4 times in four lines.

Get it out of your head. you never hear the coaching staff say those words.

Have you ever heard Leigh Matthews, Mick Malthouse say those words.

Did Ross Lyon say that after the 2009 GF loss.

You are expecting an "honourable Loss" on sunday!

Please as Dees fans we have to get over it do not accept anything less than a win.

You didn't notice the quotation marks used by Akum to enclose the words "honourable loss" OD? To paraphrase Wiki, these are commonly used to indicate or call attention to ironic or apologetic words - also used when citing commonly used expressions. So I suggest you maybe stop being so trigger happy.

And as Dees fans, what should we do if we do happen to suffer a loss on Sunday? You were totally unaccepting of a draw last weekend, so what do you suggest if they lose this weekend? Should we be calling for the coaches head? Should we be demanding certain players be stood down until the end of the season when they can be delisted? Should we be gathering somewhere and burning our membership cards? Should we boycott all future games until they start winning? Or should we just all vent and rage and fume on forums like this so that we can add that extra little bit of stress to our lives? Suggestions?

I think you will find that none of us enjoy it when the team loses, but what is to be gained by coming on here and venting? Reminds me of the eunuch in the harem: he's seen it done, he knows how it's done, but he just can't do it himself.

Edited March 30, 201114 yr by hardtack

You didn't notice the quotation marks used by Akum to enclose the words "honourable loss" OD? To paraphrase Wiki, these are commonly used to indicate or call attention to ironic or apologetic words - also used when citing commonly used expressions. So I suggest you maybe stop being so trigger happy.

And as Dees fans, what should we do if we do happen to suffer a loss on Sunday? You were totally unaccepting of a draw last weekend, so what do you suggest if they lose this weekend? Should we be calling for the coaches head? Should we be demanding certain players be stood down until the end of the season when they can be delisted? Should we be gathering somewhere and burning our membership cards? Should we boycott all future games until they start winning? Or should we just all vent and rage and fume on forums like this so that we can add that extra little bit of stress to our lives? Suggestions?

I think you will find that none of us enjoy it when the team loses, but what is to be gained by coming on here and venting? Reminds me of the eunuch in the harem: he's seen it done, he knows how it's done, but he just can't do it himself.

Hardtack we have been down this road before.

No I will not be calling for anyones head.

It is just a mental attitude.

If you go in happy to have a honourable loss then guess what you quite often get one.

I am sure that no one involed with the team ever users those words they probably hate them as much as me and you I guess.

I just want us as a group of supporters to get that idea out of our minds.

You have wins and losses, nothing else.

I am really tired of "honourable Losses" as you have no boudt guessed.

If I have miss judged Akum I am sorry.

However I will never stop complaining about the attitude of "honourable losses"!

Can the effort be good, if the result isn't?

Given the recent dominance the Hawks have had over us in all facets i find it hard to even contemplate beating them at this stage.

We need to drastically improve our fwd line defensive pressure to prevent the ball getting down to their twin towers as easily as it did to Goodes last week.

Can the effort be good, if the result isn't?

Yes anything but " H L "

I even have trouble typing it.

Yes anything but " H L "

I even have trouble typing it.

Well, then it's a semantical argument...

Coz one means the other...

Yes anything but " H L "

I even have trouble typing it.

so a loss is a loss, even if Ricky drops a mark in the goal square and we lose to the premiers?

so a loss is a loss, even if Ricky drops a mark in the goal square and we lose to the premiers?

Apparently...

I think we should all talk tough, but at the end of the day give credit where credit is due.

No chance whatsoever. Here's the kool-aid.

If you need to be convinced as to why we might have some chance of winning, I'm afraid there's no hope for you.

I think we're a small chance Nasher. I'll tip the Hawks by 19 points.

If we play well, there is hope.

I think we'll win. They would have gained much from the last quarter and a half against the Swans. There's a strong rumour that Sewell is out, Burgoyne isn't great defensively, Bateman isn't the player he was, their backline is slow and Hodge will be underdone if he plays.

They've obviously had the wood on us for a long time, but I reckon that the wheel is turning. Half way through the last quarter we were right in it last year and I'm confident we'll win against popular views on Sunday. They rightly go in as favourites.

I tipped Sydney last week.

We had them last time until the rain hit. Our pace was too much for them to handle. If we get a nice clear day I say we have a good shot at knocking them over. A wet slippery game and they'll destroy us with their stronger midfielders in close.