We have a young team that is very much up and down in it's application levels this year.

We have all been bleating on about wanting them to show strength of mind and willingness to win even when the chips are down.

If I was a coach there right now I would sit everyone down and make them watch an Aussie show what true guts and determination is even when things look hopeless and no one wants to help him.

Tell them to have a good hard look at the intestinal fortitude displayed by Cadel Evans these last few days and if that doesn't inspire them nothing will. That bloke is the toughest sportsman in Australia.

Learn from him Demons and we will be well on our way to glory!

Go Cadel

And

Go the mighty Demons

Cadel showed what happens with experience. He had a mechanical problem and lost a heap of time. But he didn't panic and just patiently took his time back and finished the stronger of the GC contenders. His calmness in a crisis may have won it for him while Voeckler panicked and tried to hold on to AC and AS, and ended up tiring himself out.

There's a lesson in that for everyone. With experience you start to recognise situations and you don't panic. As our players gain experience they will show more composure under pressure and our performances will improve.

For those interested, there is a Tour de France thread here.

For those interested, there is a Tour de France thread here.

I didn't mean it as a TDF thread. But a lesson to our boys about mental strength and the ability to turn things around when all appears lost. Getting to the next contest when you fell like you can run no more. Making that tackle stick when your arms are knackered. Willing yourself on....

That's what premierships are built on!

I'm just pointing it out for those that wish to discuss the tour, as a thread made today has already been moved and merged in the "other sports" forum.

Whenever things haven't gone well this year, the couch potatoes watching the game on TV, rail that its lack of toughness, fortitude etc. It's such a simplistic view of the dynamics of football. Do you know how much our guys do bust their gut for their lazy supporters, its about time you got behind them and supported their effort for their half marathon plus efforts each weekend.

Whenever things haven't gone well this year, the couch potatoes watching the game on TV, rail that its lack of toughness, fortitude etc. It's such a simplistic view of the dynamics of football. Do you know how much our guys do bust their gut for their lazy supporters, its about time you got behind them and supported their effort for their half marathon plus efforts each weekend.

So for those of us who attend the game each week it is different is it? Or are you labelling yourself as a lazy supporter?

Wow Harrison. I think you have shown up your ignorance to this game. You clearly have no idea about the dynamics of football.

The saying that it is all above the shoulders means nothing to you?

They bust their gut. Yes. But they do not do it consistently enough.

When they switch their minds on they are brilliant. When they don't they are horrid.

We have a fantastic ability to play 'burst' football. But we are also one fo the worst teams for conceding 'bursts' of 5 goals or more. Our players don't yet have the requisite mental strength to put a stop to these bursts against us early enough. Why do you think Collingwood and Geelong are so good???

Football hasn't changed. It is all about the ability to get to the next contest, have more desire and fight than your opponent to win it and have the desire and strength to tackle, harrass and pressure when you don't have the ball even if you are knackered.

And that is where the lesson from Cadel is relevant. When you are knackered, you are still prepared to turn yourself inside out to get to the next contest and work for your mate.

Wake up Harrison. My support for the Demons is unequivocal. My ties with the club i'm almost certain are much deeper than yours.

But i do not live in the fairyland some supporters do in thinking that we are a mentally tough football team.

But we can certainly become one....

We have a young team that is very much up and down in it's application levels this year.

We have all been bleating on about wanting them to show strength of mind and willingness to win even when the chips are down.

If I was a coach there right now I would sit everyone down and make them watch an Aussie show what true guts and determination is even when things look hopeless and no one wants to help him.

Tell them to have a good hard look at the intestinal fortitude displayed by Cadel Evans these last few days and if that doesn't inspire them nothing will. That bloke is the toughest sportsman in Australia.

Learn from him Demons and we will be well on our way to glory!

Go Cadel

And

Go the mighty Demons

Well said GS of a G. Tonight is going to be huge.....3 weeks of solid torture and Cadel can still chase down times...What a legend, regardless of the results.

HERE ENDETH THE LESSON........................

Now get out there MFC and play like your life depends on it!!!!!!!