Jump to content

  • IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

    The Demonland Terms of Service, which you have all recently agreed to, strictly prohibit discussions of ongoing legal matters, whether criminal or civil. Please ensure that all discussions on this forum remain focused solely on on-field & football related topics.


Recommended Posts

Posted
Just now, poita said:

An elite midfield covers all manner of shortcomings in other parts of the ground. If we think Prestia has the potential to be an elite midfielder, then we should be prepared to pay him whatever he wants. The defensive side of our backline is okay, we just need to lessen the amount of entries we concede into defensive 50. The best way to do that is to win more clearances, particularly centre clearances. I want elite midfielders before anything else.

I hear you re the elite midfield. But paying players whatever they want is a recipe for much bigger problems. It just wont let you build a list like Hawthorns or Geelongs.

Posted

I don't use the words "stars' lightly, but Brayshaw and Oliver are going to be stars.  Along with Petracca, Viney, Tyson, Salem, Stretch, Nathan Jones and potentially Hunt, we're reasonably well served for midfielders.

I'm not against any mid who makes us better, but we have more pressing concerns in the back-line.  There's no reason we can't address all needs, but Prestia may well be too expensive when we weigh up all considerations.

  • Like 5
Posted (edited)
8 hours ago, ProDee said:

I don't use the words "stars' lightly, but Brayshaw and Oliver are going to be stars.  Along with Petracca, Viney, Tyson, Salem, Stretch, Nathan Jones and potentially Hunt, we're reasonably well served for midfielders.

I'm not against any mid who makes us better, but we have more pressing concerns in the back-line.  There's no reason we can't address all needs, but Prestia may well be too expensive when we weigh up all considerations.

The better our midfield becomes should result in hopefully putting less pressure on our back line Prodee

Edited by DemonOX
Posted
12 minutes ago, DemonOX said:

The better our midfield becomes should result in hopefully putting less pressure on our back line Prodee

Sure, but any premiership defence has players the quality of Taylor, Enright, Scarlett, Milburn, Lake, Birchall, Burgoyne, etc.  Whether it's Ayres, Mew, Southby, Doull, Dench, Leppitsch, Chris Johnson, etc, great teams over the journey have the Silvagni type quality players of this world shoring up defence.

If you ever want to see a flag pray for a better defence (or should that be deeeeeefence).

  • Like 3
Posted
22 minutes ago, ProDee said:

Sure, but any premiership defence has players the quality of Taylor, Enright, Scarlett, Milburn, Lake, Birchall, Burgoyne, etc.  Whether it's Ayres, Mew, Southby, Doull, Dench, Leppitsch, Chris Johnson, etc, great teams over the journey have the Silvagni type quality players of this world shoring up defence.

If you ever want to see a flag pray for a better defence (or should that be deeeeeefence).

An excellent point.

Posted
27 minutes ago, ProDee said:

Sure, but any premiership defence has players the quality of Taylor, Enright, Scarlett, Milburn, Lake, Birchall, Burgoyne, etc.  Whether it's Ayres, Mew, Southby, Doull, Dench, Leppitsch, Chris Johnson, etc, great teams over the journey have the Silvagni type quality players of this world shoring up defence.

If you ever want to see a flag pray for a better defence (or should that be deeeeeefence).

etc would surely include my favorite defender ever, in Glenn Archer. How we would love a player like that now.

Who were the Swans elite defenders when they won their 2005 flag?

B: 28 Jared Crouch 21 Leo Barry 30 Lewis Roberts-Thomson
HB: 4 Ben Mathews 6 Craig Bolton 17 Tadhg Kennelly

Thats hardly elite. Shows the old "champion team" thingy is sometimes real hey?

  • Like 1
Posted

We are becoming much more of a destination club. Remember seeing an article saying that us and Dogs are the new Victorian destination clubs and it's no longer Collingwood and Richmond. We don't need to overpay players to get talent 

Posted
12 minutes ago, DemonLad5 said:

We are becoming much more of a destination club. Remember seeing an article saying that us and Dogs are the new Victorian destination clubs and it's no longer Collingwood and Richmond. We don't need to overpay players to get talent 

I thought it was Hawks and Cats.  Hmmm, think it still is Hawks and Cats.

Hate to say it we haven't achieved anything, yet. 

Heaps of potential; more than most but no runs on the board.  Yep, Hawks and Cats are still the Vic destination clubs.

  • Like 2
Posted

I'm imagining the club is throwing everything it has at landing Hurley. If we want to compete in this competition beyond 5 or 6 then we need a Hurley type holding up our defence.

  • Like 2
Posted
1 hour ago, faultydet said:

Who were the Swans elite defenders when they won their 2005 flag?

B: 28 Jared Crouch 21 Leo Barry 30 Lewis Roberts-Thomson
HB: 4 Ben Mathews 6 Craig Bolton 17 Tadhg Kennelly

Thats hardly elite. Shows the old "champion team" thingy is sometimes real hey?

A considerably undersized defence, which makes them even more impressive as a collective.

Leo Barry was an AA full-back/defender in 04 and 05 

Craig Bolton an AA in 06.

Fair to say both of those blokes at the top of their game were elite defenders.

  • Like 1
Posted
2 hours ago, faultydet said:

etc would surely include my favorite defender ever, in Glenn Archer. How we would love a player like that now.

Who were the Swans elite defenders when they won their 2005 flag?

B: 28 Jared Crouch 21 Leo Barry 30 Lewis Roberts-Thomson
HB: 4 Ben Mathews 6 Craig Bolton 17 Tadhg Kennelly

Thats hardly elite. Shows the old "champion team" thingy is sometimes real hey?

The 2005 premiership team was an anomaly on many levels, including having a terrible average spread of gosl-kickers.  They ranked second last.  Every other premiership team over the last fifteen years has ranked first or second. 

I wouldn't use this team or its achievements as a yardstick for anything.  Classic Roos.

Posted (edited)
17 hours ago, ProDee said:

The 2005 premiership team was an anomaly on many levels, including having a terrible average spread of gosl-kickers.  They ranked second last.  Every other premiership team over the last fifteen years has ranked first or second. 

I wouldn't use this team or its achievements as a yardstick for anything.  Classic Roos.

I don't think that's true - take out the recent Hawthorn and Geelong flags and there's not to many "Silvagnis" in there:

2012:

Sydney
B: 2 Rhyce Shaw 25 Ted Richards 29 Martin Mattner
HB: 34 Alex Johnson 39 Heath Grundy 40 Nick Smith

2010:

Collingwood
B: 5 Nick Maxwell (c) 16 Nathan Brown 34 Alan Toovey
HB: 8 Harry O'Brien 20 Ben Reid 39 Heath Shaw

2008:

Hawthorn[12]
B: 27 Stephen Gilham 24 Trent Croad 18 Brent Guerra
HB: 14 Grant Birchall 15 Luke Hodge 4 Rick Ladson

2006:

West Coast

Backs Beau Waters Darren Glass Daniel Chick  
Half-backs Adam Selwood Adam Hunter

Brett Jones

2005: Sydney

 

B:28 Jared Crouch21 Leo Barry30 Lewis Roberts-Thomson

HB:4 Ben Mathews6 Craig Bolton17 Tadhg Kennelly

2004:

Port Adelaide
B: 21 Michael Wilson 2 Darryl Wakelin 19 Matthew Bishop
HB: 11 Damien Hardwick 35 Chad Cornes 3 Brett Montgomery
Edited by Fifty-5
  • Like 2
Posted
2 hours ago, Fifty-5 said:

I don't think that's true - take out the recent Hawthorn and Geelong flags and there's not to many "Silvagnis" in there:

2012:

Sydney
B: 2 Rhyce Shaw 25 Ted Richards 29 Martin Mattner
HB: 34 Alex Johnson 39 Heath Grundy 40 Nick Smith

2010:

Collingwood
B: 5 Nick Maxwell (c) 16 Nathan Brown 34 Alan Toovey
HB: 8 Harry O'Brien 20 Ben Reid 39 Heath Shaw

2008:

Hawthorn[12]
B: 27 Stephen Gilham 24 Trent Croad 18 Brent Guerra
HB: 14 Grant Birchall 15 Luke Hodge 4 Rick Ladson

2006:

West Coast

Backs Beau Waters Darren Glass Daniel Chick  
Half-backs Adam Selwood Adam Hunter

Brett Jones

2005: Sydney

 

B:28 Jared Crouch21 Leo Barry30 Lewis Roberts-Thomson

HB:4 Ben Mathews6 Craig Bolton17 Tadhg Kennelly

2004:

Port Adelaide
B: 21 Michael Wilson 2 Darryl Wakelin 19 Matthew Bishop
HB: 11 Damien Hardwick 35 Chad Cornes 3 Brett Montgomery

The game is also clearly going this way. It's about team defence as much as it is one-on-one defence. Your defensive systems and team play will win you flags.

Posted

I get the feeling that one way or another we know exactly where we are with Prestia, and that it was worked out a while ago, so we just don't need to make any noise.

It may be that we've said no, or it may be that we've got him in the bag. Or more likely, we've put him an offer and he'll come back to us if he gets another offer that he's prepared to consider. He seems to be playing as if the matter's resolved, one way or another.

Whatever has been decided, we have no need to play this out in the media. So we won't hear anything from the club until the denouement.

  • Like 5
Posted
Quote

I'd just like to say the formatting in this thread has become first rate. Well done chaps!

haha, cut and paste from Wiki. All the formatting was done for us.......

  • Like 1
Posted

52 pages and he hasn't even said his leaving GC yet. Can this thread beat the almighty Paddy Dangerfield thead.

Posted
20 hours ago, Fifty-5 said:

I don't think that's true - take out the recent Hawthorn and Geelong flags and there's not to many "Silvagnis" in there:

2012:

Sydney
B: 2 Rhyce Shaw 25 Ted Richards 29 Martin Mattner
HB: 34 Alex Johnson 39 Heath Grundy 40 Nick Smith

2010:

Collingwood
B: 5 Nick Maxwell (c) 16 Nathan Brown 34 Alan Toovey
HB: 8 Harry O'Brien 20 Ben Reid 39 Heath Shaw

2008:

Hawthorn[12]
B: 27 Stephen Gilham 24 Trent Croad 18 Brent Guerra
HB: 14 Grant Birchall 15 Luke Hodge 4 Rick Ladson

2006:

West Coast

Backs Beau Waters Darren Glass Daniel Chick  
Half-backs Adam Selwood Adam Hunter

Brett Jones

2005: Sydney

 

B:28 Jared Crouch21 Leo Barry30 Lewis Roberts-Thomson

HB:4 Ben Mathews6 Craig Bolton17 Tadhg Kennelly

2004:

Port Adelaide
B: 21 Michael Wilson 2 Darryl Wakelin 19 Matthew Bishop
HB: 11 Damien Hardwick 35 Chad Cornes 3 Brett Montgomery

What isn't true ?  The average spread of goal-kickers ?  

There's no doubt the game has evolved and that teams play a zone defence these days, which lessens the focus on individuals, but quality key defenders will always be in vogue. 

Running half-backs are now as important as any players in the game, which want the case years ago, so it's very difficult to look back and run a critical eye over the defences of teams from didn't eras. 

Maxwell was no star, but when he was at his best there was no better zoning defender/intercept mark in the game.  And they were and still are crucial traits. 

There aren't many gun key talls these days, but if we can get a tough rebounder like Hibberd it would be a great get. 

Posted (edited)
On 7 July 2016 at 7:50 PM, ProDee said:

Sure, but any premiership defence has players the quality of Taylor, Enright, Scarlett, Milburn, Lake, Birchall, Burgoyne, etc.  Whether it's Ayres, Mew, Southby, Doull, Dench, Leppitsch, Chris Johnson, etc, great teams over the journey have the Silvagni type quality players of this world shoring up defence.

If you ever want to see a flag pray for a better defence (or should that be deeeeeefence).

That's what isn't true.  Few of those defences have champs in them.  It's the exception.

you said that Sydney's 2005 workman defence was the exception, but it's not.

Edited by Fifty-5
  • Like 2
Posted
2 hours ago, Fifty-5 said:

That's what isn't true.  Few of those defences have champs in them.  It's the exception.

you said that Sydney's 2005 workman defence was the exception, but it's not.

OK, I didn't read back over the post you responded to (if you'd quoted correctly...)

Fair enough.  Not all premiership teams have champion players, just good ones. 

And better ones than we presently have. 

  • Like 3
Posted
8 minutes ago, ProDee said:

OK, I didn't read back over the post you responded to (if you'd quoted correctly...)

Fair enough.  Not all premiership teams have champion players, just good ones. 

And better ones than we presently have

Cant argue with that, but at least it appears we are pulling out all stops to change it. That makes me happy. 

:)

 

Posted

I would say the midfield is the most important part of building a premiership side.

Look at the last 10 Premiers, I think they all have at least 4 A grade mids.

Hawks: Mitchell, Lewis, Hodge & Smith (probably B+)

Swans: Kennedy, Jack, Hannebery & Parker

Cats: Selwood, Bartel, Corey, Ling, Ablett Jnr & Kelly (probably the best midfield of the last 10 years)

  • Like 2
Posted
1 minute ago, Is Dom Is Good said:

I would say the midfield is the most important part of building a premiership side.

Look at the last 10 Premiers, I think they all have at least 4 A grade mids.

Hawks: Mitchell, Lewis, Hodge & Smith (probably B+)

Swans: Kennedy, Jack, Hannebery & Parker

Cats: Selwood, Bartel, Corey, Ling, Ablett Jnr & Kelly (probably the best midfield of the last 10 years)

I would put it down to maybe 3 A graders. Smith is probably B+, Parker was the sub when Sydney won it, and Geelongs midfield, I mean, well..

Posted
2 minutes ago, Is Dom Is Good said:

I would say the midfield is the most important part of building a premiership side.

Look at the last 10 Premiers, I think they all have at least 4 A grade mids.

Hawks: Mitchell, Lewis, Hodge & Smith (probably B+)

Swans: Kennedy, Jack, Hannebery & Parker

Cats: Selwood, Bartel, Corey, Ling, Ablett Jnr & Kelly (probably the best midfield of the last 10 years)

And ours would be Viney, Prestia, Tyson and maybe Oliver, Brayshaw and Petracca? 

Completely agree btw.

Posted
On 9 July 2016 at 8:42 AM, olisik said:

52 pages and he hasn't even said his leaving GC yet. Can this thread beat the almighty Paddy Dangerfield thead.

If we're offering half as much as we offered PD (1.5m?) then it deserves a 100 pages.

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  

    TRAINING: Monday 17th February 2025

    Demonland Trackwatchers were on hand at Monday morning's preseason training at Gosch's Paddock to bring you their brief observations of the session. HARVEY WALLBANGER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Gentle flush session at Gosch's this morning. Absent: May, Pickett (All Stars) McVee, McAdam. Rehabbing: Great to see Kentfield back (much slimmer), walking with Tholstrup, TMac (suspect just a management thing), Viney (still being cautious with that rib cartilage?), Melksham (

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    MATCH SIM: Friday 14th February 2025

    A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers made their way out to Casey Field's for the Melbourne Football Club's Family Series day to bring you their observations on the Match Simulation. HARVEY WALLBANGER'S MATCH SIMULATION OBSERVATIONS Absent: May, Pickett (All Stars), McVee, Windor, Kentfield, Mentha Present but not playing: Petracca, Viney, Spargo, Tholstrup, Melksham Starting Blue 18 (+ just 2 interchange): B: Petty, TMac, Lever, Howes, Bowey Salem M: Gawn, Oliver, La

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Wednesday 12th February 2025

    Demonland Trackwatchers braved the scorching morning heat to bring you the following observations of Wednesday's preseason training session from Gosch's Paddock. HARVEY WALLBANGER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Absent: Salem, Windsor (word is a foot rash going around), Viney, Bowey and Kentfield Train ons: Roy George, no Culley today. Firstly the bad news - McVee went down late, which does look like a bad hammy - towards the end of match sim, as he kicked the ball. Had to

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    MATCH SIM: Friday 7th February 2025

    Demonland Trackwatcher Gator ventured down the freeway to bring you his observations from Friday morning's Match Simulation out at Casey Fields. Rehab: Jake Lever and Charlie Spargo running laps.  Lever was running short distances at a fast click as well as having kick to kick with a trainer. He seems unimpeded. Christian Petracca, Kade Chandler, Shane McAdam and Tom Fullarton doing non-contact kicking and handball drills on the adjacent oval.  All moving freely at pace.  I didn’

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 2

    TRAINING: Wednesday 5th February 2025

    Demonland Trackwatchers were out in force as the Demons returned to Gosch's Paddock for preseason training on Wednesday morning. GHOSTWRITER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Kozzie a no show. Tommy Sparrow was here last week in civvies and wearing sunnies. He didn’t train. Today he’s training but he’s wearing goggles so he’s likely got an eye injury. There’s a drill where Selwyn literally lies on top of Tracc, a trainer dribbles the ball towards them and Tracc has to g

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS: 2024

    Whichever way you look at it, the Melbourne Football Club’s 2024 season can only be characterized as the year of its fall from grace. Whispering Jack looks back at the season from hell that was. After its 2021 benchmark premiership triumph, the men’s team still managed top four finishes in the next two seasons but straight sets finals losses consigned them to sixth place in both years. The big fall came in 2024 with a collapse into the bottom six and a 14th placing. At Casey, the 2022 VFL p

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Special Features

    MATCH SIM: Friday 31st January 2025

    Veteran Demonland Trackwatcher Picket Fence ventured down to Casey Fields to bring you his observations from Friday's Match Simulation. Greetings Demonlanders, beautiful Day at training and the boys were hard at it, here is my report. NO SHOWS: Luker Kentfield (recovering from pneumonia in WA), also not sure I noticed Melky (Hamstring) or Will Verrall?? MODIFIED DUTIES (No Contact): Sparrow, McVee (foot), Tracc (ribs), Chandler, (AC Joint), Fullarton Noticeable events (I’ll s

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 2

    TRAINING: Wednesday 29th January 2025

    A number of Demonland Trackwatchers swooped on Gosch's Paddock to bring you their observations from this morning's Preseason Training Session. DEMON JACK'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Beautiful morning at Gosch's Paddock. Very healthy crowd so far.  REHAB: Fullerton, Spargo, Tholstrup, McVee Viney running laps. EDIT: JV looks to be back with the main group. Trac, Sparrow, Chandler and Verrell also training away from the main group. Currently kicking to each other ins

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 1

    TRAINING: Wednesday 22nd January 2025

    Demonland Trackwatchers were out in force for training at Gosch's Paddock on Wednesday morning for the MFC's School Holidays Open Training Session. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS REHAB: TMac, Chandler, McVee, Tholstrup, Brown, Spargo Brown might have passed his fitness test as he’s back out with the main group.  Sparrow not present. Kozzy not present either.  Mini Rehab group has broken off from the match sim (contact) group: Max, Trac, Lever, Fullarton

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

×
×
  • Create New...