Should auld acquaintance be forgot. Farewell Demonland and thanks for the memories

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 380]

Dear Demonland,

I am not a regular poster but I have been religiously reading Demonland for several years now.

However, after watching (most of) the match against Essendon I’ve decided it is time to bid farewell to Demonland and take a break from watching football indefinitely. I have lost the enjoyment of following the game and club I have loved for the last 27 odd years.

The performance of our players against a club I despise so much (ever since their dirty tactics against our young players in the 2000 grand final) was nothing short of soul destroying. Of course there have been worse defeats than that of late, but after all the positivity around the club during the pre-season it is so deflating and incomprehensible to see the team play with so little spirit and coherency.

But that’s not the only reason. The state of the game and the management of the league has becoming a complete farce with the constant rule changes, draft manipulations, and unequal fixturing, not to mention the appallingly inconsistent decision-making of the AFL governing body. Watching clubs like Hawthorn, Geelong and Sydney consistently being able to top up their lists without dropping from contention is a complete farce and against the spirit of the game as far as I am concerned.

But before I sign off I wanted to say a big thank you to all those that contribute to this forum.

I have greatly enjoyed the incredible amount of passion and insightful input provided by the majority of posters. As someone who has been living overseas the last few years with limited opportunities to see the Dees play on the hallowed turf of the MCG I have found the forum to be a great resource. Particularly, the training reports which help keep the fires burning during the off season.

I hope you all continue to keep the passion going and I hope the club will (eventually) turn things around and become a finals team once again.

Ascobar

P.S. Shout outs to my favourite posters in Whispering Jack, Steve the Man, and Saty plus all the moderators and administrators for keeping the forum afloat.

[Ethan Tremblay 28,423]

Despite all of the above reasons (which I can't disagree with), if we won today you would have stayed on.

All the best Billy Ocean.

Edited April 2, 2016 by Ethan Tremblay

[Juicebox 620]

God that was hard to read. Only because I completely get where you're coming from

[Little Goffy 12,595]

Full respect to the decision. I've been right along the edge a few times of exactly the same 'indefinite break' for exactly the same reasons.

If the club ever truly turns its culture around, I'll be delighted to see your 'I'm back' message. I don't think anyone would question your loyalty and earnestness.

But yeah, as they say, you can't stay forever with someone who keeps hurting you, promising to change, and hurting you again.

[Buzzy 932]

I wouldn't go quite as far as you - but my faith has certainly been rocked in a big way after today.  I stopped reading training reports a couple of years back because the only thing I can trust in are results.

This kills my vibe for football as a whole.  Then watching teams like Gold Coast and the Bulldogs play so well today with SPEED and SKILL .. I feel like we have so very little of that in our team that we can't possibly turn things around in a meaningful, sustained way.  

 

[biggestred 4,313]

I cant disagree with you.

Nothing changes.

Same top 4 teams

Same bottom 8 teams

The only thing that happens is that everything becomes more and more soulless. 

[DemonMat 1]

On the bandwagon.  It is getting so hard to keep going back to the well of a new fresh hope, all the preseason goodwill looked lost by the second quarter last week and it was a 10 minute effort in last quarter to fall over the line and they took the same lazy pathetic attitude into todays game against half and AFL side.  I dont think I can keep doing it or subject my kids to it...  So much the case I put a seperation clip together

https://youtu.be/ocGl3KB6T-Q

I will always have love and affection for the club but I think the passion will be focused elsewhere

 

[Soidee 1,496]

Today was without doubt crushing for the supporters who place so much of their heart and soul into this club.  

To lose to such a undermanned team in these circumstances with our strongest team is soul destroying.

I deeply feel for every single supporter of this club who deserve much better for loyalty and patience.

Ascobar - you speak with sense and I fully understand your position.  Peter Jackson must be wondering what the hell can be done to get into the heads of the playing group.

 

[Canplay 573]

everyone needs to grow a pair and man up.   Stick fat -  you can't choose to get off this ride once you are on.  So remember things in footy are never as good as they seem and never as bad as they seem.

dees by 21 points next week.

[bandicoot 1,395]

4 hours ago, biggestred said:

I cant disagree with you.

Nothing changes.

Same top 4 teams

Same bottom 8 teams

The only thing that happens is that everything becomes more and more soulless. 

Hawthorn, swans and geelong have been on top through good recruiting, coaching and superior game plan. Nothing to do with the AFL. Melbourne would have been in the same position if it had its house in order

[juzzk1d 1,354]

See you next week

[special robert 438]

I am quite old and the chances that I will die before the club is on top of the ladder again is very high. I can't make up my mind whether it is better to cling to life in the hope it will happen and I will see it, or better to give up reasonably soon, like before the next game down at Geelong, and avoid further pain. I mean if there is a hell then can it much worse than life on earth devoted to the worship of the demons?

[Gorgoroth 12,325]

I feel similar, I live in the country and my Dad lived on the other side of Victoria so I would catch up with him at the games. Unfortunately Dad passed away in December and the long trip in to watch repeated garbage has worn me down. 

I truly think this year will be my last as a full member with reserved seat, think I'll get a country membership next year.

I travel four hours a day for work so wasting a whole Saturday is no longer high in my list,

it's taken 10 years but this club has finally broken us supporters in so many ways, I truly wish I could not care.

[Wells 11 4,756]

 I think just when we were on the threshold of being at least an ok side again the change in interchange numbers has altered the game. Roosy is old school defensive and thats not a good look in 2016. theres now 2 things that have happened 1. the players  look a little too big and not aerobic enough and 2.  the game plan looks inadequate....again. Freo are suffering also. Lyon and Roosy were the masters of defense.  I just had that sickening feeling that it wasnt just a "bad loss" but a sign we were on the wrong side of history. It wasnt a massive loss points wise but my footy depression meter has gone  off the scales. 

[Adzman 2,085]

I can't change clubs, because I despise them all. I'm stuck with the Dees like some kind of misfortune STD. I would love someone to get rid of my love for the club but it is with me for life whether I want it or not.

Farewell Ascobar, I envy you being able to walk away. I simply can't do it even though I want to.

[Radar Detector 1,339]

I feel like a battered wife. I keep getting hurt but for some reason I can't leave. This relationship has been toxic to my health for a decade.

[Nasher 33,053]

1 hour ago, special robert said:

I am quite old and the chances that I will die before the club is on top of the ladder again is very high. I can't make up my mind whether it is better to cling to life in the hope it will happen and I will see it, or better to give up reasonably soon, like before the next game down at Geelong, and avoid further pain. I mean if there is a hell then can it much worse than life on earth devoted to the worship of the demons?

Me too, special. At 32 I'm just not sure I have the years left.

 

[John Crow Batty 8,255]

After the loss against the Bulldogs last season I took a couple months break from here due to the disappointment of our players effort.  Somehow I think nothing will change no matter what talent comes in. My biggest peeve is the chronic  pissweak big headed attitude that causes us to lose games like this. Clearly it still lurks at the club. If the coaches can't eradicate it, they should be the first to go. 

Edited April 2, 2016 by america de cali

[jumbo returns 6,488]

What the hell?

Bummers had a march of support yesterday and they have 50k plus members, DESPITE all their problems.....

This club needs members and supporters and you're walking? 

Ffs.

[Tnc dee 15]

2 hours ago, Canplay said:

everyone needs to grow a pair and man up.   Stick fat -  you can't choose to get off this ride once you are on.  So remember things in footy are never as good as they seem and never as bad as they seem.

dees by 21 points next week.

Brush it aside it's a bad loss and yesterday i had fifty texts from bummer supporters I was ready to walk away from the game and the club I love but today's a new day lm over this week and hope that the players get a rocket up them and we finally beat north

[Bitter but optimistic 21,278]

7 hours ago, Little Goffy said:

Full respect to the decision. I've been right along the edge a few times of exactly the same 'indefinite break' for exactly the same reasons.

If the club ever truly turns its culture around, I'll be delighted to see your 'I'm back' message. I don't think anyone would question your loyalty and earnestness.

But yeah, as they say, you can't stay forever with someone who keeps hurting you, promising to change, and hurting you again.

My squeeze has stuck by me pretty well.

[praha 10,282]

17 minutes ago, jumbo returns said:

What the hell?

Bummers had a march of support yesterday and they have 50k plus members, DESPITE all their problems.....

This club needs members and supporters and you're walking? 

Ffs.

Different situation. I think Bombers supporters aren't surprised by yesterday's effort. On Bomber Blitz you see posts like,  "I love this club", and, "Is anyone surprised? This club is amazing!"

I don't think this club has really done anything proud or even resembling respectful aside from a few surprising wins, like the Geelong game last year, which was an anomaly.

It is a miracle we have almost 40,000 members and get more people to our games than the likes of North and the Saints, who have both had high years recently.

There is no fanbase in the league owed more than Melbourne supporters. Essendon supporters have it easy even with all the [censored] that's gone on.

 

[mo64 5,209]

Ascobar, maybe your problem is that your expectations are based around training reports and match summations from supporters on this forum who wear blinkers. Or maybe you just like to read all the positive things that posters write about the players, and ignore reality.

Blaming the "state of the game of the game" is a cop out.  Your anger should be solely directed at the coach and the players. Actually, also direct your anger at the forum posters who write crap about how good we are, and have falsely set your level of expectation.

 

[jumbo returns 6,488]

17 minutes ago, praha said:

Different situation. I think Bombers supporters aren't surprised by yesterday's effort. On Bomber Blitz you see posts like,  "I love this club", and, "Is anyone surprised? This club is amazing!"

I don't think this club has really done anything proud or even resembling respectful aside from a few surprising wins, like the Geelong game last year, which was an anomaly.

It is a miracle we have almost 40,000 members and get more people to our games than the likes of North and the Saints, who have both had high years recently.

There is no fanbase in the league owed more than Melbourne supporters. Essendon supporters have it easy even with all the [censored] that's gone on.

 

Not different at all.

I'm talking about staying loyal and supporting the best way one can.

Walking away is not a solution......but, whatever....

[Undeeterred 2,864]

1 hour ago, Wells 11 said:

 I think just when we were on the threshold of being at least an ok side again the change in interchange numbers has altered the game. Roosy is old school defensive and thats not a good look in 2016. theres now 2 things that have happened 1. the players  look a little too big and not aerobic enough and 2.  the game plan looks inadequate....again. Freo are suffering also. Lyon and Roosy were the masters of defense.  I just had that sickening feeling that it wasnt just a "bad loss" but a sign we were on the wrong side of history. It wasnt a massive loss points wise but my footy depression meter has gone  off the scales. 

This is the first time someone has actually said this, and you're absolutely right. We just have no vision as a club and are always five years behind everyone else.