Constantly amazed and impressed by the analysis of many posters on this site. I am not talking about the on-going criticism or opinions of certain players but the comments particularly the post match comments.  The comments take different angles but are normally much more informative and interesting than any media stuff. 

Where are the AFLCA Votes posted?

 

 

Interesting about ground size at Alice. Hadn't realised.

Would have thought they'd 'bring it in' a tad. Thanks @Demon77

  On 01/06/2017 at 02:57, Akum said:

Just as an aside, for some reason we often seem to struggle if there's a strong wind. Even at the most basic level, we don't seem to get that it will drop short kicking into it and go over the back kicking with it.

Even an inexperienced team like the Suns got us on that a number of times in the first half. Someone made a comment that we seemed to come to life when the lights went on; maybe it was more the wind dropping.

I was thinking exactly the same thing. I'd add we struggle in the rain too. I wonder if it is because we are in the early stages of bedding down our game plan under Goody and so it is isn't yet 100% instinctive and until such time as it is it is hard to make the sort in  game adjustments good teams make when the weather throws a curve ball.  

Could it be we simply kick too high ?

  On 02/06/2017 at 02:08, binman said:

I was thinking exactly the same thing. I'd add we struggle in the rain too. I wonder if it is because we are in the early stages of bedding down our game plan under Goody and so it is isn't yet 100% instinctive and until such time as it is it is hard to make the sort in  game adjustments good teams make when the weather throws a curve ball.  

I think this is a massive part of our issues (being inconsistency, challenges of weather, and when the pressure is applied back). Over pretty much the entirety of Roos' time we saw the team get better as aspects of the game from season to season. Last year they showed big glimpses of the whole game plan. This year they have shown this for much of each game but look to be really trying to play a certain way. If you watch the Geelong of old and Hawthorn of the last few years they don't look to be trying, they are just doing what they know they do. I remember Geelong in around 09 used to just blind handball out of congestion and it seemed to land in a team mates lap time and time again, it was unbelievable to watch. 

If we stick to learning this then we will get to this point, and are showing this in parts this year. Once we get to that point then it is automatic and easier to think about slight changes due to weather etc, at the moment I think the brain power is being used trying to play the way we want to and adding in variations is too much at times.

To those who will say they can learn a game plan in one off season, yes you can if you have a solid base to work from. Our team essentially had no game plan or base as it went from all out attack under Bailey, to all out defence under Neeld, with bits of interim coaches in the middle. Even the senior players didn't have a solid base of a game plan to work from when Roos took over, which is why it has taken longer to learn as it isn't just the kids learning from the older players, it is the whole team learning as one, and I think they are just about there!

  On 02/06/2017 at 04:44, Chris said:

I think this is a massive part of our issues (being inconsistency, challenges of weather, and when the pressure is applied back). Over pretty much the entirety of Roos' time we saw the team get better as aspects of the game from season to season. Last year they showed big glimpses of the whole game plan. This year they have shown this for much of each game but look to be really trying to play a certain way. If you watch the Geelong of old and Hawthorn of the last few years they don't look to be trying, they are just doing what they know they do. I remember Geelong in around 09 used to just blind handball out of congestion and it seemed to land in a team mates lap time and time again, it was unbelievable to watch. 

If we stick to learning this then we will get to this point, and are showing this in parts this year. Once we get to that point then it is automatic and easier to think about slight changes due to weather etc, at the moment I think the brain power is being used trying to play the way we want to and adding in variations is too much at times.

To those who will say they can learn a game plan in one off season, yes you can if you have a solid base to work from. Our team essentially had no game plan or base as it went from all out attack under Bailey, to all out defence under Neeld, with bits of interim coaches in the middle. Even the senior players didn't have a solid base of a game plan to work from when Roos took over, which is why it has taken longer to learn as it isn't just the kids learning from the older players, it is the whole team learning as one, and I think they are just about there!

Good post. It absolutely takes time for a game plan to become second nature to a team. We are probably at least a season away form that being the case. Some argue that Bevo got the dogs to that space within a season but i don't think that is true. He was very much building on the model and game plan Macca put in place, with a focus on the so called 'building from the contest out' philosophy, then all spreading super hard. In some ways despite the fact it wasn't a planned transition like Roos to Goodwin their development is very similar to ours (well ours to theirs to be fair). 

ATM, when it does it does 'click' in game it looks automatic and can be devastating. We hold the ball up and then go bang and move it so quickly down the ground. Great to watch and is the reason i think we have been able to peg back 4 or 5 goal leads so often this year as we can score quickly and in bunches, which is critical as the good teams make use of the periods they have momentum.  But then we have periods where it doesn't click and teams can get some easy goals over the top of our press. 

Its amazing actually i was looking at the ladder in the Age and our lowest winning total thus far is 22 and i'm guessing our average winning score is around 30. Which is pretty impressive.At some point we will click early and stay switched on really put a side to the sword.

All that said i think our biggest issue is turnovers. It is an issue we have to sort out. We have too many of the unforced variety (with our manic, flip it around approach a certain level of turnovers are inevitable).

  On 02/06/2017 at 01:54, It's Time said:

Where are the AFLCA Votes posted?

 

 

AFLCA website or AFL.com summary .The AFLCA site can be a nuisance to navigate at times if you are me.

Supermercado's demonblog Every Day is Like Sunday is also a good source for a spot of catharsis after a loss. 

I'm surprised how many people find coaches' post-game press conferences (or any media interviews by coaches) informative. I find with the exception of two coaches, the remainder, whether their team has won or lost, speak either in cliches or without saying anything meaningful, or both. The two exceptions are Chris Scott and Nathan Buckley who I find fascinating precisely because they are forthright and honest (or, at least, appear honest). The worst - by far - is Ross Lyon. The remainder just seem to be treading water.  

Similarly, if I read an article published in the paper, I find that I will read the analysis but just skip over the bits where the paper regurgitates a coach's comments, whether I've heard them already or not. 

  On 02/06/2017 at 02:04, beelzebub said:

Interesting about ground size at Alice. Hadn't realised.

Would have thought they'd 'bring it in' a tad. Thanks @Demon77

I noticed the boundaries were the widest of any ground I have seen so I suspect they do bring them in.

Live to post or post to live? That is the question....

  On 05/06/2017 at 13:29, willmoy said:

Live to post or post to live? That is the question....

Willmoy, I rarely have the faintest idea what you're talking about, and I say that in an affectionate way. Then I see you're from the Daintree, and I begin to 'understand'. You're not Rod Davis perchance are you?

  On 01/06/2017 at 00:56, beelzebub said:

It's interesting , often, reading other's views. When we're say discussing how an appraisal is accurate or relevant it is noteworthy to consider the tactical origin of play and any changes as primary metrics. In so doing i often think it's a trap to consider these as necessary correct i.e.the Coaches default is the true delineator , or ideal "zero" marker in the game.

After all, one he has vestments in the whole shebang so how unbiased can the coach's view be ? 

Secondly, why assume the coach is right ?

Our starts have been in the main diabolical. Then corrections, then improvement. This of itself tells a story and for mine gives sound warning about the what and therefores of review.

Diabolical starts indeed. Sitting back in my Paris hotel this evening - adds an international gloss to a few additions - I decided to quickly check the stats on our quarter by quarter cumulative scores to round 10 this year. They tell the story:

Q1 21.31

Q2 42.27

Q3 44.27

Q4 42.25

  On 05/06/2017 at 14:47, Skuit said:

Willmoy, I rarely have the faintest idea what you're talking about, and I say that in an affectionate way. Then I see you're from the Daintree, and I begin to 'understand'. You're not Rod Davis perchance are you?

Yes Skuit, i understand what you are saying, as posting for me though, a lot of the time, is a mood thing, however i do appreciate the way you are saying it. That said i am from Ashburton (Vic) and am not Rod.

I watch every game live and enjoy that purely from the position of a dyed-in-the-wool, fanatical demons supporter. I might even sometimes post a comment, (usually an emotional one) during a game.   Win, lose or draw, I then a day or so later watch a replay of the game with the sound turned off to try and gain some insights from an analytical perspective.  I will often pause and rewind the replay to study various things that catch my eye. So I tend to rely on my own judgement based on my experience as a long time football fan combined with many, many years of playing and coaching senior level club footy.  I enjoy reading the comments from posters here as we all have different perspectives that are often poles apart but always interesting.  I take little notice of media comment as those guys may watch several, if not all the of matches across a round so they tend to precis their views and generalise rather than analyse.

It is probably ridiculous but I often wonder whether clubs ever read websites such as Demonland to perhaps gain a slightly different viewpoint? Or do they just dismiss us as uninformed, emotional footy fans?  I am not saying that fan websites should be required reading for AFL clubs but among the passionate, angry and reactive commentary, there are some real pearls of wisdom that might just be useful.

 

Where Demonland posters go to get their insights on the MFC . . .

Nasher: ToG% stats on Match Centre.

Saty: the Viney-family garden.

ProDee: bah.

Ethan Tremblay: reruns of Hawaii Five-O.

SWYL: 9/11 footage.

Beezlebub: The scoreboard stupid.

Old Dee: The 1965 VFL season almanac.

Wiseblood: the contraindication info on the back of a Percocet packet.

BBO: subspace

Picket: sheeeit! I am the ORACLE!!!

Stevetheman: the police report from that time Oscar tripped over his cat the clumsy stupid doofus.

Stuie: Stuie’s facebook page.

Clint Bizkit: personal stopwatch splits for players getting behind their mark.

hemingway: whisky and soda.

Puntkick: whisky and rum.

AF: Dom Tyson.