Jump to content

Discussion on recent allegations about the use of illicit drugs in football is forbidden
  • IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

    Posting unsubstantiated rumours on this website is strictly forbidden.

    Demonland has made the difficult decision to not permit this platform to be used to discuss & debate the off-field issues relating to the Melbourne Football Club including matters currently being litigated between the Club & former Board members, board elections, the issue of illicit drugs in footy, the culture at the club & the personal issues & allegations against some of our players & officials ...

    We do not take these issues & this decision lightly & of course we believe that these serious matters affecting the club we love & are so passionate about are worthy of discussion & debate & I wish we could provide a place where these matters can be discussed in a civil & respectful manner.

    However these discussions unfortunately invariably devolve into areas that may be defamatory, libelous, spread unsubstantiated rumours & can effect the mental health of those involved. Even discussion & debate of known facts or media reports can lead to finger pointing, blame & personal attacks.

    The repercussion is that these discussions can open this website, it’s owners & it’s users to legal action & may result in this website being forced to shutdown.

    Our moderating team are all volunteers & cannot moderate the forum 24/7 & as a consequence problematic content that contravenes our rules & standards may go unnoticed for some time before it can be removed.

    We reserve the right to delete posts that offend against our above policy & indeed, to ban posters who are repeat offenders or who breach our code of conduct.

    WE HAVE BUILT A FANTASTIC ONLINE COMMUNITY AT DEMONLAND OVER THE PAST 23 YEARS & WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE CLUB WE LOVE & ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT.

    Thank you for your continued support & understanding. Go Dees.


Key forwards - let's go shopping!


Matsuo Basho

Recommended Posts

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What I wonder about is whether the original plan was to have a whole mix of different sized and style of players in our forward line, giving us continous scope to experiment and mismatch. It was something I remember looking forward to, thinking about how many of them were highly mobile.

In approximate order of total mass of carbon atoms -

Brayden Preuss, Tom McDonald, Tim Smith, Sam Weideman, Joel Smith, Aaron Vandenberg, Mitch Hannan, Christian Petracca,

Bayley Fritsch, Jayden Hunt, Jake Melksham, Alex Neal-Bullen, Jeff Garlett, Jay Lockhart, Charlie Spargo.

 

Mix and match as you like from that, and you can get several different sets that each provide a good combination of lead-up marking, contested marking, all-purporse bullocking, pressure acts and crumbing. That last one, the opportunistic crumbing ans something-from-nothing snaps, actually looks like the weakest link at the moment rather than anything provided by Patton or Brown, for example.

 

As a side note: Hogan at Fremantle is currently delivering about 60% of what he was bringing to Melbourne in his last season with us. This isn't an necessarily an endorsement of the May/KK pick up, but it suggests it was no giant blunder when we chose to move Hogan on.

Anyway, personally I think we're better off looking at the draft this year. We don't want to drift into a situation of having multi-year gaps in elite young talent, and you never know when you'll get your own Selwood or Rioli to  ice the cake at the right moment.

I still think we'll be in very short supply for top-end draft picks for some years to come.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

In approximate order of total mass of carbon atoms -

Brayden Preuss, Tom McDonald, Tim Smith, Sam Weideman, Joel Smith, Aaron Vandenberg, Mitch Hannan, Christian Petracca,

Where is the Hawkins, Lynch, Cameron, Kennedy in that group? 

The clubs with serious flag claims have a legitimate big dog starting in the square. 

Do you want to win a premiership or a repeat of ‘88 and 2000. Must get the pieces of the puzzle right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Matsuo Basho said:

Where is the Hawkins, Lynch, Cameron, Kennedy in that group? 

The clubs with serious flag claims have a legitimate big dog starting in the square. 

Do you want to win a premiership or a repeat of ‘88 and 2000. Must get the pieces of the puzzle right.

Collingwood?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Matsuo Basho said:

Where is the Hawkins, Lynch, Cameron, Kennedy in that group? 

The clubs with serious flag claims have a legitimate big dog starting in the square. 

Do you want to win a premiership or a repeat of ‘88 and 2000. Must get the pieces of the puzzle right.

Lynch who has never played in a final.

Cameron who has kicked a whopping 7 goals in 5 finals.

Hawkins who, going back over his finals career, has kicked 2,1,1,1,2, 5,1,1,2,0, 3,2,2,0,1, 0,2,2,0. Golly. That's four zeros, six ones, seven twos, and a total of two out of nineteen games where he has kicked more than a pair in a final. So he is twice as likely to kick none in a final than kick a signifcant score. You'd think he'd get the hang of it now that he's played almost as many finals as Weideman has had games total. Come to think of it, Weideman actually has a better finals record than Hawkins.

Leaving just Josh Kennedy of your examples, which is a bit like saying 'a midfield will do better if it has a Pendlebury-type player in it, for example, Pendlebury'. No doubt Kennedy is one of the modern greats of the game, and certainly a more accurate kick than the 1.3 (or does Hawkins count as out on the full?)you just dished out.

Meanwhile, Jack Riewoldt is no gorilla, stands at 193cm weighing 92kg, and I don't think Richmond really regret going into the 2017 grand final with him as their only real tall target, what with having 11 separate goalkickers on the day.

Our current forward line is weak and it would be good to have an extra tall, no doubt. But it is also true than an in form Tom McDonald and Sam Weideman can obviously be a potent attacking pair. They would also, oddly enough, be among the tallest (194cm and 195cm) and and heaviest (100kg and 97kg) forward combinations of recent years.

You'll look even more silly about your 'don't repeat 2000' when people remember that the Demons went into the 2000 grand final with David Neitz and David Shwarz, both strongly built and highly effective classic key forwards. And along the way in those finals, in the qualifying final it had been Green, Powell and Bruce who provided most of the goals while the Davids combined for 3, and even in the glorious shootout over North it was Famer (8), Powell (3) and Robertson (3) who led the way.

  • Like 5
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

Our current forward line is weak

Well at least you got that right.

You’re missing half the tale about big dog key forwards. They completely change the complexion of a side, straighten it up, instil confidence in the crumbers and secondary talls around them ... and in the midfield brigade upfield as they set up attacks. The ones with presence do anyway. They bring goals and STRUCTURE. 

Re the 2000 GF - I loved the Ox but he was cooked late in his career and just filling out a jumper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


6 hours ago, Matsuo Basho said:

When you have two key forwards who have combined for a total of 15 goals in their 18 appearances by round 11 ... read those numbers again ... it’s time to start the conversation. 

What’s with this blinkered thinking that you can only address one area of need in an off season? Particularly when you are likely to finish bottom six, a number of avenues open up. There are FA’s, pick swaps, trades - a host of ways you can skin a cat.

I don't think the key forwards are the problem. It's field position and kicking efficiency going inside 50. Furthermore, what about a quality small crumbing forward, we do indeed lack there.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, A F said:

Collingwood haven't won a flag, but you could certainly argue Cox fills this need.

Collingwood are a flag contender this year, which is what I was responding to.

You could also argue that Cox doesn't fill this need for them at all. They have DeGoey, but IMO Cox is far from being a quality key forward

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And here was I thinking we needed less people in our forward line!

I think if our current forwards learnt how to make space for each other they would find their jobs a lot easier.  That and of course kick the damn thing between the big sticks.  Both of these I see as coaching failures and that's where our priorities should be in regards to forward line recruitment, a new forward line coach

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One vital piece in the whole jigsaw puzzle is to determine what really has gone wrong with Tom McDonald this year, and is whatever the problem may be is it remedial?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Matsuo Basho said:

You’re missing half the tale about big dog key forwards. They completely change the complexion of a side, straighten it up, instil confidence in the crumbers and secondary talls around them ... and in the midfield brigade upfield as they set up attacks. The ones with presence do anyway. They bring goals and STRUCTURE.

 

There's no arguing with magic.

Is Harry Potter available as a category B rookie?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, bobby1554 said:

Kelly signed a long term deal with GWS this year

 

2 hours ago, ignition. said:

DAMN! Thanks for popping my bubble ;)

It was only two years, OOC end of 2021. If he wants to extend past that long-term, the offer is there ready to go. But as it stands he’s only contracted until 2021, so not long-term but he has the option to extend his current contract if he wishes. 

Edited by Ethan Tremblay
Link to comment
Share on other sites


14 hours ago, Matsuo Basho said:

I will add that Weideman would benefit immensely from the presence of a new key forward in the team. As would TMac. Both suddenly get heat taken away from them and TMac is released to use his engine as a roaming forward with license to lead as high up as the wing. It's a no brainer.

We can solve BOTH the key forward and small forward issues at this trade/draft period but we might have to get a little creative.

Higher than that. MB.  All the way out to the Defensive Arc.   Essentailly playing as a winger. 

I'd rather Weide Preuss and tsmith starting in the talls spots.  In a way, I see TMc playing like aGoodes.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The AFL app/site has just put a quite a lengthy compilation of all of the best goals of the season thus far. It was kind of shattering to watch goal after goal with every club being represented (Carlton four times ffs) with an inspired moment in front of the goals except for you know who. About three minutes in we get a little glimpse of Preuss snapping his first goal against the Swans to wholesome reactions from commentators and crowd alike...and that’s it. Five friggin’ minutes and one goal from the Dees. It’s this kind of stuff that brings back that old feeling. The forgotten ones. The non-contenders. The....f$&@ing participants of the Melbourne Football Club. 

We need a spearhead. Desperately. 

 

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Moonshadow said:

But for one set shot on goal last year, it would've been that dud Cox.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

Cox is a man mountain who offers far more than his goal returns. 

He is also improving season upon season having not even played the code before. The fact they even made a GF with him underlines his value. He was BOG in the preliminary final!

Edited by Demonland
Edited out personal attack. Poster is on last warning.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, Matsuo Basho said:

Cox is a man mountain who offers far more than his goal returns. 

He is also improving season upon season having not even played the code before. The fact they even made a GF with him underlines his value. He was BOG in the preliminary final!F

How'd he go in the big dance? Wasnt Weid BOG in the final vs Geel last year?

Cox's career average is 9 disp and just over a goal per game

I agree with the concept of structure missing in our forward line. This is more critical than getting Cameron or the like.

Your arguments to sell the farm for a key forward would be better described as the Swiss cheese position.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Your arguments to sell the farm for a key forward would be better described as the Swiss cheese position.

14 goals in 18 games COMBINED from your two “key” forwards by round 11. 

There’s no argument on the need for one. That is totally unacceptable regardless of any mitigating factors. How much lower do you wish to set the bar?

No need to sell the farm for anyone but you do have to get creative and sometimes you do have to give in order to get.

No calculated risk, no reward.

Edited by Matsuo Basho
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Matsuo Basho said:

14 goals in 18 games COMBINED from your two “key” forwards by round 11. 

There’s no argument on the need for one unless you’re being wilfully blind. That is totally unacceptable regardless of any mitigating factors. How much lower do you wish to set the bar?

No need to sell the farm for anyone but you do have to get creative and sometimes you do have to give in order to get.

No calculated risk, no reward.

They are not alone in having a poor season. No one is denying this. By your logic we'd look to replace every player bar Gawn and Salem this year.

We are just starting to get our best team on the park and Weid showed some glimpses last week. It's a team game. Better delivery, less crowding, increased fitness is the key. Talent doesn't just disappear. 

PS. Thanks for the second personal attack in as many replies to me ?

Edited by Moonshadow
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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  

    DEPTH CHARGE by Whispering Jack

    The jubilation on the coach’s face as he danced a celebratory jig by the playing bench after the final siren sounded to record his team’s four-point victory over the Demons when the teams last met, said it all.    On that rainy Friday night at the Adelaide Oval, Ken Hinkley’s young midfield secured much more than four points on offer. The victory over one of the big dogs of the competition after a succession of wins over some of its lesser lights gave his team respect and validation fo

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 5

    TRAINING: Monday 25th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Demon Dynasty & Kev Martin were trackside at Gosch's Paddock today to bring you their observations from training. DEMON DYNASTY'S TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Kade Chandler's left knee heavily strapped. BBB, Spargs & Jake Lever also in rehab group. Jake Bowey solo running separate kicking/sprint/agility drills. Super fine morning / early arvo at Gosch's for the boys to blow out some cobwebs. Choco initially had the light duties / rehab group

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    HIBERNATING by KC from Casey

    When they locked up the rooms for summer at the end of last year’s football season, the rooms gathered cobwebs, the atmosphere became dense and the place developed a sleepy feel. They opened up the rooms to let Casey out to play on Sunday but the team was still hibernating and they missed the bulk of the opening quarter. By the time they worked out it was game on, their opponents from Box Hill had accumulated five goals and, if the game wasn’t over, it might as well have been. For a se

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Casey Articles

    A FORK IN THE HAWK by George on the Outer

    For too long in the past, Demon fans became habitually sick and tired of watching the Hawks hand out thrashings to their side. But Melbourne’s empahtic 55-point win at the MCG on Saturday has truly put a fork in the Hawk and turned that history well and truly on its head. The Demons have now won nine of their last ten encounters with the other result, a draw.     And like a fork, it was the multi-pronged options that Melbourne had all across the ground.  It certainly helped that Hawthorn

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Match Reports 8

    PREGAME: Rd 03 vs Port Adelaide

    The Demons head on the road for the next 2 weeks as they travel to Adelaide to play Port on Saturday and then have a 5 Day break before facing the Crows in the Gather Round. With injuries to May and Lever who comes in and who goes out?

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 262

    PODCAST: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 25th March @ 8:30pm. Join George, Binman & I as we analyse the Demons victory at the MCG against the Hawks in the Round 02. You questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human. Listen & Chat

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 46

    VOTES: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    Last week Steven May took the lead in the Demonland Player of the Year Award from Jack Viney. Clayton Oliver & Max Gawn round out the Top 4. Your votes for the win/loss against/to the Hawks. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 50

    POSTGAME: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demons cruised to an easy 55 point win over the Hawks at the MCG but but paid a heavy toll on the injury front with Steven May & Jake Lever possibly sidelined for a number of weeks.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 357

    GAMEDAY: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    It's Game Day and after mixed results in the first two weeks of the season the Demons have the opportunity to capitalise on their good form last week when they take on the Hawks at the MCG today.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 437
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

  • Podcast 

  • Podcast 

  • Podcast Stream 


    Open Stream in
    New Window
        TuneIn    Opens in New Tab
  • Support Demonland  



  • 2021 Premiership  

  • Social Media 

  • Non MFC Games  

    NON-MFC: Round 03

    Discussion of all the other games that don't involve the Demons in Round 03 ... READ MORE

    Demonland | Round 03

  • Match Preview      

    DEPTH CHARGE by Whispering Jack

    The jubilation on the coach’s face as he danced a celebratory jig by the playing bench after the final siren sounded to record his team’s four-point victory over the Demons when the teams last met, said it all ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 27

  • Latest Podcast      

    PODCAST: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The boys dissected the clinical thrashing of Hawks praising the immense performance of Christian Petracca whilst lamenting the injury toll to our defensive unit ... LISTEN

    Demonland | March 26

  • Training  

    Monday, 25th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Demon Dynasty & Kev Martin were trackside at Gosch's Paddock today to bring you their observations from training ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 25

  • Casey Report      

    HIBERNATING by KC from Casey

    When they locked up the rooms for summer at the end of last year’s football season, the rooms gathered cobwebs, the atmosphere became dense and the place developed a sleepy feel. They opened up the rooms to let Casey out to play on Sunday but the team was still hibernating and they missed the bulk of the opening quarter ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 25

  • PreGame      

    PREGAME: Rd 03 vs Port Adelaide

    The Demons head out on the road for the next 2 weeks as they travel to Adelaide to play Port on Saturday and then have a 5 Day break before facing the Crows in Gather Round. With injuries to May and Lever who comes in and who goes out? ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 28

  • Match Report      

    A FORK IN THE HAWK by George on the Outer

    For too long in the past, Demon fans became habitually sick and tired of watching the Hawks hand out thrashings to their side. But Melbourne’s empahtic 55-point win at the MCG on Saturday has truly put a fork in the Hawk and turned that history well and truly on its head ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Post Game      

    POSTGAME: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demons cruised to an easy 55 point win over the Hawks at the MCG but but paid a heavy toll on the injury front with Steven May & Jake Lever possibly sidelined for a number of weeks ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Votes      

    VOTES: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    Last week Steven May took the lead in the Demonland Player of the Year Award from Jack Viney. Clayton Oliver & Max Gawn round out the Top 4. Your votes for the win/loss against/to the Hawks. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Game Day      

    GAMEDAY: Round 02 vs Hawthorn

    It's Game Day and after mixed results in the first two weeks of the season the Demons have the opportunity to capitalise on their good form last week when they take on the Hawks at the MCG today ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Training  

    Friday, 22nd March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatcher Kev Martin and I attended the Captain's Run at Gosch's Paddock on this lovely sunny morning to bring you the following observations from the training session ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 22

  • Training  

    Tuesday, 19th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Kev Martin & Walking Civil War attended Tuesday morning's training session at Gosch's Paddock to bring you the following observations ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 19

  • Training  

    Saturday, 16th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Kev Martin and Dee Zephyr wandered down to Gosch's Paddock on Saturday morning to bring you their observations from the Captain's Run in the lead up to Sunday's Round One match against the Bulldogs ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 16

  • Farewell  

    Angus Brayshaw Retires

    After 167 games including the drought breaking Premiership Angus Brayshaw has made the heart breaking decision to medically retire from football as a result of a series of serious head knocks over his nearly decade of footy. We wish Gus all the best and he'll always be a hero at Demonland ... READ MORE

    Demonland | February 22

  • Latest Podcast  

    PODCAST: Koltyn Tholstrup Interview

    I interview the Melbourne Football Club’s newest recruit Koltyn Tholstrup to have a chat about his journey from the farm to the Demons, his first few weeks of preseason training, which Dees have impressed him on the track and his aspirations of playing Round 1 ... LISTEN

    Demonland | December 14

  • Latest Podcast  

    PODCAST: Jason Taylor Interview

    I interview the Melbourne Football Club's National Recruitment Manager Jason Taylor to have a chat about our Trade and Draft period, our newest recruits, our recent recruits who have yet to debut as well as those father son prospects on the horizon ... LISTEN

    Demonland | November 27

  • Next Match 

    .

    Round 03

       vs   

    Saturday 30th March 2024
    @ 07:30pm (AO)

  • MFC Forum  

  • Match Previews & Reports  

  • Training Forum  

  • AFLW Forum  

  • 2024 Player Sponsorship

  • Topics

  • Injury List  


      PLAYER INJURY LENGTH
    Jake Lever Knee Test
    Clayton Oliver Hand Test
    Oliver Sestan Concussion Test
    Steven May Ribs 1 Week
    Lachie Hunter Calf 1 Week
    Daniel Turner Hip 2-3 Weeks
    Charlie Spargo Achilles 2-4 Weeks
    Shane McAdam Hamstring 3-5 Weeks
    Jake Bowey Shoulder 7 Weeks
    Jake Melksham ACL 12-14 Weeks
    Joel Smith Suspension TBA

  • Player of the Year  


        PLAYER VOTES
    1 Christian Petracca 27
    2 Steven May 25
    3 Max Gawn 21
    4 Jack Viney 20
    5 Bayley Fritsch 19
    6 Clayton Oliver 18
    7 Christian Salem 12
    8 Blake Howes 11
    9 Jack Billings 10
    9 Alex Neal-Bullen 10

        FULL TABLE
  • Demonland Interviews 



  • Upcoming Events 

×
×
  • Create New...