3 minutes ago, Kent said:

He was no where near him at the forward stoppages 

Needs to learn the craft

Agreed.

Perhaps let’s let him do that in the pre season rather than a prelim, is my thinking

35 minutes ago, Undeeterred said:

To be fair that doesn’t make it correct

Yeah I think we’ve covered this mate. 

2 minutes ago, Nasher said:

Putting our most valuable assets out of harm’s way for sure. Imagine if Clarry did a knee in the last minute, Josh Bruce style, when the result was already settled.

Rumour has it that it was meant to be Jake Lever that came off, but old Rick didn’t know where the bench was so Maysie had to come off instead.

100%. With 5 minutes left I was just counting down the clock telling players to not go in too hard. 
A last minute injury would have ruined the entire game. 
Smart move to protect our best and most important players. We know May has had soreness. We know Gawn and Clarry get smashed every week and Clarry copped a big hit during the game. It was the right thing to do! 

19 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

Anyone have any thoughts on the vibe around choosing to have Gawn, Petracca, Oliver and May on the bench for the last 5 or so minutes?

Resting/Protection?

Proving that the team can perform without them?

Revelling in watching the lads?

An AA bench. 

But smart of goody. May didn't like it but its a back handed compliment to one of our flag keys.

8 minutes ago, Kent said:

He was no where near him at the forward stoppages 

Needs to learn the craft

Kane cornes correctly mentioned this morning that Ports small fowards will trouble us at ground level. I agree and think joel smith isn't yet a lock in defence for this reason. 

I would feel more secure if hunt can come back

Kept the highest scoring most attacking side to five goals after Quartertime

2 minutes ago, Jaded said:

100%. With 5 minutes left I was just counting down the clock telling players to not go in too hard. 
A last minute injury would have ruined the entire game. 
Smart move to protect our best and most important players. We know May has had soreness. We know Gawn and Clarry get smashed every week and Clarry copped a big hit during the game. It was the right thing to do! 

Not so sure about that Jaded, going into a contest half-hearted means you're more likely to come off second-best.

1 hour ago, spalding said:

I’m hoping he gets the chance to repeat the performance of GF day against his best mate.

He, Harmes and Sparrow were the cleanest  I think I have ever seen them. Definitely on a collective basis. And they kept it real simple. 
gives us a lot of options, and depth.

Loved Harmes’ game and Sparrow has gone to a level I didn’t think he had in him.

I know it’s been mentioned but I really enjoyed Sparrow’s game. I thought he was tough and composed - he’s shown signs of not being quiet up to the pace of the game this year, but last night he looked the part. He’s directly competing with Jordon for a spot, in my mind he put his nose in front last night (obviously the MFC already thought he did).

On Jordon, both last week and this week as the unused medical sub, he’s come out as stoked at the end as if he’d played every minute. I love seeing how invested everyone is, even if they’re not on the field at the time.

Was reported before the game that Brisbane were 9 - 0 when Cameron kicks 4 or more goals in a game. Not any more. 

Morning  everyone 😁

How good was that? I did something last night that I haven't done since I was a kid.........I went to bed with my demons shirt on hehe!

12 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

YOU BEAUTY!

We are built to play finals footy and it showed tonight. Their midfield was on top early but Gawn wrestled control back from McInerney and from there we controlled play for most of the match. Had we kicked straight in the second and Brown nailed his third quarter miss we could by that stage have been 10 goals up.

Fitness again coming to the fore I reckon. McStay's injury doesn't impact their ability to run the game out as the sub negates the lack of a rotation, but in the fourth quarter we had all the running.

Our A-graders carried us but some of our lesser lights were stand outs. Langdon's first half was terrific, Rivers was rock solid, Sparrow might have played his best game in his career, and the much-maligned Brayshaw, Harmes and Viney all played great games I thought.

We bullied a full strength dominant clearance midfield and held the highest scoring side in the comp to their second-lowest number of scoring shots and second-lowest score of the year. We kept the king of the fl*gs, Daniher, goalless for the first time this year. And we put up 93 points and 28 scoring shots when everyone says our scoring is our weakness.

Now we get the week off, which is invaluable this year, we avoid Port Adelaide in Adelaide, and we set ourselves up for a shot at the big dance.

Get the [censored] around us!

Well said Titan - makes me emotional just reading it ! Wow what an unbelievable night ! Had to pinch myself when I woke this morning just to see if I was dreaming  !

Anyone able to find stats for average age and average games experience for each of the teams starting 22 playing this week of the finals?

Would be interested to see how we stack up!

This was on bigfoty from a WCE supporter:

"The thing about this Melbourne team is they always seem to find a way to win, even if they appear flat (when they've lost to bottom 10 sides they don't seem to be trying. Even vs the Bulldogs I felt they didn't mind letting that one slip). In games where they've been behind or where it's been close all match they gradually chip away or surge late. Reminiscent of Hawthorn and Richmond during their dynasty and imo shows the mentality of a champion side. It's no guarantee, but makes them very hard to beat. If Geelong can't beat them after being 44 points up in Geelong what kind of psychological effect will that have? Brisbane threw the kitchen sink at them but they held a firm as the rock of Gibraltar. Be amazed if Geelong or Brisbane get past them. Port would have to play an absolute blinder. Sydney were actually their biggest threat imo and they're out."

While 2019 was a horrid year, brought us Jackson, Pickett & Rivers in draft.

Add Spargo, Petty, Jordan, Fritsch, Sparrow, Bowey, just great drafting!

That we are one of the youngest teams and playing so well is just brilliant.

Fantastic win on the back of youth. Primed to win this year and be in the frame for next 5 years.

Terrific win last night, just straighten up kicking, and ten goal win!

Go Demons!

49 minutes ago, Demon17 said:

Kane cornes correctly mentioned this morning that Ports small fowards will trouble us at ground level. I agree and think joel smith isn't yet a lock in defence for this reason. 

I would feel more secure if hunt can come back

CC scoring 5 goals is a warning. Hunt or Hibberd might come back in.

I'm having trouble coming to terms with the fact that we might, just possibly, be good 

I'm simply not used to it.

12 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Didn’t know Mcstay was such a great player.  Commentators and Fagan made lots of excuses.  
 

Dees could have won by 10 goals.  Fair Dinkum 

This is just absolute rot.  Chris Fagan was continually asked about the disruption to the Lions losing McStay had.  He said it did, they took a little while to adjust but he said it didn't cost them the game, we were just too good.  And at the end he went out of his way to say what a good footy team we were.   Compare that with Chris Scott's pratty presser last week where he thought Stanley beat Gawn and Geelong had the better of the game.

Fagan is a terrific coach and person.  Fagan wasn't making any excuses, just answering questions.  Your comment is just off the mark, there wasn't an excuse to be had.

And on that little twerp Mathieson.  Not only should he be cited for charging Gawn he should go for wacking Pickett in the head. Nothing to commend with him, just an awful footballer and player.

Edited August 29, 20214 yr by Baghdad Bob

1 minute ago, Demonised said:

I'm having trouble coming to terms with the fact that we might, just possibly, be good 

I'm simply not used to it.

Let me help:

WE ARE VERY GOOD

51 minutes ago, Nasher said:

I know it’s been mentioned but I really enjoyed Sparrow’s game. I thought he was tough and composed - he’s shown signs of not being quiet up to the pace of the game this year, but last night he looked the part. He’s directly competing with Jordon for a spot, in my mind he put his nose in front last night (obviously the MFC already thought he did).

On Jordon, both last week and this week as the unused medical sub, he’s come out as stoked at the end as if he’d played every minute. I love seeing how invested everyone is, even if they’re not on the field at the time.

Knocked the absolute stuffing out of McCarthy who was grimacing for a bit. It was the perfect hip and shoulder. 

 

I still can't get over how good the kids were last night.

Sparrow, Rivers, Kossie, Jackson, Bowey, Petty etc

Seven players in our starting 22 have played less than 50 games and are all seriously having an impact. 

Take a bow Simon Goodwin 

Never faltered in his belief for this team, to play tough finals type footy and a team that was hard to play against.

The game plan is spot on 

Apart from getting in players to shore up specific weaknesses (May, Lever, Langdon, etc), I think the biggest change I have seen from 2018 is trust.

You always expect that players such as Clarry and Tracc will "do good things" when they get the ball.

But when ANB gets the ball, and you have confidence that he will do the right thing/make the good choice, that's when you know the wheel has turned and we are the real deal as a team. Not just ANB, but he's the poster boy for that turnaround.

Smith's about the only one now where you get the jitters when he's near it. Compare to not that long ago when we had a jitter-studded team.

Great work by the coaching panel, and the players.

WOW how good was that! After the game “A Grand Old Flag” was being sung in the stand, on the escalator and on the bridge leaving the ground. I had Norwood and Crows supporters saying we’re the team they’re following and Port supporters saying we have to beat a team as good as us to win the flag, they looked worried. Off to Perth now, Go Dees.

Edited August 29, 20214 yr by SA_Demon

3 hours ago, Jontee said:

Trac must have heard my sons comment on how inept he had been at times coz he then kicked 2.!!!!!

Please Jontee! Please get your son to comment about every single player in our next (2?) matches.