The intangibles that won a flag

[bush demon 2,039]

We were the crowd favourites and sentimental favourites across the board.

[DeeZone 9,712]

6 hours ago, bush demon said:

We were the crowd favourites and sentimental favourites across the board.

Totally agree bush demon on top of all the other thoughts on why we won it, out gritty season captured the imagination of the football world topped of by our come from behind final game and Max’s goal after the siren. It seemed like the greater majority of supporters fell in behind the Demon bandwagon. Watching the Prelim final and Granny in Perth you could easily believe we were playing in front of a massive home crowd and as previously mentioned the conditions were perfect for our brand of footy.!!!

[John Crow Batty 8,862]

I was very impressed by the water carrier trainers during the finals in Perth They did a great job. The studious guy with the glasses, the perky little blond girl and the cheerful stocky guy with the Mohawk hair were memorable in their roles after every goal. They had to work extra hard to provide liquid nourishment because there was a glut of goals.

Edited December 4, 2021 by John Crow Batty

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,805]

7 hours ago, Jontee said:

My Libba voodoo doll.  Came good in the GF.

Not really sure that doll was needed Jontee.  I think we've got Libba's measure.  We have a Harmes and Jack!

...But keep your voodoo magic skills by the ready, just in case we need them.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,805]

8 hours ago, bush demon said:

We were the crowd favourites and sentimental favourites across the board.

Who would have thunk that.  I have a new found respect perhaps even some love for Eagles and Dockers supporters.

Who knows, maybe they are human after all!!

 

[Fritta and Turner 4,361]

19 hours ago, John Crow Batty said:

I was very impressed by the water carrier trainers during the finals in Perth

especially the one who was ecstatic when Selwood was given 50m penalty

[Big Col 1,347]

The great run on Injuries - is that an obvious one?

 

[Big Col 1,347]

18 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Who would have thunk that.  I have a new found respect perhaps even some love for Eagles and Dockers supporters.

Who knows, maybe they are human after all!!

 

When we start winning all the time they won't like us and that will be fine.

I was rather sick of being everyone's 'second' team. If the rest of the AFL supporters don't hate us yet then we've got more to do.

 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,199]

On 12/5/2021 at 12:43 AM, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Who would have thunk that.  I have a new found respect perhaps even some love for Eagles and Dockers supporters.

Who knows, maybe they are human after all!!

 

Dockers are OK, Eagles can GAGF

[Caligula's cohort 1,014]

I think playing at Optus gave us an advantage over Geelong and Bulldogs as we played a prelim their in 2018 and got smashed, so we would of taken a lot of learnings away from that. Not to mention that the players being away from Melbourne and not getting caught up in the fan fare back here allowed the players just to focus on the task at hand. Breaking a 57 year drought in front of 100,000 would of put so much pressure on the players if they were back in Melbourne. Now that the monkey is off their backs I think the players can have that inner confidence to get the job done next year at the MCG without having that burden. 

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,704]

Add character to the list. As far as I know, we don't have any players who get into trouble off-field. That means the club doesn't have to waste its time media-managing tricky issues and, more importantly, the players can trust each other on and off the field.

I'm not going to name bad examples here, but look at how much work other clubs have to put into managing just one troublesome player.

[darkhorse72 1,906]

Biggest non-football factor is on injuries and consistent message from the coaching staff.  The coaching staff have managed to shoot the mindset of the players to a selfless games and how has it changed the team. 

[frankie_d 1,471]

Yze. 

our centre bounce work was extraordinary. Lewis said that Roos taught us defence, Goodwin taught us contest, and Yze taught us patterns and moving from contest to contest. 

i think he’s made a huge  difference

[Redlagged 806]

On 12/4/2021 at 2:33 PM, D4Life said:

Absolutely! In middle Max, Trac, & Oliver - Viney a top 4th! 
FB - May & Lever

HB - Salem

Wings - Langdon & Brayshaw

HF - Fritsch

FF - BB & Pickett

Add Jackson

5 All Australians another 4 in Fritsch, Salem, Langdon & Pickett who could have been picked and after the GF, Jackson would get on the bench!

Most talented Demon team by quite a bit. Then add the youth not mentioned above:

Rivers, Bowey, Petty, Sparrow, Spargo & Jordan!

Depth in 22 - TMac, Harmes, ANB, Hibberd

Future is brilliant!

[Redlagged 806]

1 minute ago, Redlagged said:

On 12/4/2021 at 2:33 PM, D4Life said:

Absolutely! In middle Max, Trac, & Oliver - Viney a top 4th! 
FB - May & Lever

HB - Salem

Wings - Langdon & Brayshaw

HF - Fritsch

FF - BB & Pickett

Add Jackson

5 All Australians another 4 in Fritsch, Salem, Langdon & Pickett who could have been picked and after the GF, Jackson would get on the bench!

Most talented Demon team by quite a bit. Then add the youth not mentioned above:

Rivers, Bowey, Petty, Sparrow, Spargo & Jordan!

Depth in 22 - TMac, Harmes, ANB, Hibberd

Future is brilliant!

ANB...underrated.

[bush demon 2,039]

2021 was the year we inverted the paradigm. 1961 marked the rise of Hawthorn, and the long-term demise of MFC. Percy Cerutty had the Hawks running through the sandhills down at Sorrento whilst the mighty Dees were about to end their long run of consecutive grand finals appearances. Norm Smith had earlier  vented at the admin. no doubt sewing the seeds of our later annus horribilis in 1965. Come 2021 we are connected, we are family and ready to, in Alistair Clarkson's words grab the silverware. Meanwhile the hawks repeat our folly in a messy menage a trois with Jeff, Alistair and Sam. Sorry if I have strayed off topic.

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,363]

On 12/6/2021 at 9:30 AM, Caligula's cohort said:

I think playing at Optus gave us an advantage over Geelong and Bulldogs as we played a prelim their in 2018 and got smashed, so we would of taken a lot of learnings away from that. Not to mention that the players being away from Melbourne and not getting caught up in the fan fare back here allowed the players just to focus on the task at hand. Breaking a 57 year drought in front of 100,000 would of put so much pressure on the players if they were back in Melbourne. Now that the monkey is off their backs I think the players can have that inner confidence to get the job done next year at the MCG without having that burden. 

Defenders - May, Lever, Petty, Rivers

Fwds - Fritsch, Brown Kozi

Then throw in Luke Jackson and Langdon and Sparrow.

No doubt the midfield brigade would of learnt a bit but for me one of the biggest influences in our was Choco.

Edited December 6, 2021 by Bombay Airconditioning

[Deefender 231]

2 hours ago, Redlagged said:

ANB...underrated.

Towards the end of the home and away fixture ANB kicked a goal with a banana and 45 metres out on the boundary line.

It went straight through the centre.

There was no turning back from that great moment. Wonderful.

[Caligula's cohort 1,014]

51 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Defenders - May, Lever, Petty, Rivers

Fwds - Fritsch, Brown Kozi

Then throw in Luke Jackson and Langdon and Sparrow.

No doubt the midfield brigade would of learnt a bit but for me one of the biggest influences in our was Choco.

I see your point however Jones, Jetta, AVB, Fritsch, Hunt, Smith and Weids were all in attendance there at the hubs this year for a month so would of passed on their knowledge and experience. We also had Lever in 2018 but he injured his ACL as we all know but he still travelled to that game and experienced the humiliation of that final in 2018. 

Chocco absolutely played a huge role, and everyone acknowledges that. I'm just providing a different view outside of the general coaches, player maturity, buy-in and selflessness, elite fitness angle that helped with our success. Further to our success i'd say that we are the most adaptable team in the competition. Gawn has mentioned many times in his pressers before games for 2 years now the 'anytime, anywhere' phrase... we have become a very resilient side travelling an hour down to Casey just to do training 3 times a week, then being put in hubs for months on end and actually relishing in it, where as clubs like Richmond and Geelong couldn't handle it because they've had everything handed to them for years on a silver spoon. Melbourne never once complained of the conditions they were forced into. They just got on with it, adapted to their environment the best and the rest is history. In war, those who adapt to their environment the quickest win the battle.