Jump to content

Featured Replies

1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

But that is not encroaching the mark. It is ridiculous 

Players moving backwards should probably be allowed,  but the stand rule has helped a lot with easing congestion.

 
8 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

Agree it is the worst rule to be implemented in many a year. Farcical and a blight on the game.

There's some stiff competition. What about the ruck nomination rule? The "insufficient intent" rule? The kicking out from a behind from outside the goal square rule?

10 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

There's some stiff competition. What about the ruck nomination rule? The "insufficient intent" rule? The kicking out from a behind from outside the goal square rule?

this is the worst one for mine

only one is allowed to go up

but the maggot will wait for ruckmen to amble to the stoppage before declaring themselves as the ruckman for the contest... surely it'd be better to throw it up (cos god knows they don't bounce it around the ground anymore) than wait for the congestion around the contest to be set in place, and if two from one team to go, then it's a free kick against?

 
18 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

There's some stiff competition. What about the ruck nomination rule? The "insufficient intent" rule? 

Yep, purely from a spectators perspective you can explain the stand rule simply.

The ruck rules are like alchemy with a touch of reiki thrown in. It’s impossible to understand what’s going on.

I’d also back up your argument for the deliberate rule - simply because the umpire justifies it by saying ‘insufficient intent’. So now he’s a mind reader?

1 hour ago, one_demon said:

Players moving backwards should probably be allowed,  but the stand rule has helped a lot with easing congestion.

They have to allow a Player to move backwards. To be a statue is ridiculous 


I am sorry that Gil is stepping down his exceptional management skills during Covid definitely helped us to achieve Premiership Glory in Perth in 2021 and for that I will be eternally grateful. Thanks Gil job well done.❤️💙💕

 

In regards to growing the game, it needs to be nurtured by having AFL players doing regular footy clinics at both Primary Schools and even at High Schools. That's where the hook starts.

Then you get the kids involved with Auskick (for Kindergarten and Primary School age). While for older kids it is junior football clubs. From there you pump the funds into junior football clubs and for volunteers. Making sure these junior football clubs have all the resources they need.

You then look to make sure all junior (and senior) football clubs have high standard facilities.

The AFL must do this with lots of funding for grassroots Aussie rules football otherwise we won't have enough new generations of footballers. If this is not made a priority then sports like basketball and soccer will take over in the next few decades. Let's hope whoever the new AFL CEO is that they acknowledge these concerns and enacts long term solutions.

Edited by Supreme_Demon

 
6 hours ago, Demonstone said:

I reckon Benny Gale would make an ideal replacement, but anybody who has read Mick Warner's "The Boys' Club" would be unsurprised in the least to see the job go to one of Gil's AFL mates.

 

6 hours ago, Demonstone said:

I reckon Benny Gale would make an ideal replacement, but anybody who has read Mick Warner's "The Boys' Club" would be unsurprised in the least to see the job go to one of Gil's AFL mates.

Spot on !

4 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

this is the worst one for mine

only one is allowed to go up

but the maggot will wait for ruckmen to amble to the stoppage before declaring themselves as the ruckman for the contest... surely it'd be better to throw it up (cos god knows they don't bounce it around the ground anymore) than wait for the congestion around the contest to be set in place, and if two from one team to go, then it's a free kick against?

One game recently, can't remember which, the ump waited until one ruckman had dragged himself from one end of the ground to the other to get to the ballup. It's such bullshlt.

And why oh why does the boundary ump have to wait until everyone has settled in and had a nice cup of tea and a scone before throwing it in? JUST THROW THE ****NIG THING IN. THERE IS NO NEED TO WAIT FOR ANYTHING. If a team isn't ready for it, it's on them! Duh!

Throw the ****nig thing up! One player max from each team goes up for it. "Ruckman" or not.

The AFL lost control of the refereeing of the game some years ago and now don't know what they're doing.


There isnt one of us would have wanted to navigate the AFL through the pandemic. To get us through that is extraordinary 

11 minutes ago, FarNorthernD said:

To get us through that is extraordinary 

Given that nearly every other sporting organisation managed the same feat, I don't see it as extraordinary.

Then again, I'm biased and loath to give Gil much credit.

29 minutes ago, Mazer Rackham said:

One game recently, can't remember which, the ump waited until one ruckman had dragged himself from one end of the ground to the other to get to the ballup. It's such bullshlt.

And why oh why does the boundary ump have to wait until everyone has settled in and had a nice cup of tea and a scone before throwing it in? JUST THROW THE ****[censored] THING IN. THERE IS NO NEED TO WAIT FOR ANYTHING. If a team isn't ready for it, it's on them! Duh!

Throw the ****[censored] thing up! One player max from each team goes up for it. "Ruckman" or not.

The AFL lost control of the refereeing of the game some years ago and now don't know what they're doing.

Mazer, I've played, watched followed footy for a gazillion years.

I know I'm not always the sharpest knife in the wardrobe .... but if blokes ( and maybe even Sheilas) like me are constantly confused by umpiring decisions ...... well maybe there's something amiss.

35 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Mazer, I've played, watched followed footy for a gazillion years.

I know I'm not always the sharpest knife in the wardrobe .... but if blokes ( and maybe even Sheilas) like me are constantly confused by umpiring decisions ...... well maybe there's something amiss.

Blessings Uncle. 

The wisdom of Job. 

I don’t really know if he did a good or a bad job

But whether he did or he didn’t I’m pretty sure he got very well paid


11 hours ago, Wrecker46 said:

I don't care who the next CEO is just as long as it's not Kate Roffey

I'm sure she will get informally sounded out. There is a major shift amongst big business to elevate females to leading positions and not before time either.  She is definately capable but I suspect not willing to do it, thank goodness

From me a massive thank you - Softcap, the draft and the socialization of the income stream to the smaller clubs, has allowed MFC to win a GF, overall the comp has become fairer, under the previous fat controller we would have been allowed to die. I for one am sick of hearing about polo as much as hearing about Pendlebury playing basketball. The man clearly loves the game. I also think that every woman that plays aussie rules is a prospective mother that is going to allow her children to play. Never forget AR has more female supporters/fans than any other code. And demographics are a fact of life, it is an existential fight to grow the code in the population growth corridors.

As for the rules, Rucks and Wingers are back (which suits us very well), key position players are in ascendancy, and the ugly rolling maul that was turning the best game into ugly rugby has gone. More been done to keep the look of the game the way I love it under his tenure than either Ross or Andy.

And I know everyone bleats about ‘the boys club’ but the consensus Gil was able to build to save two seasons of football during COVID was extraordinary, and is a positive example of the boys club, and he sacked mates. Really in a complex world revolving around a game full of passions that are clearly obsessive, with no common denominator for very divisive issues he did a bloody good job. Lastly his two knocks, and they are knocks, are the Goodes saga, for which he clearly said sorry, and Gambling which for me is dirty dirty money, as much as I love to gamble it should be an adult sin and should not be normalized with wall to wall advertising coverage. Problem gambling breaks families at the same rate grog and dope does. So yes Jesus or Mohammed or Buddha would have done a better job, but for an ordinary human (and Carlton supporter), we should just say thank you.

Thank God. Gill is gone! Well overdue. Has partially destroyed the AFL.

4 hours ago, Mazer Rackham said:

 

And why oh why does the boundary ump have to wait until everyone has settled in and had a nice cup of tea and a scone before throwing it in? JUST THROW THE ****[censored] THING IN. THERE IS NO NEED TO WAIT FOR ANYTHING. If a team isn't ready for it, it's on them! Duh!

Not sure this is on Gil… I always had a sneaky suspicion that the players have told the umps that if they rush this, the players will put a blanket over the boundary ump and quilt him with socks full of soap. They like that moment’s breather…


The problem with Gil's reign is his lackeys, the Board of Directors and others had this belief that the game needed to evolve through the AFL's intervention. Sports evolve naturally. Some for the good and some for the bad. In soccer, FIFA had this belief that the introduction of VAR would remove the grey area in offside deliberations, serious incidents and goals. All it has done is frustrate millions of spectators and further bring into question the games integrity.

The AFL is the same. The game was apparently too much of a rolling scrum. Introduce the stand rule and some extra metres to kick out from. Then there's the nominated ruck, 666 and other abominations. Just leave the friggin' game alone. It will evolve itself. It always does.  The game is always bigger than one person's ideas to change it.

However, that doesn't mean attempting to remove some of the ambiguities. That's good governance.

People are now lamenting they don't recognise their indigenous game. That's Gil's legacy.

As others have mentioned the proliferation of gambling is a blight on the game. For Sportsbet.com tune into Damo and Lloydy... or check out the under 18s carnival brought to you by our friends at the TAB...! But be careful gambling is addictive! 

The MRO is a shambles. Someone in the AFL must be pulling those strings?  If not, Michael Christian should be out of a job.

The umpiring is more amateur than ever. But who could blame the poor blighters? A rule of the week for 23 weeks. And still not a full-time profession.

At least Gil allowed Melbourne to win AFLX and Fritta to be a double AFLX premiership player!

 

 

8 hours ago, DEE fence said:

From me a massive thank you - Softcap, the draft and the socialization of the income stream to the smaller clubs, has allowed MFC to win a GF, overall the comp has become fairer, under the previous fat controller we would have been allowed to die. I for one am sick of hearing about polo as much as hearing about Pendlebury playing basketball. The man clearly loves the game. I also think that every woman that plays aussie rules is a prospective mother that is going to allow her children to play. Never forget AR has more female supporters/fans than any other code. And demographics are a fact of life, it is an existential fight to grow the code in the population growth corridors.

As for the rules, Rucks and Wingers are back (which suits us very well), key position players are in ascendancy, and the ugly rolling maul that was turning the best game into ugly rugby has gone. More been done to keep the look of the game the way I love it under his tenure than either Ross or Andy.

And I know everyone bleats about ‘the boys club’ but the consensus Gil was able to build to save two seasons of football during COVID was extraordinary, and is a positive example of the boys club, and he sacked mates. Really in a complex world revolving around a game full of passions that are clearly obsessive, with no common denominator for very divisive issues he did a bloody good job. Lastly his two knocks, and they are knocks, are the Goodes saga, for which he clearly said sorry, and Gambling which for me is dirty dirty money, as much as I love to gamble it should be an adult sin and should not be normalized with wall to wall advertising coverage. Problem gambling breaks families at the same rate grog and dope does. So yes Jesus or Mohammed or Buddha would have done a better job, but for an ordinary human (and Carlton supporter), we should just say thank you.

Well said. Easy to take pot shots at the bloke in charge but I reckon he has done fine. The fact that fans always argue about rules shows how hard it is to be in charge. You can never be popular  

I particularly like how the 666 and Stand rule Have opened up play and made it more free flowing. It seems crazy to me to think a couple of years ago the bloke on the mark could run metres around on an arc to smother the ball. I do agree that the player on the mark should be able to move backwards. 

14 hours ago, Mazer Rackham said:

One game recently, can't remember which, the ump waited until one ruckman had dragged himself from one end of the ground to the other to get to the ballup. It's such bullshlt.

And why oh why does the boundary ump have to wait until everyone has settled in and had a nice cup of tea and a scone before throwing it in? JUST THROW THE ****[censored] THING IN. THERE IS NO NEED TO WAIT FOR ANYTHING. If a team isn't ready for it, it's on them! Duh!

Throw the ****[censored] thing up! One player max from each team goes up for it. "Ruckman" or not.

The AFL lost control of the refereeing of the game some years ago and now don't know what they're doing.

Many, many years ago teams played at least two nominal ruckmen, sometimes more. This was in part because it meant there was always a player somewhere nearby to attend a ball up or boundary throw in immediately. Of course, in those days there was only one field umpire and two boundary umpires, so there was often a bit more time while the umpires got into position. 

The idea that a team could play with just one full-time ruckman is a relatively modern phenomenon. 

 
On 4/12/2022 at 11:14 AM, tiers said:

He led the league through two horror years of covid that ended with dees as premiers.

For that alone he deserves our gratitude and thanks for a job well done.

 

Well I agree that he led the AFL though 2 years of COVID and the game has survived but IMV he (or at least the AFL) did everything possible to stop Melbourne winning, although probably unintentionally. Firstly, both Port Adelaide and Brisbane were given home finals when they shouldn't have (the other 6 teams couldn't play at home, so why should Port & Brisbane have been allowed to?) Then there was an unnecessary extra week off before the Grand Final which clearly favoured Western Bulldogs at Melbourne's expense. The fact that the Dees overcame these disadvantages meant the AFL weren't embarrassed by their mistakes.  


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...

Featured Content

  • NON-MFC: Round 13

    Follow all the action from every Round 13 clash excluding the Dees as the 2025 AFL Premiership Season rolls on. With Melbourne playing in the final match of the round on King's Birthday, all eyes turn to the rest of the competition. Who are you tipping to win? And more importantly, which results best serve the Demons’ finals aspirations? Join the discussion and keep track of the matches that could shape the ladder and impact our run to September.

      • Thanks
    • 89 replies
  • PREVIEW: Collingwood

    Having convincingly defeated last year’s premier and decisively outplayed the runner-up with 8.2 in the final quarter, nothing epitomized the Melbourne Football Club’s performance more than its 1.12 final half, particularly the eight consecutive behinds in the last term, against a struggling St Kilda team in the midst of a dismal losing streak. Just when stability and consistency were anticipated within the Demon ranks, they delivered a quintessential performance marked by instability and ill-conceived decisions, with the most striking aspect being their inaccuracy in kicking for goal, which suggested a lack of preparation (instead of sleeping in their hotel in Alice, were they having a night on the turps) rather than a well-rested team. Let’s face it - this kicking disease that makes them look like raw amateurs is becoming a millstone around the team’s neck.

      • Thanks
    • 1 reply
  • CASEY: Sydney

    The Casey Demons were always expected to emerge victorious in their matchup against the lowly-ranked Sydney Swans at picturesque Tramway Oval, situated in the shadows of the SCG in Moore Park. They dominated the proceedings in the opening two and a half quarters of the game but had little to show for it. This was primarily due to their own sloppy errors in a low-standard game that produced a number of crowded mauls reminiscent of the rugby game popular in old Sydney Town. However, when the Swans tired, as teams often do when they turn games into ugly defensive contests, Casey lifted the standard of its own play and … it was off to the races. Not to nearby Randwick but to a different race with an objective of piling on goal after goal on the way to a mammoth victory. At the 25-minute mark of the third quarter, the Demons held a slender 14-point lead over the Swans, who are ahead on the ladder of only the previous week's opposition, the ailing Bullants. Forty minutes later, they had more than fully compensated for the sloppiness of their earlier play with a decisive 94-point victory, that culminated in a rousing finish which yielded thirteen unanswered goals. Kicks hit their targets, the ball found itself going through the middle and every player made a contribution.

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 1 reply
  • REPORT: St. Kilda

    Hands up if you thought, like me, at half-time in yesterday’s game at TIO Traeger Park, Alice Springs that Melbourne’s disposal around the ground and, in particular, its kicking inaccuracy in front of the goals couldn’t get any worse. Well, it did. And what’s even more damning for the Melbourne Football Club is that the game against St Kilda and its resurgence from the bottomless pit of its miserable start to the season wasn’t just lost through poor conversion for goal but rather in the 15 minutes when the entire team went into a slumber and was mugged by the out-of-form Saints. Their six goals two behinds (one goal less than the Demons managed for the whole game) weaved a path of destruction from which they were unable to recover. Ross Lyon’s astute use of pressure to contain the situation once they had asserted their grip on the game, and Melbourne’s self-destructive wastefulness, assured that outcome. The old adage about the insanity of repeatedly doing something and expecting a different result, was out there. Two years ago, the score line in Melbourne’s loss to the Giants at this same ground was 5 goals 15 behinds - a ratio of one goal per four scoring shots - was perfectly replicated with yesterday’s 7 goals 21 behinds. 
    This has been going on for a while and opens up a number of questions. I’ll put forward a few that come to mind from this performance. The obvious first question is whether the club can find a suitable coach to instruct players on proper kicking techniques or is this a skill that can no longer be developed at this stage of the development of our playing group? Another concern is the team's ability to counter an opponent's dominance during a run on as exemplified by the Saints in the first quarter. Did the Demons underestimate their opponents, considering St Kilda's goals during this period were scored by relatively unknown forwards? Furthermore, given the modest attendance of 6,721 at TIO Traeger Park and the team's poor past performances at this venue, is it prudent to prioritize financial gain over potentially sacrificing valuable premiership points by relinquishing home ground advantage, notwithstanding the cultural significance of the team's connection to the Red Centre? 

      • Thanks
    • 4 replies
  • PREGAME: Collingwood

    After a disappointing loss in Alice Springs the Demons return to the MCG to take on the Magpies in the annual King's Birthday Big Freeze for MND game. Who comes in and who goes out?

      • Thanks
    • 327 replies
  • PODCAST: St. Kilda

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 2nd June @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we have a chat with former Demon ruckman Jeff White about his YouTube channel First Use where he dissects ruck setups and contests. We'll then discuss the Dees disappointing loss to the Saints in Alice Springs.
    Your 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.
    Listen LIVE: https://demonland.com/

      • Thanks
    • 47 replies