Jump to content

Featured Replies

1 hour ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Not sure if he's been in qualifying form but surely Baker has the nod given Lingers is out.  If Melky goes down (someone steps on his small toe....cough) then yipeee for Bakes

I fully agree but sadly Baker seems to be on the outer.  Spargo, Harmes, Jordon & Sparrow were all given a number of consecutive games to get experience & confidence whereas Baker has received few opportunities. 

I hope he goes to another Club & makes a go of it.

 

 
9 minutes ago, Cranky Franky said:

Spargo, Harmes, Jordon & Sparrow were all given a number of consecutive games to get experience & confidence whereas Baker has received few opportunities.

Ridiculous comment.

Chances are earned, not given. All of those players have had times where they've had to earn another chance.

Sparrow's first couple of years were very similar to Baker's, with almost the exact same number of games ('chances'). Do you honestly think their different trajectories since then is due to purely being given opportunities? Rubbish.

Jordon's were even tougher due to injury but he  earned chances and took them.

Spargo's 2nd and 3rd years he had to do the hard yards, Harmes struggled  early too.

'Given games'... Please.

 

Unfortunately, I think the ship has sailed for Baker. 

HIs best year was 9 games in 2019 when we had a massive injury list.  15 games in 4.5 years isn't a great record, through no fault of his.  Others have gone past him and with recent draftees we now have better depth than we had in recent years.

Will be interesting to see where Bedford plays.  Been really impressed by his appearances so far this year.  Goody has stated that Tobby is ready to perform at senior level and I'd absolutely agree based on what I've seen.  Looks much more confident and assured with the ball compared to appearances he's made in previous years and his pressure has been awsome.

Does he play on a wing for us this week?  From what I recall hearing he has one of the biggest tanks at the club.


4 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Ridiculous comment.

Chances are earned, not given. All of those players have had times where they've had to earn another chance.

Sparrow's first couple of years were very similar to Baker's, with almost the exact same number of games ('chances'). Do you honestly think their different trajectories since then is due to purely being given opportunities? Rubbish.

Jordon's were even tougher due to injury but he  earned chances and took them.

Spargo's 2nd and 3rd years he had to do the hard yards, Harmes struggled  early too.

'Given games'... Please.

And all the aforementioned looked like they belonged at the level just about from day dot, where as I'd argue that Baker has looked like he had potential to, but wasn't quite there in certain areas.

No disrespect to Baker, because I think he puts in and gives it a red hot crack.  I also think he's had plenty of chance with the time he's had on our list.  I wounder if he would be an attractive addition to add some depth and another mature body to an up and comming list like GC (was he from that way) or West Coast etc?

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Stoked for Bedford getting a full game.

Make no mistake, this will be our hardest game of the year due to a number of premiership players we're missing.

Salem, Langdon, Harmes and Hibberdl to a degree are huge outs for us.

 

Needs to impose Dazz ..Really disapointed that Melksham gets a game on his handful of possesions over Dunstan

4 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Will be interesting to see where Bedford plays.  Been really impressed by his appearances so far this year.  Goody has stated that Tobby is ready to perform at senior level and I'd absolutely agree based on what I've seen.  Looks much more confident and assured with the ball compared to appearances he's made in previous years and his pressure has been awsome.

Does he play on a wing for us this week?  From what I recall hearing he has one of the biggest tanks at the club.

Bedford is a ripper.

Smart player, good skills, good decision maker and is super fit

And has one key attribute that makes him AFL ready - genuine speed.and an ability to maintain that speed over distance.

 
9 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Ridiculous comment.

Chances are earned, not given. All of those players have had times where they've had to earn another chance.

Sparrow's first couple of years were very similar to Baker's, with almost the exact same number of games ('chances'). Do you honestly think their different trajectories since then is due to purely being given opportunities? Rubbish.

Jordon's were even tougher due to injury but he  earned chances and took them.

Spargo's 2nd and 3rd years he had to do the hard yards, Harmes struggled  early too.

'Given games'... Please.

You sound a bit cranky there Nev.

I stand by my comments. Baker is a specialist winger & super quick & should have been the obvious replacement. He got one game last year & was fair but got dropped the next week.  

ANB & Spargo were very poor week after week yet the selectors stuck with them.

 

18 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Happy to see Melksham play his 200 for us at the G.  Really hope the boys turn it on, win for him to make it one to remember and keep our winning ways going.

Really!?? Handful of possesions.. dont gift guys games!


11 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Will be interesting to see where Bedford plays.  Been really impressed by his appearances so far this year.  Goody has stated that Tobby is ready to perform at senior level and I'd absolutely agree based on what I've seen.  Looks much more confident and assured with the ball compared to appearances he's made in previous years and his pressure has been awsome.

Does he play on a wing for us this week?  From what I recall hearing he has one of the biggest tanks at the club.

I think Bedford plays Ed’s wing and Melksham plays Harmes HF/mid role. Excited to see Bedford have a crack at it, he’s shown a lot this year.

2 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Really!?? Handful of possesions.. dont gift guys games!

Agree picket, not sure how Melky earned himself another game after last week.

Though, I hope he proves me wrong 👍

1 minute ago, Cranky Franky said:

I stand by my comments. Baker is a specialist winger & super quick & should have been the obvious replacement.

Is Gus 'super quick'? Is Jordon? Perhaps it's not just speed that makes a 'specialist winger'.

  

1 minute ago, Cranky Franky said:

He got one game last year & was fair but got dropped the next week. 

He played 3 games last year. Averaged 5 disposals, 1 tackle and 1 mark.

 

1 minute ago, Cranky Franky said:

ANB & Spargo were very poor week after week yet the selectors stuck with them.

You seem to not know your history. Both were dropped numerous times before improving and earning their spots.

Spargo played 8 games in each of 2019  and 2020.

Neal Bullen spent a ton of time at Casey working on his competitiveness playing as an inside mid and was nearly traded end of 2020.

Give it up mate.

3 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

He played 3 games last year. Averaged 5 disposals, 1 tackle and 1 mark.

To be fair, I think he may have been the Injury Sub in a couple of those games.

Having said that, I agree with other posters that, alas, Baker is probably not quite AFL standard.

1 minute ago, Demonstone said:

To be fair, I think he may have been the Injury Sub in a couple of those games.

Having said that, I agree with other posters that, alas, Baker is probably not quite AFL standard.

Yep, you're right, fair call.

1 game he actually played - 15 touches, 4 turnovers, 2 clangers.

That 1 game was against the Kangaroos...


1 hour ago, old dee said:

How certain are we that Tmac will play? Look to be favouring a knee late in the game. Not listed in the 18. 

I don't understand the reference to not being in the 18. It doesn't matter whether a player's in the 18 or the 22. Just because they are named on the interchange doesn't mean they're more likely to be a late withdrawal. Or am I missing something here? Are there different rules for late withdrawals from the 18 than the 22? Sunday games are of course different because 8 are named on the rxtended interchange and this has to be trimmed to 4 by 5 on Friday night (and you can't change the 18).

39 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

I wondered the same thing.  He looked ok in the training video but it was only a few seconds.

Also wondered if Petty will start.  iirc he had some treatment on the bench last week and played only 82% game time which is really low for our defenders.  Also not in the starting 18.

Maybe a rare late change coming up.

See above.

13 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Really!?? Handful of possesions.. dont gift guys games!

I understand that perspective and I must say I haven't really seen him set the world on fire in any of his senior games over the past few years.  By the same token, he's been pretty close to the mark for the position he plays as well, but certainly wouldn't be in the side over a fit James Harmes were he available right now.  He's also a good distributor inside forward 50, which we really need at the moment and I'm not sure Dunstan provides that skill set so well.

But that all said, I think Melksham made a decient contribution to our rebuild from obscurity over his career with us and it's not gifting games to honour players like that in a fitting way in milestone games, it's showing gratitude and respect and I think that is well within the character of the current team.

1 hour ago, Cranky Franky said:

I fully agree but sadly Baker seems to be on the outer.  Spargo, Harmes, Jordon & Sparrow were all given a number of consecutive games to get experience & confidence whereas Baker has received few opportunities. 

I hope he goes to another Club & makes a go of it.

 

Im not convinced he is going to make it either CF .... i just think as a short term fill in* he is the best of a pretty average bunch at Casey right at this moment* (*playing the Linger role).

Edited by Demon Dynasty

41 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Will be interesting to see where Bedford plays.  Been really impressed by his appearances so far this year.  Goody has stated that Tobby is ready to perform at senior level and I'd absolutely agree based on what I've seen.  Looks much more confident and assured with the ball compared to appearances he's made in previous years and his pressure has been awsome.

Does he play on a wing for us this week?  From what I recall hearing he has one of the biggest tanks at the club.

And quick

26 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Is Gus 'super quick'? Is Jordon? Perhaps it's not just speed that makes a 'specialist winger'.

  

He played 3 games last year. Averaged 5 disposals, 1 tackle and 1 mark.

 

You seem to not know your history. Both were dropped numerous times before improving and earning their spots.

Spargo played 8 games in each of 2019  and 2020.

Neal Bullen spent a ton of time at Casey working on his competitiveness playing as an inside mid and was nearly traded end of 2020.

Give it up mate.

Give up ! Not likely.

I'll put it on the record that I reckon Baker has been treated harshly & deserves a run.  If he doesn't get a go I predict he'll go elsewhere & make a decent career.

If he doesn't I'll be happy to concede u were right & I was wrong.  


31 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Needs to impose Dazz ..Really disapointed that Melksham gets a game on his handful of possesions over Dunstan

Melk should consider himself the luckiest footballer in the AFL right now given the performance or lack thereof last week.

Dunstan BOG in a comparison!!

There has always been 'good Melk' or 'Bad Melk' (not alot of in between) and he's been a pretty good servant on occasions, in particular the two early finals in 2018.

Let's hope he brings good Melk for his 200th and our sake as we can ill afford to have players going AWOL against clubs on the rise vying for a top 4 spot like Freo etc.

Another statement game coming up.

Freo we’re up and about early in the season but are coming of back to back losses. They only scored 33 points against the Suns and 44 against the Pies, now the face the best defence in the competition.

We’ve got them covered on every line. 

Say goodnight.

 
57 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Needs to impose Dazz ..Really disapointed that Melksham gets a game on his handful of possesions over Dunstan

I'm on a Melksham ban otherwise I'll upset the same usual sooks on here.

Not hugely surprising, which we've come to expect these days.

Baker, sadly, has never shown enough form at even VFL level to suggest he's ready to become a consistent AFL player, and his AFL opportunities, although limited, have never really been good enough.

Well done to Melksham on 200. I'm not sure how many more there will be once Salem, Langdon and Harmes get fit, but here's hoping he puts in a stunner for his milestone.


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
    • 39 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
    • 266 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