41 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

This team is hard to read correctly at the moment

Yeah, so hard.

Exceptional football. Clearly the best we've played since the Grand Final. Should have won by 80+ points against the top side. Yes they were missing Bailey and Zorko, but it's not like Gawn and TMac are bit players either.

The clear stand out IMO was the intensity. CP dominance, clearance dominance, forward half pressure, tackle pressure everywhere. We haven't played with that level of ferocity much in 2022 but when we bring it, we really [censored] bring it. Led superbly by Viney, who played one of his all time best career games.

Forward half worked so much better as a unit tonight. Small things like Weideman blocking for Brown and crumbers in the right spots in front of the marking forwards.

Don't know if it's a coincidence, it probably isn't, but Lever's game was phenomenal, against the highest-scoring side in the competition to boot. Petracca also lifted so our A-grade core was largely on song tonight (Langdon still has room to improve). 

Weidemand deserves credit. He wasn't dominant but he put his body on the line in the ruck and in marking contests and I thought really applied himself well.

Let's see if this is a corner turned. Big games coming up on the road but when we play like this, we are scintillating.

Viney's performance was one of his best in a Dees jumper, knocked himself out and went straight back into the middle, couldn't get tackled and reorganised someone's spine with that pile driver of a hit in the last. 

and what about James Jordon, he is owning the members side wing, not only looking comfortable but in career best form I'd argue. 

 

6 minutes ago, The heart beats true said:

I legitimately thought the cheer squad did a fantastic job all game, and really lifted in the second half and brought it home magnificently. Kudos to all. Made me proud.

On this - when we are back playing our high pressure football, the intensity of the crowd is so much greater. Such an exciting team to watch.

A lot to like tonight

The lowering of the eyes kicking into the forward line was very pleasing.  I hope Goodwin highlights that aspect when we review the match with the players.  Make it a priority

Our pressure and relentless tackling all over the ground was immense

2nd & 3rd efforts all over the ground. After a scratchy first quarter we then turned on the afterburners

Small forwards contributing 6 goals as well as exerting immense forward line pressure

Our backline was supreme.  May makes such a difference to his fellow defenders. Lever in particular was back to his best and Salem was improved as well

LJ looks like he relishes the no.1 role ... he played so well that we didn't really miss Max that much.  Who would have thought? 

Viney played like a man possessed ... beast-mode with extras

Overall the connection between all our players and the various lines from the last line of defence forward was most pleasing

We made the Lions look 2nd rate yet going into tonight's game they were on top of the ladder ... in the end they were just kicking the ball anywhere without any purpose

Easily our best performance for the season

25 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

Curious, merely quoting Fages? Or hammering home a view that you're still perpetually disappointed by the team?

No that's what he said in his presser and he also praised Viney and how hard he went at it tonight. 

We worked ourselves into the game tonight... and did Dee things.

 

Even tho we were 3 goals up in our losses, I don't think we were really building at any stage of those games. A couple of players did good things (how good is Brayshaw btw?) but with injuries in our KPD stocks, we ended up cooked.

 

Hard, creative and ran the pants off Brisbane tonight. We looked fit again.

 

Long may it continue.

6 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

Exceptional football. Clearly the best we've played since the Grand Final. Should have won by 80+ points against the top side. Yes they were missing Bailey and Zorko, but it's not like Gawn and TMac are bit players either.

The clear stand out IMO was the intensity. CP dominance, clearance dominance, forward half pressure, tackle pressure everywhere. We haven't played with that level of ferocity much in 2022 but when we bring it, we really [censored] bring it. Led superbly by Viney, who played one of his all time best career games.

Forward half worked so much better as a unit tonight. Small things like Weideman blocking for Brown and crumbers in the right spots in front of the marking forwards.

Don't know if it's a coincidence, it probably isn't, but Lever's game was phenomenal, against the highest-scoring side in the competition to boot. Petracca also lifted so our A-grade core was largely on song tonight (Langdon still has room to improve). 

Weidemand deserves credit. He wasn't dominant but he put his body on the line in the ruck and in marking contests and I thought really applied himself well.

Let's see if this is a corner turned. Big games coming up on the road but when we play like this, we are scintillating.

Great summary - I don’t think we’ve played that way at all, this year. It’s so much fun to watch, when we bring the heat. Not only the forward pressure, but the calmness in getting the ball out of a crowded D50. Hibberd made a big difference tonight: I wonder if Charlie Cameron got a touch?!

 

Edit: Cameron got 13 - I don’t recall seeing him all game!

Edited June 23, 20222 yr by 3183 Dee
Added info

1 hour ago, gregdemon said:

what was the crowd

37000 and very loud crowd ❤️💙

F/@k the doubters, the muck-rakers and the saboteurs - go the mighty Demons!

51 minutes ago, Graeme Yeats' Mullet said:

 

 

The only thing that gets me more aroused than a big hit from Kozzy, is an even bigger hit from Vines!!

Charlie Cameron first goalless game game for ages. 
Hibberd is a brute. 

Bloody sensational stuff tonight.

We returned to our first principles and it showed. Late in the first, I knew we were switched on because of how often the Lions were chip kicking around the back half to avoid turning it over in the mire of our zone defence. Alas, as most teams find out when they are playing a switched on Melbourne, they had to make a decision to either play it safe ala Port Adelaide earlier this year or take the game on and risk looking silly. To beat us, and not just merely stem the bleeding, you need to do the latter. But if you do, your disposal, decision making and physical pressure need to be relentlessly consistent. It felt like the Lions fired their one shot in the locker in the first 15 minutes before being exposed.

Roles were being adhered to as well. For example, BBB clunked 6 marks but it was his ability to get his hand in to force spillage and to keep Harris Andrews honest as a one on one defender that shone for mine. It allowed our smaller forwards chances and space they haven’t been getting.

Furthermore, while forward line delivery wasn’t exactly laser like and pinpoint every forward 50 entry, it’s been a mile better than the stagnant, stand and deliver bombing forward we’ve seen the last 3 weeks. Even if Weed, Fritta or BBB aren’t getting the ball lace out, the pie floaters getting kicked in over the last few weeks had no chance to get intercepted either.

Highlights for mine were Viney and Dogga. The former had an absolute fire in his belly tonight. While I’d never say he was irreconcilably angry over losing the captaincy, it’s clear tonight he thrived in that role as absence from it has made the heart grow fonder. His drive from the stoppages and in contests made him more of an offensive weapon than usual. I view him kind of our version of Cameron Ling in how he sets up around stoppages and centre bounces. Tonight he was so much more.

Dogga for mine, while shaded by McInerny in the hitouts, gave our ruck an unpredictable dimension. While Max is clearly better in centre bounce contests and marking down the line and is pretty handy at picking up possies around the ground, Dogga provided something I’ve never seen a Melbourne ruck do: win the ball as clean as most mids below his knees. When the ball hit the deck, we usually have 3 blokes who could get that ball and shovel it out quickly by hand or foot (Clarry, Tracc, Viney). With Dogga in the middle for 70% of the night, we could raise that number to 4. The bloke is a dead set phenom and we need to re-sign him soon. Get him on board for 7 more years (though not necessarily in one contractual period), and we could well have a period of consistency akin to Geelong’s (and with hopefully more flags).

All aboard the D-Train baby! The bear has been poked and others now need to look out!

 

Edited June 23, 20222 yr by Colin B. Flaubert

44 minutes ago, The heart beats true said:

Ya think? I read that game like an absolute page turner and was very happy with the plot.

Best Seller!

9 minutes ago, radar said:

Charlie Cameron first goalless game game for ages. 
Hibberd is a brute. 

I was one who thought Hibberd was almost done, but not on tonight’s performance. Good on him

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

We’re back in town …

I've been sending everyone who's been giving me the 5h1t5 a link to the Cosmic Psychos, B.I.T... Back In Town. 

Great to see the hunted become the hunters. 
GO DEES!!’

The best thing about tonight’s game was that Max Gawn was not missed. The Boys can play without him being out there. We don’t need to rush him back. 
Rest him until he is absolutely ready to go

I love it when Ross Lyon says we are going to get done convincingly…. Again, he has no idea….

Another positive is that Olisik has been put in his box for one week. As I’m sure he only created a burner account to troll the board, I’m hoping we never see BlueRed ever again. 🧌

According to Luke (Jackson) Chapter 21 ( disposals) verse  9 (tackles). At the altar of the High Church of Australian Rules (the 'G) the Lion's cubs were feed to the Christians (Petracca et al). Who prior to the feasting were given a devil of time by that Demon incarnate (Jack Viney). Jake (Lever) in the guise of the Good Shepherd rounded up the strays. So end's tonight's lesson (learnings),  hosanna's the Archdemon Simon. "It was a Goodwin".

Edited June 23, 20222 yr by Tarax Club
hallelujah!

…and all is good in the world. 

Played some very sexy football tonight. Was worried in that first quarter but we were up for the fight and just kept working until the tide turned our way. The relentless attack on the ball was back. When it was on the ground they just did not stop fighting for it until they won it, much more numbers around the contest too. Ripped them a new one with 170 to 132 contested possesions. Burnt them on the outside as well. Dobbed them at stoppage clearances, loved the way we spread and setup. 

Steven May was not great but just having him out there helps so much. Rick was able to just play his game and this was his best game of the season no doubt. 

Toby Bedford, I definitely think we've got another mosquito fleet member on our hands here. Brought so much pressure and those two goals he kicked had my heart racing. The candy he sold on the second was seriously criminal! It reminded me of an amazing blues guitarist that holds that note just a tiny bit longer. It's so hard to explain but it was so beautiful.

Loved the times when we sped the ball movement up, it was like flowing water at times how we kept it moving unlike past weeks where it has been stagnant. The forwards moved a lot better this week and Benny Brown really should have had art least 3 on the board. Hopefully he is working his way back into form. 

Luke Jackson came to play tonight, I get a little tired of his ruck output being judged by some in terms of winning hitouts and monstering ruckman. He played a great game tonight and we saw a bit more of that midfield play that we remember from the granny. I thought Weideman competed hard, gee I'd love him to clunk some of those marks though.

How about Jack Viney though? His performance was out of this world! He kept just getting in there and coming out with the footy and ready to accelerate out of the contest, like Clarry! He looked like he was never going to lose balance or waste a possession, seriously the man could have won contested footy in a bloody pinball machine! Thought Gus was Mr reliable again, we really can't understate his importance to the team enough right now he's playing out of his skin. Some of his kicks were mint.

A magnificent team effort , everyone knew what was required and what needed to be done. I don't believe we're out of the woods yet, the reality is that it's one game and we've won 1 game in the last month. It's going to take a solid performance over Adelaide and possibly a scalp over Geelong to do that, but we live to fight another day, we aint going out like that!

Anyway I'm tired, have to start at 8am tomorrow and Thurs night footy is shiezen. I'll be back tomorrow!

Oh and glad we could do it for the BCNA. So proud to be part of something like this.

Best midfield game we’ve played all year. Not having Gawn there forced us to read the tap, be less predicable and lower our eyes going forward. 
Could be a blessing in disguise. But I want him back ASAP. 

Best game of the year. The relief of the pressure valve is so immense that an extra beer will be divulged tonite.