tbh we haven't looked to flash lately even with clarry playing

lot of players need to extract the digit and show some resolve

1 minute ago, Hawk the Demon said:

Well, we have no other option than to to watch a Demons' team without Clayton for some weeks. Both Harmes and Jordon had great hit-outs for Casey on Saturday, so, together with Sparrow to come back, at least there are capable replacements lining up.....

thought harmsey looked very scratchy on saturday

wouldn't promote him on that performance, however we might not have much choice

9 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Well it’s their only hope now. 

It’s a good test for sure. We will find out whether we still have what It takes. So far we haven’t really past the sniff test. anything less than 2-2 is a big fail and we’ll find it hard to make an impact come finals. 

Just now, The heart beats true said:

Why does it smell like that? He played out the last quarter and moved freely. Sometimes an injury gets worse once you cool down.

Honestly after a loss it’s like some posters on here are rushing around to be the biggest Harbinger of doom.

The 4 point loss - away, to a good team in red hot form - was far less depressing than the weepy, hysterical response on this site. Now the news that Oliver has apparently been decapitated has fuelled the agonising. Its bloody embarrassing.

35 minutes ago, Graeme Yeats' Mullet said:

Brayshaw in guts full time

Kozzie more time in

I'd like to see this dynamic

They've been in there a bit so far, not for Clarry type roles obviously, but haven't added much.

Can't see them taking things up a notch outside of that in terms of attempting first use/extractions and holding play up a la Clarry.

Will probably come down to Sparrow with some minor assists from Jordan.

Pitty Dunstan is out.  Be very handy here and my personal preference if available.

Tracc might also need to get his hands a little dirtier to assist.

6 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

tbh we haven't looked to flash lately even with clarry playing

lot of players need to extract the digit and show some resolve

Spot on... it might actually be a wake up for many that we can't always rely on Clarry (along with some big assists from Viney), to win the day every time

Others will need to get down and dirty to cover 

This might be a big sweeping statement (considering the available comparisons) but this thread might be the craziest, loosest, wildest, most hyperbolic load of psycho babble I have witnessed on Demonland.

Is Clarry irreplaceable? Of course, he is an absolute gun.

But that doesn't mean we shoot the players, hang the coaches, burn our scarves and merch, and start watching the NRL instead!!

It means change. 

I would love to see Trac playing 80% forward time while his ankle heals. Run Rivers, Brayshaw, Sparrow and Kozzie through the middle at a higher rate.

For those begging for 42-possession Dunstan to get a run - no, no, no, no, no!! His handball turnovers, lack of pace and often average decision making make him a momentum killer at AFL level. If we need to bring in an extra midfielder, Harmes, Jordon, Laurie or Woewodin. 

2 minutes ago, Gawndy the Great said:

They have not played like this since 2021 bar a handful of games. Not holding my breath that’ll change this week. 

And to me that’s a key question. Why can’t we reproduce that midfield pressure intensity that we displayed in the second half of 2021 that took us all the way? What has changed in terms of personnel, not a lot I think. And it’s not just the followers, it’s the wings, the half forwards and half backs. 
 

Watching the Pies do over Carlton today, their pressure on the ball carrier is what we were doing and this allowed Darcy Moore to sit back and intercept at will. Very reminiscent of our once impregnable defence with Lever & May picking off hurried disposals into the opposition’s forward line. That was us in 2021, harassing, chasing, intercepting and going back the other way so quickly, the lack of resistance allowed our midfield to pick out a forward at their leisure. And suddenly our poor forward connection problems evaporated and we dominated the finals series. That defensive, offensive running dominance has gone against better sides anyway. Without being fully competitive between the arcs our weaknesses up forward get exposed. The personnel are still there but the intensity seems to be missing. 

2 minutes ago, Maldonboy38 said:

This might be a big sweeping statement (considering the available comparisons) but this thread might be the craziest, loosest, wildest, most hyperbolic load of psycho babble I have witnessed on Demonland.

Is Clarry irreplaceable? Of course, he is an absolute gun.

But that doesn't mean we shoot the players, hang the coaches, burn our scarves and merch, and start watching the NRL instead!!

It means change. 

I would love to see Trac playing 80% forward time while his ankle heals. Run Rivers, Brayshaw, Sparrow and Kozzie through the middle at a higher rate.

For those begging for 42-possession Dunstan to get a run - no, no, no, no, no!! His handball turnovers, lack of pace and often average decision making make him a momentum killer at AFL level. If we need to bring in an extra midfielder, Harmes, Jordon, Laurie or Woewodin. 

I only come here for and to add to the psycho babble….I love it

2 minutes ago, Maldonboy38 said:

This might be a big sweeping statement (considering the available comparisons) but this thread might be the craziest, loosest, wildest, most hyperbolic load of psycho babble I have witnessed on Demonland.

Is Clarry irreplaceable? Of course, he is an absolute gun.

But that doesn't mean we shoot the players, hang the coaches, burn our scarves and merch, and start watching the NRL instead!!

It means change. 

I would love to see Trac playing 80% forward time while his ankle heals. Run Rivers, Brayshaw, Sparrow and Kozzie through the middle at a higher rate.

For those begging for 42-possession Dunstan to get a run - no, no, no, no, no!! His handball turnovers, lack of pace and often average decision making make him a momentum killer at AFL level. If we need to bring in an extra midfielder, Harmes, Jordon, Laurie or Woewodin. 

Dunstan is not an option as he is injured at the moment.

14 minutes ago, Maldonboy38 said:

This might be a big sweeping statement (considering the available comparisons) but this thread might be the craziest, loosest, wildest, most hyperbolic load of psycho babble I have witnessed on Demonland.

Is Clarry irreplaceable? Of course, he is an absolute gun.

But that doesn't mean we shoot the players, hang the coaches, burn our scarves and merch, and start watching the NRL instead!!

It means change. 

I would love to see Trac playing 80% forward time while his ankle heals. Run Rivers, Brayshaw, Sparrow and Kozzie through the middle at a higher rate.

For those begging for 42-possession Dunstan to get a run - no, no, no, no, no!! His handball turnovers, lack of pace and often average decision making make him a momentum killer at AFL level. If we need to bring in an extra midfielder, Harmes, Jordon, Laurie or Woewodin. 

So no different to how our midfield went on the weekend?

It’s been a pretty average weekend, I really hope however long Oliver is out for we get the timing of his return right. 
 

21 minutes ago, Redlagged said:

The 4 point loss - away, to a good team in red hot form - was far less depressing than the weepy, hysterical response on this site. Now the news that Oliver has apparently been decapitated has fuelled the agonising. Its bloody embarrassing.

This, this, this. Thanks for calling it @Redlagged.

If we are smart - Clarry's injury could be the cloud with a silver lining. We are lacking serious class on the outside and Clarry could fill that role better than anyone else in the club. In my view, we are not realising his full potential in current role of inside bull. The next four weeks will give us a serious look at inside structures without Clarry and the players best equipped to play the 'in and under' role should we have the courage to move the great man to the outside.

Rivers into the guts

1 hour ago, Roost it far said:

You put Max and Trac in there for increased minutes. You add Viney and Sparrow and rotate Brayshaw, Rivers, Pickett, Chandler and whoever else is up to it through the middle. You double down on contest and you harass the opposition like your life depends on it. Then you run to the next contest and do it all over again. We can do this. Oliver is our Dangerfield and this next month might  force the coaches to think a little differently. 

Hope youre right.

I think you're over rating the ability of some...and injurylessness of others.

Now you're really stretching it with the Brains Trust thinking different.

Same mob that saw Butters..did nothing 🤔🤔🤔

2 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Hope youre right.

I think you're over rating the ability of some...and injurylessness of others.

Now you're really stretching it with the Brains Trust thinking different.

Same mob that saw Butters..did nothing 🤔🤔🤔

So do I

2 hours ago, Demonsterative said:

The fact is no one will replace Oliver, and we have cover. The club may need to rethink our midfield set up. Sparrow, JJ, Harmes, Kozy (more time in the midfield may give him some form), Rivers, Brayshaw, Salem, ANB, Chandler, Dunstan etc etc can go through the midfield.

I like the idea of a tagging midfield with our flankers/wingers providing the drive. Back to the early season form with those with good skills kicking and running through the opposition in to a forward line that leads to the ball carrier. 
 

Stop the continuous long kick down the line including kick ins. 

Agree noting the simplest solution is for Brayshaw to replace Oliver and bring in Harmes who can play midfield, forward or back.  We can then rotate our usual support brigade through as well as provide more midfield minutes to Kossie and Rivers to mix things up.

16 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

This, this, this. Thanks for calling it @Redlagged.

If we are smart - Clarry's injury could be the cloud with a silver lining. We are lacking serious class on the outside and Clarry could fill that role better than anyone else in the club. In my view, we are not realising his full potential in current role of inside bull. The next four weeks will give us a serious look at inside structures without Clarry and the players best equipped to play the 'in and under' role should we have the courage to move the great man to the outside. IMHO, a flag in 2023 may rest on such courage.

 

Some great ideas that have been forthcoming from the brains trust on Demonland. Injuries are never good at any time but this could be a blessing in disguise.

Our over reliance on Clarry is unhealthy going forward. 

Throw him forward like in his younger years as a pinch hitter for 5 minutes or so just to break it up.

I agree though things are getting stale inside and teams are sharking our combinations.

Edited May 21, 20231 yr by YesitwasaWin4theAges

1 hour ago, Demon Dynasty said:

They've been in there a bit so far, not for Clarry type roles obviously, but haven't added much.

Can't see them taking things up a notch outside of that in terms of attempting first use/extractions and holding play up a la Clarry.

Will probably come down to Sparrow with some minor assists from Jordan.

Pitty Dunstan is out.  Be very handy here and my personal preference if available.

Tracc might also need to get his hands a little dirtier to assist.

Totally agree.. 

Some suggesting players should/will/ought to step up... fill the void...take the load.

As if

They should be doing this already...if..

The reality is theyre already playing at their ceilings...and THAT'S  the real problem here.  There's no extra gear to go up.

Even.if they can...it will be shortlived.

Just look at our footy... and be realistic people.

We want our team to succeed ...but we fall into the trap of over rating our lot...under-rating the others. 

Why should the same lot that got dacked for 3/4s friday suddenly morph into "better" players.  Weren't they incentivated sufficiently Friday ? 

 

I really want to be optimistic about this but people saying this could be a blessing in disguise. An opportunity to try something different, I really hope so. I hope we try Rivers, Chandler, Bowie, Kossie something different someone with pace or a remote bit of x Factor as I believe our midfield is same same. But until our kick ins from full back go anywhere other than the left I hold very little hope of us trying anything different.

1 hour ago, SPC said:

Danger missed a lot of 2022 and Scott coped fine. 
I like Goody, but he is stubborn and steadfast in his plan. 

 

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

They did it perfectly well last year when Dangerfield missed 6 games with an injury.

I was responding to @SPC saying be wants Goodwin to make us “unpredictable”. 

What is “unpredictable” about how Geelong is covering Dangerfield? Nothing, I would argue. 

I’ve already posted about my view that we don’t have enough midfielders of quality as compared to the best sides. I just don’t see why we have to be “unpredictable”. I want us to do whatever we can to plug the gap as best we can. If that’s Harmes, fine. If it’s Sparrow, fine. But we don’t have to go random left field to be “unpredictable” just for the sake of it. 

5 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Totally agree.. 

Some suggesting players should/will/ought to step up... fill the void...take the load.

As if

They should be doing this already...if..

The reality is theyre already playing at their ceilings...and THAT'S  the real problem here.  There's no extra gear to go up.

Even.if they can...it will be shortlived.

Just look at our footy... and be realistic people.

We want our team to succeed ...but we fall into the trap of over rating our lot...under-rating the others. 

Why should the same lot that got dacked for 3/4s friday suddenly morph into "better" players.  Weren't they incentivated sufficiently Friday ? 

 

We absolutely have another gear and I think we're about to see it.

1 minute ago, Roost it far said:

We absolutely have another gear and I think we're about to see it.

Do we...

Where has it been ??

Only for spesh ?? 🤔🤔🤔

Just now, beelzebub said:

Do we...

Where has it been ??

Only for spesh ?? 🤔🤔🤔

We have enough bulls in our side to lift us at the contest. 

Max, Petracca, Viney, Sparrow and Brayshaw are quality and they know what it takes to win. Let's just start with Freo. We've got them at home and we start by beating them.