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Analysis of the Demon’s Forward Line

Demonland
Demonland
in Melbourne Demons

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I just have this ugly feeling we're going to have forward problems again this year.  Brown appears done.  McDonald has been poor since halfway through 2021.  Spargo and ANB struggle to score and the jury is still out on Gawn and Grundy as forwards.

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    9 hours ago, Orion said:

    I just have this ugly feeling we're going to have forward problems again this year.  Brown appears done.  McDonald has been poor since halfway through 2021.  Spargo and ANB struggle to score and the jury is still out on Gawn and Grundy as forwards.

    Yeah, Tom McDonald is useless.  His current stretch of playing in 14 consecutive winning AFL games (includng finals and excluding practice games) can only indicate how reliant he is on his team mates!

     

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    T-mac has this habit of playing his best game of the season right before he gets hurt so my lasting memory is usually what he can offer us 😀

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    20 hours ago, Orion said:

    I just have this ugly feeling we're going to have forward problems again this year.  Brown appears done.  McDonald has been poor since halfway through 2021.  Spargo and ANB struggle to score and the jury is still out on Gawn and Grundy as forwards.

    You're criticism of Tmac is wrong. His first half last year was good 15 goals in 10 games and he always ( you obviously don't notice) leads and prevents the CHB dominating plus all the smaller forwards cash in as a result of his competitiveness. Team games are that and Tmac mss add Jed our forward line a strength as indicated by our record when he plays. 
    Tske off those blinkered glasses and also Spargs  and ANB play team roles yes some more goals is required from all our forwards but their fitness is better this year and the more we play good players that need minding it will help all the time we enter with improved plans and style. 

    Like in 2021 we will get the job done with new old and refreshed players on our forward line. Max and Brody will both need watching.

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    I have no idea where this TMAC bagging is coming from. He clearly makes us better when he is playing and I'm not sure why there is doubt in that.

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    5 minutes ago, AzzKikA said:

    I have no idea where this TMAC bagging is coming from. He clearly makes us better when he is playing and I'm not sure why there is doubt in that.

    Totally agree 

    The baggers of Tmac do not understand the forward  line structure and role playing and his one per centres and skills at footy that make him such a valuable and irreplaceable player on our forward line. 

    2022 proved that. 

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    1 hour ago, AzzKikA said:

    I have no idea where this TMAC bagging is coming from. He clearly makes us better when he is playing and I'm not sure why there is doubt in that.

    I liken him in Soccer terms to a Bobby Firmino type that runs defenders ragged and pulls them out of position. Extremely unselfish and absolutely crucial to our structure, BBB will be infinitely better for having him there. 

    Edited by layzie

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    Old MacDonald and Farmer Brown, got a ring to it...

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    3 hours ago, 58er said:

    You're criticism of Tmac is wrong. His first half last year was good 15 goals in 10 games and he always ( you obviously don't notice) leads and prevents the CHB dominating plus all the smaller forwards cash in as a result of his competitiveness. Team games are that and Tmac mss add Jed our forward line a strength as indicated by our record when he plays. 
    Tske off those blinkered glasses and also Spargs  and ANB play team roles yes some more goals is required from all our forwards but their fitness is better this year and the more we play good players that need minding it will help all the time we enter with improved plans and style. 

    Like in 2021 we will get the job done with new old and refreshed players on our forward line. Max and Brody will both need watching.

    Yikes!

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    On 3/14/2023 at 12:06 PM, Orion said:

    I just have this ugly feeling we're going to have forward problems again this year.  Brown appears done.  McDonald has been poor since halfway through 2021.  Spargo and ANB struggle to score and the jury is still out on Gawn and Grundy as forwards.

    OMG Orion - McDonald, in case you forgot, played a big role in the most dominant finals campaign possibly ever, in 2021.  Not necessarily in terms of goals scored, but he was an essential part of the forward team structure.

    Still, you may prefer to be the "always right" pessimist; I will remain the optimist who may be occasionally wrong.  Life is far more fun that way.

    Edited by monoccular

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    • 3 weeks later...

    On 3/15/2023 at 1:04 PM, monoccular said:

    OMG Orion - McDonald, in case you forgot, played a big role in the most dominant finals campaign possibly ever, in 2021.  Not necessarily in terms of goals scored, but he was an essential part of the forward team structure.

    LOL

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    On 3/14/2023 at 12:06 PM, Orion said:

      Brown appears done.  

    LOL

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    On 3/14/2023 at 12:06 PM, Orion said:

    I just have this ugly feeling we're going to have forward problems again this year.  Brown appears done.  McDonald has been poor since halfway through 2021.  Spargo and ANB struggle to score and the jury is still out on Gawn and Grundy as forwards.

    Brown is averaging 4 goals a game. 😂😂

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    😀

    1 hour ago, Demonsterative said:

    Brown is averaging 4 goals a game.

    Yes.  If one is going to criticize, then you can't pick and choose that ones that suit you 😃

    .

    Edited by Orion

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    7 hours ago, Orion said:

    .

     

    6 hours ago, Orion said:

    😀

    Yes.  If one is going to criticize, then you can't pick and choose that ones that suit you 😃

    .

    Yes you can. You can even edit what you choose on here. 

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    6 hours ago, Orion said:

    😀

    Yes.  If one is going to criticize, then you can't pick and choose that ones that suit you 😃

    .

    Spock Encerio GIF

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    On 3/9/2023 at 7:20 PM, Monbon said:

    Yep: post the Broken foot, we were out-Macdonalded. The late season fade-outs due to players not fully fit contributed to that dramatic fade out.

    Ironically, and I'm only making the comment after watching the replay of the Richmond game, McDonald might well be staring into an exit Edenhope-way, I.E, into the setting sun. BBB is not far behind him, much as I love them both. Then again, we have Van R, Schache, the new order is on its way...

     

    BB looks like he might be in for a better year although coming off a low base.  Looks much fitter and back to the 2021/North version somewhat.  Possibly better than 2021 but time will tell.

    Macca's a real worry.  Looks to be half a yard slower and struggling to cover the ground in comparison to pre-injury 2022.  Must be last chance saloon this week surely (until/unless he recovers...still suffering post opp??). 

    A fit and firing Schache would be odds on to get a look in yes?  Or alternatively Disco (assuming he hits some decent form at Casey post a few niggles) could come in to cover as the 2nd tall and we move Petty forward for a 3 / 4 week trial.

    I don't think JVR is a likely savior in the short term either.  Might take him a season or two to find his feet.  Hoping for more early but can't be expecting the world with a rookie in his first season.

    Melk is great when he's great but the gaps between his best and worst, even between halfs/quarters, are pretty severe.  It's not so much what he does when he's given the ball either.  No issue there he's usually a very good user and finish.  It's what happens when he/we don't have it.  The oppo defenders must lick their chops in that regard.

    On 3/11/2023 at 12:10 AM, Diablo Rhino said:

    When emotions were high in the immediate aftermath of our limp and inglorious straight sets exit, I repeated the same view I’d shared for 2 months prior.  PICK. A SECOND. KEY. FORWARD.

    We got what we deserved in the second half of 2022 and that blame lies squarely with Thursday night match committee.  Whether they were gun shy to blood a raw Van Rooyen or truely believed the 6’1 Melksham could fill the Tmac role, only they will know.  

    Structurally, Frisch at 188cm as your 2nd forward target will get monstered by opposition key defenders and instead of halving some contests for predicability of crumbs to small forwards or allow them to pressure opposition D50 exits creating turnovers or limiting slingshot goals against, we started to slow our forward entries, limiting our efficiency and looking toothless in attack.

    The blueprint to success is clear, in 2021 we played Brown, Tmac, Fritsch, ANB, Spargo & Kozzy with Dogga or Gawny rotating through the F50.  This year remember the blueprint to success, Grundy replaces Dogga and if there is form or injury impacts for Brown or Tmac, play Van Rooyen.  It works.

    Don’t and we’ll get what we deserve.  Again.

    #GoDees

     

    Yep 100% with you on JVR over Melk

    Although JVR's still raw and would've been more so last season we needed the 2nd tall.

    It was either JVR or you brought Disco in to cover for Petty and Petty went forward.

    The latter option finally dawned on the  selection com / FD all too late when the game was pretty much gone against the Swans when they switched Petty forward in the last 10 minutes.

    That move shouldve been made on the Thurs night (Disco in for Petty forward) 

    But alas, no visoon or daring until it was all too late.

    The Petty / Disco option should still be on the table if Macca doesnt lift and Disco gets over his niggles and finds some form in the Mcgoos in the coming weeks.

    Petty is a much better forward than he is a defender and Disco will handle the Petty role with aplomb imv and probably be more damaging with his attack and run off HB. 

    Edited by Demon Dynasty

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    From a pure ‘list development’ POV, it would be ideal for ‘a JVR’ to come in with ‘a Brown’ still with 2 seasons left so that the younger player can have some ‘protection’ from having the better defender and having too many targets on his head.

    I don’t think we can simply think that TMac and Brown are to be replaced by JVR and Jefferson EVEN IF those players are the talents we hope them to be. 

    And we can’t squander the 2/3 years we have left with May and Gawn with our younger stars.

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    BBB cooked? Currently equal 4th in the Coleman with a game in hand.

    A good game today and he could be leading.

    He will get better as the season goes on.

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    On 3/14/2023 at 12:06 PM, Orion said:

    I just have this ugly feeling we're going to have forward problems again this year.  Brown appears done.  McDonald has been poor since halfway through 2021.  Spargo and ANB struggle to score and the jury is still out on Gawn and Grundy as forwards.

    Been circling the earth for the last two years and only just landed i assume?

    Screenshot_20230402-092900_SamsungInternet.jpg.2a5bf534bd7e25be52ffc59a00d866ca.jpg

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    On 3/15/2023 at 1:04 PM, monoccular said:

    ....

    Still, you may prefer to be the "always right" pessimist; I will remain the optimist who may be occasionally wrong.  Life is far more fun that way.

    So is Texas Holdem!

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    Just quietly, we're going at 98 points / games after two rounds, which is roughly 20% higher scoring than last season. Small sample but follows on from the preseason impression.

    Swans game will be interesting to watch on that specific detail, as they are easily the stingiest team in defence so far. Then again, the Swans have basically just beaten up a couple of weak clubs so far, so the form line tells us very little.

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    Just dropping in that the Demons are now the highest scoring team of 2023.

    And the most effective at converting inside-50s to goals.

    And the most accurate.

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