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POSTGAME: Rd 08 vs Gold Coast

Demonland
Demonland
in Melbourne Demons

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3 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

This is the problem with the majority of Demonland, IMO.

Too many want to see 2021 again.

We should all know by now that the H&A season is all about two things:

  1. Winning enough games to put yourself in a position to win the flag (technically that means making top 8 but realistically means making top 4); and
  2. Being in form at the right time of the year.

It's not about dominating from go to whoa.

2021 was a freakish year. We were brilliant. It was one of the best full seasons produced by any side in recent memory. I don't think we get enough credit for it, given how many people say stuff like "we hit a September purple patch". No, 2021 was out of this world. We cannot use that as the standard.

We're 6-2 and have the league's best percentage. In those 8 games we've played four 2022 finalists (3-1 record) and have played half our games interstate. We clearly have challenges to come with our fixture but right now we are ticking the boxes for the first point above - we're winning games to ensure we're in a position to win the flag.

We won't know if we're in form at the right time of the year until we get there but we have seen time and again that premiership sides aren't always in form in Round 8. 

The same people were probably complaining in the game day threads and post match discussions in 2021. They are just wired differently.

The way I see it, 4 points is 4 points and there’s ~ 350 days in a calendar year where the Dees DON’T win a game, so I’m going to enjoy the days it does happen, irrespective of how. 

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    14 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

    Geez there's some negative [censored] on this forum tonight.

    We won a tough game - that's good enough for me !

    Alright then. I'll say it.

    We haven't beaten anyone above us as yet.

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    2 minutes ago, binman said:

    He is a machine.

    You'd have to have blinkers on not to see his impact. 

    Finished with 28 disposals, despite having a hard tag (as opposed to a defensive mid like Dunkley on Cripps) on him all game – something that doesn’t happen much anymore because the oppo is basically giving up a player and coaches can drag a player doing hard tag away from contest (which are the reasons I’ve heard goody gibe for not using a hard tag more often) 

    And despite having less disposals than his normally would, had the third most metres gained (behind tracc and maxy) for us and on a night we got smashed in CP, the most contested possessions (he was two ahead of trac, four ahead of Viney – and equal second with Swallow for both teams, behind only Anderson).

    And top all that off he had 9 score involvements – two more than any other player on the ground. 

    Oliver doesn’t play, we don’t win. 

    But sure, he didn't have much infleunce.

    Sheesh.
     

    The most overrated word in football is disposals yeah he got 28 disposals, half went to the opposition or nowhere if anything it should be effective disposals, Oliver is a great player but has a habit of playing on and rushing it on the boot without looking, as I have said before he needs to slow down a fraction before disposing of it, just like Cripps or the Bont.

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    1 minute ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

    It's May Jaded ... not September.

    We won a game against a strong opponent on their own turf.

    I'll take that and build on it.

    After the excitement of the game has worn off, this is pretty much where it sits for me.

    We aren't going to win easily every week and indeed we will lose maybe up to half a dozen more before the home and away season is done. Got to be happy with 4 points in a tough, contested game.

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    Just now, titan_uranus said:

    What a ridiculous thing to say.

    We won't be winning the flag if we don't win enough H&A games.

    Stop thinking like our form in Round 8 is necessarily going to be our form in September. It clearly wasn't last year.

    I never said that todays form is the form we will have in September. I’m saying that currently we are miles off the mark on the key indicators that win you flags; defense and CPs. 
    It’s nice to kick big scores, but grand finals are rarely won in a shootout. 
    Nothing wrong with winning close games and banking the wins, but if you’re not improving you’re going backwards and it would be foolish not to look at the glaring issues we’ve shown all year.

    In my opinion we haven’t yet beaten any really good opposition. Sydney and Dogs are just ok. Brisbane killed us and we got very lucky against the Suns. And outside of that we’ve beaten 3 sides destined for a bottom 4-6 finish  

     

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    11 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

    Yea but his contested marking was really good. He led up the ground more too. And a much better average than Petty. 

    Yet 2 smaller players kicked more goals than him.

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    5 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

    The most overrated word in football is disposals yeah he got 28 disposals, half went to the opposition or nowhere if anything it should be effective disposals, Oliver is a great player but has a habit of playing on and rushing it on the boot without looking, as I have said before he needs to slow down a fraction before disposing of it, just like Cripps or the Bont.

    Cripps has been far more underwhelming than Oliver this year...

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    Pies and cats the only real threats.  Finish top 4 and hope were hurting less than last year and we'll be a big chance. 

    Hard work and a big chunk of luck involved.  

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    2 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

    Yet 2 smaller players kicked more goals than him.

    Are you conveniently forgetting he only played 13 games (just over half) that year or are you David King in disguise? 

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    Is there a holding the ball or dropping the ball, or incorrect disposal rule, kossie caught Gold Coast players cold 20 metres out from goal in both first and second quarters - ball up.

    Had his head taken off after picking the ball off the ground in the 2nd.

    Umpires do him no favours.

    Thank goodness Chol mark wasn’t paid and Grundy goaled in the first for one 50/50 to us!

    Edited by D4Life
    Autocorrect

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    4 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

    Yet 2 smaller players kicked more goals than him.

    Nice pivot d3165 but they didn't take more marks which is what the discussion was about. Have a good night.

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    1 minute ago, Bang Bang Bang said:

    Are you conveniently forgetting he only played 13 games (just over half) that year or are you David King in disguise? 

    I think he's more likely to be David's brother, Wayne.

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    Just now, Bang Bang Bang said:

    Are you conveniently forgetting he only played 13 games (just over half) that year or are you David King in disguise? 

    No, but he will not be a major goal kicker with our style, now which style do you think he would like to play, pack marking or leading?

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    2 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

    Bring back BBB. Petty is so much better down back and he steadies us.

    Start Max forward next week and let Brodie ruck the majority.

    Agree- the coaching panel really need to take a good hard look at themselves,we are terribly  of form ,both Casey and Dees   - we need to settle these sides down.

    2 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

    Michael Hibberd is sooo adored on this site, yet he is still underrated.

    Get him back in pronto, I agree fully.along with playing down back..Disco not up to it.Shows we need to recruit a medium size defender to cover him, maybe Josh Smith could do it.

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    1 minute ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

    I've been switching between this thread and the coronation.

    I'm getting some great costuming ideas for The Manor's domestic staff!

    I'm guessing the coronation is winning. 

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    Check the “fors” & “against” on the ladder we’re travelling all right.

    Most quarters won and our fitness is so much better than last year running our games yet to lose a last quarter.

    More players getting rotated through the guts. We will be well primed by September 28th.
     

    Petty to go back,  Brown or TMac to come in.

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    3 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

    I've been switching between this thread and the coronation.

    I'm getting some great costuming ideas for The Manor's domestic staff!

    I think Camilla would be scary in the back pocket 

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    8 minutes ago, Dee*ceiving said:

    Pies and cats the only real threats.  Finish top 4 and hope were hurting less than last year and we'll be a big chance. 

    Hard work and a big chunk of luck involved.  

    I'd argue quite confidently that the lions are as well. The cats don't worry us. We just text them a picture of Max b4 the game and it's all over these days.

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    Credit to the suns. Mr Anderson deserves respect. If Touk played we might not have got out of that one.

    image.jpeg.ec7623ffef753e30cdda7f11da92f151.jpeg

     

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    3 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

    I never said that todays form is the form we will have in September. I’m saying that currently we are miles off the mark on the key indicators that win you flags; defense and CPs. 
    It’s nice to kick big scores, but grand finals are rarely won in a shootout. 
    Nothing wrong with winning close games and banking the wins, but if you’re not improving you’re going backwards and it would be foolish not to look at the glaring issues we’ve shown all year.

    In my opinion we haven’t yet beaten any really good opposition. Sydney and Dogs are just ok. Brisbane killed us and we got very lucky against the Suns. And outside of that we’ve beaten 3 sides destined for a bottom 4-6 finish  

     

    I think this is slightly contradictory. Yes, I think we can do better in certain parts of the game. But the fact I'm not seeing it right now doesn't make me think our chances of winning the flag are over, because I don't need to see it now.

    Of course, I do need to see us improve. I need to see us stabilise our selection, work out our best forward mix (it's not Petty), and see May get back to proper form.

    But if you care about winning flags, then you care about winning games. It's in many respects a great thing that we've banked this win tonight despite not being in top form.

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    15 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

    The most overrated word in football is disposals yeah he got 28 disposals, half went to the opposition or nowhere if anything it should be effective disposals, Oliver is a great player but has a habit of playing on and rushing it on the boot without looking, as I have said before he needs to slow down a fraction before disposing of it, just like Cripps or the Bont.

    Oliver went at 79% efficiency tonight

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