PREGAME: Rd 16 vs GWS

[Roost it far 8,255]

25 minutes ago, praha said:

It's a mistake dropping him. Happy to be proven wrong but Brown can barely turn at pace and will get smoked by decent defenders. You think Brown is going to do better on Moore in a final than JVR would?

Not against him having a spell but I am just lost that people think Brown is a long term replacement for us. JVR needs to play finals. We're going to miss out on key development for this kid while we try to recapture 2021's form by playing a Brown who since the GF has barely lasted on two feet for more than a month. Love the guy and if he helps us achieve glory again I'll take the L with this post but I hope the plan is to get JVR back for finals. 

As for Tomlinson the obvious change for me was Tomlinson for Hibberd, Bowey for Jordan. This again just reeks of trying to recapture 2021 form and it just looks desperate  

I think the FD has been planning Browns return for a few months. He’s been playing at half throttle for Casey then as we move beyond the loading period he gets his knee drained and he’s back in the ones. I think it’s zero desperation and totally planned and logical. If he can play some good footy over the next month and remain pain free then great. If he can’t we settle on an alternative, which I’m sure we’re planning for.

[Gawn's Beard 378]

1 hour ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

I love BBB and I’m glad he’s back. Like others I think our fwd is still a work in progress. But I can’t cop anymore attempted marks with one hand in the air. 
 

Looking fwd to the game.

This is him following instructions and bringing the ball to ground for our smalls. He’s actually getting quite adept at it - think it was Rd 2 vs Brisbane where he tapped it out of a marking contest to a small running by straight into goal 

[Adam The God 30,221]

20 minutes ago, drysdale demon said:

He doesn't have a clue about the game.

There's no need to be that personal.

He holds a different view, but that's his prerogative. 

[drysdale demon 4,832]

4 minutes ago, A F said:

There's no need to be that personal.

He holds a different view, but that's his prerogative. 

Wasn't being personal just using my opiinion from his many posts of bagging the players and club which is my perogative.

[titan_uranus 25,008]

I’m not a massive fan of dropping JVR. I don’t think he was playing poorly. If it’s a short term rest thing then I can accept that but it was described as an omission, not “managed”, so I’m not sure. 

I’m still not convinced by Smith as a forward so I guess JVR might get that spot back, assuming Brown gets a decent run at it. 

[Engorged Onion 10,215]

3 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I’m not a massive fan of dropping JVR. I don’t think he was playing poorly. If it’s a short term rest thing then I can accept that but it was described as an omission, not “managed”, so I’m not sure. 

I’m still not convinced by Smith as a forward so I guess JVR might get that spot back, assuming Brown gets a decent run at it. 

dropping or resting? I guess we will never know. I'd assume he was rested as his form didn't warrant being omitted for form.

Edited June 30, 2023 by Engorged Onion

[Queanbeyan Demon 6,843]

6 hours ago, binman said:

Not sure how long you have been following the dees, but we have a very different definition of what could be considered a disappointing team.

I have been following the dees for aprox 45 years but started going to games regularly in 1978 (by myself back then - no one i knew barracked for the dees).

That year we won the wooden spoon. Fun times. 

We had a stellar year in 1979 and really started our march up the ladder, ending the season in 11th. Not bad until you consider there were only 12 teams. And that time Fitzroy thrashed us by a still record margin was such a gas. 

But boy o boy, was 1980 awesome. We were marching up the ladder! Jumped up to 9th (in a 12-team competition)!

Oh, oh - 1981 wasn't much fun. Yet another wooden spoon. 

So bad were we that we came within a bees whisker of merging with the Hawks and the oldest sporting club in the world almost ceasing to exist. 

186.

The Neeld years.

Et cetera; et cetera; et cetera.

Hopefully, you get my drift. 

In all seriousness, we are currently 4th on the ladder with an ok injury list and a soft run home.

We are currently equal third favorite to win the flag (but will enter the finals as favorite IMHO).

We are $1.40 to make the top 4 (by way of contrast the Cats are next best at $6 to make the top 4 and the Saints, who are only four points behind us, are $7 to make the top 4). For context, we are 1.40 to win Sunday and Winx ran around at that price.  

A serious question - do you rate the Pies?

Well, a reminder, we beat them, the favorites for the flag, just two games ago! Can't have your cake and eat it too - if we are a disappointing side, the Pies must be pretenders not contenders. 

But really, in what universe could this current dees team, premiers in 2021 and finished second on the ladder at the end of the 2022 H&A season (and yes, we went out in straight sets in the finals), be considered a disappointing team?

Not in my universe i can assure you. 

Your soul is redeemed Rubbish Binny. It's a story that, more-or-less, mirrors mine.

• Made a deal with the devil in '77. Uncle said he'd take me to the footy if I barracked for the Demons. I was a child! He, on the other hand, lived through the golden era of the '50s and early '60s and was adamant the great days would return soon enough.
• The wonderful era of Dennis Jones can be best summed up by Robert Flower in his book. Dedicated a whole chapter to it if I remember. "The least said about this year the better". End of chapter.
• Uncle moves to NT at the beginning of '79
• Saw the blood bath on my own in July with 15,000 other hardy souls. Remember coming away from the game thinking our forward line was hopeless and that if we only had Bob Beecroft, it would all turn to gold. Sound familiar?
• Thought we were on a role with Big Carl in '79-'80. Loved him and begged him not to leave: face-to-face
• Then took the train from Glen Iris to whatever [censored] hole we were playing at most weeks on my own for years. Winning a game felt like a premiership for me.
• Rode the ups and downs for decades and had resolved in my heart I would never see a Dee flag. And for the most part, it was okay. I took solace in some great wins and watched some truly wonderful footballers.
• So fast-forward to 2021. When I watch the replay, talk to my mates about it, and almost every time a tear comes to my eye (like right now). Whatever anyone ever says that is disparaging about the Deez, I remind them:
  • we invented the game,
  • we built the greatest stadium in the world - three times,
  • were time and again handy-capped by the VFL/AFL who quite deliberately designed the rules of the game to [censored] our growth and development, and
  • played the greatest 40 minutes of transcendent grand final footy in the history of the game.

So, yes @binman, I'm with you. A disappointing team in 2023? Let's make a realistic judgement about this era in 15 years from now. And at worst, we might say that we missed an opportunity - à la Norf in '98. Regardless of everything, in the mystery of hurtling through time and space on spaceship Earth, I forever love the Deez and will always have Paris . . . as they say.

Edited June 30, 2023 by Queanbeyan Demon
Typo

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Young Blood said:

Honestly all the channel 7 callers are awful. Darcy and BT by far the worst.

Only one I think is OK is Hamish Mclachlan. He's more natural and doesn't force things like all the others.

Side note does anyone else find that Alister Nicholson sounds so much like Jordan Lewis.

Fox footy callers are so much better. Whately and Hudson are pros

 

3 hours ago, Phil C said:

Most are terrible. Dwayne, Derm etc. Whately is head and shoulders above them all I reckon. 

Jason Bennett > all of them put together 

[Engorged Onion 10,215]

3 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Whatever anyone ever says that is disparaging about the Deez, I remind them:

• we invented the game,
• built the greatest stadium in the world - three times,
• were time and again handy-capped by the VFL/AFL who quite deliberately design the rules of the game to [censored] our growth and development, and
• played the greatest 40 minutes of transcendent grand final footy in the history of the game.

 

Holy moly - I have never thought of it like that. Amazing❤️

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 5,118]

May I respectfully correct you, @Queanbeyan Demon?

'We will always have (the other 5-letter 'P' word) Perth'

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,388]

58 minutes ago, Gawn's Beard said:

This is him following instructions and bringing the ball to ground for our smalls. He’s actually getting quite adept at it - think it was Rd 2 vs Brisbane where he tapped it out of a marking contest to a small running by straight into goal 

I’m having difficulty buying that, wouldn’t we rather him mark it considering how good a set shot he is?

[Demonsone 2,037]

Jvr can’t be the difference between winning or losing & shouldn’t! needs to be managed both physically & mentally. Plenty of fwd entries to suggest it’s the method

[Gawn's Beard 378]

43 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

I’m having difficulty buying that, wouldn’t we rather him mark it considering how good a set shot he is?

Of course, but plucking a contested mark in a large pack of players is low percentage relative to going up one handed (longer reach) and deflecting towards a teammate 

Edited June 30, 2023 by Gawn's Beard

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,388]

3 minutes ago, Gawn's Beard said:

Of course, but plucking a contested mark in a large pack of players is low percentage relative to going up one handed (longer reach) and deflecting towards a teammate 

Here’s where we differ then, if his one handed attempts were purely in pack situations I agree but it was becoming a trend.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,208]

Last week Tomlinson dropped this week JVR dropped ahead of Smith 😞

[Docs Demons 1,790]

Weather appears to be clearing up in the Alice for the arvo. BBB to get a few. Kozzie to finally fire for first time since re-signing. May to keep Hogan to zippo, Bedford does nothing and all we have to do is keep Greene quiet and win the mid battle and it's a 10 goal win.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,208]

1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

I’m not a massive fan of dropping JVR. I don’t think he was playing poorly. If it’s a short term rest thing then I can accept that but it was described as an omission, not “managed”, so I’m not sure. 

I’m still not convinced by Smith as a forward so I guess JVR might get that spot back, assuming Brown gets a decent run at it. 

JVR was one of the few to actually play to the conditions against Geelong. He has great footy IQ, has shown he can turn it on with 3 final quarter goals against the Tigers and has only played around 10 games. If they're resting him fine but if it's form related they're out of their heads.

[binman 42,901]

4 hours ago, Pennant St Dee said:

It’s a bit like that, I never thought I’d see us win one.

Yet whilst I understand they are had to win and a lot of luck is involved I do think this group we have with its age profile and potential growth of some of our young group I know by 2026/7 I will think we’ve underachieved if we haven’t won two flags on gone deep in at least 2 finals campaigns 

100% agree. 

Edited June 30, 2023 by binman
Fat fingers

[M_9 2,082]

1 hour ago, Docs Demons said:

Weather appears to be clearing up in the Alice for the arvo. BBB to get a few. Kozzie to finally fire for first time since re-signing. May to keep Hogan to zippo, Bedford does nothing and all we have to do is keep Greene quiet and win the mid battle and it's a 10 goal win.

Yep, put me down for 5 between Kozzie an Sideshow Bob in the NTP comp please.

if I’m allowed 2 shots I’ll go 9. Kozzie for 6 and BBB an easy 3.

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,388]

10 hours ago, A F said:

I think we'll aim to flick the switch a week later at Round 20 or even 21, @binman, but it'll be fascinating to see.

I expect us to win at least 6 out of the remaining 9. If we win more, I think we'll finish top 2.

Question for yourself and those that have liked this post. You reference flicking the switch, understandably it’s hard to be up all the time, the only games this season I think we’ve been on and ready for the fight have been 

Rd 1 v Dogs

Rd 3 v Swans 

Rd 13 v Pies (our goal kicking halting what should have been a 5/6 goal win against a supposedly unbeatable side)

Why can’t a team that only won the flag two season ago and is stacked full of talent just flick the switch for a qtr / qtr and a half to either put a lead on the board early in the game or later in the game to get some separation from a team that refuses to die? At times throughout this season we’ve been caught playing some really dumb predictable and some might argue arrogant footy which has resulted in losses. Against Port we had one good qtr which was the 3rd but other than that it’s all or nothing with us. 
 

I said at the start of the season as far as the H & A season goes we should really only be judging ourselves by how we perform against 4-5 other teams. Wins against lower placed teams are a given in most cases regardless of our mindset due to our talent.

Edited June 30, 2023 by Bombay Airconditioning

[monoccular 17,425]

5 hours ago, Roger Mellie said:

We've potentially got Brown, Petty, Grundy/Gawn, Fritsch and Smith in the forward line at any one time. Don't need another tall on a wet day.

As an aside, didn't Kossie kick a bag last year in Alice? I'd love him to hit his straps on Sunday.

Maybe we don't "rest", or use the rucks deep forward much for now.  Experiment over with BBB being back.  Let them drop behind the play to support the defensive zone. (Just soeloquilising)

Edited June 30, 2023 by monoccular

[Ugottobekidding 1,184]

Would have dropped Pickett... Needs a dam good wake up

[Min Xie 284]

After the bye week so far:  Rd13   Bris lost to Hawks by 25; Freo lost to Rich by 15; STK beat Syd

                                                         by14(Syd lost to STK by14).                                                       

                                             Rd14   GCS lost to Carl by 59; Geel lost to PA by 38.

                                             Rd15   Adel lost to Coll by 2(Coll beat Adel by 2); Essen lost to Freo

                                                        by 32; Hawks lost to GCS by 67; Melb lost to Geel by 15; WC lost

                                                        to Syd by 171.

                                             Rd16   Rich lost to Bris by 81; GWS lost to Melb by ?

Edited June 30, 2023 by Min Xie

[beelzebub 23,350]

1 hour ago, Ugottobekidding said:

Would have dropped Pickett... Needs a dam good wake up

Possibly. 

Never going to be dropped for THIS game though 

[Bystander 903]

13 hours ago, pitmaster said:

BT is terrible. Thinks it's about him. It ain't. Darcy is a goose. McLachlan not so bad but has some terrible turns of expression like "such and such and change". Hudson sounds like a hyperactive 12 year-old. Whately is OK. Underwood dreadful nasal tones and talks in the cliches she heard growing up (like Eddie McGuire who was a shadow of Lou Richards) Wish Cometti was still at the mike.

I simply can't listen when Underwood is on. I can't think of anyone with a worse voice. And she is on radio! How did that happen? Is it deliberate ? Cliche after cliche. Who picks these people? How do they keep their jobs?