The Demons have a fantastic opportunity to create a very handy two game buffer for themselves and consolidate their position inside of the Top 4 with a win over the Adelaide Crows today at the MCG.

I just really hope that we can put the hammer down today against the Crows. 

We really need to put up a ‘point of difference’ in these last few rounds against teams, that on paper, are middle of the road compared to ourselves. 

Having good wins against these teams now without Oliver and Fritsch available shouldn’t be underestimated.  

We get those lads back into the team as finals begin - that should prove massive for our chances. 

(Verging on ‘loading’ conspiracy levels) is there however a possibility that all of this supposed meticulous planning and player management is about to come through to fruition? 

Or…

 

 …… is it just a relatively controlled week-to-week gamble. 

I have a feeling we’re getting primed against a measured approach towards Finals. 

Injuries can’t be planned for unfortunately and should be treated as outliers. 

It really is a strategic league - none more so than this last month of H&A matches. 

I would like to think that we are capable of a 20 to 30 point win tomorrow. 

What a sport this is.

 

 

 

In all honesty losing is not an option. Doesn’t matter if we win by a point or 100 just need to win. Adelaide’s best is very good, with a win we can almost put there season away, let’s do it. 

If we want to finish top 4 we need to win this sort of game. Glad this match up is at the G. Even missing key personnel I think we'll win well. Dees by 30

 

Edited July 22, 20231 yr by DemonWA

I'd love to see us finish in the 4th place on the ladder, take on Collingwood, and beat them in week one final. 

To Woewodin junior: What a beautiful running goal you kicked!

To Melksham: Hold your form please, wish you have an opportunity to become a Premiership player.

To McVee: Cool head, clean action, well done.

Go Dees!

Edited July 22, 20231 yr by Min Xie

 *Crows to win the Free kick count with Nicholls umpiring.

*Gawny blocked and punched in the back of the head whenever Tex is near him, will get 0 frees.

*Trac held at every clearance, will get 1 free.

I really hope we turn up for this game, Crows are a dangerous team if we let them get on a roll. Hold them to under 60pts and kick straight.

Dees by 30pts...hopefully. 

Dees by 28.

We have an opportunity to gain some serious momentum leading into finals. 

It starts today 🔴🔵

Melbourne have recently played in a couple of "eight pointer must win " games.

Today's game is more a "must make a statement game " . Melbourne need to win by 6 - 8 goals to show that we own the 'G and that all pretenders had better beware!

The Crows are down a couple of key players and ,with May to control Tex, plus a dominant midfield, I can't see them kicking anywhere near a winning score.

Like most, I like our ins this week and hope that both Chandler and Tommo cause the selectors headaches.

I'm meeting up with some Demonlanders pre game  so the victory celebrations will start early.

Dees by 40 +

4 hours ago, Min Xie said:

I'd love to see us finish in the 4th place on the ladder, take on Collingwood, and beat them in week one final. 

To Woewodin junior: What a beautiful running goal you kicked!

To Melksham: Hold your form please, wish you have an opportunity to become a Premiership player.

To McVee: Cool head, clean action, well done.

Go Dees!

I've been saying for months the pies won't loose another game till GF day were we beat the by a point 😉

Crows season is petering out. They have injuries and are out of form, ripe for the picking!

Tex is always a handful if he gets supply. Rankine was superb early in the season. Has come off the boil but needs minding. Jordan Dawson been very good as well. It won't be a walk in the park for us but with Max back in form, Trac on fire and Viney rampaging we'll get the job done. 25-point win coming up.

Please lower the eyes and hit those I50 targets boys.

Children go free today so I'm heading along with the brother-in-law and a gaggle of kids to cheer on the red and blue.

Go Dees

Sprint finish: Time for Max’s Melbourne to make their mark

43 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Dees by 40 +

Would love this.

 

23 minutes ago, BDA said:

gaggle of kids

Sounds dangerous.

18 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

 

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/sprint-finish-time-for-max-s-melbourne-to-make-their-mark-20230721-p5dq4y.html

He’s a bit colourful here but I agree with his main point, it’s time to start putting convincing wins together - don’t need to be 100pt smashings but if we’re going all the way we shouldn’t lose a game from here. 

Today should be a straightforward 30+ point, 4-quarter win.

It’s fine to say we’re locked in the top 4 or whatever but I think you’ve gotta start showing the others that you’re the real deal - wins are good but running out 4 quarters and not letting opponents have a sniff means when you’re up in a final they’re thinking “these bastards don’t stop running” not “they’ll let us back in here if we keep pressing”.

Best of luck to Tommo today.

This is a sand in the line game. 

If we keep it tight we won't loose.

Cant wait for May to put tex into the middle of next week

2 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

If we keep it tight we won't loose.

I will be tight by then thats for sure

Need to go out there and win the football game today. Probably getting to the point where we can only drop one or none more in 2023 to be realistic shot at anything. This simply must be a win.

12 minutes ago, Fromgotowoewodin said:

He’s a bit colourful here but I agree with his main point, it’s time to start putting convincing wins together - don’t need to be 100pt smashings but if we’re going all the way we shouldn’t lose a game from here. 

Today should be a straightforward 30+ point, 4-quarter win.

It’s fine to say we’re locked in the top 4 or whatever but I think you’ve gotta start showing the others that you’re the real deal - wins are good but running out 4 quarters and not letting opponents have a sniff means when you’re up in a final they’re thinking “these bastards don’t stop running” not “they’ll let us back in here if we keep pressing”.

Good points.

It's an interesting one, unlike the article, I don't subscribe to the belief that we (or any team) need to provide evidence to anyone currently that we need to be in 'winning form' or to get on a streak, or to win by a certain amount. 

Are Collingwood clear favourites now due to last nights win? Personally I am neither here nor their on them having stronger credentials than the other top 3. It's going to be a role of the dice to some degree, luck, personell on the park, 'moments' in games that win it.

We (pundits, supporters) retrospectively look for patterns to make sense of things, and then contort them to a way that then fits a narrative. Port were due for a loss.... last year Geelong managed their aging stars well...

So between now and the first finals weekend, I am not the fussed...

I'm happy to see what the Dees do come the first match of the 'post-season'. We're well drilled for it, that's been part of our DNA since Goodwin came along.... the other 21 rounds is the refinement process...

18 minutes ago, Fromgotowoewodin said:

but I think you’ve gotta start showing the others that you’re the real deal -

Why? - and did last week not count?  Or the match against Collingwood? 🙂 Or does too much time elapse?

More often than not this year when people here have said we should win by a certain margin it hasn't happened. Whether it's 4 goals over Freo/GWS, 6 or 7 goals against Carlton or 100 points plus against Hawthorn or North. 

Temper the expectations and remember there's two teams playing. A win is still a win.

2 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

Why? - and did last week not count?  Or the match against Collingwood? 🙂 Or does too much time elapse?

Of course it counts, but beating the lions and then losing to a couple of bottom 8 teams in the lead in to finals isn’t intimidating anyone. Footy is a mental sport as well as a skill and tactics contest. 

Are the pies miles ahead? No, but if you don’t think teams are gonna be worried sitting a couple of goals in front of them with a quarter to go I don’t know what to tell you.. winning builds belief and I don’t think you can go into the finals on patchy form and flick a switch, I want to see solid wins from here on