3 minutes ago, 640MD said:

So. WHEN was the last finals win at the MCG.   Anyone remember

last I remember seeing was against StKilda

2 in 2018

Cats and Hawks

35 minutes ago, layzie said:

Hard to get massively psyched, credit to those who are but the deja vu of losing the QF and playing a semi again is draining even with a media blackout and people ribbing you about another potential straight sets exit. Not playing a scrub either, we're playing a side full of belief and 10 wins from the last 11. I don't like pumping up my positivity too much before these games because then you just start tearing your hair out when you aren't smashing them, this really is one of those games you have to just wait and see and pre game talk from commentators really isn't going to add anything. 

At first I thought selection was pretty safe but going all in on Max with a toe issue worries me a bit. Sure we might have something up our sleeve but how often does Goodwin go creativity over system? De Koning was impressive last time.

Then there's Tomlinson, in my view three defensive talls would have been more handy last week than this week. Hopefully it frees up Lever to do his thing and we generate a lot more score from turnover. I would love Spargo to get at least 12 possessions in this game in the wing/HFF area.

I'm past the point of caring whether the method stacks up or not and do not want to be talking about missed shots at goal costing us the game. Make it work, hit them on counters hard, get more running open goals. The pass mark in win, not method. I expect us to take the game on and try to expose Carlton's backline with smarter decision making and fewer dump kicks. We need to start very well and get a lead in this game because if Carlton with their contest game start well it's going to be very hard sailing. There will be time to play the territory game when we've got a lead, I'd love to see us start how we did against Brisbane with fast movement and looking through the corridor. 

It's also been a rough week that would have likely had an effect on the guys. I see two ways this will go, we use it as supreme motivation that you can take to the bank or I see them quite drained and deflated which could cost us. I'd honestly understand either way but man I hope it's the former. 

Just going to enjoy a game of footy tonight with not too many preconceived ideas or expectations, desperately hoping it's not our last for 2023 the year of the Dee. Let's go boys! 

 

 

Understand your feelings, but I am confident and ready to enjoy the night, mindful its going to be stressful.

13 minutes ago, PaulRB said:

The Footy Gods were never going to let us have an easy comfortable finals, but I'm hoping the team have been hardened and motivated by the horror of the last week and are on for the first, of three, steps to redemption and the holy land.

I'm visualising a energised and prolific Demons coming out tonight and putting a collective shiver up the spines of both the Lions and the Pies, while putting the Blues to the sword.

Go Demons

I've got the same feeling.

While I wouldn't say I feel it's that likely, but gee I'd love it if we could actually get off to a flyer in the first quarter for once this year and control the game from start to finish.

Getting a bit over most of our games comming down to the wire this season.

Just now, Half forward flank said:

Understand your feelings, but I am confident and ready to enjoy the night, mindful its going to be stressful.

Love it HFF. We need the confident people there as well 🙂

Kossie only attended 1 centre bounce last week. Want to see him in there more

And as sure as day follows night, the Carlton rucks and mids will smash into Max all night long without the umpires noticing

2 minutes ago, DubDee said:

2 in 2018

Cats and Hawks

I will need to think now.  So long ago

Just now, Stiff Arm said:

Kossie only attended 1 centre bounce last week. Want to see him in there more

And as sure as day follows night, the Carlton rucks and mids will smash into Max all night long without the umpires noticing

Kossie was at the first bounce. But my guess is that Gus going down threw everything into chaos.

I would love to see Kosi and Trac interchange midfield and forward roles all night. It won’t happen tho. 

25 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

So it's last day of the school term today and instead of free dress, it's wear your footy gear day.

MFC supporters out numbering every other team in the outer east.  This is the future - I love it!

GO THE MIGHTY DEMONS!!

I sent my 2 off to school in their Dees guernseys this morning.

And I told them not to take any nonsense from Carlton supporting kids today. Give as good as you get was my advice.

Go Dees

Before last Thursdays game Alan Richardson was asked if the players where up for the game he answered they where a bit over hyped and we are trying to bring them down a bit. That may have been a throw away answer but they started like they had been talked down a little. 

I'm not as excited about tonight as I was last week. Mainly because I'm still a bit annoyed that we're again fighting to avoid straight sets.

Having said that, I'm actually more confident on a win tonight as compared to last week which I thought was 50-50. There was a level of unknown about the Pies last week because they had been in poor form but they had that big win against Essendon and then the bye. Carlton played their grand final last week. They're not going as well as a lot of people think, and majority of their streak was against bottom 6 sides. Apart from Weitering, their defence is no where near as talented as Collingwood's.

Martin and McKay are also big loss for them.

The last thing I'll say is, really good teams don't just fall to 16th on the ladder and lose 7-8 in a row mid season. Carlton have gone on a hot streak, but deep down we all know they're not winning the flag this year. We're a better side, we've been in the 8 all year and top 4 for most of it. 

Dees by 22 I think it'll be 90-68.

Making my way down from QLD for my first live final, and will be camped in with the Carlton supporting family members…

Hella excited and unbelievably nervous - as much about having to walk home copping it if we go down.

#carnthedees 

20 minutes ago, 640MD said:

I will need to think now.  So long ago

anything pre-covid feels like decades ago!

44 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

So it's last day of the school term today and instead of free dress, it's wear your footy gear day.

MFC supporters out numbering every other team in the outer east.  This is the future - I love it!

GO THE MIGHTY DEMONS!!

this is remarkable. never thought i would see this day

used to either get jeers or worse, pity when i was the only kid wearing a Dees jumper

3 minutes ago, DubDee said:

anything pre-covid feels like decades ago!

I can remember vividly the defeat against wet toast.  But not the other two games and I most probably was there. 2018 pre covid long time ago

13 minutes ago, Stiff Arm said:

Kossie only attended 1 centre bounce last week. Want to see him in there more

And as sure as day follows night, the Carlton rucks and mids will smash into Max all night long without the umpires noticing

Also arms wrapped around impeding his run.

Plus over the shoulder scragging.

The former is an attempt to block his run but it rarely if ever gets called.

The oppo rucks also run at him without eyes on the ball and often don't touch the ball at all yet no blocking calls come.  Cox the extreme example at last week's opening bounce.

You can impede a ruckman's run but only if you end up touching / tapping the ball while doing so.  If you miss the ball completely and don't end up contesting it then it's a free to the oppo ruck (according to Razer).

We also need to have some group buy in and instructions from the coach so that players are pre-empting the oppo coming off their line to bash into Max and instead are getting to them first (where possible).

39 minutes ago, Diamond Tim said:

I'm going to be interested as to whether Cripps and Pittonet are tasked with going the heavy in the early stages - try and distract the D's who may be on a short fuse or hypervigilant about protecting each other.

Cripps is carrying rib damage.  I doubt it.  Better to smash into him.  Hope that's on the agenda for tonight when the opportunity arises

1 hour ago, poita said:

Underwhelming changes, but the cupboard looks pretty bare. Anyone who thinks our depth is up to standard only needs to be refer back to selection for this week to see otherwise.

Depth is a furphy in any side. You can't have good players playing down at Casey continually. They need sustenance or they leave for better opportunity like Bedford and like Harmes and likely Jordon

Still petrified we don't have enough tall marking options after Collingwood destroyed us in that area last week and going in with only one ruckman who has a sore toe.

2 hours ago, Clintosaurus said:

Seems to be a Carlton intra club going by the media.

Also we have umpire #22 so #freekickcarlton will be in full effect. 

Such a beautiful Melbourne thing to write, "we have umpire #22". Bought a tear to my eye.

And I'll I can say is . . .

"We have that #5 who seems to go alright."

Love your work @Clintosaurus

12 minutes ago, DubDee said:

this is remarkable. never thought i would see this day

used to either get jeers or worse, pity when i was the only kid wearing a Dees jumper

The other beautiful thing is hardly a Hawthorn jumper in sight.  I think I saw one Hawthorn scarf.

They were everywhere in my day.  Clearly the ĺack of sucess in the last 10 years that most primary school kids would have been around for is biting and long may it continue.

One stat I am certain we will win tonight are Smothers

Viney will smother the [censored] out of Cripps - human frisbee style with knees in the ribs

what could Viney do??? Cripps ran forward, the real victim here is Viney

McRae and Voss learned their footy under Mathews and in finals early territory is vital. Collingwood didn't bend down to pick up the ball at first they simply knocked, kicked, handballed it forward and the put huge pressure on the demon defence that started very slowly 

We were down 3 goals before you could think.

Expect similar from Carlton and we have to stop it. Come out breathing fire and get the ball fwd at all costs. But no long bombs. I'd be happier with scrubbier ground balls that put real pressure on their defence.

 

We have got this. 

 

Go Dees

Still flat from last Thursday, easily the least emotional I’ve been at any game. Considering what was at stake and the build up during the week, then to lose the way we did….

We’ve heard about loading, lessons learnt and how we’re timing our run beautifully. It’s all just words, there was a time not that long ago we were [censored] and losing was expected. We now have arguably one of the best lists in the comp and are currently in our window. I still believe we can win the flag without Petty, Melk and possibly Gus, but it will be tough. Would be one of the greater flags of recent times if we could. 
 

Just for something different why don’t we come out all guns blazing in the 1st and see what happens. Open up fwd 50, Trac and Fritsch both out of the goal square leading in different directions (kick it in low and direct) with Kosi and Chandler starting 35 metres out from the square sprinting in. Let’s back out fwds in to win their 1 on 1’s. Start dominating the stoppages like we used to and give our defenders time to set up behind the ball. 
 

Wild Turkey barrel proof will be my friend tonight.

Carn the Dees.

Edited September 14, 20231 yr by Bombay Airconditioning

There are only three things I know to be true this morning:

1. The umpiring will have an influence on the outcome of the game
2. Taylor will destroy the quiet enjoyment of the game (I'll be watching on TV in Queanbeyan)
3. If we win by a goal, @joeboy will declare everyone "is a champion" or "played their part", and if we loose by a goal, six blokes should never play another game for the MFC.

11 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Still flat from last Thursday, easily the least emotional I’ve been at any game. Considering what was at stake and the build up during the week, then to lose the way we did….

We’ve heard about loading, lessons learnt and how we’re timing our run beautifully. It’s all just words, there was a time not that long ago we were [censored] and losing was expected. We now have arguably one of the best lists in the comp and are currently in our window. I still believe we can win the flag without Petty, Melk and possibly Gus, but it will be tough. Would be one of the greater flags of recent times if we could. 
 

Just for something different why don’t we come out all guns blazing in the 1st and see what happens. Open up fwd 50, Trac and Fritsch both out of the goal square leading in different directions (kick it in low and direct) with Kosi and Chandler starting 35 metres out from the square sprinting in. Let’s back out fwds in to win their 1 on 1’s. Start dominating the stoppages like we used to and give our defenders time to set up behind the ball. 
 

Wild Turkey barrel proof will be my friend tonight.

Carn the Dees.

It was all set up for us.

Had we gone through to the prelim we were playing either a banged up Port Adelaide or GWS giants off a 6 day break. 

This is why I'm not one bit confident tonight now. Just think the players will be mentally cooked from last Thursday as well as the emotional tool from the Brayshaw saga.