6 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

😂😂

This seriously made me choke on my Coco Pops 

yeah cos their name is either 'the peptides' or 'essendope'

4 hours ago, gregdemon said:

Everyone I speak to  (they know I am a demon tragic)  are saying they expect us to drop out of top 4.  Bookmaker have us at $9.50 for flag a major drop from last year,   I would have though we were close last year (but muffed   it with injuries bad luck etc)    ...  but window still well and truly open...... am I missing something here

Firstly, ‘everyone’ is clearly a tad potentially inflammatory.. 

 

However, how many predicted is premiers in 2021? 
 

MFC have typically ALWAYS been better when it’s a surprise, to the media anyways! We’ve burned journos 2yrs straight so we have to expect them to jump-off, ala Cats for years even BEFORE their flag.. it’s a tough comp and many journos wanna be THE guy who predicted THAT teams rise or fall, and they want headlines, we fit ALL categories — but as I learned many times recently, ask them to pick for their life, it’d be different!

 

I’ve been wanting to newton a convo between Edmund and Cornes for a while now.  A caller dialled up SEN & said “Demons were basically the best form team in finals and if they converted, they’d likely of won the flag & we’re prob the best team”.. now to my astonishment (even though it’s a very true statement clearly) both Corn & Edmund said “well yeah, everyone in footy knows that, therefore it’s a boring point to make” Corn then went on to say that the pies are openly in footy circles very grateful for the dees kicking woes — or thereabouts! 

 

This seemingly innocuous statement reveals ALL when it comes to the footy media, ie no one cares about us, esp when we’re good! But ask them with a gin to their head who’s their pick, we’d 💯 be one of their 2-3 without doubt.

Im Champing at the bit for this year, loving what we’ve got and done, but I also know how even the Comp is, I know health is your best player, and that you need luck!

 

Many coaches and football experts say a player reaches his peak performance around the age of 29 and we have a great core of players in that 26-29 age bracket like Oliver, Petracca, Viney, Brayshaw, Lever, Salem, Fritsch, ANB and Langdon which will keep us in good stead for finals contention over the next few years. With further improvement from Petty, JVR, Rivers, Bowey, Pickett etc. I can see us pushing for the flag this year and in 2025. I'm not sure we'll be top 4, but that hasn't really helped us the last couple of years anyway so as long as we're in the 8 I'm happy. 

Just now, Tolstoys Nudge said:

Firstly, ‘everyone’ is clearly a tad potentially inflammatory.. 

 

However, how many predicted is premiers in 2021? 
 

MFC have typically ALWAYS been better when it’s a surprise, to the media anyways! We’ve burned journos 2yrs straight so we have to expect them to jump-off, ala Cats for years even BEFORE their flag.. it’s a tough comp and many journos wanna be THE guy who predicted THAT teams rise or fall, and they want headlines, we fit ALL categories — but as I learned many times recently, ask them to pick for their life, it’d be different!

 

I’ve been wanting to newton a convo between Edmund and Cornes for a while now.  A caller dialled up SEN & said “Demons were basically the best form team in finals and if they converted, they’d likely of won the flag & we’re prob the best team”.. now to my astonishment (even though it’s a very true statement clearly) both Corn & Edmund said “well yeah, everyone in footy knows that, therefore it’s a boring point to make” Corn then went on to say that the pies are openly in footy circles very grateful for the dees kicking woes — or thereabouts! 

 

This seemingly innocuous statement reveals ALL when it comes to the footy media, ie no one cares about us, esp when we’re good! But ask them with a gin to their head who’s their pick, we’d 💯 be one of their 2-3 without doubt.

Im Champing at the bit for this year, loving what we’ve got and done, but I also know how even the Comp is, I know health is your best player, and that you need luck!

 

Bookies are reacting to the betters and those this time of year are all trying for VALUE, So you watch us come in if we win the first few, so get in now! Or after R0 if you feel swans might pinch the opener — we’ll be $11 🔥

Let’s not forget that 20mrhs ago, we were quite literally UNBEATABLE for not only 2022 but maybe 2023, 24 as well.. 

 

Clarry situ also has the ill-informed all over us, not realising we functioned FAR better as a mid u it without him. Doesn’t mean we want him out, but does show we can cover.

 

Even King and Kane with “Max dominates or we die” theory is LUDICROUS  

I mean dabble now have us $10 as it is.. 😂😂😂

 

do what I’m doing if it annoys you, take their money folks! I mean the SWANS are $9 FFS 🤣🤣🤣

There’s reason to doubt.

It’s not just forward connection, it’s the ability to cover the full ground at pace both ways.

Collingwood showed us up for 15 minutes and that was enough, but every team will be trying. Heck, Essendon ran us off our legs over in Adelaide.

We have to get more comfortable defending open in space. Which means no more Lever just spare at CHB or May in the hole. Every defender has to hold their own, including a 3rd tall which is a huge question mark. And we might have to concede 13-15 goals and kick a score not 10. We can’t rely on locking down and sucking the air out of sides. That’s Ross Lyon ball, it doesn’t win flags and it deskills your list.

Same goes with the forwards, fast attack means different targets inside 50, which we can do, but also defensive pressure from everyone.

But the big one is the midfield - including the half backs and half forwards running and using the ball as well as defending across the ground.

That means a shift in skills, speed and work rate. We have some players on the list to do that, but if we have to take a step back to change the way we play - similar to 2020 being different to 2018 (forget ‘19) I wouldn’t be surprised. 

Honestly it depends on how hungry we are.

Is the team as hungry and angry as us fans are? Do the last 2 years burn like a furnace inside? 

Or are they happy with winning a flag a few years ago?

 

The naysayers have no idea how much we missed a fit frittata last yr

24 minutes ago, Tolstoys Nudge said:

Even King and Kane with “Max dominates or we die” theory is LUDICROUS  

David King has visited 1 training session for Melbourne-based clubs and reckons he has it all worked out.

We went out is straight sets for the second year in a row and have had an interrupted preseason. 

I am sorry but we will be asking for a big season from our best players to maintain top 4 at the end of the H&A season. 

42 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

There’s reason to doubt.

It’s not just forward connection, it’s the ability to cover the full ground at pace both ways.

Collingwood showed us up for 15 minutes and that was enough,but every team will be trying. Heck, Essendon ran us off our legs over in Adelaide.

We have to get more comfortable defending open in space. Which means no more Lever just spare at CHB or May in the hole. Every defender has to hold their own, including a 3rd tall which is a huge question mark. And we might have to concede 13-15 goals and kick a score not 10. We can’t rely on locking down and sucking the air out of sides. That’s Ross Lyon ball, it doesn’t win flags and it deskills your list.

Same goes with the forwards, fast attack means different targets inside 50, which we can do, but also defensive pressure from everyone.

But the big one is the midfield - including the half backs and half forwards running and using the ball as well as defending across the ground.

That means a shift in skills, speed and work rate. We have some players on the list to do that, but if we have to take a step back to change the way we play - similar to 2020 being different to 2018 (forget ‘19) I wouldn’t be surprised. 

"..Collingwood showed us up for 15 minutes and that was enough,.."

They nearly killed one of our club favourites, some of his teammates even thought that he may have been dead FCS.    The entire team was flat as a pancake for the first quarter.  Not an excuse, but an explanation.

 

38 minutes ago, biggestred said:

Honestly it depends on how hungry we are.

Is the team as hungry and angry as us fans are? Do the last 2 years burn like a furnace inside? 

Or are they happy with winning a flag a few years ago?

 

Personally think that confidence, form, game plan and luck are all more important/impactful than hunger for us (and all teams in the comp for that matter). 

8 minutes ago, rpfc said:

We went out is straight sets for the second year in a row and have had an interrupted preseason. 

I am sorry but we will be asking for a big season from our best players to maintain top 4 at the end of the H&A season. 

Which I think means new best players. It can't be May, Gawn, Petracca, Viney, Oliver.

Has to be some of them, but I'd like to see prime Jake Lever go to another level at half back, Salem fit and firing and likely on ball, Gus go to another level, Rivers, Bowey, Langdon, Pickett, Fritsch and when it matters Petty and/or JVR.

 

We could finish anywhere from 1st to 12th.

7 minutes ago, monoccular said:

"..Collingwood showed us up for 15 minutes and that was enough,.."

They nearly killed one of our club favourites, some of his teammates even thought that he may have been dead FCS.    The entire team was flat as a pancake for the first quarter.  Not an excuse, but an explanation.

 

They were flat before that happened, that's an excuse

Edited February 6, 20241 yr by DeeSpencer

1 hour ago, Tolstoys Nudge said:

I mean dabble now have us $10 as it is.. 😂😂😂

 

do what I’m doing if it annoys you, take their money folks! I mean the SWANS are $9 FFS 🤣🤣🤣

I'll be putting a few greenies on that!

8 hours ago, Pipefitter said:

I see us as the next Geelong. Every year people will be predicting our demise but we will annoy everyone hanging around year after year.  

Well ....We'd better start coughing up a few farm then.

5 hours ago, rpfc said:

We went out is straight sets for the second year in a row and have had an interrupted preseason. 

I am sorry but we will be asking for a big season from our best players to maintain top 4 at the end of the H&A season. 

I actually disagree wholeheartedly! I think our year depends largely on the next group stepping up, be it Gus, Rivers, McVee, Salem, Sparrow, Spargo, JVR, Kos, Langdon, Petty, Hunter, Billings & McAdam…

May, Max, Lever, Trac, Viney, Oliver will do their thing no matter what — but the above group is where the heavy-weight of improvement or growth will come, then anything strong (top 10-15 player lvl of perf) from Windsor, JVR, Howes, Kolt, AMW, Fullarton, Adams, Disco is crème!!! But I suspect Windsor might have a roll to play already, which is hard to decipher if it’s a good or bad thing but either speaks to desperate need or a burgeoning, overwhelming talent.

9 hours ago, defuture15 said:

The naysayers have no idea how much we missed a fit frittata last yr

I can assure you that Fritta is fit n firing n raring to go. He is back to 100%. He even played cricket last weekend and got man of the match, and is happy to tell anyone who’ll listen 😅 He made 47 off 25 and was sublime in the field. Again, he’s happy to tell anyone who’ll listen 😂

9 hours ago, Tolstoys Nudge said:

Firstly, ‘everyone’ is clearly a tad potentially inflammatory.. 

 

However, how many predicted is premiers in 2021? 
 

MFC have typically ALWAYS been better when it’s a surprise, to the media anyways! We’ve burned journos 2yrs straight so we have to expect them to jump-off, ala Cats for years even BEFORE their flag.. it’s a tough comp and many journos wanna be THE guy who predicted THAT teams rise or fall, and they want headlines, we fit ALL categories — but as I learned many times recently, ask them to pick for their life, it’d be different!

 

I’ve been wanting to newton a convo between Edmund and Cornes for a while now.  A caller dialled up SEN & said “Demons were basically the best form team in finals and if they converted, they’d likely of won the flag & we’re prob the best team”.. now to my astonishment (even though it’s a very true statement clearly) both Corn & Edmund said “well yeah, everyone in footy knows that, therefore it’s a boring point to make” Corn then went on to say that the pies are openly in footy circles very grateful for the dees kicking woes — or thereabouts! 

 

This seemingly innocuous statement reveals ALL when it comes to the footy media, ie no one cares about us, esp when we’re good! But ask them with a gin to their head who’s their pick, we’d 💯 be one of their 2-3 without doubt.

Im Champing at the bit for this year, loving what we’ve got and done, but I also know how even the Comp is, I know health is your best player, and that you need luck!

 

So know we’re agreeing with Cornes because he kind of said we were the best. The guy doesn’t do any detail, he’s a shock jock. You know this yet the minute he says something almost positive about the Dee’s you quote him as a believer. 

29 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

So know we’re agreeing with Cornes because he kind of said we were the best. The guy doesn’t do any detail, he’s a shock jock. You know this yet the minute he says something almost positive about the Dee’s you quote him as a believer. 

Huh…? Your making MY point mate haha
 

I don’t think you got my jib.. I’m not saying he’s a blvr, I’m saying that they’re all full of hot air — And that they all know we’re a good side & all this fluff about us dropping-off is exactly what you said, shock-jock sensationalism. My point is that underneath, they’re the same as any neutral supporter, ie they have no idea & just wanna make the next bold prediction knowing if wrong no one will remember & they’ll get clicks along the way. 
 

Ones like King, Cornes etc who specifically went hard on us LY, let emotion rule their public ‘opinion’ & they inflate their own self importance, so when they talk about us all hear like he did with Hoyne and asking if the predictive stats still show MELB are best side etc, when we lose instead of pointing to fact we just didn’t convert, he decides to go all out the other way and say we have a bad culture, that we’re a disappointment etc etc ergo my entire point is.. he like many more are entirely FULL OF IT!!!

I’ve been anti-media for many years, so you’re barking up the wrong tree there amigo, just to clarify — hope that helps clear it up.

 

9 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

They were flat before that happened, that's an excuse

Yea, they were.. but it doesn’t change the fact we were the dominant side and we don’t really need to change much at all apart form what we clearly already are working on, being f50 momentum, chain & connection via addressing which players are in that dangerous space (Spargo, Laurie, Windsor, Rivers, Salem, Brayshaw etc) & who’s moving into the i50 space, and where ie shallow AND deep, 15-20m options off of a flare cut or a reverse-lead to create space horizontally, diagonally not just deep and straight or it a pocket, more outside 50m into 50m leads, more swinging of sides with blocks, fake blocks etc it’s an all encompassing strategy that enables more options & better shots, but we’ve still gotta kick em — doesn’t matter who you are, if you keep missing ANYONE will beat you ANY week, simples!

54 minutes ago, Tolstoys Nudge said:

Yea, they were.. but it doesn’t change the fact we were the dominant side and we don’t really need to change much at all apart form what we clearly already are working on, being f50 momentum, chain & connection via addressing which players are in that dangerous space (Spargo, Laurie, Windsor, Rivers, Salem, Brayshaw etc) & who’s moving into the i50 space, and where ie shallow AND deep, 15-20m options off of a flare cut or a reverse-lead to create space horizontally, diagonally not just deep and straight or it a pocket, more outside 50m into 50m leads, more swinging of sides with blocks, fake blocks etc it’s an all encompassing strategy that enables more options & better shots, but we’ve still gotta kick em — doesn’t matter who you are, if you keep missing ANYONE will beat you ANY week, simples!

Where we finish depends on injuries/players available through the season. As it does for all clubs. It’s the single greatest determinant of success, even if the least sexy.