GAMEDAY: Rd 01 vs Western Bulldogs

[gs77 4,445]

1 minute ago, dees189227 said:

That's right it was baker. I knew we booed someone that didn't deserve it

Wasn't that largely theatrical, given they booed Hunter shortly before? Anyway, no booing from me for Harmesy. Huge soft spot for him, and hope he identifies as a dees fan after his career ends.

[leave it to deever 17,517]

Some points of interest for me...

How Oliver will fare after a game under his belt.

How Kozzie plays. I'm expecting a big year from him.

How Jvr and Gawn will respond after mediocre games.

And of course all eyes on Bbb.

Who is our sub today please?

[forever demons 2,224]

2 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Some points of interest for me...

How Oliver will fare after a game under his belt.

How Kozzie plays. I'm expecting a big year from him.

How Jvr and Gawn will respond after mediocre games.

And of course all eyes on Bbb.

Who is our sub today please?

woey

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,734]

12 hours ago, Demonland said:

On the back of a disappointing Opening Round loss to the Swans in Sydney the Demons return to the MCG today to take on the the Western Bulldogs in a bid to even the ledger early in the 2024 season.

Despite feeling slightly nervous just out of the sheer facts of going 0-2 and the pressure-cooker environment potentially becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts.. 

BUT.. then I went through the Dogs team, line by line, and boy — did I suddenly feel a whole lot better. The lineups are incredibly skewed in our favour, and all of a sudden with swans belting the pies (talk about a flattering scoreline, was more like a 10 goal drubbing) in Melbourne, after it seemed like they got us through the extremist humidity negating Max, Lever, JVR & happening to get us minus the one player it may of suited in Kos — I now find myself feeling extremely confident.

I do highly recommend the exercise of reviewing dogs side.. you’ll start to see it:

Backs: Bramble Khamis Coffield

Wings: Harmes, Gallagher 

Fwds: West, Lobb 

Interchange: Vandermeer, McNeil, Williams, JJ (inconsistent lot at best)

When you put that bottom 10 or so, against ours, it really does speak to how much the media fails to really ever actually analyse a game before speaking on their expected outcomes — sure we could lose, anyone can to any side, but how 80% of media rips the dogs is absolutely laughable and unfounded on every metric or facet: Gameplan, cohesion, experience, Ground record, Form & history! But it’s also just the way I (and I believe also the proverbial WE) like it, always have worn the underdog, written-off shoe better than the world-beater one and I’m glad the media have jumped-off, publicly at least.

Last week, I don’t care what ANYONE says — conditions played a role & our new gameplan be it ball movement, or our updated (and MUCH improved for mine) Zone setup were all impacted by the ground size & most of all conditions. We’ve also got a more balanced side today, carrying less unfit players (Spargo over Billings was pure insanity, even Spargo over a KOLT or K Brown given his fitness was bonkers) with Clarry less likely to fade out late like he did LW, again where the humidity played an essential role.
 

As proven on Friday night, Grundy could not POSSIBLY have had a better set of circumstances go his way last week, Max was mitigated to a pure tap only role given high marking was impossible, and Grundy being able to thrive by it basically playing like a torrential downpour after 15m, making everything slow-down & bringing his lower centre of gravity & ground-ball pick up, quick kick out of contest style to the forefront! That’s not happening again. Expected score was a 16pt loss LW, and we died in the last quarter & failed to take advantage yet again, early when we had ascendency & could of broken game open by getting out to a 15-25pt lead, which changes the entire dynamic of the contest. But we got beaten by a side who mastered the conditions, and that we’re able to run away, and sure right now swans look ominous, but it’s a 30wk season form opening rnd game to GF, so let’s not peak R0, as it is not ideal — but yes getting win sure would have taken the pressure off a little.

We know it’s always danger vs dogs, they don’t like us and it’s more than mutually felt, but given a simulation of 1000 games, we win this one 670-715 times in my opinion. I’m definitely looking fwd to seeing the new style in appropriate conditions, with less fumbles than in a high-school gridiron Friday night lights — Rivers, Max, Lever, JVR, Trac should all make amends today in perfect for footy conditions & I just cannot wait to see the boys firing on the mighty ‘G!!!

What I wanna see:

— With appropriate conditions in both weather & ground this week… Our newly tweaked Zone alongside our adapted ball movement strategy = Putting aces in their places ergo putting the footy in the hands we want it in when propelling i50!!! Perhaps one of the most low-key innovative features of the off-season, helped perhaps by having some Mini McQualter insights, but the new slightly deeper Zone, that puts more of a premium on inviting the perfect kick with the go-on-then-have-crack-at-it roaming HFF interceptor sitting slightly back ready to pounce on the corridor pass that isn’t absolutely perfect, combined with the slightly more offensive cross-cross running pattern it launches once it is a read from those front zone runners, where they sense so much as a 55-45 chance at intercept, they’re GAWWWN w/full propulsion fwd thru mid & mid-side lanes using a cross-cross, or zig-zag pattern (depending on where the contest in question is) that has our best kicks (Salo, Billings, Kos, McVee, Windsor, Nibbler overlapping past the first possessor to ensure they’re the i50 kicker & decision maker & our fwds are running in both a 90* Angle & a stagger-type lead pattern along with a mid/fwd cutting to the most dangerous space just i50 for the easy over the top or short angle entry, like what we saw vs blues but more intense & id say at 10% improvement every 4-6wks thru the year — This is a method that IF we can get it right will result in MUCH better shots at goal, and also allow a f50 stoppage as the goal when the hit/up might be covered or the deeper option can’t get a break on the lead — as they’ll then work with those aforementioned to create a contest on a lower-height i50 deeper entry to get that stoppage or ideally win the contest before it gets to stoppage obviously! I know it sounds a bit complex or hard-to-visualise but you’ll hopefully see plenty of it today. Key though is getting that gamble kick intercept right & not allowing a deeper oppo entry due to a breakdown in the system somewhere. This gamble-kick enticing role is where I think Lever becomes essential if manned up, why need a Hore/Howes/Disco combo rather than a Tommo due to speed off mark & absolute decisiveness needing to be on-point! 
 

— Max Gawn & Lever/May/Hore/Howes at intercepting best in proper footy conditions without insane humidity & at a ground more condusive to it (So glad to see Marty back, despite the vitriol anyone seems to get when they mention him being a good pick-up, which is fine but confusing that’s all, you’ll see very soon why his kicking & smarts are so valued)✅✅✅

— Kos being champing-at-the-bit & in best one-touch form of his career, blitzing out of contests or dancing around traffic i50 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

— Watching a majestic young Winger Speedster tear down the Members wing & hit up some targets as well as taking a few bounces & igniting a mighty roar with a clam, composed, clinical finish!!! 🔥🔥🔥  

— Clarry putting in one of those games where his hands have to be seen to be believed, setting up his teammates time after time & getting a snag from the boundary with a brute of a push-off & a SNAPPP 🙌🙌🙌

 

Prediction: Dees by 32pts 

Gls: JVR, Kossie 3, Fritta, Petracca, Brown 2

Best: Gawn, Clarry, Trac, Kos

—————————————————————

If we do somehow lose, let’s see the manner & not throw baby out with bathwater, as hurtful as it’ll be, can’t see it happening but it’s a long season & we WILL get it right more than not, don’t forget that — We’ve proven this & I blv in this team & coaching staff, we’ve got FAR more improved in us than we do decline!!! Go Dees 🔴🔵

[leave it to deever 17,517]

2 minutes ago, forever demons said:

woey

Thanks very much Forever Demons.

Always helpful.

I hope he gets at least a quarter.

Enjoy the game mate.

Edited March 17 by leave it to deever

[forever demons 2,224]

1 minute ago, leave it to deever said:

Thanks very much Forever Demons.

Always helpful.

I hope he gets at least a quarter.

Enjoy the game mate.

 

4 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Thanks very much Forever Demons.

Always helpful.

I hope he gets at least a quarter.

Enjoy the game mate.

In for a win today Deevie are you going

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,878]

Can someone please tell the MCG staff to TURN THE PA SYSTEM DOWN.

CAN'T HERE MYSELF THINK.

I know it's been this way for several seasons, but seriously it's ridiculous.  Doesn't improve the experience, it makes it worse.

[Rossmillan 589]

Kudos to the cheer squad donning the GUS helmets

[leave it to deever 17,517]

3 minutes ago, Tolstoys Nudge said:

Friday night, Grundy could not POSSIBLY have had a better set of circumstances go his way last week, Max

5 minutes ago, Tolstoys Nudge said:

week, I don’t care what ANYONE says — conditions played a ro

 

In beating us and they who won't be named, Swannies have put their have put their hand up to show they are the real deal this year. Underestimate at your own peril.

It was also a big record crowd up their on Swans home turf.

Will we be better off today with a game up our sleeve compared to dogs.

I think so.

 

[leave it to deever 17,517]

2 minutes ago, forever demons said:

 

In for a win today Deevie are you going

I try to get down to as many games as I can.  I live in Bulli, north of Wollongong, in the rainforest by the beach.

Tbh one of my mortgages is taking away my entertainment budget.

As much as it kills me to give Murdoch $ , I'll be watching it on Kayo.

My wife and daughter blew $ on that Swift singer. Doh.

But nothing ever beats the real noises, comments, smells, tastes and all round atmosphere of love footy.

Especially at the Mcg. Cheers.

[Earl Hood 6,101]

6 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Can someone please tell the MCG staff to TURN THE PA SYSTEM DOWN.

CAN'T HERE MYSELF THINK.

I know it's been this way for several seasons, but seriously it's ridiculous.  Doesn't improve the experience, it makes it worse.

I need hearing protection! 

[kev martin 10,411]

Not much of a crowd.

[old dee 23,872]

Just arrived at the G and I am wondering why you would be playing a game of AFL today. I feel those who have to play today. My rant for the day. on a crowded train the carriages are full. There is a lady with a scarf around her head, wearing a mask and looking pale standing and looking uncomfortable. Obvious to me that she is insuring treatment. No one stood up to give her a seat except a guy well into his seventies. What sort of world have we become?  Rant over. Go Dees. 

[BDA 22,875]

Don’t mind the doggies club song

[old dee 23,872]

3 minutes ago, Earl Hood said:

I need hearing protection! 

When I get to the G I take my hearing aids out.

[DubDee 26,117]

Jordy Lewis just showed footage of melbourne not kicking well out of defence against the Swans. 2 out of 3 examples were Tommo. so it’s pretty clear why he was dropped

[dees189227 12,398]

Hoping that Ben Brown can do something today.  I still have confidence in him

[forever demons 2,224]

3 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

I try to get down to as many games as I can.  I live in Bulli, north of Wollongong, in the rainforest by the beach.

Tbh one of my mortgages is taking away my entertainment budget.

As much as it kills me to give Murdoch $ , I'll be watching it on Kayo.

My wife and daughter blew $ on that Swift singer. Doh.

But nothing ever beats the real noises, comments, smells, tastes and all round atmosphere of love footy.

Especially at the Mcg. Cheers.

I cant go docs put me into wheelchair this week brains ok the body is stuffed,youre right you cant beat being there.You have a great place to live ,well done

[Kick_It_To_Pickett 3,293]

Pathetic turnout for Rd 1. Pathetic! Lucky to be 30k. Hearing that trains are out, but still 

[Demon Jack 6,930]

Where is everyone?

Lucky if there's more than 25,000 here at the moment.

[DubDee 26,117]

THE DOGS ARE OUR BUNNIES

CMON YOU DEMONS!!

34 point win coming up

[dees189227 12,398]

13 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Can someone please tell the MCG staff to TURN THE PA SYSTEM DOWN.

CAN'T HERE MYSELF THINK.

I know it's been this way for several seasons, but seriously it's ridiculous.  Doesn't improve the experience, it makes it worse.

Agree but I'm not sure we need half this stuff before the game.

Like right now robbos interviewing spargo on the ground. I'm not really interested in his favourite meal or holiday destination 

[dees189227 12,398]

1 minute ago, Demon Jack said:

Where is everyone?

Lucky if there's more than 25,000 here at the moment.

There are a lot of people in bars and still having lunch

[BDA 22,875]

15 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Can someone please tell the MCG staff to TURN THE PA SYSTEM DOWN.

CAN'T HERE MYSELF THINK.

I know it's been this way for several seasons, but seriously it's ridiculous.  Doesn't improve the experience, it makes it worse.

Ridiculously loud. I can’t hear my mate sitting beside me. 

[layzie 33,991]

Literally just rocked in after running the length of Birrarung Marr no idea what's happening in the city

Edited March 17 by layzie