PREGAME: Rd 18 vs Essendon

[forever demons 2,220]

12 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Smarty sits behind his computer screen and tries to be funny and takes potties at players, even young ones yet to debut.

Gots me zero time for Smarties, FD. 

Sooo you dont think smarty will be in this week

[Brownie 5,980]

Whichever way we go, I just hope we leave JVR forward for the majority of the night.

He's really progressing well as our main target up forward and will take the pressure off Fritta, Melks and Koz to do their thing.

With Gawn out, we've got to do more fast transfer of play through the guts. We did it pretty well against WC last week.

Langdon and Windsor are in pretty good form to do the hard running for us and I think we need to keep AMW in and on the field for his pace.

I feel like we can roll them this week.

[whatwhat say what 22,731]

9 hours ago, deejammin' said:

Before his knee injury Ben Brown played in the ruck in the VFL and had his best game of the season. Looked the most effective of our rucks Verral, Fullerton and co.

For those suggesting Fullerton plays im genuinely interested have you watched the VFL? While he moves well, gets to contests around the ground and has some nice athletic attributes, he is easily out muscled in the ruck and rarely wins hit outs. He could play but it would be a very different style of play for us. 
Whereas Verral looks more like a real ruckman and can be very good up forward also watching every VFL game I think his best far exceeds Fullerton but he is also young so can go missing and can still be bullied by the larger bodied ruckmen at VFL level. 
I’m not sure what we go with but I don’t think Verral would be anymore a surprise than Fullerton and my Smokey is BBB to ruck a full game if his injury is fully healed.

fullarton's best vfl game, by some margin, was when he was the #1 ruck

he's quite skinny, but he gets to contests and brings the ball to ground around the ground

i would think he's more likely than verrall to earn a call-up, but let's see

[dpositive 1,663]

put Kentfeild in to run at the Bombers rucks for a quarter or until half time. hit em and bruise em, wear them out 

Then bring on fresh Fullarton or Verrall to jump over them and run them around. 

Or same plan with Fullarton and Verral  half each as hard as possible for the half, come off spent.

[SthSea22 616]

I will spew if LVR is named in the Ruck

Fullerton is ready. Will beat Draper around the ground. Very similar type Rowan Marshall in terms of athletic ability 

[Guest]

45 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

fullarton's best vfl game, by some margin, was when he was the #1 ruck

he's quite skinny, but he gets to contests and brings the ball to ground around the ground

i would think he's more likely than verrall to earn a call-up, but let's see

He’s 200cm and only 93kg which makes him appear skinny. But up close you’d say he’s lean rather than skinny. He has great muscle definition and I imagine he’d be pretty agile for such a tall person.

We’d know by now if Will was to be debuting this week. Tommy F was most likely told yesterday he’s in the side. 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, forever demons said:

Sooo you dont think smarty will be in this week

I’m not sure we’re on the same page in terms of exactly who “Smarty” is, fd. The smarty to whom I’m referring will never grace the hallowed turf of the MCG but will happily bag the young blokes who do. 

[Tough Kent 2,137]

For the first time in a long time I’m not looking at the impact of different results on the ladder. I’m not looking at what we need to do, or who we need to beat to finish top 4, or even in the 8. I am just looking forward to watching a side with emerging players and a new appetite for the contest on a match by match basis. I must say, it’s been liberating.

 

If you said to me at the start of the year that in round 18 we’d be taking on a top 4 side without Gawn, Petracca and Brayshaw, I’d say we’d be no chance. I’m not so sure now. This side, led by some of its young stars is showing a real intent and passion for the battle. I expect that warriors like Viney and Oliver and Lever will bounce back this week and give it everything against a despised enemy.

 

This week is a free hit. Nobody is tipping us in the media. We’re expected to fade away with these injuries and a tough draw. Well I say write these Demons off at your own peril. If we don’t quite get up, then it’s another brick in the wall for our 2025 assault.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,813]

11 minutes ago, Tough Kent said:

For the first time in a long time I’m not looking at the impact of different results on the ladder. I’m not looking at what we need to do, or who we need to beat to finish top 4, or even in the 8. I am just looking forward to watching a side with emerging players and a new appetite for the contest on a match by match basis. I must say, it’s been liberating.

 

If you said to me at the start of the year that in round 18 we’d be taking on a top 4 side without Gawn, Petracca and Brayshaw, I’d say we’d be no chance. I’m not so sure now. This side, led by some of its young stars is showing a real intent and passion for the battle. I expect that warriors like Viney and Oliver and Lever will bounce back this week and give it everything against a despised enemy.

 

This week is a free hit. Nobody is tipping us in the media. We’re expected to fade away with these injuries and a tough draw. Well I say write these Demons off at your own peril. If we don’t quite get up, then it’s another brick in the wall for our 2025 assault.

All good points and I'm sure a lot of MFC supporters think the same.

The only annoying thing about a potential honourable loss this week is that next week we probably have the toughest assignment in AFL at the moment - Freo at Optus.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,813]

@FearTheBeard what crowd are we looking at?

62,000 is our biggest home game crowd against Essendon in the AFL era - round 9 2000.

[whatwhat say what 22,731]

1 minute ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

@FearTheBeard what crowd are we looking at?

62,000 is our biggest home game crowd against Essendon in the AFL era - round 9 2000.

55-65k i reckon

[FearTheBeard 1,223]

10 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

@FearTheBeard what crowd are we looking at?

62,000 is our biggest home game crowd against Essendon in the AFL era - round 9 2000.

Ticket sales are a bit better than the Geelong Saturday night game (51.7K) but worse than the Carlton Thursday game (58K). Hard to tell the impact of kids go free for a night game and how big the Essendon away GA turnout will be.

I'm thinking 55k, Saturday nights never draw well.

Edited July 11 by FearTheBeard

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

55-65k i reckon

Closer to 55 than 65 I reckon. The chance of rain will keep many away. Also, parents don’t seem to bring little kids to a Saturday night match even though there’s no school the following day. It’s too late a finish.

But I reckon those feral fans of theirs will come in filthy droves - regardless of the weather - even though it’s our home game. 

[Guest]

41 minutes ago, Tough Kent said:

For the first time in a long time I’m not looking at the impact of different results on the ladder. I’m not looking at what we need to do, or who we need to beat to finish top 4, or even in the 8. I am just looking forward to watching a side with emerging players and a new appetite for the contest on a match by match basis. I must say, it’s been liberating.

 

If you said to me at the start of the year that in round 18 we’d be taking on a top 4 side without Gawn, Petracca and Brayshaw, I’d say we’d be no chance. I’m not so sure now. This side, led by some of its young stars is showing a real intent and passion for the battle. I expect that warriors like Viney and Oliver and Lever will bounce back this week and give it everything against a despised enemy.

 

This week is a free hit. Nobody is tipping us in the media. We’re expected to fade away with these injuries and a tough draw. Well I say write these Demons off at your own peril. If we don’t quite get up, then it’s another brick in the wall for our 2025 assault.

Well said, TK! Your last paragraph in particular, and not just because you mentioned a line from a song from Pink Floyd’s greatest album. 😅

[Stu 919]

1 hour ago, SthSea22 said:

I will spew if LVR is named in the Ruck

Fullerton is ready. Will beat Draper around the ground. Very similar type Rowan Marshall in terms of athletic ability 

Keeping Loan-Value Ratio down under 80% time on ground is always recommended [end of mortgage based dad jokes]

[Demon17 5,188]

1 hour ago, Tough Kent said:

For the first time in a long time I’m not looking at the impact of different results on the ladder. I’m not looking at what we need to do, or who we need to beat to finish top 4, or even in the 8. I am just looking forward to watching a side with emerging players and a new appetite for the contest on a match by match basis. I must say, it’s been liberating.

 

If you said to me at the start of the year that in round 18 we’d be taking on a top 4 side without Gawn, Petracca and Brayshaw, I’d say we’d be no chance. I’m not so sure now. This side, led by some of its young stars is showing a real intent and passion for the battle. I expect that warriors like Viney and Oliver and Lever will bounce back this week and give it everything against a despised enemy.

 

This week is a free hit. Nobody is tipping us in the media. We’re expected to fade away with these injuries and a tough draw. Well I say write these Demons off at your own peril. If we don’t quite get up, then it’s another brick in the wall for our 2025 assault.

And no-one's mentioning the huge downside for the Dons if they lose.

Beaten no-one, choking again this year.  etc.

They become the media frenzy go-to story of the week, and then just how good are the Dees winning w/out Gawn and friends.

Can't wait.

[middleagedemon 325]

1 hour ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I’m not sure we’re on the same page in terms of exactly who “Smarty” is, fd. The smarty to whom I’m referring will never grace the hallowed turf of the MCG but will happily bag the young blokes who do. 

Toxic positivity on it's full display ladies and gents. 

Hey @WalkingCivilWar, please quote me on a post I made 'bagging' a player?

Bet you can't. 

Maybe spend less time trying to policing this joint and more time accepting that not every supporter needs to be a 'fan-girl' of everything MFC eh?

 

[old55 23,519]

5 minutes ago, middleagedemon said:

Toxic positivity on it's full display ladies and gents. 

Hey @WalkingCivilWar, please quote me on a post I made 'bagging' a player?

Bet you can't. 

Maybe spend less time trying to policing this joint and more time accepting that not every supporter needs to be a 'fan-girl' of everything MFC eh?

 

Ease up. You arrived here 5 seconds ago and have made a total of 15 posts, half of them in pointless argument.

[seventyfour 1,135]

I miss Luke Jackson

 

:(

[middleagedemon 325]

6 minutes ago, old55 said:

Ease up. You arrived here 5 seconds ago and have made a total of 15 posts, half of them in pointless argument.

Maybe you can tell the same to the poster who keeps saying that I am bagging players?

This place is wild. 

I've posted here before, for years so please save the 'arrived here 5 seconds ago' as if there's some kind of poster hierarchy around here. 

[Tarax Club 3,901]

13 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Closer to 55 than 65 I reckon. The chance of rain will keep many away. Also, parents don’t seem to bring little kids to a Saturday night match even though there’s no school the following day. It’s too late a finish.

But I reckon those feral fans of theirs will come in filthy droves - regardless of the weather - even though it’s our home game. 

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, middleagedemon said:

I've posted here before, for years so please save the 'arrived here 5 seconds ago' as if there's some kind of poster hierarchy around here. 

Clearly under another username. Why don’t you post under your previous handle? Lifetime ban? 

[middleagedemon 325]

35 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Clearly under another username. Why don’t you post under your previous handle? Lifetime ban? 

Please put me on ignore for you and everyone else!

[Jaded No More 68,879]

2 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Also, parents don’t seem to bring little kids to a Saturday night match even though there’s no school the following day

Because after spending a whole day with your kids, the last thing you want to do, is spend the whole evening with them too.

[forever demons 2,220]

3 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I’m not sure we’re on the same page in terms of exactly who “Smarty” is, fd. The smarty to whom I’m referring will never grace the hallowed turf of the MCG but will happily bag the young blokes who do. 

Hope i didnt offend wasnt my intention.Im not a smarty