Jump to content

AFLW: Rd 03 vs North Melbourne

WERRIDEE
WERRIDEE
in AFLW Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

No West or Purcell in the middle is a huge loss

Then Gay, Birch, Harris, Pearce etc

Gonna be a rebuild year 

 

  • Quote
    • Like 6
     

    Spotted in the crowd: Todd Viney, doing the right thing by sporting a grandchild wearing dad's jumper.

    And another with historic divided loyalties: Shaun Smith.

    And, no, I didn't ask...

  • Quote
    •  

    Wow the inconsistency of htb and incorrect disposal at both ends is just mind numbing.

    North players just flopping on the ball in our f50 for a ball up every time.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    2 minutes ago, Brownie said:

    Wow the inconsistency of htb and incorrect disposal at both ends is just mind numbing.

    North players just flopping on the ball in our f50 for a ball up every time.

    and the tackle without the ball not being penalised at all

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    1 minute ago, BDA said:

    and the tackle without the ball not being penalised at all

    Yep a heap of those too

  • Quote
    On 13/09/2024 at 19:34, spirit of norm smith said:

    Lost Birch, Gay, West, Sherriff in trades out.
    Went young in the draft.  
    With     Purcell, Aimee Mackin, Harris and Pearce out it's going to be a tough ask to “compete this year”.  That’s 9 out of the best 21 team from 2023.  

    Checked this team v team played in last years finals. They having lost 8 players from last years finals team.  It shows now !!!! 

    Edited by spirit of norm smith
    Y

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Don't think we're finals bound this year.

    In a an even, fair comp we'd probably at least sneak in but it's not the AFL way.

    A couple of retirements at year end.

    A couple of key players back from injury and hopefully some good recruits.

    We'll hopefully receive a "second division" fixture with a more balanced run at it.

    Hope we punch back this quarter.

    Macca has probably been our best. She never gives up. Her second efforts are wonderful 

  • Quote
    • Like 2
     

    Those of you more perceptive than me: what is there to hang our hat on for improvement (from a pretty ordinary base, it seems...) for the rest of the season?

    So different from the Season 8 H&A performances.

  • Quote

    Stinear’s tactics are mystifying to me. We’ve lost a heap of experience and class so we play a loose, run and gun, risky inside kick attacking style of play with little focus on our contest and defence. Especially given our skills are not up to it. Bizarre.
    As a result when we lose, we lose huge in a comp that will come down to percentage. He’s lost the plot.

    Edited by deejammin'

  • Quote
    • Like 3

    A chastening. North far the better team. And look the team to beat this year.

    skills, decision making not up to par. we kept trying though

    we were in a rebuild phase before we lost Tayla, Pearce and Purcell. Finals would be a bonus but looking unlikely based on the last 2 weeks

  • Quote
    3 minutes ago, deejammin' said:

    Stinear’s tactics are mystifying to me. We’ve lost a heap of experience and class so we play a loose, run and gun, risky inside kick attacking style of play with little focus on our contest and defence. Especially given our skills are not up to it. Bizarre.
    As a result when we lose, we lose huge in a comp that will come down to percentage. He’s lost the plot.

    Exactly. How many times did we turn it over kicking back into the corridor? Why no Paxman in the middle instead of Mithen who has no strength? The game has changed Mick. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Love 1

    Unfortunately the game appears to becoming more one of strength rather than open skilful ball movement. You could see that in the finals last year where even with a "full team" we were bustled off the ball.

    A great pity as our style was delightful to watch

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    • Clap 1
    5 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

    Unfortunately the game appears to becoming more one of strength rather than open skilful ball movement. You could see that in the finals last year where even with a "full team" we were bustled off the ball.

    A great pity as our style was delightful to watch

    We're really missing Hanks at her best too.

    She was devasting through the guts when she was firing but has really dropped off in the last 12 months.

    Zanker isn't using her strength and agro as well as she could either.

    Bannons off the boil too.

    With this young team, we need our leaders firing and there's a few who are just not in form at all.

    I love Mick as a coach, but I think it's a combination of factors that's just pushing us down the ladder at the moment.

  • Quote
    • Like 3

    Why didn't Watt play? Thought she rucked ok last week.

     

     

  • Quote
    44 minutes ago, deejammin' said:

    Stinear’s tactics are mystifying to me. We’ve lost a heap of experience and class so we play a loose, run and gun, risky inside kick attacking style of play with little focus on our contest and defence. Especially given our skills are not up to it. Bizarre.
    As a result when we lose, we lose huge in a comp that will come down to percentage. He’s lost the plot.

    All I say is DITTO !!! 

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Its been apparent for the last three years, even when we one the flag, that other teams are too big and strong. Crows, Lions, Roos are all big across the ground. There is no doubting the courage or determination of our players but they are constantly battling against far stronger opponents in the midfield. Purcell is a massive loss. Notice that Hanks, McNamara, Mithen and other tiny players are being expected to to win midfield contests. As skilful as they are, they get pummelled every week. I am in awe of their courage but it's going to wear them down. They also much less effective than they were in previous years because they are being expected to play the role that Purcell, Paxy and Daisy played previously.

    We threw Zanker into the middle a few years ago just to add some grunt. As it is, the ball isn't getting down to her in the forward line. I think Bannan is also wasted up forward. She is way more effective with her speed on the outside. Expecting her to develop as a tall forward is denying her the real weapon she has, which is speed on the outside. She is not heavy enough to be a tall contested marking option.

    ATM Kate Hore, our best player, is being asked to plug holes everywhere and other teams are working this out. Stop Her and you stop the Dees.

    Goldrick has been awesome but again she is punching way above her weight.

    I love Mackin and the way she has developed her kicking over the three seasons. It was very hit & miss but now she's kicking very smartly. 

    Our recruiting team need to draft for SIZE and footy smarts. I know that's a statement of the obvious and is easier said than done. I agree that Mick's plan can look wonderful against a less powerful opponent but most of the other teams have gone past us now.

    Against North we fought tooth and nail and I am in awe of the courage and spirit displayed, but they are just TOO SMALL over the whole line up.

    PS I like the look of Pisano's footy smarts

     

  • Quote
    • Like 7

    As others have noted size has won over speed and skill int he AFLW at the moment. The dominate side have big players.

    (Which really contrasts to what's happening in women development teams in WA, where speed is the more important attribute) 

    We have lost too many to trade and injury to compete with the top sides this year.  We'll do okay from here on out as the first 3 were taught as we are still in the "top" division of teams, despite our changes over the summer.

    This year is to rebuild and adapt the game plan for the new players.

  • Quote

    3 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

    Tough draw. First 3 games versus teams in last years top 4!!!  

    And we only get one of the current bottom 3 this year. Unlucky.. 

  • Quote
    2 hours ago, george_on_the_outer said:

    Exactly. How many times did we turn it over kicking back into the corridor? Why no Paxman in the middle instead of Mithen who has no strength? The game has changed Mick. 

    Definitely bit off more than we could chew a lot in the second and third, don’t have the skills to be trying to hit 30m kicks into the corridor so no idea why they kept trying it. 

    Paxy has the strength but I don’t think they have the speed anymore to get their hands on it in the middle, gets left behind a fair bit. 

  • Quote
    4 hours ago, Hawk the Demon said:

    She did play.

    OK. My mistake. Thanks.

  • Quote
    •  
    • Author

    I still think we can make the finals. Freo are beatable if we can't beat Freo then we are in trouble. We don't have enough good players Hore has been quiet the last 2 weeks but is easily our best player. Mackin and McNamara are good wingman, Gillard is a gun. Goldrick and Heath try but the rest have to have a good hard look at themselves.

    Purcell injury hurts we have no depth in the midfield. Pearce is one of the premier ruckman in the league huge loss and Harris is a big body that we are missing.

    Hanks last 2 years have been ordinary. Bannan and Zanker are so frustrating so much talent but when they are off they are really off. Fitzsimon is not up to AFW standard and so is Mithen so overrated I'd trade her does nothing week in week out.

  • Quote

    Stinear needs to go to the house of mirrors. He had to now show some strategy.   We had depth.  We had cover for injuries.  Guess what? Trade out 4 of your best 20 then lose 4 key players to injury and you’re cooked.  Others have improved.  AFLW Dees are going backwards.  They are being outbodied at the contest and their skills today were woeful.💔💔💔

    Edited by spirit of norm smith
    G

  • Quote

    • Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • NON-MFC: Round 09

      Round 9 kicks off out west with the Dockers hosting a Collingwood side resting several stars. Fremantle need to make a statement on their home deck after some disappointing form on the road, while the Magpies will be keen to maintain their Top 2 position. Friday night sees a must-win clash between two sides desperate to stay in touch with the eight. St Kilda have shown glimpses while Carlton are clinging to relevance after a flat start to the season. Saturday’s twilight game at Marvel pits the Bombers against a struggling Sydney outfit. Essendon can’t afford another close match against a lower-ranked side, while the Swans risk sliding down the ladder even further. Up in Darwin, the fourth-placed Suns will look to extend their stay in the top four. The Bulldogs have hit their stride with three big wins on the trot and will be very keen to consolidate on their momentum. The always fiery Showdown looms as pivotal for both clubs. Adelaide are eyeing a spot in the Top 4 with a win, while Port Adelaide’s season could slip away if they drop another game and fall further behind the pack. Sunday begins with a yawn fest between Richmond and West Coast. The Tigers need to bank the points to stay clear of the bottom two, while the Eagles are still chasing their first win of the year. The Giants face one of the league’s toughest road trips as they travel to GMHBA Stadium to face the Cats. With GWS at risk of a third straight loss, Geelong will be eager to consolidate their position inside the eight and start their climb up the ladder. The round wraps up with the top-of-the-table Lions heading to Ninja Stadium to take on the second-last Roos. The Lions should easily take care of the struggling Roos who might be powerless against the best in the comp. Who are you tipping and what are the best results for the Demons?

        • Thanks
      • 101 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREVIEW: Hawthorn

      Melbourne and Hawthorn who face off against each other this week have more in common than having once almost merged and about to wear a blue jumper with a red v triangle and an embroidered picture of a bird on the front. They also share the MCG as their main home ground, their supporters are associated with the leafy suburbs of Melbourne and in recent times, James Frawley graced the colours of both teams. Even more recently, both have bounced back from disastrous five game losing streaks to start off a season. Of course, the Hawks turned their bounce into a successful leap from the bottom of the ladder into a finals appearance, making it to the semifinals in 2024 and this year, they’re riding high in third place on the AFL table. The Demons are just three games into their 2025 bounce back, and are yet to climb their way out of the bottom four although they are sitting a game and percentage out of the top eight. However, with the current sportsbet odds of $3.90 to win this week’s encounter, it seems a forlorn hope that their upward progression will continue much longer.

        • Thumb Down
        • Clap
        • Thanks
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: Harvey Langford Interview

      On Wednesday I'll be interviewing the Melbourne Football Club's first pick in the 2024 National Draft and pick number 6 overall Harvey Langford. If you have any questions you want asked let me know. I will release the interview on Wednesday afternoon.

        • Clap
        • Love
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 31 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • REPORT: West Coast

      On a night of counting, Melbourne captain Max Gawn made sure that his contribution counted. He was at his best and superb in the the ruck from the very start of the election night game against the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium, but after watching his dominance of the first quarter and a half of the clash evaporate into nothing as the Eagles booted four goals in the last ten minutes of the opening half, he turned the game on its head, with a ruckman’s masterclass in the second half.  No superlatives would be sufficient to describe the enormity of the skipper’s performance starting with his 47 hit outs, a career-high 35 possessions (22 of them contested), nine clearances, 12 score involvements and, after messing up an attempt or two, finally capping off one of the greatest rucking performances of all time, with a goal of own in the final quarter not long after he delivered a right angled pass into the arms of Daniel Turner who also goaled from a pocket (will we ever know if the pass is what was intended). That was enough to overturn a 12 point deficit after the Eagles scored the first goal of the second half into a 29 point lead at the last break and a winning final quarter (at last) for the Demons who decided not to rest their champion ruckman at the end this time around. 

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Hawthorn

      The Demons return to the MCG to take on the High Flying Hawks on Saturday Afternoon. Hawthorn will be aiming to consolidate a position in the Top 4 whilst the Dees will be looking to take a scalp and make it four wins in a row. Who comes in and who goes out?

        • Thanks
      • 298 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: West Coast

      The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 5th May @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we analyse the Demons 3rd win row for the season against the Eagles.
      Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show.
      If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human.

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 25 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland
    View All