On 23/03/2025 at 07:38, Demon Jack said:

I don't think we can play Howes in defence anymore. I thought he looked ok at points last year, but he was comprehensively beaten by Curtis today.

Sharp doesn't seem to do much aside from run. He'll probably hold his spot until Pickett comes back but he's on the thinnest of ice.

Yes the backline was under the pump but a big part of it was the midfield, lack of run turning it over so often the ball keeps getting pumped in we have a one paced midfield, a forward line that's stagnant but let's see what happens next week.

  On 23/03/2025 at 09:15, Coobs said:

I'm not sure who we can beat this year on today's performance. Hopefully we are competitive and can hold a few tackles against Gold Coast.

Bring in TC to give Max a chop out.

Manangatang magoos maybe!??

  On 23/03/2025 at 07:04, adonski said:

OUT: Viney, Sparrow, Woewodin, Howes, Sharp, Jeffo (inj)
IN:  Langford, Windsor, ?, ?, ?, ?

FRITSCH , IF this club stands for anything he needs to have a snake session at Casey to toughen up! Which means DROPPED!

Edited March 23Mar 23 by picket fence

I’d give Ollie Sestan a run - we have nothing to lose by trying him.

I expect Harvey "The Bison" Langford to be back in the Demons senior AFL side.

The pressure is definitely going to go up massively on Simon Goodwin this week.

  On 23/03/2025 at 11:14, Docs Demons said:

Your last line is spot on. Our depth is ordinary at best. Looking at the Casey stats you have Bison, TC and Fullarton in the best. The rest struggled to get double digit disposals. I know a couple of our better players are out, but most teams have injuries and cover OK.

As I mentioned last week and got a few negative responses our skills are not good. We miss kicks and handballs all too often. Time to have a week of just skills training. Maybe heaps of circle work like in the old days.

Hope we can turn it around as coming down from Qld for the Anzac eve game with sons and grandsons and would love to see us back to our best. I can dream can't I!

We don’t have “a couple of our better players out”.

Our depth is being tested because we have May, Pickett, McVee and Windsor unavailable (four of our best, or most important, 10), as well as Tholstrup, Melksham, McAdam, AMW, AJ and Culley.

It’s because we can’t pick any of these (and it’s completely arguable that 7-8 would be playing if available) that we’re seeing players like Spargo, Sharp, Woewodin, Jeffo and Turner, and are now discussing Laurie and Billings.

Don’t get me wrong though - I agree that our list is nowhere near as strong as some want to believe, and agree that other clubs cover missing players better than we do (eg Brisbane won the flag last year without McInerney, Coleman, Doedee and McCarthy).

B: Sharp, May, Adams

HB: Sestan, Turner, Windsor

C: Langford, Petracca, Lindsay

HF: Chandler, Petty, Henderson

F: Fritsch (last chance), Johnson, van Rooyen

FOLL: Gawn, Sparrow, Viney

IC: Campbell, Fullerton, Langdon, Salem

SUB: Laurie

If we can do everything but beat GWS at the MCG then we can definitely win this one too. I totally get today was absolutely atrocious and one of the worst performances of the Goodwin era, but it counts as much towards winning next week as last week’s performance does. We can easily win this game if we get selection right and show up on the day.

Out. Jefferson (injury), Howes, Woewodin, Sharp

In. AJ, May, Langford, Windsor 

That will do for a start. 

Viney is not getting dropped and Goody is not getting sacked. Deal with it. 

Edited March 23Mar 23 by Bang Bang Bang

  On 23/03/2025 at 10:38, dazzledavey36 said:

We're not a team known to make big changes even after a big loss like that. 

Clearly Jefferson is gone with a fractured hand so you'd think Johnson comes back in. I did see Fullarton take some pretty solid clunks up forward today in the VFL, could he possibly be an option for Jefferson? I feel like eventually we either need a Fullarton or Campbell playing together with Gawn at some stage. Today he looked completely gassed and Campbell completely dominated the ruck at VFL level. Even as a big body up forward perhaps.

Wanted Sharp gone last week and got questioned by a few folks on here.. where are they now? He's a genuine VFL depth plodder who i much prefer Bailey Laurie playing instead of him.

Hopefully Steven May is a chance. We are shot once he actually retires.

Our depth is pretty limited to be honest....

Right here mate. I disagree with you, and still do. That ok?

  On 23/03/2025 at 12:51, Bang Bang Bang said:

If we can do everything but beat GWS at the MCG then we can definitely win this one too. I totally get today was absolutely atrocious and one of the worst performances of the Goodwin era, but it counts as much towards winning next week as last week’s performance does. We can easily win this game if we get selection right and show up on the day.

Out. Jefferson (injury), Howes, Woewodin, Sharp

In. AJ, May, Langford, Windsor 

That will do for a start. 

Viney is not getting dropped and Goody is not getting sacked. Deal with it. 

May and Windsor will not be rushed back IMO. I doubt they will return given May was to consult a specialist late this week for next steps and Windsor was on crutches today in the rooms. I’d say both are 3-4 weeks away. 

Out: Jefferson (inj), T-Mac, Woewodin, Sharp,

In: May, Johnson, Langford, Laurie

T-Mac stays if Lever doesn't get up.

 

FB: Bowey   May    Petty

HB: Salem   Lever  Rivers

C: Langdon  Oliver  Lindsay

HF: Chandler Turner Sparrow

FF: Fritsch  JVR     Spargo

R: Gawn Petracca Langford

I: Viney Johnson Henderson Howes

S: Laurie

 

The sooner Pickett, Windsor, McVee and Tholstrup can get back in the side the better.

Out-Jefferson, Frisch, Sharp

In-Johnson, Fullerton, Langford

The good thing is we should be pretty fresh after resting all of the players in the 4th quarter. 

Not sure personnel matters this week. McVee, May, Windsor, Pickett and maybe Melksham, Tholstrup are the ones we need back and none are likely for this week.

Either we show up or we don't. Either the game plan works or it doesn't.

Really hope we don't go AJ for MJ though. We're too [censored] tall as it is.

Edited March 23Mar 23 by Pirlo

  On 23/03/2025 at 10:38, dazzledavey36 said:

Fullarton or Campbell

Fullarton is such an interesting one. Clearly the FD think he's extremely suspect in the ruck, but he only needs to be at centre bounces for 20% of the game. He was recruited in part because he kicked goals at VFL level at Brisbane. His average has fallen at Casey, but Casey were awful in 2024. 

I didn't mind what I saw of Johnson against GWS, so no problems bringing him back in. I also understand if he's simply not up to it - but so are several others in the senior team at the moment. Are they seriously going to let Fullarton go a full two years without a game and then (presumably) delist him? 
 

  On 23/03/2025 at 22:30, The Taciturn Demon said:

Fullarton is such an interesting one. Clearly the FD think he's extremely suspect in the ruck, but he only needs to be at centre bounces for 20% of the game. He was recruited in part because he kicked goals at VFL level at Brisbane. His average has fallen at Casey, but Casey were awful in 2024. 

I didn't mind what I saw of Johnson against GWS, so no problems bringing him back in. I also understand if he's simply not up to it - but so are several others in the senior team at the moment. Are they seriously going to let Fullarton go a full two years without a game and then (presumably) delist him? 
 

Interesting perspective

Yesterday Max need some relief. By that I mean his usual time on the bench plus another 10 minutes on ground resting forward. I would have played Campbell but it could be Fullerton this week. Nothing to lose if Fullerton replaced Fritta or JVR for a week or two. 

  On 23/03/2025 at 11:34, picket fence said:

FRITSCH , IF this club stands for anything he needs to have a snake session at Casey to toughen up! Which means DROPPED!

Absolutely needs to be dropped.

But we who can we replace him with?

Probably doesn't matter because you can't gift him another game after that.

  On 23/03/2025 at 22:40, 48 Year Now said:

I would have played Campbell

Campbell seems like a trustworthy battler - someone you can rely on to keep contesting. I like that we went and got him. But I also think the FD hate the idea of playing two pure rucks in the same team (which makes Grundy acquisition seem completely deranged). We all hoped Max would be dangerous as a resting forward and he just isn't. Campbell has gone at half a goal a game as a career average at both AFL and VFL level. I have to admit I really liked the idea of Fullarton when we got him and while I understand players sometimes don't turn out how you'd like, I'm amazed by how far down the pecking order he seems to be. 

  On 23/03/2025 at 12:51, Bang Bang Bang said:

If we can do everything but beat GWS at the MCG then we can definitely win this one too. I totally get today was absolutely atrocious and one of the worst performances of the Goodwin era, but it counts as much towards winning next week as last week’s performance does. We can easily win this game if we get selection right and show up on the day.

Out. Jefferson (injury), Howes, Woewodin, Sharp

In. AJ, May, Langford, Windsor 

That will do for a start. 

Viney is not getting dropped and Goody is not getting sacked. Deal with it. 

Viney should not be dropped.

Fritta is very lucky.

But I dare say if we play like this again this weekend, then the calls for Goodys head will start to grow.

He's a premiership coach and that counts for heaps. But as the old saying goes ...a week is a long time in footy.

Would be a shame to lose him but after yesterday, I'm not sure we are heading in the right direction.

At what point do we seriously consider his replacement?

Does failure to make finals again this year count?

 

I thought our back 6-7 struggled (sure, the entries were ridiculously simple which didn't help), but Howes and better were probably our best. I wouldn't be dropping Howes.

I think Caleb will get up, which means he comes straight back in at the expense of Woey. 

I'd bring Langford in for Sparrow, but I don't think that's what they'll do.

AJ for Jefferson seems a no brainer, not sure who the sub will be though. Maybe Sharp drops back to sub?

Just looking at the stats from yesterday, I saw Lindsay do a couple of nice things, but had no idea he laid another 6 tackles and had 20 himself at 85% DE. He is a real find.

I took my son (who before yesterday was convinced he was a Blues supporter) to his first full game, so I wasn't watching as analytically as usual, but that's another great effort from the Spreadsheet.

The good news is by the end of yesterday, my son was singing "we are the old dark DEMONS!", so some progress was made. 😄

Edited March 23Mar 23 by Adam The God

  On 23/03/2025 at 22:57, leave it to deever said:

Viney should not be dropped.

Fritta is very lucky.

But I dare say if we play like this again this weekend, then the calls for Goodys head will start to grow.

He's a premiership coach and that counts for heaps. But as the old saying goes ...a week is a long time in footy.

Would be a shame to lose him but after yesterday, I'm not sure we are heading in the right direction.

At what point do we seriously consider his replacement?

Does failure to make finals again this year count?

 

Its hard to determine whether Goody has put in the wrong strategy or whether the players failed to execute yesterday.

We dont know what the complete strategy is yet as we have yet to see it working. Week 1 was wet footy and yesterday was a complete shambles. 

I do think that the errors of last year will not be repeated. We will persevere with this new gameplan and by his admission there will be some teething problems. 

Honestly, I can look past the skill & execution errors as players find themselves in unfamiliar situations in pressure scenarios and will often stuff up. However these are professional's and are paid as such. They are also mature players with years of experience. So i would expect that teething issues will last 3-4 games before we start to see it gel and work. The 1st milestone is what we reach Round 6 with. Right now 1-5 :0-6 beckons. Winning the next 2 will be an absolute miracle, because they are better than North. To me 2-4 is borderline and constitutes reassessment after the bye round. Anything worse i just cannot see how he stays. 

  On 23/03/2025 at 07:39, whatwhat say what said:

wouldn't surprise me if lever doesn't get up, so that's both jefferson and lever out

you can't pick sharp or woewodin either based on today's performance

fritsch should be dropped but there's no one to replace him; we've turned one of the best mid-sized goalkicking i50 players into a completely ineffectual high half forward - what a waste

fingers crossed may is fit

langford the best of the mfc-listed players in the vfl, with fullarton arguably next best, but johnson will get the forward / ruck role over him you'd expect

i would drop howes and sharp as well, but there's no one to replace them - crikey, when yr advocating for the return of bill laurie over the latter yr in trouble as a best xxxiii

OUT: lever, jefferson, woewodin
IN: may, langford, johnson

Fritsch should be dropped - into the goal square where he belongs. He's never been a chase and tackle player so playing him high HF is expecting a miracle conversion. Playing out of the square he will kick goals.

  On 23/03/2025 at 12:51, Bang Bang Bang said:

If we can do everything but beat GWS at the MCG then we can definitely win this one too. I totally get today was absolutely atrocious and one of the worst performances of the Goodwin era, but it counts as much towards winning next week as last week’s performance does. We can easily win this game if we get selection right and show up on the day.

Out. Jefferson (injury), Howes, Woewodin, Sharp

In. AJ, May, Langford, Windsor 

That will do for a start. 

Viney is not getting dropped and Goody is not getting sacked. Deal with it. 

Not yet, that would be a very un Melbourne thing to do.

Need to recheck the draw, hoping we play Freo, Collingwood and the Hawks consecutively.

I tend to agree that playing Fritsch away from goal is counter productive. Problem is is he good enough one out from the goal square?

  On 23/03/2025 at 23:14, GS_1905 said:

We dont know what the complete strategy is yet

My |d|ot's understanding is that instead of slowly moving the ball, kicking down the line, scrambling to create a stoppage and then getting the ball inside 50 by any means possible, the new system involves chipping around half back (or going the full switch) to move the opposition around and find an angle, preferably a player in the centre square, then using fast, aggressive forward handballs to break into the forward 50. 

I think we all saw the sideways chipping in the GWS and North games. Against GWS the aggressive handball chains weren't numerous but they seemed to work reasonably well. Against North they almost seemed almost accidental to me - when they happened it was messy and panicked and even big turnovers never led to easy goals.

Edited March 23Mar 23 by The Taciturn Demon