Eagles have dropped Kelly. I wonder if Melbourne has the balls to do something similar.

1 hour ago, Altona-demon said:

Agree - one thing that occurred to me the other day while watching us just smash the ball forward at all costs, was why the hell did we hire Nathan Jones?

I mean I love the guy. But why is this guy coaching our midfield unit?

There are a number of reasons why this guy was a bad idea:

1. Lack of experience - did he only just get his tickets, and then he is handed the keys to our engine room?

2. He's not independent - we need a bloke who is nowhere mates with these guys.

3. He's not good enough (yet) - he just can't be by reason of his lack of experience.

So then it starts to feel like, why the heck did we do this?

Here's an interesting trend in the good teams at clearance, look how often they try to ride tackles compared to the Dees. Look how they defend the Dees. Two things might occur to you:

1. Everyone sits outside the ball and just sharks the contested ball win from Viney, Oliver, Gawn. You don't even need to tackle, you just get free ball. We over invest into contest and they sit outside and wait for the poor disposal.

2. On the flipside, they absorb our weak defensive tackling at contest and then create outnumbers on the outside.

I would ABSOLUTELY love to see our boys caught holding the ball more, if it meant they were taking an extra split second to hit an outside option and win a good POST clearance. Any one of our outside mids would be a better bet to connect into F50 then our inside mid brigade bombing it forward.

He also played the exact way Viney/Clarry do, that’s not what we want coached

Edited April 9Apr 9 by BW511

1 hour ago, Altona-demon said:

Agree - one thing that occurred to me the other day while watching us just smash the ball forward at all costs, was why the hell did we hire Nathan Jones?

I mean I love the guy. But why is this guy coaching our midfield unit?

There are a number of reasons why this guy was a bad idea:

1. Lack of experience - did he only just get his tickets, and then he is handed the keys to our engine room?

2. He's not independent - we need a bloke who is nowhere mates with these guys.

3. He's not good enough (yet) - he just can't be by reason of his lack of experience.

So then it starts to feel like, why the heck did we do this?

Here's an interesting trend in the good teams at clearance, look how often they try to ride tackles compared to the Dees. Look how they defend the Dees. Two things might occur to you:

1. Everyone sits outside the ball and just sharks the contested ball win from Viney, Oliver, Gawn. You don't even need to tackle, you just get free ball. We over invest into contest and they sit outside and wait for the poor disposal.

2. On the flipside, they absorb our weak defensive tackling at contest and then create outnumbers on the outside.

I would ABSOLUTELY love to see our boys caught holding the ball more, if it meant they were taking an extra split second to hit an outside option and win a good POST clearance. Any one of our outside mids would be a better bet to connect into F50 then our inside mid brigade bombing it forward.

Reality is they are unlikely to get pinged for an extra step. But I get your point. Need both Windsor and bowey off HB running into square for a HB receive.

10 minutes ago, GS_1905 said:

Reality is they are unlikely to get pinged for an extra step. But I get your point. Need both Windsor and bowey off HB running into square for a HB receive.

You can’t see the full picture on TV frustratingly, but when looking at our centre clearance battles on TV this season we are often seeing a contest for the ball, often with all 3 of our mids getting drawn inside and belatedly the ball comes out to an opposition receiver hovering on the outside, who then takes off. MIA are our wingers and half backs running by as outside receivers. Where are they, what are their instructions?

Just now, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

It's a real danger game this one, a real 8 pointer.

44 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

Interesting approach to the weekend by the media department (it is rather a nice watch, regardless...)

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/1752560/salem-saves-the-day-fixture-flashback-2014?videoId=1752560&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1744188554001

That team in 2014 would probably beat the current one going by the highlights I've just seen.

Run and Dare and Targets to kick to Pedo, Dawesey and Frawls.

Edited April 9Apr 9 by YesitwasaWin4theAges

8 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Even Harmes is a loss. Clearly in Dog's best 22 who are miles better than us as a club.

A couple of poor games in 2023 and his papers are stamped.

Yes, Jordan was solid not give time to cement his place ..too often the sub. Bedford was fast and hard, not given a chance. Chandler got the nod, and Harmes, premiership player for Billings., well, Billings was a reject...why on earth would they pay for him...money down the drain.

We need pace because we simply dont have those players running past the marker to move it on. Just doesnt happen.

Brown needs to be an in this week

5 hours ago, Roost it far said:

Oh Lord,

How about JVR, Jefferson, Melksham, Turner, Fritsch, Chandler, Mentha,

1 hour ago, Ghostwriter said:

Tommy Sparrow’s 100th this weekend.

The banner says:

TOM SPARROW - SWOOPING IN FOR 100 GAMES

Pretty cool that his milestone game is in Adelaide. His family and friends will be out on the field when he runs through the banner.

5 hours ago, Dannyz said:

My forward 7 for this game would be:

JVR, Johnson, Melksham, Fullarton, K.Brown, Mentha, Chandler.

Enough strength to mark the football. Enough pressure to keep it in. It may lack the smarts/ class but that has not worked.

A different look. It cannot be any worse. Do it SIMON!

Congrats to Spazz. One of the nicest footballers and people you will meet in any club.

Re Playing Mentha ..... Firstly his form in the last few matches doesn't warrant a call up (yet) and he's super green. Would be very unfair putting him in right now. Throwing him to the wolves a la Watts imo.

Playing JVR, AJ and Fullo in the forward line is opening us up to less pressure and wins at ground level. More so than we've seen to date if that's possible, which is a scary thought.

To me it would be Fullo plus one of AJ or JVR. A coin flip on the latter but for me AJ just. He's a contested beast and a tackling brute who will make those around him stand a little taller.

AJ can give Max a chop out in the middle and Fullo can do same inside 50.

AJs last match doesn't warrant a call up either though but i'd have him in ahead of Rooh right now just for the tackling, general pressure, pack crashing and general hurt factor around the ball.

Is a Fullo / AJ combo (Rooh & Fritta out) combo likely at selection this week given Simon's poor record of selection integrity and constantly gifting players (in horrible form) further games? Not a chance. No dpubt one will be chopped but one will def stay.

Brown is worth considering ahead of Mentha imo. Brings the pressure, tackling and manic effort and good to very good recent form at Casey.

Very versatile too. Middle, on the ball in a Nibbler type role or as a medium / small pushing forward to assist and crumb / pressure.

1 hour ago, praha said:

Eagles have dropped Kelly. I wonder if Melbourne has the balls to do something similar.

we can only aspire to the professionalism of the Eagles. Bottomed out for years, their captain meeting the Cats at round 3

4 hours ago, Dee Zephyr said:

My question wasn’t directed at you so to speak, the term move player X to the bench is used a lot here and you just reminded me to ask the question.

Your meaning of moving Jeffo to the bench is having him in the starting 23?

No, in the starting 22. Start Fullerton at FF and Jeffo is used to give either Fullerton or JVR a break… it gives us some height up forward plus it means we’ll have rested forward to come in when one of Fullerton or JVR is taking ruck duties.

Edited April 9Apr 9 by hardtack

On 07/04/2025 at 11:33, Little Goffy said:

We taditionally do well in games against other Victorian clubs when played interstate. 🤪

Lost to Essendon in Adelaide last year. Even our memories are playing [censored]

10 hours ago, Altona-demon said:

Yeah perhaps - i'd see that as a tactical fix.

It's the complete absence of "easy patterns for goals" that's just frustrating I suppose.

I don't want to say we don't have a pattern (we clearly do) it's just that our pattern is so grindingly boring and ineffective. That we keep deploying it is just incredible.

These players would have grown up year after year, leading out to the ball, ticking back, moving, hitting up targets, yet none of these skills are being deployed.

Not sure how many nails you're hitting home but you are imho highlighting the very problem that's been noted for some time. We are clueless in the forward half. We are destroying the inherent football intelligencia that players have developed over years by foisting upon them what is nothing short of moronic 'planning' . To my mind there is no meaningful ,football coherent , effective forward 'game'. Anything skilful seems to have been mercilessly kicked to the kerb and substituted with schoolyard kick it up there somewhere!!

We've invented a new ideology "non-leading teams"

On 06/04/2025 at 21:50, Dee-tonator said:

Is it time for Viney to feel some selection heat?

His continual long kicks onto the chests of opposition defenders largely neutralise his ball-winning abilities.

Long kicks from Viney? During practice matches Viney seemed to find team mates with his kicks but not now. A fair percentage of Viney's kicks are smothered and he seems to lack the awareness that it will happen. A favourite player of mine for his tenacity but he doesn't seem to have any peripheral vision and does not sidestep to avoid tackles. It is "get ball, kick ball' and it is usually up and under thus giving team mates a task.

10 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

Tommy Sparrow’s 100th this weekend.

The banner says:

TOM SPARROW - SWOOPING IN FOR 100 GAMES

Pretty cool that his milestone game is in Adelaide. His family and friends will be out on the field when he runs through the banner.

Looks great, what if he gets dropped?

3 minutes ago, Cyclops said:

Long kicks from Viney? During practice matches Viney seemed to find team mates with his kicks but not now. A fair percentage of Viney's kicks are smothered and he seems to lack the awareness that it will happen. A favourite player of mine for his tenacity but he doesn't seem to have any peripheral vision and does not sidestep to avoid tackles. It is "get ball, kick ball' and it is usually up and under thus giving team mates a task.

Yep needs to be dropped!

8 hours ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

That team in 2014 would probably beat the current one going by the highlights I've just seen.

Run and Dare and Targets to kick to Pedo, Dawesey and Frawls.

Believe me, that team in 2014 beats no one. That highlight was about the only time they moved the ball like that for the whole season. As [censored] as 2025 is don't wish back to 2014 lol

9 hours ago, BW511 said:

He also played the exact way Viney/Clarry do, that’s not what we want coached

One of the more bizarre posts I've ever seen on Demonland. We've won 1 premiership in 50 years and Viney/Clarry were integral in that. That style of uncompromising footy they played shouldn't be coached?

2 hours ago, The Jackson FIX said:

Lost to Essendon in Adelaide last year. Even our memories are playing [censored]

That was 2 years ago.

44 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

  6 hours ago, Roost it far said:

Oh Lord,

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

Looks great, what if he gets dropped?

GW might DROP you on your head with that comment PF.

P.S. where is Uncle Bitters?

Edited April 9Apr 9 by Demon Dynasty

50 minutes ago, Wrecker45 said:

One of the more bizarre posts I've ever seen on Demonland. We've won 1 premiership in 50 years and Viney/Clarry were integral in that. That style of uncompromising footy they played shouldn't be coached?

It won a flag 4 years ago, we celebrate it and we have to evolve.

If you don’t believe Viney and Clarry are a large part of the current problem, I’d like to hear what is?

2 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Not sure how many nails you're hitting home but you are imho highlighting the very problem that's been noted for some time. We are clueless in the forward half. We are destroying the inherent football intelligencia that players have developed over years by foisting upon them what is nothing short of moronic 'planning' . To my mind there is no meaningful ,football coherent , effective forward 'game'. Anything skilful seems to have been mercilessly kicked to the kerb and substituted with schoolyard kick it up there somewhere!!

We've invented a new ideology "non-leading teams"

Come on Bubs.... we have some sort of plan with the "kick it to the pocket" strategy. So successful that we've been using it for three seasons or so now.

You know the old adage ..."when you're on a good thing"...

The last sentence made my morning 😆

On a serious note though, you have pretty much captured the essence of the state of our forward craft and ball movement coming inside. Great summary.

Edited April 9Apr 9 by Demon Dynasty

2 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Not sure how many nails you're hitting home but you are imho highlighting the very problem that's been noted for some time. We are clueless in the forward half. We are destroying the inherent football intelligencia that players have developed over years by foisting upon them what is nothing short of moronic 'planning' . To my mind there is no meaningful ,football coherent , effective forward 'game'. Anything skilful seems to have been mercilessly kicked to the kerb and substituted with schoolyard kick it up there somewhere!!

We've invented a new ideology "non-leading teams"

In some ways its quite a remarkable achievement of coaching. To have been able coach out natural instincts in this way.

Watch the JVR draft footage: Welcome to Melbourne: Jacob Van Rooyen highlights | 2021 NAB AFL Draft | AFL.

Some interesting things you can see:

1. Playing on back shoulder there even at a younger age.

2. Look at the mobility off fullback, halfback, around the stoppage, use of handball, field kicking. All things we don't see enough of from JVR. You can see the thinking from the coaching team by playing him as a ruck, but you watch the tape and you can see a high CHF / Curnow style player in Jacob.

Assuming our strategy is as we perceive it to be, based largely on contest, repeat entries, forward half-turn over etc would have two difficulties in my mind. First, it would have an inherent use-by-date, which is to say it would become v. dry for the players / difficult to repeat it over time with aging bodies (perhaps what we are seeing now from our famed midfield brigade. Second, it must be super de-motivating to hear that this is going to be your forward half strategy when you are watching other forward groups playing objectively better (on the eyes, and in the output) forward half footy.

1 hour ago, Wrecker45 said:

One of the more bizarre posts I've ever seen on Demonland. We've won 1 premiership in 50 years and Viney/Clarry were integral in that. That style of uncompromising footy they played shouldn't be coached?

It's hardly bizarre - the instincts of all these three players was to crash and get the ball (no problems there) the deficiencies in all their games is disposing of the footy (the arguably more important part of the equation).

If you think about it, getting the ball, and then disposing of it poorly is almost more painful then not getting the ball given your teammates once they see you get the ball start to move forward on that trigger. It's an interesting debate on "what sort of ball you want to get from stoppages".

I think the clear answer is clean post-clearance ball, chaining out of stoppage. Inside -> outside. Unfortunately, our team more often than not, goes inside to bomb forward, and it's just not damaging at all. I've said elsewhere on DL that i'd prefer Jack to just not kick the back, and get caught trying to find the outside runner.

2 hours ago, The Jackson FIX said:

Lost to Essendon in Adelaide last year. Even our memories are playing [censored]

We won the Adelaide double last year.

2 hours ago, picket fence said:

Looks great, what if he gets dropped?

Interesting question, if there was a player dropped or a late out through injury that was meant to be celebrating a milestone match, what does the Demon Army do? @Ghostwriter

1 hour ago, praha said:

We won the Adelaide double last year.

We sure did as Maysie said it was a successful interstate business trip.😁👍