13 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

We’ll probably just drop some kids and bring back Sharp and Tholstrup though, won’t we.

Oh geeze. This is grim.

3 minutes ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

Oh geeze. This is grim.

Just noticing ? 😕

Channel 7 news article suggested Gawn will come under scrutiny for a tackle on Sweet in the first quarter. Anything in that?

Clearly McVee will be rubbed out.

9 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

Viney forward would also free up Chin to play a more attacking role, which is a good thing! He is fast, creative and a decent kick. People are really underestimating his season, but if he can be released to play a bit closer to goal in a more offensive role, he would definitely be hitting the scoreboard more. Right now he pushes up very high, sometimes all the way to half back doing that Nibbler role.

He's been terrific this season. I wonder if Chandler is better suited to playing the ANB role not from the wing, but from the old CHF, which Neal-Bullen did so often, and which Langdon is currently trying to do. He can still push high, just as ANB used to, but should have licence to be dangerous forward as well. If he gets someone like a Wanganeen-Milera would he be any less accountable than Langdon two weeks ago?

3 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Channel 7 news article suggested Gawn will come under scrutiny for a tackle on Sweet in the first quarter. Anything in that?

Clearly McVee will be rubbed out.

i thought so aswell it happened right in front of me, oh well give him a rest and bring in tc and verrall, was never gonna win a brownlow anyways even if we were good.

Edited yesterday at 01:141 day by jaydenh10
.

The club really needs to make some sort of statement on the umpiring.

Our coaches are unable to coach technique and skill when our players are frustrated by inconsistent umpiring decisions.

I believe the goal kicking is a result of the lack of confidence in their ability caused by the lack of confidence created by inconsistent application of rules by umpoires.

Of course we could also practice kicking the football and not he round soccer ball in training. The bounce of the oval shaped ball is also an unknown to our players who fumble and drop the ball. maybe cos its not round. Get rid of the soccer ball and train with AFL footballs

God so much need to vent

Another season wasted when we have uch a good list of playing stock

Coached bear responsible.

Melk has been a fantastic servant but he is not the answer anymore this year is done finals wise so let's give the likes of Jeffo, Adams and Laurie a run.

The time has come to give the youth a go for our 2026 plans.

Even young Verrall play him with Max give him some exposure for 20 or 30 percent game time what the worst that can happen?

We are already losing by 4-5 goals what's a 7-8 goal loss going to do that's different?

Change the mix Goody and Co.

7 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Just noticing ?

The conservatism in selection has been obvious for a long time. But there have been (admittedly less and less) plausible excuses. Now, after 14th last year and at 5-9 this year, staying wit the same rotation of 26-odd players would be wild.

The list is thin, but for goodness sake, give us a look at Sestan (once his hammy's right), Adams, Brown, Jefferson.

3 minutes ago, dpositive said:

The club really needs to make some sort of statement on the umpiring.

Our coaches are unable to coach technique and skill when our players are frustrated by inconsistent umpiring decisions.

I believe the goal kicking is a result of the lack of confidence in their ability caused by the lack of confidence created by inconsistent application of rules by umpoires.

Of course we could also practice kicking the football and not he round soccer ball in training. The bounce of the oval shaped ball is also an unknown to our players who fumble and drop the ball. maybe cos its not round. Get rid of the soccer ball and train with AFL footballs

God so much need to vent

Another season wasted when we have uch a good list of playing stock

Coached bear responsible.

Unlike the Collingwood game, I thought that the umpiring was pretty good yesterday, apart from a couple of dubious "insufficient intent" decisions. But that's such a silly, subjective rule that it's almost impossible to umpire.

Possibly ridiculous idea: could Langford play the Melksham role - or something like it?

He's quite a bit taller and good over head and although he doesn't have good agility or acceleration at this point, neither does Melksham. He doesn't have 15 years in the gym, and so may be too easily pushed off the ball, but he can certainly kick a goal.

Pull Windsor back up onto a wing. Rivers to the half back flank (his 50 percent game time on Sunday suggests to me he's in no-man's land at the moment after being sixth in the B & F last year).

Rivers needs to go back to half back to get some form behind the ball.

Windsor on one wing, XL on the other.

Bill Laurie needs to come in – but not on the bench/sub. Give him a decent run at it.

JVR should stay permanently at FF/or do the defensive role to get some form.

Petty should go back. Disco should come forward.

Jeff should come into the side.

Verrall should come into the side.

Surely they are not trying to get top four at the moment?

18 minutes ago, DiscoStu17 said:

Rivers needs to go back to half back to get some form behind the ball.

Windsor on one wing, XL on the other.

Bill Laurie needs to come in – but not on the bench/sub. Give him a decent run at it.

JVR should stay permanently at FF/or do the defensive role to get some form.

Petty should go back. Disco should come forward.

Jeff should come into the side.

Verrall should come into the side.

Surely they are not trying to get top four at the moment?

Be worth a try . I mean not a lot else is working so brilliantly as to not consider some changes.

If it ain't broke don't fix...

However...

Might be that 🤔 time .....

I think it's time to pull the trigger on Melksham and swap him for Jeffo for the rest of the year. Nothing against Melksham, it's just probably his last year and it's time to give Jeffo an extended run. There's going to be games where he gets killed by the best defenders, but it's the only way he will learn now.

I think the Kolt potentially should also play out the season and we could also have a look at Sestan at half back as well, especially if McVee is suspended.

If Gawn is suspended maybe we play Verrall, but I think at this stage I'd rather he continue playing at Casey to get his confidence up. He will get monstered at AFL level.

Edited yesterday at 02:121 day by DistrACTION Jackson

With a suspension or two looming here (Judd and maybe Max) and finals almost well and truly out of the frame, this week should mark the start of 2026 planning. Not round 21. Now. Get some time into Adams (break for Lever to get fully fit), Verrall, Culley, hell even Laurie - for a good block of games. I'm no fan of Laurie as I don't think he has any standout skills we need right now, but who knows. We need to play some kids and go hell for leather. Use the corridor. Play fast. Make mistakes. Who cares what happens? It's not like we are in any contention for finals. Expectations are low. Most games are not 'winnable' on current form. At least we can say we tried something other than what we have been doing.

You never know, if we start winning games playing devil may care type footy, it might catch on and we steam into the finals, in which case we will have earnt it and ne a nightmare to play against. Unlikely INV, but not impossible.

Most important thing is we start planning what we want to look like in 2026 now.

The biggest change has to come from the players via Goody and that is instituting some sort of fun internal penalty for dump kicks/bombs into the forward line - maybe a prize for the worst one each game.

They also need to have a prize for the best conversion and the worst shot at goal each week - it has to be a fun sort of prize, but one the whole group enjoys and helps take the pressure off.

To see wave after wave of wasted scoring chances must frustrate Goody way more than us Demonlanders and I can now see why he is so keen on playing Spargo at the drop of a hat because even though he barely gets it, the four or five times he does are big chances for teammates if they have the mindset to keep leading.

In terms of changes for Gold Coast, I would expect McVee to come out via suspension and I think we already saw that Goody has lost patience with Trent Rivers when he was subbed out. Sadly he has become more and more like Brent Grgic with every game, rather than like a Corey Enright. I still have faith in him, but it now must be via an extended VFL break and he either plays back or on a wing - he does not have the disposal in-and-under smarts to make it as an inside midfielder.

I'd also query Lever's fitness, although a week off may help - but when you have T-Mac as a slightly taller, yet similar back-up I'd rather we play him, especially given King and Walter and Read (if he plays) are genuinely tall.

I also suspect one of Petty, Melky and JVR to make way for Jefferson, whom I have major reservations about, but accept that he is starting to show signs of being AFL ready for Casey. AJ is also in the mix.

The two likely ins are Tholstrup and Jeffo with a tricky decision on whether Sharp replaces Rivers or Laurie gets genuine game time. I'd go with the latter as we need to know whether to sign him up for next season or not.

Out: McVee (susp), Rivers, one of Petty, Melky or JVR, Lever (if not running well enough)

In: Tholstrup (sub), Laurie, Jefferson and T-Mac (if Lever out)

5 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

And the genius Goodwin solution is to REMOVE Rivers from the midfield and put more of Oliver and Viney in there. The treatment of Rivers this year, a year after his breakout is a joke.
Langdon tags the best player out of the game, but Rozee runs free all day

Goody is not the answer anymore

I seem to remember Port Adelaide ended our season last year as well, albeit much later, and Goody continued to play our best side. No eye for the future at all. We still got belted by Collingwood in a dead rubber anyway. I wouldn't be holding my breath about Jeffo coming in to replace Melksham, Adams in for May or Lever, etc. It will still be our best side regardless of age every week.

Nevertheless, I'm hopeful that Jefferson comes in maybe for Petty, Tholstrup and Laurie can come in for Sparrow and Rivers, and perhaps Turner can play as a permanent forward. I'd personally have TMac ahead of Lever, but that's never going to happen.

Windsor should probably lose his spot too, but I put his second year blues somewhat down to poor coaching and development. It was a [censored] decision to move him in December, a [censored] decision in March and a [censored] one now. Just end it. It's not helping that Windsor suddenly seems allergic to finding the footy and continues to butcher it the 10 times he does find it. One of our most exciting prospects last year suddenly looks all at sea. Concerns???

6 hours ago, JJJ said:

Why is there not a thread on the bye? I am super looking forward to it.

I mean technically we do lose the bye.

I know other teams do too but we are pathetic when we do.

6 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I haven't needed to go to the actual butcher for weeks because of what has been served up every Sunday.

Too many cleavers, not enough scalpels.

Bailey Laurie has had over 26 disposals in 6 out of 9 games in the VFL this season - including 5 times in his last 5 games.

He's not dynamic enough to play as a small forward at AFL level (we have enough evidence of this); but he isn't a fumbler, works through traffic well and is actually a clever user by hand and foot.

Given the issues we have in the midfield with forward connection, and that we won't be playing finals, I think we could do a lot worse than give him a sustained period in the side playing almost exclusively in the middle. Keep Oliver in there as the sole "extractor", and run Kozzie, Laurie and to a lesser extent Trac (think he needs to play 80% forward / 20% mid) through the midfield as much as possible.

It's no coincidence that we lost all balance / "connection" in that unit from the moment Viney stepped back in there. He, Petracca and Oliver don't wax with the way we need to play now; and although I've been hesitatant to roast Goodwin given I/anyone else on here has no idea what we're talking about, he has to be held responsible if he continues to persist with that trio week after week. It's been at least 3 years of them delivering the same outcome - we have to change, and I'd argue drastically. It would take stones to relegate Viney to a defensive forward role, but to my mind it's the only way we can accomodate better users and decision makers into that midfield mix.

Lastly, for those who may have forgotten what Laurie looked like before coming to the club, watch the below clip of his highlights from his junior days, then tell me that that player wouldnt help our perennial forward/midfield connection issues. Despite it being junior football footage from a while ago, I still hold some hope that that footballer is in there somewhere but just hasn't been given any opportunity to show it at AFL level.

If I know anything about the Demons we will win this game

Only when you fully give up and lose all hope does this club try to draw you back in

19 minutes ago, Davos said:

Bailey Laurie has had over 26 disposals in 6 out of 9 games in the VFL this season - including 5 times in his last 5 games.

He's not dynamic enough to play as a small forward at AFL level (we have enough evidence of this); but he isn't a fumbler, works through traffic well and is actually a clever user by hand and foot.

Given the issues we have in the midfield with forward connection, and that we won't be playing finals, I think we could do a lot worse than give him a sustained period in the side playing almost exclusively in the middle. Keep Oliver in there as the sole "extractor", and run Kozzie, Laurie and to a lesser extent Trac (think he needs to play 80% forward / 20% mid) through the midfield as much as possible.

It's no coincidence that we lost all balance / "connection" in that unit from the moment Viney stepped back in there. He, Petracca and Oliver don't wax with the way we need to play now; and although I've been hesitatant to roast Goodwin given I/anyone else on here has no idea what we're talking about, he has to be held responsible if he continues to persist with that trio week after week. It's been at least 3 years of them delivering the same outcome - we have to change, and I'd argue drastically. It would take stones to relegate Viney to a defensive forward role, but to my mind it's the only way we can accomodate better users and decision makers into that midfield mix.

Lastly, for those who may have forgotten what Laurie looked like before coming to the club, watch the below clip of his highlights from his junior days, then tell me that that player wouldnt help our perennial forward/midfield connection issues. Despite it being junior football footage from a while ago, I still hold some hope that that footballer is in there somewhere but just hasn't been given any opportunity to show it at AFL level.

Interesting on Laurie. Most of us remember coaches favourites in teams who got the ball a lot but butchered it and always got in best players.

I feel to be a midfielder with Gawn guarantees x amount of kicks so you had better make them count.

29 minutes ago, DubDee said:

If I know anything about the Demons we will win this game

Only when you fully give up and lose all hope does this club try to draw you back in

McVee and Gawn escaped with no sanction from the Match Review Panel

Judd free