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Lever has met with both Melbourne and Collingwood. One meeting went very well. The other didn't.

A highlight for me was Joel Selwood ducking into a tackle and looking incredulous that he didn't get a free. It would've been a free at Deliverance Park, no question.

Agree have to admire the Tiges. Their pressure all night and numbers around the ball and opponent was fantastic. But when the game was there to be won they cracked Geelong and put the foot down. The Cats were tired, injured and lost their way. It was just another reminder that successful teams need stars, matchwinners that can create play and finish play. Martin is a superstar. He does everything and is a team player. He alone was almost the difference. Throw in Cotchin, Rance, Riewoldt and the Tigers have a number of players that can influence the outcome. These guys bring their teammates into the game. Without the influence of Dangerfield, Selwood, Taylor, and Guthrie, the Cats lost complete momentum. Again, the match showed the importance of having a full list come finals time and having your best players fit, injury free and in form. The Tigers show what can be done. Down and out last season, they have transformed themselves and now have momentum and belief in themselves. They have some ordinary players but success brings belief and confidence. The dream can become the reality. The Tiges win was a great example of being able to win the contested ball and pressure opponents into turnovers but also being able to run, carry and attack the goal when you have your opponent on the ropes.

Jackson Trengove on way out of Port. Offered 3 years, wants 4 and will get 4. We're one of a few clubs sniffing. plan B should we lose Lever from 10 goals up at 3 quarter time.

I am so bloody sick of all of this 'redemption' [censored] about the bombers. It was self imposed, knowingly CHEATING on an organisational scale. No fairytale here. I hope the Swans absolutely tear them a new one tonight. Shame, scum, shame.

Heppell is very ordinary off the juice.

But we wouldn't have been as bad as we were and would have been middle of the road quicker, hence missing out on Trac and Clarrie. I have a view Red that everything in life happens for a reason. Sometimes it takes a long time to see the silver lining/positive Eg:2001 Hawks were a decent side if yhey take Judd who was an instant impact they don't bottom out in 02/03 and commence the full 04 rebuild. Meaning no Roughy Franklin and Lewis

Lol. We need more mids, we don't need to be giving the mids we already have away. Particularly, the ball magnets. Tyson's disposal (by foot) was horrible in 2017, but he continues to get the ball. It's about correcting the decision making and getting that knee sorted, not trading him. An idiotic suggestion really, but each to their own. Our midfield is Oliver, Viney, Petracca and Salem, then the old guys like Jones, Lewis and Vince (the butcher) might go through there too. Add our half backs/forwards like Melksham and Hunt into the mix as well. But don't mention the likes of AVB, Trenners or JKH. Now that is not a very deep midfield and it was exposed in the back end of 2017 with even the simple omission of Viney. We desperately need guys that get the ball a lot from the stoppages, because it means the opposition aren't getting it from the stoppages. Tyson is one of these guys. Say what you like about his disposal, but he's near the elite category in terms of getting the ball. Lever will get done if he wants to come here. It'll be pick 10 and an exchange of picks or a trade that potentially involves another club. I'll trust the club to make the right decision.

I'd like Essendon to get beaten by something in the 186 range.

I'd like to see Stephen Dank and Shane Charters chair the retiring Essendrug players off the ground. Is that wrong?

Weideman needs to focus on building his tank this summer so he can actually run / lead to space and get some cheap footy. So many of his attempts at the mark are from a standing start and then in an effort to reach the ball at its highest point (and often bad delivery) he gets pushed under the drop of the ball. He tackles well and always taps the ball on to team mates where necessary so I think he has a lot to offer with a good footy brain - not to mention he's a pretty good kick on both sides. Just needs to get to more contests and to get to them first without the opposition affecting his run.

They panned to Nathan Jones in the stands, looks like he's one player that received the finals email.

Had we won rnd 23, we would be there instead of Ess...a scary thought...and we would not have Viney or Hogan. Not feeling so bad about our rnd 23 loss...sorry if that sounds sacrilegious but I don't think I could bear another annihilation at Sydney's hands. It was the loss to them that derailed our season...the infamous round 15! ...and, I'm certainly enjoying the bombers crash landing

Interesting...most experts didn't predict Casey making top 8 ....let alone top 4. We had lost senior Casey players & with Melbs quite young list ...Casey weren't predicted to go far. With the amount of injuries to the senior side which sorely tested our depth...I would have thought it pretty commendable that they did. Richmond has one player on their injury list ....not all doom & gloom surely ?

Corey Maynard is a gun & will play senior football Round 1 next year.

Dude this isn't the thread to be toxic, keep that somewhere else Leave this thread to talking about the game

Pound for Pound, Do we match Riewoldt, Rance, Cotch & Dusty? As Hemingway succinctly said, they brought their team mates into the game with the desperation and aggressiveness that they played with. Who are our elite 4 that do the same across our spine? Perhaps our 22 are not far off, but what of our leadership in the games we should put away (when opposition is obviously inferior, like even "2nd place" geelong were tonight) ? One poster on reddits afl sub said richmond would make a GF 2 years ago based on their age list profile and elite talent, i think that may suggest the importance of having your elite talent in that 25-30 yr bracket. It still may still may mean that you can snag one premiership early (Dogs, Hawks) but you'll generally have a few years of heartbreak as you mature, before youre ready to make a big impact with a few years of success which the Tigers seem destined for with Martin Cotchin Rance and co.

I wonder if we would even have this thread, if our idiot recruiting manager Prendergast, had taken Talia as everybody expected, instead of Jordan Gysberts, in a mind boggling, stupid pick, of Cook and Toumpas proportions. ( Yes I know he didn't pick Toumpas ). Oh and BTW, I am positive if he had, we could guarantee that we would have played finals this year, as he would have stopped at least two goals, that we allowed this season, if not have won us a close game outright. Thanks Barry, you butchered this club.

My mail is that this is as close to a done deal as is possible at this point on the calendar.

Essendon look like a team that snuck into the 8 because they played the bottom 5 teams twice..

I wish Cameron Ling would stop talking.

DIE ESSENDRUG DIE total scum club

This should have been us getting annihilated by Sydney. ?????? Oh, are we not doing that now?

Quote of the day ET for mine

There is nothing wrong with Weideman's attack on the footy in the air. If anything its a strength. When in the contest does not take many marks yet but also rarely is out marked. At this stage does not lead to the right spots and does not have the engine for consistent multiple leads. Big year for him next year which being its his third should be when he starts to show consistent ,maturity. Still think he will be a quality tall forward.

Jay Kennedy-Harris is still a terrible player. Trenners is finished. Kennedy played one good quarter. Maynard is an absolute bull. Give him a big pre season and he could be anything at AFL level.

Aside from the frantic pressure being impressive the quality of football last night was terrible. Like watching under 8's play chasing the ball. Every kick went down the line Hopefully with lever hibberd Lewis Salem ect down back we can kick through this pressure like the Hawks used to. Whilst also applying the pressure up fwd

Tigers were great last night, you have to give credit were its due and played to the occasion. As for the bombers, they can get stuffed!

But don't you know, they're everybody's second side. I've rarely wanted a team to lose so badly.

A big fat NO to a trade. This guy is a prime mover. OK he creates turnovers but so do Patrick Dangerfield and Dusty Martin. If you get the ball often as he does there will be forced turnovers. Dont know why the hate for Dom.

If Dangerfield wanted a flag he should have stayed at Adelaide

Nup

Because of the concussion concerns? Or just rate Lever higher? I want to try and keep our good players together.

I'd rather Ess were knocked out now! Let Cats or Crows take care of Sydney. There is more than enough smug arrogance about Ess with 'premierships are their destiny'! Couldn't bear it if they were to win a final after all the AFL benevolence in the last few years.

This is laughable and all about emotions. Ffs many were talking up our depth a month ago. A week is a long time in football let alone 6 months. The usual suspects with blanket character assassinations Trolls posing as MFC supporters. Not a lot of tweaking to do half a dozen and we're up and running.

There should be an inquisition into how Ben Kennedy didn't get a single look in at afl level this year. Constantly puts his body on the line. Yeah, he can't kick over a jam tin, but his kamikaze attack on the ball and consistent high possession winning should have been rewarded. Can't believe Wagner, Kent and Trengove got a look in and a small forward that attacks every contest like his life depends on it had his cards stamped early. And for the sycophants that say goody knows best, just remember that Spencer and Tim Smith got a look in before Pedersen and we all know how that worked out.

Corey Maynard is so far and above everyone else in red and blue that it's not funny. Declan Keilty finally gets a Casey goal.

Nup not you.....him

Don't discount the manic pressure of the Tigers yesterday, that we also showed in the first 15 or so rounds of the season. They have had no injuries and no disrupted season unlike us, who lurched from mini crisis to mini crisis. Remember the score when we played them earlier in the year at 3/4 time, we were 5 goals ahead and Tim Smith and Jake Spencer our star key forward and key ruckman were both off the ground by quarter time. Yes they ran over us in the last quarter, but without those two stars going off early we would have beaten them. We also had a similar story against the Cats and thrashed the Crows and Port and beat WC in Perth. What am I getting at, well we are not a bad side but we were cruelled with injuries and suspensions to our better players. I agree we would be better with Lever and Gaff, but I think we have another problem. We have lost form in the last third of every season under Misson, is their a correlation to his portfolio and our poor form late in the year? BTW I am not blaming him for that first quarter against the Pies, but we have got players back and still played badly late in the season. Why?

Love the Fish Creek reference Franky!!! We're in the grand final today against Toora and should get the job done (finished 5 games clear with a % close to 290). There are a couple of guys in the team that would not look out of place in the AFL. Namely Cal Park. One of the McGannon boys might get drafted this year too. Tommy Cameron is an absolute champ. Gotta love country footy. Pumped for a big day, fire em up Reg, bring it home Fishy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! R.I.P Alberton Football League

Tigers play with an intensity that you can't help but admire I love their 'small ball' approach to the forward 50 - their pressure is incredible and they're very very hard to match up on

A champion team will always defeat the team of champions. A lesson GWS need to overcome before they achieve anything.

Hang in there mate ... I started barracking for the club in the mid 60's and like a number of others, had to wait 23 long years before experiencing finals of any description. There are quite a few here who have the same exact story to tell. We are nothing but a resilient bunch. I totally get the angst & disappointment but if we really take a close look at our list, we're a ways off. It's always about building a great list combined with top-level coaching and excellent admin. All the great teams have those strengths.

Rance is a Nancy boy.

Do you like him.? What is your opinion, do you think we should try and get him? Do you think he would be in our best 22? Do you think we could let Garland go if we got Lever? Do you think he would wear number 6 if he came to us?

He was about 5 levels above Jurrah. Jaka - 201 goals in 47 games Jurrah - 81 goals in 36 games Jakovich kicked bags in finals. In 47 game with Melbourne, he kicked 7+ goals on 10 occasions. Jurrahs best was 5. AJ was a superstar. Only longevity stopped him being an all time great of the game. Kicked an absurd amount of behinds too, if he had been more accurate... wow.

Hopefully the Franchise have their pants pulled down tomorrow night. Then I'll have something.

FMD!! I have just read this thread and am astounded and amazed. This must surely be a record. A demonland thread showing total agreement Perhaps we should send Mr. Jaksch an award?

Good to see that the experiment with Jake Spencer on a wing continues on into a third week.

Keep. His best footy is ahead of him. He is a goal kicking midfielder but wasn't this year. The biggest knock on him isn't disposal or decision making. He doesn't play well injured. His poor form always coincides with carrying an injury.