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GENTS!!!!! I've known about this since yesterday but have had to keep quiet until the official release. Over 12 years of blood, sweat and tears has gone into this day. Dec has worked his [censored] off and finally gets his chance, debuting at the glorious MCG. I am lost for words. Lets hope he kicks a few goals. Carn Dec and Carn the Dee's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Surprised Misson didn't drop a brick on his head to make sure.

I second that. In some ways Dec land feels like an honorary Demonland poster and part of the somewhat dysfunctional Demonland family. Kudos to you too Drunkn. I really admire how you've gone about posting about your brother's journey. Always even handed and sanguine about the occasional barb he has received from some posters. I feel for Smith, like his namesake, he can't take a trick with injury. But I actually think Kielty's height and reach makes him a better fit for us. I also suspect he, like another poster has suggested, will take the step up to AFL in his stride and I reckon the level will suit him. Huge opportunity to cement a spot.

Sounds like he may have had latent hypoxia. Being an ex-navy diver, I can tell you there’s no benefit to this sort of exercise for professional sports players. It was used more so to put trainees under stress.

So many posters complaining about the changes, yet most can only point to 2 others who could come in. The first is Kielty. Whilst I'd like to see what he can do that would leave he and Tim Smith as the key forwards. This seems a diabolical lack of experience to me. When the match committee decided to drop Weid (who was having zero impact) they had to push TMac forward. They have made the call that at this stage Oscar is a better bet than Petty. I am comfortable with this. Keilty missed out last week when they brought in Smith. Unless he was going to play back he was never going to get a run this week. If Smith gets dropped surely Keilty is next in line. Those who want Sparrow in the side instead of Wagner need to consider, like Wagner he is a fringe player who has done little in the games he's played so far. If we are going to play better footy it'll be because the guys who are a lock for best 22 get their acts together. It won't be because of the decisions made over the last bloke picked for the side.

Probably trying too hard as a result of every second bastard being onhis case.

Really pleased for him. He has earned this chance. A great example of being rewarded for persistence and not letting your head drop. Hope he has a great game and many more.

The Demonland ''go to'' line is to call a player slow. vandenBerg is supposedly slow, yet he's one of the fastest at the club. Petracca is supposedly slow, but his burst speed is better than most at the club. Either people guess, or they don't pay attention.

I'd much prefer him learning to kick straight then all this fancy drowning in a pool [censored]

Not sure of the science behind this, but my uneducated opinion is that exercises like this and military style stuff for professional athletes are absolute rubbish.

Congratulations Declan Keilty and @Drunkn167! Hope you kick a couple of bags!

Emotional responses calling for the sacking of players does not improve our chances. More likely, it achieves the opposite. The club needs to make sensible and rational decisions that give us the best chance of winning. At the moment, injuries to those sidelined and those still playing make team selection difficult. Our playing resources are stretched thin. So with limited resources, selectors need to consider team balance, try to blend experience with youth, include height and run etc. At the moment, it is a patch up job. There is simply no point in dropping players (particularly those with experience and proven track records) in order to make a statement. They have dropped Weideman, you simply can't go dropping a host of other players. We want to see a united club standing together in difficult times, not emotional responses aimed at showing that the club is doing something. There is absolutely no point getting rid of players if there are not better replacements.

I really don’t know what everyone thinks we could’ve changed instead, look at the VFL team...

This is how my step-brother died. It triggered a heart attack. He wasn't properly supervised, but if it can lead to heart failure (he was healthy and athletic) then I don't know if that's an acceptable risk for our players. I also don't know what the potential for heart failure is with other forms of hypoxic training - there was a delay in rescuing my step-brother from the pool, such that cause of death was ultimately drowning. I don't mean to be a downer - and joke away as you would - but I don't think it's fair if our players are criticised in the future for not engaging in especially risky exercises. Lastly, my step-brother saved two other lives through organ donation. For those unaware, it requires more than a tick on your driver's license to ensure your intentions are followed in this respect.

So what you are really proposing is no one on Demonland for a month...

What the actual [censored]!?? How about focusing on getting their skills right on an oval instead of drowning each other in a pool!

Congratulations Dec and as many have said ..thanks to Drunk'n ... it is a journey shared. It's worthwhile taking a moment to think about how few players ever really make it at AFL level. That first game is a real milestone. https://www.reddit.com/r/AFL/comments/7iax40/what_percentage_of_afl_players_reach_each_games/ Game Milestone Number Of Players To Reach Milestone Percentage Of Players To Reach Milestone 10 7715 61.323% 50 3968 31.540% 100 2213 17.590% 150 1143 9.085% 200 560 4.452% 250 234 1.860%

No expectations. But seriously, if he can’t bag 6 on debut he shouldn’t be on the list.

Well done and good luck tomorrow Keilty. All the best @Drunkn167, will you be in the rooms when his jumper is presented to him? Fun fact: Last time we beat Hawks in a H&A game we had a first gamer in Weid.

Kudos to him for the donation, sorry for the loss.

they must be expecting a lot of rain tomorrow.

OMFG A better training exercise would be to kick 100 balls at him and see if he can catch the frkin things!

People who are passionate about something will say things in the heat of the moment when unexpected disappointment occurs. Your post is the most pointless thing I have read here this season.

If Trac plays well this week, let’s try and drown him before every game.

Congrats @Drunkn167 and family. I actually read today that he had already played 64 VFL games. Which to me is just the perfect set of experience you can have coming into an AFL game. Clarkson has been very big on playings bidding their time for 2 to 3 years straight in the VFL before fully earning your opportunity. Well done Declan.

It's a good sign, to see he is pushing himself right to his limits. I'm sorry he had a bad experience this time, but he has recovered well apparently, and trained since. It seems all the other players went thru this with no issues.?

I can tell you right now, I won’t partake. I need the outlet.

It’s not new. Clubs have been doing it for a long time..

Hypoxic training is not unusual. One version of it is training at altitude. This method though just sounds plain stupid and dangerous

Agree with this. I figured they were going for a 'safety in numbers' approach. Whereby if we didn't take the mark, and couldn't crumb it, there'd be defensive pressure on hand immediately. Unfortunately it makes it harder to score at the same time through the congestion.

Ahhhhh, how's the serenity on this thread?

No one is claiming any player to be our saviour! We have been there too many times. Delighted to see that Keilty debuts tomorrow ?

Back ourselves to improve and trade 2020 first round pick

Dec to debut! Congrats to @Drunkn167 Enjoy the day!

Congrats to Dec, you and the family. Thankfully you don't have to trek out to Casey for once. Who will give us the 2s report this week?

Another forgotten gem of commentary. MW "If this keeps up I'll have a heart attack" Butch Gale "Ive already had 2 Mike" Teddy Whiiten "Call for the Medics make that 3"

At the airport biding my time before the flight. My presence was clearly the difference when we played the Swans and am hoping for a win again tomorrow. Hoe many changes for both sides since lasts years semi final?

People keep saying J Wagner is slow... if you watch the clip above of Oscar, Lewie and Wagner chasing O'Meara to the goal line you will notice that Wagner is the one who makes up considerable ground on O'Meara, leaving the others behind. Doesn't seem all that slow to me!

Lol. Yep... and add in some xmas’ past . Schwartz, Charles, jakovich, Tingay. I would add tho that Salem’s batteries were def included.

Was not going to let go but decide that it was time. There is a problem at MFC but what, who knows? I think we got ahead of ourselves hoping to be a hawks of 2008, but unfortunately we will not. I firmly believe that the year has gone to [censored]. We will win 8-10 games and miss the 8 but for the first time in a long time, couldn’t give a fluff. Next year I see a fresh MFC. A new plan, rejuvenated playing group, a new coaching team and the soul back. I have been guilty of bagging this club, wrote letters and email to the club and even thought that horrible thought of moving on. This year certainly has not helped but I do think 2020 will be the year. flFor those that purchase GF ticket guarantees, sorry. This is not the year. Hogan went! He will stuff up at freo, give it time. I wish him well but a fact is a fact and Jesse is what he is! Our injury list is long but know that Lever, May, Jets and the Vine will be ready to rock next year. A good draft and trade will further enhance this group. Happy to wait till next year.

That's optimistic. Not the win, but the hope that no one on here will be complaining.

Why do you bother? These guys are just pathetic trolls who will continue to spit the same [censored] time and time again until someone gives them the attention they need. When we were winning games last year Olisik was no where to been seen and went into hiding. Its only when are going through a rut is when he will come out and play his games.

You do realise Fritter has only had one year on our list? He would definitely have made round 1 best 22 for any other clubs based upon last year. IMO there would currently not be a senior AFL coach who wouldn't want him on their list

FML the Joel Smith injury is a fuckup of epic proportions. How and why, knowing how long groins can take, would you keep someone out there in a friggin practice match? He literally limped for a half. I know I keep banging on about this, but I mean if we can’t even help the things we can control, then what the [censored] are we even doing? KK and Vanders’ careers seem to he hanging by a thread. Again, why did KK play out the game if he got a head knock? How is May’s prognosis getting worse each week? Why in God’s name would you keep playing injured guys only to make their injury worse? Preuss anyone? I give up with this club sometimes. Ludicrous management.

So is it time tp pull out the old Tom Scully moneybags jibe again.

And of course....Mary Hardy... a real professional

I bet we lose.

Take a month off for ignoring my general warning and a private warning about personal attacks. You're not the only one doing it but you are the only one who I've warned privately that has ignored the warning. I don't usually make moderating public but I hope this serves as a warning to others who think that they can blatantly disregard the rules. I get no pleasure out of this and this isn't a power trip. I let many things go through to the keeper but let that be a warning.

Actually ...the ONLY thing of value , to me, about this game is the cause. ( Some here will understand that ) As to the footy........well.........