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I can’t believe O Mac stayed in

Don't know if it has been mentioned but Melksham when being interviewed on radio said they would be staying in Cairns between the 2 matches which is bonus. Anyone know if they are going up on game day or the day before?

Why? He was part of a defensive unit that put on the best display for the season. May may not have been able to perform the way he did if OMac was not there.

Rivers, he got the job on Butler and I'd back him in against Papley.

MEMO TO ALL: I, and I assume most people here, visit this site to read about and discuss FOOTY. In particular the DEMONS. And in this thread, the discussion is intended to be about the PLAYERS and what TEAM our beloved club will field. Can we please stop with the [censored] Covid blame-game [censored], it’s just exhausting. Please shut up, unless discussing the above, or move the dog-chasing-its-tail nonsense to another thread or another platform altogether. Thanks in advance, D.A.G

unless Dan Andrews is about to come in for Hibbo, leave it for the Covid thread. I come on here to get away from covid

In the Hun today, Clarkson is venting about the draft being so compromised and unfair, that you can’t rebuild a list from it. Interesting for him to be on the other end of a situation, which enabled his team (along with Geelong) to win multiple flags, whilst other teams (including us) were hampered for years with the draft concessions handed to the expansion teams. Our crappy recruitment didn’t help matters, by the way, but the 2020 draft has nothing on what GWS were handed.

In all seriousness please take your ill informed, dangerous nonsense to some fringe facebook site. And keep it there.

The sauce of my sauce (let's call him 'the concentrated sauce') informs me that Bennell knows he wont get another senior game until he tests his legs at 100% pace. Seems loathe to run at full speed lest he have another breakdown. Might be psychological fear, or could be a real fear of further injury. Not exactly groundbreaking, but interesting intel nonetheless Must say in the games I've watched he never really hits top gear. My sauce is impecable and a true gentleman. #theconcentratedsauce

It has to be Harmes. He is our best shut down player. Even if he gets no stats of his own if he shuts down Papley he will have done his job for the team.

He's 193cm on MFC website and I'd even question that being correct. Having met him I was surprised of how big a bloke he is. Man is a beast and ridiculously quick for his size.

Harmes named at half forward. Could be Smith for Hibberd, Fritsch for Hannan, Harmes for vandenBerg and ANB for Pickett? In terms of keeping structure much the same? I will go early and say I am not a fan of Smith returning. Hope he proves me wrong.

I hope we are privately pushing a big case for Adam Saad. He is everything we are currently missing to the final pieces. Him and another quick small forward. I also think we need to look at sending Tom McDonald down back. Whether it's this year or next. When I see Tmac, Lever and May, I see a pretty potent back half. McDonald down back would free Lever up big time.

No doubt we've been stiffed on the fixturing this year, all thanks to Essendon really. Unfortunately there's not much we can do about it, but if we cant make finals given the quality of opposition to come in the next four games then we've really only got ourselves to blame. The added bonus for this fixture squeeze is our relatively healthy list, as long as players can come in and play a role (as many did last week) then we have the strengths to manage the roughness of this fixture.

Exhibit A of the current problem and how it spreads

Why not May? In great form, he's quick and can play small. That said May isn't that tall (only 190cm)

GF in the city I was born in on my Birthday! The stars have aligned... It's Demons in 2020!

Interestingly I just listened to the Max gawn interview on rsn yesterday and asked about rhe swans game he said they play a similar style to the digs and saints - look to go through the corridor and switch and run (which is half consistent wirh my comments above) I also listended to Rodney eade on rsn, also yesterday, and he said that goal to trac was the fault of Dougal who failed to maintain the defensive structure. Dougal should have been on the last line as the goal keeper, the role omac plays, which is where he started when the ball came in but got sucked to the trac contest (which is why there was 3 saints at that contest - like bees to a honeymoon he said - a familiar refrain for dees fans in the past). If he had stayed where should have, he would have stopped the goal (and my additional comment would have gathered under no pressure and cleared the area). Instead he got caught in no man's land and couldn't touch the ball. I hadn't picked that up. It highlights how important roles and structure are. Telling that Eade as a coach zeroed in on that aspect of the goal. Didn't even mention the video controversy. Can't seem to put the links up from my phone. Will try later from a pc. But they can be found on the rsn website under the program pages (the breakfast club).

Social distancing is not rubbish, it is a free process to protect others from you, and you from others. Viruses are hidden, dormant, regretfully unexpectedly emergent, and in general, absolutely and rapidly lethal due to their evolutionary mutations and genetics. This is generally known yet has to be reinforced and re-stated to some who regard 'the now' more important than 'the short-term and long-term futures of all people. Contagion centres on the 'me' and not the 'us'. Good on ya for questioning the comment, Stein193.

Mate, I know you hate OMac, but you're stretching the truth a fair bit there. Paraphrasing here: 'When Oscar comes in the side it definitely relieves me of having to play on that 2nd or 1st tall...' 'Don't want to have to keep Oscar out there for me to play well...' 'I definitely enjoy when Oscar is in the side, but don't want to have to rely on that to play well...' https://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/804633/media-conference-jake-lever?videoId=804633&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1598855500001

Fair enough. I have a different opinion on Omac's worth. So much of what I see in the criticism of him on this site just looks like a knee jerk reaction that is not based on evidence. he generally positions himself well and has excellent disposal efficiency. Yep, I understand he will get beaten at times either on a one on one or a lead but so will lever and May at times.

He's a good shut down player for ball getter types, but I don't rate him as a stopper for crafty small forwards like Papley.

QLD and WA's measures early on did anything but prop the rest of the ecomony up. Reading this post it could be taken that Victoria just one day opened the doors and had a party when the reality was Andrews was just as conservative as the other premiers albeit a terrible quarantine mistake. The reality is that this state that usually does a fair bit of propping up the economy itself has a much more densely populated CBD and inner suburbs than WA and community transmission has spread quicker. Comparing how each state has performed during this ordeal and saying things like 'how come you couldn't be like us" doesn't really help. I'm not saying that's what you're doing but we Vics get a bit sick of the arrogant tag too.

I am a Clarkson fan but this is hilarious. We have been on the poor end of draft compromises (and didn't help ourselves with poor drafting) but for him to come out now complaining is freaking amazing. Not only that they have raided clubs and sold future picks like a drunk throws cash at a strip club, Now they find they have no picks and the talent has been compromised. No [censored] Sherlock This is fantastic. We should go for the juggular and start raiding any talent they do have. No one will want to sit there why they rebuild for 5 years. Do it melbourne. And we get their 2nd round pick this year. Sweet

Very good insight. Some takeaways: - that loose ball gather would have been a contested possession for Dougal, unless he marked it and then it would have been an uncontested possession. Stats can be useless. - we could have been in trouble if that happened, with loose saints able to rebound while our defensive zone was out of position (we were swarming forward) - the value of players like OMac and probably Lockhart, ANB and Spargo, isn't always in what they obviously do (on camera) its in how they hold the team together in those crucial moments. Their continued selection is a balance of whether their positioning discipline out weighs their other deficiencies, with respect to players competing for their spots (Smith, Bennell, Hunt etc. who aren't getting the games). - Given the importance of structure in the modern game, selection must be a nightmare given the reserves are playing 12 on 12, so structure can't be assessed.

We have certainly copped a difficult fixture. This week is our fifth straight game at a different venue to the last (Adelaide-Gabba-Metricon-Alice Springs-Cairns). Our "bye" was in Round 3, one game after a three month break. Everyone else (other than Essendon) gets a bye during one of the two compressed fixture phases. Other clubs get repeat games at the same venue - we currently haven't played more than two games at any particular venue and will finish the year having played at 9 venues across six states/territories. We have undoubtedly had a much tougher fixture than most, and in a season like this, these sorts of differences can be magnified in importance.

Never thought I'd be saying this after the first few rounds of the season, but we will really miss having Hibberd in the side if he does miss this week. I think it would be sensible to give him this game off so he can be cherry ripe for the Freo match, but he has been terrific since making his way back into the side.

I'm not sold on him. Strikes me as a Bayley Fritsch, third tall type forward. We've obviously already got one of those. I think I'd rather see us look to recruit another wing type player to complement Ed Langdon first.

He can buy himself a jumper and a membership, but he doesnt get to be on our list. Deal.

Best thread on here - and loving the fact that is analytical, in depth and free of personal grievances.

I fully agree. Maybe Hunt's better at HFF or FP than wing? Also curious to know how he's been playing. In for Hannan, or if managing Kossie or? I've been back in LA since late 2016 thanks Tim. It's been another world here. Masked distancing since March. No live music gigs, though the players are still here. Spend much time with the GF. Watch the Dees games. All the best to you and all at Demonland

Why can't you just let us blame Essendon. It's much more fun...

I'll repeat what I've said previously. It's got nothing to do with Essendon and everything to do with a nasty virus. If one of our players had tested positive to Covid (even if it were a false positive) would it be our fault if a game had been postponed?

So when do Hawthorn get relegated? * story from June

Viney didn’t give away the fifty, just be happy with the win, sheeshkebabs some people will never be happy.

You rest Gawn after just the one game in a little while and you could lose to Swans which may finish our season. If Maxy is any where near fit you play him. Full Stop.

Yes please. Mobile, athletic, and a strong mark. Played his first season as a defender, then went forward last year and kicked 44 goals. Can also pinch hit in the ruck. Massive upgrade on TMac