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I can let you all know that the Dees presented to Adam & his Manager at 5 pm last Friday and the feedback is that it was equal to or possibly the best presentation that Robbie as ever seen. Let me tell you that we are doing everything right, it might come down to us just not having the compensation to satisfy Freo. I can also say that Tarrant from the Kangaroos will most likely be at Tigers next year. Tigers keen on Tarrant, if not him, then Talia.

Just dropping back in to let all Demon supporters know that in the WEST we have ALL supporters close to our hearts as we host the Dees here to hopefully win the flag. I'm a very active member of the Western Demon Supporter group for around 10yrs. I have been more passionate about the Dees since leaving VIC around 25yrs ago. There are some real die hard supporters here and we will do everything within our power to make our Demon voice heard from the West to the East. This is for all the supporters, now and from the past, for the thousands of Demon tales that can be told, for the those that paved the way for the greatest club that has ever existed - we are with you. Go Dees - Take what is yours.

Happy Fathers day all. I love reading all the posts on here and never post but I had to share what my daughter made. 👏 Fathers Day.pdf

Just drop in some pics of the Western Demons. Our local pub sponsor is the Empire Bar in Lathlain not far from the ground. We meet there to watch the games, pregame, functions etc. Very passionate group and well versed in our song ! Loud and proud.

No suspects at this stage but short, bald man with tattoos seen at the scene of the cork

Head Street (Near New St. ) Elwood

I’m watching the nightly news for the first time since the first Gulf War.

Really rate Montagna. He's changed my whole perception of him as a footy analysis. Very sharp, and a good footy brain.

How are we celebrating Father's Day? Excuse the lack of reverential clothing. My eldest son sent me this t shirt. I'm planning to wear it until Grand Final day and maybe beyond. CARNA DEMONS!

We already have the cake and I believe we have the icing as well. Adam could be the Cerra on top.

I normally don't post but after the Brisbane Vs Western Bulldogs game, I sincerely hope we do not get the umpiring crew for that game against Geelong next week. I will keep it civil, as the umpires have an impossible job and we cannot play without them, but some of the free kicks against Brisbane, especially in the 4th quarter were questionable, at best! Did anyone else see it that way or am I alone?

The club emailed me a barcode for members pre sale access to the PF and said we can pass it on if we want. If anyone on Demonland needs a barcode and can prove to me via DM that they are in WA* and are actually Melbourne fans (ideally a member without an early access barcode), I am happy to pass it along. *or in another state but able to gain access to WA Edit: if Geelong fans are reading this forum thinking they can snatch a barcode they can [censored] right off. I would literally burn my membership before I give a Geelong supporter the ability to go to the game 😂

Jacqueline Felgate saying Bulldogs win sets up a fairytale finish for them. Haven’t they already had their fairytale finish. I think there is another team waiting for their fairytale.

"I don't think Gawn scares Stanley either" The dumbest comment i've read from an opposition supporter all year

I think the umpires try their best to do a good job. I think undesirable cultural elements have crept in ... Razor Ray chatting up a player before the game? Wrong and stupid. (Same as when he low-fived Angus.) It corrodes the integrity of the game. It goes two ways ... players egregiously mouthing off at umps for instance. I do not believe it is possible to umpire to the letter of the law when there is no letter of the law. What game apart from ours has "interpretations" of its laws? Where an action can lead to one outcome one week, but a different outcome another week, "correctly", when the wording of the law has not changed, but the "interpretation" has? "Interpretation" is possibly the biggest blight on our game and successive administrations and umpires departments have bought into it. It's just wrong and reveals the laws to be poorly framed. I don't blame the umpires for the dire state of the refereeing. I blame the AFL and the umpires department for losing sight of the fact that we want a game that's played fairly and adjudicated fairly. They think it's a reality TV show and BT and his clowns are the celebrity judges. Really, who would be an umpire in an environment where the game's custodians think you're a secondary concern?

Neale ran too far when scoring Lions' last goal. Bulldog players repeatedly ran 25 - 30m when kicking out after a behind. Dogs players, more than any other team, play to drop like a sack of spuds at first contact to win a ball up rather than holding the ball. (Correction: Geelong also do this.) Dogs players also seem to be coached to lead their opponent into the protected zone, then quickly peel off to leave him stranded and giving away 50. The oppo seem to know it and are careful, but the Dogs got a 50 last night from this. Ironic, as the Dogs themselves casually strolled through the "protected" zone multiple times. Dogs are clearly coached to exploit the way the game is umpired. Throwing, dropping, other smartarse tricks like the above one. Imagine full time, professional umpires who spent their days analysing and learning of trends in the game like that. Who weren't lawyering or grave digging Monday to Friday and then showing up to a big occasion game only to be blindsided by coaches who eat, breathe, sleep, dream football 25x8. (Not to mention learning how far 15m is, and how to bounce the ball.) But no, we can't have that, because two or three highly-paid lawyer/umps simply have to retain their highly-paid day gig, otherwise they'd be LOST TO THE GAME. Really, could the standard get any worse than it is? Maybe making umpiring a vocation would mean some good umps would be FOUND TO THE GAME?

Outside of a handful of Demonlanders, it's not a view shared by anyone in the football world. I've never seen a single criticism by anyone of note that Viney's a limited player, or over-rated, or a one-dimensional 'rugby player'. Not once. I do, however, remember when our preliminary final opponent - ie a good club - tried to poach him not that long ago. He's played under 3 coaches (Neeld for just his debut year) One coach gave him a b&f. The other has him finishing 2nd or 3rd in every year since, bar one when he was injured. That's a lot of people supposedly 'blinded by love'.

Surely can’t be real. He’s used the correct ‘you’re’. Mitch feels like a ‘your’ bloke to me 😄

Adam's gone on record saying he'll accept afterpay

Nope, because that’s patently ridiculous. What is absolutely, objectively the case is that the free kick differential over the season (and the finals are merely reinforcing that fact) puts the Bulldogs way, way out beyond the normal spread of the bell curve. The Bulldogs simply have an established ability to gain a statistically irregular advantage from umpiring decisions. None of the other comparative stats that might explain this … contested possessions, tackles, etc, match this irregularity. Not even close. That the umpires ‘consciously’ make this happen is ludicrous. It is however highly anomalous and needs scrutiny because it gifts them an obvious advantage, and that’s not a game I really want to watch.

A friend of mine had a corked bottle of Grange - he was confined to his bed for a month.

“Don’t forget this was a team that went 44 points in front of the premiership favourite. We got this.” Yeah, then what happened?

loved reading this thread. I don’t think i’ve ever felt so connected to the supporter base, nation wide, as right now. For the first time it’s like we see how much we really need each other. It def lifts my spirits to feel you all over there. gotta yell fr all of us.

Robbie D'orazio I assume. Cerra's manager.

This is the Cats 11th prelim in the last 15 years. Phenomenal achievement whether you love them or dislike them. Like Brayshaw said, it’s bloody hard to win one game of footy, but one thing our boys have given us this season is the confidence to believe in them and most importantly it’s the belief they have in themselves. It’s been evident all year. They’ve given themselves the best chance possible to make the GF and I hope the stadium is covered in Red & Blue. It can only be a positive for the boys in the absence of those of us that can’t get there. No doubt the nerves will creep in later in the week as the realisation sets in we’re one game away from being one of the last two. In the meantime try and have a good week everyone.

I’m definitely not confident about this game, but I will say that in our last final we faced the highest scoring team in the competition and kept them to 9 goals.

MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS MFCSS

Awesome to see many offering their barcodes to get other Melbourne supporters to the prelim. Maybe keep one because I found a way to get some of you to Perth. We distribute to Dan Murphy’s and BWS all over the country and we ship to WA daily. If you’re not frightened of confined spaces I can hide you in a pallet with an authentic shipping label. PM me.

Agree. With daisy my favourite media analyst. By a big margin too. And he has a really good skill of countering king's arguments without it becoming a dead end conflict. And he can articulate his points clearly.

I’m not a dad but I did get a pleasing message from my son this morning… It’s like he’s on safari hunting big-game. “And here we see a rare Dees supporter in her natural habitat.” (To be said in a David Attenborough voice.) 😆

Agree. Our game is built for big grounds. One because we spread and run in waves in transition. But the key benefit is the comparative advantage we have. We have the best defensive web/zone and move across the ground to stop the switch and transition better than any other club. Small grounds, eg Kardinia Park, reduces that advantage. Would not surprise me if they look to switch a bit more and spread early doors, as they did against the lions, to make the cats have to run .

On the contrary. Its a big ask for the oldest team in the comp to beat the youngest, hungriest and most AA team, away from home when they couldn't do it at home only 3 weeks ago after Dees giving them a 7 goal start. And barely performing against a banged up star-less, heroic and no forward structure GWS 2 days ago And having won only 1 game in the month of August , and that by barely 2 goals against the 10th placed saints. Does this help? because its reality for the cats where I stand.

Please don’t ever use this phrase. I know you don’t mean it literally, but it’s an awful turn of phrase.

Absolutely, and with no Tom Stewart down there i think we could get some significant mismatches in our forward line, Selwood and Danger won't be keen to chase Oliver and Petracca deep forward and defend, so we just have to run the cats off their legs. i think you're right we'll spread and really make them run early, because they will run out of steam, they'd be nervous if they're not 5-6 goals up at 3/4 time because we're a strong finishing time, and i expect they might struggle late in quarters, and towards the games end just due to travel, playing the extra week, their age, and us being fresh. for me it seems that their best chance to win is for us to be a bit off, and them to really really punish us for whatever window we give them. BUT if they can be 44 points up on us, at their home deck and still lose, that's got to dint their confidence a little bit

I'm guessing there are two versions: 1) for interstate members who may want to use their ticket rights and 2) one for Victorians like @Cassiewwho can't go and can transfer their rights. Edit: Just saw your latest post: In 2018 I also gave bar codes to other fans and never had any issues..

What Cameron meant to say was " They are the best side going around this year and if we couldnt beat them at home after being 44 pionts up we have Zero chance beating them away on a bigger ground than ours. THATS WHAT I Learnt"

Really? I haven't seen much sign of that. Very few people criticising the umpires have made that claim. Far more likely to be rational are theories based on the AFL doing what it can to boost the game. That bias is clear when you look at Tribunal and MR decisions - eg don't rub out star players compared to others. But not so clear when it comes to free kick differentials - why would it be in the AFL's interest to boost the Dogs when they could boost the Demons to the PR scoop that at long last a MFC flag could offer. Heres hoping.... Personally in the absense of a convincing analysis about first to the ball etc. (sorry I don't buy that much), I am becoming more convinced that the apparent favourtism is linked to some umpires liking the style/personality/whatever of some players and maybe reacting (+ly or -ly) to team styles (eg Geelong's endless whinging, Dog's 'sexy' play). It's very human to be so influenced and despite rumours to the contrary, umpires are human.

In the clear light of day, a non-match day, I don't think that the umpires are on the take. What I do think is that they are: poorly supported in terms of training development, given unclear and/or confusing directions on how to adjudicate the game, and Have conscious or sub-conscious biases towards certain players and teams. That being said, I am delighted that Margetts is retiring.

I think your point was addressed in the original post. There is home ground and then there is Kardinia park. It’s shape and weather make it a very difficult place for visiting teams. Add to that the normal HG advantage that it is virtually impossible for visiting fans to get tickets and you have a crowd factor very like Adelaide and Optus. The post you are responding to was spot on. That advantage seems to contribute heavily to their home and away result. You can tell because their finals record tells a very different story. Either the home ground is a big factor or the game style doesn’t stack up under pressure. Nothing else explains the discrepancy. Regardless, we are going to tear this crew a new one.

We are doing our best 👍

What a fitting article at this time and more so because it’s Father’s Day. Ron acknowledges the impact on him of the loss of his father (former Demon premiership player Ron Barassi Senior) when he was just five years of age. The story of how Norm Smith and family took him in and helped raise him is a legendary part of the club’s history. He was a legacy boy and the league introduced the father/son rule with him in mind. More than eighty years on, the legacy of his father’s death as a war hero still lives on at the Melbourne Football Club. When the club put on a function to celebrate Ron’s 80th birthday, opera singer David Hobson sang “You Raise Me Up” which I believe was requested as one of Ron’s favourites. I’m not sure if this was because it can be interpreted as being about the influence of fathers on young children but this is my contribution to Ron on this special day.

Dogs & Cats both get great treatment from the umpires. Dogs I’m not sure way, seem to be a ball playing team, but they are allowed to throw the ball at will, might get called once or twice a game. 50/50 calls all go their way! Anyway I think with Weightman out and likely Bont, even beneficial treatment from umps won’t get them over the line. Cats Selwood, Dangerfield & Hawkins, can hit players in head deliberately, throw the ball, run too far, push in the back and kick out of bounds intentionally and still get everything in their favour from the umps & league! How many times Selwood and Hawkins have get players in head or driven heads into ground and not suspended is beyond a joke. If either ever seriously injured someone, league wouldn’t have a leg to stand on in a court case, as let both get away with it all the time! Demons have beaten all comers this season and I think will be ready to bring four quarters of pressure next week. The Cats couldn’t stop us in round23 on our 3rd 6 day break, we are now cherry ripe and Cats were ordinary against a weak tired Giants, big chance for the Demons to destroy Geelong, and it would be fantastic!!

Oh mama. another 25 touches and 2 goals.

I have a sneaking feeling Hunt just may come back in this week. He was playing well before injured and was nearly ready last week. He gives us great run and carry and he hadn't done much wrong prior to injury. In fact he's had his best season. One of Smith and Bowey to go if this happens. My gut feeling would be Bowey if this was to happen, as Smith is more versatile with a hardened, if not injury prone, body. I think Bowey is fantastic and will be a core player in years to come and he too hasn't done much wrong. I am a big fan. However a Preliminary Final is where the stakes are raised even higher and I wonder if a first year body against a very match hardened outfit is the way to go. I think a fit Jayden Hunt has earned the right to be there and his run and dare could cut swathes through a slowing Geelong outfit. He and Langdon running in tandem through the middle has been one of the more thrilling sights on occasions this year. If Bowey is picked, he has earned the right to be there on form, but in my opinion, I just think Hunt is the way to go given the opposition and the level of the stakes.

This was my local Haymes Paint store (MFC sponsor) in Ballarat on Friday.........get on the Dee Train ....(its very Geelong around here) Ha

Anyone else already feeling sick with nerves or just me??