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Another update, Dec has been given the Senior coaching role at Moe for the next 2 seasons as a coach/player (see attached for a well written article about it all), I'm sure with his AFL experience he will be able to take Moe to extreme heights over the next few years Dec was named as the CHB in the team of the year, came 4th in the Coaches votes for the season, but didn't poll a single B&F vote from the Umpires, go figure lol P.S. CARN THE DEE'S 2021 PREMIERS BABY WOO!!!! Declan-appointment.pdf

I'm sure I'm not the only one in this boat, but for me, one of the best things about winning this premiership is that I will no longer feel the need to apologise to my kids for influencing them to become Melbourne supporters. I've seen their pain, especially of my oldest son (now 19), and to be honest, there have been times that I've felt absolutely wretched about leading them to fall in love with the MFC. But now, instead of me feeling the need to apologise, we will forever have the memory of hugging, high 5-ing, and even shedding a few tears on Saturday night. We have a video that one of my younger kids took of our reaction when Clarry kicked that last goal of the now legendary third quarter. As a parent, it was a very, very special evening. We now want to be able to experience it live for oursleves at the G.

We have to remember to thank Cam Guthrie for kicking it out on the full in Rd 23, and then that Close kid for the 50. Gawn, Trac and Oliver took it from there. To Cam!

One of the first things I said to old man on the phone was that all was forgiven and the child abuse charges wont continue to be explored!

I am sure for many years some of us were embarrassed to wear our Melbourne Demons gear out in public. Especially after a bad loss! And if we were on the bottom of the ladder. Getting taunted by opposition supporters and laughed at. Even facing very rude insults. Now all that goes away! We are reigning Premiers for 2021! We are now literally bulletproof to any nasty comments. I encourage you all to proudly wear your Melbourne gear or something red annd blue as much as possible! That way all Melbourne supporters can connect if we bump into eachother in public. Time to share the joy of winning our first Premiership since 1964! Remember we are 2021 Premiers! It still hasn't sunk in yet...but..our club....that's right OUR CLUB the Melbourne Demons are Premiers!!!! Wear your Melbourne gear with pride! GO DEMONS!!!!

Easy fix Nev - don't open this thread. There are any number of peanuts in the media who have got things completely wrong about the dees. And many on here have parroted those same peanuts (apologies for the alliterative mixed metaphors) and used their arguments to bolster their own wrong headed arguments. And that white noise of [censored] almost has disastrous consequences as there is no doubt it almost resulted in Goody getting axed. I don't need to go back 12 months either to find examples of so called experts (almost universally ex players) making ill informed comments that were based on their own preconceptions of the club, issues they have with the club or key personnel at the club, and their complete lack of understanding of what Goody was doing. And it drives me nuts, becuase even some passionate demons fans as evidenced by this forum, swallowed the [censored]. Just once recent example was the almost universal lack of proper pre game analysis of the grand final and likely outcomes. So many 'experts' had the game as a toss of the coin when all evidence suggested we were clear favorites. And that a blow out was very much on the cards. No surprise that the betting odds reflected that reality. We were 1.65 to win. And only 5.50 to win by more than 39 points. The betting pools are in the tens of millions for the GF. Most of that is money from professional punters. Who lose money if they get it wrong. Unlike the footy experts. An even more recent example is the 'one goal from breaking narrative' around the third quarter. The dogs were fantastic in the first 10 minutes of that quarter and their pressure was off the charts (210 at the 10 minute mark). But unlike the second quarter we were matching them for pressure. We were struggling to transition it into our forward half and had to repel multiple inside 50s from them. But that's what we do. As the stats clearly show (lowest EVER opposition scores to inside 50 ratio at only 35%) no team is better at dealing with opposition inside 50s, and no team is more comfortable with the ball in their defensive half. We have shown this all season. We have also shown in the last six weeks that our offence can be devastating. For Pete's sake we had just decimated one of the best defences the AFL in the prelim, having touched up the lions in the QF. And of course we had run down a 44 point lead in just over a quarter against the cats in round 23. And we are the fittest side in the AFL by a mile and as a result our record in last quarters this season - and even more so in the finals - is simply phenomenal All this is basic knowledge. And the experts should have been pointing all this out- before, during and after the game. Why? Because that is their jobs. And it would help fans, neutral and otherwise understand what was was likely to happen, what was happening and what happened. And they should have pointed out that the issue wasn't us folding, the issue was that the Dogs threw everything at us and could only score two goals for all that work. Given all the evidence i note above, the dogs were the team that was on the brink. They simply had to to put more goals on the board in the third. Two was never going to be enough - and so it proved. And i'm not being harry hindsight. In my match preview post in the game day thread i noted: 'We are fitter and stronger than the dogs and will run out the game better. As we have shown all season, if the dogs have a lead at 3 quarter time they will struggle to hold us off. Conversely if we have a lead, which i expect we will, we will be very hard to run down..... The major issue for the dogs is that we are unlikely to concede more than 70 points. Which means they have to keep us under 70 points to win. On a perfect deck, in perfect conditions and with our offensive weapons' and ability to generate repeat inside 50s on back of forward half pressure, they will struggle mightily to do so.' Unless they are driving an agenda or are well out of order, I don't have an issue with fans getting things wrong about the dees. We all have had to develop our own coping mechanism to deal with our decades long lack of success. Catastrophizing was no doubt helpful for some, just as my relentless optimism that each season was a new dawn has helped me for 40 years (and driven my demons mate nuts and given non demons mates plenty of fodder for getting stuck into me). But people paid to express opinions about our club should be held to account when they are lazy, do not do the work and allow their own agenda to colour what they write or say in the media. Note, that i didn't say they have to be right, Being wrong is ok. Just not when that opinion is based on a quick sand of [censored]. So I for one am going to take this thread as opportunity to vent some of my frustration and highlight some of the so called experts who i think got things egregiously wrong.

My favourite quote goes back to mid season, when we sat 2 games clear on top. Dr. D - ‘We won’t make top 4 from here’ Nailed it 👍

i know it's only been a short time, but bowey's development and maturity has blown me away.

I honestly don't think we will ever lose again.

Gone in 30 Seconds It’s Coming Home WTF Just Happened?

Gawn - a superlative year Viney - vital when fit Petracca - an awesome season Oliver - just kept excelling Lever - worth every cent May - the consummate professional Hibberd - age didn’t weary Rivers - stardom definitely beckons Salem - reliable and classy Hunt - hard luck story Bowey - everyone’s favourite schoolboy Brayshaw - loved big games Langdon - the running machine McDonald - tapered after injury Brown - justified the efforts Fritsch - closing on elite Harmes - hard tag expert Jackson - has become indispensable Jordan - impressive and unlucky Neal-Bullen- surprised us all Petty - feel good story Pickett - exciting future beckons Smith - injuries curtailed again Spargo - boy becomes man Sparrow - impressive finals series Tomlinson - great club man vandenBerg - injuries overcame him Weideman - tried but disappointing

The mere mention of his name makes me sick.

The dust is starting settle, especially in my dry tear ducts, I’ve yet to fully read this thread yet but I’ll get out my thoughts while I take a break from constant replay and footage. The 2 weeks of commentary about how the bulldogs would win sucked me right in. I’m pessimistic about us at the best of times. MFCSS was strong with this one. Gawn was gunna get bashed, Josh [censored] Schache was going to stop Lever, their midfield would run wild and Noughton would kick 18. First quarter I just thought we looked on and instantly settled my nerves which in turn made me angry for letting myself get my hopes up. I’m a lunatic. But we looked on, Trac’s clean pick up and goal from 50 had me in awe, our superstar was ready to go. The rest of the quarter felt like the prelim. The misses were starting to worry me. Biggest worry going in was inaccuracy. 2nd quarter my world crumbled. Bont was the most hated man on earth, and [censored] Collingwood. 3rd quarter I realised Johannisen was still on a list. Bont kicked his 3rd and it broke me. This year I’ve been comfortable we’re never out of it. But Bont looked like a man possessed, I thought there’s no stopping this. Helmet Daniel was racking em up. I’d seen it all before. Then bang, bang, bang, bang! Absolute football perfection. The greatest football I’ve seen from anyone ever. Seeing Treloar hang his head and Bont saying wtf, I knew. Euphoria kicks in. Tried to calm myself at 3qtr time. Resist the urge to pick up my phone (which is constantly buzzing by now) and msg anyone, can’t jinx it. Last quarter euphoria continued. I’ve seen my beloved Liverpool win Champions League and Premier League in the last few years, but this is a happiness levels above. I start crying seconds before Luke Hodge says “I wonder if Melbourne supporters are shedding a tear yet” I hear that and start laughing, I’m a crying laughing maniac. We’re up by 55, it’s safe to pick up my phone - Treloar kicks a goal GOD DAMN IT. Reply to my best mate, a Collingwood supporter fully invested in us winning. Start bawling. We [censored] did it. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe how absolutely dominant we’ve been since Geelong were 44 up. We didn’t just win the premiership we [censored] annihilated the supposed next best teams. This is the stuff of dreams.

On Sunday, I went to my local supermarket, wearing my demons scarf. Out the front there was a guy in a magpie hat. I looked at him and he at me. Then he just looked back at him phone and continued on. For the first time I ever felt a superiority over another supporter. For once, I didn’t feel like there was going to be a put down comment or a smart alec remark or even a rolling if the eyes. I’ve experienced a lot of those in the path. I think this is a feeling you can only get when you win a premiership. I like it.

Media person Adam White Medium Radio, breakfast show on RSN Comment Every Monday during the season, White has had the benefit of listening to the excellent analysis of Bartel and Ramanaskus, who have consistently highlighted the dees strengths and likelihood of winning the flag. Despite this, and the mounting evidence, has consistently questioned our bona fides. Unable to shake his confirmation bias, he tipped the lions to beat us. Much to the disbelief of Bartel and Ramanaskus he tipped the Cats to win the prelim. And then, after bartel had made the case the dees would win the GF, cherry picked a brief comment Bartel made about the pressure of playing in a GF to say 'mmm, that has crystalized my thoughts that the dogs will handle the pressure better given their experience in 2016 and i think they' win'. Score

Meh. Plenty of articles said we would win the flag in 2019. Where's the thread for proving them wrong? We all make comments and predictions that end up being way off, sadly we don't get paid for it here, but why not just enjoy the good vibes and the amazing team we now have rather than go digging up some space filler articles for hindsight bashing?

I preferred JJ when it was clear a choice between the two needed to be made, but the footy department showed why they’re the experts and I’m not. Completely looked the part in the finals. He’s a booming and accurate kick, and tough as nails. Played his best game for the year in the Grand Final.

Mid way through the last. Not sure which goal but I was half tank also. I knew when Clarry kicked that goal we were home. I didn't cry then but i had an overriding emotion of pure joy and my mind just went straight to the likes of all the past Melbourne players and even supporters who some have waited 50 years like my dad. Unfortunately it was a night of sadness as I received a text message of congratulations from an ex friend who notified me that my old mentor and counsellor who was also a tragic Melbourne supporter had recently passed away back in July this year of cancer. She thought I knew but I didn't. We had only messaged each other after the Richmond win this year pretty much confirming to each other that the lid was off and we could seriously win it this year and we'd both attend the grand final if we got there. She was in her 50s and was as passionate as they come but also the biggest heart of gold. She'd never seen a Melbourne flag and I was completely gutted that she was only 2 months of from seeing one for the first time in her life. I'm more angry she never told me that she was terminally ill but understood that's how she was a person. That win was for you dear Kate.

I've always worn my Dees gear with pride. I buy a polo top every year and they are my standard " down the street wear". I was wearing one the day after 186 and a " lady" laughed at me and called me a "loser"! I told her to [censored] off ! The scene still sticks in my mind.

Thoughts are with Adam and his family in this difficult time, poor kid.

It's a complete stab in the guts for all of us eastern and southern supporters who are locked down and could not get to the game. I couldn't imagine what families of the players who missed out they'd be feeling when seeing this. This ain't a laughing matter.

Going to be far more than a role player I think. Was just finding his feet before the finals. Didn’t put a foot wrong during. Got Trac’s leg and Viney’s mongrel. Give him Oliver’s tank and he’ll be an absolute weapon. These are the guys he’s learning from, as well as now proven development coaches, sky is the limit.

I post on BigFooty as well as Demonland. I haven't forgotten. Remember when Richmond supporters said Kozzie would regret pointing to the scoreboard when they played us in September 🤣🤣. I think that one is my favourite.

And then he went and potted Gus for not looking at the goals as he was walking back for the kick he ….…..PUT STRAIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE! Pointless, stupid commentary from a pointless, stupid commentator. (Sorry, not a quote).

I never once cried when I thought we were going to lose it. I was scared and breathing heavy in the 3rd quarter. When we started kicking goals like no tomorrow, the joy was outstanding. I can’t say exactly when, but towards the end, my eyes just started welling up. Almost involuntary, a tear slid down my cheek. I finally turned to my father and said “I think we have it.” That got him and he started to cry. We just hugged and cried through the rest of the match. Lots of tears when the cup was held up. Like a moment I was convinced my dad or uncle would never see. I guess there was also an element of my uncle being able to see this before he passes. Post match celebrations we settled down and enjoyed it. But then they started playing “Nothing’s gonna stop us now” by Starship, I don’t know I just started again. My dad was confused. I think it was just the lyrics that got to me. “Build this dream together, standing strong forever, nothing’s gonna stop us now…” It just sums our team and what they went through and what they achieved perfectly. I don’t expect everyone to be that emotional, but I was wondering what was the moment that bought you to tears, if any.

I want to touch on the significance of the Harmes kick to Fritsch in the third quarter. Up until that point, Harmes was having a pretty average game I thought and it was his errant handball that set up Bontempelli’s third goal. Therefore, the fact he was able to cleanly gather a loose ball (at a time when we couldn’t collect a ground ball if our lives depended on it) and put that beautiful kick to Fritsch under pressure was a huge moment.

How about me, your long-lost sister? 😉

Good question Bob ! A few contenders but I'm going for Petty. He didn't appear up to it in his early games but after Tomlinson's injury he became pivotal in the backline. In fact he's now jumped ahead of Tommo in the pecking order.

There is still huge upside in JJ and Sparrow and our current list just won the cup. Cerra is not a huge loss. Yeah im feeling content 🤪

Bollocks. McClure says this about our culture: “Can Jesus Christ deliver at the Dees? No one can deliver at the Dees. “The problem is the culture’s all wrong. Which is the biggest-name player that’s ever been dropped at Melbourne? I can’t think of one. Because it’s soft, a soft culture they’ve got. “What’s got to happen is if the actual coaching staff and the people on the board don’t stand up and start to build a culture of this football club – it’s been 50, 60 years since they’ve won a Grand Final … and they’re still the same. Have they improved? Or have they got worse?” Total rubbish. Sure the players went up level this season in terms of their selflessness and buy in. But the improvement didn't come out of nowhere. Just one more example of false, self serving narrative It takes years to build culture and we have been steadily building since Roos came on board and since Goody took over in 2017. Instead of making jokes about his use of phrases like learnings, if peanuts like McClure bothered to listen to goody, they would have heard him say that the way we ended the 2020 season winning two elimination games was a really important step forward. A point he reiterated in his post GF interviews.

You are underestimating Harmesy as well!! Watch the replay again (off the ball) and you may realize how much work these young kids did. over the next 2-3 years we will lose a few players i get that But i will be very suprised if one of them is Tom Sparrow His kicking is deadly accurate That goal he kicked in the Preliminary after he had been clobbered was superb. He has that look in his eyes….

This article is about our finals $ windfall. demons-sold-three-years-worth-of-merchandise-before-grand-final-glory But this caught my eye: "The grand final has inspired many of Melbourne’s high wealth supporters...to contact the club asking if they can help. These rich benefactors are ready to sign large cheques to commit substantial funds to the proposed development of the club’s new facilities off Punt Road around Gosch’s Paddock and AAMI Park. The plans for the redevelopment...are with the state government awaiting final approval". Exciting!!

You are kidding, surely Sparrow has been far more than a role player. I hope he plays 200+ for us Show some respect

Interesting to revisit this trade. We were widely condemned at the time for over paying but let's actually look at what came in and out. In came Jake Lever, a 2017 second round pick (Harrison Petty) and a 2018 third rounder (traded on to St. Kilda who picked Matthew Parker) Out went 2017 pick 10 (Lochie O'Brien), a 2018 first rounder (Liam Stocker) and 2018 fourth rounder which ended up with Fremantle (Brett Bewley) Jake Lever is an AA defender and still just 25 years old. Harrison Petty was steak knives and may yet be an AA quality defender himself. I'm sure JT would have used the outgoing early picks much more wisely than picking [censored] O'Brien and Stocker, but it still goes down as one of our all time great trades and still has 10+ years to go.

Salad dodger Brian Taylor hates us. You could hear the despise in his voice all year. Not sure he's come to terms with the win yet. (Either have I to be fair.)

To hit the lead.

"A man who allegedly robbed a renowned Victorian cartoonist has been caught, thanks to a detailed caricature drawn by his victim. Police said the cartoonist, Bill 'Weg' Green, who is famous for his drawings of AFL Grand Final posters, offered to draw a picture of the robber when police arrived at his home in Melbourne's east. Senior constable Aaron Roche, who attended the scene, said: "It was amazing, the likeness was just fantastic." The sketch only took the cartoonist three or four seconds, Mr Roche said. He said the alleged robber, "picked the wrong place to burgle." True story https://www.theage.com.au/national/cartoon-sketch-snares-robber-20060117-ge1l6z.html

Just wanted to make mention of a team - first act that I have only just noticed on a replay. As we know, Kossie hardly touched the ball all game, but he did have a few great defensive moments. The one I want to highlight involves the Petracca dribbling goal, where Kossie does a powerful front on shepherd/bump on Dunkley to prevent him from possibly tackling Petracca. Dunkley ends up on his back and Petracca gets the 6 points. Just luv this kid.

I hope you’re not referring to those gorgeous Teddy Bears? If so, you spelled ‘Priceless Premiership Memorabilia’ wrong.

I tried to cry but I couldn’t, I was trying so hard to push out some tears that I farted.

When Nibbler kicked the goal, I welled right up, once the siren went I let out the yell and fist pump, raised a glass of whisky from a bottle (#30/240) I bought when Dad passed away and my wife and I cheersed him, we both cried and she doesn’t even follow football.

I live in footscray and have been proudly wearing my Melb jumper every day for three weeks straight. Badly needs a wash as starting to smell a bit pungent.

Lookin' forward to it. I'll help it along in my immediate vicinity by becoming cocky AF.

Angus Brayshaw. Never has my opinion of a player shifted more dramatically in a single year. I wanted him shipped to Freo and actually thought he was a culture killer last year. The way he has embraced and led that team-first ethos from a wing (the position we needed to fill the most) is possibly the single biggest thing that got us to this point. Future captain if he wants it.

Not sure if this is allowed but here you go @wheaters31 @Blistering

Ones a giant corporation paying minimum wage and receiving maximum stock and profits and across hundreds of stores. The other is the club getting less and ran by a couple of staff and volunteers in a covid world. whilst I know it sucks we need to realise the club would be swamped and only have a few people trying to work through the massive backlog. Just be happy that the club is getting the profits and not who ever the hell owns JB etc etc. We waited 57yrs, few more weeks hopefully won’t kill us 😂♥️💙

The biggest surprise of the last month. Became undroppable after the Lions game and thrived in the two biggest games of the year. Two 50-metre kicks on Saturday really stood out. The 53-metre goal off one step in the third and the 50-metre pass to Brown for the first goal of the last. Superb. Add to that supremely fit and prepared to get down and dirty. Brilliant acquisition!

This kid needs a shout out for his finals series and emergence as a player. A mate of mine who watched the Brisbane game compared him to Dane Swan and im starting to this comparison (player wise) particularly with his upper body strength and composure in possession. With another big pre season and more midfield time could see him take his game to another level. He is also from the Adelaide Hills (like me!).