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I don’t expect Santa to bring me anything tonight. He already gave me (and all of us) THE best gift three months early, on the 25th of September. ❤️💙

Got a Premiers beanie in work Secret Santa today. Christmas already certified as excellent.

Merry Christmas Demonland and in particular our rising star Luke Jackson. I hope everyone pays attention to the Christmas carols tonight. All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth. Best of luck Dogga.

I LOVE THIS SOOOO MUCH! Ima print it out and it’s going straight to the pantry wall. ❤️💙 Thank you! And merry Christmas to the mods. You guys do an awesome job and are very much appreciated.

There's no way after his grand final effort that Tom Sparrow plays at Casey.

Someone's too excited to sleep!

Carols by Candlelight, Nutcracker, or Demons v Bulldogs GF 2021? Decisions ....

As predicted now Positive I'm negative. No spread to or from me from the best B&F I've attended.

Same old, same old. Just another year older.

Reckon your side is pretty spot on, although Tomlinson will play lock down FB and May will take Hibberd's role on the dangerous mid size players. Sparrow will likely be ahead of Dunstan too. To begin with...

I think it is neck and neck between Hunt and Bowey for the HBF. Hunt is more experienced and so exciting when he gets running and breaking the lines, particularly in combination with Langers, but Bowey is so cool and so precise and his delivery. If Hunt works with Choco over the preseason and improves his disposal, he would get the nod from me.

Kayo /end thread

Just got the Blu-Ray, and wow. Let me just paint you a picture: PETRACCA: "I've just won us all a flag. Say, who is that bloke?" THAT BLOKE: "omg he's just won us a flag I hope I don't cry and become Demons folklore…"

I appreciate it’s frustrating for people who attended the event to go and get tested, but I really don’t understand criticism aimed at the workers at these facilities for the speed at which they are working, or them wanting to leave work at an appropriate time. They are most likely exhausted, and working long shifts. We are 2 years into a pandemic, and it’s pretty obvious we’ve got a long road ahead of us. Lets not forget that what is stressful for you today has been a lot of these health care workers entire lives for 2 years. They are owed our kindness and appreciation.

Splitter!

The very fact that you have to ask makes me question your (supposed) loyalty!!!!

That was an ugly turn, I agree, but having seen it I thought keep it! Build some suspense. Latest news is that all those at my table were negative so the premiership celebrations continue!

Absolutely i was told to expect delivery in the New Year, so they have done a mighty job The Premiership Jumper is superb It will be worn with pride over Summer!!!

I would rather play Weeds at CHB which could provide him with some confidence and Mitch Brown up forward. Maybee not the silliest idea. Love the Senior side and inclusion of Dunstan will pay of in spades.Hunt and Sparrow Extremely unlucky. Cheezus have we now got some envious and serious depth. Our second side would beat any of the bottom 4.

Me too. A lot of people at the Demon shop must have been working hard to get this stuff delivered in time for Christmas. Well done them, mighty effort.

Back to Back ‘22

It was out of Hunt, Hibberd and Tomlinson for the back pocket spot and I decided on Tomlinson.

This is just too funny. You’re a classic mate.

That is a great effort Werridee you have a great knowledge of all teams, I have been so focused on the Dees I no longer know our opponents nearly well enough.!!

On club website in his profile he is listed at 194 cms and 88 kgs.

Some big calls in there Werridee, but I find it hard to argue with your best 22 on paper. A few things jump out to me: * Who would have put T Mac and Nibbler as best 22 ahead of season 2021; * Premerships player and hulking young gun Tommy Sparrow stiff to miss out, but such is the fierce competition for spots. Will he have a breakout 2022 and stamp his place in the best 22, along with JJ? * Baker starts on the wing IMHO. SOW might be a gun in the making, but I think sauce Baker is better than a two's bench player (Not that it's really a bench per-say anymore); * Our 2nd 22 would push some of the 1st 22s going around I feel. Would love to see Daw get a senior game at some point in 2022, although I think that would take either a huge show of form from him or conversely injuries or drop of form from others, so preferably the former.

I agree. He looked the goods at Casey in his few appearances. While I think he'll improve a lot, I don't think he's going to dislodge Lever, May or Petty in a hurry (if we're sticking to your criteria of cementing a place in the one's). In fact, it's hard to see any of them snag a permanent gig if we have another dream run with injuries and form. I'm also looking forward to seeing Laurie in action (and JVR and Howes).

DETECTIVE SERGEANT CHRISTIAN PETRACCA: in my deep cover disguise as a professional football player, I have secured an on-field position in a football team and have tracked the killer to Perth. I have reason to believe he could be here in --- wait ... THAT'S HIM! THAT BLOKE: Oh Christ. What's he doing here? Is he looking at me? Don't panic. Act natural. Cover the scars with your hands like you're just ... oh Christ. It's all on camera too. CURSE YOU, DETECTIVE SERGEANT CHRISTIAN PETRACCA!

Put me down for Turner as being a big improver.

Got a new email too saying my order has had its status changed. Upon checking I'm getting my premiership jersey but not the three other items I ordered - stubbie holder, t-shirt, pennant. When I queried my order about a month ago I was told those items were waiting on the arrival of the premiership jersey before they could be sent all together. The irony then - the jersey is now coming but not the other items. Good thing waiting my entire life for a premiership has given me patience.

are you changing your moniker to dnegative now?

Well we couldn't have asked for a better gift than a flag. Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season for whatever you celebrate, including Festivus. Thanks Demonland for all the entertainment and outlet you have given us all. Be kind to one another as always, eat your fill and look forward to another cup coming our way soon. Cheers.

Sparrow is now one of my faves so I would have him in the starting 22, he is only going to get better as is JJ, apparently Oozze is very impressed with both these boys. LITD my only concern with the List is lack of a young Ruckman 202 - 205cm learning from the best.!!

Always room for improvement 17 Teams are going to come after us next year. It will be interesting to see how the MFC react I am confident we will do ok

Someone must have reported. Hope everyone ok. Especially the players who were there

Fixed

fixed 😈 can't see laird playing anywhere but midfield - he was their best and fairest winner as a mid in 2021 i think it's more likely they'll re-tool sloane into a different role, a la the peppies sending heppell to the back flank to clear space for zerrett and ellen to do their thing as their 1-2 mids

I'm hoping this is the surprise Christmas present I'm going to get for Christmas from my daughter.

I think there is no doubt that Bowey should get the half back spot. He is cooler under pressure and a better kick.

I also saw something recently that said he is now 194cm and pretty sure when drafted he was 192, so still growing. Will start to fill out over the next year or two and can learn under May and Tomlinson.

Merry Christmas!

Rigid middle digits?

Can't you save this wonderful treat for Christmas day? I feel cheated.

Me too! In fact, surely a poll is warranted, if they still exist? For what it's worth, they're up against it (in a good way), but maybe Chandler or Smith ( although I still see some basic flaws with the latter alongside a truck load of attributes)

I agree. The pre season is all about the players who are poised to take the next step. We all know that Petracca will probably be handy next year, Langdon will be quite good on the wing and Oliver will have neat hands Im keen to see who out of Rosman, Laurie, Chandler, JVR, Bedford, Howes, Baker, Weideman, Turner, Smith etc cements their place in the first 22

another thread corrupted by partisan politics silly me thought this was a footy forum as if there aren't enough internet sites already for political brawling and virtue signalling one's political ideology

This is the story of two losses suffered by the Melbourne Football Club that were separated in time by a full decade. The first was a defeat that hung heavily over the club for years and saw careers and friendships ended, harsh words uttered, tears shed and the unfolding of tragedy. The coach was sacked and not long after, he died. A player became enmeshed in tribal affairs that led to violence and his imprisonment. Another’s life later ended in a devastating car crash. The wreckage from the club’s Round 19, 2011 trip to take on Geelong at Corio Bay became known simply as “186” in recognition of the magnitude of the loss in points. But it was far more extensive in terms of the scars it left on the club. Only a very few involved in that game managed to keep their careers intact after the train wreck. A number found refuge elsewhere but in most instances, the remainders of their careers were short-lived. Only a few managed to revive their careers. James Frawley played in a premiership at Hawthorn and after a brief retirement reappeared even more briefly at St Kilda, the club where his troubled uncle Danny made his name as one of football’s all-time great defenders. Two others played in grand finals and are still on AFL club lists. High flying Jeremy Howe who took flight for a better life at Collingwood was a matter of minutes away from the holy grail in 2018 and is still today the Magpies’ vice-captain. Stefan Martin was traded in 2012 to the Lions before moving to the Western Bulldogs at the end of last year. Ironically, he was the only 186 participant who took part in this year’s Grand Final at Optus Stadium in Perth. His ruck opponent that evening, Max Gawn, and Demons forward Tom McDonald were both youngsters in 2011 and missed out on making the senior team for Round 19 that year. Gawn and McDonald made it to the Big Dance of 2021 but time ran out for two other members of the 2011 side who remained at the club through the lean years and the slow rise to glory that followed. So strong was the Demon team on the day/night that club legends in Nathan Jones and Neville Jetta who were instrumental in holding the team together over the years were denied the opportunity to cross over to the Promised Land. Both retired at the end of the season. It’s ten years after 186 and now on to Round 19, 2021. There’s a game on at the MCG against the Western Bulldogs but it wasn’t originally supposed to happen that way - the pandemic caused a late change to the fixture and there was no long trip away from home as there had been in 2011. The years in between saw rebuilding, development and renewal under new leadership. Peter Jackson, Paul Roos, Simon Goodwin and more lately Gary Pert and Kate Roffey led a revival built upon a change in the club’s culture and values. Vast empty stands and the evening’s drizzly skies awaited them that night. They weren’t quite in the right space yet and they kicked poorly to succumb to the Bulldogs and their skipper Marcus Bontempelli but there were lessons learned and the team never lost a game from that time on. In the following week, they traveled north but the game against the Gold Coast Suns was moved back to Melbourne. They flew back and forth across the country, avenged 186 on Corio Bay and eventually landed in Perth where they crushed the Cats again for good measure before fulfilling their quest for the Holy Grail.

My two favourite lines from Titus’s Knee Jerk Reaction Max Gawn looks like a Viking, and he treated Geelong like it was a small medieval monastery on the coast of England. This pressure showed when Joe Selwood complained about a fifty-metre penalty given against him, which was like watching an arsonist complaining that they got burnt. https://www.titusoreily.com/afl/the-monday-knee-jerk-reaction-preliminary-finals2021