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With acknowledgement to NP, my source outside the wire. B.Brown finished off drills well with his shots on goal. Sparrow was sharp all morning. Usual efficient work from Viney, Trac & Clarrie. Clarrie spent a bit of time one on one with Goody. As usual 1st day back the newbies only did half the session but they all did the running with ease and have good hands. Harmes, Gus, Lingers, Weids, Spargo, Hibbo, Melks, Rosman, Rivers, Fritta, all on light duties. The running at the beginning saw about 10 groups spaced out around the oval. After about 2 or 3 laps, the groups had not strung out at all like I have seen in previous years!!

Likewise ( since 1958 supporter every day week month season decade!!! ) so lucky I was able to travel to Perth to see it all live. ( from Brisbane where I live via 2 weeks "quarantine in SA' . Family in SA and Friend in Perth helped me with accom. And plenty of fun things to do along with some travel highlights. Best Holiday ( 3 weeks) in Aust. Of my life . Thank you everyone Thank you Dees!!

Or more likely from hoisting the cup multiple times. Lifting my arms to celebrate Bang! Bang, bang, bang leads to chronic soreness. Long may it last.

Part 3 – Top 100 Demons of the past 50 years 41-60 It’s interesting thinking that our success this year came from a time when the majority of players were homegrown talents, nurtured and developed after being claimed via the draft – a big thank you to Paul Roos who installed some genuinely good assistants and started progressive training structures that Goody has continued to follow. In the past we had been guilty of trying to buy our flag, a similar process to the way Carlton continues today with its outlays for Williams and Saad and Cerra. While there is no coin comparison with today, we paid record fees for Diamond Jim Tilbrook (around $20,000 to Sturt plus $5000 a year in 1971), Big Carl Ditterich ($62,000 from the Saints in 1973) and our Brownlow-winning pair Peter Moore and Kelvin Templeton, the duo came across reputedly on a combined $1 million in 1983. Of those players only one – Peter Moore - made my list and with just 77 games for us, he is hardly a club legend, although some of his games in 1984 were phenomenal. That’s why it’s so hard ranking players – how do we assess loyal servants who always chipped in for many years like James McDonald and Tony Sullivan against stars who shone brightly for short periods like Moore and Allen Jakovich. The other tricky conundrum is deciding where to rank players who still have many more years to go in their evolution – I ruled out our three youngsters Jackson, Kozzy and Rivers on a game infancy basis but others like Salem and Fritter and Lever still have key years ahead of them so may rise up my rankings in time. Finally we all have memories of great games by the club and that colours our thinking. For me, given that I had a few best mates who barracked for Hawthorn, there was no greater game than our win over the Dawks at Princes Park in 1984 – a bit like our breakthrough win over them in 2016. I almost put Peter Tossol in my top 100 list, based on this game, but to be fair, without watching that game, he’d be lucky to be in our top 200 of the past 50 years. It was great finding a video of that game recently – well worth a watch for Demonlanders. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzmtCfS5X_Y 41 Peter Moore 83-87 77 games One of only six Brownlow Medallists in our history, Moore came to the club at the end of 1982 with fellow Charlie winner Kelvin Templeton as Barassi tried to evoke a similar scenario to the 10-year rule that helped North’s rise. But given Moore was captain of the Pies in 1981 and 82 it was huge and when he lined up against his old side in Rd 1 of 83, a banner in the crowd read “Moore Filth”. The Pies predictably won by 10 points that day, Weid’s dad Mark had possibly his best ever day kicking five goals. Moore’s hamstring issues seemed to abate at the Dees (we probably had a better medical team than them back then) and we started to again see the athleticism of the 198cm tall ruckman, who was really more of a mobile ruck-rover. With his confidence back, he regularly tallied 20 disposals or more in 1984 on top of a few marking hot spells where he’d drift in like his son Darcy does now and just read the flight so much better than everyone else. The issue I have with the Brownlow is that game against Hawthorn in 1984. He got three votes that day, yet was beaten badly by an inspired Michael Byrne, a former Dee. Watch the replay and tell me how Gerard Healy didn’t get three-votes. The following week we were mauled by Essendon at VFL Park and I always blamed Moore for not really standing up and getting physical as many ruckman did in those days. But really I think I’m being a bit unfair with that memory as Moore just wasn’t that type of player – he was a beautiful runner who went on to become a lawyer. He had back issues early in 1987, so missed our final series revival. 42 Ross Brewer 72-78 121 games 196 goals A lanky 188cm half-forward from our then zone in Bentleigh, he topped our goalkicking three times and had a day out kicking seven goals against the Dogs in 1978. I have been desperately trying to find which game he scored a memorable soccer goal on a fast break. It was bucketing rain and so instead of picking it up just past the outer wing, he chose to soccer it and run after it. He was then about 35m out and soccered it again and then with his opponents rushing after him he opted to kick it off the ground once more and it slid through the big sticks. With his size he was very handy as the third tall, and later on even played a bit as full-forward before a knee injury in 78 led to him being offered up for trade to the Pies for Phul Carman and Wayne Gordon. I suspect that his much older brother Ian, a 1958 Pies premiership player, had gotten in his ears. Once he was fit, he played some pretty handy games for the Pies as well as two grand final losses to Carlton. 43 Greg Parke 68-73 119 games, 169 goals My first Melbourne jumper had No.26 on it – the reason Greg Parke. Parke was our star centre half-forward in 1972 kicking 63 goals, but he should have kicked many more – he just wasn’t a reliable kick like Peter McKenna or Peter Hudson. But boy could he mark it – he took 24 in one game in 1970. He had the most amazing sticky fingers and with blonde locks, would have been a favourite with the ladies as well as nine-year-old boys like me. One of the first games I attended was against the Swans at the MCG and he took 14 marks. He kicked seven on John Scarlett down at Kardinia Park that year. I don’t really know why he left for Bulldogs in 1974, I imagine it had something to do with payment given that most Melbourne players back then got little more than their MCC membership paid for and Parke was a full-time policeman like Rex Hunt in those semi-professional days. Sadly he died on September 25, 2021 – the same day that we beat the Bulldogs. 44 James Frawley 07-14 139 games Chipper was similar to his uncle Spud in lots of ways – I mean they both were hard to push off, they both were tough as nails and they both weren’t mega kicks. But there was one key difference for our Chip - he was pretty damn quick for a big bloke. That’s why after a rookie season playing mainly on the wing he was soon sent to defence and in 2010 was so effective that he took down Jonathan Brown and Brendan Fevola in a memorable win against Brisbane at the MCG. The All-Australian selectors were clearly impressed. Surprisingly though the 21-year-old didn’t go on to win any more AA gigs. Part of that was because of a serious pectoral muscle injury and part was caused by his disgust at looking the fool playing in the AFL worst defence for several seasons under Bailey and Neeld. As a result he was happy to switch to the Hawks in 2015 as a free agent – just in time for their final flag – a game in which he kept Josh Kennedy goalless in his prime. 45 Glenn Lovett 87-99 127 games, 74 goals I remember thinking back in the late eighties that G.Lovett might be the worst wingman we’d had in my time of watching the Dees. He just seemed so off the pace and error prone. But thankfully I was way wrong and the club was bang on the money giving him the No.6 as come 1991 he’d developed into a clever, strong tackling, precise kicking centreman who you wanted in the side. Given his dicky hamstrings (I reckon he had skins before anyone except Don Scott) he missed quite a few games, but when he played, we generally won – because he was ahead of his time in summing up a short kick to Schwarter or Lyon. His game in our semi-final win over the Dogs in 1994 was huge and he won our B&F in 1992. 46 Neville Jetta 09-21 159 games There are two Nev Jetta’s that played for Melbourne. The first was an innocuous small forward who played for five largely forgettable seasons before being delisted. The second Nev Jetta was spotted by Paul Roos, reinstated, and sent to play down back at a time when his accurate short kicking and evasive skills was a godsend. For the next four years, Nev was an icon at Demonland and his battles with fellow indigenous star Eddie Betts were legendary. Such was his popularity that the calls for his elevation to All-Australian status came every week throughout 2017 and 18 as he majored in shutting down opponents, but he had to settle for being an All-Star, our only representative in the pre-season 2020 game. 47 Greg Healy 84-93 141 games, 167 goals The younger, smaller brother of Gerard could match him with skills and looked destined for similar stardom when he began in 1984 and racked up six wins and 14 goals from his first seven games. But unfortunately, we copped Essendon at their meanest the next week and after an impressive first half by the teenager, Roger Merrett made sure he wasn’t a factor. Sugar also was caught up a bit in his brother Gerard’s departure to Sydney in 85, but he responded by winning the club B&F in 1986 – a year where he kicked 35 goals when resting in a pocket. He followed that up with a handy 1987, including a 40 disposal game in our loss to the Saints at Waverley – along with Robbie I suspect he was used by coach as an example of courage by Swooper, because that’s where our run to the 87 finals started. With Robbie retiring, he was made skipper in 1988 as a 22-year-old and his form started to peter out a bit with a dodgy Achilles not helping – even being dropped in 1990 before the decision was made to go with Dollars as skipper. 48 Graeme Yeats 84 -95 182 games, 45 goals Yeater was a lively little back pocket that we picked up from Prahran who was in and out of the side for his first three seasons and one who loved the punt – I think there were rumours he spent more time listening to his tranny at halftime than to the coaches. But in 1987, with Allen Johnson out with hamstring issues, Northey moved him to the wing and it proved a coup with his tank as good as any and his defensive discipline top class. He drifted forward and snagged a couple of goals in our semi-final win over the Swans, but sadly is best remembered for being one of three players (Simon Eishold and Tony Campbell were the others) to run into open goal in the preliminary final and miss sealers from about 35m out. He did get some compensation at Springvale in 1996, kicking the winning goal in the VFA grand final. 49 Bernie Vince 14-18 100 games Such was his popularity among fans in Adelaide, it’s said he was in tears when told he was being sent to Melbourne at the end of 2013. And if not for a bromance with Jack Watts, he may well have walked out after his first few training sessions. But Bernie, regarded as a bit of a lad in his early days at the Crows, quickly showed he was a great character and got down to business showing why they made a huge mistake. He regularly picked up 30 possessions (even a memorable 42 against the Pies in our 2016 QB win) but it was his duels with Patrick Dangerfield back in Adelaide that won over every Demon fan. I mean how good was he copping the local barrage and giving it his all to Danger. Roosy loved him and after a stellar 2015, he joined a very elite group having two B&F’s at two different clubs. His lack of pace and Olly’s rise, meant he was sent down back for much of his final two seasons under Goody, where his long-kicking made him ideal for our kick-ins, although he missed our 2018 final series with a shoulder injury which is a shame as he certainly deserved more reward for his efforts. 50 Lynden Dunn 05-16 165 games, 97 goals You only had to attend a few of our training sessions to get an appreciation of how important Dunny was to our line-up. He had a booming boot, but it was his booming deep voice that stood out and the manliness of it was even more important under Roosy given our youth policy. He’d taken a while to warm into my heart and I’m sure yours as his early years saw him struggle as a forward and the occasional stint as a tagging midfielder. But under Roosy his value rose and he was fourth in our 2014 best and fairest and made vice-captain. He was always slow but he seemed unfairly punished and put in the naughty box after our loss to St Kilda at Etihad in 2016. And it only riled me more when his replacement Oscar Mac was possibly the slowest AFL player we’ve had since Spud Dullard. The Pies realised Dunny’s kicking skills were elite and offered him a lifeline and he’d probably have a flag at the Pies to his name if not for injury late in 2018. 51 Jeremy Howe 11-15 100 games We were laughed at when we plucked him from Dodges Ferry in Tassie with pick 33, but like Robbo he became a human highlights reel and with our side so incompetent back then, the weekly Howey hanger watch became a must-do for Demon fans. He won our goalkicking in 2013 with 28, but Roosy wanted him more in the game and sent him to the wing and then half-back, and his papers were stamped “defender” where he turned on an intercept show in a shock win against Richmond that year. He spent five seasons with us before heading to the other side of the Olympic Park precinct, apparently to play forward under Bucks. But the Pies soon realised he was their best kick and only injuries have prevented him from becoming an AA defender. 52 Jesse Hogan 14-18 71 games, 152 goals There was something different about Jesse from the moment he walked through the door after being taken from Claremont as a 17yo in the 2012 mini-draft. He wasn’t allowed to play AFL that year but the hype built as he impressed in NAB Cup games and he won Casey’s best and fairest after kicking 39 goals in 15 games. Roosy arrived and suddenly had a wunderkind on his hands but bad luck in the form of a back injury meant we had to wait another year for Jesse’s debut. But when it finally came in 2015, it was worth the wait. He kicked 44 goals to win our goalkicking that year and his game on Anzac Eve against Alex Rance had to be seen to be believed. A four-gamer tearing apart a champion. With Angus also in action, it was exciting times even if we barely won. Jesse had that Allen Jakovich-style mystique too and walked around with the swagger of Wayne Carey. He was a beautiful mark, but he was never a great kick (barely making it 50m) and he was desperately unlucky in life with testicular cancer in 2017 on top of his father dying and then a navicular stress fracture ending his 2018 season early – a year in which he played some of his best footy early and was a key part of our six-game winning run that set up our finals breakthrough. With smoking issues and other off-field allegations, the club took a strong stance on what they perceived was a problem child and traded him to Fremantle. It turned out a smart move. 53 Angus Brayshaw 15- 119 games It’s been an unusual journey for our BBQ onion chef. An amazingly popular winner of our best first-year player in 2015, it looked like his career was over by 2018 as every bump to his head sent him to the dark room. His mum must have driven Goody insane with all her texting. But after emerging OK from a collision with Koby Stevens in late 2017 and with an improved tackling style that reduced contact issues, he became a major player in our 2018 revival, starting off half-back, moving to a wing and then by finals, Angus the midfielder was in full stride. Such was his rise that he came third in the Brownlow that year. Since then it’s been a bit tricky with the debate on whether he’s a pure mid or a wingman only overshadowed by the number of times on Demonland it’s been suggested he be traded to Freo to join his brother. The turning point came in our win against the Dogs in Round 11 when he stopped their outside run on numerous occasions and he repeated it in the granny – that’s why so many of us had him in the Norm Smith pole position at three-quarter time. 54 Brent Moloney 05-12 122 games A lot of Cat fans were devastated when Little Buddha departed for the Dees in 2005 as part of the Brad Ottens deal and it wasn’t hard to see why. A big-bodied midfielder he joined forces with Brock McLean and Col Sylvia to give us a tough, but youthful look that was tipped for greatness. Sadly he had shoulder and groin injuries in 2006 and missed our finals win against the Saints and by the time he returned, Neiter, Yze, White and Robbo were almost done. He continued to do a large part of the grunt work under Dean Bailey until that infamous trip down the highway in Rd 19 of 2011 turned things on their head. Beamer felt ill pre-game and did not play, a blessing of sorts given the 186-point loss. After winning the B&F and polling 17 Brownlow votes that year, he understandably would have thought captaincy of the club he supported as a kid was next. But Mark Neeld had other ideas, overlooking both he and Nathan Jones to go with generation next – Grimes and Trengove. But he did fire up on occasions in 2012 and I well recall the way he lifted us to one of our few good wins that year – against Essendon at the MCG. He was happy to join the Lions the next year. 55 Tom McDonald 11- 193 games Ok, he’s about to become a 200-gamer and it’s fair to say that he might be ranked a tad low by me. I mean how many above him could snag goals from the boundary like he did against Richmond and Port Adelaide in 2021. He was highly regarded as a backman under Roosy before kicking 53 goals in 2018 when Goody sent him forward in desperation. And he is a dead-eye dick most of the time, even from around 50m. But there have been hiccups along the way. His low-skimming passes from defence gave all Dee fans the sh..s and once turf-toe cut out his fitness advantage in 2019, he suffered a shocking fall from grace by the end of 2020, being shopped around with ANB. Thankfully there were no takers and after working his butt off pre-season and aided by a couple of injuries to key forwards, he was back in the ones and firing on all cylinders. A back injury cruelled his finals campaign but he battled on and stuck to his role. But as with many key forwards, especially one that Jeremy Howe enjoys using as a stepladder, there are some serious doubts on his longevity. 56 Ray Biffin 68-79 170 games 131 goals Everyone loved Biffo. Blessed with a beer gut, the Launy boy used to unflinchingly charge at the ball from full-back for almost a decade and every now and then would launch a torpedo from the kick-in goalsquare that would go 70m or out on the full. Then in 1976, Skilton sent him up the other end in desperation against the Saints and as a forward he proved a masterstroke – nailing 47 goals in the next 13 rounds as we suddenly looked like finalists. For the next three years injuries took hold, but when he played, he scored – even snagging five goals in his final game against the Pies in 1979. 57 Danny Hughes 84-90 124 games He was 20 when he came across from Port Adelaide in 1984 and is it too nasty to say he was a meat and potatoes footballer. Basically he was your typical tight-marking, give your opponent a clip over the ear type who could kick a pretty nice, long drop punt to clear the pressure down back. He played every game as our full-back in 1985, including a few spells in the ruck, and despite not cracking 20 disposals in any game won the best and fairest as the club unravelled under Barassi. Ask Gerard Healy, who averaged close to 25 touches every game that year why that happened? Anyway Hughes was mega dependable, albeit quite slow, and that’s why Swooper made what will go down in history as the most amazing tactical blunder in the 1988 GF, switching our man off Jason Dunstall pre-game and sending our lively wingman Steven Stretch back there. Danny ended up with just three kicks and two hitouts that day – I doubt he has watched the replay. He was back at full-back in 1989 and resolute for two more seasons before deciding to head home and be part of the new-born Crows side. 58 Rod Grinter 85-95 134 games 57 goals He spent the first two years as a lanky half-forward before Swooper sent him to defence where he made his name in the 1987 final series. Blessed with a thumping kick, he was more noted for his thumping white line fever style, dished out via the bump (Chris Mew will attest to that) or the swinging arm (Terry Wallace still probably has his lawyers on to it). He was the tough edge that most sides had, but one that we’d been missing and I’m sure that’s why his rise coincided with a successful period, albeit one without a flag. 59 Tony Sullivan 67-79 191 games If not for a goal against the Pies in 1970, the St Pat’s (Redan juniors) Ballarat recruit may have been in a rare 191-game goalless club. You can probably guess that he wasn’t a flashy, long-kicking half-back, but my childhood memories are that our No.4 was as reliable as they come, it’s just that it was mega hard to get his Scanlen’s footy card (I never really liked chewing gum anyway). Tony played for Victoria and was 188cm, which in those days made him ideal to play on the third tall. I think Big Carl, in his second stint, wasn’t a huge fan so he ended up playing in the VFA. 60 Andrew Obst 90-97 149 games The obstetrician took a couple of years of convincing before he left Port Adelaide, but when he came was just so professional in his tactics that he was quickly a fan favourite. He played every game in the shortened 1990 season and was one of our best in our memorable win over the Hawks in the final round. For the next seven years, he was always hard at it for a skinny bloke and was third in our 1996 B&F. A few nagging injuries saw him return home after ’97 and he won a couple of SANFL flags for Port in 98 and 99.

Excellent thanks, I might possibly be able to get down to Casey Friday if all goes well. Cheers P.F

For those of us who waited every day for 57 years, it is not just all, but it is everything. This time with my family. Bang! Bang, bang, bang still chokes me up and Max and Goody lifting the cup does it all over again. This feeling will never go away. GO DEES

We won a flag, nothing else matters. Lot of Cats fans in Ballarat. Havent seen one since September, not even a bumper sticker. The look on Geelong fans face now when Melbourne is mentioned......priceless.

We all know Tomahawk can self test…

Sparrow is an absolute beast. After Jackson, he is the young player I'm the most excited about.

I’ll get off my magnanimous, winning high horse for a minute to give my serious thoughts on 186 and other rivalries. We have only just begun to repay the the supporters and our enemies a huge debt. We've removed Geelong from finals but we haven’t destroyed them yet. We need to crush North about 24 times in a row to break even., Part of the joy of winning is crushing souls into the dust. Show me a true champion and I’ll show you a sadist. In victory revenge and in defeat malice.

Maybe he is still recovering from that (possibly) game changing assault by that dwarf on 25 September? 🤭

Sorry DS you must have much higher expectations than us mere mortals I have been on a bit of a high since Maxy broke the Cats hearts down at Cardinia Park in Round 23. My football life has changed forever we are no longer the “slum Dogs” we are the best in the business.!!

Same same, I’d gone to 148 with some hope (who knows why) and brought along some Kiwi mates hoping to get them on the Dees wagon… needless to say they were not interested in supporting the Dees. Funny thing though they did end up becoming Dees fans and loved the Premiership.

Chill man

Make no mistake. We were hunted throughout the whole of last year. Every-one wants to take down the undefeated mob sitting on top of the ladder. And with our reputation of choking when the pressure's applied they all thought they could be the ones to do it. This year we need to put that reputation to rest once and for all. Put the foot on their throats early and keep it there.

How about by a kick after the siren after being 7 goals behind at their home ground , to deny them top spot on the ladder at season end?

completely put to rest. I think the pain we inflicted on Geelong this year as well as winning a flag fully closes that chapter. proof in point. when i think of Geelong now , I smile broadly and notice my Geelong friends grimace a little when we talk footy. Round 23 or the PF is all that’s left in my memory of them. somewhere in a galaxy far far away i hear that the world was once temporarily out of balance re Geelong and Melb but the equilibrium is now restored.

As far as I'm concerned. Everything has been laid to rest. Apart from my undying hatred for Essenscum, I'm at peace.

There was a bloke here about 8 years ago who spat it and vowed to never support the Demons again ... also stated that he was going to support Richmond! Turns out he got 3 flags but did he? You just can't switch past a certain age (certainly not as an adult)

Hunt was very stiff to get injured. In 2021, he defended better, closed down opponents exceptionally well, and teamed with Langdon on many occasions to stream the ball downfield. His ball use improved and I think he provides a little bit of flexibility re he could cover the wing or go forward if needed. Great to see Hibberd win a flag, but he will be under pressure to retain his spot in 2022, other than I like him guarding Dusty against the Tigers. Covid will impact our starting lineup across the year if EPL is any guide, so have 30 plus who can play in the firsts will be more important than in any other season!

As iterated elsewhere, I purchased the whole season package from Sanity which comprises EVERY ONE of our games throughout the 2021 season. The finals are in BLU RAY Format and at $ 144.95 to me it is the "Investment of a lifetime" Also with it is a retrospective "Highlights" package as well! I'm Happy!😁

Look at Trac giving it to Petty afterwards haha

No red hat here.

At first it's like, wow, that player's the same age as me. Then it's, oh cool, I remember when their Dad played. Then, wait, that player who's RETIRING is my age??? Then, that player could be my child. Probably you stop thinking about it at some point!

Jealous!!! That sounds like a bloody great trip!! One thing in our favour is that we are the first flag team in history that has unfinished business - to win one back in Melbourne. And I'm looking forward to watching it happen in the next few years!!

It feels weird being the same age as old people.

I usually dump Fox Footy over the summer but kept it this year to watch the GF over and over and over....... Every time i watch it i see great things i had missed in prior viewings.

Ok you got me. Who is Disco?

Only a faint but distinctively Ennio Morricone soundtrack can be heard… The characteristic opening scene (as favoured by Sergio Leone) of the vast desiccated landscape comes to life… with the isolated, distant figure of a lone rider riding relentlessly upon his steed… as out of a suddenly awakened dream the cinema lights take effect illuminating the popcorn strewn theatre aisles… The credits roll… A new star has emerged from out west … In the role as “El Gringo” for another Simon Goodwin desperado linguine production is… …Judd McVee

I will be on my death bed and they’ll ask if I have any final wishes. My last words will be, “play it from the Bont’s goal in the third.” 😁

For what it is worth being in Cairns my source of MFC news is Demonland then the MFC website then family....I am not going to subscribe to the main stream media on the remote chance that they publish something remotely AFL. If only a Pies player was bitten by a croc. DL is a broad church (or hell pit) where most are welcome to express their views. Yes some are repetitive (players ran laps at training 😀) and tedious but I am happy to live with that if the alternative is an exclusive club. Without Posters DL would be nothing.

As a trawl this thread it makes me even more appreciative that the rebuild of the rebuild of the rebuild was a success!

I reckon it would have been used pretty commonly. As a kid I had a footy card that called him Garry 'dollars' Lyon.

"Dollars" is Garry Lyon and "Beamer" is Brent Moloney, I believe.

We won the flag in the same year which coincided with the 186th year from when the city of Melbourne was formed. Done

I remember a bloke on 'Ology who stated that if we ever did win a flag we'd find the joy of victory short lived and not what we thought it was cracked up to be. Well it was far better than what I thought it was going to be. By a long way.

On what I’ve seen of JVR, he will play up forward.

The young fella Turner I think

I predict we will read “player x has entered health and safety protocols” a lot this yr. All you hear at the moment from nba journos…. (Oh and “the 76ers front office are no closer to brokering a trade for Ben Simmons””)

Some posters aren’t as au fait with tech and maybe they can use DL only because their grandkids have set it up for them, for example. As well, some of the questions you cited as examples can also serve as conversation starters. I think accusing people of ‘sheer laziness’ is a little harsh.

For mine, that’d be a big bunch of nope right there. I look at it this way: if someone was to say to me now (at a match this year), “Today you’re gonna see your beloved Dees cop a humiliating thrashing to the tune of 186 points at the hands of Essendon (my scenario so I get to choose the opponent 😉), the likes of which will break your heart and leave you mentally scarred for god knows how long… but don’t worry, it guarantees you a flag in 10 years” I’d definitely say NO! It’s not just that 10 years is such a long time to wait. It’s also because no promise of anything in the future is worth suffering that happen again. On the subject of hypotheticals, on the morning of the GF my son put this to me: Melbourne win the GF today, or Melbourne lose but you get a million dollars. What would you choose? I said Melbourne winning the flag, because a million dollars may or may not make me happy, whereas Melbourne winning the flag is 100”% guaranteed to make me happy. He said, “the disturbing thing is, I know you mean that” and left the room shaking his head. 😆

At the suggestion of a comment on here I read the cats Bigfooty GF feed. One common theme was that during the Dees display cats fans were saying just how far off the pace they now are. And how come the dees make 2 prelims and 1 GF for 1 flag , whilst the cats have made 7 prelims for zip since 2021. Envy abounded on the site with more than a few comments on recruiting and coaching.

We won the flag so, as far as I'm concerned, it's a total reset!

a 3:nil season vs cats and a convincing premiership has heralded the dawn of a new dynasty, the demon renaissance 186 is now passe and has now been relegated to the history of the demon dark ages long live the dees!