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Just on a lighter side of the coin I ran into Adem Yze earlier today I was coming back from the laundry and Adem opened the door for me. My wife came scorching down the stairs and said hello and wished him and the team all the best. Then whilst walking into Alice we passed Ed Langdon and Adam Tomlinson on the Todd River bridge and Ed gave us a big hello and we responded and wished them all the best for tomorrow, how nice was that.!!!

Dedicating the win to noble is like The equivalent of your ex-missus dedicating her first post relationship root to you

Can we start another rumour that Andrew Brayshaw is missing his parents and brother and wants to come to Melb?

Venturing over to Tigers bigfooty board..

Yes he is lol. He's been cooked since 2020. Why we continue to reward a bloke that's well past it and barely has any impact at AFL level for the past 2 years just shows why Goodwin is still incredibly stubborn. It sends a poor message to the blokes like Chandler and Laurie who have continued to bang the door down week in week out at VFL level with not even a sniff of being named an emergency. Melksham should not at all be part of any future team selection unless we are decimated with injuries. He's not part of our future plans moving forward and it's completely worthless that we are wasting games on a cooked 31 year old instead of seeing what Chandler has to offer at AFL level if given the same opportunity of games similar to what they've done with Bedford.

We won’t ask for Brayshaw. I sometimes wonder if people think before they post. Andrew isn’t going anywhere, Fremantle know that, we know that.

Just bought shares in microwaves.

Port have Dixon and Aliir in this time but without Lycett. We are missing Oliver and Petty. Compared to the round 4 game they are stronger. Drew was quite successful in tagging Petracca last time so they might try that again. Big implication for our clearances without Oliver there. Personnel aside there is one tactic that has been successful against us. Adelaide started it last year. While it doesn't always work it has in our four losses this year and probably a significant reason why we lost those games. The tactic? To rush our defence and attack through the corridor. Our mids and high forwards don't have time to get back and help the defence. I'm sure Hinkley will have trained for it tomorrow. Our coaches have seen it often enough. If we don't have a strategy to beat this tactic by now we do not deserve to win.

Not a fair comparison: Jake to have a good game on Sunday is well within the realm of possibility. Ie, it’s not a pitiful, futile figment of some delusional sadsack’s imagination. 🙃

I’m not a fan of the post 2018 milkshake but I understand the selection. If he brings his a-game he could really clean up our final kick into the forward arc. He will undoubtedly play the high half forward role freeing up Sparrow and Nibbler to do extra rotations into the midfield.

Freo are in a premiership window. Why would they give up their best mid and most important player for a developing ruck? That would be a really stupid move that would make them a worse side. It just won’t happen unless Brayshaw demands a trade, which considering he’s in contract seems unlikely.

This is a terrific article which suggests the Barassi Line is moving northwards. The Barassi Line is a theoretical construct developed by Professor Ian Turner, historian and mad AFL supporter. (If I remember correctly, I think he supported Richmond). The Line separates the northern and eastern, rugby league supporting Australian jurisdictions from the southern and western ones. This article claims the line is moving northward. I'm sure the AFL will be pleased, although the article stops short of examining whether the cost has been worth it. Definitely worth a read if you like the bigger picture of AFL as a cultural phenomenon and/or as a business.

Can the Crows please beat the pies today. I'm sick of seeing those jammy bastards winning tight games. They are well and truly due a loss

Chooka who's 24, in my local league snagged 14.9 last weekend. I'm not sure his missus would be keen to head up to the big smoke though. When the midfielders "Smithy" and "Pubes" respectively, deliver the ball inside 50 to him on a silver platter, Chooka's often heard yelling across the dewey field, 'Great connection lads' or 'This is a functional forward line Goodwin, you muppett!' Anyway I'm off to send my curated Youtube highlights to [email protected] - hope Tim gets it.

Don't think I have seen anyone mention this yet but what about Jordon into the guts? He played in the middle last year and is regarded as one of the best tacklers in the club. Our pressure is something that I think we need to work on and JJ's tackling pressure is a good place to start. That would mean Melksham up on the wing were I think his ball handling skills could be put to good use. He's one of the players I can actually see hitting a target inside 50

Melksham to play defensive forward on Aliir I would think

This game simply has to have immense pressure through the game. We can see all the other contenders well on top of their game - doesn’t matter who wins out of the Cats and Blues, they’ll both be in the PF with this type of football. If we rock up with the intensity of the last month and half, it will be a wasted season as we won’t get past the first week of finals.

Someone smart explain to me who we want to win out of Carlton and Geelong? I was hoping for a nil all draw but Geelong already scored so that’s not an option.

So bloody happy for North. Their season is on par with our 2013 year and that was certainly dark period for the club as a supporter. And the best part? It was against Richmond!

Genuinely disgraceful from North. Where has this been all year? Gotta feel for Noble.

Doing it for the coach "sacked" is an insult as far as I'm concerned.

That's a great start to the weekend Deezone - hope it ends even better !!!!!!!

Not so much their supporters.

Put them in his mouth?

People taking notice of what Tim Gossage says. A true hack journalist and a [censored] commentator Hutchison often gives him a morning spot on SEN. It is truly nauseating. There have been no leaks. The Journo’s have no idea how this will play out as of now.

SO what I take out of all of this. Angus Brayshaw ,whose parents and partner live in Melbourne wants to 'return home' because his younger brother plays in Fremantle and he has Grandparents there. However... Andrew Brayshaw, whose grandparents live in WA and parents and brother live in Melbourne and has an older brother who plays in/for Melbourne, want's to stay in Perth . Andrew sounds like a right jerk if he doesn't want to be near his parents or brother(s), let alone play with his older brother 🤷‍♀️ And Jackson is the unicorn to unlocking the Brothers Brayshaw from playing together....

Gives him 2 more years to find him a homely Melbourne girlfriend

This is my take on the Jacko situation. Luke would obviously be happy to be home and if he was, he wants to play with the club he barracked for and his family is connected with. It doesn’t hurt that they are now successful. He is happy to return home, if both clubs can do a fair deal. If not, most likely he will stay with us for another 2 years and see where it’s at then. I don’t think he is driving this or demanding to leave, but rather Freo have seen the opportunity to get him. We hold the cards and if no deal can be done to our satisfaction, I am sure Luke will sign on for 2 more years. I am pretty confident Freo have driven this, knowing they have a willing participant, in the right circumstances. I think he is happy to stay for a couple of years at least, but would also be happy to return home and play with Freo and Freo probably know exactly that. He may have simply said "yes if you can get me I will come, if not I stay a Dee." So Mr. Bell, you make us happy or he stays, end of story. PS: Personally, I hope if he does go, players are involved, as picks are speculative and take time to turn into regular players in your best 22, if at all.

I still think Gus is a strong chance to stay. His long term partner is Melbourne based, his parents live here, and his team is going well. I think it's just others can pay more and this is probably his "big contract" so worth considering options. I reckon dogga is gone unfortunately. I just hope we stand strong at the trade table and don't get bullied into taking 2 late teens picks and an okay player. Jacko is probably the most valuable trade chip this season, I'd want a gun player and those two picks or there is no way he's going to Fremantle. It does highlight the players having too much power, I don't mind players being able to declare a preferred state, but really we should be able to deal with both Perth teams Imo

I was just thinking the same thing! I also don't get why people are jumping at shadows with Gus, he just called a 100 year old member to wish him a happy birthday. He's the epitome of a "clubman", it's why the only reason I see him leaving is if Jackson stays in order to maximise his final contract. Jackson makes perfect sense, he's got ties and roots in WA. He's also been involved in a premiership with the Dees (crucially involved as well) so in his mind he might well feel that he doesn't owe the club anything as he's provided that service. That said, his body language definitely is of a bloke that enjoys his time with everyone at the club.

Deejavu definition: reading a new page of the Luke Jackson thread on Demonland and getting the feeling you’ve read these exact same arguments before

Let’s worry about both. After all, this is Demonland. 😜

I also think Melksham must be in to play a very specific role

I think that might be the case...he plays this type of role well. Good call 'Clayton'

Due to both form and injury reasons for each of them, Ben Brown and Tom McDonald only played 11 games together in 2021 and they've only played 4 games together in 2022. What could be pointed out is that when our forward line is fully available, it works pretty damn well. With Brown taking marks for shots, McDonald providing both connecting marks and pressure (like no other tall forward in the game, by the way), Fritsch playing a smart team game with movement that gets him out of the way of others and forces the opponents to spread awkwardly, and a bunch of small forward going hunter-killer all over the place. Everyone knows their job and knows how to do it. Can't ask much more of a line coach.

Thanks BBO it’s going to be a long quiet trip home otherwise. I am hoping for a 24 point win.!!!

There are few guarantees in life, but I reckon it's a dead set certainty that if it was us winning these close games against bottom six sides, you would be writing us off entirely as fluking it. Yet Collingwood does it and they are a chance to win the flag.

Any more losses and I'll be getting loaded

Tis fiery in here today. I hope the team can show the same intensity tomorrow

How’s the double standards. Ok to insult players, but not ok to insult posters. I care more about the players that demonland posters, and would also prefer the insults stop. Again, we are no longer a battler team/club. Taking some people a long time to adjust.

In my view, it's time Sparrow was given more midfield responsibility. Perhaps he'll be given more midfield minutes tomorrow. Initially I was surprised by Melksham's selection. Having thought about it a bit more, another marking target is what we need in the forward line, and I suspect Melksham is currently seen as a better and perhaps more flexible option than either Weideman or M Brown. It also may be to allow us not to have to push Petracca (and maybe Harmes) forward as much.

Herald Sun alleging that the dees do not want Lobb as part of any trade and that the dockers are likely to go hunting for draft picks. Lobb linked to bulldogs who could end up with a top 10 pick. Guess they're suggesting that freo may try and acquire pick 10 for lobb, although surely that trade would need freo sending picks back to bulldogs as well to balance. However, freo do not have a 2nd and 3rd rounder this year due to last years trade period. Paper states that if Jackson does request a trade to freo then Lloyd Meek 'appears certain' to become a demon.

A number of posters also find constant put downs of our players tiresome. Get over it.

Having trouble getting my head around selection. We have lost our most prolific contributor and have 4 low possession players - Bedford, Kozzie, Spargo and Melksham. As well we have no physical presence in the forward line from our talls . As always, happy to be proven wrong.

Sorry BDA but how would Luke get to Freo if we do not agree to the trade? It is a pretty straightforward situation; 1. Jackson indicates that he would like to return to WA and play for Freo. 2. MFC say you are a really important player for us and while we want to sign you on a long term deal, if you want to go then we will help facilitate a fair trade. If a deal cannot be done we can re-sign you on a 1 - 2 year contract at market value. 3. Freo and Melbourne discuss what is required to get the deal done. Melbourne say that at least pick 3 would be required (what we paid) + additional compensation reflecting the speculative risk we took in drafting an untried 18 year old now and his development learning under the best ruckman in the game. Freo indicate what the are prepared to pay in terms of points, picks or players and their desire to do a deal. 4. Melbourne and Freo keep Jackson (via his management) in the loop on where the trade sits in terms of his trade value. If Freo are being unreasonable Melbourne can say we're trying to get a deal done but Freo are playing games, etc. 5. If we are being reasonable and Freo are playing games or are not prepared to offer a fair deal, Jackson can either accept a short term deal or nominate for the draft as a delisted free agent, in which case he likely ends up at North. I cannot see why we have to accept anything less than Jackson's worth which is at least pick 3 and arguably another first round pick or an established player who fits our needs and would be in our best 22.

And we should ask for him. Start at the top. Also and most importantly, would we ask for him if he hasn't indicated he would be willing to come? Remember Gus and Jacko have the same manager and maybe Gus has asked his brother would he be willing to come over and play for the Dees. With Jacko willing to go home, it sets up a scenario where Freo might be hard pressed to say we should let Jacko go home, but they won't do the same. Some interesting times ahead. While ordinarily I would say Andrew is no chance to come to us, the Jacko situation puts a different spin on it, "IF" Andrew is on board with the idea.

You can see I'm trying to convince myself Dazzle. If that book The Secret that I never read taught me anything its that if you wish for something hard enough it will happen.

So you’re saying to forget about winning another flag or two now by trading Brayshaw & Jacko this year & get 2-3 first round draft pics wait 3+ years and go again? That’s very harsh on Brayshaw been in our best 3 players this year, be it half back, wing & hopefully in the coming weeks midfield, he’s not excess he’s the best player in those positions Good clubs don’t get rid of great players & a great clubman for potential first round draft picks We May lose Jackson but surely not both

If Freo give us Brayshaw as part of any Jackson trade, we'll have to give up more. Way more. Freo isn't giving up one of the top 5 players in the game for a 20 year old who will barely crack top 15 in the B&F. Just a reality.

I do.