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We're back !!! Let's get that straight ! We exposed Freo as pretenders - that's the end of them. We'll dispose of the filth next - no doubt about that. If the Geelong geriatrics were still awake and watching this game they'll know it's all over for them also. Can't wait for the GF which we'll win. I'm happy!!!!

Just hopping on to be an early post in a 7000 comment thread

I made it to the Demon's most sacred site.

Was at the game. Our system was absolutely perfect. I was looking for more pressure ‘effort’ but honestly it wasn’t even needed. Every player on the ground worked in unison in plugging the gaps, peeling off and getting into space. We completely shut them down and they couldn’t get into the game at all. Very glad I came over!

The Dockers' round 11 win at the MCG saw Logue hold May to season lows of just six disposals and one mark (well below his 2022 averages of 19.1 and 5.2) in a big tactical win for Longmuir. https://www.afl.com.au/news/807974/does-this-dockers-defender-hold-the-key-against-dees- Apparently Griffen Logue holds the key to tonight. Some cutting edge analysis by Nathan Schmook on the AFL website. (we'll just ignore the fact that May missed the last three quarters of that game with concussion and was on track for a 24 possession game)

Still Wowoden 🔴🔵

Jake Melksham continuing his surprise resurgence. Chased hard and provided a solid target on the lead. Probably should've finished with 2-3 goals Liking his game at the moment. Adds a different element to our forward line.

It's time to put #flagmantle to bed once and for all. Replace it with #dismantle

As regulars readers of Demonland know, I believe the biggest factor in our form over the last two months is loading. Not the only factor. But by far the most impactful factor. Regulars reader will also know how frustrating i find the media analysis of our great game. There is a thread asking if people have enjoyed this season. I was reflecting on that question and realized that last season i lapped up every media mention of the dees, whereas as this year i can barely watch anything, such is my frustration with the pathetic level of analysis and how completely wrong it usually is. Demonstone made the reasonable point sometime back that if i get so wound up by David King, then i should just stop watching or listening to him. And i have largely taken that advice. But my issue is how analysis that is just so wrong shapes fans' perception and opinions. Both of these things (loading and rubbish analysis) came crashing together when i watched David King on the 'watchlist' segment on 360 on Wednesday night. I am amazed how few comments there has been on Demonland about the segment, and as far i have seen, not one person pushing back or critising David King. I am still livid. Why? Because David King insulted our players. Insulted our leaders. Insulted our team. Insulted Trac. Insulted Clarry. Insulted Max. Said there was 'no investment there in your teammate. It's every man for himself '. I am ropeable. And on his analysis he is so so wrong. In short his thesis is that teams are 'switching against the demons more than anyone else' in the last 6-8 weeks and that they are able to do so because we are not invested, we are not working hard enough, we are complacent, we have lost our hunger. To make his case he showed a clip from the 2021 round 8 game against the Swans where with our incredible all team defence we completely covered the corridor kick and the switch, forcing the Swans down the line to an aerial contest. He is right in saying that is our method. He is also right in saying that we have not been doing that in the last 8 matches. And to demonstrate that latter point he also showed a clip from the dogs game last weekend where, after a free to the dogs deep in their defence, we had time to set up our grid but didn't and allowed the ball to exit our forward line with relative ease. But he is completely wrong as to why that is the case. If King had chosen any other game we played between round 11 and round 19 instead of that Swans game he literally could have chosen dozens of similar examples of us not covering the switch or failing to get the game looking how we want it to look. Hell, he could have chosen the exact corresponding round 19 game from last year against the same side, where the dogs won because we could not stop them switching or force them down the line. I freely admit that there is fair dose of confirmation bias here, but the three players he highlighted, Trac, Clarry and Sparrow all looked completely exhausted to me. Sparrow was gassed, and bent over sucking in the big ones. Again, i'm not looking for debate, so please don't worry about rebutting me, but we have been fatigued because of loading in EVERY game since round 11 (with the exception of the lions game - which came after the bye and the enforced break). That is why we have been overrun in the second half in EVERY game since round 11 (except the lions game). And that is why we are not stopping teams switch as well as we normally do. Only the Tigers and Freo have an all team defensive system anywhere near as aerobically taxing as ours. Fatigue renders our system sub optimal at best, dysfunctional at worst. And all parts of our method have the defensive system as their foundation. Take that defensive spread away and we are a completely different team. As we all saw between rounds 11 and 19 LAST season. And as we have seen again between rounds 11 and 19 THIS season. And as we will see between rounds 11 and 19 NEXT season (assuming we are top 4 contenders next year). So, King is wrong. Dead wrong. But Joe the average footy fan doesn't know that. Joe the average footy fan laps up the [censored] narrative about the complacent premiers, full of leaders who are not 'invested'. And when we smash Freo tonight, will lap up next weeks equally [censored] narrative about the dees flicking a switch, rediscovering their hunger yada, yada yada. And the pow wow? I have no idea what he was referencing, but he reckons we had a pow wow and that was evidence of our lack of investment (ie because we had to come together to address this issue). I immediately checked Demonland because i had not heard of any such meeting. And there was, and has not been since, anything on here about any 'pow wow'. Perhaps we did have some such meeting. But if not, i am assuming he was referring to our intense training session that got quite a bit of attention. If so, again he is way, way off the mark. As 3183 noted in another thread, we did exactly same thing ahead of our round 20 clash last year, and super intense, match like training sessions were standard for the rest of the season. So, all part of the program, not some line in the sand palaver. I'm not looking for a debate. I understand that many people don't agree with my position on how impactful loading has been on our game. I simply wanted to put this out there before it all gets lost in this next, exciting phase we are about to enjoy. I'm not sure about others, but i for one won't cop our club and our players coping such pathetic, ill informed nonsense. I don't have the technical skills to put the clip on here. Andy will add the clip at a later date, but if someone else has the skills to do that would be great. The date of the show is 27 July and the time stamp is 46.48 to 46.48

Really? Jack Viney has delivered one of the great halves of footy you’ll ever see, the effort across the team has been selfless and intense in hostile territory, and all anyone wants to do is pot Weed? This place is better than that isn’t it?

Only 3 clubs...whats wrong with the rest.

Had a good feeling about this game after Trac had that angry look after chasing Darcy in the first quarter. Viney huge first half when the game needed a match winner. Fritsch is such a natural talent…f..k the media and Demonland son, play your game. Fun fact: Lobb & Taberner 0 goals 1 behinds. Weid 1 goal 0 behinds. Go the Demons!!! 🔴🔵

If ever there was a season defining game it would be this.

What are you talking about? Brayshaw was great tonight ... on his left a lot as that's where the space was Opposition players are drawn to his right side kicking and are then caught out Time and time again And then Brayshaw kicked deep to advantage or safety. He was a driving force all night How about giving credit where credit is due

In the last game Petracca was parked forward because he was very ill, May played for 15 minutes and Petty injured early and restricted for the rest of the game. Our backline was all over the shop trying to plug gaps. TMc also out of the side. Despite that we had them at half time with the scores 6.8 to 2.7. Longmuir saw our team was weakened at both ends of the ground and exploited it: He tagged Oliver. When an opp coaches tags him or Petracca the other has a field day. But they were both restricted. Freo started dominating the middle. Our defence was also weakened all over the ground, we semi panicked and kicked straight to their tall defenders giving our small fwds no chance. It will be a very different game tonight. Dees to win by 3-4 goals.

The Manor will be a cold and lonely place tonight, as I find myself abandoned by both the domestic staff and friends. Even The Manor's attack dogs have scant interest in watching the football with me. Despite the inherent dangers, I find myself missing SWYL and his Bangkok band. There are positives though, and I believe my spirit will be lifted by a famous Melbourne victory ( and Shiraz ). I find myself echoing a number of posters above in having no real evidence to support my claim of a great win. It's a game we simply must win. Lose this and I do not see us defending our crown. And that I think is what will motivate and drive The Dees tonight. In fact, as my mood and optimism lifts, my nethers tell me that the [censored] cats will suffer a defeat and we will return to our rightful position atop the ladder.

As Gus’s platinum player sponsor, we here at Control are delighted our man has decided to commit for the rest of his playing days.

He does. Reckon Kozzie will sign next year with minimal fuss. He seems very happy and doesn't like media attention. Nothing to see here.

Don't forget guys and gals...

5, actually (3 vs Collingwood, 1 each vs Fremantle and Adelaide). The rest of these two posts really leaves a lot to be desired and makes me grateful you have nothing to do with running our club. Parts of them very arguable, if not flat out wrong (he's not "one paced", he can kick, albeit not at an elite level like Salem or Bowey, and he is as defensively reliable as anyone in our side), they are premised off a position you know nothing about (the value of his salary), and they ignore the clear benefits we get from Gus culturally and through his leadership. I also have no idea about the logic behind the "panic move" comment. You really think the club, suspecting Jackson's going to leave, took extra money/years and threw it at Brayshaw out of panic? After everything we've established in our list management over the lsat 5-7 years?

At our best we are the best.

Most pleasing was how we chased and harassed till the end, despite the score. looked more like 2021, keep the hunger.

Defence is looking steady. Rivers playing a good game so far.

Hunt in was a good call by the selection committee. He's almost our best lockdown defender, and our balance has been off since his omission. Freo have poor tall forward options, especially if Lobb is curtailed. Hunt in helps lockdown the smalls like Walters, Schulz, Frederick etc. Freo will get momentum at some point, so Hunt and Hibberd's defending tonight will go a long way to determining the result IMO. Freo were a legit contender at the mid point of the year, but they've fallen away defensively recently. Very similar to us actually. I expect our midfield to fire up tonight and work harder both ways to get back to the Melbourne brand after degenerating into a shoot out last week.

Odds watch. Opened 1.90 equal favs, which seemed fair enough given the form lines of both sides, the relative ladder positions and the fact the game is on freo's home deck. And surely no-one would be keen to trust us with their money given we are apparently not hungry or ruthless enough Into 1.86 soon after. Into 1.80 by Tuesday (even after it was announced bb wasn't playing). Into 1.77 on Wednesday. Remarkably, on game day, now into 1.72. The weather might be a factor, but today's forecast is that whilst plenty of rain will fall today, and so the ground will be slippery, it will clear by the arvo. I wonder if Lobb is going to be late out? May drift, but unlikely to get into anything shorter than 1.80. The pros must really think we will magically rediscover our 'hunger'. Because being people who make a living out of punting by being hard nosed, unemotional realists put a lot of stock in such nebulous concepts.

I appreciate the invitation layzie, but I'm really not into that sort of thing.

I'm buoyed by the news of Brayshaw's re-signing and hope the players have had a similar boost. With no evidence at all to back me up, I just feel that a corner has been turned and we'll win tonight in the first step towards a strong finals run.

This re-signing is a real shot in the arm. I don’t know about others here, but the club’s recent performances, and the vibe and persona more generally has felt very flat and uninspiring to me over the past few months. The media surrounding the contract negotiations in relation to Jackson and Brayshaw hasn’t greatly assisted either. It’s all been a bit depressing despite our ladder position. This changes everything. I don’t know why exactly - but it just does. It’s a big contract extension, it’s a commitment to the club, it’s an absolute show of faith - in the list, in the coaches, in the future, in the club. Nice work Angus - watch Gran Torino, Million Dollar Baby, The Mule and Cry Macho this weekend. Character is what it’s all about - and, along with Trac, Clayton, Maxy and now you, we have the requisite character. I feel this has just arrested the momentum against us, and we’re back. Let’s not lose another game this season. God bless us all, eh.

Viney

I’m ready - defibrillator charged, pacemaker checked, catheter in situ and cannabis oil close by. Bring it on.

Kozzy has his number and Loyalty tattooed on his body, hes not going anywhere

Clubs and Managers need to stop leaking this stuff to the media. All trade moves should be banned in the media by the AFL until that club's season is over. Two months to go and our team needs to put up with speculation about losing much loved teammates. We have enough distractions right now we, Kozzie and the players don't need another.

What often happens is that the Club gets to sign & retain their player for a little less “guaranteed”coin than an opposition’s guaranteed offer. But then they are often asked to give the player the opportunity to earn that higher amount by hitting performance targets. For example, Angus might have signed for 6 x $750, but has the opportunity to reach $850 in any year by reaching certain targets.

Probably as good a defensive performance as I've seen from this club over the last two years. Rivers and Hibberd have both slotted back into our defence seamlessly. Petty is a deadset gun!

Please no more talk of Lobbe - hopeless player. The hair says it all.

We basically don’t lose when May/Lever/Petty are all in and doing their bit. Petty is becoming an incredible player.

Melbourne now has the best win/loss ratio of any team at Optus Oval. Ha ha brilliant

I'm just here for the page count

Honestly Kozzie is about as likely to leave as jack viney is to suddenly decide footy is too rough for him. the standards in the media are disgraceful

Have they just replaced the name in all of the Gus stories they had lined up for the coming weeks?

Spot on Webber. Jake Niall is way off the mark, another example of “filler” due to too many vying for space. My intel says Gus has the possibility, albeit, not likely that he would hit every target across 6 years, to match the best offer. If he didn’t hit one single target across those 6 years, he has signed for $600 less. I am firmly of the opinion that it was a win/win negotiation.

We might not score a million points, but I guess you don't need to when you keep your oppo to 39 points?! Viney was huge, especially in that first half. He really set the scene again. Ok, momentum - let's do it, and steamroll the Pies next week! Great win, go Dees.

Crikey binman, you could’ve started this with “You might wanna grab yourself a beer” I concur though.

Statement game tonight, its almost a 12 point game.

Anyone that is still potting Gus can GTFO. Heart and soul, arguably won us the flag thanks to his 3rd Q, and brings class in whatever role he's put into. Will retire as a club legend.