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This simply has to stop. And it simply has to stop on this website too. During the game last night in the Game Day Thread I was alerted to two posts from different people making ethnic slurs about people in the crowd. These posters have since been banned. Vilification on the basis of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity is unacceptable and will be treated as such. Posters that make such vile comments are not wanted here and will be banned permanently.

MFCSS rubs true We are 2nd on the ladder with a round and a half to go for 2022. Yes our form isn't as strong leading into finals as last year. Yes our best footy is still the best in the competition, despite not showing often enough I for one am sick to death of the negative nancies on here and the real world who are saying we can't win it. Of course we bloody can. We're in this up to our eyeballs. Too many years of MFCSS unfortunately haven't been washed away despite last year's win - just because it's a close season doesn't mean we haven't got a shot at it fron here - can't win them all as an absolute dominant side - that's actually a rarity!

What do the last ten premiership teams have in common? They were all ranked in the top 6 in the following statistical categories in their premiership year: Shots at goal differential (all ranked top 4) Total points conceded Opposition shots at goal Opposition goals Percentage Inside 50s Following on from the thread H&A % as an indicator of team chances to win Finals, I decided to look at what stats (including percentage) recent premiership teams have in common using a somewhat simplistic methodology. I have analysed the ranks of the last ten premiership teams against a large number of statistical categories in their premiership year. There are 26 statistical categories in which at least eight of the last ten premiers ranked in the top 6. The list of the 26 categories are in the images at the end of this post. Nine of the last ten premiers were ranked in the top 6 in at least 21 of these 26 categories (the Western Bulldogs ranked in the top 6 in 18 categories in 2016). Melbourne ranked number 1 in 16 of these categories last year, more than any other premiership team in the last ten years. There are currently three standout teams this season for these "premiership metrics" - Geelong, Melbourne and Sydney. "Premiership Metrics" ranked in the top 6 in 2022 25: Geelong ⭐ 24: Melbourne ⭐ 19: Sydney ⭐ 14: Brisbane 14: Richmond 13: Fremantle 11: Collingwood 10: Western Bulldogs 8: Carlton What are the Premiership Metrics? Where do teams ranks against these metrics in 2022?

Here’s the 16th Birthday getting interrupted by a frantic finish. Reaction after Kozzie’s goal. IMG_1369.MOV

Over the past 30 years only four clubs have managed to go back to back. Adelaide once (1998), Brisbane twice (2002, 2003), Hawthorn twice (2014, 2015), and Richmond once (2020). Geelong has never done it. Their three premierships in 2007, 2009 and 2011 were followed by Hawthorn, Collingwood and Sydney, respectively. Maybe this will help people with their expectations of this year, but winning one is tough, but going back to back is a rare feat. You’re dealing with complacency, culture changes, list changes, figured out game plan, a harder draw, worse draft picks and most importantly - and I can’t stress this enough - a professional league of other elite clubs where every other team is trying to achieve the same goal. Keep positive. Enjoy the footy we’re playing. Enjoy that we’re still extremely competitive and will be playing finals. Stop comparing it to last year and most of all have some healthy respect to the competition we’re facing. Go Dees.

I highly rate this team. The emotion of it all takes hold when expectations aren't met. I'll be first to admit that my negativity sometimes gets the better of me. I thought in the heat of battle that we were "pathetic" tonight. In reflection and after watching the replay I realised we're not. And that I am pathetic. This is my life.

Geez Hunts last two minutes were impressive last night! his disposal seems to have really sharpened up…good on him.

Ben Brown's 2nd half was quite good after a very average 1st half Triple-teamed for most of the match as the predominately lone forward target he kept at it and never gave up Don't judge him on his first half only. Right at the death he put his body on the line in the front of a pack and got a hand in to marking contest which led to Kossie getting the crumb ... apart from that, he had worked his way into the game and played his part. And right now, the only alternative to Brown is Weideman. Or someone like Smith or Tomlinson. That is not going to happen Brown in fact played a game tonight very similar to the game that T-Mac often plays (and T-Mac gets criticised for playing that sort of game until it's realised that value that is being underestimated) It's a big ask playing as the lone KPF in today's footy. Crowded forward lines, triple teamed, and battered about, often the best that can be expected is to compete and bring the ball to ground for the crumbers And that's how we are set up to play. We bomb to the left forward pocket or thereabouts (until the last few minutes tonight when we decided to take some risks in the corridor) Brown won't be playing anywhere apart from the seniors ... he's a vital cog and Goodwin is probably reasonably happy with his overall output

This one?

It’s not about facts, it’s about attitude. Sure, there are things we need to fix but we can discuss them without the ridiculous doom and gloom that some people feel compelled to inflict on others, under the guise of knowing more than everyone else what it takes to be a premiership team. This place can be really hard to be around with people constantly deriding and talking down the players and the team. We are supposed to be supporters, the key to the appropriate behaviour is in the name. I don’t have a huge number of Dees supporters in my life and I love being able to talk details with others who share my passion. I had hoped that demonland could be a place for that but have been finding it increasingly hard to log on and listen to the whining and mean spirited comments. Maybe this rubbish was appropriate around the Neeld years but Jesus, we are 2nd on the ladder defending our premiership. What the actual F does it take to please people???

I’ve said it before, I’m enjoying this season. Like many on here I’ve never seen our team defend a premiership. 15 wins, not too bad hey? It feels like every team has played their ‘GF’ against us. I know it sux to lose games, but you can’t be too despondent with the fact the boys in Red & Blue have been in almost every single game (21). If we go back to back it will be something remarkable for all of us. Back them in!

Gotta say… HOW BLOODY GOOD IS MELKSY?! So maligned by so many for so long. Tonight he shone. SO proud of him! To all the Melksy bashers (you know who you are)… all is forgiven. Just don’t do it again, K? K! 😁 PS @Longsufferingnomore!!! Jakey’s our star!!!

Having an opinion is fine. Coming on here to bag the team within minutes of one of our most exhilarating wins of the season is just sad.

For all of the posters with comments like “We won tonight but aren’t going deep” ”We stole that but can’t win it”. Feel free to not watch next Friday night or for the finals.

Brown is playing a thankless role that isn't really his go. He is at his best a lead up inside the forward 50 goal kicker. He is being made to play the get it of jail long kick into a contested pack role and doing ok. Bringing it to ground and having a crack with a dodgy knee. We don't win tonight without him in the team

Please can we have at least until tomorrow before we face anything other than joy?!

That wasn’t luck CBF. It was superb judgment and nerves of steel against 3 opposing spoilers. One of the best contested marks you’ll see.

I was saying to my family last night at the game that you can honestly tell melks and hunt haven’t got a medal. They are playing with everything they have. Urgency and hunger. Everything all the other players had last year. We need more of that to help lift the others. I must say when milkshake came in I’m thinking Jesus this sums up our year but I’m happy to admit he is proving me wrong. Add chandler into our forward line and he will bring exactly that same hunger with forward pressure kozzy and spargo gave us last year. hopefully fires them up for a big last home and away game!! come on you demons!!

Need to be recognised that the Dees are playing team every week who are treating it as a grand final. The intensity of both Blues and Pies was immense. Remain to be seen but appear to be great preparation. The boys just need to mix it up a bit we played our best when we had no choice but to throw caution to the wind. Season are defined by wins like that.

Out Melksham - no intensity

I hate the attitude of fans who have somehow forgotten decades of mediocrity and don't enjoy wins. FFS. Huge lifter. That sort of win will give the boys some extra bounce. Jayden Hunts last couple of minutes were unreal

And what does it mean for he relative strength of the opposition? For a team that nearly finished top of the ladder last season and made a prelim, the Cats have had incredibly soft draw, made easer by nearly half their games at a ground that arguably gives them the biggest home ground advantage of any in the AFL (perhaps line ball with the Gabba) The pies had a soft draw courtesy of not making final's last year, which is fair enough under the AFL's stupid equalization 'fixture' system. Brisbane have had a pretty tough draw, but have an amazing record at the Gabba and so get a, deserved, leg up there. And the Swans draw was not super strong. By contrast we have had arguably the hardest draw of any team with a ridiculous schedule and multiple short breaks. In our last three games we have beaten two other top 8 teams - a knock some had on us prior to the freo game (ie our record against top 8 teams). And we almost beat another in the pies, in arguably our best performance of the year. The home and away season is almost done, all teams have played each other at least once, and therefore the ladder is a pretty good representation of the relative strength of every team. We are currently second on the ladder, which makes for a good argument for the dees being one of the two best teams in the AFL - better than 16 other teams, six of which will be possible finals opponents. The punters, not coincidentally, have us clear second favorites to win the flag behind ladder leader, Geelong.

I'll never understand why people worry so much about what others say or think, let alone start a thread about it. People can be as negative or as positive as they like.

For all the negative Dee's supports here, take a moment and ponder this question... take all of your negative feelings about our game plan, our weaknesses, our team selection, and analyse it through the lens of our ladder position. If, and I mean IF, everything you feel is true and we're still second despite all that, what does that mean for what we can accomplish if we address all that concerns you?

I HATE CARLSCUM. I cannot write down how much i hate those cheap cheating Bastards I hope they are all shattered tonight Kozz….

I can't even deal with this. 😂 Melks played the best game I've seen him play in the red and blue. A fantastic performance.

I actually think it’s quite realistic to say we aren’t even playing at 60% of our capability. We all know how good our best is. 👍 I just get tired of people saying ‘that was terrible’ when it excludes the reality of the competition. Carlton were literally playing for their first finals spot in 9 seasons. That meant everything to them, and often the opposition’s effort doesn’t get given enough credit by some. Carlton poured everything into that game, and I think would have beaten 14 or 15 of the 18 teams in the comp with the effort they put in last night.

I was too exhausted after that to comment last night. I received an email saying no oppo supporters would be allowed in reserved seats, yet I was surrounded by Carlton FLOGS. The one behind me was a limited intellect example of the worst sort of football fan. WOOF every time Saad kicked the ball, “he’s going to Freo’ any time Dogga touched it. Aggressive, and foul mouthed, he was scaring a group of kids who kept looking around nervously at him. He goaded the crowd all night, and when confronted as to why he was sitting in Trident reserved seating said “I paid my money to get in”. Sank low in his chair when the siren sounded, though… Don’t mind oppo supporters who cheer their teams, HATE oppo supporters who need to get a rise from the crowd to validate their existence.

Agree. But why if 3 opponents are taking on Brown can't we get more out of our crumbers. (It's a seperate and more complicated question as to why we don't kick to our 2 free players whose opponents are heading to Brown.)

Courageuos was my thought in Hunt. In that he took on the game with dare at absolutely critical stages.

The first half was boring defensive footy with Carlton pushing numbers behind the ball and us over correcting on recent shoot outs we have been involved in. We tried to play with a touch more dare in the third but did not take advantage of it with some poor turn overs. We should not underplay how hard that was in the clinches and the pressure from Carlton that was finals level. We just need a touch more quality drive from half back and improved connection and pressure inside 50 to be at our 2022 best in September. Unsure whether Goody will make the changes to make it happen but then Melksham, Brayshaw in the middle and Hunt were in our best 6 last night. I feel some of us have watched our bang bang bang 15 minutes of premiership perfection and have forgotten that we did not play like that all of 2021. We’re in with a shake particularly if we can secure top 2 next week.

Anything can happen in September, but using a ladder position built on 10 wins half a season ago to justify why we'll do well now is taking a whizz on the leg and saying it's raining.

The 50 metre penalty at Geelong last year was at the 47 second mark. The last boundary stoppage tonight was at the 47 second mark. Spooky. Fun fact from my 13 year old daughter. I have clearly passed the baton!! Posted last week after the filth disappointment that I had not given up in 2022 - 5 wins in a row would see us win back to back. Now it is 4 ……..Go Dees!

I see your Ginnivan and raise you…

Morning DL!

At one point in the last Fritta ran and tackled a blues player, the sound when he hit the body was unreal, fast and hard and legal into his shoulder and arm, Absolutely no backing off Great to see and hear

This can’t be understated enough. You have to find a lot of different ways to win, and it only gets harder once you’ve climbed the mountain -because everyone follows the same path up again.

Reading through the posts, it seems some demonlanders are almost willing the boys on to lose and not win another premiership so they can be proven right! If that is the case, that is quite sad. I’m not sure what joy you get out of following the Dees. I’m having the best time of my life following the boys (…and most nerrrrvous time at times) and I wouldn’t have it any other way. GO DEES!

We kicked a goal after the siren against Geelong in R23 last year and then steamrolled through the finals, this year we kick a goal with 13secs left in R22 to win a crucial game, now we’re going to steamroll through 4 more games for back to back flags. 😉

Just finished watching the 20 min kayo highlights Without Melks we don't win that game. He was the difference. Words I thought I would never write Outstanding effort Jake. I'm delighted for ya

Because constant negativity is tedious, especially when we are currently 2nd on the ladder and just won a game in the dying seconds against a hated enemy.

Our biggest problem is that too often we fall into the trap of comparing our current form to our near perfect 2021 finals campaign, especially the PF and GF performances. Not saying we can’t get better nor that it will just happen, but we’re well positioned for another tilt and Iike others I think this team has gears they can go to in September. Let’s get behind them 👍

Mate enjoy the win for gods sake!

Did you not remember that round 23 game in Geelong? We won after the siren following a 50.

Jayden was enormous in those last two minutes @Lucifers Hero! Driving the ball forward.

Harmes in Sparrow to medi-sub. Harmes might kick a one or two.

We must have got flogged based on all the comments with the same sentiment as this. We are up to our eyeballs in this Premiership race. Confidence and momentum are a wonderful thing. As is the fact that we have three undeniable champions in our team. My God there are some sad sacks here.

Against one of the biggest clubs, who were playing for a spot in finals for the first time in a decade, who threw everything at us. What a brilliant result and end.

Egg on my face right now. Put my hand up and openly admit I got it wrong with the Melksham selection. I've bashed him hard this year but the last few weeks he's completely changed his game to the point where he's important member. Sorry Melky, you were [censored] unreal tonight.