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Imagine if someone told you on that horrible afternoon in September 2000 that in 22 years Essendon would have no more flags, haven't won a final since 2004, club was destroyed with factional infighting due to a systemic doping program under coach James Hird, Bombers had just missed out on landing the best coach of the modern era since Sheedy to North and Melbourne were the reigning premiers!

Missed out in 2018 Missed out in 2021 Now set to play his first finals. Bit of the heart break story last year after playing every game and then doing an injury. Bar any injury from here on I'm incredibly happy for Hunty!

Because the Lions are so hard to beat on their own deck, this would be the first time this year when the Demons aren’t favourites with the bookies. This is the best time for us to defy the odds, to prove the doubters wrong and to earn our spot in the top four!

Flew into Coolangatta last night, 25 degree day up here. Now, looking out at the sun nudging above the horizon on the Coral Sea at Currumbin 15 storeys up. About to go for a run around Burleigh Heads headland and then a dip. Geez I'm glad to be out of the miserable sodding Victorian weather. I'll be sitting in the members tonight, it'll be a blast. Let's get it done... and if we don't, I still think we're the only team within the finals that can win from anywhere. ❤️💙

Always had a soft spot for Kenty and believe had it not been for injuries he would have been an absolute gun half forward. Will always remember his goal in Perth back in 2018 that put us into finals for the first time in 12 years. Not afraid to admit that after he kicked it I knew we were home and playing finals. All the best Kenty!

Michael Hibberd keeps Cameron to 0 goals twice this season. Legend.

Stuck in a hospital bed after a (minor) mishap yesterday. A win tonight, by a big enough margin to grab 2nd spot, will be just the tonic I need. Go Dees!

How massive were Jackson and Rivers in their 50th matches?!

As long as they give Oliver and Gawn the same consideration.

What a wonderful week it's been! It started last Saturday when we were given the unmitigated pleasure of watching smug and confident Carlton supporters reduced to whimpering despair. It continued with week long viewing of the soap opera provided by Essendrug's pathetic implosion ......but .... the finale will be provided tonight, when the Dees start their relentless march toward BACK to BACK! You can back it in!

All season on DL there are calls for this player or that player to be dropped. In the last few weeks there has been a crescendo of such talk, with posters variously calling for Nibbler, Spargo, Swallow, JJ, Harmes and Melksham (though not now!) to be dropped. Which is all fine - as many have noted it is a footy forum for opinions after all. But i reckon this quote from Goody's presser yesterday (which i cant find a video of) gives a great insight into one of goody's key coaching philosophies: "One thing we do know with our team is that building cohesion in how you're playing and cohesion with the playing group that you have in the back four or five rounds of the season is really important. We have been able to do that. We have been able to keep our list really healthy the last four or five weeks and make sure they operate well together and that is the most important thing." I also found this comment interesting (confirmation bias alert - mine that is): "They feel physically fresh, they feel ready to go, we feel like we have been able to build some cohesion in the way we play in the last four or five weeks."

Great night. First time at the Gabba for me. The Benny Brown half time goal was right in front of me. Extremely hostile crowd for about 10 seconds. Could just about hear a pin drop by half way through the first quarter.

We’re the first VIC club to go 7-0 interstate in a season. (I just made up that stat but I reckon it’s correct)

Staggering to see ANYTHING on this thread aside from pure happiness. We are top 4. we have our defence back. Every single other team in the 8 would pick us first as the team they do not want to meet. meanwhile at Mordor, they have been playing practice matches with zero intensity

Leave it out. Just destroyed a fellow contender in their home deck. Smiles all round

I’ve seen some low acts in my time watching footy but Hibberd making off with Cameron’s motorbike takes the cake.

Hird to the bombers is like Trump to the Republicans. Doesn’t matter what he says or does…he’ll be the one to “rescue them”. He’ll do nothing but polarise the club and everyone within it. “I see a bad moon arising “ But in the bombers case it does bring a smile.

Finals start tonight.

Tom De Koning at blues - his contract expires end of this year I believe - would probably prefer him than pay big bucks for Grundy

I want to see a really strong all team defensive game, especially from our back 6, no leaky goals please. Keep the Lions to 70 points or below, Fritsch to kick 4 and Melksham and BBB to combine for 6. Dees by 37 points.

And again Petty goes unheralded for a sensational performance and a great last quarter. He is a star and he’s only 22.

surely any team in the top 8 has to be worried about that performance. Oooh oohh. Im not F ing leaving!!!

You beauty!!

I might be unique in this opinion but I’ve got respect for mitch robinson. Has always played hard, lived on the edge and got the best out of himself. Called is bruise free when we were. Zorko has always been a crap bloke. Look at his run ins with Touk Miller. He is the worst captain in the AFL by a mile. They will never win a premiership with him as captain

Brisbane average 97.5 points per game this year. We held them to 110 across two games.

What is with Jonathan Brown and his narrative of us going after Zorko all night? Bloke is deluded, Zorko was a [censored] from the first contest

Is there any other team that goes to water with indisciplined nonsense like Brisbane? What a bunch of man babies.

A Public Service Announcement Before reading this post, please consider the following information: This post may be triggering for some readers There are high levels of confirmation bias detected Post from binman: I found this comment from Goody's presser yesterday very interesting: "They feel physically fresh, they feel ready to go, we feel like we have been able to build some cohesion in the way we play in the last four or five weeks."

I really hope it's true. When I was 11 I went to the footy every week with a mate. He was a roos supporter so we alternated dees and roos games. Generally the roos games were at Arden Street. So I have always had a soft spot for them, helped in the decades since then by the fact they have been residents of struggle town like the dees. I remember how pumped I was when I heard roos was coming to the dees. Hope is a powerful drug. I'm hoping roos fans get the chance to sample the hope drug. Speaking of hope, If it comes to pass that Clarkson doesn't go to the bombers I hope it is not forgotten the role Mark Robinson and the Herald Sun, and 3AW for that matter, have played in the appalling way Rutten has been treated. Their unseemly lust to break the story meant they got it wrong in claiming Rutten had been sacked. And then when that was proved wrong, there was no contrition or retraction. Just more churning the waters and ginning up a soap opera. Just appalling. They won't face any consequences because these days it seemingly doesn't matter at all when journalists make [censored] up or plain get it wrong. It used to. It doesn't any more. Robinson will just blame his source. I hope the other coaches refuse to deal with him and the sun.

My wallet is doing the talking this week. I've loaded up on the Dees and am confident of a happy ending tonight.

Did he add what they and other teams do to Oliver... He has played that 'poor Neale' card a few times now this year. Probably trying to get the umps on side. He should show more public belief in his team rather than sook.

To all the naysayers out there …this is our game. To paraphrase “Binman” … listen to Goody in his pressers …he is or has built a team for finals footy . You don’t play that footy during the year …especially this year as we were also the hunted . Doesn’t mean we will win “back to back” but we will leave everything out there. So proud of that effort tonight & hope the disrespectful media contingent has a good look at themselves . I expect our pessimistic supporter’s will no doubt have heaps of criticism’s but a superb performance Dees 💙❤️

These vibes?

3 more wins 3 more

Possibly our best quarter of the season. No capitulation please. Some of these Brisbane players are awful, especially Zorko and Matheson.

Very gracious indeed : DK “I’d like to thank everyone at the Dees for making my six years there so much fun. To everyone at the Saints, the last four years have been great and I can’t thank you enough."

Disagree, it's a good move for Norf - it can only help them! And .... it's even better because it added to the shambolic [censored] up that is Essendon.

🤣🤣 made an account solely to rub the Clarkson decision in and they got all hurt from this little comment. Account suspended too 🤣 totally immature but I couldn’t resist after the complete mishandling of this situation they created.

Oath. Add BB to the list too

The sensible thing to do. The Ess factions have been warring for a long time. It wouldn't end if Clarkson went there; it may have even become worse. Ess has kicked the biggest 'own goal' of all time. They are now so badly fractured who knows how long it will take to put the pieces back together. Would be happy if it takes 'forever'! If Clarkson turns them down, who would be silly enough to take the coaching job. Time for the popcorn!

I am a devout follower of the binman

That was bloody fun to watch. Even when Brisbane kicked those last two goals I wasn't fazed at all. I reckon we went into conservative mode in the last to save from injuries and happy we did. Go dees!

Players beating the chest together in the room after the game. Jonesy was talking about that on the radio today, he said it was a team thing that the focus was in 2021 keeping the opposition below 68 points

Do we even want to play Sydney at the G? We are basically unbeatable interstate on TV in royal blue.

We'll win comfortably tonight. Not a belting like last time, but 4-5 goals. We've got the wood on Brisbane, and as much as the media want to make out we're in poor form, Brisbane are in the same boat and have stumbled over the line at home against weaker opposition. We also travel incredible well and will be on the road again first week of final to play Swans at the SCG. Get it done Dees!

On the 3.20pm flight to Brissie this afternoon, then to the Pineapple Hotel in Kangaroo Point (gotta love these names) where I'm told the Demon Army will gather pre and post game. Can't wait, go Dees!