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Let the media talk up the lions all they want. Hopefully it’s goes to the lions heads, they get complacent and take us for granted on the day. Coming in under the radar with low expectations eases the pressure on us. Perfect set up for an ambush go dees

It could be a red-herring planted by WCE to get us to take him @ #13 instead of Allen or Hewett, making it more likely they get at least 3 of the 4 WA players ranked by Twomey in the top 15 (Ginbey, Hewett, Allen and Busslinger) with their picks 8, 12 and 20. Lots of ducks and drakes being played out...

My information is that the top four picks are virtually set in stone. 1. GWS Giants - Aaron Cadman 2. North Melbourne - Harry Sheezel 3. Brisbane Lions - Will Ashcroft (bid matched) 4. George Wardlaw

Ratten is joining Clarkson at North. Very happy for Ratten. Unbelievably shabby treatment at the Saints!

I don't know if I'm being thin skinned or not, but I find it aggravating. I guess they have the result against us earlier in the season but we didn't have Harris or Goldy and think it was Mackin's first game...and she has come a long way since then.

That is so weird. I just lost 17 hours of my life. The last thing i remember, i was sitting on a train typing a comment into Demonland, and next thing i know i wake up at work reading Demonland. I wonder who the club is interested in drafting? Personally, i'm clueless about such things and happy to put my trust in the recruiting team to get it right (trust they well and truly have earned). Though i am wondering if they could ask Engorged Onion to do a psych eval of any prospective draftees to screen for mummy issues.

100% Kev. I reckon that since we last played the Lions, we’ve improved by 20%. I have no ‘feel’ for any improvement by the Lions in that period, but I do know that we’ve really hit our straps. They are a very good team, but so are we! I’m quietly confident that our ‘Demon Spirit’, led by the strong willed players who you mention, will get us over the line. Gee, I hope so!

To me the possible trade we do, is with GWS and maybe involves us giving 13 to GWS to get them ahead of Sydney and then maybe we get their 15 and 18 or 19 for our 37 and a F pick. If the clubs can agree to not take who the other wants, then there are advantages for both clubs. For example if we took George with 15, as I don’t think Sydney would take him that high, given other available players and their needs, we could still possibly get Jefferson at 18-19. If we do a side deal with GWS on who we take, then they could even give us 18 and keep 19 to start the next night. That will allow them more dealing and still get who they want. I still believe they will take Gruzewski and won’t want Jefferson and Cadman. I think Sydney would want Barnett, as he is a need for them, or will grab a slider who they can’t resist at their pick. Anyway we will know all in a few days.

Can you imagine if he was brought into the side now? 1 He would be playing at Casey , If that 2 He was an extremely poor pick given his previous injury concerns 3 Our recruiters were garbage around this time, and whoever gave this pick the thumbs up should still hang there heads in shame!

In the eyes of the bookies too! I don't bet of football matches but the odds are ridiculously skewed Brisbane's way. The results of both Melbourne and Brisbane against the other finalists over the year are eerily similar. Even in our only loss for the year (against Brisbane) we were in front at 3/4 time. This is going to be a cracking GF and make no mistake, we are a HUGE chance. Can't wait!

I really save my loathing for the likes of the pies and the cats but the lions are quickly catching up. A victory would be so bloody sweet. Apart from Macca being out all season, this is probably the fittest squad we've taken into a finals series. Can't wait.

not from WA

Pickett NOT wearing knee strapping/brace is a big positive. He was limping around at training sessions at the end of last season.....but we can now see why when he hits the opposition it hurts so much.....just like his uncle!

Don't forget George did his ACL in August and won't play in '23. It would be a big ask of him to be firing in '24 off that injury. Maybe they both will be truly AFL ready around the same time eg '25?

If I was a betting man I think we will pick up George with our first pick. He's an already made player. Jefferson is too much of a project player. Our premiership window is open now not in 5 years time.

I was told trade up was plan A but unlikely and trade back was plan B. It might be that trading pick 13 for pick 19 and something isn't possible. So instead we've got a deal with trading pick 13 out of the draft completely, maybe for a team like Carlton or Collingwood's future first. Then trading our own future first for pick 19 is how we achieve the effective trade back from 13 to 19. If we're keen to trade back (which makes sense as Jefferson, Barnett or George are a solid chance of being available at 19) then we need a host of options pre arranged with other clubs now so that one of them is successful on draft night.

Into simulations, clean with plenty of outside run. Bibs got hammered. After simulations they took a knee, and several share. They break with hugs and slaps all round. Go Dees.

After the warm up, British bulldog with a sash , then into their stations. Moving the ball around, working stoppages, and bringing the ball down for the a snap or tackle. Then they rotate. Some sprints as a group, and into their positional lines. Looks like Gay is on light duties, and Sherrif is doing a little less training. Mithin and Mackin with mids. Harris and Sherrif with forwards. Heath with backs.

From the 2021 grand final side we’ve already replaced Jackson with Grundy which might mean one spot opens up pretty soon. Hibbo doesn’t have much left. Gawn and May won’t go on forever. Pickett not locked in long term. McDonald and Brown both big watch and see guys. And there’s a bunch of lesser guys from ANB, Harmes, Sparrow, Spargo, Brayshaw, even Rivers and Bowser who I wouldn’t say are 100% locks for best 22 at Melbourne in 2024 onwards. Im not trying to be negative I’m just saying teams change so quickly these days. If we draft good players they’ll play games in years 2-4 post draft. Whether they’ll highly talented skill guys or more role players still developing their upside. If they’re good they’ll get games once they’re physically ready.

After hearing Jason Taylor I didn't exactly feel that we are fully on the Jefferson band wagon. Sounds like it'll be best available for pick 13 with then attention turned to a needs pick for pick 38 which sounds like where where'll go for a potential key forward.

Listening to JT in AFL.com.au he said plan A not going to happen. Also talked about a cliff. Id stay our cliff doesn't extend to 13 so Plan B is a big chance.

Not much given away from Jason Taylor on afl.coms draft stream today. However he did infer that it's highly unlikely we will be able to trade into the top end of the draft.

Maybe, when she agreed to do the gig, she thought it was in some muti million-dollar mansion in Brighton?

If you're thin skinned then we all are. It's certainly been noticeable. In fact it's blatantly obvious.

What do you want from a forward?

To me it seems there has been a consistent media bias all year toward talking up our opponents no matter who they are. Would even say they barrack against us! It carries over from the print media during the week to commentators before and during a game. It really does my head in! We certainly go in massive underdogs even tho Harris is playing this week which she wasn't when we lost to the Lions earlier this year. Hope we can show everyone up on Sunday and bring home the 🏆

Jason Taylor is going to be interviewed by Cal Twomey on AFL Live App today at 12.30. I'm sure we'll find out then exactly who we're interested in 🤣

Is Goodwin the right Socceroo ?

Really hope he does get signed. Always makes me pleased to see our delisted or frindge ex-players get a chance at another club.

Stand! Stand! Stand! Stand!

Really think it's time we moved on from this kind of language about umps.

If Ess take Phillipou at #4, Tsatas will slide setting off a domino effect for other highly touted top 10 players: Humphrey, Clark, Ginbey, Mackenzie, Hollands and will be looked at by Hawks, Saints, Carlton and WBD making it more likely that two or all three of the other WA players slide into the 12 - 20 range where WCE have pick 12 and 20. . WCE first pick is #8 and Twomey has them taking Gibney.

I get the feeling the Eagles are targeting two of: Ginbey, Busslinger and Allen. With Essendon apparently leaning to taking Phillipou, Ginbey is a greater chance of getting to their pick. But I don't think Busslinger gets past both the Blues and Western Bulldogs, and multiple clubs looking at Allen starting with the Cats, so there is a reasonable chance that Jefferson will be their highest preference with pick 12. This would suggest the Eagles value Jefferson ahead of Hewett, but just the go-home risk factor of a long term forward prospect to weigh up.

Why? If they take him, it might leave another player in line for selection who we could prefer.

I've always been troubled by what professional full-time umpires would be expected to do all week when not actually umpiring. However, perhaps there's room for a hybrid model with one (or maybe two) professional umpires as senior umpires in each game with three (or two) non-fulltime umpires making up the full complement. The full-time umpires program during the week could include teaching the non-full time umpires, visiting club training to educate teams and work with other leagues (VFL, suburban, country) to help their umpires.

Western Bulldogs Hierarchy Stiff. "Now Mitch, we know you [censored] that handball on the 50 in the Grand Final that would have broken the Dee's hearts... and you are a professional footballer, and you shouldn't make those mistakes in high pressure situations. Anyway we were going to de-list you. But before we do, I happened to be trawling on the internet. I have a guilty pleasure... Mariah Carey... remember back in the early 90's and she released an Xmas CD - it was my fave.... anyway I stumbled across 'My Heart Will Go On'...let me tell you - I can belt it out... anyway, there was this video clip of YOU Mitch, YOU, running down the wing against the Cats as that premiership gumby Blicavs fell over... and you smashed that goal... that must have been incredible. Anyway, I didn't know that about you, clearly our intel is lacking.... and that my friend is a long long boring segue to get to the main thrust of this monologue., Sigh...our intel is still lacking... Got any hot tips for blokes that could play on our wing?"

i would rather they become professional and they reduce it to two on the field i'd be curious to know their gps numbers - can't believe they'd currently run any more than a modern midfielder with three of them out there all i can see is more umpires means more different interpretations of the rules, and some of the existing are appalling decision makers as it is how many times can they overrule one another? will they need to form a quorum to decide on a free kick?

They only came to their senses when they realised JT rates him, so he must be good. Dodo probably has him rated at 50

It's not a big a change as it sounds. There are already 4 field umpires at each match. It's just that the one who was designated as the emergency umpire now joins the fray. If an umpire gets injured during the game and can't continue, the remaining three will continue to do the job. To me it makes sense. Firstly, because the emergency umpire has been an under-utilised resort. Secondly, it allows the ground to be divided into four quadrants which is a much better design than thirds, whichever way you cut it. As a result, there should be fewer instances of umpires being blind-sided and missing things like throws and high tackles.

If 3 umpires cannot get it right then adding another one will cause even more confusion, now it means players will have to be more vigilant not to run into an umpire by accident.

Fox footy article. Star Oakleigh Chargers goalkicker Matt Jefferson continues to be linked to Melbourne’s first selection, however the Demons have been proactive in flagging trades with other teams over recent weeks.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/afl-draft-news-2022-order-date-mattaes-phillipou-essendon-reuben-ginbey-west-coast-ed-allan-geelong-jhye-clark-hawthorn/news-story/845c26c5823a732bafc9d99c22a5be37 Foxfooty.com.au understands Melbourne’s primary motivation behind entering the draft earlier is to give itself a chance of securing Phillipou — the son of Sam Phillipou, who kicked 250 goals from 150 SANFL games for the Eagles and Magpies while also playing three AFL games for Footscray.

Get in front of Geelong, steal the player they want.

JT has: - made a bold move for Oliver - offered what would’ve been the Jacko pick for Zak Butters - drafted Jacko - made a really bold move for Pickett - made solid moves for Bowey and JVR at the back of the first rounds The case against is Weid and to a lesser extent Laurie. Although they were both the second players picked and didn’t seem specific targets like Pickett was. Strength of the drafts doesn’t matter because there’s no guarantee a team does a deal for a top prospect next year. It might be picks 8 and 12 but no one will give us 5 next year. If you’ve found someone you think is a special prospect and is gettable you don’t care that next year has equally special prospects.

Thanks for your contributions Oskar - you were part of a premiership list but couldn’t quite break through into a highly rated team. No disgrace and good luck with the rest of your career and life.

Bye bye Oskar, thanks and good luck. Loved the video of you and your dad when you got your first senior game. Beautiful!