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I could probably name about six regular posters and maybe a few who post occasionally. Probably 10 overall. Not many in the scheme of things. Nonetheless, kudos to all male posters😘. DL is a much nicer place than when I joined about a decade ago. Thanks guys especially those who have gone to bat for me when others have taken a variety of swipes or insults. It was especially those guys that kept me involved. Over the journey I've taken some self enforced DL holidays when it got rough. But really glad I stayed the distance.🙃🙂

It is interesting to me that there is a near-consensus on Richmond making the 8, and plenty of talk around that the Tigers could push to flag contention again thanks to Hopper and Taranto coming in. Does anyone else just 'not feel it'? I can see all the rational arguments - their midfield was a weakness and having the extra bodies in there will let Martin play more forward time which means they'll get more out of both their talls and smalls up forward...etc But for some reason I just feel like Richmond are in the levitating potato category - the only thing special about them is that they aren't falling down.

I believe in redemption as a concept, but often I struggle with its application.

Some interesting votes. grand-finalists-brownlow-top-eight-skippers-tips-for-2023 Oliver got the most votes (5) for the Brownlow. But as we know he has lots of opposition from team mates. The most surprising thing for me was that TWO CAPTAINS THOUGHT THE DEES WOULD MISS THE 8!!! 😐🙄😟 In what world do they live in. Big time disappointment coming their way!🙂

Also fails to mention BBB playing on half a leg, Gawn battling through multiple injuries, LJ putting the cue in the rack, Trac playing with a broken leg and the midfield running out of puff after a reduced preseason. Easy to look at TMacs injury as the trigger but that is grossly oversimplifying a year that full was of many issues both on and off the field.

...and here I thought either 'Stuie' or 'Lord Nev' were back. It's only Tom Morris.

So glad that this loser gets another gig and also love how his reputation is laundered starting on intl womens day. Just for the irony. So glad for us all.

Nothing worse than goal highlight packages that only show the set shot and ignore the actual intersting part of how the player recieved the set shot. Was it a towering pack mark, a exquisite pass to a strong lead or a down the ground free?

Shout out to our ALFW team. A credit to themselves and our club, they represent the red and blue with distinction. Play as hard and as tough as the blokes. And with no little skill. Fantastic ambassadors for our club.

Got there at about 3.20 pm. Max and Stafford were the only ones left. Passing it around and some goal kicking. Katey Hore turned up and she said a few of the women were going to have a kick. Their not training yet.

Who is going to tell Viney he won't be fit to play round 1?

Despite the perception that we have the stronger list, I definitely see this game as a 50/50 affair. You only need to look back at the recent meetings between the two clubs from 2020 onwards - it's a 3-3 split. Just when you thought we had the wood over them with early season wins (2021 and 2022) and the grand final, they come back and beat us in the return game of seasons 2021 and 2022. They also beat us in 2020 despite us being in better form at the time. In terms of changes from the selected 23 I see Laurie and Woey both making way, but the latter looked like he could handle the tempo of an AFL game and can see him featuring in the seniors during the season. Two out of Fritta, Viney, Jordon and Hibberd will come in for Laurie and Woey depending on availability. I think Chandler and McVee will retain their spots. The lineup gelled really well Vs' Richmond so you'd imagine changes will be at a minimum. Can't wait for the game, and can't wait to see us playing improved footy at our ground.

I took fright and thought it was Mark Neeld

Gone are the days when the discussion pre round 1 is all about which handful of 18 year old fisrt year players that are green as green will we lump all our hopes on for that coming season. Now it's all about trying to sqeeze 26 or 27 experienced and very deserving players into 23, and which ones will be incredibly unlucky to not get a game. Starting from the 23 that played against Richmond and assuming as per Yze's press conference that only Fritta is fit to play (not Viney), I think Woey Jnr makes way for Jordon as sub and Fritta comes in for Laurie. I think McVee is a lock given he played in both praccy games and I think Chandler did enough to get a run at it in the real thing. It means a fit JVR, Hibbo, Schache, and Tomlinson miss out, with others such as Salem, Viney, Melksham, Joel Smith, Dunstan returning from injury, as well as other promishing youngsters such as Disco Turner, Laurie, Woewodin, Deakyn Smith and Blake Howes continue to develop at Casey. And thats not mentioning any of the first year players, which Will Verrall has been an absolute standout for mine.

Those two would be Geelong and Brisbane …….. wishing and hoping, but not thinking! 😊

Links to some interviews. Lyon and Watson with Gawn - https://megaphone.link/NTETP1473691397 Whateley interview with Grundy - https://megaphone.link/NTETP1527227155 Good chance there will be more later in the day.

Yep, he was one of the stand-outs for the Dees against Richmond - very busy with teaming, possessions and forward movement, and very unlucky to miss a few. I watched him closely in the game warm-up at Casey and he really impressed with about six consecutive shots at goal going through the big sticks midway - from about 55m out, well beyond the forward arc. Distance, no problem. Accuracy, surprisingly good. Height through the goalposts, excellent. Confidence and encouragement to 'take the shot' is all that is required with this young bloke.

Pretty much it yeah, if Schache exceeds Weid's output then the job is done.

I don't agree. I think the Dogs' best 22 going into 2023 is better than it was in 2022. They've lost Dunkley, which is a major loss, but the Dogs are probably the only side in the league who can lose a midfielder of that quality and cover it - they had over-invested in their midfield in 2022. Their midfield still has Bontempelli, Macrae, Treloar, Smith and Libba whilst they're now working Caleb Daniel and his elite kicking through there too. Their forward line now has height and instead of Josh Bruce as the second tall they've got Lobb and Darcy to spread the load (I don't rate Ugle-Hagan highly but he gets to be a bit of a Fritsch-style forward there). Whilst down back they've added Liam Jones who from all reports continues to be more than capable at AFL level despite his year out. I think there are better sides holistically (Geelong, Brisbane and us) but I think the Dogs are more likely to make top 4 than they are to miss the finals.

Some people deserve a second chance and I feel Morris fits into this category he knows a bit about footy and he will be working with a close friend in Sarah Olle. I like Bevo but he is a bit of a Grandstander who needs to focus on footy and not headlines, he has fallen away a bit in my opinion.!! Good luck Tom keep working on your shortcomings it will make you a better human.!!

Agree. Richmond’s premiership window

I always thought the best way to bring about change was change…

I should have known better than to try and correct you Luci. You would think the vote must have come from St Kilda or Richmond so. The young man is clearly making an impression.

For good reason too. Misogyny has no place on Demonland. Do you disagree?

Quite surprised Fritta is considered a walk up start considering his lead up to Round 1.

Give him a chance, he is more than mere depth ... and now he is in the player development university wearing the red 'n blue and, from all reports, is keen to improve to land a regular slot in the team ... and won't that illuminate his existing critics where the sun don't shine?

But we were exactly the same when The Reverend was Coaching us. The Dogs have always lacked 1-2 Key Players as Melbourne did under both Northey and ND. I think Beveridge has done a pretty solid job. Let’s watch Lyon and Clarkson coach Ordinary Players and see how well they adapt

Agree. I think Chandler gives us a new edge and McVee to slot in across half back. Gonna be a beauty can't wait as well!

You realised he kicked 3 goals and looked to be a viable option throughout the game?

Charles is a great man. He will relish the new wing structure

There's a schedule of radio appearances on this page - very interested to hear what Charlie Spargo has to say, can't imagine him getting too excited about anything 😂 https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1280431/dees-radio-takeover-celebrating-membership-deal

Richmond will need a LOT to go right for their aging stars to win it. It happened to Geelong last year, so it is possible, but Geelong have a much better spread of aging talent (and the home ground advantage that guarantees them 10 wins a year), whereas I think Richmond need Dusty, Cotchin and Reiwoldt to turn back the clock to win it.

they have been advertising on the radio 6 games for a standard 3 game membership (for a limited time) that's a good deal and no doubt getting lots of interest

I have no problem with Morris being a Journalist, but i do have a problem with him gaining another on air position. In my opinion he burnt that one

Apparently so has the membership Dept DC. Excluding today, as it was obviously going to be a huge 24 hours given it's Melbourne M'ship day, the demand to join in general plus other general inquiries/ admin requests on the m'ship side is said to be off the charts at the moment. While this is obviously a great situation to be in, i'm also lead to believe the club has allegedly underestimated the situation and is (or was at one point) majorly under-staffed. A number of ring-ins (parden the pun) have been recruited from within and without apparently in order to assist & play catch up.

Could almost call this thread clickbait. I thought it might be about Salem returning. Who cares about some rando sports journalist. Theyre a dime a dozen. Atleast his timing is good with Luke Beveridge giving his first media conference on Saturday week. Could be like old times.

His reputation is all based on 2 incredible finals runs, but given he has never once coached them to the Top 4, is he really as good as some in the media want us to believe? I don't think so. I think he tries too hard to be edgy and it will catch up with him if he can't get more out of his talented list.

I have a feeling that Brown McVee and Chandler will be in the 23 snd Viney and Fritsch return. Your a bit tough on Tmac who not only got 3 goals always makes it much easier for the smalls and mids to play taller and contribute. Just think Hibbo might have to wait till a form lapse or injury even with Salo sidelined for 5/6 or more maybe. Chandler's only blemish was he did not convert so I think he has good reason to be given the confidence to stay in. Viney if fit will maybe push Harmes to the sub. Very hard to judge team and ordinarily JVR deserves a spot but BBB did enough overall for this game where his height might be crucial. JVR very close though. It's going to be a great game hope 50/60,000 get there ( Doggies fans get to the G your team deserves your support) and I am bullish for us this year but respect Dogs as improvers with height now. Dees by 17 pts.

Great to know he's not just highly rated internally.

I wonder if some captains do some vote swapping as there a lot of lesser known players in that list.

I don't think they are allowed to vote for their own team or team mates. Not in his favour is whether he will play enough games. So the young fella has another fan out there.

They ran outta gas. They had a flat tire. They didn't have enough money for cab fare. Their gurnseies didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from outta town. Someone stole their car. There was an earthquake, a terrible flood, locusts! It wasn't their fault! I swear to God!

It was the first game of Aussie Rules I'd seen - my grandmother was one of the first television owners in North Sunshine, paid for it in installments from a lovely mustached Yekke Travelling Salesman called Herr Berger - and, as usual, I hoped the losing side would win. Next year, at Our Lady's Sunshine, a Greek boy asked me who I barracked for. I said, Melbourne. He replied, Wow, they are a great team. The game I'd watched was, of course, the 1958 Grand Final. It took a lot of guts and courage to NOT be a Footscray supporter where I was brought up. Then again, I was always my own man. Paid for it, many Lumpen Prol head punches, the lingua franca of life in Australian working class suburbs in the 50's and 60's. Didn't help being a so-called 'New Australian'....

Reading about the exodus of players Carlton on the AFL site. I didn’t realise the we got Tayla Harris plus pick 44 and gave them pick 32 back. That’s an out and out steal. But wait there’s more! We used pick 44 (that became 42) to get …….. Tahlia Gillard. Has to be the AFLW, all time draft steal!!

Finally some footage from Casey

I thought James Jordon was BOG, controlled most of the game with Munro, but we missed White and Luke Dunstan in the middle. At 3QTime the coach said he didn't care what the scoreboard said - that was the truth. We gave up a 4 goal lead going with the wind. Schache was very good early. Varrell rucked manfully. Hibberd had a lot of the ball, but seems now behind Bowey and McVee. Disco Turner, as usual did some nice things. Kye Turner tried in a different role this week, a bit more forward - shows promise. Sestan quiet in that high half-forward role. Van Rooyen always competes hard, but Schache showed how he (Schache) is a bit cleaner around goals.