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I think that the retirement of Mundy at the same time that Fyfe has stopped playing as a midfielder, has had a big impact on how Fremantle operates. Mundy and Fyfe are both around 6'4 (~192cm), so they are big midfielders, and are contest winners with Mundy consistently averaging over 10 contested possessions a game (9 last year) and Fyfe averaging closer to 15 before injury and form issues recently. What these bigger bodies do is take the load off and make it easier for the smaller midfielders in the contest. By comparison, their spot as the top contest winners in the engine room has been taken by Serong (5'10 - 178cm) and Brayshaw (6'0 - 183cm). They're both excellent players but they don't have the physical size to make the game easier for everyone else. Serong averages 13 cp/g this year and Brayshaw 10. The other midfielders are O'Meara (6'0), Aish (6'0) plus whatever's left, but none of them are big midfielders. Brodie helped a lot when he was in form at points last year but has been struggling (and dropped) this year, Fyfe and Mundy could always make the job of others easier around the ball but they can't anymore and now they just can't get any drive from the contests. It's a bit like the Neale, Zorko, Lyons midfielders from Brisbane, where they always struggled in the tough games because they got beaten up with size around the ball. They've picked up some big midfielders in the last few drafts (Johnson and Erasmus) but neither have shown so far that they're going to be the answer. They also struggled last year to get consistent contests in the forward line from their big guys, and with Lobb and Logue moving on they are getting almost no aerial contest inside 50. Taberner has always been more of a leading forward, Jackson isn't that sort of player and Amiss is a kid. Freo are going to have to learn how to turn slow inside 50s into scores, as that's how they're set up at the moment. They shouldn't be as bad as they are at the moment but they've got an oddly constructed list with some big gaps that they need to be filled with few resources to fill them. It'll be an interesting journey.

HOE - Head of Everything

Well they aren’t gruntled I can tell you that much.

lol - or CFO Chief Feather Officer

I don’t feel for Jackson, Nathan Jones went on radio last year and outlined this exact scenario and the club told Jackson this was a possibility multiple times. There’s a huge risk when a young player goes to a club on huge coin to be a cherry on top premiership winner. That risk is if things go wrong or your form dips the scrutiny is immediate and immense, probably unfairly so. Tom Boyd, Tom Scully, while they both ultimately pushed their clubs to some success their individual careers never hit the peak they were destined for as the constant pressure and mention of money stifled their love of the game at a young age. This was always a possibility for Jacko and as much as I love him and will always be grateful for his part in our flag he was very aware of this component of the decision and sadly this is just the beginning. It’s rare that one player comes in and completes the puzzle, Dangerfield took a long time to get the flag, Lynch is one of the few that worked for Richmond but even that looked a bust for a bit. I think this is just the beginning for Jacko and Freo, lose to the Suns this week and the blowtorch will turn up to 11 but even if Freo can eek out some wins the bubble has burst. They aren’t a team one or two stars away from top 4, they are a team that had one great season with some aging veterans and role players in career best form who are finding out that sustained success in the AFL is very tough. I do however feel for Jayden Hunt, after all these years he’s back at a bottom team playing his absolute guts out. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy with Hunter and the direction we took, but I do feel for Jayden who was a big part culturally, love and effort wise in terms of helping bring our club to where it is now and it’s sad we couldn’t fit him in.

No, you don’t.

Don’t disagree, but I reckon this thread is as much about the journey as the destination. Enjoy the scenery on the drive!

Drafting Lachie Hunter a master stroke for our free kick count. 🤪🤪🤪

Thanks heavens Gil's still making money for the AFL. If not for AFL support and the money they'd made through these evil "money making idea's" we'd be gone years ago and COVID would have decimated the competition. Many more club staff would have been without a jobs, players wouldn't have been paid and would have looked for other professions, the public wouldn't have had footy as Dan put us into home detention for months on end and as a result many more of us would have suffered mental illness. Footy survived because the AFL looked for "money-making ideas" and were financially robust enough to maintain the game in the most challenging of circumstances. We will receive (reportedly) $500,000 to $800,000 for the Gather round. Maybe some of the phyio's and other player support staff that lost their job during COVID will find their way back into the industry and if it isn't them then others who provide support for our players will take their place. What on earth is wrong with making money? Without it the game dies. The Gather round provides an extra meaningful game of footy rather than a meaningless practice game. It will provide Adelaide with a fantastic economic boost to business still struggling after COVID, it will make the AFL stronger which makes the whole competition stronger. Make money Gil, that's what I say. Who knows when the next pandemic is going to hit or some other circumstance beyond the AFL's control descends upon us. The prospect of a financially struggling AFL and its impacts are too depressing to think about.

I found myself sitting next to a Cats supporter yesterday (I drifted in to watch a non MFC game for only the second time in 50 years of football attendance). He asked me if I remembered the last quarter of the last round of 2021? Remember? Remember?? I nearly choked on my cheese platter!!

A very good friend of mine (former DL-er who went by the name Skuit/Skort) has a brother who until recently worked in the A/V department of Adelaide Oval. He discovered the woo hoo man’s identity. Turns out it’s a cameraman who has worked at AO for many years. He always works when we play there. No one there knows if he’s even a Dees supporter. They just know he loves a Dees goal. 😀

VOTES PLAYER (CLUB) 9 Christian Petracca (MELB) 8 Clayton Oliver (MELB) 6 Brodie Grundy (MELB) 5 Tim Kelly (WCE) 2 Tom McDonald (MELB) My read on this was Christian Petracca Coach 1: 5 Coach 2: 4 Clayton Oliver Coach 1: 3 Coach 2: 5 Brodie Grundy Coach 1: 4 Coach 2: 2 Tim Kelly Coach 1: 2 Coach 2: 3 Tom McDonald Coach 1: 1 Coach 2: 1 VOTES PLAYER CLUB 25 Nick Daicos COLL 23 Marcus Bontempelli WB 22 Tim Kelly WCE 21 Jeremy Cameron GEEL 21 Luke Davies-Uniacke NMFC 21 Christian Petracca MELB 20 Jordan De Goey COLL 20 Clayton Oliver MELB 19 Chad Warner SYD 18 Charlie Curnow CARL 18 Jack Sinclair STK 18 Callum Wilkie STK 17 Mason Redman ESS 16 Mason Wood STK 15 Darcy Parish ESS 15 Izak Rankine ADEL 13 Harris Andrews BL 12 Aliir Aliir PORT 12 Jordan Dawson ADEL 12 Toby Greene GWS 12 Brodie Grundy MELB 12 Zach Merrett ESS 12 Daniel Rioli RICH 12 Matt Rowell GCFC 12 Luke Ryan FRE 12 Harry Sheezel NMFC

Yep. Dees fan living in Adelaide. Get to at least 2-3 games in Melbourne each year and then try and get to the 1, sometimes 2 games where we play Port or the Crows here. Crows supporters are far worse. No idea of the rules and the incessant booing for no reason at all. Excited about gather round, taking my son along to the game due to the timeslot. Heading to another couple of games across the weekend too. Should be good.

Any chance you two might be able to sort this out behind the shelter sheds at recess?

It is an assumption on my part. But reported info: Fyfe didn't want to relinquish captaincy Brayshaw coveted the captaincy but was overlooked Brayshaw contract signed before he became 'elite' for less dollars than he would now be getting Mundy didn't want to retire. Fyfe doesn't want to play fwd Jackson doesn't like to play fwd Please don't ask for the articles. I'll leave it to posters to do their own research. My guesswork is: how the above and Jackson's trade, $, list impact affect other players and what they might earn. To me that is reasonable 'deductive' reasoning.

This is simply not true. Glouftsis bounces the ball and did bounce the ball om the weekend. In fact, Id argue she bounced it better on the day than some of her counterparts. Grundy was even rolling his eyes at a few of the centre bounces being recalled back. It might be recency bias but the quality of the bouncing has been appalling this year. As for the umpiring, i agree it was pretty sub standard on Sunday but most of the missed decisions were not Glouftsis'. Her unpiring was actually pretty spot on. Early in her career she made errors for sure but she has been more consistent in her decision making and is a good umpire imo.

Saw every 3rd quarter minute of Gus's heroics from 20 rows back in front of me. We saved that game only allowing 2 goals to the Dogs in the first 15 minutes. From Harmes's prodigious pass to Fritta, bang bang bang etc we won the game in the next 15 mins three goals each side of Gus's dead eye shot. That third quarter by Gus ( and all our players ultimately ) contained every good quality in life and sport that the Brayshaw family have given their offspring and we as Demons are bloody lucky to have them as a family taking home care of our high draft picks and others in development. Gus is a product of course and his care of his teammates on and off the field is also exemplary. He is without doubt in our Top10 player category every year for all these reasons snd probably plenty more.

Viney plays as defensive mid at the CBs to allow Oliver and Petracca to attack. That role requires a high level of "footy IQ"

Forcing Mundy into retirement feels very similar to Melbourne prematurely retiring James McDonald (and in hindsight we know how that worked out for us). He was still playing great football and was the heart and soul of that club. Ridiculous move. I'm enjoying this thread, but I would push back on the idea JL is a bad coach. I think he's a terrific strategist, but there have been some bad list management decisions made over the offseason that may have set that side back a few years. Giving Longmuir the sack would push their premiership hopes back even further.

I went along with a St.Kilda supporting mate to watch their game against Essendon at the G. The Saints jumped out to a handy lead and then went defensive, it seemed to embolden the Bombers who closed the gap on them. When the Saints regained their attacking verve the Bombers melted away. My take-out: Essendon have a very weak defence so back yourself in a shoot-out.

You obviously don't rate JV's contribution to the team. Without wanting to argue the point because it seems your mind is already made up. However, I think it would be good for you watch again some of our finals victories in recent years and pay close attention to Viney's role. When our team plays its best football, it is usually when Viney sets the standard for uncompromising attack at the football and opposition players. Not sure how much footy you have played yourself, but I'd be amazed if our entire squad was not inspired by Jack's courage. He is not silky like Fritta, he is not lightening quick like Kozzy, he doesn't run like Langdon - BUT I am confident what he does offer would ensure that he is one of the first names picked particularly when it's a big stage and a game we have to win. Again, I'm not wanting to debate the point but encourage you to revisit some of those big games.

Assuming we hold onto Kossie. You look at picking up Grundy and Hunter both first round pick capability selections the way they are playing, and if Freo have a down year and we get a top ten pick, means we have been able to renew our list, with top end picks a few years after Clarrie & Trac! Our recruiting team have done a terrific job from my view!

It doesn't help when you trade out multiple players who played roles for your club in order to fit in a kid who hasn't proven he's a consistent AFL performer yet on Huge money. this was a huge gamble by Freo and i suspect it's greatly upset parts of the club and really upset the chemistry of the team. Not to mention they're completely void of any real offensive power and have totally misread where the game is going

We all need to continue to comment on how well Peter Bell is doing at Fremantle, we need to change the negative narrative in the media, the guy is doing absolute wonders for the MFC. To a long and successful partnership with Freo 🍻🍻🍻

In some ways I think it's to our advantage not to be on the MCG against Essendon.( esp as an "away" match.) They're on a high, and there'd be a predominantly Essendon crowd at the MCG baying for frees and influencing the umps. It'll still be pro-bomber over there, but we travel well.

Dam I just wanted him to get suspended for at least 1 game so his streak ended. Oh well hoping he does an injury instead

I cannot believe my eyes. Doggies 17th. I wonder whether there is a correlation? 😂

Podcast will be LIVE tomorrow night (Wednesday) @ 8:30pm Apologies for the late podcast. Originally was going to be tonight (Tuesday) due to the long weekend but I traveling to Broome right into a Category 4 Cyclone. I've course corrected and am heading back to the East Coast but won't get back in time for tonight. So Wednesday @ 8:30pm it will be. Better late and safe than never.

Probably all contributing factors. We are always told by clubs it is “culture” and “player buy in” that are so important and very possibly Freo are suffering on both fronts.

The back of the post/padding is in line with the back of the goal line it would seem

I don’t care if they throw it up, as long as it’s done so the rucks both have a fair crack at it. I think she is as competent as any other ump there. As for the comment on her body, that’s not required, nor wanted. Do yourself a fav and keep that crud to yourself.

I know this isn't a thread on LJ, but if Freo weren't based in Perth, would Freo really have set their sights so strongly (if at all) on LJ? It feels like they had tunnel vision because LJ was a high draft pick West Australian, and so cleared out 3-4 best 22 players to fit him in. LJ may well end up being a star, but it appears Freo have this hyperfocus on WA products to the detriment of their actual list needs. If I were Freo, I'd have definitely enquired, but given they already have Darcy, it wouldn't have gone much further if I knew that getting him would mean having to clear out 3 or 4 best 22s. That's insane and it's a philosophy that Melbourne clearly don't share. No one player is bigger than the club. I wonder what Longmuir thought of the trade...

ANB played a blinder

TMcD does this quite a bit - runs his opponent all over the place, diverting them from the core, then breaking away to gain possession especially later in the game when less aerobically fit opponents waver. Not all of his hard yakka is recognised on the stat sheet.

Did anyone else find that Kozzy looked a bit flat on the weekend? Understabily he's not going to be over the moon kicking 5 behinds and the two he did kick were after the fact. But I did think he just looked less emotionally engaged then usual. Still so effective and will be so so important against the best teams to give us an edge. I understand there's a lot going on for him at the moment and hope he's coping ok.

Hawthorn has been willing to leave their ‘traditional’ heartland. Twice. I have no love for the Hawks, but they repeatedly make the right decisions for the long term. We stubbornly want to magically create land in an area that won’t sacrifice an inch of public parklands or remove a single tree.

I'm hoping they become completely ungruntled.

58,093...and counting

That's right, this one. The other one looks a frame or two later. I'm done with it now though, just hope this doesn't cost anyone a premiership.

Round 4 Banner, front & back… “All Fired Up And With Good Reason Making Our Mark On The '23 Season” “Join the MFC in '23 Become a True Demon Call 03 9652 1155” We were well-represented on Sunday, considering many of our regulars weren’t there. Huge thanks to the ‘Western Demons’ our WA-based supporter group, some of whom got to raise the banner. It’s not often they get the opportunity so they were very grateful.

The Tigers hardly gave anything up.......🤣 Richmond’s raid on the Giants’ midfield is complete. Eight days after Tim Taranto joined the Tigers in exchange for picks 12 and 19, his ex-GWS teammate Jacob Hopper is joining him at Punt Road. They both accepted seven-year deals. The Giants traded Hopper and picks 53 and 63 for Richmond’s future first-round selection and the No.31 pick this year.

And for a big man how good is his agility!

The last kick of the day looked a goal to me. Whoever was in charge of the score review must have decided to check out and go to an early dinner.

Your posts are exceedingly tiresome. Who can be bothered engaging with a troll - or having a trolls puerile teenage psyche clog up a thread. Not me. So I'll pop you on ignore. Don't worry about replying - I won't see it. See ya.

Carry on then without me. It is school holidays. I have enough fighting going on in my living room.

It was the moment wasn't it? 30 seconds that changed everything Who knows? If the free kick isn't paid then the Cats might have been able to kill the game with all 36 players hemmed in that forward pocket It's just as well Gus got pinged in order for the chain of events to then follow. Another deliberate, the kick to Gawn, the Gawn goal, top of the ladder etc etc Amazing memories which led to the drought-breaking flag And now we want more and we've got the team to do it

I liked the game and the result. Took what WC dished up in the first quarter, beat them at their own game and then showed them how it really should be played in the second half. Coulda? Shoulda? Woulda? Yeh, whatever. I will take a ten goal win on the road any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Aspects I liked from the game included Viney showing improved form, when he keeps it simple and relies on his strength at the contest he impacts the game in a big way. I liked the way the forwards connected and worked for each other. I liked the way our senior mids worked into the game after slow/contained starts. I liked the way our forwards hit the scoreboard..... Spargo, Chandler and Pickett all playing the way small forwards should..... TMac, Frisch and JVR all doing what they needed to do.... all this scoring is a good reflection of better delivery into the forward 50. A few questions being asked on this thread so I thought I would give my OPINION..... I would have last Sunday’s Viney every round and not bother about his IQ , footy or otherwise we are a better team with him in the team and in form. Salem or Gus? The position is Gus’s at the moment and he is filling a role very well. Salem is/has been injured/unwell and until he is back in training and played a couple of games at Casey to show his form, there is no question. By the time he is back to match fitness and in form there may be some others that may not be performing. If both Salem and Brayshaw were fit and playing their best footy I would have them both in the team. A shout out to the team structures and culture as it is these things that allow our young players to develop and mature in the right way. McVee, Sparrow, Jordon, Bowery, JVR, Chandler...... all successes when they were brought into the team. A big part of that success was the fact that there was no pressure on them to be superstar saviours. Just told that they were ready to come in and do what is asked of them. 4 more points......

The reference here is not to drinking, but rather to the sounds of the feral West Coast supporters when on home soil. However, on this sunny April day out West they were barely able to voice their displeasure at any of ths events on Optus Stadium that unfolded before their eyes as they watched the Demons grind their side into the dust to record a 10 goal win. Sure, Melbourne were not expected to do anything other than record a resounding victory, given the extensive injury list that West Coast had to contend with. However, it was the methodical and clinical way in which the Demons took apart the challenge of the opposition that impressed. Right down to the individuals like Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca who struggled to gain ascendancy in the first quarter, but by the end of the game had amassed 34 and 29 disposals respectively. And relishing his role as the primary ruck, Brodie Grundy simply kept amassing hitouts - 33 of them, but more importantly hitouts to advantage were at an extraordinary 39%! The forwards in the absence of Ben Brown certainly created more problems for the selection committee next week, with Tom McDonald kicking 4, Bayley Fritsch 3, Jacob van Rooyen and Kysiaiah Pickett 2 each. One cannot ask for more from a forward line, while Hurn and Barrass are on the field for the Eagles. The Backs also showed their usual composure to keep West Coast to nine majors, with another gem showing up in the defense in the form of Judd McVee. In only his fourth game he showed composure far beyond his years that portends a position running long into the future. At season‘s beginning fans were asking who would coach Simon Goodwin use to replace the injured Christian Salem, and now we know. Eight intercept possessions and extraordinarily for someone playing in the backline, seven score involvements! That’s a great afternoon to contemplate. From the coach’s box we saw more trials and experimentation with players being used in uncustomary roles. Trent Rivers as a mid, Harry Petty forward and back, Kozzie Pickett forward and mid and Tom McDonald and Jacob van Rooyen pinch hitting in the ruck. All this creates new options for use in the future. But very importantly, this match showed the belief the players have in each other and an unfailing belief in the systems which have been implemented. This is the character of the highly successful sides of past years. Even when challenged, they know what they have together will win through. Even when they face a stadium full of braying opposition supporters, bleating about every decision, trying to influence the umpires, it is that belief which enables them to concentrate on the task at hand and block out the superfluous noise. Just leave the boos to turned into booze for the fans, as they pop the champagne corks to celebrate yet another Demon victory. MELBOURNE 5.1.31 8.4.52 14.9.93 19.12.126 WEST COAST EAGLES 2.2.14 4.4.28 6.8.44 9.9.63 GOALS MELBOURNE McDonald 4 Petracca Fritsch 3 Pickett Spargo van Rooyen 2 Chandler Neal-Bullen Viney WEST COAST EAGLES Allen 3 Kelly 2 Hunt Long Petrevski-Seton West BEST MELBOURNE Oliver Petracca Grundy Viney McDonald Rivers May WEST COAST EAGLES Kelly Allen Hunt Yeo Duggan Jones INJURIES MELBOURNE Hibberd (Achilles) Lever (ankle) WEST COAST EAGLES Nil REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil WEST COAST EAGLES Nil SUBSTITUTIONS MELBOURNE James Jordon (replaced Michael Hibberd in the fourth quarter) WEST COAST EAGLES Josh Rotham (replaced Elliot Yeo in the fourth quarter) UMPIRES Daniel Johanson Matt Stevic Tom Bryce Eleni Tee CROWD 42,458 at Optus Stadium