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Happy New Year to all Demonlanders. Here's hoping we can all revel in 2024 Premiership glory for the mighty Demons. Did anybody else score a ticket for this wonderful event last night? It was superb!

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

From personal experience, you don’t learn from success, you learn from personal failures. Clarry is a legend and will come back better than ever.

Huge challenges ahead for Clayton and for the entire club and supporter base. But as Neitschke said, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Let’s all get together behind the club and Clayton. It is a New Year - must look forward not backwards.

Hunter (and Langdon) both failed to finish in the top 10 of the B&F despite playing every game bar the one missed by Hunter. In an award that favours those that play games and for blokes that are in crucial positions it's an interesting commentary by the coaches. Whatever Lachie was not doing he'd better improve because there is a lot of competition for spots from those that might not necessarily be seen a wingers - Billings, Chandler, Howes, Woewodin, Laurie, Spargo and perhaps even the Kolt and Duke. Langdon is under pressure too. It's an interesting watch.

Nathan Brown on the Christmas DeeBrief podcast interview was excited by the talent and athleticism of Kalani White. Nathan is a very positive human being. If Kynan Brown has that watch out he will be good because he already has the talent. Nathan said only around 7 players under 184cm were drafted. Shows how tough it is for players like Kynan at around 181/2 cm. I could go on but have a listen. Great interview. Positive +++++++

Date of Birth: 16 April 2003 Height: 193cm Weight: 96kg Games MFC 2023: 20 Career Total: 20 Goals MFC 2023: 28 Career Total: 28 Games CDFC 2023: 3 Goals CDFC 2023: 6 Brownlow Medal Votes: 2 A revelation in his first year of AFL with his boundless enthusiasm, passion and attack on the football, van Rooyen promises something really special for Demon fans in the not too distant future.

Date of Birth: 22 July 1997 Height: 189cm Weight: 88kg Games MFC 2023: 15 Career Total: 162 Goals MFC 2023: 6 Career Total: 51 Brownlow Medal Votes: 6 Oliver’s hamstring injury, its length and the aftermath was probably Melbourne’s biggest and saddest story of the year. Here’s hoping that Clarrie can overcome his off season woes and do what he does best on the field for the Demons where he is already established as one of our greats.

I think the best we can hope for is a fit and focussed Clarry in 2025. Think there’s been too much damage done this year and over the current preseason

Quintessential Goodwin footballer. Wish we had a couple more of the type, maybe a couple of real big bars teds up forward.

Another of our players who has failed to maintain 21 levels of performance. Regressed significantly. Needs to lift otherwise he won’t hold his spot in 24

Just looked again at the scene. FOUR opponents not three! I got the all directions right though.

We used to have a game where you guessed the colour inside before you bite the end off.

Steelers beat Seahawks and Rams somehow are in the playoffs! never would have picked this at the start of the year.

Eagles gone. Terrible loss v cardinals. not sure where things stands in the division but i think that leaves cowboys in the box seat.

Yes he is so he only goes if we get adequate compensation for him.

I’m a year that ended with such frustration, I think both wingers will be under the microscope this preseason. We’ve got a few young guys pushing hard for game time and there will have to be changes to our method, meaning defensive running isn’t the sole focus for that position. Hunter and Langdon will be one of the more intriguing stories heading into the ‘24 season

Plus the youngest Brown 14 years old and with the Chargers under 16s this coming season. Evidently quite talented at this stage. We missed the other brother as he is a talented 195cm soccer player.

As the “Tap Brothers” experiment fades from the memory of vigorous maturity to terminal senescence, all within one season. The current membership of the ‘Winger’s Club’ may well come under greater scrutiny. Where greater dynamism is sought after by team performance managers. As the previous poster rightly alludes to, both first choice candidates have taken Everest at earlier stages of their careers and appear to be descending from that lofty peak. Not without saying, both Langdon and Hunter played manfully and provided solid options on the wings during the season. Time and opposition counter measures could be taking their toll. Ed Langdon probably still has the ‘tank’ but seems to be rested more and is not getting as involved as frequently in possession chains, forward entries and goal scoring as before. Whereas Luke Beveridge could be a more astute judge of a player than many give him credit for. To my eye the younger Hunter found space more readily and had greater depth with his kicking. Next season will be an interesting watch. With potential young guns like Caleb Windsor and Blake Howes, positioning themselves for a debut and more opportunity.

Does anyone know what Petty's injury/fitness status is at the moment? What is the prognosis for his return to playing?

That grand final goal! Never forget it. Huge kick off one step with three opponents streaming at him from all directions. What composure and what a powerful kick. The adrenaline was really flowing here. Love his toughness too.

3 say it is behind the paywall so could someone please describe the article 11 chastised for calling it lite bowls 3 state that it is an indictment of the last 10 boards that we are still using bulbs 2 call for the sacking of football department saying we should never have picked L Bulbs in the first 1 mentions.... and the use of.....and talks about the private live of....and the whole flamming thread disappears (what happened)

Underated and most valued!

At his best he is a real weapon, endurance running and deadly accuracy. But as with all "high half forwards" an extended drop of form can make them a liability. I expect Chin and Spargo to be competing with McAdam, Billings and even Tholstrup for those spots this year. I think the competition will be healthy.

Rams niners and Steelers (just cos I want Seattle to lose 😂)

There's room for all 3 formats (the 2023 ODI WC Final was the most watched cricket game ever, apparently) t10 is popular in the Middle East and the '100' in the UK is also very popular. New comps in the USA are getting a foothold as well. The Yanks watching cricket!!! And as much as I don't particularly like Bazball, that type of cricket will bring in new fans (and the Poms can see themselves getting hold of the Ashes with that type of cricket - they love it) So cricket is in a very healthy state right now and I believe close on 170k patrons were at the MCG for the Test against Pakistan 40k at Optus Stadium (Perth) & 30k at the Gabba for recent big bash games are very good numbers

Rams Saints 49ers

Rams, 49ers, Steelers

I've written him off before but this time I reckon he's cooked. Great servant though.

Finished.. End of story, too slow and mobility of Jabba the Hutt. Been a great servant but, now gorne! IMO

I feel so sorry for Tom - he was an important part in our flag, and in us getting as far as we did in 2018. He works hard, is strong and well bulked in the upper body, but has been let down repeatedly by his foot. Now time is against him and sadly I suspect that time will pass him by, though I hope deep down that he will be able to make a big contribution in what will surely be his final season. Thanks Tom.

Needs to learn how to mark the ball again. Maybe the mooted move to defence may suit him now that we have amore solid backline.

I can't say I've watched lots of game minutes, but from what I've seen, the following has stood out: He marks the ball at a high point in his leap (a bit like Weid, so probably the source of comparisons) and looks like with a bit more size/strength he'll be a great mark. He has a knack for finding goals. Some are out the back. Some are from loose positions away from his man. But I actually think it's really important that he knows how to create that space and positioning, that he knows how to be a threat through uncontested work. Because when you add the size and strength and contested work to that, he'll do both. A bit like Tom Lynch does.

Point being? His coaches, full time professionals working at the elite level, judged him to be our 6th best player. He finished 9th in the bluey in 2022 and 6th this season. Back to back top 10s in the b&f of an AFL club that finished top 4 is an objective measure of excellence. It's plain silly to think he finished 6th only because of his pressure acts, 1%ers, effort and gut running. I mean c'mon, it's elite level sport, not the local footy club handing out votes to the bloke who is a real trier and always does the barbie. And without being facetious, the assessment of an AFL coaching staff holds more water than the vibe based assessment of random footy forum posters. Mad if I think he shows composure with footy in hand? Did you miss the part when I said he was our best kick inside 50 in terms of kick to score ratio? Sure that probably says something about his teammates, but nonetheless hard to top that stat without showing composure with ball in hand.

Hopefully Jack Billings 2024 = Tom Mitchell 2023. (4th best player on ground in a winning GF wouldn't be too shabby either)

Colin Silvia was De Goey like Strong overhead, great user of body like Melcham and accurate kick What we are lacking

Colin was a rare talent.

Gone... Preparing myself for the Jackson like platitudes.... "We can only get what they are prepared to give etc" At the very least by staying he's stuffed up the long term salary cap planning. Bit like TMac when he went forward and we had to give him a big salary hike.

Cardsbeat Eagles…. WTF????

I think he will probably and sadly be Oliver's replacement this whole season.