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Thought I’d post this cracking behind the goals image of our defensive wall stopping the ball coming out of our forward 50. Good luck getting it out of there with 5 defenders in a wall as the first line and then May and Lever supporting line. Looks like the footy version of some ancient Roman battle formation.

Caleb Windsor has been awarded the Rising Star nomination for round 8. Well done young sir!

The Roar article and to some extent the guardian articles as well listed earlier in this thread banged on about how boring the game was for the first three quarters. I may be a bit biased but I found the whole contest quite riveting. It was a wonderful arm wrestle all night. It wasn't just boring stoic defence from us. The cats got out on numerous occasions but our defence was frenetic on scrambling back to stop them. I find that really entertaining to watch. 14 behinds in a row, not as much but I think that reflected the pressure of the game on both sides. I loved every minute of it, not just the last quarter.

Ask and you shall receive.

Tell me you’re a sook and a bad loser without telling me you’re a sook and a bad loser 🙄

Goody 5 - Lever 4 - Pickett 3 - Holmes 2 - Guthrie 1 - Gawn Scott 5 - Holmes 4 - Guthrie 3 - May 2 - Gawn 1 - Petty There's a few other way to get the same outcome, which sees Goody give May 1 vote instead of Gawn and a bit of shuffling from Scott. But the bottom line is how Scott didn't find room on his votes for Hawkins, Cameron, Danger and Rohan.

Watching the replay repeatedly you also grasp what a great moment Petty had there. Read it and reacted instantly then absolutely pounded the grass flat to make the distance to spoil that pass. A little cherry on top of a great (touch-wood) return to form.

Who cares about the media. Demonland provides the only affirmation I need of how good we really are.

Depending where you like to get your news from, will inform whether you get a populist narrative or something a bit more nuanced (and certainly one that works well for my echo chamber). The following is some love for the Dees. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/article/2024/may/06/afl-melbourne-demons-geelong-cats-australian-rules-football-entertain-show-must-go-on-weather-turns

Agreed. Had a final feel about it for me. Twists and turns. Sub plots. Themes . Mystique. Courage. Battles. What more could you want? Maybe Scott falling out of the coaches box.

If anyone was in any doubt that Scott is a - insert banned word from the Demonland naughty list - then this dispells any doubt he is a petulant and jealous child with low intellect Remind me who won the game again? What a laughing stock Scott is

Scott - nepotism at its most flagrant.

Watching it live I knew the significance immediately. I let out a wordless yelp of joy when he got his fingertips to that ball. I think it was a game-winning moment. Who knows what happens if Geelong get clear. Instead it's a turnover and leads to a brilliant goal from Fritsch, but none of that would have happened without the fingernail from Petty.

Which is almost exactly what Goodwin said today when interviewed on the abc footy show when asked for the millionth time about our forward line and going out in straight sets. Good interview actually, but he couldn't hide his annoyance. Goody made the point that you work all year to have a shot, we were were in 'great shape' but luck plays a huge part and we lost our forward line 2 weeks out of finals. We just don't have a sexy game and people either don't understand it, think football is only about offence - elite defence be damned - or are clueless.

Obviously Chris Scott doesn’t vote for those 🙄😂

They also showed this. JvR retains the ball 65% of the time it’s kicked to him. Number 1 in the AFL and some here think he’s not up to AFL standard. Game’s changed since the 12 mark 8 goal games from forwards.

I’ve always found the Coach’s votes to be impartial and respectful to the spirit of the award. I’m both very surprised to see such a lack of sportsmanship and very unsurprised to see that it’s come from Scott.

Came back to this thread hoping to enjoy some genuine contrition from posters who were moronically bagging Harry Petty before Saturday. You know who you are, one in particular who went hard, embarrassingly repetitive, and personal. Apart from @M_9 and @Roost it far’s really owning their comments though, the others have been pathetically conditional with their mea culpas. As @The Chief said, that’s the best contested marking game for an MFC forward since David Neitz. That’s the kind of player the FD think Petty can measure up to. But here’s the thing. He was coming off an injury that is too frequently a career killer, had another foot issue during his rehab and pre-season which took him off weight-bearing, and that’s simply a rubbish prep for a season. Horrible. And then some. He played half a game in the VFL and did nothing. Nonetheless, the FD brought him back to big show the very next week. For those on here who lost their minds at this selection, why do you think the selectors did that? They would never have expected him to perform to anywhere near his best under those circumstances, yet they had a plan. Saturday showed just how much it was the right plan. Petty is essential to our flag tilt this year, in a forward line that has familiarity with each other, and some [censored]ing continuity (fingers firmly crossed). Some, or maybe most of us got it. Geez, I hope people think a bit deeper next time.

The good thing is this means Scott is still massively cut he lost to us. I hope it burns. We will repeat the 2018 and 2021 finals thrashing of your club as needed

Lever 5 in total for that game give me a spell. Isn't this supposed to be the award most respected by the players? Should have been minimum 9.

That fixture looks much better after adding our two other double games: Eagles and Bulldogs. So, there are nine of the double games left: Lions x 1, (G) Pies x 2 (MCG), Port x 1 (MCG), WBD x 1 (MS), Freo x 2 (Alice/OO), Eagles x 2 (MCG/OO). All 9 very winnable but wouldn't be surprised or fussed if we drop one or two. The good news is we do not play Syd or Geelong again. Yet to play GWS and Ess of the current top 8. We will drop games here or there but I'm quite optimistic of a top 2 finish.

Great questions being asked. I'll throw in my 5c where I can. Adams - he is developing. His kicking is quite good and can take a mark. Positioning has been good and I don't find myself thinking "he keeps being beaten". Sort of where Petty was at the same stage, you see glimpses and you trust him, but he doesn't look like he is May/Lever reincarnate. Tomlinson is the central force down there, that Adams is usually not the focal point behind the ball, hence the low disposal count. There is nothing to suggest he is not going to make it. Similarly, there is nothing to suggest he is going to be playing AFL this year. I think he has shown more than O Mac and Petty did at the same stage of their development. AMW - I am unsure what he role would be in the AFL. Supersub? He is playing across half back because of our injury list. He has played mid and he has played forward. I think he is good, but I don't think he is a good enough kick / decision maker off half back - think what Hunt used to do for us. He can break lines, he can defend, and he can be creative, but he is not Bowey / Rivers / McVee. He is developing well, but I'd say like Woey Jr, he screams role player, rather than potential AA at some stage in his career, which I'd argue the other three I mentioned could be. I don't know if he is going to play AFL this year, but I can see him making it, either at the Dees or somewhere else. Too much talent and work rate not to make it. Jefferson - I think collectively (demonland) we don't know what we want Jefferson to be doing / to be. Me included. I wanted him to be the key forward next to JVR, but the more I watch, the more I like him being a Fritch 3rd key sort of player. A Tim Membrey perhaps. Last year at Casey he kicked 23 from 20 games and had a pretty poor end to the season. But he kicked a few 3s and 4s. He is not strong enough against a traditional gorilla and perhaps he isn't agile enough against a mobile hybrid tall - but he is tall and has serious hands/leap - in a way that he plucks marks you think he has no right to / he has misjudged completely. He will be a low possession player - but the possessions have been high impact. I don't have score involvement stats - but he had 3.2 and I know he was involved in 3 other scores. So 8 / 12 possessions (at least) were score involvements. And for the focal question, if I'm a young midfielder who is trying to slam it on the boot going forward, I'm heading to Schache or Brown as they have both played in AFL Grand Finals and usually are in more dangerous positions because they have been doing this a long time. And what I like about Jefferson, is if he is there, he then steps out and guards the drop of the ball. You can see in his face he is thinking about positioning and what he is being told to do all the time. Very similar to how O Mac used to play - what have I been told and where do I need to stand. Jefferson has more skills and more strings to his bow, but that is the best way I can describe it. He does chase and does try and tackle - you can see why we signed him longer because he is working very hard and won't die wondering if he could be an AFL player or not. Again, not this year in the AFL, maybe mid-next year if we are resting some players, but he is a real slow burn. Kolt - He and Seaston are trying to learn the inside mid game. Kolt's clearance numbers and tackles have been good, albeit his disposal count has been lower the last 2 games since returning from AFL. At Casey we tend to use the wings quite a bit, so think Tomlinson to AMW to Hunter to forward. In the centre clearances, he seems very man focused rather than ball focused, playing a defensive mid sort of role. I'd love to see him get more of the ball, because we are a better team when he does, but it is not a high possession game in the middle. I am not concerned, but I would like to see him have the ball in his hands a little more in the next few weeks. Question about Darcy Wilson - oh yeah! I would've loved to have him at the Dees with Windsor and Wilson our wings for the next 15 years. Kolt's ceiling still remains much higher. Hope that helps.

Goodwin has been appropriately praised for the coaching in this game. imv, McQualter's impact on our 2024 game style and this week's tactics is being terribly under rated.

‘Petty will never make it as a forward’ M_9 Friday May 3rd. You’re a peanut pal. Oh, wait …

Fritta’s goal was number 2 in the Top 10 plays of the round. The Daicos goal of course was number 1. Great goal also in a pressure cooker situation. Degree of difficulty puts Fritta number 1 for me.

No doubt!

"Flower takes another bounce, baulks an opponent, runs to half-forward, lines up the goals, this to win the game and ... they're racing at Morphetville".

If Scott thought that he would be delusioinal. Every coach will go to town on what we did to also exploit the Cats game as we did, the only team to beat them this year. Scott may be arrogant but he isn't delusional. He was talking to the fans. He and the players know it was more than an off day. Afterall, the only team in the top 8 they have beaten is Carlton who are just hanging in their. I thought it was arrogant and disrespectful of him to 'manage' players and bring in some that were underdone. It backfired!

In all seriousness Brownie, for me it was one of the best games for a while. Because after our last two games it was fair to wonder where we really were as a flag chance. We certainly are a very good chance for one as a result of that win. The Cats are a scary good side with both great backlines and forward lines. Their run and carry and speed of transition is damn good. But our defenders ...the three horseman so to speak were wonderful. A proverbial wall of bronze and iron. To keep Cameron and Hawkins to zip was indeed a biblical effort. They say backlines don't win flags but I'm not sure that holds anymore. Ours must be the envy of all and it's missing two big names in Bowey and Salem. Also to see Petty go from strength to strength as the game progressed was a sight for sore eyes. In the final stages it looked like he couldn't drop a mark even if he wanted to. He was that connection at chf and the middle that we have so desperately needed. So glad Goody didn't heed the screams here to send him back to Casey . But in the end it just revealed another moment of this club to never say die. Cats went to another level in the last quarter but we went above that. At times the game wasn't pretty with its shots at goal but that was just a reflection of the pressure. One of the biggest take aways for me wasn't just our number of tackles but rather how many of them stuck. It seemed that most of our players just couldn't be shaken off. And the moments of just speed and skill like Frittas dribbler, Caleb's two steps and he's on you and Kozzies snap at goal were a reminder of the quality of some of our players. And in the final quarter we saw Oliver as who he really is. Simply the best midfielder in the competition for me. See ball get ball then hit a target. 31 disposals despite being hard done by the umpires. Finally I'd like to give a shout out to two veterans. Max who just goes to another level against the Cats and Tom McDonald who has defied all odds and looks like the great defender he was six years ago. That was probably the best h and a win since the Kardinia park comeback or when we pinched a win against the lions at the MCG. Okay maybe not a big comeback win but in the context of the season and past few games and who we played was most thrilling. Next week is another big test. But I'm sure we will go in choc full of confidence and deservingly so. Win that and we may not be top of the ladder but we would certainly be looking like the strongest contender about.

No coincidence that the two games Matthew Jefferson has hit the scoreboard and looked dangerous is when he's been the main forward target. I have no idea how they manage this moving forward but having Schache, Ben Brown and Tom Fullarton simply doesn't work for him.

Which points to yet another intersring tactical move from the coach even most dees fans is a tactical plonker. Clarry was playing a similar defensive role Gus often played. A kick behind play defensive side. They also used clarry a lot to set up transition, something they have been doing a bit off, but it was really noticeable sat night.. It suits him because whilst he is not a bullet kick like say salo, his footy iq is off the charts, he sees the field brilliantly and he makes good decisions. He also doesn't get rushed and can take and break tackles. It means they often have clarry at the defensive end if the chain and tracc up the ground in dangerous offensive positions - think his kick to Fritter to set up the wonder goal. Powerful combo and a great use of clarry's footy iq - which I think is maybe the best I've ever seen though increasingly I'm blown away by how well koz reads the game and how quickly he thinks. On that last point, watch his goal he sharks from a handball. Genius. Nine out of ten players go to the cats player and tackle or put frontal pressure on. Not koz. He pauses for a split second, knowing a handball might come and then moves to intercept before the cats player even makes contact with the ball. Just incredible.

It is hard to think of a better one. And just looking at the Frittata sealer, how much was that due to Petty's incredible closing and carefully judged spoil? Not recorded as a goal assist but it certainly was. Probably Harrison's best game - even despite his 6 goal haul v Tigers last year. His work up the ground was impressive and vital.

More consistency? He’s more consistent than most key position forwards and a lot more consistent than any other medium forward. He went something like 40 games kicking at least one goal. He also kicked 6 in a grand final. I don’t know why he is so underrated. [censored] all over every other forward his size in the league.

Jason Taylor: the Tradie behind Melbourne's success

This is a copy and paste Everyone knows a tradie who thinks they know everything about footy. There just aren’t many like Jason Taylor, the former air conditioner technician turned master recruiter who is one of the main reasons for Melbourne’s success under Simon Goodwin, particularly the drought-busting 2021 flag. Taylor joined the Demons from Collingwood after the 2012 draft and helped transform a once-underperforming club with a mix of brilliant first-round selections – including Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver – and shrewd later choices such as Alex Neal-Bullen, Bayley Fritsch, Harry Petty, Trent Rivers and Kade Chandler. He and list boss Tim Lamb have become arguably the league’s leading list management duo, with the aid of a series of underlings. Lamb’s aggressive trading style has delivered repeated wins for Melbourne, from Steven May to Jake Lever, plus the deal with North Melbourne that allowed them to choose Kysaiah Pickett. Taylor’s imprint was on the Demons’ statement victory over Geelong at the MCG on Saturday night, with top-10 pick Caleb Windsor and rookie-drafted defender Judd McVee among the standouts. Another senior newcomer, Blake Howes (No.39 pick in 2021), also continues to make an impression down back. Top 10 pick Caleb Windsor celebrates a goal.CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES Melbourne selected Windsor with the second of their first-round picks across two years – untried tall forward Matt Jefferson was the other in 2022 – from the Luke Jackson trade with Fremantle. Jackson was another outstanding Taylor selection at No.3 in the 2019 draft, the same one in which he brought in Pickett (12) and Rivers (32). Windsor lined up on Jeremy Cameron on a wing to start the match and read an ensuing stoppage quicker than the Cats superstar before setting up Fritsch for the game-opening goal. It was one of his nine score involvements for the night, to go with a career-most 18 disposals, eight intercept possessions and six tackles. The sweet-kicking, fleet-footed Windsor and ex-Saints recruit Jack Billings have so far kept Lachie Hunter out of the senior side, and the evidence is resounding that it won’t be the No.7 pick making way. McVee, an ultra-composed defender, might be the best young player no one knows. Thirteen of his 21 disposals were kicks against Geelong, and he went at 92 per cent efficiency. There’s a reason they trust him with kick-ins. Judd McVee is efficient by foot.CREDIT: AFL PHOTOS Taylor’s consistently excellent hit-rate is what separates him from his peers, but there is one big miss that blots his copybook. He called out Sam Weideman’s name at No.9 in 2015, one pick before Harry McKay and three ahead of Charlie Curnow. Weideman is now at Essendon but stuck in the VFL, whereas Carlton’s McKay and Curnow have three Coleman Medals between them and will occupy much of Goodwin’s planning ahead of Thursday night’s blockbuster. Meanwhile, the Dees are still trialling their ideal key forward set-up, with Petty, Jacob van Rooyen and mid-season rookie Daniel Turner performing well as the aerial targets on Saturday night. Taylor is backing van Rooyen – who has drawn David Schwarz comparisons– and Jefferson to be Melbourne’s long-term future in attack, hoping they avoid fellow first-rounder Weideman’s fate.

People just need to hear Eddie Betts & even Jack Riewoldt describe the degree of skill & execution in that kick & goal ..not one suggestion it wasn’t deliberately executed…

I honestly think a lot of posters are misreading Chris Scotts presser, i probably took it as him playing mind games a little bit. I think he saw Melbourne take away and shut down a lot of what they wanted to do and render their star forwards ineffectual, so his response was to play it down as them having a bad day in the hope that teams don't study it too closely and work it out, but also to keep the belief in his playing group that they're the best team, and they weren't outplayed.

Amazing how Geelong supporters are drinking up the Chris Scott narrative that they were "off" and it's a positive that they still only lost by 10 points. This all conveniently ignores our own terrible kicking at goal. Also doesn't count the number of opportunities we gave up without even taking a shot, like Kozzie turning over instead of having a shot in the 4th quarter. They were lucky we didn't win by 6 goals.

I listened to the abc post match too and had the same thought. What were they on about? The comment about other teams working our our defensive sytem come finals was bizarre. I mean they haven't in three previous seasons why would they this year? Is it kez washington? I've never heard of her before and she sounded reasonable enough. But she was totally agin us. Asked a leading question about whether our supposed model of grinding teams and keeping them to a low score, but not be able to score highly ourselves, is a strategy that can win us a flag. What on earth is she talking about? One, we won a flag in 2021 - destroying teams in the process. And two, yes we went out in straight sets the next two seasons, but it's not as if we were a low scoring in team in either year. Or this year for that matter. Our average winning margin this season is 29 points for pete's sake. I'm increasingly of the view that 99% of media just don't get it. If we kicked accurately in the pies and blues finals we win. It really is that simple. Missing goals is not a failure of sytem. It is poor skill execution. Goody almost said as much in his presser. He must be so sick of questions about our forward line. All that said, I did agree with the monkey on the back come finals. We do. Let's finish top 4 and get the job done.

What I found interesting in the after-match commentary on 774 was the lack of praise for our team Comments that I recall included -We still haven’t got a functioning forward line - that is why we had so many individual goal kickers on the night - We were bailed out of the finals 2 years running- so that will be a monkey on our back come final again : and Although our defence was good on the night, coaches of other sides come finals will have worked out and beat our systems. Strangely, I like how we are being overlooked, I hope it continues all year.

I was at the game on Saturday and have subsequently watched it on the TV on replay, too. I can't see why Billings is so unpopular here. Yes, some of his kicking was substandard - but he wasn't alone in that. I accept that he's in the bottom few and with players coming back his position isn't secure. I thought all seven defenders played well with Woewodin now looking like he belongs at this level. Nevertheless, if Bowey is available, he should come in which means either Woewodin loses his spot as a defender (although not necessarily in the side) or we use this chance to move Rivers to the midfield. My preference would be to move Rivers midfield and wing (to take up the 30% DeeSpencer referred to earlier). So, if Bowey comes in, unless someone needs a rest, I'd move Billings to sub and Laurie misses out. Which would be a shame.

We definitely looked tired against the Crows off a 5-day break. I would make some changes, even if we look a worse team on paper. While no one deserves to be dropped, Hunter, Bowey and Laurie would all be options to inject some run. Woewodin played a decent game at half back but Bowey will give us a lot more rebound. If we win this we go two games and percentage above Carlton, which is a big gap, so this is a massive game from a top 4 perspective.

I love how the goal umpire watches the ball as if it is contagious

I'm surprised with an earlier comment you made with Jay (mumble mumble) and wife that the Dee's cheer squad may not be the largest and noisiest but by God they look brilliant on Saturday night. It looked like the whole bay was up and about. Very proud of you guys.

Don't forget the 9 intercept possessions, 4th most on the ground!

Yes saw this on First Crack, I liked King's call, defensive p0rn, it is pure s3x, so well drilled they could take part in the Edinburgh tattoo. Anyone who doesn't take us seriously honestly is just demonstrating their own insecurities. I thought we were a few straight kicks away from '21 finals style Boomshakalaka. We are going to get haters, we are scary. I also liked May's IV when he said he knows we are going well if Langdons getting alot of the ball. Just quietly I felt like last night demonstrated that the coaching team is humming as well. Stats are honestly the crutch of many feeble minded scribes, they tell you what happend but rarely why. I say this because it is rote for media to roll out Melbourne is defensively strong, best last 4 years blah blah, the 'what', but what I look at, is the number of defenders that have rolled through (see below). To my recall it has been 18 players who have rolled through and they have consistently adhered to a system, that has rarely broken down. That shows strong coaching and culture, this is the 'why', few commentators are willing to engage with. Wilson, Purple, Cornes, etc just don't have the bandwidth. Every club is trying to do what we do, very few are close but those who are too dumb to articulate 'why' we are good, are scared of us, we are the monster under the bed, the bump in the night, so they denigrate our coach, team and culture. That's ok we are coming for their club. Feel free to amend anyone missing from the Men's department: May Lever Petty Brayshaw Salem Jetta Tomlinson Howes Hore Turner Rivers McVee Bowey McDonald x 2 Woewodin Hibberd Hunt Wagner

I love how they ignore that crucial fact. And fail to consider it. Combined with the fact we only lost both 2023 finals by one kick.

This is a truly excellent decision, and one that is long overdue. SBMT is my local club where my son plays in the juniors, and I look forward to reporting on Kyah's progress this season.