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Woewodin 9 touches, looked fantastic in the last.

We owe them for last year

Anyone who bags the team after that should be shot! Unbelievable effort!!

After last years final, we have a gift for them:

Threw the game away in the first quarter unfortunately. Lots of umpiring decisions felt wrong to me, but you can't be 0-30 at quarter time. Petracca immense.

AFL will come out and say they made a mistake on that sling tackle free kick Which means we won, again, against Carlton, except for the umpiring. unbelievable.

bad kicking for goal killed us more than any blues player last time.

JVR PERFECT TACKLE. PERFECT. UMPIRE SAYS DANGEROUS TACKLE. WORST DECISION EVER. EVER. (Kozzy kicks to Langdon goal). and so many more GAWN KNOCK OUT OF BOUNDS. (Off Carlton’s ruck) RIVERS HIT IN THE HEAD. PLAY ON. RIVERS CRUNCHED IN THE BACK. PLAY ON. TRAC GRABBED TO THE GROUND. NOTHING. VINEY TACKLED AND SLUNG. KICKS OUT OF BOUNDS. DELIBERATE. FREE TO BLUES PLEASE MFC. PLEASE. ASK FOR EXPLANATIONS. IT COST US 4 POINTS.

I didn’t see an “arm-wrestle” first quarter at all. I saw us getting completely owned by a side who chose to turn up to the game on time.

There's some spirit in these boys.

I was calm and confident we would beat Geelong last week. This week I'm not so confident and that's purely off the back of a 5 day break and nothing else. Carlton have also brought in some solid ins and should not be underestimated. They've brought in Hollands after a week off who'll be fresh so this could really go down to the wire. It's good to have Bowey back. We've underestimated how important he is to our back half and how much of a loss he's been this year so far.

This is what drives me nuts about this place lately. We get a nice little comeback at the end and people get high on the sugar hit. I do not agree with this and won't fall for the fools gold. Carlton setup better, were first to every ball for 90% of the game, setup better behind the ball and rinsed us on goals from clearances. I understand comebacks mask the deficiencies but there was no way we were the better team tonight thats just deluded. Happy to agree to disagree.

5 goals for Trac. Take a bow

Dreading the Carlton carry on tonight. By far the whingiest supporters in the comp. No doubt every time we touch the ball will be holding, any time we lay a finger on them will be high or without the ball. I want to crush them!

Not sure of the mood in this thread but if anyone needs convincing that we will win and win well lets compare the teams from the 2023 Semi and this week: The major reasons we will win: Our fwd line of Turner, Petty, van Rooyen is far superior to 2023: Smith, McDonald, Schache (who was the unused sub). Our overall line up is far better than theirs. Their best defender Weitering suffered a corked thigh then played the next week on a 6 day break and he could barely run ... very slow. This week he is on a 5 day break. McGovern is a lazy footballer. There defence struggled to contain our depleted line in 2023, they will do no better this year. Superior tactics and what was learnt from the Geelong game. Their field defence is poor. TMc to follow McKay up field as he did Cameron, May to take Curnow as he did Hawkins, leaving Lever to do his thing. I could go on but you get my drift. Dees by 3 goals, 5-6 if we decide to inflict some pain rather than close the game down.

Petracca absolutely huge. Very proud of the comeback and another minute we would have won. After giving up 6 and looking completely lost it was a fantastic fight back. Not often proud of a loss but that’s as close as I’ll ever get. Umpires can eat a bag of you know what’s.

Dont blame the Umpires we have been PUTRID

Don’t remind me. All I want is to jam Collingwood a new one on KB and then again in the finals. Personally I think that’s being very reasonable considering the circumstances. But first let’s just win tonight. Go Demons, unleash hell.

Sounds stupid given a 0.0 to 5.0 first quarter but I really didn’t feel like the score reflected the effort. It was our usual arm wrestle first quarter but the score somehow didn’t reflect. This game was a freak anomaly for mine. I write it off as a disappointing loss that we should have won and move on.

Imagine if we scored literally anything in the first quarter? Oh well. Trac, you are are bloody star.

Cheated. actually cheated and dudded i [censored] hate this league

In my best Barassi voice…. BILLINGS OFF, WOEWODIN ON. BLOODY WEAK AS [censored].

Biggest wankers in the league. Worse than everyone.

You don't realise how annoying some of these media voices are until you follow a link which immediately runs at full volume at 7.15am in a tasteful and quiet specialist pathology reception room. Also, what a fascinating bump of a thread; so long ago Jaded was still Jaded and I'm half expecting to get in an argument with Yze_Magic.

By my calculations, the Blues haven't had a clean win over us since 2016.

We still have massive problems at centre bounce , we look all at sea far too often

Give Woewodin a go . He is improving every time he plays.

I’ll say what I said last week Home and away games are about positioning yourself for September We are going okay

21 scoring shots to 11 after one minute into the 2nd quarter. That’s so disappointing to not be able to have someone stand up early. We miss Gus. I know it sucks but we are clearly down a quality midfield rotation.

Great game umps, worst decision of the year against JVR

One simply doesn’t play one quarter and beat a good side. A big waste.

i think rivers will have to be decapitated before he gets a free.

At the risk of getting jumped by all the purists and people who obviously know better than me, the umpires are clearly favouring Carlton tonight. It is blatantly obvious.

Of course it hasn’t rained for several weeks and it’s decided to start raining now 😡 Get absolutely [censored] Melbourne weather. I just washed my hair you selfish [censored] 😂

Hoping petty clunks them like last week

I was already emotionally dead after the Collingwood final, that this loss meant nothing to me. After what happened against Collingwood the entire season was done and dusted as far as I was concerned. That we lost the next final because we couldn't kick straight, and also had JVR suspended while Maynard went free, is something I totally blocked out.

17.9 instead of 9.17 this time please

Let’s make some noise again tonight ladies and gentlemen!!!! we will be outnumbered as always but let’s be loud!!! Come on dees!!

Good point about the strength of our team compared to our last game against them. I mean, in addition to losing melk and Petty late in the season, having no bbb and a half fit tmac, we had lost both Gus (injury) and JVR (suspension) from the previous game. Gus was a massive loss because he was one of our most reliable big game players. And losing him the week before made it hard for someone to come in, get up to speed, and play his key mid - defensive role. And jvr was also a huge out, one because he was really the last man standing in terms of key forwards, and two he was our key back up ruck. It's remarkable really that we dominated most of that game. On the team running out tonight, it's arguably very close to our best 23 (salo is the obvious one missing and Melk and McAdam are both in the mix too i guess). As for your blues mates, I'd be getting into them abour their [censored] weak defence. When they start bleating about Marchbank, saad and McGovern tell them great defences are built on sytem not personell (and remind them we have had three kids down back). If they still bleat, remind them the cats put 20 goals past them two weeks back, but could only manage half that against us a week later (let them worry about innacurate goal tallies- if they are quibbling about how bad they are defensively you have made your point and are in their head).

I don't really feel like we need payback. Pies, yes. Blues, not so much. Which is not to say I don't love the chance to beat the blues, but they didn't steal that final, unfortunately we lost it. I was really confident we'd beat the cats. And i think we win tonight. But I'm not nearly so bullish Head to head I think we are a better team. And I think we have targeted the cats and blues games in the same way we did the port and crows double. We can at least nullify their one wood - their midfield and contest - whereas they can't do much to disrupt ours - our defence, which blunts their other key strength - two gun key forwards. And they are doing a good job themselves of blunting that strength by not, for whatever reason, playing a turnover transition game that means McKay and curnow get fewer one on one opportunities than they did in the second half of last season. All things being equal we win most games we play against them. But all things are not equal. I don't bet on dees games, but if I was a neutral I'd leave this game well alone as there are way too many variables: - impact of the 5 day break (even if we have planned our program to be fresh and ready as possible, there's no guarantee it will work - we were running out of steam in the quarter against the crows) - yes the blues only have 6 day break, but that one day can make a big difference - what is the impact of the blues compressed scheduling of their last 3 game? - the blues likely have set themselves for the pies dees double - I hate to say it, but I rate the pies and increasingly think they are a contender (though will struggle big time to make top 4) - yes, the blues lost that game, but really should have won, and if I rate the pies then it's folly to under rate the blues (though their defence is suspect) - the impact of our respective last games: The blues lost a physically taxing, contest heavy, dramatic finals like game against a bitter rival in front of a heaving crowd We won a finals like intensity game against an unbeaten, likely top 4 side. The big difference was our game was a low stoppage, low contest, high uncontested mark game that was not as physically taxing but more aerobically taxing because of all the running we did - how ready are the blues 4 ins: will they help bring fresh legs or will they blow up first game back? - what is the impact of making four changes, something coaches usually hate to do? - we have only made the one change: is that a risk in terms of not bringing in some fresh legs (it's not Griffith's style to do so, and it's probably a sign he is confident all are good to go, but high performance is part science part art) - leaving aside issues related to readiness or fatigue, do the blues ins improve them more than our one in (I think not, Bowser in is awesome. Straight to hb to improve our transtion, with woey a super sub)? - how will goody approach this game tactically: Try and beat the blues at their territory, time in forward half, contest game (unlikey)? Run them ragged with uncontested marks like we did against the cats (unlikely, mainly because I doubt we have the legs)? Be more attacking from the back half, use the corridor more and take on high risk kicks to exploit the blues' defensive weakness? (even though a turnover game might help Curnow and McKay get some good looks, I think this is the most likely scenario. Attack. Hopefully get a 3 goal plus lead by 3 quarter time and control the tempo in the last so they can't exploit any lack of run from us and get back in it) - how will Voss approach this game tactically? - it is likely to be dewy again, what impact will that have (it may favor the blues given their ability to win contests and ground balls)? - what will the impact of a big blues home crowd be? - what, if any, impact will the umpires have on the game? - as we saw in our last home and away game against the blues, luck is always a factor: which team will lady luck smile on?

13 year bump. That kind of bump will give you nosebleeds

For the record, I was there today (from Perth no less), so my experience in doing training reports is even sketchier than WCW! was there nice and early and watched 30 odd minutes of Melksham and salo go one on one. even to my uneducated eye, Jake must be pretty close, seemed to be going at full speed (salo not so much) and was moving well and kicking them nicely. The training sessions itself seemed pretty casual, goal kicking practice looked pretty relaxed. Chin seems a great fella who is often supportive of others efforts. some of the midfield drills looked pretty clean, though one suspects everything looks easier at training. everyone seemed in high spirits, and the boys were good natured when my kids chased them down after for some photos and signatures. much love to Maysie (whom my wife and daughter were quite giddy over), Rick, Maxt, tmac, chin, Caleb and kozzie, and special shout out to Marty Hore who was an absolute champ! all the best tomorrow boys

Bailey Fritsch was embarrassing tonight. Another game where he wasn’t committed to the defensive side of the game when that’s the DNA of our team - Contest & Defence. Pretending to tackle by throwing an arm out, no intent to apply pressure, constantly playing out the back & behind he’s opponent. But look out when there’s a chance to kick a snag! Ffs… Glad Goody benched him after that laconic effort late in the 4th. I love Fritsch & the clinical forward brilliance of the man, but you have to apply more defensive intent when it’s your time to go.

Awful start, incredible grit to get back in it. Given Carlton had more talent in several aspects of the ground it’s a huge credit to the coaches and players. The forward line has issues but also a path to solutions and we saw some of them at times. A whole lot of Tracc, but also some the ball movement improvements even in wet and high pressure. Midfield, unfortunately I’m less sure of the answers but I like that we’ve tried some things. Huge game from Nibbler

I have never been so proud of a loss. We had no right to get anywhere near winning. To get so close was a testament to courage, character and determination. I believe this game sets us up for an absolute crack at the flag. To me, it is the most important game we have played this year.

It's Game Day and the Demons are once again headlining another blockbuster at the MCG to kick off the round of footy. The Dees take on the Blues and have the opportunity to win their third game on the trot to solidify a spot in the Top 4 in addition to handing the Blues their third consecutive defeat to bundle them out of the Top 8.

Daz, I think if you were being told you’ve done a [censored] job, you’d take that personally - particularly if you had prefaced your comments by saying it won’t be an insightful report. It’s no wonder posters doing training reports are a dying breed around here.

Remember that time when Freo were really [censored] and then some feng shooi expert said it's the jumper, stupid. And so they got a better jumper and are still [censored].