Leaderboard

If only Jackson didn't leave If only Trac didn't get hurt If only Fullarton could play If only Gus didn't get KO'd into next year If only Gawndy worked out If only T-Mac never had the footy issues If only Ben Brown didn't have a degenerative knee If only Jesse never left If only Frawley never left If only Woewodin never left If only Farmer never left If only Barassi never left. Can we stop whinging for a change?

Watch me burn my membership if that scumbag walks into our club.

Imo the bigger immediate loss was a healthy Ben Brown. His experience and positioning straightened us up and made Fritsch a better player.

There is some red & blue there Luci. My brother in law met him a couple of months ago on the plane from Sydney. He mentioned my mum was a Demons fan of many decades. So Hoges said meet me when we get off the plane and I'll record a message to her on your phone. Sure enough, my BiL gets off the plane and there is Jesse, away from the rest of the Giants, standing waiting for him. Part of the message to mum was "I still love the Dees and have some great friends there". So yeah , GWS for Jesse is my vote

I don't get the love for Peter Wright. Gold Coast let him go because of his uncompetitive nature and I believe that Essendon will do the same. Both clubs ended up dropping him to their reserves team for long periods which is telling. We've seen this movie before with Sam Weideman and Josh Schache.

Which team would you LIKE to see win the flag this year? This is not necessarily the team you THINK will win it. I voted for GWS. Go the Oranges! Your vote is secret, but anybody who selects Geelong will be hunted down then tarred and feathered.

Really don’t see pick 5 going on the trading block. Given we currently hold Swan’s 2nd round and a further 2 3rd picks, we’re well placed to target Brisbane’s (currently) pick 14 or GC’s pick 13. Brisbane’s pick will def get swallowed up by Ashcroft bid and their next pick is after the 3rd rd pick we got from the Dogs. They will trade that pick 14 for points and possibly a future 1st. Lombard touch and go to be bid on before GC’s pick from the Dogs (currently 13). There’s a pathway for us to take two first rd picks to the draft along with whatever we get back from Adelaide for ANB (or keep p5 and still have good assets to trade).

Picturing that stupid head of his in a Demon's jumper is akin to sticking fingers down one's throat.

GWS because they have no fans so won’t have to deal with any gloating. and who voted for Carlton? I suggest a site ban for a while to help get their mind right.

Not a question. GWS all the way. For Jesse, for the fact that we won’t have to hear about it one day after the grand final, and because all remaining 7 options are despicable and make me sick. I swear to god if Geelong wins another flag I am out.

Paging the Carlton Lawyer ...

It was ridiculous and the fact that the AFL could sign off and practically agree with Gus causing his own concussion was the most insulting part of all of this for me. I just have no faith in anything they do now and don't want to waste energy over it.

It would be the same as signing up Ben Brown for another year. No thanks

The forward line is the least of the problems. JVR, petty, turner, Pickett, fritch, macadam and Jefferson. The issue is the midfield and delivery into forward 50

Meh, 13 touches and a goal in a must-win game today. He wanted to go home to be closer to his mum and he’s happy playing for an irrelevant club. His loss, not ours.

The Dog is a highlight reel only. But I’m forever thankful for his highlight minutes in 2021.

I might be laughed off by this suggestion, but due to the midfield talent available, I would offer Gold Coast (or anyone else in the bottom 8 to 10) our First Round pick for 2025. Especially as Gold Coast don't really need their first round pick to get Leonardo Lombard. They just need draft pick points. If we could get BOTH picks #5 and #6 in this year's draft it would be massive. We could take two of either.... Josh Smillie Sam Lalor Finn O'Sullivan Harvey Langford Murphy Reid Xavier Lindsay That would be an awesome coup similar to us getting Christian Petracca and Angus Brayshaw back in the 2014 AFL Draft.

Exactly this. Jackson has all the traits of a star, but for mine definitely not the desire to be one. He might mature and live up to his potential like Hogan has, but Windsor will be a 250 gamer and a bloody good one at that.

That future second rounder for McAdam hasn’t aged well has it.

Ah yes, no footy in September and discussion on high first round draft picks. Feels like home.

Well, we have another development in trade circles. A source inside an AFL cheer squad claims the Tiger Army is heavily targeting a member of the DA and Demonland for training reports. It hasn't been a joyous year at Tigerland and Punt Rd isn't the easiest training ground to present a training report to footy fans from. They are looking for someone to bring upbeat reports and not necessarily football observations and they do need some much needed laughter after a very unlucky first year at the helm for Ooze. Initial reports had the Tiger Army targeting one @picket fence for his ability to negotiate tricky terrain around fences. The deal was almost sealed, but at the last minute the deal was shut down by the fan forum PUNT ROAD END as most of its members are susceptible to CAPS. Attention quickly turned to star giant head holder, banner maker and track specialist WCW. A record long-term deal has been offered to lure WCW over to the Tiger Army. Andy and the Demon Army have been contacted for comment. More to follow.

I don’t think there’s a downgrade outcome here as the conduct is already graded careless rather than intentional. Challenging on Conduct, this is the first part of the ruling, is the best approach and the strongest argument. The other is High contact, which is true. And Severe impact, which is automatic when a player is concussed. Questionable, but not worth arguing. If Conduct is not upheld then the entire incident falls away. There are two aspects: reasonable action, yes, Kossy was contesting the ball and a collision was inevitable. And the high contact was outside of his control, yes, Moore illegally slid. He only needs to win one of these and he’s free to play. Should win.

Slated to go in that 5-9 range, but if he plays like this through Coates finals, will go higher.

Does the “victim’s” head size get taken into account? Because Moore has a massive head that would be harder to miss.

Zak Jones as a trade target... now I've seen it all Vomit

This incident is Darcy Moore's fault completely and utterly. He decided to go to ground in a 50/50 contest in which both players were contesting a loose ground ball, thus causing the contact to be high. This is no different to a player ducking his head in a tackle to attempt to con an umpire into awarding a free kick. Furthermore, the sliding in action should clearly have been paid as a free kick to Kozzie for contact below the knees. What Moore did was the epitome of an illegal below the knee contact action, which was rightly outlawed all those years ago to prevent horrific lower leg injuries from occuring. Kozzie is lucky he didn't have his ankles snapped. If Kozzie doesn't get exonerated for this, that'll be the final straw for my interest in AFL.

If we don't challenge it I will be bitterly disappointed with the club and it will just add to my frustrations with the people running it. We seem to have absolutely no back bone and seem incompetent of late.

I sit huddled in near darkness, the only light coming through flickering embers in a damp fireplace, the room in total silence after the thunderstorm died. I wonder if they bothered to restart the game. No point really. It was over before it started. The team’s five star generals in defence and midfield ruled out of the fray, a few others missing in action against superior enemy firepower and too few left to fly the flag for the field marshal defiantly leading his outnumbered army into battle. One of his loyal foot soldiers, Tom McDonald deserves a medal for bravery under fire. Kade Chandler was a defiant David but faced too many Goliaths and Kozzie took one down with a football act but, as they say, the victor gets to write the story when the battle’s won, particularly if the Match Review Officer is from the same side. On the ground, no eyes on the football, plentiful fumbling, indecisive movement and little or no pressure applied on opponents. The brothers Daicos cut swathes like butter through enemy lines in the tradition of their forebear, history's greatest and most successful military commander, Alexander the Great of Macedonia. The troops they led into battle was no rogue’s army although judging by the way the crowd bayed for the blood of the mastermind of a past defeat, you would have been forgiven for thinking he was an alleged war criminal sitting in chains awaiting judgement at The Hague. Well done Collingwood. They were brilliantly coached. The purpose of cutting off the Demons’ few main remaining strengths was achieved. Sidebottom stopped Jack Viney. Max won his battle in the ruck but the combined height of their two big ruckmen was ironically a counterpoint to that advantage. Brodie Grundy sits in Sydney triumphantly mocking both sides awaiting the glory of the finals to come in a future that includes former teammates lazing in the sunshine of Ibiza or some island in the Caribbean at the very same time. It was at the 20 minute mark of the third quarter with the Magpies defending a 21 point lead, that my mind wandered to a similar stage of the Demons’ final home and away game played in an empty stadium three years ago. Melbourne stormed home that evening, willed to win by an enormous reservoir of self-belief that ended in a goal-after-the-siren victory. Melbourne had that magic ingredient in 2021; the ability to win against all odds with teeth gritted firmly, something sadly missing in 2024. No come-from-behind victories this year. As the 60th minute of our last quarter slowly ticks away, I sit here in silence wondering if they restarted the game and whether we made our comeback. MELBOURNE 1.1.7 4.4.28 7.5.47 8.9.57 COLLINGWOOD 5.4.34 8.5.53 12.8.80 15.13.103 GOALS MELBOURNE Pickett Tholstrup 2 Billings Chandler Turner van Rooyen COLLINGWOOD Cameron N Daicos Hill Lipinski 2 Allen Crisp Elliott Hoskin-Elliott Parker Richards Sidebottom BEST MELBOURNE McDonald Gawn Chandler Pickett Billings Rivers COLLINGWOOD N Daicos J Daicos Lipinski Allan Hill Sidebottom INJURIES MELBOURNE Jake Bowey (knee) COLLINGWOOD Darcy Moore (concussion) LATE CHANGES MELBOURNE Jake Lever (illness) replaced by Taj Woewodin COLLINGWOOD Nil REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil COLLINGWOOD Nil SUBSTITUTIONS MELBOURNE Bailey Laurie (replaced Jake Bowey at half-time) COLLINGWOOD Finlay Macrae (replaced Darcy Moore at half-time) UMPIRES Leigh Fisher Brett Rosebury Ray Chamberlain Simon Meredith CROWD 53,957 at the MCG

We have committed to building our forward line from the ground up and (imo) it will pay off. We suffered from having too much NQR tall timber, especially at Casey. Play the kids!! I trust Jvr, Petty and Disco to offer more, consistently next year then any older injury prone forward.

dogga with mfc: 3 seasons, 5 finals, 1 premiership dogga with flagmantle: 2 seasons, 0 finals longmuir is on a hiding to nothing in 2025; he'll be desperate for a deep finals run to keep the wa hounds from the door

I said at the time Freo were crazy to use up so much capital to go after Jackson. Not because he's not going to be a star (though I wondered if he was driven enough- still do), but because they had an A grade ruck, Jackson is not a natural forward and had more pressing needs than another ruck. There was also the opportunity cost with the picks they gave up, and his starting salary created challenges trading in other gun players, nor to mention cap issues when it came time to resign Brayshaw and other guns. Two full seasons later, I haven't seem anything to suggest I got it wrong Surely by Jackson's second season they would have hoped to be a genuine flag contender. Hell, just a few weeks ago (after flogging us for the second time) they were in the top 4!. But for the second year in a row since trading in Jackson, they have missed finals again. And might have made finals if Jackson had put the team on his shoulders in the port game and been a difference maker, something you expect from your highest paid players. Like riccardio leaving red bull, the smart play for Jackson was to stay with the dees for 3 more years and then go to freo on a mega contract - maybe as a two time premiership player (imagine how different 2023 would have been with Jackson in the team).

Both players gave their all every time they stepped out onto the field. Fritsch's efforts at times are one of the reasons we are in this predicament. His defensive skills are non existent and players must shake their head when the ball goes into our Fwd 50 and comes straight out again. Infuriating. You're welcome to your opinion of course but for mine his attitude is cancerous in a team

Thank you Saints and Suns.

You don’t need slow motion even if it helps Kozzy’s case. At normal speed, it’s clear that Kozzy was attacking the football at great pace which is exactly what you want your player to do. At the same time Moore is coming into the contest from the side and stumbles into his path clumsily, contributing to an accidental collision. On review, that is not rough conduct and should be reduced to a much lesser grading.

Jacko and Failmantle had a prime chance to be the feel-good story of the comp this weekend, but they completely blew it. Jackson should have been wise to this mob's history. A place good footballers go to die.

If he’s talking about adding elite talent in the 25-27 range then I agree - we have a big black hole in our list on that age range But the last thing we need to be doing is adding players any older than that at the expense of bringing younger talent in Very bizarre thing to say and makes me very worried about the direction he and the club are going to go in this off season

Yes they do. But it has to be cooked very rare.

Don't want him. Can't forgive him for all the rubbish about "I don't know if I'll leave" when he knew perfectly well - and played like it IMHO.

Sydney or GWS. I remember after Brisbane won their first of a triple in 2001 that the following day it was like nothing had happened. No gloating fans in anyone's face. An all-Sydney GF would be perfect.

That's a good call, but can he switch to GWS?

Jackson hasn’t really set the world on fire since he left, so I’m not missing him as much as I first thought. Yep I like Windsor more too.

Any other ways of saying pick 5? We need more threads on the matter.

He doesn’t miss the Sunday roast. He now can afford prime eye fillet and aged wagyu every day of the week. Losing him wasn’t the biggest problem. Failure to cover his loss even with a journeyman ruckman is. Was very ordinary today in a must win game.

I really like what we saw with Windsor this year, let’s use pick 5 to get another gem like him.

Otherwise known as Pick 5 Silver linings

Exactly this. 11 wins and a top 5 pick? Ok thanks.

Don't trade it! With Levi Ashcroft a likely number 1, we will have a choice of one of Jagga Smith, Finn O'Sullivan, Murphy Reid, Harvey Langford, Sid Draper or Josh Smillie. All should be excellent AFL players.