Demonland

Ok I think it's time to put down the crystal balls and start the footy.

There is a quote that is often misattributed to Albert Einstein which goes along these lines: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” meaning that if you always follow an unsuccessful pattern, you will inevitably always fail. It turns out that Einstein never said it but whoever did, perfectly encapsulated the 2018 campaign of the Melbourne women's team. Since after the opening round, the Demons have been shooting themselves in the foot with strong starting quarters followed by poor kicking for goal and performances that were punctuated by hesitancy and indecisive play, some absolute howlers (missing after running into open goals has been a special) that ultimately cost them a grand final place. Against the Bulldogs, the same mad pattern was there for all to see although this time, they had first use of the breeze after captain Daisy Pearce won the toss so they were always likely to hold a lead at the end of the opening term. And so it was, that Melbourne controlled the ball for much of the term when kicking to the southern end. As usual they had a lopsided inside 50 advantage of 11 to 2, but all they had to show for the dominance was a seven point lead thanks to a solitary Richelle Cranston goal. After the break, the Bulldogs showed the Demons how things should be done properly by going on the attack and, after a couple of early behinds, the goals came regularly - they snagged three goals in the first 12 minutes and though the visitors came back with a goal to Karen Paxman in a rare foray forward, it would have taken a genius like Einstein to get them across the line from there. Katherine Smith’s snapped goal just three minutes into the the third term offered some hope but those insane Demons lapsed into their pattern of wastefulness. They kept the Doggies scoreless for what is often known as “the premiership quarter” but they managed only one goal from seven scoring shots with their second use of the breeze. It was the old familiar pattern from that game in Fremantle. No urgency and no desire to go in for the kill but rather, a slow approach that gave opposition defenders the chance to apply that little bit of extra pressure when going for goal. They tried hard to stem the flow in the last and even tantalised the fans by regaining the lead with Kate Hore’s diving mark and goal but, as fate would have it, the Bulldogs’ Brooke Lochland kicked accurately for the winning goal with less than a minute and a half left to play. The pattern had been followed: the season was over. Melbourne 1.1.7 2.1.13 3.7.25 4.7.31 Western Bulldogs 0.0.0 3.2.20 3.2.20 5.3.33 Goals Melbourne Cranston Hore Paxman Smith Western Bulldogs Berry Brennan Conti Kearney Lochland Best Melbourne Paxman Smith L Pearce Downie O'Dea, Jakobsson Western Bulldogs Kearney Blackburn Bruton Spark, Conti Birch Injuries Melbourne Lampard (knee) Western Bulldogs Nil Umpires Mirable, Dore, Johanson Official crowd 7,593 at VU Whitten Oval

A TOUCH OF MADNESS by Ruby Tuesday There is a quote that is often misattributed to Albert Einstein which goes along these lines: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” meaning that if you always follow an unsuccessful pattern, you will inevitably always fail. It turns out that Einstein never said it but whoever did, perfectly encapsulated the 2018 campaign of the Melbourne women's team. Since after the opening round, the Demons have been shooting themselves in the foot with strong starting quarters followed by poor kicking for goal and performances that were punctuated by hesitancy and indecisive play, some absolute howlers (missing after running into open goals has been a special) that ultimately cost them a grand final place. Against the Bulldogs, the same mad pattern was there for all to see although this time, they had first use of the breeze after captain Daisy Pearce won the toss so they were always likely to hold a lead at the end of the opening term. And so it was, that Melbourne controlled the ball for much of the term when kicking to the southern end. As usual they had a lopsided inside 50 advantage of 11 to 2, but all they had to show for the dominance was a seven point lead thanks to a solitary Richelle Cranston goal. After the break, the Bulldogs showed the Demons how things should be done properly by going on the attack and, after a couple of early behinds, the goals came regularly - they snagged three goals in the first 12 minutes and though the visitors came back with a goal to Karen Paxman in a rare foray forward, it would have taken a genius like Einstein to get them across the line from there. Katherine Smith’s snapped goal just three minutes into the the third term offered some hope but those insane Demons lapsed into their pattern of wastefulness. They kept the Doggies scoreless for what is often known as “the premiership quarter” but they managed only one goal from seven scoring shots with their second use of the breeze. It was the old familiar pattern from that game in Fremantle. No urgency and no desire to go in for the kill but rather, a slow approach that gave opposition defenders the chance to apply that little bit of extra pressure when going for goal. They tried hard to stem the flow in the last and even tantalised the fans by regaining the lead with Kate Hore’s diving mark and goal but, as fate would have it, the Bulldogs’ Brooke Lochland kicked accurately for the winning goal with less than a minute and a half left to play. The pattern had been followed: the season was over. Melbourne 1.1.7 2.1.13 3.7.25 4.7.31 Western Bulldogs 0.0.0 3.2.20 3.2.20 5.3.33 Goals Melbourne Cranston Hore Paxman Smith Western Bulldogs Berry Brennan Conti Kearney Lochland Best Melbourne Paxman Smith L Pearce Downie O'Dea, Jakobsson Western Bulldogs Kearney Blackburn Bruton Spark, Conti Birch Injuries Melbourne Lampard (knee) Western Bulldogs Nil Umpires Mirable, Dore, Johanson Official crowd 7,593 at VU Whitten Oval

But we should make the finals if we stop looking in the mirror.

For your listening pleasure.

When asked a question about how Weideman was going.

The coaches have won. The runners are staying.

Have a great weekend. Lucky you getting to see the Dees 2 weeks in a row. If you can be sure to give us a training report. Us tragics will take any skerrick of information we can get.

I'm not sure how you can have a closed session at an open park like Gosch's. They should be called advertised and unadvertised.

I can confirm that it will be your name and whoever buys it in tiny letters on the front of the jumper and not printed on the back between the shoulders. I assumed the same as you.

Here is a better photo of the jumper.

I believe this is the case. Not sure about the only 50 part though.

Don't forget clouds over Jones, ANB, Lewis & OMac.

If Danger plays he will play in the forward line. Injured or not he will be dangerous there.

Whether fair or not any failure this year will be attributed to it by the media and by opposition fans.

You're new here so maybe you haven't heard that us Demonlander's have built up a strong immunity to chill pills. WE FREAK OUT ABOUT EVERYTHING. WE'VE EARNED THE RIGHT.