Demonland

Bulldogs won't lose to Hawthorn or Fremantle. Then again I didn't think GWS would lose to Adelaide. Having said that Bulldogs will probably drop one of those games, we'll beat GWS but lose to Essendon. It's the Melbourne way.

Believe me if I wasn’t so OCD/completest I’d sit this one out. Also if I could leave this state or even this suburb I’d go on a holiday.

Join @george_on_the_outer, @binman & I as we discuss our loss to the Dockers @ 8:30pm Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

Not that it really matters anymore unless you believe in math & probability & perhaps the tooth fairy.

Given the hopelessness of our task in making the finals, I'm almost ready to award this to Trac. 154. Christian Petracca 120. Clayton Oliver 116. Steven May 111. Jack Viney 106. Max Gawn 71. Ed Langdon 52. Jake Lever 36. Michael Hibberd 31. Angus Brayshaw 23. Christian Salem 16. Trent Rivers 15. Jay Lockhart 13. Oscar McDonald Adam Tomlinson 10. Jake Melksham Sam Weideman 8. Kysaiah Pickett 7. James Harmes Luke Jackson 6. Mitch Hannan 5. Bayley Fritsch 4. Tom McDonald Charlie Spargo 3. Jayden Hunt 2. Aaron vandenBerg 1. Braydon Preuss

Fremantle gave Melbourne the old heave ho’ from playing finals in 2020, in conditions that the Demons yet again failed to handle. With the whole season on the line and the need to win to stay in contention for finals, what the fans saw was much the same as they have been witnessing so many times before — a complete debacle and capitulation against a side that sat 15th on the ladder before the game. Promises made after the loss to the 16th placed Sydney Swans were rendered hollow as followers of the side watched the same rubbish served up. The weather, with a strong wind to one end in the first quarter, and then followed by heavy rain became a factor ... but not for Melbourne who simply failed to adapt and alter their style of play to match those conditions. Any junior football coach knows to kick directly with the wind when it is wet and kick to the boundary when against the wind. The Demons continued to kick down the line and to pockets when not needed. And they continued to do it after the coach told them to “be bold” with the kicking at ½ time. It took until 6 minutes before full time before an attack was mounted through the middle, and even then there was no-one to kick to, because the big targets were out on the wing! Fresh legs? Of the 7 players brought into the side they managed a total of 57 possessions and ten tackles. Eight of those tackles were from AVB and Kossie! Melksham tagging Fyfe for 3 quarters managed 2 tackles! ANB 6 touches for the match. It was gut-wrenching for fans to watch. It would be absolutely forgiveable if they were playing a top of the side team but they weren’t and that was the second time in four days. The pity is that Melbourne had half a dozen players who really put in. Jack Viney, Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, Steven May, Ed Langdon and Trent Rivers went at 100% for the whole game. Max should have alternated with Preuss in the ruck and looked to be out on his feet. That didn’t help the side. Despite not having a functional forward line (and Freo had 3 of their best defenders missing), Melbourne were within nine points with 10 minutes remaining. Someone needed to stand up in the greasy conditions, but without those big bodies (TMac, Brown not even selected), and Preuss banished to the bench, the Dockers were able to simply kill the ball. If the pressure was able to be brought to bear in the final quarter, when Melbourne doubled their score, why was it not possible for the previous three? Poor selections, poor planning and tactics, poor application and insufficient motivation led to this loss. The only outcome will be that a sizable group of players and even the coach are now looking down the barrel of “the Old Heave Ho” come season end ... which now can’t come soon enough! MELBOURNE 0.1.1 1.3.9 2.4.16 4.9.33 FREMANTLE 1.6.12 1.9.15 4.9.33 6.11.47 GOALS Melbourne Fritsch Hunt vandenBerg Weideman Fremantle Walters 3 Cerra Darcy Frederick BEST Melbourne Viney Petracca Fritsch Gawn Fremantle Cerra Walters Mundy Serong Ryan Fyfe Cox INJURED Melbourne Nil Fremantle Duman (hand) REPORTED Melbourne Nil Fremantle Nil UMPIRES David Harris Shaun Ryan Andre Gianfagna CROWD 3,279 at Cazaly’s Stadium

Rather than start a new thread I’ll plonk this here given it NON-MFC and happened in Round 16.

Prognosticate away .... Trading & Drafting in the Time of COVID

Ah shucks

Your votes for tonight’s atrocity please - 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Oliver must have extra grease on his hands.

Season over ....

Still waiting for Pickett to be a crumber.

Why are we handballing in the wet instead of kicking it. FMD.

How many times have we kicked or handballed to our opposition?

No footy smarts.

If we hit up our forwards like we do their defenders we’d be a good team.

Can we please kick a ball over the mark.

Would have been at the other end.

Someone should be running past Max for a handball.

You can’t touch Fyfe.

Free wasn’t there but you have to pay them both ways.

11 to 4 frees.