dieter

Just read Hodge's criticism of the Christian regime review system and I agree with him entirely. That it's inconsistent is indisputable - for example Oliver's invisible punch earlier in the season - and I can't help but see it as bias. That Parker got off with a fine after jumping off the ground and collecting a player's head is a seriously not funny joke.

Back on the J.Walker again, Biff. More clap trap....

I thought he was terrific, the first half possesion wise, the second half for pressure and contest. I believe we have a potentially very special player coming through. Be patient, you non believers, he will reward your patience.

Ts Eliot or Ezra Pound?

Especially in the context of the last round of 2017....

Degenerative issues. Yep, never played again. A real loss, I loved watching him play....

6: Gawn 5: Harmes 4: Oliver 3: Salem 2 Jetta 1: Melksham

All this reminds me of 1987 when the likes of Harmes - Newport, Yeats, Williams and Eishold - stood up and announced themselves. I think we could be in for something good in 2018.

Beautiful stuff. Love the guy, love the way he plays, love his attitude to life.

I was at the game as well, on the northern wing. I recall a party that night mouthing off at some Hawthorn supporters about their hero...

Please, ProDee is not a solipsist, surely knot!

Yes, Demonland is a haven for solecisms.

All of us on Demonland ought to know better than to argue any point with ProDee. He has risen even further in my estimation in his steadfast defence of a man who regularly assaulted other players with regular and devastating regularity, may of them behind play. I fail to understand how anyone can have anything but contempt for Matthews as a footballer.

That's ma boy! I think you'll find it was a rare example of a rare day out for him...Most of his kicks and hand balls found a target. Give the boy some latitude, pleeeassse....

The irony - at least for me - is that he didn't seem to be all that interested in playing at Casey. That's not a criticism of Garlett, I just recall a lot of comments throughout Casey games which mentioned he didn't seem to be doing much. Garlett would never be out of my side, I love the way he plays.

I just like the hardnut attitude, his intensity and his ferocious tackling.

Just finished watching replay. How sad for Smith. He was looking bloody good. I loved the effort of all the players. To quibble: Jay Kennedy Harris is a worry. As is, I'm afraid to say it, Vince. Best game I've seen Tyson play. I didn't see one turnover. Hopefully he's turned the corner and getting his mojo back. I love Frost but I get delirium tremens when he kicks or hand passes. Still, there is tremendous upside. Great to see Vandenberg again: he's an important player. T. Mc had one of those days but he was still a very nady and important player. We should beat the Swans.

6: Oliver 5: Salem 4: Brayshaw 3: Harmes 2: Jetta 1: Tyson Apologies: Jones, Hogan, Frost, Garlett.

Ratten has already done time with the Demons. He was their mid field coach after he retired and he was bloody good...

Ahem, who are we to ask? It's his decision, or maybe it was the MFC's decision. Let's just wish him well. People who feel 'outside' not only need our acceptance, they need our support as well. We'll never know, perhaps, but I wish the man all the very best.

Weidemann is a pretty handy depth player as well. His time will come if the Coaching staff/selectors are wise and diligent. He's been thrown to the wolves a couple of times this year, been brought in to an unbalanced and overweight in height forward line.

6: Oliver 5: Gawn 4: Lewis 3: Melksham 2: Tom McDonald 1: Brayshaw Apologies to Harmes, Frost, Jones.

One of the obvious deductions from this loss is that there are players who are still learning the ropes - I remind readers that James Sicily, for example, was a total spud till not that long ago - and there are patterns of play which indicate a team still learning to believe in itself. In other words, as Goodwin indicated, we are still a work in progress. In the meantime, like all teams, we have to deal with the unjust lottery of injuries to crucial players, and, in the end, we supporters have to accept that the Demon Match Committee is still learning how to deal with some rather unacceptable facts of life, namely that some of the players we have turned to are seeing the end of their use by date - Lewis, Vince, Garlett - that some of the players we turned to in the post-Roos era have not turned into golden gooses - Bugg, Frost, Tyson come to mind - and that there is a simple fact of football life, that instant stars like Oliver are as rare as Borealis Australis, that most of them take time to find their feet, let alone learn how to run or glide and soar. Or, as the great prophet said, I forget which one, It is what it is. Or, as my dear Non Sport-loving Polish wife keeps reminding me, IT IS ONLY A GAME OF FOOTBALL. ( I accept that there are some out there among us who see this as grounds for divorce.)

I liked Goodwin's Presser. I think he hit the nail on the head: in other words, we're not there yet, but we're getting there...

Pavlich was an Adelaide boy....