joeboy

I was once a regular reader of the defunct Demonology web site , but finally refused to open it up again because of the incessant and banal arguments between the same protagonists .

Sadly I suspect those same belligerents are making a home and a 'scene' regularly on this site.

Let's just attack the argument , not the man, children!!

6- Dawes ( a colossus playing the hardest position on the field .. with repeat efforts and brute strength)

5 - Tyson ( smooth, classy , and highly creative )

4 - Kennedy - Harris ( fantastic ,clean possessions , and wonderful reading of the play )

3 - Vince ( had everything to prove , and did just that )

2 - Terlich ( I hate when he has the ball, but he's brave , strong , and totally focused )

1 - Grimes ( read the play beautifully , and his interceptions were magical )

N.Jones - not as influential

Grimes - some massive interceptions

Salem - had limited influence

Watts - displayed more purpose

Dawes - a commanding presence

Viney - imposing and fearless

Frawley - had no impact

Byrnes - cannot be retained

Tyson - smooth and creative

Dunn - a vital component

Cross - wonderful holding game

Pederson - effective all game

Vince - creative and tireless

Kennedy-Harris - must be nominated

McDonald - a steady rock

Howe - had some influence

Jamar - outstanding all game

Bail - some important breaks

M.Jones - continued good season

Terlich - ruthless and effective

Jetta - great defensive drive

Georgiou - steady until injured

N. Jones- was well controlled

Grimes - accountable but fragile

Salem - we've found one

Watts - far from acceptable

Dawes - tried but failed

Viney- energetic but flawed

Frawley - a forgettable game

Byrnes - didn't justify selection

Tyson - prolific and creative

Dunn - our most consistent

Cross - just a professional

Pederson - continues to surprise

Vince - gutsy and creative

Kennedy- Harris - making steady improvements

McDonald - should never kick

Howe - little boy lost

Jamar - outstanding in ruck

Bail - was probably playing

M. Jones - impressive under pressure

Terlich - see McDonald's comments

Jetta - excellent until subbed

Georgiou - limited but conscientious

6 - N.Jones ( has added class and inspiration to his repertoire )

5 - Dawes ( the epitome of determination )

4 - Cross ( we couldn't ask for a more professional senior player )

3 - Jetta ( was often found in precarious situations , but was rarely beaten )

2 - Viney ( lacks polish but is learning quickly .. will be a star )

1 - Grimes ( consistent and calming )

N.Jones- just a champion

J.Grimes - calm and controlled

Watts - a wasted talent

Dawes - great concerted effort

Viney- ready to impose

Frawley - effective when presenting

Tyson - laconic and unimpressive

McKenzie - just a tagger

Dunn - creative and intelligent

Cross - tagged and created

Pederson - tried but failed

Vince - disappeared when needed

Kennedy - Harris - some quick plays

McDonald - was surprisingly exposed

Evans - one impressive goal

Howe - better when forward

Spencer - was basically ineffective

Bail - had little impact

M.Jones - few redeeming qualities

Terlich - the clanger king

Jetta - provided good run

Georgiou - weaknesses were exposed

6- Frawley ( was untouchable )

5 - Cross ( belied his age , and did everything so professionally)

4 - N.Jones ( lifted his game to inspire his teammates)

3 - McDonald ( if he can improve his decision making he could become elite)

2 - M. Jones ( not my favourite , but definitely played an important part today)

1 - Grimes ( lifted his game , and let little pass )

N.Jones- tough and effective

Grimes - captain stood up

Watts - bruise free game

Dawes - provided the target

Viney- tough and brave

Frawley - upped his status

Dyson - was well held

McKenzie - tough in packs

Dunn - effective all day

Kent - some important plays

Cross - the consummate professional

Pederson - continued good form

Vince - had little influence

Kennedy - Harris - showed some flair

McDonald - confident and important

Evans - made an impact

Howe - far from convincing

Bail - dashing and important

M.Jones - career best game

Terlich - injured, no loss

Georgiou - reliable and composed

Spencer - fantastic second efforts

6- Tyson ( composed and accumulated countless possessions)

5 - Cross ( the consummate professional )

4 - Pederson ( should never play forward again)

3 - Dunn ( for great first half )

2 - Georgiou ( gave away enormous weight and height advantage , but held his own )

1 - McDonald ( horrible disposal , but always gave a contest)

N.Jones - not usual drive

Grimes - loose and careless

Watts - almost no influence

Viney- had no influence

Frawley - worth persevering with

Byrnes - waste of position

Tyson - prolific and tried

Dunn - great first half

Kent - had little influence

Cross - persistent and professional

Pederson - disciplined and effective

Vince - was rarely sighted

Kennedy- Harris - very little opportunity

McDonald - disciplined and effective

Evans - few effective possessions

Howe - classy and composed

Bail - prolific but wasteful

M.Jones - prolific but wasteful

Terlich - horrible decision maker

Fitzpatrick - continued poor season

Georgiou - outstanding under pressure

Spencer - had no idea

Blease for Bail

Gawn for Fitzparick

Evans for M.Jones

Dunn will start at CHF

Pederson will start in the back pocket

6 - N.Jones (played as if his life depended on it)

5 - Dunn (has become a vital component, and easily the best kick in the team)

4 - Tyson (tireless and highly skilled)

3 - Toumpas (provided options and disposed well)

2 - Cross (not outstanding , but understood where to move)

1 - Frawley (excellent under great duress)

N.Jones - never gave up

Grimes - overwhelmed and underperformed

Watts - the bad Watts

Toumpas - prolific but slow

Frawley - always provided contest

Trengove - still going nowhere

Byrnes - tried but ineffective

Tyson - classy and persistent

Dunn - skillful and effective

Cross - prolific and tough

Pederson - fat and useless

Michie - tried but beaten

Vince - tried but beaten

Kennedy -Harris - provided some energy

McDonald - limited but useful

Howe - better second half

Spencer - destroyed in centre

Bail - not league standard

M.Jones - very limited skills

Terlich - loose and lacking

Fitzpatrick - was still concussed

Georgiou - tried against odds

it's in the bit bucket now barndee

i.e. he edited his op

N.Jones- wonderful all game

Grimes - was often outplayed

Watts - genius at work

Toumpas - clever with possessions

Frawley - was rarely beaten

Trengove - possessions weren't significant

Byrnes - slow thinking liability

Tyson - classy and prolific

Dunn - wonderful first half

Cross - just a game

Pederson - fat and talentless

Michie - will be better

Vince - clever and prolific

Kennedy -Harris - surprisingly wasteful possessions

McDonald - excellent until injured

Howe - career quietest game

Spencer - failed to assert

Bail - disappeared second half

M.Jones - was he playing?

Terlich - never inspired confidence

Fitzpatrick - quiet until injured

Georgiou - promising first game

At training today in the wet.

Firstly to allay the fears of many:

Hogan was running laps, in no discomfort.

Jamar joined in some of the contest work.

Dawes was involved in all contest work.

Gawn was with the rehab group for most of the session and appears on track.

Viney was walking laps and appeared to be limited in his activities.

Kent was involved in all contest work.

Observations:

I have an elderly man crush (I AM married ) on Toumpas, Tyson, Kennedy-Harris, Kent and Jones. They consistently found their targets despite the often driving rain and give great cause for optimism for our midfield.

Tapscott is even more massive in the upper body than you'll remember him from last year.

McDonald, if anything, is less developed in the upper body, looking almost like Howe in build.

Watts consistently fumbled the ball in the wet, but atoned with the disposal almost laser-like in accuracy.

Dawes looks a million dollars and was very serious in all his movements.

Salem and Toumpas are the same person in skill level and disposal.

Unlike observations from attendees at other training sessions, I found N.Jones to be extremely vocal and a leader, obviously signalling his intentions to push for the major leadership of the team.

Finally, and what fills me with most excitement, is a feature of the training drills where players are running the full length of the field in anticipation of receiving the ball or creating a shepherd, unlike in previous years where players would virtually stop to admire their work once a kick or handball was completed.

As a youth, I was a talented schoolboy footballer , and I was invited to do a preseason with StKilda , when they were located at Moorabbin.

I was picked up from school by taxi and taken to training one evening , where , after introductions , I was asked to 'warm up' with a 10 lap jog around the oval .

The first lap was a breeze , the second , slightly less so, and the third was like running up hill backwards .

I feigned tightness in my hamstrings , and asked if a taxi could be booked for an immediate return home .

My VFL ( as it was called in those days ) career was ended almost as quickly as it had begun .

I wonder if these unnamed recruiters were the same ones who insisted that Scully and Trengove were the standouts of their draft

6 - Grimes ( rarely made an error )

5 - Davey ( wonderful second half )

4 - Frawley ( did what was required )

3 - Watts ( effective with limited touches )

2 - Toumpas ( improved with each game )

1 - Dunn ( occasional brain fades , but gave a damn )

Trengove - little to inspire

Grimes - steady and effective

N.Jones - what we expected

Watts - finished other's work

Toumpas - has got talent

Viney - just a game

Frawley - passionate and effective

Sylvia - tried but lacking

McKenzie - heart and soul

Dunn- mostly effective performance

Garland - wasn't often noticed

McDonald - worrying with ball

Sellar - a dumb plodder

Kent - cause for optimism

Davey - fantastic second half

Gawn - rarely bothered statisticians

Howe - only 1 trick

Jetta - played with dash

Spencer - outmuscled and ineffective

M.Jones - was he playing?

Terlich - loose and dumb

Spencer - Pathetic Sheperd attempt

Didn't protect Grimes allowing him to get run down

Isolating this incident in the bigger picture of no Melbourne player having provided a shepherd virtually over the whole season , is laughable

6 - Toumpas ( still making errors , but giving great cause for optimism )

5 - Garland ( possibly because he seemed to make fewer errors than the other backmen)

4 - Spencer ( probably broke even with an All Australian opponent )

3 - Watts ( excellent first half )

2 - N.Jones ( because he's on the field , regardless )

1 - Dawes ( contested and made an effort , often enough )

Trengove - plodded and fumbled

Grimes - plodded and fumbled

N.Jones - overworked and declining

Watts - good first half

Toumpas - beginning to shine

Dawes - had some impact

Viney - taught a lesson

Frawley - was resilient throughout

Sylvia - barely a whimper

McKenzie - late season resurgence

Dunn - just a game

Rodan - won't be missed

Garland - maintained consistent season

Pederson - slow, fat , irrelevant

McDonald - played dumb football

Kent - still lacking polish

Tapscott - was rarely involved

Davey - classy , rarely effectual

Howe - failed to impose

Spencer - probably broke even

M.Jones - was probably playing

Terlich - take first options!!!!

Who cares.

I'm pushing 60 , and have been following the Dees probably longer than you've been alive , so it actually bothers me tremendously that we've become an irrelevance .

In Bali.... lots of sun, surf, people and food.

Heaps of copy watches, tees, jeans, jewelry .

Even AFL merchandise copied to death.

But sadly, no Demons' stuff to be found.

Damn, we can't even find enough buyers for our beloved uniform to justify having it 'ripped off' in quantity!