waynewussell

Reminiscent of TE Lawrence... "So long as the Arabs fight tribe against tribe, so long will they be a little people, a silly people - greedy, barbarous, and cruel, as you are..."

Stuie... for me that was the post of the year. Congratulations... this is worthy of John Northey. You are on the money!

The report I've been waiting for Goodvibes! Thank you for your depth and insight.

This is what I take from the pre-season to date. We are entering fifty more than previously but miss the marking power of Clark and Dawes. We are getting our share of the taps but the various mid-fields we have employed have been out-gunned. (Trengove, Viney and McKenzie may help here but we desperately need another gun midfielder). We have missed the run and contesting ability of McDonald and he is now an essential part of our backline mix (particularly post-Rivers). Gillies seems to be solid and consistent and a good decision maker. Dean Kent, Matt Jones and Dean Terlich have all shown positives and are of a size that can compete come Round 1. Sellar is by far the best option as a pinch-hitter going forward, also has the ability to play key-back (we have a keeper there!). Sylvia has had a full pre-season. None of our games have been at the MCG (where we play our best football). Davey is able to make a better contribution than 2012, if called upon, due to improved fitness. Dunn has found his position. Toumpas and Viney have shown they will be very good or better in the years to come. Hogan is a great pick-up as a leading/marking key forward of the future (also a good kick for goal).

Count the positives... Another game together for our squad, Terlich stands up, Sellar continues to hit the scoreboard, Jamar continues good form, Watts doing what was predicted by observers at training, Matt Jones developing nicely, Another game on the road (how far have Geelong, Carlton and .................. <- insert other AFL favourites here... travelled in this preseason?)

Thanks once more KC for your contribution. Your dedication to The Scorps is much appreciated by all Dee supporters. Have a good night at the Bucks turn!

I guess we need Frawley, Dunn, Viney, Trengove, Clark, Dawes, Blease, Kent, McDonald, Nicholson and Bail to be available before we can field our best team... Hold on, that's 10 or 11 players... almost half a team... I wonder who, out of the 26 we fielded today would hold their place... Jones, Watts, Byrnes, McKenzie, Rodan, Garland,Gillies, Sellar, Grimes, Jones, Howe... that's another 11... Then there's Davey and Jetta, who played well for Casey in their 2 point win over Frankston today... There! Doesn't that feel better. Bring on Port!

With GC so superior I wonder why they only won by 4 goals Somebody write a detailed report PLEASE!

These players will come into consideration this time next year Byrnes Clark McDonald Frawley Garland Jones Viney Jamar (is already there... ask any other ruckman who has contested centre circle against him) Howe Trengove

Watch Mike swarm (or is that swarmy) over the MFC list when we start the winning habit in 2013/14

DemonDave, excellent report. Thanks for taking the time

Rubbish... demonstrates your understanding of the game and of talent. Watts is one of the better draft choices we have made in a dismal period. For you to jerk around like you do is clear evidence of trolling behaviour. I don't know if you were at Nab 1 v Nth etc... or have ever noticed Jacks highlights over his short career. Nothing you cough up can ever distort the fact that he is a versatile running tall that has excellent kicking skills, very good marking skills and great play-reading ability. If you can't see that you are a poor judge.

I guess Geelong must be ruing the day they got rid of Moloney after watching the NAB Cup

The more interesting and strategic question is how would we have gone with Clark and Trengove in the side. Now I challenge anyone to argue that Martin and Moloney are a better package than Clark and Trengove.

I eagerly await where Cats and Pies are playing

Its worth remembering that Stef Martin, Brent Moloney, Ricky Petterd, Gordon Gysberts, Tom Scully, Brock McClean and Cale Morton all looked good for MFC at some stage. This group suffered from various weaknesses from the following list... * inconsistency * poor disposal * poor decision making * injury prone * Poor endurance * inept under pressure * invisible when team under attack etc etc I have no doubt that the majority of these players will continue to display one or more of these traits with their new team. I applaud any one of them that manages to turn it around like Jolly did.

I spent the afternoon trying to get an update from Matt, Scanning Demonland and watching live stats on AFL site. Frome reports here I reckon I got a better handle on it than some of the punters who claimed to have been at Casey! Ben-Her is the least likeable poster I have come across in my time here. Smug, self-serving egotist! I try to avoid s/he as much as possible. These are my positive observations after the game. Jamar is a highly rated tap-ruckman and he is in great form. Toumpas will blossom around the age of 21. We started well. Dunn impacted the game again. Sellar could easily have come away with 3 goals against Saints, which was my benchmark for inclusion in Round 1. We had same or slightly more inside 50's and that will translate into scoreboard when Clark and Dawes play. We had as many possessions as opponents. Magner is in consistently good form. N Jones is in consistently good form. Apart from Saints 6 goals in 12 minutes, we were highly competitive in all aspects for 80 minutes of the game. Tackling was down, but I have seen enough of previous NAB efforts to realise that out tackling is vastly improved across the board. Apparently kicking efficiency was down, but those jumping up and down most have never played in the conditions a wide-open, south eastern plains reserve tosses up (I note GFC have now played two in a row at Kardinia Park-home ground... I also note that Pies are at Etihad indoor stadium). Demons got within 18 points in final qtr when teenagers Hogan and Toumpas goaled. Apparently this is a rare game where Howe didn't take a screamer and we all know that will happen on a regular basis once the real stuff begins. Apparently there were no pre-season injuries to report (remember The Ox... Ben, you weren't a Demon supporter in those days... Oh damn, I used the words Ben and supporter in the same sentence!) David Roden got his hands on it and continued his habit of scoring a goal. Garland blanketed Milne. Frawley played well before running into a bit of trouble (which coincided with Saints purple patch if my reading of the game is correct... funny that!) That's plenty to be pleased with in a pre-season game. We are definitely on the improve and I think a win in round 1 is more than likely!

Super goal Nathan Jones

Thanks Demon Dave

If Sellar can make it 3 goals against Saints he is in my round 1 team

Well, 3rd quarter has started but no updates

I look at it this way... we are without Clark and Dawes while they have Reiwoldt and Milne

Jamar has 20 hit outs in a half

Saints well ahead in frees We have double hit outs

6 goals in 12 minutes to Saints from 1/2 way through second