Brownie

Geez the saints forward entry bombs make me twitch for some strange reason.

If there's anything that we improve on this year, I hope it's our forward entries and set up.

49 minutes ago, Left Foot Snap said:

Commentators saying sold out stadium. I must have a very different definition of 'sold out'.

Maybe how the AFL has sold out the fans.

Watching on Kayo is expensive. Taking a family is expensive.

Maybe that's the definition of selling out?

10 minutes ago, Wodja said:

Game over. Only thing to look forward to is Chris Scott’s press conference. Too much to hope that he does a joint one with Figjam?

11 minutes ago, Wodja said:

Game over. Only thing to look forward to is Chris Scott’s press conference. Too much to hope that he does a joint one with Figjam?

The women's test match is fascinating right now. sanghare bowling for India really well.

Hope Alyssa Healy gets a ton for her last match. She's been an absolute champ

25 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

Buckley is having a huge impact

Body language in the box does not look good. Two very big egos

1 hour ago, Earl Hood said:

One of the great mysteries of the last 3 seasons for me was that Goodwin kept lamenting our lack of forward connection after losses but never did much about it. He continually watched Oliver, Viney, Tracc, Max and later Langdon all just belt the ball forward but never wanted to really do anything about that at the selection table. Were those midfielders ever actually instructed to not kick long and high? I’m not sure. If he had dropped a few of them, they would have quickly responded I believe. And they were all capable of executing better.

Probably watched about half a game just as the swans switched on.

Their kicking predominately to central spots in their f50 just set them up for goal after goal.

In the last few years, we'd be more likely come along the wing and kick it into a pocket as that was predominately where our forwards seemed to lead.

It does my head in to think Goody is a specialist for their forward line.

The entries and forward seemed so clean and centred .

It hurts my brain to even think about how many games we threw away due to poor delivery and poor goal kicking from bad angles over the past 3 or 4 years.

Looking forward to some shots on goal from directly in front without a player approaching it sideways to try and hook it in

Not sure if it's been posted.

An extensive article from the guardian when DC retired.

A really good read.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/sep/28/like-a-cork-in-the-ocean-dennis-cometti-bobs-up-to-call-his-final-afl-game

6 hours ago, hardtack said:

Unfortunately Buddhadatta got turned back by customs in Cairns as they had the wrong visas (they admitted it was due to their own carelessness). They are now back in Japan considering what to do next.

That sucks. Hope they're not touring the US 😜

9 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

Forum show?

We were a rowdy lot 😜

Lovely to see em in gen admin rather than seated

We're in the northern rivers NSW, so up to the gold coast to see them.

On 10/02/2026 at 10:33, whatwhat say what said:

being a melbourne person, i am of course a triple r listener

breaking and entering for new release music

far and wide for uk indie

local and / or general for, well, local releases

maps for interconnected muzak from all over

off the record for the best in roots and country, americana etc.

respect the rock for, well, rock that deserves yr respect

the australian mood for all over the shop from around the country, from new to the past

we are SO LUCKY to have two great independent radio stations in oztraya, in triple r and pbs

Thanks @whatwhat say what really appreciate. Shows saved in my Trello board and starting to work through them.

Thank god for community radio.

Got to see Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings a week or so ago. They just work as one - sublime
Dave has to be one of the best acoustic players on the planet - a 1935 Epiphone as his long time instrument.

6 hours ago, Craig T said:

I think the poor turnout of fans at the prelim was at least part due to us not developing our base to begin with. Yes, being in a prelim should pull plenty of the casual fans, but if the hardcore numbers aren't what they should be that doesn't help. And playing the vast bulk of our home games at Casey won't meaningfully grow our numbers. It's always instructive to say "what if the men.....". Well imagine if all but one of the men's home games were played at such a remote location, and despite having a great winning culture from go to woe attendance numbers weren't great. I know where much of the blame would be leveled.

As for alternative venues, that's been discussed at some length previously, with several good suggestions, so I'm not going to go over that ground (ha!) again, except for drawing one comparison. In round two last year we played St. Kilda at Casey, and despite it being our first home game, the whole helicopter ball drop incentive, and the fact the Saints had just beaten Adelaide in round one, 2152 people showed up. The following week we played Collingwood at Vic Park, and the crowd was 2794, an increase of 30%. And being there I can tell you most of them were Dees fans. So I'd venture to suggest that ANY inner city venue would be preferable.

But I will say that from my own experience, I've had enough. I've traveled out to Casey for the vast bulk of our games since 2017. I do so by public transport as I prefer to leave the car for my partner should she need it. From the inner city it's usually a seven hour round trip for an 80 minute footy match, and often more if buses are replacing trains. If I was living in country Victoria and I wanted to watch my team play in Melbourne that's fair enough, but having to give up that much time to attend home games for a team that geographically is literally minutes from where I live is ridiculous. And as I said previously, with no real explanation from the club as to any meaningful reason why it might be beneficial for anyone involved.

Thanks @Craig T for doing the hard yards and all the others that make the long trip.

Surely it wouldn't be that hard to use an inner city ground much more often to grow our base.

I don't buy the "game standards are not good enough" argument for our matches, because Stinnear had us playing a great game style and our skills have lifted really well year by year.

Maybe those disillusioned should send some emails to the president / CEO and keep giving them the feedback.

We're Melbourne football club and we should be playing in Melbourne!

I tried last year about the lack of promotion in the finals series and got no response at all.

But we should be squeaky wheels right?

2 hours ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

I really hope this is the case.

My worry (and this is my own theory with no inside info) is the big decision makers have let us rest on our laurels with the women's team, assuming the brilliant punch-above-our-weight consistency just continues forever, without acknowledging it really came from the exceptional qualities of Stinear, Hore and for a long time (Daisy) Pearce and presumably several other quiet achievers like Sloane. This meant we were (and had a reputation for being) a great place to play footy and work. We could hold on to the very best players and bring in under-appreciated or out-of-favour guns like Maddie Gay, Liv Purcell and Tayla Harris.

I know there were very particular circumstances with Eden Zanker, but her departure makes me a little bit nervous.

The fact we don't have a coach three months after Stinear resigned makes me vervous.

And what really worries me is the fact that we very often play among the best and most enjoyable-to-watch footy in the league and get fairly low crowds. It might be all we can hope for - simply a function of our supporter base's non-interest - but I think it's at least partly to do with promotion and how seriously the women's team is taken within the club. The fact we haven't had an update from the club on the coach in months is exhibit A.

At my most pessimistic, I'm concerned we might have squandered all the good work we did from the time we instituted the exhibition matches all the way through to the Premiership.

Fully agree with this.

We can't blame the AFL for our lack of representation in last year's finals campaign.

there was a Total lack of promotion / effort by the club to get Demon supporters as a whole following a great Melbourne team deep into the finals after a really disappointing men's season.

I think we're up to about exhibit F

Feels like the wheels might fall off like it did with the blokes.

Blaith Macklin leaving was not a good omen either.

I love this team and hope they stick together and we find a fantastic coach. I can't accept there's not a great candidate out there.

1 hour ago, Dees_In_October said:

A little bit of movement at the station:

afl.com.au/aflw

"MELBOURNE has appointed Shae Sloane as an interim head of women's football, as the AFLW program continues to undergo a series of changes.

After the departure of Marcus Wagner in June last year, Clare Pettyfor was appointed the Demons' general manager of AFLW.

Pettyfor held the role in conjunction with her pre-existing duties as chief communications officer, and will now return to a full time focus on her media duties.

Sloane, a former player with Melbourne and ex-Australian volleyballer, has had a variety of roles with the Demons after her injury-enforced retirement at the end of 2021, primarily coaching and recruiting.

Most recently, she served as senior assistant coach to Mick Stinear, looking after the forward line, as well as head of development.

Melbourne is continuing its hunt for a new senior coach after the departure of Stinear, after chief of football and innovation Ned Guy started his role at the club earlier this month.

It's believed Sloane is unlikely to be in the running, despite having long been touted as a coach-in-waiting.

Fellow prospective senior coach Rhys Harwood also recently opted to move into program management as North Melbourne's head of women's football.

The Dees are also after a new list manager, with Cody Baker re-joining former mentor Todd Patterson at the Tasmania Devils.

AFLW pre-season will begin on May 11, with the season starting the week of August 10."

Not reported on the MFC website, but the above came through late in the day, so we'll see.

So... Interim.

Not adding much stability or confidence really.

Can't feel good for Shae either

11 hours ago, biggestred said:

nothing to see here, move along, no ex geelong COO's investigating their past potential salary cap indescretions, no cottoning on to anything or farming anything out, move along

I thought the same thing.

I'm sure Tommy will be right into em

I really can't let this thread go without mentioning finding fantastic new music via community radio and in particular my beloved 4zzzfm.
There's some great shows and DJ's via http://ondemand.4zzzfm.org.au/.
I'd recommend streaming:
Branko Cosic / Unecessary Knowledge - http://ondemand.4zzzfm.org.au/unnecessary-knowledge
Really varied and loads of new independent music
Plays in the fantastic Tape-Off - https://youtu.be/SPXT-7b3DCs?si=j-PLpqOfwEVQ21dx

Leif / Carasouel - http://ondemand.4zzzfm.org.au/carousel
This show can go anywhere. An Amazing music nerd. You're likely to hear brand new stuff you've never heard before or brand new stuff from bands 20 or 30's years ago.

Ian Powne / Brighten the Corners - http://ondemand.4zzzfm.org.au/brighten-the-corners
Also a great treasure trove of varied and new music
He's in a great Brisbane band, the stress of leaisure - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpMwdGPBVLs

Robert Anderson / This! - http://ondemand.4zzzfm.org.au/this
A great morning show mix of high octane rock and punk to fire you up.

Nick / The Chart Show - http://ondemand.4zzzfm.org.au/the-chart-show
Nick's a very funny bugger who is clever enough to play the top 20 played new tracks on the Zeds for the past week and then intersperses it with some fantastic music

There's heaps more fantastic shows to listen to at your leisure via on-demand.
This station has given me so much joy for the past 40 years or so.
It's my new music gold mine.
If you want a great read, Heather Andersen - a 4ZZZ stalwart has charted the 50 year history of the Zeds. It's a great read.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/people-powered-radio-heather-anderson/book/9783032056887.html?srsltid=AfmBOood3q2aCONpGd7LXuSqOzf_iBIvO_rg1X0M43YyC6WqHVFfkSK3

Would love to hear any recommendations of any other shows across the nation. We'd be in strife without community radio and at the mercy of algorithms.
Cheers Brownie

12 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

nick cave played for 2 hours and 50 mins tonite for the first of three nights in melbourne

can't wait to go back again on sunday

It's taken me a few days to process how bloody beautiful and wonderful the whole thing was in Brissie.

Let me know what you think after watching it twice in a couple of days

5 hours ago, dpositive said:

Wow Thanks everyone. This has ignited so many memories and begun some new experiences.

One of the fortunates born in the 50s with a mother who was a fantastic singer and performer at amateur levels I was surrounded by music. Had an influence with school mated older brothers who exposed me to raw American blues, European avant garde Mediterranean and middle east emerging sounds.(most of which mum did not like.

I migrated to Melb and have always quoted the phrase" I spent most of my money on live music drugs and alcohol and wasted the rest". I became an audience. I always ended a gig by talking with the musicians to personally thank them for the joy they gave me. Most bands and artists wouldnt remember me but I have spoken with nearly all the people you have mentioned plus many even more obscure (including international artists who were surprisingly approachable in those times).

Live music is the best antidote to every ill of life. Music should be a mandatory subject for all kids and adults as it not only ignites creativity but enhances universal skills of communication and language and is a base for understanding mathematics.

I dont get out as much as I used to but still enjoy every foray into any live music environment. Im the one who always throws a donation to any busker to encourage them to continue. I also always said that listening to a bad performance makes you appreciate the outstanding even more.

Please Keep up the conversation as as been said you are introducing me to some music I would never have seen and please let me know of any music coming to Beechworth, where we have Tanswells supporting live music always.

We have an Airbnb (Lochwood Cottage) which accomodates 8 and has been offered to Demon supporters in raffles and can be offered to bands and dees supporters at reduced rates if you contact us direct. (Always subject to availability).

A generous offer @dpositive thanks. And a brilliant quote. That's pretty much headstone worthy.

I think there's a few tickets left for Nick Cave and the bad seeds 3rd show in Melbourne.

Saw them in Brissie earlier this week.

Just a brilliant production. Sound and visuals. The band were phenomenal and Nick totally engaged with the crowd.

He's 68 now. If you were thinking of going, get a ticket. I've seen them 4 times now and that show may be the pinnacle of their career.

Warren Ellis may be the happiest bloke on the planet when he's up there on stage.

A massive incredible set.

22 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

just making recommendations and comments and about how excited i am for new, and old, music, all the time

big sound is generally held early september

2025 Lineup for Bigsound.
https://www.bigsound.org.au/music-festival/artists
I've missed the last couple. I'm due for a run up there. It's a great few days and nights in the valley

On 21/01/2026 at 16:26, hardtack said:

Yeah, it really pisses me off when people dismiss current music and say that nothing beats the 70’s and 80’s or whenever; to me other than the beginning and ending of the decade, the 70’s contained some of the most bland music I’ve heard… but then every decade could lay claim to that depending on where one’s tastes lie.

One band that I hadn’t heard a lot until recently, but who’ve fast become one of my favourites is Tropical [censored] Storm. I can’t get to many shows these days (other than my own band’s), but one venue we occasionally play here in Sydney, the Marrickville Bowlo, just recently had three consecutive nights sold out… not bad for a Melbourne band with relatively little exposure up here. There is also a good raft of Japanese bands coming through, which I love! The 5, 6, 7, 8’s, Buddhadatta and Guitar Wolf being just a few.

The cost of insurance appears to have killed of a lot of venues in Melbourne and I think that will spread, no doubt. Here in Sydney a couple of the councils have created entertainment districts which will hopefully ensure the survival of a lot of important venues around Newtown, Enmore and Marrickville.

Oh, and speaking of Lismore, would you happen to know a guy named Dave Slade? He’s fairly heavily involved in the music scene there.

Hey @hardtack I got halfway through replying days ago and didn't finish.

The name is familiar (Dave Slade). Our local pub up the river (Broadwater Hotel) from us is having a punk day / night next weekend. I'll probably run into him there.

What's your band's name?

14 hours ago, Anti-Saint said:

couldn't agree more, couldn't agree more

Yep, still crickets / Cicadas.

Wonder if the team is even being informed of progress (if there is any I guess)

5 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

i take it yr from near byron, @Brownie ?

do you know the grunge throwback threepiece, headsend? working with mike crossey and nick didia on their debut album, which should be a decent listen

i love that the frontman is named rasmus and his brother is kyuss

they were one of the emergent bands at bigsound 2025

I'll have to have a listen. Cheers

34 minutes ago, binman said:

Every era has great live bands, and nostalgia can colour assessment, but geez it's hard to go past the 80s for live rock music in oz, particularly Melbourne with its symbiotic relationship with the Seattle grunge scene.

As an example of how brilliant the 80s were for great live pub rock, the first three bands I saw live (all before i was legally allowed in the venue) were:

The Hoodoo Gurus in 1983 at the Lizard Lounge in Perth (pre Stoneage Romeos - they all had huge, Leningrad cowboy style quiffs, tight jeans and pointy boots)

Hunters and Collectors in 1983 at a pub in Kew that is closed now, can't remember its name - the pinnacle? (crazy gig as hunters were still in their industrial noise stage - lots of banging and clanging steel pipes with big chains, discordant horns and Mark Seymour in ultra testosterone mode)

Paul Kelly (I can't recall if it was Paul Kelly and the Dots or not - I don't think so as i think they had broken up by that time, but it def wasn't the Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls) in 1983 at a pub on Church Street in Richmond that has also since closed (can't recall its name).

Three great gigs.

Three legends of Oz rock.

Yeah, it was hard to beat the 80s and 90s. It just seemed easier to run a venue and for bands to tour.

Harder to get the punters in and the kids just don't drink much anymore if they do turn up. Can't blame them at the prices.

Same with festivals I suppose. Used to work at a few. The cost of insurance and compliance these days.

I'd never ever say that music isn't as good these days though.

There's some incredible artists around.

Four corners did a piece on Live nation and how they're contributing to the wrecking of live music venues.

Bad Dreems were interviewed. They've just dropped another fantastic song.

Radium Dolls are also dropping a new album next week I think. Fantastic band and great live.

Full flower moon band are also great.

Saw all 3 of them at Bangalow bowlo in the last year or so. Some great people doing mini festivals in that venue over the last couple of years.

However, the bowlo was taken over by a bigger conglomerate a few years ago and they've just shut the bowlo down.

Last Quokka put out a raging cracker of a punk album last year.

They came over from Perth and played in the dining area of the hotel metropole in Lismore last year. The roof leaked during the gig and we were on the bottom floor! There were probably only 40 people there and they were just bloody fantastic.

One of my favourite bands at the moment. I just kept thanking them all for making a stop in Lismore

If you want to see great new talent. I can't recommend coming to big sound in Brisbane enough. Usually 150 bands or so playing over 3 nights. 4 nights really.

Tickets cheap as chips (unless you do the conference as well) and you get to sleep in a proper bed.

My favourite festival of all time.

2 minutes ago, binman said:

Blimey, what a gig!

Two of Australia's Best ever rock bands, both legendary live acts, at a pub.

And in the Oil's case right before they went next level huge. Wow.

The closest I've got to that us seeing Nivrana at the palace in St kilda a few weeks after Nevermind was released. That gig was off the charts amazing.

Yeah it's that sweet spot if you can jump on a big wave before the band gets too big to experience them properly up close.

They knocked festival Hall down in Brissie and built the entertainment centre in Boondall which has all the character of a shopping centre theatre. I think I've only been there twice.

Off to see Nick Cave next week at the show grounds. Saw him at the Tivoli in 2007 when he also was supported by..... Himself in grinderman.

It was like a double Nick Cave and the bad seeds gig for the price of one in a venue with about 600 people.

First time I'd got to see him. He made me cry ( watching probably 20 feet away playing into your arms)

I jam with a couple of mates who worked out last week they were both at the Manly Vale the same night the cure played there in the 80s. They reckoned that was amazing.

Nirvana would have been something else man. How bloody fantastic.

We're going to see Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings at HOTA on the Gold coast in a few weeks. Man that guy is an amazing guitarist.

I discovered their music a week after they played at the Bangalow hall up the road from us 7 or 8 years ago. That was a bummer!

46 minutes ago, binman said:

I loved Midnight Oil, but never saw them live (I started regularly seeing live gigs in about 1984 - by that stage they were huge and ive never liked going to stadium gigs).

But i saw Rob Hirst play with The Backsliders (who i love) and The Break.

Amazing drummer.

I got to see them just as they started to get airplay at the Roxy in fortitude valley as 10 to 1 came out. They played with the warrumpi band.

The club was owned by the Bellino brothers, Brisbanes mafia days. It was February and absolutley steaming hot.

The bouncers just kept letting people in. You couldn't move anywhere.

By the time the oils hit the stage, we had white [censored] on our shoulders and worked out the paint was coming off the ceiling.

Peter Garret had the roadies bringing bucket after bucket of water on to the stage and he was just hurling it over us in the mosh pit. And was like an out of control moshpit on a skating rink.

2 absolutely incredible bands. Forces of nature. Both of them part of Australian music folklore.

Unforgettable night as a 17 year old kid.

1 hour ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I don't know why I formed this view, but I had assumed the role was long-term strategy. For example, understanding where the AFL product will be in the longer term, such as (say) in 7-10 years' time. Our club should be making decisions on player retention and selection taking both a short-term and long-term view. The short-term decisions should be the responsibility of King, Lamb, Taylor and Richardson, and equivalent for AFLW. The longer-term decisions should be the province of the Board, CEO and Ned Guy.

To make those longer-term decisions, the club needs to understand as best as possible what the competition will look like. What will be the rules of the game? Will it be a 19 or 20 team competition, or something else? What will be the future of Next Generation Academies and the Father/son, father/daughter rules? What will list sizes be? What will happen to the rookie list and other structural issues associated with list sizes? What will the salary cap be? What will be expected with injury management (eg, concussion rules)? And so on. There's a lot there for someone to be working on while not being distracted by the current day-to-day stuff.

We might have to get the round balls out again!😜