titan_uranus

1 hour ago, roy11 said:

I'm still scarred from last year though with that loss against GWS. They played opening week, we didn't. They were slightly sharper and fitter and stole the win from us. Hoping that does not happen again with the Saints.

Yep, a major disadvantage. They ran all over us late. It’s likely going to happen again this year, which is frustrating.

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

That was a blaring red signal that our last 2 minute drills and on field leadership was missing. It played out many times over the season. We learned nothing.

True, but we also got quite unlucky - the kick out from AJ’s point went to a contest and bounced perfectly for Callaghan, which led to the chain giving Keefe the mark. Who then kicked truly despite not being a renowned goalkicker.

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

After being 0-5 last year we were 7-9 for the rest with a percentage of 107

We aren't that bad

Ignore the media

It was 7-11 actually (not sure of percentage). 4 of the wins were vs West Coast, Richmond and North, too.

On the other hand, 5 of the 11 losses were by less than 10 points. Only 2 of the losses were by more than 30 (Hawthorn twice, one of which was level at 3QT).

I’d be staggered if we beat Fremantle or Brisbane. We also shouldn’t get close to GC, but that’s in Melbourne where maybe we get a leg up. IMO they’re three genuine flag contenders.

The other three - St Kilda, Carlton and Essendon - should all be considered winnable (at worst).

Getting Sooshi Mango involved is a great get I reckon.

The new ad’s a ripper IMO.

Such good news.

I foresee huge things for Langford. So glad to see him commit.

That’s a relief. Hope it progresses well and he can make his debut sooner rather than later.

5 minutes ago, bing181 said:

They're a year older and wiser plus they've brought in some very good and experienced players. Meanwhile, out of our side from last year we'll be without 6 first-choicers: Bowey, Viney, McVee, Petracca, Oliver and May.

If we're any points up at 3/4 time we'll be doing well.

So they’re a year older and wiser but we’re not?

They’ve brought in good and experienced players but Steele, Mihocek and Jiath aren’t relevant?

And our change in coach/approach doesn’t factor either?

Most interested to see what we do structurally - with JVR and Mihocek (assuming he's fit) locks, do we go with Heath (assuming Kentfield isn't fit)? If not, are we going to have a forward line with just Mihocek in it when JVR has to ruck for 5-10 minutes a quarter? Are we even going to be able to get away with Gawn rucking 90% of matches when other clubs are going to go with two rucks - including St Kilda, who will have Marshall and TDK.

The fact that most people are including 2-3 of Sharp, Laurie and Tholstrup in their sides for Round 1 is, though, a bit of a disappointing indicator of where we're at right now. A few injuries, but also just the reality of our list. Sharp really shouldn't be playing, Tholstrup hasn't really demanding selection during the pre-season, and Laurie is...well...Laurie. I just can't see him suddenly becoming capable at AFL level after what we've seen across his (albeit limited) appearances to date. Would love to be proven wrong of course.

Will be gutted if this is a long termer. He deserves a crack at it, and offers us something promising.

Fingers crossed for him.

Just now, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Just came out of a meeting - score update please?

58-35, we lead.

56 minutes ago, Dannyz said:

Cal twomey has said that our players expect to be moving to Waverley temporarily whilst Caulfield is built. Or words to that effect.

Like I had previously said.

Wrong decision.

5 minutes ago, Greg Schneider said:

So Jefferson is out injured not replaced by Kentfield as was ‘reported’

Could be both though.

24 minutes ago, layzie said:

Fair call but how many bigger regional stadiums are there? Maybe we should just be glad people are turning up

Are we genuine about it being a “community” series at regional stadiums when Carlton just played Geelong at IKON Park?

Either do all the games in regional areas, or if there aren’t appropriate grounds, don’t bother.

2 minutes ago, Macca said:

He missed 12 games in 2023 with that phantom hamstring injury? A bit odd how we left him on the ground when he supposedly hurt his hammy?

And if you don't play, you're no value

3 years of tripe football, you won't get that from Walsh. Walsh is a dedicated footballer

Oliver is now playing for the opposition and we're paying him to do so

That's what you call a contract that went completely pear-shaped

Isn’t the bolded bit one of the main problems with the Walsh contract?

3 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Sam Walsh beat us in the 2023 semi final with 34 touches and 2 goals on his way to a Gary Ayres medal for player of the finals series.

I'd look at others if you're going with the overrated, mediocre, or half as good as Kozzy tags.

It wouldn’t be a Demonland thread without a classic @Bring-Back-Powell single stat/match reference to make a point.

That game was 2.5 years ago. Clubs of course don’t make decisions based on one game. They also don’t make decisions based on form from 2.5 years ago. If they did, we’d still have Trac and Oliver on our list.

Alternatively, perhaps someone should offer Joel Amartey the next biggest contract in the AFL, given in Round 14 2024 he kicked 9 goals in a game.

5 hours ago, AshMac said:

The sooking over the location of Casey has been one of the most telling things about the culture of this footy club than anything that's happened over the last however long.

It's so precious and short sighted. Dingley is not exactly in the heart of Melbourne. If you're leaving at 7:30am getting to Hawthorn's new facility from Brighton it'll take you half an hour; from Hawthorn will take over 35 minutes; and if you're a little hipster player living in Fitzroy it'll be a 50-odd minute drive to get there.

If you're an Essendon player training at the Hangar and living in Fitzroy it'll take you over half an hour at 7:30am; 35+ minutes from Hawthorn, over 45 from Brighton.

Moggs Creek is about an hour from GMHBA and I've never once heard Patrick Dangerfield complain, nor anyone suggest that Geelong's location is anything other than a huge asset and benefit.

Casey should've been bought into years ago, developed into a world class facility (likely with the backing of the state and federal governments), and become the envy of the league.

NFL and EPL clubs don't train anywhere near their home stadiums, Brisbane's new facility in Springfield is miles from the inner city suburbs like New Farm that players would be living. That we allow this absurd narrative of players not liking driving to training is one of the most embarrassing things about this club.

You seriously underestimate the additional distance that has to be travelled to get to Casey as compared to those other places.

With no traffic, right now at 10pm, it is a 40 minute drive from Hawthorn or Glen Iris to Casey. That’s an additional 15-17 minutes more than it would take to get to Dingley. Again, that’s with no traffic. Dingley’s one suburb over from Moorabbin. It’s not central, sure, but it’s not in the same ballpark as Casey. Casey’s roughly double the distance from the city as Dingley is.

At the end of the day if Casey is all we’ve got, then so be it, and yes there will simply have to be adjustments for our staff and players, but it’ll be the least attractive option of the 9 Melbourne-based clubs.

Fantastic piece.

Some of the “problems” seem blown out of proportion in the article.

So is this some sort of MRC leak to scupper the plan?

Are we cooked?

2 hours ago, DubDee said:

In Fairness North were missing:

Corr, Wardlaw, McKercher, McDonald, Spargo, Urquhart, Fisher, Dawson, Goad, Thredgold, Curtis, Mikuda, Goater, George, Jackson, Whitlock, Stevens, Banch, Trembath

They will be a much tougher proposition in the season proper

It’s been addressed already but that’s 3, maybe 4, good players missing.

2 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

They were short 4 of their best, we had 3 of ours in Gawn, Viney, and Mihocek missing >3/4’s and maybe Culley out.

They’ll improve for the real stuff but the big question is how much we can get better too.

Bowey too.

But anyway these are not hugely important comparisons for a practice match on 20 February in 30 degree heat. The result is not very instructive

The way we tried (and succeeded) to move the ball, the roles of Steele, Heath, Kentfield, Latrelle and Howes, and the hopeful confidence of a win, is what we can take from today.

I’m so keen to see what we do with JVR, Jeffo, Kentfield and Heath (plus Gawn and Mihocek).

2 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Oh my.. we're going to be fun to watch this year..

2018 aside, when was the last time we said this?

Positive vibes in a game day thread.

Tell me it’s pre-season without telling me it’s pre-season…

But I love to see it.

3 hours ago, old dee said:

So beating us by 10 goals suggests we are nothing flash.

@DubDee got in first.

By your logic we’re a force to be reckoned with.

4 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

So in summary it sounds like the only way we’ll get a new player on the list is if May retires just before opening round??

3 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Correct.

Technically, they would need to have a decision made before March the 2nd as thats when the SPP list lodgement closes.

Yep - or of course the other possibility is Viney is declared out for the season and placed on the inactive list (or, worse, someone else goes down with a season-ender).

If it happens after 2 March, unless the AFL grants an exemption like they did to us last year, we’d have to wait until the MSD to fill the spot.

1 hour ago, bing181 said:

Every club is looking at doing what we are, hardly going to surprise anyone. Here's Dean Cox recently:

"We want to play with a bit more speed on the ball and I think we've trained really hard this off-season with really high intensity running."

Jesus @bing181 is it actually impossible for you to see someone say something optimistic about the upcoming season and just leave it alone?