The Panglossian

But didn’t he have Andrew DAFF sacked.?

In theHaw/ Geelong game today, there was an incident where Sicily and Hawkins clashed, and there was blood spattered conspicuously on both players. There was no intervention from the umpires, and play resumed immediately after a stoppage, with the umpires close to the incident. At Kardinia Park last year, with seconds to go , and us in front,Gawn was sent from the field with a microscopic split on his lip. McDonald had to ruck up forward instead of rushing down to defence,which was the obvious tactic. We therefore lost the game, fourth spot, and possibly the premiership. Where is the consistency?

He’s done it again! So predictable! Also predictable was that Kent would play the first. four quarter game of his life( and probably the last)

Essendon,Collingwood,Richmond, (usually) are spared the handicap of playing at Geelong,the venue that Victorian taxpayers funded, but only Geelong members can fit in.

Membrey usually kicks a bag against us....but not against anyone else. He’s remarkably accurate against us, but normally an unreliable shot for goal.

Umps?

Is it on You-Tube!?

I don't think the torpedo short pass is a realistic option, but thanks for considering my(and Malcolm's) suggestions.

Did any other Demonlanders hear Blight on SEN this morning with Gary Lyon? Seedsman's after -siren torp goal has rekindled interest in my old hobby-horse (as it did when Hunt released a torp bomb way back). Blight echoed some points I've made before. 1. With a shot from 65metres after the siren, no-one can make it with a drop punt(assuming no wind). There is a chance with a well executed torp.Coaches ban torps because they're "low-percentage"...a risk. So no-one practises them. If they did practise them, they wouldn't be high risk. KIcking a drop punt from 65m after the siren is a zero-percent option. A big torp might only be a 5% chance, but it's a lot better than nothing. 2.They are fun to practise, and would add variety and enjoyment to training. 3.Even if a torp. "bomb" into the forward line comes off the side of the boot, it should catch opposition backs out of position....a "chaos"ball. Yes...it might go straight into the hands of the opposition and cause a costly turnover. But how often do we see drop punts go straight to the opponents, but drop punts aren't banned.? 4. For kick ins, occasionally a signal should be made so our players mingle near the centre circle, the kicker should run his 15 m, then let it fly with a torp,which should land in a nest of our players,possibly forward of the centre. But " it might result in a turnover ", it is argued. But these full time footballers have plenty of time to practise this skill....they're all talented athletes! A "duffed" torp should be the exception. 5.It's inspiring when a player roosts a torp as a "line-breaker". Remember when Frosty let fly last year? The whole team lifted. Nay sayers will argue...but what about when he turned it over with duffed torps? That's my point....if they're encouraged to practise it, miskicks will be the exception! Summing it up, Malcolm Blight and I think it's been negligent of coaches to overlook this potential weapon. Come on Demons, let's have a "torpedo-led recovery".

I came away from the game thinking Petracca needs a stint at Casey. But after watching the replay, I thought he did a few constructive things. It was just the two bad errors....the dropped chest mark near goal at quarter time, and the intercepted pass later inthe game costing a goal ,that stuck in my mind. I hope he's given another chance against the Peptides....he's ready to have a good game, I reckon, and it'll make a big difference to the forward line,

I had a miserable time at Kardinia Park last Saturday night. Not only did I sit in the rain for two hours watching my team being humiliated, I was "egged" (a victim of an egg thrown at me from a passing car), on my way back to my car(which I had trouble finding!) It reminded me of the abject despair I felt after round 12, 1998, when we were down 15 goals to one at half time against Geelong, and ended up losing by 95, on the MCG! We improved the next week, only losing by 85 pts in torrential rain to St Kilda, again on the MCG. BUT........ later that year, we won two finals, beating the eventual premiers(Adelaide) by 48 pts in the qual final. We should have been premiers, despite morale earlier having been at absolute rock-bottom, as it is at present. No-one could have guessed we'd do so well after round 13, when a lot of membership cards ended up in microwaves! I feel confident we can turn it around soon. The guys tried their guts out on Saturday, but NOTHING went right. Their confidence dropped as Geelong's rose. Our best players showed some form(except TMAC...but it wasn't a key forward's night.....even that grinning visigoth, Hawkins didn't kick a bag in an 80 pt win.) Don't give up, Dees fans. Let's get started by pumping the pharmacists on Friday night.

I thought Gawn deserved Brownlow votes, but Joeboy didn’t consider his game worthy of comment.

Infectious enthusiasm....admirable.

One of the many disappointing features of last Saturday was the lack of noise from the Melbourne supporters. The small number of Port supporters managed to make more noise than us. I know it can be argued that they had more to yell about than us, but where was the encouragement from our supporters when we still had a chance to steal the game? If Collingwood or Richmond came out after the three quarter time huddle behind, but in striking distance, there would be a huge roar from ther crowd .Even more so in Perth and Adelaide for their home side. But not us......if you yell out “ come on Demons”...( or something more original!), people look at you, as if you’re disturbing the peace. The only time we have a home ground advantage is on the MCG in the finals,when all the Demon supporters turn up and get excited. The players respond. It’s human nature!

It would be interesting to compile 2 lists.... 1/ Demon recruits who fail to get through their first season due to season-ending injuries in the first few weeks 2/Demon recruits who get through their first season unscathed. I reckon it would be about 10:1

What about those Vic. cricketers!!! Home Shield Final, probably v. NSW. Going for a clean sweep of the trophies! Pattinson was venomous in the 2nd dig. Don't know how Tremain can get back in the team.

Thanks, Mark. When I posted my query about your cousin, I didn't realise the topic had been already raised, though I thought I'd checked pretty thoroughly before posting. I'm glad we've got another Demon enthusiast in the role. I guess they don't publicise their affiliation to an AFL side in case it arouses concern amongst the many (majority) of non-Demon MCC Members. Is your cousin Mike related to the journalist, and former Uni cricketer, Charles? I suspect so.

Former Demon champion, Steve Smith has finished his term as MCC President. Michael Happell has taken over. I have a feeling he's a Carlton supporter. This is regrettable. I know it's not absolutely necessary, but surely it's desirable, that the MCC Pres has an affinity to the Demons. This, in my opinion, shows the importance of MCC-member Demon supporters(of whom there are many), exercising their vote, where possible, in favour of Demon -connected candidates in committee elections. I hope some Demonlander with more familiarity with Happell will correct me.

Also, Seecamp's punch on Pearce was virtually a reflex action after he was punched in the "groin" by the gutless sniper. He deserved a better whack than he got.

Have we had a worse run than other teams with injuries to recruits? I think of Petracca doing his knee, Scully, Hogan, Lever,Watts,Hunt,Blease, Molan.....help me... there would be at least half a dozen more, ( ?Gawn)....... whom we recruited with high hopes , then their early careers were severely handicapped by injury.Now Neitchke, though he’s a low draft pick, so we don’t know what we’re missing there, but it will hold him back. When it happens to your own side you notice it, but perhaps not when it happens to the opposition, Have we been worse off than the others? I bet Hawthorn gets a good run with Scully, like they have had with O’Meara, who has always had injury concerns till he came to them. I think Collingwood has had a bad run, too, but they deserve it! Also GWS but there reserves are unlimited.

Interesting to note in the video of Newman's goal, it looks like a swarm of players all on the same side. I was occasionally confused about the jumpers watching the game on TV(higher definition than the You-tube of Newman's goal), especially with long range shots, not with close-ups. I think it shows the commonsense of alternative strips. Incidentally, I was amazed that we got 6 frees to their 12. I didn't think we got ANY!!!

Harriet has improved so much. Last year Sabrina killedus off her own boot. Harriet subdued her completely. Incidentally, her GREAT grandfather, Ted senior, was a Demon. I guess they’re right calling her a “third generation “Demon, since her Dad, Chris, “only” played amateur footy(VIC amateurs, a dominant ruckman for Uni Blacks, and a Rhodes scholar). If Don Cordner was her granddad, Ted Cordner junior must be her great uncle, and David her uncle(?). Apparently Ted jnr. would have probably won a Brownlow,too, if they’d awarded it during the war years, while he was studying Medicine. Does anyone know if Lily is any relation to Laurie and Kevin.? Whether or not she is, she should wear no. 11.

I know it’s Demon supporter pessimism, but I’m just waiting to hear that Max’s knee goes again, and Tmac,and Clarrie miss the season. We just don’t get stars that play 300 games(Neita excepted) Hawthorn, North, Carlton, ESS., Footscray , StK ,etc......300 game stars to burn!

The hospitals are full of motorbike riders who’ve been doing it for their entire lives.

Poor old Demon supporters! Foxtel have been showing selected "classic" matches since the early 80's. Apparently we haven't been in ANY of them. I know we were pathetic in most of the 80s, and 2007-2017, BUT.....we had some pretty good teams in the other years, and had some great matches. I wonder if Foxtel take into account the likely audience, so that Richmond, Coll, Essendon etc get priority. Has anyone else noticed how rarely we're on?