The Panglossian

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?

It’s a pity we opted for Paine as skipper. Wade is no worse as a keeper( though both are ordinary), but he’s a much better bat. Our batting would look much stronger with Wade at 7 instead of Paine, and someone else captaining(? Hazlewood), till Smith is available as capt. again.

7 left -handers, I note.

Watching Australia play India is like watching a district team playing a Test team. Dont be too confident about Sri Lanka..... let alone the Poms.

I know Handscomb sincerely thinks he caught it, and Kohli annoys me.......but the ball hit the ground. Kohli got a shocking decision. I can’t believe the commentators saying it was out. The whole series could hinge on that decision, and I’m convinced it was wrong. I admired Kohli for hiding his emotions as he left the field. He knew he wasn’t out.

I reckon there’s a “ conventional wisdom” about full forwards that is misleading. Everyone wants a tall full forward who ideally can ride someone’s back and take screamers then kick goals. How often does that happen??? Rarely. Most goals from full forwards are from well-timed leads,a good pass, and a chest mark.( McKenna and Dunstall being classic examples.) So I contend that the most important facet of a FF is speed on the lead, and the football nous of knowing when to lead. Obviously there are times when there’s no time to pass, or space to lead, and a long kick comes into the pack in the goalsquare. If the FF isn’t tall, and the tall ruckman isn’t there, the kick should not be a high one to the pack, but a low scrubber that favours the pacy crumber. Fullbacks are always tall, so the tendency is to put similar players on each otherJust imagine a tall fullback( let’s use Fletcher as an example),with a tall Ff on him. A high kick comes in, and all he has to do is spoil, while the forward tries to mark. You’d back Fletcher to win. BUT, just imagine if , say, Garlett was somehow left “ one out “ with him, and a deliberate low bouncing kick came in. The smaller play would run rings around him( perhaps a Fletcher is a poor example, since he was so versatile, ) My point is that height should not necessarily be a desirable feature of a potential full forward. ps....I’m very happy with TMac, though he’s tall, he times his leads well.

Two out of three aint bad! red and Blue in 2019!

Surely we Demon fans must be attracted to Prince of Arran......those colours!!! Meets Yucatan on better weight terms than the last time they met. Apparently Prince was boxed in a bit early in that run, though Yucatan looked very impressive in the run home. Cross Counter has good colours too, and is Richo's tip(or was it Dr Turf?)

I reckon Petracca could be called the Fonz. Somehow I think it suits him.

Duh. Ignorant comment.