Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Logging off Demonland for the night - too depressing, I thought these kind of [censored] performances were behind us.  Might cruise the news sites, perhaps Kim Jong-un has fired missile somewhere or something, Trump and Putin are preparing the nukes - even that would just about be less depressing than the [censored] result of today's match at the G.

Can we please let Demonland do the selections next week - couldn't [censored] it up any more than the professionals did this week against Freo.

Using Watts in the ruck is like using your Rolls Royce to take your rubbish to the dump on the back seat when you have a perfectly good ute sitting in the carport, you just shouldn't do it, particularly when you have practically no other key forwards on the park.

Bring back Pedo

6.  Spencer - did everything that could be expected an more against the biggest genuine ruckman in the league.  Should do well in future weeks against lesser opponents.

5.  Watts

4.  Hartley

3. Hunt

2. Oliver

1.  Jetta

3 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Im putting the blame where it bloody belongs....the selection panel

I put it on both.  The selection pannel showed faith (be it misjudged), but Weid gave paractically nothing today for the second, if not third week in a row.  People have go at Jack Watts, but I'm struggling to remember him ever displaying such little effort.

So mad with our selection decisions right now.  For the fourth week in a row Weideman was [censored] useless.

Smith, Pedesen, Bradshaw, anyone would have done better playing full forward today.  In a game that we lost by 3 points playing Weideman has cost us the 4 point.

I'm putting all the blame on one player here, but I don't think it is unwanted.  I can excuse him getting out muscled in the air, but what I absolutely despised about his game today, was that when he lost the arial contest he gave NOTHING at ground level - looked almost disinterested at times.  Complete passenger - back to Casey and show some intent.

Jeff Garlett celebrates his 150th game overall today.  Unless I've missed it elsewhere, I think it has gone realatively noted here on Demonland.

Jeff has been a fantastic bargain pick-up from the blues.  Though his has had a few dips in form where his impact on games is minimal or marginal at best, overall I think he adds tremendous forward pressure, goal scoring power and that X factor that makes you stand up in your seat.  Couldn't believe our luck when Carlton let go a guy who had kicked 40 odd goals a season for a number of years (before having one bad season under Mick) for next to nothing.

Great work Jeffy and may the goals continue to flow for you for many years yet in the red and blue!

Cheers - a behind to the Swans to finish off the quarter.

Was reading Demonland with the footy on in the background, while not really watching it - the boos from the Domain Stadium crowd told me Swans just kicked a goal.

15 hours ago, Skuit said:

Just out of interest, Nat Jones is currently on 226 games - equal with Gary Lyon and Stan Alves. Next up is Russel Robs on 228 and then Todd Viney (233), Brett Lovett (235), and Jeff White on 236 (!).

Considering he is already presently on 70 games, Jack has a great opportunity to surpass his old man.  Would help if he doesn't get distracted by tennis as well.

21 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

AA halfback?   He can do it, he is that good.

So long as it doesn't set him up to suffer the same date as our last AA.

Still wouldn't have got him a rising star nomination if he was elegable!

23 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Whooly dooly aren't Hawthorn in for a world of pain over the next couple of years....

Here's to hopeing it's more than just a couple.

2 hours ago, bush demon said:

We were scared of the goal sticks and in awe of Geelong. Haven't choked so much since '87 prelim.

Yeah, but thankfully it didn't cost us a grand final birth this time.

4 hours ago, loges said:

We can't afford for Weideman to just have his 2 cameos and then have no further presence in the game, especially with Hogan out. We needed him to step up today and had no impact. Pedersen used to get ripped off every time they selected Dawes before him, it will be the same again if they don't start giving him a go, no world beater but plays his role

Not that it could have completely have been foreseen by anyone, but I actually think playing Weid over Pedesen partly cost us the game yesterday.  Would have provided an actual presence in the forward line, but also critically given us someone to share the ruck duties with Watts with and subsequently also given us a reliable goal kicker up forward.  We were getting so many inside fifty entries, that Jack would have got amoungst that and is nomally such a reliable kick on goal.

Having several half decent ruck backup options that can also hold their own in other parts of the ground when not in the ruck is a contingency, the value of which should not be under estimated.

4 minutes ago, Hogan2014 said:

Part of his development.....Giving him a taste and will be sent back to work on his game....Lets not start putting unrealistic expectations on a 2nd year KPP

Agreed

The most pleasing thing about this game for me was the way the team played after we lost Gawn.  Didn't drop it's bundle and all but dominated Geelong for the next two quarters.  In the end the only things which really beat us was inaccuracy in front of goal combined with the inevitable physical fatigue compared with Geelong from having a ruckman short.  Can't fault our players effort and attitude to the game.  The only couple of things which could have improved the performance was some better mental application in front of goal - no one guilty player, but if two or three of those could have been slotted through and had we not lapsed for the last three minutes of the third quarter it could have been a victory to remember.

Re Richmond in 2nd spot:

* WTF

* Only round 3

Too many behinds

5 hours ago, Danelska said:

Dissapointing as clearly we could have won. Tired and put the cue in the rack in the final 20, sure I can wear that, considering where we have been the last decade. I am super super impressed with our midfield, and super super content with where we are headed, considering the 3/4 effort and the intent and energy we displayed. We will be a juggernaut.

Didn't see the team put the que in the rack at all really.  Up until the last 10mins or so, we were still in a position where winning was possible.  Those two goals last in the third really hurt us (allong with all our misses).

Haven't watched the team loose, but be almost happy with the teams performance in a long time - tonight was one.  Don't get me wrong I hate loosing, but was satisfied that we put in close to the best showing that we could in the circumstances.

Weideman is the biggest underperformer in the team by far at present.  1 kick, 4 handballs,  1 mark and 1 tackle is nowhere near acceptable.  Pedesen must be back in the team ahead of Weideman now.  Weideman keeping his place in the side after two average to poor games first up, then an absolute shocker is bad for team culture - reeks of the gifting games to high draft picks that the club did so well to get away from.

I can't even  see how it's doing him any good developmentally or confidence wise to continue to play him in his present form.

Whist I'm not the Osky hater that some are, I'll acknowledge that his form has been a bit ordinay in the first two rounds.  Hopefully he can turn it around, but otherwise, Frost is a player that should be ready to take his spot in a week or two and perhaps that even spurs him on a bit.  Oscar just doesn't look as hungry, desperate or capable  as others at this point.  Was a goal that bounced through against Carlton in the square that I thought he could have got to but either completely miss read it or didn't put the effort into or both.

Bernie comes in as obvious Leiws replacement, I'm also thinking Bugg for Nibbler (thought he went missing against the Blues) and I'd also want to bring in Kent for someone, just for that pace and hardness he brings to the team, perhaps for Hannan (though it would be stiff, because I thought he did ok on Sunday).  Could also see Melksem going out of the side.

Not so sure who I'd bring in for Hogan, as there aren't stand out options based on my knowledge of the form of the likely replacements, but would probably lean towards Spencer, based on some decient preseason form and his game 2 years ago at the cattery.  I with those who don't think Hogan's loss will hurt us too much.  He wasn't particularly effect against Carlton and playing Spencer frees up both Gawn and Watts to spend more time forward and both are capable there.  Also think it's important to give Spencer a decent run to both manage Gawn a bit and give Spencer a bit of form and confidence in case Gawn goes down for a bit.

I also think Jack Viney has been a bit down by his standards and a return to full output would do alot for our chances of winning.  Alternately I think Viney could be the one used as a hard tag on Dangerfield.

The team should be pumped for this one, what a great test along the way to show if we are contenders or pretenders.  We played like crap for much of the game against a Carlton that were primed and still won.  I'm looking forward to a competitive effort and think the team can win.  Hopefully that thrashing last year stung a bit and has them in a mind for vengeance.

35 minutes ago, Nasher said:

I've always maintained that as supporters, we should be welcome to get as carried away as we please.  It's our own emotions we are putting on the line.

You are right that the team must not think this way, and I really doubt they are.  

Has been said that players of the Neeld era we're mentally scarred and the same could be said of us MFC followers as a supporter group.

Personally I'm starting to regain the confidence in the team that winning most weeks and comfortably beating/smashing teams below us are the base expectations we should have of our team.