Goodvibes

So in summary, a team that is regarded by most as middle of the road with aspirations to make the eight finished their pre-season with 2 wins and 3 losses. We played two games in Queensland, one game in South Australia and two games at a stadium where we haven't won in a zillion years. We played two of last years top 4 teams. Can't wait to see us play for four premiership points on the MCG.

I don't think he even missed a week.

Thanks for the report! One of my concerns going into the game and indeed the season is our lack of pace. If Blease and Davey are playing forward we don't appear to have much line-breaking run from the backline or through the middle. Did Port look considerably quicker than us?

Did you agree with the list of "bests" on the official site? What else can you tell us about the game? Was it, as Neeld suggests, the inability of a couple of players to adhere to our defensive structures or was it a lack of effort? Did any of the players from our last four drafts show anything? Did you see any examples of leadership? What was their body language like at the end of the game? Were Port Adelaide deserving of any credit or were they as terrible as they were last year? Some insight from someone who was actually there would be great!

So then why did they not trade Bate when the opportunity was there? Why did we not cash in our chips with our favourite whipping boys Morton or Bennell?

I've got no interest because lamenting over the players that won't play a role in our next premiership is a waste of time and energy. I haven't given up on the listed players above (Blease, Strauss, Watts, Grimes, Trengove, Tapscott, Bennell, McKenzie, Bail, Gawn and Morton) and if we're to win a premiership in the near to medium future many of those names will be wearing premiership medallions. We lost a game to Port in the pre-season. No-one here saw it and the aftermath has been comical. I'm accustomed to being called a 'happy clapper' when it comes to trying to be positive about the fortunes of my footy club and am clearly setting myself up again for that here but the alternative to me is that you become jaded and cynical and start seeing the negative in everything. Two weeks ago Jack Trengove was the future of our premiership assault now after a couple of games back he's clearly being over-burdened by the captaincy. Neeld was a genius after the Collingwood game and now his gameplan is all wrong. As I've said before, people on Demonland always think in black and white terms and rarely see the grey. During the pre-season, there's more grey than ever.

The call from the more intelligent supporter is to come back in 10 years. Geelong is the classic example. Remember how their list was built? http://afl.com.au/ne...80/default.aspx In the fifth year after Ablett, Bartel, Kelly and Steve Johnson arrived at the club and in the seventh year after Mooney was traded for and Corey, Chapman, Ling and Enright were drafted Geelong finished 10th and Thompson almost lost his job. I don't need to remind anyone here what happened to Geelong in 2007 - 2011. How was Ablett rated after 3 years? Were Bartel, Kelly and Steve Johnson certain to emerge as superstars? Was Mooney considered a great trade option? The 1999 crew (Corey, Chapman, Ling and Enright) were entering their peak. At the end of 2006 did many anticipate they'd become multiple premiership and All-Australian players? I'm not suggesting that Blease, Strauss, Watts, Grimes, Trengove, Tapscott, Bennell, McKenzie, Bail, Gawn and Morton will necessarily go on to match the Geelong players I've mentioned above but clearly coming back "in a few years" is still too soon.

I think we should bring the stitching back into our jersey while we're at it.

If we're ready with five other teams at the same time then I'll be happy. Top 6 for 6 years - I like those odds.

I do a little bit of coaching (school kids and senior women) and the one thing that I've discovered over the journey is how important 3 or 4 players can be. We can talk about structures and tactics and development and culture and go round and round and round. We can compare ourselves to other teams and compare our young players to others. Over the past three years (and arguably the last 40) it has been blatantly obvious that we've been 3 or 4 players short of a decent, competitive week in, week out team and these 3 or 4 have been experienced, hard-bodied leaders. Add Mitchell, Sewell, Hodge and Franklin to the Dees and our younger players would walk taller and play accordingly. Our midfield rotations would have genuine depth. Our lesser midfield lights would receive less tagging attention and our key forwards would get lesser defenders and our defenders would have more confidence to take the game on and support their team-mates. In short, pressure would be taken off the youngest third of our list to lead the rest. An example would be provided on and off the field to follow. We simply don't have that experienced core. The football department admitted as much when they appointed a 20 year old and a 22 year old as co-captains. The addition of Clark is bloody important. Couch and Magner will give us grunt and competition and depth but the reality is, we'll lack the midfield class until Gysberts, Strauss and Blease all mature (physically and mentally). For mine, Trengove must become elite and Grimes will need to stay relatively injury free. Add Viney and an experienced midfielder with our compo picks and the worm will start to turn quickly. If Jones continues to improve and Sylvia finally has the break out season we've all been waiting for then within 2 seasons we'll have the experienced, match-hardened engine room that we crave. A midfield group of Trengove, Gysberts, Jones, Grimes, Blease, Viney, Sylvia, McKenzie, Bail and let's say for the point of the exercise (Jack Redden/Patrick Dangerfield/Dion Prestia trade with compo picks). I'm not convinced that Moloney will be good enough in a couple of seasons and I'm also not giving up on Morton. If a Tynan or a Taggert or a 2012 draft pick can be added successfully to this group then we have the 12 that we'll need. We'll also have a good mix of experience. We know that our bookends are pretty good. It's all about the midfield. It looks like we've got the grunt - now we need to get the games into the above list and hope that the better kicks develop the engine and the attitude to compete consistently. We're 3 or 4 players away - the question is how many of them are already on our list?

Neeld probably asked Mick to help him out by going public with a rocket for Jack. And Elvis killed Kennedy.

No injuries.

A day in the life of Demonland has been perfectly captured in this thread. Time capsule stuff.

It's still pissing down in Brisbane at the moment and apparently the rain is expected to set in for the whole weekend. Now where did I leave my Demon poncho . . .

Fan, stop finding grey where there is clearly only black and white. Demonland regulars have already confirmed and published the MFC 20011 - 2012 chapter in our soon to be relased online club history. Jim saved the club, Bailey almost killed it, Garry stepped in when Jim was too sick to save it twice and Neeld will break our premiership drought. Trengove will hold aloft the premiership cup and Scully will cry himself to sleep lamenting his career-crippling knee problems. It's that simple. In all seriousness, as sloppy as the Bailey exit was, I couldn't imagine the club recovering in a more efficient manner. The Neeld, Craig, Misson trio plus a significant off-season trade has most supporters scrounging for their rose coloured glasses again. And of course, I'm no different. That's what we do!

I think it's all pretty simple. Deep down everyone here thinks that Trengove is the most obvious leader on our list. The only question is whether 2012 is too soon. I think he'll get the job.

Hello fellow Demonlanders I'm hoping to receive a little help. I've been coaching at a school level for many years and then took on a senior womens team last season. I'm always on the lookout for new drills and traiing ideas in the hope of keeping my players fresh and stimulated. I thought it might be worth seeking the help of the great many Demonlanders who play the game or have been attending Dees training sessions. Do you have a favourite drill? I'd love to hear how it works and how you've benefited. Thanks in advance

Neeld needs to get lower. What kind of examples is this?

Maybe they didn't have to. Maybe Neeld does. Different clubs, different players, different cultures.

Unless the origin of the word is French then the 'Z' is acceptable. Having said that, I'm in the minority. People view 'Z' as American but they need to look further back in history and look at who imported the 'Z'.

I thought infants who were treatly poorly during their early years often grow up to be dysfunctional.

It seems pretty simple to me. He has to show two things. FIrstly, is the depression and linked drug taking a sad chapter from his past and something he's confident he has under control and secondly, is he an improvement on Jones, McKenzie and Gysberts. Watching Kennedy over the past two seasons in Sydney may be playing too big an influence in my thinking but my gut instinct is that Tuck is worth a shot.

I was on Demonland.

He's been super impressive. Can any of the drafting experts out there tell me why he wasn't picked up earlier in the draft?

Sibosado, Daw, Panos . . . Hall could well become the much hyped bigfooty-driven, youtube sensation of 2011.