FlashInThePan

He really doesn’t look like he should be able to play like he does. I hate invoking Robbie Flower but there is something fragile looking about him and yet he has that poise and class. I’m excited, I’d like to see him against a tougher defence, lets see how he goes in JLT1, if he keeps playing like that he looks set to earn himself a gurney in Game #1

I personally loved seeing Hogan in the midfield occasionally. This is just another example of how hard we are going to be to match up against. Almost every player has another string to their bow and this just makes us really unpredictable. Try matching up a defender on hogan when we can just swing him into the midfield and rotate Trac in there instead. As we’ve seen Clarrie is attracting a tag now, how is that going to work out when we have such midfield depth and with his hands we could easily rotate him into the forward line to break the tag. He can swap with Melksham, Trac, Harmes, ANB, the list just goes on and on and they can all play a role in the midfield. The added bonus is with Fritsch and Hannan around, it doesn’t matter if Hogan and/or TMac get double teamed to take them out of the game, they are both so good overhead we can still pull in marks inside 50. I may be getting a little ahead of myself but I am very excited about this year. Bring it on!

I'm in again DV. Team name: Demonators Thanks

Petruccelle definitely has X-Factor. Well worth taking as punt on. Only his kicking looks a little suspect. He takes the game on, has heaps of speed and is good overhead. I’d love to see him in Red and Blue

Ummm, you must have missed the game a couple of Saturdays ago? I don’t think it was pretend, looked like the actual grand final to me... Just saying

I've always liked toast and Kent for Balic sounds like a good trade to me.

Watts isn't the problem, inconsistency is the problem. The whole team needs to own it. Throughout the year probably only 4 players could say they played at a consistnently high standard for mine it was: Hibbo, Jetta, Clarry and Jones. With rare exceptions they were solid in nearly every game. We had not a single consistently high performing forward. For different people the reasons seem to be different, Hoges is obvious, Viney's injuries, Jeffy was obviously having family issues, etc, etc. You simply can't make a premiership winging team out of variability like that unless you are just plain lucky. The problem is not Watts! He simply exhibits the same variable performance as 90% of the team and he brings skills that few others in the team have. That variability is the issue we need to address. Whether it is preparation, behaviour outside hours, pre-game routine, lack of effort on the training track, the club needs to look into it on a case by case basis and manage the team better. I'm pointing the finger at the coaching staff, not at Watts.

He has been a gun, best of all he has been ultra-reliable. Both he and Jetta have been rock solid all year, rarely beaten. The rest of our backline has been more variable, not bad but just variable in performance. Obviously consistency is the next piece of the puzzle if we are going to take it to the next level. We have Hibbo and Jetta in the back, Jones and Clarry in the middle but no consistent performers in the forward line and this really concerns me. We obviously get flashes of brilliance from the likes of Jeffy and Hoges and Trac seems to be building but you can't put together a season with people varying their performance so dramatically from week to week. I think some of it can be put down to injury and not getting a solid run at it, but some must be down to training habits and preparation. It will be interesting to see how this is addressed in the off season. By the sounds of things the leadership group is on the war path and coming down on those who's preparation and intensity has been lacking from time to time. Lets hope this brings results, Hibbo is a solid role model for any backman.

Motlop is a FA. Why are we talking about trades? The question is only 'What are we prepared to pay for him'? Personally I think he would be a great addition to the team. I like the idea of seeing him and Jeffy both zipping through the forward line and doing short rotations into the midfield.

Clarry has really had a great year. If he can increase his kick to handball ratio he will be even more damaging. I'm just imagining what a midfield of clarry, Trac, viney and gussy will look like when they all have 100 games under their belts. Bring it on!

Nah. Gussy is going to be a gun. Great footy smarts, Just gets to the right spots. If he gets a full preseason and some continuity next year we will see a progression from what he did in his first year. He is completely unpredictable coming out of congestion as he can go left or right with equal skill.

Actually we have had problems all season with our delivery into the forward line. Even when we were playing well and dominating other teams we weren't getting the scoreboard results that the general play would lead you to expect. It felt like we were often missing a link. Our forward structure is definitely still a work in progress. I can't help but think having Hogan as a lead up chf and someone like TMac in the square would be a better structure, potentially with watts on the wing receiving out of defence. We have also struggled with contested marks. Part of this could be attributed to having hoges out of the team for so much of the year as well as long stints without any proper ruck. It is interesting that Richmond have managed to make a forward line with only one tall work so well. Perhaps there is something to learn there.

My guess is that the lever deal will get done and frosty will be part of that. Trenners will go, as much as i hate to say it. Obviously H is already gone. Spencil will go for opportunity. I'm guessing that Hulett and white may also get delisted. Personally I'd like to see Wagner delisted too but i feel like there is still done live for him at the club. That frees up enough slots for the draft and i don't think we need to do more than that. Kent, jkh and vandenberg will be potential trade plays but i think we would be okay to keep them too. I don't think this trade period will be as massive as people are thinking.

I'm as gutted a anyone about missing finals but i swear this forum gives rise to a lot of irrational sooks. Suck it up people, there is no magic wand, we are building for long term success and i think the future looks better than it has in a long time. Sure there are problems, but we were an utter basket case and we are now trending the right way. I don't think there is any upside in crucifying the club because they don't word their anguish in a way that resonates for you specifically.

I had to skip to the end after reading 3 pages of demonland implosion on this thread. That was a hard game to watch but there is no doubt this team is starting to come together. It is ridiculous to say that we aren't better, we are definitely better and are on the brink of being excellent. That first quarter was a shocker, pressure wise, and we played catchup footy from there. We have had plenty of poor first quarters over the year and it is something we are going to have to address in the off season. There is plenty of growth too be had from this group. Imagine when Gussy, Trac and Oliver have had 100 games together in the midfield along with Viney? We need to work on stopping another team when they are on a run, but there is really no need to for the excessive negative hyperbole that so many demonlanders seem to need to indulge in. Lets see how it pans out today. If we get to play finals then we deserved it. Simple as that there is no other measure besides making it.

Bernie is in trouble all right, not for the hit though, for his kicking. I don't think I have seen a game in the last few weeks where he hasn't handed the opposition at least one or two goals. And don't get me started on Wagner, when he shanked that goal today from 25 meters I just about lost it. And that was just the most memorable piece of crappy play and a long list of them. I'm really disappointed about Stretch, he really looked like he was shaping up to be something last year. This year he just looks lost. Out: Wagner, Vince, Stretch In: Frost, Salem, Watts

We really missed Viney today. Our structure in stoppages seemed all out of whack. Even when we were getting first possession we weren't generally exiting the stoppage cleanly. I definitely think the Lions are pretty damn good for a bottom of the ladder team. Their ball use and ability to hit targets was way better than StKilda last week. We were treated pretty poorly by the umpires again today. I don't think I have seen softer 50 meter penalties paid than some of the ones today, and as for the high frees being constantly paid to that little weasel mathieson, I don't have words. Jesse had a day out and Gussy just keeps building, Trac looks like he is starting to get his mojo back but there are a few passengers which needs dealing with. I really would like to see Wagner back in the 2s working on his kicking and Salem off the half back flank where he belongs. If we can get everyone firing at the same time i think we would really see something. Here's hoping it happens in the finals campaign.

Wow tgr what an amazingly ignorant post. I've not posted on this but i happen to think it was the wrong decision and i don't think it has had anything to do with our successes this season. I think that Jones had been a loyal servant and an excellent player and leader. I don't think he needed to be disrespected in order to bring on our next generation of leadership. being vice captain would have sent the message just fine. I have nothing against viney, he is an awesome player and should probably be our next captain. I just think Jones has earned the right to lead us into this era of success.

I am so happy for trenners. This could be anything, make it count jack!

I am anticipating a mind blowing breakout game one day soon. He has steadily built for a while now but one day soon it is all going to click at the same time and something amazing is going to happen.

I don't think there is any up side in this kind of argument. We made a call years ago when we were struggling and it helped us get through. We just need to be grateful for where we are at and move on.

Yes, for a second season player, he is outstanding. In fact, he is pretty damn good for a player with any number of seasons under his belt. He had to stand up today, without Viney and Jones, and he did. Impressive.

I can't wait to see Watts & Tyson back in. Unfortunately Vince is starting to look like a serious liability with the ball in hand. His decision making and kicking were really questionable on a couple of occasions. Gifted them one goal and nearly a second when he kicked to a carlton player in the middle of the ground and opened us up.

Neville Jetta... WOW!

So happy to see Trenners get picked. I know I should just care about the team winning but i just really feel like he is a servant of the club and deserves a chance to prove he can still make out at the highest level. I'm betting he is going to have a special game. Come on Dees!