Deemania since 56

Not at all an unreasonable assumption - risk Gawn to save Goodwin.

Grundy is not that great a threat at the moment, in these circumstances and was quite pedestrian this week against the Crows. Perfect bash and crash target (if necessary) for Preussy across the game and the rare opportunity for AVB to square up on his chest and shoulders should he (Grundy) get cheeky. If we keep Jackson and the Weed up forward, we are better off. Put TMac on the bench under very close instructions across the game. Don't play Max - he is too valuable as it is.

Agreed, spaceman he certainly can be out there in the loneliness of the wing between hbf and hff. Our team has a distinct preference for the LHS flank - other than the LHS of the midline. As yet, I think that the rest of the 'team' haven't scanned widely to have noticed Tomlinson, his great positioning and his run, and carry skilling out there in the modern game's nowhere land. If they had noticed, there is often a space of 80 or so metres blank and largely unmanned on Tomlinson's flank - what a handy progress of the ball to moving forwards that would be! HIbberd seems to be aware of this, and has on occasion cleared well through him. Langdon is doing a fine job on the other flank so wouldn't it be nice if our backs, in particular, looked and move to activate the other flank just as well? He stays in the side, for mine; it is a team game that we should be taking better advantage of as well as developing 'prongs' of metres to be gained.

TMac is our best move at CHB - but it is difficult to await the return of Petty (and for that matter, Hore on the HBF instead of Harmes or Salem. What a waste! Goodwin, start thinking! TMac can run all day suited to the CHB who has the job of spoiling first to advantage, and then providing the intercept when possible - the second task does not really require blistering pace (although Hardeman did have it). It does require re-set, in the main. The roles of May and Lever are becoming more evident and the critical intercept-to-attack defensive moves are theirs, already coming to the fore. Both play nice team-tag with one another in that process. Rivers and Swallow add attitude and skills to the mix, and Hibberd cleans up delightfully but has few people (at present) to nail the footy down their throats - and it is potentially a bloody potent backline!

Tomlinson, soon, with improved confidence and a better knowledge of our potencies will be a very handy asset in the two-way role of the best wingmen. He is already starting to position well to attract and receive in space - and metres-gained room. He can also take a grab against the opposition and tap the ball to the smalls. I see him as a driver of the ball in these regards, not a stop-start outside flanker.

Oh, the poetry of it all ... inspirational stuff and something we must exploit more often.

Another year, another Demon player who should have a little talk in training to Stan Alves.

Work on his kicking accuracy and bullet passing is required first before kicking goals

However, he can read the game and pre-position himself to advantage, surely?

Watch Langdon's ball drop, yes ... but also watch his leg action, slightly curvy and around the corner, losing a fair bit of power and accuracy. This may be because of the ball drop errors that seem to miss the sweet spot on his extended foot - a good coaching team will be able to address these elements in a very short period of time; can our FD do it? Kicking well with both feet is another area for some focus, one that many good players fail to execute with confidence. The short, inside pass to the ground midline in the normal range of the goals is one often that is often realistically 'on' but is overlooked for a 'bomb' downfield - and we know how ineffective that is for the MFC.

I do believe that Tomlinson may well prove to be a great asset as well, finding space, two-way running and positioning out of defence into the attack. He is taking some time to adjust to these roles fully, in comparison to the contributions of Langdon. I have patience and look forward to this occurring - the signs are there - the execution is tentative at present. With a few team wins to come across the board, I'd expect Tomlinson to reek confidence in his aptitudes.

Agreed, he needed a transfer to another club to re-start a career heading rapidly towards its sunset. He did well to attract the Filth, and to put in some good (and some ordinary) performances after the move. He was good at the MFC, quite reliable and a decent kick, and surely capable of giving and taking in the hard-liner department. Amusingly, he staged a fair bit looking for free kicks whilst at the same time, not realising that he was absolutely useless as a stager, seldom getting the umpires' nods. Another mirthful characteristic was his oft-attempted backhand slap to the groin of an opponent - these he usually got away with - the memory still smarts. ?

I think that his kicking skills are as good as anyone's in the team. He has varied capabilities with the ball as seen with some of his 'shots' at goal from the boundary to square front-on, including some of his looping passing to teammates, and some of his more direct feeds with the ball. He has distance and accuracy. He is also a good crumber. His attack with the ball is seldom exaggerated by steadying delays - he gets it, he goals faster than you can blink - quite often. He is a very handy team footballer.

You know, I'd really like to take this opportunity to congratulate Gus. His last two games - playing in his rightful position and penetrating the field as he has done - has been more than inspirational for the whole football team. He is a class act doing what he knows best, the equal of anyone else in the League from the midfield. If he played for one of the glamour teams, he'd be classed as 'great', a 'champion' and one of the few with 'top of the rung talent'. Played out of position, his skillset was not required and he struggled more often than not. The rise of impact on games by Petracca and Clarrie has assisted Gus to blend with the midfielder's role more fully, to better effect and with more team confidence for him to access. Wonderful time of this season to hit his straps again; his potency is something of which the MFC should be proud and respectful. He is not a backline 'fixer', he is an attacking midfielder par excellence.

Tomlinson was a good avenue on the other wing. Both were assets in this game. Spacemakers, runners, eyes-up team members. ?

All class ... undisputed.

If not, it will be a premeditated AFL set up to propel North at the Demons' expense at this stage of the season.

I'd call it 'containing the catastrophe that they now represent' after the Crows v MFC game.

Too right. Gawny is a legend, with enough bearing to dismiss physical abuse and personal targeting. He avoided another penalty by not responding to the attacks. The umpires wanted to see him stumble but he outsmarted them. Held his dignity when all around were losing theirs. We won the game. The Crows lost. McHenry and in particular, Walker, disgraced themselves and in the eyes of the footballing public, deserve no respect for their losing efforts. Onyer, Max.

Subtle....

TMac could still be missing from the squad - injury flare-up is a terrible thing - and a surprise. It is as bad as memory loss.

I still reckon '...Brayshaw on ball for the majority of the game' is not only likely but also, highly desirable on many fronts. To me, Gus is all class once he has had a feel for the game and is in his correct place onfield.

Constant pressure will nullify HIggins; it may not stop him but it will assist in reducing his impact. The closer the pressure, the better. Higgins can rush his disposals and hence, we want to encourage that trend.

The Dees will need to be on their toes for this match, all match. The umpires will keep North in the game for at least three quarters, rest assured - so we have to lead the match, all match, by at least three goals. A few errant body slams in honour of a missing Max and a turbocharged Viney will be required to unsettle and confuse the North runners. Harmes, Tomlinson, Salem and Tracca are in for a testing and very big responsibility across the game, full of two-way involvement and initiative. We can take this game with creative initiative and hard work.

AVB will get him next time. Just once, please.