Deemania since 56

North Shore pubs, particularly Cronulla.

For the first time since our last finals appearance, I will be in the Ponsford stand between the goals on the first level - semi-sheltered if it rains. I can remember that it had a great view of the whole ground, largely unhindered, with good views to the scoreboards (which have since been upgraded and are more visible). (Son and I have seats reserved and look forward to the best win of the season, knocking off the Catty Puts and putting them in the 'what happened' ether for this season.) Might take a pair of small field binoculars this time, so that I can see TMac smile at the Richmond end of the ground as he racks up his 7 goals for the game. Go Dees!

I'd reckon that HIbberd serves best as an intercept/break-away style of player; I agree if Joel Smith is luckily considered, he would possibly match up on Dangerfield height-wise, speed & recovery wise, and maybe in the physical positioning/blocking role.

Very possible, quite observable in some games. Let us hope that is the actual case, albeit a step-up to a harder style of game but we have youth, most now with 2 years of hard training behind them. 'Carna Dees!

He just has to get 'em, hold 'em, and kick 'em. He needs some protection in all three.

Across the last month, Dees superior and transitioning better; learned skills are ripping opponents apart. Focus on hitting the Cats hard and denying positional options will win it.

Tremendous question. My thoughts are that Fritsch needs to be fwd and Hannan as well; Fritsch to the bench for rotations fwd. Hannan in selected 18. Spargo has to be the unlucky one at this point.

During the home and away season - at critical times in critical onfield locations - across the season, the MFC were culled, drawn and quartered, emaciated onfield, prejudiced against, disrespected, devalued, violated and abused by the green snot goblins and the AFL itself by direction. Prominent teams could do anything illegal without penalty against us. Now that the scrutiny of finals is so very much more focussed, the 'powers that be for the gate receipt ascension of the game' can little afford to repeat these performances in their judiciary role. In other words, it is less likely that umpires will even try to abominate the laws of the game for the advantage of any team playing against the MFC - or keeping MFC opponents in the game by nefarious decisions until the moment is ripe for taking the game from the MFC. This more focussed finals culmination of the season and the lesser the likelihood of onfield interference (to which others and I have repeatedly referred) will provide a finals environment that is far more even and fair than what the MFC has had to tolerate all through 2027 and 2018. This improvement has enabled many observers - of which Walls is but one - to be able to declare their expectations that the Dees are the team to beat throughout the finals series - and are red hot to take the flag where fairer play applications are involved. Otherwise, where deliberate exercises in the 'advantages' of interfered games occur, these pundits of note would otherwise have to 'shut up' and not acknowledge what has gone prejudicially before (as far as the MFC is concerned, in so many games.) The pundits' interests in AFL dependencies might no longer apply and the truth, justice and evenness of our beloved game may come to fruition - alongside pundit support. For this, onyer Wallsy. 'Carna Demons!

Very true and a good choice, definitely not crowed-affected and that could be a change for the better for the mighty Dees.

Nope

Blicavs is a player who rumbles us quite often; he needs to have an 'accident' with a nice run-through from Vanders going about his geographical, field-wide excursions, and a follow-up from Harmes when he (Blicavs) gets up from the carpet.

History is a wonderful thing.

I could never waste good money on drinks for girls, once I realised (after explanation from a mate and combined observation over two double-dates) that they were competing with one another for the fanciest drink mixed in a shaker, just for them. They seldom enjoyed their drinks, but kept saying that those drinks were 'gorgeous!' yet never savoured the beverages as a bloke does with a beer. If it had an exotic name, that was its prime importance. So, we gave them a couple of 'Stingers", to test the theory; and then, explained why those drinks were called 'Stingers" (2 parts white creme de menthe, two parts cognac, one part vodka). Y'see, goils, when we go up to Hotham for a ski in winter, a certain part of the anatomy gets very cold as we ski very fast. At the end of each run, we duck into the tavern for a Stinger, pop our frozen anatomical piece in our glass and then, back in the trousers. It really works, when the sting is gone, that anatomical monstrosity always feels better, warmer and ready to go. The girls never elected to have a Stinger again. One of them took up an ordinary draught beer, realising her shallowness.

Too right they rate the Dees very highly ... they had to rely on across-the-game free kicks from the umpires to stay in the game and only just managed that ... then for a whole quarter they struggled without the green snot goblins gifting further free kicks to a demoralised Geelong team, to finalise the game on two occasions (two games played) and poor Maxxy had to wear the blame in one of these games. As for the ruck infringement on Dangerfield, I cannot see any player, ever, stooping so low to pull that one ... so beware, several Catty Puts are on the major injury list for this game.

Bloody good question.

Cannot forget the Friday night special in the 70s, after drinking beer until closing time: a fully loaded Capricciosa pizza, 24-inch in diameter, with black olives, anchovies, ham, capsicum, 3 cheeses, basil, tomatoes and paste at the bottom, onions, pepperoni, fresh chopped mushrooms (no canned muck), more ham, more cheese and the price? $1.50 @ Venezia Pizza, Glenferrie Road, Malvern. In those days, you could drink a gutful for $15, all night ... And the footy on Saturday to follow with a pie and dead horse, donuts and more beer. Character building.

Great call by Deespicable. Solid team. Fritsch does better on the HFflank in a cross-over role, rather than solely man-on-man. Smith is a must for movement and height, intercepts and disposal. Clarrie on the bench gives it some dignity and will throw their coach off the melting wax throne to which he has become accustomed. Expect Vanders and Harmes to do something nasty to the cheating Dangermouse within a very fast succession of bodily contact drills, and as for poor Selwood, who could forget how Viney left him mentally shafted on the carpet with the perfect opposition player disposal mission earlier in the year? Happy Fathers Day to all dads, today. My son got me flights to Melbourne, 2-nights apartment accommodation in East Melb and tickets for the game coz I deserve it. 'Carna Dees. The lad and I regard this match as the pinnacle of the year.

Nev is the third 'single favoured' so far on this page ... guess I am a tart for the boys, it is so hard to separate Clarrie, Gawnie and Nev, that's why. Each is just one step below the great Robbie, in my opinion, with Gus pushing up each game and yet, no-one will ever exceed Flower in terms of team contribution, skill, expertise, 'unbeatableness', heart and loyalty to the MFC. I still miss Robbie and wish we had another one these days. Just imagine if he was in the current team!

Pruese from the Kangas would be good in this regard, as well as turning him into a kp either fwd or bkwd. Probably got the spelling of his name incorrect, but hey, not everyone is a Smith or Jones.

That is pretty true AF, he is nearly there if that is the role he is shifting towards; I suspect that it needs continued focus and I also suspect that he has greater skills yet to come, certainly equal to - or higher than - those of De Goey. His enigmatic footy might well enable a varied series of roles more inclusive that just drawing opponents' in his direction.

Simple questions that when addressed, could make us a Premiership team with Hogan at the Front Door up fwd. We owe it to him and the long-suffering fans - no trade for Hogan would be satisfactory - he is one tremendous asset who should be allowed to play in a more-controlled team than what we so often currently exhibited. NO TRADE FOR HOGAN, banish the thought.

I'd play Preusse as a CHBack, with some ruck relieving roles across a game. Be an ideal opponent for some of the well-favoured, smart-arse, Hawkins-like forwards around the competition at present, and could be lethal when required for the Selwoods, Dangerfields, the whole Filth team, and in tempering some of the Essendrug thugs. That is just a small handful of potential roles if we wanted to get nasty with all teams ... hitman heaven!

Too bloody right! Frost was the man who should have been down back - Paul Roos saw it and that is good enough for me. It was an absolute disgrace to rely so heavily on the 'lethargic' and indecisive OMac for such a role. Frosty is one of our best.

'Home' takes on revived meaning for us, doesn't it? We have some scores to settle, with Geelong the largest score, of all, this year. Saw on 'Talking Footy' last night that if poor old Maxy (forgiven, of course) had kicked that last goal in the game against the Catty Puts and Tuohy had missed that exorbitant free kick winning goal in the the last minute of the second Catty Puts match, we would now be in second spot on the ladder - the problem is that on both occasions, the umpires deliberately kept a losing-terribly Geelong in the game from the second qtr to the last, so there was effectively no way of keeping them bleeding badly as we scored heavily against the odds fabricated by the Green Snot Brethren on the AFL's behalf. So, playing the Cats next in an elimination final will be more than overdue justice, it will be poetry in motion as we take the game by 50 points and Dangerfield is hospitalised for recovery across the summer break.

Very, very true.