Deemania since 56

The fact that he didn't use Uber or a train obviously supports the theory that a fool and his money are soon parted.

C'mon, he went down to Geelong to pick up the brown paper bag, didn't he? Save a postage stamp, or a taxi fare, or a courier delivery. There goes our season - just watch.

The improvements and form of Gus can be used to release Clarrie to the forward line, running into the 50m line or sometimes deeper, if games allow our inside mids to be varied, occasionally. This would overcome the need to roam Hogan so far upfield so that he and Jeffy/Spargo can work as a team with ANB/Hannan and TMac to back-up. At present, our attack is too readable and too often, interrupted.

K'noath!

We all know that it is now considered an outside mid but that depends on so much else, these days, amongst the quagmire of that moving phalanx to which you refer. That can be exploited where ' wingers' do what Alves and Stretch Snr used to do: run like the wind in both directions all game, moving midline-forward into the spatial void so created for some more run, footpassing and opportune shots at goal if moderately deep.

Hunt and Fritsch on both wings excites me no end.

We just need to get another Robbie. One man, covers the whole ground, kicks 40 goals a season whilst just running ribbons around any opponent, reads the play and then re-creates the play, baffles opponents. Holds the whole team up in those dire moments when things cannot get any worse ... just one more Robbie. Heard that Jeff Farmer's (The Wizz) son is shaping up particularly nicely and will be a Demon according to his dad. The son likes his local Freo at the moment but dad said '...no way...' - so folks, just another 6 years until he is old enough to spread the Marmite. Same for Jeff White's son up north. Source: Robbo last Saturday.

Now you're talking: Hypol. Followed by a warm glass of Activite and milk, with some Saunders' Malt Extract on a dessert spoon and some virgin olive oil on a teaspoon, with an Aspro (just in case it all gave you a headache).

Pop the 'bruiser' into CHback for a week, (Pedo) and let the little blokes run wild.

It is not going to be a matter of 'coping', I would hope. It will be a matter of controlling the Cats across the board with fast, innovative play. We need to be dominant through disregard of our opponents' reputations by forcing the issues with confidence. We must man the field with assurance and positivism.

Not terribly sure, and frequency seems to be accelerating. Why not ask a few of the players? There are at least a dozen who could answer this year alone. My thoughts are often focussed upon relieving the experience and expertise of Lewis as a player - to be more influential at the coaching level in the first place right across the board. If someone as great as Paul Roos took on a 2IC in training, surely Goodwin and Company could do the same, accepting the fact that Lewis knows the answers more fully than they do.

This is an area of great interest and focus. Strange that we have to prop-up our full back, so often. Does things once in a while, cannot do these things a week later. Gets drawn too far out of deep defence. Yet skills are developing after a 3-year apprenticeship. Onfield behaviours have not. It is easier, cheaper, more potently obvious to work on Frosty and Keilty and Petty for as long as it takes in deep defensive roles, ironing out limitations and weaknesses and error behaviours onfield. I'd estimate that this would be less than a 2-year apprenticeship for all three - and Frosty is further down the track than all of them. Plus, each will benefit from gaining experience from which true aptitude develops. Other sides would kill for this resource down back - and in reality, there is not too far to go with any of these three given their ages and stages. Concurrently, we can sit back and watch the capabilities and footballing credibility of Lever on return, of Hibberd on return, of Jetta once fit again, of Jones on a flank down back, of Hunt on return, of Salem by hand and foot, of OMac two years on once the discipline is automated, etc., etc. We have it all but we just do not complete the work. at the coaching level.

Shame, gate receipts could be quite stunningly magnified if it was about streaking.

We are going to need to exploit the Catty Put's weaknesses. Pace is the key. Garlett, Spargo, Baker, Harmes, Fritsch must run for space and lead for space all game. Toss in Hannan and Wagner for pace, as well. Give these guys some credibility and responsibility - run, run, run and anticipate.

Harmes firstly has the power to take on Danger. Harmes can compete with Danger in the air. Harmes has just a bit of pace over Danger but not as much agility (turns, baulks, returns to feet after knockdowns). Harmes does not have the game instincts that Danger has displayed for years, now ... unlikely, therefore, to dominate a space on the ground or move into space to receive, or feed a running teammate with h/ball, short kicks and/or read the play in advance of opportunities. Harmes is not loved by the umpires and his fraternal onfield relationship with umpires is not as good as that of Danger's, either. Harmes is no sook, unlike Danger. Harmes must get really badly infringed to earn a free kick and seldom stages for frees, unlike Danger. Danger wins cheap possessions from any opponent if that opponent is within a 5 metre radius of Danger and yells 'Boo!', unlike Harmes. So, on balance, if a tag on Danger is required and if he is not taken out of the game by a terribly unfortunate collision with Pedo or Petracca, my selection for the tag on Danger would be: Fritsch rotating with Harmes from the wing.

Poor kicking at times, last week, definite injury / weakness combined with limited run even with opportunities. Now a strained quadriceps group, there was a message about playing Darwin that the MFC cannot accept any longer.

So, the pattern hopefully will be: Loss, Win, (Loss), out of the 8.

Wagner has a few problems but these are/have being/been addressed in the main. He is still a good runner for the half-back and has deceptive height at contests, punching the ball clear, and kicks moderately well to position. His big asset is that he has some pace and can read plays early, moving to a position in some space. Worth another try as well, I'd think, and has produced a reasonably enthusiastic few games. Some have not been as good as others, agreed, but he does have his upsides to contribute. Agreed. Pop-up pop-down players must be confused and might feel cheated not to be able to gather their feet week to week. As for Wagner, I actually like some of his game; at least he goes hard at it most of the time. This trait can only improve and if he is in the side for the Catty Puts, I'd reckon he will intend to hit 'em hard as he can and break away.

Fairy 'Nuff!

Jones would be useful in clearances at HBFlank where more focus is on one-way traffic, combining with Jetta/Hibberd could create some drive ... his recovery from active stints is less than it was and midfield-wise, his tendency to 'bomb' everything forward is very frustrating and a luxury that we can no longer afford. He is a good, heads-up ball deliverer over shorter distances, and his handball may improve (often too hard and short for teammates to get 'out of trouble' himself) with more space in which to operate. He is still a very good footballer capable of very good drive and possessive options.

Lewis out. Vince, perhaps on Danger, again, as a tagger. Harmes might tag Joel S well for a while but should rotate with Jones. Selwood will slow as the game progresses and Jones can keep him out of the way. Rolling Clarrie forward will assist with his hard-ball gets and might free a tag from Geelong.

Hannan is a very useful 'on bench' forward when run is needing to be revitalised in the third quarter - and periodically in the last quarter, with the added advantage of taking that 'speccy' mark and his quick decisions to shoot at goal when opportunities arise. He is among our most consistent scorers in that regard.

Opposition recruits do it all the time - at our expense. That is because they have space to prepare their despatch of the ball and it appears, time to do as they please all because Lewis is on their tail so no threat for easy disposals. He'll most probably fall over when he sees/realises that these opponents are gaining big ground on his ability to pursue and tackle. Lewis knows what should be done and he knows how it is done - better than most. The problem is: he can no longer do it himself. Make a great coaching acquisition, though - to the correct audience of eager young beavers trying to become mighty Demons....

Yeah, ignore the tendency but I still dream each night of Robbie turning into traffic with the options of left or right foot, for effect. Will there ever be another of his ilk?

Cynically beautiful in concept and reasoning. Who actually would want the traitor, anyway? He is past his value to us, these days and would never provide a substitute for Viney, Jones (over the years) or Clarrie. I'd reckon that Spargo has a bigger heart and loyalty than this Donald Duck.