Deemania since 56

They do in my football team - one to speak to the hard of hearing and the other to posit good habits under the threat of eternal wickedness . Ask a silly question, get a stupid and meaningless answer.

I'd like to see Jetta and Hibberd play the orchestral conductor role in the backline instead of Jordan Lewis. Hell, those guys are inspirational most games and know what and how it is done.

Some really good common sense in these ideas that make logical sense, almost across the board. What you are suggesting already looks like increases in drivers towards faster, productive and efficient play and it could be more widespread, thus reducing our slumps and recovery issues. Nice work!

Stats are great and in many cases these show what was expected and what was dreaded. It also has an inbuilt variable that defies what we may expect in terms of contributions that we have unwittingly been satisfied with - or appalled by - but also shows some areas of improvement that could be implemented. Great for analysis, Rusty, thank you. It is also interesting to note that on the whole, DL posters are rather good analysers of our game and personnel - particularly of those dominant players that we like or particularly remain ambivalent towards. Great stuff.

Vince is not as lethal as he was and is noticeably slowing to be at the contest. Lewis is just slow but has great kicking skills and heads up to find 'local' opportunities in other players. Lewis skirts the contact or hangs outside, too. Yet his game was good against Port, not great, but good. A firmer opposition will completely negate him, now. Both need to be at Casey and one week at a time, create space for younger animals to move up to the ones. Petty, Frost, Baker and Stretch come to mind in those positions occupied by Vince and Lewis but there are others. With Lever gone, Frost might be a great support in the back pocket to assist OMac and simultaneously release Hibberd and Jetta for some downfield backline magic; Petty is possibly a good stand-in at CHB in that scenario; Baker has pace and could use it on the wing or just outside the midfield if moving into position; Stretch needs confidence and ball winning determination and he, too, could run out the ball from the HBFlank to wing - he certainly could set up some action for the talented Fritsch or even Petracca if he wanted the ball. For me, Vince and Lewis have been handy but it was always going to be a short-term arrangement.

This really is a valid point; original tennant stuff so easily overlooked with the incursive co-tenancy offered to other clubs and interests, far from the interests of the MCC and the MFC combined. However, the lure of a new purpose-built facility for MFC only is attractive and would overcome the problems associated with maintaining or modernising the current facilities within the MCG itself.

Second efforts are pretty essential in football. Why not in recruiting?

Perhaps. But a great summation of the 'news' from you, UF.

Ripe pickings all around, I'd say.

What is the frigging difference between an 'accumulator' and a 'ball winner'? Ball winners get the ball, thus accumulating possessions. Accumulators read the play well and regularly get themselves into ball winning positions, and thus increase their number of possessions. Is there something that we need to learn?

Not for me, either. Almost a risk if taken seriously.

Youngsters with talent grow up and then hell breaks loose on the field. We have a great list. Culture and hunger are missing but these are bubbling now more than the recent (20 years) past.

That is a fair offer - if he can provide a positive response that would be great. He is, however, NOT a midfielder. He is a flanker - the space suits his run and carry, and his passing skills with an occasional drift into the goals for scoring.

Always regarded him as a very handy player with G and D qualities, to complement his speed, drive and kicking abilities. Body is a worry though, recovery, play, recovery, play, recovery, looking elsewhere?? Terrible shame.

Fair call. This bloke does have some pedigree football nouse, must admit.

Came out of nowhere in terms of our expectations! What a very good choice it happens to be, as this bloke is quality. Let's all get behind him to make the Dees the best performing club in the competition!

Patience in regards to Jack has never dwindled and the occurrence of his big contributions is lesser than ever before. We all acknowledge his skills and one poster suggested recently that these attributes may no longer be a necessary addition to the modern game. It appears at first glance of this situation that Jack may be rapidly approaching the sunset of a largely unfulfilled footballing career.

And then another nuffie oracle tears strips out of concerned posters ...

I was appalled to see him on the Footy Show, with Maguire and the slow brainer (Newman) ready to pounce at ridicule opportunities - including a basketball shoot-out with a faulty ring/backboard set-up to reinforce mediocrity. The MFC needs to take particular care as to who from our playing group is presented to the media where less than optimal interviews and interactions can be controlled for a deliberate, specific negative effect. It was an appalling appearance and quite degrading. Another reason to bypass watching that crap show in the future.

Spargo has displayed signs of a very good player and when he gains experience and settles into the level of the game, he is going to be a gun.

The talent and vigour seem to have disappeared from his game, suggesting a lack of drive at present. Does he train the house down each week? Does he control and apply himself with diet, fitness, skills practices, integrated training with teammates? Why do second-rate taggers and opponents shut him down? These issues are more than the nouse of opposition coaches 'out-coaching' Goodwin - as each week Petracca almost lines up in a new spot that may suit his game, not the team. Yet, at the end of the day he is still underperforming relative to his earlier endeavours once he made the AFL-grade competition. A poster this week suggested laziness as a driver of underperforming. Perhaps this is correct. The cries were: 'Petracca is a beast - there is no stopping him'. That impression has waned considerably further reinforcing doubt on his application at this point. He is such a potentially great footballer that all of this criticism and a related downward slide in his performances at this stage of the season could disappear in mere days and remain repatriated for the rest of the season. Let us hope that this occurs - he is a supporter favourite and is widely admired for his talents.

Then again, despite his enormous talents and occasional application thereof, Colin had more that the 'normal' training footballer and lifestyle - and decision-making - to contend with against the more highly committed that we see in most others, and these combined factors did little to bring him to the potential and longevity that might otherwise have taken place.

An expression of interest over a longer time is healthy recruiting when availability is not current. Heard about this fella; it seems like he is a pretty tasty recruit and one whom we should watch for, as long as it takes. We are always going to need good disposers of the football from those with reputations of 'outside running'.

Let's not over-speculate; it pushes up the price of recruiting astronomically. If Gaff wants to be a Dee, it is up to him to show it with subtle resolve; if we want him, we could come together with Gaff to support this arrangement/outcome. With an environment of varied form and injury risks remaining ever-present, any good price is enough if the player wants to occupy a position in an emerging superteam. It does not need to be the highest price - if that is all Gaff wants, then we really don't need him. If he is a fair dinkum bloke, and everything points towards that being the case, he will be a Demon on these terms in 2019 and from that, will be much appreciated in a continuous appearance in coming grand finals for the Dees.

Not sure but some days it is evident. I think it may be related to a consistent lack of follow-through, but his field kicking is doing just fine at the moment so it is all a conundrum, of sorts. His scoring rate is great, too.