Deemania since 56

Just looked forward, every game, to watching Tony Cloke at Oakleigh ... and the local pies were phabulous, too. Couple of great players from that Club, without a doubt.

Cam Pedo is one of our greatest foils against Hawthorn - he just does the job on them, each time we play. His body is big, tough and when moving, represents tremendous mass to hit the skinny Hawks hard. He challenges in the aerials, as well and brings the ball to ground for the crumbers. He also plays the shield as second nature, providing avenues for forward momentum and delivery. Pedo IN for heavens sake.

This video is a tremendous indication of the sight and thinking that Clarrie possesses. He has the solutions, and always has had the solutions - so quickly does he think and respond.

Like this team with one exception: Hogan to FFwd with Pedo into CHFwd. Possibly create a HBF spot for the improving Lever (who will not be down for long) by giving Jetta a rest for one week - his form (Jetta) has been less than his normal brilliance and I reckon he received an early knock against Brizzy that is still affecting his mobility a little. Fritsch to play from the bench as a leading, space-finding fwd in the 50m arc. Against the Whoreform team, we will need a combination of mobility and height - the more of each, the better. Gunstone will be the man to watch and check more than any other. Bugg is on a mission, I hope, to take out Mitchell as a mid.

I think the Hawks will do well with the umpires in front of goal, and that the Dees will have to recover the game from the middle of the second quarter, as what happened against North. In a clever move, Hibberd and Frosty will come out of the backline hard, passing effectively to our mids and fwds who will kick multiple goals within range, and crumbing smalls will buzz the Hawks defenders in their three-setup to kick the rest. Kent will play a pivotal role in this with 3 running goals from 45-50 metres. Fritzy will lead up well, receiving several low passes and will have some time to leap for a few, as well. Of course, he will convert accurately. Lever will trouble the Hawk talls, coming across from the side to intercept and handball/pass forward. Jones and Gawn, BOG with Clarrie taking 35 possessions and kicking 4 goals. ANB back to form and effective. Melksham will get those 4 goals missed across the last two weeks. Bugg will flatten Mitchell. Tracca will tear the Hawks' half-backs to pieces and kick quite a few longish goals. Pedo will come into the side as the ruck backup, kicking 3 from CHF. Goodwin will turn OMac into a fwd, slotting Frosty at FBack in the 2nd half. Hogan will ruck and rove from midfield and fwd line, and will kick 5. Dees by 40 points at 3qtr time, 60 pts at stumps.

Just missed Pedo from the team...he serves us well, earnestly and to the best of his ability. He is a focus and often, he stops a good deal of rot with the opposition/umpires.

This is what I dread at our games from umpires. See my post on Rnd 3 review.

Yep., good to recover as we did but for all the Dees' spectators around me in the Northern Stand - balanced, reserved, experienced and mature people - the first Qtr umpiring was atrocious as North were "given" three highly questionable frees in front of goal, keeping them in the game at that early point. Brown is a stager of great skill and in the first order. He plays for frees all game. He gets frees, all game. This 'advantage' for North was a considerable low-light of the game and a very noticeable hurdle affecting the expected justice administration by umpires of the rules of the game. It persisted into the 2nd Qtr until there was limited credibility in any umpiring decisions left and at that point, the excesses of the umpires ceased, and the Dees came from well behind to stake their interest in proceedings. It reminds us all that at times, umpires regard themselves as pre-race weight handicappers to enhance the excitement of the moment and to even-up their perceived differentials between the combatants. Too often, the public perception is that umpires settle into '... Making correct calls... ' as payback for early indiscretions, costly exaggerations and blind-eyed favouritism.

Kent was just magic, aggressive for the ball, brave at the ball, penetrating and fast. Ripper game from him and surely an object of team play. I sat there watching him carve up the Kangas with team intent. It was worth the drive from Adelaide. Still stunned by the team efforts and the receivers of deserved plaudits. Liked Frosty's game as well.

You ask the question and here's the answer: Jacobs runs into Tracca and gets hurt.

I'd reckon that after 2 matches of real practice and whole team training matched against an array of opponents, Melksham may well be one of several players who absolutely 'fire' this week against North. There will be blood on the table and broken Kanga hearts. It is time we turned the nasty corner, given that the umpires will also be against us. Let's stuff 'em up for 2018. Seeya at the game, folks.

Another AFL exposure against the morally astute?

Common request but we shall donate patience, once again.

That's productive thought and somewhat of a gross assumption. Inaccurate, too. Brainless post, once again. Congratulations....

If he'd kicked just two goals per match for us so far this year from the more than 12 goals others had missed, so far, we'd be in second position on the ladder, right now! What is that likelihood? Every bit as likely than not. He is the best kick at goal in the league. At half forward, he is a great mark, too. He is also a very good space-finder on the way to goal. Jesus schwepped. He also thinks so quickly on the field that others cannot keep up, so once in a while during a game, someone catches on to his intent with the ball and converts. As we are reminded so constantly by those on DL who regard themselves as 'oracles' of the game, we are over that transfer to Port. Like hell, we are over it.

Until we, as a collective, learn to ignore this sensationalism to sell for money and influence, the latter leading to more money. The notoriety that she has gained from this 'analysis' has secured her employment for another football season. Golly, rejecting the 'camp' and its problems was most probably a good move to allow time for whole-team game play, strategies of play and skills enhancement to meet these challenges. Coaching still needs to look at itself realistically; it is onfield performance that determines success, and the provision of time to practice and ensure that injuries are dealt with, then overcome, and subsequently prevented well in advance of the season to come. Jeopardy from preparation is reducible.

Spoke with Oskar on the way to the ground. Looks a fit, strong and keen member for the team, heh?

1. Selection without Brayshaw, Frost, Bugg, Tyson is fraught with danger in a weakened team 2. Kicking and moving with accuracy needs immediate improvement 3, We actually won the game except on the scoreboard, it was a great game except for the biased umpires, we had too many passengers across the game.

Great points, yet I am worried about the loss of TMac in the backline...he was getting very good down there. Oh, for a Stephen Icke!

NIcely posited proposition, in all exhausted timeframes.

Inappropriate adjective '...power...' in this case. Sad, really...

The possibility of another of Eddie's fatal forays into player attraction? Let's talk the Weed up a bit, so then just maybe, Eddie might think he is onto another very hot piece of property. We might make the Club a quid out of it, too.

And nothing looks like happening until the 4th year. Not a bad kid-glove apprenticeship.

2 years is enough, 3 years is shameful.

Yes, DJ - it is all just another worry and as I have said it before, another tall kept in abeyance.....for how long?