Deemania since 56

Yep, I'd go for Vanders in Perth; the man plays with heart and soul and keeps at it. He does things for our team confidence.

Footy exposure to a variety of other teams is essential to develop consistencies in players. I am a fan of Joel's attributes and wonder quite often how he would develop from gametime, how he might impact particular matches from which he had been excluded, why team exclusion under Goodwin is such a feature of his footballing history and this season, unsighted since coming back from injury. In addition, his forward skills and mobility are sorely ignored; instead, he is played out of position in the backline as a stop-gap filler, nothing more, at a time when we really need the skills that he has displayed in the past at AFL level. Is this situation likely to change at any time in the future for Joel?

....and so many DL contributors ridicule the citing of suspect, onfield rules applications from the umpires to affect game outcomes. We can rest assured, in fact, that these deliberated demonstrations come from higher up the food chain within the AFL.

I consider that this is the crux of the matter.

What else do you want for Christmas? We are going to realise a desparate need arises for us to play through each and every free in front of goal that the umpires can generate for WC. We will have to be fast, smart, resilient and tough to see this game as a victory, beating both WC to the ball continuously and overcoming the influence of a series of very questionable decisions, most probably right across the ground. We can do this, playing thinking football and seizing every opportunity. We are tough nuts, so let's get it done.

Agreed with this but I would extend it, somewhat, based on the team performance. What stood out for me was the communication and almost brotherly love between Tracc and Clarrie. This includes Gawn and Gus as a framework of the magnificent four. It lifts the whole team, in particular: Jackson, BB, HIbberd, Lever, May and Kozzie and Salem (when fit). There is almost a silent co-operation going on between these blokes and when we win, it stands out like dog's marbles. At the gritty end of the spectrum, it could well be the reason for the wins we've had this year.

Good, timely rotations are a key to our success. We have the impacting personnel to make strong contributions. Such onfield variations provide opportunities across the board, not constant struggles to get the pill where it ain't.

Like that last sentence, and the deep meaning within - Jones may well be the best choice for short bursts from the bench to re-establish our ball control should it go missing.

The old, Viney '...I'm tougher than you...' syndrome is apparently more important than getting on with the game for the sake of the Club and his teammates? This is not mongrel as it should be. Poor effort.

A point of some notability raised here, Delusional D. Well done.

It would no longer be so special to me if I did that on the spur, old dee. It was procured for the purposes of equal pleasure - as absolutely very special - when the Demons hit the finals series and clear out some of the trash that appears alongside us in the top eight. I dream of the uninterfered-with games ahead when the AFL/umpires cannot disadvantage us as they have across several years now, establishing before the first bounce the outcomes of games competed with open hearts and integrity. Rest assured, the seal will be broken to celebrate key aspects of the coming weeks. :-)

In the search for better spirits than the one my wife bought me (Johnny Walker), I lashed out to buy my clan scotch, Talisker, and it sits staring at me to break the seal. It will have to wait until finals time and then, it's another empty bottle for the rubbish recycling. This should be a tempting September ...

Must have stepped on it and tripped over?

Few penalties for such dangerous deliberations; as these offences were so repetitive, I was really surprised that the umpires did not notice these elbowing-multiples-on-any-Demon-target-in -range, not once. His brief from the coach must have been pre-approved by the whistle carriers, prior to the match. Good old brown paper bag stuff?

Agree.

Brayshaw was very good - his class came back, today. Viney was wasteful in several areas. Need to put a little more depth into Harmes' understanding of '...know your kick ... and how to send 'em through the big sticks most times...' Petty was enormous. Bowie fits. We all know who were the superstars.

Quickly! Take Harmes aside to congratulate him on his inside 50 entries and opportunities - these were terrific - then talk to him about kicking for goal and missing to the right of the big sticks. Then it might have been 30.8

I think you received the wrong booking from your informant. I heard it was going to be 4 x 6-seater Lear Jets with a stop-over in Adelaide for pie floaters, all around.

Great start. Dominant quarter from the Casey team. Quite a few of Casey's players are a league ahead of those from Footis-kry. Oscar the Baker is making great space moves and has great pace.

This kid Ellison looks very much like a natural, space-optimising forward. Let's get him developed.

Casey bring much excitement to the AFL team - nearing the interest in the 'seconds' that was held years ago but these were pre-match games so you got to look at a very full squad regularly. I'd really like to see a handful of Casey players rotationally subbed into the Dees' team on a more regular basis. The longer term benefits could be enormous rather than play the same olds - in form or not - to the death. Carna Dees, 'Carn Casey!

The point about the statistic being useless is valid but this is the major reason why - over the years, creeping into our game - there have been growing tendencies for umpires (and under the oversight of the AFL with umpiring) to affect the conduct and eventual outcome of so many games for 'situated' purposes. There is too much game-to-game evidence of this deliberated uneveness within the rulings of our competition to merely allocate such opinion to randomised conspiracy theories; thousands of spectators from the complete range of the supported base see, hear and sit in amazed confusion - and mounting, intolerant anger - due to the latent powers of the whistle to award frees, interrupt the status of games between two sides at a time, and endure the inconsistencies that these wilful behaviours from umpires elicit. Such inconsistencies and fabrications essentially severely limit the integrity of our game like a spreading plague of deceptions, hidden from view or scrutiny (as best as possible) with no attention to the statistical utility that alleged conspirators might generate. Crticism is ignored and a selected status quo is nurtured. Competitive interference reigns for the benefit of the few at the expense of the many.

Jordan and Rivers are young, and can recover quickly from bursts that can be expected to be required against the GC, whereas HIbberd - essential to the finals campaign - has played hard all year and one could expect that it is time for a restive 'management' to take place.

It is grating on the psych, but I think it is time to 'manage' Hibberd prior to the finals appearances.

We could be breeding another Caleb Daniels in young Bowie, only better.