Deemania since 56

It is (the forward line) potent on paper and most probably, onfield. This 'return from injury' list is vital to the MFC season - and great interest in the game itself exists because of that reinforcement to Casey - ultimately to the AFL side, as well. As members, supporters, fans and Demon-loyal advocates, it is essential that some form of game reporting (in full) takes place for this match between Casey and Williamstown. A club-organised broadcast on the MFC Web page would be ideal - and not too difficult to organise, either, if the Club had its supporters in mind. The information gleaned for the public from this VFL match has equal significance as the AFL match this weekend against Geelong. Make it happen, MFC, make it happen.

ANB has really improved; he has generally been useful and capable of the snap goals but now he has diversified his game and appears to be a freer player, still with that excellent aerobic capacity. He has a great sense of roving the pack and moving through so the Cats will be stretched to contain him with similar smalls. Attrition amongst the Cats is encouraging for our game and its outcome. Our smalls, in general, will have a field day I suspect and if the talls move to space, they will as well.

In a very low priority, somewhat '...on occasion...' The ratio of infringements to frees given to CO would be as low as 1: 10 - where only the most blatant, open-space misdemeanour was acknowledged, and late, as well. Just another episode inside a saga of 'allowable onfield abuse'.

Throw Melk into that mix, as well. Sheesh-sheesh!

That is an occurrence that must be addressed - so far in Clarrie's career this has been an unaccountable constant and an absolute 'blind-spot' for umpires; in each game the Dees play this anomoly arises, and must surely be addressed, and acknowledged satisfactorily, not just haphazardly. As for the excesses of holding, bashing from behind, etc that Gawn experiences, we must question if the umpires are fit for purpose.

Kinda exciting to think about and consider, at this point of their eventual return to the team, just how opposition sides are going to counter a forward set-up such as the one that is going to be in place in the very near future for the Dees. Unless there are executive decisions to mess up the functionality of the array - including its potential, multiple and layered strategies for a avalanche of goals - the near future is looking particularly bright across the whole field of play. There are others in the team other than the mentioned key players, bubbling along, who will provide considerable support and further options for aggressive scoring options and pathways. I sense that both Yze and Chocko will contribute significantly to this new deck of cards winning many tricks onfield and before goal. 'Carna Dees!

Would most probably work. ANB could do it all game. Sparrow could provide the mongrel and shadow.

The Catty Puts persist with the possession game because the majority of KP players are old men now, unable to run and carry and continue the process for the length of the ground for the length of the game, using two or three smalls to achieve their ball momentum and forward thrust - and conning the umpire when Selwood is tackled in possession.

Hibberd is needed as another clearance kicker with a little running physicality at the opposition. He can get up the ground towards the midfield, as well and pass with less pressure, on occasion. Jetta cannot and particularly cannot now. Sad but true. Sparrow was going OK and against GWS, was a fresh and mobile unit. He has bulk and some good athletic pace when targetting an opponent or closing in on the melees. He also has some good hands at pickups and handballs. I'd keep him in as a utility for the back half and maybe a 'run-with' role against the Catty Puts who utilise one or two smalls to penetrate into deep forward and/or feed FFwd/Hawkins. We can pull this one off, I'd reckon, with a good score and greater accuracy to score. With two keys down, and an ageing team capable of short bursts, only, we can outrun them again in straight lines through the midfield. Flankers beware: We must have outside readiness to join the goal pathway chain.

Continuing with his improvement and contributions. Played a valuable game across a full zone onfield.

Yes please, that would be nice and might resettle the amateurish umpire management of the AFL to ensure a level playing field. Several frees both on and off the ball were necessary, agreed; it almost makes up for the dozens of punches, pushes, behind-the-head haymakers and the occasional ground crunch with knees and full body weight on joints and legs that were endured in the name of a well-umpired footy match. The judiciary rests; it was supposed to do its job well; a higher authority needs to be put into action when we see failures such as those on Sunday.

Geelong are a 'holders', 'grabbers' and 'pushers' in all matches and sometimes, 'bashers'. Last night, the umpires 'allowed' the same constant, all-game violations of rules to be performed by GWS - particularly on Clarry and Gawn - without penalty, without adjudication, without one significant moment of acknowledgment. The effort to so neutralise these key Demons was so great that they injured themselves, eventually. We are going to be in that same camp against the Cats - with two of their key players, Dangerfield and Rowan, missing - it will be sanctioned by the umpires as 'OK under such circumstances' to bash the key Dees all game to assist ensure the AFL bankroll is maintained by winning the game against the MFC. Level playing field?

Agree with all of your comments but the above is a matter for just that little bit of discussion. Gawn will be playing forward for more minutes in his gametime in weeks to come. His set shots have a fault, confirmed from close observation: he does not guide the ball to his foot (possibly because it is so far away from his brain) but instead, lets go of the ball in the process of laterally extending his arms, sideways. Dependence on the force of gravity rather than a 'guiding' single-handed and lower drop, the ball moves from too high 'as a drop', subject to the vagueries of gravitational roll forward and sideways. It would be lucky to hit his foot square on, and each time he sees the ball off-centre, he adjusts with his leg swing at the last microsecond. The ball splays in the direction of this leg movement on (and just after) the impact. He misses the goal by a bee's kcid. He does need a more 'hand-guided' delivery to the foot and a reduced 'whole' leg movement, relying instead and concentrating on the extension of the knee alone to 'steer' in line with the big sticks. Cute little Melksham 'leg swings' are not Gawny's forte. However, he got a few quite correctly in last night's game, so well done!

Agree, we cannot carry him awaiting another good game. Petty time, for mine.

It was a good win, P2J, but we should have creamed them. As for Greene, he was fortunate up forward as our backs were a little down, I thought. I think we got the shivers and hesitations from the bashings we were experiencing without umpire scrutiny and it needed their attention, not blindness. How Gawn and Oliver put up with it each week is astounding. The AFL does not do positive things when such are needed. LJ did continue to improve and he is becoming a good ruck, who lands on his feet, ready to move and shield. Nice to be 3-0. Gus is getting his game back - see ball/get ball/deliver ball - Viney was physically valuable in tonight's game and not too wasteful with his endeavours.

Jones' strength and experience will serve us well against GWS.

All good, but we must play with MONGREL.

K'noath.

More than likely, it will never happen to our great dismay. There are no clear signs that umpiring and free kicks to affect a game are under appropriate 'even playing field' management from the AFL.

Mr Gross Efficiency! Used the ball superbly. Not top five, but above the clouds.

It's predicted, also, that the goal-kicking yips are going to disappear this week. There is no reason for it other than good fortune and happenstance. Thus, the Dees will win this one by about ten goals and commit two of the opposition players to bed rest in hospital. Crystal balling it, I know, but wouldn't it be nice?

This element of our performances must be due for improvement, by now. We do have a new, specialist coach for this in Chocko and around half a dozen forwards in the class. Most of these (pupils) only miss goals, not the points, by a small margin so correction, with real practices, cannot be as mystifying as it looks. Once BB hits the team, value pressure is going to be widespread across the transgressors - almost above and beyond any other football credibility. When the corner, fast approaching, is reached, it may well prove to be stunning. Against the Saints, out-of-bounds and points totalled 31 appearances. Hell, that is a good deal of kicking for a score! Pity is was wasted, in reality. If only half of these were correctly on-track, imagine the victory margin we might have otherwise provided against a fair dinkum finals contender in the Saints.

Dunno about some of this assessment as it is still very early days onfield for Jackson. He does get 'defended' effectively by opposition backmen, and jolted out of the way. I do feel he is a good ruckman, however, at open-space tapping opportunities; further, with the return of Weed and Brown (x 2, perhaps) I'd think that their presence would be totally complementary to Jackson's run, carry, interceptions and focussed opposition attention that may reek havoc in the forward line in which his potency as a forward will considerably increase. His feeds in close and follow-ups are already notable and efficient. We are: potent in the backline and on the return of KPFs, we are going to be absolutely ripper in the forward line as well - and have one of the best midfields in the competition that already severely worry most teams. Exciting ...

Good footy, finally. Heart-warming when executed by the Red'nBlue!

Not enough mixture in 'selected' flanks from deep defence. It is predictable, as you suggest. It also creates an amount of congestion about Gawn. The latter leads to many turnovers from which, once again, we must recover so often. Burning calories for no benefit. I have been thinking about this for two years now. If Salem is to play backman and upon the return of Hibberd as a backman, their flank kicking could be a big improvement on Gawn (location)/ midfield kicking entries, particularly with their noted accuracy with clearance kicks. These also crowd the midfield and often we have another turnover due to the predictability of intent. From fullback and HBFlank, the kicking could be alternated to the opposite side of Gawn, avoiding most of the congestion, the propensity for a turnover and selective Demon flooding (from coaching) to receive, continue or initiate an attacking series of moves; thus, opening a corridor down the 'outer flank' that leads to some 60 metres of space for the HForwards and deep forwards to move into. Again, the bloke who I believe is ideal for this co-ordination is Tomlinson who makes space, runs both ways, takes a few difficult marks against opponents and has eyes-up for downfield teammates, gaps, taps, kicks and handballs. We have his backline role in abeyance through Petty; we currently do not have Tomlinson's spread and skills as a free-wheeling winger.