Mel Bourne

From where I sat, all I saw was an average team being allowed to live out their fantasies courtesy of another team who couldn’t hit any targets and were constantly caught flat-footed. Very little about the Roos impressed me, quite a lot about the Demons depressed me.

Sluggish, uninspired and almost depressed-looking team out there today. Roos fans in the crowd were asking who Chandler was all game. He was the only player they noticed, as we were otherwise invisible. As much as we’d like to hope the Roos are some kind of surprise package this year, they aren’t. Still plenty they need to fix and a lot of it was on display today. And yet they beat us by 59 points. So much to dislike about what happened. Set shots were a disaster. JVR, Langdon, Sharp, Fritsch all missing absolute gimmes. Players totally lacking spatial awareness and moving like treacle under the pump, constantly choosing the wrong option or butchering the right ones. This was definitely a game for Campbell. Gawn needs cover. That team looked genuinely uninspired out there, and I believe that a lot of that is down to an uninspiring coach. I don’t question his commitment or intent. I do believe he takes the job with all the seriousness and dedication it requires. But I have thought for a long time now that he lacks the ability to inspire with his words, and the emotional/psychological nous to get the best out of his players, and to work with coaching staff/press etc. And at times like this, those kinds of skills are crucial. I fear that we’re really in for it this year, and it will be a new coach next year or sooner.

Agreed. What’s with shutting down praise of a player who otherwise gets roasted here?

I’m up in level 3 with two Roos-supporting mates. Good times.

Mainframe is overloaded in response to the “Demons supporters are pathetic” thread.

Indeed, there is. And its decidedly average.

Anybody else having issues signing in to the Demons app to get their tickets? When I get to the Demons/Ticketmaster sign-in page, none of the tabs work and it just displays an “Oops, something went wrong” page. Have deleted and reinstalled the app. No joy.

I have no idea how people post videos/photos/gifs to this site (the data-size allowance is ridiculously small). But I’d like to post a three second clip of Reid’s antics yesterday. Any suggestions welcome.

You take the good with the bad. Some of those Gawn roosts have ignited the game in the past. This one, obviously not the right call, but I’ll take “Ego Max” over whatever the alternative is, any day of the week.

AJ really impressed. Would’ve been a bundle of nerves today, as mature age recruits from the VFL don’t have the luxury of time to prove their worth, and a poor game from him wouldn’t have been as easy to overlook as one of the youngsters. Now that he knows he can well and truly handle himself out there, I expect him to have a bit of fun with it. Great get from our recruiters.

Yep, I noticed the umpires were particularly focused on the 15m rule today. Gawn’s mark on the 50m line not paid either. Both his and Salem’s marks stood a much better chance of being paid in 2024. All for it, as long as it’s consistent across all future matches.

Yep

Given the circumstances (Giants warmed up after a bolstering opening round and us with a lot of green players), I’ll take that first half. Lot of improvement required, but some are pulling out the razor blades a bit early.

Depends how much you like watching other sports. AFL is the only sport I’m really passionate about, and paying for Kayo during the AFL season only, works out cheaper ($320).

So this practice match produced a net-negative, overall. Are they really worth the roll of the dice?

He obviously can’t go anywhere physically, but I’m not sure how you get 100% out of a player who talks about his contract like it’s a pr**on sentence. (I had to spell that word as such to circumvent our very eager censor bot. For the record - it is a metaphor)

“Have to do my time there” He’s checked out.

It gets even worse when the abusers of the word launch into a defence, citing some arcane example of how it is “correct”. Those people are clutching at straws. Like, figurativelehhhhh.

Hearing word (via here) that Clayton’s hand has finally healed is genuinely exciting. The combination of physical pain and mental drain he endured last season would have been formidable. That handball aspect of his game was, for understandable reasons, completely absent this year. Coupled with lacking fitness, we all knew he was warming a bench while simultaneously out on the ground in ‘24. But he seems in ten times better shape/spirits than he did this time last year. Both him and CP are looking down the barrel of playing “defining seasons” in ‘25, and I’m very much here for it.

Good to be back on DL. Some classic shyt goin’ on Love It.

Nah, not since 2005.

Centre clearances could do with a lube and service.

I totally agree, and I’ve got too much respect for him to “bag” anything about his skills/kicking. Nor do I have any “jobs for the boys” issues. He’s a club champion, and not a nepotism case I was just saying that I have concerns - and concerns with a lower case “c” - about one particular aspect of what he may (or may not) bring as a coach (because it’s, y’know, Demonland) But I also think his presence will be a stabilising force for our currently-a-bit-rattled champs in the midfield, and that could bring a whole lot of other positives I’m most happy to sit back and see how he pans out, and of course, I wish him all the best. I do bluddy love Jonesy.

No love lost for the guy. Don’t blame him at all for accepting the offer, as he obviously is still very passionate about the club and wants to be involved. But I don’t think it’s disrespectful to question the appointment. My biggest concern is that he’s been in the “system” for so long, and might not be brimming with fresh ideas or bring any constructive criticisms to Goodwin’s methods.

Certainly a selfless player who pulls off some pretty miraculous stuff, but not enough mongrel for my mine. Pretty sure the Saints are going to pick him up, anyway.