Red But Mostly Blue

I've read a lot of speculation re Hogan/May, but, finally, someone that cuts through the crap - and in one sentence! Love your work @Redleg

GREAT NEWS - thanks for sharing. Our 2019 premiership winning team will look fantastic with Hogan in it.

Completely agree. I'd love for him to stay, and am sure he'd add value next year, but if we can maximise our return now and pursue May plus some outside midfield pace, we are in golden era, elite territory.

I'd rather front a team of 21

Pedo is the perfect example of making the most of your capabilities. He didn't have the gift of speed/height/skills that some of the other guys do, but he performed when he was called upon, and always gave is all. It's clear that he loves the club, and I'm sure it was better for his presence. I wish him all the luck, seems like a he's a pretty nice guy, and did well to roll with his nickname!

Terrible kick and decision making skills, but was at times kind of handy. I think he tried hard, and truly sought redemption for the Mills hit, but the FD clearly has confidence in our list, and believes we can free up room to make it elite. Bugg seemed to try, I wish him all the best.

I'm loving this thread! It's easy to forget how far we've come, and that this is only the beginning. Much like the Hawks' 2011-2015, I think we'll be a heavy presence that table for 2019-2024. I'm so pumped for 2019!!!

It would be great to see Maxxy take the Brownlow Medal home. I'm clearly biased, but, of the main contenders, I think he's been the most consistent throughout the season, the most vital to the success of the team, and the fairest. Plus I put some money on him when he was $12, so I'm hoping for a little money to get some drinks to forget Saturday's game...

I just walked through and had a bevvy, it was buzzing - made me feel human again haha

Hell yeah to this thread @Gorgoroth It's not the way we wanted to end the year, but we must not lose focus of what we achieved this year, and what we have set up for the future. Bring on 2019!

Is this the comeback? Dare to dream? ?

This is what we need to focus on. There's so much negativity already, even though before this series we had no finals experience at all, and here we are in a prelim. We'll be back in 2019, and we'll be ready to go even further.

That Hannan bounce followed by the Darling bounce just shows today wasn't our day.

Make that 11

1 down, um 10 to go!

True, I mean fire in the belly sort of stuff.

Look, we can still win (although unlikely), but that's not the point. We've already surpassed expectations this year. So our buildup for next year is what truly matters. We need to show that we won't stand for this. If we're going to go down, we have to salvage some dignity and at least send the message that we'll be back next year, a little older, wiser, fitter, angrier...

An ominous/exciting prospect, depending on how you want to read that haha

On the upside, I saved a fortune in airfare. Actually contemplated going west to see us roast the Eagles. Imagine those poor souls who have had to endure this... At the ground... With 59,500 Eagles booing and laughing in their faces.

The great news is that we actually can't play worse than this. Right? How eerily similar is this to last night? We have just got to come out firing and keep things simple. No more fancy crap. Just work hard and execute passes!

Fed Square is looking pretty sweet! Lots of red and blue, heaps of energy. Tons of sunshine, too - it's a perfect day for a rousing win by the Dees to storm into the GF!!! ?? @CityDee

The break is no good. The Tigers looked soft, and probably came in believing a win was theirs by right, so they didn't respect the Pies, to their demise. We're coming in at full pace, full of fire, and the Eagles, much like the Tigers, probably won't have that same fire in the belly. It's imperative that we hit them early (like the Pies last night) and don't let up.

I'm heading to Fed Square to watch the game, I hope the place is nothing but red and blue. 2 hours to go! ?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love for us to win today, and I think we will, but win or lose - this is a new team, with a new mentality. There is no fear anymore.This is a brotherhood where the boys back one another, and give no quarter. And it was born this year, probably out west in R22. And now we get to go back. It's pretty fitting. But still, there is a huge new era ahead, a win today, and a flag (!!!) would really just be icing on the cake. Go Dees! ??

Great read from someone who will forever be a part of the Melbourne that rose from the ashes of a very dark chapter in our history. Great man. I'm not teary, you're teary.