D4Life

Fantastic win, makes for a happy Monday! Sometimes you’ve just gotta sit back and smell the roses!

He should talk to Fritsch about having the same mindset. Melksham has been amazing since halfway through 2023, just a pity he did his knee in that last game of 2023!

Forward line wise. Stick with Turner for 6 weeks no matter what happens. Fritsch gets left in twos until he starts kicking straight and competes! Tholstrup has to do what we made ANB do, perform at VFL level week in week out and earn spot! Henderson & Fullerton don’t play until they show competitive spirit at least 8 weeks, I don’t think Fullerton will ever make it! Rather see AJ play who has a crack!

Kossie gets his free, the push from the Hawks captain gets paid to us 15 metres from goal, and we kick 4 of the 10 plus shots we missed and different result!

Jefferson zero impact, vfl until another preseason and hopefully that helps. Petty in. Tholstrup’ out bit of a headless chook, but week prior did a few good things, more VFL time hopefully will help. Melksham in. I would play Turner forward with instructions to lead/lead and lead again. Petty back! Fritsch as sub!

The Kossie non free and that backline free against Fritsch? When Sicily pushed the pack, cost us two goals from incorrect decisions! Generally positive effort until 3 qtr time. was surprised Turner not moved forward earlier as Jefferson and JVR hardly touched the ball! Query - Turner forward or back, personally would have started him forward!

Beat the Eagles. Clarry & Petracca play a 3 quarter game on way back to playing four quarters! Versus half a game! JVR play competitive footy and kick some goals! Play with aggression! Then worry about the next week!

As a basic rule have a game every week, that would be a start!

Play him in forward pocket near edge of goal square, next to Van R! But his role is beat your opponent, focus defence on your man! Chandler or Kossie as other FP! I always felt when Grundy was at Demons, Max should have rested in goalsquare with Kossie next to him and Fritsch nearby, Max doesn’t mark it, Kossie crumbs or puts pressure on or Fritsch marks or crumbs! Something needs to be tried that makes Fritsch more accountable! Fritsch is highly skilled as recognised by many had a great 2021 finals campaign and late 23/24 obviously dealing with a bung foot! I get that it’s 18 man defence, but can be outliers. Bit like Viney go to best on baller of opposition and tackle every time they get ball!

While disappointed we gave away 4 soft goals at the end, the 3rd quarter was very good and resting Gawn and May is smart! What I really liked: Gawn great game (whether he is 15 or 55 out he should kick it the same when shooting for goal). Bowey having a terrific year. Chandler stepped up a cog or two this year, the double tackle/effort that led to Trac goal was excellent. Viney as stopper. Oliver 3rd quarter. Moving the ball faster, it appeared that was part of reason for better 3rd quarter, puts opposition defence under much more pressure! Kids in Windsor, Langdon and Lindsay all look promising, even if Windsor skills were off! Challenges: Fullerton looked like a schoolboy being pushed aside. ( Replace with JVR) Trac, Oliver not going at 100% for 4 quarters! Fritsch needs to be made more accountable, he is a smart footballer but not doing much of team things. I would send him to a defender and say your role is to beat your opponent, if he could perform that role, will still kick a couple! Salem playing safe, even if he was better this week.

Score update please

Correct. The way the Swans capitulated in the Gf against the lions, I think Cats would have rolled them! So there was a bright side to the Lions winning!!

Geelong were only two goals off winning last years flag, after missing the eight in 2023!

Heard the same interview, keep fingers crossed we get to round one in good shape! Then we will be looking good!

Strong team! Pickett ahead of Davey, Jones & J McDonald. Brayshaw ahead of Febey.

Neale Daniher is Unbelievable, Amazing, Incredible and that doesn’t do him justice! WOW what a human being!

Get it out on the driveway man (Binman) and start revving the engine!!! You need some full contact to be ready for round one!

The vows were rather unique, bride added “Will help improve game style and better transition into forward line, resulting in an extra 3 goals a game, more wins happy coach, happy wife, happy life!

I had the good fortune to meet Robbie Flower and mentioned to him, he was the only reason I went to watch the Demons late 70s to mid 80s!

Demons won 11 games with majority of our best 6 players out, with a better draw and some fit players, expecting us definitely to make the 8 and not surprised if we are top 4! Go Demons!

I’d much prefer start the season optimistically with the hope of a flag, than be a sad sack all season! I even had hope 1st season with Neeld, it only lasted to round one!! Apologies I realise mentioning that name may put some supporters needing therapy again!

He had a great finals campaign, played best footy of his career and a very good season. prior to joining Lions rarely on the park and until this year and last year, would go missing in big games or kick points at crucial moments. Last two years I agree with you!

Giants let Lions off the hook. Who would have believed that one previously injury prone, point kicking, non pressure game performer in first 90% of his career, in Joe Daniher has final series of his career, comes through under pressure and finally kicks straight rather than chokes. Hard to believe Joe Daniher made the difference! Highlights flags hard to win!

In my top dozen players for Melbourne in the last 50 years, I have the following not in order: Flower Gawn Oliver Petracca Pickett May Viney (Jack) Neitz Lyon Wells Jakovich/Alves (Jako only had 2-3 great seasons, but should have been a superstar) Stynes This year Trac with half a season, Oliver not fit all season, May broken ribs, Gawn chipped bone in leg. Basically 4 of our best ever players in 50 years in my view didn’t play this season in anything like 50% fit or 50% of games! Go through any team and do the same to their top 4 players, see what happens to them. Not to mention Brayshaw who was in our best 5-6 players the preceding 3 years and a significant leader on and off the field! A good run with injuries in 25 and we will be pushing for top 4!

This isn’t aimed at Demon supporters just a general observation! Aussie Ang P manager of Spurs is getting hammered in the press recently about his job under threat! Out of a squad of circa 25 senior players, he is supposedly missing 10. 1st choice players in keeper, Vicario, Van de Ven. , Romero, ( Davies backup) Odobert, Richarlson, Bentacaur suspended, Udogie. They win 4-3 against United and he is getting hammered because Goalkeeper makes two errors! They lose 4-3 against Chelsea where two of his players give away two dumb penalties- almost equivalent of player 70 meters out in AFL, I’ll push him over to give him a 50 meters penalty! Supporters and press hammer the manager, whenever team loses, rarely is a pragmatic view taken. More hysterical few loses sack the manager versus: - missing 5-6 starters from the team - playing kids and bench super thin - don’t blame the manager, keeper gifted two goals, otherwise it’s a shutout against MU - don’t blame the manager, two dumb penalties against Chelsea The Treatment of Ang provides an example of how supporters and the press all too often ignore facts, for sensationalistic headlines or overly dramatic conclusions! 18 teams in AFL, only win flag winner, last year for the Demons: - Oliver not fully fit all season - Trac gone half season - May ribs carried most of season - Fritsch and Petty foot/leg injuries carried from 2023 - Lever & Bowey injured in season 6 plus weeks - Salem preseason interrupted likely never fit - Brayshaw lost before season started - plus more - Club board & management seemingly a number of dumb things Add up all of the above and 11 wins a reasonable result! Destruction by Dockers twice and poor efforts against Pies are the results that made me want to puke! I would be much more upset if I was a supporter of Giants (choke in QF), Dogs (heartless finals performance against Hawks), and Dockers (not making finals)! Demons looking at 2025, fingers crossed for luck with injuries, a few lucky breaks during the year and a finals spot is ours for the taking!