D4Life

When it comes to aggression and standing up for teammates the Pies are terrific and have been for as long as I can remember! They have owned Melbourne for far to long and the Demons need to stand up for themselves as a team. Pies have some very average players, but are playing as a team and coached to go for it no regrets, like Bazball in cricket! Markov, Cox, Noble, Lipinski are just players, pressure their weaker players and under the pump they will falter! Port niggled hassled Gawn all night, Butters was on fire did the Demons bump him every opportunity make tackles really stick! We have “A” grade talent but feels like we need to step it up as a team. Petty and Sparrow both go hard and we’re missed on Friday night, but lots of players went missing. While I’m far from giving up on the Demons this year, be very happy to see a bit more mongrel, and someone step up and own FF/CHF in partnership with JVR!

Kossie was quiet on Friday night. Butters on fire. Why not throw Kossie onto Butters and say go beat him one on one! Particularly when Oliver hamstring issue late in the 3rd.

There are 16 players who have plenty of room to lift 25-90% each!

Agree, a few improvements can make a big difference. At least the FD are trying new things. If one of BBB, TMac, Joel Smith or Schache can step up and hold down a key forward position will make a big difference to our game! The odd rest for the likes of chandler, ANB, Sparrow, Spargo, McVee and roll someone else in doesn’t hurt them, provides opportunities for the guys pushing up in the VFL. Oliver twangs hamstring late in the 3rd, fully fit maybe he makes the difference. Round 10 Pies and Lions look best, but a long way to go!

So that umpire should be dropped! Unbelievably bad decision.

Re key forwards it’s not all the coach/FD fault! One of BBB, TMac, Scache(can’t get my head around spelling his name🤪), or Joel Smith needs to step up and make FF/CHF their position. JVR is in second season so if he can just be competitive week to week is about all you can expect, and he will through in the odd really bad game. Max/Grundy kicking some goals and creating some pressure should be a bonus! Friday night was shocking conditions for tall timber and Max gets absolutely nothing from the umpires in SA! Even less than in Victoria where he gets sweet FA! I take that back on reflection he got two frees re over the top blocking, but nothing in any making contest, nor Lycett smashing him front on! Personally I’d give Schache 5 weeks at full forward, he is an accurate kick, let BbB get to 100% fitness and come in after the bye for the run home if Schache doesn’t make the most of his opportunity!

Hunter could have cleaned Rozee up if he was trying to hurt him, compare it to Lycett hitting Gawn - Lycett intent was punch ball while smashing into Gawn!

100% Hunter gets there first, Rozee is late and reckless of his own safety! What is Hunter meant to do step back and say take the ball!

No, Port deserved the win. Melbourne had plenty of areas where they could have made the difference, a little bit more from 16-17 players for a start! Umpires were terrible. Typically you expect umpires to favour home team, but hope they don’t impact result! But it’s still up to the Demon players on the field and how they are coached! In fact I’m really surprised we got within four points after only playing 20 minutes football, if you said rate each team, I’d give Melbourne 5/10 and Port 9/10, so believe we have a massive upside!

The good, the bad, the ugly and the why!! The Good! Credit to Port they came to play and over four quarters were terrific, played tough, unrelenting footy, Butters brilliant and almost everyone contributed from their team, half a dozen players really hot!! For the demons to only lose by 4 points when only May, Rivers, Oliver, Trac for a qtr, and Hunter played well, rest of team down! Demons to tall for conditions. Of the Port goals at least half came from frees or incorrect non decisions - look in particular at last 4 or 5, Butters free 3/4 time, Finlayson acting free, Max smashed in middle nothing, TMac smashed on wing nothing, Viney head taken off nothing, mark that hit the ground, Lever 2nd non 50 paid, frees 9-2 last qtr. The Demons led by Trac played 20 brilliant minutes of football, so we can do it, just needed more effort over other 3.5 quarters. The Bad Only 5 players showed up, so team preparation not great. TMac & JVR both poor, JVR only game5/6 so will learn. Max left to his own devices, who else ran in to remonstrate as he was bumped, and blocked all match long. How are we getting so smashed out of the middle? Umpiring enough said above, but impact was in order of 5 goals the difference! Plus Clarry called for 3 throws, maybe right, but JHF did a great one handed throw while other hand pinned, blindingly obvious, Powell Pepper double handed throw over head, different rules for the teams! Free against Fritsch going for a mark side on, versus Lycett smashing Gawn! Ugly Only 20 mins effort out of four quarters. Butters let run free all night! Umpiring just hopeless even a number of Demon frees in the 3rd hard to fathom. Umpires heavily influenced result, when their job is to go unnoticed. Zero protection for Max!” Channel 7 commentary & commentators pathetic! The Why Demons not up for the game! Why! Why not move Pickett onto Butters, he was ineffective up forward, get Butters to take him to the ball, and Kossie has speed and can tackle! Play wet weather football! Pick a team for wet weather football! Give Salem one week in the VFL to get some touch and match fitness before playing AFL! Petty was missed. One of BBB, TMac, Joel Smith need to lift to fill the void. Manage JVR carefully! Final comments Port played their best, umpires favoured them re scoreboard impact, and even though they deserved to win they were lucky to win! Demons had very few contributors on the night, but nearly got home! We really need one of JVR, BbB, TMac, Joel Smith, Scasche to lift and play FF. If Petty gets back and is fit, think he can hold down CHF! Win next bl**dy week!

How many goals frees have Port got

Great quarter, Rivers stiff to give free for holding! Demons keep tempo up and they will win.

12 frees to 7 and we got first three. clarrie called for throws but Port multiple one handed throw, Powell pepper double handed over top of his head umpiring is so bad max pushed in back constantly only free in centre against him for blocking a joke Still demons need to lift

Demons need to lift, close the centre lane down.

Kossie never gets that Horne Francis free paid to him

While earlier in the year, I thought Petty would go back, but on reflection above with how few teams have three decent tall forwards and Petty on the way to a break out game yesterday, feel we might stick with a smaller defence. Your thoughts gentlemen re smaller defence and Petty staying as a forward?

How many teams have 3 genuine forward talls? Demons greatest defensive challenge last year was ball coming in fast and hitting the ground, so Demons have gone extra mid size in defence vs 3rd tall to help with the ball hitting the ground! Look at other teams in the mix: Pies - Mihocek & McStay Cats - Hawkins & Cameron Lions - Daniher & Hipwood Doggy’s - Ugle & Naugthon maybe Lobb Saints - King (TBC) & Membrey Tigers - Lynch (TBC) & Riewoldt Carlton - Curnow & McKay Port - Dixon, Finlayson + ????? Dogs and maybe Port can go three talls, but if you go big, if opposition knock it to the ground with great discipline they are off to the races. I feel this is how the Pies defend! So May/Lever with Hibbo/Rivers taking the 3rd tall with Max/ Grundy also providing some cover!! Leaves Bowey, McVee, Brayshaw, Salem to cover small/mid size players! Goodwin & FD have learned from last year and are modifying our team structure to suit what is required to be in the hunt in 2023!

Spot on re players above! A day where many things were a bit off, but still win by 54, so enjoy it. We still have a few challenges, but FD are experimenting, Petty was looking really good before he went off and hopefully JVR keeps improving! It’s only May, we’ve got a few months to perfect our system. We are in the hunt and that’s the main thing combined with a good injury run, we are as well placed as any team! Demons a flag in 2023 at the “G”, I’d like to see that!!

As always take the 4 points by any margin! What I would be delighted to see is the Demons massacre the Hawks by 100 plus points but rarely as easy as you think or hope! 5 plus from Frittata, Kozzy, JVR and Max would be brilliant, highly unlikely but can always dream! Go Demons give those Hawks a flogging from the start to the very end!

Agree, I nearly did, happy to see you add them!

Just re read Kozzy four more years - life as a Demon supporter is grand. Then think about Max Trac Clarrie Absolute stars. 😃

But if it was Tom Hawkins rather than JVR and he broke the GCs players jaw, Hawkins would still have got off!!

What is your view on Kossie treatment by the umpires - I’ve felt he gets a raw deal for a long time, similar to Max. Absolutely nailed two holding/dropping the ball tackles in Q1 & Q2 both 20m out from goal, umpire bounces ball. Then 2nd qtr gets his head ripped off, callers said he ducked and then backed off! I only got to see the first qtr and half the second, but he should have 2-3 goals from frees at that stage! He gets harsh treatment from what I notice. Live your work gentleman.

Agree with you. Felt like a loss on Demonland! Getting towards 60 years of supporting the Demons, can’t remember 64 flag as a 3YO Demon, our supporters can be very fickle. Won 2021 flag with brilliant finals campaign. 2nd last year in H&A, but slumped through injury and fatigue in finals. So in 2023 trying different things, as well highlighted by djr! Debut for McVee and JVR, Chandler getting a go, Petty tried up forward, and resting Trac, Oliver, Gawn during games! Goal kicking has improved, last night wasn’t great but still more goals than points. Enjoy the wins, not every win will be perfect, support our players. Someone steps up in the forward line, a bit of luck re winning the close ones like last night, a good run with injuries, and we will go close again this year! The other bonus is getting a few extra picks from Freo let’s the Demons renew, so hopefully avoid a Hawks or Tigers like slump! Be happy Demonlanders, it’s not 1980/81, or the Neeld years, we are in with a real shot this year!

Petty going back to shore up the backline definitely worked. Hibberd was missed. One of BBB, Schache, TMac, or Joel Smith who all didn’t play last night, to step up, which is a worry as BBB & TMac getting older, slower and more injury prone, Smith always injured, maybe it is Schache! Not sure what was up with Langdon in particular and Hunter but both a bit ordinary last night. Fritsch and Chandler both went in with niggles! Still kick a little better in last quarter and we win by 15-20 points! Not sure if there are any Qsld based umpires used, but holding the ball, dropping the ball, incorrect disposal isn’t paid versus Suns or Lions!!