D4Life

Agree with your comments. He has speed and if can up his presence and tackling pressure on his quiet days, will be able to perform small forward role similar to Tigers smalls! This applies to a few Demons, lift intensity when they don’t have the ball, on their quiet days! If Brown can add two goals a game, we only need another 1-2 goals out of rest of team on average and we make top 4! I look at Pickett, Hunt, Oliver, Fritsch kicking straighter, Jackson, it’s a minor improvement! Aside from Hunt all players under 24 listed here so reasonable to expect them to get better!

Terrific news for Demons, will make a significant difference to forward line! Add 40-60 goals!

Demonland constantly highlights how we see players through a different lens! Hore to me is slow In speed and decision making, fumbles but can take a grab. Personally I would delist him, but can just accept him as a rookie, would prefer we rookie a young kid this year, as if there is a year for a player to slip through the cracks in the draft, it will be 2020!

Kevin Bartlett was small and light! Give him another pre season or two and then judge him!

100% correct that’s he’s off to theCats. Much better result for Demons to get Philips or Polec!

It was in the podcast, just can’t recall whether it was after Freo or Swans game, but one the Cairns games.

I also want to add thanks to Andy, George and Binman, For the season but particularly your analysis after the Swans or Freo game, nailed our weaknesses in structure and players!!

Thanks to all at Demonland, adds to my enjoyment of following the Demons! Not necessarily good for my sanity! But a side benefit is Following the Demons does build resilience!

There are a few players who you can’t play, as you could see Tigers intensity and backline structure faultered with Vlaustin missing in the first half, they regrouped at half time and their defensive wall was back, big part of their forward defensive structure being so successful is implied pressure from Martin, defenders panic a bit, also he makes them pay, then you get Lynch & Riewoldt tackling pressure plus their other forwards and midfield. You only need 1-2 players in the team not maintaining pressure and it falls apart. Melbourne Carried Melksham almost zero pressure, Jones limited pressure due to being slow, defence needs a small lockdown defensive player. Also young guys in Pickett & Jackson will be better pressure wise another year on. Fritsch can do it, but needs to target a player as he fix last two rounds. Brayshaw needs to lift his intensity. The other factor is Demons need to rotate midfield more, so they can keep defensive intensity up! I liked Melksham one on one ability back half 2018 and parts 2019, but watching Tigers last night can see if you don’t bring defensive intensity, creates huge holes, so would drop Melksham until he does it.

Replace Brown with Ben Brown and replace Melksham with someone like Higgins from Richmond, and get Harmes to tag best opposition defensive playmaker and it’s a different dynamic, with Petracca spending 40%- 60% forward like Dusty and it’s a Totally different Forward line.

Agree with your standouts, but intensity or pressure from all players is the biggest, it just wore the Cats down last night, overwhelming them in the last. Dusty just does it when it matters most. Makes me look at Demons and go what do we need: - FF Ben B fits the bill - Wing Phillips from Pies, can bring run and pressure - Forward Higgins from Tigers - Small defender not sure but someone relentless in tackling pressure Looking at majority of team below, reinforces the above changes to me. Melksham misses due to lack of pressure, Ben Brown FF instead of ex Bomber Brown, Weideman to CHF. Add relentless pressure, Petracca lifts one extra cog for big games, Oliver the same, we can be not that far away! Strategy - Tigers are about holding defensive structure and relentless pressure. Structure dropped and pressure while getting stabilised with Vlaustin missing and Tigers vulnerable, reset at half time and the pressure squeezed the life out of Geelong. Demons, have the core of what is required, just a few missing pieces to be filled, and a lift in intensity can propel us into a top 4 position!

Smith would be an improvement on current 22 and as a FA costs nothing. 3 yrdeal where maybe only get two good years is okay. 10 guys on bottom of list give you next to nothing each year!

Respect Wells obviously excellent recruiter! Cats have major salary cap advantage, probably 20% - 40% house pricing plus lifestyle. Add huge home ground advantage, should almost never miss finals!

Spot on. Go through the top 30 goal kickers In the league and check their ratios, expectations of many supporters are unrealistic when it comes to number of goals players should kick per game. Fritsch gets potted by quite a few on Demonland, but few 2nd or 3rd forwards kicked as many goals as he did, and if He improves his goal kicking Will be more than handy for many years.

Phillips 3 yrs in a heartbeat, cover similar territory to Langdon on other wing, definite improvement to the 22.

Cats have a massive advantage over most Victorian teams: - Cheaper housing in Geelong and surrounding areas, looking at a 25% benefit, easy sell to players - Beach and not being in city throng appeals to many players, many happy to accept less for this factor alone - Housing & beach etc gives them a 10-20% benefit in player negotiations - 8 games a year at Kardinia Park or whatever it’s called today - very profitable boutique stadium funded by govt - 8 games at MCG or Marvel so well used to both grounds

North have put themselves in a poor position with both Polec and Brown re trading, as They have openly said they don’t want them. Turns Brown maybe a first round pick into 2nd and Polec a 2nd into a 3rd. Teams seem to want Preuss So that frees up $400k, an OMac goes that’s probably $300k that almost covers Brown and Polec. Hopefully TMac, Lever and May were somewhat front loaded!

That’s why I would try couple with Polec as North paid $200k Over the odds to get Him, if we can get him at say $400k, then we have Brown/Polec at $800/900K compared to $8-900k Carlton is paying for Williams. Then I would have a crack at Higgins from the Tigers or someone similar 3 years @ $300 - $350k and the only other spot I’d want extra coverage is perhaps that small defender role. Then in one hit we’ve covered two weaknesses key forward and wing, plus given ourselves an extra option for a small forward and small defender. With Petracca, Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw and Harmes if used in his right role, Langdon you’ve got a powerful midfield in right age range24-26! Add Max who is 28 going 29 but rucks last longer, plus Jackson as a backup! The other thing I like about Jackson is he is a totally different rucking style to Max, making them a hard rucking combination to match. Defence, May, Salem, Lever, Rivers, Tomlinson (played a lot better at CHB than wing), with Hibberd, Lockhart and another small defender from one of Giants/Brisbane/Gold Coast/Tigers not getting a crack. Hopefully Petty comes back as a back up defender/swingman. Yze improves the Kicking skills and an improvement in strategy vs opposition, it’s a different team. If Brown kicked 2 per game, add 34 goals or 44 in a normal season, as we got nothing out of 2nd key forward this year, you probably add 10% in percentage and win two more games from that stat alone. Yze sorts out Fritsch to 30-20 instead of 22-28. It’s a totally different forward line, Pickett improves and learns to steady, add in a Higgins like forward and our forward line is transformed. Hunt, Spargo, Melksham all have to lift to get a game! 2020 was a fail, but we have a huge potential and a lot of our best players Are heading into that 24-26!age bracket 100 games plus zone, a few exciting kids, 2021-2025 is our opportunity!

Take Brown & Polec for a 2nd & 3rd pick, maybe very lucky & 2 3rd round picks. Gives you a key forward, Weideman then gets 2nd defender & Polec covers other wingman, North paying 30-40% of his salary! Brown salary probably at $500k, 250k less than start of year. Good deal for Demons!

Perhaps got off topic in responding to comments re character in prior post. Add in Lachie Hunter played in a flag, won Dogs B&F 2018 and was VC, so can’t be all bad. Would be a big addition to Demons.

Brisbane won three flags with Akermanis and Pike in the team. Successful clubs get it right from the board, to the CEO, to the footy manager, coach, recruitment, List management, development, player welfare, and the rest! I look at the Demons and go we’re soft in a few spots On the field, but get some upgrades and improvement in what we have on the list, and we can go close! Backline pretty solid, just missing the person to close down the opposition smalls, unless Lockhart steps up. Mids, lots of talent just use it properly between, Max, Oliver, Petracca, Viney, Brayshaw, Harmes, Sparrow, Jackson, & Langdon. Missing another wingman, Polec or Hunter would fit the bill, good clubs can manage difficult players! Forwards, Weideman, Jackson and one of TMac or Petty to step up - still like to add a Brown, Mihocek, or Cameron Into the mix, Picket, Fritsch are locks, up to Spargo to step up and Melksham to play like 2018 or move on. Hunt just needs to lift his pressure and consistency. So feels like a Higgins from a Tigers would be a big help. We have star power in Petracca, Oliver, May & Gawn, It’s probably that one power forward and a classy winger plus general improvement and we’re getting close! Off the field, Goodwin needs a strategist that he will listen to and recruiting Yze looks great, also he had great skills and so did the Hawks for many years, so if he can lift the Demons 5-10% In disposal that would be huge! Must hang onto Burgess, his impact will be even greater over longer game times.

Lachie Hunter carved up the Demons 5-6 weeks ago and can really play. I think you could play him on other wing, massive upgrade on what we have today, smart player with good skills. Would have to do more than pick 23, but at 25yo in his prime!

Hunt in for Melksham (when he plays well he would be in the team, this year he should have been dropped from about round 4) Harmes takes Hunt spot I Smith not needed if we get Polec Not sure what smaller good forwards are available but would like Higgins from Tigers! But I like Polec as will hopefully have North paying $250-$350 of his salary Brown also probably available at 4-500k Leaves salary cap for Trac, Oliver getting an extra 200k each in salary. Also hoping TMac dropping 5-10kg can find some speed and agility who might make it back!

The commentators said having multiple Fresh players run through the middle Enabled them to catch the opposition midfielders on the defensive side, as they couldn’t chase as well as fresh players. Happened to Demon mids in a number of games.

I hope not, as mentioned re Lions last night one of their strengths is Plenty of players to Rotate through the midfield. If our coaching panel can get midfield rotations and combinations right, having Trac, Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw, Sparrow and Harmes will be a big plus. Our playing talent has been used in the wrong positions way to often this year ! Causing imbalance And leading to a few losses!