D4Life

As the siren sounded they went to Goodwin on the boundary line, on the bench were: - Pickett needs a rest and also could do with a game in scratch/twos to get more of the ball, he will make it, but needs development. - Jones a Demon warrior! Now slow and making critical errors, the miss in the backline with just over a minute to go before half time cost us two goals and nearly the game! A player of his experience should have made sure we killed the last 80-90 seconds of the quarter! - Hannan, his good is very good, but it’s 1 very good game, 1 average game, 3 poor games in every 5, he needs to improve his worst performances. - Wagner played okay, but always makes you feel nervous, there are 4-5 other players I would select ahead of him in a half back role. I felt it was telling they were on the bench when the match was on the line! I’ve been very frustrated with Goodwin this season, particularly lack of moves against the Dogs, but credit where credit is due, the Demons won the strategy battle against the Saints. So for me the definite outs: - Pickett In: Bedford like for like, give him a go! - Hannan In: Fritsch - Jones In: Harmes get him to play forward and tag Swans back half playmaker - Wagner. In: Lockhart not sure why he was out On the edge:, 5 changes on a four day break is acceptable, so possibly one more: - Oscar, helps the structure, both May & Lever seem to play better when he is in the team, but he is a worry, slow running and slow to get rid of the ball, all bar his first game back last time, when he actually just went for it. Anyway I think his place will be dependent on Swans structure! - VDB, another warrior incredibly courageous, but disposal ordinary at best, can accept as number 22, but a weeks break wouldn’t hurt his body - Hibberd out only if ankle sore - Spargo low possession game, but had most tackles of the forwards, and also ball only went into forward 50 30 Times! A little like Weideman just give him 4-5 games in a row as long as he is doing the team things. If you look at forward pocket type role across the league, only the best play we’ll week in week out, tough role to play! If one of the above is out, you have a range of options to select from: - ANB - Runs and puts pressure on, but feels like top VFL player, needs to step up to make it at AFL - Hunt was playing very well until he knocked himself out on the Crows ruckman hip, two years ago never been the same since, I would try see if he can do what Langdon does - Smith to me could play as a defensive forward, has closing speed, can mark, can kick, just doesn’t have great football nous! - Bennell would just let Him keep building in the practice matches Game plan - rotating Petracca and Viney in and out of the middle would make it tough for opposing sides to continually match up against!

Sorry it was a crap kick, lucky to reach it with one hand stretched to height of his reach!

Don’t blame Goodwin! Jones fatal mistake from a guy who has nearly played 300 games - just terrible. He is slow and skills not good enough - can’t pick him!!

Jones again slow and poor disposal he is finished

Kicked it over his head!!

Jones error goal

Feeling of dread building, thinking 3-4 goal loss pre to team selection, post thinking as ugly as ten. Richo highlights speed so we go: Gawn for Preuss - Max quicker Brown for TMac - haven’t seen Brown play this year, but anyone quicker than TMac Rivers vs Harmes - Rivers slightly quicker J Wagner vs Lockhart- speed similar, J Wagner decision making awful & slow Jones vs Sparrow - Jones very slow OMac vs Fritsch - slow slow slow When I way it all up team definitely a little bit slower, when I’m thinking we should definitely have picked quicker team, why none of Bedford, Hunt or Smith given a go, I’m not sure. Also as quite a few people have highlighted Lockhart has been solid, why drop him when Saints have Butler, I don’t understand! Anyway I’m expecting to lose by 6-8 goals on reflection, really hope I’m wrong in this weird season, Saints are probably due a stutter, having lost to North & Freo having been well up in both, but you never know!! Go Demons, and while I’ve hardly had a drink during lockdown, a few cans will definitely be required to settle pre match nerves! Go Demons!!

I understand the frustration, but at least he typically kicks a goal or two and creates a couple. Hannan has less impact and gives nothing in his poor games! Pickett also needs a week off, not hitting the scoreboard or creating goals.

First five minutes the warning bells were on high, as Demons looked flat. As bad as we were for the day, some points to consider: - Melksham touched set shot, Fritsch missed everything in 3rd, Kossie two points from early shots, generally poor goal kicking. Make 3 of these shots and maybe a different game - mids flat for the day, other than Viney, the rest no chasing, went back to dinky football, rather than bold of last week and last quarters of preceding two weeks - Melksham and Fritsch had opportunities and poor conversion, Weideman made most of limited opportunities, Pickett, Spargo, Hannan didn’t do enough, their opponents seemed to have a free reign. AVB also fitted into this bucket. TMac little influence. - Bontempelli running free and starring, nothing done, just let go - team probably played 10 minutes of reasonable football in later part of 2nd quarter Add all of the above shockers and only lost by 28 points! Makes me think all isn’t lost. Most teams bar Geelong have had at least one if not too underwhelming performances in this season, as Hub life, different game breaks, never getting home games, adds an additional challenge into the year. The good, the defence under attack for a lot of the game, Due to little or no forward/midfield pressure held Dogs to only 12 goals. May, Lever, Tomlinson, Lockhart, Salem All pretty solid. Really up to Oliver, Petracca, Brayshaw to lift consistency, take the game on every week, and forwards to chase like their careers depend on it!

Good summary. Wallis first goal had Harmes on him, Last had Hibberd but was a great pass from Bont... Not sure about other 2, Hibberd went to get ball on Wallis snap, so 50/50, can’t remember other. Hibberd shocking pass in first quarter gave away a goal!

Agree thanks for saving me typing it in!

Agree on first two, plus Out Pickett, needs a break. In Hunt Out Hannan, gap between good & bad games is too wide. In Bedford or Bennell or Smith

Would be very happy with him lining up at CHF today for the Demons! Doubt the club would go for Hogan again, as many rumours when he left. But would take him as a late first round or second round pick!

I think Collingwood started favourite last week, so today probably based on Max missing. Dogs been very inconsistent this year. Recall Demons cleaning up the Dogs in 2018 at Marvel/Etihad, am hoping we do the same today. Feels like tough game to call, we need to keep pressure on for four quarters and keep running! The last few weeks, mids and Even Jones have run both ways, plus mids also breaking free going forward with Much better decision making! These few breakthroughs in how we are playing make us a much better team, and provided we perform at same level today, I think we’ve got the Dogs!!

Great post, lots to like! The team is running, including our midfielders, even Jones is chasing! Backline is keeping its structure, covering the occasional player error! Salem precise kicking, giving us the way out of defence! Forward line has a structure with Weideman & TMac last night, Pickett & Spargo crumbing, then Melksham, Frisch, Jones adding you the mix. Petracca & Oliver both grabbing the ball and running out of the packs, breaking the game open. Langdon covering huge territory, helping both the back & forward line! Great last quarters, full of running! Agree a few things to improve, but aside from not showing up against Port, we’ve come a long way in the last 6 matches!

Changed your view since we were 1-3!

Positive signs, Jones & TMc look slow and struggling.

9th on the list!!

Agree on the in row, but TMac, Jones and AVB our for me. TMac played okay but straight swap for Max. Jones fair, bit looking slow and getting caught to often. AVB disposal poor. Lockhart into backline and would have Harmes tag Sbum! Viney 50:50 or 60/40 between middle and forward pocket.

When only the two leading goal kickers in The Coleman are just averaging over 2 goals what are people expectations of other forwards. Seems like many on Demonland expect our forwards to all contribute 2 goals most weeks!

Agree

While it was great to win well tonight and worth celebrating as it was North, beat the Pies next week and we’re on our way. Trac, Oliver, & Brayshaw great out of the middle, I would have Viney in forward pocket, 50% of game time! Pickett one pocket, Viney the other!

Burgoyne a star Hawk should have gone twice, ANB a no name Demon an example, it’s that simple & WRONG. Hawkins elbow just lucky didn’t take out opponents head!

Take all of the points in the thread: - Harmes excelled in 2018 as tagger - so rather than use him on Boak, leave him hanging and losing confidence - bring in untried 3rd gamer, Sparrow - play him on oppositions star midfielder, Boak BOG - when St Kilda successfully locked Boak down in preceding round - hard to believe, seems like terrible selection! Coaching team would have to review and go that was a shocker didn’t work, put Harmes back as tagger or he has to be dropped. - Sparrow, in middle ahead of Trac, Viney, Oliver, Brayshaw, Harmes, and would give another 5 guys a run in there ahead of him, seems a weird move.

Great idea for review, perhaps not best done after the years worst performance, as Thursday night I don’t think I would have picked more than 2-3 players!! Backline - no backline would have held up against how easily the ball was brought in on Thursday. Back six: Definite: May, Lever, Hibberd, Salem Structural: OMac (Thursday night aside, backline is definitely more settled and structured when he plays) Developing: Lockhart, Rivers, Smith At moment I’d stick with Lockhart Middle: Wing: Langdon Not sure about other side maybe VDB for aggression Tagger: Harmes just put him on oppositions best mid, he had a great season doing this, let him play the role. When guy he is tagging goes off ground so does Harmes Centre/Rover: Petracca/Oliver/Viney/Brayshaw with each of Petracca/Oliver/Viney/Brayshaw rotating in Forward Pocket/Flank Ruck: Max supported by Jackson Forwards Weideman just give him the rest of the season at FF Jackson Plays rest of season / 2-3 game breaks replaced by TMac role of Forward/Ruck Melksham / Bennell highly skilled Petracca/Oliver/ Viney/ Brayshaw share forward role Pickett rest of season, this week off and two other rest breaks Spargo to backup Bench: Rivers, Brayshaw, Smith, possibly Tomlinson