D4Life

Oliver & Petracca have both showed some signs of improvement as season has progressed! Options trade: - Petracca maybe get a first round pick in a weak draft. Oliver have to wear some his salary and take a late 1st rounder or 2nd round pick. Don’t trade and hope new coach can get the best out of both players. Trac should be physically and hopefully mentally better next season after horrific injury of last season! Oliver getting fitter and seemingly more confident as season progressed! Personally I’d keep for one more season!

Vs Geelong

Brayshaw knew where to position himself on the field and particularly supporting the defence! Also glue off the field! When you see how Pendlebury got the Pies home on Saturday, you realise the impact of missing Brayshaws on field contribution!

Coolx2 this year Jeremy Cameron is the one player in the league to kick 3 goals per year! He is a forward! Kossie is averaging 2 per game, the only mid forward to do so! 15 players have kicked more goals than Kossie this year, all permanent forwards! Kossie is a star and well worth the money being paid. Look at the games Demons won and his influence!

How many current players in the AFL last 10 years average over 3 goals per game?

Saw a couple of articles on Ben Brown but most notably on 2021 flag. Personally he had lost all confidence and forgotten how to play, stripped it back to few key items particularly competing and got some confidence back just in time to help win flag. He noted how few injuries we had and how fit the team was leading into finals series. Then on the big day, 19 points behind in 3rd quarter and Oliver, Petracca & Jackson unleashed! Post 2021 his knee realistically gone, so basically it ended up we got him in won flag and he was done. Re culturally he said footy clubs have their challenges and Demons weren’t perfect but not everything bad, also highlighted the impact of losing Brayshaw!

Richmond have Lynch why would they be interested. Saints maybe. If Buckley is Demons coach, would imagine increases likelihood of Mihocek coming to us, as Buckley gave Mihocek his initial opportunity!

Buckley brings: coaching experience, 110 secs from a flag as someone mentioned above Credibility in the industry, Trac, Oliver & co. Will respect him and might even listen to him. 2nd time round will know mistakes he previously made. Buckley will draw players to the club like Roos. You only need a few. And also draw some coaching & fitness talent! it’s not all bad: Another poster said we lack impact aside from Max, Kossie has impact, Trac of old has impact showed glimpses against Hawks & Dogs! As mentioned in another post get Oliver to handball more to better ball users! There are a multitude of changes that can be made to improve our lot! Trading out Oliver, Petracca, Viney, Fritsch when you get next to nothing won’t really help. But getting them back to near their best will. Smart drafting and trading can make a big difference, Hawks been very clever I this regard. The board simply lost faith in him! Since 2021 flag with supposedly dynasty team has gone backwards each year and after 0-5 start this year, then the coach killer last qtr against the Saints being the final straw! Personally feel we were unlucky in 2023 with injuries and the mess at board and administration level made life tough for Goodwin since 2021 flag. Hopefully new Chairman in Smith, new CEO in Guerra, new coach, hopefully a new home Caulfield and some other assistant coaching and fitness changes provides an opportunity to start relatively fresh and leave the past behind! Richardson will likely go at end of 2026!

After a poor losing season and coach getting the bullet, confidence is rock bottom and skill execution follows!

I’d say poor, but hi season has been a 3-4 out of 10, his best we miss, how he has played this year not so much. Would rather he stats and gets in a strong pre season, then we should see much better form!

Max is incredible! Trac and Oliver combining showed some signs today, not enough, but perhaps Buckley as coach can get their best out of them again! Every Demon forward should rewatch Gunston leading from today, simple & smart. Also our coaches should look at how Hawks always have a forward drifting into the area 15-40 metres in front of goal, again simple, but wins easy marks and shots in front of goal, they also did it against Pies last week. Hawks are well disciplined!

Items for discussion: are we fit enough, seemed like Hawks gave us the run around? Do we need a new tackling coach, as Hawks seemed to break out of tackles often? Skills were unbelievably sloppy, is a major part lack of confidence?

On the updated site how do you block another poster

Being time poor over simplified things! A new coach typically brings some new assistants, perhaps new fitness people etc., can all add to making a difference. Player wise, a good draft pick, a father/son, the right trade and some luck with a left field late draft pick and you can pick up four players that make you better! I feel Hawks have done this exceptionally well with Chol, Gunston, Dear and some of their vfl picks! Then last year added battle & Barass!

According to all the experts Trac & Oliver are finished. Said experts predicted Pies too old in 2022 and Cats in 2021! A new coach and a few new players can have a transformative impact! That’s what I’m hoping happens! Go Demons!

Is it: Perhaps the players should have performed better! Game plan not good enough! Playing list not as good as we think! Players slow learners as after 4 years still can’t kick to advantage if forwards nor forwards lead to good positions!

Definitely anti Demons! World champion sour puss and lemon sucker!

2012 flag 2014 lost to terrific Hawks team 2016 Swans got crucified by the umpires 2022 Swans made GF ahead of time 2024 poor Vs Leppitsch record as coach

Goalkicking

Still feels like we are most amateur club in the professional area. Perhaps trying to show a ruthless streak and get in first to select best available coach! Smith & Guerra need to lead the change and charge towards being professional and finding a home!

I’m only 63 but share similar sentiments! Thought might never see a Demons Flag, so thanks Simon Goodwin you delivered one! Will always be famous in Demons history!

2024 - 11 wins, Trac miss half season & Oliver NQR @ 50%. 2025 - 7wins, softer draw, Trac back NQR 70% & Oliver 80%. Trajectory downwards in 2025 after 2024 missing finals and 2023 finals! Board then see Saints loss and go can we wait to see if Goodwin can resurrect or do we reset coach & more! Coach gone and more to follow! Still thanks to Goody for 2021, thought I wouldn’t see a flag in my lifetime.

Demons have gone from most professional club in the amateur era of VFL - 1965! To the most amateur club in the professional era 1965 onwards, and now AFL! Hopefully Smith as President and Guerra as CEO can do something about this inbuilt mindset. At present 2021 was an aberration, albeit a fantastic one!

A mentality of always playing to win vs playing not to lose is an issue for the Demons! Since mid 2022 has felt like this is our mindset! Love them or hate them Man U under Ferg would always be having a crack until the end. I also feel like McRae at the Pies has a similar philosophy! Much more enjoyable watching team throw event it, rather than go into panic mode like our Demons over the last few years! Last week last quarter of the philosophy was turn 46 point lead into over 10 goal win, I’m sure we wouldn’t have capitulated! Something needs to change!!

Hopefully Smith is a very good Chairman and Guerra is a good CEO! White junior makes it to Melbourne and becomes a gun! One or two trades they work out and maximise our draft selections and team can start to turnaround!