D4Life

Yep, one more win out of the five close ones we dropped and comfortably 3rd. Our best puts us in reach of the Tigers! Just have to start with smashing the Cats!

Demonland you’ve got to love it! We cover all ends of the spectrum, far right to the extreme left and everything in between! Positive, negative, supportive, antogonistic, everything and someone called Ethan! All I know is it’s a heap better when we win! So enjoy the moment, in the eight after 12, let’s just keep winning!

Rigged is when the yellow maggots end up on the oppositions best player list. Like the Port loss, 18 frees 2 against after half time!

Yes we have!

I’m Deliriously happy! Finals here we come!

There’s still time for redemption! Four cans before the game starts and you should be semi relaxed, we’re going well just a leisurely can a quarter, not so well, an extra can a quarter and a few at half time and by the end of the game you won’t care! Slightly more difficult if it’s a close match!

Team selection has hurt us in a number of games, round one against Geelong Maynard and Wagner ahead of Tyson and Brayshaw. Against Port after losing Lever always looked like we would be too small down back and we didn’t play Frost. Team then too slow against Saints and that’s only three close losses! I thought Pedersen was poor last week, JKH very average, just doesn’t have much impact when he wins the ball, and Spargo is lucky to still be in the team. While I have liked Garlett, last week he really lacked effort and that isn’t acceptable. I think that might be it for him! While agreeing that the coaching panel don’t always get it right on match day, when the players don’t follow instructions or execute poorly it makes the coaches job very tough. I’ve read most posts, articles, etc since last week, and if we kicked straight against Swans, we win! That’s with lack of running (Jones a major culprit last week), not lowering eyes, backline sitting too high, and anything else you want to mention! That’s why many commentators and bookies are still bullish about the Demons. With all our flaws, since QB, our worst loss is 10 points, we blew the Cats, Saints and Swans games, Port aside from our own flaws the umpiring was disgraceful. We only need a minor improvement in 3-4 areas and we will improve significantly! Just imagine if the following happens: - Backline don’t push so high up the ground. - We have one better kick a quarter going into the forward line. A little bit of composure! - Players really run, chase, tackle & defend. - Add in Viney! Mental strength is the willingness to do point 3 no matter what and keep going to the end! We’re close, let’s hope today is when we cross the line!

Last year it was Viney & TMac who dragged us over the line! TMac is playing, who wants to step up and do what Viney did last year. It’s an opportunity for one of our young guns to make a mark! We only want the following: - Win, any margin is enough! - Kick straight! - Everyone run both ways! - Defenders remember where your meant to play (in the backline!)! - Someone guard the goalsquare - Lower eyes going into forward line! - Kick straight, Kick straight, kick straight!!!!! - Go Demons...........

While I’m interested in anyone who grew up in Glen Waverley, I’m being a spoiler and making a football observation! Why do umpires never pay over the mark against Hawthorn or the Swans last weekend. Last night fourth quarter in last 5-10 minutes, commentator actually called Hawk player for metre over the mark, the fact he’d taken three steps seemed a lot more than a metre. But Hawthorn players are always over the mark and never get pinged! Why?

Definitely missing Viney. Harmes & Petracca also combine pretty well when in the midfield together.

Win today and we are finalists! The world will be a brighter place!

Yes we have had many runs against us, but in all of them the PLAYERS have missed a number of easy shots, that would have slowed the runs! At times he has been out coached, particularly Clarkson comes to mind, but he is the best coach, and a few other Longmire and Scott have premierships and very experienced premiership players to help execute their plans. Against St Kilda I didn’t see much two way running by the players, so not always coaches fault. To me a couple of experienced coaches as assistants would help, Ratten comes to mind!

A simple response to our failures is to say we are mentally weak and this might be right. Ricmond premiers in 2017, were 13th in 2016, from 2013-2015 made finals and didn’t win one, we’re labelled mentally weak across this period and even after losing to GWS after being up with a few minutes to go mid last year, got hammered for having no leaders! What changed, well they got a few new assistant coaches in 2017, did mindfulness, had no injuries to The big four in Cotchin, Riewoldt, Rance & Martin, they played 98 out of 100 games in 2017, and that block of four stars were all in the perfect age bracket 25-30, their backline played together for three years. So the Tigers improved their coaching group, had a great run with injuries to their stars and everything gelled! The Dogs in 2016 were different, rode their luck, were allowed to throw the ball almost like a rugby team without penalty and the introduction of the bye before the finals gave them just enough recovery time, to have a manic four week pressure roller coaster that took them to a flag. A lot of their players had the best four weeks of their career by a mile, $$$Boyd, Picken & Johansen immediately come to mind.?Occasionally someone steals a flag, but not often. I was wrapped for the Dogs. When I look at the Demons this year, a few things have really hurt us: - Lever going down was a massive blow, he had settled in, was running the backline and it was starting to hold shape much better. We haven’t been able to replace his marshalling of the backline, even though Frost has done really well, doesn’t have the Lever smarts & organisational skills. - Viney is the grunt, the leader who drags the team over the line, like against the Eagles last year and the week he cameback against Port after injury, his first quarter was incredible and led the way. It’s why he was appointed co captain, unfortunately while Jones is a good - very good player, he doesn’t have that X factor. Think Carey, Selwood, Martin, Burgoyne! Viney fit plays both matches against Cats, last week vs Swans we win! - Against Port while we blew our chances with poor skills, umpires slaughtered us in 2nd half, it was disgraceful! A lot of the good judges say percentage is a large indicator of where your at, so I take some hope from that viewpoint, and is also why many judges still rate the Demons are a chance. I just want us to win at least one of the next two and at least one final and then we really have progressed. Maybe Viney comes back fit for the finals, Weideman does a Boyd and a few others have the four weeks of their lives like the Dogs! Otherwise, I would try really hard to get Ratten as a coach and also Wellman for the backline! Playing wise I would look for speed & skill, clear out the guys who will never make, and there’s probably 8 in this category, but think we’re not that far off it!

I still think each team should be able to nominate three umpires they don’t wont to officiate at their games. Nicholls would be my #1 Parnell #2 & open for other input for #3.

Vince impact minimal this year. Jones has been average. Jetta good but seems to be carrying multiple injuries Lewis still okay but slowing. I wouldn’t have any of them in our best 8 players. Oliver, Gawn, TMac, Viney, Hibberd, Brayshaw, Hogan & Lever.

Agree with changes suggested. Disappointed with Pedo AFL games this year, tempted to bring in Weideman. Last chance for Pedo!

While I wouldn’t drop Jones , would have spent two hours in video room with him showing his effort against Swans. He seemed to be jogging slowly in no mans land for at least half the game quarters 2&3 when we got belted, and had a bit of a crack in the last!

There is no doubt we are better than last year, just look at percentage and when we get going can massacre teams, we couldn’t do it in the past. A few areas where we need to improve: - Defensive running (Swans ran harder than Melb, we got caught out a number of times) - maximising forward entries (goal kicking against Swans and generally using the 60 plus entries we get each week better, lower eyes) - Backline sits too high and would just love to see one defender sit in goalsquare more (pity Lever went down, things were improving during the 6 win streak) - Missing Viney, he made a huge difference against Eagles & Port last year willing us over the line Reflect on the point we are the highest scoring team in the league! If we improve forward entry and conversion that’s another 2-3 goals a game! Anyway, 100% effort next two weeks, win then play finals, win one or more, and then we should be ready for something special next year!

Hannan can be very good, but goes missing a lot, that’s why he isn’t in the team!

Hannan is very inconsistent, can totally go missing. I’d rather Bugg! Both Bugg & Kent should be highly motivated to perform if they want to continue their AFL careers!

How many shots at goal did we miss during that run on. Seemed to be at least four. Kick two of them and makes a big difference!

After reading lots of comments and reflecting on the game, there were many reasons we lost: 1. Shocking kicking for goal, missed 6-8 set shots from 20-35 metres, all from not difficult angles, not under tackling pressure. 2. Team looked too big, with Pedersen in, am sure he was picked with Buddy in mind and Max sore, but it backfired. 3. Hunt picked when not ready. 4. Spargo cooked, there was a period earlier in year he should have been rested. Give him another preseason and he will be much better for it. 5. Jones was really poor. Did seem to just jog around the ground first three quarters. Even last quarter kicks inspirational goal, then ordinary disposal at other key times. 6. Add JKH and AVB struggle at the level. 7. Garlett wasn’t on, maybe due to Swans being great at closing small forwards down. 8. ANB disposal poor today. 9. Was Swans last gasp, lose today and it was season over! They played like it. Still I weigh it all up, we lose by under ten points, after blowing our early ascendancy, almost half team well down on form, so not a surprise we lost. This week assuming Hibberd and Melksham good to go, both come in and if Kent played well in VFL, he also comes in. Out Hunt injured, Pedo (he is either in as a key position player, otherwise is too slow), Spargo. A few others lucky to hold spots, JKH and AVB who stays for kicking key goals, he got slaughtered by Alir, but shouldn’t have been playing on him!

Just need to nail the set shots! Should be 9 goals!

I thought AVB looked proppy in the last qtr against Suns!

Tyson is rebuilding his confidence and his disposal has picked up the last couple of weeks. Aside from confidence possibly getting used to have a little more time on outside rather than rushing disposal.