D4Life

When you select Lewis, Jones, & OMac in backline, they are all slow to very slow, as is Hore. Wagner probably average speed, but terrible decision making and if you put him next to Frost, it is just scary. Hawthorn forward line looks smaller, quicker and we seem to have picked bigger and slower in our backline, add in it looks likely to be wet. Hard to see what the FD are doing

Backline is slow as treacle! Then Hore rotates in for Hunt, even slower! or Wagner comes in next to Frost, fast decision making .........oh noooo! I’ll be at the game, but don’t think I can watch, it’s going to be a massacre! Like a few GoT episodes!

Percentage is always a good indicator of where you stand compared to previous years, as sometimes win loss can be out of kilter by having a number of close wins or losses. % 2018 - 131 vs 2019 - 72%, so we are a 10 goal per game worse team! Last year early in the year we got caught doing the following: - defending (or not defending) to far up the ground. - boundary throw ins in backline not having someone cover the goal side shark & shot play. - not having someone patrol the goal square. - all defenders jumping for the mark or punch, while leaving opposition players to crumb & goal. Seems like we are doing this in the forward line. - mids not running both ways (Jones is worst culprit - shocking example as captain). - ordinary kick out approach (just watch how a well coached team like Hawthorn do it) Melbourne has been poor at this for last 10 years. This is one area totally down to coaching - you have the ball from a set play, if you can’t get this right either poor planning or execution. - blazing away into forward line. - too many players competing against one another for the mark in forward line. - wingers too slow and not chasing. - from what I’ve seen and read on Demonland, we’re repeating all the same mistakes, is it dumb players bereft of confidence (as we did get better from round 16 onwards), lots of injuries (Jetta & TMac why are they playing if not fit) or poor coaching. Some fixes: - prioritise the wings with Fritsch and Stretch (at least he can run, give him five weeks to either make it or not). - Jetta & TMac out till their fit. Don’t bring in May, Lever or KK until fit. - J Wagner out, poor decision maker. C Wagner out. - Lockardt in as a small defender. - Give Keilty a go as a forward until TMac fit. - Garlett back in the crumbing role. - ANB back at least he can run. More speed in team.

Operations & injuries obviously haven’t helped the Demons start. 6 6 6 hasn’t helped as it seems to reward speed on the outside, where we have struggled over the last couple of years, and we haven’t had any success with our draft picks to fill this void, same with trying to find small quick forwards. A few players don’t chase Lewis and Jones being notable culprits. I think as many people noted last year we couldn’t play Vince & Lewis in same team, This definitely applies for Lewis and Jones this year. Jones while having a day out against Sydney, stands out for not chasing. Wagners just aren’t up to it! Agree with thoughts on give Stretch a five game go at it on the wing! Baker doesn’t seem to star in VFL so not sure why he will make it!

Another loss and we’re onto 2020! More of the 2nd half from last week. Hit outs from Max landing on Viney, Brayshaw & Clarries chests and a continuation of team defence, we have to run with the Saints. Go Dees!

A whistle! For you & all Dees to blow! So we get some bloody free kicks!

Once we have a reasonable injury list, Lewis won’t make it into the team.

If you don’t chase and go in expecting to win without effort you lose to the Saints by 2 points. After that disgraceful performance last year the Demons tightened team defence, similar to what we did against the Swans in the 2nd half last week. If Melbourne turn up, ready to play team defence, they win! If they don’t it will be a likely loss. We look average with Hore & two Wagners in the team, prefer see Jeffy in and anyone instead of JWag. HOre was better against Swans but still looks slow and disposal iffy! Anyway let’s hope they all play well and the Demons win!

Last year start of the season, same errors: - nobody minding goal square - 2-3-4 players go the punch, while opposition left to crumb unattended (J Wagner has less awareness than Frost!) - loose defenders, rarely manning up - no chasing in middle of ground (Jones is worst offender, looks like he is above chasing his opponent) - bomb into forward line - don’t lead in forward line - don’t tackle in forward line - across the ground, everyone try get the ball, even from one another, while opposition just wait for it to come out - Under 12s It will take an amazing turnaround to win in Sydney. Anyway fingers crossed. Go Dees! One question to any of the guys who watch training. Do the backs all fly for the ball in training and try punch it, while nobody stays on the ground for the crumbs?

Agree: backs one man up just drives me crazy! mids run both ways, in particular Jones just awful example as Captain, I’m above chasing! forwards make some space, agree 100%, don’t all run to same space! coaches: Backline disorganised, would love to hear from someone who attends training, they can’t possibly coach lets all fly together?

It’s raining cats & dogs, so Demons better play with a bit of mongrel and desire. Normally I’d much prefer better weather for Melbourne to play in, might just help us tonight. Often seems like the team that really wants it, comes out on top in the rain, let it be the Dees!

After last weeks match, it’s hard to see us beating any team, reflecting on a few key points, there is hope for a turnaround: - only Salem out of22 players played well for four quarters. Melksham 2.5 quarters. - at 10 minute mark of last quarter still just over a goal, with one player playing well - Gawn, Oliver, Viney, Jones, TMac, Jetta couldn’t be that bad this week - May coming in is big and hopefully KK is ready - last year we showed some quality & competitiveness to make the last four, the players seem to be tight knit, today should at least show the effort if not the ultimate result Go Dees!

Cunnington smashed Bernie Vince in the guts at the ‘G’ in 2017 members wing right in front of umpires, Vince went down nothing. Cunnington is a protected species & no idea why as he is a dirty player. Did anything happen to guy who smashed Max?

The rubbish 50 to Gray late in the third and Jones brain fade, and we could have been in front. Amazing when aside from Salem no other player played four quarters and most of the team were abysmal! Yet we weren’t totally out of it. Fingers crossed for a lot better display against the Cats. Hard to see us winning after round one, but we can only hope and support the team. Go Dees!!

Yes it was very poor, in fact [censored] poor, we looked underdone! i just looked outside, the sky is still in place. Best of all, at least we’re not Essendrug!!!!!

A really bad day for the Demons, let themselves get roughed up by a young Port team and did nothing about it. May and Preuss can both come in and do something about it!

I thought Lewis tweaked a hamstring, so won’t be ready. Unless K.K stars in VFL would rather see him play a couple of VFL games so he is really ready. Jones, Viney looked short of a gallop and Melksham ran out of puff, don’t want KK doing the same. Agree Horne out and May in. Perhaps Frost or O Mac out and Preuss in to support Max and bring in some strength. Not sure answer re more speed, just the team playing better makes a big difference. Hopefully bit of a reality shock will help make players more accountable! Can also see why FD wanted JSmith in forward line, speed and pressure on opposing backs running the ball out of the backline. Out: Hore & Frost In: May & Preuss (not sure why we let Port push us around yesterday, but these two will help)

Our Collingwood trades have gone badly for last 5 years. Kennedy, Lumumba, Dawes and now Hore. Looked very slow and disposal ordinary at best. Reminds me of a slow Wagner in defence. Not good enough for AFL. Hopefully I’m wrong!

Part of yesterday’s game reminded of our loss to St Kilda last year. We got out run and Port ran in waves, particularly from backline were they outnumbered us around the ball, then would typically break away as a group of three and start running and passing the ball amongst themselves. Several Demons weren’t running and chasing, led by our captains, Jones who seems to think he is above chasing, Viney who looked injured, and Petracca. Hore just looked slow, and the team generally didn’t seem to be running. We recovered after losing to St Kilda last year and am expecting almost the whole team other than Salem & Melksham to improve on yesterday’s performance. Would live to see Jones chase!!

Veery tough to pick 6: 6 Salem (best by a mile) 5 Melksham 4 Brayshaw 3 Harmes 2 Hunt 1 Sparrow Worst also difficult as so many to choose from unfortunately!

MFC - Very bad day Team ball movement- slow slow slow Kicking out - slow, short, poor Not so good: Viney, Gawn, Oliver, Harmes, Jetta, TMac, Hibberd, Petracca - well below average ok Jones - will not chase (did not mark!), end is near! Frost - replace with May OMac - was no Mac Spargo - brushed aside easily, at least smart ANB - missed two & disappeared Fritsch - a bit spasmodic Weid - not his best (no easy possessions, slow ball movement, into forward line) Showed something: Hunt - had one crack Newbies: Hore - looked very slow, out of position, replace with anyone Wagner - had a crack Sparrow - some good signs The Good Salem - a class act Melksham - forward line spark Normally don’t bother with player summary but found it cathartic! Shocker of a performance, hopefully can only get better, roll on round 2!

Jones won’t chase and incredibly casual dropped simple mark, when mark and captains goal may have kept us in it.

May for Hore

So why aren’t we smashing into Ryder! Too passive! Jones refuses to chase, poor example from captain!!

Jetta OMac Hibberd Salem Frost Lewis Fritsch Oliver Harmes Petracca Weideman Melksham Spargo TMac ANB Max Brayshaw Viney Jones Hunt Preuss Sparroe or Stretch Backline same as finals last year Fritsch skills to wing Preuss to help counter two Port rucks