D4Life

At their mandatory swimming session!

No worries I was having fun at my own expense!

Good day to win the toss. If that breeze is down the ground - worth a good 6 goals!

I’m not so good at spelling his name, so Fridge seems a lot easier!

Kicking efficiency is an interesting stat, it feels misleading! As what stands out to me is the real changers where we have the ball players free surging forward and then turnover that results in an opposition goal. Feels like Tyson, Lewis and last week Brayshaw let go a few bad ones! Fridge is a gun, beautiful kick, has great vision, nearly always gives it to a player that benefits the team! Fantastic #31 draft pick and Spargo has similar characteristics using the ball.

I’ve unfortunately seen all of our losses at the “G” this year, starting with Cats, Hawks, Tigers, Pies & Saints. In all of them our lack of speed or running both ways, combined with backline pressing too high means that when the ball transitions from our forward line often with 30 plus players in it, to the other end, when our forwards and mids don’t chase, the opposition have 1-2-3 players streaming into our backline typically three on three , so we end up outnumbered and the opposition scores. This is the major reason our backline is leaking like a sieve, and this happens more at the “G” with more open spaces. probably why we are winning at Etihad as a narrow ground! When you like at the Tigers backline there back six hold deeper than most teams and almost have a goalkeeper guarding the goals. Their forwards use manic pressure, and supported by their mids, retain the ball in the forward line, without the backs typically joining in. Then when they have to defend their mids really run, and forwards if need be! As Lever settled in our back six were starting to hold deeper and someone guarded the goals. Since he went down, we’ve lost structure and shape in the backline. Pies pantsed us out of the middle and missing Lever really hurt, against Port umpires killed us, but we were too short down back, and last week Petty was either not ready or incredibly nervous, and adding Petty debut next to Joel Smith game6-7 was not very smart. in all our ‘G’ losses the number of opposition breaks down a wing with no Demons in sight is depressing. When you play Tyson, Lewis, Petty, Hannan & Weideman is is amplified. This weeks selections of Spargo, Stretch, Garlett & Frost bring in more speed than who they replaced, and hopefully two way run & tackling pressure. That’s e-nuff from me! Looking at the wild weather at Mornington beach, might be a good day to be playing in Darwin. Go Demons, pump those Dockers!!!

Give the umpires a break, they aren’t allowed to take their guide dogs on the field!

Great we’ve got Dumb & Dumber or should that be Blind & Blinder!!

Frost adds strength, height & speed to the backline, his decision making has looked better in the VFL. Spargo, Stretch & Garlett add speed and crumbing capability. Garlett not perfect but has kicked 40 goals last three years, yes he has the odd really bad day, but most FPS do across the season! Stretch has speed, playing really well in VFL, just needs some confidence and be told go for it, give him 4 weeks. Spargo has done pretty well in his 7 games for a first year player, particularly stepping up at important times.

We played poorly against the Pies and really missed Lever. Against a tall Port forward line we were to short, no crumbers in forward line and Tyson is in the guts or not on the field, as he is too slow on the wing. Even with this selection problems, we played well and got killed by the umpires. Then went too tall against Saints, no crumbers, Tyson on wing, and Petty put in before his team. We also didn’t chase and still only lost by two points. A well balanced team and hopefully the backline will not press too high, lower the eyes going forward, and we chase, will make us a lot harder to beat!

Not TMac after the coughing up blood against Port. Frost, Harmes or maybe even Petracca!

It’s not going to happen, we win by 5 goals plus & get back on a roll!

You meaning the glowing yellow muppets looking for their guide dogs!

Lack of depth!!!!

Good changes, more speed, better balance, two small crumbers, Stretch & Frost get rewarded for very good form in the VFL.

Agree and feel aside from missing Lever, Spargo would have been handy the last two weeks!

Not the week for two first games in Kielty & Baker, particularly after Petty last week. Outs: Petty Tyson Hannan Ins: Frost Stretch & Garlett or Spargo All faster than who they are replacing, and am tempted Spargo for Weideman or ANB.

Agree with your comments, but team selection poor. - Petty not up to it yet! He will be, but maybe early 2020, after two preseasons. - Tyson can play in the middle, but way too slow for wing and he doesn’t chase. - No crumbers in forward line. Weekbefore vs Port needed a crumber, a big bodied defender and can’t play Tyson, Lewis& Vince in the same team! There should be 3-4 changes this week. Petty, Tyson & Hannan out, maybe Weideman. Replaced respectively by Frost, Stretch, Spargo & Garlett!

If you saw Casey in the vfl last week, King & Filipovic struggle at that level! Spargo yes, but would have Frost, Stretch and Garlett well ahead of the rest!

TMac at CHB, aside from a 4-5 game period at FF. This year, need to have a punt on Frost, give him 3-4 weeks! At least he has a strong physique and can run!

Agree with premise of the thread, we’ve rushed in or kept in players who should have missed a week. TMac Jetta Petracca Melksham OMac & Pedo promoted after concussion and players do carry injuries, but seems like it has backfired on us!

Unfortunately Ben Guthrie is right, losing Levers intercepts marks, spoils, leadership & structure has really hurt the Demons. Weeks 1-5 Lever struggled to get going, but then as he settled in and the backline got use to him as part of the unit: - we kept 3 players in the backline rather than all pressing into our forward half - stopped 3-4 players flying at once (which is happening in our forward line at the moment, with no real crumbers) - someone stayed near the goalsquare down back and how have we tried to replace him? - Joel Smith with all 3 games experience - then added Petty(vfl form wasn’t great) to debut instead of Vince - for me get Frost (playing very well in VFL) in for Petty - give Joel Smith 3-4 more weeks, if he makes it great, if not Vince possibly comes back other defensive issues: - Tyson on wing too slow, rarely ever see him chase, give Stretch(been great in VFL)a go for 4/6 weeks, just back him and say go for it! - forward line too many play tall, replace with Spargo & or Garlett - back three stay at back of square - put some heat on Petracca, Melksham, forwards & mids to really chase Outs: Petty, Tyson, Hannan, Ins: Frost, Stretch, Garlett And after last week would add in Spargo considering Weideman, Salem or even Jetta out. Jetta to rest, he looked out of it last week. Feels cathartic to write out my defensive druthers! Would feel even better to ban a lot of the umpires from our matches, 28 Parnell needs a seeing eye dog!

Agree. Geelong spot on, Wagner oh boy! Port we looked too small down back at selection, and too slow with Tyson, Lewis & Vince in the team, and no forward crumbers in Garlett or Spargo! Plus umpires screwed us, Melksham decisions Q4, enough said. Then against Saints still no Garlett or Spargo! Tyson on a wing where he is out of position and snail slow! Then sacrificing Petty who from what I could read was doing ok at VFL level but not great, so added to Joel Smith, we had two kids effectively replacing Vince & Lever roles. TMac & Jetta obviously NQR! This week want some speed, a crumbed, some height/experience in backline!

Agree & Petty not ready! TMac still injured!

We need to go back to 2 umpires per game, maybe even 1! The less of them on field he better!