Go Lordie

Message from the Melbourne Football Club: "Ha ha ha! Fooled you! All you Demons supporters out there who think we're trying to get into the finals. We are not. We are just trying to amuse all the supporters of the other clubs. We are here just to frustrate you. We play this game called football, but we don't even bother to learn the basic foot skills needed to play a game called FOOTball. Why should we? We are just the light entertainment to keep the crowds amused while the serious teams win all the spoils. Hint: every time we publish a selection list or recruit a "gun" young player, just laugh. Laugh your hardest. Because we are, too."

I am feeling confident. We have a nearly full list and many players have finally caught up with Bowey, Chandler and Gawn, all of whom have been close to their best all year. The youngsters (6, 10, 19, 20) are doing well, too. Let's hope their legs are still pumping in September. By the way, is everyone aware that, in the 11th round of 2025, our Max - number 11 - had scored exactly 111 goals and 111 points in his career? I didn't think he was that accurate!

He had a good game, but I was surprised to see him ranked second on the AFL stats site, 139 to Max's 140. Oliver, Pickett, Langdon and Petracca followed.

Plus they were missing Papley, Logan McDonald, Gulden and a few others.

What does it mean if we beat the winner of last year's grand final in Round 10 and the other grand finalist in Round 11?

Q1: are the Swans loading? Q2: were both teams knackered in a nearly equal last quarter: 10 scores to 8?

You're right. It's remarkable he plays as well as he does with those limitations. 😀

Melky goals! Finally, our goals match our behinds.

Good decision by Trac to hand off to Sharp, given Tracc's dodgy kicking.

B#gger. Kozzie rolls a point and the Swans kick a goal!

Ask him who wins the 2025 Melbourne Cup!

A reverse David Neitz, perhaps? Maybe, but first he needs to learn how to read the play.... And take one-grab marks.

Cruel, DeeBlood, but fair.

The Kolt. I think I have figured his genealogy. At first, I though the Kolt must have been related to the 1980s adventurer Hans Tholstrup. Hans was the first person to circumnavigate Australia in an open power boat and the first person - along with 6 times Bathurst winner Larry Perkins, who built the machine with brother Garry - to cross the continent in an electric vehicle. But, then I thought the Kolt has a better resemblance to someone who could have been his grandfather. Is the spirit of Harpo alive and well in the Demon forward line?

THE KISS. Am I the only Demonlander who spotted the influence of the Kolt Kiss? There is no way the Kolt can be dropped. He dispersed his kisses sparingly last week, but now every Demon forward will be vying to earn a Kolt Kiss, and I believe that will encourage them to tackle harder, lead more often and - important, this - kick straighter. THE KOLT MUST STAY IN THE TEAM.

What's that? Hard to see Adams , Howes, Sestan, AJ, Hendo and Culley getting a game when we are back at full health?

This is a team notorious for inaccuracy. Over the long term Fritter is the most accurate forward at the club. No-one can stay at 100pc all the time. Ad long as he comes good in the Prelim, that's all I care about.

Harmes 4 goals V GWS. Very pleased for him. He turned the '21 GF with his beautiful pass to Fritter in Q3.

The Pies are peaking too early. Goody has timed our run beautifully.

Thanks for the update, stinga. That sounds positive re JVR.

I want JVR to succeed, but I don't see him leading at the ball-carrier and I don't see him busting open packs when the long bombs land in the hot spot. I remember him taking some marks early in his career by drifting across the pack, but I think opposition coaches can neuter that with a block by a small defender. I see one of his issues this year is that he can't judge the flight of the ball. He seems always to run under it (on those rare occasions he is in front). P.S. If he has to be taught how to use his body, that means it doesn't come naturally to him.

And JVR.

Binman, do the stats tell us how Freo reeled us in after we scored 6 goals in both the first and second quarters? We managed 3 goals 3 in Q3 and 1 goal 6 in Q4, maintaining our number of scoring shots (6 or 7 a quarter) but recording a major deterioration in accuracy. Was this a return to our normal abysmal accuracy or a reflection of increased Freo pressure? Was our accuracy in Q1 and Q2 just a fluke?

Agree. How good will it be when May, Lever and McVee join him?

A couple of weeks ago, after he led the China Grand Prix from lights out to the chequered flag, i suggested we recruit Oscar Piastri because he knows how to LEAD. Suddenly, against Freo, we had forwards leading and taking marks or forcing opponents to give away free kicks. It was amazing. Question: was it loose defence by Freo or A: a distinct change of attitude by the Dee forwards or B: the change of personnel in the Dees' forward 50?