Go Lordie

It was a terrific interview Andy, with a couple of questions that I - as a journalist of 40 years - might have squibbed on, like the one about Fritter coming back and TMac looming and will there be space in the forward line. I know you were just setting the scene with that long question, but I do notice that sometimes interviewers - especially footy commentators on TV - will put the highlights into their questions instead of trusting/hoping the interviewees will provide the highlights in their answer. You've got the research side of the interview art down pat. Don't let my observation put you off. I want to hear from plenty more Demon players on Demonland.

Just listened to the Melk interview. He is such a pleasure to listen to. He gives thoughtful answers and does try to answer the questions rather than just reach for a cliche. And I gave him points for not laughing when Andy posed a massively enthusiastic six-part question - or was it seven? - about that game-winning mark and goal. I might add I am thrilled that Melk is proving to be so valuable this year. I remember some deflating moments in our two 2022 finals when he had chances to score but his one wood - accurate kicking - seemed to desert him. He gets 10 out of 10 from me for persistence and for bouncing back strongly this year.

!!!!!!!!!!!

And he'll probably be a bit rusty. Best to get the first-up game out of the way, I think.

... and 96 per cent game time. The most in the team.

Hello to the panel and congratulations on the consistently excellent podcast you give us each week. I have been looking at our efficiency in front of goal and the stats show we are pretty average. From 61 entries, we scored 13 goals on Sunday or 21 per cent of the time. The Hawks achieved 23 per cent. In the game against Carlton and North, we were equal with the opposition at 17 per cent and 22 per cent respectively. Like the Hawks, the Tigers were more efficient than us - 33per cent versus our 27 per cent. The last time we were better than the opposition was in the Adelaide game - 27 to their 24 per cent efficiency. I'm not sure what to make of this except to draw the obvious conclusion - if we have more entries we can afford to be less efficient and still win. And, of course, if Melk had bagged those two set shots in the first half, our efficiency on the weekend would have jumped over Hawthorn to 25 per cent. Keep up the good work, chaps. Go Dees! 🔵🔴🔵

My comments about the window closing were based on concerns about Max's longevity. We got Grundy in to help extend Max's career, but he doesn't adequately fill in for Max when he plays. Who could? Max is amazing: ruckman, clearance specialist with his kicks from ruck contests, he's a mid-fielder who wins ground balls, he takes intercepting marks down back and his marks around the ground give us access to the forward line. There's no-one like him and I am worried about how long he can continue. It's my view that we can't win another premiership without Max in best form.

I hope you're right, ED. But I think Bowey, Rivers, Sparrow and Kozzie have already "come through". Not a lot more upside there, but several years more, certainly. JVR I think has upside. With a bit more meat on him he may be able to take more pack marks. Along with Melk and the resting ruckman, he doesn't seem to be mobile enough in the forward line. Am I delusional or should two or more forwards lead to the left, the right and up the centre when a kick is coming in? I know it gets crowded down there if it's a set-piece kick (a mark or a free), but people in N42 were calling on the forwards to "give him something" as players were about to kick it into the F50. It drives me mad when our three talls are all in the same pack with little or no chance of clunking it. Mind you, kicking to a leading player requires a certain level of foot skills...

I'm a big Salem fan but his ball handling seemed to be off this week. And some of his ki ks. We need him in top form for the finals. Here's a big picture question for the panel: Has our premiership window shut already? We ripped it up in 2018, but got embarassed in the Preliminary Final. Then we wasted two years until finally snatching the prize in 2021. Should we have had three by then? I am still confident about this year - I don't think Carlton's form can last - but we are not clearly superior like we were in the first half of 2022 before the troops started reporting to the infirmary.

Look at the stats. Harmesey was in the Dees' top 10.

Just checked the stats. Harmes was in our top 10. My apologies to Number 4.

Thanks. I'll watch again on Harmes Alert.

We committed some horrendous foot passing errors in Q1. I haven't looked at the replay yet, but does the panel think this was just sloppy work by the Dees or the result of North's Q1 pressure?

I laughed, except when Jimmy was on screen.

Don't forget that our ever-changing forward line is also a puzzle and a challenge for the opposition coaches and selectors, not just Dee supporters!

That's big of you SPC. There's been too much scepticism around Nibbler. Nice that someone has seen the light and recanted.

Yes, sorry I was not clear. Q1 embarrassing for poor general play, awful foot passing. Q4 embarrassing because we were on top and missed a chance to bury North (and Brisbane) by kicking 1g 6b.

I am/was a big Harmes fan but.... Dunstan seems plausible right now.

Gawn, Viney and Tracc not among our sharpshooters. IMO their absence does not explain our inaccuracy in Q4.

Glad we won but Q1 and Q4 were embarrassing. 1g 6b in Q4: have the goal-kicking yips returned? And some foot passes in Q1 were awful. It was like we were trying to kick it to North Melbourne! Kicking coach: hellllpppp!

Hibberd before Tommo.

Perhaps Fritter?

I'd like to add my congratulations Andy for the consistently excellent podcast you, Binman and George offer us each week. What I love is the way you three combine your own personal foibles - whether it be pessimism and the MFCSS, the optimism that keeps all of us coming back to the 'G for more or the brutal statistical analysis that comes with being a serious punter - with your entertaining takes on what happened a few days prior. I can't wait each week for the next episode and this leads to a certain level of frustration. What I mean is I love winning on a Thursday or Friday night because it makes the whole weekend much more enjoyable as I bask in the glow of victory but, at the same time, a Friday night win (much more a Thursday night win) means I have to wait an inordinate time for the next podcast. Can I make a suggestion? Your introduction last week about the Richmond game I thought was a bit truncated. I like the format where you give us your view on the game quarter by quarter, mentioning the highlights as you go, as I feel this gives us the necessary skeleton on which to hang the next two hours of conversation. I think it helps to remind us all of the incidents we may have forgotten. For instance, when I am on the train after the match, I often struggle to recall startling efforts or key turning points that happen early in the game because they are pushed aside by a thrilling finish or a serious injury ( a clue here, I am 74!). I want to stress though, that I love the way you chaps can talk about a game for longer than the game took to play. That's devotion!

I feel pretty confident about facing up to Collingwood, too, even if they did have a virus earlier in the season when we did beat them. I think our faster pace of play this year - which does concede more goals - has been designed to counter Collingwood's faster game pace. And have you noticed how we have come from behind in Q4 in the last few games? No-one in the media seems to have noticed, so keep it quiet. As for home ground advantage, if we (4th) have to play Collingwood (1st) at the 'G, I don't think it will be even-steven. I suspect there will be more Collingwood supporters making more noise than us - there are ALWAYS more Collingwood supporters. To counter this, our boys need to get in front and stay there.

I thought was dead in Q3. I didn't see what happened, but he was motionless for what seemed like 30 seconds. And then, soon after, when he tackled with only one arm, I thought he might have injured his shoulder again. But, no, he kept on going. Immense.