Kev

Woo hoo, they were looking good. Clean and doing the basics well in challenging conditions with a gusty wind a-blowing. Rehab had Lachlan Filopovic and Corey Maynard. Michael Hibberd was late on the track. He was running laps with effort, then did a little ball work but finished early. No sight of Dean Kent or Oskar Baker. The emphasis for the drill work was definitely goal kicking, with some tackling thrown in. The basics during ball work was very good, clean by foot and hand as well as decision making. No surprises for the line squads (Cam Pederson remains with the forwards). The simulations were based around rebounds off the halfback. Angus was a bit out of sorts. Goody dragged him and when he participated again he was switched on (responded well), Simulations included Joel Smith, Jayden Hunt and Jay Kennedy-Harris. After simulations the players gathered around with Jordan Lewis leading the talk. Bernie Vince on track. Stayed with the Casey Squad when they split during simulations, as did Jeff Garlett, Cam Pederson, Tom Bugg and Josh Wagner. A little physio on the field for Oscar McDonald and Angus Brayshaw, they will be right to go. Jack Viney, fitting in as if he had been there all year. Aaron vandenBerg, vocal and training well. Max Gawn doing everything right. Sam Wiedeman kicking beautifully, getting to the ball, marking and crumbing well. Christian Petracca at last kicking goals at practice (the coaches putting some extra time into helping him). Last to leave were Tom Mcdonald (kicking goals) and some backs including Neville Jetta (working with Dion Johnstone). Go Dees. From Kev Martin

I don't think Kenty will be ready, he is not over his injury.

I was thinking more about how we would drop our bundle for a quarter (last year and early in this season). The other team would get 5 or more goals without us answering. Seems we have matured and can control the momentum of games now. Chances to score which are not taken can kill our momentum. Happy that it didn't friday night and we kept scoring goals at important times. The ducker/stager (Selwood) really helped that out, with his head tackle at the interchange. You are right, missing the easy goals makes ugly football and shows we are not playing well. I can only imagine when it all clicks for us, "you beauty". What an "up" we still have left.

Tough call for the selection committee. Hope they use commonsense and pick the team that matches up to the opposition and the way we want to play. I get a feeling the players are really supportive of each other. They seem to know that this years hard work has been a team effort, on and off the track. It would be difficult for those not picked or dropped but we will be there and about for a while now. Chances will still be there in the future. Good work Deespicable. No change for me.Unless an injury or we need a better balance to dominate the game. We are rolling. Go Dees.

000 Demon Members 695 164 posts #100 Posted Saturday at 10:58 PM We also have Cam Pederson if we need some height and a strong body

I prefer acceleration. That 5-10 meter explosion can get you to space then composure. Flat speed is good for the chase down but suprise can also be effective. So I would take footy brain over athleticism. Don't get me wrong speed players make lots of goals, can stop goals, gets to contest, stops and creates overlaps and can break open games. I love the explosive movement. Fastest from standing start over the 10 meters for me.

In the ruck contest they can't fend off with a straight arm. Arm has to be bent. The legs should used only to get some elevation in the mark. Protection should not mean harm to the other player. A knee up should be enough to protect yourself. I want hard football not dangerous stuff. You can see by the other players reaction that they see it as an unfair tactic.

I don't agree, I thought we had a well rounded 4 quarter game. Just missed too many goals. I hope we can snap alot better and get some composure when in front.

Agree, they will be kicking for territory more than side ways movement because of final strategies. Though I think we zone well. Sometimes we all go for the ball at once with the ball getting away from our control and no one down to mop up. With there small crumbers we could have problem. Hoping big game and cohesion from Jets, Fritsch and Salem to stop their crumbers and snaps. When we get it in our backline there can be chaotic ball use. O'mac and Frosty get me laughing with their "creativity".

Not sure if the game they have will stand up in finals. They rely on outside runners. Contested football is what we are about. They want to have freedom with their ball movement and are capable of it. Their coach may change their style and being so experienced at the pointy end will have something for us. Good test for us. Expect a tighter game then last night.

We also have Cam Pederson if we need some height and a strong body.

I was replying to a question from DV8.

His only support are O'mera and Sheils, who I think are a bit soft and can easily be bundled away. Their inside players are all going to have nightmares. Don't forget Jetts and Hibbs when they are close to their 50. Or Traccs and Tom near our 50.

I don't underestimate them. I was looking at their weaknesses. Hoping for a change of the guard. They control the ball well. Have good outside runners. Good distribution of goal kickers. Fast movers of the ball. Good leg speed and endurance runners. A tough team that can hurt their opposition. Are well coached and can change their structures quickly and effectively. Good front runners. Can take a game apart and be ruthless.

I think you asked did we have injuries. Wouldn't know, just a punter. Hoping for no niggles.

Coming off a loss. Backline disrupted with Stratton out. Looks like it is a change of guard in the AFL. The teams who have dominated the past decade may have ended. Jordans inside knowledge. No superstars. Mitchell not a big influencer for the amount of ball he gets. The others are impact players.

A few weeks off may have helped. Though it is his leadership to set up our structures, kicking in after a point, he likes hitting and hurting the opposition, reads the play well and the team love him. I think his only chance would be if injuries.

I looked at their list and think they have 10 players who we should close down. Sicily, Impey, Burgoyne, O'mera, Mitchell, Isac Smith, Gunston, Breust, Puopolo and Roughhead.

Wouldn't know who to drop. Bernie Vince could be an in with his experience and possibly last games. He has a beautiful kick and we saw what experience can give with the example of Jordan. Another being Joel Smith who brings a little x-factor with his marking and flexibility to play back and forward, though the step up with final pressure may be too much to expect. Jay Kennedy-Harris for his pressure acts, run and ability to be in contest. We have some players who can cover if there are injuries.

Heading/walking off to the "G" now. Go Dees. Good luck with rational thread.

I think we will keep our mids in the centre (maybe tracca? but he is a fwd most of the time). The centre is where it will be won and we need and have cohesion. Play the roles at the right time. Later may use Clayton fwd. They may push their old ones down forward but our forward line is very good.

It will be a ripper to me as well. Don't miss it. How switched on are we? How hard are we going to be? Will we be leading or chasing? Hope we settle quickly and don't let them in. Viney with the first clearance. Selwood to be the first that vander's smashes then Ablett. Gawn hitting to our players with his 360° taps and his footy smarts.

Love it when we get the ball. Great when we are fighting for it. Just a little worried when the opposition has it. Sometimes our zones don't work, they get out the back or hit easy lead ups. We can move the ball very quickly, so scoring shouldn't be a problem, so long as we are accurate and get the easy goals. Missing the easy ones kill our momentum and confidence. It will be manic and hoping the opposition can't go with us given they have had a soft lead up to the finals and we have been beating good teams. Our recent style is proven, they are getting ahead of themselves. Control the momentum, score after they get one and be front runners. Crunch and hussle, then bring on the skills. Go Dees

Tom Mcdonald (goals), Bailey Fritsch (contested marks and ball efficiency) and Alex Neal-Bullen (1%, pressure turnovers and assists). As well as our guns, Clayton Oliver, Angus Brayshaw, Max Gawn and James Harmes

Too difficult to determine. I hope it is the same for our opposition and we keep them guessing, so they don't get there match ups right. Possible ins with Joel, Tim and Jayden but most likely Hannan. He was kicking beautiful goals today and Rooke talking to him suggest he is being considered. Who to drop if anyone? The worry was the absence of Vanders one day out.