Lefty

How good is watching footy at the G in shorts on a warm sunny day? Any reason why the lights were switch on at 1:30pm on a bright sunny day? No wonder food and drink prices are so high these days. We're paying for their electricity bills.

Thought our forward connection was excellent and only let down by set shot kicking for goal. How do you think our key forwards fared? Schache? Roo?

Perhaps these are super secret tactical sessions. I doubt there is anything nefarious going on. With that being said a couple of photos wouldn't give away anything.

Isn't this what umpires do when they award votes?

I know it's only a practice match but I was disappointed with our efforts and execution and even in a praccy match 10 unanswered goals from a supposed premiership contender is inexcusable. We might have had more injuries going into the game but Richmond had their best 4 or 5 players missing including most of their engine room and their key forward and back. We'll get rolled by the Blues next week and I'm not confident in our chances in Sydney. Early days but could be in for a long year.

Welcome back. It's been a long few months but Footy IS Back!! Interested to get your thoughts on all the Demon Debutantes. Billings, Windsor, K Brown & even Howes (and Laurie).

Thanks for these reports. Wasn’t expecting them so it’s a nice surprise. Bring on the scratchie.

Can’t wait for the footy. Just no injuries please. This preseason has been challenging. We don’t need more angst with just over 2 weeks to go.

You gotta feel for this kid. Just can never get a clean run at it. I get the feeling he’s going to be just another one of a long line of talented players we’ve had that just can’t seem to make it on the park for stretches at a time. Fingers crossed.

We are in desperate need of a ruckman that can take over from Max but our first major operation needs to be a key forward. BBB and TMac are in their twilights. Petty looks certain to head back to Adelaide at season's end if the 2023 trade week whispers are true and the jury is out on Jefferson. JVR can't do it alone and if he gets a whiff of home sickness in the coming years we are toast. The window is slowly shutting if we can't replenish our forward and ruck stocks.

Or you could select a player as the sub and not use him. Stranger things have happened.

Just wanted to thank you guys for another stellar season of podcasting. You took the show to another level and I really love that you open the discussion up to the audience via the questions and comments and I'm happy to have contributed to the conversation over the year. It's great to have you back even if it's just a little taste before the new season. What did you guys make of our acquisitions over the trade period in terms of personnel. All seem to fill a certain role. Do you think any or all are a lock to play Round 1 or be a regular fixture in the side? Are we still a destination club?

Neither Steele Sidebottom nor Jordon DeGoey played in our King's Birthday clash. Do these inclusions worry you? Both have caused us trouble in the past.

You boys are consistently knocking each podcast out of the park so thank you for being a big part of my Demon supporting week each week. Would love to get your thoughts on Disco's game this week as well as your thoughts on Laurie's cameo. Both showed some very good signs. Disco for mine is ahead of Tomlinson at the moment so would love to get your take. Laurie for his part did some nice things when he came on too adding to his good showing last week. We've added some nice depth late in the season. Do you think either of them will feature in September?

6. May 5. Jordon 4. Viney 3. Petracca 2. Bowey 1. Sparrow

Can we just take a moment out of the Podcast to appreciate Steven May?

Last week many had put a question mark on Tomlinson in defence but I thought he played an excellent game against the Magpies showing some of his early 2021 form pre-ACL. He had 15 possessions, took 10 marks, had 4 Intercept possession, 2 intercept marks, 3 tackles and 2 spoils. It will be interesting whether he keeps his place in the team post bye and Petty returning as well no doubt play 3 talls and Hibberd in defence against Geelong. I am positive that Petty will be used in attack which opens another can of worms in terms of Smith's place in the team but I thought he played well too and no doubt you will touch on him at some point as well.

Fantastic interview Andy 👍 I don’t think Chaplin has got the kudos from the wider footy community for being a key part of building this defence.

Neither team are threats this season.

Just thought I’d air a silly little grievance that I have with the club and their communication of injuries to members. We had 2 classic “Mystery Injuries of the Week” this week. On Tuesday when they released the injury list there was no new injuries to report yet when the team was released on Thursday we find out that both Hibberd and McDonald are out injured. No updates on their condition, severity or length of time they’ll be out since. Sure they may have done something on the Wednesday or Thursday but as there has not been any information since so members are none the wiser. Then TMac puts up an Instagram story of him in hospital with his foot bandaged holding a plastic container with a chunk of bone in it obviously extracted from said foot. Nothing from the club. I get we need to play the game and keep opposition clubs guessing and I have no idea how it works at other clubs but I find the lack of information to members, as of writing this post, very poor and frustrating. Silly rant over.

What is one thing each of you would change tactically about our game that would improve the way we play?

Props to Judd McVee. He's been flying under the radar the last few games after bolting out of the blocks. Thought he played an excellent match on Chad Wingard who was held to 8 possessions and is usually very dangerous. You wouldn't have known he was playing.

Wouldn't mind seeing what Blake Howes can do. Perfect week to give a rookie a go. Spargo and Ben Brown probably need to come in too to sort out our issues up forward.

Choco must have had the week off. We could not hit the side of a barn in the last quarter. The usually reliable Bayley Fritsch could have iced the game but bad kicking let us down.

This week on Choco Watch we were once again very accurate in front of the big sticks. Love this from Wheelo Ratings. Need to get Big Maxxy back in the Academy. He's the only one that is regularly letting us down in front of goals.