Lefty

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.

You Bloody ripper. Well done MFC for getting this done.

How good has our set shot kicking for goal been this year? Kudos to Choco whatever he is doing it's worth every cent we're paying him. He just needs to work more with Max. Big Maxy had a few opportunities to kick some real Captain's goals and just didn't nail them. If we're going to be using him more and more up forward he has to be a more reliable shot for goal.

Young ROOEY had a day out on debut. 3 goals, took a fantastic grab, didn't look at all lost, rucked admirably when called upon. I can't wait to see more of him. What did you guys think of his game?

I'd like to get your thoughts on a couple of the results in some other games. Last week the Power thrashed the Lions who in turn thrashed us (excluding the last 12 minutes) and the Power too had their lights turned out by the Pies. Where does that place us in terms of the Magpies who are now rightly the Premiership favourites. How does our thrashing of the Bulldogs look in light of an injury riddles Saints also thrashing the Bulldogs by 50 points?

When Viney went down at training I heard from a very good source that everyone including Viney himself thought he had torn an ACL. He is already back playing. Fingers and toes crossed.

Loving the poddy guys. Lifting the bar every week. Just wanted to get your opinion on our use of the tactical sub in particular using Melky. I think most of us suspected a James Jordon type who could cover a number of roles across the field if we had an injury. I don’t think any of us expected Melky and I reckon he was used perfectly. What you guys reckon? Do you think he will become a professional sub or will we mix it up?

I'm in Sydney and won't be getting to see any matches live until later in the season. My plans stereotypically include a charcuterie board and some wine.