Spargonicus

*warning: absurdist thought*

If the Dees had also been playing in this game (three teams on the field), it would have been a 3-way tie; all on 85 points. 

4 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Just watched Fox Footy interview with Darcy Moore. Very good speaker, high footy IQ and good tv appeal. If he doesn't coach after his career, he'll make a killing in the media

Yep, hate to admit it but…the guy is…classy? 

May

Gawn

Turner

Rivers

Langdon

Lever

4 hours ago, The heart beats true said:

Brereton is the most patronising commentator. He’s just so condescending.

Planet-sized ego 

Hi team,

Loving the podcast.

This one's from Mrs. Spargonicus (Spargonette?), who's a relative newcomer to AFL, having grown up in Sydney and followed that other code (an Eels fan). She then transitioned to AFL first as a Swans supporter, and after much cajoling on my part, and forcing her to attend many games, she became a fully-fledged Demon member. (However, I will reveal that our first kiss was back in 1997 at the G, watching David Nietz kick 3 in a muddy affair - a loss for the Dees, of course.)

Aaaanyway, this is her observation*:

Goody has mentioned in press conferences that at the start of each game he kind of waits to see what the opposition throws at them. And then adapts.

Spargonette thinks this may have something to do with our pattern of slow starts, catch-up, burst in 3rd term, and then tiring out in the final quarter to try and withstand a spirited comeback. (Against better sides obviously, like 2023 finals.)

She thinks this might be a less-than-ideal mindset to enter a match with, in preference to a more positive starting mindset of: "we're taking this game by the throat" or "we'll stamp our brand on this game". (She knows about our defensive structure game.)

*backed by purely anecdotal evidence.

Here’s a funny post-game comment from one of the Doggies’ forums:

“There comes a time when a great coach realises the team needs a fresh voice. Where beverage is delivering yet another year on the relationship between Confucius - Ancient Teacup making and the Art of the Quilt, other coaches are actually driving the game forward.”

6 - Gawn

5 - May

4 - Oliver

3 - Billings

2 - Petracca

1 - Chandler

Not looking as Gawnt as he does mid-end of season. Gawn buffed. 

Are we going to be a little too short?

I like the squad otherwise. Although I am, also, a little too short. (5’10”…almost)

Query:

is there a list/table anywhere online that summarises the longest streaks of ‘unfair’ / biased game schedules?

eg Dees at Kardinia Park

should we start a thread listing them? (An off season project perhaps).

Maybe by spreading the word on these lopsided fixtures we can point out their absurdity and effect change.

On 13/10/2023 at 19:16, praha said:

Melbourne's media department is seriously amateur. 

They posted an Instagram story of a screenshot of their browser... without cropping out the browser.

You in comms, Praha?

On 06/10/2023 at 10:26, Bates Mate said:

Hit by the reality bus on the way to the naughty desk

That’s a very Clive James turn of phrase…

Hmm. It’s a great question.

I think in these times of increasing costs of living and disunity across our country and the Western world in general (post-Brexit, post/pre-Trump, the Referendum sh$tshow etc.) the AFL will continue to enjoy support.

let’s face it, it’s something to get excited and passionate about. Memberships may slide a little over the next few years as the cost crunch really starts, but it’s a quintessentially Australian thing that unites us - even in respect of all hating Collingwood. 
 

The rules need a LOT of tightening. Whoa. Get it right, AFL. Eliminate as many subjective rules as you possibly can. Train and pay the umpires properly. That will go a long way.

I’m also getting massively on board the AFLW. Is only a good thing in the medium-longer term. A very good thing. 

5 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

The luck I'm referring to is their statistical profile, not luck within the game which they clearly deserved to win on the day.

Statistically, they are the weakest premier since the 16 Bulldogs and I think the 94 bombers before that. Every footy model out there has been saying this. They don't rank in the top metrics anywhere near where most premiers do. 

Whether it's a statistical anomaly (luck) or whether they have found 'new metrics' is open to interpretation, but 1 premiership and 2 years of close finishes is a small sample size and does little to dissuade. 

Mathematically, they were lucky to win the flag. I'm not saying their players aren't good or that they didn't own the moments, which they did, very well. They have unbelievable chemistry as a unit and work harder off the ball than any other team.

I'm just saying that over the 200 year history of our game, very few premiers have played like that. People will say it's a new age or a new paradigm, but these things are rarely true. 

I keep saying that, overall, psychology is THE most important factor in sport. (Especially if you’re comparing similarly accomplished players/teams)

McRae has done a brilliant job. I’ve seen some of his player addresses: he focuses on his players actually enjoying the pressure moments and owning them. We did that in 2021 - esp in finals. 

Well, I didn’t watch that, and the result is predictable, right down to a tiny margin.

Let’s back in our all-conquering AFLW team. They’re smashing it. Let’s get right behind them.

Then bring on 2024 for both teams.

Umpires should allocate votes as part of their post game review (after watching replay) - which includes the calls they made, right/wrong.

We should also consider either renaming it a midfielders award or thinking about how we bring other positions back into the running. Eg Steven May had a 15-20 vote season, not a 3 vote season.

Just now, dee-tox said:

Incompetence or bias is not a conspiracy. 

Exactly - we need to stop talking about deliberately biased umpiring. Focus solely on the poor standard (which also causes unconscious bias with home crowds).

I guess my question is: how on earth would the umpires be instructed, overtly or covertly, to favour the Pies?

Genuine question.

the huge partisan crowd would definitely impact decisions - we know that. But a concerted, deliberate effort?

I will say that the Pies, while impressive for a season and a half, have had some incredible luck at times. But you know, the harder you work, the luckier you get - and they’ve got some skills I’ll grant them that. And team belief - big time. 

Love Garry the player. But to be blunt, he’s a gutless wonder ever since.

How about actually contributing to the process, Gaz. 

2 hours ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Again.... if the ball goes through the goals and does NOT touch either post (as per the Arc) the option of "i think it was a point but i just need to check" should be taken away from the goal umpire.

The only option is "i'm unsure i just need to check it wasn't touched or hit the post".

That is.... the default us always a goal unless the technology proves conclusively that it WAS touchex or hit the post.

The alternative means that any genuine goal is in danger of being called a point purely because the goal umpire said he is "unsure" (or even unsighted!)

Yes.

Thanks everyone. There’s always next year.

2 hours ago, Demonland said:

Congratulations to Christian Petracca on winning the 2023 Demonland Player of the Year

261. Christian Petracca /
200. Jack Viney +
150. Clayton Oliver -
112. Max Gawn /
106. Steven May +
99. Angus Brayshaw +
88. Steven May  
72. Jake Lever /
68. Trent Rivers +
59. Lachie Hunter /
58. Kysaiah Pickett /
46. Christian Salem -
40. Brodie Grundy /
34. Jake Bowey / Bayley Fritsch -
31. Alex Neal-Bullen + Tom Sparrow /
27. Ed Langdon -
24. Judd McVee +
19. Jake Melksham +
18. Kade Chandler /
16. Harry Petty +
13. Jacob van Rooyen /
12. Charlie Spargo -
9. Ben Brown  -
5. Tom McDonald -
4. Michael Hibberd -
3. James Jordon - Joel Smith + Adam Tomlinson /

I was thinking back to our premiership year, and how so many of our players had standout seasons.

A lot needs to go right to win a flag of course, and one of them is overall improvement in skill and output from the group and individual players. Thinking of 2021: Salem, Langdon, Spargo, Bowey etc.

as good as we were for the majority of the year, maybe we also just needed a few more individuals to have breakout years again.

As an exercise, I went though and rated all players for their 2023 season for impact above - using:

+ (greater impact)
- (less impact)

/ (similar impact to previous year)

This includes injury affected of course.

Not sure if you generally agree…

55 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

well, that managed to both suck and blow simultaneously

Thanks for that. Can’t  sleep but that made me laugh.

9.17 - that was it. 

We needed to bury the crowd. We let them back in. Will be tough. Fritta, Kozzie, Salem need to lift big time. TMac ordinary.