1964_2

3 minutes ago, Garbo said:

Get him on a long term deal if he will take unders, otherwise just 2-3 years at a time.

Still yet to show he can ruck full time and needs to win more hit outs if that is to be his role long term. I’m fine if he stays as a part time ruck while playing fwd but we need to pay him as such. Huge potential but still has a lot of improvement to make before he is worth the big dollars 

Garbo, every year we don’t sign him for now, will just result in $1m+ a year when it comes to the next contract. 

can absolutely guarantee you Tim Lamb and team, will be attempting to sign him for as long as possible. 

On 10/9/2021 at 8:45 PM, Demon Disciple said:

Petracca, Oliver, Gawn and Jackson. All once in a generation type players, all in the same team at the same time, and they’re playing for us!

We deserve 5.7 once in a generation players! 1 for each 10 years without a flag. 

the 4 you mentioned, Kozzie, and Salem can be the 0.7 

8 hours ago, rpfc said:

As we all love the slide down the ladder of the Hawks I thought it be good if we talk about the current mistakes that Sam “I’m too good to let one of the greatest coaches ever have a dignified exit” Mitchell is repeating. 

We all know how them pushing out Hodge and Lewis and co broke their culture (could have learnt something there Sam)…

And now they are doing the same with established senior players: 

https://www.afl.com.au/news/683923
 

Wingard on the table but he doesn’t want to be on the table… 

Mess.

When TMac and ANB were on the table last year, they were told they should move on and it wasn’t a surprise and they should try to control their own destiny. 

Nothing concrete materialised and you know the rest. 

But Hawthorn are shopping people that have not been brought on that journey; something tells me the results they will get owing me sane that we saw from TMac and ANB.

Discuss.

kicking out Clarko before he is ready to go is worth a 57 year curse at least!

means no more hawks flags while I am alive     :)

1 hour ago, Grapeviney said:

Yep. One-third of his goals for the year were kicked in round 22 and beyond. 

7 - 1 - 4 - 2 - 6

Brilliant return at the business end of the season but not the 16th best player in the comp. 

the list is not 50 best players. It’s best players for the year, where he has acknowledged finals performances get a greater weighting. 

6 goals in a granny, 59 goals for the year, and key cog in a successful fwd line = warranted 16th spot. 

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

 

For any demon supporter that still has some tears left.

Just amazing. 

2 hours ago, Redleg said:

Looking at club lists yesterday and I think we are the club with the least ruck options after our main 2. We don’t have another player over 198 except BB, who is a forward, not a ruckman.

Daw our back up, is 195 and will be 31. I am still surprised they let Bradtke go this year.

Most clubs have 4-5 200cm players who can ruck.

Also we were the worst disposal efficiency club in the AFL this year.

That is an interesting stat for the Premier, as normally you would think the Premier club has pretty clean ball use.

I think you have to be very careful analysing disposal efficiency in isolation. 

ie a slow, chip and mark team will always have a higher disposal efficiency, vs a team of midfield bulls, complimented by a very effective defensive structure. 

same way that you don’t analyse Trac’s disposal efficiency in isolation:- given he is a match winner, who is often biting off tough kicks vs a Tom Mitchell type, who is kicking sideways, running past for handballs etc. 

Apologies to all of them & goody. Wasn’t capable of dreaming any of them be premiership players/coach 

For a lot of teams where it is plainly obvious we are a different class level above :- I will go easy on them and their supporters. 

But for Geel (& supporters) we need to apply a no mercy rule......the amount of smugness we have copped for over a decade, requires more retaliation than just 2 h&a victories, and a prelim smashing......need to destroy them every time we play them for the next 5 years! 

On 10/8/2021 at 11:33 AM, StevenStingay said:

Bevo reflects of theme for the season... 😬😬😬

 

Hahaha 🤣 

a great song if you wanting to kick back with some beers. Not sure how that is meant to fire you up for a GF:-  surprised they didn’t lose by more 

1 hour ago, durango said:

I think Luke is young man who in his 2 seasons has achieve only what other players could dream off, listening to some interviews he does not come across as a player with tickets on himself.

He sounds level headed and when thrown into the deep end lifts his game rather than drowning in expectation these are characteristics that make a champion compare his 30 game career to Jack Watts who basically was thrown to the wolves and drowned in the expectation.

Yep, I think his nature is summed up by his reaction to loosing a tooth.....have a laugh with the team-mates, take the [censored] out of yourself in the media and then just get on with it

minimum fuss/drama

55 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

i never understood why it happened

it was like the players went on strike

we might get the true story on day, rather than just the aftermath

Maybe we all had gastro, like Geel claimed in the prelim 

19 hours ago, Deestroy All said:

I’m not convinced yet. 
Seems a bit selfish winning Rising Stars and Premierships at 20. 

Greedy bugger isn’t he. Next he will have a Brownlow 

Wouldn’t be surprised if he told Max during the post flag celebrations that he is now 2nd ruck 

:) :) 

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Because the game has swayed more towards athleticism then actual footballers. The game simply got quicker.

The recruiting landscape changed in the mid 2000's when clubs were willing to use early picks on players who could could run quicker and jump higher then the footballer who was a bit slow but could find the ball naturally.

Two examples for instance.

1. Mark McGough was a 188cm 89kg who was drafted to Collingwood in the 2002 draft. Well famous for his 2002 anzac medal as an 18 year in his first year. He was an absolute ball magnet who was powerfully built, but one thing he lacked was speed and athleticism. The perfect prototype footballer that was built more for the 80's and 90's style football. He quickly got found out as each year went by when the game got quicker and the game chewed him out and spat him out. 

2. Jack Watts and Luke Jackson. Both tall and skinny players who had limited football background due to spending more time playing basketball at underage level were taken early in the draft. Watts was known for his athleticism and speed for such a tall kid. Melbourne was criticised for taking Jackson at pick 3 because they picked him on his raw potential what he may become in a few years time as Jason Taylor said his the To Hell and Back doco. His raw athleticism and good body of work that he produced in the 12 months of his draft year was the reason why Melbourne picked him instead of the likes of Lachie Ash, Caleb Serong and Hayden Young who would have been the safe and easy picks because they're more natural footballers. 

This is all true. But remember Jackson did show evidence of being an incredibly talented natural footballer in his limited time at underage level (as well as being a freak athlete) - hence the exceptional player we have

14 hours ago, BDA said:

“I don’t think there’s too much love lost between (these) two clubs, both the administrators and players,” McClure told SEN’s Sports Day.

“This is a rivalry full of nastiness and there’s a few things that stem from it. There are senior players from both sides that don’t particularly get along”.

“The fact that Melbourne sang the same Bulldogs song they sang in the rooms that leaked on social media, it got back to the Dogs and it didn’t go down too well”

I don’t think McClure can assert there is a nasty rivalry based on us singing a song. Where does the nastiness come from? How has he formed this view? Does he explain further in the Sports Day interview? Do you have a link?

Gutter journalism - realising both sides will be strong for a couple of years, and trying to over-play a “bitter rivalry” that really isn’t there 

3 hours ago, Mel Bourne said:

I don’t have a lot of time for arrogant supporters of successful sporting teams. I don’t see my contribution of a couple of hundred bucks a year to the club as a reason to act like I’m winning the hard ball gets or making tactical, match-winning decisions behind play. I’m too firmly entrenched in reality to know that I have absolutely nothing to feel personally responsible for with regards to the Demon’s success, and I am totally and utterly fine with that. 
 

However……

A few months ago I was looking around a local second-hand furniture place where the guy in charge also makes small pieces of furniture. I mentioned I liked a particular style of shelf he had, to which he told me to get the measurements to him and he’d whip one up for me. I also noticed quite a lot of Western Bulldogs paraphernalia about the place. 
 

Anyway, I emailed him a few weeks ago with a pleasant greeting and detailed my request, complete with the measurements. No reply for a week. I emailed again asking if he received my previous email, and whether he thought it would be a possibility. A few days later he responded saying words to the effect of “I haven’t forgotten. Just too busy right now.” I wrote back saying “No worries. But do you mean too busy to make the shelf or to do a quote? Sorry, I’m confused. If you don’t have time to make the shelf over the next few weeks I totally understand, but it would be good to know so I can figure out another option”. To which he wrote back “What part of “too busy” don’t you understand?”

Whoaaa….k. 
 

I was so taken back by the dude’s response that I didn’t respond myself. Plus I thought not responding and letting him sit in his own guilt (if it existed) was a fitting punishment. This was all in the week leading up to the GF.

On the Monday after the GF I sent him an email that simply said “Carn the Demons, [censored]!!”

 

 

Haha. Send him this link. 
 

5 hours ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

I don't know if this has happened to any fellow Demons over the years your opinion in football or sport type  conversations is generally overlooked and smirked at because you followed a crap footy team.

Well not anymore we are the Masters of the Football Universe, Master of the MCG, We brought Football back home.

We can all start running sports seminar’s now. Experts, all of us! 

50 minutes ago, bing181 said:

But isn't that the point - that Dunstan is a first-string midfielder and the others aren't?

First string midfielder at St.Kilda is very very different to first string with the premiers

10 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

I think our young midfielders should see this for exactly what it is.  The we are the premiers, trying to backup and go again and that just because they may potentially represent part of an ongoing sucessful future for us, it won't just be handed to them on a platter, they have to earn it.

At this point, I think the acquisition of Luke could be such a boon for the club.  Essentially he's replaced Jones and AVB on the list with a younger more reliable body.  With no disrespects, those guys probably wouldn't have competed for spots next season and would have been somewhat of a downgrade as depth.  Plenty of examples of quality players on the outer at their original club who became regular good contributors at another club.  Tom Rockcliff is just one recient one that comes to mind.  Brent Maloney to some extent is another.

Having this depth across all lines is such a valuable asset to our team and if players really value playing in another premiership, then having to compete for spots, spending substantial time in the VFL is something that they will need to accept or else go chase the money and an easy ride somewhere else. 

How good was it being able to replace Tomlinson with a ready made near elite young talent in Petty early in the season.  If we hadn't had Harry toiling away in the VFL learning his trade and ready to step up for action when Tommo went down, that could have put a serious dent in our finals, let alone premiership campaign.  Similarly Bowey who barely got a look-in all year senior selection wise, in for Hunt.  That's how all these up and commers like Jordon, Weid, Laurie, Bedford, Baker, Chandler  etc need to be looking at it.

At the end of the day the compeditive, selfless type of player we want values playing in a premiership team more than getting top dollar or easy game time.  That appears to be the judgement call that Luke has made here, along with the reassurance from Richo, Goody and Co, that they have some belief in what he can bring to the team and a willingness to give him a go if he plays the way the team needs him to.

Great points! 

I take a lot of comfort from Richo being as well informed as anyone in the merits of giving LD a fresh start

9 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

I like the above comment from their supporter forum.  Reminds me of one I found on The Age Real Footy podcast comments this morning:

phil lewis

 

3 HOURS AGO

 

Melbourne were lucky on Grand Final day. Footscray were well in front and playing the best footy of the game, then fatigue from playing 7 straight games on the road finally caught up with them. If Melbourne want to take credit for that they are delusional. There last 1 and half quarters was the best footy played all year, against a team that had nothing more to give.

 

 

That  jealousy and envy is hard to comprehend all at once.  At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how these muppets rated us, if we got lucky etc.  We did it all season FFS, finished on top of the ladder and wiped floor with the competition in finals.  It doesn't get much more comprehensive than that.  Suck it up lads.

WOW!

Who the hell is phil lewis? 

Surely a doggies supporter.......Hey Phil - Freed from desire.....

15 minutes ago, Kent said:

 

                                LD         JH             NJ              AVB

Disp                        25.3       19.3          22.3           14.1

Kicks                      14.1       9.1             11.2           7.3

Hand ball               11.2       10.2           11.2          6.8

Marks                     4.3         3.0              3.0            3.6

Tackles                   4.9         4.2              3.6           3.6

Clearances            5.8          2.4              3.6           1.9

 

So Luke is clearly a significant upgrade on Harmes and the other two departures

 

 

 

Gee those numbers look good. I guess in fairness, do need to consider that LD got heaps more midfield time vs the others who were squeezed out by King Clarry and GOAT Norm 

5 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

The rationale suggested by some journos was that he's concerned that at sides where's he's a theoretical Round 1 best 22, he'll be at risk of being pushed out in favour of kids if the losses mount.

If you accept that as being true, he's made a decision to put himself into the queue with us in the hope of forcing his way into a premiership contender.

Good character isn’t it - back himself in for a chance at a flag (or worst case play vfl all year) vs being easily best 22 at multiple other weaker clubs 

5 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

We've done alright with St Kilda players over the years. Big Carl, the Elliots, Shanners . . .

Yep, and don’t forget Richo......not easy for ex-senior coaches to accept a demotion. He looks to have been a perfect integrator/coaching administrator- am sure he be doing many of the annoying jobs that ease the load for Goody and others 

Suggested small talk for different supporter groups 

blues/saints —> “you could be next. You remind me of us a couple of years ago”

hawks —> “sometimes a looong re-build is needed”

Tigers —> “I didn’t expect Dusty to be replaced as GOAT so quickly. Trac caught us all by surprise didn’t he?”

Bombers —> “we get it mate. Hang in there, it’s all worth it in the end” 

pies —> “it will be nice to pay you back with the lions share of the queens bday crowd” 

cats —> “rip the band-aid off and start the re-build. Setting yourselves up for too much pain otherwise 

Lions/Port —> “I guess it’s important to have the game plan to win the big finals isn’t it” 

Dogs —> “that Freed from desire song is a ripper. I will be listening to it all summer”

Swans —> “unfortunate that you couldn’t afford to keep your young players”

GWS. —> “Hopefully Toby has pulled his head in and resolved his discipline/madness issues?” 

WCE. —> “we love Optus stadium. Heard we have requested to play 2 games a year there” 

Suns  —> “now that we are a destination club, have heard that King is interested” 

Adel. —> “Burgo wouldn’t leak crows intel to his ex-premiership mates.....all be fine. He was genuinely keen to go to your re-building club”

Nth. —> “hang in there mate - fairytales can happen. It must be nice to watch BB.Brown succeeding in the meantime?” 

Freo —> “it’s great to share a home ground with you. We love Optus” 

Had someone whinge because I was still wearing demons kit when getting a coffee at cafe this morning.

f$ck them all - be proud all summer I say. Got to make up for 57 lean years

Just now, rpfc said:

Dunstan will have to be able to play a HFF role to be able to get games in the midfield rotation. He would back himself to be better than all mids we have outside of the holy trinity.

The desire to ‘play Sparrow over him’ holds no water with me. Why? You want to win? Or are we still gifting games?? Why can’t Tom win his spot against Luke.

Any thoughts on who be better resting HFF out of Dunstan vs Harmes? 

haven’t watched Dunstan closely enough