1964_2

3 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Any thoughts on what was a blitzkreig in the first half became a comparatively even tussle in the second.

Did we stop doing anything?

Given it was the week before finals, and we most likely had top 4 sorted, I actually think we didn’t really well to maintain most of the half time lead in the 2nd half. 

Would be different if playing a bottom 4 team, but need to remember just how extraordinary a 66 point half time lead is against a top 6 team.

3 minutes ago, old dee said:

It has been a very good year  when you finish second on the ladder. We line up for finals at the G for the first time since 2018. The major negative for me was the lack of day games. Now I know it is all about ratings for the club sponsors and our finances however on a purely personal level it is very difficult for me to get to night games now.  So I have been relegated to the box. 

Support from the box counts for those that can’t make it. All part of the Demon spirit that will make its way to the G. 
 

11 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Well last year we had an incredible comeback against the cats on their Turf to cement top spot and secure double chance.

We didn't finish on top this year but it's similar the way we absolutely demolished the lions on their turf ro secure a double chance.

Just like last year 2 wins and we are in the granny.

The way we played against the lions, I would not want to have to play us.

We have done better than last year imho or at least as well, because of the injuries and protocols  one after another to our backline.

Salem, Lever, Hibberd, Petty and May have all had issues at various times and so our defence never really got to gel and be consistent. 

Well it seems to  fine now.

We are back to having zip injuries barring poor Tmac and peaking at the right time.

Even Milkshake has put his hand up and said he's back and showed that the blues game wasn't just a lucky one. He played well against the lions too.

Can't wait to beat swans on the Mcg.

Well said. Any player who is at risk of complacency, just needs to have a quick glance over at Hunt or Milkshake to reset themselves! 

3 minutes ago, John Crow Batty said:

If we add Fritsch’s 5th goal in the last quarter it was 5 goals in under 3 minutes of play.

Ok, new plan. We get 10 goals up, and wolf of Wall Street comes out with 2 minutes to go! 

1 minute ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

C'mon mate, you know sides can score 3 goals in 30 seconds these days - well actually maybe that's just us? 😂

Very true. Should never forget we broke world records. 

Ok, 5 goals up with 1 minute to go, and we are on! 
 

7 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Very late in the last qtr.

Leigh Mathews rule. 5 goals up, with less than 5 minutes on the clock? 

1 minute ago, Bates Mate said:

Not if it's against Collingwood

Especially against Collingwood

12 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

Can we get the whole crowd at the G doing this when we are 5 goals up in the 4th qtr? 
 

54 minutes ago, Demonland said:

 

Jon Ralph. What a stinker. Campaigning against Answerth, when he realises Richmond playing Brisbane W1 of finals. 
 

48 minutes ago, bluey said:

Salem must come in, Melksham will be the unlucky one.

Melksham isn’t going anywhere. Without him we would be preparing for an elimination final (match winner against Blues) 

Oli played some great games in some of our losses. I think these games will decide it. Ie If votes all go to opposition because they won or not. 

6 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Wasnt Brayshaw on Neale most of the night?

mainly Brayshaw. A little Sparrow, a little bit Viney. Don’t think Harmes played on him at all.

7 minutes ago, Flower Magic said:

Oh, a sightly surreal moment just then. Standing at the lights in the Brisbane CBD and something comes whizzing down the hill and across in front of me. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Tom McDonald on an electric scooter! As long as he doesn't fall off and hurt his knee ...😲

Memo to club. Please give Tom some cab charge vouchers

24 minutes ago, jumbo returns said:

Harmes was enormous

Agree. Love how Harmes and Viney appeared to be the 2 to fly the flag against Zorko and whoever else wanted to antagonise. Protectors of our 2 kings, Clarry and Trac. Allowed them to just focus on the game 

23 minutes ago, rpfc said:

I would agree with you if our example of deadly execution was when we were usually more fatigued in the second half; but this killer clinic was all done in 45 mins.

In terms of factors that led to last night, the impact of freshness due to the completion of training intensity loading some weeks back is low.

The greater factor was how bad the Lions defended and allowed players who hadn’t had time and space (or didn’t think they had time and space) to slow down and wait for a better option, and for our forwards to leverage that patience and lead to created space.

My hope is that they now have a taste for it and it was a ‘tune up’ for QF1 against Sydney.

Denial.

Anti-loading confirmation bias

8 minutes ago, Wells 11 said:

No it isn’t but I guarantee some Geelong players felt uncomfortable watching that game. Who can say who will win it .. but it’s the start of the finals and fair to say the dees are right  up to our neck in it now. 

Be some definite prelim PTSD for cats watching last night. 
 

4 minutes ago, monoccular said:

binman-  how prophetic are you?

Bin has been kidnapped by Fox footy. He is apparently holding strong and not willing to break his exclusive contract with Demonland. 
 

3 minutes ago, Xecutioner said:

"Cats are number 1, Dees have problems in the forward line"

Meanwhile, Mr Petracca has something to say in the rooms

How good was that. And look at how into it Jacko was. Be shocked if he departs. 
 

Feel for Harrison, and hope he is ok. 

2 potential positives (on the assumption that it doesn’t have an ongoing neg effect for Petty)

a) team bonding. Strengthen the theme of “team” and how they play for each other 

b) distract the media away from the main story (fact that we should be flag fav’s, and are back to our 2021 best) Let them continue to pump the cats up, and pressure of expectation is all on them. 
 

Jacko will stay.

Super game tonight. 

All customer service operators are busy, please leave your number and we will call you back for membership to the cult. 

1 hour ago, Engorged Onion said:

That’s not tonight my friend 😬👌🤟

“Finals + R23”  😊

With heaps and heaps of hope 

1 hour ago, binman said:

A Public Service Announcement 

Before reading this post, please consider the following information:

• This post may be triggering for some readers 
• There are high levels of confirmation bias detected

Post from binman:

I found this comment from Goody's presser yesterday very interesting:

"They feel physically fresh, they feel ready to go, we feel like we have been able to build some cohesion in the way we play in the last four or five weeks."

Some additional confirmation bias, that will no doubt be highly triggering. 

I am reading a bit into Goody not dropping blokes who have had pretty ordinary form for some time now. Sure he explains the importance of cohesion, and team stability heading into finals. But given decent vfl depth, the fact he keeps backing in blokes like Sparrow, Spargo and a couple of others, tells me he has confidence their output will improve come finals.

We will see. 5-7 hours to wait. 
 

32 minutes ago, DemonWA said:

I don't discount it completely. My issue /difference in opinion right now is the time left in the season. I can't see how we have  time left in the season to lighten loads and and freshen up to the extent that we'll be swarming forward and playing a considerably different brand of footy than we've seen of late. These guys are coming off a very high fitness base so I think the improvements will be incremental rather than significant. Add to the equation that were playing finals like games whilst the tappering process is presumably being played out - to assume that a week or 2 can have such a significant impact seems like wishful thinking to me. Most of the guys are spending alot of the week recovering from niggles....  

If I'm going to steadfastly assume we'll recapture the 2021 finals form,  I'm almost more likley to side with those that talk about Goody playing ropeadope coaching tactics. Perhaps the improvement come finals will be a refinement/tweak in style against an opponent that has studied our Home and Away method to death and is unable to react to an in-game change to that method.

More realistically I think were playing at a level that is quite close to our best footy and we're facing stiffer opposition from the other contenders in what is a unprecedented season in terms of competitiveness across the 18 sides in the league.   

Agree to disagree

Fair call. As I have already discussed with Binman, I was also anticipating our fitness to be somewhere near its peak these last couple of games as well. 

And from that perspective, there have definitely been some improvements the last few weeks. But, maybe not to the level I was hoping. 

Fingers crossed for another level this week. 

16 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

He’s an All Australian ruckman on a million dollar salary. He’s worth a first rounder. We’d likely trade Jackson for two first rounders and then on trade one of those first for Grundy. Anyone thinking we’d get him for less than a first rounder whilst he’s contracted, salary dump or not, has rocks in their head.

It’s part of why I don’t believe it’s the best move for the club. We should instead use first round picks to help bring in a proven key forward or draft more young talent to balance our list.

“Was” an All-Australian

”is” a 29y.o (next year) who is not wanted by his club, after coming off a year of serious injuries.

Definitely not worth a first rounder.