Hopeful Demon

You didn't earn that Daicos

Umpires don't usually bother me too much but this has WWE written all over it

I personally disagree that he has barely played a decent game since 2021. He was third in our best and fairest in 2023 and he was actually having a pretty good season in 2024 until injuries started taking their toll. But yes, he's definitely in poor form right now. I'd take Tmac over him in a heartbeat.

What the [censored] is the main reason behind our [censored] goal kicking. Is it psychological? Are we not getting enough proper practice? Is it to do with the way we play? I really want us to get to the bottom of this because it's just bizarre.

Ffs St Kilda have been handing this to us on a [censored] platter and we still can't put get anywhere close. This team just isn't normal.

Can we please just never play in Alice Springs again? There must be something with that ground that really sets the players off

He was genuinely a really good player in 2018/19 but it was pretty clear even back then that he never impacted games in the same way that Gawn did. He's always been a poor man's Dean Cox.

It's crazy that Grundy was once considered by many to be a better ruckman than Gawn

I reckon he is just about our most clutch player. Here are some games/moments where has stood up and has allowed us win important matches: -Round 22 2018: Kicks 4 goals and gets 20 touches, helping us break our 12 year finals drought. -2018 semi final: Kicks a goal from outside 50 in the last quarter, putting a massive halt to the momentum which Hawthorn had been gaining. The crowd went absolutely insane after that goal. -Round 22 2022: Kicks 4 goals to help us win a total scrapfest against Carlton, who at the time were playing for their season. That game was mostly known for Pickett's goal right before the siren but Melksham was the definitely the main catalyst. Round 18 2023: Kicks a goal right before the siren to give us a 1 point win over Brisbane, who happened to be 5 goals ahead 10 minutes beforehand. We probably wouldn't have made top 4 if it wasn't for his performance that night. Round 10 2025: Kicks 4 goals straight to help us win another close game against the Lions. We wouldn't have won that match without his accuracy given how wayward our goalkicking was, especially in the final quarter. I just can't be convinced that his injury late in 2023 didn't cost us a preliminary finals spot at minimum. He's the perfect player to have in close matches.

I said this in the game day thread but Salem's little dinky kick to set up Trac's goal was my favourite moment of the day. It was basically a carbon copy of the first goal of the 2021 grand final. The nostalgia I felt watching that piece of play was next level.

Yep I just can't be convinced that it's some coincidence that his one poor year (2023) came when he had a shaved head.

Fantastic win! I reckon that was our best performance since the time we played Sydney in early 2023. I could tell from the very beginning that we were on. Our pressure was through the roof and we moved the ball with speed and dare. I was worried that our inaccuracy early would hurt us but the exact opposite happened. Pickett is a [censored] machine. He's already had two of the best games from a small forward that we've seen this year. Oliver looked as good as he has in two years. He's rediscovered his confidence. Also a special shout out to Sharp. He played the ultimate sub game. He had an impact as soon as he came on the field. It's always satisfying beating up Sydney like that given all the trouble they used to cause us.

This is like the good old days

Derm shut the [censored] up

Pickett is an incredible player

Pickett is lowkey one of the best players in the comp right now

That quarter was nauseating. Sydney are handing this to us on a platter and the game is still in the balance. Ffs.

That kick from Salem to Petracca gave me flashbacks of the first goal of the 21 grand final. Except it was a much sloppier version 😅

I sometimes think that Salem's kicking is nowhere near what people make it out to be

Oliver's hands aren't what they once were but I still think that was his best quarter of the year

Gawn is a [censored] colossus

Melksham's goal from outside 50 in the final quarter of the semi final was high up there too. The crowd went absolutely nuts after that.

Bump. I know it's easy to make big calls after a win like today but this guy continues to push his case for being the greatest ruckman of all time. Up until last year I thought it was splitting hairs between him and Cox but I reckon Gawn has him covered now. I've never seen a ruckman take control of a game like Gawn has. He has no right to be this durable and athletic for a giant who is going to be 34 at the end of the year.

[censored] yeah! I haven't been this proud of the club in a long time. Gawn is a bloody champion, Bowey continued to excel, and Oliver and Trac both had their best games in weeks. And it's impossible for me not to mention Melksham. I [censored] love that guy. He's the most clutch forward on our list. This is the first time all year I've actually felt confident we can turn things around.

Imagine if his performance at parties was based on his demonland persona. That would be an interesting experience to say the least.