Hellfire Dub

Come on everyone, it's like what you tell your kids about fools and bullies in School, just ignore them. It seems like everyone in the media hates us and wants us to fail and keep struggling. This article is so moronic it can only be intended to rile us up and cause division amongst supporters. There may even be an ulterior motive of trying to interfere with our Caulfield plans. He probably wants us out sooner so the dirtbirds can swoop in and take over gosch's paddock. The good thing about his advice is that it was free. People don't value things they get for free and in this case it's justified. Idiotic article. Let's consign it to to the recycling bin and treat his future articles with the contempt they deserve.

Thanks Demon spurs. The problems I had weren't in Redlegs because the MCC staff seem to check everyone's membership card on entry. It was down in M53 which was sold as a Melbourne members area but was never controlled and was just a de facto general admission area. If there's nobody checking tickets at the entrance then opposition fans could justifiably feel entitled to sit there.

I've just gritted my teeth and renewed Redlegs. It's the classic triumph of optimism over experience. It's a new season and all victories are theoretically possible! I asked to move bays to be closer to some friends and away from two of the most negative fans I've ever met who sat behind me. They spoiled what little enjoyment was to be had from last season with relentless sour comments and whinging. Most games I had to move seats by half time. Whoever you two fellas are you need to lighten up. I had gone up to Redlegs after 2023 as the supposed Melbourne zone I was in near the 50arc was full of horrible and aggressive oppo fans occupying our seats. In the middle of that season I had enough when three Carlton fans on general admission kept kicking my seat, spilling beer and taking photos as they were trying to goad me into fighting them. It was free for all riff raff to stroll in and sit wherever they wanted and pointless paying extra for what was effectively general admission.

Darth Knee

I like his strength, determination and aggression. Take a deep breath, follow a set shot routine and I think he can be a dangerous attacking force for us

He's only 24

Not like the Gassy Burp, lingering around like a bad smell

Jones used to hack it forward a fair bit too, but there's no disputing his dedication and contribution to culture. The commentary is so annoying and I find good voices like Daisy get a bit lost amongst the loud mouth clowns like the Bossy Third and Smarmy Dermie and buzz killer Kelly. Nathan always seemed too reserved in his commentary and happy to let the foolish voices dominate

I'm glad we tried him up front, but I fear he's lost confidence playing that role. He was really good in defence and I hope he gets moved back there and finds his form and Demon spirit

Entschildingung bitte, eh... Is this not Austria? I think I might be in the wrong place?

He's always been one of my favourite players. He seems to run like crazy and he's tough. My favourite trait is his kicking. Hopefully he can teach his teammates. He's normally clean and accurate, but sometimes his kicks are the sweetest peaches, beautiful to watch.

We're all like a doomsday cult, waiting until that glorious moment arrives on Wednesday..., or was the prophet Goodwindees talking about the third Wednesday in September 2025!?

14th. A strangely familiar and unwelcome position

Disregarding recent events, I'm glad our team has had guys like Petracca (and Nibbler) driving standards. His ambition has been a great asset to us until the fiasco around his injury. He's clearly the type of person who's pushed himself to the limits of his potential with the overseas training camps etc. Look at how far he's come. I remember when I first started reading Demonland and people thought he was pudgy and heavy and falling far short of expectations from his high draft position. I think his humility around the Norm Smith was knowing that his was an outstanding performance, but it was within a shared team result. So the brand thing and his earnings are a selfish motivation, but to be a professional athletes requires a certain selfishness and ruthlessness. An ambition and determination to improve and win. By contrast we can all name plenty of other players that were happy enough to turn up and go through the motions. I've never got that sense from him in any game I've seen him play. The injury and recovery would have caused the sudden realisation of his mortality and the short duration of his precarious career. He's also witnessed Gussy's career cruelly and unjustly ended. That must have driven him to maximise his income in his last few playing years. He's messed that up really badly unfortunately. It will have burned younger players, and those on the periphery and not earning his level of income. That's going to cause resentment. There's also an associated mental health issue after the trauma that may explain his rash behaviour. I'm totally prepared to overlook that aspect. We're humans and fallible and vulnerable and actions taken in dark moments can't be explained or justified when someone is well again. The guy is young and ambitious and wants to win premierships. Until this season he's believed that was possible with us. And he's right, it should be possible with us. So even though I doubt he'll be a Demon beyond 2025, I truly hope his concerns and recommendations are acted upon. He's got to have seen or heard of some unprofessional and concerning behaviours and shenanigans. Most of us regularly hear rumours and innuendo about our club and I've no idea whether it's justified, nor whether it's true of only us or of all AFL teams. I don't see our club management as proactive or exemplary. We've been in the wilderness forever without a home base near Melbourne as an example. I hear a lot of real nonsense management speak and not just the strategic post game interview where the same nothings are repeated ad nauseum. We need to be better and do better. There were excuses in some of the other years, but lots of the stuff this year was inexcusable. Poor football, poor effort, poor attitude, poor gameplan, poor management, poor communication. I'm sure Trac will have raised some of these things. Let's hope it brings about some change for the better. And more exciting football with plentiful goals for us, more finals, more Norm Smith medals, and more flags.

How many goals would be kick for us next season if we bomb it long and slow and high into the big defenders in the goal square?

I doubt his manager would dump him. They'd be taking a percentage of his million plus each season.

Thanks, I just wanted your cold numerical analysis. Like most people here I'm trying to figure out what all this means for us in football outcomes. Your optimism is appreciated today after a lot of negative news and is keeping the MFCSS at bay. I think we could and should play finals next year. That should be our minimum goal. I doubt CP5 will be anything like his best next year and I don't expect he'll play till the latter half at least. The long break might be helpful and it's largely dependant on injuries and trading in some good replacements. Some of the new kids are going well, but there are quite a few gaps opening up on the list. I hope we have the good trading and drafting period that we need.

Ah that's fair and exactly as expected. I'm not sure what odds you'd get on a Melbourne premiership in 2025 but you're proving my point perfectly. You often say something along the lines of "bookies know best" because they're not charities. With all the issues around Trac, Clarry, gus forced to retire, kozzy unhappy, the forbidden topic, nibbler leaving, petty playing forward, low goal scoring, being run over on turnovers etc. it's almost certain that we won't win a grand final. Far more likely we'll end up either just scraping finals or roughly where we are now. Your redemption dream is a massive long shot unfortunately and that's reflected in the odds. And if we don't improve it plays perfectly into Trac's hands. Justification for him to say nothings changed, we're unprofessional and the media will say it's fair for him to go elsewhere.

The story writes itself: Dees have a cracking preseason. The Max, Jack, tracc and clarry band gets back together. The young Turks (JVR, mcvee, Windsor, Kolt, disco and pick 5) make their own music. The dees win the flag. Tracc wins the Norm Smith. Redemption reigns. Traccs 'reach' goes nuclear. This stuff becoming fact. I don't bet, but my understanding is the odds accumulate for each event, making the outcome less likely? I know the post is fanciful and I appreciate your enthusiasm and all your hard work. Like you I'm celebrating that Trac remains for now and hope we go really well next year, even all the way to a glorious Flag with real fans there to celebrate. As for this potential wager, unfortunately for all of us I think it's unfair and I'd just be taking your money. I was asking yesterday, what safeguards are there for the team if any player takes the proverbial and gives a half @55ed effort or exaggerates some real or concocted injury that forces them to sit on the sidelines for most of the year? Especially one on $1.7m or thereabouts? I'm glad he's back but I'm genuinely concerned about his physical and mental readiness to play AFL in a few months time.

Nothing wrong with being optimistic. I love your optimism despite everything and I really hope you're right. I'd really love you too be right, but I fear we might be headed for another 2019 style rough year. Would you be confident enough to say if you're right, I'll pay for your grand final ticket and if it doesn't happen then you'd pay my Redlegs membership 2026?

Did you say similar optimistic things after 22 and 23? As a betting man, what odds would you give on this outcome eventuating?

Yeah that's a concern I share Old Dee. He could be in the bench or in rehab for a lot of the season

That's exactly the bit the jumped out for me. As in I'm committed to the red and the blue... It's what he didn't say such as: until the trade period/until end of 2025/on the proviso that we trade out trouble makers/change coach etc

What would be an issue that divides players and causes some to want to leave? Could it be the forbidden topic and future repercussions for players caught up in it? Or is it simply the restrictive style of dour football that will consign players to obscurity and mediocrity like Saint Kilda?

Given the brand stuff is going so well he could play for less money and free up salary cap for better trade ins