Deeoldfart

If we bring the four quarter effort and improved skills from the Freo game, together with the confidence that should accrue from that victory, we will win this comfortably. If we fall back into the habits of earlier rounds, it will be anyone’s game. I’m backing our blend of experience, and growing band of exciting youngsters to continue on seamlessly from last week, and give the mood on Demonland a further shot in the arm. Dees by 60.

I like these changes. As ‘like for like’ as we could get, while maintaining team balance and selection integrity, after a great win vs Freo.

Loved the Pod, as always! Thanks MFC team. Thanks Demonland team.

Thanks Ghosty. Stirring stuff! If this is true, we are back ‘on track’ (Tracc?) for season 2025.

Good on R’mond if they do that! Lose a player through injury in the first half, and play the second half with only three on the bench.

Gee, it’s a pleasure to be voting after a win! Last week I described my final vote getter as “the best of the rest”. This week I’m finding it very difficult to fit the them all in …… 10 into 6 doesn’t go! My best guess: Pickett: Outstanding game! Put simply, we don’t win the game without him. His goals, his pressure, and very importantly, he caused the Freo players to [censored] themselves whenever he was near the ball. Bowey: Continued his outstanding season. Always seemed to be in the right spot, great vision, and immaculate ‘team to advantage’ disposal. Current Club leader in the Bluey, I reckon. Gawn: Tap work, understanding with his mids / crumbers, and his behind-the-ball marking, all getting back to their best. Was an absolute ‘rock’ in the last. As he said in his post match presser “we weren’t going to lose that one”. Viney: Fantastic return to form. 25 (mostly effective) disposals and a goal, primarily playing an effective tagging role, speak for themselves. TMac: ‘Evergreen Tom’ was a stalwart in defence, in the absence of his usual tall compatriots. Petty: The first time we’ve had an effective tall forward all season. Very good game, assisted by some much better delivery from further afield. Riv and Chin the most unlucky, with a few others in contention.

……… and no Disco for most of the second half. Huge thanks Tommy Mac.!

We turned a heap of other things around this week, so we might do the same to our last quarters next round. Right now (after slightly reducing the size of my cellar) I’m backing us in to do just that!

I said in the Gameday Thread that I believed in miracles …….. and so it came to pass! LO L. ❤️💙❤️💙

I’m totally bemused! I assume there’s some logic somewhere, but I’m just too stupid to see it staring me in the face.

Alternately, doesn’t cream always rise to the top.

I’ve never been a Chris Scott fan (or any of the other panel members for that matter), but that was the best interview I’ve ever heard from him. This will b a controversial statement on here, but our Club could learn a lot from what he had to say.

Indeed, the Pod was our companion, while driving from Adelaide back to Canberra, following the gut wrenching disappointment of Gather Round. As always, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the show, but perhaps even more so this week. Notably: the Panel’s ‘no holds barred’ assessment of our performance against Essendon, and the total lack of transparency by OUR club towards its members and supporters. It hurts enormously, but these things needed to be said! your unbridled and heartfelt passion for “the team we love”, and your anger with what has been dished up, both on and off the field, since the end of last season. I can only hope that somebody with ‘authority’ at the Club tunes in, and takes note. Great work guys. Thank you!

Sadly, very sadly (and probably belatedly), I’ve reached the conclusion that some drastic changes need to be made at our Club. This is not a question, it just a comment ….. but something is rotten at our Club. Any insights you fellas can give into this situation would be valued. Right now I think I would respect your views more than anything coming from inside the Club.

‘A picture tells a thousand words’

Back from the game about an hour ago. A couple of reds later, and nothing’s changed! broken system on the field; broken hearts off the field. I’m totally confused ……. perhaps even more so than what the players seem to be, although that seems unlikely! My heads in a spin, and it’s not from the two glasses of red wine! Something’s gotta change!

Langdon - a shining light. Head and shoulders above of our next best. Gawn - battled on tirelessly against the odds. Can hold his head up. Petracca - instrumental in our mini fight back in the second half. Bowey - solid, with (mostly) nice disposal. Perhaps our most consistent player this season. Pickett - provided a bit of spark, at times. Oliver - the best of the rest.

………. be very, very glum throughout the long drive back from Adelaide to Canberra.

Like Dusty Springfield, I’ve been doing a heap of wish’n and hope’n and pray’n this week. Fingers crossed that it pays off, but I’m not convinced!

Mrs DoF and I attended the Captain’s Run in Adelaide this arvo, but it’s definitely not worth starting a new training thread to report on it. Most players didn’t even do a serious warm-up, except for Tracc, who performed a very impressive calisthenics routine by himself, for all to see. Jeez, he has amazing agility! There were a few ball-handling games, a bit of goal kicking practice and some (mostly uncontested) marking practice. Sadly, not a soccer ball in sight! It was very much a ‘hit and giggle’ promotional event, with autographs and ‘photo opportunities with the players being the main priority. The players were extremely obliging on this front, and the 1,000 or so Dees faithful who were there really enjoyed it. Mrs DoF sat beside some of Pett’s family in the stand, and they told her that they support the Dees because Harrison plays for them, but their ‘heart’ is really in Adelaide 😪.

Thanks for fronting up for another very enjoyable and balanced pod guys. Mrs DoF and I listened to your dulcet tones while driving from Canberra to Adelaide for Gather Round. Two hours of what would otherwise have been monotonous driving, disappeared in no time. PS. We are convinced that our voices in the crowd will make a huge difference, and a win over Ess’don will prove to be the turning point in the season for our beloved Dees!

It’s been said a million times before, but VFL fixtures are ridiculous, and counter productive to the interests of aligned AFL clubs. Why the (expletive) can’t this mob get their act together?

Maybe Fullarton based on his decent goal kicking form at Casey? PS. I’m not holding out much hope for him, but we might as well try something different, because the way our forward line is currently malfunctioning, we have nothing to lose.

Like all of us, I’d love to have been celebrating 4 points, but it was at least a comfort to see several of our ageing leaders showing the way. My assessment: Gawn - Great to see our Skipper fight off adversity, and get back to some solid form. Work ethic was exemplary, and did lots of little things that often don’t get noticed (as borne out by his stats sheet shown by @spirit of norm smith above). Thanks Norm. May - The ‘dam wall’ would have broken much earlier if it hadn’t been for Maysie’s staunch defence. Great to have him back, and back in form. McDonald - Tommy wasn’t very far behind Maysie in deferring the inevitable last quarter breach in our once impenetrable defence. 3. Oliver - A fair way off where we know he can get to, but that just shows how good he is at his best. He’ll get there, I reckon. Chandler - Busted his gut all night, applied pressure and I don’t recall any significant errors. Our only season-on-season improver imo, and it’s mostly based around fitness, work rate and consistency. Langdon - Worked tirelessly as he always does, and disposal was ‘iffy’ at times, as it often is.