heartbeatstrue

Form and history are against us but in any two horse race either team is a chance. Unlikely would be my response but definitely not no chance, alot can happen.

Spot on. Of course it's a possibility. This Dawks side isn't that great, just a lot more experienced. But young first game players can do some amazing things. They don't have a losing mentality in their brains, maybe they dream of something great and heroical and sometimes it happens.

Unlikely, but miss being at tomorrow's game and there's a chance you'll never forgive yourself.

Boo or not, I don't care. Just good to have plenty of passion amongst our supporters, particularly those in the Members'.

From what I saw last night, we're a good chance to beat both those sides. But then Judd was missing. I'm going tomorrow believing and willing a win for our new side. I'll be happy if we're not disgraced (no reason why we should be, looking at both teams).

It'll be great to bellow again "GO DEES!"

Slow day at work today, so here's my attempt. I'll go through the reasoning too.

B: Rivers Warnock McDonald

HB: Grimes Frawley Macdonald

C: Sylvia Bruce Davey

HF: Petterd Bate Miller

F: Scully Martin Green

R: Jamar Jones Moloney

IC: Strauss McKenzieSpencer Trengove

EM: Cheney Maric Bennell

I hope we get to see something close to this against Hawthorn. I would choose Maric, possibly in place of Spencer like you said. I think Dunn will play too because someone likes him. But whatever the result, we'll get heaps of pleasure watching this side develop.

The short option is the poor man's option. It rarely is good for setting up attack from the backline.

Lots of movement from our players, decoys, leading targets up the ground seem the way to go, like the OP mentioned.

As with our setups up forward, it's hard to imagine the specialist coaches aren't addressing these obvious problems. And yet time after time, we spectators watch and bemoan what we simplistically call "lack of game plan". Of course, there's a game plan. But what is it? Why aren't the players playing by it? Is it beyond them? Don't they get it? What are the coaching staff doing to fix whatever the problem is?

It's tough starting a new season with the same old as we've been watching for the past two seasons (with some good improvement during 2009, I must say, which is why the current lapse is disappointing).

Not only did the Demons suffer a major injury blow with the loss of yet another leading player in Colin Sylvia who will be out for several weeks with a broken jaw but the team was clearly exposed for its midfield impotence, its lack of forward power and a missing play book as it floundered without a sense of purpose in the second half against the dominant Eagles line up.

...

As the game progressed, the Melbourne game became excruciatingly more difficult to watch as the ball was often handballed at the feet of stationary players or kicked wide of teammates who were thereby constantly put under pressure. They would do well to take a look at the tape of last night's NAB Cup Grand Final to see how the Western Bulldogs dispose of the ball by hand and by foot.

Melbourne's youthful enthusiasm kept it in the game till the main break and it momentarily hit the lead early in the third quarter but it then conceded seven unanswered goals in the face of a whithering West Coast attack. The Demons' confidence was shattered and it was game over at the final break.

Thanks Oracle, some common sense.

We better hope the coaches can take from this game similarly, and discover and thrash into the players' heads that "missing play book" before we get humiliated by the injury-hit Hawks.

Of course these young players can't exceute like Geelong or even the Bulldogs last night. So we need to play accordingly. Basic footy, adding as our skills and confidence grow. Confidence won't come from performances like yesterday's.

Bulldogs of course have a potent forward now, which we won't for awhile (lucky we have possibly the best in a few years' time waiting in the wings).

I agree with whoever said about our poor kick-ins, no excuse not to have this worked out & drummed into their heads. And some form of forward structure that fits with the personnel we currently have available.

I have no doubt Bailey is an excellent skills teacher for our current young group. Hope against hope that the older ones can still learn too... because they're important for the confidence of our younger players.

Just got back from the game.

- Miller our only really lead up forward.

We are in deep trouble...

I saw no evidence of a game plan.

The one game I've seen this year (v Freo) was the same, no obvious game plan. It's pretty much shades of 2008. Bailey is definitely a good teaching coach, the first & second year players will develop well under him. Worry is, learning a winning culture is also important for young players. Having great skills but absolutely no confidence or idea of how to win (& win well by burying an opposition) isn't great.

I hope Bailey's got a few tricks up his sleeve re the game plan. Because with no forward line, we'll not only lose but get the stuffing belted out of us too often I fear.

I feel a big part of the improvement needs to come from the coaching dept. From what I saw of the Fremantle game, either the coaching's got a long way to go or the players just haven't got it (still). I didn't see the Adelaide game so maybe the game plan is being refined nicely. We'll get some idea against the Hawks, I imagine.

Off the top of my head...

B: Wight, Ingerson, A. Johnson

HB: B Lovett, Hardeman, S Febey

Wight definitely somewhere there, for his run out of the back line (tenacious). Alan Johnson similarly.

Gary Hardeman CHB for his impressive marking.

And i just loved Brett Lovett.

This is no departure, however speaking of "flags", for those of you familiar with the Princess Fwy between Melbourne <> Geelong...

Near the turn off to Little River, the two Service stations that sit opposite one another (BP Service Stations I believe) have both the Melbournefc and Geelong Football Club flags flying - although the Mfc flags do look a little frail and dreary.

These most likely signifying the city's Melbourne & Geelong, as the "road house" seems halfway between the two cities.

I have frequented that section of road (esp. holiday times) and quietly thought to myself that both teams have finished 1st and 16th the last two years; albeit with a slight cringe. - Thinking other motorists/opposition supporters thoughts on the flags.

I look forward to the day when the tables are turned.

Quietly though, I am a little chuffed that those at the service station have shown good initiative to fly those flags. Somewhat pleased that other opposing teams aren't recognised like Melbourne & Geelong are, being cities and all.

Thought I'd share that piece of nothing "thought" with you all..

I too feel warm inside, seeing the MFC flags flying on those roadhouses. Especially as I'm either heading towards or departing enemy territory.

Great initiative & credit to the servo owners. Coming back just after Christmas a few weeks back, it was incredibly hot and we stopped for refreshments. Nice to report, the stop is worthwhile. Shade, good food & plenty of choice, cold drinks and some fruit vendor selling cheap outside.

Support these businesses, because of their support for MFC!

Ron Barassi, absolutely.

I was too young to know anything, never been to a game... yet I loved MFC and this broke my young heart like only a young heart can be broken. I think the feeling was something akin to treachery (Ronald Dale, having grown up and discovered a few things about how the world works, all is long forgiven).

Also I wasn't totally naive, because I remember too thinking... not Carrrrlton!

Firstly, I love Demonland and thanks for giving us the service, Andy.

Second, I am admin of a message board/forum on ProBoards. It's an excellent and very stable host, with great support available. And it's completely free. You get banner ads, but small monthly contributions get rid of the ads. If you're stuck, I can vouch for ProBoards. My guess is, one of the support people would help transferring the existing threads across. We could ask if this option is of interest.

http://www.proboards.com/

Lastly, you're the perfect admin... thanks!

PS. here's a ProBoards example, not mine:

http://autotechsonline.proboards.com/

Maric

My sig is a joke. I made a thread with that exact quote about 3 years ago. Then he got traded and my face was/is red.

It's OK. Any melbourne supporter without a sense of humour will be thoroughly bitter & twisted by now :D

Scully - incredible intensity. Would love to see him staring down Larry David:

http://www.hbo.com/larrydavid/episode/index.html

Gawn holds the footy in one hand like a tennis ball.

If you're as big as Gawn, a footy is a tennis ball to you.

Fitzpatrick, what a dag. I love him already. This kid's going to become a cult hero...

You talking about Melbourne's or Carltank's??

(looking at your byline "Brock Mclean is the most respected player in the AFL. He WILL captain us, He WILL lead us to a premiership, and he WILL play his entire career at the Melbourne Football Club" it might need a bit of changing too... :D )

Are there any highlights clips of Robbie Flower?

I can't beleive Richmond dumped/retired 12 players yet somehow kept Jordan on their list.

I heard a whisper MFC's paying his salary next year...

... twice as good! :D

Whatever the stats say, Geelong and the Bulldogs both lack one (quality forward line). Saints and Adelaide forward lines are functioning beautifully.

When we get some September action, ours will be going OK too based on what we've got and especially in reserve (Wonaeamirri, Watts).

It was a good first week. Only slight disappointment was the doggies getting beat. They could have done with Robbo.

Next week I'm going for:

Bulldogs

Adelaide

Having watched Geelong, they have a way to go to win another flag. They struggled to hold on in the last qtr. On form, Saints v. Crows is looking good for the GF.

Stupid thing to do. Whatever he was doing, he deserves the two weeks. I'd hate one of our new midfielders to catch a habit like that from Judd.

Not one single person on here wanted Essendon to win last night. One person wants a Collingwood victory on Sunday (YOU know who you are )

I want the Doggies to go all the way, will be at the 'G today waving my Demons scarf at every doggy goal!

At least, if it was Adelaide, we wouldn't hear about it over here.

Yeah it could be like losing the Ashes, simply never mentioned, move on to something else, spring racing whatever. Their local news could blow their trumpets all they liked and we just get on with life oblivious to it all and looking ahead to next year :D

(plus we get the pleasure of seeing a few of the scum get belted, like the bombers tonite hopefully...)

Crows, Bulldogs, Brisbane and Saints for me. I'd rather the Bulldogs win the whole thing, if not, the Saints, as they lack the premierships and if they don't win it with this team, they'll never win it.

What you've just said makes me glad I follow the Dees. At least one of those teams (Bulldogs or Saints) is going to be devastated come end of the month. Maybe both. Their window will rapidly close from then on.

Us, we've started to climb the mountain. We've got good years ahead, I have no doubt. I'm excited about the next few years, watching some great talent develop. With good coaching, we will develop a distinctive and impressive game style. When we next get in a GF, I want to be so good that we're favourites. Not the underdog.

Agree with you, hopefully Bulldogs to win the flag, they are the least arrogant. Otherwise Saints.