Tony Tea

Teams have gone to work on our clearance game, but our clearance players have prioritised joining in the transition game. It's an interesting dilemma - win the clearances and lose the transition, or win the transition and lose the clearances. We will be busy finding ways to win both. And that's what matters at the business end.

"Melbourne is clearly thinking" looks suspiciously like pretending to know something.

When this photo was doing the rounds a few years ago plenty opted for Sicily, but it's no contest. Clarry by an ear.

There are a few Demons in Castlemaine, including a hardcore Demon who lives across the street from us.

Perth was a powerhouse in the 70s, but since they lost the potential-three-peat 1978 grand final in a major upset (in pouring rain, despite Bosustow starring for the Demons, and with Perth favourite son Barry Cable captain-coaching East Perth) they have been the league's underachiever.

Premiership Shemons.

It has always seemed to me that Clarrie gets marked harder than his peers. It's almost like pundits will jump on the first hint of a reason to mark him down, as if they want to mark him down. However, a third spot in 2022 is not the end of the world.

A freak, but I don't reckon he would suit our current game style.

Ironically, the Herald Sun is Australia's leading listicle paper, which makes Bucky a listicle clogger.

Welcome to Demonland, Josh. Always loved you. I hope I wasn't out of line with that crack about a spewing Nibbler.

Is LG trying to sneak back in?

Freo gave away Pick 1 and mid range picks to Hawthorn for Trent Croad and Luke McPharlin. Croad went back to Hawthorn and played in a flag with Hodge and Mitchell, who the Hawks got with the Freo picks.

Whitfield is what we need - clean sweeper, quick, beautiful kick.

If he ducks for us he'll lose his head, because there's no such thing as #FreekickMelbourne.

A blue & gold headband would look gross.

No pressure then.

I think there's an element of close loss in the Colliwobbles tag.

Spot on, DD. We most definitely need run-and-carry pace from half back to half forward. We need forwards who can find space for the kickers to kick to and kickers who can find the forwards in space. The backline and onballers are fine (although a speedy halfback would be nice) but as you say, we're a dead loss going from the middle into the forward line. We also need to work on our loose ball work around the contest. Winning the hard ball is made easier when the player who is approaching the hard ball knows what he is going to do with the ball before he gets it. There were several times against the Lions when we approached the footy unsure of what to do with it when we grabbed it and consequently fumbled or stood back. That doesn't happen if you know you're going to win it and give it. On the back end of the hard ball get is the spread. As soon as a Demon approaches the ball his teammates ought to be making position for the takeaway. This is aided by fast run and carry players who can run past an oncoming opponent rather than chip it of lob a handball over the opponent's head. The problem with chip and lob is it gives opponents a chance to either intercept, or spoil the intended receiver. We've got to keep the breaks to as fewer players and disposals as possible. I lean to the idea that we were physically cooked by the end of the season, with too many players carrying injuries and subsequently lacking condition and fitness. Fingers crossed we can find a way to deal with opposition run, carry & distribute, but it can't be easy playing a full court press against a fast moving opposition. No doubt our footy department will be honest about our shortcomings, and hopefully come up with solutions.

As the year wore on, teams clearly avoided trying to kick into Melbourne's zone defence and instead picked short targets until they could dump the ball into the forward 50 with a low kick instead of a bomb. This meant that we had to alter our defensive posture to deal with opponents intent on separating out defenders. This is League Defending 101. Were we able to make the adjustments? Clearly not. As nearly every game in the second half of the year showed, we were okay for half a game, but the effort required to defend a greater spread of opponents seemed to take it out of us. Was this down to our conditioning? Possibly. We should have anticipated something similar. Our seeming lack of fitness in second halves also affected our ability to break away, so it had an effect on our attacking game too. Throw in the pop gun forward line and we could only bang our heads against a brick wall for so long. Since attack is the best form of defence, we lacked a best form of defence. Kick more goals and everything falls into place. Struggle to kick goals and eventually you are going to get hosed the other way. Collingwood and Sydney hosed us the other way. Both had tight defences and lightning fast ball movement, which, once again, we were pushed to defend. Fingers crossed that since nothing happens in isolation, we are able to develop a better fitness level next year and find another clinical avenue to goal. In 2016, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 22 we have dominated inside fifties but been cleaned up the other way in an opponent's short period of domination. Does Goodwin over-commit to defence at the expense of attack? History would suggest maybe. If we can get fitter and our forward play organised next year we'll be in the hunt again, but we've got to, as a priority, find a better system in front half.

Sydney is my least worst option.

Inability to deal with opponents closing up space.

Inability to adjust to opposition adjustments.

CARNA PIES!!!

The flip side is even though Buddy is a champ, Horse sacrificed his heavy artillery to open up the Swans' forward line, whereas Milkshake is a pop gun by comparison so the loss of his potential impact is not much of a sacrifice, and as you mention, Milky did actually hit the scoreboard, even if they were flubbed hits. Plus, Buddy is not likely to explode when he runs away from the action. Oh, and I'm not attached to Milky. If he gets dropped he gets dropped, and if he stays it's because there is no viable replacement.