buck_nekkid

Wasn't this a Lever thread? Some of you panty sniffers should start a man-hate thread so you can dump on your favourites. We drift from a trade suggestion of player X to a slanging match that has nothing to do with the topic.

Their response is as poor as the umpiring. It shows they have NO CLUE. Honestly, this over officiating specifically against a player is stupid. So how does Dusty Martin not get in trouble for all the straight arming he does on players, to the cheers of all and sundry? Is that not 'blocking'? Anyway, the idea of penalizing a specific player is fine - if is not Dangerfield, Dusty or Cyril. We are so the biatches of the AFL. I HATE it.

Did you watch the game? Applied some really valuable tackles and pressure acts. Made a contest, followed team rules. Think he did OK.

Nervous about today. Which Demons team shows up? most important 8 point game I can remember. We do this, we set ourselves up for September. A great test- the two teams everyone thought would be fighting for a spot in the 8- are fighting for a spot in the 8. go Dees.

The plan is to either deliver fast moving outside runners to feed off the midfield (if we have possession) or to smash 2 more into the contest to shut it down. A good idea - but if the opposition get a quick clearance, it sails straight over the heads of 2 guys running the wrong way. This seems to be where this tactic causes us grief. When the opposition block our running lanes and rove to Max, this happens more than we would like. When we win the contest in tight and hit a player moving past the contest at speed, it allows us to aimlessly bomb it inside 50 for an intercept mark and opposition clearance. This also causes us grief. When we hit up a leading player, it looks pretty spectacular. The concept itself is fine, it is just when and how we use it. If we are losing in the midfield, it is stupid to use this tactic. When we are being thrashed in our forward 50, we would be better to have a 6 man forward line and create defender accountability. We need to be more agile in its application - which will come with the guys responding to scenarios better rather than just running the one structure that they know.

Regardless if we win or lose, it is a great decision by Goodwin. He is setting positive expectations and minimum standards. Watts has been terrific, then injured, then sub-par. It sends a great cultural signal to the group. I hope he smashes it at Casey and kicks the door down to get back in.

They have a full forward?

As a supporter, I have loved that going to a game does not mean the expectation of a thrashing. It means that I have an expectation of a competitive game of footy, and a hope (in most cases) that we could win it. From this standpoint, the season has been a huge success. After decades of dross, we are at least competitive. We also have an exciting young list, that if we keep together and develop further, are a group that I am keen to keep following. That is a win. Finals would have to be the benchmark pass or fail for almost every team. We are - as it stands - on that benchmark. The last 3 weeks will tell us if we make it or not. The fact that we have shot ourselves in the foot with some stupid losses (it is Melbourne, after all...) may come back to haunt the group. We are looking like we are either 'cooked', have been worked out, or just not getting form out of our key players (or a mixture of all 3). For me, if we dont make the finals, it is not a fail. I rate the season a success from so many development angles. Next year, however, we are either a finals team or nothing. We have learned to defend under Roos. We have learned to do the contested stuff Year 1 under Goody. Next year we have to connect better and have a forward line that works. Then we will go up several gears. And finals will be an absolute minimum pass mark.

It is an interesting one. We all would love to see the story develop and him find his place. Perhaps he is the backline general aka Lewis - what would one more preseason do for development (since he has been stuffed for so long). He didn't look to have explosive acceleration and was burned off by a few players in the port game (I actually breathed a sigh of relief when he was swapped to the bench and Hunt came back on). However, he may have a future as the 'steady head' in the back half, that is the 100% reliable outlet passer. He can take a tough grab, we know he can stick a tackle, he has footy smarts and is a good ball user. If he was able to run both ways and hold the structure, as well as break for outlet passes, he could be a real beauty for us. That is all a big 'if'. I would like to know what the footy department thought about what an additional preseason would offer him. If they thought he could add some speed to his tank, then I say offer him another contract. Otherwise, like Lyndon Dunn, he doesn't really fit the game style that Goody is trying to build at the club.

What do we do about it? Put the cue in the rack? Accept that we are a 9-11 on the ladder team? Seriously, I thought (and have seen) us play football of a very high caliber. SInce the Bulldogs game, it has been there in patches, but not even for a full quarter or a half. Our style when we are under pressure is so different from when we are applying the pressure. I cannot fathom the number of times we would handball straight back into a contest, rather than try to get outside it. How many times we chose poor options through rushing, or have been chased down for wanting to do too much. If we keep playing like this, we are cooked. Goody's "where you are on round 23 will bite him in the arse if we keep this shyte up. We will be in about 12th on the ladder. Time for a reset. Time to get our structures right. I think we have been found out, and are now being bullied the way we would bully other teams. Its OK for glass half full, because it has been a much better season of football for us Dees fans. However, if we keep this up, we will never be likely. Enough, Demons. Do something about this. (Hint, most of it is between your ears..)

What pizzes me off is that players get the ball and hand pass INTO the congestion, rather than away from it. can't tell you how many times they did this today. they were bullied and rushed. They didn't support each other inside or outside the contest. 3 lucky goals and the Giants got their tails up. We just jogged.They kicked another 5 and we were done. we have been figured out. If you get the ball over the wave coming off our hb line at the bounce, we are outnumbered and turned around. If means our defensive structures are pressured and we cough up goals. can we learn to stick a tackle, please??

We simply we simply do not deserve to be in the finals .

No

By letting a few key games get away throughout the year, it is perform or perish every week from here. Our form has been well down for the last 4 weeks, including the mythical 'winning the contest'. We had been awful going inside 50, and are simply not scoring enough. Hopefully we can turn that around. Otherwise we might just be the new ninthmond.

Tackling has been poor outside the contest for a while now. Inside the contest, we tackle and lock down well. However, a player on the outside is put 'under pressure' rather than tackled. Seems weak, and looks shyte when oppo players step through the 'pressure' and get a clean pass away. Even worse in the Norf game, Max double handed ruck taps straight to Norf players, who had NO PRESSURE and waltzed away from clearances. Better to have no ruck, and start an inside contest - at least we compete in there. We need to hit and stick tackles. It seems like a lack of commitment to the tackle (like they dont want to be caught out of their 'position' in the structure, so dont commit to the tackle as it will put them out of where they are 'supposed' to be). Starting to look a bit bruise free. When we are totally out-marked, this just makes the reverse transition so much easier for the opposition. Gotta hit them, stick the tackles, and get the ball back. Minding space and 'pressuring' is for netball.

We are consistently outmarked. If I was coaching against us, I would seek to keep possession through marking, and have an outlet mark just outside 50, and a High HF marking CHF option. The Dees fail against these targets by not killing the contest way too often. We have focused on improving our ground ball game, and I believe we have taken huge steps here. The next thing we need to tackle is the contested marking at the key posts. Afte that, we then need to clean up forward 50 entry. A lot of our defensive issues come down to structure. When we have time to set up behind the ball, we do OK. WHen we are too cute for our own good further up the field (another glaring problem), our structures are caught out, and Nev has to defend whatever he can, even if it is sideshow bob, Franklin or Hawkins. It is just the structure. When we can move the ball more assuredly (without being overly cute) we can avoid the damaging turnovers that mean that Oscar and his defensive mates have little or no chance of even making a contest, let alone having the body shape or capability to win/halve it to advantage,

Would love it if he was! I suppose I had drawn a bit of a line through him for this year, but if he kicks the door down and is ready to go, he would certainly fit back in. I also look forward to what Plapp has to say on him, then, too!

Looking forward to Plapp's report. Weeds and Maynard in particular. I could see the Weids this week for Hogan, and Maynard in for a home game debut the week after?

The report was they saw more of what they wanted from him last weekend, and he would probably step up. Saw lots of potential last year , hope he can get back in the groove.

Here is a way it could work: 17 rounds play everyone once. divide into 3 groups of 6. Play randomly selected 2 teams from each group (2 top 6, two middle 6, two bottom 6.). Now the comp gets even. Even better if this was based on previous years positions at end of home and away. biggest problem with all of these funky draws is ground bookings, travel arrangements and hospitality stuff. If we were at round 17, and next week we had a game in Sydney (or Hobart, Perth etc) how could supporters book flights at reasonable prices? How would the clubs book flights, hotel rooms etc for that many people at short notice? overall, it is not the AFL's job to make it exciting. It is to make it fair so the teams can make it exciting. They should seriously [censored] off and stop meddling.

Was right in front of us. Jetta was focused on the exit, not on milking a free. What a fat arse loser that #22 is. There was NO DUCK, no trying to milk a free.

Some thoughts: Great to see Hogan keep his feet and put in a second effort - led to GOALS. OUr structure is so much better with Hannan and Trac operating (prowling) HF. Max much better, took some great marks. Oliver was already taking pain killers at the quarter time break. DOnt know what was up. Watts - rusty. Trengove - couldn't run with his man. Really wanted him to shine, but didn't. Jetta is a superstar. Lots of pressure. Love the 4 points. ALmost everyone contributed, a superb team effort. I have rarely witnessed such putrid umpiring ever. It was only because I was sitting near children today that the language was kept in check. It was not the number, but the blatant way that the maggots are umpiring for port, and against us. It was a frighteningly inept display. Last thought - get on board. Go Dees!

Skies looking a bit greyer as I grab the gear and head to the door. I have hope. Looking forward to seeing us play like we did against the dogs - I'm not sure we have played anywhere near our standard since then. If we do, I will enjoy my afternoon at the G' GO DEES!

We can only hope for a full house at the 'G...

I imagine it will be a mix of taping and painkillers. Properly taped (and with orthotics) the role of the fascia is replaced externally. I imagine that limiting the ability of the foot to 'flex' in ways that would cause pain with taping would go a long way to helping. Perhaps pain killers for the next week or so??? It is J. Viney - perhaps just give him a sniff of the Sherrin 5 minutes before the bounce?