Dappa Dan

Sookie sookie lala. If you don't want to read it, don't read it. And to everyone else, thankyou for reminding me about the Ferguson wish to stay at the club. Certainly changes things doesn't it? And like people say, the footy department tried to make what looks like being the right call. Can't help circumstance though. Ta...

ZING!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow. I'm quietly proud of this thread actually. I never expected him, first of all to line up on Burgoyne who I rate ENORMOUSLY, and to beat him SO convincingly.... Good on you Simon.... Your heart beats true...

Bell..... BELL!!!!!!!!! He'd be just about leading our B&F!!!!! What more CAN he show? Fair dinkum, when are demons supporters going to open their eyes?!!!!

The player we all love to hate. As suggested in another thread, I don't think he's been anywhere near our worst this year. In fact, when people have come on here to abuse players they've generally been Trav, Jamar, Brown, Ward and a whole host of others. But RARELY Godders. This thread has started because I've already got one eye on 2008, and I'm juuuuuust starting to think there might be room for him. While I wouldn't be sad to see him leave, there are about 10 players who I want to see the backs of BEFORE him, and with only a probable maximum of 6 draftees, 1 or 2 pre-season draftees, and Judd , that means 2 or 3 of my fantasy delistings will HAVE to stay. In that regard, I think, desperate as it may sound, I think we need Godfrey. He's 26 and as such should be coming into his own as a player, and have 3-4 years of getting the best out of himself. He is by no means any worse a kick than a player like Stevie baker, who was much maligned for a long time, but is now among the best taggers in the comp, probably IS the best. The crucial part here is the new coach. If it's still Daniher, going on what we've seen so far, Godfrey will be a senior listed demon in 2008. If there's a new coach, he's still a chance, but I can see him being overlooked because of his appalling kicking skills. For the record, I can't see us ever REGRETTING delisting the guy if that were to happen, but it's certainly an interesting topic to discuss. I think I might just retrieve it come season's end.

After the footy today (Saturday) I was listening into SEN for a few hours, and they were talking about various things, and at one point Brad Sewell's name came up, and the host of the program (albeit a YOUNG host, whoever it was) mumbled something about him being in line for AA honours if he keeps up his form. Now, regardless of whether or not you agree, it's certainly true that the Dorks have unearthed a player. From memory they offered us Sewell in exchange for Ferguson... How does that make us all feel? A run with/defender/rebounder type who shows a LOT of good signs, in exchange for a courageous but limited tall defender who we TRIED to trade the following season, and who, let's be honest, is under threat to have his AFL career ended. I can't help but be annoyed when I consider our small defenders and taggers: - Bell is young and looks like a 200 gamer. - Petterd looks to have all it takes, and seems like he won't even need that long to make regular impact in games. - Wrecker is a gun, but is the wrong side of 28. - Buckley looks ok, but is still a massive unknown. - CJ is beginning to frustrate. - Then there's the Brown/Ward/Wheatley lot who people hate. By my count, out of that lot, besides Whelan, we have 2 small defenders that should go the distance in Bell and Petterd. CJ has shown a bit, though not enough, and Buckley still has time. But it doesn't inspire confidence does it? Then when you consider our pure running tagger types, we have: - JMac who SURELY hasn't got ALL that much further to go. - Bruce, who is one of our best taggers, but is used elsewhere too often to be called one. - Godfrey, who lo and behold is far from our worst so far, and if Daniher sees another year, you'd think he'd probably stay on the list. Who'd have thunk it? Even if Daniher DOES go, there's so many players who's careers are as good as over, we may not be able to afford to lose a guy who's only 26 (but looks 45). - Bartram, who is a player. Pure and simple. And he has the rest of his career ahead of him. Again, do we think there would be room there for a Brad Sewell? Petterd may grow into becoming a good run-with player when the occassion calls for it. And if he does, that makes a grand total of 2 players who SHOULD be at the club for the next 200 games or so. Godfrey won't go far past 30, JMac is great but old, and Bruce isn't a career tagger. Sewell would be IDEAL now. I saw someone's top-ten players before the year started, and they had Stevie Baker in it. I laughed so hard I nearly puked, but I do acknowledge that Baker is, at the moment, just about the premier tagger in the business. We have no-one who compares to him in those stakes really. At least not in 2007. I now get a little bit shirty whenever Sewell's name is brought up... There's no getting around it. If Ferg washes up, and Sewell continues playing HALF his games as well as he has in 6 rounds, then it will be considered a blunder on an otherwise good recruiting report-card. And for the record, I realise Hawthorn suggested the trade to us, not the other way around. Thoughts?

15,893

Yeah, I'm thinking next year at the end. The best demon over the journey in the last 15 years I reckon. He was the one I watched from when I was 13 or 14 onwards, and my heart swells with pride when his name is mentioned like no other. When the day finally comes, I plan to write a beefy post. And those of you that know me know that that's saying something! Occo... What do you think?

I have to disagree there. The code of conduct only goes so far when contributing to the quality of this site. But more on that in a minute. On that I agree ALMOST completely. But I will say this. You think RR has been personal? You've been around here long enough to know he, and other like him have done way worse. Personally I though it's only a MAYBE that he overstepped the mark. But more on that in a minute. You stay out of this. He was talking to me. Well I don't know about you, but I stuck around on demonland, and posted a fair bit because I saw it achieving something. As a regular poster you'd have noticed by now the difference between the cynicism of 'ology and the youthful "exuberance" of 'land. For my part, when I joined I knew FAR less about MFC and footy in general than I do now. Posters like RR, hard as it may be to say it, contribute a lot towards the "education" of both the young posters, and the posters who aren't lucky enough to be a part of any other supporter groups (like me). What they, and guys like Hannabal (wherever he went), despise is when people get on here spouting garbage and ill-conceived theories, then guys like Rhino come on and show quite clearly where the fault lies in their reasoning, and they STILL cling to it, as a matter of pride (to prove this, he resurrected the post after a month). I think it takes a gutsy poster to admit fault, and if CB just took an objective look at what he was writing compared with Rhino, he might actually learn something (god forbid) and become a stronger contributor for it. But no... and demonland is worse off for it. Why? because it's clear to the educated where CB's philosophy is faulted, but he stands by it and makes the kids on here believe him simply because RR couldn't be bothered arguing with a guy who won't listen. Call me misguided, but I like demonland, and i think it's important. I find it warmer and more welcoming than 'ology, and my ambition here is to give us a chance to shrug the "Range Rover" stereotype we all have to live with. If the supporters on the whole have harder attitudes, maybe the club will too. Demonland brings us together, but I can't take us as seriously as I'd like to as a group of 27,000 when there's this kind of childishness banging around. Demon supporter sites are hard enough to be around as it IS! So yeah. I think you're right. Personal abuse is something we need to absolutely avoid, but you tell me, where else did RR have to go with all this? I'm no friend of his, and if he disagrees with any of what I've said, I don't really care. I get angry with him sometimes too, and disagree often, but one thing I DO is respect him enough to read his posts properly and objectively when he has a point to make. CB has not done this despite RR using every tactic at his disposal. The fault lies with both of them (as it takes 2 to tango) but moreso with CB I reckon. Anyway. This is ridiculous. No-one really cares besides the two of us Jarka, and I have no beef with what you've said really. Let's get back to the footy.

I sometimes wonder this, Jarka, but in this case I reckon you have to go back and look at the "wanted" thread. RR has explaind PERFECTLY well where the fault lies in CB's reasoning. And not only that but he explained it about 10 times, and all CB could manage to do was cling to his point so as not to appear subordinate. Somehow, a simple difference of opinion that is really quite clear cut has mutated into what we see now. If there's one thing I hate it's when people resurrect old posts to prove someone else wrong. And in this case CB has resurrected a thread in which his reasoning was shot down completely, and has SOMEHOW convinced the GP that his point holds water. (for the record I love a funny rehash of a thread, or one to relive a glory, or prove a quirky or risky prediction true... nothing wrong with that) As far as I'm concerned, now that we HAVE no forwards, CB's point is made correct. When you've got guys like Jamar in your forward line standing around like trees occupying space and generally being a nuisance, and your team is ACTUALLY winning some ball, then YES the forward line is the problem. But again, RR concedes this. But in the vast majority of games so far, and certainly in rounds 1 and 2, our problem was first and foremost GETTING the pill. Had ND not flooded back the Bruces and Greens, along with The Yzes and Daveys (all our big eggs) even mediocre opposition midfields would have extracted the pill EVEN EASIER, and we'd have lost by TWICE as much! You watch when Robbo returns and we have some sort of forward structure back. The SAME thing will happen if the team doesn't win some of their own footy in defence and in the midfield, and doesn't make use of their first and second possessions. As for Robbo, his comment was only regarding our overuse of handball, AND THAT'S IT. And if you can't see that you're blind and deaf. He doesn't want his team JUST to kick long. He wants his defenders and mids to WIN the footy, run hard, expose the forward line THEN kick long. Ironically, making space to lead into in the forward line is the responsibility of the mids, in this day and age. OUR mids have to make their opponents accountable. If they start doing damage in defence and on the ball, all the Hawks' flooding defenders would have had to man-up, leaving some nice space for a few of the forwards to lead into. Yes, it's true that right now, with leading forwards like Jamar, all the space in the world isn't going to do you any good. So bringing in a GOOD FF will help. But are you seeing my point? If Neita comes back, kicks a bag, and wins the game, it will be a sign that we're winning the ball out of the middle better (which we have been doing sporadically), but then CB and others will come back on and claim they knew it all along, and resurrect old threads in an attempt to discredit guys like RR, who made the correct call in the first place. Makes me angry... The only solution Jarka, is to let it go. To my knowledge, RR had done this repeatedly, and CB KEPT pulling it out. And he's done it here again MONTHS down the track, and now you pick on RR for being petty. Just seems a bit unfair to me, that's all. Cheers.

You're not STILL on that are you?

One of the most patheticly unprofessional organisations in the free world, the AFL, along with Telstra and the CBA. And the only line they have to drill out is the old "The game is in better shape now than ever" garbage. If any of you weren't completely incompetent, the game would be doing TWICE as well. I'm absolutely not kidding when I say there are things being done in the AFL that I could do better. And that IS a sad state of affairs. Australian Rules is sick. Sicker than it should be, and it's all very preventable. I'm getting closer all the time to writing off football as a complete waste of time.

Next week YM, come on here and start a thread that goes something like "Eagles will definitely down the dees." At least then we'd have a sniff.

Yep. Should be interesting. Whelan is still pretty good though. He'll have to stay strong for the next 17 rounds to knock him off, even though wrecker has been injured. Bell has not dominated a match in the way Whelan has shown he can in the past. Not the best, certainly. Green, Trav, Yze and even Neitz, maybe even CJ have great feet. Bell's FIELD kicking is not elite, but it is only juuuust below that, and he has time to improve. And for a defender, that's a huge bonus. For my part, coming out of defence, I prefer it when the ball is in Trav's hands (current form notwithstanding), and then Green's and maybe CJ's. Bell is just behind this group. He has a great kick that loses none of its accuracy and penetration when he's hurried. The perfect kicking defender, in theory. Rather like stiffy... Hmmm. He'd be in the top 3. I don't know who'd be leading it. Could be Moloney, could even be Miller barring Saturday. I think Bruce might be up there, along with JMac. If I had to put my life savings on one player, I'd say Bell, since he's played 4 good games and was hurt in the other. But then I'd do that with no confidence. Also, my life savings total 48 dollars and 33 cents, so the point is moot. Oh, and I'd want to meet you to put a face to everything you write. Would be interesting to say the least.

It's a good point Rogue. And to be honest I'm not sure there's an answer to it. But there is a kernel of a fact that could play a part. Garland had shown some ok form, but hadn't set the world on fire. He hasn't even LOOKED like kicking 6 goals in a match, where Newton did and has done it a nuber of times in the pre-season and reserves. On a personal note, what I hope is that they realise the TYPE of player Juice is. There aren't a whole lot of simlarities between Michael and Colin, at least at this stage, except for safe hands and aerobic capacity. Oh, and perhaps a strong kicking boot. It's way too early to tell, but I reckon a straight swap for the two would make a fair amount of sense.

Good point. I remember hearing from all and sundry in the lead up to Saturday's match that it says a fair bit about Biz and Ward that they were dropped in an injury ravaged side. It says less about the Biz I reckon. Matchups and lack of pace probably played a part, as well as previous form and the fact it was at the SCG. As for Ward, his time has just about come. Yep. Pleasing insight actually, for mine. 2007 is all about small pleasures from here on in for me. Yes. A number. But not all at once right? Clearly I'm defending my desire to have a SINGLE player played as I didn't call for any of the others, and I don't want to be lumped in with the others... :D:D:D Oh man. There's nothing worse.

Not a huge backflip though, I reckon. I was one of his more out-spoken detractors before I saw him play in the flesh, and it took me only the four quarters to be almost completely converted into a supporter, and fan, of his. I'm not saying he's the perfect player, or that he's not going to have bad days, or even that he's going to be great. What I'm saying is I can't imagine recruiting a young KP forward with a more complete game, talent-wise. From what I saw at Sandy (and I do realise it's only at Sandy) I'd be willing to give him 3 or 4 weeks of below par performances in red and blue just to let him know he's going to be persisted with. I'm ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that in that time he could lift the demons supporters hearts and lift the players' spirits in the space of a single quarter, such is his ability. I hope he gets a go, but I don't dare believe ND will give him a shot for long. I'v been disappointed too mant times.

Excellent. So the last demonland block falls into place. It's funny though. I would say, going on what I'd seen of him in the 4-6 weeks I watched him, that against the scorpions, with a not-so-strong team and weak defence, Newton's 6 goals would almost be par for the course. He had a crack out of the square against nobody pretty much, with a gun midfield on his side and did what I pretty much expected he would do. So... Looking at the ins and outs, Bate and Garland being the obvious ones, Green and Neitz are sodas to return assuming they're right to go. That makes Newton's inclusion come at the expense of a tall. In a perfect world I'd have Jamar out, never to return. But since they won't let poor, fragile, little Whitey play more in the middle, and PJ isn't the ruckman we all hoped he'd be, Jamar will most likely play. That means it's all about PJ going back to Sandy. Ooooh I don't know. Just like every week so far, the team is going to be rattled around until all our stars return. I hope Juice gets a few weeks to get a feel for it. RR, thrilled (but not at all surprised) you got to see him get some of the pill, and even more thrilled he did what he can with it. Fun to watch isn't he? And that's a very good point you make about the fact he probably won't get a go NEARLy as easily when Neita and Robbo come back and are run in... I hope he gets 4 weeks at the top, the more matches at the G the better.

I'd love to meet you in person...

Oh for the love of.... Watch him properly. He has fine lateral movement. His work marking an opponent closely is exemplary. Disposal is flat-out among the best in the team. Kicks to advantage and straight down the throats of players who aren't even leading more often than not. Is absolutely the kind of player MFC should want in their starting 18. Not up to it? Come on.... Garbage. Have a look at Trav. Does he turn it over? Belly turns it over less than this team-mates, and he has had little to kick to ALL YEAR so far. He doesn't dither anymore. Hasn't been caught with it BADLY all season, if at all from memory. Bell blazes away as well as anyone in the side. I lost count of the amount of long kicks he drilled at distance down the throat of stationary wingers. WW, love your work usually... but - - correct. - crap. Costs us fewer than any of Brown, Ward, Carroll and Whelan this year with a miniscule amount of experience in comparison. - Garbage. His sideways movement DID lead to problems LAST YEAR when his OP was still a factor. If you watch ANY football you'd know he's as clear as you'd want a player to be from niggles like that and he's barely put a foot wrong all year. Inevitably? Please... - Who? Buckley? Bell is one of our best. Seriously, have you watched ANY games this year? If we had a full list to choose from, Bell would STILL be one of the first picked. Only Wrecker is a more automatic selection in our 22 on the backline. - Bell's detractors need to open their minds and stop basing their ratings of him on his first 10 games, in which he was a different player, hampered by injury. - Bell's decision making has been A-Grade this year. - OH JESUS!!!!! Rivers? Fair enough. Whelan? Yes, but not right now. He's been towelled this year, and is a ways off his best. Bell's best can go with Wrecker on all but his best days. Carroll? Been thrashed ALL year. Petterd? OFF ONE GAME?!!! FRAWLEY?! He hasn't even played yet!!!!!! Grow up. I started a thread about this a month ago. Go back and read it all of you blind supporters. For those who can't be bothered, I'll summarise for you, since watching 600 minutes of footy has done little to teach you ANYTHING about the quality of this kid. - Had Bell been recruited at the end of last year and played like he has in the NAB and first 5 rounds you'd all be heralding him as our Wrecker replacement. - He's been consistently beating opponents with little (Rivers) or no support at all for this whole season. It's one thing to defend well in amongst a defence like Sydney's, Adelaide's or Geelong's, it's another entirely to beat a player surrounded by opposition winners, match in match out. - His few mistakes are WELL below par for an MFC footballer, let alone any footballer in 2007, but his detractors only see 1 or 2 blues and write him off instantly AS USUAL. We have a successful, hard at it, accountable defender with great disposal, rebounding ability and heart and typical demons supporters, they ask for him to be gotten rid of straight away. And people wonder why we are disrespected as a supporter group. - We complain, complain and complain about lack of heart, and there are people here who string him up that actually AGREE that he is hard at it.... And they STILL want him gone. I'm getting sick of drilling this out again and again, but as many times as people come on here and post the crap that is written about Belly, I'll come on here time and time again to disagree. Prove me wrong if you like. I'll continue to raise the bare facts about his footy now and in recent years, and prove the point MOST people realise about him. He's a very good player. Mostly though, I think Daniel will make fools out of each and every one of you. I think it's a mistake to jump on a player's bandwagon before he's proven anything concrete. What's annoying here is that he already has done what's necessary to be rated highly by his fans, or at least by the fans of his own club. He ended last year beautifully and has started this year equally as well. Carroll did precisely the same thing and was adored almost immediately. And here we are debating whether or not he should be in the 18... Unbelievable.

I'd rather a CAC pick in the 80s than a player (albeit a pretty talented one) like Farmer who's going to give us very little during rebuilding years then retire. Next.

If true, how sad is that? I reckon there's room for him in the current 22, especially tonight. :D Geez, Rhino. The masses here don't argue that all 4 of those players hould be played at once. There's a tiny minority that argue a stupid point like that. What the masses ask for is to fill a hole at a time with players that can fit in those holes. ie, Newton at FF, Buckley BP, and Petterd obviously. These masses are individually asking for these young guys to be played as soon as is reasonable. Playing 4 at once? NOT reasonable. And just so you see I can raise BOTH debutants, Petterd was right to go, as you point out. Garland was NOT. CLEARLY not in my book. Now we have our disagreements in regards to Newton, but in my book I can't for the life of me understand why Garland was brought in. He must be doing wonderful things at training because at Sandy he's done very little. Sure he's looked like he has a future, but injuries or no injuries he was nowhere near ready to take on the runners up from last year. Perhaps he was played to get an appreciation of how hard he has to work? I dunno. But if your arguement condoning the holding back of Newton stands, how do you feel about this kid getting games? Surely his development could be hindered in the same way? And if you're going to play a guy before his time, surely the taller, stronger, bulkier guy who's had 3 years in the system is the less risky prospect? And BTW, honest question here, I assume you're spelling Petterd PettARD deliberately. Why so? I realise that according to MMM he prefers the pronunciation PettARD despite the spelling. Do you know something we don't?

What?!!!!! Similar to a certain bloodnut's first game from memory. Don't get me wrong, Petterd was a shining light, and while I expected him to have more impact than Garland (who should NEVER have played) I was STUNNED at how much he did. However I reckon you're overdoing it a bit here with him. We've had McLean, Bate and Jones debut in recent years, and they've easily filled me with more excitement. Each to their own of course, but I hope not TOO many dees supporters cannonise him so soon. Ok... Please BB, leave this forum, join another one and never return here. You contribute to nothing but the posters' frustration in an already frustrating time. For your sake and ours.

Was just about to ask about that. Is he any good (happy to wait a couple of days for the answer). We've spoken much about this in the past, and had a number of disagreements. At the start of the year they were playing Dunn and Juice out of the square, for all of about 90 seconds before Dunn got his face crushed by Bo Nixon. From what I remember either Sauntner was rested or injured. Would there be room for both Sauntner and Juice in there?

Yawn. Rodan looks ok, but I'll take a bottom age garland, Petterd and Frawley... and depending on how he turns out I'll take Weetra too as a VERY bottom age recruit. Rodan is another team's garbage, and the Toigs garbage no less. In the first 5 rounds it's clear he's started to make them look foolish, but give him time, and give him a game on Bell or Whelan. David's had a number of years in the system, and it's very simple... He's not the answer to our problems. Not by a long shot.

Book away. We won't get our first win until at least round 6. If we lose that we may end up wooden spooners.