Dappa Dan

Getting beaten was pretty standard for us back then. Our only joy was a play here and there.... maybe the odd come-from-behind win against Freo. I still remember those fondly.

I dunno that anyone watches that incident with anything like a feeling of pride... This incident, however...

Interesting. Wrecker was beloved, but I reckon probably never threatened to be All Australian, or even make a squad. Jetta is making serious waves now in the wider AFL world, and in multiple seasons too. He'll be in his prime for anther couple of seasons yet too. Just had a look at Wreckers wiki page... Just for lols. 2008 & Brendan Fevola incident[edit] In round-five of the 2008 season, Whelan was reported for striking Carlton's full-forward Brendon Fevola, but who could blame him. He was offered a two-week suspension by the AFL. But an early-guilty plea reduced this to just one week.

I like both to make it back and play plenty of games for the club. I saw a breakdown of games played for the current list of core players, and best 22... and surprisingly, there's a huge gulf between the older guys, Lewis, Vince and Jones... (maybe Garlett who's 29 and has played 170+, and Pedo).... and the next group. I think of Kent as a young kid who's just about to establish himself, but he's actually almost 25 and is 61 games in. https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/tp-melbourne-demons?sby=13&year=2018 I'd encourage anyone to take a look at our top-down list for games played and imagine a list structure. It's some of the best reading around for Dees fans. The core guys are all yet to crack 100... the only names that'll need replacing in the next 3 years are the big three older guys... Vince and Lewis the only really alarming ones there, and both have had superb seasons this year. Pedo has Weid and Smith in the background ready to take his role. After that it's Jetta, Hibbo, Garlett... Then Gawn is 26, TMac is 25... We haven't even started talking about the Olivers, Hogans, Brayshaws, Traccas... What a time to be alive. For Vanders and Kent who are 26 and 24... they actually have a fair bit of time. The only issue is they're playing for a similar spot in the team. If Vanders could get some backline skills he could certainly find a home there... but we are so horrendously stacked for forwards right now... it'd be the hardest place to get a game. Hogan, TMac, Melksham, ANB are undroppable. Then Fritsch, Hannan, Gawn, Petracca, Harmes and Spargo are all playing serious minutes in there. Smith, Bugg, Garlett and Pedo are still in the frame. Good luck to Kent and Vanders right now. I see a place on the list for sure... they're a good age to make a difference. But getting in will be very tough and require a lot of injuries. What's in their favour is the fact that Goody likes picking a player you wouldn't think of, as long as he has form and fitness in the VFL.

I wonder when the threads comparing Jetta to Wrecker will start... Will be an interesting conversation.

It's not completely absurd. He actually did a little bit of it on the weekend. Has the aerial ability, and can certainly read the play pretty well. His field kicking is superb too. Sadly though I think you'll find his frame won't be big enough for anything more than the odd cameo. He had to contend with Roughead, Schache and Boyd for goodness sake. It's a good point you make though... if he can help down back as a useful +1, then it gives Goody that much more flexibility with guys like Vince, Lewis, Harmes, Salem... Salem particularly delivering into forward fifty is very interesting to me. But yeah. Getting moulded into a decent rebounding defender? If Howe can do it, Fritsch can.

I could have gone for the full breakdown of the 22. Notice I didn't mention Jones, Vince, Lewis, Tracca, Melksham, ANB. I get in trouble sometimes for writing too much. The matchups I have above are just the main ones I'm going to enjoy seeing. If you want more, there's other things like what Tracca can do should TMac be needed up the ground. I reckon he's played by far his best footy at the G, spotting up Hogan in a pocket. Seems to enjoy the wide open space on the flanks and wings. When we need him to hit up a target 5-10 yards further than a mere mortal can get it, and he does it. I'm looking forward to seeing who they put on certain players. I suspect ANB will get some sort of job part of the game... maybe Phillips who runs all day. Does Fritch play off a back flank like he did against Dogs and make himself our chip up from kick ins? Then there's the pure midfield battle. Could TMac be asked to run around with Grundy as a midfielder, letting Gawn handle stoppages and go deep forward? I can't wait to see how Jones, Oliver and Viney go with Braysh mopping up as the spitter against their hard running mids who love to spread. Especially after getting smashed in clearances so badly last week. It just goes on and on... The big one for me is that I don't think we'll get our own way in terms of rebounds and in terms of centre clearances. When they break, and they will, what do we have holding them up. Jetta was amazing. Omac is superb. But who's drifting off their man and intercepting? Will it be multiple players? A Fritsch? Will Salem be needed as he was against Dogs? Will Vince be run ragged? From top to bottom, both lists have these good footballers who are multifaceted. The Pies have them because they have the notoriety and extra media of being Pies... The demons have them because they're just good. Feels to me exactly like those Hawks/Cats games over the last ten years or so... stars everywhere, all of which could switch it on and win a game by themselves.

Weird that they're mumbling about this anomaly when there's a football fan's wet dream of matchups coming up. I count about 12 direct matchups that could swing the match... the biggest being Gawn vs Grundy. This has come together beautifully for the AFL world to make us the centrepiece.

This is the most anticipated game in more than ten years. And the most interesting... The obvious thing is the importance... But check out the matchups. Hogan and TMac against Howe and Dunn, with Scharenberg there who's been starring. Cox and possibly Reid against OMac and whoever is cast in the Lever replacement role. Pendles, Sidey and Treloar... massive names in the AFL. Against Oliver, Viney and Brayshaw. Hibberd and Jetta vs De Goey and WHE. And the biggest of all Gawn vs Grundy to claim the AA title. I take us, because our lesser lights like ANB, Vince, Lewis and the remarkable Fritsch (14 marks and 7 R50s?!) do a lot more, game-in-game-out than the Pies lower lights and debutants. This will be a game for the ages. Strap in.

Yeah. I'm very much on last chance with him. The problem is he's on the list, and we have to see what he's got. He's not at the same level that, say, Hulett was last year... where we just knew he was done. He's had good form recently. I wouldn't want the selection committee to give him a go with 3 weeks left in the season and a top 4 spot up for grabs. I suspect if Melks missed it would end up being Garlett... he was our leading goalkicker last year after all.

Oh I see. Salem hasn't played all year strictly off the back flank. Going back the last two years, he's one of our better deliverers inside fifty. I'm getting creative, thinking we have a few mid-sized defenders who know their role, but not so many slick kicks inside fifty... Mostly I just don't want to see us regress to what we saw against Hawks and Tigers. I think you're right. After his injury he played plenty of good footy, Melks. I'll be very surprised if he misses.

I love me some Bugg... But I get cold sweats when I think about his disposal vs Melksham. The role Melks plays... gee it's important. Don't get me wrong though, I love Buggs work. Good call.

I haven't interrupted that stability. Injury has. Noone's CHOOSING to drop Melks. This is all a hypothetical, in case he doesn't get up for the game. Played there, sure. Played his best playing a kick behind. I dunno if I like Stretch as a target in the same way I do Melks. Come to think of it, if they think Balic can get through 4 quarters, he might be a good choice. It could well be just a one week thing... If Melks misses, then he gets two weeks break. Hmm. Balic. Interesting. Spargo had only played a couple of good games before he got his go and he hasn't looked back.

Jeez Chook. This one made you popular... lol For what it's worth I'm with you, sort of. TMac's best place for the team is as a target. But boy it's good to have him as a backup plan in case his brother has a mare. Also, he played time on the wing, so we can see Goody isn't married to him as a pure forward. I'd say if he played a second half in defence, it would be because we're getting slaughtered... But still. I feel better knowing the option is there. And as much as I like some of what our backup KPD do, TMac is the longest tenured and the most trusted. Just have to hope that foot is ok.

Was just about to say. That scything kick inside fifty that we couldn't find earlier in the season will be missed in Melks doesn't get up. I'm not sure too many of the VFL guys can be called genuine or even part time half-forwards... but Stretch might be deserving of a go. Maybe off half back, move Salem up as that last kick inside.

Should have said "superbowls"...

I heard somewhere we'll get new Monday.

Could we potentially roll with someone like Wagner or Hunt? I know there's a height issue, but this week against Pies... and potentially in other games... I want Hunt's dash.

You never know. Sometimes teams lose their superstar backs to non-contact ACLs and go on and win premierships. Maybe we can offer the Philly Eagles next year's first rounder for Nick Foles, @Macca @Gorgoroth?

Funny isn't it... Here I was when he smoked the Vikings like they were the Crows in Alice Springs, licking my chops at the first rounder he MIGHT be worth 2 weeks later if he was superbowl MVP in a winning side against the greatest coach and QB of all time (the QB throwing 500 yards, records tumbling all over the place)... Fast forward a few months, let the thrill die down (it hasn't), take a look at the surrounding befuddlement of the QB market... and after all that? I want Foles to stick around. He's earned a starting job... Nothing is more certain than that. Also nothing is more certain than the fact that Wentz could do 3 more ACLs and he'd STILL be the starting QB of the Eagles. And STILL, Foles' best chance to enjoy his career, job, life, success... is at the champs. For now. I still think our overarching point from months ago holds true. Wait til preseason week three, someone will get hurt somewhere. They'll kick the tires on Bridgewater. They sniff around a few others. And someone, somewhere, will offer a first rounder. To be honest though, I'm still that overcome with gratitude with the ridiculous level he played at that I hope they let him choose. I know that's more than likely the footy romantic in me, but still... As for ideal teams? A team that's close to playoffs but needs that next guy... Ravens, Cinci, imagine if Rivers suddenly declined/got hurt and Foles got moved to Chargers?!...

How will 80 rank among our major goalkickers since the golden age of FFs? Neita kicked 82-ish when he won the Coleman... Holy smokes just looked... Going backwards from 2017... 42, 41, 44, 20, 28, 29, 40, 55, 29, 26, 42, 68, 73, 69, 65 and in 2002 Neitz won it with 82. Best before that was Bennett with 87 in 1990... then before that no-one has kicked more than 80 other than Fanning in 1947 (97), and 1944 (87)... and Norm 3 times in the 40s. Blimey.

That'll happen more often than people think, I reckon. Lots of teams lower than us on the ladder.

As I say.... "sneaky" good. Usually I'd agree with you, never huge crowds... and in a down year (or decade) lucky to make 20. I'm picking a surprise here, and 33,000 if the weather's good. edit: Got 33,667 last year for the same game. So it seems I'm a year late.

Not just the validity, more the chinese-whispers nature of it. I would imagine that every player on every list in the AFL (of any quality) gets discussed in trades, every year. Even when on long term contracts, if they're good enough, their management and the clubs' management would be remiss NOT to discuss them, even years before they might become available for a trade. In all likelihood, in one of these phone calls (of which there will likely be hundreds over Jesse's career) the club said that the price on Jesse's head is something ridiculous like 2 first rounders and an All Australian player. After that, it gets around that the demons are "shopping" him, despite the fact they tried to place a price on his head no club would agree to. Then after that, the rumours start on internet chatrooms, and the details get lost. Noone should target Beetle for raising the point, but the onus is on us to treat it as what it is. A rumour sometimes is just a rumour.

Best week ever demons supporters?