Je Roos Salem

If the cap is introduced I'd like to see the substitute removed, never been a fan of it

We recruit a player of rarely seen talent and athleticism. We saw what he did, we gave him nicknames, he gave us joy, we knew him on the field and we were fed a picture of him off the field too- local hero, indigenous boy from a different world. I liked his nature, I liked his attitude, I stuck up for him and even called him my favourite player for a while. Instead of a prosperous career, how do we react when he leaves the club and allegations of alcoholism, domestic disputes, murder etc. come out? Is he still the Walpiri Wizard in our hearts from when we saw goals and marks from flat on the ground and high in the sky? You decide. That's how it is in footy, players come and go. He doesn't belong to the club so it has to be through memory of him or empathy for him. Of course we are all going to have different opinions on this, it's all to do with weighing up what's happened on and off the field and what being a supporter means to the individual. It just stresses the point that we can never be on top of what goes in players' lives. We'll hear feel good stories, sure, but should we really be surprised when a player isn't like what we first thought? I mean these are just guys who love footy, are good at footy, and make people happy through their footy and their status. Players will have certain tendencies, and they will also have a hell of a lot going on in their lives. I'm not sweeping Jurrah under the table and I'm remembering all the people he's made happy in his short career. I wish it were as simple as letting him play footy again as means to help him, but who knows

I hope so, I really do. I wish he could come back in the box alongside Neeld

Me and my brother drove up from Melbourne to see the game. I thought the crowd was great and the atmosphere was really lovely, food stalls all along the fence and the Port supporters weren't too bad. The sun was quite unbearable (my shoulder got badly burnt) so it must've been hard for the players, in fact they used an ice truck to keep cool during the breaks. Magner was a stand out (and was played on the ball where he belongs), and as a whole our team's tackling pressure and work rate were good. Just a few defensive problems, especially in the last quarter. Sellar was fantastic and Hogan was good early. Davis looked good in defence. Davey kicked 3 and laid a fantastic tackle in the first half, as well as some nice disposal. Kent, Terlich and Taggert were also very pleasing. I was a bit sceptical about us resting so many players but it was great to watch in the end, I was very glad we got over the line. Our midfield looked very strong, we were probably just undersized in defence. Good to see a lot of other Dees supporters there too. It felt like a great playing surface that I enjoyed kicking with my brother on during the weekend. It's a great place and the trip was definitely worth it

Love all you "experts" knowing what's best for our players. Why would you be happy if a player is rested? Aren't players meant to love footy and want to play? Who says resting in the pre season makes a player play better in the home and away season? I think playing could actually be beneficial for a lot of players. Stop being so brainwashed by the media. Get your own mind. Of course this game means something, otherwise it wouldn't be played. We've got to play some players, who are all at serious risk of injury! OH NO! In fact, why do we play any players any week? Let's end footy because of injury risk. Please go back to before you were hit by media ideology, when you thought players were heroes who get hit hard but you didn't act like a parent. P.S I'm going to the game so I hope to see a win

Actually, from the AFL website a concession G.A ticket is $15, compared to $12 (At Etihad, $13.30 at the G) for regular season games. It is a joke! If you aren't going to let people in with their memberships at least make the prices comparable to what you will see.

See you all too. It's a shame you can't get in with your memberships as it'd draw more people and you only see your team play for about 85 minutes anyway

I presume we can't get in with memberships- Can anyone confirm this? I'll just get a G.A ticket if not, though from what I saw they cost more than a regular season game..absurdly

Well part of the fun for me is seeing a real game (perhaps with slightly shorter quarters) and seeing which team of players play best together

I really enjoyed it in 2010 and most of 2011 up until players changed teams in the third quarter. From what I heard 2012 was a calamity with 17 3-minute quarters and trees and cones on the field or something I really think playing a proper match is a great event for the club, the turnout and the atmosphere are great and it has previously got me pumped about the season after seeing all the players in action

I agree that there's too much glamorising and new material things trying to hide the fact that we are (or were) playing dreadful footy. The players should be in control to drive a culture shift. The players aren't going to play any better wearing a different shade of red or blue, and I'm sure they aren't thinking about the 50s during final quarter fade outs.

I just wish these idiot investigators could've pounced on us after these incidents happened, not 3 and a half years on when they are running around like headless chickens. I didn't hear any of the analysis of our 2009 games in 2009, so why can people only see these things now? I would just like to move on from this nonsense, I would've rather been punished in 2009 rather than it resurface in 2013 when I've tried to move on and trust the people running the club. The idea that we lost games for draft picks is still as sickening as it was back then, and the allegations that people were threatened with job losses if they didn't agree to break the rules. For a head coach, board and even poor Jim to prioritise a pick over wins for the club and not pick the best 22, or push them as hard as they can to win is completely wrong and completely what I was and still am against as a Demons supporter but for it to come up now and have fallen through many empty heads who run the league at the time all this stuff happened (as well as the other tanking incidents in history) I think they should leave it be. Partly also because of the embarrassment of not using or developing our picks correctly and putting us in a deeper hole. All I can hope for is this goes away and that every official, supporter and player can do their best to win for every game in the remainder of the club's history.

How about scrapping this idea as there is already too much noise pre-game such as the nonsense by ground announcers. Think about how pointless this idea is. No way I want some ACDC nonsense before the Dees run out, they are an overrated band, I don't associate them with the Dees in any way and before I heard 'Long way to the top' 100000 times at the footy last year I didn't actually think it was a bad song. I don't mind some music played before the games, just having an official song we always play before our theme song sounds like a terrible idea. Add maybe a couple of announcements about the club, and a replay on the scoreboard until the teams run out is all I want

Rivers and Green are massive losses, paticularly in maturity and leadership. It was a shame to see them both go in the way they did.

I am a member for 2013. I am happy about being a member. I will attend each game. I love the club.

I didn't hear anyone pipe up about how bad our footy was under Bailey in 2010 at the time, it's definitely a 2012-2013 thing. We definitely played team footy in 2010, but have just lost a lot of players with the new game plan and literally. Neeld's emphasis on hardness and teamwork hasn't helped a lot of Bailey players, clearly. In 2016 people may be asking what were thinking about Neeld and how he was all talk. Neeld is no superhero yet As for Jamar, he's better than most people think and definitely one of the few best natural ruckmen in the league. If his fitness holds up he'll dominate again

This is a joke, how could Cale be an asset when he will be about the 35th man in line if they're all fit? I actually think Morton was best as a defender in his first few years, he definitely played with more freedom and won the ball a lot. Playing him in the midfield and forward and trying to bulk him did nothing for his confidence and his efforts in the past couple of years were dreadful.

It's all about kicking, there's too much [censored] kicking in the AFL these days- kicking a footy properly is something you learn growing up with the game, I have and I can kick a footy quite well. Pyke is a great competitor, ruckman, mark, but can't kick. Having a 200cm foreign ex-basketball is beneficial if you want someone who will run all day, take an exciting mark, leap beyond belief, miss tackles, average 5 handballs a game and maybe a lucky grubber goal from the square. Irishmen are better because they have that natural run and kick in their game (but of course don't tackle)

Considering we play GC and GWS twice (Unless they markedly improve) as well as a pretty easy fixture (especially till R15) I reckon 11 wins would be pretty good, though having said that I just want us to change our culture of giving up. I can hardly recall a loss in 2012 where we fought till the end. Sure the Essendon game was brilliant, but that was an extreme one off. Apart from comfortable wins against GC and GWS at the G where we played pretty well throughout, every other game we just had patches of about 1-3 quarters before disgracing ourselves at the end. The Dockers game was a prime example, but there were also seeing this during home games at the MCG. We've got to make the G our stronghold again and play consistent footy. How we lost really frustrated me this year. Barely any passion or will in the final terms

I'm interested to see who'll actually get a game out of all of them. It's highly unlikely Morton and Bennell would see any games unless there are massive injuries or a form slump. Rivers will go in and play immediately. Moloney, Martin, Gysberts and Petterd will probably all be on the fringe of selection

Is Lucas Cook going to melt into wax under the hot sun or is he going anywhere? Or he may just curse our minds forever. He did pop up in my mind on 12/12/12

Watts isn't a runner or a trainer, he's a player. He has some flaws he needs to fix, sure. I observe him all the time when we play, and his passion stands out and he never looks like he wants to concede defeat. He's clearly got talent and passion for the club. Don't blow Trengove up too much, he had a pretty poor year and looked slow. He does do the inspiring thing every now and then but I liked him better in years 1 & 2. Doesn't strike me as a vocal leader to the effect Jones does, you can hear him scream like a madman every time he wants the ball in training or during games, even from the top level

I'm probably not as excited about Viney as other people, but I'm sure once I see him play i'll be as passionate. I'm excited to see Clark go through a whole season, and if Clark/Dawes can become like a Brown/Bradshaw combination. Another chance for Sylvia to get through a whole season injury free and dominate. The fact that our list is healthy, both in actual physical health and quantity in each position. Competition for spots will be interesting. Jack Watts. Time to fire your guns, baby man.

Is there still a chance our double captaincy won't be retained? If Trengove can be captain then Watts deserves to be in the leadership group, in my opinion. Don't be surprised if you see Chris Dawes put in it.

I would too, but we are still more likely to win at the MCG than in Darwin. Think of all the supporters who can't get to these games as well. It's not for me to care whether the club makes money or not because I'd rather see us win 18 games and lose money (Would be hard too though with the influx of members and attendance at games)