bing181

Actually, you wonder if plenty here on Demonland pay any attention at all to what's actually going on at the club, or even have any idea.

It was.

Confirmation bias 101. Meanwhile, back in the real world: "Recently retired Melbourne player Jordan Lewis will continue with the club in an off-field capacity for the 2020 season. The decorated four-time premiership player has accepted a part-time coaching role, which will see him work with the playing group on their kicking skills ..." https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/306908/lewis-joins-demons-coaching-team

Will just leave this here, probably not worth its own thread: Brendan McCartney commenting on the Dees (from about 2:45). Puts current success down to 5-6 years of hard work across the club. Points out the importance of a solid backline and the experience of playing together. From SEN: https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/04/12/ex-afl-coach-wants-magpies-to-re-sign-buckley/

More likely Hibberd comes in - leaving Tomlinson to handle the talls?

Yes, what happened to Jordon today? Unsighted, but he only played 56% game time. Injured?

Ben Brown in please.

Which would make Sparrow the sub.

That's interesting - I used to do the free streaming back in the day, but once WatchAFL came online for internationals, I've switched to that as part of my club membership. Miss the streaming days, one of the great things was the barracking in the comments section - was a bit like being there. Well, kind of. AFL etc. really missing a trick here in making online content more interactive, they're still limited to seeing it as TV via the internet.

Fritsch and Tom Mac: zero disposals.

Effort is there, but GWS have brought their A game, and the pressure is forcing errors.

For me, this is the difference between us and the serious contenders: Oliver had two straightforward shots on goal, Gawn one, Kozzie a fairly straightforward one - not a single goal from any of them. On top of that kicking into the forward line. ANB misses Tom MacD by a metre, turnover, up the other end, goal. Lots of positives, but it's this inability to finish that costs us.

It's just a write-up of the coach's press conference/press release. I'm not sure who else people were expecting to sit down in front of a microphone or put pen to paper, roles have had to be cut back as it is.

Agree with all of that, but for the moment he's often getting pushed off the ball in marking contests. He's OK marking around the ground, but not really working as a KPF, especially against decent defenders. For mine, he's a second ruck/onballer, and I'd be surprised to see him doing much down forward once Weids/Brown come in.

We also get Giants twice this year, so if their wheels come off, will be useful. Of course, we still have to turn up, and the season has a long way to go. Unless I'm mistaken, we also get Cats, Crows, Bulldogs and Hawks twice. Too early to say how that's going to pan out, but pretty obvious already that Bulldogs will be a mountain to get over, they could go all the way again this year.

Worth remembering that it's not all that long ago he was in a moon boot with a serious foot injury. He missed most of the preseason, and it costs. Worth persevering with while he builds form/touch - though not a free pass either.

Brayshaw a concern, though he did a couple of decent things. Could it be that away from the coalface, he's a bit lost?

Hibberd for someone ... Jetta? Hunt? VDB has apparently been good in the last couple of practise matches. In for Sparrow?

This. We may make the finals, but hard to see us getting to the pointy end with skills as they are. Bowey can't come on soon enough.

If we lose this, it'll be down to that old fan favourite, skills: poor disposal, poor kicking for goal, even poor marking. Hunt on borrowed time I feel, he's just too poor a field kick. Surely Hibberd comes in to replace him.

Doing well against a good side - but still lack real class at the top end in order to finish off. Oliver is great, but Billings is dangerous, and that's the difference.

Hunt was moved back because he was a failure as a forward. Sooner or later you have to get the footy, which has always been his achilles heel.

Injuries haven't helped, including the last one (Lisfranc). Seriously compromised preseason, that he's out there at all is an achievement. Thought he wasn't the worst, and he showed more level-headedness than in the past.

Report from Casey practice match is pretty sketchy, but it doesn't sound like Viney, Melksham or Hibberd took the game apart. But if there's any way Viney is ready, or even ready enough, he should come in - if only to free up a bit more outside run from the likes of Oliver. Otherwise, judging by the Casey report, VDB put his hand up.

! It's just not. Not even close. We have a handful of outstanding players, but that's where it stops.