P-man

Let’s win it from here just for the lulz.

Cripps is an insanely large human.

After watching highlights of the match sim, I am fearful for the well-being of other sides. Hopefully they can seek counsel from friends and family after playing us.

Back again ladies and gents. Time to rub your balls and gaze into them. It’s not weird. It’s science. Who would’ve thought that predicting a Melbourne premiership is now the safe bet, as opposed to the one-eyed ramblings of a mad person? Ask Santa for some precognitive powers and place your predictions posthaste. Join this good looking bunch of elite ball gazers. DCB honour roll 2016 - wretched sylph 2017 - ding 2018 - Skuit 2019 - Demon Dude 2020 - Bring-Back-Powell 2021 - deebug/The Oracle (copy and paste) MFC predictions Ladder position at the end of the H&A season (1 point): Position at the end of the season e.g. stage of finals (1 point): B&F top 5 (1 point for correct inclusion, 1 point for correct place): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. (1 point each) B&F Best Young Player: B&F Coaches Award: Leading goalkicker: Most marks: (1 point for correct guess, -1 for incorrect guess) All Australian MFC 40-man squad selections: All Australian MFC final 22 selections: (Exact guess is 5 points, within 1 is 4 points etc.) Number of… Ben Brown goals: Jack Viney tackles: Max Gawn Brownlow votes: Biggest winning margin: Other non-obvious MFC predictions (1 point each): AFL predictions (1 point each) Premier: Runner-up: Wooden spoon: Biggest mover up the ladder: Biggest slider down the ladder: Brownlow medal: Norm Smith medal: Coleman medal: Rising star:

Tallied up the numbers. Congrats to @deebug and the appropriately named @The Oracle for sharing the honours this year. Big props to deebug for predicting the largest winning margin of 98 points exactly. DCB honour roll 2016 - wretched sylph 2017 - ding 2018 - Skuit 2019 - Demon Dude 2020 - Bring-Back-Powell 2021 - deebug/The Oracle Other honourable mentions:

It still takes some getting used to seeing oppo fans drop his name alongside Dusty, Danger, Bont and Fyfe. He’s now in that bracket and he’s far from done.

He went to a different level in the finals. It was beautiful and not at all surprising to see.

Oh the Cats fans are gonna be maaaaaaad.

Seems like throwing the baby out with the bath water from a Saints perspective. This season the dude averaged first for inside 50s, second for clearances, third for disposals, contested possessions and tackles, behind only Steele and Crouch. Odd decision.

I actually teared up watching that. I remember it so distinctly. And it now means that little bit more as a marker to where we are now. Not to mention the names running around that are suddenly yesteryear… Pedo, Watts, Tyson, Kent, Garlett... they have all played a part. Also I have to say, as a long standing critic of Derwayne, his over the top commentary style was perfectly suited to that game.

The entire game three times, but “bang! bang! bang!” I must’ve watched at least 50. I’m not sure it’s physically possible for a Demons fans to not smile ear to ear after Clarry smashes through the third goal and points to the crowd. Not to mention Dogga’s assist after his clean pick up running out of the centre, and then his reaction to the goal afterwards. It’s a thing of beauty. The Trac dribbler/Kozi shepherd, the Sparrow roost and the Clarry full stop. That minute of football is now part of Demon folklore.

Thread needs a poll.

Shouting at the top of my lungs “I love you Nev Jetta!” during the 2018 final against Geelong when he was within earshot on the wing was a nice item to tick off the bucket list. Would’ve got an AA nod if there was any justice. At his peak there was no small defender better at executing their most critical role. All the best to him.

A bit surprised by this but equally happy with it. He’s solid backup.

You’d hope he has left the club with enough tools to carry on his work and planning without him Incredible effort though. Joins the club and within the space of two seasons has them the fittest group in the league and holding up the cup. Some people are just entitled to have a big head. This guy is one of them.

Have we heard from PJ? Would love to see an interview with the great man. Roosy too. They must both be chuffed.

I thought Gus in the early years showed signs of a future captain, but now I’m leaning more towards either Lever or Trac. It depends what type of captain you want as to which one you’d choose. Trac has matured no doubt, but by his own admission he was coming from a pretty low base. Lever has him covered in that regard. Some schools of thought say the captain should simply be the best player. Pretty sure Lyon is of that view. In which case Trac would get the nod. Both would do fine in the media. I think Lever is more polished in that respect but the increase in Trac’s media appearances such as AFL360 shows the club is comfortable having him as its face The captain should certainly be someone who can lift the team when the chips are down, as well as an authoritative voice, both on.the field and in the rooms. They should also be inclusive of everyone in the group. You could mount a case for either Lever or Trac, but I think it will be one of those two.

Same. I found that odd. It was the equivalent of skipping the father of the bride. And as much as I love the big fella, I thought a shout out to Neale, Jimmy and/or Jonesy in Max’s speech would’ve been fitting. But when your biggest complaint about a grand final is the speeches or lack thereof, you’re going pretty good.

So who is watching the replay sinking their alcohol of choice?

I love you all and I love this club. Trac breaking the disposal record for.a GF if you don’t [censored] mind.

Love a good tawny and that has to be the king of tawnys. Super jealous.

There’s something very satisfying about watching Brereton forced into saying positive things about us. He’s still going on about how reliant we are on Gawn, and he’d rather the Dogs’ game plan, blah blah blah. Can’t be TOO positive. But we’ve made a grand final. He pretty much has to concede, once and for all, that we’re a damn good TEAM.

Now that’s a spread 😍

I keep thinking about the moment I thought this year COULD be different. It was actually in round 2 after watching us live against the Aints. The diligent way we defended, both in structure and effort, was something slightly different to what I’d seen before. We allowed them possession but it was never in doubt that we would eventually win it back. Not to mention the way we approached the contest. We essentially bullied them all game. If we had kicked straight it would have been a total blow out. Yes there were the odd lapses, and the Saints routinely shot themselves in the foot, but it was something I hadn’t recognised in a Melbourne side when watching them live before: complete control. It wasn’t enough to totally convince me that this year was going to be different, but there were signs that it could be. Of course my Saints mates were having none of it, attributing the result to them playing poorly. But looking back, it was a key moment for me in realising the possibilities of this year. 2018 was fun but I came from that game wondering if this 2021 mob could be the real deal. Turns out, they were, and are. Enjoy the day ladies and gents. It’s not the circumstances any of us envisioned, but I have faith in this team. We will be thereabouts for a while to come. So let’s savour the moment. We’re in a grand final dammit. And finally, thanks again to Andy and everyone else who makes DLand possible. Despite having never met a single one of you, I feel a kinship with anyone nutty enough to come to a place like this and share their nuttiness with other nuts. And I know many others feel the same. Salo for the Norm Smith. You heard it here first. Go Dees 💪

I’m still chuckling at this. Guy Rigoni: “We went over to Todd’s place for a midfield meeting one day and Jack Viney got his teeth knocked out on the trampoline out the back. He came inside and Todd said ‘don’t you cry!’”