3183 Dee

If you were Goody, what would be 3 changes you would make to a) the game plan and b) the personnel?

Have just got back from a social event where I got talking to a very well known footy journalist. He didn’t give much away, other than Jackson is gone, providing Freo can find two first rounders. He believes Grundy will be at Melbourne next year, for a first round pick and a significant amount of his wage picked up by the Pies - said that Goody really rates Grundy and we’ll have the best ruck combination for the next 4-5 years. He also said that they’ll work to get Kozzy signed up as a priority, but there’s no truth in the rumours that he wants to go to an SA club: he has no allegiance in SA - probably the only place he would move to would be country WA, if they had a team! Apparently v happy with the set up at Melbourne, so should be reasonably straightforward. He thought that the main reasons for the Dees falling short this year were injuries and perhaps the mental fatigue of trying to win a B2B. On a more general note, he thought that this years trade period will be epic, with lots of names being thrown up for movement. Nothing earth-shattering in what he said, but just thought I’d share it with my fellow Dees!

I’d also add that, overall, Viney had his best season yet. Finals weren’t the greatest, but in most of the H&A games he was incredible.

Totally agree - absolutely love the bloke, busts a gut every time. He could go up to CHF with Disco Turner replacing him in the back line.

As soon as Geelong have decided who they’d like to play and where 😉

That’s kind of how I imagined last night panning out.

Whoever would’ve thought, at the end of 2020, that TMac would’ve been so crucial to our team? He is exactly what you outline above and when in a forward line with BBB and Fritsch, stretches any defence wide open.

Absolute gold! Post of the decade!

I hope to see a lot more of the swashbuckling, fun-loving Demons that we saw last year.

They have - almost became the Man City of London, with everyone jumping on board, including the swathes of local moleskin-wearing rugger buggers who got involved during Cool Britannia.

You’re bang on - we are more like Arsenal in noise, demographic like Fulham! A few Pimms down the Sloaney Pony and off to the Cottage: “Rah, Rah, Rah, we’re going to smash the oiks!”

I think we’re all feeling a bit that way, DJ. Let’s hope we have something to cheer about tomorrow.

Hmmm. Hopefully we all get a bit more bang for our buck this week.

http://Trusted two ‘bad’ people: Hird reveals his failings as Dons coach This headline today in the Hun. Hird PR campaign in full flow, no doubt helped by Robbo. Essentially says that Hird made the mistake of being too trusting….

Decent, but very quiet.

But also…what are you actually going to do with it?!

What I meant was, Port would be expecting big picks for Georgiades. I think we are desperate for a big, marking forward but am struggling to see who is gettable.

I think we should make a massive play for Georgiades…but we would surely need to be offering Port the same as what we’re expecting from Freo?

@kev martin Kev, I agree - the idea that the G is somehow an advantage for us is apocryphal: it is also the home ground for Collingwood and Richmond, but the advantage is greater for them, due to the size and noise of their supporter base. Unfortunately, at most Melbourne games, our crowd may outnumber the opposition, but is not loud enough (in my opinion) to give us that significant advantage. This might be going slightly off-topic, but I believe that a home base is crucial now, to galvanising our support that has built up so well these past couple of years. Some may say it’s a question of social demographics, but I see all the fences still painted from last year, the banners still up on the houses and I believe the passion is there, it just needs to be harnessed and concentrated. I drove past Punt Rd oval yesterday, taking my daughter to her netball GF (they got done 12-9, bloody umpiring!) and saw the crowds going in for the Richmond AFLW game, with merch stands etc and it really struck me for the first time how disadvantaged we are, as a club, not having a base to congregate at. In fact, it could be a massive reason as to why the club has been so starved of success over the years. In order for the G to be anything more than an historical significance for the MFC, our supporters need to own it, to create a hostile environment like Richmond and Collingwood. That’s hard to do, when you don’t have a place to congregate and call your own.

Totally agree on the 7:50 start time: too late for most kids. I get that it’s about getting people in on a Friday evening after work, but I’m sure most people could get there for 7:20.

Frees From Umpires

Papley is one of the most irritating players about…but I wish he played for us.

I was thinking along similar lines today: we now have the best defence and a stellar midfield. The last piece of the puzzle is the forward line: looks like JVR will be in next year, but I think we also need a big target (Weid isn’t going to cut it) and also another skilful flanker who can deliver good entries.

Appreciate you putting yourself through all that again! You are spot on - that’s how I saw it at the game: poor execution and discipline led to many of their goals, although the last few were very good, as the Swans became more confident. To my eyes, we are still a good team, but our mojo has been missing a lot this year. I thought it had sparked vs Brisbane, but I thought we looked flatter last night. Our forward line is still undermanned and when it’s not firing, it’s REALLY not firing.

Safe travels!