DEE fence

On the same page there, if he improves like King did 20th to 21st years in Marks, he'll be on track to score more as well. I'm inclined to agree and think on eye ball the Kings are marginally better, but it's hardly daylight and JVR could easily close the gap, if not surpass them. Value for money (pick wise) JVR is a beauty. You didn't comment on accuracy as a metric though? traded off against marks...

Yes, and in their 20th year, going by birth date (incl. for marks that I looked at the Kings)

FWIW both the King Brothers go under 4 - and have a significant height advantage, I would (politely) argue that JVR brings accuracy to the table and that offsets opportunity (from marks), a'la Travis Cloke who went near 8/1.5g or even Lowe 8-9, for a 0.5 return. I also think apart from out i50 connection, he did not jell that well with TMac and BB, this is more a feeling from remembered vision than checking stats. I got the impression that he and Petty make a better mix than either of the other two with JVR. Not wanting to pay out on TMac, but watching vision I felt like he was most likely to spoil his own team mate in a pack. Completely subjective opinion for which I cannot find a stat, but did anyone else think that? Anyway Marks important but surely it's Goals hey?

@binman Really appreciated the comparisons you posted, the thing that stands out to me is the weight, he has the other 3 covered despite being the shortest of the bunch. I also think that Amiss/UE are more Gunston type bodies, so not a direct comparison to JVR who is a power forward in any era. McD from the Swans is a like for like comparison, however has played in the shadow of Buddy(is that a thing?), so I think we will get a better look at him this year, but JVR certainly in the conversation there. BTW JVR ended the season with a total of 28 goals and 9 behinds, leading to an accuracy percentage of 75.7%. This performance was highlighted as the highest goal-to-behind percentage among players with 30 or more scoring shots in the league. So Binman is on the money with best young forward going around. Then I got curious, how does he stack against others in recent history, in the power forward stakes (at the age of 20), I didn't count first season - He would have been further ahead than most by that metric. Anyway as a 20 y.o. H2H, I checked with: 3.65 S. Rocca - was a monster. 3.32 Franklin - surprised was not the best. 2.95 Cameron - in a gun team. 2.2 Cloke - pre yips 2.2 Hogan - Just quietly GWS has made out like a bandit with Hogan. 1.94 Walker - annoyed at this, don't like the man. 1.69 Fevola - top of any list for wasted talent. 1.62 A. Rocca - Bam bam from the flintstones 1.52 J.Brown - CHF to be fair and still dominant but in a generational team with best mids going. 1.47 B. King 1.4 JVR 1.33 Pavlich 1.33 Daniher 1.3 Hawkins 1.22 M. King 1.0 J. Riewoldt 0.95 Hall 0.95 C.Curnow 0.93 N. Riewoldt 0.71 Lynch 0.46 J.Kennedy Keep in mind 2023 was his first season, the others were not, and also defense is so much stronger now most of those had their start prior to the Lyon/Clarkson floods. Who else wants to chip in $50 for towards a statue of Jason Taylor????

Round 1 is going to be a tough game. With Tomlinson doing so much hard work, Salem back etc, our back and half back line looking stacked, I wouldn't mind the experiment of May forward. I picture him doing a Hawkins, oops I'm sorry didn't mean it clumsy wrecking ball. Meanwhile while Tomlinson is not the equal of May, he has definitely earnt some trust and reports on his renewed mobility and fitness are endearing. Thinking out of the box, Swans are extremely mobile forward but not stacked with big defenders (I thought they had an injury concern but couldn't find it with a quick google). This is why I think could be worth a go with May as well. Oliver plays, he doesn't need any silly hoops or second guessing, he's fit in mind and body he plays.

I tried to watch the replay for the first time the other day, was in a calm place, peppermint tea to hand, didn't work. As soon as Maxy took that mark, I was like a kid on the deep end of the spectrum, thrown into a blackberry bush, at a thrash metal concert, with a strobe light in my eyes. Lucky my phone survived. Other than that, we are great to watch, when we are on, we are devastating, Boomshakalaka and all that.

Great post, and for sure the club is missing a trick here, there is so much: a, goodwill, b, skills amongst supporter base, and c, easy to find content. This stuff sells itself and is not being harvested. But the one thing people have not mentioned here is that nature abhors a vacuum. We get told about our great culture, but if we were shown it with better content, it would really be a way to dispel the hostile media and snipers out there who want to damage the club. With the substandard content and cliches tropes the club leaves space for the snipers. It's not even BS because we are a good club, with great women and men. I think the club runs meaningful engagement with the community, and I appreciate it, but player insta channels are not enough. Or, actually, maybe I'm just an obsessed fan who can't get enough...

The full spectrum of human neuro divergence and pathologies are on display within the Demonland cohort, I am trying to be more Zen about it. I definitely have a soft spot for anyone who has stuck fat with the Dees

I am willing to take bets on an AFL team in Tassie doing well, Tasmanians dearly want to poke a stick in our proverbial eye for all the parochial commentary over the years. Financially Tassie is going to get better and better, huge markets globally for fresh organic food that are only going to increase. And while Tasmania is not as flash as NZ in world perception, it is a genuinely safe place to live and affordable, that is going to see the middle classes that are chased out of other cities move. Perfect place for telework. (Personally a place in Boat Harbour is my end of world plan). Also as others have said Hobart really is a great weekend destination, so quick on a plane, no agro like Sydney Airport, prices feel fair. I think they will get huge business from Victoria.

Just quietly ANB smoking hot in that practise match, liked his touch.

Good thread, the only thing I've missed Macca (and I admit to skimming some of the thread, especially the moaning) is the bit about recruiting Goodwin. Roos has now managed a transition twice, both have been winners. If this isn't demonstration of 'culture' as a factor in success I don't know what is. Very healthy ego's at footy clubs, (Roos not exactly a wall flower either) so mad props for this aspect to Roos transformation of Melbourne. And apart from Goodwin I thought picking out Daniel Cross was huge for the club in terms of training standards, still wish he was with us. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-18/demons-appoint-goodwin-to-coaching-panel/5753060

Max and Jack, what's not to like?, both training fiends, both bleed R+B. One excels at pressure on field, I feel like i'm watching one of the Spartans in 300 when he plays, and the other navigates the media vultures to universal plaudits, with EQ and self-depreciation (and is just quietly the best ruck in the game ATM, and could conceivably pass Sandilands in the all-time stakes). Nothing safe about it, just an excellent one two. And we are blessed with Gus/Trac/Lever, plus other newer blokes who look likely types as well. I wouldn't mind DS proposing a change, but it is the snide comments about 'safe', that I find denigrating and 'uninspiring' [censored] what are you watching, Coaching team has been reinventing plans every year since 2019, demonstrated innovation etc, some stuff worked, some didn't, but had a bluddy go. Go get a clue. I like the way @Poita can say he's not sure about Lever as a long term captain type with out insulting anyone. that's having a conversation. Lastly I think Trac is more 'instinct', he has the EQ off the field for Captain but on field I feel like he is more in his own zone, where as Max has better 'tone' for connecting to team mates than either Trac or Jack. I'd like Jack as my personal captain, but I get that sledgehammer style is not for the millennials in the room.

@Macca poor Smith for sure he will be ruing that 4th ball, lets not kick him too much while he is down, but bloody hell... I wanted to us to win, fiercely, but we got done fair and square, unlike the footy, where there is a lot more scope for dissent with the rulings, not so with this test. And to me that is Cricket, my religion, my father easily put 10,000 hours into me and my brothers, (for not much result sadly). Play bloody hard, cop the result, but not with a win at all cost mentality. So I care, but happily acknowledge an extraordinary performance, hell even the whinging Poms acknowledge Warne's Ball of the Century. I also think we are not as good as we think we are, All cricket teams have guns (talking batters here, not bowlers, our pace attack is fierce), ours frequently go missing and a middle order collapse surprises precisely no-one. Where we rock is fielding, (just quietly I think Cummins should get credit for this along with the coaches), we do the little things well and it is these fine margins that have resulted in recent success. I am also sick of our batters coasting on the back of the best pace attack going around. Hopefully we see some more tinkering with the list. I am also a bit nostalgic for when the Windies were good, to quote FDR "I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made." '95 was the series that made Steve Waugh historic. Am sick of playing the Poms who sook about everything, or the Indians with their BS test decks. Give me the Windies, Super Cat, Whispering Death, Master Blaster, Big Bird, Sir Curtly, Walsh, Marshall, and the Prince. If this new crew can find even 50% of the grace and power of those greats, test cricket will be just fine. And seriously the ACB should bank roll the Windies to visit, the Windies tours made fortunes for the ACB in the 70s80s/90s.

@Macca 100% that was a mistake by Smith as soon as he took the single I was thinking wtf. Joseph was epic yesterday, so happy for the young fella, Cricket is better if the Windies are a serious team. And I felt like they are young but with a different attitude to that of the last 15 years.

I am on the Hunter's disposal is not up to it band wagon, and ready for some experimentation on the wings, as mentioned in the clarry thread, I also think Hunter gets alot of easy ball, he needs to repay that trust and effort from the backline with better disposal. Langdon I view through rose coloured glasses, however I think they may come off if he doesn't look more deadly with his kicking. He still does all the running the coaches love, but his finishing has dropped as well. Also I felt like his last second burst speed has dropped off, he always seemed to have an extra gear to anyone else and now it seems like he has come back to the pack a little over 2023. I don't want to give up on him because of previously mentioned glasses, but can see why he is in discussion. As for Sidebottom having a win against him, well Sidebottom has been making other players look foolish for a long time, not the worst bloke to lower your colours too (but very frustrating for us fans).

Pet peeve, I write every year about it, but please why can't they tell us the timetrial actual time results? I get they might not want to shame the last 10, but I am always deadly curious about the best times, are any of them on Strava perhaps? anyone who was there can tell me what Tomlinson got? 6min +/-10 seconds I'm guessing, most mids can do in the 6m30s, Blicavs was 5m30ish which is true freak stuff. ANB and Langdon would have to be in the realm of 6.

Still so triggered by this, really hope we smash them KB. Bright side is my moderate respect (must have been COVID brain) for Collingwood well and truly evaporated.

Instant man (boy) crush, that's weird from a 53 y.o. bloke isn't it.... Anyway mad props to the young fella name checking Jetta, be cheering hard at your debut.

What I rate is his inside 50 kicking, in a couple of highlight moments you see him check himself and select the right option, that doesn't look like it was his initial intention (going off body language/position), gives the impression of being calm under pressure. In JT we trust.

Is it just me or is AFL.com.au and other media deafening in its silence about Melbourne’s success, doesn’t fit the narrative? 5th para in the Age article about Collingwood losing, mentions that Melbourne wins, pathetic, just pathetic. And for all the culture bandwagoners, our culture is just fine, it is how you come back from adversity that matters, every set back we’ve had since 2018, the team has found a way. Good to see tall poppy syndrome alive and well (not). I remain as proud (and frustrated with the result of Pies/Carlton games) of the club as ever. Finally my daughter was at a wedding yesterday/day before (who knows with timezones) and this was played. I suggest that plenty of folks do possess the spine required to handle the adverse media, driven by those journalists who are truly parochial and adversarial in their agendas. (And D’landers in this crowd btw?) VID-20231028-WA0017.mp4

it will count against the AFL's soft cap restrictions Seems a bit rough on the coaches and support staff, I don't get the rationale for that at all. I really have been feeling like the support staff and coaches deserve a bit more of the pot from TV rights or whatever. The whole show is not taxed and the AFL management are disproportionately rewarded compared to the workers who make it happen. So in the end for a player the money is similar to the baby bonus, you can choose talcum powder or a humongous flat screen TV.

How do they split cash, everyone gets a cheque for $11,000 - $13,000 (1Mil/~75 m+f players?) Coaches get any splash?

Wonder when Andrew Demetriou is going to apologise.

No offense, but at Casey Had a look at the Pies board, they are half melting down, half calling him a GF passenger, re no contested possessions for the game (only one).

That is why I am soooooooo frustrated the furniture is still in danger....