DEE fence

@Rodney (Balls) Grinter yes his goal kicking was running at 81% during 1st third of last season. His sets shots have been a thing of beauty and he’s is very high, if not leading in assists. I was more commenting on everything but the goal kicking which obviously stands out, it is the defensive pressure going up beyond what I saw in ‘23, I would say he tried the same things last year, he seems to make the tackles stick more now in ‘24, and has multiple efforts in each play (Sparrow has improved in this as well btw). My handle is DEEfence not DeeATTACK, sorry, ducks head…

I’m going early with this but have been watching Chandler very closely this year and I see a different player to last year. I think he’s upped his endurance by about 15%. His pressure acts, and tackling have improved, and he remains brave as. I would very much like to see a proper I/V with him to get more of a sense of him, I’d like to believe he is a very decent young man. (Gus and Gawn he was hamming it up) To my point, he is ANB 2.0, lots of hard defensive running, role player, and I think we are quickly starting to rely on his defensive pressure, it is something about his effort that makes me think he has moved past a few on the list. I was genuinely nervous when he’s had some leg knocks as I don’t think he’s obvious replacements match him for defensive efforts. For mine most improved player so far this season. Oh and if he’d kicked that snap that hit the post in the opening qtr last week, I reckon he’d almost be in the votes, was a great bit of work that just missed.

You could almost start a weekly thread - Army tales or the like, I always enjoy your stories of who you met or what you observed from the cheer squad. Anyway I’m going to mention this in the Kade thread, but I really feel he’s becoming a ANB 2.0, does so much defensive stuff, I actually worry when he looks like missing with a knee.

Size of the fracture has little to do with the pain, and for instance a Bennetts fracture leaves the joint so unstable you can't tie a shoe lace. Anything near the CMC joint is a show stopper. (Had a few, was in so much pain my jumper caught fire in front of a heater and didn't notice until I smelt it - no not high) Also, just quietly reading Adelaide board, this match could be the end of Gather Round, if we do the expected and don't mess the bed. Massive Jinx to say this but 'RIP Gather Round, Killed by the MFC 2024'

As a Gen X, I've seen many gun (homegrown) defenders, my favorites in no particular order (Wight would be 1) are: Lovett, Whelan, Jared Rivers, Jetta, Walsh, Wight, Chip, Salem and Garland - I thought he was a ripper, who would have been a Lever/Alir/Blakey in a decent side and heralded as the prototype interceptor. A few others have had good cameos in the men's department, and this is no disrespect to Hibberd/Lever/May who were recruited not grown. All this to say, I have every confidence that McVee will sit in DEE fence's little pantheon. His calmness under pressure is truly elite, I would make him a sub boat captain (if Trump doesn't torp AUKUS). Rivers/Bowey every chance to join as well, but recency bias at play

Great reference, even if I dislike every team he played for, anyway had to look this up and lo and behold: I think Claude has this kind of gift – he's been the best player in the team for years but people just don't notice him, don't notice what he does-Fernando Hierro. Not saying ANB is anything other than maybe the best runner, but the parallels with their defensive work is definitely there (although I think it was racism that saw CM leave Real Madrid)

I think we are doing better at blooding kids than either Geelong or Hawks did in their pomp

it's subjective, but I thought May had more to do with us being good than Richmond gets with Lynch, on Premierships though... can't really argue, I would say if we swapped lynch for May I don't think we win '21.

Genuine question, while I wouldn't mind cheaper, you'd have to say he was and is worth every cent. We bought a IWC not a Timex. 2nd question, did we do better with May than Richmond has done with Lynch?

100% MB, I should probably research this OP better, but am going to go with 'feel', Hunter seems to receive a lot of outside ball, and I think the team trusted him as soon as he came in, Caleb is earning that same grace that Hunter was gifted with. I never felt like Hunter's disposal beyond 15m ever approached par. I already think Caleb has shown more desire to get his own ball, and is definitely better 'at range' with flatter kicking (great in a wingman) Hunter has a mountain of work to get back into the team, and is not best 22 atm. Caleb is crazy brave whereas Hunter is professional and considered, I like Caleb's desperation more. And his fitness is elite, I see no need to rest, bar him getting some sort of knock.

ANB reminds of a Chief of Staff, supporting the General (Trac) during a campaign, enabling the decisive actions. I also think he is a great example for nurturing your talent. We nurtured Wied and some others, and sadly didn't pan out, we did the same with ANB, and it did, and we didn't just get a player, we got a culture, our game style require brutal effort, people like ANB have helped develop that (Viney and Max being the principles), I can't help but think the way Chandler, Kossie, Rivers, McVee etc play is based on seeing the efforts of the leaders like ANB. And by nurturing I think that makes more of a team than just throwing people to the wolves. Compared to the time when Green was Captain (that's too hard we're not doing that(at training)- is that true or urban myth???) I feel ANB was one of those that shook the bruise free tag.

Give May another week, no change bar injury, Would give Billings another go has had some good games, already.

Oliver made his debut in the two-point win against Greater Western Sydney at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Round 1, 2016. He was highly praised during his debut match, twenty-two disposals, with fifteen of them contested, and seven clearances from 58 percent game-time, labelled as one of the best debuts in the previous fifteen years, but yes Windsor is good, but don't forget what a phenom Clarry was.

C'arn Tiges, do us a favour.

@Demonland do you still count votes after you post the running tally? 6 ANB 5 Maximus 4 Trac 3 Viney 2 Lever 1 Oliver So stiff arguments for any of these guys to poll as high as 3 - Chandler / Rivers / Langdon / Brown, epic team game. RSA - Caleb

@WalkingCivilWar So I'm pretty sure that was you centre screen of the broadcast after the Kozzie goal. not a bad game btw, much more to say soon.

Feeling quite kindly toward Rayner atm.

this makes me cry

Agree re Joey, I almost want to meet Kingy shake him and say, don't be a windsock, we only need one Cornes (and that is one too much), he's trending more towards hyperbole and it doesn't work. King is capable of the astute observation, he should stick to that and leave the other merde to all the other windsocks.

On First Crack, re recanted his call on the Dees and said he'd got it wrong. Fair play he's owned it early. He hasn't adjusted his seeds yet but it's coming.

Gawn played a blinder and got a huge wrap from Clarkson, always wanted to listen to that presser again.

Hahah yes I was referring to Australian Rules, not sword play itself.

I have three metrics - There is the perception of the club, and then there are the fans of the club, and then the players. It has always been the tightest of races with Collingwood out in front now on all 3 counts. I have worked at Vic Park, their fans match the cliches. The fact that they won 4 GF in a row, bar them in ‘58 we would have had 6 in a row, generations of reasons to hate. And of course the ‘23 QF…funnily enough I have had grudging respect for many pies players it just doesn’t outweigh the hate. Essendon, mad hate leavened by some of the Madden brothers who I have met and consider good blokes, but then when you consider basterds like Sheedy, Long, Fletcher, Hird, Lloyd, Wallis, Duckworth, Andrews and Stringer, well its like the scales of justice with an elephant on one side and a mouse on the other. Supporters extremely arrogant. Carlton, Pig’s Ar$e Elliot, Sticks, 99% of their supporters, very small redeeming factors like Justin the clumsy giraffe, Doull, Jezza and Kouta. It is intolerable that they beat us in the semi last year, still burns Daylight to the rest, nothing beyond antipathy.

Lovely game to watch, if you’re a Dees fan, even team effort, evidence of plan and execution, and a real esprit d’corps across the whole list. My votes were a mess, still don’t feel like i did justice to all the effort. We were two weight classes better than the Hawks, had no problem with Hawks having a go in the 2nd, but there was always a straight right coming that was going to sit them on their [censored]. 1st shout out today is for Viney, while Trac played beast mode, I absolutely loved Vinny’s game at the bottom of so many packs, working hard inside. I was really worried about the absence of Gus this year, he did so many team role jobs so well (and selflessly) I was sure we would miss him more. Viney, who has never been shy about team roles, has however adapted his game and I see him as doing all his usual 1% stuff and fierce tackles that he normally does, but has somehow grown and doing all the tasks that Gus used to do. It also helps that Salem has got through his thyroid issues. Kozzie is going to be better than Cyril, I see the same aggression but a lot less stupidity, well done coaches, and well done club for keeping him in Red and Blue, the SA clubs would kill for him in their line ups. He might be a sneaky for AA squad this year. ANB played a fantastic game at high DE and great decision making, and across 4 quarters, his km would have been huge, today’s game was one of his all time best, would love to know the distance he travelled. I also think it is time for a reset in attitude towards him we can talk pre ‘21 ANB and post 21 ANB, he has been a different player since the GF year but some fans just can’t revisit 1st impressions. He kicked the two best goals last week with high difficulty factor, and his decision about retaining ball or tapping it on has improved out of sight. Marty Hore is playing every game like it is his last, just an amazing story, and between him and Howes look like serious players who I expected little from apart from cameos but were part of a backline that kept the opposition to 38pts. Ben Brown makes me think of a two sword duel in the movies, He’s the long sword, that you have to respect, but in paying attention to Brown and JVR, you find the short swords of Frisch, Chandler, Kossie, Billings etc have poked a dozen holes in you and you’re leaking blood everywhere. I know this tactic is 150 years old, but Brown is playing his role perfectly, and he combines better with JVR than TMac does, I still don’t understand why, he just does, no disrespect to Tmac, but I think it is something the coaches have recognized and it’s not just about Brown getting his knee right. Kudos to Tmac to not sooking about going back. Chandler > Spargo, unfair maybe, but Chandler is the Jack Russell of the footy team, keeps winning battles you don’t expect, and a much better kick from 30m +. Massive win at selection this week, also Goodwin had another great game with evidence of system and innovation. ‘Pacing’ with better choice of options going forward clearly on display. Not feeling the loss of Yze as much as some woe is us types predicted. McVee is a 2nd year player, 28 games, already his output this season is 30% above the 25 other games (except HB), could be driving in the Grand Prix he’s so cool under pressure. This season is feeling very promising, two hard weeks ahead but we are every chance.

Normally my MFCSS would be tweeking with May and Lever out, but I think Hore and Tommo are enough cover. TMac, well you have to take the evidence in front of you, absolutely Men’s department material. I guess Salem becomes back line captain, but really McVee looks so composed with the kick-ins (remember when you were scared of a MFC kick in), Rivers had more of a game today, Petty might not have match fitness but never looked out of place in a contest I don’t even know how Hunter or Bowey get back in the side at the moment. I like Duke more than Hunter, with Howes and Hore not doing much wrong and plenty right. So any way huge kudos to Troy Chaplin, the back-line still looking very respectable and composed. (BTW Hawks had been fuzzing about their forwards) For me next week is about Rozee and Butters, both silk gloves fitted to iron fists, must be respected, just not sure how. Really liking the deliberate use of JVR in the ruck, protecting Gawn is key, Port play Gawn as well as any team. (By cheating) I’m line ball about this game, but think we have Crows covered.