DEE fence

7 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Lyon deserves more credit than some of us are providing...I'd take his word on this one.

To be fair to Ross, he always backed HB, said he was a good bloke and the media narrative wasn't definitive. Ross for all his faults backed his players.

Wonder if Bayley was happy with the kiss of death? Gawn is a legend for recognizing these media pieces for the floss they are and making it actually humorous.

18 hours ago, Moonshadow said:

I pray for this, the 7th light tower of the MCG.

The way the team got around HB, definitely teared up a bit, wife thinks I'm mad, but watching the reaction, the team is in a good place and you can see what they think of Harley, says more than enough for me. JV awesome bloke fierce competitor, but you get he doesn't quite have the eq for captain, no knock on the bloke he brings many other things to the team. 

His 1st involvement in the NM game was a serious tackle, no doubt he needs to recover some of his skills, but he has always had an appetite for the 1% stuff and team 1st attitude. I too thought he was flat after he knocked himself out. Always struck me as humble as well, don't know if that is true or not, but lets get around him and wish him the best.

Persist for mine, he has a big heart, i think it is for the coaches to help him find his mojo. We dont have that much toe either

4 hours ago, KingDingAling said:

 If we didn't get a deal done we would have a handful of clubs offering Petracca serious dollars, which would stress our cap in the next couple of years.

No one wants to go to North, they would still come up short...

18 hours ago, FarNorthernD said:

So was the fifth a difficult pregnancy and so punished by not getting a Melbourne membership? Or perhaps the perfect pregnancy and thus he/she was granted the freedom to choose their own destiny?

Was young and it was a stretch to pay tbh. No one gets choice about the club in my family. I still don't understand how you could let your kid choose another club. 

20 hours ago, spalding said:

My daughter who turns 16 in July is a 17 consecutive year member - does that compete? 

they do a lot more ultrasounds in Singapore where she was made! 

My last four (of five) were all members before birth, caused no end of consternation to hospital staff around the world who think I am some sort of freak putting Demon paraphernalia on the cots in the hospital wards. Anyone top four pregnancy memberships?

On 1/17/2020 at 5:41 AM, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

I rated Keating as being a solid, robust, reliable ruck option, but I'm not sure that he would have been the best ruck in the league.  Had a pretty decent team around him and did enough to carry his weight and play his role within that team and I think that's really the key.

He was the ultimate finals specialist, definitely owns  a part of those 3 flags. When Everitt left the Saints I always thought that hurt them in the GF. Not having O'Dwyer hurt us in the big dance. Your point about game changing is taken. You can win with out is true, but I always thought a good ruckman is worth double points on grand final day. The teams that have won without have had generationally good players in other positions.

The smoke from the "Australian bushfires is so severe it is expected to complete a circuit of the Earth, returning to the country's skies from the west."

Just wow, this floors me, Maybe get on a ferry to Launceston? A few weeks down there?

IIRC - we have players managing asthma type conditions, plenty of footy players do.

On 1/3/2020 at 12:53 PM, Demons3031 said:

Peter Weekes (Number 25) came up in another post where his interesting kicking style was mentioned. It fired up my memories of players over the years who were either superb kickers or were remembered for having unusual styles of kicking. Being an older member of Demonland, my greatest memories were of Don Williams with his wonderful attacking drop kicks as he ran to the centre line from half back. And those exceptional drop kicks of Tassie Johnson from the goal square to the centre line-incredibly long and precise drop kicks that so often ended in the arms of Terry Gleeson, our ruckman at the time. Ian Ridley was another great from memory.

Unusual styles reminded me of the awkward but effective kicking of Brian Dixon- a remarkable player. Ed Burston was another who was only on the scene for a short time late 60's - he  showed so much potential- he was still learning the art of goal kicking when his career was cut short. A unique kicking style. 

I'm interested in your views on some of our kicking greats or unusual kickers.

Ed Burston was my Biology teacher, top bloke, IIRC he decided on a career over footy, dollars wern't so hood i think and he had a long steady career at Peninsula.

Surprised (or missed it) that no one commented on Hogan vs Rance, I enjoyed that...

https://www.afl.com.au/video/24815/the-kid-versus-the-all-australian?videoId=24815&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1429877093001

Also I seem to remember a classic Rance dive when Chris Dawes put him to sleep in the pocket (he made a joke about that during the sleep out thingy)

https://www.afl.com.au/news/76864/stevie-j-and-dawes-accept-one-match-bans

But as already cited nothing gives quote the joy of watching Viney put him on his [censored] (or he flopped again) after the Watts shot. Viney warms the heart with his fierce backing of his team.

Anyway, good luck to him, god bothering will suit him well.

16 minutes ago, Dirts said:

Suspect brown will start

In which position do you think? I still think it is worth persisting with t mac + weid at CHF / / FF

10 hours ago, CBDees said:

Might be nice to see a practice match between your two teams. You might encounter a few surprises.

Am curious to your thoughts, note that i peg my teams after a year of home and away. I would agree some spots are very much in play. I have gone for footy skills, marking and speed. 

Sadly, looking at the training photos, VDB's legs have wasted as badly as Trengove's did, he is a long way off. I love his heart and grunt, but can't see him doing much primetime for a while, happy to be wrong. Bennell amd Kolo are in because of natural skills, obviously they need to be fit. While Hannan's final highlights remain a joy, i think he goes missing to often to be more than depth. And to me Jones plays mid or fwd but not back.  He could swap but I like Melks for this role more (and yes i feel a bit dirty)

Best 22 (@ first week of finals, no injuries) i think VDB is depth until is clear injuries are under control, I like Hannan but I think we have seen his max. Obviously I rate ANB and in a side with better kicks his running will become more useful.

B: Jetta May Hibberd

HB: Salem, Lever, Langdon

CTR: Kolodjashnij, Brayshaw, Tomlinson

HF:  Petracca, T Mac, ANB

F: Pickett, Weid, Melks

Follower: Gawn, Oliver, Viney

I/C: Hunt, Bennell, Harmes, Fritsch

Next 22
B: Lockhart, O Mac, J Smith

HB: Rivers, Hore, Chandler

CTR: Baker, Sparrow,  Bedford

HF: vandenBerg, Brown, Hannan

F: Petty, Jackson, Dunkley

Follower: Preuss, Jones, C Wagner

I/C: Spargo, J Wagner, Jordon, Nietschke

24 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

To me it matters little where we took him.  He was who we wanted and we have him ?

Its a shame journo's keep saying he was a 'reach' and that Jackson shouldn't be pick 3.  These kids were picked where they were because they were rated highly by one or more clubs.  The media should get behind them rather than these silly post mortems on what they thought. 

Like this ^^^ Not one football kicked in primetime yet, I can't think of one journalist  who hasn't been made to look silly with opinion and speculation.

13 hours ago, sue said:

Come on DD, we are no longer in the 1950's.  It's likely that his Dad made breakfasts.

Point, as a poor feeble excuse, it was seeing his mum in the photo that made me choose mum without much thought.

3 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Thanks mum for the investment in weetbix... looks like he needed two kitchens to feed that boy.

Subliminal Advertising 

@ the 32 second mark of the video...

...You see a sign behind the goals saying 'Buy a Picket', obviously the sign writer couldn't spell. This was obviously what influenced JT...

https://m.melbournefc.com.au/news/2019-11-27/pickett-becomes-a-demon-with-pick-no12

1 hour ago, No Plan B said:

First post in a while.

I'll be honest and say, I was never into Jackson at 3, in fact I was hoping all the way up until tonight that we wouldn't call his name. A WA ruckman at 3? Surely not!

But alas it was, and now is time to take the glass half full approach. The updated highlights video was extremely well timed.

He ain't no dinosaur ruckman. The guy looks like an incredible prospect really,  a modern-day prototype. 200cm tall and incredibly nimble. Can mark overhead and he doesn't look like a complete unco when he kicks. How many rucks can kick off their left peg? I can't recall any.

I'm confident that Jackson can be a very good AFL player, just hope he can hang around in Victoria longer than Hogan and the Wiz did.

 

His ball drop is quick, he seems natural with his kicking, i was worried we had a baby giraffe. I'm on board. Having a few talls won't hurt.

7 hours ago, Rusty Nails said:

After watching the NAB championship series again DD i've cooled a little on his worth in comparison to say a Henry or Weightman.  It's not what he does when he gets it.  Just the work rate (commitment?) to get to contests or present that worries me vs say a Henry or Taylor option.  If we had a pick 20 to 35 he is more tempting.

Henry is obviously Freo bound but ideal for us at 3 if he wasn't.  Seems to be the No.1 silk of this draft along with Taylor (a tad more raw imv but does show a few sublime tricks at times also).

I'm not convinced any small 'opportune' forward (Weightman/Pickett) or a ruckman are worth a top ten pick (Jackson) but then who else are we needing at 8?  Kemp would be very handy but he's out for a year.  Plenty of other reasonable options of course but many are inside mids.

One who really impressed me in the NAB series was Schoenberg as a balanced mid option.  Edwards as well but think he plays a bit more off HB and already flagged under father son i think.

So do we just stick with Young at 3?  His kicking is certainly top of this year's class but what else does he truly offer us?  Is that skill, along with some reasonable intercept marking/tackling and distribution, enough?  Personally i really think he would need to play as a balanced mid to get full value from him at 3 (hoping that he of course grows slowly / strongly into that role).

Then there's Ash who had a stellar NAB series alongside Jackson & Henry.  Ash was equally impressive as Young across the series in terms of damage + consistency off HB.  Gould not far off those HBs...also very impressive in straight lines and accurate kicking/finish and impressive intercept marking (reading the flight).

Stephens at 8?  Looks good but also big moments of lappsing out of games or not really impacting imv.  Or do we go for Kemp? After re-watching the final of that NAB series Kemp was certainly super impressive in helping Vic C get back into that match and won another on that final kick.  But that was mostly as a medium forward.  Barely saw him played through the middle.

The other player that had an amazing final quarter out of the middle in the final was Isaac Wareham.  He was the one on the end of the much talked about 45 kick from Young that helped put Vic C in front just before the last winning kick from WA a minute later.  Just before that he was also the one getting the inside 50 to Kemp for a shot he missed to put us in front on a tight angle.  I'm not saying you pick him based on that but he was certainly impressive in that short burst (eg; line breaking run, taking the game on & standing up under heat!).

All very confusing really.  I guess we just leave it to the experts and pray to lucifer!

Top commentary. ^^^

Pickett... I just can't get over his uncle, was such a weapon and a premiership player. What i like about this kid is he is fierce, and he has a left and right foot. If he plays like Cyril i can live with 18 touches a game. I feel like he is a player that brings others into the game and seems to have a team sense. The vision i have seen is he may not kick the goal, but he has the vision to deliver to someone in a better space to have a ping.

That said I want users of the footy and marking power. I felt like our 2018 side had plenty of goal kickers that just need better delivery. I meed to see more footage and appreciate the posts of others who are not rock throwing and invested the time to see the prospects.

Watching our dismal efforts at contested marking in 2019 was soul destroying as were the up and under kicking. 

2 hours ago, don't make me angry said:

Most are missing the point maybe he was over rated and not that good of a footballer, but gee image of we had Travis as a father and son

I truly feel for Travis, his goal kicking yips were a nightmare, could you imagine Demonland fuming about it. At his peak he looked like Kouta and and Darren Bennet rolled into one unit. I hope he has found some happiness. I always wanted him to have some success at the end of his career. Not against us of course.

Should be a poll...

TMAC for Captain - I think his season was cooked with his foot, but nowhere have i seen that he does not care or try, he is just Greg Chappell in his run of six ducks. He is as articulate as Lever or Gawn, generally much less injured and until this season has been very reliable for getting on the park. Doesn't sook, is plenty tough. Also he prospered under every coach, even Neeld, he has a Gen X brain/heart, in a Gen Y/Millennials body.

Gawn is awesome, but I worry the Captain thing would be a poison chalice for him some reason, I live in permanent fear that his knee will blow up if he is made Captain (i do already to be honest, it is just the neuroses would be worse). That he is a Leader is without doubt.

I love Viney deeply, but never thought he is a leader, to me he will still be a kid even when he is 30. This guy is the foot (no pun intended) soldier everyone likes, that dies in the final reel of the movie (Archy/Mark Lee)

Melksham i respect but i think he can go missing.

I wouldn't mind Nev as leader either probably equal 2nd maybe 3rd choice. Would be left field for some and i am a little bit worried about his injuries this year I think his hard as nails style has caught up with him. But he is a Boss.

Lever has the brain for it, but he is a bit too much of an Arabian horse (likely to break down).

Jones plays another year off the bench doing midfield/forward things. 

So my list:

1, TMAC

2, GAWN

2/3, LORD NEV

4, LEVER

Gone:

St Kilda, Carlton, North Melbourne, Fremantle...

So the nearly Klopp of Australian football is gone, when have we had 4 coaches go in a year? And I think it could be more, I cannot remember so much bloodletting in a season and I don't think any of the former senior AFL coaches are exactly banging down the door for another go. Fox footy is going to have a crowded couch next year. Anyway my question, what is the most number of AFL/VFL coaches to go in a year?

In trouble:

Adelaide, Port Adelaide, GWS

These three teams are appalling in terms of having the list and not performing, I think the only thing that will save Pyke is the fact that there are not to many obvious candidates to take over as Mayor of Snowtown. Hinkley should be sacked as well but for some reason (probably because he comes across as likeable _ excellent football reason...not) won't go, but damn he would have to be close, they have had a lot of senior players drop their heads this year without injury being an obvious factor like other years. Cameron has not managed to put any steel into these pretty boys, they should be vikings by now not Harlem Globetrotters.  

Watching:

Essendon, Melbourne 

Worsfold was bloody lucky he was playing Freo, if he had played Hawthorn it would have been him sacked.

Goodwin gets another year without doubt, and obviously there is another thread, but he better do a Hardwick.