DEE fence

Gawn

JVR

Brody M

Steele

Petty

Windsor

Lots of others worthy of one or two votes

@Demonland when you post the tally does that mean you’re done counting and votes are closed, what is the deadline?

Really happy with the game, but was surprised by some of the comments on players most agreed with but I saw some things differently.

Langford looks great on the wing, started with some good touches then drifted out of the game but not a nightmare. I think he’s Kouta like or will be, on the wing. I thought Ross made some moves and he lost that ability to run onto the ball on the wing.

Brody is a godsend for Roo, played the perfect foil role and looked really invested, his hard scrambling on he deck much appreciated, and I know his game was burning the Pie fans which is a double joy.

Sparrow looked like he was debuting, seemed very lost. Was thinking with him being trimmer he would be at more contests, maybe he was playing a role or a tag I didn’t understand?

Could not have been more surprised about Sharp, I really had marked his cards, am happily sorry.

Salem had a good game for his 200th, was on his bike a lot more too which was good last year I thought he picked and choose when he went, yesterday was full commitment.

Lever had a huge amount of rust but was cooking by the end of the 3rd, he’ll be ok, still very invested. (Just quietly I would have still liked to have May for that game, I am nervous about our defense, even considering changing my handle to DeeAttack.)

Disco was also a bit rusty but never dropped his head, and things came good.

Windsor could be in AA squad discussions by the end of the year, if he doesn’t get tagged people are really going to start noticing him, someone will tag him though and it will fall apart.

St Kilda roved Gawn’s taps well, was so frustrated about this, would have spanked them way more but we are not where I hoped we would be with roving to Gawn, who as has been said, is one for the ages. It’s just merde about TDK having a virus, they are trying to preserve his confidence, Gawn just melted the bloke. I reckon every coach in the AFL who is not King would be having words with their rucks about increasing their endurance. Gawn trained this, he wasn’t born on the side of Mt Kenya.

JC, his loopy kicks are not fun, but he ran hard and halved contests and his ability to move through traffic is nice, overall a positive and a lovely bloke, I don’t know how he doesn’t break though, the guy is made of vapour.

Petty should be getting more praise for his ruck cameo, his taps were effective and his leap brilliant at the Centre throw (god I miss the bounce) has a great leap. He was on yesterday, looked happy too.

Fritsch had a slow game but I didn’t see it like the 1st half of last year where effort was a question mark, the aints played him well.

Chandler had small cameos as well but they were all worthwhile.

Kozzie didn’t kick many but it really seemed to me like he was trying to embrace the game plan, he wasn’t doing things for himself, he was playing a team game. Also that he was doing things on the park after the week he had, made me really bloody happy. He has a lot going on but there is definitely love for the club and that says mountains about this coach and the last, and a big thank you to Wheels and Aaron who are keeping a deadly vibe going at the club.

Lindsay nothing much to say, will get better.

Langdon, most of the comments seem that people are taking him for granted, I thought he played a fine game, what he did worked.

Howes, not enough but he’s a defender and maybe I didn’t see how well he was working, is much harder to read defensive efforts off the ball watching on a TV.

Happy for Steele, it must really grind the aints he’s playing for us.

Fair Dunkin’ I thought we were going to see a coach killing margin. Lazy in a season where you will be able to throw a blanket over 10 teams, you can’t play Essendon every week. Feel sorry for them? Ef no, I know too many smug EFC supporters.

Essendon need Paul Roos for the rebuild.

That last play by the Hawks Weddle goal was brilliant

22 hours ago, The Cult of Disco Turner said:

Went to grad school with Darcy, was always a smart and well spoken guy—glad to see he’s in a position to make use of those traits.

Just curious but what is Grad school? I did VCE a 1000 years ago, he does present well though doesn’t he, still hate Collingwood though.

23 hours ago, At the break of Gawn said:

Kane's criticism of Lamb is fair albeit with a few facts incorrect (like the Petty for first rounders). The decision to extend Viney made absolutely no sense and I think that will burn us in the end.

Clayton's deal at the time seemed completely reasonable but the due diligence by the club (not sure if that's Lamb's accountability or a shared one) was clearly not done properly.

There are times when we would have been effed without the hope and heart VINEY has given us, how do we know the extension wasn’t part of a handshake deal to reward a player that might have taken unders across the journey to allow some other fat contracts. VINEY has put himself through hell to be on the park and played like a lion, he is in the same category of heart as a Selwood, not pointing at you in particular but anyone going at the VINEY contract, pause and consider and maybe allow that there was more going on here. Rant over.

Just imagine if we had a resource tax on hydrocarbons similar to Norway… especially with a barrel hitting USD100, every sports team in the country would have elite facilities, and the arts, education, health, hell we could even build our own nukes and tell the seppos to nick off.

Butters or Bailey, I read that a lot of folks are very keen on the Gold Coast kid, personally I love Butters berserker nature, who do we go hard for ? I think we have done well with high end draft talent, I think we could do with another Lever / May type recruiting effort for some ready to go talent and bridge the rebuilding time. I also want insurance for Viney.

18 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I agree with Sam about not having Kozzie in the side.

A player that just got selected in the All Australian and had three x 5 goal/24 possession games isn't A grade worthy.

20 possessions and 2 goals a game across a season says different.

Harvey, Caleb, & Kozzie will all be very close to this mark. There is a reasonable chance Turner joins them and Xavier and Lindsay have the potential as well, the rest of our list has some really solid B’s. I think our list apart from forward 50, has as much promise as Richmond.

52 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Probably one for another thread, but something that really stood out to me today wasn’t just the younger/newer players coming into view — it was what they bring and how well we’ve managed to set ourselves up for the future.

It’s not as if we’ve got just one future star mid or a single key player to build a team around. It genuinely feels like we’ve got every position covered with emerging talent ready to take us forward for the next 10 years.

People talk about rebuilds - it looks like we had one without even noticing.

No offense but I noticed ;-P, but seriously, it’s a good point, there are some guys whose ceilings are unknown, I count 8 as either A or probable A listers and some very solid B’s, our worst 6 are not that shabby either

2 hours ago, Go Ds said:

Are intra club games better than these games?! Of course those 2 minutes simulations have nowhere near the same gravity as in a Home and away or final s game. But s surely it's better we can go allout in any simulation against another club then against teammates. While I wouldn't be happy to watch 20 of these two minute simulations in a row but why would anyone be bothered by them??

Considering how we merde the bed last year against St Kilda, I am more than happy to practice never ever doing that again.

I approve of the tone of this thread and am warmed by the melancholy that resides in my fellow demonlander’s hearts for other teams. Long live the death ride!

Note I say this after seeing JUH running around in a practice match, must admit to feeling bloody sorry for the doggies, that must burn as much as Trac/Oliver etc.

I watched with little expectation and found myself loving it, the skills on display were great and both sides played attacking footy, as much as I love footy, some of the defensive strategies are hard to love, and seeing the best of the likes of Dangerfield, Daicos and Bont go at it and stream forward, was a lot like taking a superbike out on the Great Ocean road, back when you could go for an early ride and not worry about tin tops or the TMU.

Lots of funny moments, Serong kicking a goal, and the crowd swallowing a cheer because it was the Vics was a grin. And you can’t tell me seeing a super coach dream team running around doesn’t fill you with a little bit of awe.

Kozzie first clearance was huge btw, really excited for this season. Don’t get the negative comments about Gawn, did his job, was a very different game style to what he normally plays and he still got into the game.

Throw the farm at Butters end of ‘26, would dearly love him at the Dees, btw you reckon Scott was in the ear of any of the players??? Seeing some ex demons did hurt a little, Jackson and Hogan would certainly have us a couple of wins better during a season.

Overall a big YES from me, it was like 80s/90s footy without the thuggery, and the players certainly showed they were invested. Also keep it preseason, after an AFL season 80% minimum of those players today would have been carrying an injury more likely to be exacerbated by a origin game.

3 hours ago, Demonland said:

I didn’t know that Ash played for Geelong…

I came here to drop a post but seems I’m late in expressing my appreciation. Does anyone know if it was produced in house? Really the tightest production I’ve seen in a while. The good looking supporters was a joy. He’ll get blowback for that.

18 hours ago, Macca said:

We may not be pushing for a top 4 or top 6 spot but neither are the Saints, Blues, Bombers, North, Tigers, Port, Eagles or Pies, in my view

And I'm not convinced that the Crows, Freo, Doggies, Giants or Sydney are genuine premiership threats

We can beat a lot of those teams if we can bring our best and have a good run with injuries

I agree with the sentiments, and the reason I went with wins instead of position is I am not sure how many teams will go super hard to read. I really think Freo and the Dogs have the list (if injury free) to go on a run. Crows I don’t see as premiership material, their defense won’t hold up in finals, Giants have problems at the other end of the ground. I find it hard to see anyone going past Brisbane, and I never back a premier (unless it’s us) to back it up. Sydney I have no idea, feeling is cooked, a couple of big bodies short they are a bit light pack weight wise..

After an injection of Botox to my red and blue heart, my lay up shot to the pin is 10 wins, a great year would be 13 wins.

34 minutes ago, Go Ds said:

ESPECIALLY 1987. It so much fun following Melbourne in that last five or six weeks of that season.

I’m normally someone that misses out on those ‘Woodstock moments’ but I too made it Footscray. 87 if I forget about one certain event there are many treasures to take from that year, smashing Collingwood twice being one of them.

Volume=Steele Intensity=Viney, no doubt in my mind.

1 hour ago, daisycutter said:

are you picket fence's brother or relative?

Ouch

Just a small observation but Harvey Langford pulled off a very cool J’ai Ali move where he was kicked the ball and he caught it his left hand behind his body and in a scooping motion spun it around to the front of his body washing off the momentum in the movement while the ball looked superglued to his hand. So nonchalant So exciting.

Other than that The new Pickett was moving nicely in Sim play, Kolt still rushes things. CJ has the skinniest ankles I have ever seen, Jefferson can strike the ball but sadly I don’t see him coming on with his defensive mindset, just not a see ball get ball type. Langdon excelled in the fwd 50 entry drill (kicking to a player marked by 2 others) Chin impresses in training , most thrill moment was watching Xavier T break two tackles from best 20 players including one from Kossie that had intent, kid is an assassin, top 5 rising star and plays r1

Feel free to say hello, green lululemon shirt and the giant bike, 1st preseason I’ve watched since Daniel Cross was running around.

On 05/12/2025 at 03:24, BLWNBA said:

When Freo Recruit Made the Call to Leave the Dees (SEN)

“Then, in my final year in 2025 I got halfway through the year and decided to pack up and come home. … Freo presented very well to me, I saw the opportunity and thought I’d definitely take it.”

Probably been said somewhere in the 102 pages, but there wasn't daylight between how him and Jackson, mailed in their performances during their last seasons. I am mightly peeved at losing Zanker though, that burggers up our fwd line no end.

Max's off field work with Trac, Oliver, MMM and everything else has been first class, he has a long media career ahead without doubt. I'm not sure the on-field role of leader is quite the same anymore, everything is about lines and roles, and leadership groups. Also I would ask are Gen Z+ are they really fussed about who is captain? (Genuine question, does it get a extra 2-3% performance out of the team). Captain has become much more about being a spokesperson for the club, which is a poison chalice at the best of times.. Max's public speaking ability is off the charts for a footballer, and TBH he really took some heat recently.

Once upon a time a hard nut like Viney would have been my first choice, but those days seem gone.

On 08/12/2025 at 11:30, old55 said:

Today's shuttle run results

https://www.instagram.com/p/DR_XTPYkSHZ/?igsh=MXNlNjNncXltazhueg==

Sharp, Laurie, AJ, CJ, Chandler ...

So annoyed they don't share numbers, but I did note Sharp had his watch on and it was at 19:03, which is off the charts... A standard 20m shuttle run (Beep Test) usually finishes in 10-15 minutes for very fit individuals; 20 minutes signifies an endurance level rarely seen, hitting level 18/17... if anyone is interested: