Grandson of a gun

Andrew Lovett signed a Heads of Agreement with GWS whilst on remand. 12 million over 5 years. Sheedy says he's the perfect fit and has always been their primary target, the Scully talk was just a distraction so no other clubs would go after Lovett!!!!!!

Too many people around here started out the season with very unrealistic expectations of where we were at. They also got carried away with finals talk during the year. Have a look at our best midfield. Take out Jones and Moloney and they are all kids with no size about them YET. (Note: Sylvia a flanker) Our young forwards are still skinny kids- Watts / Howe Our defence has been unsettled by injury all year (Frawley, Grimes, Rivers, Bail). It hurt losing McDonald becase they didn't bank on losing Bruce too (otherwise they would have kept McDonald) so yes there is a gap at the experience end which was unforeseen, however others are growing into the role. Moloney is the stand up follow me leader (along with Jones), Green (admittedly battled with expectation an trying to do too much early season) is still a very good leader and Rivers again is showing his courage and leadership skills each week. Grimes being out doesn't help- but he and Trengove (and Scully) are still very young men who are natural leaders and developing well. They are not excuses. They are simple statements of fact. Why do we struggle against the top sides- because we are not yet physically strong enough to compete with them for a full 120 minutes. There is no need to be pessimistic. All is not lost and the development of the kids is still coming on well. But be realistic with your expectations........

....jump out of the stands to slot the winner!

9 point win with some Watts / Jurrah magic!

HERE ENDETH THE LESSON........................ Now get out there MFC and play like your life depends on it!!!!!!!

Play with the desire of a Demon (or Cadel Evans) and we will be a good bet. We all know that MFC are capable of winning. The big question is, do the players believe as i do? Do they have the deisre AND application? I say yes.

The greatest single sporting feat by an Australian. He is a true inspiration. Cadel you are a monster. In the face of adversity you stared back and said a giant fcuk you! What an athlete.... MFC- Learn from this.....

People have become ridiculous around here. Common sense, patience and understanding have been replaced by extreme paranoia, delusions and impatience. Get a grip- EVERYONE!

I think there's a fair bit of blood gonna be spilt in Adelaide before things get any better for them. The whole footballing state is a shambles at the moment!

So for those of us who attend the game each week it is different is it? Or are you labelling yourself as a lazy supporter? Wow Harrison. I think you have shown up your ignorance to this game. You clearly have no idea about the dynamics of football. The saying that it is all above the shoulders means nothing to you? They bust their gut. Yes. But they do not do it consistently enough. When they switch their minds on they are brilliant. When they don't they are horrid. We have a fantastic ability to play 'burst' football. But we are also one fo the worst teams for conceding 'bursts' of 5 goals or more. Our players don't yet have the requisite mental strength to put a stop to these bursts against us early enough. Why do you think Collingwood and Geelong are so good??? Football hasn't changed. It is all about the ability to get to the next contest, have more desire and fight than your opponent to win it and have the desire and strength to tackle, harrass and pressure when you don't have the ball even if you are knackered. And that is where the lesson from Cadel is relevant. When you are knackered, you are still prepared to turn yourself inside out to get to the next contest and work for your mate. Wake up Harrison. My support for the Demons is unequivocal. My ties with the club i'm almost certain are much deeper than yours. But i do not live in the fairyland some supporters do in thinking that we are a mentally tough football team. But we can certainly become one....

I didn't mean it as a TDF thread. But a lesson to our boys about mental strength and the ability to turn things around when all appears lost. Getting to the next contest when you fell like you can run no more. Making that tackle stick when your arms are knackered. Willing yourself on.... That's what premierships are built on!

We have a young team that is very much up and down in it's application levels this year. We have all been bleating on about wanting them to show strength of mind and willingness to win even when the chips are down. If I was a coach there right now I would sit everyone down and make them watch an Aussie show what true guts and determination is even when things look hopeless and no one wants to help him. Tell them to have a good hard look at the intestinal fortitude displayed by Cadel Evans these last few days and if that doesn't inspire them nothing will. That bloke is the toughest sportsman in Australia. Learn from him Demons and we will be well on our way to glory! Go Cadel And Go the mighty Demons

I agree Bate has been given plenty of opportunities, but he has also been destroying it at Casey consistently and realistically you still have to show blokes that you will reward good form in the two's. The Hawks are also a harder bodied opponent and i believe that is something the match committee thought of with Bate and Dunn coming in. I would love to see Blease get a sustained run at it to see where he is at but realistically, given form at Casey and injuries, what other options were there???

Neil Craig has openly said that Vince is slow. By body moreso than mind and with the increased pace of the game he is getting caught out. Opposition teams have him figured. No thanks. Keep growing our own until we are well and truly IN the finals before we start trading for needs!

Don't think we will see too many changes. Davey didn't play today so definitely not in next week. Joel Mac has missed too many games to come straight back in. The 3 emergencies had their bye week this week (given they all played at Casey last week) Possible to see Blease, Evans and Barty come in. Possible outs of Scully (inj), Nicholson, Morton?

We all believe/wish it would be pick 1 but we also all know that ain't ever gonna happen. When you factor in that we also have a pick at whatever number correlating to our finishing position, that is 3 more first round picks to add to our team. Only two other teams in the comp will have as many first round picks on their list as us- GC & GWS... We may or may not get another potentially elite kid with any of those picks, but our chances are that we'd pick one or two but hopefully 3 pretty good players and hopefully one would become elite. In the end I really want him to stay not only because I believe he will be a great player but also because he is the kind of elite trainer that lifts the standard of the whole playing groups training. A Judd or Cousins in that respect.

No no no..you mis understood your contract. They were paying you a million a year NOT to wear a pink dress and stilettos. I repeat NOT.

I think you are sadly mis-guided.....

The club gave him a new 2 year deal just recently so they certainly see something. He has had a horrible run with injuries. He is also 200cm but from what i understand he is also lightening quick for a bloke that size. Whilst he could play in the ruck, my bet is that he is being groomed as the big strong key forward who can pinch hit in the ruck to compliment the mobile big men in Watts and Cook. Long, Long term prospect who just needs to get himself very fit and very strong and see how it goes from there...

For some reason this bloke just gives me the sh1ts. He is a good footballer but i'm sick of seeing him all over the visual and audio media. He is a media [censored] at the moment and there is perhaps a whiff of arrogance about him that i just don't like. Then again if you are part of a dominant premiership team you have every right to be arrogant and hopefully that will be our team soon...

Fatigue is going to be a MASSIVE issue up there and I don't honestly see howyou can play a bloke who hasn't played a match in anger for 6 weeks and is only just back into full training... That overrides any sentimentality.

Simply with the amount of games he's missed he has to come back through Casey... And you are right re his form. He deserves Casey anyway...

But you want to lay that defeat at Blease's feet after 1 quarter? Bennell a definite out. Morton a probable out. Tapscott a definite in. Maric a probable in. Edit: i got my weeks mixed up re MacDonald. MacDonald depends on his knee...

I hear what you're saying Dockett however many of the top teams are physically bigger because they have had 5 or 6 pre-seasons in the gym together and have built that muscle mass. It is quite simply a matter of time for our youngsters to put on muscle. Tapscott aside, not many kids come in with AFL ready bodies. As i said originally, i agree this year with the first pick being a 'best available' approach and that will likely be a midfielder of the type you are suggesting. But what i was saying is that with subsequent picks, as the draft is 'reportedly shallow' and there will be some speculation there anyway, that we should punt on goalsneak types. It has been a glaring problem all year and one not really being filled by anyone at Casey either. Sidebottom yesterday was the perfect example of what we need....

NOT....