binman

I'm struggling to process this news If the allegations are true, and reading the ABC article it's hard not assume they are, this is beyond comprehension. Horrors like this sound like something that has come to light from the 1950s or 60s, and that collectively we all say that's horrific, thank god things have changed. But it is alleged to have happened in the last 15 years. I'm shocked. Again, if true, this is on another level all together to the bombers drug scandal. Both scenarios involve a complete breach of trust, but this is something else entirely.

Forgive my ignorance WJ, at the level your grandson is playing how demanding is it aerobically? And how much, if at all, has that aspect changed in say the last ten years?

Good get by the dogs to get Jones in, but they are still need a big defender i reckon. Tomlinson would be good fit. The blues might also look at him

Huge thanks to KC from Casey for all your intrepid reporting of our maggoos. Top shelf work - you must be thrilled with a flag!

During the VFL grand final, the commentators mentioned that Mitch Johnson (i think) had worked really hard to break into the Sharks side and that when he wasn't playing for the Sharks was playing for Pakenham (i think). They also discussed the fact Crossley was a carer and Munro was a paramedic. On the back of those comments, i had a number of reflections: That is a crazy level of commitment - all three players , but travelling to and from Gold Coast to vic to play footy is hard core There must be hundreds (thousands?) of players who are really close to AFL standard, but for whatever reason (choice, luck, not quite good enough etc) have not made the jump to that level Any elite sport is built on a foundation of community, amateur and semi pro participation - and AFL is no different However, unlime soccer or bball, AFL can only draw on a homegrown pool, with the exceptions of Irish imports, and that pool is necessarily thin given footy competes with rugby x 2, bball and soccer in terms of a pathway to playing a professional team sport in Oz Without that foundation, there is no AFL - at least not in the elite sense I know all of that is not news to anyone, but it occurred to me that i don't really have any sense how healthy suburban and country footy is. Demonland has lots of posters who are involved in some way in suburban and country footy, be that as a player, coach, admin - or just fans of a local club. My question to those who have an informed view is, how healthy is suburban and country football?

I wonder of Longmuire is a bit of an acquired taste. Reminds me a lot of goody in his early days of senior coaching. Bit of of a my way or the highway, super intense vibe.

From memory it was only just behind the ball, as i was watching the ball and still saw Smith go down. And yes, Matthews was behind Smith, such a dog act - on any player of course, but Smith was as fair a player as they day is long. It was a genius coaching move putting the much taller Smith on Matthews. Was thrashing him and Matthews, who was in the last part of his career, couldn't handle it. Iron or sew on?

I could not be more ambivalent about Grundy. But if he ends up at the dees then he'll have my 100% support.

Lobb is the answer, if we can land him. No superstar salary required. JVR will be our superstar.

Weid is a hail Mary. And if he is pinch hitting the ruck that means, in all likelihood plays forward the rest of the time. He couldn't break into the teams a forward this season when we desperately needed a second tall forward. Can't see it happening next year, regardless of how good he is as a second ruck (and i rate his ruck work) And as much as i rate Tmac, and in particular the role he plays for us, he is at the tail end of his career, and a lisfranc is crap injury for any player, but particularly for a fella who is 100kg and his role involves running 10 plus kms every game. We need another genuine tall forward.

A huge problem for us in terms of Jackson leaving is how few players there are in the AFL who can play as a tall forward and reliving ruck. And players who fit that bill AND who are gettable right now are as rare as hen's teeth. We need a ready made replacement, no a draftee. Who else is even remotely available other than Lobb?

I was at opposite end of the ground - standing behind the goals at the Royal Parade end. I have hated Matthews ever since. That was such a satisfying win.

I haven't opened this thread previously, and haven't read any comments. So probably repeating something that has been said. My two cents. There's no such thing as a wasted season. I, like every other demonlad poster love the dees. The club has been a constant in my life. I started going to tbe footy regularly when i was 11. Predominantly by myself until I was 22 or so, when I finally found some friends who also supported the dees. I endured seasons where we barely won a game. i watched big carl try and make us feared I dreamed of a flag when the great barrassi came home. i watched robbie dance, Rhino Richards play like barrassi one day a princess park and lead us to a glorious win over the rampant hawks. It was the day Matthews assaulted Smith, one if my all time favorites. I reveled in the fairy tale of 87. Cried tears of joy at Whitten oval. And tears of pain at Waverley. i went to our last wver game at vic park. It was packed to the rotting rafters and shwarter and jackovich went bananas. One of my all time favorite games I've seen live. Going to the footy in the 90s and into the 2000s was an all day and all night event. Went with my demon posse, and carried on before, during and well after. I went to Robbie's memorial, the only time I've ever gone to one for someone i didn't know. Cried again. Last year was a dream. The dees made lockdown bearable. But it was just another chapter. It's about the journey, not the destination. Goody has made it clear the goal is not one flag. He has built a team and model with sustained success as its bedrock goal. For perhaps only the third time in all the years I have supported the dees, I really believe sustained success is probable. I hate with a passion we ate not playing this weekend. I still feel queasy. But I can't wait till the next chapter. Go redlegs.

Exactly. They are going nowhere without one, probably two gun big defenders. I really like Keith, but he's not good enough to build a defence around. You'd assume a big forward would go back. Naughton would be tbe obvious one, given he played down back as a junior. But does he want to? And they'd lose their best forward. Darcy is not strong enough yet and Bruce will struggle to get in the team. Maybe UH? Lobb would be perfect for the dees, at least in terms of replacing Jackson. Better forward, not as good Jackson in the ruck. But if Grundy comes in he won't need to do too much. Lobb is pretty inconsistent, but when on he can really clunk them. And he us generally a really good kick for goal. Find a way dees.

I wonder what the appeal of the dogs is for Lobb given the surfeit of tall forwards they have. The dees would be a much better fit

Say again - too many double negatives.

Totes agree LT.

I was only joking, but I agree it would be great for a really good player to come our and say I want to go to the dees. I wonder when really good players nominate a club it is code for, the club offering them a boat load of money (even though technically they can't do so whilst still contracted to another club). For average players, it is code for, I'm not good enough to get a regular senior game at my club becauseim not tbat good.

Reminds me of the Life Of Brian skit about the Romans: Recently, no players ever nominate Melbourne as their preferred destination, because why would they! What about Langers? Ok, i'll give you Langers - except for that metrosexual, no player nominated Melbourne as their preferred destination ! Dunstan? What? Who? Ok, except for Dunstan and the metrosexual, no player nominated Melbourne! Lever? Ok, ok. Except for Dunstan, the metrosexual , and Lever - NO player nominated Melbourne! May? Jesus!. Except for Dunstan, the metrosexual , Lever and May - NO player nominated Melbourne! Brown? What? Who? Which one? Ok, except for Dunstan, the metrosexual , Lever, May and Brown x 2 - NO player nominated Melbourne! Tomo? Alright, alright; except for Dunstan, the metrosexual , Lever, May, Brown x 2 and Tomo - NO player has recently nominated Melbourne as their preferred destination!

Since when is as an adult, considering the advice, and perhaps also feelings, of your parents when making big life decisions a bad thing (to be clear LT, i know you are not saying it is)? I wish my 19 year old son would take some of my bloody advice and consider my feelings every now and then!

Langers?

Fair dinkum, how people could knock the Dees list management the year after winning a flag after a 57 year drought is beyond me.

I was thinking about your question about our record at the g, and in particular your observation about the width of the g. A big element of our defensive sytem is covering the corridor and stopping teams using it. We also like to let teams switch, but get accross en masse and stop them at their hb. Both strategies would presumably be harder to do on a wide ground such as the g. And conversely, probably easier at a narrow ground like docklands. Both strategies require strong all team defensive running g and spread, so if, for whatever reason, we are off in this regard, our defensive sytem is vulnerable, particularly if teams move the ball quickly - and particularly at tbe g.

Footy had undergone an incredible transformation since the lions three peat. It's incredible how taxing it is now, how intense the pressure is, and above all how much high intensity running ALL players have to do now. I suspect those factors, combined with tbe harder draw the gf winner cops, mean it will be harder than ever to go back to back now.

All I want for Xmas is two elite kicks and an above average tall forward.