Tarax Club

Cheers BDA you are a scholar and a gentleman. Snowflakes have gone to hell :)

Au contraire, walked outside AM to find crystalline precipitation actually falling on my shoulders. Still upright and walking with a regular gait. If there is a joke it is subtle, self-deprecating and aimed at the cognoscenti.

Good day Demonlanders. After the gloom of last weekend’s sub-par round in the Vegas sauna bath. Something to brighten up your day. Snow is falling this morning. All downhill skiers may now rejoice.

Gordon Ramsay? Prize [censored] stirrer give the man a wooden spoon!

Tom MacDonald’s epic fall from being the messianic missing link to DL whipping boy must be an all time record plunge over the popularity precipice. Does he get the Jack Watts cat o’ nine tails an Oscar or a Gordon Ramsay nomination?

Luke Dunstan was under utilized at senior level last season IMO. Given the limited opportunities he was offered, he delivered determined consistent, honest blue collar performances. He is not afraid to get his head over the ball and plays for the team. Given the ferocity of contest around the ball, his skills aren’t as shabby as some here would think. Get him in the engine room. Andy Moniz-Wakefield could be anything!🤞 Not gripping, but rushing blokes back based on reputations has fallen through the floorboards again. Team performance would be better served if match ready guys had been fully rehabilitated through Casey.

On an autobahn in Germany, just dropped in to DL to get the washup. Have the evil Borg arrived or were were we just totally eclipsed by the dreaded Zorko?

A serious barrelling there admire Bayley Smith’s composure under extreme fire.

Admittedly a little envious of DL fraternity in situ at the ‘G. But just arrived at Terminal 21 after the road trip from the periphery. In good time to view the game. Wishing all fellow Demonlanders a great evening. Will hopefully be celebrating a hard fought victory with the local brew. Go Dees!

Swooper would have this in a heartbeat. Redundant communist era propaganda from the brain’s trust at the Footscray Soviet. Demons we are not intimidated by the bully boys from out west. Throw this puerile nonsense back over the Maribyrnong. The taller the monolithic facade the greater the fall.

Eat rubber!

So an earlier than usual seasonal demise for both clubs, Autumn? As Mel Brooks might have intoned… “Tigerland is happy and gay, we’re playing to a faster pace, look out, here comes the tigers down the race.” “I was born in Rathdowne, and that is why they call me Bags, don’t be stupid, be a smarty, come and join the Lygon Street party.”

Clearly not getting a ride in the iPace electric.

I’m helluva more excited 😜 by our debutants than the bullies. Premium Michelins for the Jaguar v retreads on the Trabant.

A tantalizing prospect with a double twist. Firstly the dress rehearsal out west at E J Whitten Oval. Not unlike dancing with the wicked step sisters, (Mitch and Sauce). Followed by the the season opener at the Casey Vegas floor show. Question is will Friterella make a guest appearance at the gala ball up!?

Given the doubts about his chances going forward and whether he’d fit the bill. Recent dispatches about Bailey Laurie, give the distinct impression here is a young fella flying under the radar, about to be given a chance to make it in the big smoke. His game last year with Casey at sCat Park was one of the more noteworthy individual performances of the season IMO. If he gets a gig this Saturday night some of that would be terrific.

Be on the road with a four hour time zone difference. If all goes well will arrive at destination in time for first bounce. Viewing game on an iPad will be decidedly different from last year at the ‘G. But the beer will be in pristine glass not plastic.

Lions on that showing should incrementally improve this season. But a competitive practice match against the Casey ‘seconds’ doesn’t inspire too much confidence of a climb out of the basement. Casey boys certainly worked with prevailing conditions and took their opportunities better than Coburg. A few observations on individual players thru red and blue glasses. Jack Bell; mobile competed manfully supported his team mates Riley Baldi; impressed last season in his appearances at Casey. Showed grunt in tight as a inside mid-fielder. Cooper MacDonald; backline sweeper who read the play well. Paddy Cross; provided defensive pressure on opponents and gave plenty of rebound. Miles Shepherd; utility who was prominent in defence first half, swung into attack second half and hit the scoreboard. Rhys Galvin; stood up in defence with his intercept marking. Wal Wual; athletic player who covers the ground panther like. Still raw but involved in a play of the match nomination. Gathered the loose ball in a congested situation btw centre and CHB and laterally scythed thru traffic to commence a scoring chain which resulted in a Casey goal. An impressive cameo.

No, not even with a complete exorcism at the Manor.

Yes quite tricky with the choice and position of the determiner and the preposition.

Appeared to be back training and out of rehab on Friday. 🤞🤞 🤞

Yes Nibbler’s been great on the track and scythed thru the tabbies at Casey Fields.

Here’s my 2 bobs worth a week out. From listening to the chatter and reading the tea leaves from above the top end horizon. Going on previous ‘happenings’ Judd McVee appears to be the anointed one and is in a good position to debut. After accounting for Roy Higgins and Last of the Mohawks in the practice sims. Don’t wish to denigrate the young lass who put together the Round 1 mock team, but Michael Hibberd may need some additional match conditioning before being considered. Kade Chandler is now a lock with Kysaiah Pickett gone a roving and Bayley Fritsch still in recovery. Despite ‘Astro’ Naughton briefly getting off the leash round 1 ‘22. Steven May has his measure and it’s back to the pound. Big Demon dog on an over-coiffured poodle. Not bothered by Beveridge’s delusions of Napoleonic grandeur at the ‘G. Bulldog’s purported reliance on too many talls up forward has historically been a flawed strategy in elite Aussie rules. Especially the modern game. Giraffes don’t chase gazelles. Bevo the chameleon has morphed from Chopper to the Lil’ Caesar out west for this season. But throwing the talls forward is akin to sending in the Imperial Guard at Waterloo. Demons are the better balanced team with champions on every line, in defence, midfield and forward. Judging from today’s training session photos, senior team morale is buoyant but also focused and determined. Clayton Oliver is in awesome mettle. Attila the Hun move over Clarrie’s already banging at the gates of Whitten Oval. Et tu Trac? Beware the Ides of March Luke!

Azz apologies not into point scoring normally. Just wishing for plenty of goals this year. TC

As once written ‘brevity is the soul of wit’ Big William