Cheesy D. Pun

Swimming against the tide here and backing the Weid to have a ripper next Friday night. In: Viney (if ready), Salem Out: Melksham, Jetta

Yes, because as we always say here at Demonland, football is a linear equation. This is elite sport. Top 4 teams are beaten by bottom four teams every season. Some of those same top four teams win premierships. That said, the Dogs have looked a more potent side than us all year and regardless of tonight's result, they go in strong favourites and I expect them to be too hard to stop through the midfield.

A couple of mistakes doesn't cancel out a player's influence. 20 possessions, 10 marks and a goal.

6 Oliver (I haven't seen a Demon throw the side on their back like that in a long time) 5 Lever 4 Gawn 3 Petracca 2 Langdon 1 Jackson

Yep. Goodwin alluded to this in the press conference. They've practiced this scenario and didn't execute when it mattered.

That's a rather simplistic way of analysing it though, isn't it? I would ask where were these people when we played poorly last week or the week before? We've been slightly off the boil for most of the year but have got the job done with effort and structure. Also, it's completely disrespectful to an opposition that played out of their skin and took us on with bold play.

Yep. I think this is the analysis for round 19, 2011.

The over reaction here is priceless.

Awful umpiring. Even worse commentary. Pull yourself together, lads.

We're winning on the back of structure and a willingness to gut run to cut off exits. That requires some smarts but zero skill. Sure, there would be a tipping point, where we're digging too deeply into the list for replacements but there's no reason to believe that we can't win without a particular individual. If I had to pick a most important player, it would have to be a gut runner because you could argue that they are the standard setters on field. Langdon is our best at that. The only game this year that I felt we wouldn't have won without an individual was against Sydney where Clarry's last quarter was instrumental in getting us over the line.

I'd rather not see Melksham but Jackson for Brown is the right call.

I see this being really awkward. You lean down to pick up the ball and are immediately tackled and the ball is knocked out (by the tackler) in the tackle. Is that holding the ball? I think we could end up going too far if players no longer pick the ball up and instead just knock it on or even worse, just let their opponent have the ball so they can immediately win the free kick. On the whole, the game on the weekend was adjudicated well. That standard makes for a good game. Stoppages are a part of our game and one we shouldn't be so quick to eradicate. They are one of the few areas of our game where the set piece comes into play.

A 'cance' to return.

Watch the overlay box that appears in the bottom right corner. Drops his knee into Plowman - not much in it but didn't need to do it.

This is my philosophy in a nutshell. I'd go further though. As supporters, we should be taking the lid off at every opportunity. We support a team that hasn't looked like winning a premiership for 50-odd years. Who wants to spend an entire lifetime without once believing/acting as though your team is the best in the land? We should all believe that we are currently unbeatable because it might end at some stage and that means your whole footy supporting life will include (a) worrying about losing and (b) losing. Go Dees!

It was there and worthy of a mention/fine but Mumford's knee on Merrett the week before was a lot worse and not even looked at. If they've decided to crack down on this stuff from now, that's fine but there needs to be transparency. Let the fans/players know at the start of the round.

Brayshaw had a rough game against the Swans and made some poor skill errors in an otherwise good game against Carlton. I'm grateful that we have players with humility that are willing to just play a role. Gus reads the game really well and is an asset to the team. I think many here use that surprise Brownlow finish and his early draft position as a knock on him. I don't see any reason to judge him against those things. It's his ability to play a role for the team that is all that matters. I've seen some signs that he's really starting to understand his role in the team as a high intercept player. His courage is outstanding. Had he used the ball well on Sunday, he would have been in my top 5 on the field and he has shown previously that he is more than capable of doing that.

In: Jackson, Viney Out: B.Brown, Chandler (absolutely hate dropping a guy after one game but Viney)

I watched the replay when I got home and have a totally different view if some players now. While you get a far better idea of the running patterns at the game, you do miss a lot. The two contributions I missed most were Trac and Brayshaw. Trac was excellent and Brayshaw's good work far outweighed the bad (turnovers). If Gus can get his disposal in order, a big game is just around the corner. His read of the game is elite.

6 Clarrie 5 TMac 4 Lever 3 Salem 2 Hunt 1 JJ

Love it, Nasher. We deserve to be able to rip the lid off now and then.

The quote you've taken was a response to us being a better side than the Western Bulldogs and I said I wasn't sure (sentence 1). No reference to Carlton at all.

King is almost always wrong, however, I think he makes a valid point. We need to find a way to make sure that we are a better side in 10-12 rounds time than we are now. If that means managing players (Greg Popovich style), then I hope we're confident enough to do it.

I don't have any statistical analysis to back this up but I've noticed anecdotally that we are terrible at centre clearances when its wet/humid. We get to the ball first, then can't find the handle and the opposition gets a shot at the ball. It's almost as if we're too eager to be first to the ball. I'd like to see us take the Chris Scott approach and avoid aiming for the Hollywood exit from the stoppage. Instead, play man to man and sweat on them.

It is unbelievable. Gerard Whately jumped from the ABC to SEN. He would literally be on air for 1/20th of the time for the same sized segment.