Maldonboy38

Actually, I understand him to be a fantastic bloke. Team orientated, humble, generous and lively. I just hope he has a shocker against us.

Practice my anti-Selwood sledges. Most of them are about ducking, and the rest ryhme with it. Follow the Casey v Geelong game. Go to the local footy to see the mighty Burra (Eaglehawk) take on Kyneton in the BFL qualifying final. Feel lost. I reckon the pre-finals bye is a great idea but I HATE it now the Dees are involved.

A long time since I have felt like I do tonight: relaxed. Yes - a Melbourne supporter relaxed. Strange but beautiful feeling. I cannot believe the development of Harmes. I actually had him in the "consider for delisting" category at the start of the season. Couldn't see any strengths emerging and he had the football appeal of bluetak. But wow - am I ever glad to be wrong. Fierce, runs both ways, has developed a lethally accurate kick and he has the footy nouse to stifle the opposition's best player. So glad to see Weed play the way he is. Unlike my earlier view of Harmes I have always believed in this kid. And my man Brayshaw. He is our key to moving the ball through the corridor. His gut runs away from trouble through the middle of the ground are my favourite part of our game. Star.

Pure gold, this. Made my morning.

I have always been a huge fan. I know his demonstrative nature on-field has made him look like a right Wally a few times but his poise, leadership and kicking are top notch. But we do not need him now and he is getting very slow. So no thanks.

Composure inside 50, and clean up poor handballing = we win. Jones, Harmes, Petrace and Weideman all missing relatively easy shots on goal. Tyson, Harmes, Brayshaw all multpiple close-in handball errors stuffng up momentum. Loving what Weideman and Harmes are bringing. Not sure if ANB is crook. He was so steady and reliable for most of the season. His last few games have been poor.

I love Hannah Berri as a player, but we simply do not need any more of his type and the Dees. Pace, outside run (both ways), and ability to consistently deliver inside 50 are our prime needs. Gaff has to be a target, playing alongside our fit and firing Hunt.

To quote Darth Vader "I find your lack of faith disturbing". To trade him now is a mistake. His too-often misses of set shots really makes my blood boil, but not enough to trade him. Petracca on the other hand... I might be warming to this idea.

Hunt was really poor and is injured, Spargo fired blanks and Jeffy was at his very worst. I don't think we can drop both Jeffy AND Spargo but they both deserve it. Are either of Melksham or Hibberd ready to go, injury wise?

6. Harmes. Daylight 3. Brayshaw 2. OMac 1. TMac As for Salem, repeatedly crumples under pressure in important moments.

Massive fan of Jonesy, and I think a lot of talk about his week-by-week performances is myopic and pre-conceived. . His work rate remains fairly high and often "directs traffic". For me, his influence during peak game times is very very poor right now and doesn't look like it is coming back. That miss from just inside 50 was out-on-the-full. Nowhere near it. And as someone wrote above, as the Dees built momentum in the last quarter, he was doing a lot of running between the arcs and rarely impacting the contest. And his field kicking is as bad as it was in his first 2 seasons, which was abominable. I hate to say it, but Viney in 2019 is looking better every week.

Very important stat right there. We fold under pressure of every kind. On the ball pressure, perceived pressure, the pressure of expectation. With Lewis being here now for his 3rd season I thought we might have moved on but we have not. Not wanting to drop players because of one bad game, but there are a few who consistently crumple under pressure - Jeffy, Salem, JKH Hogan (not all the time but often enough, and usually in front of goal).

Nothing to do with the coach. The "system" worked. The actual kicking was the let down. Spargo - who I am a huge fan of by the way - was atrocious today. Couldn't kick over a jam tin, rushing his set shots. Hogan - I just don't get his constant easy misses. Jeffy. That miss on the run while momentum was moving our way. That is what you are in the team for. Energy sapper right there. Jones on the run. One beauty and one shocker. Twice in the last quarter a play-on and a slip over cost us walk-in goals. No coach fixes this stuff, players do. Really, really poor.

Furious. All my family deserted me and left me stomping around the living room groaning and grimacing at: Un-pressured turnovers (how many times in a single season am I going to type or say that word? Did some of the Sydney players have Melbourne jumpers on?) Kicking. Goal kicking. Field kicking. 2nd to the ball - almost all day. Beaten by unknown lumps in Sydney jumpers who simply got in first. Some very poor performances: Pederson, Jeffy, Spargo, Hunt, JKH,. And if not for Harmes we would have been flogged.

My favourite player. His hardness, run and carry, skills on both sides of his body. Absolutely stoked with this.

Don't understand all the OMac hate. He had a bad night but has been very good for most of the year. If you are looking for somewhere to pour your vitriol, try these: Petracca doing a blind barrel with no target or purpose. JKH missing a simple unhurried snap. No third man up coming across Hawkins - not once in the last quarter. Lewis, Jones and Vince - not one of them dropping back to fill up he space in front of Hawkins - not one.

5 goals up and we lose. They kick out from full back and go end to end without a Dees player touching it. With only seconds to go. My son asked me what's the score. I replied "under 5 minutes we are 2 points up - but we rarely win close games. Watch the Cats get easy possession and kick a goal". I feel absolute shite right now.

Doing everything except finishing our hard work inside 50. So frustrating because it feels like the Dees are continually going to explode, only to kick to Hogan, TMac or Petracca who have 2 opponents. I feel we are far the better side but wasteful (again!).

Turn a higher percentage of Forward 50 entries in goals, and we win easily. Although our win/loss ratio has been very patchy, we have been playing good footy between the opposition goal and our half forward line. Either 1. TMac, Hogan or Fritsch have to take F50 marks and convert most into goals 2. Midfield and half forwards (Petracca, Brayshaw, Harmes) have to kick goals running into F50 3. ... or Garlett, Spargo and ANB have to get crumb goals.

Dees annihilate Pies in QB game, leading to Buckley being sacked, and Eddie losing out in a board challenge to his presidency. Dees finish 5th after Home and Away season. A suprise B & F winner - someone like Salem, Brayshaw or Hunt. We beat North. Weideman replaces Pederson on or after round 12. One of Dion Johnston or Spargo become established starting 22 small forward.

I hope he returns to his best and tears it up for Port, but not against us. Just one of those quality people that make the whole club a better place. And if he and Watts get a run against us, I actually hope we cheer and clap when they come on. After that I will feel happy to treat them like the opposition and abuse the carp out of them.

Connors has said this not because it is TRUE. He has said it because the more he says it, the more likely these players will recieve higher offers, and his 30 pieces of silver might become 31 or 32. It is propoganda designed for LEVERage.

THAT voice. Once heard, never forgotten. Seems a life time ago now, being drawn to his voice on the radio. He was one of those rare people of his generation who had followers - people turned on the radio just to listen to him. RIP, Harry.

OK, so moving away from the strange views of some of our posters, who sound like opposition suppporters trolling the site, back to the thread. Is JL important? Yes. Leadership, kicking skill, experience. Is he perfect? No Is he declining? Yes.

Leadership, off ball setting up and positioning, articulate and inspiring when he speaks in public. A great addition to the Dees. His day today was very ordinary and he will cop a blast from the coaches for his work rate at times. But still worth every cent over 3 years.