Maldonboy38

So far, Essendon are very, very ordinary. If we get our set shots right, this could be ugly. We are a class above so far. 

Does Jobe Watson know there are 2 teams on the ground? Hardly mentions Sydney.

And if McCrae goes low to intentionally look for a head high free kick one more time, I'm turning the tv off. O stuff me, he just did it again1

Don't understand all the Tim English hate. He has been good tonight in both attack and defence. 

I love this from Goodwin and the selection panel. Following the Dees for such a long time, it is really refreshing to see stability, and no big reactions to 1 or 2 bad games by individuals. 

Swans v Dogs is a horrible game of footy. Kick to kick from one backline to the next, no real highlights, horrendous field kicking and goal kicking, Dogs getting free kicks just for being on the ground. 

Swans

Dees

Port 

Suns

Cats 

Lions

Blues

Saints but only if Ryder plays. 

Dockers

I have such confidence when the ball is in his hands (although he was strangely erratic versus the Suns). He has become so steady and reliable. He knows he isn't a booming kick so concentrates on using it well within his limits. Very important part of our forward 50 setup.

A couple of times watching replays I have re-watched patches of games, and focused on what players like Spargo, Neal-Bullen and Brayshaw do off the ball. They work so hard to ensure team mates get the ball. My guess is that Goody and the coaches love Spargo for this quality.

I also reckon Brown and Fritsch must love seeing him with the ball - his first instinct is to look for a leading player. 

No way Weed or Dunstan get considered from the Casey game. 

The only players who were noticeably bad versus the Suns were Hunt, Spargo and Fritsch. But Goodwin continues to affirm the success of the defensive unit. 

I would rest Rivers - he improved during the game after a horror start but he looks unfit for 4 quarters and was proppy to say the least.

OUT: Rivers

IN: Hibberd

Interesting watching Saints v Freo. Some horrible skills and link-ups followed by breath taking contested marks, tackles and goal kicking. The defensive spread of both midfields is highly questionable at times.

I really like Ratten as a coach, but even he has been unable to push through the glass ceiling of "meh, beige, pedestrian" that haunts this team from the Alan Richardson era. If Paddy Rider and Zak Jones can get back, perhaps something else can emerge.

Freo surely are better than this. Or am I seeing something that isn't there?

Just now, DeeZone said:

What is the score.!

Casey 71 Sandy 33 at half time

I am loving having access to VFL live. I finally get a chance to see the AFL listed players building form. 

Sandringham looking bog ordinary all over the ground.

I am fan of the Weid but he is looking below par today. Constantly out of position or dropping marks that only he gets to.

Bedford not getting heaps of it but looks AFL ready. 

Still working out numbers, personnel etc...

Very tough on Brayshaw. He was very solid tonight.

6. Petracca

5. Jackson

4. Bowey

3. Oliver

2. Brayshaw

1. ANB

Clumsy, clunky game with little skill to speak of, and the Dees much-touted defence seemed to allow the Suns a lot of space emerging from stoppages.

Trac, Bowey and Jackson - wow and well done.

Some of the kicking tonight was horrendous, probably due to heat, fatigue, humidity. Even Spargo's kicking was horrible at times.

But I will take the win. The ugly ones are important ones. 

3 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

If we have Lever and Salem we would be 6 goals up. Both can play that game. 
We are running on fumes down back. It’s a makeshift defense with now 2 players who are clearly struggling with injuries. I hope Gus hasn’t hurt his shoulder and is just sore and bruised. 

Yeah, fair enough. Our backline is showing its limitations due to personnel and May is being well beaten most of the time. Although Tomlinson is doing ok, he is being found out in the air.

Difficult to watch.

A few having a real crack, but almost the entire 22 very fumbly. And those kick around the corner to 3 Suns players is just so frustrating; we haven't seen that ina fair while and it is horrible to see again.

Jackson, Trac, Bowey, Tomlinson, Brayshaw.

Rivers should not be playing. His kicking which is usually so penetrating has been horrendous. Langdon running but not getting. Fritsch not going for balls with his name on it. And Suns players waltzing free through the middle time and time again.

If they had King, we would be well behind. 

Not a walk-up win at all. Gold Coast have a good system, and players are finally learning to play to it. Midfield battle will be very, very good. Our forwards will be the difference.

• Brown is looking like he will challenge for the Coleman medal.
• Fritsch the freak is difficult to manage.
• Spargo and ANB work so hard and run their opponents into the ground.
• Kozzie is primed to tear a game apart. 

On top of this, it is impossible to counter both Trac and Bang-Bang Oliver running forward at stoppages. 

Dees by 28 points in a wet grind.  

Epic fail by the security. No way could they stop the crowd from running onto the field, but not one got to Buddy before the crowd. Really dangerous. 

Well done Buddy for handling that so well. I would have panicked in that press from that crowd.

And well done Buddy - unique, unstoppable super star. 

I am well over 50 and my kids tell me I keep banging on about certain BS, repeating myself over certain things. Well I'm going to do it again and hopefully not annoy all my fellow Demonlanders.

Heeney is a gun. I reckon he is the cleanest player in AFL bar none. 

Paddy McCartin is finally able to show his abilities without the Draft pick 1, or concussion dialogue swirling round him. He looks composed, a great decision maker, a precise kick, and a very good contested mark. I have loved his footy  over these first 2 rounds. 

Wasn't McGovern standing still? How can the fault be his?

No way making a call about Carlton yet. Dust doesn't settle until about round 8. Their midfield is very, very good but Cripps will probably not be able to sustain his current rate of work, and their defence can be easily exposed as shaky and vulnerable. 

And the Doggies are a proud bunch with a brilliant skipper, I doubt they will roll over. 

Carlton look good, but it feels like they won't sustain it. (I said this last week and they got up though!). I still hate them with a passion and would love to see them lose by a dodgy free kick on the siren, or something similar. 

But the Dogs defensive spread and concentration is atrocious. Something not right at the Doggies. 

I watched some of the Eagles v Suns game yesterday. 

They are quick, but probably no more than us which surprised me. It seemed (haven't seen stats) that there were very few contested marks, and considering it could be humid it will mean a lot of ground ball play. So:

• I am a fan of Weid and hope to see him soon, but no way does he play this weekend
• We will definitely miss Salem. With him out, Kozzie, Spargo, Bowey, Hunt will be vital at ground level.
• We can't go in too tall.
• Midfield battle will be a beauty
• Fritsch might tear this lot apart. I can't see who they have to cover his leading.

I don't say too much externally, but my friends and family are getting sick of the smug look on my face that seems to express the following: "I-don't-care-about-too-much-at-all- cos-Dees-are-premiers-and-the-rest-of-you-are-absolute-sh**". 

And might I suggest it is a very, very satisfying smugness.