Maldonboy38

Flag flying at letterbox, 2021 scarf on fence, many other scarves around the front door. Daughter home-cooking pies and red-and-blue cup cakes. Wife has gathered scarves from last 10 years and sewn them into a throw rug/blanket. Canadian Club and Shiraz for the game (probably start about 12.01pm as the nerves set in). Glenfiddich 18 ready for the celebration.

O please, they better not do this too much - I have a game to watch and stomach knots to untie every 2 minutes.

So difficult with so many good recent wins, and about 26 players who are GF ready. I would probably go Hunt for the medical sub because he can help out on any line - forward, midfield or back. But the selection committee mantra has been to follow a line of form and fitness so fully understand the no change.

Watching the Jones interview, 1 thing is constantly underrepresented. He was a bloody good footballer. Brilliant at evading in-close attention, underrated goal kicker, could run all day. He was more than a "inspiring figure" and I wish it was mentioned more.

Waiting for One the Couch to start, tuned in to AFL 360 listening to Hardwick and Clarkson talk around how they coach in finals and grand finals. Absolutely brilliant. I haven't paid much attention to either of them over the years, but wow, you can tell why they coached Premierships. Much of what they said was a matter of balancing: player personalities, attack v defence, how much to say... etc...

In my house, you follow the Dees or leave. At one point of prolonged thrashings, my eldest son - 6 years old at the time - starting noticing Gary Ablett jnr and told me he wanted to follow Geelong. After almost vomiting all over him I asked him "do you like food?" He replied 'Yes". I stated calmly "then you barrack for Melbourne". Fortunately, only a few weeks later we were watching a game and he noticed Liam Jurrah. Melbourne devotion immediately restored! Thank-you Liam Jurrah! Jurrah was a freak with some of the most grace-filled skills I had seen since Robbie Flower. He made you watch him. But I don't think he would have survived a season in 2021. Defensive pressure is the foundation for everything now and that is something he simply didn't have. If his son has enough talent, draft him.

If I take the Brownlow as an umpires award, I can accept it. They have a unique and (mostly) unbiased view of the game, and can only notice what is around them. Even with this in mind I look at players like Gawn, Mundy, McCrae and Miller and wonder how they could score so mildly when Oliver, Bont Wines etc... can rack up BOG's. Sometimes after attending a game live, I am gob smacked to find out on the way home that a certain player had so much of the ball. Thinking about defenders, the Brownlow seems to award those who MAKE the game, not those who thwart or STOP it, however meaningful the defenders role is. Backmen like Hardeman, Wanganeen, Hardy, and Glendinning all had a definite play-making ability that saw them make the play, so maybe that is what the umpires notice.

Worthy winner. Well done Ollie Wines. But boy, some of the voting looks skewed. Touk Miller and David Mundy must feel really robbed. Not enough reward for outstanding seasons. Dees v Adelaide round 22. Seedsman 3 votes, Fritsch none (???) Darcy Parish was good but not that good - no way. The GWS young backman who annihilated Hawkins late in the year - no vote!! And the goal of the year - Reiwoldt was flat out robbed. Bolton's was a great mark, but Riewoldt's is one for the ages.

Gawn was a tall skinny kid who needed lots of development - he turned out alright. If Andrew takes 2-3 years, it might be OK because Gawn will be coming to the end of his career near then. His draft position comes down to whether he is a project player (like Bradtke) or a genuine football draft selection. There is no way you could take a project draft selection inside the top 30.

I remember all the info about him having to lose weight, and I also remember that Roos basically wanted him at our first selection. Astonishing pick at no. 4 and he has been a true asset since debut. Looking back at the A+ players the Dees have produced; the likes of Hardeman, Alves, Wells, Flower, Moore, Lyon, Schwartz, Farmer, Yze, come to mind. A few others could also be considered as A graders (Neitz, Jones, Tingay, Jakovich etc...). I find it astonishing that I rate Oliver so highly. But I agree with others above - he is the best midfielder I have seen at the Dees. I love his pace. He sprints around, sweeps through stoppages on the run, bursts out of congestion at full pace, hits a tackle at speed.

Jake can be poor on defence, but he is much much more than a depth player. His inside 50 delivery is as good as it gets, he has great goal sense, and plays a as a strange small forward/mid forward. He will probably move on because he wants to get game time but I would love to keep him on the list.

Norm Smith said in his famous tv interview "I'm Melbourne, through and through". Jonesy - you represented all of us who are Melbourne through and through, by being Melbourne through and through. I thank you for maintaining pride in our jumper when so much else was bringing it shame.

I don't think we have ever met, but stuff me if that doesn't perfectly describe my day. I am going to be a total wreck by game time. And 4 whisky's is not enough.

Absolutely spot on. For both Dogs and Dees, our gameplan works and we both deal well with pressure.

I can barely remember a Prelim final weekend like this. For Dees and Doggie fans - absolute bliss, but as games of finals footy they have been atrocious.

Just to explain - the 's' on Celtic is possessive. My Scottish wife and her entire family are rabid Rangers fans, and I follow Celtic because of my grandmother. It's a wonder the wedding went ahead actually.

So I take it you are not following Ange and his Celtics?

7 shots on goal to 20. Stunned. It's about intensity.

Like last night, Port are so bad it is as much about their pathetic effort as it is about the Doggies. The outnumber game is in the Dogs favour due to effort, not skill or game plan.

The ball hits the ground and there are 4 Dogs to 2 Port. Port's lack of intensity is appalling.

Finishing is the hardest part of any ball sport. Bailey Smith is simply a gun. Hate the mullet, but love his footy.

Game on now. But Port have to come from 26 points down. The question becomes "can the Dogs sustain this now for 3 more quarters"?

Game plan for the Doggies: Equal the ruck contests - check Tag Allir - check Murder them a the stoppage - check Port looking tentative and 2nd to the ball

Gutted for him. Gutted for Dees fans. Very happy for him and his wife. As the team developed under Goodwin, and this year unfolded the way it has, I have had 1 image in my mind I want to see come GF day: Nathan Jones holding up the cup. This image would embody my long years of withered hopes, crowned by a player who I loved watching, and respected as a great club man. Not to be. Some fairytales are haunted by shadows and disappointments.

Port have struggled and choked badly, every time this year their ball carriers and main kickers were under constant pressure. And players like Dixon, Fantasia, Motlop and Marshall can severely under-perform in big moments. Bulldogs have also struggled to absorb opposition pressure at times, but have a much better record of winning close pressure-cooker games. They are seriously undermanned with Bruce, Weightman and Keath out which is going to make it difficult. Port goes in heavy favourites but there is something about the Doggies that tells me they are going to make this very tough for Port.