Maldonboy38

Replay once. 3rd quarter twice Geelong focus once. I think I need a break from it now.

A lot of wandering around the house, humming to myself, in some happy trance like state. A few shots of Gelnfiddich 18 or Dalmore. Then the occasional glass of Bobbie Burns shiraz (2018 a very good year) Lots of checking the calendar to see if we are closer to the day. Noticing all the demons supporters colours in cars, on fences, hanging out of windows all over Bendigo (surprised how many have come out of the woodwork) Reading Demonland, and glowing in all the smug carp we are typing, because it usually some Essendon, Tigers, Cats or Hawks twit doing it us. Watching the Prelim Final 3rd quarter over and over and over (twice already today)

I never wanted to trade or lose him, but I genuinely believed that Jordon or Sparrow would overtake him by finals time. Very glad I am wrong. He was brilliant. There is no way a team is going to tag all 3 of Trac, Clarry and Viney. 2 of them always emerge as match winners. With so much attention on Clarry (who still got 27 touches by the way), Viney was able to play his game the way he wanted to. His kicking has improved (Chocco?) and he has stopped trying to break every first tackle. Can't wait to see him with a fire in his belly come GF.

I just watched the replay, and decided at one point to watch the Cats rather than the Dees. Very difficult, but I just wanted to understand how so many really quality players could play so poorly. They were atrocious. I mean MFC Mark Neeld bad. Dangerfield was very good, and at least Selwood was getting to contests and gut running. But the rest of the team were as bad defensively as Gold Coast at their worst. In particular: Giving Kozzie so much room on so many occasions - he ran through forward stoppages unmanned time after time after time. Very rare for them to put a third man up to spoil our marking forwards. Sparrow so often left unmarked, unchecked running through stoppages and around the ground like a 19th player. Total lack of defensive pressure around stoppages. How many time did Trac and Clarry run forward of a stoppage with no-one within 3 metres? Why didn't they tell Stanley of Esava to run with Gawn? Ridiculous game awareness. And you know that modern thing when a player disposes of the ball and then gets run into so he can't get to the next play? They rarely did it. Viney ran to contest after contest with no-one checking his run. And that marking "contest" between Langdon and Menegola in the last quarter - total embarrassment for Menegola. Summed up Geelong on the night. They have more than age to worry about if guns like Selwood and Dangerfield can play so well and the rest of the team can't fire up.

Great to be alive this morning. Love reading all the Demonlanders good vibes. Apart from all the great performances, I am astounded at the football being played by our newbies. Rivers was a bit scratchy at times, but Bowie and Sparrow = wow! I said to my family last night that I see Sparrow becoming an A grader. A big call I know but his attack on the ball, his ferocious tackling, and great kicking hint at what he will be in 2 years. And I was one of those who thought Viney would lose his place in the team come finals. Very full belly this morning because of the huge slice of humble pie I had to have with my toast. He was brilliant. Captain-like, actually.

6. Gawn 5. Viney 4. Petracca 3. Salem 2. Lever 1. Langdon

Any news from "Down at Moorabool St"? I am on a high and buzzing and don't want to go to bed yet.

Seriously great 2 weeks coming up. Our best footy is the best footy by far this season. Our game stands up in finals we have the best skipper, an iron curtain backline, and a midfield to make others squirm. Hopefully Port and Doggies belt the living suitcase out of each other tomorrow.

No change. But I bleed for Nathan Jones.

Yeeeeeessssss! Did we win? We (insert censorship word here) it in. Absolutely stoked.

Maxxy!!! Stuff me dead.

Trac, Clarry, Side Show Bob. Brilliant.

Viney - epic. Lat 5 minutes - tired May - get him off Danger - should be fined for staging Gawn is continually being held - no frees Me - loving this but nervous.

Kicks off the ground, ball bouncing around uncontrolled, ends up in as chaos ball goal to Cats. Pure [censored]. Their basic method has been ineffective.

Loving it so far, so many highlights. Harmes' gut work has been amazing. And the Trac - wow!

Been slaving away over a crowbar, rake, shovel and mattock for a whole heap of today. Shower - done, and now... the wait. I actually feel really pumped. At this time of year I'm usually reading carp about Demonlanders wanting to trade some other club gun for 2 Skyhoooks vinyls and a discount voucher at the Salvo stores. This year, I get to watch a really good Dees unit give the finals a crack. Nervous, yes, but it feels goooood! We're playing in a prelim and we are a dead set chance or winning. Don't get me wrong, there will soon be plenty of moaning, hands thrown in the air, angry spittle flying at 360 degrees, Geelong abuse and many other standard behaviours of a Dees fan, but I'm loving this. Carna Dees - rip 'em apart. .... is it game time yet?

Great game of footy, some tough desperate football in the last 5 minutes. But I can't see either of them beating Port. As for the Lions, they seem to lose games in the same way. Cameron gets off the leash in the first quarter, the other team changes their defensive mindset in the midfield denying Cameron time and space to roam freely, and he shows the limits of his game. Other team comes over the top. Dogs very good in a tight game. The umpires seemed to be rewarding incidental contact, but I have to admit, on most of those occasions, the Dogs were first to the ball.

If we play our best, and Geelong play theirs, it's a 4 goal win to the Dees. To put it simply, in 2021 we are a better side. The issue for me is that Selwood, Hawkins and Tuohy can be magnificent end-of-game players. They stank it up big time in our Round 22 match but I can't accept they will be that bad twice. With Duncan, Eva and Tuohy in, it does change the nature of their ball movement. We will win the midfield, and our defence should be good enough to cover their forwards. It comes down to our forward team pressure and goal kicking accuracy. Get this right, we win. This week is going to be interminable....

In the short term, I see Tomlinson returning to the 3rd tall, and Petty taking TMac's place. Petty trained as a forward before Tomlinson went down and I reckon he has a huge upside when returning there. We have a huge amount of Casey players who are backmen who are in form or showing potential but aren't currently getting a game, and our midfield stocks look strong with the rise of Sparrow and Jordon. We will probably lose Weideman so we probably need to trade or recruit another tall forward, and a medium marking forward if anything happens to Fritsch. Can't see what our list actually needs apart from these 2 things.

I usually hate media conferences, and rarely watch the post-game media conference with Goodwin. So little is said that actually matters. This one with Gus was just so different. A footballer who actually thinks before answering a question and doesn't excessively mention "the boys" is a rare thing.

All the free kicks have been there, the last one a bit iffy. He is playing in front or first to the ball in the wet. Of course he will get free kicks. Dumb defence of a small forward by the Bombers.

Devon Smith is a hyper-whinging sniper. A deep loathing is quickly emerging.

Bont and Libba starting to light up.

Bulldogs defensive running is appalling!

Essendon dominating, about 65% time ball in hand = 1 goal 4 behinds. Dogs looking pretty much all at sea for most of it = 2 goals 1 behind. If Dogs get their game going (no guarantees) they will romp home. Bombers re sprinting and kicking and doing all the stuff but look unable to captalise.