Maldonboy38

Whether we win or lose from here - we are very good at pressure, and the Dogs crumble under it.

Wow.

We lost by one point when nearly our entire 22 played an average or poor game. Dogs beaten by Blues and Tiges. On both occasions, the Dogs crumbled under fierce pressure. If our boys can play the Goodwin 'start-from-the-contest' footy and do most of the hard work when we they don't have the ball, we win and we win well. If our tackles don't stick, or we let Daniels, Bont and Johannisen play loose and free 5 metres off the contest, we get smashed. Oliver, Gawn, Trac, Brayshaw, Fritsch, May, Lever, Salem are our usual match winners, but this game relies much more heavily on Spargo, Pickett, ANB, Harmes, and Hunt. Dees by about 16 points I reckon (hope?).

It's the best midfield we have had in along time, but please, there are a vast number of midfields in front of our current lot who actually achieved success.

A car load of us were coming down for the game, and I was all set to purchase tickets today. Due to some logistics, we had to make a decision today so we pulled the pin. Really peeved. I was really hungry to see these 2 go head to head live.

I am fairly peeved at the breakdown in basic skills, and many players looked flat, but we are 9-1. Yep, we had a bad one, but I hope Goodwin shows faith where it is due.

No expectations of perfection here. Expectations to reproduce the simple things the team practices each week. And no, it was not the highest pressured game all year. Don't get me wrong, the Crows played very well. But a lot of our handling errors were unpressured.

Lots of frustrating cameos tonight. If only Jackson could mark. He gets to so many contests, and his hands are first to the ball. But he just can't clunk them...yet. Jordon's kicking is becoming a real worry. For a bloke who is playing so well he consistently produces howlers. Fritsch and his kicking... Max in many dumb moments. And our basic skills - marking, handballing, kicking, and general ball handling was torturous to watch. But our main problem is our midfield. The number of times they waltzed through the corridor in numbers, especially with one running ahead of the play, was infuriating.

Kick randomly out of congestion, and without thought, opposition marks it: check Handball to teammate under pressure: check. Fumble the ball on the ground: check Miss simple marks: check Unpressured turnovers: check Don't do/give first option and get tackled: check. I just hope that is as bad as we get.

What is going on with holding the ball and push in the back? Not the slightest correction from the horror of the last 2 weeks with umpires simply not paying blatant free kicks. I LOATHE Carlton but the umpiring looks biased against them. And Hawthorn are rubbish.

Three best teams to date are Dees, Doggies and Lions. Beneath them are Port, Cats and Eagles. But we can't write off the Tiges yet. If you want to understand how much a good midfield counts for, look at our centre clearance numbers decrease since Viney has been out. Cotchin, Prestia and Bolton seriously changes their midfield power. And their leaders and elders often step up to drag them across the line. They are failing, but don't write them off yet. Having said that, Dusty has lost a metre or so of his pace, Hibbo showed how to play him, and now Fagan and co have worked out how to tackle him. Harmes did the same thing. Riewoldt can really turn it on in key moments but rarely plays a full decent game. And most teams who have the right personnel play the Tiges defenders one-on-one and they get showed up. Their team defence is great, but they are not great one-one-one. Notice how Vlastuin and Grimes got exposed by forwards who can really mark the footy.

I'm not sure where we can meet for a Demonland gathering (annoying question inserted here: what would be the collective noun for a group of Demonlanders? You know - a murder of crows, a mob of kangaroos, an asylum of Pies fans etc...) but I have a few good places to avoid: The pub with no beer The Salvos in Bourke St The Windsor High Tea rooms Some petty part of me would love to meet on Gosch's Paddock, walk down the road in huge numbers to the Pies headquarters and throw frozen pies over the fence onto their training track. Or cross the road and throw burnt cards and microwaves onto the Punt Rd oval. Yes, it does feel rather pleasant to be a Dees man at the moment.

Sorry, Jaded, but that is both horribly tragic and savagely funny! I feel for you, but it really made me laugh.

I sat back and had a think of the great Dees midfielders I have seen since the early 70's, and I reckon this bloke is the best I have seen. A big call, but I honestly can't see a more natural on-baller during any era. His movement and game-reading around a contest are breath taking, his hands are as quick as Sam Mitchell, Simon Black, Greg Williams and co. But for me it is his pace. He plays the game at full tilt. And he is still sprinting while others are out on their feet. He is so good, I would absolutely loathe him if he played for another team.

Over the past 15 years, 3 great teams have held sway. Cats, Hawks, Tiges. Watching the Tiges win that tonight shows the intent and desire that great teams have. Can't wait until I can say that about the Dees. We are close, but not there yet. And stuff me if I don't despise the Tiges.

Just switched it over to the Giants v Tiges. Eddie, just shut up! So annoying.

Home from work at 3pm. Watch some of the Pies game to see them lose to the Swans = enjoyment. See North overcome the Poos and Wees = even more enjoyment. Feeling all warm and fuzzy, feeling good. Turn over to the Q clash - what the hell are Brisbane wearing? That guernsey is illegal and immoral for anything from ballet to hand-to-hand combat. It hurts the eyes!

For the love of everything sacred, come on North, finish the Poo and Wees off!

Buddy - one of the greatest 21st century players - is cooked. Being annihilated one-on-one most weeks, and being well beaten by an average footballer today. The Pies are woeful. Even Pendlebury, Sidebottom and Quaynor are missing easy targets. Confidence is totally gone. De Goey is a 2-quarter star. Comes in, does some amazing stuff, then switches off. Almost every week. Needs a fresh start and a coach who can get him to fulfill his potential.

His basic efficiency looks ok, but when he does a blooper they have an extreme element to them. By that I mean his bad kicks are howlers. He had 3 versus the Swans that reversed momentum, but I admit he had lots of company in this regard.

We have a bye during round 14. Everyone gets a rest and I think the Players Association mandate 4 days away from the club during the bye - can someone confirm this? Resting the young guns - Kozzie, Jordon, Jackson, Rivers - once each between round 16 - 22 makes sense.

I'll put my hand up and admit that at the start of this preseason, I actually forgot he was on our list! I knew nothing about him and was really surprised to see Goodwin on a video clip saying he was pressing for a spot in the starting 22. 2 years at Casey, earned his spot, his body is not out of place tackling Josh Kennedy or Cripps who are both huge midfielders, handball efficiency is outstanding - loving his season so far. Comparisons to Simon Black are way off, but Andrew Obst and Brad Sewell looks about right at this stage. Workhorse footballers are essential to success. Can butcher the ball at times, but his kicking action etc... looks basically reliable so will improve over his career. Well done JJ!

I understand what you mean, and I do sort of want them to win. It would be great to be 2 games clear. But I hate reading that, could never say it out loud, and just can't type it. I was in the Carlton zone as a kid and teenager when the Dees were winning wooden spoons and the Blues winning Flags. I despise them with a passion.

Kicking practice for Brayshaw, and Jordon. Stop diving practice for Kozzie. Flopping for free kicks is a blight on his naturally brilliant game. Tackling practice for Fritsch. I reckon Petracca will miss with a corked hip/thigh. Hopefully Viney is fit and can come in for him. We wear a red and blue prison bar jumper just to make Eddie's head explode!

As the game progressed, I was looking at the centre bounce set up by Dees and Swans on the TV, and predicting how the Swans would waltz out of the centre. I was right about 75% of the time. On occasion, Max would make a mistake, but more often it was Kennedy and Parker moving and our boys moving much more slowly, or waiting to react to the Swans having the ball. There seemed to be a lack of intent and hunger. At stoppages around the ground, Oliver, Harmes and Jordon were crashing in, and the intent was very much there. Difficult to understand.