Maldonboy38

Lived in Perth for 2 years. Great beaches, no peak-hour traffic, excellent roads, worst flies in Australia, the wind never stops, and the average person is more red-necked than a logger from Tasmania. Seriously, Perth made Queenslanders look like they were educated at Melbourne Grammar. And that is a VERY troubling thought.

I have read and understood Catch 22 by Jospeh Heller, A Crock of Gold by James Stephen, and got through A Brief History of Time while understing about 2/3 of it. I even read the Match Review Statements and can sort of understand them. But I have no idea what this piece is about, what the author is attempting to say, and if his/her/its acid attacks are veiled barbs or ill-aimed self-harming.

My local team - Eaglehawk in the Bendigo Footy League - are in the Grand Final this Saturday, and am really pumped. I am also really annoyed that it clashes with the Dees in the West. One eye on the footy and the other on AFL live app right through the afternoon. Going to be a VERY tense afternoon. Actually reminds me of another amazing moment in 1987. Maldon in the Grand Final at Princes Park in Maryborough. A policeman was the only person with a radio, and about 80 people crowded around him as we heard that Jimmy had run across the mark in the Preliminary Final against the Hawks. Carna Dees! Go the mighty Borough!

The essence of our game is that any on-field player can go and get the ball at any time, from any direction and use any part of the body to contact the ball. At its heart is a chaotic form of liberty. Anything that compromises this principle should never be considered. My response to proposed rule changes: No zones, no stupid extended goal square. Remove the no-3rd-man-up rule. Just let the umpire throw it up immediately. Any player can go for it. Return to original holding the ball rule. If you are holding it and get caught, a free kick is awarded against you for holding the ball. If you drop it, bounce it or fumble it, then it is play-on. Removes 70% of ball ups (please stop calling them stoppages!). Only grey area it leaves is if the person throws it upwards. Stop players pushing the marking forwards in the back after they take a mark. Unnecessary and related to a lot of hamstring injuries. 50m penalty only relates to time wasting.

I love my footy on TV but roaming Brian is easily the most cringe-worthy, embarrassing, superficial non event I have ever seen. I simply loathe it. I actually like his commentary (and I know I am in the minority) but his roaming stuff is just an opportunity for the commentary team to have a self indulgent giggle full of in-jokes which no one else enjoys. I am very grateful for the mute button. And his interruption of other radio and TV interviewers is just plain rude.

On Petracca and his field kicking. 3 times last night, just as he was about to kick, I screamed at the TV "no, don't lead there" and each time the Hawks chopped it off. I reckon he is choosing a spot and kicking to it and the forwards aren't reading him well. I am not defending him for the sake of it because in general terms I agree his finishing needs attention, but some of his "turnovers" last night appeared more to be about the forwards positioning and leading patterns and less about the quality of his kick. Yes, he did make some clangers as well but his vision and setting up gives me goosebumps. His set shot routine definitely needs some work.

Frosty - torp from full back, down the guts for a goal. Spargo's goal from just insides 50 (when I said to my daughter he will set it up because he can't kick that far!) Brayshaw's mark and goal in last quarter. And Viney - very glad I never played in his era. Frightening footballer. Max's towering mark. So many of our boys giving it to Mitchell every chance they got. Petracca laughing at the fool Sicily. Hibberd's run-and-carry.

Vince for Tyson. Won't happen though.

6. Viney 5. Hibberd 4. Jetta 3. Petracca 2. TMac 1. Gawn

Extraordinary win. Not our greatest win, and the Hawks threw everything at us in the first 10 minutes of the last quarter but the boys kept their heads and just plowed in again and again. Those below-the-knees free kicks absolutely p**s me off so badly. However, as the rule currently stands both should be free kicks to Hawthorn. The rule needs changing to ensure the player SLIDES in, and not just goes the ball. The Hawks tried a dirty tactic tonight. Repeatedly, they pinned one of our on-ballers to the ground while the ball was being balled up by the umps. Sicily and Shiels the main culprits. Feeling rather good right now.

I can't tell you how much I hate Grandfinal day "entertainment". There have been a few successes and a long litany of failures, but for me it is just an annoying thing that diverts attention away from the footy. I just wish the AFL would focus on the actual game, and leave off 80% of the carp that surrounds the day (e.g. interviewing idiot fans in the car park, doing 3-second vacuous interviews with arriving players and coaches, images of planes flying over, images of politicians and C grade celebrities sitting in the stands). I just want to watch the game. And I want to watch the Dees win one.

Infinity and Zurich must be licking their lips, having joined relatively late. But Northern Territory, New Balance and Hertz - who have been with us for a while - must be feeling good right about now. Paying off big time after sticking with us. Their stuff is appearing everywhere, and our club is becoming very savvy at ensuring sponsors names/logos are in most photos or media articles. What's important is us, the supporters, remembering to use our sponsors. I have remembered 2 or 3 times after making a purchase and been really annoyed with myself.

Petracca's contribution is solid every week. His numbers don't make you stand up and take notice but his hard work is evident if you look hard enough. And his goal assists and body strength remain his main assets. Having said that, I wish he would take a game by the scruff of the neck, monster some oppositions, and high five the Dees faithful with his tongue hanging out after kicking 3 in a row, the third from the boundary with a left foot banana. He has got so much talent that is still to emerge. I hope it is tonight.

Fortunately I have some hard physical work to do today, something I have to focus on. Otherwise I would be a useless mess. I hope I do concentrate because it involves a lot of chainsaw use. At least if I do bleed my veins run red and blue. I am not negative about tonight, but very anxious/excited. Our best is a fair bit better than Hawthorn's, but Clarkson is a brilliant coach. Just because Stratton and O'Meara are out means little to him because the entire Hawks squad is disciplined in applying his game plan whether in VFL or AFL. I am wary of how he will play Melksham and Brayshaw. If he is able to cover these two the game will be up for grabs. I have full faith that Harmes will cover Mitchell, but we need to curb Smith, Breust and Gunston. If any one of these three get off the chain the Hawks footy will roll out free and fast. I am expecting Weideman, Frost and Petracca to stand up big time tonight. Max is a given. Carna Dees. 16 point win.

No way. As for those comparisons to the Lever deal, there is in reality no comparison. Scully leaving was not just about money - that happens every year in football and we need to cut professional footballers some slack. But the fact that his dad was scouting for GWS and getting the trade set up in the background while MFC was doing all it could to keep Scully - that is unforgiveable. The deceit was the issue, not the money.

No change. Tyson did more work in the packs than could be easily seen at the game or on the TV. Not a great game but earned his spot. Spargo. Goodwin loves two way runners and this bloke does it week in, week out. He doesn't end up with a heap of the ball but he provides options, makes space, and provides a crumbing option. He still gets muscled out of contests a bit and his kicking needs work but his work rate will probably keep him in. Probably the only player whose spot is shaky.

Salem - composed and strong (he won me over tonight, I have always thought him too un-involved and weak under pressure) Vandenberg - very clumsy game Jetta - tough, skilled, dedicated Midfield (Viney, Oliver, Brayshaw, Harmes, Tyson) - tough and polished Weid - big game player

Got home just before 2am - VERY long train journey home. My voice is not too bad this morning considering, but I sound like the love child of Barry White and Peter Moore. That was a great game of footy tainted by some atrocious field kicking and decision making. But it was a great win. Our ferocity and heart was as good as I have ever seen. The only reason the Cats were anywhere near us was because of our kicking inside 50. Apart from that we demolished them, brushed them aside even though they also tackled well. About 12 months ago a lot of Demonlanders were complaining about our lack of game plan and playing style. No doubters now. Demons footy clearly on display. And really good to watch. The crowd was ridiculous - possibly the biggest pro-Dees crowd I can remember. when Jones kicked that goal it reminded me when Robbie Flower ran onto the ground for the first time in the '87 finals series. Goosebumps. Special mentions to Jetta, Weid, Lewis, Harmes and Brayshaw. And Viney, although he was blowing hard at the end of each quarter, he was brutal around the contest. Welcome back. Although Vandenberg was hard at it and ran all night I thought he was very poor. Horrible decision making, disposal putting team mates under pressure, and numerous unpressured turnovers. I have to make comment about the Holy Trinity of Dangerfield, Ablett and Selwood. I am a huge fan of Ablett & Dangerfield and they looked continually dangerous. They really are brilliant. Selwood's fierceness and toughness can be inspirational. But the continual moaning, gesturing at the umpire, glancing at the umpire, pointing at team mates and general all-round whinging of all 3 of them brought shame on their own jumper. It was pathetic - like watching some tall kid in the U15's who thinks he is great and telling off his team mates for not giving him the ball. Rant over. Bring on the Hawks.

This is absolute gold - and a great start to my day. Got good seats for the game for me, a son and and a daughter, heading down on the train mid afternoon. Ready to go. I LOVE being in the finals but am also feeling that nervous anticipation that comes with it. And I have to wait until 7.50pm!! Finals reveals those players who play well in big games (Andrew McLeod from the Crows, Matera from WCE, Jarman, Dermie etc....) I reckon Petracca, Frost or Spargo might really fire up and join the form of Oliver, Brayshaw, Max and Nev. Go Dees! The rest can "go and get stuffed!"

First - love the quote from Norm Smith on the banner behind Bernie as he spoke. That's the heart of this great club that I follow. Second - for Bernie, I love the type of player he is. Tough, hard, natural footballer who proudly wears the colours. Once he crosses the white line his body is on the line. Although not a huge bloke, knows how to use his body to make a physical impact. Mostly, I love the way he stands up for his team mates and flies the flag. His work on Dangerfield was immense. And although it faded a bit this year, at his best he was a bloody good footballer. He came to the club when it was a basket case. He knuckled down, trained hard, set an example and became a non-positional leader, an influence for the new recruits to see how an AFL footballer should approach his craft. We owe a debt to people like him and Crossy. Third - I also love the kind of person he is. Once the game is over, he shakes hands, smiles and shares a beer with the whosoever - maybe even the person he flattened during the game. Hodge from Hawthorn is the same. Family man, dedicated, humble and genuine, great with all the off field stuff that we hear so little about . People like this make clubs great places. I hope they find a role for him because there could be a huge hole without him.

It was Nev for a long time. My sons and I chatted to him for about 15 minutes at a family day at Casey, just after shoulder surgery. Top bloke and dedicated to the Dees. Love his reliability and no-nonsense footy. Until Angus Brayshaw turned up. This kid is everything I love about footy. Quick, game breaker, skills on both sides of his body, hard as nails, runs both ways, and takes risks.

Best ruckman in a long time. His tap work is pure class, his around the ground skills are strong, and his gut running is rare. Not bad for a big, doe-eyed comedian. Well deserved, big fella. If he can continue his current form for a few more years he will be mentioned in the same breath as Dempsey and Madden - the 2 best ruckmen to play, in my humble opinion.

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.