Maldonboy38

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.

Pure gold, this. Made my morning.

I have always been a huge fan. I know his demonstrative nature on-field has made him look like a right Wally a few times but his poise, leadership and kicking are top notch. But we do not need him now and he is getting very slow. So no thanks.

Composure inside 50, and clean up poor handballing = we win. Jones, Harmes, Petrace and Weideman all missing relatively easy shots on goal. Tyson, Harmes, Brayshaw all multpiple close-in handball errors stuffng up momentum. Loving what Weideman and Harmes are bringing. Not sure if ANB is crook. He was so steady and reliable for most of the season. His last few games have been poor.

I love Hannah Berri as a player, but we simply do not need any more of his type and the Dees. Pace, outside run (both ways), and ability to consistently deliver inside 50 are our prime needs. Gaff has to be a target, playing alongside our fit and firing Hunt.

To quote Darth Vader "I find your lack of faith disturbing". To trade him now is a mistake. His too-often misses of set shots really makes my blood boil, but not enough to trade him. Petracca on the other hand... I might be warming to this idea.

Hunt was really poor and is injured, Spargo fired blanks and Jeffy was at his very worst. I don't think we can drop both Jeffy AND Spargo but they both deserve it. Are either of Melksham or Hibberd ready to go, injury wise?

6. Harmes. Daylight 3. Brayshaw 2. OMac 1. TMac As for Salem, repeatedly crumples under pressure in important moments.

Massive fan of Jonesy, and I think a lot of talk about his week-by-week performances is myopic and pre-conceived. . His work rate remains fairly high and often "directs traffic". For me, his influence during peak game times is very very poor right now and doesn't look like it is coming back. That miss from just inside 50 was out-on-the-full. Nowhere near it. And as someone wrote above, as the Dees built momentum in the last quarter, he was doing a lot of running between the arcs and rarely impacting the contest. And his field kicking is as bad as it was in his first 2 seasons, which was abominable. I hate to say it, but Viney in 2019 is looking better every week.

Very important stat right there. We fold under pressure of every kind. On the ball pressure, perceived pressure, the pressure of expectation. With Lewis being here now for his 3rd season I thought we might have moved on but we have not. Not wanting to drop players because of one bad game, but there are a few who consistently crumple under pressure - Jeffy, Salem, JKH Hogan (not all the time but often enough, and usually in front of goal).

Nothing to do with the coach. The "system" worked. The actual kicking was the let down. Spargo - who I am a huge fan of by the way - was atrocious today. Couldn't kick over a jam tin, rushing his set shots. Hogan - I just don't get his constant easy misses. Jeffy. That miss on the run while momentum was moving our way. That is what you are in the team for. Energy sapper right there. Jones on the run. One beauty and one shocker. Twice in the last quarter a play-on and a slip over cost us walk-in goals. No coach fixes this stuff, players do. Really, really poor.

Furious. All my family deserted me and left me stomping around the living room groaning and grimacing at: Un-pressured turnovers (how many times in a single season am I going to type or say that word? Did some of the Sydney players have Melbourne jumpers on?) Kicking. Goal kicking. Field kicking. 2nd to the ball - almost all day. Beaten by unknown lumps in Sydney jumpers who simply got in first. Some very poor performances: Pederson, Jeffy, Spargo, Hunt, JKH,. And if not for Harmes we would have been flogged.

My favourite player. His hardness, run and carry, skills on both sides of his body. Absolutely stoked with this.

Don't understand all the OMac hate. He had a bad night but has been very good for most of the year. If you are looking for somewhere to pour your vitriol, try these: Petracca doing a blind barrel with no target or purpose. JKH missing a simple unhurried snap. No third man up coming across Hawkins - not once in the last quarter. Lewis, Jones and Vince - not one of them dropping back to fill up he space in front of Hawkins - not one.

5 goals up and we lose. They kick out from full back and go end to end without a Dees player touching it. With only seconds to go. My son asked me what's the score. I replied "under 5 minutes we are 2 points up - but we rarely win close games. Watch the Cats get easy possession and kick a goal". I feel absolute shite right now.

Doing everything except finishing our hard work inside 50. So frustrating because it feels like the Dees are continually going to explode, only to kick to Hogan, TMac or Petracca who have 2 opponents. I feel we are far the better side but wasteful (again!).