Maldonboy38

This just made my day. Absolute gold, Biffen.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dees annihilate Pies in QB game, leading to Buckley being sacked, and Eddie losing out in a board challenge to his presidency. Dees finish 5th after Home and Away season. A suprise B & F winner - someone like Salem, Brayshaw or Hunt. We beat North. Weideman replaces Pederson on or after round 12. One of Dion Johnston or Spargo become established starting 22 small forward.

I hope he returns to his best and tears it up for Port, but not against us. Just one of those quality people that make the whole club a better place. And if he and Watts get a run against us, I actually hope we cheer and clap when they come on. After that I will feel happy to treat them like the opposition and abuse the carp out of them.

Connors has said this not because it is TRUE. He has said it because the more he says it, the more likely these players will recieve higher offers, and his 30 pieces of silver might become 31 or 32. It is propoganda designed for LEVERage.

THAT voice. Once heard, never forgotten. Seems a life time ago now, being drawn to his voice on the radio. He was one of those rare people of his generation who had followers - people turned on the radio just to listen to him. RIP, Harry.

How quickly I have forgotten the brilliance and skill of Aaron Davey, Travis Johnstone, and Adem Yze. The footage of Robbie still gets me teary - still the best Dees player I have ever seen. There is something divine or ephemeral about him that makes all other players look like orange cones. The physical impact of Barrassi, Neitz and Shwartz. Ash, you have made my night - thanks for all your work.

What a player! Everyone talks about Eddie Betts and Steven Milne as the best modern day small forwards. The Wiz was their equal and x3 for excitement. Thise 3 years 1998-2000 were incredible football and he was a big part of it. And he played well in finals, a rare gift. He is up there with Jakovich, Schwartz and Jurrah as players who made you go to games.

Zak Jones seemed to be a really good player on another team, but not one I had any interest in apart from being related to Nathan. But this year he has produced some real dash, and his kicking is on a quick improvement path. Considering we keep rotating ANB, Harmes, Kent, Stretch, etc.... in and out on form, I reckon he is ahead of this lot so could be in our starting 22.

I still have a deep, cold, inner hatred for all things Collingwood that will not fade or die. It's in the blood. My great-grandfather was a passionate Dees man who despised Collingwood during the 1920's, my Nan followd on, my Mum remembers the great Melbourne-Collingwood rivalry of the 50's and 60's, and I simply hate them. For modern rivals we probably don't have one due to our lack of success, but I hate Essendon. The 2000 season with their Sheedy-instilled thuggery, hubris and arrogance ended on GF day when a brilliant young Dees team was beaten into the turf. I just want to annihilate them. Even more since their doping scandal. I was at the MCG the day Whelan hit Hird hard and although I don't like footy thugs I do remember standing and celebrating. I wish they had folded to be honest. GWS is an interesting one. My daughter and I go the Dees-GWS match each year calling it our "annual booing of Tom Scully game", and enjoy giving it to him (along with about 20,000 other Dees supporters) every time he does near the ball. But as a team they remain irrelevant to me.

Agree totally with this. Wagner showed enough and another preseason should add more. The more I see of Joel Smith the more he comes across as a real smokey who could be something unique. Add to this that Weideman is effectively our first round draft pick this year as well, and our inward changes are Lewis, Hibberd, Wagner, Weideman Smith, and draft position 47. Very happy with this. Oops, forgot about Melksham who, although came to us via last year's trading, is in effective also an inward for this draft/trade period.