Maldonboy38

Sydney have to reap what they have sown. A 10 year contract. No compassion from me there. But I would take a match-winning, 6 feet 5 inches, quick, goal-kicking, freakish super-star any time. Yes, there are times when he is unbelievably selfish and yet there are times when he is ruthlessly selfless. He draws attention to himself and is also able to bring team mates into the game. Is he past his best? Yes. But 85% of Buddy is still about 120% of other footballers. The only question for me would be cost.

A big yes from me.

In the past few years, the Saints have really troubled us with outside pace - especially over the back if any of our midfielders or defenders are slow in their two way running. Lewis will come back in. Even though he is not the player he was and now he makes some decision errors, he reads the game so well, is often in the right place at the right time, and is a defensive beast which we need. But he does not help the outside pace quandry. Hunt has been improving each game, but I wonder if he needs to play wing/half back to help with the defensive spread, and limit the easy one over the back? His pace will be important. Frost's pace was highlighted against Buddy and will be useful against the Saints. Do we consider Garlett and if OMac misses due to concussion, do any of the Casey defensive talls possess decent pace?

Very happy with the result. Even happier that I could watch a game without a gut-wrenching knot in my stomach due to constant dropped marks and kicking errors. I loved the grunt, the really good pressure, and the team defence. A big shout out to the back six who really stood up. To poor old Frosty who can do so much right and so much wrong in the same game - he is the one defender who Buudy will not take on to run away from. A lot to like but an imperfect game. Around the stoppages, Sydney ran and handballed their way around us far too easily for most of the game. LOVED hearing the team song.

The more I think about the game, the more I feel our main problems are twofold: 1. Poise. We get heaps of the ball, we get repeated inside 50 entries, then fold under little or no pressure. I am not expecting players to play without any errors, but more to have a consistent mindset over the ball that minimizes skill and decision making mistakes. 2. Intensity. We can't play a full quarter at the same intensity, let alone an entire game. And often we have whole quarters where every player looks like they are running through mud or jogging around.

Stop the turnovers (the perennial MFC issue since Daniher left) We are way to easy to score against. It looks like we win ball often, then simply turn it over by poor kick or dropped mark while all our players have sprinted forward of the play , leaving us exposed to pace out the back. Must have happened 20 times tonight. I am not a huge fan of dropping players because of single poor games, but Hibberd, Frost, ANB and Omac looked poor for most of the game. Kolodjashnij seemed to pep up a bit. What has happened to Nathan Jones?

I cannot believe that any media outlet is giving airplay to Nick Riewoldt on moral/health issues in sport. Under his leadership and later captaincy, the entire St Kilda playing group was a disgrace to sport for every social-issue reason you could think of - performance enhancing drugs, illicit drugs, sexting and nude photos, sex with probably underage girls, group sex with drugged and drunken girls who might not even have been willing, the list goes on. He was an amazing footballer but has no credibility beyond football.

He will be his own man, and won't be trying to fill PJ's shoes because he can't. No CEO can be hands off and just let everything run, regardless of who he follows. His job is not to maintain things but to develop, grow and increase influence across every part of club life to the point of a Premiership. rjay got it right above - Pert's main job particular to his appointment is to get our new footy/admin home base done.

I had never heard of him before drafting him, but looking at his size, assets and body-readiness, I really like his addition to our squad. I can see him getting a game sooner than expected.

This.

No. After further thought... absolutely no.

Never easy fearing an absolute gun forward leaving the club while contracted, especially that the premiership window seems to be opened wide. But the footage is the sealer - we plan for a post-Hogan tilt at the flag. Sorry to see him go. Loved his footy, but his personal griefs might be weighing a bit too heavy. I for one am proud that our club is treating him as a human being before treating him like a product.

Hunt still has so much raw potential, and his improvement is nowhere near complete. Listening to Max Gawn's B&F speech, he remarked how late in 2015 the penny finally dropped for him. I reckon 2018 being a poor year for Hunt might see him rip the 2019 pre-season apart and spring into the footy season in his best nick yet. No he is not a pure footballer like Brayshaw, but his best so far has been electric. I can't wait to see him next year.

Tyson is frustrating at times and for some strange reason, his turnovers stand out as being worse than others. But he gets heaps of the footy and keeps going all day. Looking into 2019 I can't see him in our best 25 so I can see why his manager is making him a public talking point. But I would be keeping him. 2 midfield injuries and in he comes.

If our circumstances/needs were different I would chase hard after May. He has strengths and weaknesses, but his physical strength is a massive plus, which can be used as a structure point for defending inside our defensive 50. However, for the first time since the early Daniher era I rely on the MFC player development staff, in particular Brendan McCartney. Although none of the Casey boys are ready now, who knows what transpires after 1 good pre-season. And OMac is nowhere finished his physical development. He is still young and could emerge as something quite different to what he is now. Our three tall backs - Frost, OMac & Lever - make a very strong back structure, with varied strengths which compliment each other. I wouldn't want to stuff it up by moving someone in that means moving someone who is currently effective out.

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.

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.

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.