La Dee-vina Comedia

Keep in mind we're in Demonland's off season. We'll be on fire during the trade and drafting season as normal. While part of me agrees with you another part is thinking about how this shows supporters' passion for a club which is notorious for having passionless supporters.

Adam Schneider has formally announced his retirement

You do realise your votes won't count because you only named five players, don't you?

If we're resorting to knee jerk decisions based on the last few weeks' performances, we haven't improved off field at all. I've never been a great fan of Paul Roos's on field coaching. I think his game style is still "too 2005" when 10 years later the rest of the AFL has moved on. However, I am a great supporter of his off field work. Introducing professional player development, talent spotting and personal growth are the things I believe he's introduced which have been lacking for decades. I'd be very surprised if such a considered approach is thrown out the window now. There may well be a large number of changes at the end of the year - but I'd be willing to suggest those decisions have been planned over the course of the last three years, not the last couple of weeks.

Maybe it's just me but in their red jumpers yesterday I had more trouble than usual identifying the players. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with the red jumper...other than the fact that it isn't necessary to have alternate strips in the first place.

I think we have seen half a season of consistent effort. Unfortunately it's been distributed unevenly across 20 games I have an alternative question. Why do so many of our players not have the ability to kick with the opposite foot? Newton and Viney both got caught trying to get onto the left when they could have disposed of the ball under less pressure on their right. I get that you're angry, but Grimes was one of the best out there (admittedly of a bad lot). He's still got some Bailey/Neeld conditioning that he's had trouble getting rid of. In classic Bailey style, he keeps holding onto the ball waiting for a better option rather than taking the first option that presents itself.

Agree with this. I just forgot about him when trying to think of a replacement. I'm yet to be convinced that he's going to make it...but I am convinced that Matt Jones's AFL career is coming to a very rapid conclusion, so Fitzy would be a better option.

Thanks Dee-luded. You're quite right that Barassi moved Flower around. But if you were to look for a definition of wingman in the Oxford dictionary, I'm sure you'll see it defined as "Robert Flower". That's how I'll always remember him. The peerless epitome of the wingman.

I was pleased with the younger players such as Stretch, Salem, Brayshaw and Michie. But we can't expect them to win us games in 2015. But from next year, however...

I remember Greg Parke at Moorabbin taking 16 contested marks in a match. (I may be exaggerating, but I'm pretty sure he took 16 marks and in those days they were basically all contested.)

Really? Even Demonlanders can't find anything original to say? The dilemma we have is we need both more height and more pace. Adding Spencer or Jamar fixes the first problem but significantly impacts on the second. In: Tyson (if fit), Jetta. If either are unavailable, add Matt Jones for his pace. Out: Lumumba, Harmes.

6. McDonald 5. Grimes 4. Michie 3. Watts 2. Stretch 1. Salem Really, only the first three deserve votes. Having said that, the most pleasing thing about a dismal game was the performance of the younger players. Most showed effort and skill, one or more of which were lacking in more senior players.

Robert Flower was a star. No doubt about it. But when he played he was a wingman when that position wasn't really a midfielder as we know them today. It's amazing how much the game has changed.

Not sure I understand this. Wouldn't it be more embarrassing for us?

If Paul Roos actually used these words, it's a bit hard to tell whether he was just using an analogy for the sake of finding some words to use or whether he is commenting on what he actually believed he was observing in the minds of the players. Notwithstanding, and as I've said before, I believe Roos' true value is in the off-field management of the team, not the on-field performances. On-field will improve when the back of house is being properly run. And we seem to be getting that part so much better all the time.

Can anyone fill me in on the back story? In particular, Why are Melbourne and the Bulldogs the clubs with women's teams? Why not the wealthier teams like Hawthorn or Collingwood? Is having a women's competition something that the MFC and perhaps the Bulldogs thought of and pursued on their own? Is the Melbourne women's teams formally part of the MFC? Whoever is responsible for it needs to be commended. And Demonand should absolutely get on board.

The more facile of the selectors for the Rising Star award will probably decide between Hogan and Cripps for their votes for the award based purely on their relative performances on Sunday. On the plus side, seeing Hogan, Cripps, Brayshaw and the other first year players is a good reasons to go to the game. (To see a win would be an even better reason.)

I wouldn't mind knowing if there was any Federal Government involvement (meaning at the political level), too.

I wonder what it will do for absenteeism on the Thursday? Or the Monday after the GF? Reduce it? I don't think so.

How many?

GWS: Rhyce Shaw Richmond: Chris Newman Both players have publicly announced their intentions to retire.

Perhaps I wasn't clear. I don't like the approach in NRL where players announce their moves so early. But, if you're going to have a system like that, the bit that I think is "mature" is that clubs continue to play the player they know will eventually be departing.

Imagine how this would work in NRL where players often publicly announce they'll be playing with a different club early in the season? While I don't like this approach, I have to admit it's a mature approach by the clubs who keep playing their departing player.

Also true.

Maybe. But don't forget it took ASADA an awful long time to do its investigation first.