Dees_In_October

This is what I get for cut and pasting from the AFLW website! I shouldn't have trusted them to have it up to date...the day before the event. Sigh!

6 Gillard 5 S.Taylor 4 Hore 3 McNamara 2 Chaplin 1 Paxman Apologies to everyone

The event will be broadcast live on Fox Footy on Foxtel, Kayo Sports and Binge from 7.30pm AEDT. Live tracker and hub here: https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/awards Which awards will be announced on the night? AFLW All-Australian Team (Dees nominees: Chaplin, Hanks, Hore) BHP Community Coach of the Year Award AFLW Leading Goal Kicker Award AFLW Umpires Rising Star Award Telstra AFLW Rising Star 2024 AFLW Best and Fairest Virgin Australia AFLW Mark of the Year (Dees nominee: Harris) NAB AFLW Goal of the Year Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award

Key dates Trade period: Thursday, December 4 - Wednesday, December 10 National draft: Monday, December 15.

ALSO - Thanks to everyone who’s made the discussion here a joy to be part of this season. The track watchers especially, and everyone who has kept the contract info, injury lists, game threads, votes threads, nominations, etc., updated and ticking over.

Just finished the replay to supplement my live viewing (somewhat distracted by some exuberant young demons I attended with!), and gosh, we gave that a red hot go! I'll admit I had zero expectations for this game, at one point thinking, "If we can get within five goals, I'll be happy" which is exactly the kind of defeatist attitude that I'm glad our players don't have! The effort and intensity and mindset of our team in this game was so, so impressive. I shouldn't have expected anything less because they've so rarely let me down in this regard. I loved the physicality we brought early within the contest. And a little extra out of it (I'm crediting Edo on Birch to @Ghostwriter!!). The last quarter was tough against the fresh legs and North's finishing power, but our players left it all out there. Couldn't ask for much more. It's hard to take, but it was the QF that got us in the end and we weren't far off it there either. Still, playing finals in a short season has extra value. An extra 3 games each season adds up, especially against quality, and for those that don't make it or bounce in then out, it lengthens the development process. Well done to the Dees fans who got along and were rewarded with a real display of Demon spirit. I only wish our numbers could have matched our team's effort. A lot to think about there. We move on quickly with the trade period (Thursday, December 4 - Wednesday, December 10) and the national draft (Monday, December 15). So excited for 2026!

The dream!

This was very much my audible reaction! But, and I hate to say it, something about it rang true to me. And he's out of contract. After he hit 100, I was reflecting on the idea that at some point something would have to give (new challenge for him, new voice for our players), but was hoping for one more season so we can really hit our stride in this iteration of the team. Anyway, time will tell. All focus on tomorrow! Game result aside, very likely our last game in Melbourne so a last chance for many to send off some key figures in person. Not to retire or trade anyone early (I refuse to be wrong about Paxy for the millionth time)! I do wonder about the possibly of Chaplin as a late out... I really hope so. Good for continuity and she's highly rated. If there's going to be a vacancy, I hope we're able to jump early and get the best candidate (sound familiar?!). Hopefully the club is on the ball.

Hearing whispers (or perhaps just speculation) linking Mick Stinear to Geelong, after they parted ways with Dan Lowther this morning. Puts a bit of a different spin on that video with all the mentions of it being a different team next season and his emotion after the game last week... Of course, there might be nothing in it. Regardless, three teams now on the hunt for a senior coach for 2026.

Avg. games experience of selected teams (median): Melb: 55.2 (59.0) North: 66.1 (63.0) (This is our most experienced team of the season, the lowest was 37.3 in Round 3) The Roos have 2 players with 35 games and under, the Dees have 7. Premiership players selected teams: Melb: 14 North: 18 Median 2025 avg. fantasy score selected teams: Melb: 54.1 North: 58.2 After having 1-5 players available outside the selected 21 all season, we've hit peak availibility this week, with 8 fit players left out of the team. Congrats to Goldrick on her 8th All Ireland All Star team selection (possibly 9th based on EMac's fact check in the insta comments!) https://www.instagram.com/p/DRIw8VKEokK/ Some light reading: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-20/blaithin-mackin-double-life-of-an-irish-aflw-player/106017896

I've never felt more relaxed in the lead-up to a Prelim! It's quite bizarre really. It's fun to be the underdog. It's fun to have this challenge. It's fun to have the opportunity to give it a crack and see what happens with no expectations just belief that we're building something special.

Yes, it felt quite pointed. I imagine it's hard when you're in the thick of it to remember how quickly things change post-season. Certainly there'll be some retirements and inevitable de-listings, maybe some movement in the coaching ranks as well. I've seen Shae Sloane, for example, mentioned as a possibility for some of the vacant senior coach jobs.

For your veins (couldn't fit in all the lead-up, but to me the into space handball was the highlight of the highlight): And had to do this:

I reckon it would be that huge effort on the wing where she laid a big tackle (not rewarded) then another (not rewarded) and eventually just mopped it up and cleared the ball herself before turning to the umpire in disbelief.

Thoughts on the game: Very proud. Wish we could bottle some of that Demon Spirit! Turned around a lot of the negatives of last week and owned the big moments. Kate was a force, but this week she had a lot of friends and, crucially, not just the usual suspects. How good to see Mahony and Wotherspoon stepping up in a big game! Generally, the team seemed better prepared to ride the momentum, when to up the ante but also when to hold things up and conserve at the right times. To win that with Hanks’ impact very limited is particularly well done. We asked for a more even effort across the team and for longer in the game, and that's what we got. Credit to the umpires as well, they really did their best to turn the game, but our players wouldn't have it. I’m sure they’ll be back bigger and better next week 🙄 It's our second win of the season against a more experienced side (the other was against Richmond, which probably says more about them). In fact, in pretty much all our wins we’ve had a relatively large experience advantage. So, even if Adelaide might be on the slide, and were certainly wasteful in this game, it’s a step forward, especially to come back from a shaky second quarter and then play out the last quarter with that ruthless intensity. Now we’re officially in “surpassing my expectations” territory. It’s all a bonus from here and a great opportunity ahead! Meanwhile I'll just watch that Gillard tackle on repeat.

I really hope we get to see this next season, plus another pre-season into the youngsters. Not that I'm writing us off for next week, but the future is bright if we can continue on this trajectory. So true, a bit of a changing of the guard moment. Huge respect for Randall, especially in how she handled that pre-Grand Final concussion situation. Brave on the field but was an important role model off it during that time. I'm not going to lie, I think I would enjoy this as much as beating them.

Speaking of which I spotted Marnie as well with BBB. I'm not sure if he's in the country ATM but Broden must be pumped wherever he is!

I'll second that!

The Friday training thread is currently in Latin. Some might say we've become a parody of ourselves, but I'm all for it. Now, back to my cheeseboard.

I always notice how good our banners are against... pretty much every other team, often even when we're the away team! Some might see it as a small thing, but I think it's all part of setting a standard as "one club", which has a flow-on effect and as a fan I really appreciate the effort. If you don't mind sharing, what advice did you give to the other clubs? For a while we were probably ahead due to being in the comp for longer, but it can't be that at this point, and I don't think our supporters are any more progressive in this space than others or anything like that. It's certainly not due to venue convenience! Club support? Cross-over from men's and sharing of funds? Or just lucky that we've had a particularly committed bunch of people and that's been reinforced by a rewarding experience for those involved?

Avg. games experience of teams as selected: Melb: 50.5 Adel: 57.7 The Crows have 7 players aged 23 and under, the Dees have 10. Top 3 Fantasy Points 2025: Melb: Hanks (7th), Hore (8th), McNamara (22nd) Adel: Marinoff (1st), Hatchard (25th), Newman (36th) Top 3 Marks i50 2025: Melb: Zanker (3rd), Hore (=14th), Harris (=26th), Bannan (=49th) Adel: Ponter (=9th), Hatchard, Jones (=11th) Top 3 Intercept Marks 2025 (total): Melb: Chaplin (100), Hanks (65), McNamara (64), Gillard (58) Adel: Biddell, Marinoff, Prowse (71) Congrats to Mick Stinear on his 100th game as coach!

MELBOURNE In: S.Goldrick, L.Ebert Out: E.Zanker (concussion), J.Rigoni (omitted) ADELAIDE In: Nil Out: Nil

MARK OF THE YEAR: VOTE FOR TAYLA Tayla's Round 1 mark is one of the finalists for MOTY! She's up against a couple of Tigers, so could be a chance if they split the vote. Finalist voting closes 10am Monday 17th of November (AEST).

Saturday November 151.05pmIkon Park

I figured it must have been something like this because Edo seems to love being at the Demons and you'd think would be well positioned in terms of progressing up the team's pay hierarchy, plus she's firing on-field and such a key player now. Hopefully she's having a quiet day and feeling better!