Dees_In_October

Heartbreaking. I called it a few weeks back but I always hoped we could steal it. The weaknesses we've had all season were the reason we lost tonight. Can't fault our effort though. No one can say we didn't put up a fight. One day they'll stop using the AFLW to 'develop' umpires but for now, it's just part of the evolution of the competition. Still hurts though and makes a mockery of the players' efforts. Thanks everyone, by the way, for the discussion here this season. It's nice to have a place to talk constructively (mostly!) about AFLW with other Demons.

Round 6 Team of the Week Midfield: Elise O'Dea Forward: Tegan Cunningham Coaches Association Votes If anyone can find them, please post! Potentially they're on lockdown to create suspense for the final award... Stats (season avg.) after Round 6. Highest ranking Dees and Dogs players: Disposals: 1st Kearney, 2nd Daisy, 3rd O'Dea, 5th Blackburn. Metres Gained: 1st Kearney, 2nd O'Dea, 3rd Blackburn. Cont. Poss.: 2nd Daisy, 9th Kearney, 10th Paxman. Uncont. Poss.: 1st O'Dea, 2nd Kearney, 5th Blackburn. Clearances: 2nd Daisy, 3rd Kearney. Marks: 1st Lochland, 3rd Kearney, 6th O'Dea, 9th Blackburn, 10th Conti. Marks50: 1st Huntington (inj.), 2nd Lochland, 3rd Brennan, 4th Cunningham, 5th Scott (Dees). Cont. Marks: 3rd Cunningham, =10th Toogood and Conti. Kicks: 1st Kearney, 3rd Blackburn, 4th O'Dea, 5th Pearce, 10th Paxman Tackles: 6th Gogos, 7th O'Dea, =10th Daisy and Kearney. Intercept Poss.: 4th Scott (Dogs), 5th Downie, 10th Jakobsson. Goals: 1st Lochland (11), 2nd Cunningham (9), =6th Hore, Toogood, Brennan (5). Score Involvs. 1st Lochland, 2nd Cunningham, =3rd Scott (Dees), Blackburn, 4th Kearney, 5th Hore. Handballs: 2nd Mithen, 6th Gogos, 7th Jakobsson, =8th Daisy, Hore, Paxman. Hitouts: 7th Hoare, 8th L.Pearce, 9th O'Connor, 11th Earnst.

What better way to celebrate?

As feared, it's an ACL for Hickey. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-03-12/hickey-suffers-acl-injury

Great win, did what we had to before the Blues went into lock down mode. Absolutely devastating for Mel - I've been a critic at times but more in terms her role. You could never doubt her spirit and commitment to the contest and she's clearly a well-liked and respected teammate. We've been comparatively lucky with injuries, but this is a cruel blow if it's as bad as it seems. I guess either Jakobsson or Duryea comes in? Would love if our crumbers could get to Cunningham's feet more often. Having said that, her second and third efforts are top notch. Might have to move her into my profile's 'favourite players' if she goes on like this and Humphries continues not to be played! It's going to be a big ask but at least there's only one scoreboard we have to pay attention to next week.

Mark my words, this will end in heartbreak. But I'm so glad we're still in the hunt for it!

Round 5 Team of the Week Paxman, Daisy and O'Dea in the midfield. #thebig3 Coaches Association Votes Melbourne v Brisbane, Friday March 2 10 Daisy Pearce (Melb) 7 Kate Lutkins (BL) 5 Elise O'Dea (Melb) 5 Karen Paxman (Melb) 3 Sabrina Frederick-Traub (BL) LEADERBOARD 35 – Chelsea Randall (Adel) 30 – Ellie Blackburn (WB) 29 – Kate Lutkins (BL) 28 – Emma Kearney (WB) 28 – Daisy Pearce (Melb) 20 – Courtney Gum (GWS) Melbourne’s season stats after Round 5: Kicks 4th, Hballs 1st, Disposals 1st, Cont. Poss. 1st, Uncont. Poss. 1st, Disp. Eff. % 3rd Clangers 3rd, Marks 3rd, Cont. Marks 1st, Marks50 =1st Hitouts 6th, Clearances 6th, Centre Clr. 1st, Stoppages =7th, Rebound50 8th O’Dea leads the comp in metres gained (and clangers), Newman leads in bounces.

I reckon GWS could push the Lions. Might be wishful thinking though.

My belated thoughts on the game... Great response from our leaders and actually every player gave something, which is all you can ask. I thought Zanker had some 'get up and go' about her, which hopefully can be built on. I didn't like the look of our backline before the game (no Downie, no Duryea) but they held up ok and kept a pretty good structure. It was dicey at the end, but that was everyone. 'The Big 3' showed their intensity and led from the front. I've officially removed Hickey from this group as she should forever more be started off half-back. I love O'Dea's quick kicks round the body into 50, on either foot. Even if it doesn't come off (ala the Moloney-esque bomb forward) it stops the rot, which is important for us. Enjoyed Newman's forward pressure and L.Pearce's work around the ground - gave off some attacking handballs. Scott and Smith are two players who don't get talked about much but are consistent contributors. I hope we can fit Humphries back in at some point. According the the app, she's our only player in the top 10 for disposal efficiency. Admittently she may not get much of the ball but she hits targets. I may be biased because she's a favourite of mine! Also can we just kick straight next week. That would be helpful.

I rarely get there early enough to see it anyway. But when I do, opposite to other comments above, I don't look for indications that we are 'on'. Instead, I like to make sure the players are getting their 'bad kicks' out of the way. Although possibly that (used to be) more of a reflection of our skill level... The four emergencies makes sense. Surprising.

Slim pickings this week of course, but for the sake of posterity: Round 4 Team of the Week: Downie in the backline Coaches Association Votes: Melbourne v Collingwood, Saturday, February 24 8 Stephanie Chiocci (Coll) 6 Caitlyn Edwards (Coll) 5 Christina Bernardi (Coll) 5 Jaimee Lambert (Coll) 4 Chloe Molloy (Coll) 2 Elise O'Dea (Melb) LEADERBOARD 26 - Chelsea Randall (Adel) 24 - Emma Kearney (WB) 22 - Kate Lutkins (BL) 20 - Ellie Blackburn (WB) 18 - Kara Donnellan (Frem) 18 - Alicia Eva (GWS) 18 - Daisy Pearce (Melb)

It's not over til it's over ... but I think it might be over. I guess it's a good thing we have so much experience with this situation as Dees fans?

Regardless of what impact it had on our ability to play the game itself, it was great to see our players representing the club and women's footy up there. That stuff is priceless when it comes to participation, development, and the bigger picture of support for remote and indigenous communities. Almost half of those playing Aussie Rules in Alice Springs are girls and women. 60% of female players in the Central Australian league are indigenous. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-25/football-played-by-equal-number-of-women-in-central-australia/9482528

Very disappointing. That's easily the worst performance we've put in yet. The complete lack of a plan B was frustrating. I understand the thinking behind 'sticking to the process' (Stinear's words at 3 quarter time) as a way to instill belief and confidence, but at some point you have to try something different. Like when your season's on the line. Our defenders looked really loose (due in part to the game plan). Trying to guard space in those conditions is way too taxing mentally - much easier for defenders to stick next to their player and put their energy into the spoil/intercept. Which, when you've got Downie and Jakobsson down there, who've proven they can read the play well, just makes sense. Bernadi tore us apart. Our midfield didn't get the service they're used to from the ruck, but that happens. They weren't hard enough in winning the ball, pure and simple. I felt like we were too intent on preserving players rather than putting the best in when the game needed steadying in the second quarter. There were way too many times when the ball was at Hoare's feet and she was battling to pick it up rather than the players who we want to have first use. Too many players trying to break tackles ineffectively (Hickey). We've been good in this area in other games, but when it's not working, again and again, you have to try something else. Forwards had few chances and didn't make the most of those that came. Mifsud looks much slower and less dynamic than last season - is it just me who thinks this? A bit underdone? On the positives - I liked the looks of Cordner in flashes. Took a great mark in (I think) the last quarter. Rocky showed some good energy in the forward arc. Cunningham tried hard but has a bit to learn in marking contests, she'll get there. We'll really see what we're made of this week. Backs against the wall, will we turn up?

And track down the person who took the photo right as he was taking it! I always look out for that camera flash!

Glad that Hore and Phillips apparently pulled up okay - didn't look good at the time! I guess there could be a late change still, possibly Phillips, but would be good to rest a few in what will be tough conditions. Will be interested in seeing how Cordner's progressed. And hopefully Mifsud can hit the scoreboard. It's another must-win in what's turning out to be a more even season than last year.

I'll just keep using this thread to keep track of this round by round. Round 3 Team of the Week: Daisy in the midfield Cunningham in the forward line Coaches Association Votes: Fremantle v Melbourne, Sunday, February 18 9 Kara Donnellan (Frem) 9 Daisy Pearce (Melb) 4 Ebony Antonio (Frem) 4 Tegan Cunningham (Melb) 3 Evie Gooch (Frem) 1 Katherine Smith (Melb) LEADERBOARD 18 — Daisy Pearce, Melbourne 17 — Emma Kearney, Western Bulldogs 17 — Chelsea Randall, Adelaide 13 — Ellie Blackburn, Western Bulldogs 13 — Ebony Antonio, Fremantle 13 — Brianna Davey, Carlton 13 — Kara Donnellan, Fremantle

I agree. We've probably been the most 'disciplined' team in this regard over the first two seasons. While I like our composure and ability not to get sucked into that stuff unnecessarily, there's a time and a place for a bit of niggle and flying the flag for teammates. Duryea is probably the only one I can think of who's shown that kind of mongrel at times, and you don't necessarily want it in your last line of defense!

Argh that was so frustrating but you couldn't say we really deserved to win. Would have been handy to steal it though and be a game clear. Luckily the other results went our way so at least we stay with the pack. The umpiring wasn't great at times but that's never an excuse, especially after missing so many shots at goal. We had to do better against the flood, cut out those repeat kicks to the pocket. Needed to switch more or be more patient for a lead. Overall the 'Big 4' were a bit lacklustre and couldn't find the same synergy as last week (especially in the second quarter). O'Dea would be ruing that on the full kick near the end, but you can't single out one without looking at everything that went before. I liked Downie's game again though and thought Humphries did some good things late. McGuire for Freo was amazing (just wish it wasn't against us!). One positive is that even though we went missing at times, we fought back and stuck with it to the end. Didn't get the result but a lesson in taking your chances never goes astray. Injuries to Phillips and Hore might make way for some fresh legs - to put a positive spin on it. Can't say I know enough about the other players to guess at replacements. Probably not both of Mifsud and Cordner?

Can't un-see that now! I wouldn't want that demon now either. Something more like the 80s one but in contrasting colours, sort of silhouetted where the monogram is now.

Updated team: In: Grierson Out: Mifsud (omitted) Also apparently the team is staying west between the Freo game and the next one against Collingwood in Alice Springs.

I laughed when Brayshaw said something about being competitive, "even if it's just in the backyard", considering the meltdown on here after Petracca's backyard basketball incident a couple of years back!

As a kid I loved what I think of as the 'hair on fire' version. Not so much now. I can see our current one but with a demon instead of the monogram. That way it has the best of both worlds, with the demon, and also the word 'Melbourne' being in there.

Not surprisingly given the dominant display, we had 6 players in the Team of the Week: Cunningham, Hore and Newman in the forward line. Jakobsson in the backline. O'Dea and Paxman in the midfield. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-02-13/melbourne-dominates-team-of-the-week Paxman scored the maximum for our game in the Coaches Association votes: MELBOURNE v ADELAIDE, Saturday February 10 10. Karen Paxman (Melb) 6. Bianca Jakobsson (Melb) 5. Chelsea Randall (Adel) 4. Elise O'Dea (Melb) 2. Dayna Cox (Adel) 2. Mel Hickey (Melb) 1. Kate Hore (Melb) http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-02-13/perfect-10-for-paxman-in-aflw-votes

Also worth remembering that Daisy often draws most of the "attention" from the opposition. That might be about to change though. There were a lot of times on Saturday I wondered if Adelaide even had anyone on Paxman, such was the space she found.