Demon Dynasty

Sorry meant JVR not Chandler. Had a few snorts watching that boring opening round. Jvr gives us the flexibility of potentially pushing Macca down back for a stint if things start getting a bit ugly and/or as a fill in if (Lucifer forbid) one of Lever/Tomo or Petty go down.

Def should be under dogs (no pun intended). A win would be a nice bonus. Chandler & Disco should have gotten the nod ahead of Bill & Tomo. Potentially lost this at the selection table. Yes i realise the FD see and know alot more but going on form in the two warm ups very surprising ins imv.

You should never write any player off but having watched the match against StKilda in this instance i have to agree. He was towelled by a junior and looked gawnsky for mine. Almost impossible to replace May like for like but Disco should've got the call up. Petty takes the No.1 with Disco taking over the Petty role. Leaves Rick to play his usual intercept & mop up.

Have to have faith in the SC but for mine i don't see how Laurie got a call up just yet. A very nice prospect at VFL level but his best down there is still every other game or sometimes less regular. I didn't see anything in the two warm ups that jolted me into thinking "hey get this young prospect in pronto". He looked ok at times but nothing spesh. Judd on the other hand def stuck his hand up in the two warm ups. Personally i just don't see Laurie as being ready for the big stage and would rather see him continuing to work on his skills & consistency in bringing them at VFL level for now. He isn't that far off either but imv more work needed and a nice WIP prospect with a possibility for a call up at some point if/when the opp arose.

Yes it's a pretty tried & true formula SW. Fingers crossed we make a decent fist of things. Will need some luck with injuries of course.

May out would put a dampner on things if it comes to pass. Let's hope not. To say he's a critical part of our defence is an obvious understatement. While i realise he isn't like for like, is Disco an option if May doesn't make it?

Would be surprised if there isn't some sort of hit to membership numbers across the board Jaded. Some clubs might see a 'hope' uptick but i can't see that happening with many clubs from here. We must be very close to tipping in to a recession, especially if we see another couple of interest rate rises along with further cost of living hikes on the way such as electricity rates.

Apparently so has the membership Dept DC. Excluding today, as it was obviously going to be a huge 24 hours given it's Melbourne M'ship day, the demand to join in general plus other general inquiries/ admin requests on the m'ship side is said to be off the charts at the moment. While this is obviously a great situation to be in, i'm also lead to believe the club has allegedly underestimated the situation and is (or was at one point) majorly under-staffed. A number of ring-ins (parden the pun) have been recruited from within and without apparently in order to assist & play catch up.

Only partially correct OD... AFL = Demons AFLW = Dees * Tried to post a tongue-in-cheek response (involving the punishment at the Manor for using the wrong version at games) but post was vetted and sent into the D'land thought police's black hole

Harmes a tad better than last week in terms of getting to a few more contests, laying some nice tackles/hits. Just needs to clean up the disposal a fair bit

16 min to go in the last... ANB having a good game. BB kicks true with his second set shot Demons 13. 12. 91 Tigers 7.9. 51

BBB a bit off so far today. What a kick from Bowie from the back pocket to hit Sparrow there. Three opponents around him

Three Quarter Time Demons 12.11. 83 Tigers 7.9 51

Max is good for the dump kick or a big leading target on occassions. We'll be a much better forward line with Fritta back as the Max option will draw at least one extra defender leaving the likes of Fritta and Macca to be hit up a bit more on the lead... at least in theory. Chandler needs to work on his set shot goal kicking. For someone who's played a stack of games at Casey he should know to kick low and strong at both ends given there's a sprawling end to end breeze out there much of the time.

May needed to swing around there and just kick it to the top of the square. Hollywood handball ...turnover results in a shot at goal by the Tiges

Bowie's heels clearly clipped intentionally from behind there.... no free lol

A Maxy, Grundy, BBB & Macca forward line is one too many talls for mine A fit Fritta will of course be straight in. And makes sense for balance. Chandler or BBB to make way?

Goal to Sparrow after a gather off the ground from Macca... Demons 12.8. 80 Tigers 7.7 49

11 min to go in the third. Tigers kick three in a row in about 4 mins Tiger smalls coming into the game a little more and theyve upped the effort side Demons 11.8. 74 Tigers 7.7 43

Rivers great endeavour in general but a bit scatter gun with his kicking at times. Bit of work to do there. Sparrow's made about three rookie errors this quarter. That last one on the mark costing us a goal. Clarry out of the middle there taking on everyone ahead of him lol. Nearly came off

Finally picked up a holding here to ANB. Wish they'd look at the Clarry match up a bit more. Getting held off the ball quite a bit ... no frees

3rd with 16 min to go Snap Goal off the pack with a sidestep...guess who... Kozzie Mel 11.8. 68 Tigers 4.6 30

3rd with 16 min to go Mel 10.8. 68 Tigers 4.6 30

Thx engine. Sounds like a decent mix. Koz brings the ability to create time & space when he gets it and the finish is usually first class. Might be just what the doctor ordered if what you say about Chaplain is on the money. Will certainly provide an extra match up headache for the opp as well

THE GOOD... Grundy & Gawn combo wasn't too bad. Remember Grundy hasn't played much at the level of late so it will take him a few weeks of AFL matches in my view to get back to his best. I'd prefer to see them not within cooee of each other when both on the ground. However, as PartyTime has mentioned up there, we appeared to be using them a fair bit 'together' down the line, one acting as a diversion. Might be the go. Who am i to say that won't work. Not big on the continual down the line stuff and prefer to see more 45s and or run & carry through the middle off HB wherever possible. We where murdered by some of the better teams on the spread/counter last year when we overused the 50/50 down the line play imv. Kozzie looked very slick indeed. Don't mind him as a pinch hitter in the middle but would't want it to be much more than 20% game time as it would likely cost us too many snaps up forward feeding off the likes of Grundy, Sideshow and Macca. Sideshow looked to be in the best nick ive seen since coming across to the Demons. This wasn't sloppy sideshow.... this was the old sideshow on steroids that we once saw at Norf when he was at his peak. Noice. Hunter looked the goods as a HF pushing back at times. This bloke can play as we know. His two way running is elite, he finds space and creates options out wide and his delivery coming inside is a step up from most at the club along with the likes of Spargo and Kozzie. A nice addition indeed. Nibbler. Looked to be in fine fettle. That goal he kicked from 45 out or so was like a dart. Doubt he would've even made the distance last year and if he did it would've usually shanked left. Choco? Having said that, there did appear to be a bit of a gale heading to the right of screen. McVee. Wow. Just everywhere down back. A slightly smaller foil for roaming Rick? However he is also capable of beating his opponent one v one. Probably needs a year or so in the system and it was only the Aints but still. Nice prospect on our hands.... plus Disco waiting in the wings. Disco. A little raw but also stood out in the second half B section. Moniz. As per disco. Macca early looked ok. Think he may have been switched back to dover and injured Lever at one point. Looks out of sorts back there for mine. Rivers. Some surprise time in the middle and even pushed forward for the big bomb from 55 at one stage. Looked slick and fitter / stronger than last season. Tracc. Limited game time but was clearly a notch above everyone on the park. Physically appears to be back to his bustling bullocking 2021 best and raring to go. Potential Chas material for mine if the body holds up! THE BAD... Too much down the line not enough run & carry. Ok so happy to see how the Gawn/Grundy combo works here. It might and we have nothing to worry about. Also have BBB as an option to take the odd grab which is another plus. But just hope this isn't our main go to and we're looking to switch inside or just switch across HB alot more often as teams did to us on many occasions last season and found us out. Harmes... usually takes 2 to 3 matches to find form but sadly he looked very ordinary for mine. Fingers crossed he will step up as he gets more game time. A little too much bombing in straight lines without lowering the vision and going to a short option.... or just propping and looking to switch it around the arc till an opening arises. Patience vs pound it in there on the top of eveyone's head a little more often pls coach! Possession also helps the mids and defenders to recoup and defend a little bettef if we do turn it over coming inside. Run & Gun off HB is fine and we do it well.... just want ro see a little bit more clever use and finesse at times. Looking at the likes of Viney, Tracc & Clarry here in particular. They've got the basis of a great game within them. That's a given. Now can we add a layer of finesse coming inside or around the arc with those last kicks / handballs pls! THE UGLY... The bulk of the B team. Aside from Disco, Piggy & Moniz i didn't see much there at all although there was plenty of newbies so not saying its a complete flop with the rest either. Tommo... been a great clubman but boy, if you're getting beat by some of the second rungs from the B team of a pretty ordinary club well.... THE OPPOSITION Phillipou.... WOW!. What a lovely footballer the Aints have their hands on here it would seem. The next Kouta but more a medium forward? If he's this good at this age the sky's the limit. Early days and not getting too carriex away juat yet but lip smacking stuff for mine. Steele played a handy game. Higgins ok. Meh to the rest! So it was only the Saints...and it was a scratch hit out. Reserving my judgement to where we are at as it's obviously just the warm ups but.... i have to say there where a number who looked VERY rusty who would want to make some decent progress in the coming weeks / months form wise if we're to go places this season and have a real crack at another GF.