Demon Dynasty

2 hours ago, Demonstone said: I can no longer find this last post... Saying "the decision to depart was mutual" might infer that Harmes was also wanting out. Nothing could be further from the truth. Heart & soul Demon through & through. It was well reported at the time that looking at alternatives and leaving was not his preferred course.

Better but only off a very big low against the Roos im afraid DZ. As per 2024, there is so far, just too much being left to too few. And no semblance of any method / manner in which we are trying to play the game. There's just nothing there to hold our hat on and say "i can see what they're looking to build" or "we just need to fill these two or three holes with better players coming back from injury" (or trade them in mid-season or year's end). Also can you tell me one aspect of our game and OF the game of Aussie Rules that we look good / strong at please? I can't see it. Maybe our season starts this week against the Cats and we'll pull off a miraculous upset. There's absolutely zero expectations from anyone so there is no external pressure at all that's for sure.

I would guess most fans don't care about love-ins and whether we are "getting around Goody/Richo" with a Kumbaya Culture Titan. Bottom line, most would probably just wanna see a maniacal never say die white line fever effort from the 22 that run out week in week out for four quarters regardless of injuries, off field issues and any other extraneous factors. The last two weeks have been anything but, aside from a few personal exceptions in an individual sense player wise. Unaccountable, amateurish footy has crept into the group and it's completely unneceptable. Even Simon jumped in there with the nonsense Max comments. Amateur stuff from the leader with the Cap having to cover for him and try to explain it in the press afterwards. The is not presently an AFL footy team. It's a rabble seemingly in free fall looking on. And Brad's still talking finals! My god. Talk about deluded. How about we just try and get this week right!

Why are we (seemingly) not into Matty Rowell big time??

Also ...Guess when Brissy's losing streak ended in a Flag worthy display at the G that showed they were anything but done. The Hawks were also coming off a long rebuild and still putting the pieces together to get off the bottom. You could also start to see a style and method in the way Mitchell was pushing them to play. Some of the comparisons on here are just clutching at straws. Our last 18 weeks have been nothing short of an abomination. We have no strength in any aspect of the game and oppo teams know this. They just play their own game / methods and style knowing we'll eventually capitulate in the 2nd half. There is no fear or respect anymore from them and mediocre teams like GC are actually starting to bully us off the ball etc. I can handle having a sub standard list. That was always bound to happen at some point and a mini rebuild or more needed. But it's the way too many in this team put up the white flag, don't play for each other, play with almost zero care, fail to show g&d and slip into amateur footy too often that's unneceptable for mine. Casey's list is in a similar position at the moment. Actually probably more decimated in terms of top end experienced talent. But you still see them putting their bodies on the line, staying strong over the footy, sticking tackles and maintaining a structure and method that the team attempts to play to. They run in support all day getting numbers to the contest. The attitude is still solid and they stick at it all day.

Mate Greeny's a lovely fellow and was a great player. One of my favs and loved watching him play. But he aint listening and is all aboard. Even offering to give hugs & cuddles to Simon & Richo if they're ever feeling a little bit overwhelmed at any point. Maybe it's just me and my old school ways, but this kumbaya culture (epidemic) that appears to have permeated through the club is def not my thing. At this rate the entire club will end up shutting up shop and having to take stress leave. Maybe they could all head down to Rye for a few weeks of TLC and spas together and just forfeit our next few games. Or send Whitford and the Casey boys in as replacements.... actually you know what

Stating the obvious but you do need to have the cattle with the mindset and often the talent capable of executing under pressure. Surely part of the capability to execute is on the coach and his program? Of course some have a natural capability / talent to bring it from track to game day consistently. While some don't and may need alot of extra work on the track. Others less gifted may not make it at all no matter how much work is done. Alot of this above the shoulders of course. No doubt a very tough gig but they are getting paid to do a job. And so are Simon, Richo, Line Coaches etc. And some of the less talented will make up for this with massive effort that can sometimes see them outperforming even the more innately talented around them. Swooper was one helluva coach in this regard in terms of seemingly getting so much extra effort and performance (white line fever!) out of what appeared to be some meat n potatoe players that may not have made it under a less capable coach.

Edit: ..."The Sun's Top 6 Rating was substantially ahead of our Top 6 Rating".... *To be more precise, nearly 11% ahead

Incentive based compensation Deevs. I like. I'm not sure anyone inside 50 would enjoy it much besides Koz and possibly Chin on occasions though! Salo has been solid agreed. Especially his first two games where i thought he was more adventurous and damaging with ball in hand. Against the Suns i just felt we needed alot more in terms of taking the game on eg; looking for and finding a few more targets (or to their favoured side) forward of the ball & stoppage. This aspect of his game appeared (in my eyes) to drop away from his work in the first two weeks. His meters gained over the three rounds tending to support this drop away. Salo's Meters Gained to Rnd 3, 2025 Vs the Giants 616* Vs North 305 Vs the Suns 241 *Most meters gained from either team

Round 3, 2025 MCG - Demons vs Sons Bare with me fellow minions as i have no idea how the new update will treat any of these tables. Hopefully not as badly as the opening to our 2025 season (so far). THE GOOD NEWS > After a review of my ratings table from last week, i uncovered a formula error in the Team Ratings which resulted in the Top 6 Rating vs Nth being incorrect. Our Top 6 has in fact had a major improvement over 2024's results. By roughly 21% - 22% (on average) in all three matches including against the Suns. Why is that good news you may ask. Well because the Bottom 6 is the complete opposite and is letting the team down in a massive way so far. Namely by 37% vs the Giants, 47% vs North and 40% vs the Suns. The chances of winning pretty much any AFL match with that sort of return from your bottom 6 must be very low. So the upside beckons on the return of higher rated experienced players which, in theory, should see us become much more competitive and improve our prospects of posting a few wins. We should temper any enthusiasm there though with the fact that the Suns' Top 6 Rating was a long way ahead of our Top 6 which may be a indication that their top end is a fair way ahead of ours at present. THE NOT SO GOOD NEWS Our overall Team Rating was 7% off that of the Suns. Their rating (68.6) very close to our average for 2023 (69.8). Still a fair chunk to make up here. Worse is the fact we were also approx 9% off our 2023 rating vs the Suns. As a team you probably aren't going to make that up in one week of training or even with a few experienced quality players returning. But we might be able to chip away at it over the next 4 to 6 weeks with a bit of injury luck and a few more senior players finding their best form. Tracc being one of those. We desperately need to get him back to somewhere near his 2024 average if we're to have a chance of bridging the gap. In his first three matches he has statistically been way off his 2024 levels of output but with signs of life in his last outing! ... Vs the Giants -28% Vs North -52% Vs The Suns -17% Not often you see Bowey heading the Player Ratings! Well done son. A huge improvement on his 2024 average. Langford arrives with a BANG! That is an early Clarryesque performance from the young fella. Ranking in the top 5 at this early stage is a special result indeed. Speaking of Clazz that is also not a bad effort, following on from his Number 1 BOG Rating last week against North. While a fair way off that performance, i thought he did pretty well in patches. All strength to our champ from here and fingers crossed. Demons < Subbed out TOG % > Subbed in TOG % The Suns I have no idea who the Suns brought on for Holman as sub. Any assistance here would be appreciated please... Combined Team Ratings

Yes i figured that you were sourcing from the HUN intitially but may have garnered a work around in the last season or so and managed to put it in your main post but we couldn't see it due to the upgrade. Thanks for clearing that up. Both Teams were well under the AFL average of approx 185 through the entire match which may well infer that neither team is bringing AFL level heat on its opponent. Another major worry for us for when we do run into teams that bring the average... or better, for much of a match. Confirming we do not bring pressure acceptable pressure enough of the time and will probably wilt even more when we run into the better rated opposition clubs that do bring AFL average or better. We are so far off the mark at present i reckon we might struggle against one or two of the highest rated VFL, SANFL and/or WAFL teams when they're at their very best. We do have some solid players hopefully returning here over the coming weeks so things could improve but one wonders whether it will be anywhere near enough to turn things around substantially and see us starting to post more Ws than Ls.

Mr X!! Best news all week...

The MFC is famous for pulling the trigger too early and contracting too long on coaching and player side. We are too nice and quite often pay the price. Ruthlessness is not in our DNA bar roughly Nov 2020 through late 2021. Then we seemingly got comfortable with our lot and resumed normal programing.

Yes forgot about the Kolt!

On the first part possibly but we have no way of knowing truly from the outside. It does feel that way as an onlooker though That and the feeling that some or some too many bathed in their own bath water a little too much or even a tad post 2022. Tracc has no doubt put a power of work in in the off season. I'm not sure he has the match fitness / run in the legs yet but that may be coming to him slowly as we speak. As for his accountability at 666 when he's in attendance. Don't get me started. If anyone's in doubt i would advise reviewing the tapes. Particularly in that third term when he was matched up on Miller. Miller had enough time to go shopping at his usual Woolies and visit Aldi for their super specials, one of which were some candles for his "i'm free ...yep i'm still free" kick it to me party that he threw as soon as the ball left the circle. Tracc was also very effective after the ball left the CBs in GC hands, running into his own spaces and yelling angrily at the clouds, while his direct opponent was lighting his candles and blowing them out in their forward half.

When Max says ppl have worked our plan out sure. It's been there for all and sundry to pick apart over years now. So yes it's that but hey, if you're super good at the clearance game it's still gonna be pretty hard to stop if the big four were still firing on all cylinders AND especially the designated extractors in order to get first use and more clearances. Without an effective Viney and some support from Clarry & Max, you can kiss that past effectiveness goodbye. Teams know that if they pressure the hec out of Viney and Clarry around stoppages now that we are pretty much done from a 'dominatiing or evening up the clearances' POV. Then if you add to that the fact that the oppo happens to have an extraction & clearance bull themselves plus good go to runners on the outside. Well then you're more often than not, going to struggle at 666 and around ground stoppage regardless of game style against clubs that can bring that. And most clubs have that set up now at stoppage bar a few. One that comes to mind is the Tiges but they're in full rebuild so to be expected they will struggle much of the time till they resolve this aspect. You could trial Plan B C or D and yes you might get slightly improved outcomes. But i doubt you would win more than lose or dominate many games at all. It would still be a struggle. Same with coaches. I've no doubt they could improve many other aspects of our game and probably would eg; skills, delivery i50 and forward craft / method. But your one wood would still not be competitive enough to stay in games for long enough imho unless you resolve the Viney / Clarry / Max extraction / clearance problem. Viney (so far) is miles off even on his 'ok' 2024. Clarry is no longer extracting much from what i can see. And the same with Max even though expectations for him doing so wouldn't be high to start with. We are getting broken down and grinded down at the source as matches wear past about the half way mark. Does Viney have some upside to counter this? Enough for four quarters? On his own def not it seems. With serious help from Claz or another designated extractor? Possibly! Is Claz still willing / capable? Jury out me thinks but we should have a good indication by about Rnd 8 or so. Max was but now seemingly isn't. Another one to watch in the coming block of games for mine. Extraction is not really the main game for Max anyway i wouldn't think. With any assists from the big man here probably a support or bonus factor. But if it aint Claz, who is our other go to extractor to assist and eventually replace Vines? And it has to be soon as it would appear Vines may have tipped past his prime and on the downward slide. Either that or he's just burnt out and needs a complete break from that role. Regardless who replaces? Bring Moose in from retirement maybe! (sarcasm emoji?)

That pretty much sums up the attitude since the flag. This has been our way since, where the mantra was "now we need to win one on the G for our fans". Like this was just gonna happen. They got too far ahead of themselves from then and haven't reigned their focus back to the immediate since. I know it's boring but any club or player that doesn't truly believe in "one week at a time" is most likely going to get their butt handed to them. Talk is all we do now. This senior groups' opportunity to get back to a GF on the G may well have passed them by. At least in its present iteration. If wishes were horses...

Thanks Wheelo. Are the pressure point and team pressure ratings in the latest GC post and i just can't see them or still to come?

While i'm not sure if he trained 100% pre-season for a mid-field role, my understanding is that a similar situation (allegedly) happened to another senior player a few years back, resulting in him losing confidence and form. He may well have had other issues going on but this issue allegedly played a part in his downward spiral.

Yes i'm of the belief that even if Simon hasn't lost all the players, he has gone all-in on a few and left some scratching their head and questioning "what's with the selective love-in" And you have to wonder if Simon has unfortunately crossed that very fine line of becoming too close with some (or too many) of the players and now unable to reel in those he has become too close with who are under-performing and/or unable to objectively see their performance / form for what it is and send them for a spell at Casey. As a result, complacency may have snuck into a few within this list. A few of them senior. And i suspect the rot started to set in at some point fairly early on post the flag. And once that happens others begin to question the whole set up, coaching methods and the reasoning behind it all. Not enough reward for some? Too much favouritism for others? A steady spiral downwards both in attitude, application on the track, care for fellow players. Then the 'team' ethos and hard work ethics in general start to wilt. Many start to play for themselves and their future. Survival instincts set in and playing team footy, 2nd efforts and intensity on the track start to wane. Of course it may have nothing to do with all of the above and could be just poor coaching and / or poor player form / injuries etc. Such a poor start to a season though. I highly doubt this is fixable just via a few better players coming back. A lack of intent and no white line fever from so many. The lack of confidence throughout most of the group. Inability to keep up with the oppo for more than about 2 quarters. Feels like there is so much more to this than just form & personnel. Is it mostly to do with Simon's coaching & game style? He and the players (if enough of them give a FF) have about 5 weeks or so to turn things around. The heat is well and truly on everyone within the four walls now!

ESPECIALLY FRITSCH...Time for a long spell at Casey. Make him earn it. Unaccountable footy up the field. Not willing to chase early or chase much at all. Doesn't look match fit. Zero intensity at the contest (alot of mates). Did a few good things but he is VFL level at best at present. Speaking of which. Petracca's accountability on Miller at stages of that third quarter was non-existent. Miller running amok had a field day whenever Tracc matched up on him. And he's supposed to be a senior in the team setting examples. Jokefest. Not alone but pathetic effort / attitude without the ball today. How the hell are we at game three and seemingly un prepared in so many facets... Fitness...many looked shot by about 5 minutes or so into the 3rd! Intensity at the ball Accountability without the ball Work rate without the ball in the first three quarters Skills by hand and foot (eg; Howes, Max, Viney, Tracc & Rivers) in the first three Qs. Viney's kicking coming inside 50 and disposal in general is deeplorable 🤮 Where is Lingers at? Just no impact and kicking to the wrong spots, fumbles, panic turnover king. Rivers... see Lingers Rooh....yeh nah Still unable to ice a quarter, giving up a goal in the last few seconds before three Q time. Stacks more wrong with this club at present. Whatever happened at Bright, these players have seemingly exited as not happy campers. it has not had any positive effect at all on the field and has seemingly had the opposite effect. The energy in the group appears to be one of being resolved to another hard day at the office before the first bounce! Potential Positives (some of these probably not positives, just not as negative as the really shizen negatives above).... ⭐️LANGFORD⭐️ Tracc with ball in hand at times in second half. His goal around the body in the third. Bowey in the first half and parts of the second. Sharp getting on the end of a few Clarry's second half ....better. Not a great first half but seen worse and plenty were worse. Maxy in general. Two of the worst games in succession i think i've seen him play since making it to the top. Has age finally caught up with the great man? Is Campbell an option as an assist or do we even consider rotating Max out every third week or so if he can't cope? Billings not bad or good either but what is his role? Salo... still involved but what does he bring? Has the game gone past him? Having May back Petty did ok in patches T-Mac ok in the first half aside from the awful 45 attempt in the 2nd Q which he should never ever try to pull off. Turns the ball over with those almost always. Changes.... Where do you start! Turner a must IN for Fritsch this week if Goody has any integrity at selection I'd also bring Campbell in and play Max off the bench with alot less game time in general. Max is so far off the level he can't go for more than a quarter or so with his oppo at present.

After watching Davidson tonight i reckon we need to get Mentha in asap. One more game at Casey should be enough. Subject to playing his role and performing well anyway.

Amazing from Dale there

Nicely weighted hit up kick from the young fella there. Darcy's kicking for such a tall bloke is crazy good