Demon Dynasty

What you talkin' bout Mr Leg... The Toump was blisteringly fast!

Pretty accurate call by AJ. Matt was ok when receiving the ball well in the clear and on the move going forward. In other words he looked better on the run coming i50. Couldnt hit the scoreboard very well when he had the opp himself though. In a 50/50 contest he quite often froze and just took the tackle rather than using other alternatives such as agility/skills or quick reflexes and decision making to release the ball to someone in a better position (or loose) with hand ball or by foot. He did this on occasions and when he did he showed signs but was just unable to do it often enough or to a high enough standard to cut the mustard. If caught down back he would also suffer a little too often from poor decision making if the heat was on (which it usually is down back of course). Some of the above negatives were on show again last week. I think the fact it was VFL level only, sealed his fate. Showed glimpses and a decent servant. Good luck to him wherever he goes from here.

A must get IMO for all the above reasons. You left out one aspect Dazzle..... He's a dead eye dick in front of goal! Something you can't buy in today's game where most players are about 50/50 and many others extremely unreliable (i wont point any fingers!). If you want some reward on the end of all our hard work....plus all of the above, Tim Smith is a must. However, no point if his heart isn't in it. Has to obviously want the challenge and be willing to work his ass off pre season. The step up is pretty harsh. In addition he would be a nice fit in the salary cap. How he is not on a list yet but many others (who shall remain nameless) are, is astounding.

I think what we saw on the day was their potential or lack thereof in many cases bj. In a GF you get to see where your team is truly at, warts and all, regardless of the standard of the Comp. They are either up to the task or they aren't and that includes their ability to handle the heat of a big match day, above the shoulders. If you then move that heat and intensity up another notch (or maybe not dissimilar in intensity) into say a big match day at AFL level or even a final, then that probably tells you how capable many on the list are, or not, as the case may be. Too many so called seasoned players went missing and looked super slow with with both decision making and execution in most cases. Many just hit the panic button far too often offf HB and in the few center contests which we won, bombing it to an unmanned doggie sweeper sitting off the press or the loose man across HB. We didn't have enough run or ability to escape the tackler in enough 50/50 contests which were won and there weren't many of those which were won! The doggies out tackled us and we were the best tackling team all year. That means we were too slow to spread and escape the congestion quickly enough or cleanly enough (skills) vs our opponent and possibly over hand balled due to that inability to escape after getting first use. A similar scenario to the Swans match earlier in the season at AFL level? And lets give the Doggies a big tick, they performed in this area to a much higher standard and consistency on clearance work and spread. It would also seem Plapp had one game style with no defensive plan B to halt a run on; ie., even a basic one like stack/flood the backline or go man on man from the center down to the backline. Add an extra number at the contest and at least force the dogs into more potential turnovers under increased pressure around the ball for a short time and see whether this changes things. Our rucks also got slaughtered which didn't help matters. As someone said here earlier Minson took front position in most of the around the ground rucking contests and gained a big advantage for himself and the team as a result. I though Dunn was stellar in 50/50 contests given the amount of ball coming in. However, he lets himself and the team down far too often with blind bombing to a contest or anywhere in some cases and an inability (or lack of presenting by fellow players on the lead?...maybe combo of both) to hit short targets who can then clear the ball well beyond the paint/danger of 50 odd meters. I would say the only pass marks or decent players on the day were Weeds (in the first half only...no tank yet), Ben Ken's first half, Clarry for most of the day (although even he bombed a little too often for my liking and also gave a few handballs straight to the opposition) and Dunn in 50/50 contests where he slaughtered his opponent/s. Joel Smith was just ok IMO and a slim pass. Tim Smith presented and competed well along with his 3 goals. Hullett not bad in the first half but his finish really let him and team down. Newton tried hard in the first half and went missing along with most others in the second. For me that was about it and i would only see Joel Smith (not as optimistic as some on here though), Weed and Clarry (obviously) as potential AFL options going forward from that match (Clarry a cert of course). I have seen something in McInerny before the GF game (a glimmer only at this point!) but he is still 2 pre-seasons away (at least) from impacting or being able to show what he's got. It's fair to say that there's probably only a handfull of players outside of our regular 22 that are serious contenders for a regular seniors berth. We will need to recruit extremely well in the next 2 years to have any show of making finals on a regular basis in the next decade. Having said that, if all goes well injury wise next year we might scrape in but we will need as much luck as this year on that front to do so and some better second halfs from the likes of Bernie and a more consistent output from fringe players like Jeffy, Wagner, Vanders, Pedo and Ben Ken to name a few. Remembering that we are also likely lose the likes of top up type players like H and Dawes. Other old regulars (pre 2016) like Matty, Garland, Dunn, Trenners (injury ridden limited opp i realise) and Grimesy have either already gone or unlikely to be in our 22 on anything other than a last resort basis. We are putting some big bets on many youngsters to continue on the improvement ladder next year to have any show of a finals berth in 2017. List needs a major injection of speed, skills and clever (experienced) decision makers under pressure to take that next step IMO. We have Malk and possibly Hibb as possible additions here but we won't know what they'll bring till the season's well under way assuming theyre's both in and fully fit.

Sylvia this match is THE match. If you are outscored in the premiership quarter by your opponent 8 to zip and you don't think you have problems then as a club....you have problems. You could play this match with the same lists 10 times and The Doggies would win it 10 times. List still needs a major clean up if the seniors are ever to impact and make finals We had very few injuries this year. Our depth wasn't tested much so we felt reasonably comfortable with what we did see at AFL level at times.

Hey don't bring our Womens team into this comparison! Doing ok, although even they got beaten by the Doggies

Yep, if you can't find the run and spread as well as the inside clearances you are toast at both AFL and VFL level. Been that way for a few years now. Doggies have a great balance here. Minson has killed Spencil. McInerny isn't up to this level to help out either. Our 3 talls in Spencil, McInerny and Weeds (first half excluded) have been unable to impact. Their talls have had a say.

I don't think they were ever got close enough often enough Akum

Can't hit targets by foot often enough either....too many hackers

Casey have no run at all. Hand balling too often to stationary players only a meter away then stop prop hand ball to another stationary target.

And there goes the Cup

Doggies have run em ragged....game has probably gone

Getting smashed in the middle.....wonder what the clearances are

Havent seen Keilty much ....Matty Jones ....still can't impact a 50/50, even at this level

touched...horrible umpiring

Trenners is still pedestrian slow and super slow at assessing and decision making sadly

Doggies must be training a similar manic handball in confined spaces at VFL level like the seniors. Hands around the congestion are much cleaner

Grimes OOTF... wonder how many of those he's had in his career... our defence has been hammered with so many entries in this match. Done well so far to hold back the tide

Would give Abbey Holmes a run also...

Smith pressure!!!

They have been cleaner around the ball and better on spread till this point

Most intense game i've seen from Ben Ken this year at any level...he's added something around the packs and his attack on the ball carrier is solid....Newton as well in this area

The WEED!

Garlo Dunny And Hutchins down back ....like a brick walll... MUNRO ughhhh