Demon Dynasty

The modern game demands a fairly neutral outcome from defenders when we dont have the ball and then creating run/carry/space and accurate execution when we get It. If you could marry Dunn/Garland with the likes of H (or a more dangerous HB offensively like a Burgoyne) then we are talking seriously potent backs a la Gibson. The trouble Is we dont and finding/developing such well polished but damaging (offensively) defenders Isn't so easy. I suspect this Is why our "one sided" (Ie; quite good at defending or attacking/disposal but not solid with both) defenders are constantly being dropped/selected and will no doubt continue unless others eventually step up and provide the right balance.

Agree with this. They have both been fantastic servants of the club through extremely trying times but their form so far this year hasn't been up to an acceptable standard. Dunn's best Is better than anything Garland has offered up but unfortunately for him, It has only appeared during one or two matches. I think Dunn has the potential to up the ante' If he wanted to but he seems very underwhelmed/disinterested during most games so far. I don't think Omac offers anything greater at this early stage either except a bit of youthful exuberance and possibly something better than the above after another 40 to 50 games (or more).

Some people still believe In political party spin OD!

The scoop throw and flick throw have been in use for years. I would say Essendrug/Weagles started experimenting with it in the mid 2000s and Hawks/Cats/Swannies caught up with it big time a few years after. I have no doubt they use these methods in general disputed ball "congestion" training as well as dropping the knees/shrugging for the high tackle. In addition most clubs drop their knees and flop forward to the ground when in possesion /on the run as soon as they sense a tackle from behind looking for the in the back. Most umps have at least woken up to this one however. I have never seen the Demons do any of this professional free & scoop/throw work prior to this year. Ive seen the shrug this year on a few occasions. I have said for years that if you are to move the ball "AWAY" from and "QUICKLY" out of congestion to have an effective spread and move the ball quickly enough into the 50 to be as competitve as these clubs we would have to start using these techniques and move into the 21st century with the other top clubs who have been doing so for over a decade. No doubt the Hawks assistant coaches are now using/training the same techniques. No coincidence that the Doggies and to a lessor extent the Blues (surprise packet so far) are doing so well since these assistants have taken over.

Agree Jaded. Just hit London this time last night. Only managed the first half score before finally getting a UK sim for the web and saw the end result. Was like seeing 2 different teams. At half time I thought 50/50 coin flip but was thrilled to finally see a break out 2nd half result for a change. Still, want to see at least 3 or more in a row to believe we've finally turned the consistency/decent team corner who can challenge most teams outside of the top 6 on our day. The highlights were super though ...apart from Garland's first quarter handball brain fade! Tracc's head wobble after his 2nd goal lol. Not much to see in highlights of Watts. How did he fare I wonder?

Tees is that a big fat one you're holding up to your lower lip? Only asking as it would seem to be the only plausible explanation for accidental inclusion of the number four in your post up there.

I'm afraid Bud was as good as one can get Maple. Maybe the choices would have been better from business class but beggars can't be choosers. My biggest concern is, how do these travel companies determine that say, Bud, is a better brew than Coopers et al when it clearly isn't. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say or in this case the "beerdrinker"

Skuit I am certain Prague has many a dongle. That's the little arm they use to pull a lovely beer on tap I'm guessing? And boy do they have some amazing beer at decent rates also. Some of it not so great either but mostly it's first class. Certainly helps one to forget the ravages of yet another loss to the Saints. Continuing my beer chase from old London which I arrived in this arvo. Have already savoured something called a Young's "special ale" which was pretty scrumptious, followed by a lowenbrau. Both very nice but I think I preferred the special. The other gave me a brain freeze. Luke warm tends to go down pretty easy here I must admit.

Where's the media management on this? Dont understand why a club who hasn't acheived anything In a decade Is allowed to talk this rubbish In the media. MFC still hasnt learned and theyve had 10 years to try and fix crap talk like that

Memory who? 5 goals... defence has broken down. Uncontested down by 63 ouch

They dont have a rated ruckman and still killing us

Saints 8.3 from clearances Reiwoldt 14 scoring involvements....always kills us as no one can go with him Would love to see our tackle count....we putting enough pressure on?

Saints were 6th next behind us at 5th In clearances till last week so this game was always gonna be close, especially with only 5 day break and home game at the Saints home ground. Shld have played Clarry for Ben Ken IMO. One extra Mid field rotation.

Any chance of this working In Prague for Saturday's clash? :-S

Rank him 7th in our best up to Rnd 5 (weighted stat averages). Best averages ranking of all defenders. Last game was a gem. Keeper. Next victim?

That's an extremely risky option Maple. Are you sure there won't be major collateral damage assocIated with this zany suggestion?

I agree but the choices were limited to that or soapy water (Heineken) Maple :-S

He will need to be very careful turning corners If/when he gets a wheelchair heming

Emirates didn't have banana milkshakes but I found something beginning with B... endIng In "Weiser" does that count? Can I mIx 2 or 3 In milk? o_O

Great news. Need the back up just in case. As good as Big Boy or just below. Go Spencil

I'm thrilled for Tracc but i won't be here also. Last minute packing for Europe as i type. Do they sell dongles in Prague? Then there's the coverage!??

That's brilliant just saw that. Ty!

Why so many forwards were kicking100 plus i guess. Plus the delivery was more accurate as well, even we were hitting up regular on the lead back then as you can see by those highlights. There was the opportunity to execute on match day more often and not just on the training track which probably helped. We are slowly getting better at it now as a team but i haven't seen much of it until this year. Great to see the improvement though. Teams clog up more effectively now of course so much harder to find these spaces and targets. But...if you're willing to work your bum off and lead up/back enough (and you're also reasonably accurate) and if others in the forward line do their thing to create fat sides/keep spaces free, blocks etc then guys up the field will tend to look for you more often and get used to doing the looking/passing (as a first option). It then becomes a first choice habit rather than regular first choice bombing as we were prone to do mostly for so many years prior to this. Provided the ball is moved quickly enough off HB of course. This is where the likes of Harmes and in particular Wagner, Hunt and the Big H have been very handy for us so far and why calls from some on here to drop them (or some of them) are misguided. Their speed across the ground and speed of transition is invaluable and a must in today's game in order to beat the zones/press before the opponent has had enough time to set it correctly and gives our forwards a decent chance of kicking big ones from higher percentage spots i50. Watts has been doing that a little more this year with pretty good results so far. Hogan a little also but not sure he has the tank and break away power to make an impact on the lead (on a regular basis) just yet. Should come with enough hard work and another pre season or two and a more mature head (having the King in his ear should hopefully fast track his development here a little).

Go the Bugg!!