The Reverend

Hi OD. When we're at round 11 and we're sitting in sixth spot with seven wins and a percentage of 128.6, having just beaten the Pies by 83 points, I'll be expecting you to be eating your misplaced pessimism and washing it down with a good bottle of red. When you're done, I want to you to say these words, Here's to you Crawf! Go Dees!

Let's not wait until Hogan has an opportunity to play a game before we put all our hopes on him. This is pre-season where we become enthusiastic and wildly optimistic. I hate pragmatists and realists. Party poopers!

Hogan 80 Garlett 48 Watts/Tyson/Viney/Salem/Petracca/ 40 Kent 28 Dawes 27 JKH 25 Howe 21 Call me optimistic, call me deluded, call me unrealistic, call me stupid, but what the hell, if we don't set our expectations high we won't have anything to aim at. Of course I'm expecting too much from Jesse Hogan but sometimes dreams come true.

By 186!

They're gone. Let's wish them well and move on. There are bright things to look forward to in the next couple of years.

Effectively Farked Club?

How do we know these weren't photoshopped?

You're one small step away from redemption OD. The next step is to shout your faith to the world and stop cloaking it in doubt. Come on, do it with me - 1,2,3, GO DEES!

To truly receive the gift of redemption, one must be open to the belief that it will come. I don't want OD to be the aged loner outside the MCG crying, "Let me in", whilst the faithful whoop and holler inside.

You're being a very naughty boy. You keep this up OD and I'll have a word to my other contact and there'll be no Chrissie presents for you. Do away with your wicked pragmatism. Faith & belief, my friend.

It's going to be "crunch" time. I'm loving the look of a midfield with Jones, Tyson, Viney, Brayshaw, Petracca and Neal-Bullen. Combine this with the number of outside runners we are building and we're starting to look good. If they all come on as hoped we will be far more competitive in 2016.

My wife stopped listening to me a long time ago. The football gods on the other hand are listening. Evidence - 2014 draft and trade periods.

Believe this OD... Final quarter, 2016 preliminary final, 2 minutes to go, Dees down by 4 points to Hawthorn. Tommy Mac swoops on a loose ball in the back pocket - handpass to Oscar Mac - switches play to the members side - superb pass hits Stretch on the chest- two bounces - brutal shepherd from Petracca on Hodge - doesn't move- Stretch spots up Brayshaw in the corridor - Brayshaw takes off - shepherd on Mitchell from Neal-Bullen - doesn't get up - Brayshaw kicks inside 50 - Hogan crashes the pack- Hawk defenders spreadeagled - Petracca runs on to the loose ball - kicks from 30m - GOOOOAAAAALLLLLL! Ball is bounced in centre - Gawn taps it to Jones - handpass to Viney- on to Brayshaw - on to Petracca - Hogan marks 25 m out - kicks truly - Game over! Dees into Grand Final. Ya gotta dream big my friend.

Some people, even in the brightest of moments, just have to find a negative. C'mon, get happy. These guys may be the start of a new dynasty at Melbourne. All we need is to start winning and these guys will be with us for a long time. Best draft in a long time. The glass is overflowing!

It's made him taller!

What is watts doing with Grimes? It looks like... no, it couldn't be...tackling? Is this the shape of things to come or just a freak photo?

But it exists. It's where your avatar comes from. You must believe!

Interesting. A quick check of the EFC website reveals that there is nothing happening. No mention of any ASADA issues at all. I guess everybody else must have it wrong. According to EFC news archives there is no mention of Hird's appeal or anything else to do with their alleged indiscretions.

I don't understand the question. If you are a true Dees supporter, you sign on. Simple really. I can't see any reason not to renew. I decided a few years ago to just roll it over from year to year - no decision to make. I'm a Dees supporter thus I'm a member. Anything else is half-hearted. Do we accept half-hearted performances from our team? No. Why should it be any different for supporters? We get our arse kicked, we come back next week and have another go.

Whatever it takes....? The Appellant concludes its response by suggesting that ASADA’s argument that unlawfully obtained evidence should nonetheless be admissible, is essentially that “the end justifies the means” and that this cannot be right.

Don't worry OD, I will always be here; hovering in the ether, waiting for something worth commenting on. It's a pity some others on here don't understand the value of words and are happy to fritter them away. They'll be sorry one day when they have none left.

As one of those eternally disappointed but ever optimistic Demon supporters, I am looking forward to 2015 with my usual outward enthusiasm but, I'm also embarrassed to say, also with some internal trepidation. Can it be any worse than the last eight years? Probably not. The problem is that the competition now demand constant improvement and we are still in catch up mode. I'm not convinced we can hope for significant improvement next year but I will echo my wish for the 2014 season which was that we narrow the margin between our best and our worst. I think that's a reasonable starting point. Who knows, with a little luck we may see things turn around to the point where we can head to the G with some realistic belief that we are in with a chance on most occasions. This would be enough for me. Six to eight wins would, all thing considered, be a fair result. I can't bring myself to seriously entertain finals in 2015 but my optimism allows me to indulge in flights of fancy during which I dare to dream of what it might be like. Excuse me while I get off the fence. That's better. What the hell? I'm on the bandwagon! Let the giant stretch its limbs.

I'm glad you were able to admit your error. Well done! Not so impressed with your name calling but hey, sticks and stones, etc. Enjoy your day.

As opposed to someone who kicks it beautifully but can't get it?

It's difficult to say "sarcasm" with one's tongue in one's cheek. Even harder to convey it in text sometimes. Let's just say I'm bitterly disappointed in the way it's all worked out. I thought he was better than that. It makes me want to have the No. 11 retired so that it can never be trashed again. Having said that, we do need to move on and let our actions on the field do our talking.