Lucifers Hero

Mr d are you Ethan's alter ego? He seems to have disappeared from DL this year...

They will raise the importance of 'potential to cause injury/do damage' criteria up a few notches. That is one of the arguments they used with May a few years ago. Has rarely been used since by the MRO or Tribunal. Wait! I think they did use in the ANB 'dangerous tackle' case last year to give him 4 weeks instead of 2 or 3. In other words it is the 'Demons' rule: 'if we can make an example of them we will'!

Robbo was talking about player mind set. It is a timely warning from Robbo - the back half of our season will be a lot harder than the first as we play the better sides and we play interstate every other week. Injuries are starting to happen. Youngsters will tire. Lots of things can derail our season. If the right mind set isn't there the team, structures and systems won't protect us. Players just can't get ahead of themselves.

I'm guessing the memberships with GF guarantee are selling like hot cakes. Edit: I just had a look at all the membership packages that include the guarantee and each one shows 'Limited Availabilty'. So if anyone wants one ring the club quickly!

Paddy is in a bit of strife: mccartin-sent-to-vfl-tribunal-for-brutal-strike It seems so unlike him one has to wonder if the concussion or medication have affected his judgement and/or his moods. I know those things aren't an excuse but I really feel for him.

Coaches Votes 10 Bayley Fritsch (MELB) 8 Ben Cunnington (NMFC) 3 Aaron Hall (NMFC) 3 Christian Salem (MELB) 3 Christian Petracca (MELB) 2 Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) 1 Luke Jackson (MELB) Great to see our young guns Pickett and Jackson amongst the votes Coach Split 5/5 Fritsch 4/4 Cunnington 3/0 or 0/3 or 2/1 for Hall or Salem or Petracca 2/0 Pickett 1/0 Jackson Again coaches agree on top 2 or 3. Leader Board 38 David Mundy FRE 34 Max Gawn MELB 34 Hugh McCluggage BL 34 Ollie Wines PORT 33 Jack Macrae WB 31 Christian Salem MELB 31 Samuel Walsh CARL 28 Touk Miller GCFC 28 Christian Petracca MELB 28 Taylor Walker ADEL 26 Clayton Oliver MELB 24 Tom Hickey SYD 24 Jaeger O'Meara HAW 23 Toby Greene GWS 23 Jacob Hopper GWS Unless his form drops off, Salem has to be in AA contention - the only AFL defender on that list. But the 'selectors' tend to select their favourite midfielders and put them in AA positions they rarely if ever play in. He would be right up there with a chance to win the Bluey this year.

The defender continually held him down by the hips, out of sight of the umpires, which prevented Brown from getting separation or jumping at the ball. Also his knee may not yet be strong enough to run, turn, leap or withstand the pressure when he lands. The benefit of his presence was it took one or two defenders which allowed Fritsch to roam freely until North realised who was doing the damage and double teamed Fritsch. From a team view I thought the role he played and 2 goals was a good debut by Brown.

Two points on the game: 1. North have one of the worst snipers in the league: Cunnington! He will set out to inflict as much damage as possible to our stars, mostly off the ball/behind play. He can't be allowed to get away with those antics. Our players need to rally early to protect each other. 2. We have had a few slow starts and had to come back to win. This is a game where I really wants us to come out firing in the first quarter: not just play well but kick straight. Nothing like scoreboard pressure. This is the first time I've been nervous about a game, this year. I think we will win but I'll be glad when the final siren blows.

The universal love on here for Jesse is heartwarming. Also heartwarming is this story of how he has settled into Mummy's family life, courtesy of Mummy's granny flat. how-mumford-and-sons-became-hogan-s-heroes I must admit I was worried early this year when I read he had moved into Mummy's granny flat given the 'white powder' stories about Mumford a few years ago mumford-breaks-silence Now, it seems to be working well for everyone. Other than when he stayed with a Dees host family when first coming over as a 17 year old, he would not have had much in the way of family life or the support, comfort and structure such provides. As he became independent and life's trials beset him its understandable that he became somewhat directionless, or least that is how it looks from the outside. Now he is 26 the age where he and others are maturing. He has shown true grit and resilience to endure all that he has and be on the cusp of fulfilling his potential. I am rapt that he has found a 'home' with Mummy's family (an ironic nickname in the context of this story) and will delight in watching him play (except against us). Overall, I just hope Jesse is happy ?. Just love the guy ❣️

I think we will win but the game will be a different type of challenge as Paul Roos is their coach's mentor and may well be sitting in their coaches box today. He knows the weaknesses of our best players and will know how to exploit them and/or neutralise their strengths. So we need to be alert to any left field tactics they might bring. A bit more nervous about this game than the ladder suggests. As an aside, loved seeing Roos seek out Jetta on the field after the VFL game the other evening. Jetta's revival under Roos is one of our best and endearing success stories.

Collingwood don't have their 'natural' second round pick either.

My apology. I didn't know he had written 'picture books' so thought it was a vague reference to premiership medals/GF photos. LOL amazing what we can convince ourselves of when something doesn't 'make sense'. I think we are on the same page - no pun intended!

I would suggest one or two of those AA's were 'gifts' and Rance has only one 'picture hook'/premiership medal. Don't care about the AA's but would be very happy for Jake to surpass Rance's medal count. Plenty of time for Jake to do that.

Some of his apparent reticence to attack/pressure the ground ball/player could be physical in that he has had a a few hip issues which may make it difficult to bend down. I agree that there may be a psychological component (I'm no pyschologist), regarding injury not so much the injury/hurt per se but the consequence is that he misses more games, something he would desperately not want. The dilemma for us is that we can only carry one tall forward with poor defensive/pressure and ground abilities and that is B Brown. So Sam needs to play more like TMac (not in position necessarily but in pressure applied). As an aside, I would like to see Sam stay as TMac and B Brown are edging onto 30. Whether we can keep him if he doesn't get senior games who knows. There are a lot of teams who would be keen for a young tall fwd: Pies, Ess, Cats, Rich. Sam may look at offers where he can get more senior games. Like us other teams can carry a tall fwd with poor defensive and ground abilities so could more easily fit him into their structures.

Read my post again. I said Lever is better than Rance at the same age. He was an AA in his early 20's before cruelled by injuries for several years and and will have more AA's before he retires. Compare them then and I won't be the one looking like a fool.

If correct, this has a Dusty type deal written all over it: 7 years with very significant dollars. Dusty signed during the finals of 2017, before he won 3 premiership and 3 Norm Smith medals. Not suggesting the Dees or Petracca will achieve the same but he could be that player if we make the GF's. Dusty's manager shopped him around to extract every last dollar from Richmond. Going on media reports Grundy played hard ball and extracted a 7 year rather than 4- years the pies wanted.Have no reason for thinking this but I don't see Petracca or his manager as those types. I'm confident a fair and fanfare less deal will be struck I would be ok with 7 years on whatever the club decides/agrees with Christian. They won't compromise the list or the sal cap for one player, no matter how good he is. I just hope we aren't doing much 'back-ending' of contracts to keep everyone.

Lever isn't a sniper like Rance, nor does he spit the dummy like Rance. Much better than Rance at the same age. Give me Jake any day.

Given another posters comment that Rivers needs resting I'm wondering if he might be the medisub. Then slightly different roles for Jones and Melksham.

I really like playing Brisbane in Alice. Local folks don't have an allegiance to them like they did to the SA or WA teams which didn't feel like 'Home' games. I would expect they will be madly in love with Kozzie and he may even win some over to become long term Dees fans. I can see lots of Dees jumpers with 36 on the back!

Another of my 'priority' signing locked away: Updated for James Jordon re-signing till 2023. Edit: Correction for duplication of Spargo and Sparrow as advised by @whatwhat say what

Very pleased. Because we delisted him and made him a rookie in 2020 he would have been an FA this year and gone anywhere. Great to see our investment in and support through injury of another youngster yielding rewards for him and the club.

I wasn't referring to political risk. My point was about payment of the match fee. If they lock them North out they should still pay them the money, whatever the reason.

Votes 10 Christian Salem (MELB) 7 Christian Petracca (MELB) 6 Jake Lever (MELB) 3 Clayton Oliver (MELB) 2 Max Gawn (MELB) 2 Tom McDonald (MELB) Good to see Hardwick didn't favour one of his own. Huge endorsement for our team. Split by Coach 5/5 Salem 4/3 Petracca 4/2 Lever 3/0 Oliver 2/0 or 1/1 Gawn or McDonald LeaderBoard Four demons in the top 10 38 David Mundy FRE 34 Max Gawn MELB 33 Jack Macrae WB 31 Ollie Wines PORT 28 Christian Salem MELB 28 Taylor Walker ADEL 26 Clayton Oliver MELB 25 Hugh McCluggage BL 25 Christian Petracca MELB 24 Jaeger O'Meara HAW

You are very quick NC! I moved the post to the Post Game thread. Unfortunately, Max is no longer in the lead. Decided to be a bit humble and left out e that mischievous line. They have a few more players in the 11-20 range

I moved the post on the Coaches votes to the Post Game thread.