Lucifers Hero

Don't worry about it. There was a big outcry in the media https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-finals-2018-hawthorn-v-melbourne-contact-below-the-knees-sliding-rule-slammed/news-story/aad4610d15ccf7bddff3e09c92445e83 No need for us to add to the noise. We won regardless of the umpires. Our leaders are being humble and contained. They know bagging umpires gets you nowhere. Let the football do the talking! Edit: This probably belongs in the Post Game or the Umpires thread.

Is the 20th, the 1958 Grand Final, when they stopped us winning 5 flags in a row? Sam's grandad, Murray Weideman was their captain and kicked the winning goal. Our 1964 Premiership players are still filthy about missing that flag. Then we beat them in the our last flag in 1964. With that rich history and young Sam Weideman in our team there would be much symbolism if the old rivalry was relit in a GF of Dees vs Pies - Would love to beat them again.

There was a game early in 2014 (rnd 2 I think) vs WCE. Frawley barely jogged after his forward. Put in no effort at all. He stamped his own papers that day. Thereafter, Roos rarely played him in defence and started rebuilding our backline with players in it for the long term. Frawley has the comfort of his medal. Jones has the comfort of the esteem in which he is held by everyone past and present at mfc.

Don't have HS access but think this was it - McDonald: "I was getting a bit nervous. A few of the Hawthorn players were telling us, 'don't choke now', but luckily we kicked the next couple to shut them up pretty quick," Great response from the Dees!! Actions speak louder than words! http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-09-15/last-trip-west-a-turning-point-mcdonald

How good was the banner? Our Town. Our turf. Our Team. Our Time! Folks, I think we have reclaimed The 'G' as 'Our Turf'! And no-one but the Demons can call this city 'Our Town'. What a great time to be a Dee fan!

Changing of the guard time: :...for the first time since 2002 next week's preliminary finals will be played without either Hawthorn, Geelong or the Sydney Swans participating". Isn't that a bl00dy good thing!! Time for the young pups to take over! Like us, yeah! For all the heartache we have been through to have had a successful rebuild and be in the position we are now to take on the newcomers is awesome.

Sorry, can't share this love for Eddie. In 2010 when they made finals he said something like: "if you jump on the Pies bandwagon now, you are not a supporter. We don't need you". Well same to you Eddie. We don't need you on our Demon bandwagon. He will quickly turn tail if we play the Pies in a few weeks. He is a phoney.

2018: Yes, definitely for weeks 1 to 3. Assume so for the GF. Club is sending emails on Monday on how members pre-register for GF tickets. 2019: Check membership package details when released. If you want to track what is happening with 'Finals Tickets' keep an eye on that thread. Hope that helps.

Back to this week: GWS vs Coll. Would prefer GWS to beat our arch enemy and I reckon they have a better chance of knocking off the Tigers in their Prelim!

Shame the Tigers aren't playing this weekend. Injury concerns: Dusty has a corked thigh from last week. Rioli sent off for scans after hurting his finger at training. Lambert left training early and limped off. They all seem fairly minor and will be ok for their Prelim. Damn it! They have been blessed with injuries to first and second string players. Surely, lady luck needs to go elsewhere now. She has helped the Tigers enough!

Importantly, Gaff's dad is rehab and recovering. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-09-14/stuff-to-think-about-gaff-confirms-roos-interest Gaff has been back in Perth for the last few weeks and it looks like he is planning to stay at the Eagles. The 26-year-old has had plenty to consider since his season-ending suspension and father Paul's recent heart scare, but hoped to remain an Eagle beyond 2018. "Yeah, I hope so. It's still something we're working through with my management and the club," Gaff told radio station Mix 94.5. If he does, good on him for spurning the North $.

Updated for Vince's retirement ?, Oscar's contract renewal? and Bradtke joining us in November. Have also updated the format to show player status and to track list changes, vacancies, ins/outs, draft picks. In terms of list changes - we have eight listed players and three 'A' Rookies out of contract. We must take 3 players in the draft (which could be a rookie conversion to senior list). Based on performace in recent weeks a contract for Vandenberg to be a no-brainer. And given other recent selections JKH and T Smith appear likely to be contracted. We don't have a strong draft hand and with the AFL's largesse in dispensing priority picks and favourable FA compensation picks plus Academy and Father/Son picks our first pick is likely around pick 40! No mail, but I am expecting some contracted players to be traded out if the right opportunity comes up. However, I doubt there will be many (or any) that will want to go.

May will get to his club of choice this year even if traded while in contract. He doesn't need to be declared an FA. That deal is dressed up to help GCS but is really being brokered to help the receiving club (Collingwood in the box seat with Hawthorn next in line) as they get May free. The AFL should just give GCS a priority pick and make Collingwood/Hawthorn trade for May. This benefits GCS a lot more (with picks 2, 3, 4 and the May 1st round pick) and maintains some semblance of integrity (yes, an oxymoron word in the AFL) around the FA rules. If the AFL agree to that suggestion, the slippery slope just got slipperier! What do they do the next time a player wants to break a contract to become an FA so he can go to his preferred club which he can do via a trade anyway. This is really not the time for AFL expediency. The sooner they make receiving FA clubs 'pay' in draft picks or draft points the better. Edit: Posted below by Redleg that AFL have rejected the scheme. A relief!

Forecast for the rest of Friday Max 22 Sunny. Chance of any rain: 5% Melbourne area: Sunny. Winds northerly 25 to 35 km/h. @ 8pm: Temp- 18, 5% rain, 16km/h wind. Stays like that for the whole game. Rain forecast to bucket down shortly after midnight! Perfect weather for a night game! Go Dees!

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2018-09-14/neale-daniher-visits-melbourne Neale talking to the lads. Sad to watch but great that he is part of this campaign. His basic message: Actions speak louder than words. I like that he calls on the boys to go another notch; they know they have another notch.

Saints are also puzzling. They have picks 3, 57, 61, 63 and somehow they are planning to trade in Hannebery! Their list is going to be a mess next year. While Freo have a few stars and a few in the making both will be on the bottom rungs of the ladder for quite a while. Both Freo and Saints traded are very good examples of future pick trading gone badly wrong.

Not sure Clarkson will concede the clearances!! Concede the hitouts, yes. Concede the clearances, no. In round 4 they thrashed us in clearances. Max won the hitouts hands down (72 to 34) but it was the Hawks who waltzed off with the ball - 56 clearances to 38. They thrashed us with uncontested possessions by kicking/marking rather than handballing so no opportunity for us to tackle/contest. It is the same formula most of the top sides used to beat us during the H&A games. Clarkson knows they can't compete once the ball hits the deck and will do everything possible to control the ball (targetted kicks/mark) and control the tempo. He doesn't want to be dragged into what is being called a 'chaos' style of play. That starts with clearances and he will have a plan to neutralise Max again. We are not the team that lost in round 4 and our coaches won't be experimenting with tricky maneuvers eg no wingmen (a crazy idea that thankfully was ditched after one try), players in unfamiliar positions, Harmes in the ruck, aggressive high press etc. And, Goodwin will be ready for the 'neutralise Max' strategy. So my view is it will be won in the middle. We just need to make sure that if we tag and contain Mitchell the likes of Shiels, Breust and Isaacs don't run rampant and dominate the clearances. If we stop their midfield we win!! Edit: Just saw this article https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-360-the-loss-of-injured-hawk-jaeger-omeara-leaves-a-big-whole-in-hawthorns-midfield/news-story/38d58764dc8e2a2feb5c765669031fa5 Folks here may not rate Brereton but this comment is worth noting: “When Hawthorn play O’Meara and Mitchell — if they get 15 or more clearances, they’re 7-2 in their terms of win-loss ratio in the back half of the year,” Hawks rely on winning the clearances which will be very difficult without O'Meara and Mitchell tagged.

A very moving story. What an incredible character to deal with rehab, studies, losing his father, keeping the family business running. A very resilient young man. It was really good to have Jessie around to support him, to know what he was going through. Vandemon has done an amazing job for us since coming returning from nearly two years out of the game. He only had a few weeks at Casey and came into the seniors raring to go and hasn't blinked. Adds so much to our team by playing his role and the pressure he applies.

Absolutely rapt for you and your family, Sparkle! It would have been tragic to miss the game having gone to see them play all year. Enjoy the game!

Oscar: “I think a key to a good finals team is to have a really settled backline that is willing to do anything to save goals, and defend really hard, so I think that’s what we’re building towards.” And so it was Friday night. They played and defended with purpose and desperation. Look forward to more of that this Friday. And: "Oscar remains out-of-contract but insists a new deal isn’t far away". Probably won't be announce until after our finals run.

It is another click-bait headline! The content doesn't support it! The article is based on the 'Roosy' chant last week to build his story. Robinson then lists everyone involved for the last 10 years and 'concludes' the headline that Goodwin isn't getting the credit. No logic at all! However, he disproves that 'conclusion' by quoting Roos '...we have a bloody good coach and he's doing a bloody good job'. Robinson continues with other Roos' comments lauding Goodwin's player relationships before and after the changeover etc. What Robinson can't see is that Goodwin is getting a lot of media kudos in the 'demons have a game plan that stacks up in September' narratives. What better compliment for a coach! Its a rubbish article.

I would be happy to give you my barcode number to use as I can't get to Perth that weekend. The more demon supporters at 'The Booooooooooooo Stadium' the better. I would think AFL/Ticketmaster release the same number of tickets for the priority member purchase for both teams so you should have no trouble getting tickets. Let's hope we make it!

I think the players did all the media stuff on Monday and different outlets will release stories gradually during the week. It is the media getting ahead of themselves painting a fairytale. It would be a brave (and dumb) media person to run with the 'bathwater'/'mentally weak narrative, a narrative we have proven wrong. Said media person would run high risk of egg on face. I wouldn't worry about too much exposure - the Pies will dominate the limelight soon enough and we can recede into the background a bit. I'm sure inside the club feet are planted firmly on the ground - its all fugazzi to them!

With an ageing midfield North would be crazy not to take that deal, not that I want to lose Tyson. If the fb post is true, maybe our offer was Tyson plus a draft pick and North baulked at that? Just realised Preuss is in contract till end of 2020. So we must really want him to effectively trade him out of his contract, so maybe it is a simple player swap... ...North will want overs...

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-09-11/rawlings-named-vfl-coach-of-year "The Casey Demons senior coach was named head coach of the best 2018 VFL team on Monday night". Congratulations! Great to see more recognition coming to the Demon family. Jade may get a well deserved senior coaching gig in a few years on the back of this and earlier AFL experience. Reckon Roosy would give him a pretty good reference as he is the only pre-Roos coach kept on by Roos. (Mahoney moved into admin which he has also excelled at).