Lucifers Hero

In that case, other than the 3+3 it looks like the coaches saw performances quite differently! I wonder which was which...

The Coaches Votes should put to bed some of the debate around Tom Mc and Tyson: 6 Hurley 6 Oliver 6 Watts 4 T McDona'd 4 Petracca 2 Tyson 2 Viney Bit surprised by Hurley, great first half then was taken out of the game. Good to see Watts get some recognition from the coaches. The real news - Oliver is second on the leader board. 42 Rory Sloane (Adel) 31 Clayton Oliver (Melb) 31 Joel Selwood (Geel) 29 Ollie Wines (PA) 29 Elliot Yeo (WC) 26 Gary Ablett (GCS) 25 Dustin Martin (Rich) 23 Zach Merrett (Ess) 22 Marcus Bontempelli (WB) 22 Luke Shuey (WC) What else can one say about our little champ. He is in elite company. What is most impressive is his consistency.

Crikey, 'Skuit' that review was pre Roos'! And yes we were badly managed in every way back then. That is chalk and cheese to the Pedersen quotes I posted attributed to Macca and Goodwin this preseason. Our people management has come a long way and I reckon they have done a terrific job with Pedersen.

In the Match Preview thread I suggested a creative ruck solution might be to have different ruckman for the 3 parts of the ground (front, middle, back) to share the load and to wear out Bellchambers as he hadn't played for 18 months. It seems that is how it came to panned out: Pedersen: "We planned really well for it. We kind of threw three ruckmen at him knowing he hadn't played for 700 days or something," http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-05-01/hungry-pedersen-fills-dees-ruck-void The 62-gamer paid tribute to the support he received from Tom McDonald and Jack Watts in restricting Bellchambers' influence. On a different note, there is an interesting insight into our game plan to rove to Bellchambers. "My focus was just to try and jump into him and limit his hits and try and ensure he could only hit inside a certain triangle that we could defend," (Hope Pedersen isn't giving too much info away there...) Very clever stoppage planning by the coaches carried out to perfection by our guys.

Are you sure you want The No T$ No B$ Thread deleted Sorry, you led with your chin there Biff!

I wasn't at the game. His pre game interview: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-04-28/pedersen-earns-his-place-in-side Pedersen: “I had an honest conversation with Brendan McCartney and Goody and they said that if I didn’t drop down to the weight they wanted, then I wouldn’t put a jumper on at VFL or AFL level, so they said ‘there is your challenge...I took that on board and went on a pretty extreme diet, and the fitness staff gave me six extra off legs [sessions] that wouldn’t affect my training. I then got the all clear before the pre-season camp in Queensland.” So, some 'tough love' with coaches pulling no punches - but it did the trick. I thought it was a good article - not just for the insight into Pedersen but also how the coaches went about motivating him after the 'tough love' comments saying: '...you need to be ready when its your time'; '...you are an important part of the team'; '...we are here to help you.' Great people management

Goodwin was interviewed on SEN on Friday night and was asked where he thought Petracca would be in about 5 years (who will then have just turned 26). Goodwin said he would be like Dusty Martin is now (who will be 26 this June). That is something to savour As Christian seems a more settled character I wouldn't be surprised if he fulfills Goodwin's prediction a few years earlier!

@A FBy my reckoning you were posting on DL at about 3.30 AM the night after your wedding, after spending the day at the football with your mates... ...and you are taking her to watch the Hawks lose. Good Lord! I wouldn't push your luck with the lovely lady...

Today we lost the hitouts but won the clearances fairly convincingly but agree Jacobs is another story. Our midfield needs to continue their good work reading the op ruckmen. I think we are going to challenge teams simply because our structure now is unconventional and it will take them by surprise a bit. I'm optimistic on how we match up vs Adelaide. It will be a terrific game and a lot closer than some think.

Am I the only one that thinks we can take it up to Adelaide? They are playing unbelievable football but I'm not convinced they are invincible. They have beaten: GWS, Haw, P.A. Ess. GC. Rich. The 3 top 6 teams have in turn beaten: GWS: GC. NM. Port. Syd. WB. Port: Syd. Freo. Carlton. Brisb. Rich: Carl. Coll. WC. BL. Dees. A lot of bottom 6 teams among the beaten. I'm not saying we will win but I'm not ready to notch it up as a loss, either. If we bring our A game we will give it a damn good go.

Adelaide are amazing. They show no mercy. They play like a team possessed and never give the ops a look in. So Rich % has taken a huge beating and they have slipped to 4th. They have no 'gimme' games coming up in the next month. Who knows how far (down) the slippery slope they go...to 9th perhaps...

To page do this @A F Echo your sentiments. Great weekend for AF. Married his great lady and a super demons win...as good as it gets, really.

There were a few positional changes at half time: Vince, Mcdonald etc Another was that Petracca took Hurley who had thrashed us in the 1st half, away from the play and stop him intercepting. I think he had only 4 marks in the 2nd half. Virtually all Goodwin's moves worked. Goodwin comprehensively outcoached Worsfold!

You may as well give up 'Webber'. Some people can't see past their biases or past a few clangers which all players have. Even today's hero, Pedobear (whom I love) had 8. I couldn't see the game but heard on ABC that at the start of the 3rd qtr we had 7 in defence and T McD was the 'spare'. He almost immediately kicked a goal. Not quite a momentum turning piece of play but really significant for the game. T Mc more than did his job today. I might add putting Frost on Daniher for the game and freeing T Mac was a bit of coaching masterstroke.

My dislike for Ess knows no bounds. So of all games this year this is the one I desperately wanted us to win. And we did - without 2 of our best players. A real four quarter effort. So proud we rose above all the setbacks. A win that will be a huge confidence boost for the team. Demons take a bow.

If we lose I hope Hibberd and Melksham don't stop to laugh and joke with their old team mates. Never like to see that. Just shake their hand and move on guys. If we win milk it for all its worth. Go Dees.

And isn't that a powerful motivator. Surely, that will spur the team on to overcome challenges. Won't it? Add Freo to that and that is 4 of the 2015 top 8 teams. If ever there was a year that a team was going to sneak into the 8, this is it. Will be incredibly disappointing if we don't get there this year. Especially if the likes of Ess, Rich, StK do. Will leave town for the finals season, if that happens!!

But we haven't lost our 2 match winners for 10 weeks. And yes we will forgive a few losses but I wouldn't like to see us accept that injuries are the reason we lost the last 3 games. I know that is not what you are saying nor suggesting but others on this site are. So to give folks some comparisons: The nearest is WCE who have lost both first choice ruckman for extended periods, their 3rd backup ruckman/forward is out for 5-6 weeks and they have an equally long list of injured depth players. Some will claim they keep winning because they are flat track bullies. But last night they smashed a team we let pinch a game on our home turf a few weeks ago when we didn't have in game injuries. Another is the young, inexperienced WB lost their ruckman Roughhead in the second quarter of the 2016 prelim final but still found a way to win. The main reason they won is because their leaders stood up and they had another 200+cm player on the ground (which teams nearly always do even during the season games) so they were able to stick to their game plan and structures. For various reasons our structures completely fell apart vs Richmond. I agree that early injuries in games (and suspensions) have hurt but there were other factors that contributed to the three losses. What I'm finding a little frustrating is a growing narrative on DL that "we lost/will lose games because of injuries and suspensions, ipso facto injuries will cost us more games and finals". I feel we can't afford to think 'oh, x+x is out' and that is why we lost/will lose. I'm not suggesting you think like this Nasher as you are one of the more objective posters on this site. That narrative may make some people feel warm and fuzzy but if we accept it, it we will mask other problems that caused the 3 losses. They have been done to death in other threads so won't back track here. I'm incredibly proud of how our team has fought each game this year and love how they are going about it. That will help us win a lot more games than some people may think. But I have gone past accepting that injuries/suspensions caused all 3 losses and will be the reason for more.

Agreed. Before people start thinking 'poor demons, we have so many injuries' just look at those of other teams. If we get into this 'woe me' mindset we will make excuses for real problems with our game and performance. Like Goodwin said - good teams find a way to win regardless of personnel out. So agreed, no more 'injury' excuses.

Don't be fooled by Sydney being on the bottom. They are more likely to bounce back 2nd half this season and definitely next season than are North or Hawks. Sydney have had a bad run with injuries so far (and they lost Tippett this morning). They have a young list with quite a bit of talent which just need some experience. About 8-10 of their GF team had played less than 50 games. I think Tippett comes out of contract his year and it is hard to see him get the mega $ again so that should free up some sal cap space. They are a very smart, well run club. Longmire is no dummy and knows exactly where they are at and what needs to be done. This is a temporary lull for Sydney. More permanent for North and Hawks.

They took one look at our forward line and decided to drop a tall backman. Worried that we will be too fast and mobile for them up forward.

Lately, Toby has shown why Roos didn't take him for a 'packet of chips'. "It’s the third incident in three weeks that Greene has been involved in. He escaped suspension for headbutting Sydney’s Isaac Heeney last weekend, while he was fined for striking Port Adelaide’s Aidyn Johnson in Round 4...Those incidents also came after two in the JLT Community Series involving North Melbourne’s Sam Gibson and Sydney’s Harrison Marsh". http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/toby-greene-reported-for-striking-caleb-daniel-during-gws-giants-clash-with-western-bulldogs/news-story/9456f4c182e681d53b80ca8403647463 Apparently, his characteristics that led to his club imposed 5 week suspension in 2014 were well known. And, Roos was working for Sydney up to end of 2013 so would have kept a very close eye on the young Giants. Roos probably figured once a DH, always a DH. He is the sort of guy who can win a game but also the one that gets himself rubbed out for the big dance and costs a club the premiership. Anyway we had/have our own feisty terrier: Jack Viney. Roos probably figured one terrier in a team is enough!

Goodwin said on SEN tonight the club contacted the AFL umpires department to find out why he is being pinned for throws when the club think he is handballing. I wonder if the umpires are reacting to some commentators narrative a few weeks ago that Oliver throws and are just guessing. Good to see the club being proactive and hopefully the chat with AFL sorts the problem.

I wonder if something 'creative' with the ruck role would be to designate a ruckman for each zone eg Frost/TMac back of centre. Watts/Pedersen forward of centre. Maybe Pedersen to take the centre bounce to leave the others free to do their primary role. This would wear out Bellchambers as he would have to run all over the ground. Its Bellchambers' first game in 18 months and he would not be used to the pace of the game so the more we can wear him out the more even the game becomes. Creating a lot of stoppages will also help wear him out.

I put the link to the report at the top of my post. Scroll down the article and you will find the video of Petracca. Judge for yourself how solid his left leg looks as he runs and when he lands after marking. And Minson said yesterday that Petracca had bone bruising which usually takes time to heal. It is the same knee as his ACL which would make healing slower. Not sure why you find my comment 'scarily careless'. It's simply my opinion on where we are at. Knowing that Weideman isn't playing, we don't have much of a forward line this week so as I see it we have little choice but to play Petracca. It wouldn't be the first nor the last time that teams select players that are injured and hope it doesn't worsen.