spirit of norm smith

Priorities 1. keep the current playing list happy 2. retain salary cap space (for key players seeking increases in new or updated contracts) 3. Add young talent - only 3 spots likely to be available

Looks ok. I think he’s got the potential to be a half back or wing type runner. I’d like to see him given a rookie spot and develop under Choco, wheels and Nev Jetta.

I reckon Jake Lever has coaching capabilities post his playing days. Leadership. Intense type person but also connects well with others.

Jack Watts to Port gifted us the pick to get Fritsch in. The irony!! Fritsch delivered big time on the big day.

Nothing really for Dees to get as yet with delisted free agents. Unlikely we will go looking here. List places are tight. James Cousins would perhaps be the only player of interest here. But we have Jordon waiting in the wings as a similar player.

Keeping this in the forward contracts for Trac, Clarry, Jacko, Riv, Kozzy, Petty, Sparrow, Fritsch etc

I’ve been doing some reflection on how our premiership success was achieved. The Who and the How our club has been rescued from the dark days, brought back into the light and finally delivered Premiership success. Ultimately the feeling of exhilaration for us Dees fanatics. 1. Jack Viney - father son selection - heart and soul 2. Peter Jackson Paul Roos Jason Taylor critical appointments 3. Salem Petracca Brayshaw Oliver - getting it right in the top 10 draft picks 4. Max Gawn - 2015 starting to show his coming of age to show he is ready to be the number 1 ruckman 5. Appointment of Simon Goodwin 6. (Josh Mahoney) the trades to get - Hibberd Lever May Langdon Brown 7. the successful 2nd round picks ANB Petty Spargo Fritsch Sparrow Jordon Rivers, Bowey (on top of trading out 2nd rounders to get Melksham, Hibberd, Langdon, Brown). 8. Progressive breaking of hoodoos and victories against Tigers, Hawks and Saints and Cats. Turning around to creating the winning culture. 9. the appointment of Darren Burgess 10. the drafting of young guns Jackson, Pickett, Rivers, Bowey 11. the appointment of Yze and Choco 12. The team culture. Selflessness. Doing the right thing for the Team. The culture of all being part of the success. It’s strange how the “curse of Norm Smith” actually contained the secret to unlock the curse. Smith based his coaching on “ the team “ . He had the team all aligned on key principles. Whilst there are individuals with talent and brilliance, ultimately team success is achieved together and helping each other as part of your role. Smith (also like Goodwin) had to instill the sense of belief into the players. Believing you can win it, is an equal part to having the players capable of winning it. Smith also knew that to achieve ongoing success, he had to keep refreshing the team, finding improvement from the existing team and also continuing to look to add new talent. Let’s find the improvement, stay focussed and continue to achieve that premiership glory.

I’m still occasionally watching highlights clips , after match interviews and looking through merchandise updates. Love watching the Bang Bang Bang Bang highlights. Also have to watch the On The Couch GF wrap up with the great Gaddddy Lyon.

Ummm. I feel we will weather the storm and come back with a burst of exceptional footy 😁😁😁

Neil Compton and Little Goffy. Champions!!!

Blues salary cap and $$$. Paying inflated $$$ for Martin, Saad and Zac Williams. A big $$$$$$ contract for Cripps I think $$$ offered to Cerra and now Hewitt in 4yrs at $450,000 a year for a fringe best 22 player. Wow. Sam Walsh should ask for a 5 year $5mil deal when he’s next due !!

AFL experts got 98% wrong. Only one tipped the Dees to finish in the finals and 8th. Most predicted the Kangas for wooden spoon which was a blind Freddy obvious prediction !!

Keep the post alive. It was sensational. What a game. That last 45 minutes of footy was the most exciting in the last 49 years of supporting the Dees. Go Dees.

Fantastic interview after the game. Ben really looked like a reborn man. He obviously was excited by the AFL journey with the Roos but injury and self doubt had set in. His move to the Dees has given him such joy and is obviously amazed with how his life has changed. I think the Dees were the only team giving him the lifeline and new start needed. He’s fitted in perfectly now and I hope his mind and body continues to keep in a happy place. His goals were a key in the grand final. The mark and goal to get us even and then early goal in the last quarter really killed off the dogs lifeline. BBB - you bloody beauty!! Go Dees

Dees had many jigsaw pieces to find to complete our premiership picture. The addition of Mark “choco” Williams was one critical piece. He and Yze brought winning culture and the mindset to compliment Goodwin. Thanks Choco.

Easy draw next year. Only playing teams that finished below us on the ladder. 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁 I love it. Go Dees ❤️💙

Prediction 64,000 members

What is trade period? Let’s just ignore it. I’ve had too many years of hanging out for salvation. Premiership Enlightenment is here and we can enjoy it. Let the miserable pies and blues and Hawks and Roos and Saints and tigers and the others fight for scraps of footy stories and interest!!!

Hoping we can start to refill the financial coffers as well 1. Round 1 Dees home game. Unfurl the FLAG and the premiership cup. Friday night. Lap of honour for Jetta and Jonesy. V the Hawks. 2. Dees should seek a home game v Tigers and v Magpies outside of QB and Anzac Day which are due for Dees away in 2022. Maybe rounds 21,22 v Tigers and v Magpies as Saturday night fixtures at the MCG. 3. Return of the 2x NT Games given cancellations last year. One game v Port (Alice Springs) round 7 and v Freo (Darwin) round 11 4. two more Friday night home fixtures. V Essendon. V Carlton. Both clubs will be big on the pre season hype and expectations of finals. Dons round 3. Blues round 10. 5. Hope we play Tigers, Pies, Lions, Port and Giants twice. 6. Round 13. V Suns. @Gold Coast. Mid year Vic School holidays trip to sunny QLD escape.

I have to admit, most of the experts are guess work. They have little inside knowledge. He should have considered our injury problems in the past and how another year of development was going to see us rise up the ladder.

Signed jumpers for between $2000 to $20,000. That’s crazy $$. I think the players would loved to keep their jumpers. Presumably they did swap at half time.

Picks 33, 42, 54 as per final ladder positions. Two in second round and one in the third round.

Demonland B&F 2021 1st. Clayton Oliver 2nd. Christian Petracca 3rd. Christian Salem 4th. Max Gawn 5th. Jake Lever 6th-10th. Jackson May Fritsch Langdon Tom McDonald best first year player. Jake Bowey Special Thank You to Nathan Jones and Nev Jetta The “Neitz-Fanning” Goalkicking award. Bailey Fritsch Goal of the year. Shared by Kozzzy round 2 and Maxy round 23 Mark of the year. Luke Jackson v Lions. Week 1 finals.

Most improved. Basically the whole team that played on GF day (incl Jordon) plus Hunt and Tomlinson Top 3 Third place. Jayden Hunt. Showed real steel and attack from half back. Was back to his 2016-17 form Most improved runner up. Kozzzy Pickett. Went from the potential to be, to being a dangerous small forward. Most improved Winner. Most improved. Bailey Fritsch. 60 goals. Great year. Accuracy was the key.

What about 16.4 to 1.1. It was magnificent. 45 minutes of footy heaven for us Dees fanatics. Daisy Pearce is a genius. We just needed the next goal to try to seize back some momentum. And we did. And she noted Trac attempt at keeping the ball in play as a sign. But what an avalanche it was. All the way to 🏆🏆🏆glory