spirit of norm smith

I knew him briefly through a mutual friend. A true gentleman. Always spoke clearly about footy, the game, the strategies… and his insights through media TV and newspaper was well thought and constructive. Never like today’s sensational dirt grabbing media circus talk shows. 💔a true footballer and a gentleman

Yea I was hopeful of informative insightful footy talk - you live in hope - but again these mud scrapers failed to deliver

💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩 KANE CORNES ☠️ CAROLINE WILSON☠️ NICK RIEWOLDT ☠️ CRAIG HUTCHISON ☠️ THE AGENDA SETTERS ☠️☠️☠️☠️ The rant about Goody talking about Clarry and Trac and our coach’s obsession. Pathetic media wrap up of selected comments from Goody. The media always asks about Clarry & Trac so low hanging sledge by the gutter media. And smartarse comments about the “million dollar” tagger and belittling Clarry’s stats. Absolute gutter stuff !!!

Update. LJ and Freo will work out their challenges and he’ll stay there! Just wait a few weeks and it will be a media circus once again.

Great news on some potential future recruits. I was watching Kalani over the last few weeks, and noted it’s actually scary how good some of the Suns Academy players are. Suns Academy have three likely top 15 players (with Zeke Uwland definitely being top 5). Others are very very good. I saw a youngster Max Hudson kick a bagful v Stingrays and noted his name. He reminded me of Daniel Turner. He’s only 6’3 ish but his marking judgement, sure hands and kicking was elite. He’s now kicked 12 goals across his 3 games. One to watch.

Really hate the Pies !! Not only do they seem to be the destination club for many players, but their father son alignment has netted them so very very good players (Daicos x2, Moore). This year Thomas McGuane had played 3 Coates league matches for 3 x Best On Ground performances. Averages 34 possessions and 5 marks as a classy left foot midfielder. Seems to have the “Pendlebury” time when using the footy. Should be a first round pick and Pues will nab him in a heartbeat. God we hate the Pies ☠️

25 pages. Expect this to reach 50 by July and 100 by October !!!

Enjoyed the Podcast this week ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Was driving back from Shepparton this afternoon and it made the trip go really quick I thought the highlights this week were Binman’s stats. Very thorough. Full debrief on lots of stats from pressure to ratings to contested stuff. I liked the player ratings section Binmans rant on the umpires especially the Rivers incident in the last quarter where the umpire from 90 metre away gave the decision AND as well as the Kozzzzy non free kick for the blatant trip and the subsequent AFL whitewash! The umps killed our chances. Thats truth telling. George’s despair at Fritta’s continued poor form, poor goalkicking and general lack of any pressure (we all share his pain). Fritta can’t survive another week !! David from Adelaide and his comments. I agree with his dismay at Lever’s comments I heard similar talk about the difficulties in managing a change ! Andy playing the SEN Commentary from Gerard Whateley on the Kozzzzy non free kick! Worst umpire howler EVER!! The POD was informative and again reflected all of us at the moment … we all love the Dees with the unwavering passion and hope but with a sense of anger, frustration, disappointment and desperation.

Harvey Langford has been rewarded with the first AFLCA Coaches’ Votes of his career, following an impactful performance in Round 9. In just his eighth senior game, the 19-year-old midfielder continued to impress, finishing with 3 goals, 22 disposals, 6 score involvements and 557 metres gained. His composure and work rate helped keep Melbourne in the contest, earning him eight votes from the coaches. Captain Max Gawn also featured in the votes, receiving two for his influence around stoppage and leadership throughout the day. Round 9 v Hawthorn | Coaches’ Votes 8 – Harvey Langford

Agree Mitch Hardie should probably still be on an AFL list. Casey is lucky to have him. Has good efficiency and uses the footy. Has a good goal sense when around the forward 50. Lachy Bryce was solid across half back. His intercept marking was good. Not only got the footy but had several good spoils and blocks. One to keep an eye on and should get more regular games. Baldi was good and is solid at this level. Tight and tough at the contest. However often stats can deceive as many of his handballs were 30cms handballs in close to no effect. Though I like his grunt and is the sought of heart and soul type.

12 months on. Absolutely great that XL20 was drafted in the red and blue !! He’s got the skills and footy IQ that will see him eventually move into a midfield and be a future star.

Dees will need to hold onto the elite talent and bring in the elite kicks. Not necessarily the elite talent but players who don’t give it away. Unpressed turnovers killed us v hawks on the weekend. Youngsters like Sinnema would be handy with high quality skills but don’t expect them to be ready additions like Langford and Lindsay (they are very special).

Toby Sinnema looked okay for Stingrays v Knights on the weekend. He’s lightly framed but has good balance and skill. Looks like another suited to a wing as an outside mid. Toby kicked a nice goal early in the 2nd quarter. Was under a defensive clearance. Marked it about 35 metre out. Very good kick that split the centre for a goal. I think he’s likely to be a pick in the 45-55 range at this stage.

What did you make of Clayton Oliver the tagger? 🤔 Kate McCarthy and @XanderMcGuire7 unpack his performance against Hawthorn on The Round So Far, thanks to @AAMI: afl.com.au/video/1318760 Xander and KMC 💩💩💩💩💩💩terrible. Just terrible. Horrible. They have no idea and no right to question Oliver. Pathetic journalism if you can call it journalism!!!

Nathan Buckley 👍🏻 Finally someone speaks objectively about Clarry and his performance No grandstanding SEN. Clayton Oliver the tagger? Buckley said he actually liked what he saw from the Demon in Round 9. It sometimes helps to be the Hunter rather than the Hunted.

Ins. Howes. Petty. Melksham. Outs. Spargo. Jeffo. Frittata Mcvee May Turner Bowey Tmcd Salem Windsor Riv Langdon Chandler Petty Langford Pickett JVR Melksham Gawn Oliver Trac Int. Howes Lindsay Kolt Sharp Sub. Sparrow Emerg K.Brown Laurie Kentfield Unavailable 🚑 Lever Viney ✅Petty being back immediately offers a target ✅Turner strengthens the defence , although wish we had two of him (one forward, one defender) ✅Howes deserves a game and I’m tempted to perhaps try him across half forward ✅Melksham is a key player who delivers the footy better than most ✅Kolt & Sharp need a full run , and Sparrow needs to rotate as a sub

I’d take Derksen in a trade deal. May is unfortunately not the player that he was, with injury and time slowing him down. Adams is okay but is treading water in the VFL and not showing any signs to me that he is ready for MFC footy. Derksen could be seen as a fit for May’s replacement. Just my opinion.

Apparently there’s a matrix for some clubs and not others Hardwick tripping??? Had to be fined $5000 for a deliberate trip. AFL must come clean. It was an umpiring mistake. Ok we have to accept the wrong decision. Note Marshall got a fine for attempting to trip. MRO is confusing !!

At least it was a good crowd !! Hopefully Dees get good revenue out of this match 70,000 Anzac Eve v tigers Expect 70,000+ for ladder leader pies v dees for the Kings birthday game The journos love hitting the Dees when we only get 20,000 odd for a Suns or Giants game at the MCG. Dees are the only club that play Suns or Giants at the MCG this year ! And we had Freo at the MCG, again only 25000! It’s overall a terrible financial fixture for us this year and have more lower crowds likely to come for Dees v Kangas v Eagles 😭😭

For those that didn’t watch the game, don’t be fooled by looking purely at the stats. There was an overuse of little handballs and short kick mark short kick mark play. A lot of stats were completely ineffective. The game was scrappy with lots of congested play, ball ups and slow short play. It only opened up late and that’s when the Dogs and the umpires overwhelmed the Casey team.

@dazzledavey36 not sure that the demonlanders were convinced with JTs selection back in the 2022 draft. I’m still giving Jeffo some time (I think he needs to go back to Casey for a block of games 6-7) before we give him another go. Your prediction of Jeffo being “more of a 3rd forward type in the mould of Jack Watts” is closer to the mark.

@bluey ummm “Our training setup at Goschs is not that bad, and Caulfield is not going to land us much closer to Casey fields anyway”. Caulfield is SO MUCH CLOSER than Casey fields. Goschs to Caulfield. 12 kms. Goschs to Cranbourne. 52 kms. Caulfield HOME base would be a HUGE POSITIVE STEP if MFC could get a deal done & delivered!!

Great game by Harvey yesterday. 👏👏👏 Three goals. 22 possessions. Importantly 557 metres gained. He’s still a kid with lots to learn but his skill, desire and will to win are clear signs of a very bright future.

@Demonland I thought Sparrow would tag Newcomb in absence of Viney. Surprised to see Oliver tag but I think he did ok. Restricted Newcomb’s influence at the contest. Whilst Clarry only got 13 disposals, Newcomb had his lowest disposals count (13) but importantly his lowest metres gained (198, a season low). Newcomb usually has a high kick to handball ratio but yesterday was restricted and under pressure, with 7 kicks & 12 handballs (includes 6 throws). I hope Clarry returns to a “more see ball get ball role” (and works more on his decisions and effective disposal) , but don’t question yesterdays role in JV7 absence.

Ins. Howes. Petty. Melksham. Outs. Spargo. Jeffo. Frittata Mcvee May Turner Bowey Tmcd Salem Windsor Riv Langdon Chandler Petty Langford Pickett JVR Melksham Gawn Oliver Trac Int. Howes Lindsay Kolt Sharp Sub. Sparrow Emerg K.Brown Laurie Kentfield Unavailable 🚑 Lever Viney