Older demon

I believe one poster warned after the Richmond game that all wasn't well with the game plan. In retrospect the warning signs have been there. Remember the ANZAC game where every second possession was a turnover and luck for us Richmond were just as bad. Fortunately we corrected it in the second half. It was stated that a repeat against a good team would be a disaster, Ewell yesterday was that disaster. I can understand the confusion but think this team had to learn how to play tempo football. That we had to stop kicking it long to a pack in the left forward pocket but the transition has been bad at times. Some of our disposals are poor and at least the long kick down the line can create a contest. It has been there all season. Against the sins in round 1 when we ran out of steam, against Brisbane where we butchered the ball. The first quarter against Carlton, West Coast and then on Sunday when we turned up for the first 8 minutes. Collingwood have shown that despite a long injury list as long as the entire playing list stick to their role and trust the system they are always in games. Yes there are personnel down but if available which system will they play? I am convinced some lack the foot skills to play keepings off and others have forgotten our DNA to contest. it is retrievable and we have seen that our best is good enough but who is going to show us the way

Well said Saty. I am sure he is aware of what the club wants from him and the role he has to play. correct that we got flogged in the centre they had 51 to 33 clearances 3 guys had 9,8 +11 on their own our best was 5 for 4 players. Smashed in the rucks by a player playing in the Essendon district league last week who easily [ushed both our guys away. Andy is putting together a nice parcel of week weekly

currently unwatchable. A big bodied ruck from a suburban team dominating and too strong for Verral or Fullerton. Methinks Fullerton spends too much time compiling and he doesn't appear to like body contact. The mid field is deplorable. Today we are way too slow. Laurie, Brown are too small and slow hence the opp speedy mid has umpteen clearance 21 kicks and has run them off their feet. Coburg switch play at every opportunity and continually run the ball down one side of the ground unopposed. they run hard, tackle harder and will have a big win. the only positive is Jefferson marking and tackling the rest of the forwards are getting frost bite as the ball rarely enters the forward line. Casey look right off today

After watching him yesterday I am less enthused.

For goal kicking the player with the best technique and accuracy is ......Ollie Sestan. Watch him at training with his setup technique and routine. JVR looks awkward but he is pretty good with his goal accuracy and Fritta has the runs on the board but occasionally misses one .

1. ANB 2. Viney 3. Picket 4. M Gawn 5. Salem 6. Oliver

That is a disappointing loss but the Eagles are not the easy beats at home. Compare their marking power up forward with Waterman & Darling clunking seriously difficult contested marks. We had no one who could offer this. I tired of the times Barrass & McGovern took contested marks. I reckon they have 9 of their premiership team on the park today and they played brilliantly and Reid is unbelievably good. They have a settled spine whereas we have no marking targets up forward. Sad to say the game has passed Brown by and Petty is way out of form. We got beaten at the contest and couldn't hit a target from anywhere. Most of their goals came from turnovers. We have 2 first year players in Howes and Windsor and Woewodin hasn't got to double figures yet. Yes we have some holes to fill. We only managed 9 tackles in our forward 50 which is ordinary. After 10 games we have a fair idea of where we sit and where the improvement needs to come from in the second half of the season. I am sure BBB isn't the answer, I have serious doubts about Billing and his kicking and I am not sure who will stand up and be our marking targets up forward. There is still a long way to go

I didn't think anyone stood out last night. I am not convinced Fullerton is a ruckman but Roo certainly struggled against the Carlton rucks. Not sure the the Eagles have the same ruck strength. AMW was very wasteful and I wondered at one stage if McAdam was out there. No one really stood up and demanded to be selected. Bowen will be better for the run he looked to take time to adjust to the pace. Honestly, we lost by a point and there weren't any passengers in that last quarter. Only change if injured

I don't think it was the easiest conditions to play in and pack marks were hard to stick. Jefferson showed a bit and needs time to develop. Fullerton doesn't do enough and Verral is a little undersized IMO. Surprised how many VFL teams have a very tall ruckman. In fairness no-one stood out to me but the system and team play and emphasis on defence is why we won and is the role that must be taken to the seniors. Kolt, Brown & Sestan need VFL time to develop. Woewodin has speed and dash that I like. McAdam is underdone and Ben Brown kicks straight and gets 6 the narrative changes.

Trac Neal-Bullen Sparrow Windsor Gawn May Honorable mention to Woewodin for 9 disposal, 3 marks and a tackle in less than a quarter.

I want to give a shout out to Windsor he was in everything all night and his last goal was magic. 20 more inside 50's 2 posters and an out on the full. Bad kicking has cost us dearly

A bit late but some in sights I asked Ollie Sestan if he was ok and got the thumbs up. He was doing leading patterns and goal kicking at the southern goals. He finished off with some exhausting boundary runs. He doesn't miss many goals on the run either. Spargo told me his achilles problem is complex and he is still quite a few weeks away. I wonder why the club played him in round 1. Chandler had the full compression bandage on his left leg. He didn't do much and when signing autographs for kids I asked how he was going. He is hopeful but I wouldn't say optimistic. I believe MFC are now one of the most accessible clubs in the AFL. The players are so open and engaging with all supporters. I thought it was a great day and thank the Demon Army for the sausages, they were delicious

Sorry W-J but Tholstrup and Sestan are both MFC-listed players who along with Verrall were in the top 3 for rating points for the most possessions. Ollie was very good, Jefferson lead and marked well but kicked badly and Verrall got lots of possessions more like a mid. This will be a development year and spots will open up for Sestan, Jefferson, Fullarton & Tholstrup

He played at St Bedes and Bevo stole him late in the season for the Dogs VFL team. The kick can seriously play.

Ollie Sestan got a knock at training last Thursday and didn't play last weekend against Coburg. He will miss this weekend as well due to concussion protocols.

Wayne Carey to this day believes Neita was the best backmen he has ever played on. I can remember the trend years ago where promising forwards started in the back pocket and learnt forward craft from behind the ball. Walls and Maclure started down back before moving to centre half forward

I watched Caleb Lewis in the ammo's last year. The kid is a serious talent. Beveridge borrowed him for 5 games in the VFL which cost St Bedes a spot in the finals. That is such a good pick up

Rumours of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. Wonder if the experts still think we will fall down the ladder.

Trivia time. I went to Demon Wiki to see who besides Pig had worn 14 and there are some illustrious names but one caught my eye. Chris Aitken is a forward I remember who showed enormous potential but was always injured and I remember he wore number 5. A quick check showed he left Melbourne for the bush but returned 5 years later and at that time wore 14. The trivia is he has a younger brother Nicholas Aitken who is a well-known Melbourne supporter whose stage name is " Wilbur Wilde"

The future is a bit of an unknown but it was time to create spots for Woewodin, Laurie and Howes. Jordan left, he was offered a contract but expects more game time in Sydney. I am not entirely sold on him. Gus is a big loss but if he had been ok to play would he still be able to play at the same intensity? Multiple concussions may not have left him the same player. The list needed a refresh and players we have been developing in MFC game style for 2 years need to play. Billings is a very good addition and we have yet to see McAdam & Fullerton. The latter received high praise at the launch for his work ethic and athleticism. He before injury had been the standout in the group. In the match sim, Goodwin admitted we moved away from our defensive game in an attempt to be more attacking. It was a practice match take it for what it is. Maybe this is a pause/transition season where the team morphs and gets that bit better than the last 2 seasons, which compared to some years has been pretty damn good with successive top 4 placements. Hopefully, we don't get injuries at the wrong time

C'mon, all you legal eagle Demonlanders! Who can Gus and the club sue? Gus is now an invalid from being a player and should be compensated. This has ramifications long beyond his playing career and the retirement was premised on changes already developing in his brain since the big hit.

I share everybody's sentiments and wish Gus all the best in the future. Does anyone have the email address of the AFL, Laura Kane or Andrew Dillon so we can all write to them and let them know how we feel about Maynard, the tribunal and their negligence? Pick 1 & 3 from their draft now retired due to concussion On a different note, I find it disturbing that recent scans have detected microscopic changes in Gus' brain. This does not augur well and clearly wasn't how Gus thought it would pan out. A curse on Maynard!

I have no problem with that and hope it takes the pressure of Petty to try and hasten his return.

It is the media taking a punt after years of success that MFC will fall away. In the past this has been the case for many teams. Indeed the names that got us there are ageing and in some cases age has diminished them. Others have left. What, only track watchers would know is how the club have been quietly rebuilding and developing players to take the team forward. It takes time to develop players and toughen them up to the rigors of AFL. Bowey, Rivers, Picket, JVR, McVee, Chandler, Woewodin and Turner are the new core of the team who have taken time to make their mark. Laurie has taken 3 years, Howes could be anything and McAdam & Billings are ready made footballers. Schache was a top pick who is a big man still learning how to play and the other rucks are young. They take 5 years to develop. In Tholstrop, Windsor, Sestan and T. Brown there is another group of developing young guns. First year players rarely walk straight in and dominate. Long term success depends on future planning, player development , team structure and a lot of luck. The core structure is there, the leadership is still there and the list has lots of class. Footnote I still cannot believe Ginnivan, Frampton, Murphy, Lipinski, Markov and Hoskin-Elliot have a premiership medallion but their team play won them a flag.

Go Ollie a natural footballer