AFL Grand Final AFL 2021 GRAND FINAL - Demons v Dogs Sat September 25th 7:15pm EST / 5:15pm WST (Optus) Congratulations Demons! 🍾🏆 Match Highlights in OP

[H2F]

H

I just didn’t have the belief. Not going to sugar coat it. I totally can see it in other sides, but hard to believe they’ve done it and are actually premiers. It’s been so long.

I was looking at the age profile today and it’s seriously promising. So many young players and still a lot of good footy left for the older guys. It’s just great to finally salute. I remember so many years of so many beatings, particularly from your club at their zenith. I just want to get a good few years of success out of this group before the inevitable happens and we drop away.

Honestly mate. I don’t know how to say it but I’ve read your posts for so many years. Not blowing smoke up your arse but you’re a real intellect or the game. How could you not see it?

I’ve posted this a few times. You need three things to win a premiership.

1) A system that is good enough
2) Be battle hardened and want it enough
3) Belief that your system (vision from the coach) is the best, which makes you find a way to win finals when you’re down or turnaround games like your just did.

You had it all. The strongest leadership in footy is heroic leadership, but it means nothing without the system. Roos/Goodwin created the system. Look at Salem, May, Lever, Brayshaw, Langdon. I mention names to highlight risks not talent. Then look at Petracca and Oliver, heroic leadership. Gawn as captain. So many players, Fritsch, Neale Bullen, Spargo etc who can add X factor. You had it all other than just proving it on the day. The difference with the Dogs is that as good as they are, they have a lot of vanilla players and you guys don’t. That’s why when it came to the crunch and became a war, you destroyed them.

 

[demondavey]

To be fair probably the most glaring example of the 6-6-6 rule having an impact as we’ve ever seen.

Out of the middle goal, time and time again. Couldn’t get their hands on the ball, couldn’t throw a man back. It was incredibly swift and brutal

Couldn’t find the hit outs to advantage stats but it seemed our ruck taps hit their targets. We won centre clearances and it was obvious that there was zero defensive effort at the centre bounces for the WB. The amount of easy ball Petracca got out the front of the contest was devastating. WB had to identify much sooner and get a defensive mid at the exit. Dunkley normally plays as a defensive midfielder doesn’t he?

 

[masai]

Yep noticed that also

Straight from Petracas 12 points up goal to add break then come back to see Oliver’s to 24 points up

Sparrows family just now watching the 7 replay

“Quick Toms goal is up next ……… uh ?”

I think 7 got the game tape mixed up.

I was watching minutes into the 3rd quarter, where the Dogs had the lead, then looked up a minute or two later, and they were showing the 4th quarter with the Demons miles ahead. Then shortly afterward, they were back showing the 3rd quarter ???.

Totally confused.

 

[Toump Ass]

You could probably put it a bit more diplomatically.

Nah, you’re already doing a great job of blowing smoke up their arses mate, I’ll just be honest.

Any team that gets spanked eighteen goals to one in a quarter and a bit of footy is absolutely pissweak. That was gutless.

 

[H2F]

If this happened to my team in a GF I'd be pissed big time.
To be 3 goals up midway through the 3rd quarter with all the momentum and utterly fold like a pack of deck chairs to the tune of a 12 goals defeat smacks of a team that basically threw in the towel when it all got a little bit hard.
What happened cannot simply put down to mental and physical fatigue.
And all you get from the coach is "we couldn't stop the momentum"... well no sh*t.
Let me put this a different way...had the last 40 minutes been the first 40 minutes Melbourne would have led by 15 goals midway through the 2nd quarter.

It doesn’t happen to us. Our culture is unbelievable in finals. I love that about us. The way the Dogs midfield (other than Bont) folded when Petracca and Oliver flipped it is pretty ordinary. I like the Dogs and don’t want to lay the boots in but unemotionally it was very poor. So called stars in McCrae, Libba etc, just became irrelevant.

 

[demondavey]

H

Honestly mate. I don’t know how to say it but I’ve read your posts for so many years. Not blowing smoke up your arse but you’re a real intellect or the game. How could you not see it?

I’ve posted this a few times. You need three things to win a premiership.

1) A system that is good enough
2) Be battle hardened and want it enough
3) Belief that your system (vision from the coach) is the best, which makes you find a way to win finals when you’re down or turnaround games like your just did.

You had it all. The strongest leadership in footy is heroic leadership, but it means nothing without the system. Roos/Goodwin created the system. Look at Salem, May, Lever, Brayshaw, Langdon. I mention names to highlight risks not talent. Then look at Petracca and Oliver, heroic leadership. Gawn as captain. So many players, Fritsch, Neale Bullen, Spargo etc who can add X factor. You had it all other than just proving it on the day. The difference with the Dogs is that as good as they are, they have a lot of vanilla players and you guys don’t. That’s why when it came to the crunch and became a war, you destroyed them.

Honestly it was just an internal feeling I never thought we’d win a flag. Your points are completely logical, and I get the reasons, I just thought we’d do a typical Melbourne and squib it.

I sort of feel now that 2022 may be our best season and it’s ours to lose given our age profile.

 

[H2F]

Honestly it was just an internal feeling I never thought we’d win a flag. Your points are completely logical, and I get the reasons, I just thought we’d do a typical Melbourne and squib it.

I sort of feel now that 2022 may be our best season and it’s ours to lose given our age profile.

Sorry about all the typos, think I’m a bit hungover … I don’t get it but respect what you’re saying. In 2008 I knew we’d win when no one would listen to me. It’s why I did this

 

[Some Idiot]

Honestly it was just an internal feeling I never thought we’d win a flag. Your points are completely logical, and I get the reasons, I just thought we’d do a typical Melbourne and squib it.

I sort of feel now that 2022 may be our best season and it’s ours to lose given our age profile.

You just never know, it's just as likely that there is a bottom 8 team similar to the Dees in 2020 that is prepping a big off-season to take the comp by storm. Even teams like North and Hawthorn took do it with the a few good recruitments and a strong training program.

 

[demondavey]

Nah, you’re already doing a great job of blowing smoke up their arses mate, I’ll just be honest.

Any team that gets spanked eighteen goals to one in a quarter and a bit of footy is absolutely pissweak. That was gutless.

Not blowing smoke up their arses, have simply stated that there is obvious upside with the group and they may respond given how good a coach I think Beverage is.

The truth is laid bare from last night, they had some serious passengers and were found wanting when the heat got dialled up. No doubt. They went up in smoke. Treloar, Libba, Hunter, McCrae and Smith were all really bad in the third and fourth. Beverage went in to bat publicly for Treloar after he was a squid in the SF. He’d be pretty dark on him today.

Honestly, there are a few Melbourne supporters on BF that are decent and worth getting behind, but the majority stick in this little box together and are happy to rip into their own. A fair bunch of campaigners to be honest.

 

[masai]

I love people saying that Dees fans are acting up now. I’ve been acting like a campaigner since R6 tyvm.

For Demons fans to be called campaigners, geez they better put a bit of training in, ........... long way to catch up to those “footy experts”, at the Tigers.

Demon’s, just enjoy the achievement.

 

[demondavey]

Sorry about all the typos, think I’m a bit hungover … I don’t get it but respect what you’re saying. In 2008 I knew we’d win when no one would listen to me. It’s why I did this

That is serious quality. Loved the little write up in the news!

 

[netslave]

I understand backing your players in but I still dont understand why the Dogs didn't change their centre square setup to be more defensive after the rot started.
Beveridge should have pulled the trigger but it never came. I would have thought the doggies on ballers could have switched it up themselves during play but that never happened either, quite puzzling. Having said that, I doubt it would have made much of a difference, we just went to another level.

Dogs will be back again next year though, grab a decent ruck and another good defender and they'll be top 4.

 

[H2F]

You just never know, it's just as likely that there is a bottom 8 team similar to the Dees in 2020 that is prepping a big off-season to take the comp by storm. Even teams like North and Hawthorn took do it with the a few good recruitments and a strong training program.

You guys did awesome getting there mate but you absolutely have to look at your midfield (Bont aside). If you want to win a flag with this group you need some changes to high profile names.

 

[H2F]

That is serious quality. Loved the little write up in the news!

 

[masai]

There are some passengers. That loss will put certain players into the spotlight. Hunter, Libba, Treloar would have some anxiety re the feedback they’ll get from their coach. Particularly as senior midfielders. There was an inability to change the midfield set up and support an under siege defence.

Beverage will be probably quite frustrated with Treloar. Went into bat for him publicly after he flopped big time in the semi final and went the tide turned last night he was nowhere.

Treloar lifted a large load, he can hold his head up.

 

[H2F]

I understand backing your players in but I still dont understand why the Dogs didn't change their centre square setup to be more defensive after the rot started.
Beveridge should have pulled the trigger but it never came. I would have thought the doggies on ballers could have switched it up themselves during play but that never happened either, quite puzzling. Having said that, I doubt it would have made much of a difference, we just went to another level.

Dogs will be back again next year though, grab a decent ruck and another good defender and they'll be top 4.

Plus add some midfield support for Bont that is up for a real fight. Defence or even ruck wasn’t the issue. It was their ‘all star’ midfield that became statues when the game was on.

 

[demondavey]

Treloar lifted a large load, he can hold his head up.

Not in the third and fourth. Was great when the Dogs a move on but was defensively bad.

 

[Toump Ass]

Not blowing smoke up their arses, have simply stated that there is obvious upside with the group and they may respond given how good a coach I think Beverage is.

The truth is laid bare from last night, they had some serious passengers and were found wanting when the heat got dialled up. No doubt. They went up in smoke. Treloar, Libba, Hunter, McCrae and Smith were all really bad in the third and fourth. Beverage went in to bat publicly for Treloar after he was a squid in the SF. He’d be pretty dark on him today.

Mate you literally have no idea what you are talking about.

I know it hurts to admit but Treloar played well. Plenty of others worse than him and not many who were better.

 

[H2F]

Mate you literally have no idea what you are talking about.

I know it hurts to admit but Treloar played well. Plenty of others worse than him and not many who were better.

When Petracca and Oliver turned it on half way through the third quarter until the end, he did absolutely zero.

 

[H2F]

Not in the third and fourth. Was great when the Dogs a move on but was defensively bad.

100 percent

 

[markm106]

I don’t buy the whole travel and preparation stuff. We spent the last 2 weeks hearing how the dogs had the momentum and better preparation blah blah. I didn’t buy into that either. I thought the fact we both had the pre grand final bye evened it all up.

 

[masai]

Not in the third and fourth. Was great when the Dogs a move on but was defensively bad.

Treloar was better than 19 other Doggies, that puts it in perspective.

Doggies got brewers droop.

 

[dopefish]

Not really. Was a sling tackle on a bloke out of play then a bit of arrogance.
Backfired from that moment onwards.

Aww. Where's your sense of humour? The shortest man in the AFL tossing one of the tallest and heaviest. That's some funny s**t. Never mind that the big Gawnster exaggerated the contact. ;P

 

[H2F]

Treloar was better than 19 other Doggies, that puts it in perspective.

Doggies got brewers droop.

I rate players in how they respond when it matters. For example Caleb Daniel couldn’t have done anything more for the Dogs, neither could Bont. Naughton actually played one of the best games no one will ever acknowledge either. But the Dogs midfield (Bont aside) was bad. Real bad. And include Treloar in that. When Petracca and Oliver went into beast mode they walked the ball out for a quarter and a half with only Bont trying to stop them.

 

[Toump Ass]

You just never know, it's just as likely that there is a bottom 8 team similar to the Dees in 2020 that is prepping a big off-season to take the comp by storm.

Yeah, nah.

It was pretty obvious our list had the talent required. Petracca and Oliver were already two of the best mids in the game, Gawn reigning AA ruck for three years in a row. Stevie May should have had an AA jumper in 2020 as well. Salem, Lever, Viney, Harmes all capable of playing at a very high level.

The question was whether Goodwin could get us into finals, and if he failed this year he was gone.