Autopsy AFL 2026 Round 4 - Demons v Suns Sun April 5th 3:15pm AEST (MCG)

[Jirik13]

I thought it was pretty entertaining game.

Congrats to Demons. Great performance. Gawn destroyed Witts and Demons midfield dominated clearances, contested posessions. Demons players worked harder and wanted it more. Pickett is a star.

Suns have some work to do especially in the middle and pressure.

I have to say while watching the game I had to switch from Kayo to 7mate. Lewis bias was unbearable for me. Crap commentators.

 

[Madas]

So many Freo supporters in here.
That finals lost really broke ya brains huh

Gifted Bullshit free kick got you over the line
Then your lot choked like Linda Lovelace the following week

 

[Corn Cobbers]

I'm not so sure Gold Coast are dead after today. They lost a game of football. It happens. Still top 4 for mine, and a very good chance at the premiership.

Still top 2 for mine, with your mob

They're not quite going yet but should be at least 7-3 after 10 rounds, with a huge percentage and hopefully in better form

 

[demondavey]

He was and has been an amazing pickup.

Was shot at the Saints and by all accounts got on Ross' bad side and we all know what happens then.

I dont miss Oliver at all.

Shows how much of a liability Oliver had become. I hoped he’d get back to his best but the Goodwin relationship was pretty average and we needed a fresh start.

 

[demondavey]

Gold Coast will be right. Dropped a game. Last year Brisbane drew with North. It happens.

 

[Mr Meow]

Gold Coast will be right. Dropped a game. Last year Brisbane drew with North. It happens.

Upcoming games against Sydney and Hawthorn will show us where they're at. Lose both of those and perhaps we've jumped the gun with them as grand final locks.

 

[Billy ray]

Upcoming games against Sydney and Hawthorn will show us where they're at. Lose both of those and perhaps we've jumped the gun with them as grand final locks.

I can guarantee not one suns fan has ever said that. In fact most of us think with the harder draw that comes from last year’s finish position making the finals again would be heading in right direction.
Its the bookies and media mafia who have made us equal favourites for reasons.

 

[Billy ray]

Gifted Bullshit free kick got you over the line
Then your lot choked like Linda Lovelace the following week

 

[Mr Meow]

I can guarantee not one suns fan has ever said that. In fact most of us think with the harder draw that comes from last year’s finish position making the finals again would be heading in right direction.
Its the bookies and media mafia who have made us equal favourites for reasons.

And BigFooty neutrals.

I think they're one of the top contenders too, but an exit in any week of finals wouldn't be a huge shock. They haven't earned the right to be talked about like Brisbane (yet).

 

[juss]

Good to see Dimma can still crack the shits. He'll give his players a bake this week to get them back on track.

The Demons have been pretty impressive this year. I thought they'd be bottom 4 but they look a lot better than that.

 

[Jirik13]

Good to see Dimma can still crack the shits. He'll give his players a bake this week to get them back on track.

The Demons have been pretty impressive this year. I thought they'd be bottom 4 but they look a lot better than that.

Yeah, that was impressive from Demons. They obliterated Suns in the middle. For sure Dimma will give them a bake, haha.

 

[Daemon]

I can guarantee not one suns fan has ever said that. In fact most of us think with the harder draw that comes from last year’s finish position making the finals again would be heading in right direction.
Its the bookies and media mafia who have made us equal favourites for reasons.

Mate your team is absolutely stacked with talent. Not making the prelim at least would be a fail imo.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Gold Coast will never ever win a premiership, they can’t play at the MCG and never will.

Great win.

I remember when people said this about the Lions. Then we won premierships.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Freo supporters are passionate about the game.
I know you’re not familiar with others watching suns games but suns being contenders now brings more interested.
If you were not a top 6 contender this year I guarantee we wouldn’t be interest in the suns.
That’s why AFL give you reach arounds
To make you relevant

What a pity your team is still so irrelevant that you can't enjoy your win for even two days before screeching maniacally about the Suns.

 

[demondavey]

Gold Coast will never ever win a premiership, they can’t play at the MCG and never will.

Great win.

This line was parroted non stop about Brisbane.

As in Pig the Pug……

THESE DAYS ITS DIFFERENT!

 

[mrmonkey]

Good to see Dimma can still crack the shits. He'll give his players a bake this week to get them back on track.

The Demons have been pretty impressive this year. I thought they'd be bottom 4 but they look a lot better than that.

On paper you'd be correct to predict Melbourne as a bottom 4 side. I think when teams have an unexpected jump, it comes from your b grader c grader types taking their games up a level. Guys like Sharp, Culley, Howes and Sparrow have all strung a few good games together. I don't think the most optimistic Melbourne supporters expected much from that group. Then there's natural improvement from younger talent types Langford, Lindsay, Windsor, Tholstrup, L. Pickett which definitely help rejuvenate the side. Then there's guys like Chandler, Turner they've always been pretty good but perhaps not noticed by non demon fans. Van Rooyen is another one who looked good in his first season but has been pretty average the last few seasons, we're starting to see good signs from him. Mihocek coming in had helped his development. Steels another recruit that's really been good the last few rounds, and clearly is a great on field leader. Then there's of course Gawn and Pickett who are just absolute stars of the comp. I think overall the players are just enjoying themselves playing in a new system where they have a bit more freedom to attack.

 

[RonnieRaven]

I can guarantee not one suns fan has ever said that. In fact most of us think with the harder draw that comes from last year’s finish position making the finals again would be heading in right direction.
Its the bookies and media mafia who have made us equal favourites for reasons.

Didn’t a suns fan start a thread about Hardwick could beat jock McHale premierships coached record?

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I really don't know why they couldn't have been/remained the Southport Sharks. Awesome name that was/is a legit club and had an identity.

Because the AFL are both cheap and control freaks. They didn't want to pay up to buy Southport's name and certainly never would have granted the existing club a licence, because they want to control everything themselves. Never again will they allow an AFL club to be controlled by its members or any other entity.

Though to be fair to the AFL, Southport were the Collingwood/Port of the QAFL, all the other grassroots Gold Coast clubs hated them, so they weren't exactly a unifying brand even if they had culture.

 

[Billy ray]

Didn’t a suns fan start a thread about Hardwick could beat jock McHale premierships coached record?

Was that Gary? He’s a dick

 

[RonnieRaven]

Was that Gary? He’s a dick

Gc2015 I think

 

[Roadrunner]

Demons on fire

 

[Osho]

On paper you'd be correct to predict Melbourne as a bottom 4 side. I think when teams have an unexpected jump, it comes from your b grader c grader types taking their games up a level. Guys like Sharp, Culley, Howes and Sparrow have all strung a few good games together. I don't think the most optimistic Melbourne supporters expected much from that group. Then there's natural improvement from younger talent types Langford, Lindsay, Windsor, Tholstrup, L. Pickett which definitely help rejuvenate the side. Then there's guys like Chandler, Turner they've always been pretty good but perhaps not noticed by non demon fans. Van Rooyen is another one who looked good in his first season but has been pretty average the last few seasons, we're starting to see good signs from him. Mihocek coming in had helped his development. Steels another recruit that's really been good the last few rounds, and clearly is a great on field leader. Then there's of course Gawn and Pickett who are just absolute stars of the comp. I think overall the players are just enjoying themselves playing in a new system where they have a bit more freedom to attack.

Don't forget The Kingster!

 

[loopy0812]

On paper you'd be correct to predict Melbourne as a bottom 4 side. I think when teams have an unexpected jump, it comes from your b grader c grader types taking their games up a level. Guys like Sharp, Culley, Howes and Sparrow have all strung a few good games together. I don't think the most optimistic Melbourne supporters expected much from that group. Then there's natural improvement from younger talent types Langford, Lindsay, Windsor, Tholstrup, L. Pickett which definitely help rejuvenate the side. Then there's guys like Chandler, Turner they've always been pretty good but perhaps not noticed by non demon fans. Van Rooyen is another one who looked good in his first season but has been pretty average the last few seasons, we're starting to see good signs from him. Mihocek coming in had helped his development. Steels another recruit that's really been good the last few rounds, and clearly is a great on field leader. Then there's of course Gawn and Pickett who are just absolute stars of the comp. I think overall the players are just enjoying themselves playing in a new system where they have a bit more freedom to attack.

Melbourne were never going to finish bottom 4, there's enough teams that are well below them that they avoid it. Preseason prediction was between 10th and 13th and suspect I'm pretty close. No doubt though that the players look to be enjoying things more and playing a better brand of football under King. Most of the comments that had Melbourne sliding were based purely looking at names in vs out without looking at team balance. Think the top 6 are a class above Melbourne and they'll get shown up against a few of those sides as happened in the 1st quarter vs Fremantle. Outside of that, I think they're a reasonable to chance to go at least 40/60 against the mid third of teams.

Suspect Petracca going to the suns will be a win win for both clubs given that he seemed to have lost interest at Melbourne at times last year. I was never super impressed with Oliver when comparing him to other highly rated midfielders. If losing Oliver meant that I gained either Steele or Mihocek I would gladly make that switch.

 

[mrmonkey]

Melbourne were never going to finish bottom 4, there's enough teams that are well below them that they avoid it. Preseason prediction was between 10th and 13th and suspect I'm pretty close. No doubt though that the players look to be enjoying things more and playing a better brand of football under King. Most of the comments that had Melbourne sliding were based purely looking at names in vs out without looking at team balance. Think the top 6 are a class above Melbourne and they'll get shown up against a few of those sides as happened in the 1st quarter vs Fremantle. Outside of that, I think they're a reasonable to chance to go at least 40/60 against the mid third of teams.

Suspect Petracca going to the suns will be a win win for both clubs given that he seemed to have lost interest at Melbourne at times last year. I was never super impressed with Oliver when comparing him to other highly rated midfielders. If losing Oliver meant that I gained either Steele or Mihocek I would gladly make that switch.

I think predicting melbourne as bottom 4 was legitimate. Maybe more bottom 6, but the list didn't look great on paper, but as I said some players have really stepped up so far to compensate for the loss of Trac and Oliver. I know it's complete rubbish but the herald sun had melbourne losing all 6 of their first games. I did think saints were over hyped and Carlton were a bit mysterious but I definitely had those as winnable games. As for essendon well they're going as well as I expected.

Yeah I'm a bit torn on Trac. I would have loved to see how he would go under the new system. Having said that, I think we needed to get back into the draft , so in the long run I think it was for the best.

Overall I'm pretty optimistic about how the teams going. I was pretty excited preseason but even more happy now. Hopefully we continue to tick the wins.

 

[loopy0812]

I think predicting melbourne as bottom 4 was legitimate. Maybe more bottom 6, but the list didn't look great on paper, but as I said some players have really stepped up so far to compensate for the loss of Trac and Oliver. I know it's complete rubbish but the herald sun had melbourne losing all 6 of their first games. I did think saints were over hyped and Carlton were a bit mysterious but I definitely had those as winnable games. As for essendon well they're going as well as I expected.

Yeah I'm a bit torn on Trac. I would have loved to see how he would go under the new system. Having said that, I think we needed to get back into the draft , so in the long run I think it was for the best.

Overall I'm pretty optimistic about how the teams going. I was pretty excited preseason but even more happy now. Hopefully we continue to tick the wins.

West Coast, St Kilda, Essendon, Richmond, Carlton, probably North and Port. I would have thought finishing above those teams was realistic prior to the season. As a couple of other posters have mentioned, I can see the gap between the have and the have nots getting bigger. The players St. Kilda picked up were never turning them into a threat overnight as the hype suggested. The players Melbourne lost were never turning Melbourne into a basket case vs what they gained. I agree that avoiding bottom 6 is a more realistic goal for Melbourne to set themselves. Star players win you individual games / finals, player's performing their role and team cohesion get you in a position for the stars to be able to do that.

The biggest change I've noticed with King so far is the willingness to avoid an issue or sweep it under the rug. He comes across as someone that is clear with his expectations and has zero issue with letting players know when they don't meet those expectations but also willing to work with them for them to achieve it. From the outside looking in Goodwin came across as very authoritive whilst also unwilling to address issues head on to try and create a "feel good" atmosphere. That style is a gamble as it can turn ugly very quickly when losses start pulling up ands frustrations build.