Melbourne vs Essendon Postponed

[Dr. Gonzo 22,412]

53 minutes ago, MF-C said:

I don't think so - players would jump at playing and I think the club should too 

2 full days isn't great for recovery, but I think we'd all take it 

And then a 4 day turnaround for our game against the Cats?

[binman 37,967]

Stewart the only Bomber a close contact of McKenna as tests come back negative

 

James Stewart is the only Essendon player deemed to have been a close contact of Essendon's Conor McKenna as a result of a Department of Health and Human Services investigation.

[DubDee 20,550]

When is the suspension going to be handed down to McKenna? this has been swept under the rug

visiting friends and family a clear breech. and I find it hard to believe the several open inspections would have been allowed. the general public can't even do that anymore.

and where did he pick up the virus?

[nosoupforme 3,085]

12 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

He is unable to put his bias aside when talking about Essendon he might as well be wearing his Terry daniher duffel coat

What is more of a disgrace is Whately not pulling him up on it

Gerard Whateley he is friends with everybody .A good Catholic boy..   

True.

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,089]

20 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Was this ever a realistic possibility?

I think had we not played the intra club game then absolutely it would have been, but we played that game after being told there would be no midweek game according to a report I just read. 

Gerard Whateley is dumbfounded that it won't happen. 

[Sir Why You Little 34,432]

What is the point of 16 minute quarters ?

I was told it was there so the AFL could be flexible

What a joke. We should play tomorrow night and Jeelong next monday

[Pulp Fritschon 641]

Gee wiz - hell why don't they let McKenna play on Saturday night? No close contacts deemed at a contact training session, why wouldn't that be the same for a game?

Staggering really. Health official advice on this is hard to swallow given what has been said to the community. Looks like this has been done to appease the AFL which is a shame. If they were cautious as they should be they should shut the whole club should down for 14 days. 

Lets hope no more positive tests come from this. I am actually glad we wont be playing them for a while. 

[binman 37,967]

3 minutes ago, Pulp Fritschon said:

Gee wiz - hell why don't they let McKenna play on Saturday night? No close contacts deemed at a contact training session, why wouldn't that be the same for a game?

Staggering really. Health official advice on this is hard to swallow given what has been said to the community. Looks like this has been done to appease the AFL which is a shame. If they were cautious as they should be they should shut the whole club should down for 14 days. 

Lets hope no more positive tests come from this. I am actually glad we wont be playing them for a while. 

Sorry, but you're on the wrong bus there. Not a chance in hell DHHS have done this to appease the AFL.

 

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,394]

11 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

What is the point of 16 minute quarters ?

I was told it was there so the AFL could be flexible

What a joke. We should play tomorrow night and Jeelong next monday

I'm pleased we're not playing tomorrow. Irrespective of the DHHS decision that only Jimmy Stewart is deemed to be a close conatct, I think there is still a level of risk that another Essendon player might have contracted the infection which has not yet shown up in the testing progam. The longer our players stay away from that risk, the better. 

[daisycutter 28,485]

do essendrug players have one more covid test before carlton game? what is protocol?

[binman 37,967]

2 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

do essendrug players have one more covid test before carlton game? what is protocol?

Yep. 48 hours prior

[TheKozzieExperience 258]

1 hour ago, JV7 said:

Typical Melbourne... We are now the most impacted club out of this situation all through the actions of an opposing player not following protocol

Yup.  Not saying we were gonna win the flag, but you can kiss it goodbye now for sure thanks to the Essendon drug cheats.

We arent playing a game jammed in mid-week later in the season and going on to win anything. 

Unless the AFL make it a bye round with only the Demons-Bombers playing that week, which makes sense and is fair on us meaning the AFL will not do it.

[Sir Why You Little 34,432]

21 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I'm pleased we're not playing tomorrow. Irrespective of the DHHS decision that only Jimmy Stewart is deemed to be a close conatct, I think there is still a level of risk that another Essendon player might have contracted the infection which has not yet shown up in the testing progam. The longer our players stay away from that risk, the better. 

Close down the whole competition if that is the case. There is no reason the DHHS would be dodgy. It only makes their job harder

Captain Max wanted a Wednesday Match, why else have 16 minute quarters

 

Edited June 23, 2020 by Sir Why You Little

[Skuit 9,166]

There is so much to play out in terms of fixturing this season that there's no need to go early with the outrage. 

Who even knows what the schedule will look like in a fortnight from now? 

In a way the AFL have backed themselves in a corner by going early on a 17-game season, with the expectation that every club would play each other once. It will create quite the puzzle over time. 

But they also made it clear they are happy to go deep into the year. I think we can expect a number of byes and staggered rounds. There's a very good chance we won't end up paying a mid-week match. 

Chances are that establishing further interstate hubs will require a two-week quarantine. That's time when we can play catch-up - meaning probably both us and a lucky Essendon will remain in Melbourne. 

[old55 21,271]

The AFL are currently trying to work out the WA fixture and which 2 teams get sent over there into a hub first, one good thing is that having played WC over there already it's highly unlikely to be us - in fact we're probably unlikely to get sent there at all and get to play Freo here.

[Diamond_Jim 11,740]

Transparency and the AFL do not occur in the same sentence.

Now we are asked to believe that the club who lost all its records could come up with chapter and verse to eliminate from quarantine all players from their best 22.

Could be true but frankly they don't deserve to be believed.

So the rule is now two hours in an enclosed space as long as you are not in breathing distance. Sounds like open slather for restaurants then.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,394]

34 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Close down the whole competition if that is the case. There is no reason the DHHS would be dodgy. It only makes their job harder

Captain Max wanted a Wednesday Match, why else have 16 minute quarters

 

Why? By the time Essendon plays Carlton on the weekend the level of risk of an Essendon player having caught Covid-19 and not having been diagnosed is significantly reduced compared with tomorrow. I can't see why the whole competition needs to be closed down.

[Sir Why You Little 34,432]

2 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Why? By the time Essendon plays Carlton on the weekend the level of risk of an Essendon player having caught Covid-19 and not having been diagnosed is significantly reduced compared with tomorrow. I can't see why the whole competition needs to be closed down.

You are doubting the DHHS results, that’s all. 
It’s not happening anyway.

But nor should 16 minute quarters because the AFL is not flexible 

[MyFavouriteMartian 572]

2 hours ago, sue said:

He didn't say it was the best way. Just not useless like you posted.  Unfortunately hard to convince Australians to wear masks.

I know sue,  he didn't post the best way.  But rather than inadvertently some misinformation got around peoples minds... I wanted to make it clear that those perspex shields are useless.  They're only good to block a direct sneeze and larger droplets.

And you cannot here the cashier speak 8/10 times.

 

Proper double lined +,  facemasks are the only worthwhile method to protect one and all,  whilst we are out and about.

[binman 37,967]

1 hour ago, Skuit said:

There is so much to play out in terms of fixturing this season that there's no need to go early with the outrage. 

Who even knows what the schedule will look like in a fortnight from now? 

Chances are that establishing further interstate hubs will require a two-week quarantine. That's time when we can play catch-up - meaning probably both us and a lucky Essendon will remain in Melbourne. 

Agree Skuit.

And i've been talking to my avatar, happy Garry Baker and as is his wont he has a positive spin on the postponement of the Essendon game. Garry made the following points:

• Essendon are in good form at the moment so not a bad time to miss them - with the added bonus of the whole saga being a huge distraction for them
• It has allowed us to get another good block of training in, effectively extending our preparation period for the rebooted season - with the added bonus of four points in the bag from the blues game
• For Bennell, VDB and Hannan it is a terrific chance to make sure they are as close to fully fit as possible - with the added bonus of having being selected last week knowing they are a lock this week and the incredible chance to build some synergy with teammates and get some touch in the scratch match
• The scratch match was an incredible, unique opportunity to play an intra club game that was the closest simulation to a real game any would have experienced - with the added bonus that there were no injuries and there is less need for recovery this week at training meaning they can get get a good aerobic block in
• The scratch match will have allowed the club to trial their modified game plan, perfect tactics, look at match ups, try players in different positions, create healthy competition and emphasis the squad mentality they are trying to build - with the added bonus of doing all that on the MCG, i mean how awesome would have it been to play on that billiard table, against your mates on a beautiful  Melbourne winter's day (and for some it will have been their first time playing on the G)
• We have close to a full list, ready, prepared and raring to go against the cats, who we play where we just trained, whereas in most years we play them at Kardinia Park at a ground THEY have trained on during the week - with the added bonus of having only played a scratch match, albeit a willing one, whereas they are coming of a pretty brutal slog and will have some pretty sore boys
• We will get to play Essendon later in the year when we are better prepared and have had the opportunity to have scouted them and worked out our own game plan - with the added bonus that there is every chance it will be on a bye round created to allow for make up games and the impact of the WA hub meaning we won't lose the momentum we have built up by then or have to worry about the impact of the bye and dees fans will have footy to watch that weekend

Edited June 23, 2020 by binman

[old55 21,271]

7 minutes ago, binman said:

Agree Skuit.

And i've been talking to my avatar, happy Garry Baker and as is his wont he has a positive spin on the postponement of the Essendon game. Garry made the following points:

Nice glass half-full!  Too many people here are still searching for the glass.

[Dame Gaga 2,453]

"Essendon says it won't let another saga cripple it's season"  Oh, really? Who put them in charge?

[titan_uranus 22,290]

Why are so many people angry that we're not playing the game tomorrow?

Why do we need/want to play so soon?

For one, as has been mentioned by others, it's not set in stone that our game will need to be crammed mid-week at some point. There is the potential for byes, staggered rounds and other positive tests to create gaps anyway.

But assuming it is going to have to be played midweek, why does it have to be this week? Why not aim for a situation in which the AFL gets us to play on a Thursday night, Friday night or Saturday afternoon, then back up to a Wednesday vs Essendon, then back up to the following Sunday or Monday night? Space out our games as much as possible, with notice to us, so we can prepare (rather than putting all 40 of our fit players into a match on a Sunday).

[Skuit 9,166]

41 minutes ago, binman said:

Agree Skuit.

And i've been talking to my avatar, happy Garry Baker and as is his wont he has a positive spin on the postponement of the Essendon game.

And maybe the limitations on contact training may help turn our attention somewhat to improving our skills. 

[Demonland 64,761]

37 minutes ago, Fifty-5 said:

Nice glass half-full!  Too many people here are still searching for the glass.

I'm using a plastic cup with the 80s Demons logo on it that may have a crack and leaks water that is probably not potable.