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Let me say I've never seen a more kamikaze or desperate display by a Melbourne footballer on the weekend than Jack Viney. His leaping over opponents to try and get his hands on the footy almost defied belief. Even earlier in the year he wasn't as manic. He was making a statement to the footy world and his teammates. Those that said he'd be a culture changer weren't wrong. Will he win the best first year player award ? Dunno. And don't give a ****.

Hird has nothing to lose. To admit fault is to concede his place in AFL history as the Games biggest cheat. His record as a player will mean nothing. The scary thing is that he appears to be willing to destroy the club he supposedly loves in the process. Just as Lance Armstrong was willing to bring cycling to its knees so is Hird. His delusional ego is willing to take the game to the brink in a bid to save his reputation. High stakes indeed.

I fail to see what else the AFL should have done. they waited for a report from ASADA which is obviously huge, got an interim report and charged people and the club a week later on the strength of that. the players will be issued with infraction notices by ASADA when ASADA releases their final report and not before. ALL the other crap going on is Essendon and their spin doctors and lawyers trying to make themselves look squeaky clean.

Don't know if this has been mentioned! (2 year contract) I guess we won't be trading him then? or does that mean we can? Good on you big fella! FORWARD/ruckman Jack Fitzpatrick will remain a Demon until at least the end of 2015, after he signed a two year deal. The 22 year-old has played 14 matches, including the past 11 this season, since making his AFL debut against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval in round 24, 2011. Fitzpatrick’s new contract comes on the back of an impressive second half of the year, since holding his place in the side from round 10 against Hawthorn at the MCG. He has booted 18 goals, including 15 this year. This included a career best four goals against the Brisbane Lions at TIO Stadium in round 17, and three majors against the Sydney Swans at the MCG in round 15. General manager of football operations Josh Mahoney said Fitzpatrick’s commitment was some good news for the club. “Jack has shown signs this year that he can be a good AFL player,” he told melbournefc.com.au. “He’s kicked multiple goals in a number of games this year as a key forward and his ruck work is continuing to improve. “Jack has had an injury interrupted start to his AFL career, but hopefully he can finish off this season [strongly] and have a good pre-season. We still think he’s got a lot of scope for improvement in his game.” Originally drafted at No. 50 in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft, Fitzpatrick has had to overcome several hurdles to not only make it onto an AFL list, but also hold a place in the team. He suffered chronic fatigue syndrome as a youngster and during his time at the Demons has been diagnosed with diabetes. Injuries have also interrupted his career, but his running capacity for a player of his size – especially quick over 20 metres – makes him a rare commodity in the competition. After dominating in the VFL, Fitzpatrick’s development, particularly in the second half of the season, has been one of the positive aspects of an otherwise dismal year for Melbourne. “He’s taken the next step into the AFL, and has taken his opportunity through some injuries this year,” Mahoney said. “Jack, being 200 cm tall and with the speed that he has, [he] will prove to be a very difficult match up for any opposition defenders in the future.” http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-08-21/fitzpatrick-signs-new-contract

I think we need to remember Neeld was the fulcrum of serious internal division within the club. Both Todd Viney and Neil Craig had continuous run-ins with him last year on both selection issues and drafting. Both were against his dislike of Maloney, Martin (surely a wasted talent) and Petterd, which was the direct reason why they left, leaving an even bigger hole in our midfield. They were also against exiting senior players like Green, Bruce and Junior which left a gaping hole in our onfield leadership, and directly lead to the lack of development in many of our first and second round draft picks. Neeld effectively threw away six or seven years of development which should have left us in the top half of the ladder with a brilliant young list. We were seen for a lot of 2008/2009 as THE up and comer in the competition and the one in the "also rans" who would come out of the pack and challenge for the premiership. We could always over that period go to the football and feel that we could on our day beat anyone. But we did not count on the internal division and the divisive leadership of Cameron Schwab who finally managed to roll Dean Bailey after the disastrous trip to Geelong - something that could have been predicted for such a young list. Schwab was certainly poisonous to a high performance culture, but then adding Neeld to this was not like pooring petrol on a raging fire, but like throwing in an atom bomb. The whole place became disfunctional. From then on, everything we did destroyed value. Craig and Viney tried to put their fingers in the dyke but to no avail. The worst of the worst was list management. Apparently, both of them believed we should not so easily give up first round draft picks such as Morton and Cook, nor should we be so ready to get rid of our older more experienced players, thereby depriving our list of badly needed experience. Neeld was the source of the impression that the MFC "eat their young". Under him, the regime was totally disfunctional and leaderless, but that same accusation could be directed at the board, particular both former chairmen. The board as a whole was derelict in their duty of ensuring the right leaders were in place and functioning. Finally, we have, going right back, had a "cargo cult" mentality (remember Peter Moore/kelvin templeton, the Jarman brothers, Joe Gutnick, Jack Watts, and now Jesse Hogan. Even Ronald Dale Barassi - although he did at least lay the ground work for future success). All at one time or other were seen as an instant solution for our lack of the ultimate prize. What we don't seem to understand is that excellent Organisations need to be built from the ground up with a commitment to the best at all levels, in a culture which allows excellent people to thrive and contribute. We now though through Peter Jackson have an opportunity to build such an Organisation, recognizing that this takes commitment and patience. Fortunately, we have the full support of the AFL, certainly the most successful sporting Organisation in Australia, and recognized as one of the best in the world. Clearly Dimetriou has run out of patience with Melbourne and has decided to fix it once and for all, to which we all should say "hooray!" This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to turn the MFC into the premier Organisation it should always have been. We need patience, and it needs our support. We should also never again put up with the mediocrity as we have so often done in the past.

Whether he comes back or not, I think it's fantastic the club have stayed in touch with him and cared about his welfare.

I gave him heaps and now take it all back, I don't think he will be as good as some think but he's certainly not as bad as I thought.

Jeez this bloke has improved. I watched him at training out at Casey 2 (or 3?) years ago. He had 2 left everything and little confidence. If his improvement continues at this rate he will be a very good player for us. My apologies Fitzy. I shitcanned you on this forum and now I take it back.

You missed one: Paul Roo's has alway's been one of my favourite coach's

Do i need to point out your major mistake with that statement?

A couple of things stand out in my memories of Flash; - bamboozling the Richmond players in his second game on Friday Night Footy in 2004 where a couple of them basically just stood frozen not knowing which way to chase him and he just split right through the middle of them - he is the fastest player I have ever seen in the flesh and remember him bolting down the middle of the G in one particular game chasing an opponent and making up about 20 metres in what seemed like an instant - his speed was just incredible - his goal from the Members pocket in the wet against Geelong on Friday Night Footy in 2006 - seeing him in his suit standing behind the AFL members one day and giving his trademark grin as I walked past with my then 13 or 14 year old brother and told him "look it's The Flash!"

I have faith in our recruitment now that Todd Viney's involved. He'll get it right. It's the Cameron/Prendergast years that leave me cold.

I think it's disingenuous to blame Neeld alone for out current situation. The train wreck that we are today left the station a decade ago and was caused by a combination of poor coaching, poor recruiting, list management and player development. It started in Neale Daniher's latter years and was compounded during Bailey's term. Needless to say, things didn't get any better under Mark Neeld's short tenure but the mess was already there when he arrived.

Im not sure if you au fait with IT..serious IT and this isnt meant as any slight. There are reformats, and there are reformats. They can occur at what is called different levels. Even a low level reformat may not neccessarily destroy much of anything. Reformatting doesnt actually wipe info It negates the path to it and facilitates an overwriting. Until the particular bytes of a drive are actually overwritten they still exist. Even with overwriting there can be a ghosting effect. The funny thing is its not the actual hard drives id target it would be the back ups. Any decent org will have sequential backups . These are nearly ALWAYS forgotten about ...precious little things lol. Arguably where ever the 'supplemental happenings" occurred its quite likely that proper backups werent carried out. I can tell you from a previous career in IT its not nearly as prevalent as it ought to be. Unless the drives have been cast to a smelter..I wouldnt sleep well if they were mine

That's not correct at all. This is not an issue the AFL can cover up like tanking. This issue is being run by ASADA and the ACC. The problem is not the AFL but Essendon Football Club and is 4 FD culprits.

Dean Wallis in charge of keeping the injection records - that explains everything ... http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/dean-wallis-implicated-over-essendon-drug-records-20130821-2saw3.html?rand=1377062070418

Jack Watts working hard in the final stages of his gym session take it easy mate, we don't want you to run out of energy on match day again

You may want to consider re-posting this, in english perhaps?

No Interest what so ever. There are two teams in SA,WA, NSW and QLD. There are interstate games every week. Relic from the past that ran out of steam two decades ago.

Neeld directly brought Clark and Dawes to the club and under his regime we traded for Hogan.

Geoff Walsh was a strong whisper i was told today.... I am hoping that this is the announcement i was told about last week... Just passing it on.

They did. Showed his presser and reflected on his career. Robbo acknowledged the impact he had on the small forward position in taking defensive pressure to a new level. Luke Ball described him at his peak as "Rioli-like" and paid credit to what a nice bloke he was. Bob Murphy said that when you saw him with the ball, you instantly were thinking about damage control, also drawing the Cyril comparison.

I heard on ch 9 tonight there is a meeting tomorrow of the AFL and presidents from all clubs including Little. Love to be a fly on that wall. This is all way more interesting than the games now.

If you have an issue you should always address the problem at the source. The AFLs hotchpotch handling of the guilty parties in the MFC tanking and the Crows draft corruption has already soiled their integrity. This cuts to the core of the game and the critical issue of player welfare where WADA and the ACC are involved and the sporting world is watching this. I don't think the AFL will breach its TV rights obligations voluntarily by excluding Essendon but its impossible for Hird and others to survive this. Once Essendon gets smart and realises that this has become all about Hird fighting for his integrity and trashing his club in the process then they will decouple the 4 aminos. Heaven help them if the ASADA final report issues one infraction notice on an Essendon player. And when the dust does Paul Little should be jettisoned urgently as he has been pivotal in exacerbating the problem and has left the clubs relationship with the AFL, government bodies, the other 17 clubs , its players and the general public in tatters. A disgraceful episode in AFL history and the worst in the clubs long history.

Because the Hun is fed from the Hird camp. Fairfax is being fed by the AFL. To be fair reporters will report what they are provided by the angling parties and who could blame them? I don't. I find it ridiculous that Hird sees himself as the victim. It's a narcissism that would make Lance Armstrong proud.

Fitzy is a big signing for us. Club and player paying back the faith shown in each other. Well done Melbourne, well done Fitzy!

Maybe the bombers should have appointed him.... Get it - Plane crash, bombers.... Sorry couldn't help myself!!

Well done Fitz. You earned it. Given the uncertainty over Clark and Watts, I don't necessarily see him surplus to our needs. And.i doubt whether he has any trade value at this raw stage of his career.

For someone I was convinced would delisted at the end of this year, he has done a very good job to carve out something in a terrible year. But as CB has said - life in AFL footy changes quickly and he is an asset that we may barter.

Good to see he didnt need to see who the coach may be Good news for the club will go ahead again next year Tries his a#se off has a go great attitude!Believes in the club fantastic Hey What about you Jackie boy?

Im rapt, when he played his 1st game i thought my god this guy is a dud, but this season he has been outstanding and he is becoming a commentators favourite. Glad to see him stick around.

Inge, Bruckner and John Fahey have been consistent that ASADA only implements WADA rules. At the moment it's not clear what ASADA has to defend - Its he said/ he said. Have they given any formal written advice? The efforts by the Club and the Andrew Garnham to make claims they verbal checked are both atrocious and in the later case irrelevant.

I make the kids give me the good stuff (chocs, bikkies) from their lunchbox . It teaches them about abuse of power.

I'm a teacher so there is no tills, but i'll be sure to steal something from their lunch boxes tomorrow as a reward for myself!

if the rumours of an Eade- Ling - Simpson trifecta coming to the MFC are true we should all do cartwheels when its announced

Neeld was a failure. But we can stop at the terrible relationship with players and the overemphasis on defensive processes. There is no need to invent a maze of cause and effect to also blame our list on him, and also make Viney and Craig look like Saints. Losing Moloney hurt 2013 and maybe 2014. Losing Petterd meant we had to find another HBF with suspect skills... Losing Martin, Morton, and Cook was nothing - just look at how much AFL they have played in 2013... Our list is bad because of poor drafting, short term trading, and poor development - dating back to 1999 and continuing until a date to be confirmed later with brief periods of respite in 2005 and 2006. As for the exiting of senior players - Bruce and McDonald were forced out at the end of 2010. So this burning of experienced players is something that Neeld doesn't have to bear all his own. I won't allow people to waive away our issues as we wave away Neeld, Schwab, and McLardy. Our problems did not begin or end with them, and to think otherwise is doing our rebuild a disservice. I want to forgive the mistakes but not forget them, otherwise history might repeat.

I think that's a point that gets lost in a lot of the speculation about whether or not the players took a banned substance or not. By not keeping records of what was taken, how much and by whom, they have absolutely failed in their duty of care to the players. They can say that there are little to no side effects to the drugs that where used, but that to me largely irrelevant. Even legally prescribed drugs by doctors are documented as to get a picture of patients history, the Essendon players now have a gaping hole in their medical history and the club has opened themselves up to being liable for possible future problems.

Um...

Neeld came in with a Malthouse attitude and had neither the credibility or the ability to communicate effectively to have his ideas executed. It is a shame, some of the ideas were right but the execution deplorable.

coaches

I just read this whole thread and now my brain hurts.

I could get to wear my Air Jurrah T shirt again.

Viney is (easily) the best player of the three. Terlich has had the best year.

Yes, it's been said many times that it wasn't all Neeld's fault, it was Schwab's poor chains of command, Connolly, the blatant tanking, the handling of Junior and other senior players, the weak list management for years, a sleepy Board, etc. But, by God Neeld was the nail in the coffin.

Man is that a load. Neeld did much damage to this group. He was a lousy people manager. In the words of a player I spoke to last week, arrogant know all who neither commanded nor gave respect.

One of the greatest, most wonderfully directed episodes of television I've ever watched.

Not a word Stuie......!!! I thought it was a classic myself

I am still in the Roos camp...particularly if we can snare Geoff Walsh. There has not been one dud episode of Breaking Bad...Truly incredible TV. Not a word Dr. G.

this would get me back! There is nothing i would wont more..... Liam has unfinished business here....Thanks... This brightened my night...

barret may wear glasses but i would still punch him