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Daniel Cross said after the game that "we're probably following the game plan too closely". It's an interesting observation, but makes sense. As the players become more accustomed to the plan, their individual roles and each other, some of their natural flair and instincts will reappear. It's why I love JKH. He naturally knows what to do and the time to do it.

This is a ridiculous piece of criticism. Had Wilson not identified where the players were going to be named, you'd be crucifying her for withholding information relevant to the story. And it IS relevant to the story, whether you like it or not. Wilson's not the only one to have identified the Herald Sun as the source of publication. What about AAP, among others. Would you really prefer ALL journalists reporting on this story to NOT mention where the players' names were revealed? If so, you have no idea what poor journalism is.

I felt as though the players still aren't quite going off their instincts yet. I think it will take time to get the balance between doing the disciplined game plan things and the instinctive attacking footy right.

Lets not bag the Saints until after we play them.

That's a really encouraging quote, and one I'll bet Roos has fed them directly. It's part of what separates him from the Mark Neelds of the world; an ability to recognise when theory is obstructing practice.

He shouldn't really need to. He's toughed it out for years with a bad back to become one of the best batsmen and captains in the world. People are going to hate him because he has made them look stupid. That is their problem, not his.

Okay, I've just finished watching the replay, and agree with most on here: the effort was great, when we got the transitions right we looked fantastic, and turnovers brought us undone. But am I losing my mind, or was Shannon Byrnes actually pretty good? He had 19 disposals playing as a forward pocket/forward flank, he was crucial in the build-up to several scoring opportunities, and I saw a lot of him working hard to move into space and offer an option for the kicker downfield. But Demonlanders have decided he was dreadful and his career's over … what am I missing?

I feel for the players here, they have not been charged yet and should not be named. The same as when a couple of ours were named which I believed at the time (and still do) was disgraceful journalism. However when infractions/suspensions come it's all gloves off, until that time the Herald Sun should shut the ....up. Rupert must have given Robbo and his boys a real kicking after Wilson played them on a break last year.

I have previously claimed that Vince is twice the value of Sylvia. I was mistaken and apologise for this false claim. He is in fact three times the value of Sylvia.

Well done Lynden, you proved me wrong Friday night as I thought you did a good job and made me eat my words. Hoping you keep doing this and make me look like a complete fool. Good lad

Is that where they got Ahmad Saad?

It'll be great to tell them to get stuffed when they go grovelling for a priority pick.

I'm not going to engage with you if you're going to resort to these sort of acidic and insulting comments. You are so far off the mark it's laughable. My view has nothing to do with adulation or worshiping of any description. I simply applaud good leadership and excellent performances in sport and I try not to play personalities. When it's the other way around, I'll comment accordingly. Your hatred of Clarke is obvious and it's there for all of us to see. The truth is that you're carrying on like a sore loser - take a good look in the mirror.

I'm bagging R2G! If we don't beat that rabble I'm gonna break stuff.

Alexis Georgiou

Just imagine the criticism if the MFC had taken him with pick 38. "demons culture ruins potential star" would be one headline. But at Hawthorn it is painted as a positive story.

Dom Tyson, wow. This kid will be our elite mid and what a fantastic trade that will end up being for us.

Final practice hit up for 2014 and what better opposition than the reigning premiers Hawthorn? I rate Clarkson and Roos as the two best coaches going around ATM and I'm hoping this will be the precursor to a great rivalry. That may well be a little way off but I certainly hope they all do away with the "it's only a practice match" line because this is the last (well almost*) chance for players to stake their claims for a place in the opening round. While it's true that it is only a practice match, the problem is that many of us said this last year when there were definite signs in last year's practice matches v St. Kilda and Gold Coast that things weren't right within the playing group. In reality, we couldn't ignore the fact that in last year's practice game at Casey, the team conceded eight goals to the Saints in a short space of time in the second quarter or that it meekly surrendered to Gold Coast after half time. These practice matches set the scene for our whole season. I believe we can expect quite a few of the players who missed the trip to Alice Springs and went on tour to Gippsland instead to play against the Hawks including some of the vital key position talls and rucks who we missed on Friday night. The result of the game might be of no importance but who plays and the way in which it is played is vital to our prospects for the season because we need to make a good start. * players who have missed the pre season matches through injury can get permission to play in practice matches with the Casey Scorpions including on the following week when no AFL practice games can be scheduled.

Ok, it's possession footy. The idea is if you can move it forward quickly, you do it - that is option 1, if you can move it forward short and slowly - that is option 2, and the third (and last) option is you MUST retain the footy either through lateral or backwards handballs or kicks. The problem I have seen is that there are some players so worried about not carrying out Option 3 that they don't look for the first two options when they get the footy, hence we overpossess the footy. A players natural instinct is to go forward but it will take them a while to get the balance right. It will infuriate the members wing against WCE in Rd 2 but so be it. It's modern footy and a solid grounding for our young team in the importance of skills and running hard to position.

dunno what we'd do without your wisdom rhino. LOL

This doesn't ring true at all, it's out of the AFL's hands until the charges are handed over and that's ASADA's biz....and beer is often the serum of BS.

My rumour supplier advises the AFL will never lay down on all of this. Hird is less likely to coach again than he ever was. Several players will cop bans/be deregistered and some more heat is still to hit off field staff who think they are outside of the situation. AFL are just looking to hit The Dons hard, but not too hard, so-as gate takings will not be diminished massively. Legal boffins are, weekly, getting closer and closer to an agreement that will upset many Dons followers. Apparently some of the player's parents are still waitng to see if they will need to sue the club. Lawyers are making a massive amount and will make even more yet to assist their early retirement plans. AFL want WADA/ASADA to advise guilty party's within 6 - 8 weeks. AFL dont want to have to take points won away again and so are pushing for earlier announcements. Other AFL presidents/CEO's want it all cleared up and are giving very little, if any support to Essendon. Vlad is happy for "others" to make the heavy decisions and then will act under his own AFL powers and BAM! My informant has so far been pretty well spot on yet has missed a couple of reports that got out before he heard of them. Beer is the serum of truth. Some of this is old news!

Spoke to my ASADA source just then again. They're gawn. Matter of time.

:wacko: .

That HUN article is hilarious. I always like reading a journalist's attempt/s to write about molecular science - so idiotic yet written with confidence. I rather like the list of supplements named at the bottom with the addition of their performance enhancing effects. Some of my favorites were "amino acids" (the building blocks of protein), "arginine" (which is an amino acid), and finally "protein". Bum bum baaaa....

explains the epidemic at Essendon in telling porkies !!

Agreed, can't stand the flogs. Will gladly watch any other team in the league suffer miserably without direction for years, just as we have been the laughing stock of other teams for the best part of 5 years.

Good.

I thought Port were a given for bottom last year and Brisbane and the G were not chance the year before. Roos or Roos I would take nothing for granted for Round 1.

According to AFL website he played 76% game time, a bit more than "just over a half". Trengove is a player that needs to find the rhythm of the game.He did that against Richmond but not so much against Geelong who play a more manic offensive and defensive style. He will work hard to lead into space to present and then hand off and then go again. The ground and conditions the other night were not tailor made to that play. He will look alot better on the expanses of the G where he can use his smarts to work into the broader spaces.

Toumpas showed a heap of courage, when he sat under the ball twice and didn't flinch. First time copped a reckless forearm. Viv just looks like a footballer to me. Daniel Cross is just going to fit right in. His field kicking might be getting better with age…finally. Dom looks like one of those rare quickish players that have the hardness and build for the contest. Hogan just presents well. That run-up for a set shot won't last surely. We will rely a lot on a Sam Blease, because he represents all of our line-breaking in one player. He must come on for us to achieve and over-achieve this year. Without having aerial targets (Clark/Dawes/Ruckman), it forced us to chip a bit. If Melbourne were worried about this NAB 2 game, Watts would played high forward. But they are really playing them to develop roles. Our lack of height played into Geelong's hands, who tightened their zone toward us after half-time. Scoreboard flattered us, but then again, our turnovers gifted them. We obviously run backward with handball from the contest. Will be interesting to see whether St.Kilda really bring a few forwards up to crowd this area, leaving Maister (good record v. Melbourne) one out. We are on track for 6-9 victories this year…by the look of it. A loss to St.Kilda brings that back to 4-7, as the first game is worth 2 for us IMO.

I went last year. Had a great four days. Flew in Thursday afternoon, took a hire car and drove down to Jabiru in Kakadu. About a three hour drive. Stayed in the main hotel down there, Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn. (The famous hotel shaped like a Crocodile), then did a tourist flight out of Jabiru to see all the areas you can't get to by car which is something like 97% of Kakadu. About $110 for under an hour. Well worth it. Did a bunch of tourist hikes that day and ended up at Cooinda Camping Ground which is a large caravan park with basic restaurant etc. It is just down the road from the Yellow Water cruises on the river. I real must. Got there just in time for the dusk cruise which was amazing. Plenty of massive crocks in the water. Next day did a bit of driving, went on a three hour hike and drove back up to Darwin. Stayed at the Adina Apartments on the Darwin Waterfront. That's the precinct to stay at. It's only a 15-20 minute cab drive to the ground. We booked our tickets to the game well in advance and could pick the best seats right in the middle of the Grandstand on the wing. The game was needless to say the low point of the trip. But that shouldn't have again. We got up early and spent the day till 2pm looking around. There is a good Darwin museum with a display on Cyclone Tracy and the Military museum is a bit of a must with a very good interactive exhibition on the Japanese bombing in WW2. So we arrived Thurs arvo left Sunday arvo. Could have possibly done with one more day but it was pretty good in that time frame. The Club was very disappointing. We rang them around this time before the game and they couldn't tell us what they were going to organise. In the end it was a very expensive fishing trip for a day and a half. Around $2-2,500. Probably great if you have the money. The only thing they could offer at the game was a designated area with a bbq and drinks for $150. Again way over priced. We just sat in the Grand Stand which was very interesting anyway. Sitting in amongst a crowd of locals and interstaters. We had a great time and a good excuse to go see a part of Aus I would probably not get to otherwise.

Either way its hard to believe he could have the front to actually write such an obviously hypocritical, contradictory piece. The players will be devastated? Well, obviously only now that their names have been blared out to he public.

Spot on. Funny though isn't it - with the Hun now turning on the bombers. You want a real example of pathetic hypocritical journalism try Yobbos 'editorial' in today's Hun. Yobbo writes: ' It is desperately unfair. The players will be devastated. They spoke to ASADA/ AFL on the promise of confidentiality. They were then named in an interim report a confidential document that the AFL demanded from ASADA ahead of the 2013 AFL finals.' This is an column right next a two page spread of photos of all 12 players named and an article listing all of the drugs and supplements ASADA have alleged the EFC used in the supplement and drug program. Unbelievable. Link is here

You're not being tough, just wrong.

I think most are pleased - if they know what they are looking at - but people tend to readjust their expectations very quickly once something they want has been achieved. As we have a discernible gameplan that the players have bought into, posters have moved to running lines through players thy think can't play this style or dwelling on why certain players are struggling in their first two games in the system.

Absolutely. It's great to be able to watch the replay without my head in my hands & a knot in my stomach. It's been a masssive overhaul. That they've been able to transform their playing style so quickly is a credit to not only Roos but the players as well Looking forward to the season. Last year I dreaded footy, to say nothing of the Monday morning post mortems

Would not surprise me if it was essendon in an attempt to discredit ASADA as a continuing effort to paint them as incompetent

We did have the ball 94 more times than they did though. It will be a lot easier to improve on our inside 50 delivery knowing that our team is capable of actually having the ball in possession. That's why I would be inclined not to worry too much about inside 50s as I might have been last year - we're winning the ball, we're just not using it well enough yet.

Wish I could get paid a $1M for a holiday!

I don't think you understand. We know exactly what you meant.

Bruce - was BOG first 3 weeks and early Brownlow favourite then was driven into the ground by a Guerra tackle in the opening minutes, did his shoulder and never really regained that form for the rest of his career.

Love this! Roos: "Stop being a tool!" Dunn: "Oh ... OK"

I'll wait a bit longer before conversion Have never doubted his ability - he's an excellent kick, has pretty clean hands & generally makes good decisions. Reasonable pace, terrific size. He's a wonderful shot at goal on the run. The only thing missing from his skill set is strong marking above his head, which is rarely required in his current role. My criticism of him has always been one thing only. Short steps. If he goes when it's his turn to go all through this season & beyond then Nasher will be spot on - a maligned (justly IMHO) 100 gave player will become a respected 200+ game player. And the club will have a significant asset. Still, I'll wait. Leopards, spots etc

I get sick every time a player is criticised for a practise game in FEBRUARY Fair dinkem These games are to sort out a few things ....go though the list and give players a chance.....Some will excel some will have bad games, but they get the chance to play together with a new game plan. saying a player will never play for the red and blue again is just pathetic and unrealistic Can't wait for when some of our Feb champs have an off day......Posters will be calling for blood and their instant sacking or be called a spud(hate that word) and we should never have drafted/traded him when we should have got.....(insert name here)

JKH

The biggest win from last night was the fact we twice even three times were down by 30-odd points and fought back to be in a position to take over the game. Old Melbourne would've lost by 90 points because 3 goals in a row, and you could literally see heads bow over. Geelong have a team that trust each other, and even their young guys have 3 years playing with one and other. When the whips cracked they knew what to do, and we didn't, but we've played 2 games as a team! I finished and I was disappointed because we lost, but immediately after I realised when in the last 7 years would I be upset we lost to Geelong by 13 points. More to the fact, with a chance to win it plenty of times. I'm stoked with how last night went. Doing my best to keep my expectations reasonable, I don't want to be heartbroken if we lose winnable games, but the future looks so bright.

7 supergoals must be some sort of record? Do GWS know they cant use them as part of their gameplan in a few weeks?

Id be very surprised if Georgiou and toumpas didnt play round one.

50k? You do realise a club can't make payments to a player outside the salary cap yeah? Given the club can't afford to pay 100% of its cap and Chip will demand good money, your claim has to be wrong. Your informant is off track to say the least.