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Done. Earlier this evening, a decision was made to ban this poster for a month. On reviewing his posts and his record over time, I've overruled that decision. The ban is now permanent. Please let that be a warning to posters who believe they can constantly offend against our code of conduct and behave in an offensive manner to others on this site. And finally, please show the appropriate respect to Mitch and to all players on the club's list.

Stuff him. I hope he [censored] all over himself.

Thanks Chippy. Do you think there will be more views if the thread title is changed to FREE BEER ?

You can keep your roofs and your food and your loved ones. I just want a win.

Found it interesting that just last night H.MacIntosh played just his 7th game in over two seasons after battling constant injury, including no games in 2013. Hopefully there's something in that for those trying to end Mitch's playing career due to his injury concerns.

On face value that is true, but once you add back Hogan, Dawes, Viney, McKenzie, Garland, Gawn, Salem, even Jetta ( on his recent practice form - although would need to be upgraded), and hopefully eventually Clark, our depth looks quite impressive. Once all those are available there is no way Matt Jones, Byrnes, Bail and nicholson would be in our top 25. I would say our top side fully fit is definitely top 8 potential: FD: Dunn. Frawley. Garland HB: Grimes. McDonald. Vince C: Toumpas. Watts. Viney HF: Hogan. Dawes. Trengove FF: Howe. Clark. JKH Foll: Gawn. Tyson N Jones Inter: Michie. Cross Fitz Sub. Salem Emerg: Bleese. Bail. Jetta. Mckenzie Certainly 40% better side than the one we are putting on the park on Saturday, simply because the bottom six are so much better. Would give most teams a run for their money IMHO.

You should try speaking to JKH, he will not be sitting there for three quarters getting nervous, if he is sub, he will be analyings and looking at the St Kilda defensive structures, so if and when he gets on, he knows where the weak spot is....this is a kid who was co captain of the Oakleigh Chargers who knows he is good

Relax...we've got this.

I am pumped for this. Even with the disasters of the past couple of years, there's nothing quite like Round 1 of a new season.

Everyone gets a clean slate... Except players I don't like.

Sorry, not even Vince and Roos can make me watch that show.

Ban this imbecile once and for all.

Yeah, I surprised Roos didn't consult the Demonland experts before giving Byrnes and Pedersen a game.

Little is trapped in a place of his own making

cop this at dank's sportsmen's lunch, he auctioned off an essendon jumper signed by Danks, Hird and Watson stick that in your jumper, eh

To me the name Melbourne, the colours and the MCG are the important things that identify our club. If we focus on something like the Demon then we have no real base or something that locks us into Melbourne. A logo, cartoon character or whatever it is can be moved to any location. The Hobart Demons for example, the name Melbourne can't. It is imperative that the club retain the MFC identity.

1. If the players genuinely didn't believe they were taking banned drugs but did they're gone. Yes if it's proved to the reasonable satisfaction of the panel that the drugs they took were banned. 2. If a rogue sports scientist injects them with a banned substance when they are told they are getting something else they're gone.Yes if it's proved to the reasonable satisfaction of the panel that the drugs they took were banned. That all the Essendon players will get infraction notices because presumably they all received the same drugs, or there is a reasonable probability they received banned drugs. Yes if it's proved to the reasonable satisfaction of the panel that they took drugs that were banned. I'm confused. I thought the so called 14 were at risk because they thought they were taking AOD 9604 and it was banned. If the others didn't know they were taking banned substances then surely under the "unconscious" rule they would be gone as well (assuming they were conscious at the time). Yes, you're confused but so are many others and some of the seeds of that confusion are being deliberately sown by those with a vested interest in achieving a favourable outcome for themselves and others. The difference between being conscious and unconscious goes to the issue of consent - if the players were conscious when they signed the waivers and conscious when they ingested the drugs, don't you think that's different to the case of the unconscious athlete who was operated on in that state and later failed a drug test? Also, I don't know what substance the so called 14 were at risk for taking or the exact circumstances. My guess is that they've admitted to taking TB4 and/or AOD 9604 and are in trouble.

I have always believed the Golden Boy is guilty. What i do not understand is why he has attacked the AFL so viciously. If he knew his "lawyer"wife was going to speak on the national broadcaster, why would he sanction it? He got a cool $mill out of his club with an assured return contract. I do not agree with it, but he got it. Why with that money banked would you not then STFU...? The lawyer wife must be very average at her proffession. "It just don't add up"

Quite right but the theory is sound. We need players with a bit of development and unlike many we are prepared to trade early picks to get that. It also suits the Suns and the Giants list management strategies. Both those clubs will struggle to satisfy all the midfield talent they have so trading it out for early picks allows them to stagger the age profile of their lists whilst retaining the quality. We are in a good position as most clubs overvalue early picks. Roos doesn't. I think that there is an excellent chance of another Tyson type deal happening and because we are one of the few clubs that will deal we will get good value for our picks. I reckon history will show Adams and Caddy went for songs. Imagine what we could have organized if they'd wanted to come and we were in the game. I don't know if O'Rourke or Plowman are the right ones but the theory is very sound and suits us well. Our recruiting people have done pretty well this year by the look of things. I hope they do it again. Another "buy one get one free" deal and we are starting to look really good.

I really don't get how this whole investigation went from; did they cheat? what did they inject? who is responsible? to whether or not AD tipped off EFC that ASADA was coming. this whole thing needs to get back to what where the players injected with and are they going to be any long term health effects? The Hirds are only too worried about their own credibility and seem to forget the fact that this whole thing is about Essendon injecting players with suspect substances in an out of control supplements program orchestrated by one James Hird. who gives a crap what AD or the AFL knew right before ASADA came down on Essendon. I've said it a dozen times before AD was not the one holding the needle. Essendon and the Hirds need to suck it up and cop exactly what's coming to them!

The Hirds have successfully alienated themselves from all possible support, the EFC, the AFL, other clubs and presidents and the fan base aside from a few rabid morons. In fact his intransigence paints a picture of competition and a club that belives it is above the rules especially when you view it from the context of WADA and the response of other sports similar situations. It wont help ASADA and the AFL convince WADA that lesser penalties for players are appropriate. Once he gets the chop I cant see Hird going quietly and would not be surprised if he takes all and sundry through the courts especially if he gets an infraction notice. Little has been a fool throughout the whole saga and has already cost his club a significant amount of money that is likely to explode. Make me glad the Mclardy was able to get us out of the tanking investigation relativley unscathed. This club owes cuddles a fair bit I recon.

You know what I like about the Collingwood logo? The fact that as far as I can remember it has always looked that same as it is now, this displays representation and consistency. I'm not saying we stick with the current logo but think carefully before implementing the next one so it can stand the tests of time and not be something that re-branded every 2-3 years.

Interesting logic. So you're asserting that most supporters who want to see a change now, wouldn't care so much if we were winning - simply based on the fact that you, who don't want a change now, wouldn't care as much if we were winning. You are projecting your temperamental way of viewing this on to everyone else. Not to say you are the only one with this view of course. I won't speak for anyone else but I would have the same opinion on this regardless of how we are playing. As for importance, it is important enough for the club to survey its member base about it. If we are called the Demons it is hardly a far fetched notion that we actually have a Demon in our logo. The majority of top level sporting teams in the world have some sort of mascot/identity imagery in their logo. The club is aware of this. If it means improving our brand and appealing to more people at large then that is off-field performance. It can happen in conjunction with improving our footy. Interestingly we actually had a 'bringing back the Demon' thing a while back (pirate demon) but it was unfortunately a crap design and didn't take off.

McDonalds

What game are the Hirds playing? Andrew D may have made a call to all clubs or the ones he suspected, along the lines of, If you guys have any dodgy programs now is the time to fess up to ASADA this will give the opportunity of reduced penalties.That the EFC Chairman thought he was getting a direct warning may have been an indication of EFC's guilt. Andrew D has said again this morning that he did not know which club at the time and therefore could not have given a direct warning. I reckon something was said but this is all spin , distracting from the real issue. EFC are cheats, the Hirds are [censored] and the players are victims.

From the Tanya Hird interview: "Ms Hird, who describes herself as an assiduous record-keeper". What a pity she wasn't used to help her husband, the Essendon Football Club and Dank keep a record of what was being injected into his players during 2012. Probably would have saved everybody a whole lot of pain and discomfort as well as saving her the trauma of packing the family suitcases for their trip to Paree ...

Stay on topic please.

Byrnes runs to good spots, same as watts and Toumpas, we now need players to get the ball to them when they run to the right areas.

It's not labeling. StKilda are fielding an inexperienced and unproven side. If MFC have aspirations that they can be seriously competitive this year (and my information from within the Club that they do) then this game against a weakened opposition is a must win.

Nicholson, Blease, Evans. It seems once again it's 6 months since we've played a real game and we still can't come up with any better depth ready to play than these 3. Oh well. For the actual team: Backline: FB: Georgiou Frawley Dunn HB: Grimes McDonald Terlich Solid. 6 guys who will attack the footy. Not fully sold on Terlich but the other 5 can at least defend. And I'd love a couple of elite skilled players one of which has break away speed but we just don't have that right now. Hunt, Strauss, Salem, Kent, Clisby there's development to be had. And Garland back would be lovely but I'm hoping Dunn and Georgiou can step up. Of course Tommy Mc probably has the biggest job of the lot. Forwards: FF: Byrnes Fitzy Howe HF: Bail Pedersen + resting mids, +JKH (who I think will be sub unfortunately). The weaknesses here are abundant but the strength is reasonably obvious to me. It's about guys who can get up and down the field and who can run to the spots to get the ball. That's where Byrnes and Bail benefit over Blease, not always but more than Blease and others they have shown the ability to get in space and to the right spots. Same with Fitzy he's a decent lead. Outside mids: Watts, Toumpas, Matt Jones Centre square mids: N. Jones, Tyson, Vince Versatile mids: Cross,Trengove, MIchie I might have considered Mckenzie (if he's fit) just as someone who will tackle and chase but I can understand why Roos has gone for as much attacking run and hopefully skill as possible. We need to run all over the saints and use our slight advantage in midfield experience. Jack Viney and then Aidan Riley not too far away but this is our midfield. Let's see them do a good job and run as much as they can, get the ball and use the ball.

I am looking forward to the start of the season and I think, given the outs, this is about the best side we could expect. I like the fact that the club is taking a very conservative approach with injury and giving players time to fully recover. As for labeling players 'duds', I am more than willing to see how the individuals respond to the new coaching setup and the new attitudes within the club before crossing anyone off the list. To my mind, it is a clean sheet with the coaches and we should adopt exactly the same attitude. Looking for a win here.

Just told a story how Vince took Damo Barretts glasses at the footy show after party last year. May explain some of the hate

From training today, you will see I had Matt Jones in the 25, he's earned it, he was excellent today, speed on the outside, let's leave the vitriol about Bail, Pedersen, Spencer and Byrnes till after the game if it is warranted, JKH will be sub, so Byrnes knows perform or else, we have a new coach who will have given each player a specific role, if they don't do it, he,they and we know they won't be there next week, that is the only promise Roos has made

Why not make him CEO?

would love him at the dees. Although then he may start to suddenly get injured when he starts to play for us!

Out of contract end of next year. Best mates with Bernie and Clisby. Melb get in his ear now and start selling him the club, the G and the town.

Straight out of the coaching manual - fail once - Casey for the year. hmmm

Us by 35, we saw last year what not having an AFL standard midfield does to a team, they don't even have a Nathan Jones to prop them up, the biggest thing will be about if we can kick a winning score, i reckon we will get it out of the middle enough and have so much more of the ball that we will get plenty of opportunity

We should win, but I and probably everyone else on here am hesitant to make the call given how badly we've been let down before. Don't want to jinx it.

Super glad they stopped scheduling our annual arse flogging from Hawthorn in Round 1, and gave us a bit longer to prepare.

This game makes me nervous...

Just had a nice collect on the Cats and I'm going to load it into the Dees for Saturday night.

FMD!!! I just watched that rubbish for about 5 minutes. Not sure if I missed Roos or not. Could take no more. Makes me wish I lived in the pre television era. Sam Newman -the human parody. Do they trowel his face on before the show? I feel dumber than ever.

No, of course I want to see JKH going around... he's an absolute excitement machine. But I also understand that he will be slightly underdone not having played much at this level and intensity, and I understand that Roos will want the experience and level headedness of Byrnes in there for at least the first half of the game. If they can make a good break on the Saints in the first half, I think you will see Byrnes make way for JKH and Roos will let him run riot. Of course, we are assuming that JKH will be the sub, which may not necessarily be the case. Roos is a premiership coach, so I will defer to his decision to play Byrnes.

Vince now is my fav player!

the first time in history we actually pull off a great trade, and for the first time in a decade have a genuine elite key forward.. and what happens? Oh yeah you barrack for Melbourne

Bail I thought was a certainty on pre-season form. I'm surprised that people are talking about him as if he were a surprise. I don't love him by any stretch, but is clear best 22 at present for mine.

Byrnes is due for a good game, been 4 years since his last one. But seriously, a win would be massive, just for my general happiness.

I'd love for him to say he'll put Frawley up forward, and then not do it just to troll the Saints.