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This is what I am hearing: * Paul Roos will sign for a 3rd year............ its as good as locked in. * There has been informal discussions with Bomber, as senior assistant next year. There is a good chance Bomber will end up at Dees but unsure of what his position will be in a succession plan. * Paul Roos has been working very hard at encouraging target players he wished to bring to the club. This is all unofficial and via managers as season still on. I am told these talks are going VERY well. * Confidence of Frawley staying is low. Club has been preparing for his departure. However, still not 100% that he is leaving.

Great news.We will never find out who we are targeting until we sign them ala Tyson, Riley etc.. One thing I learnt about Roosy and PJ is they never give anything to the media.

I hope Roosy asks him directly

"Literally from the horses mouth" = brilliant.

Bomba was quite happy being an assistant to Hird, and was hesitant to take the senior job. I think Bomba just wants to help kids to get better, like Roos did with the Swans academy. Quite similar blokes, in fact, and I think a good fit.

what a condescending pile of carp sd. loyalty and emotional connection is why i am a club supporter, winning flags is only satisfying because of that. it is the desired result not the cause of my attachment.

Yep. I think this discussion can be assisted by breaking X factor down into football X factor and athletic X factor. Sylvia has athletic X factor with his strength, power and leap but I don't think he has footy X factor. The players r jay listed - Rioli, Motlop, Ablett Snr - have footy X factor, such as vision, awareness, goal nous, etc. No doubt atheltic X factor is very important, as guys like Rioli and Motlop have that athletic X factor with their speed and lateral movement which makes them what they are. However unlike Sylvia they do seem to possess that footy X factor as well.

I would stay away from Wright unless you intend for him to be a forward. Far too high a pick for a ruckman.

Tyson's best has been better but Vince has been more consistent. Eh, who cares, we have both of em, enjoy!

Most of you missed that he essentially said he is at the club until we don't want him anymore - he sounded like a Demon lifer from here. Who cares if he coaches for 3 years or 5 years - he is a Demon and will be around the club and helping make decisions for a generation and a club restored. Celebrate.

(Disclaimer: no offence is intended by the below. Just a bit of tongue in cheek to round off the week) Q: What colour is the sky? old dee: The sky is still blue after all this time will it ever change? i'll believe it when I see it rpfc: The sky might be blue right now, but it is naive to expect this is going to change overnight. We must accept that while others have a starry night sky, or a red dusk, or a pink dawn, our sky is blue, and it will remain blue until some significant changes to the way in which the air scatters the sunlight are made. These changes will take time. Ron Burgundy: The sky is the best thing that has happened to us in a long time. I have total faith in it. I love the sky. Satyriconhome: actually chap, I know where the sky is at and so does God. In fact when my lovely lady and I were talking to God the other day we spoke about the sky. I just like to entertain myself on here with all you keyboard heroes who think you know the sky better than God and I. WYL: it's still blue and it's still falling. When are we going to see change? How much longer are we going to put up with this incompetent sky? Webber: I thought I'd correct some of the statements being made in here regarding the sky's colour which are just plain incorrect. Except for light that comes directly from the sun, most of the light in the day sky is caused by scattering, which is dominated by a small-particle limit called Rayleigh Scattering. The scattering due to molecule sized particles (as in air) is greater in the forward and backward directions than it is in the lateral direction. Scattering is significant for light at all visible wavelengths, but it is stronger at the shorter (bluer) end of the visible spectrum; meaning that that the scattered light is more blue than its source, the sun. The sky can turn a multitude of colors such as red, orange, purple and yellow (especially near sunset or sunrise) when the light must pass through a much longer path (or optical depth) through the atmosphere. Scattering effects also partially polarize light from the sky, most pronounced at an angle 90° from the sun. Scattered light from the horizon travels through as much as 38 times the atmosphere as light from the zenith, causing it to lose blue components, causing a blue gradient: vivid at the zenith, and pale near the horizon. Because red light also scatters if there is enough air in between the source and the observer, these longer wavelengths of light will also scatter significantly, making parts of the sky change color during sunset. ENYAW: why does the sky do what it did? It just hangs there? I watch and think the sky, is not what it was 10 years ago. get the clouds to move to a different part of the sky ? dee-luded: the sky, forever changing, never constant. maybe someone else wants to offer up a bigger sacrifice to the sky?? just a thought Bitter but optimistic: bugger the sky I say! Who needs the sky when there is alcohol and women to consume! hogans heroes: The sky is pathetic. The clouds are hopeless and the sun is a loser. I hope the sky burns in hell for what it has done (three weeks later) The sky is absolutely beautiful. Redleg: The sky is still blue after all these years and it's about time we stood up to God and told him to change it. picket fence: The sky is blue but the clouds aren't puffy enough! Plus we need more rainbows! I propose we switch some clouds for rainbows! Just my view! rjay: That is an interesting question that you pose 'P-Man'. I think it is blue but I also think it can be a variety of other colours that we don't get to see as often. Machsy: Are you serious? How can you not know that? That is just about the stupidest question I've ever been asked. The sky? Seriously?? Jumbo returns: The sky is still blue and I am very skeptical of this God fella. I will wait to see what he does to change the colour of the sky before I sing his praises. Jaded: I stood underneath the sky yesterday while it rained. I stood there, wondering why I bother watching it while it pours down. But I'll be there again next week. Standing underneath it. Hoping it won't rain. Ben Hur: I could explain it to you but you wouldn't understand.

Good news for us if tonights stories have some truth, 4 clubs in the hunt could mean a bidding war, would like a committed to the cause Frawley to stay but if he leaves so be it, others have left and we have moved on

Yes no phone lines if only they had heard of Alexander Graham Bell

Who's Dillon Shield??

A footballer saying "I will decide at the end of the year" is about as truthful as a real estate agent's quote at an open for inspection.

I tend to agree with most of what you are saying. People who say that footballers only have 5-10 years to make a living, seem to think that after they retire at 28 or 30 or 35 they should be able to settle into a cushy 30-50 years of leisure? Hey guys - even those who play to 35 have another 30 years or more until reaching the age that most of us mere mortals can even consider retirement, or winding back. Can't they get of their arses and do something, like a real job, not footy related media which clearly they can't all fit into nor do most have the aptitude or intelligence to do, to top up what should be a considerable next egg if they manage their footy income at all sensibly?

What gets up my nose is the crap he has come out with to try and cover his tracks. Must think we are all idiots and if true he will leave almost as maligned as $cully.

Agreed. There is some [censored] that can be removed but the sense of history that the date brings with it is crucial. The Richmond emblem (above) is simple but includes the date. I don't understand why Geelong, with an otherwise strong representation of their club does nor include the date.

Can't believe the ignorance required to write off a kid at a bottom team in only his 2nd season. A top 5 pick, no less. And 3 of them!

Maybe like our current captains, will have dual coaches, with Roos and Bomber both steering the ship..? Who'd be a better development coach? Match day coach? etc... maybe the beginning of a beautiful thing..

If we have Roos, Thompson, and Senior Assistant in waiting next season - we are going to need a bigger boat... And by 'boat' I mean 'money', and by 'bigger' I mean 'lotsa'...

I'm just waiting for "Grand New Flag" to sign on and fill us in. Love reading his posts as he's always accurate and never far off the mark.

I see Tyson as being more damaging and attacking, but that might just be because of the hair. Alrighty, so, they both have 17 games, they both have 23.18 disposals a game, they both have 0.65 goals per game. Vince has more kicks and tackles, slightly more rebound 50s. Tyson has more marks, slightly more clearances, and better goal accuracy. Then things get messy - Vince has fewer clangers but Tyson has better overall disposal efficiency. Tyson has more goal assists despite Vince having more inside 50s. It's a shambles. Their stats don't spread in any consistent pattern, many of them are very close even where there is a difference, and some of them seem to contradict eachother. In summary, that stats give us all permission to go with our observations and gut feel, and be happy that both are good players, though they also share the same key weakness of relatively poor disposal efficiency. Tyson's hair does certainly seem to be that of a more dynamic player.

I thought ratten had the blues playing better footy than they ever have under Mick personally, thought he was really stiff

Encouraging to see that players like Strauss and Michie are showing clear improvement in critiqued areas. It certainly reads like the development at the club is miles ahead of where it was in recent years. Maybe guys who have previously been written off might actually have a chance of developing into good AFL players and salvage some of our oft criticised recruiting. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-07-23/vfl-player-review-round-15

guys, it was so cold this morning in burwood, i actually saw a lawyer with his hands in his own pockets boom tish

Vince at his Adelaide best was a game changing A grader. We haven't seen that on display, but he's been very solid and I agree that he's better now than his last season or two at Adelaide. He's such a massive upgrade on Sylvia though; the price we paid was peanuts in relation to our needs. Both these two players have been crucial to our return to form. Bloody hard to split and I reckon both will be B&F top 5, but it's Tyson by a nose for mine.

I still find it slightly comical that Chip has come out saying that the constant speculation is annoying him, yet he was the one who put off those contract talks and brought the speculation down on himself. Not too bright is our James.

If chookrat likes Pigdog then I'm happy.

I lost too many cups of coffee that way reading Dee-luded's posts so I put him on ignore. But I visit him just for fun sometimes....

i pray that doesnt happen we need to beet them both if we are serious about improving and having momentum going into 2015

Hi, I've just got back from the game and joined you fellow demonlanders because I'm convinced I've seen the reincarnation of the great Matthew Whelan. Neville Jetta has been amazing this year, never thought he had it in him. Here's a look at his games: Essendon - Kept three time premiership champion Paul Chapman under control with Chapman only getting 18 possessions and 1 goal. Collingwood - Kept Collingwood livewire Jamie Elliot to his lowest possession and goal count this year with 9 disposals and 1 goal. Port Adelaide - Before Wingard got subbed, kept the new wonderkid Chad Wingard to only 5 POSSESIONS! Western Bulldogs - Kept vastly impressive Luke Dahlhaus goalless for only the second time this year! Adelaide - Destroyed Eddie Betts. Keept him goalless and to 8 possessions. Sydney - Didn't have any impact with the ball but Kept the lightening quick Lewis Jetta goalless. Since Whelan, when have we had a small defender this good. Not only is Jetta fantastic at stopping small forwards, he uses the ball well. Even though he isn't a long kick his short passes nearly always hits the mark and he hits players in good positions. One final wrap for Jetta, whenever he needs to lay a tackle he lands it. Today he put a Essendon player into next week! I've joined a forum for this bloke. I've been so impressed whilst not a games, but watching him live, Wow, Roos & Jetta have created something special.

What troubles me, perhaps unfairly, is why didn't Hawthorn appoint him as fill in when Clarkson was indisposed? Good on you for following up and coming back on here to update us all.

Cameron, Shiel, Treloar and 2 of those 3 would make me very happy

Macrae's development has been stunning. To think that he struggled to make the cut at junior level before cutting in up in his draft year is extraordinary. What impresses me most is Treloar's inside/outside game. Not too many have such a high level all round game.

Having got the rant off my chest, there was actually quite a bit to like about the game overall. I thought Tappy produced the best minute of his football career and in general was pretty solid. He should be spending most of his time forward in my opinion. Blease gave us a bit in attack and much to my amazement actually put in defensively. JKH was back and looking good. Jetta was superb. Some of his evasive work was insane to watch, just the awareness and agility to avoid tackles until he could dish off. Tyson still ogt caught a couple of times, but it was a very handy game. Riley looks like he could be a real find once he gets back to full fitness. He really has slotted in nicely. Kent really threw himself in as the substitute. I've seen a lot of people say he should have played the whole game, but I'm not sure I agree. He was ideal in that role where his burst of speed and attack on the ball wrought havoc and created a lot of opportunities when we needed them. Probably more I could throw out, but I just got back from work and it was late when I watched it last night. The point is that we looked like a decent side last night. Our tall forwards were average, but we had a rock solid defence, we did well in clearances, we had a few quick players in there to break lines and create, and they all worked as advertised. It was actually a good game from us, we just failed to finish it off (again). A little more composure and awareness and we'd have added Port to the list of scalps this year.

His username should be all the understanding you need big red!

If we could repeat the success we've had with Vince and Dom again this recruiting season, we'd be extremely well placed come 2015. Fingers Crossed.

I'm starting to think he could slip out of the first round May be thereabouts for our second round.....

Why does everything have to cost money? Such a bloody inconvenience.

^ good point. Possibly the greatest reason why it wouldn't happen. Can you imagine how much Roos, Thompson, and Ling would all cost? Yowza.

And possibly cost a lot of money we don't actually have...

The problem is not the umpires. They are interpreting the rules as they stand now correctly. The rules are wrong. I hate the way the game is going, especially the holding the ball rule. The chase down tackles go unrewarded, but stacked on by 5 players within a millisecond of getting the ball, thats holding the ball. Thats not AFL.

Respect is earned, not given. To be honest, I don't really blame the umpires as such, but I think Umpires Director has to cop some scrutiny. No prior opportunity is one thing, but I loathe watching games where players can just drop the ball without being penalised. And don't get me started on the theatrics of "no genuine attempt to dispose of the ball". It's become a blight on the game and an eyesore and I believe the new rules/ inpterpretations are not in the spirit of the game.

Get in the van...

I love that you've captured the writing style as well as the content style. Brilliant. Poor Webber - it must be hard having an IQ of 190 amongst us mere humans! I love it when he turns up and embarrasses all the clueless wailers with his knowledge. h_h was by far the best one, though. I even read it in the same comical voice in my head that comes to mind when I read the real h_h's posts. I first read this at lunch time and am still giggling at "the sun is a loser".

You forgot Joeboy: Blue, just blue

Good post. I feel the same. I am 60 and have supported them all my life. My wife and kids the same. Never seen them win a flag. Copped [censored] from other clubs fans all my life but never strayed. I started the first supporters club magazine, called Demon's World. I started a supporters group called the Premier's Club. I have been a Director of the club. I have been Team Manager of the club. I brought in a new President, Wayne Reid. I am a Foundation member. I am a sponsor. I enjoy Demonland. I have given all my hope and soul to this club. I don't want anything but success for the club. I have watched Boards fight each other. I was even part of one big fight. I nearly cried at the merger meeting when I saw the way people treated the late Tiger Ridley, a true Demon great. I have seen the club tear itself apart. This year I watched as Jim passed away, not long after two other Demon greats in Sean Wight and Stewart Spencer. I watched a sponsor stuff us up. I watched the Jurrah situation. I watched as our Coach was falsely called a racist. I watched the team get smashed week after week. I watched the media go to town on us and they still are. It just seems so unfair. Other teams cheat and win Premierships. We are the only team to win a game that losing would have given us a priority pick and we did it twice. When we did get a pick the kid spent a year lying to us and his dying President before the AFL took him away from us. There is so much more i could go on about. We seem to spend all of our time worrying about our club. It nearly makes you want to cry and give up. However that is just not acceptable as I have my children and grandchildren who I want to one day enjoy success that I have been denied. Stop the fighting amongst each other and all get behind the club. If we lose draft picks I want this club to fight all the way and I mean all the way. We owe it to those who came before and those who will come after. I don't give a rat's arse what we have to do to prevail in this situation, I just want it done. If we have to bring in every other club or destroy Demetriou or hurt the AFL I don't give a sh-t anymore. I have had enough. Yes we may have been naughty but no different to many other clubs yet we alone once again are copping it. Our brand is being trashed and our future hampered and in fact put at real risk. We have 40 or so players who want to win for us and we need to support them. I don't care how dirty we need to be just do it. We are seen as a weak club. NO BLOODY MORE. If we lose draft picks, we should hit the Courts, rally at the AFL and show the rest of the clubs that we are here to stay. Sorry for the rant, I have just had a gutful.