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Hats off to you Saty - we're at the ar*e-end of another crap season and you're still going to training and providing reports in mid-August, when most of the rest of us have switched off. That's nothing if not dedication.

As had been reported previously on site - the Rev is battling the terminal illness known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Those diagnosed have a life expectancy of 2-4 years. The Rev's health is getting worse and he's done an interview with Tim Watson that will be on Channel 7 Monday night - apparently very moving. Just want to pass on my best to the great man who in retrospect did an unbelievable job at the Dee's. If only we could go back to the days of complaining about making finals every second year!!

First, spoke to Jesse Hogan, don't know what they have been doing, but he is in magnificent shape, complimented him and he said he was feeling great, looking forward to playing, expects to play about 80 minutes. Spoke to Dom Tyson, despite everything, said he had really enjoyed his first year with Melbourne, looking forward to getting a decent pre season under his belt, said he, Riley, Toumpas, Viney and Salem will really benefit if they can all get through it together. Asked him how he gets free at stoppages to kick those goals he gets, he thinks because they don't pay him enough respect at the moment and that Nathan Jones, who he couldn't speak highly enough of, gets all the attentiion, doesn't expect it to last if he keeps kicking them. Spoke to one of the forgotten ones in Jayden Hunt, he said he has been really disappointed to be crippled with an injury in his first year, when you need to make an impression, has got him down a bit, but the coaches and fitness staff are constantly in his ear encouraging and making sure he just knuckles down and does what he has to do, looking at being cherry ripe for pre season....similar injury to Jesse Hogan, but more impact coz Jayden is a slighter build at the moment. Spoke to Nev (of course) looking forward to the next two years, in Nev speak "play my role, keep it simple and do the job", thinks he will line up on Devon Smith this week, another good challenge as he put it, already has game face on. Spoke to Christian Salem about what was the real reason for Tony Pulis' sudden departure from Crystal Palace two days out from the start of the Premier League season. And Brad Miller was taking part in the some of the kicking drills this morning, dropped a sitter right in front of me, I had a good natured go at him, told me the ball was wet (which it was) and let me live. As per the norm, any questions, feel free.

Only 2 non MFC players in first 18. If we lose this there will be no1 to blame except Watts

I will be closely watching this game for any evidence of tanking from us at least. Having watched the antics of 2009 and in recent weeks come to fully understand the devastating and lasting effects of that Richmond game which we lost in 2009 that according to Roosey has affected players who were never there, I for one will be livid if I detect tanking like coaching! For instance if I see someone like Frawley playing forward and someone, say like Howe playing off half back I will know the "Petracca Tank" is on!

Ahhh Saty! I really didn’t want to get involved in a discussion with you but you are presenting as such a toss, I cannot help myself. You say you are” dismissive because as far as I know most on here have never played or coached at AFL level”. Now this begs the question as to your experience coaching or playing at AFL level. If it is zero (and please correct me if I am wrong) then I fail to see how the views of others are any less valid than yours. Now as to “Talking Heads”, they are hard to avoid. Do you not watch/listen to them? Don’t say no because you have referred to King and that other idiot. So, is only you that can watch the “Talking Heads” with the appropriate discernment that we mere mortals lack? Now what about posters “who don’t even watch games”? Saty, I believe they are expressing an opinion. Wow please have them flayed alive. Get a life Saty. Oh sorry. We all love your training reports.

ahhh thought this was about the ComBank bloke

Will never forget chatting with him after the Brisbane win in 2002 at the German club, I'd imagine that's got to be one of his best wins. Really nice bloke, very sad that he's got such a terrible disease.

You do realise that "Demonland" isn't one person but a multitude of supporters. Each person is able to form their own opinions and have a discussion if you don't want to talk about the topic then fuclk off.

For the benefit of the interstaters and overseas, unlike us spoilt supporters who live 15 minutes walk from the G and 20 from Goschs........beautiful sunny morning, coffee first at AAMI park, watch training, have a chat to some nice young guys, (forgot) shake Roos' hand and thank him for getting Nev up and running again, strolled from Gosch's to the City, along the river, stopping for yet another coffee at that cool place under the footbridge at Southbank......then typing this....what's not to like

No thanks.

Just back in from a long day's work, haven't heard the news all day. First thing I turn to is Demonland. Sorry I've got nothing new to add to the discussion, but I had to say something to someone. Lemme get this straight. The Bombers have used every delaying trick and barrister in the book - even brought in Neil Young - to avoid having to face the consequences of having pumped their players full of pig effluent...and now Little is trying to get a political crony to call the whole thing off on the grounds that....huh? It's all gone on so long? Words almost fail me. The effrontery of that man - not to mention the arrogance of the rich. Mind you, given how much the Libs are piddling in the pockets of people like him, I wouldn't be surprised if he pulled it off. Has nobody ever said the word WADA to him? Does he propose to blacken the game our kids play - indeed, all of Australian sport - just so that The Annointed One can avoid taking responsibility for his actions? Scum, the lot of them. Pure, unadulterated, stomach-churning, blood-bubbling scum.

If Hogan gets thru 80 minutes of VFL footy and kicks a couple of sausages I'll be pretty confident of watching him make his AFL debut the following weekend at Subi.

We've just gone through a three day circus spectacle in the Federal Court in which Little's club alleged that ASADA had acted beyond its powers and now Little's telling ASADA to divulge its evidence when it's clearly under no obligation under its charter to do so. The cheek of the man!

Hands up those who have had enough of Paul Little. I'm sick of this self absorbed bully who pushes everyone around as he sees fit. He is an absolute A grade half back flanker....... Essendon would do much better to get rid of this litigious floggg

It's worked for the dogs only because they still have Gia, Murphy, Cooney, Boyd et al to guide the kids. We had freakin Moloney & Sylvia setting standards. Yuck.

I bet you wouldn't be so begrudging if it was about the Green Bay Alpacas.

Chip is a filthy Spurs supporter?? Well that's it, he can go then. I kid, I kid. Kinda.

Not as disturbing as your location, good Doctor.

I thought bananas were the spice of life ...

I agree with some of their points and the idea that we've only just crawled back to the position of a terrible team rather than a complete disaster but the idea of loading up on draft picks at the expense of senior players is a bit 2009.

Big question is where would BP rate these kids? Once we work that out then we do the opposite ans we are sweet

Not good head below?

I explained Essendons obfuscation to my wife this way. It is like the police warning you that speed cameras are in the area. (Demetriou) You get booked for speeding, (ASADA) Then you complain that the police did the wrong thing by warning you about the speed cameras. (Essendon) Therefore you are innocent. ??????????? This is not a case of post hoc ergo propter hoc.

.. except they've never actually won a match there.

That would be schtick!! and franky..my dee, ..I couldn't give a damn! What Little and co are doing is despicable. I make no apology for schticking the boot in to these despots.

Between you and me, I don't think he will miss you. And you couldn't miss a parting shot. I sometimes disagree with BB, we often get stuck in, but he regularly has valid points of view to which i often agree.

To be expected. What's his name?

Hi Sam

That's tanking if you think the Melbourne of 2008-2009 tanked. It isn't just player people in 'foreign' positions like the audacious decision to play Frawley and Warnock forward (fast forward a few years and they both played a game against each other in their respective forward lines). It's recruiting nothing but kids, its sending pros to early retirements, its early season ending surgeries, its resting of players - it is setting your team up to lose. So if you don't think that GWS should be penalised for setting their team up to lose since its inception - then you don't think we tanked. Personally, I have a narrower view of tanking to make it actually worthwhile having a rule against it. Trying to prove tanking is like catching smoke with your bare hands.

Please please please do not compare watts to junior ever again!

I thought Neil Young QC's opening statement which he sang in a high, slightly off pitch voice was illuminating "Hey Hey , my my Essendon will never die There's more to the picture than meets the eye Hey Hey, my my" (note - if I have to explain it then you are wayyyyy too young)

He would have to come with a certificate from ASADA saying that it has not (and will not at any time in the future) issue a show cause notice on this player in relation to his involvement in any supplements programme in the past. Since that's extremely unlikely, the answer is "pass".

They've only had the "wood" over us in two games played on their home soil and at times when we have had nowhere near our best possible side and with gaping holes in key positions. I think the reverse applies at the moment and I would be very disappointed if we didn't win this and win it well. While I'm ever the optimist and believe that there's an enormous capacity for improvement next year if players like Gawn, Hogan, Trengove, Toumpas and Salem have a full pre season (giving us virtually 5 "recruits" before we start recruiting), a loss here might well leave us in a position where we would have lost the last nine games on the trot which, for many reasons, isn't the best way to finish a season.

No, it doesn't have the quality of posting.

If you distill this down to its simplest point, Essendon is asking the Federal Court to help sweep under the carpet a serious matter of public interest. Did its players take a banned drug?

Essendons ability to trade handicapped by draft restrictions as part of ASADA/AFL penalty Other AFL clubs/players realising what we knew all along - Essendon really should be a no go zone. Also, Bombers chasing Saad? Well, I guess he will have served his ban already.

What did we do exactly?

What are you a speech therapist now?

I've seen very little reprogramming. Roos has simply trying to do what every coach has tried to do with Watts except Roos and has had the same level of success as far as I can tell. Despite categorically stating Watts would play on a wing that was abandoned after about a month as he shifted forward. Then he started failing there so he was shifted back. Right now he's playing back and forward. Roos is breaking his own rules with Watts! Unfortunately I think Roos is another in a long line of coaches who gets fooled by the training track performances and blinded by concerns about the PR battle and destroying poor Jacky's confidence instead of just treating him on the merits of his performance.

I only have what Nev and Rawlings told me, Nev's last six games at Casey last year included being in the best six each time and BOG once. He was told that he was delisted but because of those six games he would be given a chance on the rookie list if he was interested, Rawlings pushing his case Because he had no operations to get through for the first time ever he continued to train right through the break and turned up on the first day of pre season in the best shape he had ever been in, got through his first complete pre season Started at Casey, decided that going forward with Roos emphasis on role playing, that Nev would play where he always wanted to play as a small defender/halfback......banged the door down at Casey until he got into the AFL side on the back of others long term injuries...rest is history Would assume he is one of the first picked at the moment, and rewarded with a new 2 year contract

Little still playing games...he's persistent, give him that...weasel !!

Hird bb

Forget $1 mill plus. The guys whole life has been ruined. And he was on 200k+ a year (I assume?) He will be after 5 mil at least.

You'd think so wouldn't you. But the chutzpah of little is staggering. He was quoted as saying the following: ‘‘We believe if the process was unlawful, the information can’t be used. It can be recollected so to speak, but I think the government would need to take a view now if this is in the best interest of the community generally and sport generally and at this point in time, that’s not clear. ‘I would love to be able to engage with the sports minister – I haven’t been able to do that at this stage – simply to understand the priorities from the government’s point of view. I think given that the court case is now finished, I’m hopeful that I can perhaps do that. ‘‘... We’re looking for a circuit-breaker. It is possible that this Federal Court case now will determine that the process is unlawful and in that situation we could find that the show-cause notices go as a result of that. But it’s too early to tell.’’ ‘‘The whole community has got fatigue with this investigation and if the sports minister is able to help us find a way through it, then I think that’s in everyone’s best interest. ‘‘... This whole investigation now has been aired in every newspaper, on every radio station, on every TV channel, I think it’s had an airing that’s been fair and reasonable, but we now need to, for the sake of the game and certainly I’ve taken this up with the AFL, we now need to find a way of making it go away." Amazing. The strategy laid bare. Exhaust everyone. Make it politically and practically very difficult to proceed with show cause notices. And he goes on to maintain that that the supplements program had not involved performance-enhancing drugs. If that is the case what is this sham all about. Accept the show cause notices and show bloody cause why you shouldn't be placed on the Register of Findings. Story over. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/paul-little-denies-knowledge-of-essendon-players-legal-action-seeks-circuitbreaker-20140814-103w41.html#ixzz3ALgv0sRP

The quote that interested me was "Middleton has concluded that being honest in error is no protection against failure in diligence. In the end, Centro's directors are to be held accountable for what they did not know but should have." So could the one difference be related to honest error :-) IMO, and it was drummed into me when I was a Director of a medium sized company, the last highlighted part - directors are to be held accountable for what they did not know but should have. I looked at that as reading EFC directors failed in their duty of care. Surely somebody here is, or knows, someone in WorkCare (or whatever it is called this week) - are they looking at this, and if not, why not? (Maybe they are being far more watertight than the other agencies involved, AFL included, and will reveal all without forewarning? The Beatles song - Bang bang Maxwell silver hammer springs to mind.)

Love it. What esteemed company the Hun must be in, in terms of the stable of News Corp papers. I wonder if they have an award for best covert recording. Liked this para: 'The Herald Sun's football writers Michael Warner and Mark Robinson were named sports journalists of the year for their work on the Essendon supplements scandal, an award they shared with the Daily Telegraph's Rebecca Wilson, Josh Massoud and James Hooper. The awards were presented at a gala dinner at Brisbane City Hall last night. Guests included chairman and chief executive of News Corp Rupert Murdoch and Queensland premier Campbell Newman.' It would have been easier to list the sports journos at the tele and the hun who didn't win sports journalists of the year.

Its breathtaking isn't it. err remind me again who took the drugs and ran the supplement program. That Demetriou has a lot to answer for. Maybe the bombers are upset because they thought a 'joint' investigation was going to involve roll-your-owns.......

Hey. Got to pick you up on this comment: "...a whole bunch of other reporters have won prestigious prizes for their coverage of the supplements saga and he has won zilch." What about when he received sports journalist of the year in 2013? OK, so he had to share it with Mick Warner...and three journos from the Daily telegraph. And, I know, it was an internal News Corp award...but still, he won something!

Dylan shiel is still a big possibility to leave the giants, he is attracting alot of interest but we have the best cap room and pick to offer to trade Not huge on Sam reid, would rather tommlinson