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I think we just need to have universal agreement from every Melbourne supporter that we stuffed this up massively so we never have to talk about it again.

... except his coach

It was reported on SEN that Melbourne had made Dangerfield a "Godfather" offer: Pick 2 and two players. Adelaide knocked it back, which self-evidently means the offer cannot be termed "Godfather" since it was an offer that Adelaide COULD refuse.

So I'm sitting here in one of the stands at Visy Park with Melon22 and over to our right is the GWS entourage including SOS and a really fat bloke who I'm led to believe is getting paid $120k pa for sitting around watching kids playing footy. (apologies for the grainy picture but my Iphone camera isn't up to standard ASIO issue) Meanwhile, the Chargers are in control and lead by 4 goals.

To suggest that Mitch didn't have depression is a massive allegation, and personally I'd be keeping that to myself unless I heard it from Paul Roos himself. Some people will believe whatever is written here and an allegation like that has no place unless you are 100% certain of it. Have some maturity and think before you post.

It's funny (I guess), I was a big fan of Geelong over previous years but I was massively over them this year. The ducking [censored] me, the fans shite me, the 186 points shite me, the boutique ground where clubs have no seating [censored] me, but above all the greatest snore fest in the history of footy, Tom Harley, [censored] me.

Without further comments from the posters above and without knowing anything, the timing of this article raised an eyebrow http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-retired-and-withdrew-six-players-unable-to-control-their-drug-use-20140703-zsva7.html

Congrats to Port Adelaide. This is three years after they were the worst side in the comp. We can do it too.

I too can see the Cats entering a new era. A great deal has been said about the fact that they've remained at the top without the need for a rebuild but it's now looking more like they were buoyed up by having so many great players in their premiership era that prolonged their days up there. It's not dissimilar to Melbourne fifty years ago and St. Kilda of two or three years ago - they have a large number of players approaching or over 30 on their list. When they depart in the next two to three years, they are likely to become a shell of their old selves and go into rapid decline. If Frawley leaves Melbourne for the money, fame and glory, the schadenfreude in me wills his club to be Geelong.

It's been reported that we're back in the black despite a horror season with very few profitable home fixtures apart from the QB Blockbuster. I was once told that football clubs can play around with their figures but I accept what PJ says and am calling it a minor miracle. Imagine what we could do if we strung together a few wins early next season and suddenly became a finals contender? Melbourne CEO Peter Jackson declares the Demons made a profit in 2014 despite just four wins

Well it would be good if he actually did something other than playing ordinary football in the VFL.

He plays for Casey last time i looked.

Aussie rules has to be the best game in the world. This final series has been outstanding. Am as jealous as hell of those clubs participating.

Luke Dunstan, St Kilda Who is your tip for next year's Rising Star? "I'll go with Billy Stretch, once he gets drafted this year. Eli Templeton, as well. If I don't say him he'll crack it." http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-afls-rising-stars-of-2014-answer-the-big-questions-20140904-10bwc4.html#ixzz3DBQU60Fb

Sniveling whinging little sniper always does it.

Cats are in trouble - no rucks, only 1 forward, many ageing stars and not too many above average up and comers. Bartel,, Enright, Mackie, Kelly are all on the turn IMO. Go for it Chip.

I've watched a fair few st Kilda games as my uncle played for the saints back in the VFL back in the day. Whenever I venture down to Melbourne I usually head to a game with him, I've always liked this guy, he's just a good honest defender, can mark and makes smart decisions such as spoils, third man up. Let's be honest he's not a world better but he's better then a few getting a game now. My old man and uncle have always said, You need to not only build your senior team but also your reserves, it creates competition and keeps your good players honest at training. We'll pick him up for nothing, I'm all for it, if Roo's can turn Pedo around in one season lets hope he does that to a few more. Edit iphone

Good Luck at the Cattery. The Dynasty is over. You can still commit to Roos He will rise the MFC Chip not that you helped the cause much in '14. The choice is yours to make.

I don't think it's necessarily correct that Melbourne fans won't cop another rebuild. I can cop a rebuild because that's exactly what you need to do with a list that is not good enough. I can cop losing if I see a wave of talented players coming through who are improving and the team as a whole is improving as well. At the end of the day it's about hope and you get that hope by seeing a talented team improving all the time. What I cannot cop is atrocious drafting and trading away valuable picks for players that are past their best. We have seen this too often at Melbourne in recent times (particularly the former). I have no problem getting some more experience but it has to be done in certain clever ways that doesn't cost you much - pretty much as Roos did last year with replacing Sylvia with Vince and picking up Cross as a delisted free agent. At the end of the day we need to aim for a premiership - not to be a mid-table club without the talent to push its way further up the ladder. I can cop short-term pain if the long-term is looking bright - but I cannot accept sacrificing the long-term just to be a more competitive team in the short-term. Roos showed last year that brining in talented youth and valuable experience are not mutually exclusive - hopefully we can do that again.

Love watching the kid play. A champion in the making.

No

Someone please shoot BT.

Get the f over it. EDIT: Another goal from Wines. Thanks Mark.

Brian Taylor is such a fool....

Thats a good point and may explain why we have pulled Jones to the talk tables also. Perhaps if the club sees hesitation from his party he may also be put up for trade to avoid him walking end of next yr.

It was definitely Robinson. http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-118-0-0-0&sID=60264&articleID=9389642&news_task=DETAIL

Brad Crouch is already a very very good player. Would walk in and be right behind Nathan Jones as our best midfielder. He is so damaging with his pace and goal kicking. I'd give up pick 3 for him and another late pick.

well if you want that model of free agency then be prepared for the rich to get richer and clubs like us staying where we are with occasional trips to the bottom of the 8. Nothing surer than your model bringing us closer to the EPL model.

No, it won't. Doesn't work like that.

That's not right. There is a period starting about a week after the grand final and ending on 13 October, 2014 when clubs can pick up free agents who are either restricted FA's or unrestricted. Compensation is usually determined a few days after that. Delisted free agents can be taken after that time and without compensation playing a part.

So now we know where chilliboy disappeared to!

The Cats will continue to play finals and that keeps them within striking distance ... they are a club that is extremely well run and because of that, they almost certainly won't bottom out. If he leaves, Frawley will improve them and there will be other free agents that they can sign in the future. Also, they develop their draftees well. Caddy can play and they can trade for more players like him. They're not going away in a hurry ... they may have been the first team to go through a season without being overly concerned about their percentage ... wins are all that matter when aiming for a top 4 spot. They're not exactly a premiership threat right now but they have a great culture, are well coached and they have Balme and Cook ... and, they've got (arguably) one of the best recruiters in the business in Stephen Wells. They tick a lot of boxes.

Not sure what the etiquette is about passing this on, but just ran into the cousin of Jono O'rourke from GWS at a bar in Vienna. Reckons he's close to heading our way. Also told me some things about Watts' behaviour under Neeld but that Roos had really sorted him out. Take this as you will, merely passing on what I heard. Over and out.

Just when you thought some posters couldn't stoop any lower...

Yep,take the dishes out of the sink before i urinate.

Wow. What an unbelievable coincidence!

sooooo the bombers sacked him for recruiting the guy who ran an unsafe and illegal supplements program, and for not ensuring that program was safe and legal. BUT they ran a safe and legal supplements program (according to them) therefore; either he was unfairly dismissed (because the program was safe and legal) or they ran a dodgy program.

if we ever land him, i will actually never post another gif on Demonland again. Won't happen, not a chance.

I know a bloke that lives ndxt door to Tom Scully's mum and she told him he's staying... oops wrong thread and season...

i wanted geelong to get a goal and go into extra time, but I would have laughed if nth managed to lose that. Wow never thought it would be a sydney nth prelim. But Hawkins hammered thompson tonight. buddy or Tippett will monster thompson next week. He just got well beaten. Lindsay thomas is there any chance one day you will get off the ground pick yourself up and not have your arms stretched out wide complaining to the umpire. I have never ever seen someone whine so much. Yes admittedly he could have got some frees but when he whinges and dives of course the umps arnt going to pay it.

Toumpas in no way should be written off. At the beginning of the year it was said it would be a development year for him. Good clubs give their recruits time. Not often do you get a Wines who impacts immediately. Hope we stick with him.

It makes more sense in the current footy climate to get your team competitive so you can be a realistic proposition for free agents. If we go for a long term rebuild for a premiership then all the senior players are just going to keep jumping ship looking for more premiership success and we'll be stuck with a bunch of kids with potential. We also won't be able to offer top dollar because we won't have the extra money kicking around from putting on a reasonably entertaining Friday night performance. It makes a lot more sense becoming a mid-tier team first than it used to.

Not even comparable in attitude.

Striving for mediocrity since 1964...

Don't be such a cynic dc. All decisions made by those authorities you mention are done so with the game and the supporters best interest at heart. It just that we mere mortals cannot grasp their subtlety

I hope they don't go cold on Frost

Should have traded him last season. He didn't want to be here. Pick 3 Roos will use well. Cya Chip. Geelong dynasty is over for mine.

A few observations on coaching from great NRL coach Wayne Bennett; always loved reading his articles on league, life and coaching. "Coaches don't win, players win, and a coach is not as smart as people say when their team wins nor as stupid as they say when they lose." "That's a key part, standing by decisions, being confident that you're going to make enough good ones. Having a plan, and changing it rarely. Poor coaches change it often." "The most difficult thing with coaching is that you have to rely on other people to make your career a success. So, crucially, you have to know people and be with those who want success for themselves and want to help you along the way. Winners. One hundred per cent people. And if you can't recognise those attributes in people, then your time as coach is ticking away, faster and faster. Tick, tick, tick..." "There are two types: the coach that builds and the one out there looking for a quick fix. The quick-fix coach comes in, upsets everyone and everything, gets some results, but within two or three years his organisation is in tatters."

I treat people with depression every day and have done so for a while now. I have heard in the media this idea that the only way to recover from depression is to leave the context in which it has arisen - to completely change one's environment. Let me guarantee everyone that this is obnoxiously stupid. If Mitch has been advised to do that - and his agent confirmed that he had - then he is being poorly treated to say the least. IF the advice is more nuanced, then I can understand it, to a point. What I would like to say is that much of the issue with depression is the internalised stuff - and changing environments may well do little to alter that. Depression is episodic. Most people recover. A significant proportion are vulnerable to relapse, but that can be managed too in many cases. Especially if you have the financial resources and supports that Mitch has. I've been curious from day one about this and nothing is reassuring me about this situation atm.

I feel like I'm on the set of The Castle and everyone here is dreamin'.