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I've just purged the thread. If you racially stereotype, expect your post and all ones after it to be deleted. Some may think racial stereotypes don't equal racism - well I think it does and will moderate accordingly, and this is not up for debate. Cheers.

Thankyou Dom for your efforts and being a Demon. Good luck in your future. Best to know what you want, and what you dont. cheers and farewell.

I feel bad for not caring, but I really wasn't all that excited about his prospects.

I was there again, the verbose report from Facebook above covers most of the drills, not sure where he/she sees the Collingwood staff though, although Chris Anstey (much to Tommy Mac's joy) was there watching the whole session, had a good chat to Roosy at the end so must be a llnk there Ben Newton was not there again, only ones missing who I didn't see, Hogan, Jetta, Jamar, McKenzie and all the newbies, Frost was only new recruit again Vince, Gawn, Spencer and Terlich were in the 'rehab' group I spoke to a few of the players Terlich is in rehab coz he had an ankle clear out over the off season, only a week away or so Both Gawn and Pencil are ticking every box on the way back, Max was pleased with his GPS numbers today Some of the younger guys were out early and did handball drills on the other oval and then went back inside, Salem, Kent, Hunt, King...Salem still mentally scarred from Arsenal's miserable performance at the weekend JKH has had a bit of tightness in his right calf since he came back, they are going to check it out Jimmy Toumpas was all ready to go day 1 and then got gastro, he is back fine now and raring to go Asked a few about Ed Morris, Howie said he was a goer, most think maybe his height or lack thereof is only thing that would stop him getting on a list Spoke to Crossy who is backing up for his 15th pre season, spent nearly two hours out on the track, not officially due back till next Monday, impressed by how most players have come back in top shape, glad the message is getting through, loves working with Roosy, paraphrase "he is straight and direct, no misunderstanding", was sad at the situation that unfolded at the Bulldogs, I reckon if you want a midfield spot, you will need to get past Crossy first Spoke to Sam Frost, they expect him to bulk up to about 97Kg in preseason and then trim it down to a playing weight of about 95Kg for the season ,he's at 93 at the moment Tappy fully understands the reasoning behind his delisting, couldn't get a consistent run at it, was invited to train on, not sure what is going to happen, Club has told him he needs to look after himself (ie if he gets an offer from another Club) is actually injury free, had the gastro and gave it to Jimmy Toumpas Going to put some photos on my Twitter Demonpk Forgot, first day on the long road for Trengove, inside doing weights (from Tappy)

If he is happy then that is all that matters - you don't need to play AFL. He told us now rather than during a season, and that is something. It's not ideal but sometimes 18 year olds start a career they don't see a future in. Sorry to harp on the point - but this would be less of chance to happen if the draft age was 20; he would have already spent time in a semi-professional environment while doing some study or working and he would be in a better position to know whether this career was for him.

So when someone makes a very difficult decision and gives up what could have been a promising career for an alternative, back home in the Australian desert, they are taking the 'easy ride to success'? Not by my assessment.

And Evans exhales...

annnnnnnnnnnddddddddd iii''''mmmmmmmm back. After a weeks "holiday" (ban) for bad language which, i may add, it would have been nice if i was properly notified of my first "supposed" warning. But that's the D'land game/hierarchy i suppose Cheers for the training updates mother f..., i mean...gang. Keep them coming.

Disagree. If Evans is not in our long term plans then we should move him on now and find someone who might be.The more picks you have the more chances you have of finding a good footballer. There could be a talented young or slightly older but experienced player out there, who could care out a career with us and we have the opportunity to find out with a pretty decent pick at 53.

Nah, more like a French farce. Wikipedia gets the terms of what's been going on thanks to James and Tania pretty right: "... a farce is a comedy that aims at entertaining the audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, and thus improbable. Farces are often highly incomprehensible plot-wise (due to the many plot twists and random events that occur), but viewers are encouraged not to try to follow the plot in order to avoid becoming confused and overwhelmed. Farce is also characterized by ... the use of deliberate absurdity or nonsense, and broadly stylized performances."

Yes. You'd be forgiven for imagining such frivolous spending might eventually take its' Toll !!!!

Hmm I might try this technique Saty

I didn't think you could sink any lower than you have the past, but congratulations you have managed it, he didn't return unfit, he trained last week, and I stood next to him, what he is going through is something non-indigenous people would never be fully able to understand, he has done the right thing by the Club, what would you have preferred, he stayed unhappy and spent the year in Casey Development Team

Why would we? He quit.

Link to training report from the Melbourne Football Club Supporters Page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melbournefcsupporterspage?hc_location=timeline "TRAINING REPORT: I hopped off the train at Jolimont not knowing what to expect. All around, Monday was a successful day, players who we want impressing on the track impressing on the track, a very positive reception for the first training report and, most importantly, no injuries and no media trying to lambast us like they always seem to do. This beautiful Wednesday morning, I am hoping, will be n...o different, but also different because I want to see new things that can improve our players and our club. Maybe a scoop or two but that's a long shot. Get there and there is a media guy, dunno who cause I'm standing on the opposite side in the shade instead of basking in the sun (for now) with a new trick - pre-training interviews. Not sure who with but this is a new one. Anyway most of the boys are on the track, including Watts and Riley who weren't there on Monday. The majority WALK laps, except for Tapscott who jogs through the majority of his lap. "Rehab" group seemingly consists of Gawndog, Spencil, Terls and Bernard. They're doing seperate jogs as the rest of the boys head off on their lap around the ground. Compared to Monday it is a noticeably reduced group as about five or six blokes bugger off. Anyway, Dawes leads the way through the lap, and then proceeds to stop and do their stretches. Bernie heads off for a jog in front of me and slots a dribble goal from the pocket, as you would. He still heavily favours his right duke as he's solely picking up the ball with it and not using the left at all. The boys go to the other side of the ground where they perform a new stretch which I've never seen, it also proceeds to freak me out. The boys basically squat and do this kind of brief crab walk thing. Yeah I can't work it out either. Lower leg strength pls Boys do some running exercises and then they go out and start using the footy. Kicking drills initially, where they base it off these short kicks which go now more than 15m, and now they're doing a handball drill (from memory at Mernda they call it four star I think? Will double check) Look on the opposite side of the ground and none other than Robbo having a kick along the boundary line. Meantime just to the right briefly there's a couple of Red Bull girls who proceed to give me wings whilst I actually never talked to them, and then leave. I mention these things because I can. Back to training after that, um, distraction. The four star drill thing has progressed from a handball to a short kick, around 25m, this coming after Roosy has a brief chat. Skills have been decent, and then as I just type that there's a kind of dink kick by a bloke (not sure who) which misses by about 3m. Notice a few of Toump's kicks receive praise from Roosy. In the meantime Roosy has a chat to Watts, imploring him to move towards the target before moving back when he gets the ball, or something like that. Boys split into three groups, one of them is this midfield group which has N Jones, Riley, Cross, Tapscott and Grimes in it. Those last two names interest me in terms of their presence. Another group has Dawes, Watts, Fitzy and a couple of other blokes I can't quite recognise (Garland and Dunn maybe) while there's a group on the farside which is considerably bigger doing boxing and pushups. On the near side, Tyson is doing solo fitness drills. Alright moving on to the long side of the ground now and they're doing a drill that was seen on Monday where the focus is on quick handball to get out of pressure from an "opponent" (ie one of the fitness/coaching staff or something) Boys move on to kicks. Skills are pretty good until N Jones (yep N Jones) drops a relative dolly of a chest mark. The lads split up in those three groups I mentioned before, just doing some different activities this time around. Another drill similar to that they did on Monday. I'll try explain as best I can, bloke marks on the wing, kicks to lead up player on the edge of the centre square then that bloke kicks it to a coach. Did I explain it well enough? Doubt it. Anyway this is an extremely brief drill with groups changing every couple of minutes Collingwood assistants watching us again. Bucks is there too? At the end of this changeover thing you can tell it's NBA season when blokes go in their foshizzle-ma-nizzle voice "ON THA BUZZAAAAAAAAA" just like Tom McDonald did in reference to a mark taken right on Roosy's whistle. Did provide lols. Again boys split up in three groups. I am very very keen to see how Grimes goes if he is seemingly utilised in a midfield role as he is this drill, or whether he forms a half back partnership with Lumumba. We'll find out more next week when he comes back. New drill time, this time it involves picking a rolling ball up, two handballs, then deliver inside 50. I like it. Back to those three groups again. Same thing you know the drill now. The repetitive work gives me a chance to look at the city outline, nearside there's a crane rebuilding an apartment block which was forced about by our methods of training the house down over the last couple of years, surely. Boys are doing four star (again?) by the looks of things on the far side. Moar handballz. This repetitive stuff is doing my head in slightly so I continue looking around, oh, that grass is nice and lush, can I perhaps borrow some for my front lawn? Grass is a bit yellowish atmo. Nylex sign still stands out, it's warm, moar sunscreen, whistle, let's do another drill. Boys heading in the tent, yep, time for some running. The one exception is Cross who continues doing his own drills out on the ground, bit of goal kicking, bit of running, bit of skill work. Professionalism is amazing. I find it interesting that for whatever reason I'm comparing his attitude to Watts' attitude, who's standing on the boundary line chatting to officials. Maybe a tad harsh, maybe over the top but I couldn't help but make that comparo. Meantime the former GWS lads - Tyson and Frost - are running laps together. Righty, the main boys are running up and down the wing with regular intervals, looks like they're going around 80-90% pace atmo with a bit in reserve. I think Ben Newton is in this group, I see somebody who looks like him but it could easily be a Casey bloke too. Anyway back to the running, Tom Mc as always doing it easy, JKH showing pace. Boys working on their continuous running and it is indeed Newton with us leading the way by a few yards from TMac. However, some bad news with JKH pulling up in front of me grabbing at his upper hammy. Hopefully nothing more than cramp, praying that actually. Nonetheless a few of the fitness boys putting him through some stretches. He gets up but he is walking pretty gingerly. Will need to keep a tab on this. JKH says it seems to be an ankle/calf, very ginger walking back to base. Bit of a change up after the running bits, few grapples now before returning to running. Boys are just about to finish up as I head off to Edwin's (starving ok) so I make hay while the sun shines and get some lunch, then post this." Source: Melbourne Football Club Supporters Page PS do the kid the favour and like his page if you have Facebook.. he puts a lot of good stuff on there. https://www.facebook.com/melbournefcsupporterspage?hc_location=timeline

All credit to him for at least doing it now and not leading us along into the season like a few others have At least we can use 40 now

Evans will be kept on the PL now I believe. The difference between ND53 and RD2 is about 15 live selections, each getting progressively more prospective in potential talent. I don't see a great need to delist a contracted player now that Barry has retired.

Simon Goodwin would still be in our best 22 without a doubt.

credible as in made up? Gees you are more gullible than i would gave expected. I can tell you now that anyone on the mfc payroll in recruiting broadcasting genuine information on our strategy would be marched in five minutes.

We didn't reach. We picked the kids we were meant to - that all the 'experts' said were 'sure things' - and you will revise history once more if Brayshaw and McCartin don't make the grade. They are 'best rated' right now by some self-proclaimed experts, but will they be in 4 years time?

I think the mastermind maybe a mistressmind named Tanya.

If we look back to the period just before he became coach he was portrayed as being a reluctant saviour begged to return to restore the clubs glory. In hindsight it now looks more like he was the mastermind of a diabolical plot to engineer his takeover of the club. I'm sure he was the root cause and agitator of the player go slow revolt that ended Matty Knights career.

He means what Sylvia could have become....if he could have got through a pre-season.

The AFL's most successful club over the past five decades and the one with the strongest football culture cuts a contracted player - Hawks cut Grimley, but set to re-draft him as a rookie. Perhaps now some of our supporters will stop moaning and agonising about whether we should or we should not follow suit where it's in the interests of the club and especially so when it's dine professionally and doesn't cut across the player's interests.

Could not diagree more. We don't need or want Bomber

Im sure Matt does indeed say Hello . Theres a lot thats surly yet to be understood but quite possibly when we do it might not be what some of the pc police would have us follow. Sometimes, what is...simply is. I commend the lad for having the fortitude and conviction of his understanding of self to boldly step up and withdraw from the list. it would have been an immensely tough and soul searching decision to make.Im sure having made it though he feels much better and thats quite fine. Indigenous or not the AFL isnt for everyone even if they think its their goal. Some things are not all they are cracked up to be, not for everyone. Again , good luck Dom, whereever, whatever. Wish Id got to play for the Dees

It's not just indigenous players. Gysberts found modern footy hard, Blease struggles with it...there are a heap of players who just don't cut it and head back to suburban or country footy, some give the game away all together. The 2 way running and defensive game, the scrutiny, the professionalism. It's not for everyone. Look at the great country footballers that turned their backs on the VFL in the 70's and look at their peers who went on to great careers. Everyone is different, kinda makes the world go round.

The bizzare thing is Ess won't pay the measley sum of $30K fine but they paid Hird a $1m to take a year off and paid for the course in France! Thompson saved their bacon this year while golden boy was leading the high life in France!! Bottom half of the 2014 ladder for EFC without Bomber! I'm gobsmacked! Bomber isn't just a sh-t kicker at the club. Champion. Premiership Captain. Reluctant but successful 2014 coach. He deserves better from the club he has served so diligently. He is entitled to be mighty mighty peeved and tell them to GAGS! EFC is a bizzaro club!

Long sleeve jumpers?

Now, now Saty, don't get your knickers in a knot now that you have a "rival" to the title of 'Best Training Reporter'. Competitiveness pushes people to reach their best.

Well looks like I differ from most here, as I reckon that Dom is a loss. He has silky skills with pretty good pace. Have been impressed when I first saw him train in his first preseason and while he hasn't developed as quickly as I predicted then I have little doubt he would have turned into a very good AFL footballer. I was happy when we signed him up to a new 2 year deal and am bummed we have lost him. Losing yet another indigenous player to a rural community is undoubtably going to damage the draft prospects from kids with similar backgrounds, sad but true.

To us this announcement came completely 'out of the blue' but I wonder if the Club might have had an inkling that it was 'in the wind' ...... hence the silence on pick 40. Anyway, good luck Dom on reconnecting with your roots, and thanks for taking the Club into consideration in the timing of your decision.

Can I ask (politely) how old you are because i am tipping 30 or over. Remember back to being just turned 18 and what your true passions were - my passions at that age changed as often as my underwear ( weekly). So many kids drafted at this age are immature with a capital IM Again, harks back to RPFC's argument of raising the draft age.

I guess you would know.

All the best Dom. Sucks as a fair bit was invested in him, would be intersting to know how much is spent per player per annum by a footy club. Feels like a wasted opportunity even though Hogan was part of the deal.

Hard to be too upset about this one. Not sure why he was given a two year contract in the first place, so I can't help but feel he has done us a big favour. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/dom-barry-quits-afl-leaves-melbourne-to-return-home/story-fni5f91a-1227120387215?nk=79c03f62a26ab8934767a1e4ac7f87db

They mean the same thing in my view.

And he got one in Lumumba.

'Best talent available', or 'who you think will be the best players when they are 22 that are available'?

Well pick 40 is on the cards now .... to delist Evans as well and use pick 53 ?? Good luck to Dom all the same , Its very hard to leave such strong cultural ties and I am glad he has had the courage to acknowledge this now rather than after the final list lodgement is placed.

If we win enough games we will make the eight!

Bearing in mind that the game was against an U17 team albeit the best ones in the land.

Do you?

We could do worse. and have before. I'd be happy with us taking the chance. Big, strong, fast and a dash of x factor. What's not to like?

The angst over Evans is way, way over the top. Pickles best is good, not great but certainly better than is what being said here. He had a poor year last year and has been injury prone but it would take little improvement on his behalf to make him a valuable contributor to the team The desire to see what is hidden under pick 40 seems almost irresistible to some

You say that like it's a given.. The more likely scenario is that Toumpas will do his appendix again and one of Gawn or Salem will contract Ebola.

Dead centre. 11 wins. 10th/11th place. Rationale: 2014 MFC: 8.6 goals, 8.9 behinds, score 61 (score against = 89) 2014 AFL: 12.5 goals, 11.4 behinds, score 86 Kick 4 more goals per week and we are average Hogan and Garlett provide new avenues. Our backline is actually stronger with Lumumba and Frost for Frawley. Pick 2 and 3 might give us a little extra something also. PS It will be a cold day in hell before I give a rat's about what anybody in the media or on bigfooty has to say about this football club. PPS We lost 6 by 20 points or less. Everyone seems to overlook that. That's a total margin of about 10 goals for the year being the diff between 4 and 10 wins. That's nothing. For starters, Hogan will kick 10 without breaking a sweat