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Who knew a 194cm key back wasn't a finished product at 22?

I don't care if you want to personally attack another poster and just for the record I don't think many round here rate your football knowledge. You're certainly not a "must read". But to attack a player so as to score petty points against another poster who probably doesn't rate your opinion anyway is tasteless in the extreme and show you to be a person of both limited judgment and maturity. Ro Bail is one of my favourite players. I know him and his father. Both are terrific people. Ro has put his head over the ball so often for his club that he's one serious knock away from never being able to play footy again at any level. I happen to admire his courage. I admire his athleticism. I admire his discipline and application. He's not someone to build a team around but he's someone that the players are happy to play beside because they know he'll play his role to the best of his ability and get the most he can out of himself. As a person he makes you look silly. How about next time you want to score points against another poster you don't do it by way of denigrating a player who represents our club. Even better, how about you grow up and if you can't do that, just shut up.

Werridee this is to help you. Good luck with comprehension. Are you serious? Yes My attack was that he is a VFL standard player. No it wasn't. You said "Favourite player Bail hey. You keep high standards there. VFL fan are you? And my football knowledge is poor." The reference to "you keep high standards there" was using Bail's ability to attack a poster. Your target was the poster, not Bail, he was the tool you used to attack the poster. Your purpose was to attack the posters football knowledge. It's nice that your sticking up for your son and all but don't you think your going over the top? Your comprehension is poor. I said "I know him and his father". I didn't say I was his father. If you thought I was his father your follow up comments are astoundingly misplaced and distasteful. When the next poster posts that Dawes, McKenzie, M.Jones etc are not up to AFL standard or Toumpas and Watts should be traded I'm expecting the same response that you have given me, I mean it's only fair or is it a leave my poor boy alone scenario? Seriously my heart bleeds. See my first comment. If you have trouble joining the dots I can't help you. I don't think I've seen anyone suggest Bail is best 22. You seriously miss the point. I just find it amusing when the club has Nate.Jones, Hogan and another 20 players that get a game ahead of Bail someone would choose Bail as their favourite player. A favourite player is usually your idol, someone you specifically want to see play and for me it definitely isn't Bail unless your a fan boy or a family member. You need to understand that "favourite" doesn't mean "best". You might have favourite players based purely on their football ability but others look for deeper aspects of their character and abilities to admire. You clearly don't understand this. Your so called attack wasn't about points scoring, trying to be popular or respected it was just an opinion\observation. I only come on here to have an opinion (I like talking football) I don't care about the other rubbish. I'm not really sure what you're trying to say here but frankly it's probably better that way. Attack posters but not players? Ridiculous. Is this a football forum or a who can attack someone the best forum? Sadly this forum is both and you fit squarely into each category. So do I at times. You or anyone else can come after me just don't expect me to allow you to walk over me, it's not my style. I'm afraid Werridee most walk over you whether you like it or not. Hope these comments help Werridee. Someone once said that with free speech comes responsibility but you've not caught on to this. If I was Ro Bail's father as you thought can you imagine how rude and tasteless your comments are? If you can't see that then I genuinely feel sorry for you.

Change your password, Nasher. Someone has hacked into your account.

Phew,you've just saved me going through the rest of the week with my hopes up and looking forward to the game. On behalf of my personalities thanks very much.

Conveniently swept under the carpet, I suspect. Like AHPRA's investigation (not) of Bruce Reid's abrogation of his responsibilities to his patients over that to his employers NO AFL FOOTBALLER, nor any other sportsman, even drug free ones, should EVER be compared to war heroes. It sickens me to hear that announcer ?Craig Willis comparing them at the match. Just sickening. Bluey Truscott, Ron Barassi Sen, Keith Miller and so many others must be turning in their very correctly much revered graves. I find it impossible to watch any of the introductions to the match, nor the bloody "heroes" being presented with their medals "in the spirit of ANZAC". How demeaning.

We were truly putrid for that first half where we ended up 27 points in front at half time. Absolutely no positives to be taken that at all.

That's a more eloquent, enlarged, and engorged version of 'relax, we've got this'...

After Round 1 I had the delusionary thought that maybe this year I could look forward to games without fear of a 4 quarter humiliation. But by round 3... Go Dees

TMac has always had endeavor. What he lacked ( past tense ) was polish..and to a degree consistency and ability to kick reasonably I and many others lamented this and dished it to him for these qualities . However it would be doing the lad a great dis-service to not recognise he has seemingly applied himself and is ironing out these niggles. He's stepped up;well done. I'm hoping this new improved Tmac ver 5.2 stays and grows/refines more. One would hope his all game 100% effort is infectious.

I joined Demonland in 2006 because I'm a Demon tragic and couldn't get enough footy talk. I'm reading it less and less because posters attack each other with a ferocity that they would probably never display in a face to face exchange. Can't people agree to disagree respectfully without attacking each other's character and puffing their own chests out?

Good renewal phoning results in a tough on field week. We had a hiccup with paper work on Monday, but thanks to Pete, Geoff, Tricia, Julian, Catherine, Pete, Geoff, Graham, John & Tim we achieved 20 renewals. Then a smooth running Tuesday night secure 42 renewals courtesy of Geoff, Steve, Liz, Daniel, Rosalyn, John, Pete, Geoff & Pete. GOING FORWARD we have about 3000 more dial ups to unsigned members. A total of 7 - 8 nights with a full complement of volunteers. Great if we can complete by this time next month. New comers welcome.

You would think so. The case proper wound up back in January, and closing submissions were 2 months ago now. The tribunal must understand full well the situation with the 21-day deadline on the appeal, and the urgency to have the Dank case settled. Not leaving a great taste in the mouth.

I disagree... reading that, it certainly appears that the AFL tribunal are being deliberately obstructive.

I think it will be a tight game, maybe about 20 pts in it. IMO we are a more balanced team against Adelaide than GWS, not comparing the two, just think the match ups have more balance. Not going to buy into the defeatist attitude of some, I'm with you on this one Gnasher!

Once Vlad gave Essendon a heads up it gave them time to formulate a path forward. The EFC knew it would seem better to look like they were coming clean but all the whiles they were making sure nothing incriminating was going to appear ( well, from them ) All the whiles whilst seeming to co-operate in the front office they were cleaning up the backrooms. Wouldnt have happen if ASADA had gotten to cold call them

Vlad knew what was going on.

And you need to keep on topic and stop policing. The comments cut both ways. It's totally true that a cut package of clips, while useful, does not show enough information. I like the idea of Roos and assistants going to games with players and giving them tasks, such as analysing set ups, predicting and suggesting next moves, asking them what they would do. Makes perfect sense.

I was being a tad facetious. Felt like some of the doom and gloomers needed a morale boost. Take confidence from my lead or just laugh at my expense - I don't mind which.

It will take the hiding of all hidings for the media to even raise an eyebrow. In the coverage I saw this week, Melbourne's woeful second half hardly rated a mention. The only mentions I saw were from the perspective of the Giants' impressive display. The fact they did it against Melbourne was merely a footnote. The media have become as disengaged as a lot of the fans. Ineptness is expected. The boys absolutely have to respond this week. It's at a point where I don't care if someone gets rubbed out. Statements need to be made.

oh for the glorious days of 'The Voice of the G' with the Mario Cart races at half time...

Demitrio tipping Essendon off 36 hours before the investigation started. A lot of destroying can be achieved Worst CEO the AFL has ever had. without any doubt I still hope WADA can still catch these cheats. Vlad you are a disgrace to the game.

End of Year Cricket Trip to Adelaide this weekend. Have convinced some team mates to go and experience the new stadium and that it will be a contest despite last weeks effort. Plenty of red wine to numb the senses if its not up to my spin. My mates are merciless but none go for the Carey Roots Our Wives

I will be happy if we make a game of it. Very worried we will embarrass ourselves. However in saying that it is hard to imagine our midfield playing that badly two weeks in a row. Jones, Tyson, Vince were as bad as I have seen them last week. These are our 3 best midfielders.

Saw the headline{road to adelaide]and thought it might be a BBO special thread about hitchikers and pie floaters.

surely forcing them to watch real footballers would be a cruel and unusual punishment i'm sure human rights lawyer geoffrey robertson wouldn't approve

I just hope brayshaw starts, give the kid 3 quarters he's already winning his own ball and making an impact

WTH do we need "ground announcers" at all. This is Aussie Rules not bloody gridiron, baseball, basketball or ice hockey. It was all a part of Vlad's love affair with American sports. Give us a bit of peace to talk with mates and the crowd.

Dawes OUT JKH in. Dawes looks like a footballer, is fierce but cant play footbal.l Can't catch can't Kick The problem still with the team is " It is no where hard or tough enough" and it shows every week with our easy capitulations. Could be we hire weak people, we select nice guys who knows Who cares but we must be the easiest team to play against. To beat Melbourne all you have to do is put sustained pressure on for 10 minutes and the team folds like a deck. Dont know what you do about it but that's the reality. Maybe the players believe that they are just paid to make up the numbers and it is only the supporters who think the game is real

There was, but only the dumbest criminals fail to cover their tracks. Any records they had would have been destroyed as soon as they were tipped off made aware of the investigation. Don't assume anything Dank says is accurate either. The man can not in any way be regarded as a competent professional authority and he has no credibility or integrity. Too many people are getting hung up on the injustice of it all. It's the way of the world, criminals regularly get off not because they didn't do it, but because the law (quite rightly) requires a sufficient burden of proof to be offered. This will be the watershed for greater scrutiny in professional sport in Australia and testing regimes. The AFL need to 'reinvigorate' their drug policy and mend their relationship with ASADA or they face some troubling times ahead.

This is my point why do we have do everything the american way. On Monday night on 360 deg I heard Buckley talking about his ' line coaches '. Our game is an indigenous sport and we should be promoting it as such not becoming pale imitations of some loud yankee extravaganza.

I was there with my family and thought it was great. The announcer was catering to a largely inexperienced AFL spectator base so although a little grating it was understandable. Excellent seats - well tiered so I could till see over the 7 foot bloke in front of me. The crowd was very gracious in victory and I didn't hear any derogatory comments which would have been warranted given what occurred. Easy to get in and out, close parking and just a pleasant short walk to the ground. The only thing missing was Melbourne after half-time.

Jetta out?! Surely people are taking the urine.

Your grammar must be in Canberra then... Boom!

Um? Our home ground, our home game. That's how it should be. There's a difference between biased, one sided etc and professional. I've never noticed Robbo be anything but professional. Sounds like at Canberra they might have been pretty amateur.

ah yes more comparisons to your average Joe these guys are league ballers, they aren't assistant to the regional manager at a middle-tier paper merchant

It hasn't happened yet. Not even close. Like most level headed people said last week, while recognising our opponent on the day was pretty ordinary at best, it was just one game of football. I was very worried about the GWS game but I am still in shock that we went up there and put on a Neeld-esque performance. I just can;t believe I saw that same weak effort again with my own eyes. We haven't put together two wins on the trot for 3.5 years. That is an utter disgrace. Even if some miracle happens in Adelaide this week are we to expect them to come out and get flogged by the tigers the week after? I am sick to death of it. We are paying 7.25 this week FCS. How much longer must we endure having matches upcoming for which we have practically zero chance of winning? How many more years? We have supposedly the best coach in the game and a list that hes been fed high draft picks for NINE years, including EIGHT players from the top 5 of the draft (inc Hogan and Tyson) just in the course of 7 years! We should have built a premiership core with that advantage but alas, no, we have to look down the barrel of a bottom 4 finish YET AGAIN and suffer the pain and indignity of days like last Saturday. Meanwhile, the focus inevitably turns to the next trade/draft period and wonder how many years away is the dream of stringing two wins together. Grrrrr. Do you realise that in 2007, when we bombed out, sacked Daniher and began collecting picks for a rebuild, all of Hawthorn, Sydney and Geelong were up and about the top of the ladder. They have all stayed there in the 7 years since, despite having zero draft assistance (yeah OK Geelong might be done now after 3 flags). We have not moved an INCH, with all the players they can throw at us. What in the name of God is the fundamental difference between our dysfunctional club and the competition leaders? Why do we make sweeping changes to the list, coaching staff, admin, training venues etc etc etc and nothing even moves the needle. What is it going to take for us to put 22 players on a field that actually give a stuff about being out there? We've almost swapped the old 22 for an entirely new one and nothing has changed! I have just about had the sword, I tell you what, no supporter should have to endure this torture. /end rant

About Essendon and ANZAC day match, many years ago 1982 to be exact whilst on deployment to Singapore[ I was in the RAAF] we were asked to provide a guard of honour for dawn service at Changi war cemetery. To watch Real heroes break down and cry openly, to hear them talk of their long dead mates buried there, it was very moving and a scene I will never forget. To mention Essendon and those heroes in the same sentence is simply discusting. Essendon are simply DIRTY LYING DRUG CHEATS, and a simple not guilty verdict dosnt wash it with me. On one hand you have men who gave all for their mates, and the other you have efc who took all and don't care about anybody else. Dawn service at Changi haunts me forever, and for the efc to even exist on the same planet is so very very sad.

In most employment arrangements the program IP would be company property and conditions of employment would normally cover protection of company IP and confidentiality of company data. Your proposed course of action woul fall foul of all those requirements without necessarily protecting your position. Not that Dank is to believed but whatever went on just fails every reasonable test of basic governance. Neither Dank nor Essendon hold much credibility out of this. And Hird and Reid moral status is only for the naive true believers.

If he has done an excel or other type of file on his computer, why hasn't there been a forensic investigation of his hard drive?

Including their pay checks. Pizzes me off how they harp about needing to be paid well cause their careers are short. Like they deserve to retire and sit on their arzes at 30 cause they played football. Many people change careers throughout their working lives.

It's not a uniquely Australian symbol though? It's relevant to the Southern Hemisphere and several other countries also have the Southern Cross on their flags.

Bit ranty, but for once you are absolutely spot on. I can't argue with a single word of it.

Thank F Frawley is not with us anymore.

Now im really glad i didnt go - this would have been the straw that broke the camels back and resulted in a one man riot.

Bontempelli went pretty much where concensus said. Were GWS and St. Kilda negligent, too? Rhetorical question - I think this is a great case of the art of recruiting rather than the science. It think rather than "due dilligence", it's more just a case of rating him less than others. Personally I'm stoked with the outcome we got anyway, of two players in Tyson and Salem. There's still an excellent chance both will be A graders - even if they're both the rung below Bontempelli, this is still a fantastic outcome from the trade in my opinion.

I think that's the sort of thing Grimes would actually really enjoy. It's a single minded task, which if performed well, will go a long way to helping us win. The reality is that Grimes will struggle to fit back into the defensive 6 pending injury or horrible drop in form. He doesn't replace the 3 talls, so is competing with Salem/Jetta/Lamumba all of which are better than him either offensive or defensive or both. This means if he's to get himself back into our best 22 it has to be in a different role. Is he good enough to be a straight up midfielder? I don't think so, but I think he has what it takes to be a good tagger. He has good endurance, good defensively and overhead, OK speed, and has the right "team first" mind set to do that role. I think he's worked hard enough and gave a lot to this team for many years, and deserves to be given every opportunity to get back into the side and cement his spot. Plus if this works it means no McKenzie and letting Viney settle into a more attacking role. Viney is a clearance machine and that should be his primary role. Tagging is good for his development but I can't see it being his long term role.

Things can turn pretty quickly. Two years ago the Dogs had Boyd, Griffen, Liberatore, Cooney, and Cross headlining their midfield. They'd already lost Ward. Boyd now runs off a half-back flank, Liberatore's out and the rest aren't there. Bontempelli, Macrae, Wallis, Dahlhaus, and Honeychurch are kids, but but hey're getting the job done. Let Brayshaw off the leash, put a rocket up Tyson, mix up Newton's role and fortunes can quickly start to change.

Anyone that thinkls they said "how's the depression going" is way off and that's not a basis for sledging someone...but a line such as "met selwoods missus yet mate?, she goes alright" would probably ruffle the feathers and be more on point. suck it up Clarky, exposure is nigh