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No MFC player ( or perhaps even any player in the entire AFL) deserves more than to run out in Round 1 2016 and have an uninterrupted rest of their career Go Trenners

I was talking to a close family member of Jack's yesterday. She told me that he is fighting fit, has put his heart and soul into rehab and whilst he might be ready to come back before the season's end, he will definitely be ready to go round one 2016.

She also said Jack desperately wants to be a one team player and bleeds red and blue. He has a lovely girlfriend in Melbourne so hopefully will not be going anywhere except with us. She said he is pedantic about his diet, exercise, rehab and is in the right head space to make a fantastic come back round one 2016. This news warmed my heart.

We expected to smash them in the NAB warm up game and look how that ended. Let's just keep things in perspective. 15 goal win.

Remember all the conjecture last year and then we get Frost out of nowhere? The year before that, we get our compo pick and no one had any idea who we'll get, and then in comes Vince? I have absolutely no doubt that this'll happen again. Someone who's not on any other club's radar but Roos has it all sussed out. He's a crafty one. I'll brace myself for the pleasant surprise :D

Even Shakespeare says it! Caesar's wife. The issue is not really that the judges may have secretly been on the side of Essendon. Or that they may have been "corrupt". They weren't chosen for those real or imagined traits. Those individuals were specifically chosen from potential candidates because of their previously demonstrated disposition for certain types of outcome. Just look up the old Barry Hall case where he somehow was "in play" while he clocked McGuire and got to play in a grand final. http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/hall-cleared-to-play-in-grand-final/2005/09/20/1126982057281.html The AFL didn't explicitly engineer the outcome. They were rolling the dice, but they made sure that they provided the dice.

I had the opportunity to both meet Trengove and have an extended conversation with him at a reception before the Darwin game a few years ago. He was a most delightful, down to earth, enthusiastic and frank young man. He has been unfortunate with injury but also received a lot of unfair and unnecessary criticism on this forum. We have all seen him play good footy. I hope he comes back and sticks it up the doubters!

Homer: Prestia? Marge: No we can't afford Prestia... Homer: Prestia? Marge: We are on a budget. Homer: Prestia? Marge: Umm, yeah, sure. Prestia...

Have said this before, but will say it again, and feel free to re-quote me in a years time. But if this guy can get back, and be fit, he has the potential to be our Robbie Gray.

All the signs are Goodwin is really committed to the club and this playing group. He's not going anywhere. Heard a conversation on one of the footy shows where they said what a brilliant match day coach he is. Something to look forward to.

Maybe not on field yet but don't underestimate Lumumba's off field leadership and experience. Only have to look back to the Hawthorn game when he picked up Garland off the ground and put his arm around him. Clark's off field antics swayed a few teammates and coaches off side.

Well we dodged a massive bullet and got a winner in Lumumba. Il take that.

The only point of difference is Frost - listed as 5 weeks on the MFC website, complete with quotes from Misson http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-07-07/trio-set-for-return (I've re-ordered the list) Melbourne injury list: round 15 Angus Brayshaw (neck) – test Jack Grimes (thumb) – test Aaron vandenBerg (hamstring) – test Heritier Lumumba (toe) – test Dean Kent (hamstring) – 2 weeks Christian Salem (hamstring) – 3 weeks Sam Frost (toe) – 5 weeks Jack Trengove (foot) – season Cameron Pedersen (wrist) – season Christian Petracca (knee) – season The list is starting to look a lot better. Hopefully we get a bit more of a look at Kent and Salem before the year is through.

Baguley said he was faking it... Lonie hasn't taken kindly to that and is doing his best to get Baguleys suspension extended to 2 weeks lol Good on him I say

If so, it will be the first time we've had a visual on-field representation of the precise moment of stamping since Morton's midfield blunder in the corresponding match a few years back. But I'm not so sure. After working his way into the team, he was injured against the Pies and unavailable for the Saints, and prior to that was moved forward against the Power after doing alright and probably surprised us all down back in his first match against the Dogs. He's since been in the bests or best on for Casey. I think we all have the perception that his move down back by Roos was a last-ditch attempt to salvage a career, but it may be more a simple needs-based part of his and our team's development. If Howe buggers off (and I think we know/think he will) then Fitzy becomes our floating defensive coverage option for second-up spoiling and intercept marks - with the ability to swing forward or pinch in the ruck. Essentially what I imagine we're also looking to do with Frost. He strikes me as a confidence player and I feel should be given a decent run at it in the seniors - starting this week on Joe.

Never said this before to anyone but I met jack Trengove and Luke tapscott in 2013, a few days before Neeld got the sack. They were down in Adelaide to watch Prince Alfred College (their former high school) play against their rivals. We talked for a bit because I'm a good friend of one of their former team mates at Sturt. They told me that the both of them as well as the majority of the team had lost confidence in themselves and the football department, this was their explanation as to why they had been performing so bad at the time. I'm sure now that it's changed since we have a (hopefully) more competent football department. No idea why I've held onto this information for so long but might as well tell people now. My dad got a photo of them too, we thought they were short but they were so much bigger than us haha.

Hard to stay still when you're on goey.

Bizzare thinking happening here. He has a job, he has a contract but most importantly he has a mission.

Parsons, Parish...... Is there a Priest, a Bishop or another Vickery in the draft?

I agree. The Melbourne I know lose games like this. It is usually completed with a post game press conference admitting "we didn't come to play today". This is the game that will show me if we have learnt anything.

And then go on... and on... and on.... and on about it. It happened over 4 years ago, the bloke still can't let go.

Only Demonland posters could blame Bail for Petterd dropping a sitter in the goal square

I believe the AFL and their tribunal painted themselves into a corner with their tactics. At first they wanted to make a deal with early guilty pleas and apply the associated discount. That didn't work thanks to James. It then became an all or nothing scenario for player suspensions. So if the tribunal were comfortably satisfied with the charges they would have had to give harsh penalties with no room to manoeuvre for applying discounts. Harsh penalties were far too unpalatable for the AFL to accept for one of their marquee clubs. So the only alternative that suited the AFL was for the tribunal not to be comfortably satisfied and clear the players.

they did exactly what was hoped/expected of them in their selection.They applied a multiple view to different aspects of the evidence. Falsely apply ? More like inconsistently apply. Their level of comfortable satisfaction looked a lot more like beyond reasonable doubt and that was inappropriate. Suited the AFL.....their paymasters though eh.

Josh Kelly and pick 46 (3rd round pick) to Demons Pick 5 to GWS any backers !!!

Drug cheats are trying to tank now and send players off to surgery early. Let's humiliate them and [censored] up their culture even more

Watson gone for surgery. The tanking has begun

A lot.

Watson done for the year with shoulder surgery.... interesting. Vince to Heppell, Viney to Zaharakis Let Goddard run around like a headless chook and butcher the footy, thats his specialty.

..or was it what Thompson tried to pull out of the bag? the Hird bag might be empty. The other big advantage we have is EFC don't like playing outdoors and if it rains, well they don't like getting their hair wet.

One thing I Iike about Harmes is he can take a strong grab, this is a real plus for a mid.

...You caring what we think. It's not like we have any power to decide the issue, and none of us are going to be jumping into your camp. Your club is deluded, self destructing, and facing a world of hurt. What you post here isn't going to change one bit of that.

Providing his foot holds up, it will be a huge positive for us knowing that an 80 game player who has proven talent and skill could slot straight in and contribute. Gone will be the days of seeing Matt Jones and Bail on the team sheet. (I hope).

Expect the Bombers to come out really hard from the first bounce, I would really like to see Vanders back as he's one that's always up for a fight. People in the media are saying its a must win for the Bombers but I reckon it's almo as much of a must win for us, their down on confidence, mentally shot, and coming off a 100+ slaughter. To lose this would have us taking another backward step. I really hope Gus is good to go for this one, it's the perfect game for him.

Perhaps he is merely suggesting that if there is any chance of a bias being perceived, a judge should step aside regardless of the seriousness of the case. For example, the judge who was going to be involved in the Eastman re-trial has just been correctly ruled out on the grounds he merely had some association with the prosecutor in Eastman's case 30 years ago. (BTW Eastman was probably the fall guy and it was the Griffith mafia killed the Federal police commissioner).

Would be a good in if he is right on a heavy track as would Michie if you think back to the Richmond game, haven't seen Harmes outside of training so can't comment on him although stats would point to him being the sort of player who would relish the conditions

Love the guy and can't wait for him to come back.

Agree - working and learning under senior people of varying capabilities and characteristics can teach one a hell of a lot, especially if one's eyes and mind are open: sometimes one can learn just what NOT to do, as much as learning positives.When I first saw the thread title I said to myself, hasn't the WADA saga been done to death: we all presume that this now professional club did full due diligence on his exposure to fallout from EFC and WADA.

In the Age today Rohan Connolly (Ess supporter) tries to argue that Ess performance is basically a result of the mental burdens of the drugs saga. To support his case he asks: "...how do you then account for the current form of three more players involved now at other clubs?Stewart Crameri is stuck in the Western Bulldogs' reserves...Angus Monfries has kicked three goals in Port Adelaide's past four games and hasn't had more than 12 disposals in any of them. And Paddy Ryder has struggled all season..." Connolly is such a Hird apologist he can't see the answer is staring him in the face... ...Rohan! Hello!. The juice has worn off for them all!

THis is why we must win as many games as possible for the rest of the season and make the club an attractive destination It pisses me off when supporters say ladder position doesn't matter cos we are rebuilding.. thats such [censored].. it matters more to the MFC than anyone considering the last 8 years of hell

The suns stand to lose more than just those two, several key playes considering their options

Fair question to ask and I think he'd obviously still have a loyalty to the Crows but I can't really see them asking. The Crows Chairman and CEO have both performed brilliantly in a tough situation, I don't think they'd be the types to send a coaching selection panel to scout out Goodwin when he's contract and committed to a job. And for Goodwin if he was willing to sign on last year then despite some ups and downs I would've thought he'd be pretty invested in taking on more responsibility next year and then the main gig the year after. Since he's come to the club he's seen: Hogan, Brayshaw, vandenBerg, Stretch and ANB debut and all play good footy. Had Garlett back to his best. Salem start really well at half back. Watts and Toumpas play the best 3 game stretches of their careers. And he has Petracca to unwrap next year. We are a long way from any kind of success but I imagine if Goodwin has faith in his ability to coach he's probably thinking of a fair few positives.

I'd be more worried about CAS than the (very sad) Walsh situation.

I think it would be in very poor form to lure Goodwin to the Crows in these circumstances. It won't happen.

In a heartbeat BBO. O' Meara, Viney, Brayshaw, Petracca, Tyson, Jones, Vince..........Bail

Some of the commentary is warranted, but I think some are pre-empting his exit and that is affecting their judgement and comments. He's not nearly as poor a footballer as this thread is painting him to be. Certainly he's not been at his best of late.

Demonland. Where posters gush over a player one week and call him useless the next.

lets hope the rest will get him over his foot and help him to recover some speed. I would expect him to have a bigger more physical presence now that he has been restricted in what he can do. Could be a real bonus for us next year.

A message to James Hird: "It is rare that someone acts with such little integrity and is so self absorbed that it angers me. I have white anger towards you. You are the "Head of Football", regardless of what you may say you are ultimately responsible for the entire Football Department. Your total lack of taking responsibility makes me feel physically ill. The health risks you exposed to your beloved players gives me cold goose bumps. The sell out of good people in the name of your self protection sends me demented with utter disgust and anger. You are a cheat, you pushed drugs onto your young players, you have no integrity, you are a fraud, you are worse than Lance Armstrong, because at least Lance only did it to himself." Hell, this guy systematically whacked up his players (several times a week), with a raft of experimental drugs (not approved for human consumption), over a prolonged period of time. His defence of "It was not me, but I am certain we did not do anything illegal. By the way, we have no records!!!" This makes me feel ill. The fact this dirt bag is coaching rather than facing criminal charges boils my blood. His defence is no more plausible than a drunk driver refusing to take a breath test!!! James Hird: this game would be better and stronger if you had never been part of it. You have destroyed its integrity and credibility. You have systematically drugged your players, you have taken our great game into disrepute, you have failed to take responsibility for your actions or the actions of the club, you have sold out your political supporters, your players, your supporters, the EFC, the AFL. You are scum! Nothing would make me more happy for you to be exited from our game for your utter incompetence following a thrashing at the hands of the dees. In fact, I want to see this so much I would happily sacrifice the rest our season to see you go down this weekend!!!!! Go away and rot you filthy rat.

You have only seen what you see on Camera. Shannon Byrnes on VFL radio a while ago mentioned that while Petracca is a good kid he at times can get a little distracted from what he is suppose to do in terms of rehab and general stuff in detail. He is a very bubbly kid but also still needs to mature a bit. Let these kids develop first and mature before we start pairing them off with coke heads.. jeez.. There are no better role models at our club then Daniel Cross, H Lumumba, and Nathan Jones.