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Now that the finals position is allowed to be changed by North, as sanctioned by the AFL, in total breach of the AFL Rules, Melbourne should seek a full exoneration, refund of fine money paid, exoneration of Bailey and Connolly and an apology for the misery the whole saga brought to us, together with full compensation. How many sponsors did we lose? How many members, etc ? Perhaps a PP or 5 to make up for the damage the whole saga caused would be acceptable to the Club and full exoneration of everyone concerned. Clearly the North Officials have discussed the resting of players and the effect it would have on the finals and where they are played and against who. That is all the AFL found we did, not Tank but discuss not playing our best team. Everyone agrees the players did their best on the day. Connolly and Bailey were vilified as a result, Connolly was run out of the game and Bailey died with a stain on his character, the club was tarnished and suffered untold damage. The AFL says all that is now legal. We need compensation for that damage, from the party who caused it, the AFL. Clearly we did nothing wrong and were cleared of tanking anyway. Pretend we are a strong club and stand up for ourselves. At the very least leak the idea to the media, that we are considering it.

Without wanting to get anyone's hopes up too much, he has decided where he will be playing next year. The only thing I can say, he won't tell me where ... now I know that sounds pretty tame, but if he was going to stay in adelaide, he would have said. Despite speculation, Hawthorn were not a factor. I believe the Melbourne offer was huge, and dwarfed the offer from Geelong. I genuinely believe it's very likely he could be at Melbourne next year. If he isn't, then don't blame anyone at the club for lack of effort.

I love you. But. I also hate you.

I personally don't give a shitz anymore who we trade. We r still crapola and have been for 9 yrs and something needs to change. As long as we get good value for who ever we trade I will be happy.

Look every chance we sell the farm for him and he's a double amputee by 30.

Everyone's smiling in that photo. Did someone Krakouer joke? I'll let myself out.

We've seen it all before Actually string a few wins together, that will impress me

Jesus H. Christ. Watts get dropped and it's meltdown central. Way to go Demonland.

I am so sick of people at this club saying all the nice things I want to see something tangeable happen on field The fact is that the last 4 weeks we have played teams all over the ladder and lost them all by an average of 9 goals Worse, we have done it in a way that looks like the team is not particularly interested in what's going on In fact, you could easily argue that since the bye we have regressed to being the worst side in the comp again No amount of platitudes from the staff, admin and players will make any impression on me while this is happening on the field

I know BB. It just sh-ts me that our club is the only one mentioned when tanking is brought up. A decent bloke died with a stain on his character and his family live with it and another bloke was removed from the AFL at the whim of Demetriou, for comments made in a PRIVATE not PUBLIC club meeting. Many other clubs who did the same as us and had Officials admitting it publicly were not touched. Now North tamper with the finals and ladder positions and do this under AFL sanction and clearly against the AFL rules,but it is ok for them. It f-ing stinks.

NEWS FLASH! I can now reveal that White's recruitment was part of a far-sighted, cunning plan by the MFC to finally destroy the Etihad Hoodoo. Last time we won a game at that ground, we had a White in the team (Jeff). With Mitch making his appearance on Sunday, the Mighty Dees will sweep to victory, all due to the presence of our Great White Hope...!

Haven't been around for a while but thought I'd drop down to training for the last session of the year. Here are a few pic's from the final session for the year. I'll be back again for pre season. Enjoy ==> http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-DL4jtP/i-tDSVBsC/A http://www.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=51763012&AlbumKey=HBwxqz

A couple of interested onlookers at the last training session for 2015.

FFS No

*slowly backs out of thread*

Cross had 39 last week, has played every game this season, no one had to give up their spot for Crossy to play, he was a certain starter and it's certainly not a gift

I note Jon Patton's not getting a game. MFC supporter as a kid, was on the rise before his injury. Big lad. Does anyone think he'd be a good foil for Hogan?

Watts won't go. I'm not that lucky.

Bump. Dees not dying wondering behind the scenes. Lot still to take place. Watch this space.

They had a Krak apparently.

I get the feeling you wont be happy until we go through a whole season undefeated, and even then you would probably say we need to do it next year too! I also don't think I have seen this before, I don't think we have been in such measured and stable hands as we are with Roos and McCartney. If McCartney is half as good at communicating with the kids as he appears to be in this video then he is a great asset and we are in good hands.

As we know there is a thread on here about Roosy, with some questioning his record at the MFC. What he has said and the way Macca has said it makes me believe that collectively, behind closed doors, the coaching staff are heading in the right direction. What Macca said is something I have been wanting to hear come out of the MFC for a long time. Thanks BM. You're what the Dees should be all about. Long overdue!!!!

I only raised the issue as a discussion point, as it is in the spotlight. I know nothing will come of it, but you must admit that it stinks. Different rules for some, when it suits.

Whether or not the suggestions in the OP are a tad silly, tongue in cheek or a reasonable grumble, the difference you point to is irrelevant to that. One is an attempt to improve winning chances in the short term, the other in the long term. The former makes sense for a top team, the latter for a bottom team. Both should be discouraged by the AFL. We were pilloried for talking about doing something (which we were doing along with several other teams). Perhaps we should have asked the AFL for permission in advance. And no, I won't get over it. I will be [censored] off with the AFL for the rest of my life. Sorry for that un-Christian attitude. And I'm happy to live with the risk to my mental hygiene by doing so.

Wow the opportunity to break the Etihad curse. An injury stricken GWS team. The chance to finish the season with 7 wins and let Demon fans enter the off-season with a smile. Farewell a legend in Cross. GWS by 50 points

Sean Wight was a very underrated player - probably played in the shadow of the great Jimmy, but he was a superb, athletic defender - very attacking and fantastic to watch.

just hope he doesn't cop any racial slurs

I'd love to see Crossy hand him his first jumper on his last game.

This video was posted on the club website today, it is the first interview with McCartney since he joined the club. Makes me think the club is in even better hands than I already thought. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2015-09-04/mccartney-opens-up

Superstars are developed by good footy clubs with strong culture...the MFC have been very poor at this..... Simply getting Superstars from other clubs is a just short term fix... Though would luv for him to become a demons...

No denying Vickery is playing a breakout game against a determined opponent in the crucial stages of a major crunch match tonight. Hmm, might have to edit that sentence for accuracy. Just remove a few excess words and here we go - - a breakout game - against a determined opponent - in the crucial stages - of a major crunch match So that leaves; "No denying Vickery is playing ... tonight"

Has lost his pace and is starting to succumb to injury. But most of all, absolute culture killer. Massive no from me.

He's the classiest player on our list. But he doesn't use it enough, nor consistently - or does the hard stuff. Roos has eked out a useful season from him - made him look good - and it's time to sell high.

hahaha

I won't renew my membership if we trade him.

It all depends what the deal is. I trust our current recruiters.

Don't want to throw fuel on the fire but here's what a friend texted me a few days ago (I've waiting to see if something like this might happen): "Hot news for you mate... We did a membership poster thingy for Melbourne footy club with jack watts as the front cover. They just rang and asked if he can be replaced. Hmmmm" Obviously it might not mean anything - but if you add that to his unexplained dropping this week then it starts to feel like something MIGHT be happening.

Just seems a little over the odds to me Jumbo.

We seriously dropped Watts ahead of Newton? FMD, this club has no idea.

AFL site saying we are into Bennell and Redden. Well at least we are trying.

Geez those boys could play

In North's case they could be seen as doing a little more than just resting players to be fresh - they have a specific fixturing advantage to be gained by losing, and have taken actions which make it almost certain that they will lose. They've done it overtly and blatantly, much as Hawthorn, Collingwood and Carlton all overtly and blatantly tanked back when it was socially acceptable, before captain impulse-into-obsession Demetriou decided to spend two years beating a dead issue up 'so that it can be put behind us'. (Wow, that guy was a walking oxymoron!) Point is, what's acceptable comes down to mood. And the mood right now is 'Whatever'. there have been so many dead rubbers and one-sided pointless games this season that nobody is going to get too worked up about a couple more.

Bit surprised at the vehemence of the anti- Col feeling. Think he deserves better than that. Obviously I am in the minority.

To quote Leigh Matthews, who is one for the few footy commentators, whose view I respect; Says it all in my opinion

Whitfield was a Hawthorn fan. Mayes and Redden for pick 6 might get a conversation started though. Something else would probably need to go back in that scenario.

yeah nah.. let's not dredge up our disgraceful past again we clearly did tank we clearly were one of the worst sides ever we clearly institued a loser's culture through this we clearly screwed up the advantage of the high picks anyway would rather not remind everybody about that lovely little period in our history from which we are still struggling to recover

Yep, it will be a very long flight home for a humbled GWS outfit.

Sydney have this tradition of applauding every time one of their debutantes gets a possession. I like it. I don't know how long they've been doing it, but it's great reinforcement and a nice touch.

In the article on our website: "White is a defender known for his running and long kicking off half back". Given the sub and i/change changes there is a very good chance he will be promoted to the senior list next year. The article also says: He started the season in the AFL Victoria Development League before playing the next 15 games for Casey in the VFL A major achievement for the young man to come from Development League to AFL in a few months. Shows how committed he is. Hope he enjoys himself on Sunday!

One of the finest moustaches the game has ever seen.