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Josh Mahoney on SEN today: Trade Period - We are going to be involved in a couple of deals this trade period. The rumours - Some are close, some are made up. The coaching transfer - Goodwin will own more in 2016 (board meetings, media, game plan). Roos will coach on gameday Petracca - training at the moment and wants people to come back and train with him. He is pumped. Trade Targets Melksham - Essendon and Melbourne are on the same page and will get done at some stage. Seems like we are close to the mark with each other. Parker - He'd fit nicely but we never were thinking this was going to happen. We enquired but that seemed like due diligence rather than an actual offer. Bugg - He said he is not sure when the deal will be done. He will help us through the midfield and in defence. I wasn't sure if he was indicating that it wasn't going to get done or if it wasn't happening on day 1. The question was "Will Bugg be the first trade done on day 1". Sounds like if it does happen it wont be till late in the trade period. Bennell - Melbourne did their due diligence but we thought the risk and cost was not worth it for the Dees Our Players Dawes and Watts - all names get thrown up at trade time - a 'team' asked about them in a meeting (which is why it was leaked) but the club that asked hasn't followed up, so he assumes they both will be at the Dees in 2016. Only 1 club has enquired by the looks of it. Toump - looking at his options. We think he can be an AFL player, he is assessing his options. Seems like we are waiting on him more than anything. Howe - getting to the stage that the club and Howe need to make a decision. They (Howe and manager) know Melbourne's position, they are waiting on Howe to respond. The sticking issue is the gap in money (which we knew). It was a lightning interview, not much more than what we already knew. They mentioned Kennedy but wasn't really discussed.

I don't know if its been said, but I've been told Bugg done deal, 3 years.

I was fascinated to hear that Bugg kept Travis Boak to 11 touches in 3 quarters this year before he was inexplicably moved off him at 3 quarter time. Have heard from a reliable source (and I'm sure the poster that earlier claimed to be a mate of Bugg's can confirm) that Bugg isn't interested in coming to a club to be a tagger or a back pocket though. He feels as though he has much more to offer than this, and often enjoyed playing NEAFL and having a license to hunt the ball and kick a goal like he did in his junior days. Melbourne has offered him 3 years with a vision that he'll be given much more than just shut down roles. It will be interesting to see how it pans out, but maybe they see him as being able to fill the Bernie Vince-type of role off a wing?

Well, what we're talking about ... Gerard ... the top fifty ... the top fifty, Gerard, is ... it's ... when you've got a top fifty, you've ... the players. It's about the players. And there are fifty of them Gerard. You've got ... WE'VE got them. We've got them Gerard. And the players, they're our players ... when you, when you, when you, no. The fifty players. The fifty. Let's call them the fifty. And when you're a player, Gerard. When you're a player. It's – it's nothing. It’s not nothing. It's something. It's something to be a player. And when you're a player. You run out on to that ground. And you're think I'm a fifty. I'm a top fifty. No. They're not thinking that Gerard. They're ... have you ever seen ... have you ever— Gerard. Have you ever stopped. Stop. Have you ever been in a situation when you’re a player and you're kicking goals and you're getting handpasses and you're taking marks and you're ... and you're not thinking I’m a top fifty ... and goals. And the goals Gerard. The goals are ... they're goals. They’re just goals. But they're more than that. They are goals. They are goals Gerard. Are they thinking Gerard, are they thinking about a top fifty. Are they thinking about— they're thinking about getting a kick … and wives, Gerard. And girlfriends. There’s more to it than that Gerard. There’s more to it than kicks and handpasses. There's more to it than that. And the kicking and the running and the ... are they thinking Gerard about goals and, and have they ... have they .... do YOU think about that Gerard? Do you? Do you think about that Gerard? And the fifty. The fifty. What I'm talking about is the fifty. And the players, they ARE the fifty. They are the fifty. Some of them . Most of them. The fifty ... are they thinking .... Gerard, they run out there there every week. They do it every week. And the goals and the marks and the ... you, you, you, you, come in here and you talk about the players. Am I talking about the players? No. You talk about the players and I’m thinking, I’m thinking, is it about the players? Is it really ... about ... here's something else Gerard. The players ... the teams, Gerard. The top teams ... they are the top teams. They are the top teams. The top teams ... they're clubs Gerard. They’re clubs. They kick goals. They are out there and the goals and they kick goals, and these fifty. These fifty players. They are the fifty. Let’s the call them the fifty. Are they ... you can talk about all these teams and all these players and you can’t tell me that they are teams who are teams of players and they the players ... the fifty. The teams and the players and all the goals and handpasses … are they the fifty? Are they the fifty Gerard? You ask me. You ask me and I’ll tell you. The fifty. I’ll tell you. Are they the fifty? Are they? ........ I don't know.

I live locally and just happened to be meeting a mate at the tan today mid morning and walked by Goschs' and who do I see? Christian Petracca and Jack Viney jogging a lap, having a kick to kick and even practising ground ball gets. No taping or support on Petracca's knee. Three other guys down by the goals having shots for goal. 1 wearing an MFC singlet but I couldn't work out who he was. 1 quite clearly looked like Daniel McStay from the Lions, who's probably back in town and just having a kick. Likely mates with Petracca from Vic Metro days. Anyway, at one stage McStay (or the McStay like figure) turns from down near the goals on to his left and kicks a good distanced kick out to Petracca, who not content to mark it normally spins around and marks it with both hands behind his back.

And you needed to start a new Dawes thread when we already have one because..??

I don't know why I'm bothering, but I can think of 4 clubs off the top of my head who would snap him up if he was open to leaving, including teams that will likely have more success than us in the next 3 years. Seasoned defenders are very hard to come by, particularly defenders who can play tall and small and have good pace. It's quite pathetic that someone who just confessed their undying love for our club is being potted by a [censored] who says he loves this footy club.

We will never get the benefit of a Jeff Gartlett trade again. Won't happen. Jeff was a gift. Ridiculous to call it a trade.

Now why the F have you gone and said that? (But seriously. Regarding whom?)

It's time to thank all those who have contributed to Demonland during the past season and to all those who post here or simply visit and read without posting. We value your contributions and ongoing support - especially to Nasher who keeps us going on the technical side, to our moderators whose task is often thankless - especially so when we go through yet another season where the wins are outweighed by the losses. Special thanks to our regular contributors, Whispering Jack, George on The Outer, The Oracle, JVM, KC from Casey and all others who have contributed. Once again they have had to report on games and subjects that have been difficult to write about in 2015 because of our club's lack of on field success. We're all looking forward to a bigger and better season in 2016 and that the stories and news we bring you will be more uplifting and exciting than those gone by in recent times. We are always looking out for new contributors who have something to say about the mighty Demons. If you want to contribute an article feel free to contact me via PM. Cheers & thanks again. Andy

Sometimes I wish the Internet would break down during the trade period so I could waste less of my life reading up on every delicious, insane, infuriating bullshite rumour made up by "sources", aka the left hand of a pre pubescent teen.

Or BOTH! Let's speculate in Demonland fashion dazzle.... Howe, Terlich, M. Jones and our 4th rounder for Prestia, Tom Lynch, O'Meara, Ablett and Swallow. I think we're paying overs but that's life.

I really hope Brisbane force aish into the draft, it's becoming a bit of a joke these young kids picking where they want to play, the AFL Needs to change the rules so you can't nominate club of choice unless you have served at least 4 years, I understand kids getting home sick but aish is from SA So he can't use that excuse going to collingwood, Brisbane will lose him for nothing but I think it's a risk they need to take

Yeah, obviously. THAT, or Petracca and Viney will be Lions... Because...logic.

If we had such a player, he wouldn't be playing the same role as Jetta. We would want that player to beat a bloke in a spot on the ground where he can quickly become involved in an attack. We wouldn't want this person playing on Betts, Wingard, Walters, and co. They WILL hurt you if they are playing on someone interested in being heavily involved in rebounding the footy. Hawthorn and Geelong still have role players down back who 'beat their bloke.' There is a place for that mentality in good teams.

I wanted him gone, but after watching his interview one can only be immensely proud we have such a character-laden representative of the Melbourne Football Club.

Correct, that's exactly what he said.

I love hearing about this, these guys have every right to be sitting on a beach somewhere. There's certainly a different attitude with the next generation, the likes of Viney, Hogan, McDonald, Petracca, Kent, Salem, Harmes and Brayshaw seem have more urgency about them. I'm not sure what it is but I've got a confidence in this group that I didn't have with past draftees.

His main limitation is that he doesn't run both ways. He's a downhill skier of the worst kind. Roos played him in defence to try and get his head around being responsible for an opponent but it didn't work.

Who says he's not...

Thats Todd Viney meeting with Gold Coast officials in regards to Howe ... or Prestia.

So have we got the Wines for Toumpas deal over the line yet? FMD, it's taking forever.

Dunno. Tom Lynch from Adelaide would have been nice. Petracca will help our forward line next year. We tried Dunn forward in round 23 against GWS. It will be interesting to see where he trains over summer. He might make a better fist of the forward-line with lots more experience under his belt and a player like Hogan up there. Frost, McDonald boys and Garland can release Dunn forward. I'm not averse to the idea.

Ben Lennon still hasn't signed with Richmond. Would love him at our club, I rate him. Great skills, aggression, goal kicking and a good size. Not necessarily a list need but he is certainly in the bracket of 'top end talent' that you want at your club.

I'm going to spend the morning pretending that Hogan will announce a 10 year deal with us.

I just hope Adelaide hold their nerve and force Geelong to blow their top picks on Dangermouse. That will have a serious impact on their ability to do a deal on Henderson, Smith and Selwood. It's particularly important now that the AFL has revealed what it will take to get a first round pick for him in FA compo. I'm pretty sure the contract on offer isn't enough to qualify.

Really happy about the deal. I wanted to keep him regardless, but it's great to hear someone speak like that about the club.

I heard track actually did a somersault, turned his back and caught it with his feet and before landing kicked a left foot 60 metre barrel straight through the goals three quarter post high

http://footyprophet.com/class-of-2012-ben-kennedy/ Ben Kennedy is another in the recent influx of ball-winning small midfielder/forwards, and it is probably his size, along with Collingwood’s seemingly endless supply of similar players, that has result in him seeing limited senior gametime so far. With the ‘Pies midfield seeing a significant reshuffle over the off-season however, Kennedy is in a prime position to push for more first team action. Despite playing in Collingwood’s 2014 opener against the Dockers, Kennedy failed to make a best 22 berth consistently his last year. In actual fact he made only 7 more appearances, of which in 4 he wore the green vest, leaving him with a less than inspiring average of 44.5 points. A closer look tells a different story however. In the three games that Kennedy started he averaged 74 points, including an 82 against the Suns which got him featured in our Eyecatcher series. This is mirrored when including sub-affected games and looking at his points per minute stat – he scores 0.74 on average. This consistency was also very evident at VFL level. Kennedy was regularly in the Collingwood VFL best, and finished the season with a very impressive average score of 105.25 points at that level. Particularly of note was his 7 game 100+ streak including back to back 140+ scores against Box Hill and Footscray, and also the fact that his weekly score didn’t dip below 70 for the entire year. His preference for boot over handball, and high percentage of uncontested possessions, further ticked the fantasy boxes. This kind of form is certainly more indicative of his junior form in which he averaged 26.2 disposals (number one at the Championships), kicked 9 goals in 5 games, and saw him score fantasy points at a rate of 1.15ppm – more than Jaeger O’Meara, Lachie Whitfield and Jack Macrae. It’s also more indicative of the player that Melbourne considered using their pick 4 for instead of ultimately opting for Jimmy Toumpas. Kennedy has pace and agility in bucketloads and combined with his powerful kick it makes him the ideal player to burst from packs and deliver the ball inside 50. He did this to fine effect at the U-18 Championships, where he finished as the number one midfielder for score involvements, and also kicked the highest number of goals among midfielders. Part of the reason why Kennedy could not take his junior form to the senior level was the compartment syndrome he suffered in his calf muscles. The debilitating condition meant he struggled to run out games, especially when moving from the short format junior game to the longer senior ones. After having successful surgery in the off season last year, and with another full pre-season, those issues should be a distant memory and this year he will be well primed. I would expect Kennedy to push players such as Jarryd Blair, Josh Thomas and Sam Dwyer for a first team place in a high half forward role, and if he does he could easily average in the 75-80 range. If he looks like getting some time in the middle, however, then he could prove to be a real bolter.

Please stop.

Why does anyone really think/expe t a club, its fd manager to come with whats really going on. This is footy-poker. Sure you see the river cards but the rest is kept close to your chest.

Oh yeah, I am really upset we are not getting Jake effing Carlisle...

And so they should. Draft a bloke with their first pick in a draft and he bolts after 2 years. I hope they play hard ball and make the Pies cough up something good.

Daddy Pangerfield?

Something big is brewing guys........... not PD Next week will be big.

Who? No, seriously.... Who?

I think you already know the answer to those questions...

Don't want Casboult. Not only can't he kick, but a more agile tall like Gunston or Stringer is the go.

would have to be stuie

Your point was very poorly made.

Are you trying to set a record for the amount of threads you can derail Stuie? It's pretty annoying reading through a thread and finding that the last page is filled with nothing arguments that you've started. FWIW, I hope we land Bugg. He'd be a very good pick up and I'd expect we wouldn't have to pay an exorbitant price for him.

If you're right, I must be in the minority. I can't see much point in recruiting another player who can't kick.

It occurs to me that Jack Viney is a big asset off the field and would be focused and aligned with the club in supporting (Petracca) and connecting with prospective recruits (McStay). His intention (and others I.e. Brayshaw) to make this club great, will assist greatly in the journey to make it great.

Maybe, but some don't like to play across HF (and some can't play across HF). Hogan demands the ball wherever he is and I hope we don't do what Ross Lyon did to Riewoldt... Put Hogan 25 out - give him the 50 - work out how to get it there but kicking goals is what he should be doing, not spending all his time as a glorified wing. No offence to Riewoldt who has kicked over 600 goals but he has averaged more than 3 goals a game only once - in his 9th year.

It had to happen last 2 names are no longer with the Dee's.I guess you didn't want me putting the hex on hogan. BR was an old army nickname from Vietnam.

Hopefully 4-6 weeks is up by Round 1.

Been his biggest critic but his interview was simply awsome. He needs a big pre season though. Biggest 3 years of his career coming up. Well done Garlo.

And I thought they were simply cattle to you H. You're getting a little sentimental in your old age. I like it. Seriously though, that was one impressive interview. His conviction regarding our future is genuine. We've dined on the scraps and false promises of our presidents, coaches and players for a long, long time but this does feel different. The young core that Garland speaks of has that enticing combination of talent, character and hardness.

I rewatched the Melbourne v GWS game last night and I believe Jack Viney will go to another level next year with a clear run at it. He was awesome.