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No! I think we should panic just in case.

But he also loves playing footy and is a leader at the club. Would be hurting if he can't play. You can doubt his hands, but not his heart.

Give him time to prove himself fit 'Middy', if he is he is walk up best 22. If his foot fails him again I don't think he will have a problem picking up a coaching/support role in the AFL if that's what he wants, he's too good a kid.

Apparently there's 3 injuries that have come out of todays sessions. Tom Mcdonald hurt his shoulder and looks like he got a stinger but he ran laps afterwards. Terlich did a groin and wait for it... Dawes re did his calf... surprise surprise

Interesting that there wasn't a peep out of all these folks from Gordon to Loyd to Balme when Saad gets out for 2 years for taking the wrong pill once on match day. Everyone agreed he broke the rules and got what he deserved. I cant imagine what's in this for Balme . Unless perhaps Dank knows a hell of a lot more about a few people and a few clubs than he wants revealed. Doesn't anyone else think its amazing how little pressure has been put on Dank to talk? and that no one can subpoena him? He knows everything supposedly but still WADA and the AFL are to blame. Dank is being protected by the press and AFL no doubt about it. No one even mentioning suing him. The further this goes on, and the more people come out publically against WADA, the more I small rotten fish somewhere else in the house outside of bomberland.

From elsewhere - " Is that Neil Balme formerly director of football at Geelong that once employed the services of Dank & Robinson?"

Roos has done a great job, but is only 2/3 of his way through his term as coach. My sense of this season is that it's all ready to click into a higher gear, our pre-season is about game plans and a balanced attack and defence, instead of the grinding fitness/strength catch up focus of the past couple of years Max Gawn has finally arrived and is ready and capable to give us first touch more often Our midfield is finally running deep and with talent, if still a bit raw. Our defence is solid and very experienced Our attack unearthed a couple of goal kicking gems (Hogan and Garlett) with more to add (Kent, Petracca, Weideman) Our next coach is in his second year as assistant, knows the players club and is starting to implement his game style Our current coach is an icon in his last year having restored some pride to the Red and Blue. I reckon this season will be a ripper and Roos is at the centre of it.

That puts a line through us.

I know it's a longshot, but how good would it be if Hulett comes in and has a Darling type debut year ? They're the types of things that elevate a club quickly.

I hope the injuries were part of training and not unsanctioned out of hours activities... I have a mate who got tennis thumb from swiping too much on Tinder.

It's easy to be sarcastic re Dawes but you've gotta feel for the bloke. Very frustrating.

Where the team is at now and where it was at under Neeld is like day & night. Roos has done a fantastic job and Goodwin is the hand-chosen successor, I don't have qualms with any of it.

Alright, I'll bite. Roos was paid a premium, helped in part by the AFL, but as stated above he has played a big role (with Peter Jackson) in beginning to turn the club around. We've still got plenty of hard work ahead by I don't think anyone else could have coached us to 7 wins last year, and we could have had 10 if we hadn't given up a few easy games. Vince and Cross are excellent recruits. Lumumba, I'll agree, has been poor so far. Melksham can't be considered a bust yet, or overpriced for that matter. We've also been able to draft some excellent players in his time at the club, although that obviously doesn't sit solely at his feet. No one approaching A grader? I would have thought we had a number of players with that potential. Hogan, McDonald, Brayshaw, Viney, Gawn... they aren't there yet, but they have the potential to get there. Lastly - I have no idea why you still support Melbourne. In 600 odd posts I've never seen you even try and to say something positive about the club in any way, shape or form. That's sad really.

Some of these AFL people beggar belief - anything rather than considering that the players might just perhaps have been guilty. No, they can't be - they're our boys, not Chinese or Russians. It's really quite sickening.

The issue being opportunity. Yes, some clubs might have knocked it back electing to upgrade rookies instead but the sheer fact the option was made available exclusively to Essendon and no one else is highly unjust. Port lost 2 players including their #1 ruckman, the tallest player on the rookie list is 189cm.

I can't understand the logic in not allowing us a top-up, but I'm not really bothered by it. 2016 model James Kelly does zero for me and if we'd picked up Ryan Crowley I would have spontaneously vomited. The pickings out there are very slim and Essendon are going to be crud because of it. It means Mitch White will play instead of Melksham; I can live with that.

Was all gonna go to sheet as soon as Vlad ticked off on gambling.

He would be pretty devastated not being able to play. Money isn't everything, and if you're a professional footballer, no amount of money would make up for having your career destroyed by injury. Sure, he's well paid, sure he can do other things, but we should at least acknowledge how difficult and frustrating it must be for him at the moment.

Good article on Oliver who is now living with the Brayshaw's http://www.aflplayers.com.au/article/new-demon-oliver-at-home-with-the-brayshaws/

the lack of mention/blame/investigation of dank by officialdom and the media is certainly curious and tempts one to think they have something to fear from him, either costly litigation or that he has knowledge of things that would embarass or incriminate other parties. the constant deflection and blame shifting is quite obvious

It really is sad when AFL officials kick up a stink about WADA & CAS...I really believe that people on this site had a far better handle on what was going on with Essendon than 95% of those at AFL House... I heard some of what Balmey said this morning..It was like listening to NRL Sydney Commentators I thought Balme was better than that...Seems like "Whatever It Takes" is in more places than just Essendope...

I wont lose to much sleep about it after all don't they have a $1 million FF in the wings?

Sorry 'Red', but if you look at similar posts over the last few years at this stage of the season (no games played) the opinion was pretty much the same. Look at our depth, the good players missing out, what about etc. etc. Now I do think we are a lot closer to the mark this year but it's still too early to tell and injuries will always play their part....

Pedo is a far better contested mark than Dawes. #pedofacts

I reckon Grimes is right in the mix. Had a very productive last 3 games where he averaged 24 touches and kicked a goal in each game. His pre-season had been outstanding as evidenced by a great time trial and massive pump up by Roos in the player updates. Combine that with an impressive Nab Challenge (potentially) and he'll just about be over the line.

What I like about all these projected MFC sides, is that good players are being left out. That is new.

I think the title of this thread is a bit wrong. The transition to Goodwin is not being treated as just a 'handball'. That implies avoidance of responsibility, a quick changeover and letting Goodwin sink or swim. It should be gradual ... more like a series of transition moves linking from a defensive kick-out for a brilliant goal.

Neigh (sorry)

only if they signed consent forms

I am expecting the club to make finals this year. We must all have this mindset. Roos has this year and then we have an untried coach...

Riiiiiiiiiiight....... So you want guns like McKenzie and Bail back?

I don't even think Ben Kennedy has had much opportunity. He looked very good during the NAB cup last year, and looked good in patches in 2014. Collingwood have just been blessed with such a dominant midfield, and even before 2015, they had Beams lock down a position in 2014 and have a great year. Beams left and Crisp, Adams and Sidebottom stood up. Kennedy just couldn't break in. He will be a good pick up for us, and I still think he'll be a top 10 player of that draft. Emma will be justified IMO. I like Kennedy, he is a go-getta.

Let's have some stats to back them up.

Cross is the only player I consider a loss. What did Howe give us in 2015 that Bugg can't give us this year? He was horribly inconsistent and I already feel as though we don't miss him at all. If we were to make our best 22 for Round 1 in the other thread he certainly didn't leave a hole that's hard to fill. I agree that the bulk of our improvement will come from current players, but that's how it should always be. The fact we got rid of McKenzie, Bail, Fitzy etc is a huge win going forward for us.

These are the locks. The rest are up for grabs. B: Neville Jetta | Lynden Dunn (vc) | Colin GarlandHB: Christian Salem | Tom McDonald | xxxxxxxxxxC: Dom Tyson | Bernie Vince | Angus BrayshawHF: Dean Kent | xxxxxxxxxx | Aaron vandenBergF: Jeff Garlett | Jesse Hogan | xxxxxxxxxxR: Max Gawn | Nathan Jones (c) | Jack VineyI/C: xxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxE: xxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxx

very solid chance to win the first two, which would be a terrific way to get things started

I checked. They can do it. I Heard the AFLPA state it. Also on this article. https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/afl/a/30566332/banned-bombers-can-walk-out-on-club/

OMac at chf is an interesting call chook. He's certainly put on size and his tank is much improved. I like your thinking but IMO Pedo is more likely. Also think Petracca (if ready) would get a spot on the bench ahead of Kennedy. Regardless, it's really pleasing to have competition for spots and decent depth.

It was pretty clear what they were after, good tough nut mid - Oliver, A good young tall to develop - the weid, strong competitors to step in straight away and add depth to the mids - Kennedy, Strong competitors to add depth to half back - Bugg and Melksham. They may not be the best there is at their trade but they are better than what we lost, with the possible exception of Howe. That is an improvement.

Also Ignition, here's a few pre-2012 draft lists that aren't based on club gossip and just talent. Emma Quayle 2012 Talent List (Note who's at number 4) Shifter's Top 2012 Draft Prospects Widely considered the best judge of talent around, he had Toumpas at number 3. Let's stop the revisionism and realize we took Toumpas exactly where he should have gone based on pre-draft info.

This would have been a perfect time to send the scum packing and get a Tasmanian team to join the comp. Just shows that the AFL are not serious about going to Tassie.

September at The 'G

Bit early to make those calls I would have thought. Give the new recruits and draftees a chance before claiming they don't improve the list. And if the kids improve for 2016 then we've made the improvement we need.

So Essendon are in an enviable position? Come on. Weekly thrashings are all but certain next season meaning a huge drain on the younger players and we've seen first hand the effect that can have. As for the 12 suspended players, I'll be surprised if more than half of them walk back into that club. It's a complete unknown the toll this will take as far their career in general is concerned, let alone their ties with the EFC. They will be seeking fiscal compensation which could be a significant factor in their decision depending how that plays out. Essendon's youth isn't much to write home about to begin with outside of Daniher, Merrett and a sprinkling of others. The #1 pick will provide little solace during the next three years of them being largely uncompetitive. They were already staring down the barrel of a rebuild before this all went down. They are fooked.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/christian-petracca-injury-melbourne-demons-youngster-could-still-make-early-season-debut/news-story/2d54dd1e8a11921b2a3ae286a0f6f9fb Roos clearly isn't happy with Petracca's toe! “It was a learning thing for him and we were obviously really disappointed in what he did because he was going really well prior to Christmas,” Roos told SEN... his knee was coming along really nicely, but it set him back 4-6 weeks. It sounds like Petracca wasn't following rehab rules to me. Roos goes on to say: “He’ll be playing somewhere in that period ... If he trains really, really well and he starts to play well at whatever level, then he’s certainly entitled to a game...“That’s the process he’ll need to go through in order to do that.” There is a slight hint there that no matter how ready he is he will not be allowed to play in the seniors in rnd 1. A penalty perhaps? He is going to be made to earn that first game and I like that. Its really important that the club sets certain behaviour standards and if it means a player misses a game to do that so be it. Methinks that Petracca owes the coaches and his teammates!

Roos' appointment has given the club stability in terms of the coaching role. This was vital for a rebuilding club with as poor a list as we had in 2013. Previously the media was all over Bailey and Neeld. The same thing probably would have happened again had we appointed an untried coach with a desire to coach in the future. The transition to Goodwin will mean the pressure is off the club until 2018 at the earliest and this has given us time to significantly improve the list. He also helped create a sense of calm after the Neeld wrecking ball. I also think he has made some clever recruiting decisions (albeit the Melksham one appears lopsided against us). Vince was a better recruit than the most optimistic demon would have hoped for. Garlett has been a great pick up. The Tyson trade has probably been a net positive. Personally I don't really like Roos' tactical approach and think our game plan is too defensive, but you couldn't be too critical of what he has achieved.

I don't understand the concern here. As has been stated, it was always part of the plan that Roos would oversee the succession of the coaching position in much the same way as he handed over the reins at Sydney to John Longmire. It worked there and, although there are no guarantees, he's fulfilling what he set out to do when appointed and it seems to be working. If the transition works as well as it did at the Swans, I think we'll all be happy and there's no reason at this stage to believe that its not going smoothly.

What is more cost effective? Paying Roos for, let's say, 5 years as coach at $1.5m and then going back to the coaching drawing board... Or... Paying Roos to mentor the next coach and have a year of two head coaches? Try doing a cost benefit analysis on that...

They have been very accountable under Roos...how many players have been turned over or traded out since he has been there. The list is almost unrecognisable to the one he took over. That's what I call accountability...