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“Like a cork in the ocean”One of Dennis Cometti’s most famous lines. It was first delivered after West Coast Eagle Peter Wilson booted an incredible goal in the 1992 grand final.“Nasty situation. He’s caught between A Rock and a hard place.”The line came when a player was caught between former North Meloburne player Anthony Rock and the boundary fence.“It’s like finding fault with Miss Venezuela”Cometti speaking about Adelaide midfielder Rory Sloane.“Alan Didak was Stevie J before Stevie J was Stevie J”On Collingwood player Alan Didak having skills like Geelong’s Steve Johnson.“Metropolis, kicking to the city end”Speaking about former West Coast and Fremantle player Daniel Metropolis.“The guns of Paparone need a bit of work”Speaking about young Brisbane Lions player Marco Paparone.“Barlow to Bateman. The Hawks are attacking alphabetically ...’’On Hawthorn players Kris Barlow and Chance Bateman“How’s that, a two Carr collision, both with the same rego!”When Josh Carr wearing jumper number nine for Port Adelaide, bumped his brother Matthew, wearing number nine for Fremantle.“Parker to Carr … … sounds like a match made in heaven!”Another play on the Carr name.“Brent (Guerra) hates losing and that extends to his hair.”On Hawk Brent Guerra, who did advertisements for The Hair Institute.SOME LINES NEED NO EXPLANATION“Scotty Cummings alone in the square, jumping up and down and waving his arms like they’re playing My Sharona”“Spider had both his legs taken out from under him — leaving only the other six to balance on”“Ling’s running off the ground a little bit gingerly”“Farmer may have an injury to his calf........hmmm, a farmer with a calf problem.”“Kevin Sheedy, who was coaching Essendon 14 years before Adelaide was founded. The team, not the city.”“Collingwood know they’re in trouble, it’s like being in the bathtub with the Loch Ness monster!”“In for the Cats today, David and Steve Johnson. Who better to patch up a line-up than Johnson & Johnson?”“It was like a self-saucing pudding. Players just waiting for the whistle”“Ball in dispute, Lamb, now Yze the meat in the sandwich. Really Lamb should be in the sandwich.”‘He was like a Bombay train. They were hanging off him in all directions.’ ” Hay is bailed up on the boundary line“. ” Cousins runs away from Carr–not the first time we’ve seen that happen this season.” When a huge ruckman fell onto a very small player nicknamed Elvis and then slowly picked himself up, Cometti pronounced“the building has left Elvis’. A player named Gram had his shorts pulled down in a tackle: “strippoGram” deadpanned Dennis. "Tonight is umpire appreciation night.... I give it about 30 seconds""Liam Anthony's birthday this afternoon... Well I guess it was his birthday this morning as well, anytime after midnight actually.""The cats are all around him, like a bowl of milk""Brown looking for black, but gives it to Greene. It's confusing at home, I know""The last 5 scores have been Dogs behinds, pardon the expression""Just need Milne to emerge from the shadows, that's where he operates best""Eddie Betts could hide in that divot... His shorts couldn't, but he could."Bruce: "What has Jack Anthony done for Fremantle? Played 3 games last year." Dennis: "Fair to say he's done Jack""Riewoldt has the same amount of goals as me at the moment""Saints are under pressure like Aaron Sandilands thongs"

What's the point in asking? All you'll get is spin.

It has been a week since I was down at Casey, and Dawes must have been very close to full training again. He posted the best time in the rehab group for 50m, but then look what has happened in the last couple of days! Pedo was very impressive. I think I said many have thought him to be slow around the ground or just simply not up with the play. That was not the case with what I saw on the day. He was playing a CHF type role and was providing link ups all around the forward line. What stuck out was his mobility, which I haven't noticed before. Like Gawn, he was in everything. So while I hope Dawes gets back to playing, Pedo will be a more than capable replacement, and if he plays the way he is training, he will become first option very quickly.

I'm with Wiseblood. Give him a go, wish him well and hope he recovers. Even if he isn't marking, he is a handful for a defender and his work in packs is very robust and effective. And whilst he is wearing red and blue, support him, don't bag him.

It is the whole football world and the fact they have been told for years they are leading the fight against drugs in sport while the entire time spruiking about the team culture that leads to things just like the EFC fiasco. That is why they were all so surprised, none of them truly understand the WADA code, and now they have been caught they are all on about how unfair and unjust it is and how it doesn't fit our culture. I hate to tell you AFL people, it is you that doesn't fit the culture expected from the rest of the world, not the other way around.

If the appeal does not get off thew ground i look forward to reading Bruce francis's 20 page dissection of their 200 word dismissal (written in French) " the Swiss court made several key legal mistakes in their frankly corrupt decision to summarily dismiss the players right of appeal. Under the Human Rights Charter....."

i'd just like to point out for those that may be confused or disappointed, that the real dc has no intention of standing down. thank you.

shhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!

My finely tuned sarcasmometer just spiked.

They've thumbed their nose at the AFL, the other clubs, supporters everywhere, their own players ... and the AFL has stood by and given tacit encouragement. All they did was fine them for "not" doping (which was all about their own brand management). It still stuns me that the AFL were quite happy to sweep it under the carpet. One of their clubs dopes up en masse and they were going to hide it and let them off scot free. If not for the ACC we would never have known. The AFL should self-report for bringing the game into disrepute.

I have a feeling that the players had no choice but to appeal given the existence of legal opinion to the effect that the appeal has a reasonable chance of success. How could they make the argument for damages against the EFC if they refused to exhaust all reasonable chances of a successful appeal? It remains an exercise in futility from my point of view except insofar as the lawyers are concerned - they're kicking all of the goals.

At least he cares about the club. He trains his guts out week in, week out and doesn't have much luck. Yes, he needs to kick more goals. Yes, he needs to improve his marking. But if we had a team full of blokes that trained as hard as he does and give everything they had for the club as he does then we wouldn't go far wrong. It's hardly his fault his body has betrayed him, nor is it his fault that we splashed the cash to get him. We thought he was worth it at the time. Regardless of his status in the side I think it's sad to see him break down again.

titus and swiss law

I would say Dennis has a soft spot for all teams. He loves football and it come across in his commentary. Too many in broadcasting today are not enjoying the game they're watching; they feel the need to add fireworks, ego, 'personality' and false bravado. Commetti loves the game- and it shows.

I keep seeing Mitch Clark in the photos of Hulett (as in what he looks like). Can the usual types here please not post "I hope he's a more loyal player than Clark" and so on.

In my view, any apparent surge in membership results from the us against them mentality and we need to stand by the boys rationale. The real affects of this travesty will be felt in the longer term, if, as suspected, the EFC are on the receiving end of some beltings. Remember, despite the fact they have had dibs on top up players, most of those chosen have not had a pre-season and won't have match conditioning. They are a long way behind the rest of the field.

Yeah, nah... The following interview confirms what has been discussed over the summer. Watts will play deeper to goal with a view to actually kicking goals. 35-40 goals must be the aim for a tall forward playing closer to goal. He needs to impact the scoreboard. It's his best chance to impact games. "My whole preseason has been up forward" "the aim will be to try and kick some goals" He hasn't trained in the midfield and clearly the club wants some goals out of him, which is how I'll be measuring his output.

Looks like Jack Watts will be our 3rd tall. An interview: http://www.aflplayers.com.au/article/video-watts-jacks-best-position/ On contests:“It wasn’t quite up to scratch. That’s pretty much what the whole team is getting drilled on.” On our game: Goody (Simon Goodwin) is starting to really take control of our offensive movement... On where we are at: “It’s a really positive feeling at the club and that improvement is what sort of drives us to start really enjoying footy and winning games, and becoming respected in the competition.” confirming similar comments from our intrepid DL posters of team training. You've gotta love Brayshaw's quoted comment: “the club wants guys who have a crack and compete for 100 percent of the game,” That is what we fans have been waiting so long for. Great attitude by the kid so lets hope the whole team brings that to our games. Think I will enjoy going to the footy in 2016 much, much more than for many a year!

Can't see it 'Bombay'. He can't play deep as defenders have worked him out and check his run at the ball and he's not strong enough to compete for a contested grab. He either get's a bit lazy further up the ground or doesn't have the game sense to find enough footy.

Is that Jack Watts' crackin gags at training? Fair dinkum ...

Call me naive but I cant see it being a "real' pressure game unless the opponents are of quality. Im not suggesting we take the game for granted but I really can't see Essendon putting too much pressure on too many teams especially early in the season.

As always, the MRP and tribunal will, in their totally impartial and reproducable manner, determine each case on its merits depending on - which player e.g. Franklin or Viney, - which club e.g. 'important club' or 'also rans', - early to mid season vs approaching finals and a 'franchise player'. That is how it has always happened and I see no reason that it will be any different this season.

Disagree. By continuing to defend the EFC position (in effect) why should it help the players in suing EFC later. I'd assume the opposite - by claiming via endless appeals that they are innocent, they imply they believe the EFC program was kosher. So how could they then sue them without changing their story markedly. ("I was duped, but I believe I wasn't up until we lost that last appeal" does not sound like a winner.) As several posters have pointed out, the players are painting themselves into a corner and are getting bad advice which doesn't appear to be in their interests. Why? How can they be so dumb? Is there no one to make them see sense? My guess is that they are so keen to be able to say they are clean (no matter how laughably the circumstances that declare them so) that they are easily hoodwinked by suited men (I trust no woman is involved....) who have other agendas.

Hoping that Kent and Salem don't reinjure their hammies. And that Viney doesn't get suspended. Big seasons from all of them if they manage to avoid these things.

Shhh you will give BBO and Biff more ideas on how to make a fast buck or two. This kind of thing never ends well.

The AFL, EFC and most of the Footy world just don't realize that WADA/CAS/Swiss Court see them as just a piece of sh!t on the shoe of world sport. They don't care what happens to EFC or the AFL, they are insignificant.

Fair call, will be interesting to see if he goes down the assistant coach path in the future or follows up on his studies.

My favourite line of DC when a player (Libber?) was bleeding from a cut over his eye after a melee : 'He went into the pack optimistically and came out misty optically.'

I would have been more impressed had he the gumption to stand aside from the rabble and go his own path. He hasnt. Not overly happy that he's at Melbourne at all.

The further it goes, the clearer the picture seems to emerge of the character of those involved. Totally unashamed, untroubled by being seen to be arguing loopholes rather than innocence, brushing off or destroying evidence, defying the world. At every development, I find it is further than I'd imagined possible. How did Melbourne interview Melksham and not see this matter of attitude/character? Or did MFC in doing their due diligence on Melksham actually see no real problem with the EFC culture? The AFL appear to have been comfortable with Essendon's values and conduct, the players' association likewise, MFC certainly have to have looked into part of it and apparently saw no issue of concern - where in the football world does it stop? Are we all implicated, in that the key entities in the football world in fact all condone (maybe even are quietly embracing) the Essendon initiative? Are all developing their plans for undetected compliance with this new regime? Where in the football world is the unambiguous condemnation of everything to do with what Essendon did? Why is nobody who speaks with authority in the football world shouting "enough!"?

After the Swiss High Court . . . The 'Pharmacy Guild of Mexico'?

Wouldn't surprise me if this was EFC's next appeal step if the Swiss court falls through.

Watts will kick 30+ this year. Will have the attention taken off him and the delivery will be a lot better. He is one of the best set shots in the team and all he needs is his leads honoured. He will have a good year. Our forward line hasn't been a good hunting ground for mid sized forward for a long time. You get the vibe with Hogan taking the best defender and Garlett taking the small defender, Watts will be able to play his natural game. I have never felt more positive about the bloke.

Bombay, I don't like your odds, given that he's already facing an uphill battle to be fit for the first few rounds of 2016. Keep in mind that only 28 players kicked 40 or more goals in 2015, with only three of those players playing fewer than 20 matches for the season. I don't think Howe has it in him.

Dennis had a nice soft spot for the Demons, too. Will be missed.

Sadly, Melksham is one to appeal. Some peer pressure happening here or I suspect some deal/tradeoff on compensation has happened. I fully accept his right to appeal. As a Demons fan here was a perfect opportunity for him to start repaying the faith and follow the advice in the Mick Ellis article WJ quoted: If the players wanted to save their reputations, this is how they could have done so: “As a sportsman committed to clean, ethical competition, I acknowledge the possibility that I was administered a banned substance—unwittingly. I continue to hope and believe this was not the case, but those officials responsible for this are unwilling or unable to testify to the contrary and, therefore, in accordance with the worldwide doping code of personal responsibility I accept a reasonable penalty on the basis of my own failures in these unacceptable circumstances.”

Hopefully Seven will employ a trained broadcaster, not another try-hard ex-player picked via the old boys' network.

In such an integrity filled environment, one could question how many of those record numbers are individuals, and perhaps how many hundreds or thousands could be names filed by rich benefactors perhaps Little? I know personally of several EFC members who have refused to re-sign.

And he had a good sense of humour as well. Will always remember 'The Nate Myles Effect', although it's probably not all that PC. With him gone the general standard of commentary will plummet.

When they lose their CAS appeal, is there any chance of Essendon being re-branded, re-located or even replaced? I've got nothing but disdain for their brand with the way they've gone about the saga and how much they've dragged it out and what's even worse, are continuing to drag out. Cronulla. NRL. Heavily discounted suspensions. Bang, got it done and moved on, 2014. It's a distant memory and nobody cares anymore. Essendon were not only given the same option, but even further discounts on the suspensions. The pride, arrogance, stubbornness and ego of one football club should not eclipse the whole competition which is unfortunately what the AFL has allowed to happen. They are a blight on the game.

nobody has heard the frisbee's side of things yet. typical discrimination

Imagine being a gws player round 1 at the opening bounce and the ruck tap lands half way in between you and Viney........ Could be the first player to fake cramp 2 seconds into the season.

Was 4th in marks taken for the club 2015 and was also 4th in intercepts and kicked 10 goals for the season.....Kicked some great goals and took some great marks Also played 100 games for the club and kicked 80 goals and played all 22 games last year. I know that any player that leaves us is now considered rubbish after they leave but I think we will miss him throughout the year.

A calf injury for an older player is one of the worst they can get. Since this appears to be a recurring injury, he may be in trouble. I wish him the best, he is a hard worker and a nice guy and deserves a break. However, if his calf stops him from playing regularly this year, I think it may be his last with us.

This may surprise you, but it's not overly important - as long as it's AFL standard, which I'm sure it will be. Oliver's strengths lie in his clearance ability, agility (third at the draft combine 8.11), size, burst speed (for an inside mid), reading of the play, and terrific vision and decision making with handballs in congestion. While he's a "straight ahead" player, he also backs his evasive skills. I don't think he's an elite kick by any stretch, but I think his long kicking is good and shorter kicking adequate and will get better. He kicks it well enough to score 30 out of 30 in the draft combine goal-kicking test. Fyfe and Dangerfield shank plenty of kicks. James Hird was never a great kick and did you ever see him kick on his left ? There aren't many elite kicks in the competition and some superb footballers haven't been great kicks. As mentioned, Fyfe is arguably the best player in the competition, but no-one would go to training and rate his kicking ability. I've been to a few training sessions and really like what I see with Oliver.

You'd think Dawes injured himself intentionally according to some on here. Give the guy a break. Although he can be frustrating he always busts a gut on game day.

How about you put yourself in his shoes and attempt to understand how frustrated the bloke must be. He clearly wants to perform and help the team ffs. I don't get the vindictiveness against players who break down through injury.