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Update: Jesse Hogan's old man's health has deteriorated. Naturally this is a difficult time for Jesse Hogan and as such contract negotiations have taken a backseat during this difficult, emotional time. However, Jesse has again confirmed to the club that he wishes to remain at Melbourne and sign a long term contract. The club has been contacted by Freo both club expect Hogan to stay a Dee as this is what he has been saying. However, if he was to change his mind over the death of his father Fyfe would be the trade. But let me say again, the club extremely confident (99%) he is staying. Also the club believes no player in the top 25 will request a trade this year.

This is obviously a very stressful and sad time for the family. Clearly his thoughts are with his family and not his footy at this time. Wish them all well in a difficult time. Can we now ask for those that want to knock Jesse, to just ease back and give him some space. Maybe those that attack his body language, might have a better understanding of what he is going through.

You got the warning point because you continued to post about it after you'd been asked to stop. We took the initial decision to keep news of Jesse's dad's illness off the boards because it hadn't been made public yet. This meant that the media either didn't know about it, or that if they did, they were respecting the wishes of the club and / or Jesse for it to remain private. We figured that if the information became public, it might add to the pressure he was already facing at a difficult time, and we didn't want to be responsible for that happening. It ultimately became impossible to monitor and delete every single post mentioning it. But the broader point still remains: posters should think carefully about the consequences of revealing sensitive information about a player's family or personal circumstances on a public forum.

I listened to Fitzpatrick for about 5 minutes on 774 pre game before I had to spew up. Just recovering. That guy I will hate for the rest of my days as a destroyer of the game. Started talking GDP and numbers etc. What an arrogant piece of work. Get someone in there who cares about the fans not numbers.

No idea why people complain, as this happens on EVERY forum on the internet. It's not as if it just happens here as an anomaly. Don't like the banter? Takes 10 seconds to scroll past it. Quicker than asking a mod to waste their time on it.

Enough....

Rod, it's probably half-way. I wouldn't have had half the barneys I've had if I was a super relaxed puppy dog, but it's definitely (defiantly for some) water off a duck's back in the main these days. As for name changes ? Hannabal was permanently banned and I think Ben-Hur was too, although Nasher would know. But I do like a change now and then. Destroy has the sharpest wit I've seen and I reckon he could clip hedges with his tongue if he wanted to; Axis has a great angle to footy; Fan was very smart and balanced; and Dr John Dee is a very intelligent man with some appalling political leanings. If anyone wants some other critiques don't hesitate to ask.

For the love of God, will mods please clean up this thread. It's beyond embarrassing now.

Mate give it a rest. Most people come onto this thread wanting to read news, updates and opinions related to Jesse Hogan. At the moment only about 10% of the posts in here are actually related to that. We're not interested in you playing Judge Judy. Who gives a [censored] if people believe GNF or not? It's their choice. At least GNF is sticking to the topic. By the way, I saw a rumour referencing a Freo board member a few pages back but can't find the original post? Anyone got it? My gut feeling now is that he might be gone. I can't find the footage anymore but when he was the Juventus exhibition he was asked about his contract. The way he looked down and made no real reference to staying with Melbourne in his answer made me feel a bit uneasy. Just my opinion, as the media outlets actually reported it the other way afterwards.

Yeah, you lost me there. It doesn't work this way. You're telling me that Fyfe and his manager have agreed on a trade to the Demons on the proviso that the personal life of another player may or may not go a certain way, that they may or may not request a trade to Perth? Player movement doesn't work this way and a player of Fyfe's caliber isn't going to make career-defining decisions based on the actions of another player. Not to mention Fyfe is a free agent at the same time Jesse's contract ends; the club would be braindead to trade for him right now if he wanted to come to us, especially when the full extent of his injury is a mystery to other clubs. I wonder, is this from your same source that promised us Josh Kennedy, Patrick Dangerfield and Dion Prestia over the last 3 years?

When I go can someone please create the Clint Bizkit Memorial Board which is dedicated to discussions around structure and putting players in the forward line?

THE EXPERIMENT by Whispering Jack As long as the memory of the last six days of Paul Roos' coaching tenure with the Demons remains fresh, it overshadows his achievements of the past three years. Roos took over a club teetering on the brink, wracked with division at many levels and took it on an upward journey from two wins before he arrived, to four, seven and ten at the end in a season that was alive until late in its penultimate round. Based on where the team came from, that is by any measure a stunning result - one for which all at Melbourne should be thankful. History will judge the period from the perspective of where the club goes from here. Will the transfer of the mantle of the senior coach now handed over to Simon Goodwin be seamless? Will the trajectory of wins continue in an upward direction leading to finals appearances and ultimately to premiership success or will the club stay where it is now in the middle of the road? Time will tell. The pain and the hurt of the losses to Carlton and Geelong will abate. They might even one day come to be understood as the inevitable end point in a three year experiment involving the transformation of a broken-down, dysfunctional playing list of which few components will have survived by the time Goodwin oversees his first game of 2017 into the sleek, young and exciting new model team that he will be coaching into the future. The Roos mantra in the year of his arrival was predominantly on defence and in those days it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. As the team waded through the mire, there were similarities to the days of his immediate predecessors Mark Neeld and Neil Craig and the earlier years under Dean Bailey. It struggled to produce scores on the board and the thrashings came even though there was less disruption and better players were coming onto the playing list. The process continued into the second year with some definite signs of improvement but the wall was hit about two thirds of the way through and more thrashings ensued. This year was different. Goodwin was at the helm for the preseason matches and, while the results of those games are generally meaningless, there was a clear change in the way the team was going about things. There was a more attacking style resulting in some strong bursts of play and higher scores. The season proper began with a great comeback to snatch a win against the GWS Giants - impressive now in the context of that team's top four finish to the home and away season. From there, the ride became bumpy with some inexplicable low points among the highs that persisted throughout the season. There were defeats that should never have been recorded (Essendon, St Kilda twice and later, Carlton) and victories that were uplifting - notably the groundbreaking ones against the Hawks and Port Adelaide that teased us into believing the team might even be thereabouts in September. The dream finish never happened and, in fact, it all came crashing down heavily and disappointingly near the Geelong end of the M1. That's what happens with experiments - they don't always produce the perfect result at the first attempt and sometimes, such results were never intended in the first place. The thing that is clear from the final season under Paul Roos is that it was still very much one of development and, as it wore on, the experiment got interesting. We saw experienced players including present and past leaders of the club pushed aside and in their places, time was given to the new, younger breed of player. There were times during the season when the immediate time might have screamed out for the experience in defence of the likes of Lynden Dunn and Colin Garland but the youthful Oscar McDonald kept getting games and Sam Frost was also preferred once his stint up forward came to an end. And we saw Jayden Hunt and Josh Wagner coming into the team and James Harmes was moved to defence - they too were being prepared for the future. And, of course, we saw the continued blooding of the high draft picks Christian Petracca, Angus Brayshaw and Clayton Oliver - sparingly at times to cater for their youth, their endurance and their body strength. There were others like Billy Stretch and Alex Neal-Bullen and later Sam Weideman who got games while the likes of former skippers Jack Grimes and Jack Trengove had to mark time with the Casey Scorpions - as did Chris Dawes and even Cam Pedersen from time to time. In many instances, it seemed that the younger players had not produced the form that might have warranted selection ahead of more experienced players and perhaps a different course might have even produced one or two more wins in the short term. But that was not what I believe this season was all about - rather, it was more about giving the club its best chance to rise through the invisible ceiling between the middle of the road and the successful clubs that regularly fight it out at the end of the season. If Goodwin and the team can achieve that in the next year or so, then the experiment will have been a success.

Agreed. So are we suppose to believe that Fyfe's destination is going to be dictated to by the movements of Hogan? So stupid it's laughable.

Nobody cares except the Commission

I'm not sure how I feel about this being posted on here. It's either untrue (which I'm not suggesting it is) but if that's the case it's horrifying behaviour, or its true - at which point we have someone revealing personal information about a players father to better inform us about a contract negotiation. I know we all love the club but at a certain point it gets a bit ugly doesn't it? Have we just jumped the shark here?

The problem is your attempts at banter or humour or whatever you're attempting come across as awkward or just plain boring. There's no wit to what you're trying to hand out.

Rhino Richards was the only thing that would have made me support big game hunting. 4 bans and 9 warning points just for being the sweetheart that I am. T'was unfair I tells ya!

You don't understand. This is good for us. Sure, we won't see a Premiership in my lifetime but I'm assured by Mike Fitzpatrick that it's all for the best. And if or when they win the Premiership they will then get access to the best junior player in the land pre - draft. But again, that's all for the best. And in 2018 they will again have access to the best players in the land. It's only right.

Basil - 'GWS didn't waste a single pick'. Really? I can think of a half dozen. I think what he meant to say was 'gifted such extraordinary access to early draft picks that it'd be criminal if they weren't here'.

Isaac Smiss

DD what is about GNF and saty that so clearly upsets you? They ring your bell so much it reminds me of that Mars bar add of the monks going crazy with the bells (inset gif here)? I honestly don't understand why if it they cause you so much angst you just don't put them on ignore. If either were trolls, and i'm not suggesting they are (well that's not entirely true, one of them has all the hallmarks of one) they must find your (and others) inability to stop yourself responding, and doing so with so much venom, hilarious. I mean if they were trolls this is exactly what they are looking for. Any way different strokes for different folks, whatever floats you boat etc etc

Probably my favourite player and seems like a terrific bloke off the field. To think where he was even 4 years ago is simply astounding and a credit to his maturity and determination. Well done Jetts and I hope he wins the award.

Whilst I wouldn't be against McKenzie, Frost was the obvious match up for Daniher earlier in the year, so he hasn't actually had his chance. I'd also expect our zone defence and team defence to improve another step next year. I think we have the pieces in place, we just need to gain continuity and experience with the game style in attack and defence.

This will be the last final the Kangaroos play for a fair while.

This was inevitable. Manufactured garbage. Ironic that that they are de-throning the COLA Swans.

Doc, I would be happy (and indeed consider it a public service) to delete all posts that are not my own.

I for one welcome our new Giant overlords. (Anything to stop Hawthorn winning the thing every year.)

There you go, faulty, I've taken out the trash, or most of it. That's 30 minutes of my life I'll never get back. I reckon that any poster calling for the mass deletion of posts of any sort ought to be press-ganged into doing the job.

Swans have been crucified on frees not given their way and given against them.

How was that not in the back / marking interference? 2 goal turnaround? Swans look Gawn

It is just wrong, in the interests of player safety, that Stevie J can in effect head charge into an opponent's midriff and be rewarded with a goal. This needs to be discouraged, not encouraged. Someone WILL break their neck one day. Only then will the usual AFL knee jerk response come into effect.

Jordie McKenzie finished 4th in our bnf in 2012 FYI. Polling well in a depthless and talentless side isn't reaaaaaallly a true reflection of the worth of any given player is it? Richmond's list resembles ours of a few years ago. Except for their top 4-5. The rest are utter poo.

The first half at least lets him know his absence is being noted. The second half is a healthy reminder for why he would stay away.

hopefully something unfortunate

I'm going to start drinking early today after that ET, fark that is horrible. The 2 at the back look like they just left Revs.

The Mach5 lineage has matured and mellowed somewhat. The Prodee line remains annoying for annoyance's sake.

Rubbish, mate. 'Toughen up ladies' is a lot different from colloquially referring to everyone as guys, which I do as well. People with an issue about that don't actually understand gender politics, in the same way that people who think the use of pronouns in every situation is inherently sexist. That stuff is [censored]. What I do have a problem with is the insinuation that being a lady makes you soft. The people in my life who are the least likely to be soft are women.

Good to see that Jetts has been nominated for the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award, which is presented on Brownlow night. His work, which saw him pick up the MFC Club Ambassador Award at the B&F for the second consecutive year earlier this week, includes: * work with the Red Cross; * the Juvenile Justice Centre; * the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School; * Headspace in Western Australia during the off-season; and * as an ambassador for Melbourne University's Indigenous Eye Health Unit supporting trachoma. He also works with the Neville Jetta Squad at the Dandenong Stingrays, which gives footballing opportunities to players born overseas or of Indigenous heritage. Pretty impressive resume given the time commitments on modern players. Hope he gets the nod. Edit: Not sure why I created a new thread for this when I'd already 'liked' an earlier thread announcing the good news..

I think it's time we stop the poster attacking. Both sides need to accept we all have different views and as many have said, it is only a fan forum and accuracy of posting is not a requirement. We have gossip, rumours, allegations, inuendo, fantasy, etc. I find it tiresome wading through posts of people attacking each other on here. I have met Saty at training and he is a nice bloke, as I am sure are most of the rest of the posters. Saty is unusual in his posting style, but he is not Robinson Crusoe. Everyone needs to be a little less precious and not attack everything said, because you may not like the poster or their style. Lets all move on. We are all Dees fans.

Interesting, it appears that people on this site do care about one another, at least for some. There is an interest and a familiarity with some posters, The passionate, the enthusiastic, the analytical, the argumentative, the pedantic, the hateful, the depressives, the fence sitters, the fickle, the eccentric, the offbeat, and so the list goes on. Some posters are entirely predictable and some sway like the gum trees and can surprise you with their change of heart. I guess its like everything in life. Sometimes we move on and sometimes we don't. Think of what we were doing 5 or 10 years ago, or 20 or 30 years ago. Most of us are doing different things, have disposed of activities, friends, houses and material possessions. Changed partners, wives, lovers, Changed jobs, lost jobs, taken up new pleasures. Changed drinking habits and other activities. Some posters simply change habits or behaviour and move on. When we get tired of some activities, we stop them and move on or stop them for a time and have a break to return at a later time. However, supporting the Demons for most of us is a life long passion. We will never support anyone else and we all want to see a flag before we die. We are steadfast and it is permanent feature of our being. Demonland is an interesting distraction that fills in some time between our other more important activities. Eventually if we stay along long enough, we will all have a permanent holiday. As Lord Krishna once observed, we are not the materail body but a spirit soul.

I posted about his father being very ill mid year and it got deleted straight away and i received a warning demerit point. I expect the same to occur.

Unless there's a situation like the one layed out three posts above yours. Would explain a lot.

Please keep this polite or we might be forced to bring back some of our former moderators

Have a look at the context it's used in, insinuating weakness and being over emotional.

"Hey guys" is a bit different to using the term "ladies" as an insult.

I've still got that warning point reminder from Rhino as well. He banned me too, me! In the words of Jimmy McNulty, "what the [censored] did I do?" Luckily Nash had my back and the ban lasted 10 minutes, I was starting to panic and look at new options in terms of what to do with my life. Avoided that disaster, thanks Nasher.

I love the 'community' aspect of forums. It's what drew me to throw Demonland a lifeline when it was flagging 11 years ago and keep the admin work up, even though I am far more time poor than I was when I took it up. I find I too do build a picture of persona for people who post here a lot that flows through their writing. There are two particularly prolific posters who have been known to open new accounts on occasion. One of those people once accused me of matching IP addresses to spot them, but it's just that for some people, their style of writing is as recognisable as a face to me. To that end, I do notice when people stop coming and I wonder about them, and I'd noted rpfc's absence too. He was a poster I found with opinions that generally aligned with mine, and felt like a mate in the trenches with me during the Scully saga (we lost that battle and the war though). Anyway, I recognise the shallowness of forum relationships since you actually don't know who the person really, but I do find myself going, "gee this is going to wind P_Man up", or "ProDee is probably going to call me a flog for this" or "Samael's posted in the VFL game thread, I'm about to read about how well Michie went"; it's not that different to real human discussion for me. Anyway, as someone who hardly knows any real life Melbourne fans, I love being able to share a common interest with people, learn from people who know far more about footy than me, hopefully put down a strong argument here and there, and share the love when we're winning and look hot. This site has given a more hardcore edge to barracking for and supporting Melbourne than I would have had otherwise.