Leaderboard

Keep an eye out for Mitch King next year. Watched a couple of bushies game last year and his agression and 2nd and 3rd efforts just stood out. Also played the 1 senior game for Wodonga Bulldogs last year against us and was jumping all over our ruckman who also was the Ovens and Murray interleague number 1 ruckman coached by Brendan Fevola. The kid can play.. Also King has grown to 202cm now after bring drafted at 199cm.

Mate, if Hitler put on the MFC jumper you'd support him.

Dont get me wrong my very strong preference is to keep hogan. I cant believe how many dl posters seem to be cooling on him. He is a gun. Will be one of the best forwards of the modern era and if he stays with us a melbourne legend

No VFL club would ever stand in the way of a player getting drafted in to the AFL. It'd be like putting a sign up at their ground saying "don't bother coming and playing here if you have AFL aspirations".

The only way to stop GWS's success is to somehow get Ross Lyon to coach them.

It wasn't irony Dom, it was stupidity. How did he allow himself to get caught up in that [censored]? BTW love your name. Are you a sheila or a bloke? This info is important to Uncle Bitter.

it only had a little impact though, biffo

It's not the identification of young kids that's the problem with Academies; it's the ridiculous ability to acquire said kids with crap picks when you're already at the top of the ladder. It's a farce; the most transparent mechanism since COLA of the AFL's desperate attempts to keep certain teams successful (as if all their manufactured assistance to Essendon wasn't obvious enough). Frankly, anyone who thinks the Academies are overrated is clueless. It's an equalisation-bypassing farce with a single purpose: to keep the Sydney/expansion clubs successful at the top of the ladder, while allowing them exclusive access to potentially the best talent in the draft in exchange for peanuts. This is despite Sydney finishing 1st, 4th and 1st over the last 3 years, but getting a free hit at the highest-polling first year players in consecutive NAB Rising Star awards.

Sorry. No deal. Anywhere.

THe AFL should change its name to the AFE, Australian Football Entertainment. Just like pro wrestling WWF went to WWE. Not a true sport anymore, A contrivance, manipulated to generate income for TV as top priority. That means bias to top and expansion clubs to ensure their success. IN the AFE like WWE there are 'faces', 'heels' and 'jobbers'. The faces and heels being the good and bad guys attract all the interest. The jobbers are the routine losers to pad out the fixture. In the AFL world clubs like St Kilda, North, Bulldogs and us are like jobbers.

At the risk of further distracting this thread, it's worth pointing out that I deleted over 40 posts. That's more than a quick scrolling could pass over, especially since they were scattered across 7 or 8 pages. You're also assuming that the irrelevance or disagreeableness or whatever of each and every one of these, including your own, was somehow knowable in advance of reading them. That takes a rare skill. And if you're suggesting that this sort of thing can be decided purely on the identity of the poster then the ignore button would surely be a far more efficient choice. Note to self: this is the internet, must use emoticons. I wasn't really being serious in my 'complaint' (do you really think the comment about press-ganging members was genuine? I'd have thought you were better with tone than that.) As it happens I'd already had a pm conversation the evening before with a poster whose views I trust absolutely about whether to intervene after the ridiculous digression impelled by Saty and his conversations had first begun to gather steam. I chose not to then but by the time faulty raised his concerns things were obviously getting out of hand. I'm not sure where the 'constant whining' you refer to is, but wherever it is I wasn't responding to it.

Siren and the Scorpions move into the Grand Final. AFL Victoria Development League Casey Scorpions 2.3.15 7.6.48 11.7.73 16.9.105 Williamstown 3.5.23 7.7.49 11.10.76 14.15.99 Goals Casey Scorpions Fritsch 4 Di Pasquale 3 Anderson Cox Ferreira Freeman Hillard Jaffer-Williams Daniel Johnston Pattison Vander Haar Williamstown Condon Ebinger 4 Davies Monk 2 Chisari Curtis Best Casey Scorpions Ferreira Moncrieff Fritsch D Collis Jaffer-Williams Wilson Williamstown Curtis Owen Schultz Davies Di Ciero Monk Disposals D Collis 28 Ferreira Wilson 25 Moncrieff 22 The Grand Final will be against Box Hill Hawks here at North Port Oval next Saturday at 11.30am. The Seniors will also play the Preliminary Final at North Port Oval but on Sunday at 2.40pm.

Ur fingers painted on mate?

At least West Coast, Adelaide and Port came from footy states with mad support while the Lions and Swans had the old Fitzroy and South supporters. A Giants win on GF day will just be so hollow and mean nothing. How could their supporters (the few they have) get any joy or satisfaction out of a flag within a matter of years from entering the comp? They haven't done it the hard way or through smart management - it's just been gifted to them. The only ones cheering will be the AFL and channel 7 execs while the rest of the competition will die a little.

They had more concessions than GC plus GC have struggled with injuries. Had Ablett, Omeara, Prestia and Swallow all been playing 20 games a season they would be challenging as well.

Del Santo will add nothing to this list.

Why if Casey finished on top of the ladder, do they play on sunday next week, giving the team against them an extra day to recover, 8 days and one less day to recover themselves, if we make the GF? Collingwood get to play the Dogs, who have a 6 day break and then have an 8 day break to the GF if they win? How does that happen, when we finished on top?

Well Said Saber. The quiet free hit that keeps giving no matter what ladder position you are in... FGS Satyr give it a rest. You are way out of your depth "Casey is our Academy....." clueless...

Protected species. Has nothing to worry about. Interesting to see what Mumford and Johnson get for their rough stuff from yesterday.

ANB couldn't hold in his place in an underperforming midfield. Trengrove might come good. Bugg .... who knows. Lumumba ?? Is that enough spots?

Yes, and they took them because they are allowed to have academies. It also meant that they are being trained, developed and molded in the way they want them to be from an early age. That's a very handy advantage to have on the other clubs. What about the Vic clubs? We get them when they're 18 and we have to develop them from there. We can still do it, but we're coming from a long, long way back in that regard. Mills and Heeney assimilate better to the senior side as they have been around that environment for years.

I think you're conflating two issues here Bingers. Firstly the reason we haven't won a premiership since 64 is our own incompetence. And its a well sung song of recent times. Secondly the concessions you talk about are symptomatic of the market forces that drive the AFL. They need GWS to gain ground quickly. Indirectly that helps clubs like us and North and the Bulldogs etc actually survive rather than die or be relocated. Personally I'm sick of having to listen to insufferable Hawthorn, Geelong and Sydney supporters crap on as though they're God's chosen children while I'm satisfied every second weekend that my team doesn't suck as much as they did three years ago. At least GWS don't have any supporters and those they do actually barrack for other teams anyway. Fortunately the AFL seems to be intent on revising the GWS 'Academy' (everything South of Wagga should be considered as part of Victoria in football terms)

Is this thread still about Jesse Hogan?

I feel like Spencer is the perfect depth ruckman. Not horrible, gives his all and has played some good AFL games but unlikely to become disgruntled and seek opportunity elsewhere. Maybe we want another raw prospect as insurance but I don't see the need to chase a number 2 ruck - we already have him.

Poor Nicky Dal. They should erect a statue of him outside Arden Street.

The same guy flashed at a couple of elderly women at the bus stop recently. One had a stroke and the other wasn't quick enough...

Reminds me of the local flasher in the park who was considering retirement. He decided to stick it out for another year.

Happy to see the bummers lose today. Nice final quarter comeback by the dogs. They have had a good few days.

You've gone off on a weird tangent here, Saty. It's kind of like you are grasping at a few straws to support your arguments, but they don't really make much sense. Plus you are exaggerating the opinions of others - some still want a 10-12 team Vic league? Hardly. That's not what we are arguing at all. All we want is a league that is as equal as possible. Of course it's never going to be that way, but giving clubs up north academies so they can cherry pick talent and get them through a loophole is not the way to do it and it's something that is avoidable. They get a leg up - even if it's 2 players in 6 years, as you say, that's still 2 more than everyone else. Where is our academy? Why don't we get one? While they want those clubs up north to succeed, I think it's fair to say that they don't need academies to do it. Sydney already have a bigger salary cap and attract talent easily, while GWS have more high draft picks than you can poke a stick at that they can either use to draft more top end talent or trade away for big name stars. Why do they need an academy? They don't. It's that simple. Yes, we have to live with the fact that these clubs are here to stay and that we need to continue to get better to match them in any way we can. It still doesn't justify why they deserve a free shot at talent that we don't get.

This. We might get access to solid or average academy products that the Swans or GWS don't want, but if a gun comes through the ranks they simply won't pass on them. It's that simple.

and we beat Hawthorn.... but it doesn't fill me with hope after losing to ..... you know who they all were !!

Agreed. Other clubs may well be interested, but I do not see Hogan wanting to leave Melbourne (the club) other than because he wants to go home (to Perth). If he wants to stay in Melbourne, there will be other clubs who can give him a better contract than we probably can, but I doubt it will matter.

Lenient the word between any and outcome.

Is this the chap that exposed himself on the internet? Those are the leadership skills we must be seeking.

The competition implemented systems that are supposed to have equalisation measures which under pin the integrity of the game. How can the competition be taken seriously when those equalisation measures are being openly tampered with in an aim to give two new teams success? It defeats the purpose of why they were implemented in the first place. The whole competition is a farce. Salary cap exemptions, draft concessions and the introduction of academies all go against what the system was created for. I struggle to take the competition seriously anymore when it continues to happen. Outside of these issues is the uneven fixture & the drug issues that the AFL sweeps under the carpet. Whilst the game is getting record profits it is rotten to the core. What really surprises me is that the AFL clubs have let the AFL have too much say on the direction of the game & they are the ones who stand to lose out in the long run even if it does mean they all line their pockets from the TV revenue in the short term.

We can win big either way ... if he stays, we should be able to develop him into a top grade footballer (he needs his kicking action reconstructed and the rest of his game should just keep getting better) And if we have to trade him, he'll be in super high demand so we should be able to do a super deal. In fact, nothing short of a super deal should be the level of thinking at the club. There's a minority here who may think differently but outside of our club, any number of other clubs would want him on their books. I hope he stays though.

There are many sides to this story ... GWS have been handed a great chance to fast-track their way to success but that 'great chance' required a reasonable dose of luck (in the draft) but also required excellent management from the get-go. They also needed to trade & recruit well outside of the draft and that's where they've come up trumps. The more chances a team has with high end draft picks, the greater the chance for success. GWS missed on a number of 1st round draft picks but we don't get to read or hear about that because of the success of the rest of their picks ... as for the rest of it, they've played the system extremely well and much much better than many of us thought. Like any start-up operation, those pushing the new team were going to want it to work as soon as possible - and that's what has happened. We shouldn't be surprised with the outcome as the pathway to that outcome was set up from day 1. We can complain all we like but it is what is is and they're only going to get stronger (unless they lose their way) We may not like it but from a practical viewpoint, we have to accept it. And it's not just our club that will almost certainly lag behind them, the same argument goes for many of the clubs. GWS have been given a great opportunity and so far, they're making the most of it. I originally thought that the smaller clubs in Melbourne would struggle to cope as a consequence but its interesting that the traditional big 4 clubs in Melbourne are all a good ways off a premiership window (right now) North & the Doggies are playing finals, the Saints are on an upward curve and so are we. Contrast that with Carlton, Essendon, the Tigers & Pies. The Cats & Hawks are maintaining a high ladder position and have done so with astute trading and also with the help of free agency. So, how do we catch up to a (possible) juggernaut like GWS? Astute trading & free agency ... and we'll need to have a better than reasonable strike rate with drafting - easier said than done of course but Taylor does seem to have a good eye for talent. So it's do-able. We also need to push for an academy to match those in the Northern states. We might see a combined push from a number of clubs in that area in order for that to happen.

If the concessions given to either GWS or Gold Coast were given to any Victorian club every other club administrator and member would be screaming bloody murder about the Comp being fixed. Both these clubs have had more first round draft picks than any club ever, they also have had the unprecedented ability to trade players like Hogan etc for what was meant to be senior players. They still have no fixed salary cap. GWS also had a clear advantage on Gold Coast as they watched what they did with their concessions and improved it and their academy includes traditionally Victorian zones and has yielded better results. Despite all this if Gold Coast had had slightly better luck with injury we would be seeing them in finals too. Im sure a lot of people at GWS have got a lot right and worked very hard, but it's hard to get excited about something that has so clearly been manufactured. Think of the debate around giving teams like Melbourne and now Brisbane ONE priority pick then look at GWS and Gold Coast's draft concessions, it would have been ridiculous for them not to succeed, and we're still only at the beginning... Getting excited about GWS winning finals is like getting excited about big banks making profits. Sure some people were smart and worked hard, but the system was fixed from the beginning.

I'm not sure mate. His last year at Murray he was the number 1 ruckman and rarely got spells up Forward. The problem i have with Max King is that he hasn't shown any gradual improvement at all. He has gone backwards this year to the point that he has now done bugger all at Development league. I am all for giving talls to develop but he hasn't. Gawn Fitzpatrick and Spencer all played AFL level in just their 2nd year. King is spudding it up in the development league in his 3rd year. He will be delisted.

I find it really odd Saty that he wouldn't divulge to you that he was looking elsewhere for more opportunity..

I put this in the AFL Finals thread All this hand wringing over GWS. Yes they got high draft picks, but you have to develop them properly and have them working as a team, we at MFC know high draft picks is no guarantee You have to get the right coaches You have to get the right experienced players, Gold Coast have shown it can go wrong You have to do real business on the trade table, they have shown they were willing to take risks, they let Hogan and Tyson go, we should be grateful for that (at the moment), and Bugg to a lesser extent, and Boyd to the Bulldogs We [censored] up in the last 10 years all by ourselves, GWS had no part in it, and Hawthorn seem not to be affected in the last four or five by the so called bias from the AFL Suck it up kiddies

No, so stop mentioning him. Get back on topic!!!!

I have followed the Demons since 1968. 48 years. No premierships. And TBH, none likely in the next few years. MFC member for years. AFL set up a brand new club. Concessions + concessions. GWS may well win the flag this year. In their fifth freakin year!! Or if not this year, within the next 2. Long suffering and loyal supporters of Melbourne, Footscray + St Kilda haven't seen a flag for 60 years +. (Or, depending on age, not at all.) A manufactured team is likely to win one within 5 - 7 years of its inception/creation. Something about all this doesn't seem quite right.

It's pretty cut and dried to me. If the appeal fails, he must lose the Brownlow and it must go to the next highest vote getter(s) from that year. This is what the Olympic Movement and most sports do in these cases. Just ask Jared Tallent who received his gold from London a couple of months before the Rio Olympics after the "winner" of the race was found to be a drug cheat at the time.

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.

While I respect and understand your comment I actually think the biggest success of the Essendon, Hird and his sympathisers campaign has been to con fans into thinking the bold statement. Essendon came into 2012 having been spanked by Carlton in the first Elimination final with a list most thought would need to go backwards before it went forwards. They started out the season unexpectedly on fire winning their first 9 games in a row with amazing fitness and strength before an unprecedented spate of soft tissue injuries crippled the list and their season. The reality is a lot of people think the performance enhancing drugs mustn't have worked as Essendon didn't make finals, but really had they kept their pumped up players on the park they could probably have made finals or even top 4 based on their first 9 rounds. The combination of the drugs enabling the Essendon players to get too big too soon for their own bodies and bad luck is what I believe kept them from succeeding, not a failure of Tb4 and other substances to enable them to recover faster and endure larger training loads than a clean athlete. Also on Jobe Watson compare his 2012 stats to every other year he played and you will see a sharp spike in almost every category, 3 more possessions a game than his next best year, 2 more marks etc etc. Sure some players have a blinder but the coincidental fact that in the year he was being injected with a number of substances including Tb4 he played so much better than his career average and the good luck that unlike his colleagues he didn't succumb to injury and was able to take the park during the height of the Dank/Robinson/Hird program says to me that his performance was clearly enhanced by what CAS has found to be illegal performance enhancing substances. We'll never know how much worse Essendon or Jobe would have gone without the program, maybe it would have been the same, but this is the eternal argument of drugs in sport and given the rigour and systematic intensity of Essendons program in 2012 and their improved performance during that time it's highly, highly likely that drugs helped both the team and Jobe win his Brownlow. Its a shocking endictment on the Afl and AFL media that this hasn't been discussed more openly and this blanket "the drugs didn't work anyway" argument has been allowed to be preeminent. As to anyone who looks at it logically it seems highly, highly unlikely that the drugs didn't help in some way.

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

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.

Be Nice if we see both Scorpions teams in the Grand Final! A fitting reward for both the Casey and Melbourne-listed players!

Plapp should be pleased to hear that.