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If Hogan signs on for an extra two years we still need an in depth discussion on where he's going to play from 2020 onwards.

Congrats to our skip Nathan Jones who's wife Jerri has just given birth to a future brownlow medalists. Remy Jones!

At least it's a Brand name. I'll see myself out.

Yes but the Swans won't smash the best young Doggies forward in the throat, early in the game, sending him off to hospital, or nearly paralyze the Doggies ruckman, when he is bending down trying to pick up the ball, with one of the hardest and dirtiest hits to the head, I have ever seen.

Did he say for which club?

Damo just reported that Collingwood ate set to add to Dads Army with talks with Boomer Harvey! Buckley has gone full survival mode.

Odd post. In the past five seasons, he's played 22, 24, 17, 20 and 24 games.

The sooner players can be traded without their permission the better.

As I've said before, we have a huge opportunity in the Dandenong area to engage the large population of refugees and try to develop some of those kids into quality players. There is a clear lack of youth programs in the area, so if the club get in there and put the time and resources in they could reap huge rewards. The AFL have given us the opportunity. It's up to the club now to capitalise on what they've been given.

I liked this quote from his interview: "I’m looking forward to working with a group that is hellbent on getting better and improving – that’s the reason why I chose Melbourne."

I just want to wish Zak Jones all the best in this weekends GF. He is the first of the Jones boys to make to a GF. in saying that I am tipping the Bulldogs. Would like to see them win it after such a long drought. Next on the list to win it would be the Demons.

I'm more excited for the fact that Melbourne had the previous coaches for both of the finalists. Roos set Sydney up and they have been strong for a decade. McCartney instilled a base that enabled Beveridge to come in and take them to finals in first year and the grand final in second. Hopefully they've set Melbourne up so that we have sustained success, and allows Goodwin to take us to a grand final in 2018.

It does at least mean he wont be a free agent when he's next out of contract. Means we're better placed for compensation.

I am, but unfortunately being a past player with the Kananook Bombers, I don't get a heap of Melbourne intel.

I was one of M Jones biggest critics, and TBH I thought this year was probably his best in terms of his use of the ball. I am not surprised he got delisted but he gave his all for the club, good luck in the future Matt.

So hopeful the Dogs win. It'll be a victory for all foundation clubs who have had to fight significant disadvantages in a competition focused on making the big clubs bigger and the interstate clubs richer.

What im saying is that theyve use the excuse "friday nights are for good teams" when in reality its for "teams that havelots of fans so people will watch". Dont lie afl, just say it

Last time i checked you had to earn prime time with "results" so the wooden spooners can go and get [censored]. According to the afl. Dogs are in a grannie had [censored] all Friday nights. So its a lie. Its [censored].

Couple of our wins this year tell me we are on the rise. Taking on challenges and improving our record seems like a good idea to me. Why fear anyone?

I'll repeat what I said this time last year, just adding a bit about the banned players returning. I don't want us to play Essendon first game, in front of their crowd, when their returning players play their first game for the club. They will be fanatical and very hard to beat. I would much rather play them later in the year.

I remember something earlier about the victorian teams get a zone or something, I'll try and find the article. Victorian clubs handed AFL funding for academies

I thought the dogs played their GF, 3 weeks ago, then 2 weeks ago, then last week....

This thread will go until he moves, retires or the ants take over and the Internet ceases to exist.

Great article on the Jones brothers on the Fox Footy page: http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/zak-jones-has-older-brother-and-melbourne-captain-nathan-to-thank-for-pointing-him-in-right-direction/news-story/ff93a77a947b317bca2ea876d6c04f55 Captain Courageous, Nathan you are a class act and hopefully your day will come soon too.

Tipping the swans to win easily. The dogs sort of remind me of the Dee's in 2000. Having said that no one was going to beat Essendon that year.

Be honest, there wouldn't be one reason you'd accept. For you there is no excuse, so why ask for a "reason" when there's not one you'd tolerate ? GWS lost to lowly Melbourne in round 23 last year and should've made the GF this year. That capitulation at Etihad had no bearing on their 2016. The Bulldogs lost to lowly Freo, who had 3 wins coming into the match, in round 23 this year and are about to play in the GF. Point being ? Don't get so fixated on one match, especially when that match meant nothing and the team was on average younger and more inexperienced than any other for the bulk of the year. It's called "young weary bodies with nothing on the end of it getting a belting". But that excuse won't cut it for you so why ask ? I know the 2 examples I just gave weren't by 100 points, which will be your sticking point, but the magnitude of the loss means nothing in the scheme of things. The next worse loss was by 55 points against Sydney, so we had one 10 + goal hiding for the year and beat Hawthorn in the process. A side that beat us by 105 the year before. That 105 loss now means nothing. And nor does round 23 against Geelong.

Just reading an article in the Guardian about Cronulla in this weeks NRL final. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/sep/29/cronullas-potential-drought-breakers-the-nrl-grand-final-fairytale-that-isnt Found the following post in the comments section interesting: Yeah, remember the early talk about how the AFL was managing this masterfully and the NRL was fumbling through it? Also that blinkered clown Gerard Whately on Offsiders saying Essendon is a 2/10 and the Sharks 9/10? Turns out Dave Smith played a blinder. Paul Gallen and co. should send him a Christmas present every year. Meanwhile not only was Essendon's program far more wide-reaching and sinister than the Sharks, but the league, club and players have all handled it abysmally. The AFL treated it like a PR exercise to be stage-managed, and got humiliated by CAS. NRL co-operated with WADA. Essendon should probably be suspended, like Russian athletics was. And the players across both codes don't appear to have learnt a thing, still trotting out excuses that don't wash for a 15 year old amateur swimmer still in school, yet as full-time professionals they seem to think they are completely unaccountable for being injected with random [censored]. But at least the Sharks players were managed to cop it and move on. The biggest shame for the NRL is that the clubs got nervous about the TV deal, forced Smith out, and with that gave the wrong people the leverage all over again. There is no way they are capable of manage anything of this magnitude so well next time without him.

The Casey Scorpions B & F Night is under way at the Pullman Hotel. First up, the Development League award winners - Best & Fairest - Todd Vander Haar Runner-up Best & Fairest - Jordan Moncrieff Trademark & Values Award - Dylan Gordon Most Improved - Oscar McInerney Coaches Award - Jaxon Briggs Congratulations to all the boys and on the team - 2016 grand finalists.

This guy has GOT to be chiliboy/Nudge, surely.

Lynch with the Crows, also has that form where he failed at the Saints, but made it work in his 2nd gig, after a big kick in the pants getting moved on. Lamb, lets prepare him. See what we can make of him.

That would be like hearing Gollum's reasons for keeping the One Ring --- limited variations on "Its mine! **** off!"

While I can understand to a degree the COLA, I cannot understand how these interstate clubs, get access to players through so called academies. The AFL should just be upfront and give whichever non victorian teams they want to win flags, the first 10 picks in the draft and to hell with everyone else.

If you think it's Buckley is making these decisions in isolation you live in la la land. But hey, I get it's fun to pot Buckley.

Josh Mahoney has apparently stated that Jesse Hogan will play round 1 2017 & 2018 at the past players function tonight. A little ambiguous but very positive signs

Congratulations to the skipper Jack Hutchins, winner of the Gardner Clark Medal from Alex Neal-Bullen with Declan Keilty finishing in third place. ?

Life membership to Rebecca Williams Rising Star Award - Declan Keilty Trademark & Value Award - James Munro Most Improved Award - Angus Scott Coach's Award - Tim Smith

Vander Haar won the award by a single vote from Moncrieff 109-108 with Tom Wyatt only 3 votes adrift on 105.

I understand that some people are considering handing out awards to other posters. Not a bad idea. Perhaps we can call the awards "Holidays"? Please stick to the topic and enough of the personal attacks, otherwise the new awards start kicking in immediately. Thanks for your co-operation.

Why not? It was spelled beautifully.

You have to consider, was he unhappy over there, or was he not good enough, he seems to have a bit of ability so perhaps it was just homesickness. Some players think they just have to get drafted and then it all falls in to place after that, Mav Weller was a classic example, maybe in a different environment under a different coach and closer to home he will prove to be a good investment. He moves ok, he can take a grab and his kicking isn't all that bad, he has size and a bit of weight added could make him ideal for AFL. His grandfather was Ian Cooper a former Saints player and he seems to have, as he says in this profile, a strong connection with them.

I think Matty Jones got the most out of his potential, drafted as a mature age player he probably thought he'd missed his chance at AFL level but he came in and played a few years and some pretty good game and had a crack in every game he played, even when others didn't all the time. all the best for the future matty.

Guys, spoke to my contact yesterday. Bottom line is the club has presented Jesses management with a number of contracts. Freo and WCE have both l approached Melbourne about a trade. We have told them to bugger off in no uncertain terms. He did however say that this might be a playing games tactic. Jesses decision will not be based around anything but the go home factor. Club is HOPING and expects to hear something next week. After speaking to him i came away with the feeling that Jesse will be playing for us next year with either a new contract or on the existing one. Anyway I'm ready to be shot down...... LOL. Also said we are still in dialogue with Barlow and club is confident of landing him as a nice up-grade in Matt Jones. Didnt know anything about us being interested in Motlop. Go Dee's

Did you say Melbourne have a better midfield than Geelong? You must have missed out round 23 encounter.

Our biggest issue as a club in my opinion is inconsistency of performance, and Motlops biggest issue as a player right now is also inconsistency of performance, his best is absolutely AA quality, not sure many would argue with that, but he's also very capable of soft efforts in the contest and going completely missing in games as well. I really think given where we're at, he's not the type of player we should be bringing in, especially given what it would cost to do so.

If the FD see something in a bunch of guys at other clubs, who haven't made it, at their clubs, I am prepared to back them in, as we need improvement. Getting rid of guys from our list, who can't add anything and trying others from other clubs, is one of the ways of regenerating a list. We need 2-3 good pick ups a year, in draft, trade, FA's etc. If you count Hibberd as 1, we would on average need 2 more this year. Where they come from, who cares.

He kicked the same amount of goals as Watts this year (38) yet you consider that "not playing" ? Imagine if he didn't turn up fat in the preseason. So there is the issue of discipline. But he's a high quality talent. If the club is interested I'm interested, because his talent is unquestionable.

You wouldn't give up a third round pick for Steven Motlop? Dear lord.

Hunt - I like him off half-back and don't want to move him. I suspect he plays better behind the ball and I want him to develop into our Johannisen. Harmes - Needs to improve his footskills to ever be a damaging outside player. JKH - I quite like him, but the jury is well and truly out. You don't not draft a player because Kennedy-Harris is on your list. Salem - No outside speed. Salem will be a gun and has arguably the most class on the list, but I don't see a line-breaking outside role, which is what we need. Stretch - Billy boy is the closest thing we have to outside class and I like him, but his pace is good without being express. We can do with more outside class than just Stretch. Melksham - Should provide some of what we lack, but is still a little unknown after a year out.