Leaderboard

Lewis will love the luxury of not having to be a prime inside mid and instead be a creative predatory distributor, benefiting from the heavy lifting of Viney, Tyson, Jones and Oliver. He didn't have that luxury at Hawthorn and it will hopefully extend his career.

Eleventy-zillion

Gill fook home $1.7mill in 2015 Twice what the elite players earnt. No wonder the top execs stick together Over half the clubs are in large debt, this grotesque wage was paid whilst at least 4 vic clubs earnt nothing via their forced Etihad deals existed the Top end of the AFL must be changed Clubs put on the show. Not the McLachlan Family

Oh Yeah, Vlad had a lovely time being CEO. If he hadn't tipped off the Essendon CEO we may well have had paperwork and solid evidence against those cheats. This must never be forgotten along with what you have said above....

Not a bad earn for bumbling and mumbling his way through a full 12 months.

I agree. 1.7 mil for this clown is ridiculous. I have no problem with the AFL paying 1.7 million, but at least get someone competent. Gil is hopeless, and I would argue that a trumpet-playing busker would do a better job. I know the kid who sells footy cards would do a better job.

He has been alongside Harmes and the rest of the engine room, learning how to block etc, so you may see him in the engine room, I spoke to him the other day, health issues are well under control and he is feeling fit and strong, like Stretch solid unit now

I reckon we won't recognise our forward line by round 11 next year. Tim Smith, Hannan and Johnstone look very able options to make our forward line very difficult for oppopsition teams to cover. Hogan, Watts and Weideman and the three certainties, but Weideman might not get a go until a few rounds in. Considering previous training reports have had him practicing repeat leading and the when/where stuff, surely they are grooming him to be a regular. It looks like Goodwin wants to play really quick moving footy so Weideman's lighter frame might be a good fit, when he develops a tank. After those three the variations are endless: Kent, Garlett, Vandenberg, Tim Smith, Hulett, Joel Smith, JKH, Trengove, Pederson, Hannan, Harmes, Johnstone etc...

I don't think there will be three main onballers. I think we'll see a relatively equal rotation of the five you've mentioned, as well as Brayshaw, Petracca, VB, Vince, and possibly Trengove (if fit & in form) having the odd stint. Over the next few years I won't be surprised if we see a slow transition of Jones and Lewis getting more hours up forward and off half back respectively (like Vince in 2016), with Oliver, Brayshaw, and Petracca spending more hours on ball as they're our long-term future. In the meantime, Lewis pointing out orders at the center circle and during stoppage will be a wonderful sight as he'll help catalyze the game day development of our young bloods.

Yeah nah. You're the one who went off a bit early by stating that Max was not consulted. Do you think that with Max bugging Jason Taylor about Flippers was all one way conversation? Taylor would have obviously asked Max for extra details. That's called consultative communication.

I understand the whole 'got to pay to get the best' argument. And I totally agree with the 'executive decisions make a difference on a scale with their incomes'. But here's the thing... in a genuine market, 'we' (The AFL community, which the AFL implicitly acts on behalf of, as a not-for-profit organisation incorporated for the purpose of promoting and regulating the game in Australia) should be paying a market rate for the labour, fairly based on how easily replaced the labour is. Given that there's no real case against replacing McLachlan with a kid who normally sells footy records or the trumpet-playing busker in a panda suit I saw once at Etihad, why are we paying $1.7m for this clutz?

A GLOWING endorsement from All Australian ruckman Max Gawn played a part in Melbourne selecting young big man Lachlan Filipovic in last Monday's AFL Rookie Draft. Gawn worked closely with Filipovic, pick No.8 overall, in his role as a part-time ruck coach at the Sandringham Dragons during the 2016 season. Although recruiting manager Jason Taylor was all but set on which player he wanted to recruit with the club's first pick, Gawn's character assessment helped confirm Filipovic's selection. "There were a couple of times that I'd come in to the club on a Monday morning and ask ‘Jase’ whether he had seen him (Filipovic) play on the weekend," Gawn told AFL.com.au. "I was always in his ear about this Lachie Filipovic fella."

Tim Smith, with better delivery in the AFL and his strength at the contest, could be another wild card. Agree on Hannan, he seems to have some real talent, but is not a key position player. I just love that we are now talking about guys getting a game, who are clearly not seen as our best 22, yet could get there with hard work and some luck. We have got to a stage, where the worst players on our list, could still fill in when necessary. Our real depth seems to now go into the 30's, whereas a few years ago it could have ended in single digits.

And, here I was thinking we'd devised a cunning new method of sprinting away from the opposition -- something akin to engaging an "after-burner"! LOL (Then, again, I'm just a silly old fart, so what would I know??)

Fair go mate, I think its fair proof that he's not a one trick pony.

That might have been how a tall forward played in 1979. Not now. All roam up the ground and play super mobile. Think nick reiwoldt. Even hogan played up the ground alot. And there are suggestions he will do even more of that next year. All modern teams have both their talls play high and often as a link man. It creates space for the over the back goal rhat is a hallmark of footy atm. This strategy is why traditional stay at home forwards like hawkins and cloke are struggling. It is also why tall forwards have to now be aerobic beasts. Hogan and watts came 1st and 2nd in our goal kicking this year. Why? Because they were our two tall forwards. As for watts playing down back, again even hogan found himself down there at times but rather than liscence to go there the general strategy is for watts to play a loose man down back for the last 3-4 minutes of almost every quarter. A very clever and effective strategy given how cool under pressure he is.

Viney: 60% on ball, 5% wing 20% forward Tyson: 55% on ball, 10% wing, 20% forward Jones: 55% on ball, 15% wing, 15% back Oliver: 45% on ball, 30% forward Brayshaw: 30% on ball, 15% wing, 40% forward Salem: 20% on ball, 20% wing, 50% back Lewis: 15% on ball, 50% wing, 10% forward, 10% back Petracca: 10% on ball, 70% forward Vince: 10% on ball, 45% back, 30% wing Stretch: 65% wing, 20% forward Gawn, 6 defenders, 5 forwards. Just rough figures and you can move them around but that's the kind of rotation I'd be hoping for. Viney, Tyson, Jones and Oliver I think are 4 that are used best when in at the clearances. Then we rotate a deeper line up through the forwards, backs and outside spots.

That's also what Freo offered him.

it suits him

Not really - its done when Jobe gives back the medal.

52 in the regular season. i only went with that cos eleventy billion was already taken.

Tyson is a lot more important to our mid set ups than many seem to think here. He sets up a lot and does the team things that get the ball moving. 2017 will see him step up another notch.

Yes I think Casey Demons recruits will depend on who stays from current list. Apparently Mitch Gent is back after a year in the local league.

He's strangely looking more like Alfred E. Neuman every day . Still think Vlad takes the cake missing a big chunk of a season with pre-retirement long-service-leave . Then there was the embarrassing time having attended the usual MCG pre-match function before a major final he was seen by hundreds of supporters heading BACK across the pedestrian bridge ( with entourage) to attend a Pavarotti concert at Rod Laver Arena .

The salaries these highly coiffed frontmen get is obscene. There is no substance to the bloke. The system stinks.

strangly NO...I earn my money...More fool me eh

Never considered the media then B? Or politics. Or Union Official. Or Commercial Radio. Or Q&A panellist. Or ASADA. Or Real Estate Agent. Or Insurance Helpline Operator or........

Yes i know. Vlad took home $3.8 Mill whilst presiding over the Essendrug shambles..absolute thieves

It all depends on what I have imbibed the evening before Vagg, hence why fartlek could be an appropriate term

I reckon Hogan has at least the same weaponry as Josh Kennedy who kicked 80 goals in each of the last two years. In the, admittedly few, West Coast games I saw, Kennedy wasn't taking marks on the wing or in the back line. Hogan's goal kicking potential then does depend to a great extent on the role he will be expected to play.

28984

In all the midfield drills I have watched Lewis is always on the outside, could be something to do with his shoulder, although he has never worn the do not tackle vest Goody is a big fan of Harmes and Harmes has been in every stoppage drill, expect him to be in there somewhere alongside Salem

Think sharp variations from outright 100% sprinting for 100-200 metres to "recovery jogging' then back up to speed then back into recovery over and over and over. The unfortunate "fart" element has less to do with digestive issues than the northern european language of the dudes who devised the method.

He is Leonardo Bloody DaVinci compared to the majority of AFL footballers (and that is O.K. 'cos I only need them to play football, and I'm glad they did their 10,000 hours on a Sherrin). But yes you are right, Rhodes scholar he is not, I think only Mike Fitzpatrick has that, and then, probably the Cordners are the next brightest ruckmen to play. edit, the more obvious grammar mistakes,

Couldn't find numbers on their website. If we win a GF I would think our membership will go into the strastophere, well beyond 50,000!! I do recall the Bulldogs 2017 'premium' membership sold out within 48 hours of the Grand Final. Their 'premium' membership guarantees access to a Grand Final ticket and it now has a waiting list a mile long. That might be a bit of foretelling for Dees fans - this may be a good time to upgrade membership to a 'premium' option ('Redlegs', 'Trident' or 'Legends') to guarantee a GF ticket when we play in it - and play in it we will!!. Or buy the 'guarantee' as an add-on to other membership options. https://membership.melbournefc.com.au/packages/view/741/Grand-Final-Guarantee When we get to the GF might be too late to get that precious ticket!! And we will get there (and win one or a few)!!

Christ, setting the bar low.

The answer last year was so very nearly 42.

So Watts has finally found his niche as an AFL footballer and you want to move him????

3 per game.

Further maths, Maths methods, Specialist maths

Pedersen to start Weed by the end

Enjoy. P==> https://www.smugmug.com/frame/slideshow?key=LMxKzJ&autoStart=1&captions=0&navigation=0&playButton=0&randomize=0&speed=3&transition=fade&transitionSpeed=1&clickable=1

Interesting that Casey have so many night games. Astounding really. It's a poor viewing ground already and the lights make it even harder. Perhaps the wind doesn't blow as hard at night. Hope those with younger and sharper eyes can let us know what's happening. Peter Jackson and Josh Mahoney just seem to keep ticking boxes. All power to Peter recognizing Josh's ability. Josh has been with us from day one of the Bailey era. To survive and thrive is quite something.

The 2017 VFL fixture was announced last week and I also dealt with in the AGM thread. We will now be the Casey Demons and to conform with the new identity, I will be appropriately changing the title of this thread to "Casey Demons 2017 News". "Jackson said the club had been in discussions with VFL affiliate the Casey Scorpions about playing as the Casey Demons in 2017. Casey is expected to wear Melbourne colours in the VFL next season. 'We've been in discussions with the Casey Scorpions to amend out alignment agreement with them, which was a 10-year agreement that runs until the end of 2018,' Jackson said. 'We expect in 2017 that we'll change the name of the VFL team to the Casey Demons and play in the Melbourne jumper.' Demons CEO Jackson earns contract extension And in other news, former small man Mitch Gent looks like returning to the fold in 2017.

Off-topic but I have been in the cardio unit of St Vincent's Hospital for the last ten days, kept alive be reading the training reports on Demonland by Saty and others. Imagine my joy when another passionate paid-up Melbourne supporter moved into the bed opposite yesterday (from Tanganbalanga)! ?

No move required. That is exactly how he played in 2016. That he sometimes ends up close to goal as a finisher does not alter his role. He knows where to go for maximum benefit and sometimes that can lead him to fill gaps in the forward line. He also fills gaps in the backline. That's what a link player does. Apart from the centre bounce he plays no position. He plays a role.

Think it was against Essendon in Rd 10 of 2012. He kicked two or three. It was a low scoring game and our first win of the year. I think Essendon were 8w & 1L at the time and either top or close to. We started their decline, which may have been co-incidental with the PEDs starting to backfire. What a magnificent win that was. What is incomprehensible is, we beat them in 2012 and 2014 against the odds, but lost in 2015 and 2016 when we were big favourites. Hopefully that is the past.

Given the fierce competition for spots, I don't see games being gifted to anyone just to get them more experience. I think Weed and Pedo will be competing on form. Vanders, Trac or Trenners are also options as mid-sized forwards who can play tall and that choice will likely depend on team structure and form as well. Going with 3 talls is really only an option because Watts is so versatile. If Garland hits some form again, I wonder whether he might be another possibility. He didn't do too badly there when he was inch hitting a couple of years ago. He can certainly bring some defensive pressure.