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Im excited to get a few extra kgs of Weed.

Yes DC, that was me. I have been busy over the break.

Billy the Kid is starting to look like a man. Doesn't get the kudos of our higher profile kids but is quietly developing his game and body beautifully in a role we don't have much of.

Yeah behinds were initially not recorded, then later recorded but not included in the score. They only began being included in the score in 1897 when the VFL broke away from the VFA. There was no real offside rule other than at the start of games/after a goal when players would line up at one end of the ground for a kick off (similar to NFL - there were no bounce downs to start a game back then). Other than that the offside rule never existed which is one of the main features that allowed the game to evolve to its current state. Scorelines were low because games were often played on fields up to double the size of modern fields, in big paddocks (like the modern MCG car park) in poor light with obstacles like overhanging branches. The game was also more of a rugby "push/hack it forward" game in the early days - you wouldn't see 40-50 yard passes and even long dashes down the ground with the ball only developed after a decade or more of play. The rules also didnt allow for free flowing games as pushing in the back, hacking/tripping, tackling high were all legitimate tactics. Games would often be played on consecutive weekends for hours at a time with only a goal or two scored. For anyone interested in the evolution of the game I highly recommend reading Time and Space by James Coventry. A Game of Our Own by Blainey is also good but nowhere near as comprehensive with regards to the evolution of the game.

Jeez Rjay, I love your passion for the red and the blue, but Membrey kicked 44 goals last year! Does that make Watts (38 goals) a B grader or a C grader? It's commonplace to look at Membrey through the spud lens but the fact of the matter is he got the job done last year well and truly (particularly against us). Our forward line is a work in progress...we need consistency out of Kent, Garlett needs to return to his 40+ a year form (and I think he will with faster ball movement under Goodwin) and Petracca needs to become a weapon (which will require a vast improvement in his set shot routine amongst other things). Hogan has been discussed ad nauseum on here - I think he'll up the ante significantly this year.

I wonder when they bought in point posts in if anyone said "why can't they just leave the game alone"?

The thread about the best MFC team posters had seen live got me thinking. Specifically, that I've never really thought about demon players in terms of best (with one obvious exception) but rather who my favourite players are. Most of my favorite players are pretty good players but not necessarily the best. So my question is who are posters' top 10 favourite players. Mine in no order (except one obvious exception) is as follows: 1. Robbie Greg Wells Gary Hardeman Nathan Jones Jack Watts Steven Icke Garry Baker Jeff Farmer David Schwarz Jimmy Stynes With honorable mentions to: Spud Dullard, Andy Moir, Ray Biffen, Peter Giles, Steven Smith, Rhino Richards, Sugar Healy, Max Gawn, Laurie Fowler, Gerard Healy, Todd and jack Viney, Travis Johnstone, Glen Lovett, Alan Johnson, Steven Stretch, Jesse Hogan, Alan Jacovich, Brent Croswell, Neita, Yze, J Mac and Carl Ditteriich. Hell I could name another 50!

This topic is raised each year, and fair enough to But i think 2017 will be different, in so much as i think the team as a whole will step up. i think a whole bunch of players will take the jump together. That is what the Cats did in 2007, yes i know they were further advanced than we are now, But for the club to take that Quantum leap (and that is what we have to do) multiple players will need to step up.

I don't usually do these but some of mine deserve recognition. Also I've done mine in order to put meaning and difficulty into it. Unlike Pro I haven't put any of our youngsters in as I reckon a player needs to stand the test of time. 1. Robert Flower. Anyone who needs an explanation why didn't see him play at his prime in our horror years. 2. David Neitz. What a man. Games, captain and goals record holder I think. A fantastic leader who just did it all. Two time all Australian. Turned down money from the club he was entitled to because of our financial situation. Only beaten by Flower. 3. Junior McDonald. AA midfielder in our worst period. Brave, respected, small and a true leader. 4. Steven Stretch. Sadly more remembered for deciding not to spend the night in hospital for a meaningless display of courage and play out the game. Graceful, fast, beautiful kick, great overhead, two time B&F and could find it and did it over a long period. If you want to know how good this guy was just watch the 1987 finals. 5. Alan Johnson. Fantastic player both in the midfield in his youth and in the back pocket as he got older. 6. Brett Lovett. For all the reasons mentioned. Unfashionable but impassable in the backline. Just a team player. 7. David Schwarz. Injury denied us of our Wayne Carey His '94 final series was just unbelievable. A bitterly sad day when he did his first knee. Devastating the second. 8. Greg Wells. Along with Flower was a shining light in the dark days of the '70's and just played so well. Was a terrific overhead mark for his size and a prolific kick winner. 9. Gary Hardeman. Springs in his step, great to watch, a fantastic highlight reel with his high marking. Broke two of my ribs playing indoor cricket some years later! What's not to like? 10. Steven Tingay. At his best an AA midfielder who provided dash and excitement. Apologies to Alan Jakovich who had it all but didn't do it for long enough and Jeff Farmer for his excitement but he ran out on us. There are others but when it comes to all time favourites you can't think of a bad thing when you think of them and sadly some were, from time to time, just more interested in themselves than the team. Finally Rhino Richards was so close but I'm not really sure why. Good memories all round and although this has been done before it never loses its interest.

1. Cale Morton 2. Daniel Nicholson 3. Lucas Cook 4. Rory Taggart 5. James Strauss 6. Kelvin Lawrence 7. Michael Newton 8. Alexis Georgiou 9. Michael Evans 10. Tom Couch Josh Tynan stiff to miss out

The MFC finally gets its house in order on/off field so my NFL team, the 49ers, falls apart. Kelly wanted to draft Prescott but Baalke said no. Now both are fired. $70-odd million owing to Kelly and Tomsula and we are at square one for the third straight year. Unbelievable, really. As to playoffs, I'm getting behind anyone whose name is not Seattle, Green Bay, New England or Pittsburgh. Also, sorry for my continued absence from the NFL tipping competition - I'm never on Demonland regularly enough over the NFL season to participate properly.

"This pre-season they've (strength and conditioning staff) put a heavier emphasis on getting me in the weights room and getting my body size a lot bigger," Weideman said. Now didn't someone say in a training report that the the fitness staff didn't want any players putting on weight?

I saw on 7 News tonight that big Max and the two Macs were flogging themselves running laps at the Lexus Centre today getting an early start on the others who are due to be training this Thursday according to 7. Big Max looks fit!

Brayshaw. Looking seriously fit at the moment.

I want Petracca to explode. Salem in now ready to show us what he's got. Watts must maintain the rage, even take it up another notch.

Jack watts, Ron Barassi, Ray Biffen, Ross Dillon, David Schwarz, Rod Grinter, Jim Stynes, Allan jackovich, Russell Robertson, Robbie Flower. Fav non Melbourne player Sam kekovich.

As it is favourite, and not best, mine will look extremely different to some! The Wiz Sean Wight Andrew Ford Jim Stynes Dom Tyson Liam Jurrah Jeff White Angus Brayshaw Ricky Jackson Chopper Carroll

You'd have Wells on the bench ? A comfortably better player than Nathan Jones.

Ox Ox Ox Ox Petracca cos ge wears the ox's number Ox Ox Ox Ox Schwartz.

You're right it is a bit tough, not least because the idea of favourite players is somewhat fluid. Perhaps a better thread might be more along the lines of naming some of our favourite players Some of the lists above reminded me of some players who are among my favorites. Sean Wight, The Duke, Stinga and Danny Hughes among them.

Robbie Lyon Ox Stynes Farmer Jakovich Healy Yze Jeff White N Jones

interesting in poll at end of article that 70% have dees making the finals (72% for 5-8, 8% 1-4). 27K voters.

They scored 9 more points than us last year. They scores 100 points more than us in the last round. I'm not worried.

He played Reserves as Coach as well (post Firsts) but you were probably a soft as butter player who wouldn't like his efficient style. Barassi had him in the Reserves as well more likely for disciplinary reasons. Disposals meant nothing in the backline in those days. Some of the most creative bits of play were never given a stat (Harmes slap that won a GF whether in or out). He was superb in the air and a very good kick. I'd put him above Febey. Revisionist stats here are useless the further back we go in time. Forwards fumbled the ball if he was in the area out of pure fear.

Rod Grinter and his average 11 disposals are very overrated. There are reasons he played a fair bit of reserves footy throughout his career. Players like Tingay, Stretch, Obst and Glenn Lovett were all much better footballers than "Balls". And the intimidation factor is also vastly overrated. He had good skills and I loved the hit on Mew as much as the next person, but he was just an ok (slow) footballer.

According to the May 1858 first written rules, the 'behind' posts, or 'kick-off' posts as they were then called, were 30 yards from the goal posts, and so would not be seen in the view depicted in the painting. These posts were relevant to the play in the case that the ball was kicked "behind" the goal posts; hence the eventual reference to 'behind' posts, I guess. In those first rules, the two captains decided the distance between the goal posts, so, in fact, the distance to the behind posts was codified before the distance between the goal posts! How both distances morphed to their current (and equal) measurement is a whole other question

Chris - if you are old enough to remember it your probably would be too old to remember it !

Can't even make out the people, looks cheap to me

LD both Arthur Streeton and Roberts were members of the West Heidelburg School of painters and did a lot of their landscapes in the area. I think it is just as likely the point posts were knocked off by the locals for firewood or something!

Nothing less SWYL....

If Petracca grabs the game we could be in for a very exciting year. He could really be anything, a scary thought But, it is a team game, and as the old saying goes a champion team beats a team of champions (or champeens as Jack Dyer used to say)!

Sadly, I don't have "great" memories of too many. Good, but not great. How could I ? I liked Ricky "Steamboat" Jackson, Obst, Icke, Ingerson, Green, Yze, Yeater and countless others. What about Brett Lovett and those handballs ? Not to mention Glenn 'hamstring" Lovett was a very good player who couldn't get his body right. I saw Chopper Lovell train at the G when he was a 16 year old a year before he came over fron Tasmania. He became good, but not great. Adrian Battiston was a ripping bloke who I got to know. I had high hopes for Lally. Sean Charles too. How good could Warren Dean have been ? What about Schwarz in '94 ? Kevin Dyson's right leg and those 60 metre drop punts ? The legacy Jacovich could have left. Darren Bennett's last quarter heroics at Windy Hill. Seddon was meant to be a star from Tasmania that every club was chasing. What about Glen Swann, Darren Cuthbertson and their highlight games ? Young potential stars in Reynolds, O'Brien and O'Sullivan ? Vardy from Adelaide and the early days of Byron. Jeff White for a while ? And then there was big Carl. But alas, it wasn't to be. I pick Hogan, Petracca, and Oliver on hope as much as anything. I'd throw in Viney, Brayshaw, and Hunt too, but it would look a bit silly; and it's just based on that word again, hope. If we win a flag only Flower would remain from my original list. The rest will be premiership players.

Unlike Vogon mine is not in order but pretty close and not top 10 but my favorite players from my time watching P. Callery - was my favorite player and had his number on my jumper, devastated when he left and never had a another number on a jumper and why i never put favorite players on my profile just the team . R.Flower- Also my favorite after Callery and really one of the only reasons to watch the Dees back then and loved the club. G. Hardeman - Great player and real nice guy very upset when he to S.A for awhile. R.Biffin - Just loved the guy. Crackers Keenan - Great bloke and a good player. G.Baker - A character,good player and a top bloke G.Wells - highly skilled,gutsy and loved the club . M.Jackson- was a better player than he gets credit for but was a nutter More recently ....not favorites but loved watching them Balls Ox Wiz Garry Viney Jaka Neita Lovett -both Flash Jimmy Stinger Todays crop... Maxy - If anyone could be my favorite again its him , just love the way he is and that lap after the port game was brillant as it comes from the heart !!! Viney Watts Jones Brayshaw Petracca and ...well that will do,no doubt i have forgotten someone

How G Lyon can be left out is a bit of a mystery to me. But it does say favourite and maybe he is out of favour but he is probably one of our top ten players ever .

I think @Demon Jack played the same amount of AFL games as Lucas Cook did. A few of my favourites: - The Wiz - Neitz - Schwarz

Did they all play more AFL games than you, DJ?

Hassa Mann Gary Hardemann Robert Flower Greg Wells Jeff White Nathan Jones Jack Watts Jim Stynes David Schwarz David Nietz

Gee, Binnie this is a bit tough. Here's a first pass but I reckon it'd change several times as I gave it more thought. The 10 below came to mind because of various reasons. Flower B Lovett T Viney J Viney Stynes Ooze D Hughes G Rigoni J Farmer S Stretch

Backtracking a little 'titan'??? It's ranking the forward lines going in to 2017. I would think ours is better placed and that will be proven by the end of 2017.

Ok...seeing this is about 2017, lets revisit at the end of the season and see where the respective forward lines sit and who is right. I think we will be well ahead of the Saints, you guys don't. We will see...

I wouldn't have thought there's much debate over whether St Kilda's forward line is better than ours. IMO in 2016 it clearly was. However, it's not a vast difference and it's the only area of the ground where I'd say their list is better than ours.

First line of ours is spot on: A young, exciting forward line that oozes class, it could become one of the game's best in a few years. "young" "exciting" and "in a few years." St Kilda's forward line is a year or 2, possibly more, ahead of ours in development. I dont know why people are so bothered by that, their midfield and backline both lack depth compared to ours anyway doesnt matter how good your forwardline is if you cant get it there. I dont really have a problem with any of the teams listed above us. We have a young forwardline with only Garlett having played at a high level in enough years to be rated highly and last year wasnt fantastic. Watts showed 1 good year, he should follow up. If Kent and Hogan can find some consistancy this year I think you will notice us climb the rankings a little. Not many expectations on Tracc or Weid couple of good games each but not much more. Patience, I like what we have for the future of our forwardline but its not going to be what propels us up the ladder. I'm not sure our forward line will ever be the league's best but that doesnt mean it wont be good. I have more faith our midfield will be right up among the best in 2-4 years time.

The rankings aren't an easy task, I don't think we are too far ahead of 12th really but at the same time I think we are getting closer to having a very functional forward line. We didn't bring in a best 22 player like we did for the backline and midfield but we did use our 2 national draft picks and then grab a mature age rookie so that might be an indication the list managers see room for depth improvement and personnel changes. It's certainly a very young group, with only Watts and Garlett as experienced players with the possibility of Pedersen over Weeds. I'm not sure what roles Goodwin will have for the forwards this year and how much emphasis he puts on defensive pressure, how heavily he'll try and rotate players forward/midfield and if he'll favour skilled forwards with more upside or if he'll go for the extra mids in the team.

And we have a winner in the tipping comp - Gorgoroth wins by 4 points to make it back-to-back triumphs. Well done mate! And well done to all the participants ... thanks for playing. See you all back here for the post-season tipping comp Final Leaderboard 12 - Gorgoroth 8 - cowboy_from_hell 7 - Clintosaurus, DeeSpencer -------------------------------- 6 - JV7 4 - Macca To the victor go the spoils ... Regular Season Tipping Competition Year Winner Runners up 3rd place 2013 cowboy_from_hell/ pantaloons/ Gorgoroth Strafford Macca ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2014 Dappa Dan DeeSpencer Gorgoroth ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2015 Gorgoroth cowboy_from_hell, Macca JV7, DeeSpencer ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 Gorgoroth cowboy_from_hell Clintosaurus/ DeeSpencer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post Season Tipping Competition Year Winner Runners up 3rd place 2013 titan_uranus DemonDave cowboy_from_hell/ Macca ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2014 JV7/ pantaloons Gorgoroth/ Go the Biff Macca ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2015 JV7/ cowboy_from_hell, Gorgoroth/ Macca DeeSpencer ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Medal Tally Gold Silver Bronze JV7 2 1 0 Gorgoroth 2 0 4 cowboy_from_hell 1 3 1 ------------------------------------------------------------- Macca 1 1 3 Dappa Dan 1 0 0 Strafford 1 0 0 titan_uranus 1 0 0 Go the Biff 1 0 0 DeeSpencer 0 2 2 pantaloons 0 2 0 DemonDave 0 1 0 Clintosaurus 0 0 1

I think this is about right for our unexpected forward line. We might look a little better placed at the end of this season.

I saw Madderlake at the Trak venue about 4 years ago. They were really good. They opened with the Salmon Song. Of course they did their biggest hit 12 lb toothbrush. But best of all they played/sang my favourite ML song Song for Little Earnest. I play in an 80s cover band. I know Madderlake's former manager. She and Madderlake's bass player (Kerry McKenna) came to our last gig. Hello. Is anyone still reading this?

Is Frost ahead of Oscar if we're only playing the two talls?

So much rests on Max Gawn remaining uninjured for the entire season.