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In light of the Tom Boyd story i think its sad what he's going through and i wish him nothing but all the best in his recovery and a peaceful mind. I read an article on Boyd yesterday saying how he's copped it since being drafted as a number 1 draft pick. I was taken back a bit because everyone has forgotten one Jack Watts who's copped fat worse barrage of abuse from members of the public to big media personalities. Do they not remember the round 2 Essendon game in 2013 when he was booed by 50 thousand people when he was subbed off?? If it was one person who could have easily put his hand up in the air and said "I've had enough, see you later" its jack Watts. Yet every week he fronts up with a smile on his face and just goes about his business as usual. My respect for Jack Watts has now gone through the roof. I admire your resilience mate! You'll always be a MFC champion to me.

Hell yeah!! Welcome back, Jesse - hope you kick a bag!

God I hope Trenners gets a game.

Was hoping Rick Astley would be named in the guts.

He's probably (along with Nathan Jones) the one most deserving to hopefully have a premiership medallion by the end of his career. If we ever break through then I hope he's a big part of it

Can't like this enough. He is certainly a part of the fabric that makes up the heart and soul of this team

I just hope that with Jesse back we don't revert to the "kick it long" mentality so beloved by many at the game. He needs to come back as a cog in the wheel, not as THE wheel.

Disagree. If we win this match, and get our players back on time with no more set backs we can also win the last theee and maybe another in there. Amazing how long a week is in footy.

Max might try to palm a few to JT to get him involved,get the crowd involved.Id love him to get a few touches early. If the tackling efforts are back up we should be in it all day. We have a bit more class off half back and up forward. I don't rate Gibbs. Oliver will beat their best. Max to pants Kruezer. Garlett will cause Havoc. Hogan back is huge and Hannan will bob up. We should win,we should have too much class,even with our outs. Need a whole team effort but I think we can win. They have their injuries as well so no excuses from us if we lose.

You have to watch the entire YouTube video, it's announced at the very end.

Hibberd says they've moved on quickly from the loss: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2017-07-06/looking-ahead-michael-hibberd I thought this an interesting contrast to Pedersen's comments in this article regarding the Neeld era: http://www.aflplayers.com.au/article/players-voice-cam-pedersen/, particularly this: The morale is great. Gone are the days when the feeling fluctuates depending on whether we win or lose, which is a great sign of where the club is going. If we lost it was almost like a funeral and the meetings would go for three times longer and we’d dissect everything. Now, the weeks look the same whether we win or lose. Hibberd said they didn't spend much time on the review. Lewis said on AFL360 a while ago that it's totally counterproductive for athletes to dwell on losses too much because of the negative effect it has on your psychology going in to the next game. Goodwin, Jones and other club leaders are often repeating the words, "the way we want to play". The message coming out of the club is consistent: we know this match didn't represent the way we want to play, there's no point going over it repeatedly, let's focus on how we prepare for to ensure we play how we want to play against Carlton. There's the chance that circumstance will conspire against us and we can't get it done - nonetheless I am still optimistic about this match. If we don't, I'm confident those driving this club today will still have done everything they could to get the right outcome.

It's very difficult to ignore the influence of social media and online communities in this sudden rise in diagnosed clinical depression, not just among pro athletes but also in the general population. It's also most likely to affect men but it's still a taboo topic that we don't talk about much. Depression has always been male-dominated statistically, and ironically, part of the reason we don't talk about it much is part of the reason why it exists: because there's just this hidden rule that men don't talk about their feelings. "Why would we talk about male depression? Grow some balls!" This leaves the person feeling worthless and "broken". That said I feel part of the reason there is this sudden rise is because the league is still transitioning into the professional era, and the rise of social media has caught it off-guard. Information spreads lightning fast and you can't get away with anything these days. We went from 20-year-old kids earning $50k a year to 20-year-olds potentially earning $1 million a year within a 10-year period. In that period we went from the "stone age" of the internet to what is now the modern era where literally EVERYTHING is mentioned in some capacity online. Clubs I feel have struggled to address this. Thinking back to 2010 I remember thinking how clubs should encourage players to have social media managers to ensure all posts, responses and moderation is done externally. Guys like LeBron James post themselves but he has an entire team dedicated to moderating his social media profiles and filtering out responses from people he doesn't know directly. I understand that sometimes depression is unavoidable and the harsh reality is that sometimes a person really is "broken" regardless of the situations around them. It is hard to break but being in a position that Boyd is in, it would have magnified it. I assume that now clubs will be far more aggressive in there psyche evaluations before they draft a player. Something like this should be picked up a lot sooner so that it can be addressed earlier. Given scrutiny and media coverage surrounding Boyd, I'm very surprised the club didn't actively stop him from accessing social media. It's a very tough situation and the OP is right. We don't know what Watts is going through though, he could very well be depressed but we might never know. It's different from person to person. But yeah he appears to have dealt with the criticism extremely well. But not everyone has that capacity.

Spot on dazzle. Top post!

Spot on Dazzle. Hes a well balanced kid. He could easily go through the motions and collect a cheque like Bernard Tomic,with little or no real interest in winning. I'll never forget the photo of him putting his arm around Cale Morton after Cale got the chop. He's a tough nut and a good person.

I have no idea why some are quick to write us off for this game, even if with the injuries. We've proven this year that we are never out of games - regardless of how badly we played last week, we were still within striking distance. This game will be close to be say 'we won't win' is wrong and we've proven that time and time again this season.

Oh look, here's Clint Buzzkill right on cue.

Corey Maynard set to debut! Exciting stuff!!

First of all, this is the best thread in years. A great topic and really thought provoking, substantial responses from the DL family. Jack - I too salute you. This is a generation driven by how things look and feel, layered by every person thinking they have something to say, and few who know the power of silence and reflection. And I am not criticing this generation - my age group is the leader of it and we have allowed a lot of this social-cancer to affect our young adults. For Jack to be the person he is, having copped it from every angle including me at times, he is a walking trophy of resilience, character and self-confidence. As for social media, internet-driven approval seeking, mental health and even Tom Boyd; I choose to quote this -"everything is permissable but not all is beneficial". Our life can be defined by our decision making. More of our young adults and youth need to be encouraged to view themselves from the people around them who love them, not by the successes and failures determined by social media, pop culture, or a toxic fan base wanting to criticse the talented people from behind anonymous computer keyboards. I wish Tom Boyd all the best and hope he recovers fully, plays great footy again, and maybe gets beaten by the Dees in a grand final.

Yeah, I was going to post something similar to this. Love the post, DD36, Watts has been resilient to keep playing footy and to keep playing at the Demons. But that doesn't mean that Boyd is any less resilient - depression is not about people booing you and calling you [censored]. But I did have a think about 'what if Watts took time out 4 years ago? How would that be treated?' I think the most rancid edges of our football culture would have come out...

Completely disagree... we will be getting players back each week fingers crossed for Jeffy and Hoges this week. Watts the week after, Jones shortly after that followed by Salem and Viney all of which will have time to find form going into September. Out of our last 8 games we need to win 4 more, of which we are playing THE FOUR BOTTOM TEAMS, St Kilda & Adelaide who we have already beaten this season, Port who haven't beaten anyone who puts up a fight, & GWS who granted are on top of the ladder but haven't been convincing this year. It will be tough with so many starting 22 players out but this team is building something special and are no longer soft push overs.

Would love to see Trengove start and star. The lad needs a break and this could be it. Go Dee's and win this for the boy.

Not one mention of Hogan on that blokes talking random [censored] show League Teams.

Joel Smith to play is my mail!

I remember when Jack said how he has gotten used to people saying terrible things about his football, then he said it's his mum who finds it hard to cope with such comments. I felt for Jack and his family after Jack had said that. Jack has held his head up high through out all the hate that had been thrown his way: and i respect him for doing so, and hopefully he can be part of helping out great club to that one day in September, or October?

Time to erase the memories of that game against Carlton last year. Good teams win these games. Cannot see the weed playing but by being named he is being sent the message that he is on track. Would not be surprised to see him play in Darwin. Trenners will play.. what position he will play is the question. Go Jack. This really is a season defining game

You suck.

I was thinking about this when Cloke took some time out. Yes - I understand that these guys have chosen a very well paid profession that includes them being in the public limelight. Their chosen profession is playing in front of a lot of very passionate ( and often irrational supporters and media who don't mind going for the jugular if it will "sell more papers". I do believe that some of the vitriol thrown at footballers is completely unwarranted and beyond the pale and am not surprised that it affects their mental health. Matt Jones in an articles said that he received tweets that talked about his butchering the ball and the happiness it would give one supporter if he never played again. That Jack Watts has stood up under what i consider the harshest barrage of criticism over the 5-10 years is a testament to his resilience and the support he obviously receives from those close to him.

Love it! That resilience he's developed has also made him the go to player when the game needs to be won, when the heat is on. How calm was he when he kicked that goal on Queen's birthday! He's our man!

My Essendon supporting sister has done a 360 on Tom after taking her grandson to a kids football clinic at Caulfield Grammar today (his old school) . He was one of the instructors and she thought he showed guts to appear in public so soon after such massive negative publicity . She sought him out and told him such as she shook his hand .

More details emerging ... Vickery charged with impersonating an AFL footballer.

I can see why VIC police decided to deal with this directly rather than take it to the AFL tribunal.

I agree 100% with this. we will need the rotations through the midfield to keep the pressure on the Carlton midfield. One of Smith or Wagner may be included to slot into the back 6 to release Lewis or Vince for a rotation into the midfield. B: Michael Hibberd, Oscar McDonald, Neville Jetta HB: Jordan Lewis, Sam Frost, Bernie Vince C: Jayden Hunt, Christian Petracca, Mitch Hannan HF: James Harmes, Cam Pedersen, Alex Neal-Bullen F: Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Tom McDonald Foll: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, Jake Melksham I/C (from): Billy Stretch, Jack Trengove, Dean Kent, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Josh Wagner, Sam Weideman, Joel Smith Looking at this team we have a good settled defence that has performed well over the season except last week when the midfield went missing and, with the addition of Hogan and Garlett, the forwards look well balanced and potent. good flexibility in the forward group with TMac and Pedo both able to relieve in the ruck or go back to bolster the defence. Midfield, with the IC above, will have the option of 14 players that could get a run in the midfield during the game. this does not include throwing a big body in there every now and then such as Tmac or Hogan. Personally I love it when I see Hogan lining up at a center bounce.

Have to agree with the sentiment, I'd love to see him smash it.

Our midfield is going to get pantsed

So happy to see Trenners get picked. I know I should just care about the team winning but i just really feel like he is a servant of the club and deserves a chance to prove he can still make out at the highest level. I'm betting he is going to have a special game. Come on Dees!

Carlton v Melbourne at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST CARLTON In:J.Lamb, S.Petrevski-Seton, C.Byrne, H.Macreadie, H.McKay Out: L.Sumner, C.Marchbank (shoulder) MELBOURNE In: J.Garlett, J.Trengove, D.Kent, J.Hogan, J.Kennedy-Harris, S.Weideman, J.Smith Out: D.Tyson (knee), T.Bugg (suspension), J.Viney (foot), M.White

We love to emulate the Yanks, except in one significant aspect of sports broadcasting - the Yanks almost always use a trained commentator to do the play by play. They even have university courses for sports casting. Hence Joe Buck, Howard Cosell, Pat Summerall, Al Michaels, Dick Stockton, Bob Costas, etc are trained to call the game, or they are already journalists. The ABC is a pretty good training ground for callers, but all too often we elevate the likes of BT or Drayne. Match a trained caller with a good voice with a former player who knows his onions.

Everyone on this board knows the amount of (often unwarranted or premature) criticism that Jack has faced over his career and there is no doubt that he has shown great resilience and toughness in response. I have so much admiration for Jack. He's clearly a great club-person who enjoys seeing those around him succeed- who's often the first one in to celebrate a goal with genuine happiness for the kicker? Jack! At the same time, Boyd, in the face of similar negative attention, is not 'lesser' than Jack for having a different response. It takes a very tough person to be honest and say, "Hey, I'm not coping", especially in a pressure-filled environment where people are on your back to perform. It's stigmatising to relate depression with weakness or lack of character when it can come for anyone, regardless of their (perceived or otherwise) resilience, toughness, personality, wealth, ability etc. etc. It's how we as a society support each other and react to it that's most important, not who's 'tough enough' not to succumb. It's fine to say well done to Jack for getting through some really trying times, but we shouldn't damn Boyd by comparison for something that isn't his fault.

a dribble more 41,527

Said it a number of times on here, Jack is probably the most mentally tough and resilient footballer I can remember in my life time. The amount of abuse and negativity he has copped his whole career from the media, club and supporters is insane. The fact he has pushed through it, stuck with the club and is now a really good footballer is a credit to him and how tough he is. Love watching him play and hope he is part of our next premiership. He deserves it. Kudos Jack!

Dont get inolved with social media It is a destructive force and now a whole generation see them selves through that distorted mirror No wonder some are experiencing difficulties coping Refreshing that TOMIC told the truth about how he really feels and was castigated again for that

To admire Watts' resilience is to assume Boyd isn't resilient, when most would have you believe clinical depression is far more complicated than one's capacity to work through adversity. I like your post, but at the same time I realise that depression is a complicated issue and some are more prone to susceptibility than others. Even then, I'm not privy to Watts' mindset and you're making assumptions you're not necessarily equipped to. Although, I expect your educated guess re Watts' mental health is probably correct.

Fantastic post!! Definitely lifts the mood around the place after reading nothing but negativity all week in regards to injuries, suspensions and king hits. Watts is an intelligent and well spoken young man and won't have to worry about life after football but yet he conducts himself with absolute class and dignity on the field. His work ethic cannot be questioned and we all hope to see him back soon doing what he does best.

No one could argue with this post. The difference between Jack and Boyd, Jack was a number 1 pick that stuck with his club dare to say the support network he has built at the club is a strong one, Boyd did the right thing by Boyd took the million a year, he has to expect that being that young you will be under immense pressure both internal and external

Yes Jack is the sort of quality person and extraordinarily talented footballer you can build a dynasty around. We have a few of them: Viney, Oliver, Petracca, Salem, Tyson, Gawn, Jetta, the Macs, Hunt, Hogan, Frost, Garlett and hopefully soon Brayshaw. It is a very impressive bunch. In that, we should never forget the extraordinary contribution of Nathan Jones. He has held us together in our darkest hours. Let's hope he will reap the whirlwind over the remainder of his career. He certainly deserves it. Goody has a lot to work with thanks to Roos.

We play Carlton 55-45 our way even with injuries Adelaide 60-40 their way but we aren't without a chance port where we are a fair chance to get Jones and Salem back 50-50 maybe us a slight edge given their form against good sides north which I think is 70-30 our way with their injuries and Viney possibly back Giants which is tough but we've won the last few against them 60-40 their way Saints which is 50-50 and elimination final like Brisbane who we should beat Collingwood who we should beat. I think we beat carlton, north, pies and lions and that gets us into finals but also a good chance to beat saints and power as well.

Amazing isn't it, the AFL do the right thing, they gather information and wait for due process to take place. That happens in about 48 hours after the matter becomes publicly known. Farhour appears at the NFL Tribunal, the matter is heard. He is suspended for life and decides to stand down from his AFL position. The AFL will now make a considered statement, being in possession of all the facts, rather than just operating on media reports. But no, the AFL are unprincipled &@?$'s, according to the narrative amongst a number of posters here on DL. Obviously what we really need, is to have someone heading the AFL who tweets the first thing that comes to his/her head at the earliest opportunity. Let's have a lynch mob mentality, that's what is missing!

Nice. Bugg punched someone off the ball, giving him severe concussion. That's what's "incredibly stupid" and what deserved six weeks. Yes there are inconsistencies with previous decisions, but if anything the other penalties weren't sufficient. Get over it and stop playing the "poor-us Melbourne FC victim" card. It's pathetic. Bugg's reputation and character will be better off in the long run by showing contrition, which he did.

This weeks game is huge. We need to win this, and the last three minimum to play finals

I said it after the game on Friday (watching on Fox Footy) and I'll say it again now... Paul Roos was the only person on that commentary team that had any idea what he was talking about post-game (e.g. not pumping up Swans, not bashing us, citing valid points regarding the 6-day breaks, injuries etc). Maybe it's because of his ties with MFC, but maybe it's because the rest of em are clueless imbeciles. I'd go with the latter.