Leaderboard

Went to a club lunch today and Jake Lever was one of the guests from the club, he was interviewed by Robbo and he is absolutely stoked to be a Demon. Toddy and Jason Taylor were in touch with him constantly in his draft year and as we all know we would have drafted him but just didn't have the pick to do so. He loves the club, the playing group and the coaches, he said they are a really tight knit bunch of guys and friends who want to win a flag (or two). He said he was really impressed with the intensity of the playing group last year and this year it has lifted a notch, he said training has been great. He is a really impressive person, vey level headed and really keen for success. Toddy was asked about AVB and said he's running at 100% on the special treadmill and will play football this year, maybe not till mid year though. There is a rumour about TommyMc but he said he thinks he'll play first round, hmmm! Jake said he's happy Tommy is playing forward because he gets a bit grumpy down back. The club are exploring several options for a new facility but nothing to announce at the moment.

When she was 5, my niece 'wrote a book' about going to the football with me. The only thing I say in the book is "Oh no, oh no, oh no" over and over again on every page, which is pretty much what you'd get if I was calling the game.

Well reading that was 5 mins of my life that I’ll never get back ....

This injury to TMac is a worrying considering the limited preseasons the Weid and T Smith have had. Also puts the kibosh on Hogan having stints in the middle. Pedo would be a lock for Round 1 now.

The reason I spend too much time scrolling through the pages of Demonland are for reports like these. Thank you Dante

Not a hotspot according to Goodwin. http://m.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-13/dees-confident-sore-forward-will-play-round-one

In the words of the ever wise Finch, "I don't like the kid, but he has a point."

Watts kicks 6 goals in a JLT community game and the posters who wanted to keep him use this as a ‘I told you so’. Wow wee.

I feel like cutting and pasting my comments from months ago, as all I'm doing is rehashing what I've said previously. Whatever Watts does or doesn't do at Port it was the right decision to move him on. Goodwin has been at the club for 3 years, so he knows how much Watts dedicated himself to his football. The decision to jettison a talented player isn't taken lightly, so Goodwin's belief is that the club and team are better off without him on the list. I believe it's as much a cultural decision as his insipid efforts on the footy field. I believe we're a better chance to win a flag with him off our list. Fritsch has the courage in the air that Watts doesn't and he's also very good one v one in a contest, which was hardly Watts' forte. Goodwin knows the message he wants to deliver to the group and talented yet lazy players like Watts, who had a major influence within the playing group due to his outgoing personality (especially impressionable young players), can impede those messages. Goodwin didn't get rid of Watts because he thought we'd be worse off. Obviously, the opposite is true. It won't be surprising if Watts has a good year. He's in his peak years and just had a rocket shoved up his clacker. But he couldn't be trusted to deliver on Goodwin's non negotiables. And that's the thing to remember here. He couldn't be trusted. Trust is huge at a footy club. Btw, I'm very excited by our forward-line. Hogan, McDonald, Garlett, Melksham, Fritsch, Hannan, Neal-Bullen with forays from Petracca, Harmes and others is just about as exciting as it gets for me. X-factor players galore. I'll be amazed if they collectively don't have a brilliant year, but even if they don't I won't be lamenting the loss of Watts for a nano second.

Our version of press red for Ed = press green for grapeviney

I hope if we can win the flag Roosy comes onto the G with the boys

Good man Roosy, fly the flag.

For those that don't have access to the Fin Review an interesting article about club finances..some snippets... West Coast is the most profitable club. $5.4m profit on $64m revenue. Bombers $5m profit (including $3.97m in donations). WCE has paid $137m in dividends & rent to the West Australian Football commission since 1987. WCE has $21.8m of cash and $42m of fixed income and share investments. They are a seriously powerful club on the back of great stadium deals and sponsorship. Richmond has a cash balance of $10m generating $8.6m from is Aligned Leisure Community Health Centre. GWS and GC received $48m in funding from the AFL which according the AFL is equivalent to the extra $50m in broadcast rights it receives for having two extra teams in the comp. If anyone is wondering why get stuffed on fixturing (including friday night games), travel (6 day breaks) or home ground against larger drawing clubs (we have been the home team against Ess once since 2005, Carl 5 times since 2005, Geel 5 times since 2005, Rich 6 times since 2005! This is largely because we are 'given' the QB game - don't ever tell me its a gift from Eddie because we pay for it in other areas such as this) its because the powerful clubs have much greater pull than we do. Until we start winning it is difficult for us to demand better terms on these areas,. But make no mistake they are a prime cause of the disparity between rich and poor clubs. And just as importantly when we start winning we need to ensure we change the dynamics of our revenue. Secure good stadium deal, get serious sponsors, grow membership and demand better fixturing. We need to embed this in the future to stop Melbourne ever being a pauper again.

Seriously, you could not make this crap up. First, an ambit claim to sue the AFL on behalf of Essendon, for "deceptive and misleading conduct". Must have had a serious irony bypass to even contemplate that. Second, the claimants seem to be getting legal advice of the same quality as James Hird ("Tiny chance of success, even if everything goes our way --- so what are we waiting for?"). Third, the AFL's conduct, including lack of support for ASADA and the laughably stupid verdict delivered by the AFL Tribunal (which ASADA appealed against to WADA, and won), was one of the major reasons that there was no smoking gun found at Tullamarine (although there was something that looked like a smoking gun, and smelt like a smoking gun, and felt like a smoking gun, but that everyone in the room swore was actually an elephant, because there was a sticky label on it that said "Elephant"). Fourth, the AFL are dumb enough to threaten splitting from ASADA (as if!) if certain documents come to light, which makes it apparent to Blind Freddy's dead cat that the AFL have something to hide. Surely that same dead cat could work out that the smart thing to do is to keep quiet and let the nongs who brought the case eventually come to the startling conclusion that this is a grand waste of time, energy and (lots of) money. Sounds like there is an opera or two in that lot, or perhaps a mini-series. Pass the popcorn, and whose shout is it anyway?

Wouldn't it be brilliant if the FOI request was successful?

This is pretty funny. Clearly Chris is a lonely nerd and therefore a North supporter.

I cant get behind the paywall but the headline contradicts the quoted text which says: The AFL has joined ASADA in fighting a Freedom of Information request made by a member of the public seeking access to doping control forms Why would the AFL side with ASADA to fight release of info and at the same time threaten to spilt from ASADA if info is released. Is there something in the article that explains the apparent contradiction? If not pretty dumb of the HS to run with it. Anyway, who is the AFL supposedly threatening? It is up to the courts to decide what to released. A confused and not very logical person wrote that headline - Robbo perhaps?

still think it is a fishing exercise to embarrass certain afl execs

We have to expect to make finals every year, that’s the base line for any power club. When these clubs don’t make finals it is seen as an aberration that must be addressed quickly. For too long The MFC has focused on survival In 1965 the Tigers stepped on to the MCG and we slowly stepped back. Time to reclaim Demon land rights

Yeah - if my son had to write a book about our time at the footy, it would probably be called “Oh, that’s bull$h!t!!”

I don't have any problem with pundits not trusting us. Heck I can't trust us at times. Just look at the JLT 2 3rd Quarter. The problem I have with some media pundits is their blatant bias towards their teams. If you are going into the media then you have to take off your [censored] scarf. That goes for being pro-Demon as well if they existed.

You won't need to listen to him as you will be at the game.

Anyone else find it comforting when Robbo writes us off?

Haha such a funny little fellow you are Wise, humour right on the edge Lenny Bruce would have been proud

This would make a good thread i vote for the 2016 game vs Brisbane

Lloyd doesn’t trust us as much as he does the teams he put above us. Like Essendon, who when they aren’t on, play the worst football in the comp. we beat them last year in one of the worst spectacles of the year, and the worst we played in any win ever. Or Port, who haven’t beaten a top 8 team since last time they won a flag. Or the Bulldogs, who all drowned in bath water and haven’t played good footy since. Turn it up, Matthew.

This country has got to stop rewarding cheats with cushy jobs. Or criminals with book deals. Or wife bashers with commentary gigs. Etc [censored] james hird.

Not me mate, if I did work down there I would be loosening selwoods wheel nuts as we speak

Robbo has Essendon in his top 4. This guy needs to go. The bias is unreal.

Clearly nobody passed the news on to SWYL. Poor fellow.

James hird? Well that discredits the whole thing.... even more

I am not fussed about injuries. I, of course. would prefer that we did not have any but it is an unreasonable expectation to go through the season without any. We are going to have injuries right through the year from Round 1 through to Round 23 and beyond. Looking at our, list and the development we have invested in the players and the coaching group I am confident that we will be able to put competitive teams out each and every week. No Viney in the JLT and we have a more than competitive midfield in both games. TMac not there in JLT2 and we have 13 goal kickers in a strong win. We have a good group of players that have the flexibility and desire to cover for one another. Looking forward to this season and do not see R1 as defining the season.

Laurie Fowler, tremendous footballer for Melb after his stint with the Tigers. Best friend of John Nichols, I heard. And Tassie Johnston. Those great drop kicks from the Richmond goalsquare past the centre of the MCG. He just knew where the ball was going. Few ever got in his way. Two greats. Hardeman, not a tall, killing all opposition forwards, the greatest.

Mine would be called "F*&K my life - the story of a Melbourne supporter"

I'd be out of breath from pacing back and forth. Being a Melbourne fan is not good for the ticker despite the added exercise from the pacing. Can't we just destroy teams every week so I can enjoy the game. Is that too much to ask.

King Roosy to be on commentary when we win the flag.

Paul Roos help to build a strong foundation for us to be successful in the near future and for that l forever thank him. Hope your a Demon supporter for life.

My top 5 of the last 40 years...all outstanding. Hardeman Hughes Wight Johnson B.Lovett

And so they should be ... we cannot accept mediocrity as it has appeared so often. Radical change is what we must be striving for every season and the Club officials have been responsible for these outcomes. I'd like to entice Paul Roos back to the Club as coach, ASAP.

Journalists trying to be celebrities. What a bunch of merchant bankers

If you appreciated his departure was about more than just his deeds on a footy field I think you'd find it far easier to accept. He was a half dedicated footballer. His standards weren't elite. He didn't do all of the extras that the great players do to be the best they can be. And worse than that he came back from preseason not as conditioned as he should have been. Your gripe isn't with the Melbourne Football Club, your gripe is with Jack Watts.

I'm not sure that Weideman replaces T McDonald given the expectation that the role McDonald was expected to play included ruck support for Gawn. Or, to look at it another way, if McDonald doesn't play, who supports Gawn? The answer is surely Pedersen, not Weideman.

Why ? His opinion on football is not sullied. The guy never took ownership over his contribution to Essendon's drugs regime, but I fail to understand how that in any way invalidates his knowledge of the code. It's ridiculous to suggest his general footy IQ, i.e. watching the game, is in any way diminished. Especially when he was one of the smartest players on a footy field I've seen.

I recall at least 3 or maybe 4 years in the 70s when we won 4 games or less out of 22 in a comp of 12 teams. They were also different times where there was no TV coverage of lowly clubs, just to add to the humiliation. Losing repeatedly twice a year to some pretty ordinary mid tier teams felt far more debilitating than being one of 2 or 3 clubs out of 18 that has struggled. Naturally l agree that both periods were dark years for the club. I suppose the recency effect makes the more current experience more memorable. Also Unlike today, you got no draft pick "rewards" by finishing last. You simply finished last.

MELBOURNE finished 4th in this years JLT comp and Richmond finished 4th last year, so I take that as the 2018 flag is ours.

Definitely thread-worthy.

Sorry what is religious about Nutbeans comments? The cost of compliance to minimising CO2 emissions is minimal, globally but yes there are local winners and losers big time. So the logical decision is to reduce emissions. However if we, logical thinking people are in fact wrong, well what are the costs? A totally renewed energy system that is clean and efficient, ready for the next century. Nothing remotely religious here but I suspect you are holding on desperately to some religious beliefs Wrecker.

Wrecker - you've lost me here. Nut is simply saying is that if we heed what the scientists tell us and reduce our carbon emissions, the worst that can happen is that we reduce the amount of pollution in the atmosphere. Whereas if we follow your advice and do nothing, we are risking global catastrophe. How is is that religious?