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If Lever makes it back to top form, in addition to slotting in May, our back line will be much better at coping with any mix of forwards. Again, it will be our inside mids who determine our chances more often than not, and if they continue to improve, which they should, we should be in with a genuine shot next year.

I had a dream that EFC were large scale drug cheats, to a degree unprecedented in world sport, treating their players like guinea pigs and bringing shame on their club and the entire competition. I know it's a dream as a scant few years later, the body whose comp they tried to subvert and compromise has actually rewarded them with another marquee game to add to their ANZAC and Dreamtime games. In a fair competition, clubs like NMFC, WBFC, STKFC would be allowed proper opportunities to grow such games, instead of having them ripped off them, but I reckon I'm dreaming about that too.

That May change now. I've got to add my voice to the collective bewilderment that Essendon are clearly being spruiked by the AFL as media darlings and next year's feel-good story, as if this season's throat-gargling commentary on them wasn't bad enough. Adding tangible commercial benefit to that is just an insult to the several honest struggling clubs. They cheated, systematically, and actedlike the victims of a conspiracy when it was uncovered. I'm not a football sadist, I have a natural sympathy for clubs when they are struggling, but I would savour every moment if the Demons put on a show and crushed Essendon to the tune of 20-goals. Hell, I'd savour it no matter who crushed them. In fact, I would have long term more positive feelings about any club that put a boot in Essendon.

Ironic that we're all complaining about Darwin, yet in 2018 we ended up winning 7 of the next 9 games after Darwin which included our best month of footy (rd 22 - semi final) since 2006.

I am a relative of Colin and am shocked and saddened by his passing, Life just isn't fair sometimes. Just in relation to the origins of the name, It is widely believed to be of Portuguese origin. De Silva, De Sylva are some of the derivatives. My Great Grandfather, who would also be a lineal ancestor of Colin was from the upper north east of the USA around Boston Massachusetts. Regards. GS.

This may not go down well for some but I think it's a good idea. With the Pies wanting to start alternating home games again for the QB game, how about we move 'The Big Freeze' to a game against Essendrug instead? Obviously this year as our home game to start with. Ok with you Ed?

Work experience kid had one job.

Thanks for the family background, DS. Condolences to you and the rest of the Sylvia family. So tragic! Just hope you are little heartened at the knowledge that Dees fans have very fond memories of that cheeky grin, the warm hearted reaching out to the ill and needy and, of course, those occasions when he lit up the "G" in the red & blue!

You've got to remember we're transitioning out of the pokies business. You don't then strip away other financial winners, without having a strong revenue stream to replace it. I'd like to know what the multiple angles are that don't make it work. IMO we need to be a little bit less precious about this as supporters. If we've got a decent football side they will win that game and it's an advantage playing a team up there who have never played up there. We make much more money on this game than we would if 30,000 turned up to the G. There's still a strong case to keep playing the NT games. At least for the short to mid term future. 2022-2025 we can start thinking about alternative revenue streams. Hopefully by that stage we've built a powerhouse and we no longer need these NT games, but don't hold your breath.

I had Essendon in my 8 this year. I've really rated them for the past two years. That is, I've really rated their list. They've actually got a really good list balance. Yes, okay, maybe they lack inside depth, but they will challenge next year if they can keep Daniher and Fantasia on the park. Adding Shiel to that midfield makes them extremely dangerous. I noted a few Demonlanders don't rate him, but I think he's a star and will add not only inside hardness to their midfield, but more breakaway pace. My concern with Essendon (from a Melbourne point of view) is their leg speed and potential speed of ball movement. If they get it right next year, they'll murder us on the outside. I think Worsfold is past it, but there's a chance with his list that he could pinch a flag in the next 2 years.

Can't be bothered finding photos, but I reckon Stephen Febey looked a fair bit like Matthew Febey.

Thank you very much. Yes Col always was on for a chat and the first to put up his hand to help out. I think if you drill down we were something like 2nd cousins but were always aware of each other and always had a chat about the footy. He will be missed. Thanks again. Greg Sylvia.

I concur. I don't concur. Absolutely do not deserve more night games. They did not manage to make the finals and were comprehensively blown away in week 1 of the 2017 finals series. We deserve more night games and prime time exposure because we made a preliminary final and were a whisker off the 2017 finals series. If we were talking about the fixture going into 2018 I'd agree with you more. But they failed in 2018.

70,000 complete tossbag members is what will do it. They will turn up and tune in, regardless of what a cheating pile of shyte this organisation is. With even a faint sniff of success, that is enough to get the AFL warm and moist to the idea of marquee time slots.

They remind me a lot of Port in the early 2000s, I expected them to make the 8 and steam roll teams on the fast track at Etihad, but felt come September when the tough hard contested footy was required they'd be found out. They lack midfield bulls IMO. On their day they are going to be hard to beat but still think beating them at the contest will be what a lot of sides set their gameplan around. With regard to Woosha he aint past it, he never had it. Fantastic motivator and a real come with me boys I'll run through brick walls for you type, but he is and has always been tactically inept

I want to be playing the Pies twice, with the other one on Friday night. A Friday night home game v Essendon would be nice too.

On the NT games i had thought bubble. Would it possible to play those games back to back? Say fly to the Alice on the Friday, play Saturday, then spend the week in the NT before playing in Darwin the following Saturday. Use Alice as training base and do all the community stuff during the week between games. i understand routine is super important and there would be logistical challenges but they exist for both games already. And in terms of routine they fly up on the Wednesday or Thursday i think to do community stuff so they already a it out of wack. Might help with recovery as less travel would be required and could be pumped up in the NT as the Demon week.

What a joke of an “organization” .... Gil and his band of merry men are really a bunch of amateurs running a multi million dollar business. They have what about 6 weeks to do one thing, arrange the “draw” or fixedture more like it .... and they can’t get it right! Clowns ... though that is a bit unfair on clowns, as they at least are generally funny.

I'd like you to ask Josh about the philosophy of trading on premise that "picks are grossly overrated". If Hogan was in the draft this year he would have gone number one. If May was in the draft this year he would have been number one. Neither went for anything like that. Why? Do clubs completely overvalue "blue sky" in recruits and do they give enough weight to a possible "bust" factor and do they give enough weight to the "certainty" factor of a known trade? In general I'd like to hear him talk around this subject with reference to where in a cycle are club is and how that effects their thinking.

Well past my student days but I know we have a few teachers on here and I remember some sage advice that many have posted over the years. My advice.. Do your best.. Don't stress and remember to take some time away from the books to clear the mind. Throw a basket ball, go for a run or just get away. Not sure that computer games serve the same aim but nothing wrong with a couple of half hour stints if that floats the boat. Perhaps minimise the social media as it may just leads to a communal worry fest or similar. But most of all remember that in no way does your VCE determine the rest of your life. You do. Good Luck and Go Dees

I don't know about everyone else but I used to think a contract meant something. In fact back in the day a mans word was his bond. ...but now it seems you just sign a contract and abandon it when it no longer suits. The Beams thing is the last straw for me. In Hogan's case, those saying that if he stays we need a long term commitment. He might as well sign on for 5 years and boot off next year if he feels like it. It's definitely time that clubs are able to trade players in contract to wherever the club wants. At least that would put some value back in the contract.

My assumptive best 22 is as follows Back: Jetta: May: Hibberd HB: Salem: O-Mac: Lever Cen: Kola: Oliver: Harmes HF: Trac: Weid: ANB For: Spargo: T-Mac: Melk Ruck: Gawn: Brayshaw: Viney I/C: Lewis: AVB: Jones: Fritsch: This leave us with: key back depth both proven in Frost and emerging in Petty and Keilty. small to mid backs in Hunt , Smith and Wagner with potential to swing around Lewis, Fritsch or Kolo as required. Key forward leaves us a bit light with T.Smith but the flexibility to play the extra ruck or a smaller one tall forward line with Trac or Melksham as the second. I suspect there is a chance that J Smith also is trialled forward. A back up ruck position better than last year. Strong Small forward cover in Garlett and Hannan, Midfield depth we really only have Stretch , JKH and the untried Maynard and Baker but we have plenty of flex in our half backs and forwards to play midfield minutes and suspect we will draft more in this space. Our depth knowing we have 8ish spots to fill allows us to swing wide for best available talent from a mid to long view without trying to fix for the short term.

And don't get me wrong. I hate Essendon with a passion. They're a blight on our competition and should have been sat out of the league for a year and not allowed access to the first round of 2-3 drafts. Their 'sanctions' were far too weak.

i read today that because Essenscum have drafted really well then they will be rewarded with more friday night games. Since when do teams get rewarded just because they recruit well? They failed to make the finals again.

Ooooh my MFCSS mustn't be that bad if I didn't factor in a red eye trip home from Perth. Brilliant.

Nice One GS. I shall watch/ listen to some Fado tonight and think of Col .

bound for Brisbane apparently 3 year deal

finally a delisted player worth targetting adds good depth

We've got a large number of spots to fill on our list and Townsend would be a much better option than pick 107 or whatever it will be. Being that we've lost a bit of depth this off-season, he'd give us immediate quality depth and would be well worth signing up IMO. We'll get injuries, and he would help drive competition for spots and a competitive attitude at the club.

But we still get sent to Geelong nearly every year while other clubs never go there.

Pulp Creek has a certain ring to it ...

We’re not being forced to play in the NT, they’re a major partner of ours that contributes a lot into our coffers. That said I also wish we could move on from it, or reduce it to 1 match a year alternating between Darwin and Alice.

Grief does have a way of uniting us all. And its reminder that much of our daily life is insignificant and unimportant. And its a tribute to Colin that he was loved by so many. That is his legacy.

would have got a 30k crowd at least for this match at the MCG if not more. The idea that it would be loss making holds no water any more unless we are talking of Gold Coast or Freo. NT just makes no sense from so many angles.

How on earth can a multi-dollar organisation delay its announcement because the feedback was not positive......Ah, sorry, I forgot, we are talking AFL here! Beggars belief.

GIving up these games in the NT is still [censored] me off. It’s always against an SA and WA side who gain more from playing there than we do, other than financially. The support for both sides is always far greater. It also makes it a 50:50 scenario, which would otherwise favour us at The G. When will we drop this ?

Once In A Lifetime player. Will be burning down the house next year.

The drip feed of the fixture including the hints as to who will play when (I see North are now confirmed for Good Friday against either Essendon or Richmond) is so amusing. This desire of the AFL to occupy the entire media space and more interestingly the willingness of the media to lap it up is a marketer's dream. Anyone else feel that it is just getting too over the top?

Could you please ask Josh, why we haven't drafted any Irish lads?

Thankfully my 3 kids are well past that stage. No. 3 virtually had a melt down during the final exam period. Actually, delete the word "virtually". Thankfully (and somewhat surprisingly) it turned out well. I totally agree with the comments made by others. Your ATAR doesn't define you. Best of luck to all. It is a truly miserable time of your lives. Just do your best. And most of STAY CALM! If you're panicking, you're using your energy to panic, and not to think clearly.

I thought Charlie was still only in Year 8!

Was assuming the Alice game would be in May like this year... By late July I am usually seeking warmer climes in Asia. Darn ... looks like no road trip or perhaps a re-org of my year ?

Bendigo Cup tomorrow and a decent field has been assembled ... any of the top 6 can feature and there's a couple down the list that might surprise. Outside of the favourite 'Furrion' there are good odds to be had with the next 5 in the betting. Bendigo Cup 2400m $350k Group 3 Wed 31st Oct 4.00pm

I have already posted "not available" on my work roster for this game. First time i will have seen my team play where i live. I will take both of my Canon DSLR's and possibly a video camera as well to get as many shots as possible, particularly of any newbies who play. Best news so far this off-season.

I wonder if we were scared off Kelly by his frame and outside strength, given we had selected Toumpas in the mini draft year and had decided to prioritise what we hoped would be a generational KPF in Hogan? Then again, Billings was of a similar variety to Toumpas. I guess we just got it wrong. Having said that, Tyson served us well in 2014 and gave us depth in 2018 when we needed it during Viney's absence. Salem is a beautiful user and an improving defender that could (in time) also legitimately roll through the midfield, so even though GWS got an undoubted star, we got two good players for one. Where our list was positioned, IMO, we made the right calls on Hogan and the Tyson/Salem trades. The thing about Sheedy is he's so clearly blinded by his hatred of Melbourne that I wouldn't trust a word that came out of his mouth. He was also a representative of GWS at the time. I remember you writing this at the time, Ron and I remember saying a similar thing then.