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The dichotomy of views expressed in this thread and often across the spectrum of the zDemonland blogsphere. Brings to mind the glass half full v glass half empty conundrum, much loved by psychologists and their ilk. Our research has found where one sits is often not that simple. But on matters MFC we generally aspsire to option...

People sooking that we should've got the 4 points or get to play a half strength bombers side are missing the big picture here. Every club will be put out at some stage this year. Some clubs have already had to go in to hubs. Essendon and North did same day travel etc etc. It easily could've been our boys getting the positive test. The club shouldn't be worrying about what they can't control and should turn up wherever and whenever and win games.

For the sake of the rest of us, please stop quoting Saty. Thanks.

Have no fear Demon fans, good ol' Gil is looking into all of this as we speak ...

Still not a single cluster from the protests. Isolated cases only. The debacle are the stupid [censored] who knew they had the virus and still went to visit family. Those are the big clusters now that have spread across Melbourne. Apparently one family had a 100 person party with infected family members. Absolute f’ing stupidity. Should be named, shamed, and thrown in jail for 14 days.

The current plan seems to be attempting to make the situation fair for Essendon and therefore (unintentionally) making it unfair for us. Why should we be disadvantaged by their mistake.

Saty now on record saying the following players would be useless in the 'modern' game David Neitz David Schwarz Allen Jakovich Garry Lyon

If one of Kozzie or Spargo tested positive after breaking the rules and that meant we couldn't have played Carlton quite frankly I would have no issue with the AFL awarding them the 4 points

i’ve been staggered by how affected the lack of crowd has been fr me. I always thought i watched as a footy purist. But I realise now my enjoyment and engagement in a large way was feeling the crowd as a part of the game. Im trying but i def can’t engage or care like i used to. Watching footy atm feels like talking to an ex or something.

Not sure it is worth arguing the point as there is clearly a lack of understanding of the game and the attributes of those players...all four of them would be genuine be stars in today's game

bombers mate of mine reckons dees need to call a wahhhhhhhmbulance such is our complaining when she spotted this i told her to go inject a virus

Also interesting to see Hunt feature heavily in the intra club goals highlight. Thought he was good against Carlton, as he was up forward for a lot of last year as well. Really like the attributes of Hunt as a forward - he leads up well, kicks for goal well and runs himself into good positions to crumb and/or receive easy opportunitist goals, which is exactly what you would want from a player of his attributes to be getting into good spots to capitalize on the easy, high percentage goals that are there for the taking rather than having to battle for every goal. I do think his hardness and willingness to chase and harass and put on forward pressure are pretty good too. Will be interesting to see what he can produce in a forward line packed with other talented small-mid sized players like Kosi, Bennell, Freitch and Hannan.

It equates to grandstanding because it’s premature, I’ll-considered and about attention seeking over reasoned thought and discussion. Reality is the Dons are on verge of having their season killed, one way or another. And while I have a wry smile about this outcome, I’ve no desire for the MFC to be seen to be publicly dancing on their graves, as in the context of life/death CoVID... it’s an ugly look.

Interesting time to bring this to the fore - you don't think for a second that the Eagles being in the hub has had an effect on their overall performance? We didn't set the world alight in Round 1, but the Eagles were on their home deck and fresh off a good pre-season. There is nothing to suggest that it makes that loss look any 'worse'.

Ok... Thought it was a good time to bring this up again. We can discount our first round performance given the circumstances. The so called professionals at WC have been a basket case since having to move to the hub in Qld. They haven't been helped by their coach or club, the coaches performance in particular has been poor. As far as the threat to go home, well that's really a help to the players, putting more uncertainty in the situation. ...but, it shows that players, even the professional WC players are human and subject to the pressures of this time. Our boys I believe were in a worse position during round one with the season being postponed and maybe even cancelled before they hit the ground. I don't think we can write much into this season at all unfortunately and we're only going through the motions to make a bit of cash. Still think it may be a miracle if we get through it. ...but back on point. What do the nay sayers now think of our first round performance. Will you cut some slack or not? Or do you still beat your chest and think our players should be robots with no human emotion?

I want to hear what the President has to say I am not putting any words in his mouth I want to hear what Bartlett plans to do Our next opponent should be Essendrug and i would be fighting hard for that

Essendon says, " it won't let another saga cripple it's season". What does that really mean? Has it allowed other sagas to cripple seasons? Do they give permission for sagas to cripple seasons? Who the hell do they think they are? Forfeit the points and move on cheats.

Honestly winning this year would be harder than almost any other year in history. While the draw is compromised (when is it not?), this will also be the first time in a long time where each team plays each other once, thus making it more even. Given the nature of this season, this would be a massive mental victory for whoever manages to win, and I would take nothing away from the premiers. Nor would I be happy to put a question mark next to our name, if we won it.

Typical. AFL requires both our teams to wear away strips!

Don’t live in the filthy Western Suburbs Sorry not everyone born in Toorak like your good self

Wow, popped over to bomber blitz. Biggest crucifixion complex since Jesus. They want to be let off everything, delist a McKenna, and move games so they play with a full squad. They are still sore from being drug cheats, too. (I had to use hand sanitizer on my eyeballs after that....)

Yes, they didn't kick any goals, but are we really going to call TMac/Weideman "horrible" for what we could see of them in a 6-minute highlight clip of an intraclub match?

We can give Lever, Smith and OMac all the week off and let Ratagolouou do all the spoiling.

No it's not. All four got it elsewhere. What is remarkable is that more than 2 weeks after the march there has not been a single case of community transmission from that protest. Despite all four of those people being contagious at that point. That protest has been repeated in larger numbers 500 fold in rhe states, which have been going on for almost a month. And there has been no spike (In fact the opposite) in New york, Washington, LA, Seattle or indeed any big city that have seen protests. As I have been saying the issue is indoor not outdoors. And indoors where people share that space for some time. Which us why this upswing in vic is all related to family transmission after the restrictions lifted and families and friends came together in big groups for lunches dinners etc. And then not doing the right with social distancing and hygiene. Which is also why they won't allow people back onto offices any time soon.

I think its already happening.

You realize that person caught it at a shopping centre and not the rally yeah? (In fact, you also realize none of those cases so far were people who caught it at the rally?)

Why don't the AFL just get it over with and award EFC the 4 points?

According to the Age the tackling ban is for at least the next four weeks. Tackle training =Bad Tackle game =Good Apologies to Orwell and Animal Farm

Posting the exact same thing over and over again ad nauseam is more likely to put people to sleep.

I don't think you can blame the Yanks on this occasion.

Yes, they want the government to take a 'broad view' in applying the meaning of 'close contact'. But, I just don't see how the Health Department can allow that as Ess train, live and shop right in the middle of the major hot spots of recent outbreaks. Ditto other people in their households. If the incubation period is 1-2 weeks then there is a risk to the wider community and not just other AFL teams. The government must put community concerns before AFL games. The government has already messed up with Cedar Meats, Hotel quarantines, and the BLM rally (a fourth protester has now tested positive). They just can't afford any more risks. Time to take a firm stand and stop pandering to causes/vested interests.

I guess it depends on the results (and in turn the accuracy) of the tests this close to the contact period. The AFL will have egg on their face if one of the 8 play and then are later diagnosed as positive. Can you imagine 2 of the Big 4 are sidelined for a fortnight?

I'm not calling for the 4 points as a freebie. I just think it is unfair for us to penalised with shorter breaks between games which potentially will impact us across 3 (or more) matches. Match prior to the rescheduled Essendon match, the rescheduled Essendon match and the match (even matches) after the rescheduled Essendon match. We'll have to adjust loads during matches and training. How can that not have an impact on us when other teams won't have that same issue. I don't care about the impact on Essendon as they are the ones who are responsible. I'm not even proposing to play a depleted Essendon this week or mid week as a further Freebie (we all know how we fair against depleted Essendon teams). If a team can't field a team then they forfeit. Case closed.

I would rather MFC went down kicking and screaming rather than being complicent in our own decline.

Public Sentiment can be very useful For too long The MFC has sat quietly in the corner and taken the scraps

He's a good prospect. He was very young when drafted, being right near the cut off and coming into the club as a 17 year old. He likely would've been a first rounder in last years draft had he missed that cut off. He could become a good midfielder or half back flanker due to his accurate and penetrating kick, burst of pace and toughness. He's well suited to half back flank but has actually excelled playing more inside midfield at Casey. I reckon he could become a well rounded inside/outside midfielder, which we need IMO. Both him and Sparrow from that draft are developing well, Sparrow more of a Viney type insider, Jordan a more rounded midfielder like a Bernie Vince.

IF the Bombers knew it was a possibility he was infected and still proceeded to have him at training while waiting on results of a secondary test, then they should be forced to forfeit. Why should we be punished for their mistake?

The round is over so the points should be allocated now! Essendon were incapable of fielding a team, so they must forfeit, leaving the points to us. It is unfair to weaken us by forcing us to play games closer together because Essendon failed their responsibility to field a team. It doesn't matter if the covid was their "fault" or not, although hearing Connor breached protocol after knowing makes it appear so anyway. Essendon should have kept their players away from Europe and flying. The price of their poor choices (or even bad luck) should be born by Essendon and not shared with or passed on to others. Bottom line: Each club is responsible for fielding their team and Essendon failed to do so, so they forfeit the points. Anything else is BS and MFC should be and should have been strongly making those points to all and sundry from the start.

Melksham playing near his best is vital to our forward line and hard to match up, can pull down a mark one on one regularly.. However we have missed the presence Vanders the hard nosed bull that would liven up things out there and lead by example. Right on Dr G missed Vanders in 2019 and remember like yesterday of 2018 finals how good he was playing with minimal games for the year.. We are a better side with an injury free Vanders.

Put him back in defence. I really miss the level of anxiety I got when he was in control of the ball and kicking back up the ground.

I think you could get into trouble giving whisky and sleeping pills to a baby.

How many failures on the part of the Bombers in terms of the individual player and the club to adhere to the protocols does it take for the AFL to consider awarding the points to the club that’s the real victim of their breaches? This is particularly so in view of the fact that another of their players broke the rules a week earlier.

As per usual our club is scared to do anything but pull the company line. I want someone to come out and say we are sick of losing out because of other clubs doing the wrong thing.

If we kick 100 points in a real match and our tall forwards kick 0, is that "embarrassing"? I don't care who kicks them so long as we score enough to win. Getting Melksham back into form is equally important as TMac/Weid at any rate. You're in form for over-reactions this week, I reckon. It was an intra-club scratch match. Frustrated players who'd trained all week and had the game pulled away from them through no fault of theirs. And your major concerns are the Bennell 50 (which was bloody iffy, and at any rate committed by a player who hasn't played at AFL level for 2.5 years) and "possibly Jetta looking upset". Seriously? You're upset that a player showed emotion? I'll give you the Langdon one, but really, are these things we should genuinely be worried about?

I'm generally pretty optimistic I think, or at least willing to give the team time to prove themselves before writing them off. But if TMac doesnt find some form soon we are rooted. You can talk about gameplans and plan B's all you want but if you don't have a key forward you're going nowhere.

Great work by the club to organise a full scale intra club. Loved the energy from the b team after kicking goals. Looks like the best lead into the Geelong game given the circumstances. Lets hope Geelong can get on the park come Sunday.

I wasn’t sure if Hunt had a role after being overlooked at half back, but he’s found a home up forward. He had an ok year last year, was good last week, and was involved in plenty of those goals today.

Melksham 4 Fritsch 3 Brown 3 Spargo 2 Hunt 1 Pickett 1 Bennell 1 Hannan 1 Bedford 1 Jordon 1 C Wagner 1 Not concerned about Tom from very limited vision. Seemed to play as a pivot at CHF found space and distributed ball well.

Looks like Brayshaw, Jetta, Jones and Hibberd all started for blue. At some point Hibberd, OMac and Rivers switched (the latter two started red then went blue). From that footage, which is obviously limited, I thought Melksham looked infinitely better than last week.