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Fair dinkum, this bloke is an absolute credit to himself, to his family, to the club, and to all indigenous people whom he seeks to speak for. Nev is obviously also an invaluable mentor for the younger indigenous players who come to the club - right now, Kossie Pickett and Toby Bedford, each of whom are very important players for us and who are at a critical phase in their AFL journey. It’s hard to find a guy we’ve recruited since who has done more for this club in an off field capacity than this guy. And, to think, he was picked at 51 in the 2008 draft - the return on this pick relative to so many higher picks we’ve had since then has been remarkable. I hope the club keeps him involved in some capacity for the remainder of his working career - I’ve no doubt there’s a very valuable role he can perform for us and the AFL more generally. Go Dees.

Demons to be free of debt and AFL control Key Points: Melbourne's surprising financial position included the following factors: The sale of the Leighoak gaming venue – following the 2018 decision of president Glen Bartlett's board to withdraw from gaming – had netted more than $10 million, which was used to create a $7.5 million investment portfolio that the club can draw down on. The club had the huge asset of the Bentleigh Club (gaming) venue freehold, which could be worth more than $20 million according to industry sources when revalued. This had been acquired in 2011, when the Bentleigh Club was indebted and was merged with the Melbourne Football Club (effectively a takeover) – a little-known transaction from the Jim Stynes board that has proven significant. The Bentleigh Club is slated to cease gaming operations in 2022, and the club had to decide what to do with what was now valuable land and their main asset. The Demons have saved close to $500,000 in rent at their AAMI Park base, according to Pert, having renegotiated that deal for this pandemic-hit season while forced to train at Casey. The club had launched its "Proud to belong, proud to give'' fundraising campaign, which Pert said would reap close to $1 million. The MCC's payments to MCG tenants, despite the loss games, would provide upwards of $400,000 to the club this year. The retention of the Alice Springs game – scheduled next weekend against St Kilda – would provide more than $600,000. Of their major sponsors, the Demons had lost only China Southern Airlines, which could no longer fly into Australia. They have retained key sponsors Zurich, Jaguar, Hertz, IG Investments and Furphy Beer. "They've also re-committed for next year,'' said Pert. The club had re-engaged a working party, which was backed by the AFL and state government, to look at the club's proposed new training/administrative base. For me the most important thing is the last line. So hopefully we can keep the asset revenue for that base. Well done to all.

Dimma: “Real men don’t cry, they grab each other’s balls and butts in the change room”

Our old mate Tom Browne reporting Gawn won't play - he didn't train today - but Preuss is looking good.

The Joseph Gutnick Board and CEO Hassa Mann started the MFC/Bentleigh Club alignment, which today sees us with a $20 million asset. Saving us from a merger and helping our long term financial future. Added to a personal $2.7 million donation, Gutnick , who really knew nothing about footy, has left a lasting contribution to the MFC. Now we are a debt free club. Wow!

Very impressed with this: Pert said fewer than 100 members had sought refunds and remarkably it had seen more than $100,000 flow into the club in membership and donations since they demolished Collingwood last Saturday. The Demons are believed to have had the fewest membership refunds of any club. Nothing like beating Collingwood to fire up demon supporters!

Is it possible that Richmond have finally gone properly ahead of themselves? Would be hilarious if they now dropped a couple of their upcoming games, whether it's Freo or Essendon for the upsets or just some good solid failures against the eagles and cats. Their top 4 ambitions already look shaky, any slip-up and it's an elimination final. Wouldn't mind earning first shot at them, too.

I’d have him back. Talent like that doesn’t disappear.

For those that were thinking of 'trading' Viney ie letting him go as an FA, it isn't happening. Goodwin said in his press conf today that the club and Jack have been talking contracts for a while and he will be with the club for a long time to come. ?

There was another camera angle. They only showed it once, iirc a least a quarter later. Shows Long lining Simmonds up from 20-30 metres away charging full tilt for the hip to the top of the head. An absolute disgrace. Never cared what anyone said since - despise Long.

Preuss to give football an English lesson.

just hope for a draw with injuries galore and half the players on report

Dear Abby, I'm torn about who to barrack for in the Rich vs Ess game this week. I usually have no trouble barracking for the team whose win is in the Demons' interest. Advice please. Yours, Perplexed of Demonland

Their mids taking a 'running start' at stoppages if the ball is tapped to the outside. Our ruckman needs to ensure the ball taps go to the inside by either getting the tap first or by body position. That will help stop their forward momentum. My guess is they will try this really early in the game to get a few quick goals and build scoreboard pressure from the get go. So we need to be switched on from the first bounce as early leads are proving hard to pin back with shorter quarters/games.

Yeah nah I've got no time at all for Hardwick on this. His full forward is developing [censored] tendencies, and so is he. The blatant hypocrisy of telling the football world not to judge Lynch on his two separate indiscretions but then to distract from Schwarz's comments whilst referring to something that happened 20 years ago is as stark as it is dumb. It only gets worse when you analyse it further and realise what he's referring to is a series of Essendon players being flogs.

Hardwick - what a scumbag. Wallis fractured Brad Green's larynx and sent him to hospital and Long nearly paralysed Troy Simmonds and that scumbag is lauding this as some kind of great example! Lynch is a sniper and a sook - very hateable.

didnt know where to put this. it really does sound like the off field stuff is working really well. just need the boys to play finals, beginning with a win over the dogs this weekend, for the club to truly move forward. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/demons-to-be-free-of-debt-and-afl-control-20200821-p55o40.html

Can't think of any.

Goes to show that Pert and co have actually been working hard behind the scenes to improve our finances, assets and home base. The quiet achievers. Love it.

The last thing anyone needs is another Meth Coast premiership, and I fear that if it's held at Optus there'll be 60,000 booing mutants willing them (and the umpires) over the line. In addition to that, Queensland has saved the season and deserve to host it.

No change Thumbs up

Slightly off topic but is it just me that a week feels like an eternity now given we’ve had 4 and 5 day breaks. Feel like forever for this game to come around. But can’t wait ?

Come home Jesse ?❤

Very very stupid move by Hardwick to dredge up the 2000 Grand Final; illustrating the gutless violence that Essendon served up that day.

$619,842 today....

Fails badly on the simple test - how many clicks does it take to get to what you want When I used it for the first time earlier in the year I couldn't believe how hard it was to find the match centre/results page. They used to have a nice graphic at the top of the homepage that showed each game for the round. Now it's this annoying pop-up that is not user friendly at all.

Nothings for free. Bruce and Bt should probably call it a day.

Suns looking like a team that’s played three games in nine days.

Would have him back in a heart beat.

Adelaide Oval

I really like it. No change is a great sign.

“The Demons are believed to have had the fewest membership refunds of any club.” Anyone that says we aren’t passionate and care about our club can suck on that! ? I never like our club going the early crow though saying we’ll be debt free by this time next year, if there’s one certainly in football it’s that nothing is certain. Still they have done a truly remarkable job in difficult times.

Dimma would have a field day with me. I almost tear up after every Dees win these days?

Meeting them in the finals is where we will get our revenge

Such a shame we have already played Richmond Such a Shame

This isn't a great sign for Richmond, TBH. Some ageing footballers who have lost a bit of their youthful zip get frustrated because things are harder for them than they used to be. That's when you see little things like Ablett Jnr give a couple of little sneaky one where he never used to. It's usually an indicator that the veteran is just hanging on and they know they're not as good as their brain instinctively remembers itself to be. Richmond have had some pretty dodgy moments this year. I dare say that things aren't as easy as they used to be and they're feeling very vulnerable. I think Dimma has just given about 8 other clubs a real shot of confidence with those (hilariously stupid) comments.

I felt quite emotional when I saw our 5 proud indigenous men introducing themselves and the people and lands that they belong to. When you think what indigenous people have had to put up with - in their own land - over the past 200 years or so, after developing a culture that’s lasted more than 60,000 years...It’s time to start listening to them - enough is enough.

21 degs forecast, sunny with low humidity. But the strong westerly is still forecast (32kmh gusting to over 40). That is slightly diagonally across the ground at Metricon. Probably not a great day for Naughton and a fair bit of ground ball to be won.

Personal insult to the Ox. Professional insult to fellow coach, Horse a few weeks ago. Leopards don't change their spots: once a thug, always a thug. He has simply changed his weapon.

Dimwit might be more apt.

It was Hardwick. I've hated him and Wallis ever since. Brutal thugs.

Harsh on Smith I reckon. He had played a handful of games. A few fwd then injured, then a few back. he had enough attributes to persevere with. He at least needs a run of game fwd before we give up on him.

The Smith experiment is finished. To me it was either forward or bust and unfortunately it's looking bust for Smith.

Good clip - Schwarta took on 3 of them and then slammed the great Bomber hero Jimmy into the turf. Looked like he knew how to take care of himself.

Current - Clayton Oliver. Will finish his career as the best midfielder to ever don the red and blue. He's the best ball-winning midfielder in my lifetime and still has so much potential to become an even more damaging player. If he reaches his potential then he'll be a league superstar. He's already well on his way with multiple BnFs and All Australian at such a young age! Past - Travis Johnstone. Smooth mover and a sublime kick, I still miss him firing lasers onto Neitz's chest. We haven't had a player of his class since. He was tagged his whole career and yet still led the league for years in effective kicks and inside 50s and score assists. He was a big game player too, was always amongst our best in finals. That 2002 semi-final against Adelaide is still the best and worst match I've attended. Other past favorites - Allen Jakovich, Jeff Farmer, David Schwartz, Stephen Tingay, Adem Yze.

What I find interesting about this particular clip is not that Lloyd squibs, but that big tough man Wallis seems to break a nail and is pretty upset about it. A pity that football club isn't defunct.

They have an excellent system around contests so they can whisk the ball away to players standing outside the contest. A few weeks ago we were all stacks on the mill in the contest and I wouldn't have given us much of a chance. The last three or so games and especially last week we've really started to keep a structure out of the contest. If we do that I fancy our chances. If we don't we'll be playing into their hands. Feels like as big of a game as we've had in quite a while. Wouldn't have been if we'd lost last week. Go Dees!!

Current: Oliver. A class above the rest. Has the skills, the size and the potential to be the best player in the AFL in time. All time: The incomparable, unmatchable Robbert Flower. Better by several orders of magnitude above all that have played VFL/AFL, not just Dees, in the 60+ years I have watched.

Ditto on May. Bloke is so passionate