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General warning to all. It's ok to argue your point without getting nasty. Also please use the ignore function if you do not like a posters views. Mods can't ban someone just for having an unpopular view. Abuse however is not tolerated regardless of opinion. I will add that if you continually bait people in an attempt to troll you may be warned or banned. I do not like doing this as what constitutes trolling can be subjective so please don't flog a dead horse. We're all frustrated with a lack of success. Have your opinions but keep it constructive and civil. We don't all have to agree but we have to be respectful. I'll remind people to please use the Report function to alert Mods rather than take the matter into your own hands further escalating the situation and derailing the discussion. Note that a differing view isn't necessarily a reportable offence. The ignore function is often handy in these situations. Also please refrain from any political, religious or ideological views in footy discussion.

Tigs have told Jack Higgins he's on the trade table. definitely someone we should absolutely be looking at. would add some chase and tackle pressure to our forward line that we currently lack, crafty around goals and provides a bit of X-Factor. Nathan Broad is another who i rate, he's not getting the interest he thought he might, but in terms of improving your bottom 6, that's a guy with the capacity to be a very good role player. I believe Broad is also a F/A so wouldn't cost anything.

RE: Brown. the market is very slim. the Saints think they're out of the race. Bombers have another target key forward, which on their part i think is a better decision for them. We're as good a fit for Brown as he is for us. the guy is an incredible player and Sam Weideman and Luke Jackson are going to learn a lot from him in terms of forward craft.

We probably need to all ease up on coaches as well, especially in light of recent events.

General warning to all. It's ok to argue your point without getting nasty. Also please use the ignore function if you do not like a posters views. Mods can't ban someone just for an unpopular view. Abuse however is not tolerated regardless of opinion.

Another season’s done and dusted and we at Demonland would like to thank all of you our contributors for your participation in this difficult year for the Melbourne Football Club. In particularly, I would like to thank Nasher for keeping the site together and to our feature writers George on the Outer, Whispering Jack, The Oracle and all of our other contributors for keeping Demonland going throughout season 2020. Also a big thank you to Whispering Jack, grapeviney and George on their tireless and often thankless efforts as Moderators. And now, we look forward to the future. Bring on 2021!

Thanks DL. Worth noting that all of us in Victoria right now don't need extra reason to feel crappy about life. Posts that attack fellow Demonlanders personally have real potential for negative consequences. Nothing we discuss here warrants making another individual feel that way.

Well that confuses things. You’re the source of mine.

Oh goody, I get to use it again...

Thanks Andy. Good timing too given the off season is my favorite time of year - hope springs eternal, all new recruits are guns and we are training the house down. Just one quibble. I will struggle to avoid political, religious or ideological views in my discussion of footy as all human communal activity is political in nature, footy is my religion and game plan is ideology.

I will add that if you continually bait people in an attempt to troll you may be warned or banned. I do not like doing this as what constitutes trolling can be subjective so please don't flog a dead horse. We're all frustrated with a lack of success. Have your opinions but keep it constructive and civil. We don't all have to agree but we have to be respectful.

4 years. which i think is fine, backing Brown to still be a good player at 32

So Buckenara is suggesting we trade one of our Top 2 midfielders (at the ripe old age of 23) if it meant getting something too good to refuse? And what would that be? A couple of first round draft picks? So that we can develop them to potentially become one of our Top 2 midfielders? I honestly don't know what sort of offer would have to be made for me to consider letting him go. And I mean something that would be realistic. These sort of trade suggestions make absolutely no sense to me.

The best midfielder and the best player in the game who just won his 3rd Norm Smith spends a whole lot of time out of the midfield. Why - because Dusty doesn't have a great tank (same as Tracc) and his best value is creating or kicking goals as well as playing high game time. Tracc should play the same role. Start in the midfield for a high number of centre clearances then rotate forward calling his own changes with a half forward - Harmes, Sparrow, Viney whoever. If he gets a good match up he can go deeper and exploit the one on one, if he doesn't he can rest around half forward when the ball is down back then rotate back in. If he's just going to play as a pure mid he'll play 75% game time and spend a lot of it at backline stoppages. If he plays the Dusty role he can play 90% game time and hit the scoreboard far more often.

Trac should never leave the midfield, unless it is to go use the bathroom he’s that good a player.

If the article is correct and they are paying him $900K for 5 years, then there would be few suitors. And while the article suggests Collingwood will pay $200K of that, it will still be too big a pill for most clubs to swallow. Besides...why help them out with their salary cap problems, of their own making?

I've never taken anything ET has posted as anything but serious. certainly never seen any indication that he has any humor attached to his incredible newsbreaking posts. I can also confirm ET is the source of ALL of my information.

That’s what I’m hearing mate. #ETthetradebreaker.

With all due respect this post, like many of your 500 odd posts since you started posting on Demonland, is obtuse and reflects what appears to be yet another deliberate attempt to foment dissent and wind people up - a behavior consistent with someone trolling. And like a very high number of your posts your critique of other posters is remarkably hypocritical - which as i gather is a favorite trope of trolls. To be clear i am not accusing you of trolling, just pointing out some of your behavior is consistent with a troll. Only you know if you are in fact trolling. Be that as it may this post is just plain rubbish. For you to suggest the tone on this site should be more respectful is hypocrisy in the extreme given the approach to posting you have decided to take since joining this community. This thread would not exist if not for that decision. I have been posting on Demonland for about 10 year. I don't get bothered by posters who decide to take the approach you have, though i fully understand why others do. As result I tend to not people on ignore. I just try to avoid reading their posts or engaging is discussion. That said i do have an exclusive club of binman ignorees. Long term and newer posters would recognise some of the esteemed twenty four members (though i suspect there are some double ups ie posters who have come back under a different name) of this club - Tonotopia, Roost it, mjt, middy malt and Curry & Beer. Welcome to the club Half Forward Flank. No correspondence will be entered into.

I think this is true, in that if you ignore all aspects of politics, social issues etc. you dont make it apolitical, you just make it "conservative" (I'm meaning the current political status quo, not using that as a pejorative). For example, the current discussion around coaches mental health is inherently "political". Is calling someone "crazy" offensive or is that "too PC"? Should they "toughen up" or is that "toxic masculinity"? Are we as a society doing enough to support mental health? What about our role as an AFL community? I'd hope that any discussion that does touch on these topics need not be automatically banned because they are relevant to how we think and analyse, interpret and understand. But also how it plays out determines that: arguing, fighting, baiting, trolling, doesn't help. And when these issues derail the conversatio and become the focus, it changes from a footy convo with social commentary to a political, religious or ideological discussion, and this probably isn't the place for that. My experience here has been overwhelmingly positive, I think most of us do a good job of avoiding conflicts or derailments. But special thanks must go to the admin and mod team for making it a great space.

Essendon think Saad is worth more than pick 7 but Dunkley is only worth a late first. They’re all insane

On Jackson i reckon with brown and weed in the team he will play almost a half forward utility role, such is his athleticism and ability below his knees. Get up and down the ground the way Hogan - and tmac in 2018 - did. Be a marking option when exiting our back half and of course still be an aerial threat up forward. He has unique attributes and of course he will do some rucking but I can also see him playing as a mid at times with Max rucking. He is something special. Really looking to seeing him after his first full preseason, with some space at the g and proper length quarters.

Big yes to Jack Higgins. He would be a walk up start in any team’s best 22 aside from Richmond who prefer Castagna, Lambert, Bolton and Rioli. We saw how valuable the discarded Butler was for the Saints this season. I rate Higgins even higher. Would be rapt to see him in the red and blue.

If Higgins is available this year we should be interested IMO. I think he's a pretty good small forward. As to Billings, I do not rate him as highly as others, and certainly not highly enough to trade Brayshaw for.

No idea if these are two of the guys Dr EvIl is talking about but a mate told me today that we're interested in Ed Richards and Jack Billings. No idea what that means in terms of likelyhood of getting them, but apparently they're two players we'd like to get across if we can.

Dustin Martin says hello

I’ve always read his “inside word” on trades etc as being a gag.

Regardless of our views we have a right to our opinion Yes, and being respectful of each other after all we follow the same club and that means we have a connection you like it or not. If you don't like some ones opinion so be it. Move on I fell in love with this great football club in 1960 and l blame my father for that but l thank him forever.

It's your forum. Whilst I understand that it's a difficult line to tread, you do have the right and ability to warn/ban posters who are being obvious trolls. That way we can reduce the loss of quality posters from this site.

Brown and smith are coming, hind I think will as well, and there are two other players who’d walk into our best 22 that haven’t been mentioned on here that I’ve been asked not to name. But I’m sure demonlanders won’t complain when the names are revealed. we’re desperate to get young macrae through the door. looking at a similar restructure to our list as the saints had last year introducing a lot of speed to their side

Said it before, those with good inside mail aren't posting here (probably with the exception of the good Dr) But its all a bit of fun for s**ts and giggles, no need for anyone to take it personally.

give it a rest, nev........................please

Ben Brown has kicked 60+ goals three times. Even if diminishing, I would take half that for pick 23 and it isn’t even a discussion. Sometimes it seems there is some overthinking from fans and clubs... If you get an opportunity to get proven talent into your list for a slightly cut price, you take it.

This could be our biggest list turnover in ages.

Demonland does pretty well, I reckon. I watched for a few months before joining and posting. Spent that time identifying obvious trolls and other posters to avoid. I recommend everyone follow a similar strategy wherever you go on the net. It's the nature of the beast that all 'conversations' end in disputes unless individuals take steps to restrain themselves... or that's been my experience since learning to email belatedly way way back in 2002....

I wouldn't do Brayshaw for Billings. The former is a much better player. Sure, Billings had a better 2020, but it would take more than Billings to make me trade Gus.

Can we keep the thread on track by not baiting each other? Be interested to hear whether those two names @Dr evil alluded to are the same two names @Patches O’houlihan has heard.

Hear, hear!

I am hearing whispers of a trade but waiting to break it once he signs.

Would it be fair to say, ET, that the joke is on those that take your trade whispers too seriously?! ?

It's the wilful abuse and denigration of players - especially certain players - that is most depressing. It's also gutless.

I have been told that Isaac Smiths body is as sound as a 26yr old due to his late start into the AFL

Or potentially Jordan out of respect for his mate, thought it was his decision to announce..

Have to roll these threads out every year it seems. Winning a premiership won't be the solution. People will complain about the sheen of the Cup.

Trengove to Gold Coast. Isaac Smith to Gold Coast. Watts to Geelong. Schache to Melbourne. Motlop to Suns. Brad Hill back to Hawks. McGovern NOT going to Blues. Shiel to Melbourne. Gaff to North. Picks 4 and 5 for Hogan. Weitering being traded. Just some of the classic hits of #ETtheTradeBreaker Keep punching champ.