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Was one of the five who went today, and ironically went on the motorbike, although I left the family and the dog behind. Missed most of the early match sims so didn't see Trenners train. From what I saw a pretty light session. Couple of things I noticed. The sheer size of Petracca is impressive, especially across the shoulders. Gawn has become the Heart and the Soul of this group. At the end of the session he was whooping and hollering, "We got a game on this Saturday boys". Revving up the whole group. Took some happy snaps http://imgur.com/a/ac5UL

No need to panic.

Five people and a dog there today. One wonders where all the tragics are on the eve of our first hit out? Trengrove looked particularly smart and l can see him regaining his spot in our starting 22 earlier rather than later (but possibly not for the NAB Challenge). Kennedy also looks like he can play and nice to see Petracca moving well (although he confirmed that he also is not a starter in the nab). Hogan was Hogan and will star on Saturday! Good session with skill levels improving as the session developed. No injuries and the boys all seem raring to go. Go Dees!

I have been attended training for the last five years on an infrequent basis. Intially (because I knew no better ) I thought that our training standards were good. In comparison with what I am seeing this year and last year I can see just how far behind we really were. The Group dynamic has changed dramatically. We no longer have a group of introverts. These guys like each others company. You can hear them urging each other on. They take the p out of each other as well and have a laugh doing it.Gawn,Vince,Hogan,Petracca,Kent, Viney and Vandenberg all have swagger. For the first time in eons the boys are comfortable in their skins. For the first time in ages they look like a football team and behave like a team. All we need now is for them to play like a team.

He seemed to and was moving comfortably. He stood out, particularly on skills.

I am no fan of the AFL or any organisation for that matter. All organisations suffer from corruption, power, politics and egos that can so easily change the way things are done. Sporting organisations are probably worse because the men at the helm are well....let's say diplomatically speaking, punching above their weight. The AFL runs a hopelessly compromised competition. The stakeholders involve TV, digital and media players, the gaming industry, and any number of unholy businesses. At the same time, the AFL has to accommodate the clubs. The nature of the business model and the innate culture of the competition naturally means that the powerful clubs have most sway. At the same time, the AFL under the funding arrangements and influenced by its own rhetoric pay lip service to the other clubs. The AFL is like a coalition of the Liberal Party and the Labor Party or Capitalism and Democratic Socialism. It is a difficult business to manage and can only operate through influence, deal making and collusion. Andrew and Gill are deal makers and increasingly the deals are about money and power both at an organisational level and a personal level. I am completely cynical about professional sport yet I still yearn for the contest. To watch a great game or a champion weave his magic. A Jesse Hogan crashing a pack . It is the game that matters. Let's hope the greed and the power does not get the better of the game. The power of TV companies and gambling to unduly influence when and how the hand is played worries me. Overplay their hand and the game from the publics perspective will be irretrievably damaged. Night Grand Finals will happen . Rule changes will happen. Yet in all of this despair Jesse Hogan or Jack Viney will still have the Demon faithful on their feet. We will still celebrate our tribal loyalty and unity against the other tribes.

The way I'm reading it is this - sign James Harmes to a 10 year contract and Jesse will follow suit. C'mon Peter, you know what to do...

Afl to my mind is in serious trouble. Sure the dollars are rolling in in record numbers. But when clubs are stuck at the bottom of the ladder for years and years When those same clubs become feeder clubs for those perennially in the top 8 When the top 8 clubs dont need the draft because they just cherry pick the best players from the lower clubs When the afl pretty much supports drug cheating and will no doubt give essendon all the support in the world despite the fact that the entire club cheated the other 17 clubs When loud music etc become essential to the "pre game experience" When its not about the footy any more but about the entertainment When fans of competing clubs cant get into grand finals because the corporate types are there Well, its in a very sick place imho.

I was listening to Triple M this morning joking about Vickery, I hadn't seen the footage so had no idea. I thought it was funny. Now looking at that, I can't believe they made light of the situation. This is really serious. As to the state of the AFL, I struggle with many things: - Compromised draw - A broadcast rights deal that doesn't benefit fans - Self-interested position on the EFC/Doping scandle - Expansion club concessions and the ripple effect it's had on entrenching the power clubs - A flawed free agency plan that further entrenches power clubs - Incorrect and inconsistent MRP and tribunal decisions - Intrusion of betting advertising - A system that allows a #1 draft pick to up and leave after only 1 year - Bad stadium deals - A draft system that is supposed to help equalise the competition, but doesn't - A salary cap system that is easy to rort - Cringe-worthy commentary teams (not necessarily the AFL's fault though I guess, but it reduces my enjoyment of the game) - Inconsistent umpiring (make a call and stick to it, don't have it officiated different ways WITHIN THE SAME WEEKEND OR EVEN THE SAME GAME) I think I said this in another thread, I wish I could just leave the game behind but I can't. I just love the GAME. I honestly love it. But the leadership and administration of the entity known as 'The AFL' appals me.

Absolutely agree. My immediate thought upon reading the article is that this is probably being driven by Jesse's manager who's giving his client sensible advice in the circumstances. I harbour no fear about the pull of the West. My concern is more that a club like Hawthorn will have a red hot crack at luring him. Against that, we are a club on the way up, he is mates with all of the future talent on the list, we have the financial resources and coaching acumen to keep him, and we have a narrative to success that no one other club possesses - i.e. the old, irrelevant foundation club which has been the laughing stock of the comp for decades, recruits a band of brothers who transform the club into a professional, hard edged, competitive force that dominates the competition for years to come - it's the stuff of movies. And Jesse can lead that charge. It's gotta be a far more compelling proposition than simply taking over the baton at a club which has won 6 flags in 10 years. I would've thought the odds are heavily stacked in our favour to keep him. For a very long time. Go bless us all, heh.

Funny http://titusoreily.com/melbourne-chat-to-jesse-hogans-manager/

Hogan and Harmes.

I used to love going to the Grand final, watching the U19's reserves and then waiting for the main game to start. It was an atmosphere that you couldn't beat. The AFL want to copy the American Football, but don't realise that their game is so boring that they need to sign huge acts to provide entertainment. We have a game that IS the entertainment......If I want to go to a rock concert I will buy tickets to that concert. I don't need loud music, fancy dancing girls, Some ground announcer telling me when to cheer. It is just fluff. As soon as the AFL produce it's OWN brand the better off the supporters will be

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-02-25/at-80-the-life-and-times-of-ron-barassi What a wonderfully full life! Full of challenges, setbacks and highspots. I had forgotten many of the things listed. Still in awe that he trekked the the Kokoda Track when he was 70! There aren't enough superlatives to describe him. I'll try a few: Legend Champion Inspirational Reilient Hero Wouldn't it be great to win another premiership in Ron's lifetime!

I'm grateful that the club has gone back to the 9.45 am starting time. Beats having to turn up at Gosch's Paddock in the middle of the night and discovering the place is inhabited by bats and Victory fans.

A truly great man, and a great player. Lucky enough to watch him through the late 50s and early 60 with #31 on my MFC jumper. And post football he has been an enormous contributor to many causes especially veterans' welfare. Probably the person for whom I have the most respect.

When I worked in a bottle shop in St Kilda in early 2006 in came Ron Barassi. He was looking for a good bottle of plonk. He was humble, polite, a nice human being.When I told him I'd been a Demon supporter since 1958 he became very friendly. He talked up Melbourne's chances for the coming season. As he left the shop he turned around, gave a big smile, and said, Go Demons! ( I met David Neitz at the same shop. He was just as friendly and just as talkative. We share a kraut ancestry. Great player.)

It is what it is, and it's not new. It's just more pronounced these days. I try not to worry about it. When they were the red and blue they matter. When they don't then they don't. Put it this way: every trade season we all cry out that we want to poach an A grader from somewhere. We went hard after Dangermouse and no-one cried that we were ruining the game by doing so. I don't see anyone whining that we are unethical chasing Dion. Quite the opposite... we all rub our hands in glee. Anyway, we'll offer Jesse a very good contract and he'll accept it on the basis he likes his teammates and the direction of the club, or reject it because he doesn't see anything worth getting fired about... or he might think we are a great club and loves his mates here but simply wants to go home... either way money wont be the issue because I reckon we'd match whatever offer he was given, if only for the marketing angle.

On another matter he looked awesome at training today.

Agreed! If anyone is still feeling nervous may this be reassuring: "Hogan hasn’t seen many victories in his three years at the club, but if it can continue on its current trajectory then he’ll sign for life....He wants to see the club achieve success as much as the most passionate Demons fan and is heavily invested in making that happen...It’s hard to see him walk out on the Demons just as they, including best mate James Harmes, are about make a return to finals for the first time in more than a decade". That is fairly strong! And among the tea leave reading by all the journos on this, there is zero indication that he may leave. It is actually good to be dealing with a sensible player manager. Remember the mess the respective manager's of Scully, Clarke and Howe made of negotiations and the merry dance they played with the club. This is different, the delay seems genuine and not gaming by the manager.

Great article by Adam Baldwin http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/jesse-hogan-contract-why-young-key-forward-shouldnt-sign-a-new-contract-with-melbourne/news-story/3d98eee926ab09fb2cdca6f337dad062

He's staying!!!!

He's gone!!

They were already doing pretty well though...

The fish rots at the head. The league is an incestuous boys club. Instead of getting a real CEO from outside the AFL world with fresh views and ideas, they just pass the torch to Gil the dill.

I was actually searching for a gif of lemmings going off a cliff, but found that one to be more appropriate. I think it's from a Spanish tv show.

This is the first time I've seen a player with this much speculation on their next contract with a further two years to run on their current one. He only just signed an extension last year, why would he sign another when he's not even halfway through the last? Footy media are such vultures.

I'm tempted to open up a separate thread - a Jesse Hogan panic room - where those who have misunderstood this latest development can gather and stress each other out, leaving this thread for its intended purpose, which is to celebrate the great man and marvel at his feats.

we all do realise hes saying end of this season...and he's STILL contracted for the one after !!!

The management of the AFL over the last 15 years has been magnificent. Aussi rules football has become a truly national game that is competing with and beating world sports in soccer, rugby and basketball in this country. It's recently signed a record breaking media deal that is the envy of just about every other Australian sport underwriting its position and that of it's 18 clubs for the foreseeable future. Over a significant period memberships and attendances have increased all the time competing with other sports. Recently a black man asked a white woman out and that caused national debate. I briefly read that a white woman dressed up as a black rapper and upset someone who I don't think was even there. We've become a nation that is not only a nanny state and excuse makers but we are teaching our people to not only be offended by innocuous things but we are teaching them to search for things to be offended by. We are turning into a bunch of whingers and bludgers. This thread about the AFL fits that paradigm beautifully. The AFL is there to provide the clubs with an infrastructure to compete. They set rules that mean the weak can survive and in some cases thrive as the Dogs and Kanga's have shown. The AFL is a socialist organization and that is the only reason we still have a footy club to support. Within the environment they provide the well managed clubs will thrive and the poorly managed clubs will struggle. On any sort of right to exist basis we've blown it on a number of occasions yet here we are on the verge of a season with genuine hope of becoming a successful team. You can scratch at the edges. You can [censored] about individual decisions, but really, the AFL is at fault for putting on "pre game experience" which is popular with the young and the future generations that will support the sport? And when we have a statement like "when it's not about the footy anymore but about entertainment" I just shake my head. When has footy not been entertainment. And show me any major sport around the world where the "ordinary punter" gets to grand finals. We have been a dud club because we've had dud Boards who have appointed dud CEO's. It was the AFL that finally said enough is enough and installed their own Board and CEO and suddenly we look ok. And by the way, they gave us enough money to pay out all the contracts of the duds we'd employed plus some. Thankfully Jackson isn't sitting back lamenting the "unfairness" of the AFL. He's doing what previous CEO's have failed to do. He's managing the place beautifully. He's employing industry standard people in the FD and administration. He's looking at developing our supporter base in NT and now the Chinese community. He's getting on with it while some of our supporters sip their coffee and just find things to complain about and justify why we've been crapp for the last decade. Well enjoy the ride boys and when we have success in whatever form that takes sit back and thank the AFL for supporting us when we were down and out, giving us enough money to survive and stay in the competition, putting in place a competent CEO when we were junk and providing an environment were they allow all clubs the chance to succeed if they are good enough. Essendon and Carlton look like being the worst clubs in the AFL this year and Kanga's and Dogs a couple of the good ones. What's that about strong clubs remaining strong? Rather than blaming others we need to take responsibility for ourselves and get on with it. The attitude of the OP is the typical response of those that just want to blame others. Thankfully Jackson thinks differently and the AFL provide an environment that at least gives us a chance.

Such as this: “Jesse has already indicated his commitment to Melbourne in late 2014 when he extended his contract by an extra two more years without playing a game...Melbourne is where he wants to be and nothing has changed. He is heavily committed to the Melbourne footy club and nothing has changed.” from Jesse's manager. Sounds fine to me!

Just a smart move. Most players don't negotiate a new contract 2 years out. Some do, but if I was Hogan's manager and there was going to be a new CBA I'd say wait too. I doubt it's Hogan's idea, just good management, which is what he's paying for. Unlike Pirlo above, I'm very relaxed that he'll stay. He loves his teammates and they love him.

The Ox in the Age today says he thinks he has been offered an option of a 3 or 5 year contract for roughly a million a year and yet he has asked for more time and they have thrown up the new TV rights agreement whatever it is called as playing a part in their thoughts. Yes this may increase total salary caps at clubs but really what game are they playing? I don't think it is about money. Either he is off to WA or he is waiting to gauge our improvement as a side before comitting. Either way modern footy shytes me, as a minnow club you know if you uncover a talent, it will now be a battle to keep them.

Spot on. The argument that his management is waiting till the salary cap increase goes through is bogus. Based on that logic, no player will extend their contracts early, yet just this week, Sidebottom and Talia have extended their contracts long term. The fact that the club admitted that they sat down with Hogan and his management to outline our onfield ambitions is concerning. If a player was content, why the need to give them a reassurance? My concern is that Hogan may love living in Melbourne, and clubs other than Freo may come into play.

I believe Jack Viney will be setting the bar long before Oliver will be. He'll just follow in his footsteps.

But this is 2 years out. It makes sense to hold if. if after this season he puts talks on hold for another year....then we panic!

afl integrity team

Players lawyer taunting the CAS

Sorry mandee there is 6 people on the bike. Can't be them.

I have a recollection of a story my father told me about Dame Nellie Melba. In her contract it stated that she would be the highest paid female singer in the world. So regardless of what went on, if another singer received a pay rise then hers automatically went up. Perhaps a similar offer to Hogan. Not the female singer bit! I think this is a wise move by his manager and I am not worried yet. If next year they say they want to wait till the end if the season then I will worry.

The night grand final is purely media driven. The TV ratings are higher at night. That's all there is too it. The rest of it is absolute rubbish. What a surprise that Ch 7 and Foxtel (also AFL Media and SEN) generate 'public' demand for a night grand final where there is none.

" The equation is simple. Take another step forward and Hogan, and others for that matter, want to remain at the club. Regress, and a football club, no matter which, leaves itself vulnerable." Spot on. http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/jesse-hogan-contract-why-young-key-forward-shouldnt-sign-a-new-contract-with-melbourne/news-story/3d98eee926ab09fb2cdca6f337dad062

- Play reserves games before the main game. - The bottom 4 teams get the first 8 draft picks. i.e bottom team gets picks 1 & 5. Second last has picks 2 & 6 - The top 4 clubs cannot enter into free agency. - Free Agency compensation continues. - Collingwood plays one game at Geelong every year and has at least two scheduled 4-40 games on a Sunday. - MFC plays all it's day games at either 1-10 or 2-10.

Hogan still has two years to run though, there's absolutely no need for this to even be a story let alone them 'put pressure on.'

I am very aware of Coates and Fahey's positions on sporting bodies and their respective position on drugs in sport. And I was not talking about Olympic sports or standing up to drug cheats, or the IAAF. You completely missed my point which was about not taking the AFL to task over its handling of EFC and players and how the incestuous relationships among key players are compromising.

Will be nice to see him tackle Wines or ToumpAs into the ground this weekend

Melbourne Demons training report as commented upon by a devoted fan ahead of looming AFL season Well done again tasmanlvr!!!

Mfcss running at 12/10

I disagree on John Coates. He is heavily involved in WADA and is Chairman of CAS. He is on record consistently about standing up to drug cheats and along with John Fahey, has consistently said that Essendon should take their medicine if they are found guilty by the international sport tribunals. The Olympic sports in Australia are the ones that insist on consistency in drug enforcement. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the individual sports international organisations, particularly the IAAF. I THINK Coates has done an admirable job in creating as much as possible a drugs free environment for Australian Olympics sports.