MikeyJ

Hmm, tried that but no luck. No response from MFC, on hold to NB for ~25 mins twice without getting through. Will try another PC tonight on another network to see if that has any effect.

Yep, I'm having the same issue now. Have tweeted the club and am on hold to NB now. Will let you know how it goes.

You still don't get it. Every report on this matter identified News Corp papers, or the Herald Sun specifically, as the source of the names. AFAIK, no other media organisation has identified the players. That means, either explicitly or implicitly, every media organisation has made the decision NOT to name the players and in effect, explicitly or implicitly take a morally superior position to the Herald Sun. By your reasoning, that opens them up to "poor journalism" as you see it. Yet Caroline Wilson is the only one you're taking a shot at. Baffling. You're right, you're certainly no expert in the field. Don't get me wrong - there is huge room for debate as to the Herald Sun's position and whether it was the right one. That's I don't get why your first reaction to the story was to 'bash' a journalist whose only sin in this instance was to write unfavourably about the Demons in the past.

I made the initial criticism and I didn't misread it. I think you're wrong. EVERY news report about the issue has identified either the Herald Sun specifically or News Corp's Sunday papers generally as the source of the named players. Is every reporter wrong? I doubt it. Why have you singled out Caro? Seemingly because of some personal bias. Again, I suggest that you don't know what poor journalism is.

This is a ridiculous piece of criticism. Had Wilson not identified where the players were going to be named, you'd be crucifying her for withholding information relevant to the story. And it IS relevant to the story, whether you like it or not. Wilson's not the only one to have identified the Herald Sun as the source of publication. What about AAP, among others. Would you really prefer ALL journalists reporting on this story to NOT mention where the players' names were revealed? If so, you have no idea what poor journalism is.

I thought the same thing when I saw that stat. Tragic, isn't it? The line that resonated most for me - and the fact that seems to finally have caught on with so many commentators - is this: 'Melbourne supporters are sick of the ineptitude of the club and its players.' The very least we supporters can take out of it is that our discontent has been noticed. For once, no one is suggesting we lack passion.

It's a waste of time, it makes the club look like we're trying to bend the rules (again) and it makes us look amateurish at best. Tim Harrington should have played a straight bat 'no' to any queries about Hogan being eligible for 2013, instead of feeding the flames.

Apologies for prolonging the thread derailment but geez, if you're going to post 'facts' to support an argument, at least make sure they're correct.

It must be noted that Nick Riewoldt spent significant time in 2002 - his first B&F season at St Kilda - playing at centre half back. Also, I'm not sure where you got your stats from but my resource (AFL Tables) says he averaged 14.5 touches and 8.1 marks to go with his 21 goals. Considering Riewoldt led the league for marks (178) and won the Saints' B&F, polling 11 Brownlow votes, it's fair to say that Jack Watts' 2011 was a fair way behind Nick Riewoldt's 2002.

No aspiring AFL player in their right mind would turn down an invite to the AIS/AFL Academy.

To correct a few assertions already made in this thread: - The NRL have just appointed a CEO, a bloke named David Smith who is a banking executive from Wales. He professed not to know who Aussie league skipper Cameron Smith was. Agree with Left Field that John Grant has not distinguished himself after 12 months as ARLC chairman, nor is he likely to do so in future. - AA was once considered the likely successor to Demetriou, but that is clearly now Gillon McLachlan after AD's endorsement of him following the NRL's pursuit. - I get why people might not like Anderson but the idea that the League dumped its footy operations manager in the wake of senior operations official Rod Austin quitting, and the recent departure of two other members of the AFL executive doesn't bear up to scrutiny. FWIW, I am inclined to take Anderson's comments at the presser at face value. Time for a new challenge, which I reckon will likely be at Arden Street as CEO.

Ben Warren, Sam Lonergan or Hawks rookie Tom Schneider for mine. Wouldn't touch any of the others - especially Gram who has been dumped by the Saints for behaviour and character issues.

We spent a week trying to get Stefan Martin off our list for something in return.

You're assuming a bigger upper body will be an instant fix to Morton's woes. I think he would have the same issues he's currently enduring whether he was 75kg or 175kg. I reckon he would be much better served by actually playing some footy with his teammates in an environment (practice matches, NAB Cup) where he can build confidence in his ability again - and his teammates and coaches can regain confidence in him. That's what he's sorely missed over the past two years.

Whatever you think of Cale Morton, it needs to be recognised that his pre-season injury issues in the past two years have come at the very tail-end of the summer, just when he needs to be ramping up into match mode and getting used to game plan changes etc with his teammates. I'm sure he and the coaches would prefer that any interruption to his preparation comes now, when it can be managed in conjunction with others, instead of in late February. This surgery might actually give him a better chance of improving.