rolling fog

Apologies if this has been posted, commented on elsewhere already. I had a look around and couldn't find on here yet. Below article from Caro published on The Age this morning: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/melbournes-finals-miss-burns-in-the-players-guts-nathan-jones-20170828-gy5rno.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Melbourne president Glen Bartlett has described the collective "shock and disappointment" still reverberating around the club after missing out on the finals "after a season that promised so much." A shattered Bartlett said it was too soon to take a publicly analyse what had gone wrong for the Demons following Saturday's upset loss to Collingwood but that he hoped the disappointment would "galvanise us as a club." "It's pretty raw at the moment," said Bartlett. "We're very disappointed. We're very disappointed for our members and for our fans after a season that promised so much. We played some first class footy and so much of it was fresh and it was exciting. "It shouldn't be the end it should be the beginning. I hope that things like this would galvanise us as a club." Melbourne was placed fifth after round 14 but the Collingwood loss was its fifth in nine games and the club ultimately missed finals by 0.5 per cent. Having required only a win at the MCG on Saturday to play a role in September the club expected this week to have provided a launching pad into their first finals appearance in more than a decade. Instead Melbourne players were conducting exit interviews with coach Simon Goodwin and planning a more sombre version of 'Mad Monday'. Bartlett said the pivotal West Coast victory was witnessed by some groups of players, officials and coaches while others deliberately chose not to watch. "Our players and supporters were pretty emotional for the season to end like it did and speaking personally it's just a feeling of shock and disappointment." Melbourne co-captain Nathan Jones blamed their agonising miss on a season of inconsistency. "It's obviously a pretty bitter pill to swallow," Jones said. "The players are hurting as much as our supporters would be livid when the opportunity was there and we let it slip. "It's a culmination of results ... rather than just the first-quarter performance against Collingwood (that) has led us to this position. "Hopefully it burns in the players' gut over the pre-season." Sidelined by a leg injury, Jones was by himself on Sunday as he watched their finals spot snatched from them. "I locked myself down and sat on the couch," he said. "It's one of the more nerve-racking situations I've been in ... frustration and anger." Despite the agonising near-miss, Jones is bullish about their future. "We're well aware of where we sit in our journey, there are going to be ups and downs," he said. "That can be quite frustrating at times, particularly to our supporters who have been through such a range of emotions and such a downward spiral over the past decade. "To see us on the improve ... with hope and the opportunity that was there for this season, to see it slip like it has, is a bitter pill to swallow. "But hopefully it leaves us in a better position as a footy club and as a playing group for the experience.".

Enjoyed these this year, Joeboy. Pretty fair all round for mine. Saw glimpses of Hogan last week, but all in all it's been a shocker for the bloke. Gawn - FORMER AA ruckman

Apparently TMac is going as Lynden Dunn

Woe is me

Hoping Goodwin pops up on 360 or the like at some point this week. Think it needs to be done. *ffs just not the footy show*

Anyone listening to SEN at the moment? Theo X sounds as flat as the rest of us

Paid up MCC/MFC subs two weeks ago, like many others on here I was assuming this would be put to use at least once over the next month... I'll reassess the MFC part come trade week now me thinks

I hope Max reflects on the fact that Kreuzer has been named in the squad

The Daniher years - case in point

One can only assume that therefore the AA selectors deem Oliver's regular 30+ disposals to be ineffective

SEN reporting the following named in the 40-man AA squad: Hibberd, Garlett, Jetta

I'm sitting here at work staring into the middle distance and refreshing DL. It's a coping mechanism...I guess

Anyone remember when he was out there telling all and sundry in the media that he'd be back in under five weeks from his hamstring, talking smack about Spence not getting too comfortable as No. 1 ruck and calling himself 'the difference'? That was a red flag to me at the time. I bit my tongue and was reassured by mates that it's good to see an MFC player with a bit of 'swagger'. Did he rush back and did this effect his later-season form? I don't know. But it still doesn't sit well with me.

I've been going into bat for Dom for a while now, however it feels more like defending the indefensible. Trade bait for mine, if he wasn't contracted to 2019.

Tyson? Pace? lol

This comes to mind for me right now:

I feel bad for Lewis, many times this year I've felt I need to apologise to him. There must've been many times this year when he's been thinking "WTF is going on here", coming from an elite organisation and era to this....

DILIGAF - usually try to get along to the event, especially the last couple of years. Couldn't stomach it at the moment.

Max could learn a thing or two from Jack Riewoldt's self imposed media ban

Max - can't lead from in front of the camera. Handing out 'fines' on Game Day and dishing up fairly obvious zingers on the Footy Show does not a leader maketh

Listening to SEN at the moment because I'm a gluton for punishment, and there's talk suggesting MFC supporters were booing Watts yesterday. I didn't pick up on this, albeit in the member's - anyone else?

Jetta was not his usual self yesterday

Finishing further down ladder will potentially mean a more favourable draw next year...assuming the AFL don't go and change the fixturing system...just our luck Clutching at straws here...that's all I got