hemingway

One of the very best. Great comments by so many. What a dignified guy. Absolute respect.

Your reputation precedes you Uncle.

Sums my view as well. We took a coach and two players who were in it up to their eyeballs. And we nearly had Dank associated with the club. So we need to be careful talking about principles and damning the players and the EFC. We had an opportunity to take a principled stand but fell at the hurdle and decided to take an expedient or practical decision. We have got a good coach and two good players but at the expense of principle (my view). Our club position is a disappointment to me, but time to move on.

But WJ he is completely mad.

I am not sure that you are right but an interesting and intelligent analysis of his persona.

Agree, that it is wrong to have a crack at Lyons mental health issues. I loved him as a player and captain of our club. However, as time has gone on, I have lost respect for him as a media person. Perhaps that is because of his past association with the footy show and his boys club attitude. Although, he always wrote an interesting article in The Age. However, he has made some very poor and selfish decisions and behaved in a way that has hurt a lot of people. The damage has been done. He may recover and get back to his million dollar media show but there are many people who will have to live with the damage and hurt of his actions. In my eyes, he has been diminished as a person.

From all the reports, the Demons have managed this well. Their care has not been negligent and there has not been a lack of care. So a disappointing position by the player. However, one thing that has got a lot worse in this world is the blame game. More and more people want to blame others for their misfortune and profit from it. It is a sad feature of our society today. However, I agree with many on this thread that the player would have struggled to get a game this year and at best was good depth. His disposal and brain fades and contested footy would not have cut the mustard. A recruitment fail.

Bent but Optimistic, you can avoid reading altogether by dipping into the Kama Sutra if you are looking for imaginative poses and still find comfort in knowing that you are looking at a classic piece of Hindu literature that preaches pleasure and spirituality. You seem to have a lot of the former but need a dose of the latter. Or in other words, you have Kama (Desire) but desperately need Moksha (Liberation), Your days are running out.

The guy is wasting everyone's time, but he does not care. He is not interested in anyone else, he is not interested in process, and the truth is something to be manipulated to suit his own purpose. He will say whatever he needs to today and then move on to something else tomorrow. He is without guilt, shame or conscience. Very similar to a President elect.

nice spray Steve and quick to make your point

Hopefully it will be dealt with in a manner that does not involve a spray. Kids today don't listen and do not respond to a spray. Belongs to another era.

Are you blokes serious. Watching the draft? You must have something better to do! Life is very short. Improve your mind, look up friends, spend time with mistress or family. Death is just around the corner.

This kid could be really something. Looking at the list and the kids coming on, there is not only going to be competition for spots, there are also going to be some very disappointed footballers.

That is very good news.

Comparisons with Parish are irrelevant. We have Oliver and I hope he becomes a great player. He has loads of potential but so do many others. Fitness and attitude to preparation and training are going to be all important. The drink driving thing is a storm in the teacup, the most important thing is whether it represents a pattern of poor behaviour, and, if so, can it be turned around. Hopefully, he will have a good mentor who can be a positive influence.

Unfortunately, the sponsors and corporates don't know the words.

Yes, I am also in the group that liked the old demon logo. However, this is my supporter bias and the importance of tradition and linking with the past. These decisions are not based on the whims or views of supporters.

Agree, wish it would go away and we hear no more about Watson and his lost Brownlow. Opinions on this are always going to be divided due to ignorance, biases or beliefs. I disagree with your last sentence. For effective enforcement, WADA and ASADA need the cooperation of sporting bodies. Unfortunately, this does not happen because the sporting bodies don't like any interference from those outside the sport. Its about power and the sporting bodies protecting the business and the brand. For WADA and ASADA to do their job effectively they need to be working in a cooperative environment. There needs to be agreement on the principles surrounding the use of performance enhancing drugs and the methods used to enforce those principles. The enforcement authorities are not clowns, they are folk trying to do a job in a difficult environment without obstacles being placed in their way.They need adequate funding and total support from Government and the sporting bodies. Blame the latter two for messy processes and outcomes.

If this is the new clash jumper its a shocker. By why should we be surprised. Business and the market place prevails. The trump stone. Merchandising and branding wins every time over good design and good taste. I have to say that I have disliked the new logo from day one. Okay as a logo on a mug, glass or coffee cup but no much else.

Interesting. Clearly takes some years for a young player to develop. This is true with most if not all sports. A distance runner takes at least 5 years or more of interrupted training and competition before he or she hits their peak. The problem for an AFL player is that there is greater injury risk and impact on game time. Also, the possibility of chronic injury problems and wear and tear increases from year to year. What am i saying? I guess there is a intersecting point on the graph between the 5 year development point when theoretically a player hits their peak, and the period of time a player has left in the game due to injury etc. Many players are either on the decline or out of the game after 7-10 years. It highlights the importance of the role of coaches, medical and preparation staff. It also raises other issues, such as whether or not it is sensible to recruit young players with preexisting injuries. It is also important to get the balance right between putting muscle on or bulking up, and maintaining the right ratio between body weight and athleticism. Too much muscle and weight puts pressure on joints. I suspect that someone like Oscar McDonald may have longer in the game than a Petracca. Of course, it is problematic, but it is all about balance and maintaining a gradual individualized development plan for each player that takes into account a players own physical make-up and attributes, Injuries are going to happen, so having a list with high quality depth is paramount. And top quality staff. Hopefully, we now have a footy club with these things in place.

Watson has finally done the right thing. All the comments by Watson and the support crew are just window dressing designed to make people feel better and gloss over the most shameful episode in the history of the game. But Junior you make a very good point. The AFL should have acted on this a long time ago, rather than allow Watson to hand it back. More window dressing that sends all the wrong messages regarding drugs in sport. As you state, spineless. Or that's just business and the way things operate in the AFL bubble.

Thanks for that, yes 2017, must be wishing away my life, in any event I can't see Lumumba lasting to 2018.

At his best and our worst he would get a game. But as others have mentioned, he appears past his best and our list now has depth and has strengthened over the past 12 months. We have some dash and depth. Some of his brain fades and turnovers can be as bad as you get. A high skill level with a reduced count on hand and foot turnovers is all important. We need more than dash. I truly hope he can prove me wrong and he can have a great 2018 and not an unproductive season playing at Casey. However, Lumumba has been around long enough for me to think that 2018 will be his final season. As shown by Chris Dawes, Jack Grimes and others time waits for no man.

I have one wish. Can we have pre-season training reports without the sniping. If you can't get there to post your own report, don't criticise those that do. If you don't like the report ignore it and move on. We have lots to look forward to so let's be positive. This should not be wishful thinking.

As our friend Ron would say.......I rate Wagner and Smith is developing nicely. Can't see Jetta losing his spot in 2017 except for a sudden drop off in form or injury. Fully agree on Garlett. When he is on song he is terrific and adds that X factor but just goes missing too often. I think 2017 will determine his future.