hemingway

possible HH but nothing is certain.

why is it that I feel a little sick in the stomach?

I certainly care. If either of my sons came home stoned or drunk I would certainly care. I know standards in society might be dropping but there is no excuse for professional sportsmen to turn up drunk or stoned. How sportsmen train and play is affected by how they prepare and how they look after their health. It also tells you a lot about their personal standards and how seriously they take their profession or sport. As a supporter we should expect that our club and its players are seeking to attain the highest standards in regard to preparation and playing. .

wow great analysis and reasoning GRRM.

the teams playing attractive footy are top teams that have a surplus of talent, speed and skills. they can still play ugly footy when required. we don't have the talent, speed and skills. in regard to Roos brand of footy lets wait and see how the season unfolds before we condemn him prospectively on his brand of footy

We are still a cellar dweller I understand the concern about his development and not wanting to rush him into the side. But we are no Hawthorn and we need to win games of footy. Also Angus is no Jack Watts. I put him in the same camp as Salem, give him game time as appropriate and needed. The main criteria for me is whether he is in our best 22. We have to play our best 22 week in week out. We need to win games of footy.

precisely OD. widespread abuse across the game over a long time. no clubs are immune.

gee junior glad its not MFC rather than EFC. permanently sedated and placed in institutional care?

nice to see differences of opinion without ego and posters getting personal.

Appreciate this explanation. Totally agree with your conclusions except I think Gil does get it. Yes, he is acting like the boss of his schoolyard gang as he is protecting his backyard and his job. He knows which side his bread is buttered on. By looking after one of his most powerful constituents he is looking after himself. The AFL and the clubs are mutually dependent on one another. In behavioural terms, it is difficult to go from being a mate (to AFL Presidents and their clubs) to taking a hard line decision that will end that comfortable relationship. However, as you say, this is different from the normal run of in-house issues. ASADA and WADA provide that difference. One way or another this is going to change the paradigm and challenge the way in which the AFL and clubs deal with issues of a drug related nature.

Compared to the doubt expressed by others your certainty and clarity continue to give me cause for optimism. I must admit to being a born cynic. However you give me hope old chap. You are much better than my shrink. Thank you Dr Beelze.

true, I was just getting wistful OD although I was past my prime by then. In fact I was well past my prime! I had gone very cold indeed.

I am sure old dee remembers the liberating days of the introduction of the oral contraceptive pill when men could throwaway their overcoats and plunge into the abyss without fear....and women could well "feel good."

A lot has been written about Schwab. It is difficult to know the truth. Indeed the truth is subjective. I think Schwab was a creative thinker perhaps even a dreamer but in his later years was given too much power without the proper reporting lines and control by the board. It is easy to be swayed by the dreamer and their persuasive ability. I think he was probably a bit of a loner but had some powerful friends. What we do know was that he was a divisive figure that did not have the personality and interpersonal skills to bring people together. Perhaps it was about personal power and influence and he did appear to work in a Machiavellian manner. Not unusual trait in sporting club officials and other organisations. However, at the same time, he served the club for many years in a loyal capacity. He has not come out post his departure and denigrated the club. He has been dignified in his silence.

bobby one last story. what struck me about Tunna was that even in old age he looked an unlikely type to play league football, still thin and almost awkward in his movements. However, he had a quiet fierceness and intensity about him that you could imagine would translate into one very determined footballer. He also gave the impression of not suffering fools gladly. He told me a story that some years past he applied for a teaching job at a very well known private school nestling in the leafy suburb of Hawthorn. He was upset when the school turned down his application in a very dismissive fashion. However, he had the last laugh. Some weeks later the school discovered his illustrious football career and rang him to offer him the job with the added bonus that he could coach the school footy team. It was an ingratiating approach that he did not appreciate given their earlier attitude towards him. He said with a wry smile that it gave him great pleasure to tell the caller that he could "stick the job up his a...."

Always thought he was 23 when he played his first game, but DemonWiki tells us that he was 25. Quiet remarkable when you look at his record which include 3 premierships. Also another era when players had jobs, trained twice a week and playing VFL was an option and not mandated by dollars. Also a reminder that players over 18-20 years of age can still make it and should always be a consideration (a la Vandenberg)

Very sad news.I was lucky enough to talk to Tunna over several years at my local licensed grocer before he moved down Hastings way. He was a lovely bloke who was always happy to talk about the Demons. He was modest unassuming and had a wicked dry sense of humour. At times he was quite grumpy but never rude. RLike many from that era he felt that players today were overpaid and spoilt although recognised that times had changed He talked about how happy he was when Melbourne paid his petrol money to drive to training from his teaching job in Ballarat. He talked with reverence about Norm Smith and his love for the man. He talked about his great mate Ronald Dale. He often talked about his hate (perhaps strong dislike is more diplomatic) for Collingwood and Carlton. At the time of our meeting he enjoyed going to the MCG to watch the Demons often with Ron and enjoyed the get togethers with his mates from the glory years. The mateship that survived from those great years was very special. Sad that Geoff did not get to see the rise of the Demons. He was a great fella. T

To be honest Deano, its more a case of filling the gap he left in the team. Based on last years form when he played up forward I don't think its a major loss. Even when he was down back he had days when he was no more than serviceable. To me a leader is someone that plays his heart out irrespective of the scoreboard, runs and chases all day, can lift his game when required, and can inspire his team mates. The obvious example is N.Jones. Our problem is that Jonesy is our only true leader on the ground. Chip Frawley was never a leader.

wow i felt depressed after the game. after reading these posts on demonland I feel even more depressed and the season has not even started.

lord travis truly tragic, but you deserve a medal for being at that morgue. it smells of death. I will not go.

praha, i commend you on point 1. however, on point 2, alcohol and depression do not go. i know all about it.

really don't care about this game at all. the only thing I care about is that we don't getting any injuries that will derail the real stuff.

rpfc never have truer words been written. absolutely spot on in every respect.

Have no problem with Wolfmothers post. Last two paragraphs are the most interesting and have validity. AFL will always be hopelessly conflicted. Money, revenue, profit are their reason for being. Everything else comes a distant second. And for mine, Dr Reid is totally discredited. What he says does not matter.

Should be ignored. There are a few excellent sports writers ie martin flanagan, but the general mill of sports journalists and footy media scrum are not doing the job because they are intelligent talented professionals. They are doing the job because they don't have much else going for them. They were not top of the class at school or university. They are at the bottom of the pile. The standards are low. Their talent, ability and integrity are low. Barrett is at the bottom of the pile. Same thing could be said of the footy show and all those who do their bidding.