hemingway

Which ones ?

Lets call it nerves DV. That little sick feeling in the tummy. You need it as a player not so sure about the fans.

I agree with most of you what you have said. Like you, I know many people who have been through a lot worse than Jesse. What is tough for one person is not tough for another. Some are more resilient than others. Different personalities, different mental health conditions, and different coping abilities all play a role. One difference is that Hogan's problems are played out in the media and on social media. Step outside your front door and there is a jerk with a phone or camera. Judgments are then made by footy media, supporters and trolls. For someone that is naturally shy this can be an enormous burden. He wants to be a footballer not someone who is a media personality. Okay that goes with the territory but some cope with that attention better than others. Is that a flaw or just the way a person is ? Most people want to go about their life or business unobtrusively without being in the spotlight and without their life being open to scrutiny and comment from all and sundry. So I have sympathy for Hogan as I do for all those with mental health issues. Sympathy or understanding can be present irrespective of the circumstances. There are social misfits that don't deserve sympathy or compassion such as murderers, rapists and those who do harm to others. Hogan is not one of those. The sad thing is that he is only harming himself. We all have our demons and some can cope with them better than others.

The great MFC teams of the 50s and early 60s were regarded as tough but fair. Many other teams were regarded as tough and dirty, no more so than Collingwood and Hawthorn. Carlton was not far behind, and, of course, North and the Dogs had their thugs. Other sides always tried to soften up the Demons to get them off their game. Famously, the 1958 GF. But the Demons of that era were as tough as nails with Barassi being the epitome of toughness. With the exception of the 58 Granny, the softening up rarely worked. Not only did the Demons have gifted players but we also had players that could give as much as they copped and often returned the favour in spades. Not far behind Barass was Ian Thorogood. Norm apparently loved him. We had a bunch of individuals that would die for Norm and The Team Thoro was one of those. Today, he might be called a role player, because in those days, he played his role every week giving his opponent not a smell of the ball. Would have loved to have seen him more involved in an official capacity with the Dees over the years. A Melbourne legend. Commiserations to the family, I'm sure his impact has been huge. A proud legacy.

Well said. Also sometimes the attributes that drive success are not necessarily very nice ones. The single minded drive and selfishness that drives top sportsmen and individuals across all fields in society does not always make them nice people.

good luck to both of them. the trades were a win win win, player and both clubs. I have no doubt we made the right decision for our club and the pies likewise. Different strokes for different folks. it shows that with a change of club players can make turn their careers around, no doubt the careers of both have been enhanced. it also shows how good ordinary players can look a whole better in a good side with lots of support from a critical mass of top players..

Like you, I have forgotten too. Yes, we had some wonderful times, but, for some reason, they all left me much the poorer. I donated some of the remaining money on a succession of analysts, trying to sort out the question of guilt. It did not help.

My Magpie wife would have twigged and made me buy two more cats named Pendles and Bucks.

Very hard to be a successful professional sportsperson with a major chronic illness.

Agreed, I was exaggerating to make a point. Luck plays a part, a little like winning the flag. I agree that this does not mean that you cast considered informed opinion to the winds.

Perhaps MFC members need to be telling the club this via emails and club website. The jumper is really very sacred to supporters, as it reflects the history and continuity of the club. It is something that binds our loyalty to the Club. One of the reasons why, over the years, there has been so much angst over the alternative strip.

What a complete [censored]. An arrogant, self serving and contemptuous attitude. Sadly it does reflect the reality where sponsors, advertisers and media, no longer observe or recognize the line between their financial interests and the game itself. They view the game as secondary to their commercial interests and a game that can be manipulated at will. Is there a tipping point, one where, the people will say enough is enough ?

True, it's a reminder of the vagaries of recruiting and recruiting outcomes. We see it so often. Some who are unable to make the transition from teenage star to senior football, those who don't fulfill their potential due to their work ethic and attitude, those crippled by injury and so on. And with someone like Max, those who take time to develop. At the time of recruiting, I thought we had won the jackpot with Scully and Trengove, and that Max was just a big lazy kid with dodgy knees. When you consider the variables and the success rate, recruiting is really a lottery. A bit like getting a champion race horse. You can get the best bred horse and have the best trainer but not get a winner and vice versa. Some of the best horses have been el cheapos, sometimes overlooked in the sales by the experts. As a friend of mine who breeds and races horses always reminds me, it is mainly luck.

Michael Christian is not the smartest guy on the block. I think that part of the reason for incompetency is often that the person/s are not very smart. Causes confusion, poor logic and reasoning. If they were smart they would not be sitting on a footy tribunal.

Like others I had my reservations about Max in the early days. Over the last few years, I sometimes have wished that he would stop playing the joker and be a little more media shy. However, you realize that humour is part of his make-up and no doubt helps him cope with the pressures of AFL footy and helps relieve some of the tension and pressure amongst his team mates. What you can't do his doubt his commitment and talents. Like all top line players he has made a huge mental and physical commitment to succeed. No-one has worked harder on the track and no one works harder on the field. You can't make it without single-minded obsession to being the best. Max has done that. As a result, he will reap the benefits for the rest of his life both in footy terms (reputation and respect) and in financial terms. No-one will say there goes a guy who "coodabeen" a champ. His performance on and off the field tells you that he has become a role model and leader of men.

Agreed. It takes time to transform an organisation from top to bottom. Probably the transformation began with Jackson and Roos, but as we have seen it takes time for that to become evident on and off the field. Transformation is on-going and will be incomplete until the club has sustained success on the field over 5 to 10 years, continued membership growth, strong and stable leadership, and a strong financial position etc. And you can also throw in the importance of having its own training base and infrastructure. We cannot be seen as a club that needs benefits or support from the AFL over that of any other club. All of the big clubs with influence have enjoyed sustained success over many years, even decades. The big clubs all have had their bad times but unlike Melbourne they have had significantly more success over the past 20 to 50 years, and, as a result, more support. It is easier for the big clubs to rebuild their membership base after lean years. Perts goal of 70,000 members has to be achievable. We cannot become truly powerful without a big membership base.

G’day mate. Missing your robust comments.

Link between GF twilight:night and their own remuneration and bonuses? One thing is for sure, the AFL is not prepared to take a stand against the broadcasters. Both men are softening us up for the cave-in.

Well done and well said. Nothing vanilla about your sensibility.

Proudly outed as a quality country member.

What a great moment that was, never forget it. Straight from the heart capturing the emotion of a nation.

True Harmes you will not be the only one. In fact any teetotalling supporter that did not have a drink or two would be lousy! As for the rest of us god help our livers.

One week at a time please Demons. There are some quality sides this year who all have improved lists. The outcome is going to be measured in centimetres possibly even millimetres. As in all cases, you need to have everything going for you and on top of that have a lot of luck. Second half of the season will hold the key in terms of form, injuries and position on the ladder. No swagger for me until we win the big dance. We need to walk the talk.

I regretted my comments almost as soon as I posted them. I do not like being unduly negative about players, and I was in the case of JKH. I hope your opinion is correct, i really do. It is always interesting to read a contrary view, without hyperbole. I wholeheartedly agree with the second para. They have a reason to keep him on the list and that's good enough for me.

Only intelligent, informed, learned, respectful discussion on DLand.