deespicable me

He's not average. Yes he was good against us, but consider his game versus Oscars with those terrible dropped marks and I think he is an upgrade certainly over the next couple of years when hopefully we're contending. If Thompson comes back in even more reason to contact him and put in a good moneyball offer. Watch the game again Trav and you can see he's the sort of player we need for next year.

I preferred their player Jack Leslie, if he was available, or gettable. Probably on a lot less than May so an offer of around 500 a season would be a good deal for us I reckon.

Yeah but at half time on Saturday I was sure we were a bottom four side. I would like to beat GWS interstate in round 20 and sit around where we are now and the uberhype clactometer go absolutely beserk. Demonland has record number of posts as we anticipate the last 3 games v Saints, Brisbane and Collingwood all at the "G", and a potential finals birth for the first time in a long time. Imagine the permutations. If team A,B and C all lose 2 of their last 3 games and we win all 3 we can make top 4 etc etc. I will give up work and live for the final 3 weeks and what may lie beyond in a state of euphoria. Till we lose to the Saints of course.

There is a truth. A reality. The obvious thing about the game is that Scott coached North to target Oliver. Not unusual. Sheedy always had a thug or two in his sides. The thing that is so upsetting is that we got reamed by the umpires, neither of the incidents did we receive a free kick (thats fu#### terrible umpiring and if they had of given a free to Oliver when they should have all the spite for the rest of the game would have been alleviated) reamed by the commentators who were calling Bernie a head-hunter, we lose the game and now we get one suspended and North get off Scott free. F### the lot of them.

I hate North and I hate the umpires. I had a bad day.

The problem for 3 "conferences" is the number of interstate teams in each conference will form a bias. At the moment for example there are 4 interstate teams in the top 6 with Richmond and Geelong. With Geelongs home ground as well Richmond would be travelling all over the place to play. They would claim it was more unfair than it is now. (Mind you, Richmond supporters whinging is a small price to pay.)

I like your idea. I've often thought of how could Melbourne expand its member base. I never thought of the indians. Or the cowboys for that matter. boom tish! Some of you guys are quick to attack our esteemed Mr Dees2014. 40 year supporter is worth some respect. Rather than criticize why don't you guys come up with an idea to get us to 50,000 members. Nothing wrong with his trying, and it is bad form by the club not to reply.

It's very hard to win week in week out. Hawthorn were the last side to really dominate the competition, where they only had to put the foot down for short periods of time in order to dispose of teams down the bottom of the ladder like we were. They could then save their energy for the tough games like Geelong or Sydney. The competition is in an amazing state of flux at the moment where just about every team can beat another on any day. The only exception being Brisbane and I'm sure they will still take a couple of upset scalps this year. But the dominance of two or three teams of 2-10 years ago is gone for the moment and has left a void that will in time be filled. I believe Melbourne are a chance to be one of those teams. The thing Melbourne has to firstly overcome is to beat teams when they are "on" and really want it. We haven't been able to do that yet. The loss last year to Essendon when they had their march to the "G" was the most insipid. But our loss two weeks ago to Hawthorn was poor. We should know the lesson Hawthorn gave us all when they were flying was if you've got your boot on a teams neck then don't let them back up. That was a chance to win 2 in a row against Hawthorn and start something of a dominance against them. Instead we helped get their season back on track. Weak effort. And I know we're getting better but the next step is to become ruthless. This weeks game is a great test for us. North have had the wood on us for a while now. Scott definitely knows it and will be keen to keep it going, they should be "on". Remember ages ago, I think it was in the Bailey era when people were spruiking Melbourne as the "next big thing" and in the lead up to the game that season against North Scott came out and said he thought North had just as much claim to that title as Melbourne. And they put us away and have ever since. Well nows our chance to beat them and beat them good. End their season. Can we do it? Can we back it up? Can we be ruthless? Or will we be the insipid Dees that we saw against Hawthorn. It's a tribal game and developing dominance over another tribe is important. That's what we need to do.

with Hogan out though both Pederson and Tmac went forward with great success kicking 5 or so between them. So I think if we try to replace Weeds with Hoges and still play a similar gamestyle and let Hogan fit into our structure rather than constantly waving, pointing, gesticulating and telling everyone what to do, we might be improved. If he tries to take over the forward line and set things up his way maybe the forward line may go back to the non-functioning outfit we've seen at times. As for Hannan I thought his second half was terrific against the crows. He got up the ground a lot more and used his speed to advantage. I thought it was his best half of football he's played for the club and I think he's just working out how to be useful to the team. I'm pretty sure the coaching staff would be happy enough with him to stay in the side.

I love it. I totally agree that at least once a quarter the obvious one should/shouldn't be paid. No-one knows whats going on and everyone laughs. Watching the umpire come charging across and then at the last second as he weighs up the old will I won't I aspects of the DOOB rule then the under-arm bowling action as he pays it. Classic theatre. Adds to the chaotic nature of the game and reminds everyone that the umpiring of the game is in the most part a joke.

Selection interesting with the complete back-line available for the first time this year. The back six look pretty solid, especially if Oscar comes onto the bench to help cover our lack of talls. Hibberd, Jetta and Lewis in the back-line is a few hundred games of experience. As a consequence Hunt and Melksham move up onto the wings. Hunt not having to be as accountable, linking and running forward looks good. We have played six good quarters at Etihad this year, hopefully another three will be enough. I think we'll lead by a fair way at some stage and then.............................................................................................cruise to victory.

It's a slippery slope Jesse is on. Smoking to drugs to wanting to join Essendon in the off season.

Come on guys, stop attacking our core senior players, they all have weaknesses that will sometimes get exposed, especially against quality opposition. Watts took an overhead mark in the last qtr on the wing when he was important getting us a win last week against Carlton. He tried hard today and did a good job in the absence of Max and shouldn't be criticised at all. He was stuffed before the final siren. We tired badly tonight. Oliver is brilliant but had no impact in the last. Harmes is frustrating as anyone. His turn-overs in the last were awful but then he does something good and you think he might just make it. Petracca has a long way to go. There is one or two guys who we all should be upset with tonight though. Because they weren't out there in an important game that we should've could've won. The rest tried hard for the club and us.

I think we will win because we will back ourselves to score more. Carltons problem is they can't kick a big total and can't defend a small total. (In simple terms) I think we'll go for it and it'll rain goals. Rolls of goals. Goal after goal after goal. Goal upon goal. It'll be something beautiful to behold. 23 of them to be exact. Lovely.

Sorry forgot Max. He walked laps, looked O.k. but wasn't part of training.

Went along to training today. By the great deal of activity on Demonland I thought I might post as people like myself are excited by the season ahead. Main player missing was Hogan, but being early in the week it may not mean much. Drills all morning. Very little contact as you would expect. One drill was interesting which was four players, one at each corner of an 80 x 40 meter rectangle, kicking the ball to two players in the middle, who would take turns in marking, turning and kicking down to the other end of the rectangle. The ball would then go from one corner over a defender to the other corner then back into the middle and on down to the other end. A little confusing trying to write it down but it was making the players kick low and hard to a player, then when a defender was there up and over to the other corner. There was a period I think in the third quarter on Saturday when we had about seven or eight non-contested marks in a row and this drill was similar. The skills were good, especially the low hard passes, Garlett was really good. Like Hannan's pass to Petracca on Saturday just as Reiwoldt got injured, the boys are looking to lower the eyes and hit targets. Hibberd was doing run throughs and working with Cross and looked good but will probably join the main group next week. Frost and Wagner were in the main pack and looked good chances to replace Smith this week. Tyson and Kent were in the main group and also looked good. Pedo was on light duties running laps, I think he is O.k for selection if required if he trains at the later session in the week. They finished with goal kicking and ANB kicked more balls than anyone else. He missed a couple on Saturday and was working hard to lock down that small forward role.

Look who's having the cheap shots now.

Why, oh great wise one? What great teachings have you got for us poor, simple weak minded fools. The only thing I could possibly learn from your post is that you think your better than others.

There were a few incidents on Saturday where he goes close (and over) the line. He was very lucky last year as they viewed vision but he wasn't cited. They're not accidental. He will hurt you if he can. Not injure but hurt. Make them earn it. I love it. I reckon he was fantastic on Saturday. He's genuine tough, and he's ours. And I'm sad he's missing but I wouldn't change him. He's great.

Put Oscar on Casboult next week. What a match-up. Worth the price of admission alone.

Not surprised to read the Eagles "dossier" was suppressed by Fitzpatrick. Gee how's the game going to survive without him. What an arrogant c### he was.

Jack has shown no poor standards "outside" the inner sanctum of the Footy club. He has been reasonable to fine according to track watchers. Yet Goodwin has chosen to criticise Jack "outside" the inner walls of the Footy club. He has chosen to let criticism of one of his star players play out in the media. This was a choice of Goodwin. Would Roos have acted the same way? I'm not sure. I don't think he would have criticised Jack publicly. I don't think he did. This is the point Pro Dee, it's not taking Jack to task for approaching 2017 with a poor attitude. It's the danger of going public. So fine. Goodwin has layed down the law. We want everyone to follow high standards etc etc. No problems, he saw a chance to set standards and did it. I don't need to criticise Goodwin and back in Jack. I don't see it as one thing or the other. There's nothing I would like to see more than Melbourne kick the Saints butt and Jack be best on ground and come off the ground and give Goodwin a great big hug and publicly thank Goody for giving him the kick up the butt he needed. I want us to win. I don't need to be right. Now Pro Dee I understand your view and I think it's fine. It's the company line, and the company line always holds sway over the individual. But you surround your views with such dramatic words. "Unfathomable". "Absurd". You find my view unfathomable and absurd. Well, that's a little sad. I was hoping we could bond.

I have every right to have an opinion. I said in my post "I think". I said nothing about I know. For you and Pro Dee just remember there is a lot of love for a new coach in their "honeymoon" period. Goodwin has chosen to single out Jack and whether wittingly or not it once again became a big issue that Jack has had to deal with. I agree with Saty that Jack was a bit down at the intra club, and he may have had issues off field but I don't agree with how its been handled. My opinion. I'm not desperate to prove anything Pro Dee, just my opinion. And I'm happy for you to have yours. But for me its a black mark as much against Goodwin as it is Watts. Whats he going to do when Jack doesn't perform in a game. Coz we all know he will have off days. I will judge Goodwin by how he and we respond to a loss. That is quite often where a coach can lose his players. Roos has been a master at keeping a cool head and protecting the players sometimes when they don't deserve it. If this is an indication of how Goodwin handles his gun players "I think" we're in a bit of trouble. That o.k with you Wiseblood

I went along from about 10.30ish. Missed Frost. Spoke to Garlett who said he is back in full training next week, was doing run throughs and looks fine, Kent was in full training and is probably a week or so ahead of Garlett, if there is a choice between them. Watts looked fine as he has all pre-season. I am also in the camp that thinks he is hard done by. If you saw Suckling in the Dogs second pre-season game he had love handles! Goodwin says we'll get back "a very good player" when he returns, well he already is a very good player. He has been a top track worker over the years and this year is no exception, I'd be [censored] if I was him, getting dragged through the media again, but Jack just keeps bouncing back, he is a very resilient character. Anyway sorry I got distracted. He will play Thursday as reported above so hopefully all this can once again be put behind him. Tyson is back and should play Thursday, looked good. Jetta was in fine form and will take Hibberd's place in Perth I would think. He trained very well, never beaten and always hit his targets when he had the ball, which brings me to Melksham. I think Jetta helps free up Melksham to attack and get off his player and up the ground a bit as he was doing in the match sim. Kent needs a few games to get back to full fitness,came back with a bit of pud and with his injury has never got to full throttle this pre-season. May play Thursday. Johnstone keeps impressing me. He has something, I think he's a good pick up. They are working hard with Joel Smith. With especially Frost who was terrific in the intra club the last time we saw him and Wagner and now Hibberd out our depth is being tested for the third tall defender. Joels disposal is not great but he attacks the ball. Pederson who looks a bit out of favour used mainly as a back up was played in defence today.

He's a long way off. He won't get a look in for the first half of the season and if we go as well as we all hope (with some justification) he won't get a look in all year. He needs to look towards putting in a really solid year at Casey and maybe next year. In my humble opinion. I really like the look of Johnstone from the latest set of recruits.