deespicable me

Remember Dimwit tried to get North the sweet Tasmania deal near the end of his reign but got blocked by Hawthorn. In a State where plan A is and always should be a stand alone Tasmanian team and Plan B, the spoils of the Apple Isle should be shared equally like Friday night matches amongst all the Victorian clubs, but instead we are left with plan Z where Hawks and North (because of Dimwit sympathies) are the only ones to share in the booty. With Dimwit as Gils mentor its little wonder the AFL has bought Etihad and I'm sure we'll see more terrific little deals heading the Saints way while Gil is in charge. It's absolute corruption. But with the sycophantic media throng that surrounds the AFL we the public are fed #### and are expected to go "num, num, num. please give me more." It's becoming like the Olympics or F1 or World Cup soccer where there are families that are born to this life of elitism and privilege. "Ladies and Gentlemen let me introduce The Fitzpatricks, The McLachlans" "Oh yes, let's bring down the price of chips, that ought to shut them up for a while."

I think it was shortly before changing his name. Is it catchy? He makes me feel a little bit concussed.

What about how his brothers star has risen all of a sudden? Can't watch the bloke but channel 7 use him in everything. Now he's on SEN. Won't be listening to that show. It's as incestuous as Fat Phill's deal with GWS. They all drink from the same gravy boat.

Thanks for that, good info. I'm going to follow it in the New Year, I think it's slotted into a good time as a lead in to the big boys games and I hope our girls go better than maybe both of us think.

Why Goodvibes? Do you have any knowledge more than "the average bear" or are you just guessing? I went to see the girls train and I must admit I wouldn't be tipping them to win anything but my only referance is the boys training, I wouldn't have a clue how we stack up against the other girls teams.

I have been to training a few times and Trengove looks well and is running strongly. It looks like he may be doing more sprint work, especially 200's. Last year it seemed to me he was doing more long grinding running. You have to worry about self-doubt for a player like Trengove. Hopefully he doesn't accept that he isn't a top 22 player and start to drop off his intensity. A lot of us would now doubt his ability to make it back, it takes a strong personality to overcome all those perceptions and doubts. He and ANB will be the two boys given top midfield roles at Casey with a lot of 2016's midfield now gone. I think they will both get another chance at the top level at some stage next year and even though ANB has come back in ripping form and is ahead of Trengove at the moment it's all about grabbing the slim chance they get, when it comes along next year. They are both inside mids with a few ahead of them, but who knows, Clarry might have a case of second year blues, injuries, etc. Trengove is no fool, he'll be pacing himself for that one chance.

I think we're potentially one of the top three teams in it along with GWS and Bulldogs. GWS and Dogs played the brand of football that everyone will want to copy, contested, ballistic and very capable of scoring quickly. We gave glimpses of it in 2016 but also dropped off in intensity and were poor. Best example of this was against Adelaide at the G when we kicked 8 goals in the second quarter to lead and look good at half time then disappoint in the second half. I don't think we can expect us to not disappoint at some stage next year, but I fully expect us to string together 5 or more on the trot and be talked right up by all the media. It's what we then do that will determine our season, up until now whenever there is expectation we have fallen over. Until we deliver we probably have to be sceptical. Can we be more consistent week in week out like a good side? Can we handle the pressure of success? Hmmmm. Not yet. 9th

Not for me. There is a lot of desire on here for another ruck option but we have a mature age ruck back up in Spenser and a developing ruck in King. Why isn't that enough for some people? I don't get it. I mean I would have thought a back up developing key back would have been more important.

Apart from anything else, I can't agree with all the "he's just a kid" sentiment on here. If anything that's all the more reason to lay down the law so he understands he can't play AFL football and carry on like his mates. He has to grow up. Make smart choices. His mates will still like him, he doesn't have to drink and be a fool.

I think it's extremely unfair on Jack Viney, Steven Stretch and ANB who have turned up to the new years pre-season in perfect shape. All kids about the same age who commit themselves to be as professional as they can be in order to achieve team and personal success. Viney said he chose not to drink in season coz he knows you can't do it and stay injury free. Considering how fit you have to be to play the game this is a committed decision by a young gun. Oliver needs to get fair dinkum. It's a team game, one weak link, lack of trust etc etc. I say throw the book at him. He turned up to training Monday in poor condition, this is clearly not an isolated incident. Send him away for 8 weeks. Let him train by himself. Tell him he has to meet certain criteria in order to get back in the main group again. Sacrifice a season and turn him into a champion.

To finish the year with 5 in the All Australian squad and 4 in the team. Max, Viney, Watts and Hunt for the fourth spot.

The thing about Lewis, Hibberd and potentially Melksham coming into the side is it ramps up pressure on spots in the best 22 to the highest it's been in a long time. Bugg, Ben Ken, Harmes, Wagner, Pederson, Salem, JKH, ANB, Vandenberg, Hulett and Trengove are Casey starters at the moment. Weidemann, Brayshaw, Oliver, Stretch and Petracca all need to improve to hold their spots. Vince, Garlett and others can't afford a drop off in form. Pre-season should be full-on. I'm hoping players like JKH, Wagner, Hulett, Weidemann and Harmes really come on in the pre-season and push up for spots. If Harmes and Salem (both young in the head) knuckle down, get their bodies right and get fair dinkum they have a lot of upside. I also hope we see a bigger stronger quicker Oscar Mac and Oliver and Brayshaw start to impose themselves in the middle. If we all get on the same page and work towards a common goal anything is possible.

Well theres no way any draft picked kids are going to get gifted a game. They know right from the start they are going to have to work their butts off to get a look in. Finally this is how a good side should look and we get a good look at the kids to see if they are any good and if one is it is viewed as a bonus, rather than the spate of "saviors" of the last ten years. All good

I'm not so sure. I think just being within 10 metres of Viney might give Tippett concussion.

If there actually is an answer I think you've got the club right. That's the best fit yet. Looking at their list I'll go with Justin Westhoff. Western Star butter and the Hoff spread lots of things in Baywatch. The Hoff could do anything. I don't think he's as sharp as a knife though.

Finally! Now as per Olisik those slackasse recruiters can stop mucking around and get on with the Hibberd trade.

Done. 10.23am

They are drug cheats. Fact.

A Rampe haircut and mo and a couple of tats to start. He's very clean cut for a weed.

That was a brilliant speech by Dangerfield. He is a worthy winner and a very clever person to boot. His take on family being the most important thing in life and how he had the Adelaide table and everyone in the room forgiving his move home was pretty moving. By the end I was going "Oh jeez, home you go Jesse, you get on back to your family, we'll be O.k." After that speech I think we're in trouble.

Hardly sighted 2016 season, 0 contested possessions, 0 intercept marks, 0 metres gained, needs to lift.

It's a nice idea but I just wonder if the game hasn't got so big that you'd get clubs giving out scholarships to schools in their zones etc. Those three pre-draft choices would be like gold and probably very soon exploited. Which club is in the private school belt and can offer a scholarship to Xavier, Carey etc.

Fyfe could probably do a better job than Hoges did in 2016 playing full forward. It's how good Hogan might become in three or four years time. All things being equal he has another 10 years of footy left, We've all had a rough previous ten years, surely not the next ten as well watching him become a superstar playing for someone else. We've had one good year. And not Hawthorn good. Didn't even play finals. Got beaten by 100 points in our last game for the year. That was a good year for Melbourne fans! And now this. Aaaaaagggghhhh!

I think the club is being dictated to. I think Hoges and his management are running the commentary. Unfortunately MFC has said all along they were giving Jesse time and space to make up his mind. And so he is. So they are. It would be wrong now for us to change the commentary to anything else. But it stinks that they are being so reluctant to make a decision. We are stuck. Rooted.

I think the club should help Hoges by making the decision for him, we are going to trade you. I really dislike players that put themselves above the team when the essence of the game is that it is a team game. He's not the first and there is a long list of difficult full forwards that have graced the turf before him and the indications are that he is another. Buddy, Fevola, Ablett snr, Jack Reiwoldt, Jacko, Farmer, Allen Jakovitch, Carey, maybe even Stringer. This is not a Melbourne footy club problem but the personality of someone who has to see themselves as better than others to perform. They are confidence players who's egos need constant stroking and off the field they can be quite damaged, fragile individuals. If you can control them they can win you a premiership but keeping them focussed and on track and constantly telling them "you da man" is hard work. Many of them have ended coaches careers. Its interesting how Tex Walker responded to being made Captain after getting off-side, ending Sandersons coaching career nearly leaving and is now an inspired choice. He was certainly told he was the man. Are Melbourne a good enough strong enough club to go on this journey. I'm a bit negative here and say no we are not. We should probably trade him. It's going to end in heart ache. Cut our losses, get as much as we can, help him out by sending him home and try once again to move on.