Atholwebb

Too many players undone. Preuss and May our supposedly top signings not playing. Management of Joel Smith against Lions was terrible. Was only a practice  match but when we played Pies both Preuss and Gawn  we looked a much better team especially up forward. Max needs help. Petracca needs to get a kick. Hannan, Kent and Garlett not around as small forwards hurt and AVB is a big loss. We lack pace  and outside run. The new rules don’t help us. 

Article in 'The West Australian' this morning.

https://thewest.com.au/sport/fremantle-dockers/afl-trades-2018-fremantle-dockers-not-ruling-out-jesse-hogan-trade-ng-b88990275z

I think Jesse will likely leave but the Club now that we are in the premiership window has to be asking him to recommit till at least till the end of 2021 and will be making an attractive offer to him.  We don’t want Jesse leaving at the end of next year if he just sees out the current contract. It’s too disruptive to the team and the structure. Time for Jesse to commit or move on. We cannot have this saga at the end of every year. Either Jesse is in or he is out. 

Hogan to Freo and then trade to GWS for Dylan Shiel

Weideman will not be dropped. Just listen to Goodwin praise him. He is needed for second ruck which he is doing very well and he is an important part of our future. Apart from his high marking and tackling, Tmac’s  foot/toe will not be risked in the ruck. Tmac is now a multi faceted footballer up and down the ground that is crucial in that role and our structure is so much better as a result of it. 

And he manned up one on one against Rance on Anzac eve after half time and beat him. A very valuable player after a bit of a slow start to the season.

I don’t want Watts to go but if he goes to Geelong and we get their pick 20, I will be happy if we use that to get a quality outside running midfielder either through the draft or from another Club. I assume the other side of the equation with Watts is that we have our eyes on somebody and we need the pick we get from the Watts trade to expedite this. It may involve letting another player go depending on the quality of who we want. Should Jack go to Geelong they will be my second team which I could not do if he went to the Pies - I truly hope that does not happen.

16 minutes ago, Ron Burgundy said:

Not that this is remotely remarkable here, because we're all passionate Demons supporters, but this is how I feel right now.

A bit of background.

Amongst my friendship group, I'm one of only three MFC supporters (I live in Sydney). I'm known to be strangely addicted to the club.

In 2004 and 2005, when I worked in a large law firm in London, I had my parents record every Demons game and air-courier the VHS cassette to me each week at a cost of 80 bucks a game. I watched every game 'live' at 10pm each Thursday night.

My son, Henry, is the youngest ever member of the club. I signed him up as a 20 week foetus during the Neeld years. The club accepted his application. I agreed to act as his proxy. He is now 4 years old, but he's in the system as being a member for 5 years.

Anyway, what I'm saying here is that I passionately support this club. And I have done so for a very, very long time - Jack Viney style. Relevantly, I know its history. Better than most.

I spoke to Neale Daniher following our horrendous loss to the Swans at the SCG in round 5, 2003. I told him that I thought the club got it massively wrong in letting Woewodin and Powell go. He strongly disagreed. He nearly lost his job at the end of that year (we had both hands on a preliminary final the year before but for savagely bad luck against the Crows), and I'm sure a wiser and more reflective man (legend that he is) would now agree with that view.

Trading Watts, a supremely talented player who clearly loves the club, is a bloody disaster. It's unlikely that it will improve the list in any material way.

In short, this the lowest I have felt in all my years supporting this club. And I've not experienced that many highs during the journey.

To the sociopaths who don't see the value in this stuff, it's exactly why Paul Roos was brought in to change the culture of the joint and it's exactly why Watts will have several better clubs courting his services right now. The human stuff is important to the fabric of this club, to any club. And I fear that Goodwin is a little nerd with a blind spot on this who, like Neeld, might be destroying something very important here.

This sucks. I feel very sad.

 

Totally agree. Most Dee supporters love Jack Watts while at the same time being frustrated with him on occasions. I feel very low and as low as I did when Barassi left for Carlton and when we sacked Norm Smith which took years to recover from or some will say have never recovered from evidenced by not having won a flag since 1964. 

Jack, if Chris Scott, Paddy Dangerfield and Joel Selwood want you, just go. They have all experienced success and know not what winning is about. Grab the opportunity to play with Danger, Selwood and probably Ablett. You have been treated poorly by a succession of coaches and the fact that they are asking you to go is a sign of their own weakness and inability to manage you. 70% of Demonlanders want you to stay. That says it all.

12 minutes ago, CityDee said:

Ive emailed the club outlining why he should not be traded and that my membership will be cancelled if he goes . 

Say what you will but It actually makes me feel sick to think we will add Jack to the scrapheap of failed high draft picks- he is in our best 22 . 

We are making a mistake and he will do well elsewhere no doubt as he can with us , Jack is part of our story and we do this when its our time for finals . 

Handing over 600-700$ a year to watch dysfunctional club for 4 of the last 8 years with hope that guys like Watts can help turn it around and now he is being pushed  out , most other clubs want him .

we are making a mistake . 

 

7 minutes ago, rpfc said:

Hang on, mate. No need for that. Whatever the motives are and reasons for them doing this, they are doing in the best interests of your footy club you love so much.

Jack will always be a great Demon no matter what happens this off season and if this is it - well, that is footy.

We all have our opinions but let's back the club. Can't hold them accountable outside the tent. Stay on board.

14 minutes ago, CityDee said:

Ive emailed the club outlining why he should not be traded and that my membership will be cancelled if he goes . 

Say what you will but It actually makes me feel sick to think we will add Jack to the scrapheap of failed high draft picks- he is in our best 22 . 

We are making a mistake and he will do well elsewhere no doubt as he can with us , Jack is part of our story and we do this when its our time for finals . 

Handing over 600-700$ a year to watch dysfunctional club for 4 of the last 8 years with hope that guys like Watts can help turn it around and now he is being pushed  out , most other clubs want him .

we are making a mistake . 

 

The Club wants Jack out and will get the best pick they can. Competition for him is hotting  up. The Pies, Swans, Port and the Cars apparently so far. Many Tiger and Pies supporters today calling in on SEN asking how Watts can get to their Clubs. He is in demand and unfortunately given a second chance at a bigger Club than the MFC, is likely to be a star and fulfil his potential. It could be at the Pies with his good mate, Howe. That would be horrible and a pity it has not worked out at the Dees.

Jack Watts is the 'fall guy' at the footy club. What about the indiscretions of Vince, Bugg and Lewis last year. Jesse can be excused as he was under immense personal pressure. Vince, Bugg and Lewis more than anyone else cost us a place in the finals. Watts, no doubt, is a divisive figure amongst supporters but over two thirds of Demonlanders want him to stay and there have been many upset Demon fans on the radio. At training, Watts is great amongst the kids - they flock to him and he chats and spends more time with them than any other player. 

That said, he has to play better, for longer periods and more consistently, but he is nowhere near the worst player on our list. I want him to stay and have let the Club know this. As a supporter for 65 years I have seen these type of decisions on popular players made before and we more often than not get it wrong. Lastly, this situation has been handled very badly by the Club into the public arena. If I were a Board member, I would be far from satisfied.

Nathan Jones was shattered, but from the MFC web site, the 'mood was light, and well, kind of positive..........'

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-08-26/jones-and-his-team-play-waiting-game

Says it all, but at least Nathan cares.

Out: Stretch, Wagner

In: Salem, Bugg

44 minutes ago, Sylvia Saint said:

I think he deserves more credit for getting Melksham. Was a ballsy call at the time and pick 24 was largely considered overs. Find me anyone that wouldn't do that trade now!

Absolutely agree. Melksham has been a great addition and should have silenced all the negative commentators on Demonland at the start of the year. Plays a variety of roles excellently including being a very reliable kick for goal which are important in the context of the game.

A great acquisition. Well done Goodwin and I suspect, McCartney. Kicks vital, important goals which smacks of a big occasion player. Can play a variety of roles including as a run with player, midfielder and defender. It's great that we have a number in the team now who have flexibility in the roles that they can play. I am a big fan of Jake M. and the way he has embraced the MFC.

3 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

1. Why not post links to the actual articles instead of just the search results?

2. Why the hell are you using Bing?

Because the actual links do not come through from The Australian subscription service. Have a look at the other links posted on this that cannot be read! Just trying to be helpful. Some people are very satisfied.

Perhaps Jesse in?

https://www.bing.com/news/search?q=Hogan+Boys+Finals-bound+Demons&qpvt=hogan+bouys+finals-bound+demons&FORM=EWRE

Sorry, in my last post I meant 'news' and not 'nes' on the excellent situation on Jesse.

Excellent news on Jesse Hogan. Greg Denham in The Australian today says Jesse has made a miraculous recovery and could play this week-end if he gets through training this week and gets the all clear from his surgeon. 

Goodwin said at the press conference that he is a happy coach to have Sam Weideman in the forward line. Of course those that are negative on Sam on this thread have more understanding of the game than Goodwin. I don't think!!

Weideman did what he had to do and was invaluable today in the forward set up. Competed and fought hard.

Sorry, Viney is here and trained earlier.

No Viney also at training. Perhaps he was here earlier. Probably still taking it lightly with him.

No Watts and Stretch at training. If Casey players for this week end are not there, Interchange is out of Maynard, Weideman, Brayshaw, Wagner and Harmes