Goodvibes

No he's not. Vince, Goodwin, PJ and Mahoney have all spoken to Dangerfield numerous times and Roos has spoken to his manager and his entire extended family.

Refresh my memory, who was the Essendon CEO at the time of Mal Michael's remarkable 180? If anyone knows about retirement and the premature severing of contracts it's PJ.

So what's the criteria for mega-thread status?

Ryan O'Keefe type?

I wasn't being condescending. I've seen what can happen when people make some noise on a footy forum. I think Gutnick's demise owed much to those campaigning strongly against him on the internet. I'm all for people bringing about change through the power of their convictions and their ability to move other people. My point centres more on the ability to remain constructive as opposed to becoming overly cynical, particularly about past administrations and the AFL. If we as a supporter group become overly cynical, we'll never bring about change again because by definition we'll think it's all in vain and that self-interest will ensure Melbourne never again has the opportunity to realistically challenge for a flag.

Yze Magic? Anyone? It keeps me up nights.

That's great. You can see a connection between making noise and the appointments of PJ and Roos. In other words you felt some sense of control over the situation. But how much of the noise made on Demonland is futile and how much impacts on the views and actions of the AFL?

28. I've been counting.

You need to address the things related to being a Dees supporter you can control and those you can't. You can't control outside perceptions and you can't control the decisions made internally. You can control the way in which you choose to react. I simply have decided not to lament on the past because it's a waste of my energy. I'm not going to waste my emotionally energy worrying about the AFL and their decision making processes. I can't control that.

Who's suggesting we shouldn't receive an appropriate draft pick or player for Clark?

Did he ever have pace? I watched some of his U18 highlights recently and he looked pretty slow even then. He did seem to have greater acceleration though. That's what I'm hoping to see. If he can become stronger, improve his lateral movement and become more explosive he might just improve us. This thread might just break the record for the most uses of the word 'hope'. When it comes to Trengove it appears all we can really do is hope.

Vince, Goodwin, talk of Lyons and Dangerfield and maybe even Tex. We can take your girlfriend too!

Stories of Roos contacting Dangerfield's parents are really interesting because it rings true. If he has sold the entire Dangerfield family the 'Melbourne dream' then it will be the greatest recruting coup since well forever. Barassi to Carlton, Judd to Carlton, Franklin to Sydney; all were considered power clubs even if Carlton were struggling a little ladder-wise. Maybe Lockett to Sydney was the last time a fully fledged star moved to a bottom team with little appeal. Dare to dream . . . .

Cynicism is our greatest enemy. I'm a little worried about the collective psyche of Melbourne supporters at the moment - many of whom I respect greatly. We've spent much time discussing why we're so poor. Supermac on his superb blog listed all of our most famous low moments over the past 8 years, Redleg and WJ and others have summed up the case in favour of a PP in a really eloquent but very dire manner. Jackson refers to us as an impediment on the competition. Roos has made regular reference to our scars. The Ox has only today, labelled us a 'basket case'. If we continue to link our past failures to this notion of needing or deserving compensation and priority picks we're never going to shake the loser mentality. Many have argued that it is our responsibility to utilize whatever mechanisms the AFL puts in place. Up until today I agreed but just as I had concerns about the impact of our blatant tanking a few years ago (an extremely unpopular view at the time!) I'm worried about the chip on the shoulder we as supporters are developing. I'm not going to label it the 'victim mentality' that others have but it's getting very very close. Every time we blame others for our own failures and every time we make reference to the AFL as corrupt or unethical, we become one step closer to becoming cynical. I've spent my life dedicated to the ideals of skepticism. I encourage all I come in contact with in my day to day job to question and challenge but when cynicism overtakes skepticism, we begin to give up. When we think there is no hope, we stop trying. Melbourne supporters are talking about refusing to buy memberships, walking away from AFL and even hoping for the club to fold. That's what happens when you don't think you can make a difference. And that attitude is contagious. And the time to challenge the AFL is when we're on top not when we're scrapping and fighting to get out of the bottom 4. And hopefully that time will come. Hopefully, in a Port Adelaide style revival we'll work hard to climb the ladder and then with the new found respect a higher placed and profitable club will create, people will listen. We cynically make references to the AFL merely following whatever Eddie McGuire says. Well he has his say and people listen because he has put in the hard yards and turned his football club around. Earn respect and your opinions begin to count. In short, we need to rid ourselves of our recent past and focus on how we can contribute to our future. Ridiculing past boards, presidents and CEOs is futile. Whinging about the AFL serves no purpose. I read with interest today, Billy Connolly's approach to dealing with his own demons. "I learnt the past doesn't exist. Once you get that into your head you can stop carrying that burden, especially if you've come through something bad". I'm not sure if it's that simple but I like the concept. The past doesn't exist! 2015 - year zero!! Now there's a membership slogan. Sure, we need to learn from our mistakes but not dwell on them and certainly not publicly. Do the Patrick Dangerfield's of this world want to come to clubs who describe themselves as an impediment to the competition? I respect the enormous amount of positive Jackson and Roos have done for this club over the past 12 - 18 months but they need to be very careful not to continue to reflect on the damage done in the past. It adds to the chip on our collective shoulders and will very soon sound like scapegoating. So good luck fellow Demonlanders. May the skeptics forever rule the cynics!

You're so like not cool.

Like it. http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/09/10/mitch-clark-must-return-melbourne/

If Roos seems ambivalent, what message does that send to the other clubs who are reportedly interested in Mitch?

I always back in the player in situations like this and it never works out so it's time to change it up. He's gone!

Sometimes Demonland is like talk back radio. The later it gets, the weirder it gets.

I remember watching the Sam Blease clip below thinking that it was the most impressive 3 minute highlight package (all from one game) that I'd seen. Fast, clean, finishing skills and a real zest for the defensive side of the game. I remember doing a very embarrassing little happy dance when we called his name soon after. I think he only got 13 possessions in the game against WA. Maybe that was the clue. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7DTWnqlg8E Moral of the story? I'm not sure. Something about highlight packages . . . . .

I'm less optimistic than most about Trengove. It's a damn shame. I hope I'm wrong and he finds a yard or two of pace post op and his acceleration increases but I remember observers of his very first pre-season raising doubts about his pace. I'd actually play him as a defensive forward. He's disciplined, a good tackler and can be dangerous in the air against a medium/small defender. He might get burnt for pace against the wrong match-up but I think it's best opportunity to play a role for the team.

In broader society, however, you just don't know that. Just because you're gay and not offended doesn't mean others aren't. And are people like myself and Harry allowed to be frustrated by insensitive behaviour even if we're not gay?

I think as faithful demon supporters who've weathered the past 8 seasons and then some, we're entitled to hang on to whatever hope there is.

1. Dunn 2. N Jones 3. Tyson 4. Vince 5. McDonald

I agree. A player with Polkinghorne's experience is either going to make your best 22 better or he won't. If you think he will you pull the trigger and put him straight onto the main list. A club in our position isn't looking for role players in the hope we can move up a couple of spots. It should be looking for players we think are capable of becoming stars of the competition. We need the cake. The icing and the decorations and the leftover crumbs can come in a couple of years. Every spot on the senior list is vitally important. Every spot must be used to find us 'A' grade players.