KLV

• Melbourne still have to prove to themselves as much as the football public how capable they are. On raw talent they're up there with anyone, but until they start doing it consistently, the question mark will (and should) remain.
   

fair comment 

I can’t believe this conversation 

12 hours ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Someone tell me 

Who does Chris Scott look like with the face fuzz?

3 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

They had Kennett on SEN before to discuss the letter he had written to Hawks members this afternoon.

https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/704788/jeff-s-letter-to-members

The critical part of it was he has put the death of clubs back on the table;

This is the guy who tried to destroy the state and now he is trying to destroy the competition with his economic rationalist views.

I hope our club defends itself in no uncertain terms as it is clear we are one of 4 clubs (along with North, Saints and Dogs despite their current financial position) whose necks are on the chopping block.

You could say it's just a blowhard but the fact he is on the competitions coronavirus committee means his position holds more weight than most and it would be unlikely if he has gone out and said this publicly without similar discussions being had privately.

He has given clubs 3 years to get their finances in order. 3 years despite not knowing how the next season or two will play out. 3 years to try and overcome decades of financial inequities in the competition.

If the competition were serious and the clubs had a backbone they would demand a revenue sharing model as compensation for the AFL's crowd/revenue maximisation policies. Of course the AFL has crippled most clubs so that they are reliant on the AFL and dare not speak out against city hall lest they be punished with poor fixtures and stadium deals and any other decisions the AFL decides on a whim. Look at the way they punished Sydney for daring to steal Buddy Franklin from under the noses of the Giants! Could you imagine if Collingwood or Hawthorn were banned from trading for two trade periods?

Average supporters do not understand the long-term financial ramifications of competition policies over several decades dating back to the impact of the player zoning system and then over more recent decades revenue/crowd maximisation policies and ground rationalisation policies. Clubs need to start standing up for themselves otherwise at some point in the (near?) future the AFL and big clubs will decide it is no longer in their interest to keep clubs on life support and will let them fold despite being victims of AFL policies and the fact their weak financial position was manufactured to balloon the financial positions of the bigger clubs and the AFL executives.

Fair enough Kennett, but give us all a decade or 2 of an uncompromised draw ; every team playing each once, with home venue alternated each year. 
The rationale behind the current inequitable draw, is that the huge cash that results from it, will in part be distributed to the clubs that that are disadvantaged by the draw. 
It’s illogical to suddenly draw a line under this era and suddenly evict clubs that have systematically been unable to build financially. 

2 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

IMO we should have a space at the MCG itself for our memorabilia. That is our home.

Yes, the only place 

Actually, someone mentioned Luke hodge is on ch 7, and C. Ling on abc radio, a demotion, surely 

It’s Been good listening on the radio today, (solid day in the garden), can hear the players, commentary not trying to become stars of the show. Well on the abc anyway. 

Brisbane big winners, Dees the opposite 

18 hours ago, Fork 'em said:

Took the kids to training at Casey when Howe was still with us.
The players were great with the kids with an exception.
Yep, Jeremy Howe.
Far too good to give any kid there the time of day.
Really stood out to me as a phlog.

Jack Watts and Colin Sylvia on the other hand were 1st class.

I’ve said here before, Jack and Col visit my son at royal children’s one year. They were amazing!

On 3/11/2020 at 12:17 PM, Lord Nev said:

Missing the point mate.

Signed vB for 3 years. Ditched Kent who simply wanted more than 1 year.

It's at best, inconsistent.

I'm not saying Kent is a gun, I'm talking about the contract decisions based on both players outputs.

 

Kent was a party boy. Other reasons came into play.

3 hours ago, sisso said:

Some perspective we’ve beaten Hawthorn, Adelaide and North in pre season none of whom look like they are going to be any good this year. Hawks in particular could be rubbish you can’t avoid the draft and top up with ready mades forever eventually you have to invest in the best kids....

So true, they got Patton and Scully for basically nothing, but really, nothing is for free. Sorry Hawks, maybe you need to do your rebuild the traditional way and experience some pain of being rubbish. Enjoy seeing your supporters lose interest.

17 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Scully is as appealing as Corona Virus 

Good form tonight jaded ?

2 hours ago, Demonland said:

For our Round 22 2018 match I purchased a premium ticket on the WC Members wing on a ticket reseller website and loved every single minute of it. Best day of football I've ever been to listening to those whingers whinge all day. Worth every overpriced cent I spent. Will only be topped by a Premiership.

How lucky you were. I was at the prelim, and had the complete opposite experience to you.

Brilliant, evocative photos, great effort- thanks 666

4 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

What’s happening with Viney? If you’re in the know re Max, you’d have to know if Viney will be kept on as a captain. Cheers. 

 

Doesn’t necessarily mean Viney is not co-captain, I don’t know that. 

A mix of both 

Just heard, Max is captain 2020.

confirmed

6 hours ago, Demonland said:

Two quick ones of the new boys.

Be good when this fashion of bad facial hair ends

Listening to the interview this morning, I gained more of an appreciation of what went on within the 4 walls of the club this year. “Players doubting the game plan”, “players losing confidence”, “players questioning the football department ‘s whole strategy”

Meanwhile, Goodwin a young coach is worried about the team’s ability to get it together at round 3. As the year progresses, he’s needing to keep the faith, the motivation and belief of the players, publicly provide explanations for every loss, and cop un-censored criticism from traditional media and of course social media, of which, we are part. 

Imagine the experience of those underperforming players this year, those that came off pre season surgery and inadequate preparation; imagine the experience of Oscar MacDonald.

The fact that the club has retained 100% of their required players, traded on those that weren’t (Frost was a bad influence), attracted Langdon and Tomlinson, beat others to secure 1st refusal on Harley Bennell, is quite astonishing. Certainly not something that would have happened in the recent past.

I hated last season as much as anyone, but feel admiration for the players and staff and a growing confidence in where our club is heading.

17 minutes ago, Demon17 said:

In general the questions were thoughtful and relevsnt. But several muppets as you say.

Re. Point 3 above . It was lewis and hawn who completed 80% or more of pre season. Jones completed 30%.

10 key players completed less than 30% of preseason.

Not least of whom was the person responsible for the cowardly attack on Oscar McDonald. 

Very poor form.

1 hour ago, Cards13 said:

I hope every club just tries to f k them the next few trade periods. Work in good faith like our boy Mahoney. 

1 hour ago, daisycutter said:

and carlton, in good faith, was only prepared to offer a 2nd round pick.....yeah, right

Another reason to despise that smelly club

1 hour ago, grey wolf said:

In advance...

thanks Saty and Kev for the great reports and insight...

when you are living the life of a retired hippie it’s hard to admit your one passion in life (apart from your wife).. is the Dees... the angst the hope the epiphanies the dread .. but we dare to dream.. Max stripped and training hard... stuff to dream on... 

Be proud Grey wolf, I’m no retired hippie, but equally hard in my world to explain my demon passion 

On 10/29/2019 at 5:34 PM, ProDee said:

For me it's a no brainer.

He'll be relatively cheap and with lists of approx. 44 what's the downside if he doesn't pan out ?  

His talent is undeniable.  37 disposals and 4 goals against us at the G was evidence of a very special player.  He's a better talent than Geelong's recently departed Tim Kelly.

If you can't take a risk when you haven't won a flag in over 50 years when can you ?

I'll live very comfortably if he came to the Dees and never played a game.

Btw, I can share that Goodwin and co. are very bullish about 2020.  They're aiming for top 4 and think they can win it - (courtesy of a lunch between Goodwin and well-heeled Demons supporters).   

Naturally, the usual rebarbative posters will bloviate their inanities at such a suggestion.

It was a very long lunch, I assume, Pro Dee 

35 minutes ago, John Demonic said:

My 5 Demons to watch in 2020 are:

• Tracca's gluttony for an extra serving of nonna's pasta
• Angus' slothful running back to defence
• Jayden Hunt's envy of Ed Langdon's magnificent hair
• May's wrathful head high bumps
• The 22's pride in playing a good quarter of footy

To be fair usually a Nonna’s pasta is hard to resist. 

3 hours ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

And that's his choice - but just like any draftee, he goes to whichever club selects him.

If he wants to behave like a free agent, he needs to earn that right through another contract with GCS.  If he wants to enter the draft he can:

a) Go to the club that selects him.

b) Play a couple of years in the local leagues, then try again.

 

I'm not just saying this as a Melbourne supporter - it is akin to draft tampering to attempt to scare away other clubs.  The integrity of the draft depends upon honest engagement with the process.

Yeah, I agree with your post mr 39. Where’s the advantage in being a free agent, if you can get to the club you want, simply by refusing to sign a new contract with your current club?