Whispering_Jack

I vote for the Port Adelaide white strip with one red and one blue V. Nice and simple and it looks like a footy jumper without any cartoon characters.

The Judge is testing the arguments put by Counsel. A usual practice and not necessarily indicative of anything.

That's nothing. Mark "Jacko" Jackson used do that trick while doing handstands during a game. (OK I exaggerate a bit )

Might as well add Emma Quayle's pen picture from her draft combine harvester series:- Despite what Josh Mahoney might have said or inferred in that interview last month, I can't see us going past Brayshaw/Lever.

I notice that a few of the AFL clubs have announced new alternative strips for the coming season. Not sure if MFC will be coming out with a new strip this year although I seem to recall talk in the past that clubs had to commit to two years at least for their alternative guernseys. I'm not a big fan of our current predominantly white strip which looks more like a Swans jumper. I also like a football jumper that looks like a football jumper and not these stupid numbers with cartoon caricatures and the like. I know it's a subject that's attracted controversy in the past but are there any views on whether we should change and what sort of design would you like?

Once a day we have some delusional character coming on and telling us how many days to go before some footy event takes place but it's not quite clear what he's mumbling about. Otherwise, it's mostly about bananas, alpacas and milking cows. Pretty simple and straightforward really.

Neale Daniher's first season as coach was probably one of the most memorable at the club in the post 1964 period. The two players who stand out for me from that season were Jeff Farmer and Garry Lyon, neither of who were in the picture with the Rev. I'll never forget that mark the Wiz took standing on Garry's head against Richmond.

Tweet from the MFC:- @melbournefc: There will be an open training session tomorrow at Gosch's Paddock from 9.15am #myheartbeatstrue Assuming it's the same group of younger players who turned out last week plus any players wanting to do some additional preparation away from the prying eyes of the AFLPA which will probably be preoccupied with the Federal Court action looking after the interests of the 34 jabbees in James Hird's case against ASADA.

No. I think Hird is telling the truth when he says he was forced to lie about wanting the truth to come out . He was forced into by dint of the offer of a year's paid holiday to France at full pay ($1m) and an extended contract. Admittedly it was always going to be a tough call but forced, he most certainly was. And there seems to be no end to the money problems over there at Bomberland ~ Paul Chapman’s future at Essendon in doubt as contract talks break down. Sad, really.

The Herald Sun's Phantom Draft has us taking Brayshaw/McCartin with Two Metre Peter dropping possibly as far as 17. Phantom Draft 2014: Christian Petracca set to be No.1 pick, Essendon could land bargain in Peter Wright

I think I might have to turn the udder cheek to that one.

That's why I never judge players by highlight tapes and sometimes I don't bother watching them at all. The best way to assess a player's value is by watching him play or train in person. Next best is to watch full videos such as the Australian Under Championships where I saw some of the draft candidates. I was disappointed to miss Brayshaw in the only final he played for the Dragons this year. He was named BOG but was injured late in that game. When I went to see him on preliminary final day he was selected but didn't play. I saw a cameo of McCartin in the first week of the finals but he also went off the field. I agree though that highlights packages don't tell a great deal. My favourite story is about a highlights package put together by some Carlton supporter of our Chris Johnson from a couple of games he played for us before going to the Blues. He was playing loose at half back and picked up lots of possessions on his own and kicking without being under any pressure. He looked fantastic and some Carlton fans thought they had the greatest steal ever on their hands. Go figure!

Only if I was snorkelling in those muddy waters below and since I'm not, I have no problems at all.

Based on the submissions filed in the Federal Court I think he's legless. I wouldn't be booking any flights to Canberra for any High Court hearings next year in the hope of catching any cases involving high profile AFL coaches challenging ASADA either.

As the name suggests, the Federal Court is a court of federal or national jurisdiction. It is separate from the Supreme Court (of Victoria) which is a state court. The Full Bench means a court constituted of usually three or more judges. This appeal is against a judgment made by a single judge sitting alone in the Federal Court (in this case Middleton J) and is being heard by a panel of three Federal Court judges (the word "full" does not refer to their state of sobriety ) If one of the parties is aggrieved by the decision in this appeal, they might get leave to appeal to the High Court. I don't think that will happen based on my reading of the arguments but some funny things do happen from time to time in our legal system.

Nobody is suggesting "puling a contract out from under a player' and I don't see a previous iron clad guarantee that anyone is reneging on. To the contrary, the contract is for the employee of the MFC to play for the club over a period of time at a rate of pay and under set terms and conditions. None of those would change at all.Our football department is charged with putting out the best team on the ground every week. Our players should also have the same aim in mind. If the FD doesn't set out to achieve the best list possible it's not fulfilling its aims. One way or the other, I'm sure they will do what's reasonably necessary to secure a pick at 40.

Natalie Hickey's analysis of the cases put by Hird and ASADA in the Federal Court appeal ~ As James Hird v ASADA Appeal looms, parties’ hands are disclosed.

There is no way in the world he should get his nose out of joint or even consider walking in a scenario where the club deals with it in a professional manner and only proceeds by consensus with the player and his management with iron clad guarantees of his immediate promotion to the senior list and ongoing placement on the primary list in 2016. His contract would be honoured in full, he would at all times retain the ability to play at the highest and be a rookie in name only. He would be guaranteed that no other rookie is promoted ahead of him and it's clear that Trengove is not going to miraculously improve before mid 2015 at least. If he does then he can be uplifted off the LTI and, after round 11 the club can retain Jetta on the primary list anyway under a separate AFL rule relating to rookie promotion. Therefore your list of "what if's" doesn't apply. Similarly, with alternative suggestions discussed elsewhere such as delisting a contracted player with the promise of being rookied (eg Michael Evans). This would also done by consensus for the good of the team and, while I understand that some players might get miffed at this, if they're good enough they'll get a game and if they want to put their interests ahead of the team, they can always take the money and run.

It's time to start the annual guessing game of which guernsey numbers will be given to our new players and which players (if any) will change their numbers. Here's the current list after trades, retirements, delistings and free agency departures:- 1 Jesse Hogan 2 Nathan Jones 3 Christian Salem 4 Jack Watts 5 Jimmy Toumpas 6 Chris Dawes 7 Jack Viney 8 9 Jack Trengove 10 11 12 Dom Tyson 13 Jordie McKenzie 14 Lynden Dunn 15 16 Dean Kent 17 18 Daniel Cross 19 20 Colin Garland 21 Cameron Pedersen 22 Viv Michie 23 Bernie Vince 24 Jay Kennedy-Harris 25 Tom McDonald 26 27 Aidan Riley 28 29 Jayden Hunt 30 31 Jack Grimes 32 Michael Evans 33 Dom Barry 34 35 36 37 Max Gawn 38 Jeremy Howe 39 Neville Jetta 40 Mark Jamar 41 42 Jake Spencer 43 James Harmes 44 Rohan Bail 45 Matt Jones 46 Dean Terlich 47 Max King 48 Jack Fitzpatrick 49 50 Anybody have any inside info?

Will go to Carlton in the PSD - Jason Tutt to join Carlton after Western Bulldogs agree to part ways

It's my view, and I expanded on this elsewhere, that with the evolution of club lists, the rookie list is now far different to what it was 20 years ago when there was an age restriction and rookies were looked upon as akin to young apprentices in the workplace. We now have mature age "rookies" and greater mobility upwards from the rookie to the primary list. Hence, I don't believe that professional footballers would get their noses out of joint if they were placed in a position as I outlined in my post above where it's done for the overall benefit of the club. I suggested that "rookie" is a misnomer and should be replaced with "secondary". Of course, I may be mistaken and the philosophy of the day might well be every man for himself, a point at which I hope we haven't reached. In any event, I'm sure that in the end we will either do as above or delist a player like Evans and in any case it will be done in a professional and proper way.

But would you be screwing the player around if he's guaranteed automatic and immediate upgrade to the primary list concurrently with JT being put on the LTI, guaranteed full pay in accordance with his contract and automatic upgrade to the primary list at the end of 2015?

Garry Baker used to run a bigger pub in Tassie. I'm betting that although not pitted directly against Frankie, in comparison his vote will also be proportionate to the average weekly beer sales of his establishment.

A player, most likely Evans, will make way for Pick 40. It's just a question of who we take with our three picks:- Brett Anderson's Mock Draft which is mentioned above could well be spot on as far as 2, 3 and 53 are concerned. Here are the relevant picks according to Anderson who is a Demon at heart which makes his selections well reasoned, logical and probably wrong

On players to sponsor, I did indicate Billy Stretch but given that it's the Queensland Demons why not Rohan Bail?