Whispering_Jack

If this story of betrayal is true then it doesn't come as a surprise knowing what we now know about the people in charge of this area at the time.

I've never been a fan of reluctant coaches who might be swayed to take the job if there's enough coin on offer a la Malcolm Blight at St. Kilda. While Roos might possess a lot of the attributes we're looking for in a coach, complete commitment and dedication to the task is absolutely not negotiable. It's interesting to discover that Brisbane is in a parlous financial state and will have to go to the AFL with a begging bowl (as we did) in order to finance an expensive coach. I wonder if the Lions cop as much flack as we did when we applied for assistance.

Essendon is adopting a risky strategy to say the least - Defiant Bombers say they'll clear names after AFL charges Those who have been charged are entitled to seek to clear their names and while the decision by ASADA/AFL to issue an interim report without finalising the position of the players might have been designed to bring the matter to a swift resolution, it looks like backfiring at a heavy cost to all concerned. Unless there's a change of heart, the Bombers might well still play in the finals this year but the future of the club remains at risk if the investigation into the supplements programme continues or the matter goes to court. The eyes of the sporting world will be on this case without a doubt. And dare I ask but where are the politicians who were all over this when the story first came out on 5 February?

Jeremy Howe doesn't get a mention. Does that mean that he's fit or in line for back to back mystery injury of the week honours?

Yeah, gotta feel for Beamer.He's out for the rest of the year with an injury so he's going to miss out on having the pleasure of playing under a caretaker coach again.

They probably ran out of time because in the latest version of the TAC Cup Future Stars top 10, they took their WIPE OFF FIVE message literally and turned it into a top 5:- 1. GWS TOM BOYD (Eastern Ranges) 2. Melbourne JAMES AISH (South Australia) 3. St. Kilda JOSH KELLY (Sandringham Dragons) 4. W Bulldogs MATT SCHARENBERG (South Australia) 5. Gold Coast JACK BILLINGS (Oakleigh Chargers)

Sorry I couldn't make it - always good to meet the devoted Demon fans whenever I come up to the Gold Coast. And Deb always does such a great job.

A strong rumour from Carlton suggests that not only does Malthouse intend dumping at least 10 players, he also will dispense with the services of the staff who remain from the Ratten era. It's going to be a significant clean out.

Has anyone thought of Brett Ratten as a possible coach? He's got experience, has silverware (the Kreuzer Cup) and did a reasonable job with the Blues getting them to within a poofteenth of making a preliminary final when they narrowly lost to the Eagles in Perth in 2011 which is always a tough gig. Last year, he was disgracefully and unceremoniously dumped from the Carlton job after injury cruelled his club's season. Despite that, his record in 2012 compares well with that of Mick Malthouse this year. He hasn't won premierships like Roos and Choco or made a grannie like Eade but he did work wonders when he was our midfield coach several years ago. Currently Assistant Coach at the Hawks so he's working in a successful environment. Once we have him installed as coach, we could get On the Couch to interview him and Mike Sheahan might want to ask him what sort of environment his former club offered Brock McLean that was better than the one he was leaving at Melbourne. Seriously though, there's no hope of an AFL tanking investigation into the Blues despite the stupid utterance of one journalist that "if Carlton is guilty then the current mood of the AFL indicates that club, too, will be forensically examined and punished." The AFL's system of kangaroo courts is busily engaged elsewhere at the moment.

You do tend to fall from grace when you get arrested in two European countries on the same trip as a consequence of your drunken behaviour.

Redleg. There's as much use in arguing the point here as there is is with debating 9/11 truthers. I thought tonight was a good pointer to a future under a new coach and only an imbecile would suggest we weren't trying tonight. I think Neil Craig would be resigned to not having the gig in 2014 but he really coached well tonight. We blew it in about 2½ minutes of football, the last minute of the third quarter (Nicho misses and they bring it forward and kick a goal seconds before the siren) and the first minute and a half of the final quarter when they kicked 2 quick ones. Of course there was our poor kicking for goal in the second half (5.11 - 8.3) but we had Clark, Dawes & Howe missing from the forward line (with Hogan to come) and James Frawley missing from defence and a handfull of others who might also claim a spot in the team including Mark Jamar in the ruck with Max the future in that area. Tonight shows we can still turn things around next year with an established coach at the helm and a new crop of draft picks. Roos, Choco or Eade could well get the club up quicker than some might think.

Suggest you watch the replay Joe. You'll sight him getting 12 kicks 12 handballs 24 disposals 6 marks and 3 tackles. Not bad for someone who "was rarely sighted".

6. Nathan Jones 5. Jordie McKenziie 4. Colin Garland 3. Jack Viney 2. Jake Spencer 1. Dean Kent I've been critical of Neil Craig in recent weeks but tonight he was very good.

... write a letter of complaint to the selectors Last week: Jack Viney (in a losing team) 9 kicks 13 handballs 22 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles Zac Williams (off a hbf) 11 kicks 10 handballs 21 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles It must have been a close thing but Jack's due ... This week: Jack Viney (again in a losing team) 7 kicks 17 handballs 24 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle ... in a game where G Ablett Jr had only 19 touches. Is there anyone else in the running?

Thought it was time to start one of these seeing that its just an hour away.

Was she correct? Not in my book.But what does my criticism of her have to do with people holding vindictive attitudes such as that which I criticised?

And I'll be happy when that sort of vindictiveness is eradicated from the club. It's exactly that attitude which has led the club to its current situation.

Actually, btdemon Carl Ditterich coached in between Jones and Barassi. None of them were particularly impressive as coaches.

The VFL RECORD usually publishes a list of players eligible about 2 - 3 weeks before the finals noting those who would become eligible if they were to play out the rest of the season with the VFL aligned club. Expect that in this or next week's RECORD.

This looms as a danger game for the Casey Scorpions especially with the absence of leading goalkicker Jesse Hogan (rested). With a game next week against the winless Bendigo Gold, Casey would wrap up a top four spot with victory in this match but Frankston will not be easy to beat. The Dolphins are still an outside chance of making the finals and have given some quality sides a run for their money this year. They have wins over Port Melbourne and Collingwood under their belt. They also lost a game to North Ballarat a few weeks ago after losing their score when a count found they had 19 men on the ground. There are a few Demons who must be very close to breaking back into the team. Strong displays from Magner, Strauss and Tynan this week might force the selectors' hands given our current poor standing in the AFL.

The investigation might not have come up with anything against the players other than circumstantial evidence of the use of prohibited substances but this hasn't prevented the AFLPA from being concerned at the way Essendon implemented its supplements programme - Essendon drugs probe: AFLPAs fury at Bombers. It's interesting that Albert Haddad's name is now coming up. I rather fancy the idea of him interrogating Hird and others at Bomberland in the heavy handed way he went after people at Melbourne in the "tanking inquisition". A taste of bamboo under the fingernails and waterboarding might well bring to light some more information and possibly that might be shared with the public via leaks to the media and others. Amazing what might come out if that were to occur.

Someone told me at dinner tonight that Redleg has a horse running at Sandown next week. Name is Briefed and won two starts back at the same track. Redleg apparently shy about passing on the tip.

If the Roos to Essendon story is true then someone must have injected a dose of enthusiasm for coaching into Roosy. Clearly, PJ hasn't managed to do that just yet.

It's being reported that Sheahan is distancing himself from the supposed comments attributed to him and that Hird won't be resigning tomorrow. Saturday maybe

So there are two reports - ASADA's and the ACC's. I really didn't pick that up anywhere and I think most would have assumed both to have been working together on this. If this is true. the problem for Essendon is that one newspaper report from early on in the saga suggested the premises opposite Windy Hill where the injection of players took place were under ACC surveillance for some time. If this were the case and these people were competent investigators then they should have been able to identify the nature of the substances being injected into the Essendon players - i.e gone beyond the apparent ASADA conclusion to date which points only to circumstantial evidence of prohibited substances. Of course, the ACC website was saying at the time that AOD-9604 was not a banned substance. I have a feeling that the contents of the ACC report could shake the competition at its very foundations.