Whispering_Jack

Agreed. Never presume anything is a done deal in the football world until the deal's been done.

Great work Gary and all of the Adelaide Demon fans who made this happen!

Jim Stynes has copped a fair bit of criticism from some quarters but I'm impressed by his persistence in getting a quality candidate for CEO across the line. When Cameron Schwab indicated that he wasn't in the race for CEO, it was reported that he chased Stuart Fox of Geelong and even rang him five or six times in one day to persuade him that he was a wanted man. Although that didn't work, he then continued to show that persistence and finally got his man in Schwab. You have to admire this because, over a very long time, that does not appear to have been a feature at the MFC. I hope he continues to go hard like a dog at a bone when it comes to securing other assets needed by the club.

Just spoke to Finks' Senior who went to the luncheon and he described it as an overwhelming success attracting about 380 people. He thinks the figure thrown around was $2.67m before today's results but he's not sure. All he seemed interested in was getting his souvenir footy autographed by Ronald Dale Barassi.

No doubt the appointment will create an avalanche of consternation from those who aren't exactly his "mates". Hopefully, he'll do the job for us this time.

I also have a soft spot for the Peace Team, a mixed Israeli-Palestinian side, initiated by Israeli NGO and the Peres Center for Peace (peres-center.org), in cooperation with Palestinian NGO and the Al-Quds Association for Democracy and Dialogue - Football promotes peace for rivals. Here's the team list for the Peace Team - NO. NAME AGE HT WT GOALS BEHINDS 1 Kamal ABUALTHOM 24 184 83 2 Abed ABU HADUAN 21 170 70 4 Ahmad ABU RMAILEH 20 198 78 5 Naseem ALMANASRA 22 173 72 6 Alla BARHOUM 36 180 82 7 Karim BARHUM 22 176 72 8 Yonatan BELIK 18 181 71 9 Shai BRAITNER 31 186 82 10 Danny BRILL 28 173 90 13 Dari TAMIMI 21 175 72 14 Ariel GOLDSMITH 29 177 75 17 Dror HAIM 26 179 86 19 Hamudi IBDEIR 24 170 65 20 Leith JABER 16 177 85 22 Uri KANDEL 28 182 78 24 Nati KOKE 26 178 75 25 Kfir KOL 31 182 70 29 Moshe LAGISA 28 176 64 30 Ran NADIR 31 179 78 31 Kevin NAFTE 25 180 80 32 Erez NOTA 29 180 75 39 Fady RUMMAN 27 180 81 40 Ilan SAMUEL 25 165 62 41 Sam SWAITTI 25 180 90 42 Asher SUISSA 36 174 76 43 Fares SWAITTI 29 190 96

The China Red Demons have hit town for the Australian Football International Cup. According to the official record for the Cup http://afl.com.au/Portals/0/afl_docs/Devel...-book_final.pdf :- Here's the team list (programme is in the record as above). NO. NAME AGE HT WT CLUB GOALS BEHINDS 1 Zhang ZUODUO 20 183 76 Tianjin Normal University Demons 2 Zhao YONG-GEN © 23 175 65 Beijing Sport University 3 Zhou QIANG 22 174 64 Beijing Sport University 4 Zhang HAO 22 177 70 Beijing Sport University 5 Zhang LEI 20 180 75 Tianjin Normal University Demons 6 Pi JIAMING 28 180 85 Elgar Park Dragons (VAFA) 7 He FENG 21 170 65 Beijing Sport University 8 Yang LUNJIA 21 180 70 Beijing Sport University 9 Ma JINSHAN 20 182 78 Tianjin Normal University Demons 10 Liu GANG 20 180 75 Tianjin Normal University Demons 11 Zhang AIMIN 22 170 65 Beijing Sport University 12 Yan FENG 23 183 75 Nankai University Tianjin 13 Lu JIAN 30 168 63 Beijing Bombers 14 Liu MING 25 184 83 Elgar Park Dragons (VAFA) 15 Ning JIN 32 182 82 Nankai University Tianjin 16 Zhang FEI 20 184 87 Beijing Sport University 17 Zhang YONG 21 184 82 Beijing Sport University 18 Liu SHICHAO 22 186 78 Beijing Sport University 19 Li CHENG 24 178 75 Beijing Sport University 20 Yang TAO 21 175 77 Beijing Sport University 21 Liu GUOCHEN (VC) 21 180 80 Tianjin Normal University Demons 22 Zhao XILEI 20 180 73 Tianjin Normal University Demons 23 Wang LEI 21 182 80 Tianjin Normal University Demons 24 Gao DONGLIANG 22 184 65 Tianjin Normal University Demons 25 Xu JIAN 21 179 75 Beijing Sport University 26 Qin YUANHONG 20 192 89 Beijing Sport University 27 Zhang WEI 21 191 76 Beijing Sport University 28 Ren XIAOYU 19 197 82 Tianjin Normal University Demons 29 Gao RUNDONG 20 195 100 Tianjin Normal University Demons 30 Fang LEI 31 188 86 Elgar Park Dragons (VAFA) 31 Gao LEI 19 177 70 Tianjin Institute of Electronic Information 36 Tao LEI 25 183 90 SuZhou CangLang 40 Shou GUANFU 22 183 106 Beijing Sport University

I don't think Corcoran was ever an AFL CEO.

I can't see Port Adelaide finishing behind West Coast given that the Eagles play Hawthorn and Geelong in Round 22 so their prospects of getting Naitanui will be dependent upon them finishing 14th and WCE taking Rich with their selection. I'm not that certain about their decision being all that cut and dried. Based on vision I saw of Port playing Carlton on Saturday I would even swear that they're tanking except for the fact that Andrew Demetriou says AFL clubs don't tank.

No, Bode's not that well. He might be out with the concussion he sustained at Sandy on Sunday.

Million dollar sponsorships don't grow on trees at the best of times, let along the period of economic uncertainty we appear to be entering. And with all due respect to Jimmy's team, it won't be easy thanks to the fact that for some reason the AFL doesn't like fixturing us at times that would be attractive for national brand sponsors. If the Board can swing a top notch new sponsorship for 2009 and onwards it will be one of its biggest achievements.

My guess is a little rover named Ken Emselle.

Good work Dave. I remember contributing to both Footscray and Richmond's fund raising efforts when they were in dire straits and it's fantastic that supporters of all clubs are willing to chip in and help one another. PS: Hope the stuff about Didak, the Shaws and other Collingwood stuff around here last week weren't out of line

It was a fantastic gesture for the club irrespective of his annual earnings and let's just accept it for that please folks?

You're doing a great job for the club there dworship. Keep it up. Just wondering if your group is in touch with former player Stewart Gull who was in Melbourne this week for Tuesday's Debt Demolition function and was a team mate of Robbie's* in the late '70's. Stewart lives in your part of the world, is doing well in the retirement village industry and would no doubt have some connections and possible local knowledge of other prominent Melbourne fans in the Ballarat district and, in any event, I'm sure he would be interested in the function. * PS: He played the game somewhat differently to Robbie.

Brock has also made himself available, along with Isaac Weetra for the Ballarat Demons Debt Demolition Function on Wednesday 20 August 2008 - AN EVENING WITH ROBERT FLOWER. His contribution and commitment to the club is very impressive (not just in the form of the donation) and I'm sure all Collingwood people hope that their own can make as impressive a comeback from their off field indiscretions as Brock has done this year. Congratulations.

And let's not forget that we were paying some of Travis' wages this year as well. Fact is that with our young list it would be irresponsible for us to be shelling out the same amount of pay to players as a club with a list like Geelong's. As time goes on and our young blokes develop and mature and the team starts achieving some success, we will have the room to increase our player payments without straining our salary cap position. It makes sense to me that we should be stating our rebuilding phase at 92.5% rather than waste a lot of $'s chasing high priced recruits that don't fit in with our plans to develop a team of the future. The other problem we've encountered over the past two years has been injury payments. There's not a great lot you can do about that other than employ the best fitness staff. I'm sure that must be high on the club's list of priorities.

We've opened up the 2008 Drafting and Trading Board for posting specifically on those subjects - http://demonland.ugbox.net/forum/index.php?showforum=18. Thanks to Nasher!

Full marks to whoever it was at the MFC who decided not to pursue the so-called purchase of land that would, in time, have become a potential millstone around the club's neck. That parcel of land would IMO not have increased greatly in value over the years because unlike a commercial use or residential zoned use, this would have remained a special use for commercial purposes. If the club decided to move away at some tme in the future it would not have been readily sold. In the club's hands hpwever, it would have been subject to rates and taxes which might over the years have become a burden (land taxes on some properties have escalated enormously in the past decade). Now the club can strike a reasonable rental deal albeit without a title but also without some of the high ongoing costs that go with it i.e. the best of all worlds. Not impressed by the councillors who fought this issue - they have achieved nothing for their constituents.

When Warnock first played at Sandringham, it was as a full forward. Given our problems up there atm, why not try him up there again for the rest of the year and bring Frawley and or Carroll into defence for the rest of the eyar?

What is it with Cameron Bruce, umpires and Essendon? I'm certain he was legged in the dying moments of last year's game at the Telstra Dome and the call was "play on" leading to a Scott Lucas goal in a game where we lost by a couple of points. Or do the umpires support us and are really helping us get the first draft pick?

Good to see the Poms losing to SA despite the great innings of Mr. Collingwood. He and Mick Malthouse have a lot in common.

One other consideration might be Ricky Petterd. As far as I'm aware, there's been no reason given for him not being selected in today's Sandringham team. I'm speculating but perhaps if he isn't injured then the thinking might be to play him on Friday night rather than play today and make his return on a 5 day break.

Your thoughts are much appreciated Demon85. Can we suggest that during the club's debt demolition month, that instead of donating to us, all donations be made to the club's efforts to remove its $5m debt. After all, if the club's no longer around in a few year's time, then neither are we! DEBT DEMOLITION

I've been a great wrap for the club's youth policy and it will clearly reap great dividends for the club's future. However, I noticed Dean Bailey, when asked about the club's veterans who were playing at Sandringham, said that the club would be discussing their future with them this week. Jeff White and Adem Yze have been among the greats of the Melbourne Football Club and it would come as no surprise that they are not part of the club's plans for 2009 and beyond. They deserve a send off game and what better occassion than against one of the top clubs on Friday night live television in the lead up to the Olympic Games ceremony? Hopefully, their selection will attract thousands of additional fans to the game to show their appreciation. The only problem here might be that they would be coming off a 5 day break but then so too would anyone else playing for the Zebras today (e.g. Nathan Jones). Obviously, I wouldn't be suggesting something like this if we were in the running for a place in the finals but the only prize we can win this year is made of wood and you cook things with it. In: Carroll, White, Yze Out: the 2 injured players and Aussie for a bit of confidence building at Sandy.