demoniac

I have never enjoyed reading the Age and the Herald Sun as much as I did this morning. I even went out and bought a hard copy of the Herald Sun. For the first time since Northey we have a coach with a hard edge. And I like it. I have no issue with what he said and I am sure there is nothing in there that he would not have already told the players. Since the Swooper era we have just not been hard enough. Sure we had ordinary facilities and not much money but so did the Kangas and they won 2 flags in the 90s. Meanwhile our football departments were tolerating gifted senior players who showed little defensive intent or hardness and were consistent only in their inconsistency. A wasted generation. Fast forward to the 2011 post season and the rebirth of the Dees under Stynes now sees its final foundations in place with some highly respected coaching and sports science appointments. Mark Neeld comes from a Collingwood that has played off for the flag in each of the last 2 years. They won the 2010 flag in the toughest of circumstances having to regroup from a draw. David Misson arrives from St Klda and the Swans. Teams he has conditioned have played off in 4 Grand Finals plus a Grand Final replay. Both teams were conditioned for brutal contested footy. Neeld and Misson knows how their elite players prepared. What times they ran. What weights they did. Neil Craig comes from Adelaide with a unique mix of elite sports science and coaching experience. He knows how elite Olympic athletes have prepared for competition. He has been a senior coach at both AFL and SANFL level. He was in demand from numerous other AFL clubs. An ideal mentor for an assistant coach stepping up to a senior position for the first time. Neeld, Misson and Craig are shaking the joint up. Insisting our players are elite in their preparation and disciplined in their play. Demanding that this generation transform their potential into performance. And I for one am bloody excited. Go Dees!

I don't think I've ever enjoyed reading the Herald and the Age as much as I did this morning.

The point remains that Misson has worked harmoniously with respected Sports Medicos at both Sydney and St Kilda.

Neeld continues to impress.

My mail at the end of season 2009 was that Ball was over OP and in a position to did a full pre season for the first time in years. This came from somebody who would know. And no I am not going to name them. Misson does not not appear to have had any problems dealing with long term and highly respected club doctors at Sydney and St Kilda.

The Black Cloud's obvious discomfort at the March presser was enough for me. Been in the 'signed with Giants at end of 2010' camp since then. Quite amusing to hear him try to convince himself that it was not about the $6million dollars. Anyway lets just hope the Giants rest him for a few weeks before we play them so he actually takes the field against us! Go Dees!

Free agency changes apply from 2013 season. Current Veterans List rules apply for 2012.

Why is Mitch Clark wearing what looks like a Dockers Polo on the Dee Shop 2012 Merchandise Page?

The Parramatta - Penrith 'Blockbuster' is currently scheduled for Parramata Stadium which google tells me has a capacity of 20,000. The defensive moves by the NRL in many ways vindicate the AFL expansion into Western Sydney. The Giants will never win over the rusted on league fans but they might win over some of their kids and enough of the rest of the residents of Western Sydney to be viable. In many ways the AFL expansion is as much about money as it is about access to first choice athletic talent and in many ways the test for the Giants will just not be their own viability but the emergence of first choice athletes from the Western Sydney choosing AFL and thus expanding the depth of talent of the draft/player pool. To quote the famous New Zealand Philsopher Rachel Hunter 'it wont happen overnight but it will happen".

One of my pet hates is our coaching panel getting about in suit pants and polo shirts. Just look horrible. If they are wearing suit pants then its collar (no logos thereon) and tie. If they are wearing the more sponsor friendly polo then its a more business casual trouser. Quite like the new 2012 training gear. Actually looks like it was designed especially for us rather than being generic sportwsear designer mess.

Good call by Neeld and the club for the reasons outlined on the web site. End of story.

Schwab is a mixture of the old fashioned club secretary cloth that he is cut from and the experienced and highly qualified modern day CEO that his positon dictates. For mine Schwab and Connoly were on the money with their doubts about Bailey's attacking game plan. The more experienced players did I think resent Tim Harrington's role in getting our player payments in order after the awarding of very lucrative contracts to the likes of Maclean, Bruce and Yze and the insistence of 1 year deals for veterans. No doubt the board has reminded him to focus on the commercial aspect - the 1 year extension was certainly a shot across his bow in that regard - but no doubt the appointments made on the football side give everyone more confidence in the performance of the football department The appointment of Lyon as Football Director and then his permanent successor will also result in the waters being less muddied than were post Leoncelli's resignation and then with an obviously struggling Stynes. For mine he stays on as CEO. Schwab is an important reason why this club is in the best position it has been in in my nearly 40 years of being a supporter. It is important not to scapegoat Schwab as the only one at fault in what was a very difficult year for the Dees but which has ended with the club in a strong position on and off the field. Go the Dees!

Mitch Clark plays as a key forward and doing some of the ruck work in the forward line. Mark Jamar as Nm 1 ruck. Stefan Martin as second ruck. If Martin is need down back to play on the likes of an Ottens/West/Cloke/Vickery/Cox/ Natanui Clark relieves Jamar in the Ruck. Gawn develops at Casey over the next 2 years, playing the occasional game due to injury and looks to take over from Jamar as the Nm 1 Ruck in 2014.

Have to delist at least one more player with $cully and Warnock leaving and Clark coming in.

BomberBlitz is making for most amusing reading!

Even if we don't get Caddy we can still make Essendon up the ante in terms of what they offer. But it would almost be worth getting Caddy just to see Bomberblitz go in to an absolute meltdown.

Nm 1. Then he and Nathan Jones can have lockers next to each other and discuss sleave tattoos. And he won't have to change his twitter handle.

Methinks 2 factors were key. Melbourne sought advice from the AFL on whether or not Brisbane would be entitled to a Compensation Pick if GWS picked up Clark in the PSD. The AFL confimed tBrisbane would would be so entitled. At this point Brisbane were no longer a loser if Clark went into the PSD and the dynamics changed. When you combine that with the deteriorating relations between Freo and Brisbane making it hard for Clark and his manager Colin Young to see a deal being done at all I think you have the background to Clark's decision. Now we just have to offer up the mid first rounder (after teams who missed the finals) pick in 2012 - 16 drafts for Josh Caddy.

Pick 12 in a draft heavily compromised by the GWs concessions is a good deal for mine. He gives us important flexibility in the age of the substitute. Can play forward and ruck and is mobile.

Welcome Mitch. Play like a Demon and Give em Hell!

Emma Quayle also believes we were never interested in Lisle. If Tommy Walsh goes to Sydney then are there any feasible key forward targets?

Has not come on as we would have hoped. Not one to waste too much trade time on.

Denham was on to nothing. Last time I checked Melbourne is some distance from Perth. Clark wants to return to Perth.

Would really only be an option for a club that perceives it is in the premiership window next season given Fevola's age. Interestingly there are a few in that category who might be interested in Fev as a mature age rookie who can play at Full Forward and kick pretty straight. Collingwood, Hawthorn, St Kilda (if they really think they can reload). Certainly the mature age rookie option is cheap for a club both in terms of drafting and salary.

We can now use the money we were spending on interest to service the debt on the football department. We can now use the money raised by supporters that was previously used to eradicate the debt to invest in the football department. The benefits can already be seen in the ability of the club to attract football professionals of the likes of David Misson and Neil Craig and the increase in the number of coaches. Its getting these things right that gives us the best chance in my almost 40 years of following the Dees to win a premiership. There is alot of work to be done but for the first time in a long time we have solid foundations on and off the field.