Deeoldfart

I really like the way Nev Jetta plays and I suspect Neeldy does as well ......... hard, courageous and tight with reasonable pace, disposal and ability to read the play. He seems to do the 'team things' well, and with the premature departure of Barty, he has a golden opportunity to claim the vacant BP spot. He is still learning the role of a small defender, but he has many of the right attributes to make a go of it. If he can put his injury problems behind him, I can see him becoming an integral part of our defence by year's end.

A well crafted statement from the Pres. imo, and exactly the sort of communication that we, the loyal MFC supporters, deserve. It was music to my ears, and another signal to the wider football community that we are becoming a club that will once again 'stand for something'. Bring it on!

I hate the way this issue is tainting the integrity of our great game. I wish it would just 'go away', as much as I wish the whole tanking bull sh!t would go away ........ but of course I know it can't.

Yeah Old mate, we know all about being 'slapped down' don't we? ......... but Hell, it's 1 February and we deserve to feel good about ourselves and the prospects of our team. We have earned the right! ps. I love your growing confidence. Pragmatic but positive baby steps at this stage is fine!

I have a sickening feeling at the bottom of my stomach. Lets hope the attention is mostly precautionary ... you can't be too careful.

I do the same Boss ..... I was never any good on the left! And in relation to your first para, you should have a chat to Old Dee!

You know what they say about great minds Chippy.

I know exactly what you are saying Rangey, but I've never stopped believing ......... 1965, '66, '67, ............. 2012, 2013 .... ad infinitum until I'm in a pine box.. There's one thing that's certain however, we are getting closer as every year goes by (sound logic that!) and I'm looking forward to 2013 with great anticipation and excitement.

We are getting a pretty competitive team together on this one.

'Tassie' Johnson

Absolutely. If it's reasonable for the Club to expect loyalty through thick and thin from its employees and other stakeholders, then it needs to work both ways. IMO, the only caveat to this principle would be if an individual had gone it alone to institute tanking (as defined by the AFL) ........... and clearly that would not happen.

Park (e)??

Yeah, but I'm a cynic.

Ha, ha ......... and of course there was also the sudden and 'mysterious' resignation of former AFL football operations manager, Adrian Anderson. The casualties mount in AFL Tanking fiasco ..

This is amazing! Sitting in Canberra getting a running commentary on training at Gosh's. Looks like the scheduled gardening will have to wait. Thanks guys!

Many is the time that Arthur ushered me into the post-match change rooms at the 'G' to sing 'The Grand Old Flag' and chat with my idols. I was a skinny kid, and we had good reason to sing, week after week, after week, and both verses. Those days are long gone, but the memories are indelible. Arthur is part of them.

I wish LJ, his community and mentors all the best. Too many people trying to sit in judgement when they don't know the facts.

You're not wrong there Deevoted. More confident of the Dees scraping into the eight this year than I was with that one.

Barrie Vagg???

I hope it's no more than unfounded bull faeces, because if it's true it might suggest a 'smoking gun' in the tanking saga.

Lots of positives there Spirit, but I was particularly pleased with this bit: "James Strauss really impressed me. He looks fit, and most importantly for him his body language and voice is very positive out there. Strauss takes the game on. He is quick, and he was happy to get physical with and defenders he manned up today. He might surprise a few." Very happy to acknowledge that I will be one of those he surprises if he can cement a permanent spot for himself.

Mark Jackson?

You nailed it Josh! It was going to be a complex alpha/numeric test. Clue # 1: My family name starts with the first letter of the English alphabet. Clue # 2: The second letter is equivalent to 50 in Roman numerals. Clue # 3: The third letter is the same as 5 in Roman numerals. Clue # 4: Subtract the answer to clue #3 from from clue #2 and divide by 3 to obtain my guernsey number.

Ha! Ha ........ At around 2:00am it occurred to me that the answer must be one of the Dunbar brothers (probably Hughie) but my pre dawn research didn't turn up anything to suggest that they might have been 'high flyers' ie. it's not just the loss of brain cells (which I can ill afford to lose at my time of life) but also loss of sleep. Demonland is ruling and ruining my life!

How about 'Bluey' Truscott??