Its Time Again

You make some interesting points. There's a bit of a misconception that the facilities we are using now are substandard. As I understand it that's not correct. They are both excellent and the Club has spent $100's of thousands in the past couple of years updating the equipment at AAMI as well as the new facilities at Casey. Keep in mind that if we've put in that sort of money we are one of 3 or 4 clubs contributing to that investment at AAMI. So a lot of money has been spent there. When Richard Colless was the Swans President he put a syndicate together and they bought a property in the hear of Kings Cross and did it up as the Swans Social Club. It was quite impressive. You'd be very happy if it was a Demons Social Club. It was never supported by the Swans members and supporters and ended up closing and was a financial disaster. A lot of us have had a fantasy about having a permanent Social Club but II agree with you it might be no more than a fantasy that would be a financial disaster. I can't see why we can't set up a room like the Jim Stynes room at the G as a social Club post games. I doubt many people will turn up to the MCG precinct outside of game days. The main benefit will be getting the Admin and FD under the one roof. I hope it's on the AAMI car park overlooking Gosch's. That would be my pick. Otherwise like others I suspect it's more likely to end up in the new Sthn Stand. Facilities for the club and for MCC members and possibly the public in some form.

Genuine question. What better plan do you think the Club could have had for Jackson. Obviously it was a dud trade but what better trade do you think could have been achieved. They didn't have any better picks to offer. Similarly Port don't have a first rounder in this draft. They'll have to give up something serious to get a first rounder this year. Next year's first rounder won't do it. I hope. Surely they'd have to lose a player or players to make it happen this trade period. I'm sure the Club has tried very hard to avoid another Jackson circus so you'd have to think that's been a fail and the writing is on the wall.

You could be right. Of course the traditional Lyon gameplan involves camping 18 players in the backline. Wouldn't be counting on the Saints round 1, they are going to be cruelled with injuries the first part of the season and will probably struggle to recover.

Yep. I could. That would certainly free up a lot of my time permanently. The good news is it's now late May not Sept. So Premiership mission back on track. And marriage. 😎

Hi Luci I just rang the membership number. No specific contact. They were always happy to give me the current number. it took 13 years on here for my originall name It's Time to become redundant. I'm still basking in that glory. But it's nice to think about another. Although my wife wants to go O/S next Sept the only time she'll be free so I could still miss actually seeing one.

Not quite. He's listed as 186cm Nicholls 189cm which wasn't necessarily that short for even his era. '68 GF Don McKenzie his Dons opponent in the ruck was 188cm. 1970 GF Graeme Jenkins 193cm.

Does he already have players in mind for our picks in next year's draft. Has Hogan and now Jackson going home to WA impacted decisions on recruiting WA players if talent etc is even. Did it impact the decision not to take Allen. Did the intended move to a tactical sub have any impact on the makeup of the list and the recruiting

Spare a thought for this kid for a minute. One week up at schoolies the very next without any prior warning running around against the most elite athletes in the country and having no fitness base to be able to keep up. I know the feeling of trying to keep up with fit athletes when you're not. It's excruciating. It's going to be a tough summer for him catching up. They'll really have to nurse him psychologically as well as physically. It would break many young men. Wouldn't surprise me to hear that he's got a different fitness training to the main group until at least after the Christmas break.

They probably will in two years.

Reminds me a lot of Petty. I'd be very happy with a Petty Stewart hybrid.

He was on afl.com.au a few minutes ago.

JT was just saying he has played key forward.

Except Port have already given away their first rounder next year so at this point have nothing to offer.

One has to assume that the Club has done everything it could to get him to extend his contract before entering what is now the final year of his contract. I'm sure they would have preferred to have avoided another Jackson like circus but here we are again. Can't help feeling he's gone.

I'm no mathematician but I have heard of the law of averages and based on that law surely we are due to finally draft a successful key position forward. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't believe we've ever drafted a key forward that's gone on to have a career. Lyon and Schwarz didn't come in through the draft. Neiter was recruited as a back and started his career back before going forward out of necessity when Lyon retired. Robbo was brilliant but not a key forward. I didn't realise Neiter like Robbo was from Tassie. T Mac was recruited as a back. The only key forwards I can think of that MFC have drafted are not in order Newton, Molan Cook, Weideman and now Jefferson. My genius mathematical brain tells me statistically we are clearly due for Jefferson to be a Coleman medal winning success.

Wow! A training report from Goschs. How long has it been. Thanks @Slartibartfast and any others that can make it to training over the coming summer. Reports always gratefully received from those of us who can't make it.

I know it's laughable to make any comments off photos but....... his kicking action in that photo looks like someone who knows how to kick a footy. While he might look skinny from my point of view he also looks pretty cut for an 18 yr old. Skin folds already look pretty good. He doesn't look like he's coming in from a zero base like some other Rookie B's I've seen.

I've never fully understood who actually does the player and pick trading. I think most of us gave Mahoney the credit for it in his time at MFC but is that right was it Tim Lamb doing the negotiating even then. In fact is it Tim Lamb doing it now. I assume JT and team go out and find the talent and then it's over to TL and team to negotiate. Anyone know how it works.

A Talking Heads song comes to mind in response to this post.

Does anyone know how this is going to work when they disagree. Who's decision is followed.

Jeez Picket you must be exhausted from all the warpaths you must have been on over the years if stuffing up picks is your criteria.

Anyone have any idea who the Jefferson and Cadman in next year's draft are and how they compare. Just wondering given we have two first rounders and two second rounders next year in what's regarded as a much stronger draft so plenty of scope to trade up to a much higher pick than this years. Jefferson looks like he's going to take a few years to fill out before he's going to be competitive. Wonder if JT and team would have an eye on that when deciding who to take this year. Wonder if there is anyone next year who could potentially be better.

Believe it or not here's actually science behind this. I worked with a cognitive scientist a few years ago who has worked with some of the top sporting teams in the US. He got them to implement telling jokes before going out to play. He explained that when we laugh we release endorphins which can help to relieve pain and trigger feelings of pleasure. It is also a very effective way of calming nervous players down just before they play and counteracts negative thoughts and fears. The Tigers got on to this a few years ago and you could see them coming out of huddles laughing. They actually specified players each week that had to have a joke to tell in the huddle. I don't know if that's the basis for the girls doing it but it probably is. I'm in awe at the massive leap in their standard of play even from season 6 to 7.

A mate spoke to a players father who said we had 11 injured players playing in the finals. We know quite a few of them like Lingers for instance carried injuries for a lot of the season. Injuries can limit how much they can train which in turn eventually effects their ability to run out games. Might explain a lot. More likely explanation than Cats got conditioning right and we got it wrong.