Its Time for Another

21March 2014 31,712 The gap to last year is widening not narrowing. I would have thought with all the positive signs offeason we would have seen the numbers beating last year. I guess there was a lot more optimism for the Roos effect before last season started and this year people have been hit by the reality bus last year. Let's hope the offseason improvements lead to on field improvements and we get a rush of sign ups after the first few rounds. I can't help thinking wins against GC round 1 and GWS round 2 would make a massive difference. Who would have thought even 2yrs ago that this would seem such a stretch. 2 years ago we would have been salivating at getting these two expansion teams in the first two rounds.

Got a big smile out of this. Hope those arms aren't from one of our players.

This signing says a lot about the state AFL is in. That Clubs feel compelled to have to sign these junior players so early and publicise it. I wonder if this signing and Brayshaw has anything to do with paying 100% of the salary cap this year and freeing up money over the next two years to try and sign a couple of expensive A lister midfielders. Interesting that Petracca hasn't been signed on an extension. Maybe because he's injured this year they can't forward load his contract so aren't worried about extending it at this stage.

Looks like an U5's version. A baby Demon. I'm sure they would like it.

The Grand Old Flag.

Who has the ability to sit back watch a game and keep track of this, not to mention all the other rotations. At any given time if you took the time to look right around the field you could find a very different team to the one that started at the beginning of the game. It's amazing sometimes to sit near the interchange and see how many are going on all the time.

If they knew what it was and it wasn't illegal that would be a grounds for being confident they will get off. If they knew what it was and it was illegal you wouldn't think they'd be mouthing off two weeks before the decision saying they are confident they will get off. Then again any sane person would just say nothing pending the decision. It unfortunately gives us a taste of what we are in for if they get off. Insufferable.

I don't hate Essendon and I don't hate the players. I feel a sorry for them being caught up in this s%&t storm, even if by not following the correct protocols they have made themselves responsible for the outcome. But having said all that I really can't stand Messrs Hird and Little. Their performances yesterday just reinforce my growing abhorrence of these two. To get up in front of the season launch and in the face of the impending decision come out and say they are confident the players will be cleared is beyond belief. Although not beyond belief for these two utter D'heads. Utter contempt for the whole Tribunal process. The fact is even if the players get off on the technicality that there wasn't enough evidence to find them guilty, that doesn't mean they are innocent. Neither Hird, Little or anyone else can say with 100% certainty that they are innocent because they have no idea what they took. The sooner these two are expunged from the sport the better. The thought of not being able to avoid these two gloating if they get off is going to be more than I can stand and for that reason beyond all else I hope like crazy the players go down.

So Bing excuse my ignorance. How was the banned substance present in his body discovered if both his tests were negative. Given the Contador case, I was, to say the least, surprised that his defence of ingesting the clenbuterol from meat in China was successful. I understand there have been no cases in Europe but some in China and Mexico. But even so. I would say he was pretty lucky. I remember the Spanish cattle farmers being outraged with Contador suggesting they used Clenbuterol in their cattle.

The team is called the Demons. The point of Checker Hughes changing the name from fuscias to Demons was to get the players to play like Demons. Lets see a ferocious Demon on the away and clash jumpers instead of the logo of a cricket club. Even if it is the Melbourne Cricket Club but with an F for Football. The Doggies had a great logo of an attacking bulldog on their guernseys. It looked great. Lets get something like that but a Demon that shows the original intent of the style of play. As for the logo. I have no problem with either. One is a throw back to the Cricket Club but is fine. Reminds me of the New York Yankees. Maybe that was Bartlett's reference to them. I'm not so sure we have to align our image so entirely to the MCC. The other was an intelligent reference to the Club's history. I refuse to allow a few bogans to hijack my appreciation of the Southern Cross as a symbol of where we are geographically and our historical larrikin fight for freedom against institutional oppression. I'm very happy to have it on our logo.

15 March 2014 30,421

Athletes are entitled to have two samples tested. If the A Sample indicates positive they are allowed to have the B Sample tested and if it isnt' positive they get off. Apparently the Notice only went out after the B Sample was tested and was also positive. I believe Michael Rogers the cyclist, had an A Sample test positive but his cycling team immediately suspended him from competing. I believe his B Sample was negative so he was cleared but he had already served a 6mth voluntary suspension.

People never mention that Port's list was in a very different position to ours, even then. They had a much more even spread of ages through the group and plenty of hardened experienced players plus a bunch who were at the age the bulk of our list is just reaching now. They had a heap of injuries to the majority of their KPP's the year before the new regime and they all came back and were good. Having said all of that Burgess seems to have had an incredible impact on their conditioning but you've got to take into account a more mature list and they were probably starting on a better base than our boys were when Misson started. People keep wanting to compare Port to us but in many ways you can't. I'm still suffering from what they did to us Rd1 2013 when we thought they were a basket case and we'd beat them comfortably.

Bing can correct me here but as I understand it you've got this the wrong way round. If it is established you have taken an illegal substance whether you were conscious of it or not you are automatically guilty. If you can prove you were unconscious and I don't know what this requires then you can have your 2yr sentence reduced by 12mths. Many people on here have pointed out the ways they could have checked over a long period of time so I can't see how they would get away with the unconscious defence. Some have argued including even if they asked Doc Reid and he said it was legal. I'm not so sure about this.

You're right. Certainly looked that way. What a strange era we are entering into when we are getting relieved about signing extensions on players who haven't even played a game yet.

Good point. I wonder why one and not the other. Wonder if they tried and he wasn't interested or they haven't tried. I would have thought the Big P was more of a concern to do this than Brayshaw. Either way its still great to get one locked for a few more years.

I don't think its that complex. If the Tribunal decide each players is guilty of having at least one injection of a banned substance then the penalty is 2yrs reduced by 1yr if they are satisfied that the players had no idea that what they were taking was banned and 6mths for co operation. I dont' think you are going to find the facts outside of proof of one injection matter.

The Open Training session seems to have been a break down in communication between the FD and the Membership/PR Depts. Not just a lost opportunity. Much worse than that. Mystery why they didn't have membership tents at both events. This is when all this counts the most.

11 March 2015 Approx 28,750 13 March 2014 - 30,000 Hmmm! Wonder if the Family Day had already happened by that time last year. Hopefully we will get a big hit from that on Sunday.

It was 1224 on the old Board on this topic before it was locked. We all had at least as many if not more in most cases. Do you see anything wrong with the picture of you criticising others for spending time posting on a topic they are interested in and you getting on the Board you claim not to be interested in but spending your time keeping count on how many posts they are making. Who do you think should be staying away from this Board them or you.

Michael Warner!!!! Say no more. Clueless Muppet!!!!!! There are a few journo's around, actually more than a few, who make you wonder how on earth they got a gig and how on earth they keep them. This one is right at the front of that queue. A journo either has access to sources that over time prove to be reliable so you can trust the facts they write about and/or have opinions based on experience and knowledge that is worth reading. Is it just me or do others feel like there is an increasing lack of any of this. For the life of me I can't understand how this bloke still had a gig. And he's not alone.

I was going to Like your Post for your presentation of the facts. But the facts are so horrible I can't really press the Like button.

We met at the tour of the Club facilities before the first game I think last year. I haven't spent any time in Canberra for a long time so might take in the Gallery and a few other things. I don't have to pay accommodation in Melbourne which helps.

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome then my expectation optimism every year of us winning the first round probably means I'm insane. Even to the extent of flying down from Sydney I get so optimistic with the catch cry "Well at least we know we couldn't be as bad as last year." only to be crushed. Think StKilda last year, Port the year before and Brisbane the year before that. All expected to be shoe ins. I think I might be beginning to recover from my insanity because for the first time in many years I don't expect us to win the first game. I have tied my hands and feet and been gagged so I don't say "Well at least we know we couldn't be as bad as last year." even though I really want to say it. Having said all of that I'm still going to fly down for the first game but at least I don't expect us to win. I might even get to the first three games. GWS in Canberra the week after and possibly a flight to Adelaide as a once off to experience the new ground and a few of those delicious reds.

Scully = Hogan, Dawes & Barry Rivers = Hmmm! Pick2etc= Tyson & Salem Frawley = Brayshaw I love the guy but if he goes to GWS who will offer him a fortune I can think of a handy player or 2 we might get in a trade. In MFC I "now" trust.