Damo

1)Curtin overruled Churchill to bring troupes home to defend australia instead of defending the jewel in the Crown, India, by sending them directly into Burma. You wouldnt be speaking Russian if Churchill got his way, youd be speaking Japanese. 2)Churchill still saw Aussies as canon fodder in WW2 after he had been sacked as 1st lord of the Admiralty for his ##up at the Dardinelles in 1915. At least Biff you got it right as it was the navy. And you spelt Churchill correctly.

With 4 months of Pre-season training under our belts, Id hope we will be playing the most expert player for each position come pre-season match against the Tigers. Whomever shows they play each position with best statistics and team orientation should be picked 1st. If it means the nibbler over Kozzie or Tom who has been carried for 2 years, missing out to Petty Im all for it. We need to be lean and mean and no favorites. No "seeing how they go". Bring the best forward.

The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.” ― Charles Bukowski Abdolute confidence.

Rather than trial players in other positions, why not pick the player that plays that position the best and most professionally and let them show it in a practice match? Scratch matches and training are good spots to try other positions. I think we seem to be experimenting players in other positions too much in the Goody years.

Id love to see his action kicking a goal from 45 out. Ive only seen his athleticism which seems excellent and would be very happy if he was a natural footballer as well.

This is exactly how I had always thought I would react, hearing about this unfortunate meeting. Stynesy wasnt backward in coming forward about his personal health. I dont like Scully but always thought this would have mattered more than a drunken young ruckman spewing. But to be sure, $1M a year wins hands down.

I see where St Kilda's coach has stated that last year he allowed players to play their game and not overload them with instructions, just to be their best. It seems to have worked. Im not sure which team it was that interviewed the players and asked them which position they could be the best possible asset to the team in, and tried to allow the player to concentrate on that role. Another interview I remember reading from yet another coach that interested me in that he said whichever player was most professional in that position would be chosen to play there. For each of these different views it would make sense that the coach would have a list of key attributes for each separate position and rate the players striving to hold a position or even 2 or 3 different ones. Those capable of holding a couple would of course be adaptable to what is needed on the day. I think MFC has a potted history of allowing players their preferred roles. Those adaptable are smart and possibly multi-skilled players. Im thinking Bayley Fritsch, Luke Jackson and Tom Mac; all being able to play forward and wing. Im not sure where their wants lie, but Im guessing it isnt the wing. But prepared to adapt and smart... Then we have Jones Harmes and Brayshaw, maybe Melksham. Im not sure at all about their adaptability to change behavior to be their best in another role. Harmesys interview yesterday doesnt leave me warmly assured.

We have tried different methods with many players and given most of them enough rope. This year I want only those that look most professional in that position/role in training and lead up games playing there. For me Melksham actually starts behind the 8 Ball as he has already been given 2 years to shine. He hasnt shone. The thought that we are still in the mind set of trying out the players we already know in the same possies while we hear that some coaching tweaks are being used, makes me very frustrated. I read about MarkC and he was a great Demons supporter who just didnt live long enough to taste success. The time is now for me. If we taper off this build at the end of 2021 I really will be reassessing my continued membership. Edit: Ive never said that EVER before.

Thanks for your effort Luci! great work

Sorry Wellsy. We cant afford to give another year to project players. This is the year it has to come together for finals + or this build is lost. Smith Kozzie Hibberd, TMac and Melk have to start off on the good foot without "a few games " to settle them in.

Im not agreeing with everything the good Doc has put up but Sparrow and Pickett are 2 players that I have queries about and would be surprised if they are regular players. Im surprised how a slowish not super skilled mid like Sparrow is spoken about reasonably highly and hope Im wrong in my negativity. Those that rate Pickett as 1st class and about to explode (theres quite a few), are plainly wrong I think, and rose coloured glasses abound. Look at the Stats. Why would we draft 2 similar to take his spot? About as spectacular as David Cordner (look him up) and about as useful. Im picking a side here and dont hope to be wrong!

All i can say is I will write some negative or IMV even handed posts without being told to go away if that's what I think. Im not going to write positive notes about training we cant get into or BBB and TMac fanfared returns as it is a hope not yet galvanised or proven. Not that I have anything else to write now but Ill think of something! Please put me on ignore and think happy thoughts.

I nearly added to my original post, that its not only negative reviews of training that were met with derision. Any negative or even my even handed post gets chicken Little responses that the club should shut down. Then a long soliloquy about things we already know just to round it off. Yes we want to see Tmac's progression. But again, there may not be one. Yes a practice match will tell us more. Lots of Ra Ra doesnt add to the discussion.

Last time I saw him play he strained his groin or upper thigh and broke down in tears (as he knew he would miss last couple of games) for at least 5 minutes. He then kept telling the Hawk doctor/trainer who was walking with him to repeatedly F* off. I may be wrong but that is my recollection of events. Im glad we dont have him.

I bet its a goal.

I can understand this viewpoint. I would add Ben Brown and Tom Mc as Ben looked quite lame last year under Rhyse Shaw whom I suspect insisted BBB play while injured. He is still pretty bandaged and I dont know if he is fit to play. We got him cheap which should be a flag and to me he is still unknown as is Tom McDonald.I think that our season will largely depend on these two players. I dont have particular excitement for this season yet. Not having anyone at training is both a boon and a hindrance. It is not possible to post negative reports easily as the blowback is hard and fast. Only positive ones get good reviews. I dont blame anyone as we all want good reports. This leads me and others into false hope each and every pre-season. The boon is that like Dr D, I think that many players are at their peak (or past it) and I just dont expect improvements from most of our top 18 that are over 23 years old. Injuries though will reshuffle the cards. I hope the best players for each position are chosen and "faith" or "trying out" are shown the door. These are Goodys faults IMV and Yze and Choco hopefully will be tougher with Simons selection. For example if Mitch Brown looks better than Weid, Tom or BBB I hope he is picked as the full forward. If Nibbler looks like he kicks goals in the FP I hope he is picked ahead of Kozzie, and so on. These are not my best 22 but examples of tough selection.

Alastair Clarkson is quite old fashioned in his view of relationships and respect for women. JP couldnt have had a less sympathetic coach. Cant see this ending well.

I take it, that it is a closed session?

Ross Lyon was a forward and kicked 5 playing CHF for Victoria.

I think Pickett will very much be competing for his spot by Laurie, Bowey as well as Viney, Jones, Hunt and ANB. There are other positions Laurie and Bowie may be looking at but if Hibberd among other HBF's comes out firing then FP must be up for grabs. I believe the footy club has to look at Kozzie Picket's stats and tell him the honeymoons over.

surprised Pickett is touted to be in the ones. It looked to me we went to lengths to draft for that spot.

Saints had very little injuries last year as we did in 2018. The best teams 22 gets in sync. No injuries mean any teams "window" is open.

I still think of 16 as Johnny Townsends number.

I was an original demonland/demonology poster. I have only changed my handle once. It was to distinguish myself from another poster whom I had unfortunately been associated with. My name was Franky-31

Thats a very big call IMV. Warren came over from SA with Stretchy and Obber, I think. And if not for trying to patch holes at CHB and HBF could have been another wingman of the ages. But it was the time of, "just clock him" and Gary Ayres at about 20Kg heavier seemed to do do it regularly. It was an era of seeing my favourite players Flower, Johnson and Dean who were all very light and ball players, get smashed by thug players responding to Jeans and Hafey. Still gives me the tom [censored]...