Redleg

Sounding like once again we have a number of injured players before the season starts.

Interesting. He has played 127 games ( and kicked 79 goals despite playing several games in defence ) since his debut in round 7 2002. Wish I had achieved "virtually nothing" too. I could brag about that for the rest of my life.

I just can't understand the Miller bashing that occurs on Demonland. I have stated before that he was a late draft pick and taken as a half back flanker. He is now played at CHF. He is a workhorse of a player who trains hard, puts his body on the line, protects the younger players and is a lead up forward. He is popular, a good role model and a bloke who gets everything out of his talent and physique. He is very approachable and willing to spend time with Dee fans. He is not a long kick but is a fairly accurate one over middle distance. Yes he is not Wayne Carey but who the hell do we have that is. Until Watts, Fitzpatrick etc demand his position he will continue to give his all. He has by the way played some very good football for us including kicking the winning goal a couple of times and a BOG in a final against the Dockers at Subiaco. Maybe it is time that some people stop [censored] canning him at every opportunity and get off his back. Criticism is fine but this obsession some people have with rubbishing him is tiresome. I agree he is no champion but every team has players who are not and the Millers of this world contribute a lot to their club. He will retire in a few years having played more AFL footy than most and knowing that he got everything out of himself that was possible.

I remember that weekend very well WJ and have always thought it funny that we were asked to call a current premier by his first name and we sat there in our bathers talking about the MFC. He was very interested in current developments and was longing for more success. That night he made an appearance in the bar with his family and I told a mate (our family doctor) to play Grand Old Flag on a nearby piano and as soon as he heard it Ray came over and sang the club song with a few of us Dee supporters. He stayed with us for a while and then went off for dinner. A really nice down to earth bloke. I add my congratulations on his award. PS. I hope he gets to see us play in the finals again very soon.

Don't let it [censored] you, I recall a young Eddie McGuire and Stephen Quartermaine on ten news stuffing up players names. I won't even mention Captain Blood Jack Dyer.

Thanks great report. Interesting your comments on Bell as someone posted last week that he was looking fantastic. Maybe just a poor session for him.

Was a very good Melbourne man and a nice bloke to boot. His bravery on the field was sensational. I wish him luck for the future.

A few facts to digest. First there will be no "diversion" unless the Court agrees and I don't think with the need to admit all charges, that the Court will easily grant a diversion on an" assault by kicking". Also depending on the injury received by the Cabbie that will also influence the Court. I do note that he was charged with recklessly causing injury, not serious injury and that will help Hurley. If however the Court regards the injury as serious it again can refuse to endorse the "diversion." Second, as I stated above in order to qualify for the "diversion" Hurley must "admit" all charges. If he does that, then how does the AFL ignore an assault by kicking that causes injury. I suppose to answer my own question in the same way they seem to be ignoring the Casboult incident at Carlton. Third, how will Essendon ignore an incident where a player admits to assault by kicking causing injury in addition to an unlawful assault. If it does nothing the rest of the group have carte blanche to do what they like with impugnity. This will be a real test of Knights and Essendon's resolve to adopt a strong (law abiding) culture. Fourth there can be many various conditions imposed under the "diversion program" so if he receives the benefit of diversion it will be interesting to see what conditions are attached.

Where did you get that info from? If true we obviously saw something that several other teams did not. At pick 11 and with only Butcher not being a mid and assuming we had Martin as number 3 then 6 clubs clearly disagreed. If we are proved correct he will be one of the all time bargains at the top end of the draft. As you said fingers crossed and hopefully he has a good career with us.

Condition of the ground in some areas is very disappointing.

Oh well its time for a Picnic bar.

Thanks and good research 45. It is as I thought when I posed the question. We need to perform better and then demand better for our supporters.

That's what the papers said. If true and he is charged and convicted of assaults, he will have breached his parole and that means a penalty on parole violation. At worst it could mean more jail time.

Thanks 45. Not bad 1 Melbourne game in last 7 years that most of members/supporters could get to. Wonder how other teams have fared in same period.

Maybe not as simple as that IMO. These are tough times and they may wish to reduce outlay but get maximum bang for the buck.

Can see the ads now, Jack Watts/Liam Jurrah spills a mark, takes a bite of a Mars bar and rises over the pack to take Mark of the Year. Miller doesn't make the distance from 40 metres out, nibbles on Mars bar and slots a 60 metre goal and Davey can't outrun Jamar but after his Mars bar baulks 5 players to kick a great goal. Then young Johnny who can't get a kick in his under 9's has a bite of his Mars bar and goes beserk for a best on ground and is chaired off by his team mates all nibbling on their Mars bars. Later that week Cam Schwab posts a pic of himself on his twitter/facebook page with a big grin, Mars bar in hand.

So what, business is business. remember what the Dogs did to us with the Mexican food company, they undercut us. This is our chance to get involved and offer a sponsorship that cost them less and may not necessarily be a major sponsor but a slightly lesser one of sorts, still worth a lot of money to us. We have great list of young players that is going places and that may be attractive to them. Nothing ventured nothing gained. PS. I bet other clubs are circling.

If we lose to freo we will get a game at Casey as we can't fly every week. Could someone post how many games we have played in Melbourne in the first round of the pre season comp in the last 10 years.

Also I think that is Bell in the photo and I cant' recall him playing in that game either.

Funny.

Don't bet on it.

That beard makes Jack Watts look older.

You may be right, but maybe not. Missing the Nab cup, does that mean all of the regional games as well if they lose the first Nab cup game? If it doesn't it could be a one nab cup game penalty. Next, training with the Bullants is a penalty, but they are still training under club supervision just losing the interaction with their mates. If it happened during the year it would be a suspension from real games. It sounds a bit like the Michael Long penalty on Simmonds when he nearly killed him and ended up missing a couple of of pre season games. It wasn't a penalty. That was a disgrace. This may also, even though club enforced, be the same type of penalty. The fact that the Casboult issuse has not been publicly addressed to me means the AFL will want to step in. The media ( non footy media ) ( public ) won't let this go without some action from the AFL. This is a big issue, don't take it lightly. If the AFL makes no comment as to the solution they will stand condemned. The AFL has a duty to each young recruit and their family to ensure a safe working environment within reasonable limits and will need to be pro-active on this matter. The last thing it will need is government interference.

Clearly that fact /statistic needs to be maintained in addition to finding new supporters. Success on the field is going to drive that from now on. Wins mean greater attendances, mean more members, mean more attractiveness to sponsors, mean more clout with the AFL, mean better financial position, mean security. Interesting to note that Dogs and Roos are a hair's breadth from collapsing.

Doubt it. That is the main issue and it has not been addressed, unless the perpetrators were the three suspended players. We will hear more on the Casboult issue because it is the most damaging to the AFL.