george_on_the_outer

The good bits of the game are on youtube.... PART 1 PART 2 enjoy

The idea has merit in that it doesn't perpetuate the "blockbuster" games. So we will get to play some home games against the bigger clubs instead of interstaters.

Can you win a Premiership with good ordinary players? I didn't think so until the likes of Shaw, Richards, LRT. Luke Ablett, Buchanan, Schneider featured in one in 2005 (even if they all didn't play on the day). But all were prepared to play a role, and they put in 100% all the time. They may not have been all that skilled, but had plenty of G&D. Perhaps PR can replicate the same, as certainly that is the common characteristic to Bail, Terlich and Riley. I find it difficult when people are surprised by them being re-signed. On my calculations we would STILL have 6 out of contract who can't get a regular run in the seniors today. Then we have lost Byrnes and Clark. And there are another 3 I would count as possible delistings. So we can turnover 8 and even 11 if we want to cut deeper. Plus we probably have to find a replacement for Frawley = 9-12 to be turned over, before we start looking at rookies. Pick 9 will be in the 90's or further. Not much talent down there, so better to keep players who can fill a role and you know what you will get from them.

..and with no Pedersen again this week, will Fitzy get a chance in lieu of McKenzie or Bail? PR did say he wanted to see who wanted to be there next year.....

Essendon supporters and other fans who complain about the length of time, and the burden of proof that this process has taken should take note: The wife of Steve Hooker ( the pole vaulter) - Ekaterina Kostetskaya has just been give a 2 year ban for "use/attempted use of a prohibited substance/method" Note the words "use or attempted use" Importantly the WADA ban was as a result of an incident which occurred at the world championships in Adage on.....30 August 2011!!! It has taken 3 years to get to finality, so Essendon could have another 18 months to go. Don't complain about the time, it is the same for ALL athletes. WADA just make sure the process is watertight.

I heard a while ago that a lot of MFC memorabilia and flags were stored with the MCC ( as the MFC was part of the MCC), but left in a storeroom/attic in the old smokers pavilion. When they went to the store to retrieve things before it was torn down, lots of these things were found to be missing. Beggars belief really....

or is he sitting in the ejector seat, given there is an exit sign above him and not Bomba

How do you get excited about a player who had zero possessions in the first quarter, 4 in the 2nd, 13 in the 3rd, and 2 in the last! 2 possessions in a half of football! Please......

Agree....Dunn always kicks to the right of the ground.

Wrong....Jack does not make good leads. These days footballers have to run to space, not leading like a FF. And his team mates know that in a one on one contest...Jack won't win. So not kicking it to him is the correct decision. As you said above...".If Jack could win the ball."....(we would only dream he could win it as often as Bruce did).

Sadly the demise in umpiring skills is the same as that happening with player skills. Years ago we had 6 field umpires adjudicating 6 games each weekend. Now we have 27! We have just got further and further down the talent pool. Then to overcome the simple lack of ability, the director of umpiring tries to make it easier for those who would have never got to the pass grade in years gone by: Solution: don't call anything. That way you don't make mistakes. So we see every week simple and obvious errors missed like throwing the ball, while 'stacks on the mill" is now holding the ball. Incorrect disposal is NEVER called when it should because there was ALWAYS no prior opportunity. The umpiring department has made it easy by lowering the standards. The problems have been further exacerbated when trainee umpires are selected for the AFL school. They aren't assessed by their whistle ability, but rather can they run a good 3 km time trial! The very basis of the job is ignored.

Sadly Deesrule, the TAC doesn't allow players to be tagged, so the scouts can see the skills of the players. But the downside is that the kids finish up playing at AFL level where it happens. And a good number don't cope, or it takes a couple of years to teach them how to overcome a tag or how to play defensively. Silly idea IMO as at junior levels players are taught to stick to the good players on the opposition, or to swing from attacking mode to defensive mode..... And delisting too many achieves only a gamble situation. By the time you get to your pick 5 or 6 in the draft you are looking at pick 80+. No-one will trade for that and the recruiting team finishes up with the scenario of do you keep ( for example) Tapscott or Nicholson on the list or do you use that pick in the 80's on a kid who has been overlooked by 17 other sides at least 5 times?

And if Brian Lake quits at the end of the season, the Hawks have even more money sloshing around, and needing a defender....

Jetta's incident happened right in front of us. A perfect hip and shoulder that was late. Should have been a free kick downfield and nothing more. How the MRP assess that as HIGH contact based on vision from the other side of the ground is simply unbelievable. Then Beames and Daisy get nothing....please!

...that was a truly awful game to watch. A team with sub-standard VFL players filled with sub AFL level players ( with a few exceptions - JKH, Toumpas Fitzpatrick). I've seen criticism of Welsh here before, but I have never seen a coach so dis-engaged from his players. Might as well have sat in the stands, since all he did was watch the game. No extra in the backline against a howling wind, interchange system was similar to Bailey's... You don't sub players when the ball is in your backline, leaving forwards unmarked....Toumpas comes off and has to scream at the player replacing him to get on the ground, as he was too busy watching the game. Just amateurish. Willy had a simple plan...load the backline against the wind, and kick the ball long and deep when with it. Footy is a simple game, and you just adapt to the conditions at hand. Didn't happen today....

Half my U15 side would get a run at Casey. Disregarding the MFC players, I have never seen a group of unskilled amateurs like these. Willy dropped an Extra one or two back, and just stopped everything. Casey full-back kicked one in with an absolute mongrel kick...it went well past the centre circle. 3rd quarter might get real ugly!!!

There is a howling wind, with no prospect of the ball getting forward. Surely extra men in back line? Nope... Unbelievable! Tapscott & JKH getting plenty, but wasted in this wind

No it wouldn't happen. For an restricted FA, the existing club has the opportunity to match the offer being made. If the only offer on the table is a low-ball 1 year then the club would match it with gusto. For an unrestricted FA they are in an open market. Any suggestion of a "promise" for future payments finishes up in the Kurt Tippett scenario. The player is putting everything at risk. And any other club would bring it to the attention of the AFL quickly.....i.e we offered the player $1M per year, but he signed on for $500K......

Reported in The Age: Victoria Police arrest and release Stephen Dank Tonights TV news interviewed the compounding chemist Mr Alavi who said that he was presented with a document by Dank, which was not factually correct about the drugs supplied, and was not signed by Mr Alavi. The copy in ASADA/police possession he claimed was forged with his signature. With Purana now involved it gives a good idea of the types of people that Essendon were dealing with (probably the right word to use)

Description covered in Dave Missons report: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2014-06-24/david-misson-rd-15-update

I'll say it again......the VFL umpires are far, far superior to the clowns we have at AFL level. They call the infringements against the rules, like incorrect disposal. And they throw the ball up straight away instead of indicating that they are going to exit the area backwards like the AFL have started doing again this season. I have yet to see any umpire NOT go backwards. The AFL stopped bounces around the ground to get the game going and it has reverted to this elaborate ballet now which takes longer. Eddie was right this week when he said the reason for the rolling mauls we see is the umpires.....use the whistle and break it up and don't let it go on.

The VFL players review indicated that JKH needed a rest from AFL level. He is a first year player after all. Remember that was exactly what Roos said he would do with our young players. No point burning them out. Salem did his time, Toumpas is doing likewise....they will be in and out of the AFL side for a while yet.... The result was bad, but was another good example of why we won't be keeping a good load of these VFL players next year. Nicholson, Byrnes, Strauss, Barry and Tapscott can write their tickets now. Blease is close to the same. Evans might only be saved by his contact. Not one of those players are threatening for senior selection and so will not be a loss come year end. Michie & Gawn are ready for a recall, with Toumpas and JKH when they are freshened up again.

Worked for Scully....... Back on subject.......I don't know whether Chip will stay or go. At the start of the season it was a concern should he go. Roos has brilliantly shown the team that we don't need him as our number 1 defender any more. If he goes, he will not be missed. If he stays he can be a real contributor to the future success of the club. I hope if he chooses to leave, because he " wishes to taste success" he considers the high failure rate of this method. Not everyone gets lucky like Brian Lake. Nathan Buckley left Brisbane and missed out on 3 flags. Probably would have been 4 if he was in the side as well! Leigh Colbert to North....Jared Rivers to Geelong....Nick dalSanto to North....Sylvia to Freo ( might work yet if he can get in the side often enough)....Goddard to Essendon.....

For Iva and those who want to listen to some of the original songs, variations and alternatives, we have links in Demonlands articles section: http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?/topic/36665-club-theme-songs-their-origins-by-george-on-the-outer/

Perhaps Sammy has an insight into what could happen in the next 12 months. It all depends on Liz lasting until then, so there is a real chance next years fixture might be the Kings Birthday game!