george_on_the_outer

5 months after injury and he can't or won't use his shoulder or arm yet. Notice also he is the only player not in a singlet? Yes 4 months or so to go before start of season, but if nerves have been damaged as often happens with shoulder, nothing but time can make them re-grow faster: http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/video/2014-11-12/preseason-report-november-12

I'm of the opinion that we will be lucky to see Ablett playing in the first half of next year. Was still in a sling on Brownlow night, indicating he has had a major rebuild of his shoulder. From personal experience that means 12 weeks in sling. Then 12 months of physio.... I would hate to not see a player of his calibre returning to his best, but on the face of it this wasn't a "pop out -pop back" type of injury.

Was also there that day. There had been much discussion in the newpapers and TV about the place kick in the weeks beforehand. As I recall it was late in the game and Dermott was mucking around with the game firmly in control. Obviously thought " nothing to lose here, and can make more of a name for myself". The umpire had no idea what he was up to, and remonstrated with D about where the man on the mark should be. I think in the end he just told him to kick the thing or he'd call play on....

You're right Sambo...I was working off the 2013 financials, and the licenses reverted to Port in March this year. Given that situation now, they are in serious trouble, as the AFL/SANFL have thrown $3M a year for the past 3 years at them. WIth only $3M in assets they will almost certainly find themselves in the same situation they were in in 2009 and again in 2011. From wiki: During the 2009 pre-season Port Adelaide announced that they had requested an immediate seven-figure sum from the AFL in a bid to ease its financial crisis. Port Adelaide had accumulated a consolidated debt totaling $5.1 million and was unable to pay its players; they had lost $1.4 million the season before, a year in which they finished 13th, and had their average home crowds drop to little more than 23,000.[25] However the financial assistance was denied by the league, with AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou saying that they would have to undergo an intensive application process and work with the SANFL who own Port Adelaide's AFL licence.[26] On 20 May, Port were handed $2.5 million in debt relief by the SANFL, and on 15 June were handed a $1 million grant by the AFL commission.[27][28] By the end of the season the financial situation had reached the point where either the Port Adelaide Magpies (also suffering from crippling debt) or Port Adelaide could be forced to fold. and again: In May 2011 the SANFL sought to take control of Port Adelaide to ensure the club remains competitive. Despite the SANFL underwriting $5 million of Port's debt in 2010, the takeover failed when the SANFL was unable to get a line of credit to cover Port Adelaide's future debts. On 1 June it was announced that the AFL would underwrite $1.25 million in debt to protect its $1.25 billion television rights. AFL Chief executive Andrew Demetriou, offered $9 million over the next three years to help the club, ahead of the move to the Adelaide Oval, which resulted in the resignation of the Chief Executive, Mark Haysman, who was replaced by Keith Thomas, and three board members. The AFL gave the money to the SANFL with strict conditions that they give Port Adelaide three million dollars a year, for three years.

2M loss for 2014 1.6M Loss for 2013 2M loss for 2012 Net assets in 2013 $5m, so reduce that by $2M in 2014 to net assets of $3M. They are still " in the black" but with losses continuing to mount especially after the move to Adelaide oval was supposed to improve their financial position by $4M p.a., then their future is not too bright. However both Adelaide and Port's AFL licences are held by the SANFL, who does bleed them both dry.......and they can bail them out if needed as well.

MHBT....wishing you good luck. Yes as Nasher has said, we did this a couple of years ago. But: 1. someone has to collect the money, having made a committment to the Club to provide support. 2. you will need to set up paypal or bank account or collect cash 3. many make promises to be a part of the scheme, but the money doesn't arrive.....who makes up the difference? 4. I don't know what the cost is today, but you are looking at somewhere between $1k and $5K depending upon level of sponsorship 5. Lower levels of sponsorship don't give you access to the player. This was not the case a couple of years ago. best of luck George

Also forgetting he was injured for most of that season. Why he was re-signed for 2 years was unbelievable. If there was a semblance of some promise, a 1 year extension would have sufficed. Nothing shown subsequently to warrant his position.

One of the critical aspects of the way TAC cup is played is that players are not allowed to be tagged. This was supposedly to allow recruiters the opportunity to see the player themselves, but the downside is that you don't get to see the player under real pressure. Which is what AFL is all about..... It has a second effect as well for armchair critics.....have you ever seen an ordinary highlights reel of a draftee? The consequence of the " no tagging"...players are always able to find space to run and lead. Anyone with the ball looks good and doesn't get exposed. And you won't see a lot of tackling during the game. It is a good game to watch from the spectators point of view as it is so open and free-flowing, but only makes the recruiters job so much harder....

Looks like we are at Casey and Maroochydore for January due to Asian cup..... Melbourne Demons, Victory and Storm set to vacate AAMI Park when Asian Cup hits town

Fremantle zero trades( picks 13,34,54..), Richmond zero trades ( picks 12,33,52..), West Coast zero trades( picks 11,32,51...).......did we do better than them? It's going to be hard to build each of their sides with only 2 picks inside 40.

Lovely little piece from The Punt Road End: Doc: Trengove is stuffed Roos: What team would be dumb enough trade for him now? Doc: Maybe Richmond Roos: No way. Not even they would be that stupid Doc: they traded their second round pick for Hampton last year Roos: quick get them on the phone!

Two years ago we tried to be smart and thought we would let Hanath slip through to the PSD. We were then outsmarted by Freo who snapped him up ahead of us. Probably not a good idea to let the same thing happen again, if we REALLY wanted him.

The only common sense was by the other 17 sides in the competition who have shown they understand his real value.....zilch!! Don't quote 5 second involvements in play when he avoids getting involved for the rest of the game. The opposition see what he is like, their coaches know what he is like and now after this trade period it is blindingly obvious that we couldn't even give him away. Wait for the delisting at the end of his contract.

Roos and PJ promised us that they needed to change the culture of this club....Well this is what it looks like!!!....Get used to it if you want success, or perhaps more years of mediocrity suits?? The fact that the club has publicised the "possible" trade is all part of a well thought out campaign to get members used to the situation, before it happens. Same tactic as was used to "ensure" a pick 3 for Frawley. Let the rabble run out of steam and when decision time comes it is a foregone conclusion. For those that place value on where a player was originally picked up in the draft, not on his current value then perhaps you would consider drafting Col Sylvia back! The reality is best seen over at "The Punt Road End", the Richmond fan-site. They are NOT too enamoured by the deal proposed because they think Richmond are paying overs. The real value of the player is somewhere between what people HERE think and what the Toigyes supporters think....yes it's probably Trengove + 23 for pick 12....exactly what has been proposed! Like Baghdad Bob, if I were Trenners manager I would be advising him to take up the deal. Probably 3 years and on good money. If the foot doesn't come good at Richmond in 2015 then he still gets paid for 3 years. If the foot doesn't come good at Melbourne, then he probably won't have a job come years end.

trades and deals don't happen until after F/S nominations..

If the Bulldogs just got pick 26 for Higgins ( 7 games in 2014, low salary, not in first 22), then there is little chance we will only get 22 for Frawley.

Only the Saints have to think he is worth pick 21 for us not to get him as a 3rd rounder.

The truly annoying thing about Caro is that her whole journalistic method is to report ONLY on sackings. Every article from her in the past fortnight has been about "sackin" Hird, the Essendon Board, the Adelaide Board etc. That's why we copped such a shellacking from her last year. Now we don't have anyone to sack she doesn't write about us. Not a single article about the actual scandal of this drug taking. That was left to Emma Quayle and John Pierik. The biggest story in football for probably 50 years and she hasn't written about it! When she writes about ANY goings on at Richmond then I'll take her seriously.

But who is the established quality mid that the coach has said we WILL be pursuing?? Watts for Merrett solves a couple or problems.

Because they play cricket there in the summer. And if you visit during the winter you will see the whole ground covered with lighting to make the grass grow and recover from the previous weekends activities.

We are running out of picks to trade. 2nd or 3rd round will be used for Stretch. Picks 2 and 3? will be used to recruit an established mid, and probably one of Petracca or Brayshaw. Other picks for Frost and Lumumba??? I can see a player trade becoming the more viable option......Jack Watts anyone?

Yes we have an election coming up in November.......more fluff from the politicians I suspect. We can't train on the MCG, ( and before the 15 year olds respond ), cricket is played there during the pre-season!! And during the season use is limited due to games being played there with the grass needing recovery afterward. Why would you locate the football department to the MCG and run training sessions across the rail and road tracks? Why would you have your weights, physio, medical and recovery areas located 500 metres away? Why would you put the coaches away from where the players are?

PJ is a very astute man. He said when he was first appointed that we had to get rid of the ethos that we deserved handouts. By reading the play within the AFL and the reactions of other clubs, he realised that the AFL WOULDN'T give out a priority pick. So don't go asking for one.....ask for "special assistance" That can take the form of other than draft picks. The words from the AFL are: "The AFL concluded that while Melbourne has a poor on field record in recent times, this does not of itself constitute “exceptional circumstances” or a justification for awarding priority draft selections". "Special assistance" may yet be forthcoming. Don't expect to see it trumpeted so that Caro, Damien, Eddie or others latch on. There are a number of ways that the AFL can assist our circumstance, without them being "exceptional".

none of them. They couldn't get a run in the AFL side that finished in the bottom 1/4. Hartung and Sicily for the Hawks are seriously good though.

The real downside for Melbourne is that where we might have already staked out some claims/trades with respect to Adelaide, it now seems that the new broom has swept all that aside. It will take them some time to "get their act together" again, and try to understand what the new coach's needs/desires will be. Similar thing happened to us when Wallace took over at Footscray when we had a deal to get Rohan Smith. All talks get squashed and we are the ones who finish up going back to the drawing board!