pitmaster

"minor operation" - shaving a bone spur - every opportunity of being available round one. panic not necessary. Col played almost every game last couple of years and will have a good fitness base.

Do you mean undischarged?

Given what we see overnight from India (gang rape of 20 year old girl by 13 men for falling in love with the 'wrong man'), and the violence perpetrated on women in our society, I'd say feminists and people more generally have quite a bit to whinge about over the treatment of women.

23,542: Good result but how does that compare to other years?

We'll never stop thinking about Scully while he is playing even as we become successful and the GWS continues to flounder. If we win a flag we'll be looking for the 'what might've been...' expression on his face.

Interesting that statistically his best year in terms of disposals was his first, and while there is not dramatic variation, his worst is his fourth (last) season. There's no sign of growing into that role where he takes a game by the scruff. Quite the reverse.

Are your Bomber critics critical of Jackson for moving on Sheedy? Because I was hearing for years from Bomber fans in the late '80s what a shocker Sheedy was in terms of under-performing with what was a very powerful list. You can always find someone bagging the coach. Four flags - '84-5, '93 and 2000. It's not Norm Smith but I'd cop it. Then Jackson knocks him off - but long before that I was hearing lurid stories about Sheedy's conduct at training. Maybe it was time. Bomber members' worship of Hird shows how useful their assessments are.

Thanks Jack. I really should have included this point in my opening remarks.It could be, should be a really telling feature of the group this year. As others have said, the excuses are running out.

This deserves it's own thread because I have something positive to say about Mark Neeld and so many other threads are being sidetracked with people blackening his name (often with good reason). I know from talking to players that he was wrong for many of them and wrong for our club. Maybe he listened too closely to Mad Mick, but in any event he came in with all guns blazing and shot himself and the club and us in the foot. But...three things he did should stand us in good stead: he won us Mitch Clark and he backed up with Chris Dawes. If fitness and good health follow these two will be lasting positives for us. Third: he sacrificed a big part of his first draft to warehouse Jesse Hogan. That was the act of a man putting the good of the club before his immediate benefit. We should acknowledge that and pay due credit. Now I'll just reach for my umbrella to shield myself from the s#*@ storm to follow...

Silver lining.

Not the point at all LDvC. The Geelong FC gets to profit from the redevelopment of its ground in ways no other club does. We get nothing from the money put in to Gosch's but every single spectator who goes to Kardinia Park now puts money into the GFC's accounts.

Precisely - this is just another benefit the GFC derives from a taxpayer funded redevelopment of their paddock. P*#%@#s me off that you pay through the nose for a ticket to a real game there as well. At least we are spared the rip off next season.

Demetriou's mistake has been to try to manage the crisis without knowing the full extent of what Essendon were up to, and without securing their absolute compliance with his method. Once he could not get that he needed to throw the Bombers on the bonfire.

Anyone else keen on the new training jumpers? That will be my first merchandise purchase for 2014. The old red MFC monogram on a navy background is a Demon classic that used to be used in the old days (ie: when we were s#@t hot for those that don't know). Interesting that it's come back to the Demons shop without any fanfare. If Cam Schwab were still around we'd have had an explanation about it. In any case I am rapt it's back. That's $112.50 well spent. As for the MFC twitter feed, some Norf supporting donkey called Gary Jacks has logged in to ask how much the club has to pay supporters to wear this stuff...what a plonker...logging onto opposing clubs' sites to sling off at their supporters. I note he has a crack at the Bulldogs on his twitter account as well. I mean really, Norf? For most of their history they were a joke. I'd be so pleased to see a Roos lead Demons pants them - really set that coach of theirs sulking.

Good work Tappy. Thanks for the fix.

Not a good professional move. Jack Kennedy is Magpie royalty (well, as close as they get).

Oh for goodness' sake, the fact that some women choose to wear those uniforms, and to be paid for doing so, does not make it any less sexist. Men's sport, played seriously does not resort to blokes jumping around in jock straps. Of course it's sexist. The name says it's women running around in underwear jumping on each other. Funnily enough, I agree with you about women's tennis. Equal pay for two, often whitewash sets, is a gift when you think the blokes so often fight out four, or five long advantage sets. But the lingerie league - absolute sexist crap. If the sport was any good they'd wear regulation gridiron gear.

Maybe a civil engineer.

Absolutely right. Reid's email objection appears in reality only to be an exercise in putting something on the record for the purpose of covering his back. He did nothing with it, did not pursue it further and sat on his hands from that point.

And where do you think the leaks are coming from? This article is about rebalancing the public debate.

How big a dope is Don McLardy? Really, some people have more money than is good for them. Makes you wonder how they made it in the first place.

Which is why I was rapt with the Socceroos' World Cup draw - Spain, Holland and Chile - sweet. They will use us as training fodder.

Now come on, it's one woman's opinion. Take this quote for horsefeathers... "As of yesterday, Demetriou continued to deny any deal was struck with suspended coach, James Hird. He also insisted, vehemently, that Hird was not being paid while serving that suspension. This is a lie..." A lie is when one consciously tells a falsehood. If AD did not know Hird was being paid then he has stated something that is factually incorrect, but it is not a lie if he is simply mistaken. This is where sloppy journos really give me the irrits. Look at this for what it is: the Hun is totally on side with Hird, just like it was on side with Tony Abbott as opposition leader and you are only going to get the story served up as they want it. The writer of this piece is just jumping on board for a ride. It means nothing.

It's interesting that Mark Robinson DID NOT write the Mrs Hird story. I suspect this is to deflect from the obvious conclusion that James, who has been conspicuously silent publicy, has in fact been feeding the lapdog Robbo. For James' sake Robbo can't be publicly seen to be so close to him that the missus has Robbo on the speed dial.

That, BB, is your problem right there. Footy wasn't always a business (that's when we were good at it by the way). But since the '70s it has become increasingly so, and under Andrew D that process has sped up as broadcast rights have become so inflated. The last thing business gives a rat's about is ethics and standards. It's about dollars and deals and that is where the AFL has taken us. This stuff with Essendon is classic. I don't doubt Hird's allegation that AD leaked to his mate what was going on - that's just an extension of the old boys' club and insider trading. Sadly that's what we are lumped with.