iv'a worn smith

No cliches should emerge this pre-season, as long as everything that goes on is kept within the four walls of the club

I had a chat to him at an after game function and you could not have found a more engaging bloke. Again, I agree, he has done a lot for this club and that should not go unnoticed

True, but my point was simply that he had achieved this level of sport. That is an indisputable fact.

Not to mention, he has done something which the 'name callers' on here will never do. He has played AFL football and he is studying a law degree. Whoops, I just contradicted myself. By that alone, he simply can't be a good bloke, can he??

As a boy growing up in the northern suburbs, surrounded by Collingwood (my 4 brothers all barracked for the filth) and Essendon supporters, I have been to the snow once in my life. Thought is was a very expensive way to get wet and cold and I was lousy at the aprés ski. I am atypical of the so called stereotype, keeping in mind Trigon's irony.

I think it is testimony to the man that he did not seek to vent about his tenure at the MFC. The reflex inside his gut would have been most compelling I would have thought. Rather, his whole ethos was based on positivity, having learned from his past with a view to the future. Despite the moribund nature of the club at the time and immediately following, I remain of the view that left unfettered, DB may well have been a great coach of the Melbourne Football Club, even though that tenure would have been prematurely cut short by his untimely death. We too often forget that a Bailey coached Melbourne beat the Swans in 2010 by 73 points. With the then Swans coach, Paul Roos suffering his biggest defeat as coach, he made the observation that the Dees were building something special. Earlier, we had beaten a much better Lions outfit, compared to the present day breed, by 50 points. We had also flogged Richmond that year by 55 points and repeated the does later in the year. For much of 2010, we were a very competitive unit. Having spoken to DB's previous legal representative, it could be posited that the MFC were lucky that legal action was not instigated. But again, perhaps it is simply testimony to the man, his character and his beliefs that he chose not do do so.

What do you mean? I have been wearing mine all week, along with my cheese cloth shirts and leather headband.

For the first time in a long time I feel we have some real gravitas as a footy club. No longer hoping against hope that bringing in a bunch of well credentialed kids, due to our lowly position on the ladder, deriving high draft picks, will cure all our ills. The ship is on an even keel and has the right bearing. We now have the balance right both on and off the field. Not only can we feel it, but the entire footy world knows there's something special happening at the club. The current membership figures would seem to bear this out and the sponsors must be loving us right now. It's now time to deliver on the field. I don't expect a flag in 2017, but it is going to be exciting to see what evolves. Finally, I believe we have got the balance right between youth and seasoned players who will share the load on the leadership front. I also get the sense that Goody will give the players the freedom to take the game on. Go Demons. Season 2017 can't come quick enough for me.

David Flintoff

Until he was drafted, yes. 'Knick Knack Paddy Mac, give the ball to Hoges'

Aaron Vandenberg??? And surely it's got to be Knick Knack Paddy Mac!!!!!

Thanks Jack. Your heart did beat true.

Didn't like the idea at first, but it obviously helped the Doggies. Gives a more even chance to more sides in the final eight. Hope it benefits us when we make it. i'm sold on the concept now.

Lewis is a good friend of the Vineys, following Todd's time at Hawthorn and Lewis gave some mentoring to Jack when he was in the under 18's. Clearly Viney senior had a lot to do with this.

Lewis was my neighbour until a few years ago. A top fella, who has an extremely sharp football brain. Even in our darkest hours, he insisted that I stick fat as he was sure there were good times to come for the MFC, in the not too distant future. I am rapt he is now part of that future. There is nothing but positives in this acquisition.

No, I was being facetious

Are you excited Big Kev? Sorry mate, but not my problem if people don't get nuance.

FFS. Don't be so petty. It was a throw away line which was to highlight the appreciation of him choosing us and we taking him. As an aside, it would not be the first time that numbers have changed between players when a new (and high profile) recruit is signed. But whatever. Geez, the sky would fall if the numbers changed and Lewis would be less than genuine if he wanted it. Wouldn't he?

I'm sure he does, bit if Lewis wants it, he gets it as far as I'm concerned.

The Number 3 jumper awaits. Lewis is hard at it, has footy smarts and can kick a footy. He will make the younger guys stand taller and feel stronger. Onward and upwards.

Absolutely

I rest my case.

What I am saying DC is there are many on here who believe they know all of the facts, pertaining to this case. No-one on here does know. My point being that the entire issue had its genesis for entirely the wrong motivating factors. If the substantive basis of guilt is predicated on the players lying to ASADA about what they did or did not ingest, surely this is a fairly easy basis upon which ASADA could have prosecuted the case, through the agency of the peak sporting body, being the AFL. Is there not a chasm of a lack of logic in that alone and why does it exist?

What was the "burden of proof"?