Dappa Dan

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/team/default.asp I just went to bigfooty and found my way to this link. I reckon we should do something like this. Surely it wouldn't be THAT expensive. Lovett-Murray was the highlight. I know they do this in, I think, the NBA and NFl in America, and it looks fantastic. Having the players turn in live action and say their names, and maybe numbers.

Chuckle.

Ward, Whelan and Brown couldn't possibly all be in the same youth-oriented side could they? At least one, maybe two to miss there as we have a lot of smallish defenders who we could rotate through there, like Bell, CJ, Buckley, along with Bruce, Green and Ooze. It's a hard choice but you'd think Ward would be the unlucky one despite his apparently good form in the intra. Godfrey is superfluous, but probably needs a run. No need to play mature depth players now. Wrong side to play Holland, particularly with no Croad. So the last one is out of Whelan (interrupted pre-season, but may need the run), Brown (a little bit one-dimensional), or one of the tall defenders in Ferg and Warnock. I have a terrible time predicting NDs emergencies, so whatever you read above, think the opposite and that's what will occur.

So let's just say we owe each other a slab. I'll see you on Sunday, then I probably won't be able to see anything on Monday. PM me about the match, BTW.

Man, I hated the old one, but sort of got used to it. Is it really that hard to create an attractive webpage for footy? I feel like I'm going to get a migraine just from looking at it.

Take it easy RR. Firstly, yes I'm prepared to express an opinion on ANY listed demon, including one I HAVE seen play, just not as much as I'd like. I don't recall casting negative judgement, but I stand by my contention that many posters on demonland RELY on people like you and others based in Victoria to feed them information about kids that don't see regularly televised action. A fair enough assesment I'd suggest, and one I have some experience with having seen demonland from the vantage point of NSW, Victoria and o/s for months on end. For the record, once again RR, I HAVE NOT written him off. Read the first line of my last post again. Give him some more action in the big leagues where we'll be able to see where he fits, and indeed if he is capable, and then I'll come out with a truer position. Half a dozen games for Sandy seniors and some scintillating form in the ressies convinces me of absolutely nothing. Nothing positive, and perhaps more importantly, nothing negative. Give me my 8 rounds plus the NAB playing on AFL defenders, and then we'll have something to discuss. Look, there are plenty of positives about him, but my god do we need to go over all that again? Yes, he can jump, mark, kick, has oodles of talent and a slim frame. People mumble things like "Neitz replacement," which is premature, blah, blah, blah. Project or not, you have to see food on your plate at some stage. You and others (CAC among them, obviously) regard his talent to be substanital enough to wait 3 years for any tangible effect at senior level. On the surface, I agree. I would hope EVERY tall brought to the club would be given time. Look at CJ, Buckley and Bell who aren't even very KP players. My opionion, something I'm pretty sure I'm entitled to, is that now is the time to show something at SENIOR level. Simple enough? Fairly well in line with your "general gist" isn't it? Once again, we agree on the crux of the issue, yet you find something to disagree with. Am I supposed to go to more Sandy matches when I'm living in Kogarah am I?

I always flinch when Davey's name is mentioned in the same sentence as the word "midfield." A wing is about all I can see him doing. I love it when he drifts up the ground, and even wanders into defence. I'm not too dissatisfied with the idea of he and Bruce deciding where they want to go, a la Hird. But in the centre among the big boys in all that rough and tough stuff? He'd get trampled.

http://melbournefc.com.au/default.asp?pg=p...p;spg=browseall Highlights... They all seem skinnier than the last lot. Buckley's is a vast improvement, but it was always going to be. Nathan Brown - Looks like one of those celebrity mugshots. Chopper's somehow less threatening with the handlebar AND the surfie mop top. Dunn and Newton, I'm fairly certain, are a pair of cartoon characters. Godders' eyes have finally closed over completely. Chris Johnson is a Beatle. Trav.... Trav, Trav, Trav. JMac has returned to the crew-cut. Having looked at the last set of photos extensively when doing team-sheets and the like, Moloney is WAY slimmer than last year, at least in the face. For whatever that's worth. Most women I know are manlier looking than Neville. Ferguson looks just like Robertson!!! HA!!!! Bottom row hasn't changed AT ALL! And the award for best photo... your friend and mine, the ultimate role model, setting a fine axample for kids everywhere... Daniel Ward, with the mo' that looks like it's been stuck on, and the wry grin. He gives James Kelly over at Geelong a run for his money for silliness in photos.

Good post DW.

- It's simple really. One crappy intra doesn't make me write him off (nor does it make anyone write him off) But if by a third - a half of the way into the season he hasn't shown signs of at least getting a few games with the dees AND showing something, then I'm writing him off. Do we really know where he's at now? I know I don't. I'd like to hear where some people get their knowledge about this kid. Do some of you have a family member or best mate at the club that leaks information? If so, fair enough for you. My sneaking suspiscion is that for the majority of landers and 'ologists they are basing their knowledge of his bad attitude on the opinions of a select few posters, and that of the way he goes about his footy. So how about you RR? What do you base your opinion of his attitude problems on? It's an honest question. In order for me to be absolutely sure I most certainly am going to need to see what he does with his third and "make or break" year at the club. - Yeeees. I think my point was that with all the Bell/Sylvia/McLean/Moloney OP problems, it's nice to see a guy who is just as much crash-and-bash, but seems to slow down for no man. Perhaps it's his relative size and weight, but I've just about never seen him come off second best in a contest, despite being very quick to boot. The obvious exception there being when he did his knee.

Naah. Have a closer look. The bet is that the other 3 will play IF White doesn't get selected. If White plays, Neaves won't. When I read that article it seemed to me that he "could" play, not "will" play.

Can you tell how much time I spent on my 24? Very astute C. Don't forget, the bench is 6 players. Have I got that right? Nail on the head there J. If White doesn't play, then of the 3 others only Neaves is solely a ruckman at this stage. I reckon it's imperative that he get a quick taste for the real thing NOW, since barring tragedy he won't play this year. I want him to get some idea of what the pace is like, and change his game accordingly. And I would disagree VEHEMENTLY with anyone who reckons a 24-man NAB cup side Can't run around with PJ (backline or forwardline), Jamar (Gorilla forward) and Neaves, given their particular flexibilities. I'm willing to wager a slab with you, J, that all 3 will be selected in match 1. Probably won't come to fruition, but I hope it does. Oh, and that's a slab of breezers, naturally... Yeah. I remember last year he needed the NAB cup to get up and running. So while I expect him to get less than 6 touches, it's vital that he gets that old body ready for all that punishment that's on its way. Remember he was one player that was partially responsible for the first 3 losses? I read that article as "White is ok to play on Sunday." Not "White WILL play on Sunday." Happy to be wrong of course.

Yeah, I can see how you'd think that. I neglected to mention that he was a bigfooty member BEFORE he was drafted, and he was just being glib at the time. It was some sort of thread about who are the best CHFs or who are the best Power forwards in the last 10 years or some garbage, and it was posted months, maybe years before he was drafted a few months ago. He came on and mumbled something indirect about Neitz being fairly average as a Tall Forward compared to some of the greats. Wonder what he thinks of him now? To be honest, most of the football following public know NOTHING about Neitz, and the demons for that matter, besides the records he broke last year. Now that Colin has seen him work in the flesh i'm sure he's had his eyes opened. Probably worth mentioning also, before people get in a huff and Whispering Jack gives me a clip over the ears, that I have NO proof whatsoever that this fella was in fact Colin. Whoever the poster was that raised the point could confirm or deny, but I couldn't be stuffed searching through the threads on here or Bigfooty to figure it out.

I'm starting to see the pattern now, and I totally respect the views of those who are frustrated with, or have given up on Juice. Perhaps I'm projecting, but I will say this. I know what it's like to go into something with confidence only to be shown up in the early days of the gig. IF he can get his attitude right, as we know, he MAY be worth pursuing. But we have to at least see the embryonic stages of hard work in 2007. Even then, if we have a good year we may be forced into a premature delisting with the mandatory 3. We all saw what happened with 426. In the end, I'm staving off jumping on teh anti-Juice bandwagon for just the next 3 months. Come round 8 (or thereabouts) we WILL know where he's at. The evidence will be far more compelling. I said it before and I'll say it again, besides Brock, the most exciting prospect at the dees for the next 10 years. Just going along beautifully isn't he? And one of the most exciting things is that he appears to be quite robust. None of this "he'll be great if he stays fit" malarkey. So JAG, when you say he was back to his best, would you say his kicks had penetration? I for one saw no problem with his leg speed last year, he actually looked ridiculously quick at times. What was missing was that shape on his kick whereby he stabs it through the air. Every kick, particularly those at goal, were hospitals, and therefore sometimes the direction deviated in mid-air. Would you say this penetration has returned? Gee I hope it has.

That's a fair slew of players I expected to play. Really sad about Moloney. Apart from all the project players we may not see until next year, I was looking forward to seeing him in the flesh for the first time in a couple of years (for me). Just a rough 22 with those absences. B: Weetra, Carroll, Frawley HB: Bell, Rivers, C. Johnson C: Green, Jones, Bate HF: Pickett, Miller, Dunn FF: Newton, Robertson, Hughes Ruck: Jamar, McDonald, Bruce Int: Bizzell, Buckley, Ferguson, PJ, Warnock, Neaves. That's an enormously young side. If they're serious they'll put Whelan, and maybe Holland, Brown, Ward or Godfrey in for one or two of the younger guys. Also i have 3 tall defender on the bench. This is a very rough 22, and those 3 are players I want to see get around soon. Realistically though, they won't play Bizzell, Ferg AND Warnock on the same bench. Whelan, Neitz, Holland and Yze to keep old bodies on ice. Yze at very least to return next week regardless of result. Brown and Hayes could swap with a wide variety of players. Brown for perhaps one of the 3 tall defenders on the bench. Hayes with Hughes. A Davey-less lineup may warrant ND selecting him in his place, which might be interesting. Godfrey, Neville and Bode all not first preference. Ward... who knows? So I've counted there as injured, White, Brock, Moloney, Trav, Davey, Bartram, Sylvia and Wheatley. That's a fair few THIS early.

I'm certain he's been given jobs on middle-sized players, and I know once or twice he's lined up for a few minutes on some genuine talls, but I can't remember how he went or for how long he was on them. In my mind, Bell is strcitly a run-and-carry defender with a good defensive mind-set to go with it. None of this close checking of tall players. I'm stunned, first of all, that he was opposed to one, and pleasantly surprised that he wasn't exposed for height by a player who is known for his leap. I'm a long way from advocating a permanent or occasional move onto taller players for him, but it's certainly got me thinking... I hope you're right. Every so often this pre-season I've heard about him training with the forwards, and I hope it doesn't happen. He has everything you'd need, height, skill, experience, build, a leap to die for, and a severely under-rated kick, particularly at goal and particularly over great distances. But it all comes together to mean nothing, or at least it has in the past. I couldn't give a stuff where he's playing in the NAB cup, put him in the back pocket if you want. Just please, don't play him as a FF in the real thing unless absolutely necessary. Anyone care to speculate why he didn't play very much? Perhaps being saved for Sunday? BTW, I wasn't there, so I don't know how he played, but surely this rough match he had was the exception to the rule. We all know he's played a bit of good footy, even for the Sandy seniors, and I can't imagine this intra being of a hugely greater level of difficulty. There's every reason to suggest this was a one-off. I'm still looking forward to seeing him in a few days.

Hmmm. I guess we'll never know until the day arrives. I reckon this whole gambling malarkey is the problem itself. I realise it's nannyism to outlaw it, but who exactly benefits from keeping it around? I'm not sure where to start with the background, but do the clubs/AFL get a cut of all the money the bookies are making? They should. And even if they do, once again is it worth it? I have a sneaking suspiscion that we haven't seen the last of players having a bet on their own sport. I'd say that what we've seen with these four is only the tip of the iceberg. If we could somehow get the real numbers of how many players are having a flutter under pseudonims, or under family members' accounts I reckon we'd get a cruel shock as to how many of them are getting involved. Assuming that every few years a case like this crops up, you'd think eventually a Brendan Fevola-type peanut may make the mistake and then people will see that the act of placing the bet as a player is a symptom of a greater problem, and not the sickness itself. Is it solveable? It is, but money is money, and as always the right thing to do is put aside one's conscience for the big bucks. I wonder. Would it be worth penalising or charging bookies somehow for accepting bets from players? Hard thing to police of course, and certainly a hard thing to make illegal in the first place. In this sense does the AFL have any control at all over what the bookies do and when? Do they have any bargaining/threatening power?

But which ones? Pre-season or H&A? And how many? Fines? To be honest I'm fairly sure I'd advocate a missed match, maybe two depending on the severity of the cases. That would definitely go a long way to stopping this garbage from happening again, and certainly stop it from growing. But I can say that more easily when Ward isn't part of my 22, or if he is he's only juuuust in there. If I was a crows supporter I reckon I'd have plenty to say about it if Goodwin was suspended. There's also the possibility of being ineligible for the Brownlow. Or is that not the case? The offence was committed last year.

Like I said, a player acting alone in just 120 minutes of footy couldn't possibly effect the game THAT much that he can be assured a loss. At most all he can do is make sure his team are without their 22nd player. Some would argue this is enough to tip the scales in the oppositions' favour. Certainly in the GF this could quite possibly be the case. 1. Agreed, but only works in the case of coaches. Were it a coach, say Thompson or Pagan, who'd put more than 10 bucks on a game I'd suggest we'd be hearing a LOT more. But it's players. Also, as suggested before, on 'ology perhaps, you could argue that tanking games at the end of the season by playing youth is precisely the same thing. Legal match fixing if you will. 2. Actively converting a number of players? Yes. You'd think 3-6 players woud be enough to almost completely disarm an AFL team against any willing opposition currently going around, even the Blues. But one guy keeping his dishonesty a secret from his team-mates. No. Is there any one player who is THAT good that without him their team doesn't stand a chance? WC - Judd; Sydney - Hall, Goodes; WB - West, Johnson; Freo - Pav, Sandilands? My feeling is that if you take the Pavlich out of Freo, they are a far less dangerous side, but you couldn't possibly be guaranteed a loss by removing him from their lineup. The same goes for all players, I believe. 3. They don't need to cook decisions. If an umpire tanked a game I for one would be none the wiser. In fact I'd probably applaud his decisions, as they may improve on the current status quo. Yes, perhaps the ICC were naive. But he was caught. There's no reason to suggest a GROUP of players in the AFL would find it any easier than Hansje. I'd suggest that six guys attempting a fix would be far more conspicuous than one. So where do they/we aim the penalty. A slap on the wrist in the hundreds of dollars, just to send a message to Hale and Jack, and the maximum of 5 grand for the other 2? Do we make an example of both Goodwin and Ward? Part of me wants to, the other part says the league doesn't have the guts to ping one of its stars in any lasting way. If this star was to miss matches you can bet there'd be uproar. And then there's Goodwin to consider... :D

Visit 'ology. Apparently it's a closed session.

No disrespect demon38. We're just taking the [censored]. And no disrespect for Danny either. But geez that would be funny if a rookie came on here to pump himself up or alter supporter relations. Someone like Newton coming on trying to get everyone to call him Juice. Or Miller coming on to start a blue with Freak. Or chopper coming on to.... well... actually, I dunno that he'd have much to say. I know a few months ago someone over at 'ology I think found out Colin Garland was a member of bigfooty, and bagged out the skipper!

Wow. You know your stuff. I certainly see their problem, and yes it seems a keen solution, particularly as it's only temporary. Even if restrictions continue past this season the water shortage is not going to go on forever. We hope. I'd also agree and condone all those actions, except for one thing. Yes players don't WANT to get tackled hard onto a playing surface that's similar to concrete. But I'd say most players don't want to get tackled AT ALL. I know my home ground had a cricket pitch on it right up until when we opened the season. Throughout the whole season it was like bricks, and somehow we got through ok, injuries and all. I dunno. Perhaps we didn't go in as hard, but didn't realise it since the opposition were doing the same? I know I felt no out-of-the-ordinary ill effects. But then I usually feel like I'm going to die after a match anyway. Not the fittest of blokes. I'm going to have to have a look at some of these pitches. My local ground looks beyond sensational, but I'm in the rain belt, so perhaps we've had a little more than everywhere else. I know if we had a pitch like Beaumaris's at South-West Sydney we'd have twice the list we had last season. Good stuff Mikey. Very informative.

A timely reminder, just before things start to get hectic. Thanks to all our demonland head-honchos in advance for what's going to be a whirlwind season on the boards, what with how highly everyone seems to be rating the dees. Keep up the good work.

My god. You must be hung like a donkey....

Mikey, there's no way I'd miss the next couple of years. I'm back in Oz until further notice, and yeah, I have seen in the couple of weeks I've been back, the evidence of this dry spell. My query was only in regard to other states by comparison. The water restictions here aren't as severe as they are in Brisvegas, but then we don't live there, and there's not an awfully huge amount of footy played up there. Maybe demondeb can chime in here. I HAVE heard that sporting grounds aren't allowed to water, but unless the ground is quite literally a sand trap, I can't see why games can't be played, or at least why training can't be adapted. I played on some truly [censored]-poor excuses for grounds in Sydney last year, and while it's not desirable, it's more than do-able. You just have to be tolerant. Both teams are playing on the same ground, after all.