hoopla

Ditto to that !! Cant believe the hypocrisy in the Hun from the editor down/ In the middle of last week the editor extolled people to "leave James in peace" while he recovers his health. On that very day he/she gave Allan Hird headline coverage.Then on Saturday 3 pages were devoted to Danny Corcoran's views on the victimisation of his good mate. All part of a concerted effort to stir the pot - and reignite the emotions that James is struggling to manage. It is the AFL that is showing compassion right now.. Fitzpatrick and McLachlan have worn damning criticism and innuendo in an effort to leave him "in peace.. Hird's mates are the people preventing the football world - and Hird himself - from moving on

Makes me ill too.. Sorry Gill - when the man is right - the man is right! If Hird's puppets have to be allowed back , they should have to sneak down the race under cover of darkness. Switch the lights off when they run out for the first game and ban the theme song!

Yeah all the celebrations around the return of Dank's hird of guinea pigs does make my blood boil. I guess you can understand Essendon trying to make them war heroes - but the media shouldn't join in. For all of that- the fact that they were rewarded for their mass suspensions with the No 1 draft pick annoys me more. Defies law logic!! Truth be told the AFL couldn't of a way around it . Banning them from the 1st Round altogether would probably have been seen as one punishment too many. So what was the option? Maybe position on the ladder to a lower limit of around pick 6 ? So if they'd finished 9th they get pick 10 - but if they'd finished 13th and below - they'd have to be satisfied with pick 6 - even if they'd snapped up the wooden spoon, Sounds contrived - and I guess it is. But to see them boast Mc Grath just snuck me as ludicrous Penalise a team - and then reward them for the effects of that penalty How can this be?

He's said or done something very wrong. From Vice Captain and one of the first picked to selection on the wing at Casey. He's not exactly old : on last year's form he's got 3-4 years in him. They might give him a couple of games late to up his trade value. But to tolerate OMac's error rate and leave Dunny out when Garland is injured- says "goodbye Lynden". I think he'll be a loss - and have zero faith in OMac. But the signs are unmistakeable. Someone else will wear No 14 in 2017

I know he has not had any media training - and many posters will say that his ability to answer questions has nothing to do with his football ability- but I was a bit concerned that he seemed to have turned up on the night with no expectations at all. An early pick - and a long-term senior player must have a calm self belief - and the ability to think clearly under pressure. On the basis of his interview he doesn't seem to have got his mind around being an AFL footballer yet. I recall JImmy Toumpas " not really believing" that he would soon be playing on the G. As it turned he seemed a bit "overwhelmed " whenever he got the ball in a tight situation . I just hope that underneath that boyish reaction,Clayton has an unshakable belief in himself - and the confidence "to take the game on" which showed up in his highlight reel Nobody expected him to be a standout player this year. From here on - he will have to deal with the high expectations that come with an early pick. Just hope he quickly settles into his "new skin" as a high profile player.

Can we ban Jack Watts threads ................... at least until he plays his next game?

Let him know we are an option - and offering $5m before considering the value for money elsewhere - are two different things

Two points 1. Is this another knee-jerk reaction? I thought we were putting a process in place to find the best "value for money" candidate available. Is Clarkson so far ahead of the field that nobody else even warrants an interview? We know from several recent articles that Gary is a huge fan - but he was one of those who recommended Bailey .... so his judgment is not perfect. 2. What chance is there of Clarkson leaving a club which is still in the premiership window - with money, facilities and supporters ? Now that Jeff's gone, Hawthorn must look pretty attractive to him. If could well be that all we are doing is pushing up Hawthorn's offer price - and flagging to the footy world that whoever we finally get will not be our preferred choice. Let's hope Caro's off the money with this one ... for the time being at least PS That is not say that we shouldn't consider him

Two points 1. Is this another knee-jerk reaction? I thought we were putting a process in place to find the best "value for money" candidate available. Is Clarkson so far ahead of the field that nobody else even warrants an interview? We know from several recent articles that Gary is a huge fan - but he was one of those who recommended Bailey .... so his judgment is not perfect. 2. What chance is there of Clarkson leaving a club which is still in the premiership window - with money, facilities and supporters ? Now that Jeff's gone, Hawthorn must look pretty attractive to him. If could well be that all we are doing is pushing up Hawthorn's offer price - and flagging to the footy world that whoever we finally get will not be our preferred choice. Let's hope Caro's off the money with this one

Difficult to see how any proposal to remain at the present site would survive any reasonable due diligence .... unless of course the plan is to shut down the pokies and subdivide the land!

To me the Bentleigh Club is a tired facility in a staid residential area removed from public transport. The Yawla St venue is surely a dead duck. If there is any way the merged entity could cash in on the land value and use the funds to build a new facility in Casey,say, then it might be an exciting opportunity .... no risk - no reward. Like you ,I trust the club to identify all the complex legal and commercial issues that will certainly be involved.