hoopla

Must be - but it would cost heaps not just in $$'s but in credibility - if we have any left ! Be interesting to see whether it leads to any sort of fallout amongst our present assistant coaches. Rawlings who became Roos' senior assistant will effectively get demoted the day Goodwin arrives. Even if Rawlings has no aspirations to go higher , he'll need to quickly come to respect the new man or his job satisfaction/motivation will disappear pretty quickly As I said before replace the term "Essendon" with " a Finals team" in his pedigree and it reads very well !!

I know that Goodwin was an excellent player and on-field leader- probably underrated here in Victoria and he must have been an impressive new retiree to get the gig at Essendon in the first place. Clearly Bomber Thompson must have given Roos the thumbs up - and Craig must hold him in high regard . Not sure but might have been Bernie Vince's first AFL captain as well. Unfortunately I struggle to see anyone associated with Essendon as the blue -eyed boy we are going to build our future on - but I'll put that behind me if Roos gives him the nod. The name "Party Boy" fits a troll well - but I wouldn't be surprised if he's proved right.

Have heard from a Collingwood supporter who knows Harry personally that he is a terrific bloke - and footballer - who is not happy with Bucks rigid regime. Harry is absolutely committed to being the best player he can be - but struggles with Buckley's determination to build a team of clones. Points out that Dawes and Taylor will know him - and will be encouraging Roos to snap him up. His run would certainly be an asset

We are now up to page 13 on a thread about a player who retired for health reasons - and has said or done nothing to indicate that his illness is now well behind him - and who has said or done even less to indicate that he is planning a return to AFL football. We should respect his decision to retire. This thread should retire as well.- and not reopen until and unless Mitch announces that he is making a comeback!

Got to agree. For all that he's has been an ordinary player for the past two years - and good luck to the club who picks him up. The compensation will depend purely on how much he gets paid - because that is a clear indication of his "value" . We should be talking him up!!!

Went to school with Viney - which gives us a link. But also went to school with McRae and Hrovat - which gives W Bulldogs a link - and they need KPPs. If he doesn't go to one of the strong clubs - I reckon the Dogs would offer him more than we will

This is utter nonsense Coincidentally Will Evans has just completed a short trainee-ship prior to long-time planned travel and study Some of these journo's would fish for stories in the middle of the Nullabor Plain ........... and tell you they're about to hook a Great White!

Even if he doesn't play in the two's big kick in the guts to name him there. Only 2 weeks ago , he was playing AFL. Just had his contract extended as well Must have done/ be doing something wrong

Hate to say it but you are right. As much as the AFL wants clubs to "tow the line" it knows that it cannot disenfranchise the large supporter base Essendon represents. Behind closed doors, I think you'd find that the AFL would like to see Hird destroyed to demonstrate that no individual is bigger than the game - with Little to follow. The only good thing about Essendon's recent on field success is that it will make it harder for Little to give Hird his job back. True to form Hird will insist on a full payout - which will focus attention on Little's stupidity in extending the contract of a suspended person. You'd hope that would lead to a spill of Board positions - and a clean slate As for the players? You can understand why none of them want to admit to being a drug cheat - but the longer they hold out against their infraction notices , the harder it will be for ASADA to discount the penalty There are two key dates coming up - the date of the court case and the date Hird has a contractual right to return to the coach's box.

I really struggle to understand how Essendon can sustain their argument when they stated repeatedly that they welcomed - and would cooperate with - the joint investigation. Even if the judge decides that ASADA somehow operated outside its charter, it would be stretching the point to rule that evidence given by an organisation that "wanted the truth to come out" [

Some of the posts on this topic seem to be based on the view that there are two clear options - continuation of the "alignment with the Casey Scorpions" or a standalone "Melbourne VFL" side based somewhere closer to the city. On the face of it Hawthorn don't have a standalone VFL team. But I think I'm right in saying that Hawthorn effectively control the Box Hill Hawks on the field - which gives them all the benefits of their own VFL team without all the establishment costs I think I'm right in saying that we signed an agreement with the City of Casey to stay out there for 20 years. We have already invested heavily in the Casey area. The answer might lie somewhere in the middle with team called the Casey Demons - which would leave the Casey community with a VFL- presence and the MFC with control over player development.( along the lines of the Box Hill Hawks) I know its a long way to drive for many of us - but the ground work has been done.I'd like to know exactly what the Casey arrangement is - do we have a long term commitment to play as the Casey Scorpions under a separate Casey elected Board. - or is it a commitment to ensure that Casey retains a VFL team under a constitution which allows Melbourne to control football operations. It might not be perfect - but I'd be happy with an arrangement like this. I'd really like to understand exactly what our commitments are?

The future of our alignment with Casey should just about be Jackson's number one priority at the moment. If we are going to improve our on-field performance and develop the right culture going forward, then we have to get complete control of our VFL team. I don't care what we call it - but we need to employ the coaches and support staff - so we can mix and match training drills, game plans , player positioning etc. Some cynic will say we must be getting close to that now ........... because Casey is getting thumped just like we are !! Does anybody know exactly what is happening behind the scenes ?

I never thought I'd see the day - but credit where credit is due - Damien,, this is a superb piece of clear thinking which Mr Justice Middleton should use as the basis of his judgment! The other day I walked into a discussion around the coffee machine. One Essendon supporter was bemoaning the fact that he kids were getting hammered around the playground at school by an increasing number of friends who are seeing Little's Essendon as a blind self-serving mob of cheats unashamedly trying to beat the system on a technicality. Keep going the way you are Mr Little - and you really will create a " Little Essendon" to be known not as the Bombers but as the "MH 370s"

Under the Roos' philosophy - I dont expect any more than 2-3 changes this week - simply because except for Jetta and perhaps JKH and Tapscott - nobody has done enough at Casey to warrant promotion.Without knowing the roles they have been given it is difficult for us to judge players like Barry, Salem and Bail. I suspect that one of the reasons Big Max was selected is that he gives the opposition ruckman someone else to think about which makes Jamar a better player.The tag team worked in a day game against the Bulldogs. It didn't work in a night game against Freo. I reckon they knew that was a possibility when they decided to go with it. Jetta in and perhaps one or two other changes at most

Chip is one of only a handful of Melbourne players who would get a game in most - if not all - the other 17 clubs.Whether or not we use the compensation for his loss to find a first grade midfielder is problematical. In pure trade terms, I'm not sure you can say anything other than that. There is another issue at play here.What does it telegraph to the rest of the football community that a senior player turns his back on $1m over 3 to 5 years to be part of what Paul Roos is building here? How much more are we going to have to pay to entice someone away from GWS,say, if they see a senior player who has been part of Roos' Melbourne walk out the door? We can rationalise - "it's just the money" - but the suspicion that he doubts Roos' ability to turn us into a serious contender in the next 5 years will remain. As a show of faith in the club - and in Roos ability to develop a suitable successor - I think it is important that Chip stays. If Roosy really is building belief - then all his team leaders - should want to stay.

Mitchell and Viney played junior school footy together before Mitchell headed west - and Viney south west. Word around the place at the time was that Mitchell was just as good if not better than Viney at that age...................... which says something!! Todd Viney would have his ear to the ground if there was any chance of prising Mitchell out of Sydney

He's great gut runner and a beautiful left foot kick.Most important of all, he's quality young man. Realistically West Coast will play hard ball . Talk about him again when he's a free agent

Well they re-contracted the man who inspired the whole program, and then denied his duty of care to the players. Shortly after that they agreed to pay him during his suspension.The Little-man likes throwing money away....................

Hang all this Latin I have always had a lot of sympathy for Jack Watts. He is not built to play tough man on man footy against key defenders - and I thought that Roos' decision to develop him as a midfielder might be a turning point for him. He ran hard against St Kilda and won a lot of the ball.His body language was positive. Since then he has had to spend a bit of time as a forward - and his apparent unwllingness/inability to apply pressure to the opposition seems to have returned - even when he is in the midfield. In many ways I found his lacklustre performance on Saturday one of the most disappointing aspects of the game. I just hope he was carrying an injury. I agree with those posters who have said that they believe that Roos regards "Project Watts" as a special challenge. Whether or not he is dropped this week or named on the bench or named to start in the midfield will tell us how patient Roos is prepared to be.

Yes RtG , I must retract my increasing scepticism as well. Interesting that Lane's article came out the same day as the heavily censored "interview with Hird " (aka the collection of carefully planned quotes from 'Hird Sympathisers') in the Age Good Weekend.

What should have happened and what actually has happened ( and will continue to happen) are are not necessarily the same thing, Jobe remains free and clear. If that is to change then it should have changed before now. I don't accept that the continuing delays are consistent with a well managed investigation.

I rarely take issue with WJ's well considered posts - but in this case I think he dismisses Francis Leach's views a little too lightly. It is true that people don't "bat an eyelid" when "long drawn out" criminal, investigations lead to major drug busts - but these are investigations into continuing activities involving people whose habits, relationships, circumstances etc are either unchanged or camouflaged. Essendon's "questionable" behaviour was for a finite period lead by individuals who have already been sanctioned and/or publicly ridiculed. If at some time in the future ASADA issues an infraction notice against Jobe Watson, it will almost certainly cite his public confession as a pivotal piece of evidence. It is stretching the bounds of probability to accept that there are good reasons to have allowed him to lead his club into a second season without the sniff of a charge despite that confession. ASADA's over-riding role is to remove the stain of potential drug abuse from Australian sport. Last year I was prepared to accept that the delay was part of a strategy to ensnare Stephen Dank - but if it is - it is increasingly looking like a flawed one! If ASADA agrees that Watson's "confessed drug" was not illegal at the time, then it should have said so long ago

I recognize that the "burden of proof" does not operate as it does under the common law I simply make the point that evidence of events which took place in 2012 is less likely to emerge in 2014 than it was in 2013 - and that it will be less likely again in 2015. There are of course exceptions - but that is all they are- exceptions. There have been many excellent posts on this thread. But as much as I would like to accept that well considered investigations are proceeding as quickly as circumstances permit I am afraid that I have now become a sceptic. You have great faith in the standard of investigation in this country. Twelve months ago ASADA, and the ACCC stood behind the Minister as she told the world that performing enhancing drugs were rife in Australian sports. You see their deafening silence since then as evidence of a "well run ship". I hope you are correct - but as yet another season approaches, I think its more likely that the thing is stuck in ice in Antarctica or lost in the Bermuda triangle I reckon there's one thing we would agree on - that people who see a need to warn people away with a photos of themselves on roller blades shouldn't promote the idea that posters "live and die by their user-name"

ASADA have said precious little since the whole saga hit the airwaves almost 12 months ago now - except that the enquiry is "not yet complete" !! In fairness to everyone - Essendon players, Essendon supporters and the whole football community - they are obliged to make some sort of clear-cut statement sooner rather than later. How many other incomplete files are piled up on the ASADA office floor at the moment - and how does it efficiently and effectively manage its limited resources if staff are shuffling inconclusive snippetts of information between them from one week to the next ?. Unless they have strong reason to believe that they will get Dank to "tell all" soon - and that his testimony will establish guilt - or innocence - beyond reasonable doubt, they must surely have developed an interim conclusion by now.. There is nothing to stop the file being re-opened if and when new evidence emerges It is incongruous that they are actively working on pivotal evidence - without even a sniff of progress finding its way to the mainstream media. This is not an investigation into the behavior of a single athlete and his/her support team - but an investigation into behavior at an entire club operating in a fishbowl. Realistically not a lot can have been happening for several months now. No doubt somebody will point out that these things always take time - but they wont convince me that ASADA's continuing silence isn't a reflection of indecision if not incompetence Perhaps they have legal advice that they will avoid a lot of angst if they hold infraction notices until players retire.That way the plan may be to use Dustin Fletcher as a test case .... as long as he ever does retire, that is!!

The empty space at the foot of the foot of the club website makes a very loud statement! If there is one thing the AFL could do for us right now it would to push a high profile sponsor our way. The rumoured draw certainly wont help !! Big challenge for Bartlett , Jackson and Co Any rumours out there?