Longsufferingnomore

I always find that watching a documentary there is a need to balance off initial reactions to a story with what the editors wanted to achieve. H was aware of making public his issues with his previous Club would probably result in exactly what is being said here. He refrained from disclosing those issues whilst he was at MFC because he did not want the Club involved with what were his personal issues with Buckley and McGuire as at the time we were going through a tough time as a Club. I think he should be congratulated for that. If you had met and spoken with H you would understand that as others have said he was a complex but engrossing person to talk to. He has had obvious issues with race for many years and I don't think that we still do not really know from what basis this has come from. So what I am saying is I think we should cut him some slack because until you have walked in his shoes etc etc

I too have seats in the Hill seated area. Anyone going to function prior. Looking forward to us thumping North and getting rid of another "hoodoo".

I think you are underestimating how much the players look up to Jordan on the field. I do however believe we need to see more of Jordan's A game and maybe Sunday might be the incentive. I like that the Club has decided that the Captaincy will be shared around for the next couple of weeks. The sense of leadership is what we have been lacking for years. Despite thinking at the beginning of the season that having two captains was a bad idea, I have now come to see that it is working really well between Nate and Jack and it could possibly be a small part of why we have taken a leap forward this year (probably further ahead than a lot of people would have expected). We now have leaders on the field that may not be formally titled leaders but they are leaders in every sense of the word. Tommy Mac, Jordan and Max will step up to a new level with Jack and Nate out. Even Christian Petracca by his actions alone will inspire. Max may be a funny man of field but on field he does have an air of command. When we lost Max and others at the beginning of the season, PJ told staff that out of adversity people grow. We have grown as a Club this year despite injuries and rotten fixturing and we have shown that to the footy world. We now have to overcome this short period until our A graders return one by one. As supporters we just have to continue to believe in the players and coaching staff and continue to turn up to games. If we don't attend games we are telling the players we don't believe that you can do it. On Sunday there will be plenty of rabid Carlton fans who believe that it is their time. We need to be there to be a voice, a noise that will give confidence to the players that we are behind them. If there was a time when the Club needs their supporters to make a noise, it is now when times are tough. Not tough like it was three or more years ago but now we are fighting against things we cannot control. The Club needs us to show our support by being there on Sunday.

I have thought over the last couple of weeks that MFC is certainly not looked upon kindly by the general media. Thinking back to the raptures that were lavished on the WB last year given their injuries, I haven't heard or seen similar this year about the situation that we are in. Listening to Garry Lyon and Co on Friday night was unbearable so much that I changed to ABC. There does not seem to be the acknowledgement that we have been in a dire situation for many weeks and to have played the way we have is testimony to the groundwork that Roos put in and in extension to that what Goody and Co have achieved over the preseason. When I listen to general media commentary there seems to be a satisfaction amongst some "journos" to our predicament. I thought this last week after an outstanding winning performance there was little acknowledgement of our outs and the fixturing of so many games with a 6 day turnaround. All I heard after Friday night was that the Club had come down with a thud almost that we had got beyond ourselves. If anyone had talked to the players and the Club they would have known that the Club was opposite to this. There was an excitement given we had won consecutive games without all of our top personnel and a belief that we could make the finals but top four or two - not spoken about. Now with Buggy, we are in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. We are not GWS with a list of champions as long as our arms. We are decimated. We cannot replace 7 top players with 7 top VFL players. Despite Plapp training the Casey boys with the same set ups as AFL, there is nothing like playing together. Two ring ins can be covered, seven no way. I unfortunately am not expecting a happy day on Sunday although I do note that Carlton had three injuries on the weekend. It is conflicting that to win a game I am excited when there are injuries to the next round's opposition.

Media will not move on. Dermie has already said that if Schofield got off then Clarrie would be in trouble. They will smell blood and the baying will continue.

The boys will really need to get around Clarrie on Friday night. The swans will use this to try and put him off his game. He could be a match winner and it will start from before the bounce. I would start him on the bench and bring him in asap after the first bounce.

At least our Doc is a bit more honest with his assessment than the Carlton Docs. Painful jaw, no treatment, no training or games to be missed. I would not have thought that virtually calling the umpire a liar would be taken very well by the Tribunal. Surely this tactic if successful, undermines the umpires authority.

Just watched the last two minutes again on AFL Ladder site. Oh What a feeling.

If you haven't already seen it on the Club website and or received your email, the special pre Queens Birthday training session is on again on Saturday. Training starts at 9.30am and I can guarantee it will be cold. The usual hot coffee, hot sausages, Demon Shop and Mascots will be there. So fire up all you Demonlanders and get down to Gosch's. The players love it when supporters come and watch training.

Suggest you ring the Club early next week when training schedules are finalised.

Nice

We were talking about Max Gawn's injury and how it had affected the team structure. He said that Jake was a ruckman whereas Declan was a footballer trying to be a ruckman. I am not sure whether he made this comment because of his current physique or age. He wasn't being detrimental to Declan or Jake but it was more a comparison to Pedersen who he believed was too good to be in the VFL. He said that Pedersen was a footballer who could pinch hit if necessary and he felt that as soon as we had lost Jake, Cam should have been straight into the team. He was complimentary of Declan but not so much Jake who he said was no good with the ball at his feet which we kind of know anyway (but I think has improved in this area). I am not sure that he could criticise anyone as his knees were shot so I don't think he would be bending down to get the ball very often. I really started to notice Declan at Casey last year and his ferocity at the ball and I think he is a real prospect for the seniors (hopefully with us). I prefer him playing forward and I actually tried to sponsor him this year but missed out. It was interesting to hear from someone with another perspective. I hope I didn't offend. It would be difficult if you personally know the players and read some of what is written on "land". I do know one of the parents of a player that is crucified on here and I hope they never read what is said. It would be heartbreaking.

Once we have had to plug our rucking gaps with the likes of Tom Mcd, Jack Watts and Cam Pederson, I have feared that one or more would injure themselves purely due to exhaustion. Jack Watts looked tired and lethargic today. Cam Pederson was out on his feet at 3/4 time, struggling to get up. It was always going to happen but we have no options at the moment. If you take in account the players that we are missing Smith x 2, Gawn and Hogan - they are our talls. I walked away tonight disappointed but not shattered. When we lost our second ruck option, the injuries to other players and Jessie's ongoing personal issues I felt that the resulting changes to our game structure would likely put an end to our chances on making the finals. Any win would be a bonus. I am not accepting mediocrity but I think I am being realistic. A Club cannot lose the players that we have lost without suffering the consequences. Dont talk to me about the Bulldogs losing players last year. Their list is longer than ours and they had other ruck options. We have none but a make do lot who have played up till today beyond expectations (well mine at least). Our problem today like in the past is that we played catch up after the first quarter. Unlike last week where we were able to nullify Jacobs, today Goldstein hammered us. Even just to get Jake Spencer back would allow the return of the structures that the team trained with all summer. Slowly we will have our best 22 playing. Then there are no excuses. Today we played a nineteen man team. We were within 3 pts and if the umpires had been more consistent during the game we just may have won. I was hoping that they would do their usual evening up in the last quarter but no we must have got too close. It will be interesting if charges are laid against Zeibel and Higgins. They were certainly a protected specie today. Ask Clarrie how he was after he was hit and ask whoever it was who cleaned up after Bernie was vomiting on the sidelines. They were not jumper punches, Scotty.

Talking to an opposition ruckman some weeks ago he was quite disparaging of Keilty as a ruckman. You might be on to something Mr. Jack.

I have recently come back from Italy and Spain and watched all the games on AFL Live. I had previously joined and purchased a months subscription whilst I was away. I was watching from an Apple I PAD. Viewing was a little stop and go but otherwise OK. Good luck!

Didn't Simon O'Donnell have the same disease some years ago. I would think that there are a number of sportsmen who the Club could organise for Jessie to talk with. I agree with the other comments that he is in the best place to recuperate. The Club has done a mighty job supporting Jesse through his father's illness and now to be confronted with this. Kudos to the Club being able to control the noise from the outer regarding Jessie's father and now for getting on the front foot (with approval from Jessie and his mother) to control the frenzy that could have resulted if there had been a leak regarding his latest battle. Mahoney was right when he said that he is 22 years of age an he has had to become mature way beyond his years. I am heartened by the Club Doctor's prognosis and look forward to Jessie's return to playing.

This addition comes with a Standard Plus and Premium MFC/MCC memberships. It is great value. Ring one of the membership team and upgrade. Well worth it if you are taking mates to the games.

Just back from the Barcelona V Juventus game and I don't think we have anything on the security here. How would we react if we had policemen ready with riot gear protecting the players race. Just a few comparisons to some of our games this year: Barca and Juventus players must have gone to the Cripps acting school Barca and Juventus have been watching replays of our Geelong game for goal kicking tips (score 0-0 after numerous attempts I was warned to stay clear of the Juventus supporters if they lost. I would have known who they were -they were in black and white. Highlight of the night was 85,000 Barca supporters singing " Su la mafia" to the 10,000 Juventus supporters. I did miss Robbos Haymes paints speckies at half time. Absolutely nothing at half time but some very good music.

There is a Melbourne (called Away) supporters area on the wing Level 1 Aisle 6 which had a few seats left this morning.

I think there was a comment made by the learned commentators that the Umpires were aware of the "special" way the doggies handball however it didn't seem to make any difference to their rulings on Saturday. The Doggies wont have it all their way this year as all the Clubs will be following their lead. We showed on Saturday by continual pressure their handball system will fail. This was one of the most glaring improvements and not just by a few but all of them were continually giving second and third efforts. I hope that our leadership group take it upon themselves in the final 5 minutes of each quarter to instil "no fade outs".

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Great person from a great family.

Just a quick thank you for all those Demonlanders who partook of a sausage yesterday and those of you who donated generously. We raised the biggest amount to date for the Demon Army. This will go to covering some of the expense of new equipment for season 2017. Sorry but the brioche was off the menu.

For a moment I thought you were going to say moved into bed with you - that is carrying the flag a little too far. Keep things positive and the talk about the future of the Club not the recent past. Anyway if anything untowards happens again keep the thought that you at least wont have to have Andy giving you mouth to mouth!