praha

Had a good year. Watts and the likes of Kent, Garlett, Petracca, and Gawns going forward more often makes his tally look worse than it was, really. Poor last month but still a B+ for me. His ability to get involved without hitting the scoreboard is enough to tell me he is going to be a star. His performance against Freo (still kicked 4.2) was sublime. He's the real "package" in the league.

The players get a pass. They won the club's first flag in 60 years and probably won one of the most memorable fairytale flags ever. Club's fault and probably should have pushed back Mad Monday a day, but really, it's not the end of the word. And let's not pretend like most diehard Dogs fans in Ballarat wouldn't have been in Melbourne for the celebrations anyway.

Depression can change a person. That's an old cliche but it's the reality. Drugs, alcohol amplify the problem and sometimes fuel it or wake it up. I had a mate that I travelled with who randomly had a nervous break down while on holiday in Europe. We were in the hotel room and he just lost it. Never took drugs but was on the drink a lot and something twitched. I say that he left a bit of his old self in that room that night. He was never the same. In Lyon's case it's clear that his mental state either drove him to make bad choices, or came out from hiding as a product of bad decisions. One thing's for certain is that once that happens you, you can manage it that little bit better and know what and when to avoid to triggers. You can't all the time but you're in a position of control and believe it or not, but sometimes you need to hit rock bottom before you can rise. You could argue that a guy like Lyon, he is a smart guy and everything he did, maybe it was beneath him. Maybe he has an opportunity now to do something good. Maybe that means coming back to the club. His mistakes in the past, perhaps his decision making was clouded because he thought he could do no wrong. If you think you're invincible, you get complacent. Maybe it's a little selfish, but perhaps his downfall is the best thing for him and the MFC. Maybe he can come back now and really do some good. But I believe it's too late. Maybe.

Called it that it would be sorted before trade period. Was confident the club would have traded him if he didn't re-sign before that period. Zero chance they would have gone into 2017 without having him sign an extension.

How long until he puts off contract negotiations?

True although look at the Doggies in 2014. Won 7 games, scraped home twice against Melbourne who finished equal last. They could very well have only won 3-4 games if not for some very lucky wins and goals against us, Richmond and the Pies. Our 2016 has been weird, but so were 2014 and 2015. in 2014 we led in the last quarter in 10 games, but only won 4. In 2015 we once again finished the season poorly. In 2016 we had our highest win tally in a decade but you could argue it was still an underachieving year considering the losses to Essendon, St Kilda x2 and Carlton. Do we win those types of games in 2017? Natural progression and improvement of the list suggests yes. At this stage we are actually ahead of where the Bulldogs were in 2014, and they were tipped for the spoon by some commentators in 2015. My point being that on any given day, any team can beat any other team, regardless of ladder position. It's simply a case of believing and knowing you can win, which this team still struggles with. The Bulldogs were not a very good side in 2014 and they won a flag in 2016. We have had an above-average year and probably should have made the finals if not for some brain fades here and there. The Dogs were much further away than a few brain fades in 2014. I wouldn't bet on Melbourne making the finals in 2017 but if they don't, I think it's a massive , HUGE failure by the team's leaders and the coaching department.

Collingwood has moved from Collingwood, up the road to Jolimont. They celebrated at AAMI Park and Gosch's. I don't see why we couldn't claim this prime real estate as our own, but in standard Melbourne fashion we've let Collingwood dominate and take over what is in a way our "spiritual" home: that is, the MCG and its surrounding area. You can ship us off and try to build some sort of family culture in Toorak and the like, but the reality is that our "home" is the MCG. We are unique in that while other teams are born out of suburbs and/or cities, we've actually been born out of a stadium. Some may see this as a bad thing, but few sporting clubs in the world have as romantic an affiliation with a stadium as we do the MCG. There is no other home for us. Collingwood's home will always be Vic Park, Carlton's Princes Park, Essendon Windy Hill and so on and so on. We should embrace Melbourne and the city a little more. I see that Jackson and Co are doing this, bundled with some slow infiltration of south-eastern suburbs. But our home is the MCG. I suspect that if we win the flag, our Sunday Family Day could very well be at AAMI Park. But our home is the MCG. And it's so special that if its number one resident can't celebrate on it.

Bit tough. Dees still had a lot of ego that didn't buy into Roos, and depth that struggled at AFL level. We were and still are coming from much further back than the Dogs were. Roos was extremely diplomatic. He kept his cards close to his chest. Bevvy is emotional and a good people person. So is Roos, but they're two totally different personalities. Beveridge is more like Clarkson. Roos is just Roos.

Our problem has always been that we seem to start a rebuild at the wrong time. In 2008, we were going the all-youth route ala Hawthorn 2008. We've tried the running offensive game while the likes of Geelong, Sydney and Collingwood perfected the defensive game. We've gone the hardball route while teams like Hawthorn win flags with the outside runner and pressure, and few contested possessions (compared to opponents). The Bulldogs won this year by playing FOOTBALL. Playing games on their terms, and forcing teams into their own style: causing turnovers, and punishing them in transition. I do think we're "coming good" at the right time: our best looks as good (if not arguably better than the Dogs), but we're still unaccountable. We need to innovate and play games on our terms. Comparing to premiership winning teams is futile, because those teams are always unique in how they win. This Bulldogs squad is a lot like Sydney of 2005. But NOW, we need to find a way to create our own style, because we're still coming from so far back.

No doubt.

I'm happy because it's a big "STICK IT UP EM!" moment. But I'm depressed as [censored].

Yeah, it feels like a fairytale. Like it's not real. I do believe our script is just as if not better...but whether or not it ever comes to fruition.

What...

I think a Melbourne flag would feel different for Melbourne fans than a Dogs flag feels to Dogs fans. For us, it would be vindication. "We're back where we belong!" There's more tradition there. For the Dogs, it's more like, "WE'VE DONE IT!" Both are I imagine would be a feeling of relief. Am I making sense or am I way too drunk for my own good?

I feel weird, and have all week. When the Saints were in the GF, I didn't like it. I hated them. I hate them. I didnt want them to win. I admittedly preferred a Pies and Cats victory. But the Bulldogs...I loved that they were in it, and I loved that they won. But... I'm sad. Does anyone else feel the same way?

I see what you mean, but "expansion" is a modern term generally referred to the expansion of the league outside of the traditional heartland. Bulldogs I consider a traditional club, not "foundation", but still in the same league as all other VFL teams. It's a lot different to GWS.

Lol! Top 4 is what I meant!

On top of that, that you can't win a flag from outside the top 8. Digging through threads on bigfooty, I got hounded when I said you can't understate the pressure and skill of finals football, that ANYONE can win it if they believe they can.

I want to be happy for the Dogs. But I'm just depressed as [censored].

Umm..Boyd Norm Smith?

I'm still pretty confident he'll be traded this year if he doesn't agree to an extension. Remember, it was his manager that said a trade won't happen this year. That could mean anything, and it's probably not what is *really* the situation (hint: managers are [censored] artists). I do believe he is "torn". I think that bodes well for Melbourne, better than simply "contemplating going home". His manager is just trying to stem hysteria. He has two weeks to make a decision. After putting off an extension for 12 months to "see where the club is at". Decision time, Jesse.

Your not rong. I think their just not thinking propperly.

The problem is that most player agents are cowboys, and many of them are formerly of player union circles, and as such they go to great lengths to keep the clubs as far out of the loop as possible. Malthouse, Matthews, Eade, Mark Williams, and Lyon have all said as much, hinted that managers act like they're in it for their client but really they're in it for themselves. The best "business" decision isn't always signing the bigger contract. Sometimes that's actually the worst business decision. But it's an immediate payback to the manager who benefits significantly for the duration of the playing contract. Hogan won't do the "right thing" and he won't do what's right for the club. This is not between "Hogan and Melbourne", it's between Hogan's management and Melbourne. As such, we should not allow ourselves to be in another Frawley-Scully situation. Sign an extension, or you'll be traded.

"Republicans buy sneakers, too." Michael Jordan said this when approached by a friend to donate to a Democratic candidate. So she should. Modern progressivism is really just a melting pot of feel good-ness. Nothing much gets done, dare I say things tend to get worse, and stuff just generally evolves and improves naturally as conditions and just the path of life as it changes. Then the do-gooders pat themselves on the back and send out a few tweets congratulating themselves because they think that what they did contributed to the change. The hypocrisy is glowingly obvious almost all the time, and what we've seen is a separation between "to be progressive" and "to be A progressive", and that most self-proclaimed "progressives" are just narcissists looking to either make themselves feel better, or make other people feel worse. If Sydney really gave a [censored] and believed it what it's doing beyond it being merely a PR exercise, it wouldn't have entered into this agreement. The almighty dollar, ladies and gentlemen! No one really gives a [censored] about your feelings or "identity". They just say they do for the temporary boost of self-worth. "I'M MAKING A CHANGING". No you're not: I'm pretty sure gays are still being hanged from buildings and stoned in the Middle East. But, hey, wear your rainbow badge and sip some champagne on the balcony of your South Yarra apartment: you've had it tough, man, all oppressed and [censored]. I hear someone might call you nasty names! Poor baby! Collective outrage and progress is tiring. Be yourself. And if anyone doesn't like, punch them in the [censored] throat.

Have we traded him yet?