Little Goffy

I think the best option is to have the 'wait' rule restored for rushed behinds only. Essentially, the main advantage of the rushed behind - taking the pressure off the ball carrier - is nullified, to an extent. Just think - if Geelong had had time to get a zone in place to inhibit the kick ins from those 11 rushed behinds, and a couple fewer had become Hawthorn inside 50s and one or two had been intercepted by Geelong and turned into goals... it would have turned into a very, very tight game. Certainly the risk wouldn't be worth the constant rushing of behinds that we saw on GF day.

Come to think of it, has anyone actually seen Nathan Jones' hair? What if he's been lying to the club all this time? I can't bear the thought. Worse than Didak/Shaw.

Well, that's just a rubbish statement. Check stats before quoting them, moron. Try 'AFL tables', 'Footywire', or, you know, the Melbourne Football Club website also has some stats. Had a few games this year with a dozen posessions, 20+ hit outs, and half a dozen tackles (he gets the most tackles of any AFL ruckman, for what it is worth) Oddly enough, the good stats came when White was out. Jamar is far from a champion, but I get tired of the random, unbacked abuse thrown at players here.

from ABC.net.au - The suspense is killing me. Don't forget that Paul Williams' contract term expires end of this year. Given that on Demonland at least, many people see Williams as the weakest link in our coaching staff, and see Todd Viney as not only a favourite son but an exceptional coach with the approach to the game we want to see at our club... Fingers crossed. Meanwhile, I'd say this is a bit of a blow to the Hawks. To find out in the same week that Viney is leaving but Kennet isn't, that'd be pretty crushing.

Ah yes. I too have determined the entire career path of young Mr. Watts, based on youtube evidence. He won't be a key forward at AFL, he'll be specialist veterinarian for Andean Camelids. I'll give a little more credence to the guy who has been watching him a few years. Soft is a tricky one. Hard to know exactly what will happen as he matures. An argument for Captain Brock over Green or Bruce? Not because the others squib or don't go when it's their turn, but because Mclean lives and breathes hardness and would demand it from everyone as the main currency of respect. Also an argument for getting Todd Viney around the place.

With any luck there will be quite the extravaganza of young talent at the Demons next year. Remembering that Grimes barely played, Maric was on managed duties to complete yr 12, Petterd basically didn't play for much of the year, Martin has only been playing footy in any form for 2 years, Morton obviously will benefit from another pre-season and a more mature body, ditto Womaeamirri. Colin Sylvia started to show what he can do late this year, and will be lining up for (touch wood) his first full pre-season. Do we expect Bate, Davey and Jones to rebound from poor years? Will Dunn, Frawley and Newton step up? Will McLean, Rivers and Moloney break their injury curses? Where to next for Colin Garland? Robbo is jogging now, and should do a pretty full pre-season, can he recapture some form? Will Whelan finally get an injury free season? And who from the 3 picks under 20 will play right away? And who will be there at number 1 in the pre-season draft? Farren Ray? Seaby? Prismall? Will Warnock fall through to us? Or some random kid with decent prospects? With so many players hurt or developed 'conservatively' this year, the 'swell' next year could be great fun to watch. Even when we're losing, there will be competition for spots amongst a bunch of kids looking to establish a place and get some experience. Ooohh... I've just entered the magical twilight zone of pre-season optimism. That WAS quick!

Also very interesting stuff in the detail - Brad Green receives the Leadership Award, as well as coming third in the Best & Fairest. Clearly he's doing things for the club and the young players which somehow aren't been reported at Demonland.

In further news - Todd Viney inducted into the Melbourne Hall of Fame at the B&F dinner. Come home Todd!

Y'know, it's conceivable that Bruce did an awful lot of work at training and as co-captain. It's also conceivable that his constant effort was noted as important. Maybe even, some of those handballs into trouble were partly the fault of the receiver not working clear properly and waiting flat footed (looking at you, Matthew Bate). I raised an eyebrow when I read Bruce had won it. But this ridiculous tirade of abuse at him and the coaches is just stupid. He worked damn hard and it was visible. His kicking at goal let him and all of us down, and his general disposal sometimes flunked out. BUT - he was one player who constantly worked to rectify his own errors, and had a first class on field and off field work ethic. And it was his birthday on tuesday, so gotta be nice...

Isn't Todd Viney's son named Jack Viney? That'd make it three. Any other promising Jacks coming through the system? We could be the first club in history to have four jacks, and hopefully they will all be... aces... I can't believe I wrote that.

You'll be pleased to know that Koschitzke did do the reaction awareness tests. Was among the worst for that year on peripheral awareness. Fill in the blanks, I guess...

Lifted from article at - AFL Draft Camp article - 1.15pm-5pm – Psychomotor testing (Reaction time, decision making and peripheral awareness) Jack Watts – Sandringham Dragons, VIC "There were some weird exercises that we had to do. In one, we had to hit the lights that flashed against the wall. We had to see how many we could hit in one minute. I did alright at that and scored 130, which was the best in our group. We also had an exercise with some flashing buttons, so it was good fun and challenging. I was fortunate enough to be in the top two in reaction time. Tyrone Vickery and I faced off in a competitive reaction time challenge and I got up. So I claimed the No.1 title in that," he said with a laugh So, uhh, he's got subtle qualities as well as marking, speed, kicking, fitness... Mind you, Tyrone Vickey's name is popping up all over the place. Ah well, can only have one.

Don't forget the rookie list extension all clubs get in compensation for the loss of picks to Gold Coast. Absolutely no harm in giving the kid a go, especially if it is a case of him being out through injury rather than demonstrably no good.

It's worth noting that of our older players, more than half didn't make much of a contribution this year, through form or injury. The actual team that took the field was crazy young/inexperienced. It particularly stands out when you look at the number of games played this year by players who started the year with less than ten games. You can start that off with our entire set of tall defenders! Last year, we were one of the oldest teams. This year, we're about average. Next year, we'll be amongst the youngest. By the time retirements and delistings are announed at the end of 2009, we'll very likely be the youngest (Robbo, McDonald, Bruce, Wheatley, Whelan all possible departures, and Carroll definately by then, if not this year) So we're getting younger all the time. It was interesting to see that list of Geelong players, I didn't realise how many of their core group were starting to get on a bit.

That would be the Green and Bruce whose massive efforts got us into the 2000 GF, after a come from behind win against Carlton, in their debut season? Or the Green and Bruce who were our most consistent players this year? Or are you thinking of a different Geen and Bruce?

Cats for me. Hawthorn are already considerably more arrogant than the Cats, and they haven't won anything yet. My ideal result would be not so much a massive blowout but rather the Hawks giving their all, doing their best, putting in 110% and bleeding for the jumper etc... and still never really having a sniff. Margin of 31 from start to finish would suit me.

Huh? Melbourne have almost no profile in the 'soft' market of people who aren't really into AFL. Essentially, the less 'into' football someone is, the more they will onyl see/remember the highest profile, most promoted, most often repeated clubs. You've got us completely backwards. Melbourne have the smallest supporter base in the competition, and the highest proportion of that base to take out memberships, and to go to games. We're a pack of die-hards, we are. If collingwood's supporter base was an intense as ours, it would translate to about 120,000 people turning up every game! That's where you'll find the 'supporters' who really just has a housemate once who said 'go for Collingwood' so they say they do, and know the name Eddie Mcguire, and occassionally act enthusiastic when they catch up with their old housemate. You might want to lay off the 'you know as well as I', as a general thing. Not just because you look like a [censored] when you then get it completely wrong!

Watts played back and in midfield during TAC cup. Did well midfield, not so great down back, by all accounts. Is a star up forward. Should go number 1. Has no question marks like Naitanui does. Stop obsessing and relax - any of those three are a good pick up, though Watts seems to be the general first choice.

The actual trip to China cost about $100,000. Part of the reason the China program overall has cost so little is because it has been, to date, done in a pathetic half-arsed manner. There were more announcements about it and publicity efforts back home than there was actual, diligent effort at covering all of the bases (stakeholders, promotional options, networks, etc..) But there's still a bit of life in it, and it could still be a big positive if done right, and targeted to the right areas of China.

I just... It doesn't quite make sense to me. There are so many reasons to keep Green and for Green to want to stay. Veterans listing to begin with. Possilbe B&F winner traded over one year on a contract? And CJ out, just as he's getting some form and maturity, when his market value still hasn't moved up to match, and he's a frickin' father-son selection with good skills in a team crying out for skills? In fact, two of our better skilled players leaving when skills are our number one issue just seems odd all over.

Ahhh... 2009 finals is possible, always. I wouldn't expect it, but there's enough to hope for it. But I think the long term picture is good. I've felt pretty good about the future even since nutting out the finances and realising just how little off-field improvement we need to hold steady next year while we keep developing. Just glad we're not the dogs. Talking about bringing in Barry Hall; not that there's anything worng with him but that kind of loads up on the 30+ guys. Their build a big stairway but if it crumbles under them, they'll be dropped in the poo from a great height. And I'm glad we're not North. Still no sign of the 'White Knight' and they simply didn't get the boost to attendences that they needed, even after these consecutive years of playing success. They are also in the poo once a few older guys are gone, and that poo has a bitter edge to it. (erk, not a good mixed metaphor there)

Issue is Green will likely be our top salary earner, Prismall will be averagish. Then throw in the relative ages, thats the reason for the different lengths. I mean, we gave Meesen a three year deal (as I recall it) and didn't really expect that much - calculated small biscuits risk. Mind you, I personally think there isn't much risk in giving Green a three year deal. He's shown that even if his tank begins to shrink a bit he'll still be a handy forward/half forward, as he started his career. And there's no denying his consistency, even for those who don't really rate him that highly. Deep down I think he can go on and on for years yet.

Provided it's not on an inflated salary or anything destablising like that, I'd love to see Prismall in Red & Blue. Like others have said, a big NO to trading an early pick. In fact, 35 might be pushing it. Maybe pick 51 if we're lucky? Or some kind of complex shuffling of 51,35 and a pick of theirs. Remember that the Cats will be perpetually under salary cap pressure, and don't have Visy to pick up the slack. If Prismall is out of contract too, then our PSD pick comes in to play. And let's face it, he really hasn't had the opportunities he perhaps deserves. He got 32 disposals and three goals against Melbourne on that awful friday night. But then again, who didn't? And a good age, too. The upside of him being out next year is that we'll still be very much playing youngsters in 09, and by the end of that year we'll probably have seen the retirements of a few more veterans, (Carroll. Robertson? Bruce? Whelan? McDonald?) as well as saying goodbye to any of the current crop of 'relatively young' players who don't step up next year, so he won't be clogging up any development plans for the really young lot. Let's face it, he's a sound pick up on merit and by 'the plan' - if we got a draft pick of his quality at 35 we'd be well pleased.

The $5mil statement is the target to kill, which includes all leftover debt that the Gardiner/Harris administration didn't manage to kill (remember that they did knock down something like $4mil in their time) plus the 'between 1.5 and 2' in losses this year. So $3 mil down, $2million to go. The 2008 loss of... lets split the difference and call it $1.75mil, includes $200,000 for Travis Johnstone in Brisbane. (now finished) $250,000 payout of Steve Harris (a right call, nonetheless) Around $100,000 'dead loss' on the McNamee hiring/firing, and the costs of transfer and information exhange etc with new boards, administration, securing new CEO, etc.. this is after acknowledging 'Super-Spargo' who saved the club tens of thousands of dollars by stepping in as interim CEO without payment. So there half a million we shouldn't have to worry about next year. Hmm... Neitz, Yze, White, Holland... that'll be another million off the expenses ledger, even after a few other players are offered a little more. So now the tally is one and a half million in expenses we shouldn't have to worry about next year. Also, of course, we've made progress at killing debt. But on balance, our debt position has moved from about $3.2 million to about $2 million. So it's probably about $100,000, plus however much more debt we can kill over the summer. So, after clearing out all those things, we need to make about $250,000 more in revenue next year than this year and we're back on an even keel. That, ladies and gentleman, is all rather do-able! Pause and think on that. We can do it, it's right there to be done. All else being equal, it's about 1,500 extra attendences per home game. A margin that small means every extra effort by an individual counts.

Actually, I checked those figures with the club, and Caroline Wilson, along with a few other media outlets in the last few months, has mis-stated our debt position. Her mistake is taking the $5mil declared as the debt demolition target as being the current position, and then she's added this years operating loss to that. Very dissapointing, lazy journalism. I can confirm the $5mil as the end of year anticipated result, as last years debt statement was $3.2mil (in the official, audited financial reports) and add to that the expected losses this year and you get the $5mil debt demolition target. The point of concern raised by the auditors was Travis Johnstone's 'payout' - MFC is paying approx $200,000 of his salary this year as part of the trade arrangement with Brisbane. The club accounted for that as a 2008 expense, the auditors thought it should have been a 2007 expense, which would technically have meant a loss that year. Note that this 200k is part of our losses for 08 now, and will not recur. It also goes alongside the retirements of Neitz, White, Yze and Holland as a step clear in our total player payments.