The Chazz

Well done Sammy. I made the prediction at the start of the year that you could win the thing, but while that's a little off the mark, it's still a fine achievement to be nominated. You now join a very elite field of players that have been nominated twice, including our very own Nathan Jones and Jordan Gysberts (I think there may be one other too?). http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/144497/default.aspx

Petterd to miss rest of season Will we see Ricky Bobby in a red and blue jumper again? Has been very inconsistent for the past 18 months through form and injury, but hasn't taken his opportunities when playing in the senior side. I believe we need more from someone like Petterd, and this could be a great chance to trade to the Gold Coast while he has some currency - would hate to see him stay for 2 years with a repeat of the past 2 - will be worth bugger all on the trade table then.

Was it an opeartion on Brad where they successfully removed the knives from his back?

Well said STMJ. I share the same view, and I admire you coming out with such a post. I will, however, enjoy sitting back and watching the "majority" have their way with you!!!

I love Jack, great team player/guy/etc, but I'm just confused as to which category he fits in; Courageous, Stupidity, or lacking of general awareness/peripheral vision? A player like J Brown is 95% in category A, and 5% in B. A player like Mitch Clark is 75% A, 25% B. Grimes on the other hand definitley has courage, but it's his % in category C that concerns me. If he can bridge the gap between "A" and "C", his next 50 games will come a lot quicker than the first 50. I await my public flogging.

A couple of key points that I took out of his speech was the fact that yes, he has been meeting with Neeld on a weekly basis about his futue (among other things I'm sure). The other thing BG mentioned was about looking at what preseason 14(?) was going to look like. I have come to the conclusion that BG was not at all pushed, but was made aware of this preseasons expectations of ALL players who "want to buy in", and considering Brad's circumstances (age, confidence in his body, etc), he decided that preseason 2012/13 was something that he wasn't willing to put his body through, just to get one more year of playing footy. Ability wise he would be more than capable of playing games next year, but it's the journey between day 1 of preseason and Round 1 of season 2013 that probably didn't look appealing. Could be wrong, but I beleive it would make a lot of sense if Brad felt this way.

Don't take it personal DC, RPFC has some serious manlove for Jack. RP - the call that Jack will be in our top 5 midfielders is somewhat premature evaluation don't you think? I get the qualities that Jack has, I get that he has the potential to be a star, but when he signs his name on the contract he automatically becomes a Top 5 mid for the Club wothout even playing a game? Wow.

My suggestion is for all MFC supporters to barrack like friggin hell for the Suns this weekend. If the Suns win, I think you will find the Giants will finish bottom, given the run home for both sides and the all important percentage. I can't see Sheedy "risking" Whitfield by bidding for Viney, and I'd be quite confident that GC wouldn't get involved in silly games (I trust them a lot more than I trust GWS). How would we go if we were to announce to the "members" that; "Due to the upcoming draft, the uncertainty of our position in regards to taking him, and the potential conflict of interest with his father, Jack Viney has completed training with the MFC and has rejoined his teammates at the Oakleigh Chargers on a more permanent and regular basis as they embark on what will hopefully be a sucessful finals campaign. While it is hoped that we can secure Jack's services for season 2013, we are also wanting to ensure Jack has every opportunity to best position to make an AFL list. This decision was made in netural agreement, and Jack sincerely appreciated the opportunity to develop with an AFL club." Just something out of left field that WILL NOT happen!

That's because against 17 year olds he would've looked like a behemoth!

It is most likely RP, that you will be correct. Would be interesting if Bailey had an email from higher up saying along the lines of "as part of our red & blue print, we are relying on the highest draft picks possible. As we would qualify for an additional prioirty pick at the end of this season should we win 5 games or less, it would be in all our best interests to ensure this happens, so that we adhere to our (AFL approved) red & blue print." Something's obviously been communicated to Bailey, and perhaps the leadership group, if this was verbal, you're right, nothing will happen. If by some unfortunate or incompetent reason that their is the sniff of a paper trail, then COULD be a different story.

They won't take action unless they have hard evidence. No one is disputing that. What I'm disputing is that how can posters on Demonland know that there is no hard evidence?

I agree NB, but what I'm saying is that none of us know if there is any hard evidence. Someone MAY have sent an email to Bailey, who in the initial investigation chose not to surface it for the sake of the MFC. Perhaps Paul Gardner has seen evidence, hence him sticking his nose in. I am in total agreeance that if there is no evidence, we SHOULD be fine. I just can't beleive some people are so convinced that there is nothing. How the fcuk do they know? However, I hope they're right! Until then, nothing is fact.

Place Rhino Richards on suicide watch.

While there is a glimmer of possiblity, I put nothing past Vlad. None of us expected Gardner to open his mouth, or Mclean to be on tv talking about it, so anything is possible. I don't expect anything will eventuate, but like a small few on here, I'm prepared for anything. It't the ones that are 100% convinced that I'm concerned about should some form of hard evidence be discovered. Unlikely, but it can't be ruled out given the events of the past week.

I know what you are saying there C&B, but on the other hand, how good is it that some of these kids that we have picked up are starting to push for selection (albeit due to running out of players!). From all reports, they all have been performing well enough at Casey, so their hard work is paying off. This IS the future of the Club, so let's give them a couple of games while the opportunity is there (against another week team), just to get that appetite for a big 12/13 preseason. FWIW - can anyone tell me what the Casey theme song is? We may be singing it on Sunday around 3pm.

It all depends on how good the person completing the operation is. I've had some "operators" who have managed to get the job done in a matter of minutes, where others, it has felt like years...

Brilliant post McQueen. It's a direct comment that is 100% accurate, and both sides of the opinion/arguement have to agree with these words. To be so adamant that the AFL will brush it under the carpet, it's just being plainly arrogant. You don't know what Vlad will do, so you can't be so sure what will happen. Chances are that you will turn out to be totally correct, but, as opposed to the "will he stay or go" arguement last year, no one in the football community knows what Vlad's next move will be. We hope, and expect that this matter will not go any further, but the more it lingers in the media (rightly or wrongly), and the more people open their mouth that have been associated with the Club, the more chance there is of the AFL doing "something" of more significance.

The only thing that could bring us unstuck is if the AFL make an immunity deal with DB (and I wouldn't put it past them). They could tell him his job is safe, on the provision that he names names. But then, as the optimists (who probably call themselves realists) will tell us, unless there is written evidence, it's just a case of "he said/she said". We SHOULD be ok, but I'll be a lot happier(?) when the issue has been dismissed and no further action to be taken. Oh, and when Paul Gardner has taken our advice and f**ked off.

I agree that Scully was a smaller frame, but I wouldn't really be calling Trengove a small frame. Yes, he does weigh less and is shorter than Martin and Morabito, but I wouldn't be calling JT small. And again, he was a clear top 2 pick with Scully, with a small distance between them and Martin. Of course, in hindsight, Martin is probably the better of the Top 3 at this stage in their careers. While GC paid pick 4 (and a compo pick?) for O'Meara, O'Meara was totued a potential Top 3 pick in a "proper" draft anyway. Can someone please tell me where Jack Martin and Jesse Hogan would rate in a "normal" draft? I'm not totally against the idea of picking up one of the 17yo picks, but I don't want us to be giving the same as what GC gave up for O'Meara, if the player we are getting isn't in that same category. I'll be easily convinced, but I just haven't heard where this years 17yo's rate compared to the rest of the draft pool.

That seems fair. If we're thinking that all it would take is a "knee job" to improve Barty's kicking, I'd be disappointed if all it required was a "head job" to improve the mental toughness of certain players.

Is that $5k a year AL37?

What sort of "job" do you suggest for our mentally weak players?

Any opinion on the kicking style of James Manson?

Or on the other hand, if we win and the likes of Sylvia and Moloney have a day out, then we will question why they can't do it against stronger teams, or does that mean they don't try as hard against the good teams, or that they are flat track bullies, etc, etc! The MFC are in a position at the moment where they can't win, even away from the scoreboard!

Wash your mouth out RP, surely by now you know that this is a Gys-safe zone on here. Any hint of potential negativity toward the Gys is disregarded immediatey...