clark's kick

Brilliant post. Just got to learn to actually live by it. I haven't posted on here for a long time, but am a regular viewer. Football has been a mostly joyless pastime for me since that day at Geelong, and after Saturday, I promised myself I'd take a break from football (just a break...I know what deerag said - you can check out any time you want, but you can never leave), but have already found myself drawn back to demonland, and I'm glad I was to read this post. Don't also forget one of the points made by Ascobar - I live interstate and do not have any direct interaction with anyone who is a dees fan. Without demonland, and knowing others are going through the same pain, I would have checked out years ago.

Form wise, the deal looks spot-on. Having said that, don't want to see Jack go for a draft pick, unless it's part of a wider plan that gets us an established mid.

Gysberts on the other hand....

Pick 33 will be fine provided we can on-trade for Lumumba at no extra cost. That'll be making the best of a bad situation.

Banner is fantastic. Great work.

Does anyone know Goodwin's Ocean Grove record?

Just when I thought it wasn't possible to hate the AFL any more.

Love it!

Have you people actually seen McDonald play? His disposable is questionable and is decision making is even worse. I know Lions supporters who thought he was a disaster area who was only ever a second away from giving away a free kick or hand-balling straight to the opposition. They're giving me crap about Melbourne picking him up! He will a depth player at best. Garland, Rivers, Frawley are all clearly better players.

He was delisted. Voss rates Staker ahead of him. That should be telling us something....

McDonald is a solid player, but has terrible skills and doesn't read the play well. Why do you think Voss let him go? Don't see him adding to what we've already got. Would much rather take a punt on Thorp.

I agree, if that perceptions exists, well it exists. The only way we can change it is on the field.

But we're damned if we do, and damned if we don't. Also, I think it was a tactic we could legitimately have relied on once upon a time. When Nick Stevens' left Port, he only had 2 options - get traded to Collingwood or be picked up by Carlton with PSD1. And when the Collingwood trade fell through, no other option but Nick Stevens going to Carlton was thought of. We definitely tried to create the same sense of expectation with Ball. Unfortunately, the PSD has evolved since 2003, and identifying preferred clubs (a legitimate tactic with the trade period, but surely not the PSD) and having your manager actively persuade clubs not to choose you appears acceptable!

I want Bailey or Connolly to stand up and let it be known that the MFC thinks Ball is an unprofessional and disrespectful spoilt brat, who is trying to hold the MFC to ransom. Let's make it clear that if hasn't got the courtesy to even speak to us, to even say 'no thanks', then he's not the type of person we want here. Let's forget about trying to bluff Essendon to take him at 10. That's not going to happen. Let's stand up and make it clear we won't tolerate threats of sitting out the year if we select him. Let's make it clear that we believe, even if no one else does, that it's a privilege to play for the red and the blue. Yes, this may mean he makes it to Collingwood or Essendon. Yes, he'll be getting his own way. Yes, his rumoured threat to sit out 2010 will have worked. But let's make it clear what we think of his actions. Let's show him there's consequences to his actions. Let's not be scared to get Ball or Connors offside. Let's show we have the power to choose our destiny. We need to demand respect.