Inner Demon

How is Chris Fagan in any way better than, or even as good as, Chris Connolly?? Chris Connolly has been the active, driving force in making our players more available to our members and energising and uniting our football Club. Frankly Chris Fagan was almost the opposite of this.

The club's already working on the potential Darwin link. It's not random that we're playing a home game there this year.

He's only 21. He's got years and years up his sleeve. If this was happening to a 25 year old, I'd agree the player would be at somewhat of a crossroads. We're going to have young, promising players go down with all manner of injuries in the coming years, because our list is comprised mostly of this kind of player. Can we please resist pulling the curtain on every one of them because they miss a few months of footy??

Why is it in any way worthwhile to make the coaching department some kind of family reunion??? You get the best people you can regardless of who they have played or coached for in the past. The idea that "Melbourne people" will somehow coach the players better is plain ridiculous.

For Christ's sakes just leave the bloody game alone. I've got no problem with rule changes focussed on player safety, but messing with something as fundamental as the scoring is going way too far. Stop it.

Those rookies at other clubs have only been elevated because there was space on their club's list due to that club having nobody on their Veteran's List. Rookie listed players are project players and they take time to develop. Many don't make it, and that's why they were bypassed in both drafts before being rookied. We have a terrific recent record in rookie list picks including Robertson, McDonald, Davey, Wonaeamirri and next year you'll probably see McKenzie & Spencer join that list. We haven't missed out on anything not being in last year's rookie draft, if we have spots next season there will be just as many project players for us to have a crack at.

Not even close. $100pp wouldn't have covered the booze alone. More like $500pp.

For every example of 'go home factor' you can trot out I can probably find you a dozen or more that didn't.

That doesn't seem quite right MikeyJ. Why would Adelaide apply for permission for a player they have declared unfit?? I also can't imagine that Brisbane, Essendon, Geelong, Hawthorn, Richmond & Sydney have absolutely no players that they think would benefit from another hit-out at VFL/AFLQ/AFL Canberra level. Particularly Richmond who are chock-full of kids and Brisbane & Geelong who both missed out on a NAB Challenge game due to weather. High Tower I would love to be able to elaborate but I don't understand the system hence the decription of 'mysterious'.

There are 2 players on our list who are lifelong Melbourne supporters. Are we assuming they are all waiting for their chance to run off to the team they cheered for as a kid. It's just not even a little bit realistic. The 'go home factor' is one of the greatest myths of the AFL.

Read the linked article. Since there are no AFL fixtures this weekend it seems that special permission must be given for AFL listed players to compete for VFL affiliates. There are a number of Clubs who have no players who satisfy the mysterious criteria for eligibility, one of them being Hawthorn.

I cannot process that people are even giving a moment's passing thought to the possibility of a kid who hasn't played a game for us yet might one day leave the Club. Get a grip.

Picks 4, 6 or 8 are always potentially quality bits of talent.

Don't think it's a matter of applying for specific players. There were players at other Clubs who are deemed eligible but have an asterisk alongside their name to denote that their Club has ruled them unfit to play. Agree, it's needlessly mysterious.

The Club's running a trip too. Would be very worthwhile if you'd like to head over.

Interestingly it would seem that Blease isn't eligible to play this weekend. According to this AFL.com article players had to be granted special permission to play state-league games this weekend. Our list of eligible players is - Matthew Bate, Jack Fitzpatrick, Colin Garland, Jordan Gysberts, Tom McNamara, Jack Watts. I haven't the faintest idea how they go about determining who is eligible but that's the state of play. At least we're better off than our Rnd 1 opponents who can't send out anyone for a competitive game.

I was more enjoying that the phrase, "I'd rate him as highly as Trengove" is already being bandied about. The article was focussed on hyping what a freak this kid is and how damaging he could be, and the best way his coach could find some summarise how good he could be is to compare him to our Jack T.

Check out this article - Australia's most wanted athlete Sam Day Interesting story from a general perspective in that this kid sounds like an absolute freak who might wind up terrorising the comp for GC. But the real value in checking out the article is the final line. I won't spoil it by just posting it because I think its value comes from the lead in.

Like he said. No chance Watts plays Rnd 1.

Why would a kid who's never played a game talk about anything other than starting his career?? He's hardly going to skip forward to which club he plans to retire from.

Oh dear, poor Sculls. Cue the screaming.

Whoever called for The Footy Show to ask questions about the bump is getting their wish tonight. Sylvia is being interviewed.

Why would you compare our shorts sponsor to another Club's guernsey sponsor?? Our guernsey sponsor deals are in the top half of the comp.

It's ridiculous. Put aside for the moment whether or not this was reportable, how could it possibly be defined as 'perfect' when he obviously made contact with the player above the shoulder and it is therefore a free kick??

How is it people have still not got past the idea that there has to be a singular "full forward" in a team?? It's pretty clear with our list right now that we are going to need 4 players to kick 30+ goals each rather than expecting 1-2 players to kick 60+ goals. Green kicked 26-37 in his first 6 seasons so he would certainly qualify as one who could fit this role. Bate is another who can step up to the 30+ range having kicked 27 last year. Aaron Davey is a 30+ goalkicker if given a more attacking role this year, which hopefully the addition of Joel Mac will afford him. Cam Bruce has had a couple of seasons of 30+ From there we are looking for midfielders like Sylvia, Grimes, etc to push forward for 15 goals each as well as players like Miller, Petterd to step up as contributors who can push towards the 30 goal mark. Realistically, from our list it won't be until Watts & Jurrah have a couple of seasons under their belt that we can look to a couple of players to be heavy goalscorers over the course of a season.