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Good response I'm glad so many people are on board. I'm very much of the opinion that Cotchin will be this year's big flop of the brownlow. There's always one who gets revved up and doesn't compete all night and I feel that's his role this year. I've got Watson and Kennedy both jumping out to lead's and than it becomes on for young and old to hunt them down. J. Giles for most GWS votes at $4 may be value for anyone interested; he was best on ground in both of their wins.

D & P welcome, you'll learn to love the place. RE: Jurrah, one of the downside of so many passionate people in one place is that things get heated, and sometimes the wrong things come out of people's mouths (fingers). Some had very absurd views on Liam, and in hindsight would take it back, some were thankful, some like me were frustrated. On Demonland you cannot take each post completely to heart because you'll be broken in a day. You'll learn to find posters you respect and posters you ignore- I'm sure for some members I'm on the respect list and for many I'm on the ignore. Regardless you won't find a better place for banter, or people who live and breath MFC more than us. Clutch your breath and come on board. It's one hell of a ride.

What a down right stupid comment! Why compare living permanently away from friends and family to 4 days away. Don't rush to re-post.

Anyone having a punt this year? I did a spread-sheet last year and had Swan so it was fairly nice payout, the concept is huge on bigfooty but not sure if Demonlanders get on board the Chas, as we don't seem to poll well most years! Have a small feeling an ex-Melbourne player may win it this year though, just to rub salt in the wounds.

Bears to win today is my pick. Green Bay's defence is absolutely appalling, their secondary would be upgrded if I jogged out there. Washington to back it up again this week I hope too, RGIII is god.

Bold move by the Saints and two per year is a big move. I'd suspect alot of the media would perceive it as good for the AFL, bad for the Saints. Kudos though it could open up a huge member base if NZ catch on. They're like us, love contact hard sports so may be a success but time will tell. Interesting to know Melbourne played in the first ANZAC Day game, how times have changed; we'd be the last team selected to play it now.

A premiership one

Just went to my local footy ground and Strauss was running fairly heated laps bouncing a footy. Was with another bloke maybe Nicholson?

Sad news, just terribly sad. Was a death in the NFL about a month ago and I thought wow the AFL have been lucky with nothing bad happening for ages. Spoke to soon. John was a great outside player and someone I hoped Melbourne would get last off-season. Irrespective of the events of the night, the one thing that remains is the footy world mourns one of its own. RIP John.

I'm sure the family is informed it happened 20 hours ago, it's now widely understood [removed] is sadly the person involved as reported by MMM and SEN. If I can put up with the magnitude of rubbish topics around here, surely when something actually happens to someone we can speak about it!?

Yes a club is going to trade a first round pick who plays for them. for a potential criminal who may never play again and has made it clear he's happy to not play AFL again if need be. If this trade happens I'll not only give you every possession I own, but I'll also personally deliver the letter from the AFL to shut down Port Adelaide as a club.

Haha that's exactly the point and the reason this topic is as valid as a Thai 'girl'. Flogging a dead horse

The things that annoys me about this topic is the media and supporters commentating on leadership. The best leaders should do the majority of the work behind closed doors. Last year in the Sun Nathan Van Berlo was voted the leagues worst captain and look what the team has produced under him this year. We're just not a position to judge. Melbourne players and staff are the best to make the judgment, and if they thought Jones would be better I would back their decision however your ascertain that Trengove and Grimes are bad captains and Jones is a good one is quite simply not one you are in any position to make. Not that I'm shocked Dingaling, I'm yet to see any post of yours that is rational in the slightest.

We'd have the twin Towers up forward- quite an enticing proposition!

It's amazing Patrick Dangerfield isn't just a good footballer he even predicted Tex would do this! Back in your box Tex http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/147055/default.aspx

People need to stop sooking, there are 2 or 3 trolls saying the bad things about Liam but the large percentage who are disappointed in him wish him no ill feelings in the future or any stupid plans to PSD him so he can't play. We're p1ssed off because as a club we rallied around him to be his shoulder in tough times. It's not even than he left that's making me mad it's the manner in which he's doing it. He's being a coward. Liam take an interview and explain yourself and react to when you get asked the tough questions. Don't hide behind Bruce, be a real man and face the music. This club gave you everything and you have repaid us IMO, nothing and where most people at least have the courtesy to have an interview you stay in Adelaide. I hope for your sake Liam your court case goes well, but I'm sorry to say you're the worst investment MFC has ever made.

Very rarely have we ever agreed on something JNRmac but today we can be allies. Couldn't agree with your post anymore. Furthermore, RR this is the risk you take with people who are confident they want to stay at home, NicNat would probably be leaving us this offseason too.

What a joke. Can't believe some people are saying thanks for the memories! He could of at least bought us dinner if he knew all along he was going to f**k us! We've been by his side through this whole ordeal, which may I mention was through the fault of no-one but himself, and he's turned around and thrown us under the bus. He had a few highlights but he's treated Melbourne quite frankly with complete disdain, and the supporters with even less. We've all been behind him and his way to pay us back is leave. I understand aboriginals are closer to families but we gave him his big break and I'm so so disappointed in him. Leave Liam and never come back, I don't want to hear about you again.

Neeld is holding player meetings at 8.30am today and tomorrow to which every player is required to be at and sober. I guess that's his way of making sure Mad Monday is tempered this year. Great call Mark in my books.

Read anyone of 10 threads running hot at the present and you'll see the performances aren't being accepted by the supporters one bit. Even better the media are bashing the performances too. Hopefully with these two groups riding their arses we may finally see the football department pull its weight.

Haha great stuff Oli. Someone mentioned they heard a rumour of this, but to Richmond at the Presidents lunch or something a few weeks back. Never heard anything else, presume it was just rubbish?

Everyone is making valid points and it's certainly against the odds but I think there is framework for it to occur. Am I certain it'll happen, of course not but there is a drum beating at AAMI Park and I think come April it'll be ready to roar. Take for example West Coast- years 2008-2011. Bad 08 bad 09 SH!t 10 amazing 11. Melbourne 10-13 Okay 10 okay 11 sh!t 12 ?13 West Coast had a year of death even with the quality of talent because re-shaping a gameplan and a team is hard work. They had premiership quality leaders around and they still couldnt muster getting off the foot of the ladder. We have two 20 year olds leading out a team, and here we are still putting up somewhat of a fight sadly albeit most of the time for a quarter or a half. Yes they had injuries so do we but when you look at some of their names like Mackenzie, Butler, S.Selwood, Lynch, Priddis if In 2010 I told you these guys would be linchpins to a potential 2012 premiership team we'd be in hysterics. MFC's real talent isn't yet unleashed because the gameplan simply won't yet allow it to be. We're writing off players who were playing a game completely unaccustomed to them this season, and the real results will not be known till Round 1 of next year. For the first time in a long time, I'm confident the MFC are finally climbing up the summit and if it takes some optimism to rid some of the gloom from this board I'm happy to stand up and be accountable, and come 2013 I hope the players will be repaying my faith in them.

Can I stress the only reason teams are making the finals with 14 wins is because GWS and Gold Coast are certain wins. Never in the history of the modern day AFL has 3 teams finished on 4 wins or less, with Port Bulldogs both on 5 and 6 it's no surprise the top teams are so far ahead. Neither GWS or Gold Coast will be a basket case next year nor will we can guarantee 14 will have you about 6th and 5 wins will probably get you the wooden spoon.

Yeah we certainly need a few things to go our way but I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility. Clark needs one pal, just one. If Jurrah comes back we're set youd get 90 goals between them. Play Jeremy Howe forward no midfield. Sit the ball on the defenders head and he'll get 3 or 4 scoring shots a game. Petterd I'm still holding hope will come on next year, simply 25-30 goals- 1.5 a game and we're seriously a multiple threat team up front. Crumber is an issue but there is talk of Kennedy going 13 in the draft and we do have Jetta or potentially Davey down deep tackling and chasing. With regards to the gelling I don't agree. A bloke like Dayne Zorko comes in this year after 2 reserves games and sits in Brisbanes midfield averaging 25 and a goal. If the leadership is good in the middle (Jones, Trengove) and I think it is they should pick up quickly. It's very clear that we need some things to fall our way. We won't go from 16th to 8th changing nothing but we are yet to see true growth from the following: Tapscott, Blease, Strauss, Trengove, Taggert etc these guys will develop over summer and it'll finally take us out of AFL obscurity.

I'm not fussed about who goes out I'm just worried about us winning 12 games. If I'd told you Carlton would come 10th and in Round 9 Essendon wouldn't make the 8 you'd call me crazy. Adelaide had a [censored] draw- 6 automatic wins this year, I don't buy them nor North, nor Geelong next year. Furthermore I think Sydney will slide next year, not out of the 8 but you get their game style you beat them. We're a chance and I'm shouting it from the rooftops