Grandson of a gun

Yep, 4 players who at their best are in our best 22 isn't great but it is probably similar across the comp. What is exciting though is that it gives Warnock, Bate, Gysberts, Tapscott, Blease, Aussie, Maric and a couple of others the chance to show how hungry they are to obtain and retain a spot in the starting 22. That kind of hunger and competition for spots is what drives good clubs to becoming great clubs. That is what i'm looking forward too!

Thanks Bhima. Petterd moving well? That's a direct contradiction of the latest injury list here: AFL injury list update I'll be swinging down there tomorrow along witha few other Demonlanders i'm sure so i'm tipping there will be plenty of coverage......

Yep. But they'll both be avaialable relatively early in the season and their injuries still allow them to keep their fitness levels high (running, riding etc) so fingers crossed they'll both be back to their best sooner rather than later. On a different note, many people round here were calling for Petterd's inclusion not only in the NAB cup teams but also for round 1. Having been off for so long it is no surprise that he is now succumbing to hamstring and other related injuries. He needs to be eased back into it and i would be extremely surprised if he wasn't playing at Casey at least for the first couple of rounds just to get some confidence back in his body. A great opportunity for others to stake their claims...

There is actually very few draftees at all who sign 3 year contracts. As Keyser said 2 years is the standard for draftees. Tom is no exception. Just calm down a fraction and enjoy Tom this year. Who knows what the future holds???

Disagree HT. As highlighted in bold it is exactly what he said, "a very powerful young tall side". And hence the reason i said that i disagreed as they are not a powerful side.

Disagree that we play best available. We play a team of fully fit players giving young blokes exposure at the top level and resting some of our stars for the season proper. Still doesn't mean i don't want to absolutely smash them, but now is the time to blood youngsters. High half forward pushing from deep in defence at times however given his sublime laser kicking he will spend more time up the ground / in defence (either as a Wing or HBF or BP) than he will down forward. Smart decision if it is the case. Just keep nursing LJ in. He certainly will come in for some serious physical attention as the season progresses so we need that cotton wool approach now (whilst building his match fitness). Petterd has a lot to offer however he hasn't played since early last season and i wouldn't expect to see him play much at the start of this year. He needs to build up his match fitness again. Don't sell Bate short just yet. People have very short memories around here. He can still be a very damaging forward and i wouldn't be surprised to see him playing the full forward role this year as it offers up great flexibility... with Bate at FF it puts the pressure on opposition coaches as to who gets the best defender, LJ, Greeny, Watts, Bate? I will back him in to be a very important part of our team this year. Yep. With Watts, LJ, Cook developing and the resting ruckman we have the talls. The smalls will come from from blokes like Aussie getting fit again. And Bennell pushing harder forward. As well as Trengove, Scully, McKenzie and co pushing hard forward to scout the packs. They won't all be on the park at the one time but i believe with Warnock, Garland, Rivers, MArtin, McDonald and co that we will be able to cover them even without Frawley. Would hardly call them a very powerful side. Think you are overselling them substantially JCB. A good test for us but certainly not a top 8 side or a side that is a benchmark going forward.

Don't take offence Jamoose, there are those on here who will have the attitude of Nutbean but that is not representative of everyone. There are many different sides to this story and it's good to hear them all. Some people will be immediately dismissive, it's just the nature of the beast round here.

So it's Demons v Bombers for week 2 of the NAB cup. It IS only the NAB Cup but i absolutely hate Essendon. They played Greater Western Brisbane and St Kilda seconds and i guarantee that all week all we will hear on talkback radio is how good Essendon look under James Hird blah blah blah. So, having got that off my chest................I hope we absolutely smash the Tullamarine Football Club next week. I would love nothing more than to see them pantsed in every facet and everyone left scratching their head at how their form could change so drastically in two weeks and how devastatingly impressive the young fit strong firing Melbourne side of 2011 looks. Once again i know it is only the NAB cup and all i really hope for is that we get match fit whilst sustaining no injuries, but the competitive beast in me just says................... F*cuk Essendon.

Wow.......definately too much beer now C&B.

It is only a matter of time before Tassie has a team based permanently there. Even though it is only a small population, it is a footy mad population and it is not unrealistic to think that they could have the most members of anyone in the comp given a few years and the right marketing. I think the AFL would be loathe to make it a 19 team comp. But if north showed any sign of weakness i reckon the AFL would again give them a big push, this time south instead of north.

Perhaps South might be a more accurate description........... I will almost bet my balls on it...........almost!

HA!..................the best post of this ridiculous thread!

Since they realized the problem they created. Now they are simply trying to turn it around on Melbourne because they have invested far too much into GWS for them to be hated and derided already. Just another typical example of Vlad running the dictatorship to the detriment of Melbourne and other Vic clubs. Good luck getting them to pull the article either as a self serving piece of garbage.

...........and the more this crazy old bat chirps off mindless crap to the poo hungry media, the more it will open the eyes to anyone they're trying to poach to just what a hopeless place GWS is. Keep it up sheeds you nutball!

Yep the more exposure to grounds outside the MCG the better at this time of year. And in a full blown hit out this time rather than the mickey mouse crap on the weekend. If it's the Dons, great- hope we smash em. If it's the Saints, likewise, but also a good test to see where we're at.

+1.

Whether you agree with him or not isn't the issue. The issue is that as the MFC's number one ticket holder Barassi is expected to (and should) be pumping the Melbourne angle. That is the role of the number 1 ticket holder. He should be biased to Melbourne in this instance. That is the reason for the anger at what he said and the questions regarding his role as our number 1 ticket holder.

If he wants to stay then he will stay. And that will be fantastic. If he wants to go then he will go. And we will receive another number 1 draft pick and probably another first round pick as compensation. At least that is a better deal than Brisbane got for Buckley, or Sydney for Rocca, or WC for Judd...... Nothing that any keyboard nazi on this forum says has or will have any impact on that decision. As for those that say "if Tom won't commit now then don't play him" i ask you this.... What if Tom doesn't yet know what he wants to do. He has been offered financial security for the next 6 years on the one hand, but it means he has to give up everything else (family/mates from playing/ties to Melbourne/mates outside football/a team already on an upward build to success) on the other. Or he stays and turns down the chance for long term large financial security. Ever think that by actually encouraging him to take his time and play his best footy with the seniors might be one of the major things that convinces him to stay rather than guaranteeing him leaving by dumping him to the two's straight away??? Get a grip and just let things play out.

..........so back to all out panic. Oh no, what are we gonna do, the world is ending aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Or instead we just have cool heads and put TRUST in the FD to do everything they can to keep him. If it is not enough then it is not enough and Scully will leave. The team is bigger than the individual and whilst i expect MFC to make every attempt to keep him- it is not at the expense of the fabric of the team or the club. No-one on this forum can control what Tom or MFC are doing so lets all just take a breath and chill out.

The get over it was directed at the general continual comment around here about Morton 'still' being skinny or thin etc etc. Don't take any personal offence HT- wouldn't want to be in a mod's bad books..... No doubt he has to apply himself. Reckon it would have taken a fair amount of 'application' for an extreme ectomorph (by AFL standards) to put on 6kg of muscle mass. And that same application on the footy field will have him playing very well this year. (it's amazing what being fit through the pre-season and practice games can do for players- just think back 12 months).

Turnovers deep in our forward line are better than turnovers in the centre square cause we stuffedaround too much looking for short options! Morton will always 'look' skinny. Get over it. He has put on muscle and that is all that matters because it will make him stronger at the contest.

What I like best is that in his early years it was plainly evident how much skill he had but that he was quite rightly perceived as soft at the contest. Green recognized this and developed his game and mental strength to the point where I now consider him the most courageous in the team. A fantastic lesson to our young blokes not only about making the most of your god given talents, but to identify your weaknesses and turn them into your strengths. Good on ya Greeny! Congrats to Riv, Beamer & Flash also....

Exactly right re Davey. I believe he actually played a lot ad a high HFF last year who received the ball at half back and weaves through traffic to either break the line or deliver to HF and continue pushing forward from there. No real change to his role at all.

Given the time off he has had from top level football and training it is not surprising. His knowledge and perspective will still be great for the young blokes while he gets his body right. This will almost definately remove any chance of him being the promoted rookie meaning Nicholson is sure to get it (barring injury). Campbell can then focus on getting his body right and fitness up over the first 12 weeks of the season so he then can stake his claim for the mid year rookie promotion spot.

I give it 5 minutes into the first Collingwood St Kilda game before the Filth's cheer squad gives Nicky Dal the one finger salute..... The pinky finger that is!!!!