dpositive

Hopefully our women demons win a closely contested high scoring game through skill and effective game tactics. That the best player is a demon who shows all the best features of ball handling skill, spatial awareness, fitness and spectacular moments. That the first goal is kicked by a demon, the last match winning goal by a demon, in front of a maximum capacity crowd. That the AFL and its media cohorts are made to recognise that they have missed the best opportunity to show the skill and entertainment value of the sport. No doubt Collingwood supporters would be lost to the game "it's not real footy"they will be saying after the loss to the blues. This is a new development to sport that has morphed into entertainment. It is an industry and appropriate that women take an equal part in it. I hope women take this opportunity to invest in the game and grow the audience so that the returns are recognised and it becomes a serious career path for girls. Would be good if there was a female coach to entrench the gender shift.

Happy to join the esteemed company.

I'm ambivalent male and female tennis cricket cycling squash and (soccer) football both interest me for the contest , skill and theatre. However I am a male and the vicarious experience of males playing is more attractive to me. I relate to male involvement and reflect on my own capacity against that benchmark. I have enjoyed playing with Females but as I age fear that concentrating on females leaves me open to accusations of sexist behaviour.

You said it "Its all about the future for me"

I repeat my previous comment that rather than a rigid denial with blame shifting some transparency would assist in mitigating the impacts on JH and perhaps other s involved in the program he initiated. perhaps his fate her could get Danks and others involved in the programto provide a full disclosure of what occurred to relieve some of the unimaginable torment that this case has and is causing. it seems AFL and WADA are limited in any defence they can provide without this sort of disclosure. It would certainly be more difficult to propose treatment without full knowledge of previous circumstances. From the reports released, i have complete sympathy for JH and deep regret that he is suffering and can only hope that current and future actions can help recovery

Agree with the need for sensitive consideration and so was amazed where his father was reported as blaming AFL, the club and seemingly every one else for James condition. While this can be seen as a standard reaction, it again continues the avoidance tactics which have led us to this point. it must make players who were treated with unknown substances that James reportedly endorsed and used wonder if the current condition is arising from that use. I hope that they at least are receiving more comprehensive and truthful information than is being reported.

No We need to exploit this perception. Increase potential sponsorship by joining with a 4 wheel drive vehicle (Subaru) Market on the mountains Scarves at retail outlets Gloves and jackets in club colours etc Wecan always wear them in Japan and open up a new international market.

Great work WJ Hope the players get to see the fantastic but sporadic individual and team efforts and can increase the occurenceto turn potential into actuality. What a feeling that would provide for our supporters

Survived the Xmas festivities. The demon force season review in Yarraville the highlight. catching up with Ron and Aina with news from the coast added to the nostalgia. Unfortunately overcome by the euphoria of coming season anticipation can't remember which away game we will be attending. Tassie Alice or Darwin. hoping to catch up in the new year. Any demons in the area wanting to celebrate the potential can attend our New Year Eve celebration in Murmungee. There will be some alternative team supporters available to banter with and some Mt Pilot to share whilst reminding them that the Demons have many vigneron as supporters. It's as good a reason as any for making demon support your new year resolution. Enjoy the off season prognostications and don't under estimate. Celebrations are only just beginning.

It is regrettable that after "serving their time" there has been acknowledgement of wrong doing. Protestation of innocence has been the only constant. I would find it easier to move on were their some recognition of what was done and a statement to never repeat the circumstances. Any publicity of any participants should be used to educate the next generation of what should be done.

Don't disagree that winning is the priority but identity which is is reinforced through adherence to the mantra of the red and blue can imbue confidence and assurance that can simplify the focus on performance.

We should be presenting ourselves as "THE" club of Melbourne. So all visitors are inclined to buy our gear as a memory from Their visit. Thus it is important to focus on the "red and the blue" colours of our theme song. Get rid of the white and just sell and wear the core colours. An appropriately positioned advert at the airport and other visitor in ports introduces us, similar posters at info centres etc reinforces and a well placed retail outlet at visitor sites complements the online facility. Visitor purchase likely to be impulse so selling at sports museum MCG (our home) would seem essential. Final sale at destination points after posters featuring action shots of our game.

Even more easy is for supporters to send that message to the club,AFL, and New Balance by not buying their white jerseys in any form and wearing predominately blue and red when home and predominately red and blue when clashing likely. a blue hat and a red hat can make that much difference on the TV screen.

Crikey I have never played at elite level, but have played a variety of sports with various levels of finals involvement. its also a long time since I was 20 and so maybe it's not appropriate to comment but I always was(and still am) eager to keep playing (practising) to keep my condition. I watched elite sports folk and went outside trying to emulate them (that's what changed most I now know I can't and haven't got the seemingly unlimited capacity I had). I would practice until I was exhausted and only then would I warm down and fuel up etc. This was all done within a context of performing all work and chore requirements while also maintaining social contacts. Social contacts were with fellow pretend athletes as we participated in physical contests. i appreciate that the intensity and volumes of activity of our players are required to perform are way beyond mine but I find it hard to believe that any player would require a complete break unless injured or rehabilitating. While I understand the need for rest and recreation leave from the rigours of work, and how a complete break can reinvigorate and revitalise, and how the risk of burnout or over exertion can be harmful, I hope that our players are being monitored to ensure they are building and tapering (and resting) to meet team performance requirements. These blokes should be the fittest they will ever be and motivated to be involved in improving skill,fitness, endurance, reaction and most importantly the ability to perform all these activities instinctively at the highest level when exhausted.

Got called out and missed the detail. But the intro showed a rugged looking individual talking of the difficulties that banana growers had faced and the potential of new strains. All sounded familiar having been an avid reader of this thread. Certainly found that size doesn't matter after tasting the most delightful fruit purchased from a roadside stand on a road trip through NSW.Small and looked A little green but 6 in the bunch for $3.00.

Just saw the intro to landlinearticle on bananas looks particularly relevant. hoping for a sighting of DLand experts.

Don't leave DL now JC you may need the virtual insanity of this site to distract you from the reality of life. Also the rise of the Dees will provide some joy after the frustrations of the last 5 years you have been on site so the humour will no doubt rise to a new level also. An alternative view is always welcome on this site where locker room banter prevails. Disagreement is appreciated to prolong interest and awaken satirical reference. Failure to rub someone the wrong way is a sign of intellectual incapacity and allows those with the sharpest wit to retort. Hope your moving on has sufficient flexibility to visit occasionally

Just heard that Hird was bewildered by Jobe's decision. REALLY! James should be excluded from any comments about drugs, football or sport until he recognises that there are international obligations on sportspeople.

Well we have NBN in the wilds of Murmungee 3747 or so they say. I think it is just that there are so few of us here with so little demand for high speed anything that we cannot overload the local wireless signal which is sent to a pigeon owner who dispatches messages to all corners while making up a temporary response that indicates there is some fault affecting transmission. After this notification the flashing lights go out and we resort to conversation until the pigeon returns.

Too true

May not be too disastrous. plenty of people in town for GP and not all like to stay at the track. imaginative marketing and maybe packaging provides plenty of potential to build interest. Align with a GP team with red and blue colours and adopt them for the weekend. players in celebrity shots with high profile visitors, promotional tickets at discounted rates for celebs. Packages for Melb members including discounts for GP tickets Associate with the high performance and quality of an International team. Maybe get some joint sponsorship arrangement with existing GP team, and enhance above appearances. Build the crowd with AFL and govt major events people. Put our club in a positive light. All better than a minor match against an interstate team. Oh and prepare and select the team that will match up and beat St Kilda WIN

Realistically managing the extremes of both Hogan untapped potential and Lewis experienced performance and everything in between is the answer. Bur what a great position to be in for a change and progress since PJ seems reassuring

It is regrettable that this is another fallout from this debacle. while the decision may be difficult for Jobe to undertake with the rabid protestation of his dad it is nonetheless the only thing he can do. Jobe did do homself some credit in acknowledging early in the piece that he had taken some indetermined supplements so he may be convinced to make the connection. Not hopeful though.

When we win it will be time to reclaim the MCG. many of us will be at the ground and as the car park clears we can fill it with supporters from every direction.train road bus all come to focus on the city.. From the grounds we can then disperse all over Melbourne proud in our colours and able to command the recognition of our club that will build our membership

Always enjoy every contribution. Can't match the wit and knowledge and certainly not in a timely fashion. Hope the players can take something from the doggies and add the passion exhibited by Dlanderrs to their performance.