Lucifers Hero

Tribunal Appeals: Geelong to appeal Dahlhaus one week ban. Richmond to appeal the Grimes and Vlastuin staging fines. {Grimes took 3 steps before falling after the non-contact) Port Adelaide's Sam Powell-Pepper one weak ban Melbourne's Ed Langdon, fine Lachlan Murphy, fine tigers-to-appeal-staging-sanctions If all those appeals get upheld the whole MRP process will be more of a dog's breakfast than it already is.

If that is one that Lyon referred to as 'Hollywood' not sure Petracca had much choice. The tap landed so that he had his back to our goals. He knew Viney and Oliver were behind him. He had Liberatore right in front ready to pounce. The vision was wide enough to see if he was coralled in. So he hand balled backwards. It didn't work. I had the impression Preuss tapped to the wrong spot. The set-up looked like the tap would go to Viney or Oliver and they would pass to Pretacca who had a straight run to goal. A lot of our taps went to the wrong spot last Saturday.

Surgery Funds Raised "A GoFundMe page was created for Muir to help try and reach the $28,000 mark required for Muir’s surgery. Incredibly, that figure was reached in under five hours, with more than $100,000 has been raised". Great to see people rally and support.

This week I have added # of days between games shown as (x) for each game. I've also added (F) for flights for the 7th and 8th spots contenders. Interesting that in many cases a bye isn't really a bye. The break for a bye ranges from 7 days to 12 days. Final 8 Contenders: 7th Collingwood: Almost there 8th Bulldogs: can still miss the 8 as they have a tough run home. They are on 7 wins and need to win at least two of their last 4 to be safe; two of which are vs Cats and Eagles. They will fancy themselves vs Hawks and Freo. 9th Demons, 10th Blues and 11th Giants sit outside the 8, all on six wins with 5 games yet to play: We have a good %'age altho that can be lost quite quickly as the loss of 6% at the weekend showed. I don't see any clear %'age boosting games for us whereas the Blues and Giants play the Crows. After this week all 3 teams have two 5 day breaks and one 4 day break The travel gods are really favouring Carlton (and Collingwood) as they have no flights in their run to round 17, whereas we fly each week. Freo play Bulldogs, Dees and Giants. They are on a roll, have conceded miserly scores so could easily determine who makes it.

Comparison of Options the-case-for-and-against-each-state-s-bid-for-the-afl-grand-final Western Australia The case: WA Premier Mark McGowan has repeatedly said his state has the best stadium for the game, but crucially won't budge on quarantine expectations for AFL sides. Queensland The case: Without Queensland this season simply would not have worked, and the AFL's financial black hole would have been significantly larger. This goodwill looms as key in the AFL's decision-making. A grand final in Queensland would be a win for the AFL in a growth market, where television ratings are up (admittedly off a low base). South Australia The case: Early in July South Australia didn't come to the table when the AFL wanted to establish hubs in the state. However, teams have been able to travel between South Australia and Queensland quite easily as the season progressed and this has worked in the state's favour. New South Wales The case: Both the Victorian government and the MCC - both have a say in the decision - are opposed to New South Wales getting the event, therefore it looks almost impossible. The ANZ Stadium surface has long been a problem during AFL games. Victoria The case (or lack thereof): The government and AFL have held out until the very last minute to rule Victoria out (that won't happen officially until replacement stadium announced).

Coaches votes are in: 9 Marcus Bontempelli (WB) 5 Lachie Hunter (WB) 5 Mitch Wallis (WB) 4 Tom Liberatore (WB) 3 Bailey Smith (WB) 2 Steven May (MELB) 1 Jason Johannisen (WB) 1 Jack Macrae (WB) Well done to May as the only Demon among the votes. The only one that deserved any really. Best guess split: 5/4 Bontempelli 4/1 or 3/2 Hunter/Wallis 4 Liberatore 3 Smith 2 May 1 Johannisen 1 Macrae So another week where there was quite different views between the two coahces. Petracca still second on the leader board but another round 13 game tongight.

In April Richardson coached and they beat us 90:55. In July Ratten coached and they beat us 104:85 which included 12 or 13 goals by the saints from our turnovers. There are about 10 players of their July team that didn't play yesterday vs the Lions. Main absentees were Lonie, Bruce and Gresham. Some of the additions are King, Ryder, Hill, Butler, Jones, Kent, Geary, Coffield, Hunter. A vast improvement on the team that beat us that day. Our team is better with inclusions like Weideman, May and Kozzie. The saints have added a lot of skill and speed; things we are not strong on. They beat us with set-ups at stoppages, keeping a player ready to receive on the outside of the pack, switching across their backline and winning the ground ball. Much like the Bulldogs on Saturday. Very pessimistic about this game.

Wasn't there a rule that if a player gets 3 fines in one year the third is an automatic 1 week suspension. Jordan Lewis was hit with this a few years ago when he played for us. I wonder if that rule is still in place? Either way, it looks like a cop out by Christian. Deliberate, low impact, high impact = 1 week holiday. Watch the Tribunal just give Lynch a fine...

.

st-kilda-apologises-to-former-player-robert-muir Kudos for the apology. But do they have to wait until a harrowing story is in the media. It behoves all clubs to look back at those that have worn their jumper and reach out before the media spotlight past wrongs. Those wrongs weren't seen as wrongs at the time; sadly it is how our society was. Nor can those wrongs be undone. But the player can be embraced for what they contributed to the club.

tbh I don't think there are changes that will give us a win next week. Bulldogs scored a lot of goals (6? maybe...) from turnovers yesterday. In a Ratten coached saints team in July 2019 they scored 12 goals from turnovers. Our defence is better this year but so is their midfield and they are even better at spreading from the contest than last year. Our coaches know what the saints will bring. Re-watching last year's game will refresh memories. Hope they are ready this time and not tell us after the game that the saints came in with a plan that we weren't able to counter or that we will be ready next time. Heard those old chestnut too many times already this year. If we can't stop the turnovers we are toast. The answer is not player changes as we don't really have the right sort of player to bring in. It will be better skills, better composure, more effort, better set-ups/structures around the ground and last but not least better coaching Doubt that we can do all that.

victorian-government-tells-afl-not-to-host-grand-final-in-nsw/ "While Queensland is the raging favourite to host this year’s decider, NSW has emerged as Victoria’s chief major events rival and the Victorian Government has made it clear it doesn’t want Sydney getting a look-in". NSW are looking to poach other events. Politics is the name of the game!

The info is in the Annual Accounts but it isn't easy to find. If it is at all reassuring, I don't think we have been misled. Also see the two posts above your latest for a bit more context.

I agree the $2.5m of the Leighoak sale was used to pay down debt. My read of the article is we still have debt so to be debt free in 2021 we need to use more of the remaining $7.5 Leigoak/investment portfolio The article also says we will make a loss of $3.5m this year so I am assuming that another chunk of the remaining $7.5 Leighoak/investment portfolio will be used to fund that shortfall. Very good question about the Bentleigh and Leighoak lost revenue. My recollection of the sale announcements was that we would get commercial income from our new facilities (rental, signage etc etc) and growth in memberships. My concern is if we use proceeds from their sale to pay down debt and fund operating losses we won't have the money for the new facilities to get that commercial income that was hoped for. I don't mind paying down debt but don't see a lot of value if interest rates are near zero. I'm more worried about asset sales being used to fund operating losses. So from that view I would like to see the Bentleigh club site not sold until we have a concrete new facilities project to fund.

Not sure what that refers to. More info, please...

Agreed. The figures may be distorted a little because Viney didn't play round 11 so Sparrow filled in there a bit. Over the last few weeks I've noticed our midfield becoming more about roles (when not attending centre bounces/not resting in another position) than names: Wingmen 1 & 2 (AvB and Langdon) play up and down their respective wings and help defend by floating into the backline, sometimes really deep. Midfield 1 (Gus) being parked virtually in the middle (see heat map above) where he patrols the corridor stopping their attacking forays which keep them out wide and helping our attacking forays thru the corridor by acting as a link man. Midfielder 2 (Petracca) drifts fwd of centre both sides of the ground. Midfielder 3 & 4 (Viney and Oliver) - not sure yet what there non CBA/non resting role is. Will be watching closely today to see if I can work it out. Midfielder 5 (Sparrow) rotates with above to the bench or other roles Ruckman (Gawn/Preuss) - sit in hole in defence (Wish I had access to heat maps to test these observations). Its like the ground has been carved up and each has been allocated sections. They don't all need to run both ways all day long. Makes good sense, keeps our ball movement structures in tack while supporting defenders and fwds. Not to mention it conserves energy and it means that a heap of players aren't all going for the same ball stacks-on-the-mill style. So we are close to 'one soldier out, one soldier in' be it within a game or week to week. A strong position to be in.

Yes, it does. imv being debt free isn't such a big deal with near zero interest rates. Would much rather we use any revenue from sale of assets to invest in new facilities than pay down debt or worse use it for operating expenses/avoid making a loss. But I think we are in good financial hands and hopefully the club doesn't trade off our long-term financial position for the short-term.

Looks like the club finally found the formula to keep our top 4 midfielders (plus others) in the middle. AvB is now on a wing and Harmes in defence. The new roles work a treat. MELBOURNE INSIDE MIDFIELD TIME Player R1-9 R10-12 Change Angus Brayshaw 67% 96% +29% Jack Viney 93% 90% -3% Clayton Oliver 96% 93% -3% Aaron vandenBerg 7% 1% -6% Christian Petracca 70% 60% -10% Tom Sparrow 73% 55% -18% James Harmes 27% 0% -27%

In 2020: Loss: -52 vs Carl Win: +42 vs Ess Win: +5 vs GCS Loss: -41 vs Rich Win: +57 vs Adel Mixed bag. Big wins vs the poorer teams with big losses vs the better teams. Nonetheless, they have played a lot at the ground so should know it better than us. Someone posted that it will be windy and that won't help them being so used to playing with a closed roof.

carlton-david-teague-tom-lynch-blues-latest-news "Carlton coach David Teague has implemented a team-wide anti-taunting policy, as debate rages over on-field player behaviour across the AFL" John Ralph reports “...Cain Liddle (CEO Carlton)...said ‘I think Teaguey’s one of those coaches who says toughness and courage is putting your head over the footy and getting it done for your mates, as opposed to banging into people when they’re not looking or slamming people’s heads into the ground". A nice little backhander for Dimmawit and Lynch. I wouldn't be surprised if he got a 'please explain' from management at the Tigers, after all someone there removed his insults to Ox from the interview on their website.

On FC Caro said Richard Goyder, AFL Chairman, wants it in Perth (where coincidentally (or not) is where he lives). Being Chairman of Woodside Petroleum he would be very cosy with Premier McGowan. Lobbying over a fine bottle of red? Mates scratching backs, perhaps... Lots to play out behind the scenes.

Sorry, I didn't this thread earlier so missed your post. Just half an hour ago I started a new thread for this. The mods may want to merge that thread into this one.

Very impressed with this: Pert said fewer than 100 members had sought refunds and remarkably it had seen more than $100,000 flow into the club in membership and donations since they demolished Collingwood last Saturday. The Demons are believed to have had the fewest membership refunds of any club. Nothing like beating Collingwood to fire up demon supporters!

What do folks think? After reading this: WA Premier Mark McGowan on the @AFL Grand Final. Says he has advised the AFL in person that Optus should host it - if they meet health guidelines. "Queensland have teams of people working on it, we haven't acted like that. We've played hard to get". — Ryan Daniels (@FootyRhino) August 21, 2020 I would say have it at the Gabba! McGowan has made it difficult for the AFL to run the season and now wants the GF to be delivered on a silver platter! They don't deserve it.

Mitch Brown, Mitch Hannan, Trent Rivers and Joel Smith have missed selection, but will be the team's emergencies for Saturday’s game.