Lucifers Hero

Its worth mentioning that Burgess paid credit to Misson and his team. Last year's preseason issues/surgeries were primarily contact related and not soft tissue. The credit was well deserved despite many on here blaming Misson for so many things. Mahoney also mentioned that our head doctor will become Manager of Medical or something similar. Footnote: while accepting the injuries were contact related what it says to me is that in 2017/2018 our aggressive crash/bash game plan wasn't suited to the then immature bodies. That nearly all the contact injuries/surgeries were to players that have not been in the AFL long supports that view. All credit to the battled hardened Lewis who completed 98% of the pre-season.

Mainly the way the questioned was delivered: agresssive tone, derogatory language, repetition of these by rewording them and the completely implausible accusation that the club keep Oscar so they can keep Tom. The guy made a fool of himself and as he went on there were gasps, boos and the odd clap. I thought the panel handled it very well with Bartlett asking the audience to show respect to a person as they have a right to ask their questions and by Goodwin who briefly but convincingly stated his faith in Oscar. I've seen similar comments made on here but I can't remember who it was. I don't think it was the perennial Oscar non-fans; STMJ nor Pickett Fence. I've never seen them talk of Oscar in the terms the fellow did last night.

Coaching Structure. Reporting to Richardson (Director of Coaching): Forwards: Plapp as Coach and Rooke as forward development Stoppage/Midfield: Matthews as Coach and Stenear as midfield/stoppage development Backs: Chaplin as coach with Radford as backs development. I like that structure in that it focus the development resources to each specific area. Not so sure I like the lack of experience in our line coaches in Chaplin and Plapp. Time will tell. Reporting to Egan (Head of Development): Ruck/Goal kicking coach: Stafford Specialist Coach: Lewis Not sure about a ruckman teaching forwards how to kick goals but there it is.

The interesting and puzzling thing about our new facilities were that a working group has been formed funded by the State Government, the AFL and the Club. Working group to do feasibility studies of options in the MCC precint. It was good to hear the State Goverment is in the game as they will be our biggest hurdle. Puzzling because I thought we had already done feasibility studies on options before PJ left and the Jolimont station development was the front runner at the time. Puzzling that we are starting over. No time frame given on when the working group reports findings to the Board. I felt new facilities are a long way off.

A diatribe of how useless he is and why is he still on the list and should have let him go and kept Frosty. Goodwin's response was all class. He has utmost belief that Oscar will play the role we want. Don't know who it was but it was embarrassing.

The Age is reporting Adelaide about to trade pick 4 to GWS crows-set-to-trade-pick-no-4-to-gws for 6 and GWS 2020 first. Pretty good deal for Adelaide as the player they want at 4 will most probably be there at 6. GWS holding pick 4 puts the pressure on us as they are known to want Jackson and probably need him more than another albeit elite midfielder, in Green. If we bid Green at 3 it is uncertain if GWS will match and they could just take Jackson at 4. If we don't take Jackson at 3 there is little chance he will get past Freo at 7 so we miss out. If we don't bid Green GWS will get him cheaply. I think we need to pick the player we really want rather than second guess what GWS will do. If they get Green cheaply so be it.

Pick Trade Prospects is about the jostling for top 10 picks and a lot of clubs wanting to trade out their 2020 first-round picks but now there are few takers. My take from the article (paraphrasing and added my comments): Giants are snookered if Adelaide won't trade #4; will have to use 6 for Green, as Sydney won't let him slip past their 5. ? Adelaide are linked to Fischer McAsey, as is Port, Geelong, Hawks and GCS. If Adelaide trade pick 4 or don't take him Hawks are best placed but they Geelong, and GCS are trying to trade into the top 10. (Interestingly, McAsey hasn't had much attention on DL.) Hawks are also interested in Dylan Stephens and Brodie Kemp and want to trade into the top 10 but are hampered by AFL rules that don't allow a club to trade out future picks if they trade out their first future, so like GWS they don't have enough currency to prise out a top 10 pick. hawthorn-facing-draft-snag-as-it-looks-to-trade-future-firstround-pick Melbourne (#8) and Carlton (#9) are mentioned as potential pick trades with GCS. (Haha, after the Jack Martin shenanigans by Carlton I can't see GCS (ie Cochrane) allowing it). Suggestions that the 2020 draft isn't as classy (and compromised with Academy and F/S players). Pick trades end on Friday. Then live-pick trade starts with the draft next week We did very well to get our 2020 first-round pick trade done early and landed #8. There may be few takers now with various clubs wanting out of 2020. With so many clubs desperate to get into the top10 our pick 8 has just gone up in value!!

I was wondering the same thing, especially when Melksham said they 'will leave nothing in the tank coming into round 1' and thought 'gee, I hope there is something in the tank for finals'! I'm guessing the intensity so far is to give them a reality check on what didn't happen last year, drum into them the work it takes and because so many players were behind fitness wise last year. Burgess is a real pro and he may tone it down as it gets into the latter parts of the preseason. Then ensure the team peaks at the right time ie September.

Music to my ears. Thank you ?

Clue please. Injury related or attitude/off-field related?

Unlike me who didn't read the email and forgot the event some 760 members didn't and have registered to attend. Some may not turn up but it is a pretty decent level of interest - hopefully it won't be a vent-fest and there is time for info on plans going forward.

I don't know the players so can't really comment on who we should take at 3. But I know that the last time an athletic ruck/forward was taken high in the draft was Tom Boyd at No 1! He won the Bulldogs their premiership off his own boot playing forward and ruck and came within a whisker of winning the Norm Smith. So I don't feel nervous about taking Jackson at #3. Not suggesting he will be like Boyd just saying that talented big guys are taken early in the draft. He could end up a bust or want to be traded 'home' ala Boyd. But the club will way up the risks in using #3.

Port have just traded: picks 29, 71 and a future-first round selection to the Lions and received picks 16, 52, 55 and 72. We traded: 26, 50 and a future-first round to North for pick 8. Not sure how the points calcualte (or what use they are in evaluating a trade) but us landing pick 8 in our trade looks imminently better than Port's pick 16. Big question is what are Port aiming for with their 2019 bounty of picks: 12, 16, 18, 52, 55, 72? Hold and go to the draft or trade into the top 10? They can trump Geelong's 14 and 17 and GCS's 15 and 20. Those picks in the 50's will come in handy for one of the clubs with Academy players! The permutations for Port to get a top 10 pick from any club with #3 to #10 are endless so I won't even try.

An update on our own club/training facilites would be appreciated. Its a long time since the Jolimont Station proposal was canned. Aside from our on field performance our own facilities is a critical part of our future.

They sure don't make it easy for members to attend! According to that members need to 'Register their Attendance' and the form in the post below is the electronic form on which to register. I wonder what happens if members turn up without registering.

Thanks to @trac5665who referred to club letter of Sept 12. https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2019-09-12/a-letter-to-our-members It would still be worth while the club sending members a reminder or putting it on the website. Many would be like me who were busy at the time and missed reading it or have simply forgotten. The details of this year's Post-Season Member Forum are: Date: Tuesday 19th November 2019 Time: 6:00pm arrival and registration, for a 6:30pm start Location: MCC Members Dining Room, Level 2, Gate 2, MCG. Entry: Your valid 2019 or 2020 Melbourne Football Club membership card is required for entry. My Monday morning gripes aside, it would be good to hear back from folks who attend. Or anyone who has suggestions for questions to put them in this thread for attendees to consider.

I recall Pert mentioning it a few months ago but I can't find it on mfc website nor seen a member email about it. Apparently it is on tomorrow night. Anyone have any details? ...maybe it is in a secret place and they don't want fans to attend . Ok I'm being silly. But some recent advice or timely reminder would be helpful for personal schedules. Edit: Just located the most likely place on mfc website: Events (which in intself is not easy to find) https://www.melbournefc.com.au/melbourne-experiences/events but nothing listed.

This Tuesday? Haven't seen any media release or member email about it. Just checked club website and couldn't find anything. Are they hoping no-one attends Do you have any details? I might start a thread and find out a bit more. Our lack of forward cohesion and effectiveness in so many ways not related to form or delivery was stark in 2019. To me it looked like a lack of forward strategy, tactics and player skills. If we don't have a good forward line strategy and tactics, opp defenders will cut right thru it as they did in 2019. Surely, the forward line deserves its own coach just as much as the defence and midfield, particularly as it is our real weakness. imv a chat at 'quarter time and a couple of drills during training' is a winning formula. I just don't see how Goodwin with the typically onus role as senior coach or Richardson (who effectively replaces Macca and to some extent Jennings) have the time to develop strategies/ tactics and not only teach them but to ingrain them into all forwards; the best 22 and first line depth.

Both the 'captain's call' by Goodwin (to have a co-cap and that it was to be Viney) and that Jones was blindsided were well publicised at the time. iirc Jones wasn't even told there would be a co-cap until a day or two before the announcement and that Goodwin told him while playing golf with others. Hardly a respectful way to advises a club champ that he would be sharing his job and sharing it with a kid who had yet to earn his stripes.

I'm all for a genuine experienced forward coach, one who has played and/or coached forwards at AFL level. Not one of our coaches has. Our forward line was like Brown's cows this year and it wasn't just the delivery to them. It was so bad it was the major line coach change in the mid year re-structure with Rawlings replacing Rooke. Chaplin and Plapp stayed in their line coach positions. I can't see how we can not have a genuine forward coach, especially as nearly all our forwards are inexperienced or converted defenders. We have defenders coaching converted defenders to be forwards. This year we saw the results. Lewis is a kicking and development coach but will mainly work with the team in the pre-season due to media comittments during the playing season. And his remit isn't related directly to forwards. We haven't added to our forward talent in the off-season so our opportunity for improvement is (better delivery) and better forward craft and tactics. So, who will bring the latter as we have tried Chaplin and Rooke as forward coaches in recent years. Both have been moved to other roles. I vaguely recall Mahoney saying Rooke was being put back into the position he was originally hired for: development. They are not the answer. Just don't see how anyone can expect a more effective and efficient forward line with no key player changes without a dedicated coach. Gosh, at this stage I would even settle for a part-timer!

Hopefully, Harmes hasn't spoken too early and spoilt a big club announcement! Nonethless, will be delighted for Max to be a co-cap.

It is quite disgusting. I can't bring myself to repost the comment. Some news outlets have declined to publish the original post. Ch7 have printed it in this article: liam-ryans-daughter-targeted-with-abhorrent-racist-online-abuse So sad that some people think it is ok to post such trash. His little girl is just a baby.

He isn't far off that: 18.3 touches and 22 goals in 2019 in a team that came 17th with an ineffective midfield. Martin, Greene and De Goey played in teams that came 1st, 2nd and 3rd with excellent midfields. And each of those players has more experience as Petracca missed his first year from ACL. We gush over other team's players but often fail to give credit to our own - not saying that about yourself, just a general comment about DL.

A really good article on the ups and downs of his career so far. Several clubs came calling for his services at trade time. A credit to both him and the club that they told them to go away. I liked this from the article: Petracca looms as a project player for Burgess, who already played a role in sending the Demon and teammate Christian Salem to Nike World Headquarters in Oregon, United States...They spent 10 days there before returning last week, completing a Burgess-designed off-season program, with some extra input from Nike specialists. Burgess doing his thing early. Petracca and Salem are two of our most talented and it will be massive when they both achieve their potential - hopefully sooner rather than later. It must also be confidence building for them that the club invests in their development in that way. Petracca is out of contract this year so the sooner he is signed up the better.

I really like Saty's reports and pics. And those of @Earl Hood@Big Kev@DeeSpencerand all other folk whose names I don't recall, who go to training and report back. Especially in the off-season when there is little demon related news or first hand info. Thanks one and all