Lucifers Hero

That is consistent with @Earl Hoodtraining report on Monday that Macca thought players weren't working hard enough. If players are behind Macca's move (which I doubt) I'm worried. Players called the shots in the Dean Bailey days and we went no-where. Players have lauded Macca for years so I wonder whether moving him was relationships with coaches rather than with players ie move a 'dissenter' or the 'fall guy' syndrome. I would concur with Mooney as imv we are playing 'softly'. We were ferocious in the finals but have seen very little of that this year. While injuries have hurt us, any player on the field, regardless of talent or skill can be ferocious. We need that ferocity back, urgently

I don't mind it if Fritsch actually lines up as selected in the forward line. Great mark and very good kick for goal. Will do a lot for his confidence as he looks a bit lost as a defender. He will be at least one player back in his natural position. Now to put Gus back where he belongs in the middle. With the change of coaches our line ups and positional changes during the game will be interesting to watch as will our ball movement. Hopefully, more control than manic play on. And hopefully if Oliver gets 25-35 possessions they have an impact and gain more than 55mts! We need him to get much more value for his work.

No injury report this week. No mid-week coach press conf. Is there anyone home?? Maybe they have all gone to the snow??

A few hours from team selection and no injury report this week. The new guy forgot??

Starts tonight. After this round the ladder will be meaningful again. Good to see Roughy is back for the Hawks - a bit of sentiment by Clarkson perhaps. Allow him to play vs one of his best mates, Buddy one last time.

Not so sure. There are all sorts of drills to teach people to use their non-dominant hand or foot depending on the sport or activity. It eventually becomes instinctive even if not as 'natural' as preferred side. I'm not suggesting proficiency but it would be nice to see him turn to his right and bluff the opp rather than always turn to his left and get caught or forced into a rushed kick that bombs forward and comes straight back again. As a minimum he would be a bit less predictable. And his dad was a coach! But didn't teach him?

Did May tell a little porkie (on Fox) that Lever had foot soreness to deflect attention from an on-going knee problem? The Fox show was 10 days after the QB game, one would expect May to know which it was. If Lever was sore (knee or foot) before QB, as May said, and we played him it is up there on the stupidity stakes. QB was a big game but not significant from a season view so with his injury history, and just 3 qtrs of football in a year, why take the risk. Just stupid.

A fresh start! Players rested after the bye. Some coaching shuffles. Lewis hinted at some tweaking in game style. Would love to think those factors will get us over the line. But Freo are playing ferociously like we did in the finals. If we can find that again we will be competitive and cause turnovers for us. And it will energise the team like Hunt did vs Hawks. But Freo know the formula to beat us: match us on the inside then beat us on the outside and/or let us win the contests, Cp's, i50's and watch us turn it over and they head for goals. If that doesn't work for them they will beat us for speed. And they have their tails up. Walters is scary good. Mundy usually plays well against us at the G. And then there is Fyfe to contend with. All are match winners. Nonetheless, looking forward to see what changes in our game plan and ball movement have happened over the break. And, I look forward to Jessie gracing the G again but hopefully no goals for him. Round 14 Melbourne v Fremantle Saturday, 22 June, 1.45pm AEST MCG 11.30am: MCC gates open 12.00pm: AFL + Public reserve opens Members As a home game, access Members can scan in with their Membership card or Digital Card in the club app. General admission Members can upgrade to a reserved seat via Ticketek. General admission Tickets to the game can be purchased via Ticketek. General admission seating Great Southern Stand M1 (Rows A-Z) M2 (Demon Heartland DRY) M3-M12 M13 (Rows A-Z DRY) P5-P7 Q1-Q15 Ponsford Stand M28-M32 M33 (Rows P-NN) M34-M36 Q29-Q36 Olympic Stand M53-M54 (Rows A-Z) M55-M57 Q49-Q57 Please note the general admission areas are subject to change. Look out for the screens displaying the map of available general admission areas on a match day, located inside each entry gate. Cheer squad allocations Melbourne: M3 Rows A-T Fremantle: M33 Rows A-G Public transport Train The ground is located in proximity to Jolimont and Richmond train stations. Plan your trip to the game and view potential disruptions on PTV's Journey Planner. Tram The MCG is serviced by trams along Wellington Parade (Route 48 and 75) and the Olympic Park Light Rail (Route 70). Car parking The following car parks will be open on game day in Yarra Park: Gate 3: 9.30am Gate 5: 11.30am Gate 6: 10.30am Gate 7: 9.00am pass holders only Deck out in red and blue at the Demon Shop located under the MCG concourse on Brunton Avenue. The shop will be open from 12.00pm on game day and will close 30 minutes after the match. TV times All broadcast info in local times. Melbourne: Fox Footy – 1.30pm Sydney: Fox Footy – 1.30pm Brisbane: Fox Footy – 1.30pm Adelaide: Fox Footy – 1.00pm Perth: Fox Footy – 11.30am + 7mate – 2.30pm (Delayed) Tasmania: Fox Footy – 1.30pm Canberra: Fox Footy – 1.30pm Darwin: Fox Footy – 1.30pm For all other regions and radio info, refer to the AFL Broadcast Guide. Mobile app Live scores, stats and match highlights are available at the tap of a finger in the club's mobile app. Download it for iOS or Android. Social media Match hashtag: #AFLDeesDockers Follow the club on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for live match coverage and a behind-the-scenes insight into match day. VFLW Round 7 Geelong v Casey Saturday June 22, 11.30am GMHBA Stadium, Geelong VFL Round 12 Coburg v Casey Sunday June 23, 12.30pm Piranha Park, Coburg Admission prices Melbourne/Casey Demons Members: $5 when you present your card on entry Adult General Admission: $10 Concession/Pensioner General Admission: $5 Children Under 15: Free Coverage Social media Follow the Casey Demons on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for behind-the-scenes + live coverage of the match. ORWELLIAN by Whispering Jack Please permit me to begin this rather tragic pathetic preview of Melbourne’s forthcoming game against Fremantle with some personal reflections. Two years ago, we had visitors staying with us who are all sports fans so we arranged tickets for the entire family for the Melbourne vs Fremantle game at the MCG. The Dockers were struggling at the time while the Demons were on the up and up so I was fairly confident about the outcome. Naturally, we all left the ground bitterly disappointed. The Dees picked up their game and came perilously close to making the finals that year and would have done so had they scored about 10 points more over the 22 rounds or one goal more in that particular match against Freo. Naturally, we were bitterly disappointed. Things were better last year. Our American friends from Philadelphia celebrated a Super Bowl victory and the Demons made the finals at last. Naturally, we were bitterly disappointed when they lost the penultimate game of the season - the Preliminary Final. Still, we thought things would get better in 2019. After all, we had the best ruckman in the competition (now supported by another monster sized tall) and a powerful midfield that was capable of bullocking its way through opposition defences and causing havoc in the competition. We had picked up a strong key defender with experience and leadership qualities who would be joined by an elegant key defender due to return early from a season ending injury incurred in the middle of last year? Whatever could go wrong? Melbourne certainly hasn’t lost the ability to move the ball into attack. The Demons have won the inside 50 count in nine of its 12 games to date which really says something. Indeed, if a team’s percentage was determined by its ability to get inside 50 metres from goal, they would be well ensconced in the top four with a healthy percentage of around 130. Naturally, we are bitterly disappointed that the team’s efforts have been translated into only 3 wins with a measly percentage of 76. In the immortal words of the late Professor Julius Sumner-Miller, I am moved to ask the question, “Why is it so?” For starters, they have scored a goal from just 16.98% of inside 50 entries so far this year which is the lowest figure ever recorded by a team in an AFL season since collection of such data began in 1998. And while they haven’t fared well with their kicking for goal in scoring 118 goals 130 behinds, their opponents have been making hay by scoring 166 goals 106 against the hapless Dees. That statistic has been even more pronounced in the latter stages of games. In the last six games the opposition have kicked an amazing 27.4 in final quarters to 16.26 (and that includes Melbourne’s aberration of 7.2 in the last against GWS). With these things in mind, I took my grandkids to the Queens Birthday game at the G against Collingwood and at half time commented to my oldest grandson that there were some signs of improvement in the first half but a turnaround in fortunes in front of each team’s goals was needed to provide a confidence restoring win. As it turned out, the Demons did perform better everywhere but in that particular area of the game. They won the inside 50 contest but Collingwood scored nine straight second half goals to Melbourne’s four goals eight behinds. Naturally, we all left the ground bitterly disappointed. I was relieved when last weekend’s fixture gave us all a break from the AFL and the Demon yips so I set off to the grandson’s Under 15 game where his team played against an opposition which apparently gave the coaching reins for the day to Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson (his son is a member of the side) because their regular coach Trent Dennis-Lane was unavailable. Grandson’s team led from the start but faltered in the final quarter and lost when a goal was kicked in the game’s dying seconds. The winners scored four straight second half goals to two goals five behinds. I just can’t get away from this. Naturally, we all left the ground bitterly disappointed. So on Saturday, Melbourne faces a Fremantle side on the rise chasing its fourth win in a row. The Dockers have beaten the Dees in eight of its past 10 games. Fyfe and Walters are on fire and Jesse Hogan is starting to hit form. Despite all that, I’m impressed that the Demons have finally done something to alter the pattern of the season to date. They’ve changed their coaching structure and we all know what that means in football. Prediction: Melbourne by 2 points failing which we will all leave the ground bitterly disappointed and most likely in the hands of the game’s Orwellian Behavioural Awareness Officers. THE GAME Melbourne v Fremantle at the MCG Saturday 22 June 2019 at 1.45pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall: Melbourne 15 wins Fremantle 22 wins At MCG: Melbourne 7 wins Fremantle 7 wins Last five meetings: Melbourne 2 wins Fremantle 3 wins The Coaches: Goodwin 1 win Lyon 1 win MEDIA TV - Fox Footy Channel live at 1.30pm Radio - Triple M SEN 3AW ABC LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 13.24.102 defeated Fremantle 7.6.48 at TIO Stadium, Darwin, Round 16, 2018 The Dockers were struck by injury and only avoided a complete slaughter because the Demons, well ... they kept missing shots in front of goal. THE TEAMS PLAYER INJURY LENGTH Jeff Garlett Shoulder TBC Jake Lever Knee TBC Corey Maynard Concussion Test Michael Hibberd Collarbone 1-2 Weeks Jake Melksham Foot 4 Weeks Joel Smith Groin 4 Weeks Aaron vandenBerg Ankle 4 Weeks Neville Jetta Knee 6 Weeks Tom Sparrow Knee 7-9 Weeks Guy Walker Shoulder Indefinite Aaron Nietschke Knee Season

Of course he isn't the magic bullet but sure as hell he needs to be the main part of the solution. There was a hint of disclaimer in 'not the panacea'. Rawlings' role is more than to guide players. His job is to analyse the problems, develop solutions and communicate them for players to implement. The players can only work to solve problems if he gives them a plan and process to follow. I didn't suggest he promise wins but to say fans will be happier with a better conversion rate shows lack of awareness of fan expectations. He is better off not referring to conversion rate at all if that is the best we can look forward to. Find something more positive to say. Do you really mean this: "All our coaches need to do is spell out what they want from the players and hold them to that". What if what the coaches want is not what works? Players have played their hearts out and 2019 certainly looks like what the coaches want doesn't work.

Would have preferred he kept the "I'm not the panacea to the success of the forward line" to himself. Everyone is looking to him to fix the forward line problems but he thinks he is not the panacea ie not the solution. Isn't it his responsibility to develop and implement solutions. He also said: “I’m looking forward to working with the players and try to have a higher conversion rate. If we can achieve that in the back-half of the year I think our supporters and people in here will be much happier.” Someone should tell him that there are 52,000 members who will not be much happier with a higher conversion rate if we don't win games. But hey, sounds like it will make the club (the people in here) happy. Possibly, just poor choice of words but I find those comments deflating. These are difficult times and it would behove club reps to engender some positivity and confidence for fans, if for no other reason to get them to go to games.

The AFL are dragging the mighty game of Aussie Rules into a cesspit!

But the AFL 'official' word is that no bets were successful...??? They must realise that someone would research his games and match them to his bets. AFL never cease to amaze on how gullible they assume people to be.

Everyone knows Viney has no 'right side'. Opposition exploit it mercilessly. I just don't get why he and the coaches have not after 6 years developed his right side at all. He could be a much better player with a few right sided tricks by hand and or by foot.

Does anyone think he actually self reported? One bet could be a brain fade. Multiple bets on 3 games over a 6 week period? Self-reporting is probably window dressing to 'justify' the discount from 22 weeks to 10.

More info: AFL Statement Quite a rap sheet: The multi-bets included legs on: Collingwood to win, Collingwood winning margin, Stephenson to kick a goal, Stephenson to kick three or more goals, Collingwood teammates to kick a goal, Collingwood teammates to kick two or more goals, and Collingwood teammates to have in excess of a number of disposals. For the grand total of $36 across 3 games! Unbelievable that he bet on himself!! That alone warrants the book thrown at him. Those bets are very open to match-fixing. Yet the 22 week ban was reduced to 10. Eddie has been busy to get Stephenson back for finals as @ArtificialWisdompredicted. Also gets a $20,000 fine. Along with losing match payments $36 will cost him $100,000+. Very silly lad.

10 matches. Will miss first final. Tough lesson for a kid.

Is this based on knowledge or an intuitive view of what should happen? Not asking you to divulge info. I've said many times on here I expect(ed) a review to put someone in place to mentor and hold Goodwin accountable. And I have said that isn't Mahoney as he has endorsed Goodwin's decisions of the last 3-4 years. I have little doubt Goodwin publicly backed Mahoney as CEO to maintain the status quo and his own power base. I will be very concerned if we don't have changes in football structure and assistant coaches. I share your views if intuitive and I certainly hope that any info you have is correct.

Here is a novel way of simulating game conditions at training lyon-disappointed-by-eagles-brayshaw-jibe-to-gaff: Eagles players sledge Gaff for the Brayshaw hit as Gaff lines up for a set shot. Gaff misses each time. Its bound to happen in games when Gaff lines up for goal so wise to condition/desentisise him to the sledging. I'm with others here - to do 'free-style' training without a game environment will help in some ways but has limited value in overcoming the 'mental yips'.

I wrote somewhere that players seem confused on when/how to defend and when/how to attack and mused whether there were mixed messages from coaches eg Macca an old school, 'defensive first' coach and Jennings' all out ballistic style of attack game. One thing the first 12 rounds have shown is that defence and 'slow to play on' is a dominant feature of the top 4-6 sides. 'Fast to play on' and attacking football is a dominant feature of lower sides... With Macca no longer a defensive coach I wonder if we will see an even more attacking game style to try and regain 'the way we play'. Will keenly watch how we play, and keep an eye on the bench to see if Macca is sitting there on Saturday. Edit: Article on mfc webste says Macca will be in an overall mentoring position of the AFL and VFL assistant coaches. So not development as per The Age article. Lends more intrigue into Macca's match day role and involvement with players.

All for young assistants. My issue is their lack of AFL coaching experience. Having 2 with 5 years between them, without particularly successful playing careers put straight into line coaching positions is high risk. Rhetorical question: Do they have the experience to create, evaluate and challenge the coach, the game plan, training etc or are they likely to just do the coach's bidding? I was hoping for fresh faces with some 'battle scars' with maybe 6-10+ years experience and some runs on the board. If it was only Goodwin and/or Mahoney making the changes it is not a review. In my experience it isn't possible to objectively review and critique what one has created (Goodwin) or signed off on (Mahoney). My questions are: Who reviews their work? Who takes a holistic review of what has gone wrong eg game plan? How does our structure/experience compare to successful/dynasty clubs? As I said earlier, underwhelming. If this is 'IT' imv we have made a mistake not having an external person involved in the review. I cling to some small hope that someone is taking the holistic view and that at the end of the year we will have fresh faces with more experience in the line coaching positions.

Or maybe Goodwin is a control freak who wants 'yes men' around him. He wouldn't be the first nor the last control freak AFL coach. I will now don my flak jacket as the heavens will surely descend upon me for the audacity of that comment?

Stratton received 2 one week suspensions to be served sequentially so is out for two weeks. Strong and damning words from AFL QC Jeff Gleeson: Stratton’s pinching was “deliberate, calculated, considered and sly”...[and] he intended to hurt. Appropriate result.

When asked about Carlton on OTC last week Roos said he would work with any sporting or corporate organisation on 'leadership' as that is what his advisory/training business does. He was quite adamant he wouldn't go into a coaching role. I certainly got the impression 'leadership' work wouldn't be a 'staff' or operational role. He didn't add to it on OTC last night. I can't get behind the HS pay wall to read what update John Ralph may have but I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a spin on Roos' words last week.

Underwhelming! The only real positional change is Rawlings replaces Rooke as Forward Line Coach and we have two more 'development coaches. Chaplin is now the 'standalone' backline coach. I assume 'standalone' means he no longer shares the role with Macca who I think was the 'Defensive' Coach. Macca appears to now have a Development role as does Rooke, alongside Egan. Is 'development' the 'graveyard' for the coaches we don't know what to do with? Time will tell if this is just musical chairs or a moving aside of people who aren't 'fitting' in, for whatever reason. TBH, I didn't expect to see Chaplin and Plapp survive a review of the coaching department. Both are in their first AFL coaching gigs. All of 5 years AFL coaching experience between them. Goodwin imv needs and deserves better especially as his more experience coaches have been moved aside. Well, I guess he has moved them aside. Must think he doesn't need experience. The Age article says: Several assistants are understood to be out of contract at the end of the season. Perhaps this is when the club will move on Plapp and or Chaplin. Delighted Rawlings is back.

Betting on your captain is far more serious than betting on some other random game. Both break the rules but the first falls into the 'insider knowledge' category and should be dealt with more harshly.