Lucifers Hero

Its worth remembering we are contracted to play only 9 Home games at the G. So the extra two 'Home' games will almost certainly be at Marvel Stadium. Plus the two 'compulsory', 'Away' games there it totals 4. Not so good for members. Without NT members gain only if there are more (total) games in Vic but lose because we will no longer get the 2 NT substitute games at the G. It will be only the 9 contracted 'Home' MCG games. What could be worse, the AFL could change other aspects of the fixture: oh, gee whiz the Dees go i/state only 5 times lets even it up with other teams and give Dees extra 'Away' game(s) i/state'. Two annual trips to Perth, anyone? Lets be careful what we wish for.

Yes. It was very odd that Sydney traded him for just pick 61... Some post-trade/DFA player movements are interesting... Hawks delist the contracted, Will Langford ('for list management reasons'). He is then a DFA, he announces his retirement, then a week later the Hawks announce they will rookie him as a DFA so he doesn't go into a draft. Hawks to rookie Langford Brisbane coax the contracted Jarryd Lyons to join them (after the trade period closes) and GCS conveniently acquiesce and delist him and he becomes a DFA. Brisbane get a contracted player for zip, Gold Coast get nothing in return...?? Lyons to Brisbane Mumford seems to qualify as a DFA, altho delisted last year, and can go to club of his choice ie bypass the draft Mumford to GWS From a far, these look premeditated to happen post the trade period closing as no attempt was made to trade Langford or Lyons and neither requested a trade. And, there seems to be a new rule for Mumford: I think the rule is that if a player retires he needs to wait a certain number of years and come back thru the draft, but not entirely sure how that works. The DFA status gives clubs a convenient way to 'manage' their list 'by-pass' draft/trade rules. The whole area of what is a DFA is becoming very murky!

Source: Champion Data Fixture Summary The Bulldogs have gone 'under the radar' in terms of media review of the fixture. They have an absolutely dream run re who they play twice, 5/6 day breaks, i/state trips etc. If someone ran an analysis of all the variables I reckon they could come out with the 'easiest' draw of the lot! The AFL is giving the Bulldogs every chance of be relevant again. Ditto Adelaide, they have a dream draw but travelling i/state makes it a bit harder. Both clubs have fared well given there recent successes in finals. Coll doesn't travel so much but lucks out with 8 six day breaks. Essendon is also up there with 7 six day breaks. Who is played twice is not a measure of how difficult 2019 becomes; some top teams slide, others come up. I expect Cats, Swans, Hawks to slide a bit. Question is who rises to take their spots - Crows? Bombers? Power? Our draw is very reasonable. I like that we play Sydney and Ess early in the season and if we win those we are off to a good start re potentially difficult teams. One thing is certain, it will be a very open season again.

Its interesting that the AFL has put its chips on Essendon on the back of their 'successful' trading...last time I looked their only trade of note was Shiel. Last year the AFL put its chips on Carlton who have now been banished to day games (only two night games). Backing Ess could easily backfire, not as spectacularly as Carlton did but backfire nonetheless. But hey, couldn't happen to a 'nicer' club!!!

Home games at the G vs Ess, Hawks, Tigers and Pies is huge for us financially. Also huge for fans to see us play some really big games at the G. Will be good for memberships. Lots of good value games to watch - a few may be sell out games! Edit: Not fussed that ANZAC and QB are 'Away' as we only miss out on hosting rights - the 'return' games will still get good crowds as fans come to the G to watch some damn good games.

Travis Auld: “We want to bolster Friday nights, we want to make sure that Thursday and Fridays are really strong that those feature events are there.” "We want to reward teams that have been playing really good football...West Coast and Collingwood are the two obvious ones but Melbourne and Essendon look quite exciting after trade period...So we want to feature them in the right spots as often as we can.” Melbourne and Essendon set to take centre stage Thursday and Friday nights here we come!! Hopefully a few are home games at the G as better for our sponsors and members!

Not sure if this is guesswork but here is a view of the Easter - Anzac weeks. Thursday 18 April: Easter Thursday (Brisbane v Collingwood?) Friday 19 April: Good Friday game (North Melbourne v Essendon?) Saturday 20 April: Four games Sunday 21 April: Easter Sunday, two games Monday 22 April: Easter Monday (Geelong v Hawthorn) Tuesday 23 April: No footy Wednesday 24 April: Anzac Eve (Richmond v Melbourne) Thursday 25 April: Anzac Day (Collingwood v Essendon) Friday 26 April: Friday Night Footy Saturday 27 April: Four games Sunday 28 April: Two games Easter and Anzac Logjam Presumably the AFL will keep the Rich vs Coll and Demons vs Ess as the games post ANZAC day. Hopefully, Melb and Richmond play their Pre Anzac games on the same day, ideally Sat April 20, altho the article suggests Rich could play North on Good Friday. I just hope we are not disadvantaged by having the shortest breaks during that 3 week period relative to our opps. Will put my hand up as being wrong about an Ess vs Carlton Good Friday Eve match. It was requested by Ess and endorsed by Carlton but fortunately the AFL had different ideas.

Heard the news? The AFL wants 'Carlton to be Great Again'!!! AFL general manager...Travis Auld: the Blues were never going to be stripped of the fixture privilege despite their struggles in recent seasons. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-10-27/afl-reveals-opening-round-fixture-for-2019 Carlton will get other favours one way or another: The new Good Friday Eve vs Ess game, also a stand alone, marquee Thur night game. They may have less Fri nights but will still get some, will have lots of Home games at the G vs big Vic clubs (good for revenue) and will get more than their fair share of FTA broadcast time slots eg Saturday night and Sun afternoons. Yes, some sour grapes on my part when it comes to Carlton's many privileges but mostly I feel for the likes of North, Bulldogs and Saints who are small and get few favours to help grow: Catch -22!!

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Fair comments by those that suggest a crowd of 25K+ will break even/make money. But this for the majority of the season from smallish crowds vs i/state and small Vic clubs is not financially beneficial. But, my comment re financial impact of Home game opponents was that if the majority are vs 1/state or small Vic teams we are being disadvantaged. Imagine the difference to our bottom line if we played Ess, Hawth, Rich or even Carlton at Home at least once each season. Anyway, I feel we have earnt the right to host those clubs at the G. Will eagerly await the fixture to see how we fare. I bet Carlton do better than us at the G and they aren't even a tenant! Ditto Essendon but to a lesser extent.

The AGE: "The AFL...is set to reveal the full fixture on Wednesday" The Easter/ANZAC fixturing will be interesting to see which of the 4 ANZAC game teams get advantaged. Ess have pushed for a new time slot - Good Friday Eve game vs Carlton. So Ess will have the biggest advantage over that period. As we play them after ANZAC Eve I'm preparing for disappointing news on length of our breaks between games. Hopefully, we play Easter Saturday afternoon.

I'm not so sure it will. Remember we are now out of pokies so that revenue is gone. Sure, winning games will bring out our demon fans but not i/state fans and we need big crowds to boost revenue and to keep Home games at the G which means a decent number of opposition fans. Home games vs Port, GWS, GCS, Freo, StK, North, Syd, Brisb just aren't going to fill the seats and help us financially (and fund things like new facilities). We have now earnt the right to get a decent fixture that will help us financially and our Home game opponents is a key part of that.

Port is not a good start to the season financially. We will probably lose money or barely break even. Last year the majority of our Home games at the G were against i/state teams or small Vic teams both of which are terrible for our Revenue. Add to that our two Home games in NT and our revenue from Home games becomes rather meagre. In 2019 we will be relying on the QB vs Coll games to top up the coffers (ANZAC Eve is Away). Oh, and please no more gifting Carlton and Essendon 4 - 6 Home games each at the G. It is not their home ground. Let them play at Marvel!!

Yes, 5kg heavier (96 kilos) but 5cm shorter. That in itself tells a story. I have a niggling doubt - that he might be of the Watts, Hogan mould. Talent to burn, lauded as a star before time but struggles with motivation to do the difficult things to be the best he can be eg diet, fitness. Jessie leaving really opens up the forward line for Trac to kick more goals and find space. Hope that is enough motivation to step up: He would be aware that his contemporaries at the dees and elsewhere ie JDG have moved well past him. Time for him to shine, to cast away the doubts.

Just for interest - here is a list of the Academy and F/S players in the draft and where some pundits have them. I've seen some mock drafts with North's Tarryn Thomas going in mid 1st round. With all those 2nd round possibilities, I can see our pick #54 going up the draft to the low 40's and pick #62 up to the low 50's - pick #53 perhaps ?

Just for interest - here is a list of the Academy and F/S players in the draft and where some pundits have them. I've seen some mock drafts with North's Tarryn Thomas going in mid 1st round. With all those 2nd round possibilities, I can see our pick #54 going up the draft to the low 40's and pick #62 up to the low 50's - pick #53 perhaps ?

Mahoney said May will be the General of the backline. So it doesn't matter if he isn't in the 'official' Leadership Group. Lynch isn't coveting Cotchin's captain role and I suspect May to have the same approach and probably quite happy to have that burden lifted and settle into our structures and our culture.

Hey, MAH, I recall somewhere you mentioned that Keilty and T Smith had been re-signed for another year as Rookies. Would like to update the 'Contracts' thread but have been unable to find anything from the club. I noticed the AFL article showed no-one at mfc was still un-signed but do you know if Keilty/Smith contract extensions have been officially announced. Thanks.

Unfortunately, Essendon has already earmarked the Good Friday Eve game but against Carlton and to make it an annual event. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-proposes-good-friday-eve-blockbuster-against-carlton-for-2019-20180809-p4zwlb.html It is yet to be ok'd by AFL but wouldn't be surprised if it happens - AFL is still trying to get Carlton 'successful again...' As we will play Ess the week after Anzac Eve/Day - it gives them a big advantage by having a longer break before the Anzac games. Hopefully we get Saturday afternoon to even it up a bit. Will be filthy if we get Sunday twilight. As an aside, I just don't get this fixation of including Carlton in big games. They do not deserve the permanent opening season fixture and certainly don't deserve the Good Friday Eve game.

He still loves Jessie. ? The video of him hearing the sad news is in this link How many kids going this. I am especially thinking of the little guy in the pic below who is the son of @markc Hope your little fella and family find a new demon hero.

It was mentioned somewhere that Carlton tried to get him during this year for a similar job. Being a smart fellow, he turned them down but that was when there was much talk that he was a serious contender to replace Jackson. Hopefully, he and Pert become good mates. But he is such a good operator, for his career development he will move on at some stage. Hopefully, not before we deliver a premiership or two.

It seems that trading of picks continues for a month: Friday, 16 November 2pm: NAB AFL Trade Period closes (for exchange of selections only). Can't find anywhere that future picks are excluded so I would assume they can be traded as officially we are still in the trade window. However, I'm assuming future picks cannot be traded during Live Pick Trading at the Draft. But who knows...

Callous by Scott. How different is that to how other teams handled requests for trade. Helped the player and did a fair trade rather than dig their heals in and keep asking for more. They haven't improved their team much during the trade, their best are getting older so maybe karma will keep them paddling around in the middle of the ladder!

Poor form by Scott. But in character! Apparently Kelly is on draftee wages - not much at anytime let alone for a family of 5. WCE offered him a decent package. I don't recall the figure but the AFL average is around $350K. Hardly 'a Scully' if he went to WCE for somewhere around the average. It would behove Geelong to look after Kelly financially and revisit the $ in his contract for next year - after all he did come 2nd in their b n f and got them to finals.

Quite the opposite: "Jesse Hogan has taken a significant pay cut to get back to his family in Perth and play for Fremantle". https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/hogan-accepts-pay-cut-to-join-fremantle-as-stars-switch-clubs-20181017-p50aa2.html It makes his decision to go to Freo even more baffling: leaves a team on the brink of success for one at the bottom, takes only a three year deal and a pay cut. Baffling. Its no wonder we weren't able to get a better trade deal - much easier to get top picks if player is on a long-term multi $m deal. Mahoney did a great job getting the deal he did.