Lucifers Hero

"Ebony Marinoff is weighing up a shock move to Melbourne" https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/womens-afl/melbourne-is-aggressively-pursuing-young-adelaide-aflw-star-ebony-marinoff-who-is-weighing-up-her-options/news-story/96785b39401a9249a0660d4404a1e743 She won the 2017 Rising Star and would be an excellent replacement in the midfield for Cranston and is reportedly good friends with Daisy and Paxman as she played with them in the Darebin premiership last year. Not sure when the Trade period officially opens/closes but it happens by the end of May.

Thank you. The acid test might be if the AFL appoint last weeks Tribunal members to hear the Appeal...at least there would be consistent minds reviewing

Well, I never! AFL to appeal! https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/the-afl-confirms-it-will-appeal-tribunal-decisions-for-carlton-brothers-ed-and-charlie-curnow/news-story/7a480a865412ed41f3ee1975ab318781 I eat humble pie for my earlier commentary of possible behind the scene machinations by the AFL!

I saw that, thanks. My issue is that the only official example the AFL gave clubs was highlighting a Melbourne incident (which actual was legal) when really they should have used various incidents from various clubs. I just felt that it was poor of the AFL to highlight us as culprits when everyone is doing it. The AFL using Hawthorn as a culprit would be good but that would show up Clarkson as a hypocrite...?

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-bows-to-alastair-clarkson-pressure-sends-extraordinary-memo-to-clubs/news-story/cc76fd83c4da1db9b273ae77fa8907e9 You have to feel for the umpires. The email that went to clubs covers: "Umpires are looking for the following cues regarding blocking: — A player who is coming off his line to prevent an opposition player from genuinely attempting to contest the mark. — A player who is using their arms in a shepherding motion. — A player who is not contesting the ball (eyes for the ball vs. eyes on the opposition). Umpires are being coached to look forward of play and to ensure that players making the ball their prime objective should be permitted to contest. – Umpires are looking for players that are held in the contest, in particular with armsaround the opposition". How on earth is an umpire supposed to determine that if there is a bit of a pack? Ah, the mighty AFL have the answer: - If a kick comes from the wing into the forward 50, the umpire in the forward 50 has been instructed to keep his or her eyes firmly planted on the marking contest, rather than the ball that’s flying in. AFL, seriously? Talk about micro control. Btw where is the umpire supposed to look if the kick comes elsewhere the wing? My fear this might kill off the extra man up in a marking contest. How often are 2,3,4 players jostling for position and the extra comes in and marks. Will they now be paid a free against. Thinking Jake Lever here...

AFL 360 showed the video, of an infringement, that was sent with the email. Guess which team infringed? Yep, our Demons was the one and the only 'offender' highlighted in the 'official' video, a video which will be in widespread use by media. Thanks to that exposure there is every chance we will be under the microscope of opp supporters and umpires. Will be interesting how many 'blocking' frees are paid against us this weekend. The video shows Oliver 'blocking' Carlisle for Hogan to mark. Ironically, Jack Riewoldt thought it wasn't a block as Oliver also had eyes for the ball. Anyone confused? Would have preferred they used several examples of different situations from various teams.

No problem as long as they give frees against the Hawks when their players block. AFL programs last night showed numerous times Hawks players block, including incidents vs Swans last Friday night, without penalty. Pot.Kettle.Black. On a more serious note. It is one thing for Clarkson to by-pass the usual channels and go straight to the top guy to complain. But another for Gil to validate that by reacting to complaint and issuing a missive. Bad look for the CEO dismissing due process. He should have sent Clarkson to complain to Hocking or Head of Umpires. Clarkson is probably smarting from being left off the new super duper AFL Competition Committee!

It is telling that the AFL used a different legal Counsel. Jeff Gleeson QC vs Hawkings. Andrew Wood vs Curnows. From my google search he seems junior. Add that the three Tribunal Members selected for tonight were different to those last week. And, it all sets the stage for a perfect whitewash by the AFL.

Is anyone really surprised? The AFL loves Carlton and is determined to favour them at every opportunity. As evidence I offer you the number of Thur/Fri/Sat night FTA games they have been gifted. I also offer the number of Home games (vs some high member teams...good for the $ coffers) at the G (somewhat at our expense). Integrity? Pfft! Consistency? Pfft! Impartiality? Pfft! This is Carlton folks. This week is their home game and need to get people thru the gate to bring in the revenue. Whatever helps Carlton the AFL deliver! Surprised? Nope!

Re not valuing the last 3 wins against 'lesser sides' - I would be concerned if we had just got over the line. But they have been very good wins: Ess: 24 scoring shots. 36 point win. StK: 26 scoring shots. 39 point win. GCS: 41 scoring shots. 69 point win I'll take 6 to 10 goal wins every day of the week regardless of who they are against! There are still a few things to sort out with structures, how we play the G and finding the best-fit position for some players. So, there is every reason we can beat the 'better sides' but perhaps by not such a big margin as recent weeks. In the meantime, I'm happy to boost our percentage.

Congratulations to Tom Mc - selected in TOTW as a forward! http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-05-15/mcdonald-in-team-of-the-week Not bad for a defender-turned-forward in only his second game of the season and precious few as a fwd for the whole game.

It certainly won't help their cause with Mike Fitzpatrick coming out and saying the drugs in 2012 were: "almost certainly performance enhancing" in an interview with Mike Sheahan. Not wishing to derail this thread by posting that here- (The Bomber's Saga thread is now in the General Forum for further discussion on the Fitzpatrick comments) just wanting to highlight the deep, deep abyss they are in...and getting worse. They have increased their membership by about 50% since the 2012-2015 nadir. Will be interesting to see how many hang on after this year, especially as they can't readily sack Worsfold. They have the cash but his payout would be included in their football spend cap which restricts their wriggle-room. There could be be 'riots' among those sanctimonious supporters at the hangar! They are already restless!

Just when Ess thought their season could not get any worse: "My point of view is that it was almost certainly performance enhancing," Fitzpatrick said of the injected substances" https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/retired-afl-chairman-adds-to-bombers-woes-20180515-p4zfb1.html Doesn't get any more damning than! Fitzpatrick would know! The doping saga will haunt them forever and a day!

I just heard Whately and Robbo say Ess should get Craig Jennings to Ess to help Worsfold- that is OUR Craig Jennings! Hope he has enough sense to see we are going places and not be tempted by the money they might throw his way.

The gory details from from Foxfooty: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/mark-neeld-resigns-from-coaching-role-at-essendon/news-story/c1c9569342c0f29a9bbb181edccfd71e "Foxfooty.com.au understands the dynamics among the coaching panel had become unsustainable this year, which filtered down to the players". "It’s believed that aside from John Worsfold, Rob Harding (game intelligence and opposition strategy coach) and Neeld, no assistants were permitted to discuss specific strategy and tactics with the senior coach or players. This extended to game day in the coaches’ box, with almost every suggestion regarding a heavily criticised game plan funnelled through Neeld. This alienated other assistants Mark Harvey, James Kelly, Paul Corrigan and Hayden Skipworth. On several occasions, at least one of the assistants who was not allowed to discuss strategy or tactics, had to discreetly tell the runner messages behind Worsfold and Neeld’s backs in order to get their message out there. Ultimately, the structure didn’t work and Neeld was moved on — the scapegoat in a system that had broken down". It is a terrible structure and process to channel everything through one person and keep other assistants out of the loop but Neeld didn't put the structure in place - that is a Football department decision. Key word in last para of quote: Scapegoat. Glad for him he is out of there Watching the arrogant EFC implode again will be such fun...more popcorn anyone!

The Age is reporting he has been sacked. "Mark Neeld has been sacked by Essendon after his job in the Bombers' football department was made redundant. Neeld's role will not be filled, and he will receive a payout". I could say something pithy about he and Essendon. Essendon can burn hell for eternity but I feel for Neeld's family. I wish him and his family well.

Some opp coaches thoughts on playing the G: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-05-13/cats-new-defensive-style-does-the-trick-again C Scott - "It does take an adjustment (to play at the MCG). The game is played slightly differently... "It's a combination of tweaking our defensive style for this ground and also being aware of what the opposition were trying to do." Buckley on Geelong - "They have the slowest ball movement in the comp by design, so they don’t lose shape when they turn the ball over." So, slow play and sticking to structures (or in my words above defend 'in formation') is the go. We play fast and a press high so structures break down on the G. Will be fascinating to see what we have learnt from the recent Hawthorn and Richmond games next week vs Carlton. It will be a perfect time to experiment with something different, more suitable to the G.

Petty. Then Hibberd and Hunt to take smaller/medium players ala Lewis/Vince. Jetta will be around for a few more years (I hope).

That is exactly my point. CHF seems his 'natural position' (with stints elsewhere) but we have about 6 players rotating thru those roles. Petracca looks a bit 'lost' roaming around like a high half forward/mid. I get what coaches are aiming for with 'flexibility'. Maybe 'flexibility' isn't for him. Some players are best suited to play a role, some players are best suited to play a position. I feel Petracca is the latter. I would really like to see him played as CHF for a few weeks, let him settle there and see how that works. He is so good we can build our whole forward line around him being our 'anchor' and have others rotate around him. I happen to think if we had a bit less 'flexibility' up forward there would be less i50's that ricochet straight back out as it would give the deliverers more certainty on who and where the forwards will be. So for a variety of reasons would really like to see Petracca settle at CHF for a while.

Not trying to be critical and not overly worried (altho 3 goals in 6 games is not a great return). To me he looks out of sorts and think it could be the position he is playing in (not playing in). Like Brayshaw and Salem - put them in their 'natural positions' and off they go! Just can't see what that position is for Petracca in our current line up. The four talls rotating forward take up his marking space and the small/mediums take up his crumbing space. Genuinely interested in folks thoughts of his position to get the best from him.

I noticed this article about our 'awesome foursome' forward line http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-05-12/melbournes-awesome-foursome-here-to-stay and immediately thought: Hogan, McDonald, Weideman and Petracca. But Petracca wasn't one of them - Max was the fourth. And the coach says the four are there to stay. Petracca's 'natural position' is forward often playing as the 'third' tall forward. Early this year he featured in an article about he, Hogan and Oliver rotating forward and midfield. With the return of Tom Mc and four talls rotating down forward that strategy has been turned on its head a bit (for the better). Not sure where it leaves Petracca... I never get overawed by stats so for Petracca they aren't a concern. But that he doesn't seem to impact his games this year on the scoreboard or around the field is worrying. So, With the four talls rotating forward and the bevy of small/medium forwards is it 'too crowded' down forward for him to excel? Is the blossoming of Brayshaw and Salem, brilliance of Oliver and pending return of Viney making the midfield space a bit 'too crowded'? By 'too crowded' I don't mean too many and I recognise we can never have too many terrific layers. I simple ask is he/the club struggling to find his best spot in our current line up. Or is it his work rate? Both? He has shown patches of brilliance and his potential is immense but something isn't working. Yesterday was one of his worst games for a long time. I've no doubt he will become a star and watch out when he does! But approaching 50 games he should be having a greater impact (ala Salem, Brayshaw, Oliver) in at least some games. My question is within our new line up what position is Christian's to own?

Clarrie closely followed by Jesse with apologies to Jack V I hope what Clarrie, Jesse etal are achieving motivates Petracca to become the best he can be. Petracca has the swagger and the ambition (to be in the AFL HOF - his words). At the moment he is riding on his talent. Has the potential to be top 3 but has work to do to be among our very best.

A nice piece about Clarry http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-05-12/star-dees-career-going-swimmingly If we needed reminding how good he is: " Since entering the AFL ...Oliver is ranked seventh in the competition for loose-ball gets, eighth for handballs, ninth for effective handball and 10th for ground-ball gets from 2016-18. ". And: "Oliver has gathered 20 contested possessions in a match six times – one more than Patrick Cripps (five) and ahead of Nat Fyfe and Chris Judd (twice) – in that same 42-game period". He is in good company - would it be too much to think he might win a brownlow in the next few years... And as a forecast of how good he might become: "I'm way fitter than what I was last year..." ? So glad he is a demon and signed up for quite a few more years!

July 31, Saty

The tally was quietly sitting in the 'Membership' part of the website. I'm thinking it is now writ big on the Home page as the club are confident of breaking the 42,233 record. Perhaps some doubt earlier. Count is 41,803, so 430 to go. Time to start 'countdown' clock?