Lucifers Hero

Weideman on SEN: -His grandfather and Barassi are great mates -His family is delighted about going to the Dees -Had spoken to Melb a few times over the months and knew we would take him!! -Delighted he is playing with Jesse...and who wouldn't be!!!!

Oliver won me with this comment: “I do pride myself on being competitive. I always have ever since I was little. I just see the ball and want to get the ball. I always want to win. I never want to lose,” Oliver told Fox Footy...“I think they (Melbourne) like my inside work, my clean hands, work at the stoppages and competitiveness.” I like the maturity in that...proud of his strengths and nothing egotistical about it! The words underlined would be music to Jesse's ears...he made similar competitive comments after the RS award. With that attitude Oliver will fit in nicely with the commitment our your brigade have made to winning. For too long it was ok for our players to accept losing/floggings. Can't help but think there is a new breed in Demon town!

Maybe Oliver is a late bolter only to the media and football watchers!! In a recent interview Taylor said we have a scout (whose name I have forgotten) who watches players from under12 onwards!!! Taylor would also have the benefit of scouts for underage players from his days at Collingwood. So Taylor has been watching him (and other draftees) for a very long time. If Taylor takes Oliver @ 3 he will have a damn good reason. And, it won't be because Oliver is suddenly making the headlines! I for one won't be doubting Taylor's choice.

EQ's list is her opinion of 'quality'...I think of it as her view of 'best available'. Emma watches a great deal of underage football so her opinion on quality is worth noting. Her mock draft in a week, is predicted order of players which is where club/recruiter research comes in...club's view of 'best available'/'needs' It will be interesting to compare the two.

surplus a graders...what a wonderful day that will be

Wise, do you really think we don't understand that!! We are outraged because that could have been done on Monday! It wasn't - strongly suggesting we were not prepared to give up 25 on its own. We have! We rolled over - to that crap lot near the airport. That is the issue.

Peanuts?

The Age reporting the deal is done for pick 25! Can't believe we rolled over. At some point we need to take a stand during Trade week and show some mettle and play hardball otherwise we will always be seen as suckers and wimps.

As one of those 'junkies' the CAS hearing starts Nov 16 but most unlikely the verdict will be known before the psd (Dec 3). So it is still 'buyer beware''

Did we say a 2nd rnd pick or our 2nd rnd pick? Even if the latter, by the time FA comp picks for Leuenberger, Selwood and Academy selections happen pick 25 will be closer to pick 28-30. That seems ok.

A good throwaway line 'ManDee'...obviously its not possible to make a future event fact. My hypothesis was: there is a miniscule chance JM will not be available for rnd 1, 2016 because: - Not all 34 players will get the same ban...some will get a lighter ban eg 6/12 mnths - JM is one with a lighter ban (MFC would have checked if he was one of the 2 with 'abnormal' TB4) - He has served 6 months already. - He can serve 6 more months if he takes another 'voluntary' suspension thru this off-season. Where is the fault in the rationale? The point really is that the CAS related risk of taking JM is very low. Not saying it applies to you but lots of generalisations on here about player suspensions often based on wishful thinking and are looking at time banned rather than games missed. Out of interest, how many games do you think JM will miss?

I wonder why the 34 EFC players haven't taken another 'voluntary' suspension, just in case. Added to the 6 months already it means a 1 year 'voluntary' suspension would have been served pre rnd 1 2016. (Maybe they have/will and EFC/AFL will make it public after the GF). Note: players can still train with their club while in 'voluntary' suspension. Those on here that assume the 'worst possible case' ie all 34 will get (the same) 2 years with no backdating and no credit for any 'voluntary' suspension are unrealistic. Here is my rationale as to why:- - 2 of 34 players were found to have 'abnormal' levels of TB4. - I can see these 2 players getting a 1 or 2 year ban and the others getting a lighter 6mnth/1 year ban. - Any ban may include backdating and will include credit for 'voluntary' suspension served. People may not like that suspensions are served in the off-season but those are the rules. I trust MFC to know if JM is 1 of the 2 with 'abnormal' TB4...safe to think he is not. So if my rationale is correct he would get a lighter penalty (if any at all). The backdating and credits would see him available for rnd 1 2016. If he comes to us I hope MFC encourage him to take another 6 month 'voluntary'. Even so, IMHO there is a miniscule risk that he will not be available to line up in round 1 2016. If you think otherwise, please read this post again.

Agree Dom, Kennedy is an A grader but next year he turns 28. There aren't many A graders of that age who continue A grade performance if not surrounded by equivalent players. Our players aren't at that level (yet) and by the time they are the JK's of the world will be well past their prime. Not sure using a high 1st rnd pick for a player who gives us 2-3 good years is very good value.

So their 'A' players are off limits but they want to off load an 'older' B' player who at 27+yo is probably past his prime, for a high 1st rnd pick? No thanks!!

Some significant names still OOC: Garland 26 (RFA), Hunt19, Michie 23, Howe 24, Toumpas21, Harmes® 19 The longer they are OOC the less likely they will be at the Dees. However, Harmes is a 'must re-sign'...we need to keep Jesse's buddies at the Club!! Jokes aside, he had some terrific games this year and he has bucket loads of what Jesse calls 'competitive edge! So he has earnt a contract and promotion to the senior list. Probably waiting to see how the list and # of places pan out before finalizing it. Fully expect him to be in the Red and Blue next year! While its always sad to see Dees players go I am slowly accepting departures are necessary to significantly improve.

'I'va Worn Smith' has foreshadowed this in another thread. He rated his source a 7/10. So it is worth getting a little excited! He tells us we will know more after the GF but then this could mean at the end of Trade Week Hoping it is sooner rather than later. It could be that Barrett has been reading i'va's posts here on DL...it pleases me a great deal that the likes of Purple cannot find out what is going on at the Dees... The thing that is also good about the 'silence' is that the relevant player manager is also keeping 'mum'...it is often these guys that leak rather than the clubs or players.

I read the trade rumour threads and that player 'x' is a 'ball getter' or 'hard at it' or 'a clearance machine' or 'is competitive' etc. But I am not reading about any players that are fast, skillful or blessed with footy IQ I hope that if we trade away Watts and Toumpas and Howe we find some players that give us some skill, IQ and outside run in their place..

The CB minimum senior player payments for 2016 are: - base pay $83,240 and match payments $3,605 per match - for 22 games = $162,550 pa. This will be a lot higher under the 2017 CB. How much more each player gets depends on experience, performance and perhaps incentives. Melksham is 24 with 6 years experience, played 114 games and has a good B & F record. Mahoney and Viney will make sure a WADA suspension is covered in the contract. In fact, I would expect the AFL has specific clauses included in all Ess player contracts who have changed clubs. I am happy Goodwin and Macca will make a good selection decision based on list requirements. I am happy that Taylor and Viney will make a fair trade with EFC. I am happy that Mahoney and Viney will negotiate a fair contract that is in sync with other MFC/AFL players of similar age/experience. Nothing to worry about folks!

http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?/topic/38451-delistingstrades-at-end-of-the-season/page-101?hl=delistings Melbourne delists: Fitzy McKenzie Riley Bail No surprises I guess but always sad a demon player go. They did their best in tough circumstances. Wish them well. That makes at least 6 list changes.

Ess offer the guy only 2 years and less $$ and they want A grade trade in return. If they truly valued him that highly surely they would better our offer! They start with such a ridiculously high ambit demand for trades that they get far too much in return. Given the reports on how we are handling Jeremy Howe's contract, I am confident TV and JT will not be conned!

This is a coaching movement rather than player but nowhere else to really put it. It seems that Little, Jobe Watson and others flew to Adelaide in Little's private jet to get Worsfold to coach Essendon! They broke their verbal and 'handshake' undertaking to not approach other club staff! Dubious ethics and gobsmacking arrogance! That club has learnt nothing from the drugs saga and ethical boundaries! Adelaide (rightly) not very happy as they are playing a final this weekend. Ess have apologised...too little too late...(no pun intended)

I saw this in an AFL article: 'Eade said the club would focus on picking up the best available talent in the upcoming draft, while it would use the trade period to boost its playing stocks in the 22 to 27-year-old age bracket.' Suns appear to be losing Dixon so will need a 'tall'...could it be that Watts and Howe are heading towards the sun. Maybe in return for a player eg Prestia, O'Meera, Bennell? In an ideal world we get to keep our 1st round pick.

Lachie Plowman played a pretty good game today, having started on the bench: 20 poss (3 kicks, 17 HB) of which 6 uncont. at 85% efficiency and 3 tackles. Not bad for 1st game this year at AFL level. We get to have a closer look at him when he plays against us next week.

From Greg Denham: '...Carlton who, with Melbourne, are also chasing out-of-contract Giant...Lachie Plowman' From the GWS website: 'A tall defender, Lachie Plowman was selected…with pick three in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft. With a terrific ability to win the contested ball in the air and at ground level, Plowman is a poised player with good decision-making skills.' As a defender, our interest could be a replacement for Dunn and Lumumba in a few years (earlier if their form doesn't improve). Plowman has played forward so could be a 'swingman' type or a replacement for Howe. My doubt around Plowman would be why a #3 pick cannot get a game in 2015, a year riddled with injuries for GWS. But then we can certainly use a lot of 'poise' and 'good decision-making skills'!!!! While doubt remains about Roos' ability to convert player attitudes there is little doubt about his nous picking 'the right' players. Right now I am very happy to take anyone who gives 100% effort and get rid of anyone who has a poor attitude and won't/can't change. So, I would take him as he would come cheaply.

It seems that among Essendon's 20 uncontracted players there are 5 Free Agents:- Tom Bellchambers, RFA Courtenay Dempsey, UFA James Gwilt, UFA Tayte Pears, UFA Brent Stanton, UFA Jason Winderlich, UFA Watch the AFL deal EFC back into the early rounds of the draft if some of those guys go and it gives a few 2nd round picks. What is suppoosedly a shallow draft becomes a lot weaker, especially when you add all the FA's floating around that are likely to attract 1st round, end of first round, 2nd round picks ie Suckling, Dangerfield, Selwood, Leuenberger. Plus all the Academy players (4/5 in the first round), so on the current ladder our 2nd rnd pick will be about pick 28-30 ie the 28th-30th best player!! Yes, the Academy clubs need to pay the 'draft points' but they are getting the best players. Can't see a strong case for keeping any but our 1st pick.