Lucifers Hero

If it is Infiniti - @old dee nailed it back in December: Well done od!!

Panell is the one that gifted the bulldogs 20+ frees to about 5 in a SA game in 2016. He did something similar in a JLT game recently but can't remember the lucky recipient team. He has his favourites and we are definitely not one of them. And wasn't it Razor that paid all those dodgy 'rule of the week' free kicks against Max last year in the Saints game? We are in for a tough time next Sunday, for sure.

At one stage in the first qtr we had 10 inside50 to zip but couldn't put a decent score on the board. Story of our season. We have kicked 37 goals and 50 points this season. Lost easy games to Freo and Pies because of terrible kicking...season down the drain right there. So, my head says we only have ourselves to blame. But my heart goes out to the team, especially Daisy as she gets worked over week after week and gets no protection from the umpires.

Agreed. For some reason our customer service has been a bit lacking this year. Lots of anecdotes throughout this thread on issues re membership packs: cards, scarves etc. Add to that DL commentary in the last few days on our website: lacking training times for the last month/yesterday's work out at Casey, lacking twitter advice of those, lacking advice of today's VFL practice game times - fair contingent of AFL players selected for it, lack of Twitter feed on said practice game (People were posting from the BH site onto DL). Not to mention the 'Get your finals tickets' fiasco last year when we didn't make the finals. I'm with you, if we make communications with the club, using its website etc good experiences they can only help keep the members we have.

Some context needed. We are close to last years figure as at March 16. See dc's post below. Last years final tallly was approx 42,250, so there are still about 7,000 2017 members yet to renew. If there have been 'New' members then the 2017 members yet to renew is >than 7,000. TBH I'm surprised we haven't significantly exceeded last years tally and already pushing the 42,000 mark. The club (rightly) boasted record crowds at our games last year and for some reason we haven't converted those attendees to memberships in any significant number. On the back of last year's crowds I expected us to push close to 50,000 this year. While there is still time for that to happen, I no longer have that hope. I would imagine the club would be fairly disappointed with the conversion rate of attendees to members.

Mind games or not the Cats seem primed for round 1: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-17/gaz-training-his-way-into-round-one-certainty "Ablett's extended two-hour session has him primed for the season opener – a fixture he has averaged 33 disposals per match in over the past six seasons..."I think his standard preparation for AFL seasons has been no practice matches and dominate round one so hopefully that continues." http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-16/cocky-wants-a-callup-star-cat-cockatoo-shines-in-vfl Nakia Cockatoo has put his hand up for round one after an explosive performance in Friday night's VFL practice. The 21-year-old kicked two goals and picked up 15 disposals, looking a cut above rotating between midfield and attack in a statement he's ready for Melbourne at the MCG in nine days' time. Given our players who didn't get a run at Casey yesterday because of 'niggles' (Lewis, ANB, Jones, Oliver, TMac) and those who have their first run today (Garlett, Jetta and a few others) we will be as underdone (re match practice) as Geelong will be. A 50/50 game.

I think the article is fair and to me it highlights the ALFPA's (interfering) role. I don't take the article as a slight on mfc or anyone at the club. On a different note - I found it amusing that the camp is (ironically) called 'I Don't Quit' (IDQ). I just hope we learnt the 'I Don't Quit' lesson some other way in the preseason so we play 120 minutes each week. Too many players switch off for too long during games and leave too much work to too few. Blink and the quarter and often the game is gone. Only time will tell if we have have embraced the 'IDQ' mindset.

There are still 7,000 members from 2017 yet to renew! Hopefully, they all will but I'm not so optimistic about getting hundreds of 'New' members ie not a member in 2017, even if we do win early games. What is there to get 'New' members to part with hundreds of $ for each member of the family? Not many attractive games at the G. Some unfriendly time slots. People can get tickets to games at gate or days before the game. Can't get 'reserved' seats without buying a 'package'. The NT substitute games at the G aren't against the better teams. All in all, not a great offer to get 'New' members to sign up. We on DL dutifully pay our membership each year. I always think of mine as a donation to the club. But mfc need a lot more than us die-hards to join up and I suspect it won't be this year.

We were finals contenders in 2016 and 2017 but fell short at the last hurdle. Unlike us die-hard supporters on DL' some people will want more than hope and faith before committing. Just being finals contenders won't stir many people. Win a few finals, now that is something else.

Very confusing! mfc website stopped putting up training times about a month ago! Instead 'Training Times' on website refer to twitter for updates - a shame for those of us who aren't on twitter. Anyway, I searched thru the club's twitter feed and couldn't find one re training. I had thought of going but not being confident where/when it was I decided not to trek to the outskirts. According to the Age those in 'rehab' (Viney, Lewis, Jones, Oliver, ANB, TMac - who trained in runners) trained in Melbourne - assume Gosch's paddock. The rest had a 'solid hit out' at Casey this morning.https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/knock-to-knee-restricts-clayton-oliver-but-he-s-set-for-round-one-20180316-p4z4ou.html Somewhere I read that TMac was to prove his fitness at the Casey hitout today for round 1 selection, but given he was at Gosch's in runners I would imagine he won't be lining up vs Geelong.

35,485 We have added about 2,100 members in the last few weeks. I would think this is from the good work the club did getting new members to sign up on Family Day and the ring-around by the players this week. Perhaps a lot of the post round 23 disgruntled members have now re-signed. I think it is the first time we have edged ahead of the figure at the equivalent time last year. We might yet break last years record!

Therein is the truth of the matter ET. We couldn't have both, so Watts had to go - the rest is window dressing!

While, I would love to see him back I'm not fussed when he returns because we are not dependent on any one player. Its worth noting that from rounds 2 to 13 we play only 3 teams in last year's top 8. So give him all the time he needs. We need him for the second half of the season a lot more than in the first half.

Trying to get a read on what the 'little niggles' are that JV refers to: "Having lost support in my foot and running differently and putting different loads through different bones, I've just got these little niggles popping up every now and then". Question: At training is he able to side-step, pivot, lunge, sprint, zig-zag running etc etc? Some insight would help understand what the lingering issues are. Thanks.

I saw it that way as well. He appears to be over the main injuries but it seems like there are side effects in other parts of his foot: "Having lost support in my foot and running differently and putting different loads through different bones, I've just got these little niggles popping up every now and then". Little niggles could be anything from a sore big toe to ...? Whatever the niggles they are enough to limit him to training for at least 3 - 4 weeks before he steps into a match. Methinks, if it was just a case of match fitness he would be playing the Casey practice match this weekend.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-15/star-dees-to-make-r1-bid-in-vfl-hitout AFL players to play match against Box Hill at Casey Fields on Saturday. "The Demons have decided to take the opportunity to get valuable game time into Jeff Garlett (rib), Neville Jetta (quad), Dom Tyson(calf niggle), James Harmes (head knock) and Dean Kent (shoulder) after interrupted pre-season programs due to injury". Sam Weideman and Joel Smith will also play for Casey. Other updates: Melbourne expects Jordan Lewis (calf) to be available for round 1. Tom McDonald will need to prove his fitness in a solid training session planned for the rest of the AFL squad at Casey Fields on Friday. Good to see that so many players are ready to take the field at some level. If they all get thru it should be a pretty good list to choose from for round 1. There will be a few unlucky players at the selection table next week.

I was thinking the same thing. I can't be bothered going thru the 'Jack Viney Foot' threads but I recall confident predictions by the club/Jack, that he would be on the training track (not just in rehab) pre Xmas; then early/mid Jan; then late Jan/early feb; then ready to play a JLT game; then ready to play round 1; revised now ready to play round 3 (maybe). Posters who think there have been no setbacks and this was always the plan should go and read those threads. I know that things change and progress is unpredictable but the constant revisions makes them look like they have no idea or they are leading us on or both. The club/Jack could simply say '...its a work in progress...' without a time line attached.

Not meaning to correct - I posted the WO venue just in case readers headed off to Casey. At least it is on 7mate.

Definitely game of the year - two in form teams and everything at stake. BTW the game is at Whitten Oval. Live on FTA: '7mate' at 7pm

I agree but the vast majority of the players at the end of the 2017 season ie what Goodwin refers to as their 'first footy heartache' have been their for a number of years and certainly thru the 2016/2017 heartaches that we supporters endured in that time. Lets hope they have learnt their lesson to not listen to the external noise (about finals and 'elite' talent etc) and instead knuckle down and fight to get respect and success and reward us long suffering supporters.

Spot on Rocky. I think 'straight bat' has become Goodwin's om - not necessarily a bad thing but it gets a bit boring touting out the same sort of stuff. Here is an article which rehashes major events of last 6 months. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-14/day-from-hell-spurs-goodwin-to-greater-heights Interestingly, about round 23 he says: "Goodwin describes the brutal end to the season as this group of Demons' first footy heartache..." WOW! I can think of a few 'footy heartaches' for success starved supporters with this group of players! Have to wonder what makes the guys tick when they miss finals in 2016, then in 2017 lose to bottom teams (Freo, North x 2), let games slip from their grasp (Geelong, Richmond, Hawthorn) and not feel 'footy heartache'. Goodwin: "It's what you actually do. As a playing group, and as a coach, that's what we want to go and do. We don't want to talk too much." Couldn't agree more - talking time is over! It is time to deliver!

I cant get behind the paywall but the headline contradicts the quoted text which says: The AFL has joined ASADA in fighting a Freedom of Information request made by a member of the public seeking access to doping control forms Why would the AFL side with ASADA to fight release of info and at the same time threaten to spilt from ASADA if info is released. Is there something in the article that explains the apparent contradiction? If not pretty dumb of the HS to run with it. Anyway, who is the AFL supposedly threatening? It is up to the courts to decide what to released. A confused and not very logical person wrote that headline - Robbo perhaps?

Ladder after round 6. Basically any of the top 5 teams can make the GF (if I have the logic right). From the Top - If: Bulldogs win - in GF at Home Demons win - in GF at Home Crows win can dislodge loser of Bulldogs vs Demons and into GF as they have extra points for drawn game GWS win can dislodge loser of Bulldogs vs Demons and go into GF as they have extra points for drawn game Both Crows and GWS win the one with the higher % will go into the GF Lions win go into the GF if Crows lose and their % is better than loser of Demons vs Bulldogs. (This is the only scenario in which our % counts). We must win next week! Or we rely on Lions to beat GWS (by just a small margin) and Pies to beat Crows. We might look back and rue the game we lost badly to Freo after having the proverbial 'unassailable lead' at the end of the first quarter Again we hold our destiny in our own hands! Go Dees! Thanks to @dl4ethere is another outcome - a draw with Bulldogs will see both teams into the GF

Quite right. There aren't many win/lose combos next week when our %age will come into play - see the 'Run Home' thread after the siren.

We are thrashing them all over the park except the scoreboard. Must convert the advantage in the final quarter.