Lucifers Hero

On SEN this morning Tyson said he played golf a few days ago with Jack, Lewis and Roughy. Make of that what you will. I reckon Jack still has a few friends in the playing group.

Hope not. If the club don't like his comments they should not have allowed him on SEN. Or else ensure that he has a script to talk to and tows the company line which Jones so obviously does. I liked hearing Tyson stick up for his team mate.

Lets hope the umpires don't decide who wins this year. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/afl-grand-final-fair-go-for-all-from-the-umpires-at-the-mcg-please/news-story/dd26db5f59740617c8e4847d13e5294b The league were embarrassed to the point that then-acting AFL general manager of football operations Mark Evans rang Sydney chief executive Andrew Ireland on the Tuesday after the match to apologise for the umpires costing the Swans four goals. The winning margin blew out late to 22 points after the Bulldogs kicked the final two goals in time on of the final quarter. Kept quiet at the time but quite damning. The dynamics are the same this year: i/state club vs a Vic fairy tale story. I fear for the Crows' chances if the umpires fall for the fairy tale again.

That comment plus other posters saying key players want Watts out is sounding like Stringer Mark11! Not in the sense of the level of misdemeanour but more in the dynamics around how is being pushed out of the club. Goodwin is a Rookie coach. As @Ron Burgundyeloquently says in above post: The problem with most first year coaches is that they try too hard. They squeeze the grip too hard, they lack soft hands, they micro manage far too much. Let him breathe Simon. I would like to see Goodwin take up the challenge to get the best from Jack rather than turf him out and some other club reap the reward with a coach who treats each player as an individual and knows which buttons to press to achieve their best. At the moment it looks like he is washing his hands of 'a problem' that he seems unable, impatient or unwilling to try and 'fix'.

HaHa! A Trident membership is dearer than a Redlegs! And I'm sure the Romsey Manor is far more palatial than my Bayside digs

Who was the interview with Bbo and what was said.

If you go Redlegs do it quickly. I have had mine for nearly 20 years mainly to get the GFG (an eternal optimist). In July I wanted to add my niece and there were not many left Redleg memberships left. It seems a bit unfair of the club to increase the GFG by so much - they haven't increased the Redlegs membership by very much at all.

Because Jack is very popular. Kids love him. Adults love him. I don't think it is just losing Jack, per se. It is him being 'kicked out' that will irate and will spur people to vent their spleen. Wise, you have an incredibly favourable and forgiving view of people at the club and good on you. But I don't think that is typical.

The Ox on SEN is going ballistic at the news that Watts 'is gone'. It is quite funny hearing him try and contain his anger on air. Through gritted teeth is an understatement... ...if Jack goes, the mfc had better prepare its Communications staff for another sh..t storm to hit its phones and emails...

After 186 and HWSNBN defected the club was desperate to keep some positiveness around the club. Jack was one part of that. There were a few others. But for Jack, that lasted one contract term and not 'over the journey'. In reality no-one earnt their contract value between 2011-2013. Its not something to hang Jack over. The circumstances were not of his making.

That is not correct. It is a myth people make up to support their views.

Hey, L 36. I find your comment the most fascinating I've read about Jack. If I recall correctly you were the first to 'break the news' that Jack had 'not fulfilled expectations' in the pre season (something that Goodwin and Jones have used against him all season). Yet you clearly recognise his value to the club. Can no one see the impact on players, supporters, sponsors if he goes? Is anyone grilling the coach about the options before we shoot ourselves in the foot and get so many stakeholders off side? Would really like your thoughts on what is going on.

How long is this club going to unceremoniously oust its loyal players: Junior, Greene, Bruce, Grimes, Dunne, Trengove and now probably Watts. I'm not suggesting we keep under performing players. But I'm over rookie coaches, who have no affinity or historical connection or love of our club dumping much loved, loyal players because they want 'to make their mark' or 'make a statement'. Mfc motto - give us your youth, suffer the injuries and when we get a new coach he gets out his broom and sweeps you out the door. Not a good look for mfc.

Jack is immensely popular with sponsors and supporters so surely the decision can't be made by a rookie coach. Who makes the final call: List Management Committee? Mahoney? Jackson? The Board? At some clubs certain trades have to be approved by the Board. For Jack the decision may not go that high but the impact on the club overall requires a bit of due diligence to ensure he is being 'kicked out' for the right reasons. And, not just because a rookie coach is frustrated with him and wants to make an example of him.

That is a really good question. There is a formal link in the sense that Melbourne owns the license for both the AFLW and VFLW teams. But their seasons are not concurrent. AFLW play Feb/March and VFLW play alongside the AFL mens. eg Daisy and Daren Paxman and a few other Demons played in the VFLW GF last weekend. I'm thinking the Casey VFLW is to develop the game and our brand in that region.

I had a look at mfc's membership page and couldn't see any players listed or the option to pay $5 (?) for the to have a player on card. I may be looking in the wrong place... Or, is it now free? Do you know who is being offered?

The problem with Hartlett is he is on, mega $$ when Port went OTT in 2015 when North were chasing him big time. Port gave him a 5 year deal to go with the mega $$. They regretted it and last year tried to trade him for sal cap reasons and wanted a first round pick. His 2016 was average and there were no takers for his $600k pa contract. After meeting with a number of Melb clubs he stayed at Port. He had two good years 2014 and 2015, got his big contract and then very little. So, if one of the reasons for trading Jack is to make sal cap room for Lever then Hartlett won't help. I would rather keep Jack at least he kicks goals and relieves in the ruck!

Hehe, what if he kicks the winning goal after the siren in a GF, against us!!! Oh, the unbearable irony.

Maybe be some within the List Management Committee want to keep him and some don't. Then the 'rumour' as to whether he is going depends on who a source is talking to inside the club. There does seem to mixed messages in the rumours. Jack made it clear he does not want to leave the Dees so I agree the initiatives are certainly not coming from him. #letjackstay

Totally agree with that. My concern is they will allow the additional clubs 'poaching' rights and draft privilege like they gave GWS and GCS which will dilute the quality of the teams already in existence. We saw how GWS and GCS for the lesser AFL existing clubs. The AFLW teams won't have the resilience to bounce back as they themselves will be fledgling teams still. Nonetheless, the expansion is a now a given and I was looking at it from an MFC point of view. It is a huge opportunity for MFC to capture the players and their supporters in the south/south east before STK and Hawthorn do.

I just started a thread in the DL Women's forum but think it is just as relevant here: AFLW Expansion. https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/why-essendon-and-hawthorn-were-overlooked-for-aflw-licences-why-geelong-and-north-melbourne-are-in-for-2019/news-story/5567991b13f37b81126bbf5957c6e831 Existing Teams: Carlton, Collingwood, Melbourne, Adelaide, Freo, Brisbane, GWS. Bulldogs 2019 - Geelong and North join 2020 - West Coast, Richmond, St Kilda, and Gold Coast join. ?? - Essendon, Hawthorn, Port, Sydney (have not applied for a license). There will be no AFLW team south of the Yarra until 2020! Even then it will be the Saints who look to the bayside as their catchment area. We have a Multicultural Academy taking in the area around Dandenong. We have the Casey Demons. From next year we have a Casey Demon's team in the VFLW. This is a huge opportunity for MFC to lock down the southern and south east corridor of Melbourne and its outer ring suburbs as its catchment area. It is really important we establish ourselves before Hawthorn move to Dingley when they will spread their wings from the east to the south east. The potential for supporter growth in the next few years is huge with a commensurate increase in memberships beyond that.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/why-essendon-and-hawthorn-were-overlooked-for-aflw-licences-why-geelong-and-north-melbourne-are-in-for-2019/news-story/5567991b13f37b81126bbf5957c6e831 Existing Teams: Carlton, Collingwood, Melbourne, Adelaide, Freo, Brisbane, GWS. Bulldogs 2019 - Geelong and North join 2020 - West Coast, Richmond, St Kilda, and Gold Coast join. ?? - Essendon, Hawthorn, Port, Sydney (have not applied for a license). There will be no AFLW team south of the Yarra until 2020! Even then it will be the Saints who look to the bayside as their catchment area. We have a Multicultural Academy taking in the area around Dandenong. We have the Casey Demons. From next year we have a Casey Demon's team in the VFLW. This is a huge opportunity for MFC to lock down the southern and south east corridor of Melbourne and its outer ring suburbs as its catchment area. It is really important we establish ourselves before Hawthorn move to Dingley when they will spread their wings from the east to the south east. The potential for supporter growth in the next few years is huge with a commensurate increase in memberships beyond that. Mods - sorry I opened this in the wrong forum. Could you please move to the AFLW Forum. Thanks.

I think some convenient reporting is happening to create headlines and stories. From my reading the sequence has been: circa $300k was reportedly Crows opening offer early in 2017 - probably their 'strict formula' for a 3rd year player. Who knows if it increased during early negotiations. He put off talks to see what the CBA looked like. In the meantime other clubs came in, with WB reportedly set to offer $800-850k. CBA done and clubs were given a $2m sal cap windfall to spread around. I recall reading the Crows then offered $600-$650K. CBA done but now Lever decides to wait till the end of the season. Lever made the AA squad after the Crows' reported offer of $600-$650k. At some stage MFC joined in. The figure I saw reported a few weeks ago in The Age was MFC's offer of$750k+. With the AA gong it makes sense the Crows would revisit their offer. So do the Crows need to pay >$900k Warner says MFC have offered? (btw Warner's doesn't have a good track record for accuracy, headlines are more his thing). Conventional wisdom is that players will stay at a club for less than other offers. I guess it depends how much he wants to get back to Vic. Nonetheless, I doubt the Crows will let him go without another try to keep him. Sorry response is a bit lengthy but thought I would use your question to summarise happenings, as per my interpretation of events and reports.

The deal is not done yet: "...Michael Warner told On the Couch:...“Five years, $900,000 a season,” he revealed to gasps from panel members Jonathan Brown and Jason Dunstall...The Crows will come after the Grand Final pretty hard and I think they’ve got some more money to offer.” TBH, I don't give a lot of credence to anything Warner says/writes. But I wouldn't be surprised if the Crows open their cheque books for Lever. But Lever seems a genuine kid so if he says he is leaving he is leaving. It would be really disappointing if he/his manager have used us as a bargaining chip, as his team mate Tom Lynch did two years ago.

Quite a lot on innuendo in those " " quotation marks. Not one of your better efforts. Fitzy was a guest of another player or dare I say partner (without quotation marks). Molloy is a panelist on the Ch7 footy show. ...and no idea how they vote!!!