Lucifers Hero

Looks like it was 'The heart beats true'. Going by these posts he sure lived up to his name! He is a brave man to weather the Weagles supporters. He did all of us proud. On a side note - Goodwin's reaction on the siren was also priceless - especially for a guy who oozes calm regardless of circumstances!

In his press conf Goodwin said Jesse won't play next week but will most probably play the week after! That will be round 16 vs Carlton game @ MCG. Remembering the game earlier this year when their doctor's dodgy medical reports that cost Jesse and Lewis extra weeks of suspensions! Our best revenge is to thrash them! How good will it be to see Jesse running around the G again!

Agreed re forwards. I think we will miss Watts more than most realise. He is our link man and sets up so many plays. He was also our only genuine tall forward. Very much a makeshift forward line this week and we will need a bit of Garlett and Petracca magic to kick a winning score.

Some damning stats for the pies supposedly 'elite ' midfield. Disposals: Pendlebury 32, Treloar 35, Sidebottom 32 and Adams 29. Not a solitary score between them and very few inside 50's. They are playing in circles! Terrible trading for Adams, Aish, Treloar (and Hoskin-Elliot) - used up lots of first and 2nd round picks. Took what looked like the easy road to finals and now its all falling part. Maybe Bugg can send his ex team mate, Adams a tweet on how it feels to play for a 'successful club'!!!

Paddy McCartin can't take a trick. Was knocked out again in a contest in their VFL game. That is about his 5th concussion since being drafted. He is too brave for his own good (reminds me a bit of our Gus). Feel for the lad. Never like to see a talented player continuously being set back. Hope Paddy takes the same option that Gus has and take some time out to fully recover.

No Nicholls! Umpires: 8. Rosebury from WA by far the most senior of the three with 331 games. 12. Stephens from Qld with 30 games 31. Mitchell from Vic. with 69 games. Hope Rosebury doesn't dominate or get carried away with crowd noise. I do think that local umpires should not be the senior guy for any game.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-06-24/posts-and-personality-a-buggs-life- Not sure if I'm misreading Bugg's comments but is he really taking notice of Goodwin's comments: “{The tweet} was all in good fun – a bit of playful stuff, but it was light hearted. I have a good relationship with Jason [Johannisen] but my conversation with Goody (Simon Goodwin) is that we don’t want it to be the topic of conversation...“We played a really good game and all of a sudden it becomes a three or four-day talking point. I’ll learn to do it at a more appropriate time, but I still want to show my character and I still want to portray things the way I am.” Also, does he have an inflated opinion of himself and his impact on the team and players? Last time I looked Watts didn't need Bugg to 'come out of himself'. Jack is a personality in his own right and its great that Bugg is also. But he may need to pay attention to Goodwin's comments about the club being humble! Finally, this comment: “We’re sitting fifth – everyone’s excited. The supporters are excited, the club’s excited, the players are excited and I’m excited. I’m all about embracing the position you’re in and we’ve done so much hard work to get where we are, so I think we should be celebrating the little wins,” he said. make me really, really nervous. Was it Lewis that said wins should be expected rather than celebrated?. Someone should remind Bugg about not getting ahead of ourselves. Hope Bugg and the team back up last week's win, tonight. Otherwise it is just hot air.

But no talk of him leaving: "Frost appears unlikely to seek a move to a third AFL home, especially when he seems established in a Melbourne team on the rise, but opposition clubs will monitor his contractual situation with interest". http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-06-20/demon-frost-keeps-cool-on-contract-resigning Frost appears unlikely to seek a move to a third AFL home, especially when he seems established in a Melbourne team on the rise, but opposition clubs will monitor his contractual situation with interest. Think he wants to consolidate his form to earn a better contract. Good on him for backing himself in. But as you say risky if he gets injured or form drops off. May he have many more milestones with the Dees and hope the team make this memorable for him with a win!

When the captain, Heppell thinks they have it in the bag and 'stop playing' then lose they get what they deserve! A 1 point, after the siren win is a great way to shut down that smug team and supporters; even better than seeing them thrashed! Its even better when their most experienced and arrogant player stuffs up to cost them the game.

Not too worried about meeting Sydney in the finals as neither team may yet make it and depending where teams finish we may not play them until the Prelim. 5 of our next 7 games are against current top 8 teams. All classic 8 point games. Plus a game vs our nemesis North, in Tassie. We need at least 3 or 4 wins from that lot to play finals. Then hope we don't relax or run out of puff in the last 3 rounds when we play currently lower placed teams. I'm confident we will make the finals but a few tests to pass in the meantime. Then I'll worry about who we play in September.

That is just the best news! He showed his skill and talent in his first season when he won the game vs Ess with a goal after the siren. Cool, composed and deadly accurate. I knew then we had someone special. He is know getting the recognition he deserves.

"The motivation has always been there to stay loyal and ride out the storm, because I feel the reward on the other side of that, having been through the things I’ve been through will, one, make me a better person and better player, (and) two, it would be far more rewarding than having been able to take an easier option (and) chase success somewhere else," he said Terrific interview http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-06-23/nathan-jones-reveals-why-he-didnt-bail-on-demons Jones: "The motivation has always been there to stay loyal and ride out the storm, because I feel the reward on the other side of that, having been through the things I’ve been through will, one, make me a better person and better player, (and) two, it would be far more rewarding than having been able to take an easier option (and) chase success somewhere else," Lots of champions have missed out on a flag but there would be few that have played their whole career at a traumatised club. In that respect, no-one deserves to hold up the premiership cup more than Jonesy! Integrity plus. The team is driven and talented and as he says it is in their hands.

Buckenara is another ex player now commentator trying for click bait, headlines and to feed the radio programs discussion segments! His article shows little insight into what we need and he just throws lots of on-baller names around. He has very little credibility. Re Gus: A resounding No!

This article is a good summary of how we have coped/thrived without Max http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/how-melbourne-has-adapted-to-max-gawns-absence-and-has-improved-overall-since-his-injury/news-story/e6981886e0bd367f30551a0791ce14c0 Something that impressed me was: "This year, the Demons have led the league for average contested possessions (154 per game), while they’re third for uncontested possessions (259.7), are second for tackles (76.9) and fifth for clearances (38.6)". I know stats aren't everything buy that is an impressive set of numbers highlighting our competitiveness and aggression around the ball. Proves the team has learnt how to implement Goodwin's preseason mantra of playing 'from the contest out'. I also like that the word 'sharking' is being used a lot to describe how our midfield is playing the opps ruckman. 'Sharking', has a very vicious ring about it. Reckon the players would be very proud of that label!!

The sting in the tail: "One concept under consideration would see clubs pay a fee to enter the inaugural AFLX event, with the entry fees pooled to help fund prize money...It is known the AFL has looked at the model used by Sydney horse racing officials in their creation of 'The Everest', a race which will carry $10million of prize money, largely funded by entry fees to the race paid by owners of competing horses." Really, a horse racing model! It is known the AFL has looked at the model used by Sydney horse racing officials in their creation of 'The Everest', a race which will carry $10million of prizemoney, largely funded by entry fees to the race paid by owners of competing horses. - See more at: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-06-21/afl-x-is-this-footys-version-of-big-bash?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=RSS+feed%3A+AFL+Latest+News#sthash.MPE6rfOd.dpuf If the AFL want this new plaything let them pay for it and put up the prize money. One concept under consideration would see clubs pay a fee to enter the inaugural AFLX event, with the entry fees pooled to help fund prizemoney. - See more at: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-06-21/afl-x-is-this-footys-version-of-big-bash?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=RSS+feed%3A+AFL+Latest+News#sthash.MPE6rfOd.dpuf

quite right dc. The new average will be around $375k but the new median will be around $250k. Sometimes on DL it is assumed an 'average' player earns around the AFL average pay. Not so. Given the median they are more likely to earn $100 less than the average. Relating this to MFC, players that have CBA escalation clauses in their contract will automatically get an increase. For those that don't, I am confident Mahoney will ensure that the players we want on the list from 2018 will share in the windfall in some way shape or form. They have probably been renegotiating contract terms for those players as we speak.

While we seem to have tamed Etihad and won 3 of 4 games this year, it is still taking an almighty toll on our players. The soft tissue injuries to our most valuable players (Gawn/Jones) happened there. That ground is costing us big time!

@picket fence Hi picket, wondering if you saw the post above about changing your avatar for a while. Are you going to deliver?

We as supporters need to move on from feeling hard done by by the fixture. The club requested the first part of the season games be in Victoria to help with getting members, so not travel. Our last 3 games this year are at the G. . The end result is our travel is condensed into the middle of the season. DL has long called for a bye after a NT game and we got that this year. We can't have everything. On the positive side the team (players, coaches, support staff etc) really enjoy going away together - get to know each, comradeship etc. Important things to build a team and teamwork in the wider sense.

And Richmond are nowhere to be seen!

A lady called SEN during the KB show, saying she knew what was wrong with the bulldogs and it involved two players (which she was asked not to name on air). I think it was Martin Blake who (completely unprompted) asked if it involved a woman and the caller said 'yes'. For Blake to ask that question would suggest there are some stories floating around behind the scenes. I assume that off air she gave the producer more info and the player names. That call will probably trigger the media ambulance chasers to start digging for dirt. Only a matter of time before it becomes public. Poor doggies, their season is falling apart on and off the field. Tbh I have no sympathy for them at all!

Lots of discussion in the media about what has happened to the Bulldogs running game. Yes, in part it is because the likes of JJ are not getting as much space, they aren't attacking the ball, have a hangover etc. But I see an elephant in the room: umpires are paying free kicks against them this year, especially throwing and incorrect disposal when tackled. This slows their game, causes a turnover and the bulldogs can't or won't run the other way. I rarely, comment on umpires but this year they need to be applauded for the more equal treatment they are giving the Bulldogs. I read somewhere they have been pinged 43 times so far this year for throwing vs 16 times for the whole of last year (26 games) The puppies are fair weather sailors really and when the wind changes they have been found out.

This is my favourite line written in the media about the game: "The Demons hunted and stalked their prey with the hunger and cheek of a pack of starved hyenas for a full 120 minutes". Jay Clark, The Australian.

The Age Rnd 12 votes: Oscar McDonald (Melbourne) 8 Tom McDonald (Melbourne) 8 Jack Watts (Melbourne) 8 Christian Salem (Melbourne) 7 Jeff Garlett (Melbourne) 7 So proud of our team, especially those that have had to wear so much criticism or setbacks and able to rise above it and perform as they have recently!. Takes real grit to do that. Well done guys

@picket fence Hey picket, remember the above posts? Now that you are well and truly on the Oscar bandwagon are you ready to change your avatar for a while? I think ProDee suffered a Jack Watts avatar for 6 months...same penance for yourself, maybe? Here is my suggestion!