Lucifers Hero

As a long time scribe on the Demons, our story and our indigenous players, I thought it very appropriate that Martin Flanagan was there and chaired the Q&A.

On first reading this http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-07-19/club-reconciliation-action-plan-launched I wasn't to sure what to make of it or what it really meant. But when I read this http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/liam-jurrah-back-in-demon-fold-20170719-gxei8e.html about Liam Jurrah, I got it. Its really good to hear Liam is getting his life back together again. And, kudos to Peter Jackson, Neville Jetta et al for getting this program going. It is substantive and not mere tokenism. And how good is it to see "Jurrah, who hails from Yuendumu, a remote indigenous community in the Northern Territory, joined former teammates Austin Wonaeamirri and Aaron Davey at the RAP launch, with current indigenous players Neville Jetta and Dion Johnstone also in attendance". (I think Jeffy wasn't there because he was back in WA) Those guys have given us so many exciting times and still more to come from Jet, Jeffy and Dion. Edit 1: Melbourne will wear its Indigenous guernsey, designed by artist Mandy Nicholson, for the first time on the ‘G this weekend. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-07-19/jetta-a-man-for-all-people That article is a great tribute to Jetta. Jetta the player, the family man, the leader, the much loved Demon Champ! Edit 2: Fab pics! http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-07-19/gallery-reconciliation-action-plan-launch

Jack Watts plays his 150th game this weekend. In so many ways it has been a tough road. Jack, along with Jonesy and Maxy who have also done the hard yards for so long, you really deserve to be holding the premiership cup one day. In the meantime, I just want to say: 'thanks for sticking with us through the tough times, enjoy your 150th and hope the team win it with you on Saturday'.

Do I detect a review of opinion on when Gus will be ready for selection...? I agree he has a few hurdles to overcome hence my suggestion it would take 2-4 weeks for him to be back at AFL. And as I said, he lost his spot for poor form but until then he was selected alongside ANB and ahead of Harmes and Bugg. I don't recall them adding much value in the middle. Gus only had 2 games at HFF so its a bit hard to say he isn't versatile as he was injured early in the 2nd game so its not a great sample. They may be ahead at this stage but imho they won't be after Gus has 2-4 weeks at Casey. His biggest asset over them is accurate passes to i50 (our major downfall last week and for many weeks before then) and the number of goals he sets up for other players, especially Jeffy! Gus is one of our best at 'lowering' his eyes. Of ANB, Harmes and Bugg I would have only ANB as a starting 22. Anyway, lets wait and see how he goes at Casey for a while. Its one week at a time for him. Wishing him all the best and that he enjoys himself and stays safe. Then que sera sera.

Totally agree. Given that other players have come back in after long outs with one or no Casey games then when Gus is ready he will come straight in. My guess is it may take 2-4 games for that but that still leaves 2+ AFL games this season. An in form Gus would be selected before Harmes, ANB, Stretch, Kent, Bugg, Wagner etc etc. So if we look like making finals Gus and the club would be really keen to give him the max number of AFL games possible before September. This year they played Gus in the forward pocket which didn't suit him, his form fell away and he was dropped. Hopefully, they play him in the midfield altho finding a spot may be difficult given the number of good players we have there. Otherwise, teach him to play forward pocket. He is such a smart player and very good user of the ball - almost in the Salem/Watts category. Our delivery to inside 50 will improve heaps with Gus in the middle. Can't wait to see him confident and playing again. A major achievement for the lad.

Jones answered a question in an interview. You prefer him to squib it? That would look great! As to why Jones made the comments: Because Bernie isn't following team rules. Rule # 1: Follow team rules Rule # 2: Follow coaches instructions Not that hard surely.

Great to see the coaches sorting out his technique: "Brayshaw was predisposed to leading with his head and they have been trying to alter his approach to ensure he leads more with his body to absorb the contact coming his way". http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-07-18/demon-angus-brayshaw-to-return-in-vfl-after-concussions At times Gus has been too brave for his own good and getting his technique sorted would give him a lot more confidence and most importantly keep him safe. We have had very few games where Gus (out for a lot of 2016 and 2017), Petracca (out all of 2015), Salem (out for most of 2016), Hunt and Hogan (out most of 2017) have been on the park at the same time. 5 or 6 games maybe, in nearly 3 years? How awesome to see all those young guys fully fit in the same game. A real treat coming our way at the G later this year .

bb, not everything a club rep says is bs or spin. I doubt Jones is giving him a serve on radio then behind the scenes saying: '...yeah, go Bernie, knock his block off...' I would be disappointed if the club and our leaders didn't read him the riot act, publicly and behind the scenes. Bernie knows how short we are of fit players. He rolled the dice, he lost. He has a rest and the team suffers.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-07-18/vince-needs-to-smarten-himself-up-jones Our captain certainly isn't happy and gives Bernie a serve: "He really does need to smarten himself up," Jones said..."It's happened far too often with him over the past 12-18 months, he's been (suspended) too many times..."It's frustrating for us because he's a very important player to us." Can't argue with that.

If Lever decides to go it will be interesting to see what Adelaide want for him. Their best offer for Gibbs was '2016 year's first-round pick (pick #15), a small slide of an early future draft pick and former rookie Jake Kelly'. Lever and Gibbs are at different stages of their careers but it would be hard for Adelaide to demand more than they offered for Gibbs. And technically they had to offer overs for Gibbs as he was under contract. So on Adelaide's 2016 value system a good first round pick and steak knives should do it!

Don't see it that way. Even if we lose to Port (which I think is 50/50) for us to fall out of the 8 requires StK to beat Sydney or Ess to beat North. Yes, it does! But it isn't relevant if the other teams were already locks for the top 8 or aren't in contention. Rich and Syd were already locks. I am confident of of saying StK and Bulldogs won't make the 8. Spots 7 and 8 will be between us, Eagles and Ess. Bottom line is we win games we make it. We don't win games we are dependent on the other contenders knocking each other out.

I see it a bit differently. Firstly, let me say making the top 4 wasn't realistic with all our injuries. In terms of spots 5th to 8th - Richmond and Sydney were locks for a spot before this weekend. The Bulldogs can't make the 8 so beating Carlton is of no consequence. The Eagles having a big win will drop StK out of the 8 and drop Ess to 10th. On principle I would rather see Eagles in the finals than Ess! I'm not sure what you were hoping. If the finals were now it would be Rich, Syd, Melb and Eagles playing in Elim finals and there is a good chance that will be the result altho the positions may change. For mine that is a good result for us especially if we get a Vic final and avoid it being vs Sydney.

When will the umpires start penalising the bulldogs for their throws. It is so obvious - they swing both hands out the front and the ball flies out. Its very rugby style. Obvious!

This might be a bit easier to follow. Frost has put off negotiations. Would expect ANB to be next of the 2017 OOC. Then early extensions on a batch of the 2018 OOC players as the club spends its $2m CBA bounty and spreads it around a bit. Will help keep poachers at bay. Being realistic the 2017 OOC players most at risk are Trengove, Spencer and despite his good work it may be Pedo as Weideman becomes more developed.

Another memorable moment by Hunt last night was his chase down of Charlie Cameron. He caught up enough to make Cameron dribble the ball rather than have a clean kick. It was fascinating to watch the two of them go flat out. Cameron is also very fast, Hunt is just faster!

Have to give credit where credit is due: Dangerfield! He couldn't walk but kicks 5.6 (most after the injury) leading to the ball. He single handedly won the game - Geelong won by just 3 points. He is tough as - has played many games this year with bruised ribs. Constantly plays with extreme pain. As a player has it all: extremely talented, fast, tough, fair. As a person he seems intelligent and honest. If he wins the brownlow it will be very well deserved. He is one of the best sporting and football role models going round. Has few peers at the moment.

Goal of the Year for Hunt! Nice way to put icing on his new contract!

Surely that is Goal of the Year by Hunt!!

Did I read somewhere in this thread about AFL 'integrity'? What skerrick there was won't last long: "Whether they are not [back in the AFL system], depends on their actions and behaviours from here. But I know our industry is forgiving... I feel confident they will get another chance," McLachlan said. The ink is barely dry on their resignations and Gil comes out with that. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/simon-lethlean-and-richard-simkiss-could-return-to-the-afl-says-gillon-mclachlan-20170714-gxbt9m.html So they will go to pergatory for a while then welcomed back with open arms, perhaps James Hird style... Truly pathetic by Gil.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-07-15/hunt-captured-for-three-more-seasons "...since his first AFL match last year, he hasn’t missed a game." Great effort and fantastic for him to show faith. He is the type of player that will bring people to games because he is so exciting to watch. ANB is probably the next to be signed up. Then contract extensions for Petracca, then Hannan, then Jetta the the McD's etc.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/scott-mcgrory-says-james-hird-handing-out-norm-smith-would-be-like-lance-armstrong-handing-out-yellow-jersey-at-tour-de-france/news-story/53e1573e803cb4af0c1effc3f92e9202 As usual with the ESS saga it takes someone outside the AFL industry to call the elephant in the room. "OLYMPIC cycling gold medallist Scott McGrory says getting James Hird to hand out the Norm Smith Medal at this year’s Grand Final would be like getting Lance Armstrong to present the winner’s yellow jersey at the Tour de France... putting Hird up as a “role model” was “a really bad image for the sport”. The AFL industry media are so beholden to the AFL that it won't call out this elephant in the room. McGory quite rightly says: "...that while AFL commentators are often critical of other codes, they need to hold their own sport to the same standard". Of course that will never happen if they want to stay on the AFL media drip feed.

Talking of medals and handing them back, what did happen to Jobe's Brownlow? He said it was in his sock draw, his manager said the 'dog ate it'. After some hullabaloo and concern that Jobe didn't actually give it back, Gil said it was in a draw in his office. But Jobe's cousin, Jeb Ross of StKilda has said it may be hanging on the wall at their grandparents house http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/essendon/jobe-watsons-cousin-seb-ross-unsure-if-brownlow-medal/news-story/8bf8e12a30f03c1ab19bdbd23b70d90c Jeb said: “I’m not sure if that is a replica or the real one. I don’t know if they have got it tucked away.” I wouldn't be surprised if the whole 'handing back the medal' was just a charade. If the real Brownlow medal is still in the possession of the Watson family it is a disgrace by the AFL. It taints the Brownlow name and is offensive to the real winners, Cotchin and Mitchell. Grand Final day and Hird presenting the Norm Smith medal = public cleansing of St James on the biggest stage of our game! Sickening.

I thought about PJ being an AFL appointment (but not sure how much money they actually put in) and whether to credit them in my op. But. The AFL helped us but only after they crushed what little 'brand' we had with the 'guilty of not tanking' verdict. That verdict was the last straw that dropped us into the abyss. The least the AFL could do was give us a step ladder to get out. PJ and a few $ were that step ladder. Sure, I appreciate what they did but on balance the AFL have given us peanuts when compared to the favourable FTA time slots and big Vic teams opp at Home MCG games that Rich, Ess, Carl and Coll get. They have achieved nothing for years but still get fixture favouritism that brings millions into their clubs each year. And, lets not mention the favoured franchise clubs. The AFL put up some coin but its PJ et al that have dug us out of the abyss and now we are standing on our own two feet. I find it hard to give too much credit to the AFL.

A pleasure LaDvC. The ~$1m is for both the NT games - I'll go back an edit, thanks. If the link doesn't work maybe go directly to The Australian website - AFL. Re accessing behind the paywall: I find that The Australian allows 2 articles a day before the 'subscriber only' flag comes up. My browser is Firefox. I copy the article heading from The Australian website into the Firefox search box and click 'paste and search'. After the search click on the article title and it appears. It usually has a 'film' over it and a large 'subscriber box' on the screen. Click the x in the top right corner of that box and it and the 'film' disappear.

Lots of topics covered in this article. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/resurgent-demons-ready-to-reap-1million-windfall/news-story/4a719b44c0f14d07e32d2677749ff2a9 Our (off field) success In a nutshell: a healthy $1 million profit within reach this year. (Prior to Peter Jackson we had made a $1.7m loss) record membership figure of 41,500 average home attendances at the MCG are up by 23 per cent. NT deal worth almost $1m per annum. should also qualify for more Friday night action next year ANZAC Eve now a 'blockbuster' and will be our home game next year. Melbourne appear certain to not be disadvantaged again as they were recently by being dealt a harsh draw with four games in 18 days. Not a 'power' club yet but a far cry from the pre PJ era of a rabble, irrelevant club. I particularly like the predictions for next year's fixture; it bodes well. And with the NT deal expiring at the end of next year we may be financially strong enough to give it up. (But I doubt we will - Essendon tried to pinch it off us last year and part of NT is in our multicultural zone). On field, in 2013 we ended the year 17th with a percent of 54.1. Now we are pushing for finals with a percent over 100. An incredible turnaround in the 4 years of PJ's reign. Its hard to believe he arrived a mere 4 years ago. Lots of people have had a hand in the turnaround but it was PJ who laid out a plan for the Board and implemented it. It was PJ who hired the right people to hire the right people and empowered them do their job. As others have said before: we are in very good hands and thank God for PJ. And, when the likes of scathing Demon critics: Greg Denham, Damian Barrett and David King hop on the Demon wagon it is a sure sign we are relevant again!