Lucifers Hero

Freo won't let him go for just one compo pick (albeit it one in the top 5 the way Freo's season is shaping up). Because Fyfe is 'Restricted' Freo can match any offer as Adelaide planned for Danger. In the end Danger went to Geelong for a 1st round, a 2nd round and a player (and Danger hadn't yet won his Brownlow). Fyfe would command much more especially if he has a good year. So any club wanting Fyfe needs to be prepared to pay in draft picks/players. But I don't think Fyfe is going anywhere.

Scott is dreaming of us having two ruckman so his guys can stay down and collect the hitouts. I can't see anyway Spencer will come in, especially as the team vs St Kilda @ Etihad was deliberately chosen to go with a short forward line. Why would Goodwin & co change that strategy just a fortnight later. Pedersen far more likely.

I agree 'nutbean'. IMO it is easy for Goodwin to allow a more free flowing footy because Roos drilled the team in 'defence first' and 'contested play' in his first 2 years. In his third year Roos was all about 'attacking' football which all young players like and Goodwin also favoured. Without Roos' first two years Goodwin would have no chance for the attacking game plan he now has. Any player not at the club prior to 2014 just wouldn't get what Roos really achieved and why he coached as he did. He played 'bad cop' allowing Goodwin to play 'good cop'. So if players had their nose out of joint by Roos so be it - as you say nutbean: He is the coach, period! I so dislike 'purple' - he is always trying to stir the pot when it comes to the Demons using mere innuendo to create a 'story'. And his comments are stupid - everyone knew Roos was going at the end of 2016 so why would anyone whinge about 'if Roos had stayed'. It wasn't an option so I don't know what 'purple' is rabbiting on about!

Apparently based on the Geelong doctor's report it was deemed to be low impact. As Caro said the Carlton doctors 'did not mince words' in their report to the MRP. So Hogan and Lewis deemed to be medium impact. It is all in the doctors wording, emphasis and the language. eg Carlton doctors could have said something like: Rowe was nauseous and dizzy after the game but we could not confidently say it was a result of the Hogan incident in the 3rd qtr. ...Factual but doubt implied about the cause. Enough doubt to have it ruled low impact attracting a lower penalty? Draw your own conclusions...

A senior Officer of the AFL (can't remember who) has the power to ask the MRP to review a case. Now that it is reported that Carlton medical reports reflected their anger, it is a case where a review is warranted in my book. Not much point the AFL having a power if it is never used. The Hogan/Rowe event has the more tenuous link of the 'hit' and 'delayed' concussion symptoms. The club should ask for the AFL for it to be reviewed (and accept the Lewis one). Then the AFL can ask the Carlton doctors why they didn't check Rowe on the ground or at 3/4 time. I know the answer it is either because there was nothing to see or because they didn't want him off the ground for the compulsory 20 minutes. Either way the doctors have their own case to answer. I would like MFC to request the AFL for the Hogan review to show that we won't take it lying down when another club sets out to nail someone. And to test the power of MRP review system.

Exactly! I don't get that the MRP puts such a heavy reliance on the Cripps and Rowes medical symptoms after the game but the doctors did nothing at the time. In neither case did they even send runners out. I just had a look at the video again and at no time does Rowe's head hit the ground. He clearly falls on his left hip and then leans back. That's it! When does he get the concussion? And, anything could cause his nausea! I think most people accept a penalty was inevitable but the severity based on coincidental events is galling. Carlton are sore losers. Edit: Both incidents happened in the 3rd qtr. Shouldn't the doctors explain why they didn't pick up symptoms at 3/4 time. Don't they have a duty of care to do simple checks? The AFL should investigate why Doctors didn't check if they were worried about concussion.

Caro just said on FC that the Carlton medical report 'did not mince words' and 'did Melbourne no favours'. She said Carlton are angry about the 2 incidence and Melbourne are angry about the medical reports. She said there is 'bad blood' between the two clubs. It sounds like Carlton did a dummy spit and decided to make life difficult for us. The medical evidence apparently is why we won't appeal - pretty difficult to argue against doctors. They stitched us up!

The Age is reporting MFC will not appeal either case. The Club confident we have enough depth? The Club letting players take responsibility for their actions? Either way it is certainly a swift and calm reaction. That alone is reassuring.

Coaches votes: 10 Christian Salem (Melb) 8 Clayton Oliver (Melb) 3 Patrick Cripps (Carl) 3 Marc Murphy (Carl) 3 Matthew Wright (Carl) 2 Neville Jetta (Melb) 1 Nathan Jones (Melb) Looks about right. Delighted that Salem is beginning to make an impact and be recognised. Edit: Overall Lead: 18 Zach Merrett (Ess) 18 Ollie Wines (PA) 17 Clayton Oliver (Melb)

This is the latest I can find: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-22/extiger-don-join-mrp MRP members: Chris Knights (ex Adelaide) Jason Johnson (ex Essendon) Michael Christian (ex Collingwood) Nathan Burke (ex StKilda) They are all ex plalyers. Not sure what schooling, if any they have in medical matters, gathering or weighingevidence etc. Do they even have check sheets to evaluate each case. Surely, they would question why the Geelong doctors medical evidence on Danger had them assess as 'low impact' to the head (from an elbow) but the Carlton doctor evidence had Hogan and Lewis classified as 'medium impact'. It seems they can't even apply consistency in the same week let alone week to week. Baffling!

Cripps did not go off the field. The doctors did not check his jaw. How do they know the fracture didn't happen in another contest? But they somehow manage to convince the MRP that the 'minor' fracture was caused by Lewis. I'm tired of us not getting the benefit of the doubt.

They wouldn't make the same decision if it was a 'pet' and favourite clubs like Essendon, Bulldogs, Carlton or Giants. I'm really sickened by the MRP decisions today. I'm so over our club being penalised for things the MRP and AFL turn a blind eye to when it suits them.

Well, Well! Carlton have somehow managed to find that Cripps Jaw was 'fractured' by Lewis! http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-04-03/exclusive-jaw-fracture-leaves-patrick-cripps-in-doubt-to-face-bombers But. AFL.com.au understands Cripps' injury is at the minor end and will be assessed this week ahead of Sunday's clash against Essendon at the MCG. It is understood the fracture is not displaced. But, No reports of Cripps having scans today so why did they not check him yesterday and take him off? Or, have the Blues overplay the evidence.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-04-03/match-review-panel-full-statement-round-two Hogan: 2 with an early plea. Quote: The incident was classified as a three-match sanction. Lewis: 4 down to 3 (includes a one week carryover penalty). Quote: The incident was classified as a three-match sanction. The player has an applicable bad record which impacts the penalty, increasing it by one match to a four-match sanction. An early plea enables the player to accept a three-match sanction. Absolutely ridiculous. This is a repeat of the Trengove on Dangerfield tackle. Melbourne being made an example of. Club should appeal!!

Interesting reading. I can't see how they get to 58 finals. Lewis has 23, Chuck has 1, Bernie has a couple, Hibberd and Melksham might have a couple. I think Lumumba is included to get it to 58. Take him out and we may have the lowest finals count. Take him out and other stats drop: average age is 22.8 (a fraction older than the youngest team, Brisbane Lions); average games are 52.3, the second least experienced but for Brisbane Lions etc etc etc

Here are ALL THE GOALS! Someone heard the DL cries after only having the 'best' goals last week. On club website, now: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/ Enjoy them all!

38,119 That is 392 since Friday night. I would say there would be plenty more from yesterday coming through in the next few days as the membership team processes them. And as I noted above beat Geelong on Saturday and that will be quite a flip upward!

That was: last game of season; we ran out of puff; drank own bath water; on their home deck with 95% of crowd their fans. This time: we are fresh; we just got another reality check vs Blues; a neutral ground and a more even crowd. Geelong aren't the fastest team going round - Play our fast, get the ball forward by any means game with players running to overlap and we have a very good chance of getting the W. And Viney has previously stitched up Selwood and Vince stitched up Danger. If they do that again it is in the bag, said more in hope than true belief...

Goodwin said at half time that we were over-possessing the ball and we should be tapping the ball forward more (and not try to take possession). We had reverted to 'slow play' - tried to pick up the ball, take on the opposition, go back to take a mark, go backwards etc. I hate to say it but the worst offender at taking on players was Viney' - its a habit he is finding hard to break. Last week we ran and tapped and pushed the ball forward and reaped the rewards. That is our brand. When we take slow play options we are vulnerable. I'm sure Goodwin will be working on that this week, especially going on to the fast deck at Etihad.

Lewis is on a 'promise' of sorts. If he gets a week it becomes two as he has a carryover 'bonus' penalty which doesn't expire until sometime in May.

DeeS...you may get away with calling Watts and Garlett shirkers but you lose all cred saying Jordan Lewis is afraid of contact.! And, lets move this to the post match thread or else it will default into a Watts bashing thread!

3Qtr time: Port 117, Freo 46. Freo never had much offensive, now they don't even have defence nor contested game Lyon may have a long contract but that won't save him. Freo have deep pockets and they showed their ruthlessness when they sacked Harvey and in the dark of night poached Lyon. World of pain for all. It may be just enough to lose Fyfe.

It may not be a BOJ sponsor but Akambo Wealth are on board for another 3 years. https://www.google.com.au/search?q=+Akambo+Private+Wealth&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=aIPgWNKrBYbp8wfwgJrYCQ Article doesn't say how their name will be presented on our club/player gear. Can't imagine they would forget to mention it if Akambo Wealth were the BOJ sponsor, would they? Good news to have them continue! A good start to the year probably helped. I'm sure a BOJ sponsor can't be too far away.

Interesting that Macca suggested he latch onto Viney and Stretch and learn from them - just shows how highly Stretch is thought of. If last weeks BOG performance was classified by Macca as 'just scratching the surface of what he was capable of...' then other teams had better watch out. For us: Happy Days Roos always did have a good eye for talent!

It appears to average around 400-500 in the week after. If we win and the membership tent is still open after the game or people sign up on their devices after the game/at home tonight/this week our membership office will be busy. The big boost to memberships will be if we beat Carlton and Geelong at Etihad next week. Those two teams embarrassed us in rnds 22/23 last year and have been nemesis teams . Then would expect substantial membership numbers to follow leading up to Easter. My tip is still to reach 40,000 by our ANZAC Eve game.