Lucifers Hero

I can't include Jack T in a list of disappointments. He has shown passion, loyalty and grit through the most trying of circumstances. He has come back from the most challenging adversity. Have great admiration for how he has conducted himself and how he has always put the club first.

We have quite a bit of talent and it is a joy to see young players being rewarded with rising star nominations, our 'older' players (Hickey and Pearce) doing well, newcomers like Alyssa Misfud be exciting and familiar Demon names of ole taking the field again (Harriet Cordner). I had hopes that our team would form a 10 year dynasty and have some real success together. But then I saw this article which says all players (including 'marquis' players) are 'up for grabs' at the end of this year as all contracts were for just one year. http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/aflw/aflw-stars-and-marquees-up-for-grabs-for-season-2018/news-story/22ddffb4e14694b7c6cb0e793882cf15 I don't really like that system as a club could virtually lose the core of their team in one season made worse this year as it is the first season and teams are only just beginning to gel. Don't know about everyone else but I'm getting quite attached to our players. I just hope that our players want to stick with the might Dees!

Thanks guys for all the info. Choke, yes my smart samsung is one of the first made in 2012. Research re chromecast says compatability isn't always 100% on my model...some chromecast features don't work. So, last night I ordered a usb MHL-HDMI adapter for my phone to connect to TV. It has an extra port for the normal phone charger so can charge phone while connected to TV. It was only $7.00 on ebay so no loss if it doesn't work. Adapter should arrive in the next week so will report back on how it goes. Fingers crossed.

Congratulations to Jasmine for a terrific game and her well deserved nomination http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-02-28/grierson-nabs-a-rising-star-nomination Our second rising star nominee!

Many thanks choke. It seems my very old Smart TV is not fully compatible with Chromecast and its too old for 'screen mirroring' on the Smart phone to function. So may I ask your thoughts on a few things: 1 I was wondering if a mini-HDMI/Adapter (from smart phone with AFL Live app) to HDMI cable/port on TV will work, (theoretically, eliminating the need for chromecast). Cheers

The lid is ajar! I will take it off when it is clear the players no long 'drink their own bathwater'. Round 2 vs Essendon and Rnd 22 vs Carlton were especially embarrassing losses after which the players more or less admitted they let earlier wins go to their heads. They thought those games were 'gimmes'. 2016 games for which the team needs to redeem itself with wins or very solid games: Rnd 2: Essendon Rnd 6: St. Kilda Rnd 17: St. Kilda Rnd 22: Carlton Rnd 23: Geelong We play those teams in Rnds 1, 2, 3, 5. By the end of round 5 I will be ready to take the lid off!!

Agree, our increase to 2016 has been static at around 3,200-3,500 since October. Re the March 2016 increase - last year the family day was Feb 28 so the impact was more in March so I wouldn't expect the early March increase to be as high this year. I'm not as optimistic as your good self, re the end of March figure. A while back I posted we could reach 35,000 by round 1 and 45,000 for the year (end of July). The figure that really counts is the Final so I'm sticking with 45,000!

In his SEN interview Max said his time forward depends on who is the '2nd ruck'. If Spencer then he will go forward more. If Watts then he won't as much. Can't see a Gawn/Spencer combo when the bench is back to 4. There was a bit of talk around the Carlton game of players doing 'Team First' things which we saw quite a bit. And when talking about Watts' omission T.Mac was clear about what was required for him to make the team: "It's about realigning what's important for the team," McDonald said..."I can't really tell you guys (the media) what we're working on, but it's about understanding there's roles that have to be played..."For our team it's not about kicking goals and getting touches, it's about doing what is required for the team." That makes me wonder if Jack doesn't want to be a 2nd ruck so struggles for motivation for that role hence his lack of 'intensity' and missing 'KPI's'. So will be interesting to see the round 1 ruck combo given that none of Frost, Watts, Pedersen have had a run yet. The JLT game vs WCE will have 4 on the bench so that should give us good idea of who will go with Max.

I saw that yesterday when updating my schedule. Can't imagine what software they used to make this a leap year!! And did you notice how they rectified it for the 'March' page...they gently eased the 29th out again! So the rest of the calendar is ok.

I agree. They won last year because we were not to good at zone defence (early days) and they kept getting the ball out the back. (Essendon, Port and Sydney did the same). We have refined the zone and taken a lot of the risk out of it. Nonetheless, the real answer is to stop supply to him out of the middle. Given how strong our mids now are and how we use 'angles' around the ground I reckon we can stop him getting too much of the ball.

Salem with be in our top players whatever position he plays in. The main reason Roos played him in the back line is because we didn't have the right people to play there. Anyway, it was good for his development. We now have several players who can be attacking and accurate out of the backline so don't see a reason for him to play back again. He is much more dangerous around the middle and forward.

Good to see Essendon lose

The writer seems to rely on Jones' comments...maybe Jones forgot there is a VFL practice game next week. I get what the club is doing with Watts but to give him no match practice, even at VFL practice games, just doesn't make sense as it compromises his readiness to play be it VFL or AFL. Goodwin himself said Jack needs to be ready to play when selected so if other players get VFL practice games so should Jack, as by all accounts he has been doing all that is required for the last 2/3 weeks; unless there is something else behind the 'suspensions'.

Hope both Jordan Lewis and Sam Mitchell play...entertaining to watch them on opposing (new) teams! Even better if the line up on each other!

Agreed. If we miss a top 2 spot the %age we gave up today will be a major factor. Having said that the umpires didn't help us (I rarely comment on them so feel my gripes today are legit)...In the first quarter the Blues first goal was from a non-free, free kick. The second was from a dubious free, beautifully staged for by the Carlton player. They went goalless until the last when they were given a non free in their F50 that set up the first goal of that quarter (their 3rd for the game). Unfortunately, that set their momentum going and we were caught flat footed. And even tho we won, there went our big %age boost. By the way the AFL has decided that whoever finishes on top hosts a Home Grand Final. Lots to play for still!

So what is your theory on his non-selection, Saty? Can't imagine he would be in the Watts category of 'not meeting preseason KPI's' In the pre-season reviews Macca hinted Jetta had to work hard to maintain his spot in the team. "He’s now part of a really competitive group of mid-sized defenders/wingers, so he’s up for the challenge of winning his spot and keeping his spot..." Surely, Hibberd and Melksham haven't displaced him as 'first 22', already - without playing a game? Will be disappointed if Jetta doesn't get a chance to show his stuff in a JLT game so that he he will be well placed to 'win and keep his spot.'

I think clubs can upgrade a rookie if they don't have a 'full list' of players. I think we were deemed to have a 'full list' when the AFL disallowed a replacement (ie rookie upgrade) for Lumumba. As an aside, the LTI rookie upgrade situation is now rather interesting. Generally, the LTI upgraded rookie goes back to the VFL when the injured player returns. But, in 2015 the AFL allowed StK to continue to play (Sinclair or Schneider, I think) in the seniors even tho the LTI had returned. If the AFL were consistent with that, the Mitch King upgrade could stay in the seniors. It would be a neat move by mfc. But the AFL rarely seem consistent nor disposed to helping us maintain a full list ie no Melksham top up, no Lumumba rookie upgrade, so I wouldn't be optimistic.

While its tough on Mitch it is a good chance for Joel Smith to get an upgrade to the seniors. By all accounts he is performing really well and is impressive.

Caroline has her say: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-20170224-gukxno.html These two paragraphs sum it up rather nicely: "The varying degrees of delusion in that bunker occupied by Paul Little, James Hird, Mark Thompson and Danny Corcoran can be summed up by concluding that all were in desperate positions but none – at least in the recording – showed contrition for the damage they had caused and were continuing to create". "Those who allowed this to happen should be so ashamed of themselves that any personal grievances remain red herrings to what they put their players through. And the side issue in the form of a push for a parliamentary inquiry smacks of an attempt to rewrite the key facts of the club's dreadful recent history." She makes very strong links of Bomber to the recording.

That narrows the options and sets the imagination racing!

Great News! That will put paid to any fantasy Eddie and his cohorts had of getting him over to their side of the paddock!!

Mark Stevens has tweeted Jack will not be selected this week. Then he tweeted: Melb going with theory of picking best side possible ... setting tone early. Reckon Watts will play R1 but battl on now Hmm...Jack not in our best 22... battle on for round 1... Its one thing for Goodwin to set the tone early and it is another to hang a player out to dry. Goodwin must know how the media will have a gorge fest over it and hope he has a plan to support Jack in the background and publicly if the media frenzy eventuates.

Not sure what you are on about. I am very clear about what has been played out here. My position has been very clear from the beginning and has not wavered: See post #96 which was before Max's interview and a many hours before Tom's, I said I believed there was truth in L36's rumour (based on reports from the intra-club) and applauded Goodwin for 'punishing' Jack (if that is what was needed). Unlike others including the op I did not put any store in the claim Jack had come back from the off-season unfit. The op has since dropped that claim from his posts. See post #133 which was after Max's interview (and before Tom's) where he said (and I believed and still do that Jack did not have an attitude problem) I acknowledged there may be other reasons Jack didn't get a game and again I applauded Goodwin. It has since come to light via the Ox that the problem was with KPI's and not lack of fitness and not attitude. Some posters were quick to make assumptions and criticise Jack's activities during the off-season, blame his Footy Show appearances etc without a skerick of evidence to link those to his 'punishment' and jumped on unsubstantiated reports about lack of fitness and poor attitude. I'm glad you and others now accept that Jack: did not come back from pre-season unfit, does not have an attitude problem, any 'punishment' is for other KPI issues, and that Goodwin should be applauded for taking a stand. Good, we are now on the same page.

That is a selective quote, out of context. McDonald's quoted comments, in full were: "It's about realigning what's important for the team," McDonald said. "I can't really tell you guys (the media) what we're working on, but it's about understanding there's roles that have to be played. "For our team it's not about kicking goals and getting touches, it's about doing what is required for the team." So when I read the the first two lines (you omitted) I saw what followed in the context of Max's comments ie trying 2 ruckman and giving Vand and Weideman a go so no room for another tall. And, the realignment perhaps is Max's comment about playing 2 ruckman: Gawn/Spencer; Gawn/Watts. Interesting how comments look when in context.

But The Age Headline is: "Max Gawn insists Melbourne Demons teammate Jack Watts doesn't have attitude problem" http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/max-gawn-insists-melbourne-demons-teammate-jack-watts-doesnt-have-attitude-problem-20170221-guhi2q.html I wonder if the HS people actually listened to the interview. Max said Goodwin wanted to try playing 2 rucks (him and Spencer) and test other forwards who had trained well, specifically Van d and Weideman. No room for another tall last week. He also said Watts' attitude wast the best he had seen in 7 years. He was then asked if he (Gawn) would be playing forward more this year. He said it depends if the ruck combination is Gawn/Watts in which case he will ruck most of the time. But if the rucks are Gawn/Spencer he will play forward more often. People can believe whatever but the JLT games are about experimenting with structures/players/positions so I see nothing sinister in Watts not playing. If he was left out for other reasons then so be it; a coach's prerogative. As a footnote: The most interesting things from the interview was that Max may cut his beard off later in the season and that Goodwin is considering a Gawn/Watts ruck combo. To me they are far more interesting headlines that click bait 'journo's' taking stuff out of context.