Lucifers Hero

The AFL has made it harder for the Academy clubs to trade their draft picks down the order to accumulate 'draft points' to use on Academy plalyers. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-08-22/draft-loophole-to-remain-despite-some-clubs-concern?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=RSS+feed%3A+AFL+Latest+News "It means clubs will only be able to enter the draft with the number of selections that matches the available primary list positions at that time". Terrible that the AFL is changing the goal posts this late in the process when some gentlemen agreements would have been discussed. They are trying to make it harder for the northern clubs to get their Academy players but in reality it hurts clubs like us because it is unlikely we could do last years trades with GCS and GWS to get our 2 1st rnd picks.

Good news. Thanks for the reassurance. I think I let my loathing and distrust of everything EFC does cloud my thinking! Edit: Just noticed GCS have picks: 21,23,24,27 in rnd 2. Given they will have at least 3 top 10 picks they may be willing to trade away one the early rnd 2 picks especially as they will want draft points rather than draft picks. eg if Grimes goes as an FA we might get a 3rd rnd compo pick which can go to GCS with some later picks (or other such combo's) for one of 21,23,24.

I fear that as well! It just sickens me that we would help them climb the ladder by being muscled into overpaying for their players. And at some point we need to take a stand or we will forever be done over on trade deals.

One reason why North, WCE and Hawks do well as they have so many 'duckers' who know how to milk the frees.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/melbourne-demons-will-ramp-up-michael-hibberd-interest-at-end-of-season-20160821-gqxvmj.html Not to sure what to make of this: "Goodwin... said it was too early to say Hibberd would wind up under his purview once more...He hasn't made the decision where he wants to go yet...We'll have those discussions at the end of the year...If he fits and he wants to come and wants to be a part of it, he'd be a good asset." I'm glad Goodwin's comment is non-committal as I smell a rat! I reckon Paul Connors advised Hibberd to not nominate a club so he can involve another club and force us to offer a higher trade to EFC than we want. (Connors did a deal with EFC to not take his players away as DFA's). I heard Lloyd say yesterday (because we paid 23 for Melksham) Hibberd is worth pick 20, effectively a 1st rnd pick (aft Academy player picks). I'm expecting all the Ess media fan boys to trot out the same line, again with the intent to force our hand to offer a higher trade than we want. They know we overpaid for Melksham last year and are trying to strong-arm us into the same for Hibberd. The pressure is building. Stay strong Dees - 'Take It Or Leave It' has to be our stand!

Stuie, I have seen a few posts refer to this lately. Am interested to know where it is coming from...can you help?

That has to be rubbish. We do not have any player on $700k and for Hibbered to come in anywhere near that is an insult to our whole team! Just can't imagine Mahoney and co agreeing to that when they have worked so hard to 'pay what a player is worth'. If we have offered that, it makes a mockery of our paying 'what a player is worth' policy. Total loss of cred with the players would result and the likes of Tom Mc would have every reason to be might pi--ed off.

Not surprised. I think Roos was overruled at the selection match committee, again! Earlier this year (can't remember which game) he flagged a 3-4 changes to bring in fresh players and we made only one change (then we lost). At the time I posted that I thought the selection committee had won out. This week he flagged that if Garlett wasn't fit Salem would play...not even an emergency. Roos is very astute - he doesn't flag team changes if he doesn't have a good reason for wanting the change. There is a limit to how much control Roos can exercise. I think Goodwin is making selection decisions with a view to 2017; 2016 is of no interest to him. I firmly believe Roos would have selected to win. Roos would have tightened up our defence today. Maybe Goodwin is experimenting with 'attacking football' and they have yet to find the balance between the Roos' defence first' and the Goodwin 'attack at all costs' approach. Hope they sort that out, fast!! We snookered ourselves today.

One never knows, if we made the finals the 'Stephen Bradbury Effect' might happen for us. We would go in as the in-form team (with Sydney) as the only top 8 teams undefeated in the last 5 rounds!

More Pies games @ Etihad = Fewer interstate games = Less Travel. Eddie has his reasons.

Since when does the bottom team get Friday nights! No other 'low' clubs get prime FTA time slots. They get ANZAC Day, The Indigenous Game vs Richmond. They do not deserve another blockbuster let alone another prime FTA time slot. STKilda, Bulldogs, North and Us have had to earn them the hard way - on our merits by winning games, not having them handed to us on a silver platter. Will be interesting to see how many Friday night games we get!!!! I bet they did not have the courtesy of asking our club to participate before making their request to the AFL.

Of course they want Melbourne - they beat us this year. And I believe they beat us only because of all the 'March to the G' hype, the fanfare etc and they played out of their skins on emotion. Unsettling for our young team. They want to repeat the fanfare and the hype to build up their emotion again. But we will be ready this time. Sorry, but I would not go to that game - couldn't take another dose of Ess smug arrogance, pretending their players are innocent making them out to be heroes. Nauseating!! Edit: Of Course having Goodwin, Melksham and Hibberd at Melbourne for their first game would help them build their hysteria to an even greater frenzy.

GWS score last 3 quarters: 11.6.74 Freo score last 3 quarters: 0.2.2 That is seriously bad. Next chapter: Mutiny on the SS Freo!

Nah, "Traja Dee" has been on this board since 2010 with rare posts; a man of few words...deserves a run with his thread. For mine, prefer we make the finals. Huge for confidence, belief and 2017 membership numbers!

Was anyone else seriously in the hunt for him, this year? Dion must be kicking himself for not taking our offer last year. On every criteria we are better for him (except maybe $$). I have visions of him sitting with his family barracking for the Dees in the GF thinking: I should be out there in red and blue! But he took too long, we moved on. Such Is Life!

I know all that rjay - I was simply answering SWYL's question. As I said Stringer's fall from grace is temporary.

We would repeat the dose of round 20 and send them packing straight out of the finals!!

Pedo is unlucky to not play but he is clearly preferred player ahead of Dawes and has done more than enough in the last few weeks/this year to get a contract extension.

The real question SWYL is what has he not done! Dermott Brereton was scathing: “He is plenty big to rough it up with anyone … (Instead) he runs to the drop of the ball and within two seconds of the ball on its flight path being about to drop, he pulls out of the contest and wants to crumb it...“He’s a powerful beast but to me he’s looking for maximum reward from minimum effort and minimum contact to him...“He’s brave but at the moment he is wanting to play his footy without suffering any body punishment.” When given the opportunity Beveridge didn't disagree with Dermott's comments. From AA to VFL - some fall from grace! Albeit temporary I'm sure. Got to give it to the Bulldogs to have the courage to make that call.

'Being dropped' is such an emotive term (and old fashioned!) To have a chance to work on a weakness away from the spotlight is not such a bad thing, surely, especially with such a young team. Its all part of the improvement process for each player (and avoids them becoming complacent). And no-one is so indispensable that they can't learn in the seconds. (After all, WBD have just dropped Stringer. I kid you not!!) BTW, not in anyway suggesting Hogan should go to Casey and certainly not with a couple of games to play and certainly not until he has signed his next contract!

Vickery is a Restricted Free Agent. ie no trade required - he comes free! Richmond know he has a good deal on the table so they have put him on ice to protect their FA compensation pick from the AFL. I wouldn't be surprised if they got an early 2nd rnd pick from the AFL. Given they don't have a 2nd rnd pick it will come in very handy. Even for free, I wouldn't take him. He might be handy right now but don't see a permanent role in our team.

Very serious players at training today - from club website: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-08-19/photo-gallery-friday-august-19 According to foxfooty Hogan trained today. Garlett didn't. Both to be assessed again later. If either/both can't play I have full confidence in the extended bench that who ever comes in will step up.

We all make mistakes, Stuie. No need to rub it in altho I will give you the benefit of the doubt and take your post, as in jest. But the second post you quoted (of yesterday) isn't related to anything I've posted in this thread...a mistake by your good self, perhaps.

My bad, F-5. I miss read the last part of the 'Playing Career' section of that wikipedia page as 'three years' rather than 'three-club'. ''Stuie' mentions a 3 year deal with a one year option was the contract.

I'm not sure The Age is right saying Lumumba is contracted for two more years...'Rfpc' in the Contracts thread has him listed as OOC in 2017 and Wikipedia has him on a 3 year contract ie OOC 2017. I don't know who is right but would be leaning to one more year. Whatever the issues are with H I'm glad the club is doing what it can to support him. It sets a good example to our list that player welfare is important. If he sees out his contract and gets back into the seniors all kudos to him. If he plays it out at Casey so be it - he will be a good mentor there. If all agree to part ways, well and good. I don't see a downside here and am very confident the club will make a decision that is fair for all. Edit: Correction of Wikipedia reference.