Lucifers Hero

An excellent and objective view of our season. Good analysis and well supported with facts - it reads like she has actually watched our games and knows something about our club. http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/melbourne-2016-end-of-season-report-card/news-story/a7f4390765769108b98308616eb62181 with a B+ rating for the season which I think is a fair. Her summary of our List: THE LIST Elite: Max Gawn Big Improvers: Jayden Hunt, Jack Watts, Dean Kent, Billy Stretch, Oscar McDonald Going, going: Chris Dawes, Cam Pedersen, Ben Newton, Max King, Matt Jones Gone: Dean Terlich, Jack Grimes, Viv Michie Trade bait: Chris Dawes, Jay Kennedy-Harris (contracted), Lynden Dunn (contracted) Could have added a couple more to the 'Big Improvers' eg Tyson, Viney. A category of 'Future Exciting Players' would include: Petracca, Oliver, Brayshaw, Weideman, Hogan. But I guess she couldn't include the whole list. PREMIERSHIP CLOCK THE Dees are still a fair way off that elusive premiership. That said, nobody was expecting them to be close this year. They’re trending the right way though. 8pm. Found myself agreeing with just about everything written and 8 pm on the Premiership Clock looks about right.

Mr Goody Two Shoes? Never!!

I had a look thru the catalogue a few weeks ago and felt sad that the collection would be dispersed far and wide as the story in the collection was far greater than any individual or group of items. There was stuff from his time at Melb, Carlton and North. I was quite surprised to see his 1964 GF jumper and several premiership medals. There were also a couple of things from Barassi Snr - eg his posthumus VFL Premiership medal and watch. Hugely personal things for Barassi that must have been hard to part with. Had hoped the MFC would buy these most precious parts of our club history while helping out a club hero and AI citizen. Failing MFC having these precious items I'm delighted the collection stays intact within the AFL. Edit: Just saw this article: https://leonardjoel.com.au/2016/08/29/barassi-museum-dream-now-a-reality/ which says: "The Melbourne Football Club via its Chairman Glen Bartlett have also offered to assist with the collection which is of special and obvious significance to them". Good to see the club was/is involved with the fate of the collection.

I read it the same way until I got to this: "...in seeking to avoid an illicit drug test an athlete is also deemed to have sought to evade a performance enhancing drug test and consequently is open to a heavy penalty". He should be in big trouble but I agree with others here who expect an AFL whitewash!

Sadly, our Jimmy told Dean Bailey over the phone that he was sacked immediately (and we did not have a replacement coach). So it can happen anywhere. Who knows why Brisbane/Leppich chose to do it this way. For some posters here: Glass houses and stones comes to mind...

I think we forfeited our negotiating rights for Friday nights and Live FTA games by finishing 11th and having such a small membership base. My wish: An MCG dominated draw where we win most of the first 6 games, so: Goodwin and the club get some 'clear air' - he will get a shorter honeymoon period than most new coaches. Ensure the momentum of Player belief doesn't faulter further (given recent losses). To support our membership drive. Unfortunately, we are now in the middle of the ladder tier and will get a tougher draw than recent years - just hope there aren't too many top 4/6/8 teams in that first 6 weeks. That said, it is absolutely critical we get off to a winning start so it doesn't matter who we play the fallout from losing most of the first 6 should not be underestimated: the media will create a new whipping boy, dredge up old headlines and the achievements of the Roos era will be quickly forgotten. And Demonland will go balllistic! I'm not being pessimistic about 2017 just answering the question in terms of what I think is most important for the club overall.

Delighted for Fitzy - that goal was about the only kick all day that wasn't a shank of some sort. The tragedy for Fitzy is he probably won't play the next game when McEvoy returns. But I'm dirty on him! If Hawks had lost they would be playing WCE in Perth and not Cats at MCG. Win or lose their next game is at the MCG. Get my drift. At worst they play the Prelim interstate. Can't bear for Hawks to be in the GF again and it seems they now have a dream run to it with their games predominately at the G. I will be really filthy if they fluke another flag after 5 wins within a goal!

Worth acknowleging Matthew Pavlich's achievement. Last game today. Only the 3rd player to play 250 games and kick 700 goals. Not bad for someone who started as a defender. Has been a loyal servant of his club thru dark times. His teammates might just pull a rabbit out of a hat and win the game for him!

In that case: GO PIES!!!

Go for the Pies to win by less than about 5 goals so their % 'age stays below ours and Hawks don't get the double chance! Win, Win, Win! It will be incredibly sad if we end up 12th after being 9th a week ago !!

Damn it! Lions have let down the whole comp by not denying the cheating Bombers the #1 draft pick which they simply have no right to. Someone should teach Lions how to tank!

In 'rfpc's' absence, this is a list of players who are still out of contract: Who gets a contract depends on the number spots on the seniors list after trade week ends @ Oct 20. Given the frequency of selection for the seniors this year the front runners are M. Jones and Wagner. Would be very surprised to see Dawes, Terlich and Grimes re-contracted. Also doubt Newton's chances. That means 4-6 spots available with 1 used for Hibberd and at least 3 for new draftees. Extra spots could be created from 2017 OOC players being traded. Not at all surprised to see this happen. Who is traded out depends on how good a pick/player we want in. NB: Maynard is an additional 'B' rookie for 2017. Trengove recontracted for 2017. I have assumed that as Pedersen has been sent for surgery its a sign he will be offered a contract of some sort. All other contract status is as per post #36 above. The club has done really well to sign up the players it wants to keep while minimising the players whose careers it will terminate which tbh I always find sad to lose an mfc player especially one who has played his whole career with us and given us his all.

According to this article Salem qualifies to play for Casey finals which will be awesome: Box Hill Hawks farewell Iles, Casey Scorpions say hello to finals "But the Scorpions are expected to regain midfielders Jack Trengove and Matt Jones, further boosting their midfield, and young forward Sam Weideman ... Ben Newton, who played in the Development League, and Christian Salem, who played for Melbourne, will also be in the selectors' calculations." Not a bad group for selectors to chose from. With Oliver in there as well it will be great for a few of the young guys to experience finals and hopefully the ultimate success. No 'mental scars' for them. Look forward to watching their finals.

Didn't take it personally as only made my first post on it this morning but I did read the whole thread and didn't find the word 'sewer' was right to use. Other-wise all good, Wise.

Disrespectful to those of us that are objective, Wb. You are not the only supporter that is positive, the rest of us just don't keep reminding everyone of it. If you ignore the small minority of perennial 'song and dancers' on this thread you will find the majority of comments are realistic.

Agreed that would be a bargain Jesse should have signed up early this year when his 'once in a generation player' value was sky high!! Since then Brown has cooled on him, saying Tom Lynch is the best young forward. Carey also cooled, saying Darcy Moore is (about to be) the best young forward. Lynch signed up early this year for a reported $800k pa (for 2 more years) so that may set the baseline on contracts for other key forwards. Jesse's average year (by his standards) may have cast doubts in other Club recruiter minds as to his 'worth'. While every club would want Jesse not many (if any) have the sal cap space and/or the trade currency. Others already have their key forward locked up on mega bucks. So Jesse is stuck with us! All that adds up to fewer bargaining chips in the hands of his manager but our club is very fair and will put a fair deal to him. To me it doesn't matter whether he is 'the best' or 'once in a generation'; he will be in the top 5. Just hope he signs up soon if for no other reason than to get the monkey off his back.

The players got ahead of themselves. Roos in his press conf: "We know that we're not a finals team. We've got a fair way to go to become a finals team. Sometimes the players need to see that, because they don't necessarily believe it. I think today was a stark reality and exactly where we're at as a footy club." So we win 3 in a row with one mighty win over the Hawks and suddenly the players think they can just walz into the 8. Yesterday was (another) goddamn wake up call for them. Hope it burns in them all summer (along with losses to Saints, Blues, Ess). Not disappointed we did not make finals - we are no where near ready. Just disappointed the players started believing the 'finals' hype in the media when there were still games to be played.

Interesting. So EFC will most likely succeed in getting the #1 pick. EFC tanked vs Lions and now put the cue in the rack at 3/4 time vs the Blues. So bleeding obvious! And we can bet the AFL won't investigate them!!

What a great performance by Christian (relatively speaking). He is one of the few today who stood up and close to our best. Showed his class all day and worked hard - 7 tackles. Mighty effort after being ill for so long and losing so much weight. 2017 will be his year and with him we have some chance of making finals (today notwithstanding). Without him...? Can't believe that people keep putting his name up for trade!

True, can you save me the arithmetic and tell me 38.5% converts to in points, roughly?

I think you are. We have been playing Goodwin's game plan since just before the bye. We have gone so far into 'taking the game on' we have forgotten all the lessons of 'defence first' that Roos taught in his first year (when Goodwin wasn't at the Dees). I don't think we can pin it all on to Roos tbh. Roos has achieved what he promised. Today does not diminish that. Its terribly sad that this is the last game of his tenure and there is no chance to redeem the situation for him. Just so sad - he deserves so much better. I still tips my hat to Roos for everything he has done for our club. I will be eternally grateful.

Yes, Ess tried so hard to tank it! But Blues kicked so badly in final quarter! Final Qtr Score: Ess: 1. 2. 8 Blues: 4. 7. 31 Final Ess % 61.0 As it is, Lions lose to the Saints tomorrow and its hello #1 draft pick. Go Saints!!

At 3/4 time Ess lead Blues that gives them a % of 61.5. Lions on a % of 61.5 If that continues and Lions lose to StK, Lions get the #1 Draft pick (and 1st pick in the PSD). If Ess were wanting to walk O'Meara or another player into the PSD they won't be able to. I wonder how Worsfold is going to tank the game now!

Ess is about to play itself out of the first Draft Pick!! Worsfold will have to put a dozen players on the bench to make sure their %age doesn't go up too far or to lose. I would laugh and laugh if Ess give up pick 1...even better if Lions get a priority pick and Ess drop to pick 3!!

He could replace Clarrie Choo Choo...