Lucifers Hero

Denis Cometti a universally liked and respected commentator speaks out: http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/essendon-doesnt-deserve-to-play-on-anzac-day-says-dennis-cometti/news-story/edde9e67cd1565ba50afb3a003df759c From the article. -Essendon has not earned the right to play on Anzac Day this season -the Bombers should have been ruled out of the season altogether after 34 past and present players were banned for 12 months -“But I can’t help thinking somehow this year the Bombers should have been sidelined for the greater good. -“The club might cry double jeopardy but I find it odd no contingency plan ever saw the light of day.” Well said Denis! I wonder how many other commentators would speak up if they weren't beholden to the AFL and its sycophants!! There is no reason why the AFL can't schedule another game from that weekend on ANZAC Day. Of course they won't.

30,524 today which would include most of Family Day. Looks ok vs same time last year - Mar 6 2015 was 28,157. Improvement: 2,367 But last year the Family Day wasn't until mid March so that 2,367 may be whittled away by end of March when the comparisons will be apples and apples. That we have signed up only 4,307 members in the 10 weeks since Christmas is quite disappointing. Maybe only DL's are noticing the improved list, training and NAB wins. 40,000 goal not looking good. Not good for our financials. We seriously need early season wins. And we seriously need our better OOC players to sign up sooner rather than later. Its not encouraging for potential members to hear players eg Tom Mc and Hogan have deferred contract talks. It will not help memberships one iota if Jack Watts comes out and says he is also deferring talks.

Hopeless?? Broader problem?? What were you looking at? Most of the 'best' journalists hardly ever go to post game press conferences. Even during the season they only go if there has been something controversial in the week prior. Yes, it is a NAB practice game and Goodwin is getting practice at being a coach at press conferences. That is what the transition is all about. Footnote: 'Best' as an adjective for journalists is an oxymoron!!

No mention of Jesse. Isn't it good that the media has more to talk about than Jesse's contract or criticise Watts. We are becoming a well rounded club/team in more ways than one. Slowly earning back respect.

Viney on SEN just now. Said: -Fewer rotations this weekend to get as close to match conditions as possible but didn’t say how many. Interestingly, he said he feels the effects most at the beginning of each quarter when the game is most intense rather than end of quarter or end of game. -Club has had a terrific preseason and list looking healthy. -Enjoys receiving from Big Max. -High praise for Clarrie. -Watts had one of the more impressive pre-season at the club -Petracca is a powerful unit…Viney has him for strength now but Petracca will out gun him in a few years. Sounds like he will definitely spend some time at Casey. -Roos stepped back, more observing, watching behaviours, contributes broader ideas etc. At the end Ox said Viney stood in for Bugg who has no voice because he has caught a bug. Yes, poor pun but it makes Bugg's game yesterday look even better because he must have already had some symptoms. Edit: Here is the interview from mfc website http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-03-07/jack-viney-on-sen-monday-march-7

Has anyone else noticed how comfortable Goodwin is as coach? Hasn't put a foot wrong in terms of getting the boys motivated to play and several times in the last few weeks to come back from behind. Regardless of the opposition, we could easily have thought: 'this is only a practice game' and not played the game out and gone back to lazy days. He also looks really comfortable in the press conf. Gives real answers, is calm and really looks in control. To be able to motivate the troops and to manage the journos are great pluses (not to mention the game plan is looking pretty good) for our coach-in-waiting Roos is doing a great job of staying in the background and exposing Goodwin (in a good way). So much so that in watching yesterday's press conf I had forgotten about Roos. Regardless of the number of games we win this season the coaching transition will be a success.

Either he is getting poor directions from the coaches or he isn't following coach's directions. If he doesn't improve and improve fast, the back line structures need to change to protect the team against his weaknesses.

I would expect to have fewer i/changes (guessing about 110) this week and see how the game plan stands up. Then next week start with only 22 players and max 90 i/changes and again see how our game plan stands up in game sim situation. Gradually setting up for round 1. Everyone wants a win but I don't think that is the most important thing for the team today. It is to practice the game plan, get confidence in it and get used to playing together.

Most teams aim to give their players 2 of 3 practice games. They also like to have their best players play the last one in prep for round 1. Next week they play Collingwood so setting themselves up for a decent go against them. Thats ok- gives us another chance to practice our game plan without too much opposition 'interference'. Another win will be great for the team's confidence in said game plan. Not to mention joy of supporters even tho it is a practice game.

Beaten today: 3.6.24 to Cats 17.9.111 A thrashing by WCE in WA for their last NAB Big loss to GCS in Qld - round 1 Then hope it buckets down rain for our round 2 game - only the die hard efc supporters will want to walk to the MCG and go to the game... ...and Sheedy's great rally turns into a fizzer! I desperately want us to win but I also desperately want Sheedy et al to have egg on their smug faces...may their supporters stay home!

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/melbourne-prepare-for-expected-hot-conditions-with-match-practice-at-training/news-story/23fa9049a229b23ff2ce64c91d07243c No need to worry it seems: 'Forward star Jesse Hogan was spotted having his left calf worked on several times throughout the lengthy session, which is routine for the 21-year-old, before engaging a club medico to work on his hip on the sideline'. On another positive note: 'Young gun Christian Petracca played a part in the entire session - his second full session for the week after an interrupted pre-season thanks to a broken toe suffered while playing backyard basketball'.

How weak is this of the AFL: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/jobe-watsons-brownlow-afl-hoped-he-would-hand-back-medal-20160304-gnarvn.html According to Caro, The Commission was relying on Jobe voluntarily giving back the Brownlow so it could avoid being the 'bad' guys! ... according to his manager Craig Kelly the suspended player has no intention of voluntarily giving back his medal. What an indictment of AFL thinking the article is! The AFL got a reprieve from the player's appeal to the Swiss Federal Court. Hope they don't forget to do their job when its over!

EFC 'gentle' warning to Sheedy for this about the suspended players: "It's forced upon them by an organisation obviously that's out of Europe, who don't really know a lot about AFL," Sheedy said..."Their job is really to get back and sort out Russia for the Olympics." http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/essendon-chief-xavier-campbell-talks-to-kevin-sheedy-about-wada-comments-20160304-gnaeeo.html That comment is right up there for ignorance and dumbness, with the excuses Beveridge made a few weeks ago.

McDevitt appears before the Senate Committee: He says: "The tribunal accepted that Stephen Dank made plans to use thymosin beta-4 as part of Essendon's injection program. They also accepted that the players had consented to being injected with thymosin and that injections had occurred. Despite this, they were not comfortably concerned or satisfied that the injections had actually contained thymosin beta-4 because there were no adequate records kept and because Essendon failed to carry out lab analysis of the substances. The CAS panel openly disagreed." 'http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/essendon-doping-saga-afl-antidoping-panel-simply-got-it-wrong-says-asada-chief-20160304-gnakb9.html McDevitt is a very impressive individual. Almost the Lone Ranger as a voice against drug taking in sport. Cudos to him.

If you want to see a view of how disturbing the Vatican and the priesthood have become and the appalling ethics, corruption and double standards watch this doco: 'Secrets of the Vatican'. The Vatican seems to have been aware of the sexual abuse and failed to act. The program shows that just about every moral standard our society is based on has been breached. http://www.pbs.org/video/2365187642/ Having been raised a catholic (now non-practicing) I found it exceptionally distressing that a great institution has come to this.

That is a good point. Many many other club players are also signing. While I am not worried about McDonald or Hogan waiting for the CBA I find it disconcerting that we seem to the only club whose players see it as an issue. It is also disconcerting that our captain and our current B&F holder have come out and stated they believe our players should wait...effectively encouraging teammates to not sign. No other club's leaders (or players for that matter) are saying anything like this. I would prefer our leaders didn't publicly encourage contract deferral. It would be terrible if all our OOC players wait for the CBA before signing while other clubs are shoring up their playing lists.

Right on cue bb! From Chip: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-brace-for-the-first-player-lawsuits/news-story/e99e7a61aeb02a426b0cd9abca401114 'Essendon will be hit this month with the first compensation claims from footballers banned for doping, with the club, lawyers representing 34 banned players and the AFL determined to prevent the scandal from returning to court...It is understood that law firm Holding Redlich...is close to finalising some of their claims. Holding Redlich, which has been engaged by management group Elite Sports Properties-TLA to advice its clients caught up in the doping scandal, is advising current Essendon stars Jobe Watson, Cale Hooker, Tom Bellchambers and Brent Stanton and retired players Mark McVeigh and Alex Browne...Dustin Fletcher...recently joined the Holding Redlich group despite having no affiliation with ESP-TLA. 'Chris Pollard, a lawyer who previously represented Essendon coaches in the doping scandal, is preparing compensation claims for young Bomber Dyson Heppell and St Kilda recruit Jake Carlisle'. 'A settlement of all claims would be welcomed by the AFL, which would almost certainly be pulled into any court action brought by the banned players'. The only hope we ever had of learning the truth was for the compensation claims suit to get to court. All would be faced with telling the truth or perjury. Some people in high places would be in a real pickle if faced with those options. This will settle out of court with Fort Knox type confidentiality clauses attached!

Discussed at length in the 'Bombers' thread, a few days ago. In summary, the benefit to mfc is likely to be around $200k.

Everyone is assuming that Hogan put off the talks. But I heard the Ox say mfc offered Hogan 3 years and then 5 years (to 2020 and 2022 respectively). And tbh I think this is responsible by the club - who knows his back problems may recur big time. At the minimum he will require managing. Maybe Hogan wanted a longer term, risk free deal? Also, who knows what else was on the table: Leadership role. B&F results. Performance criteria. Injury protection for the club. Marquis player payments (which have tax benefits), sponsorship opportunities. And on the CBA. There are a lot of potential changes to player conditions and benefits - any delay by players isn't necessarily about $. So tbh it is very simplistic to say delays with Hogan are about $ or making finals in 2 years. It ignores all the other factors that are part of contract negotiations. I am really wary of 'journos' looking for a headline. While I am also besotted with Hogan I still want the club to manage all the risks and do the right thing by all. So perhaps the delay was mutual, as reported.

I like Bernie's humour when talking about Hogan's contract: "He's contracted for next year still, so I think he'd be silly to sign now. He loves it around the place," Vince said...(He) might be able to squeeze a bit more money out of the club if he has another good year, so I can see why he's done it...Hopefully he doesn't take any money off me though. I haven't got much left at the moment." Typical Bernie! I like this as well: Vince wasn't afraid to mention September action as a possibility for the Dees. "We're not shying away from that (time for the Demons to get results). From last year to this year has been a massive step up," he said...If we can step up just as much as we did the year before – which I think we're in front of that – you only need to win a few more… and we'll be knocking on the finals door." I haven't heard this talk around our club for ever so long. I'm no longer hearing the platitudes and half-hearted but unfounded optimism of prior years. From every player interviewed I'm hearing belief and intent. And its significance that this is coming from players rather than coaches or football department - it means the players are taking ownership of results. Reminds me of the wise words from Barassi: If it is to be, it is up to me! 2016 might be a bumpy ride due to our young group but it sure will be worthwhile!

Fully agree LD-vC. I felt it was terribly sad how some posters reacted to the news that Garry Lyon is and for over 6 months has been in a very, very dark place. There is no way to know what the 'trigger' is for each person. It could be a sudden event as Febey experienced or it can be a slow burn situation. We simply don't know the circumstances. So, I feel it is best to err on the side of compassion rather than the side of judgement.

The AFL continues to give EFC gifts! It has now declared that Hooker will be an Unrestricted Free Agent! http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-03-02/hooker-set-to-be-named-a-free-agent?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=RSS+feed%3A+AFL+Latest+News This means that EFC cannot match an offer but it also means that EFC will get an FA Compensation pick. Most likely to be pick 2 or 3 - better than any trade they could do. Its hard not to be cynical and think that the AFL asked EFC whether they preferred FA or UFA. The best result for EFC is UFA which is what they have been given. As the article points out MFC benefited from pick 3 for Frawley but part of me says that was in lieu of a priority pick. Also, we weren't at the bottom of the ladder by having 12 of our best players uspended for drug offenses so part of me begrudges the AFL giving EFC another helping hand/gift. This is when the other clubs should 'vehemently' complain as they did recently for top-up players, as they did against priority picks for us. Won't happen of course.

You would think it would also seriously rile the feathers of the other 16 no longer playing at AFL clubs. They are the 'forgotten ones' in this whole mess. If the AFL get an exemption for Prismall surely the 16 must get the same as they are no longer on big AFL type $ and are simply trying to carve out a living for their families. All the attention is on the 17 still at AFL clubs but the plight of the others is just as important. For mine, they should all stick to the rules and serve the suspension. But if one gets an exemption so should the other 16!

Have the AFL's chickens come home to roost!! It seems Eddie is on a collision course with the AFL! AFL season 2016: Magpies feud with league threatening to boil over There are some valid points in Caro's article. The AFL, specifically Gil may be out of his depth...maybe his suave, urbane, softly, softly approach is just not enough any more. Caro's closing line: "The strong message drifting out of the Westpac Centre right now is that, as the AFL seeks backing from its clubs while seeking to restructure a competition which boasts only eight profitable teams, it cannot bank on Collingwood's support". But Eddie being Eddie will find a way to get a good deal for Collingwood, in return for their 'backing'. Damn the rest!

Sorry to quote my own post. But here is a really good article explaining the advantages to the affected clubs of the extra sal cap from suspended players. Written by none other than the outstanding journalist Emma Quayle http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/silver-lining-emerges-for-clubs-with-suspended-exessendon-recruits-20160301-gn7ne6.html On a side note: Eddie is so so hypocritical at being incensed if the AFL give the sal cap relief? I bet they are getting the sal cap benefit from not paying their 2 players serving ASADA suspensions - for 2 years. Eddie - what is good for the goose is good for the gander!!