Lucifers Hero

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-07-07/its-dogeatdog-on-recruiting-says-nathan-buckley?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=RSS+feed%3A+AFL+Latest+News According to the article" Buckley was involved in the meeting with Jong, but said the main issue was that the rendezvous had become public knowledge. Really? I would have thought the main issue was the deceptiveness of the meeting. Meeting with a contracted player whose team is trying to make top 4 and play deep into September is stretching the boundary of ethics and the rules in the recruiting game. If recruiting is now 'dog eat dog' as Buckley says, then his club and the likes of Ess. Geelong and Sydney have made it that way.

This week Ross Lyon has said that if they can't make Nat believe he may not stay. Today Barlow (who is now out for Sunday's game) has added fuel to the fire: "...if Nat doesn't see the club improving and the direction going the way he expects to and wants it to, then he's got to be able to look at options elsewhere." So, I did some hunting and came across this: http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/fremantle/dockers-prepare-to-offer-injured-brownlow-medallist-nat-fyfe-a-monster-longterm-deal/news-story/80e5f67942f627eda7e02664aa5f7f41 According to the article, Fyfe is: -OOC in 2017 -Will be a RFA in 2017 -Has put contract talks on hold -Is awaiting the new CBA before negotiating with Freo It all sounds eerily similar to one of our own, unfortunately A lot to play out here. It will be the Dangerfield circus all over again! I doubt we will be close enough to top 4/serious finals next year for him to choose the Dees so another elite player will end up at a top 4 finals type club, if he leaves...sigh... Freo should have made him captain and locked him away last year when they had the chance with the post Brownlow euphoria and looking at top 4 again this year!

Roos quotes from mfc twitter feed: No fear with playing in Darwin. We haven't played well at Etihad and that's 15 mins away. Wagner is probably another week away...We could play Wagner this week, but we want him to train and play four quarters. He (Lumumba) has improved, but still assessing him. He's (Brayshaw) going well. He won't play in the AFL this week. He (Dawes) was aware his game wasn't what we'd like on the weekend. Re List Management: Players know where they are at. No surprises. Mindful of the draw. Six day breaks. But we've freshened up for Darwin. Not sure how we will 'freshen up' with Wagner, Brayshaw, Lumumba not available and Pedesen needing some Casey games. Ins: Oliver, Trengove. Out: Dawes. Anyone carrying any sort of niggle. Given it is a bye for Casey I would expect all the extended bench to go to Darwin. Presumably this would include Grimes, Mitchie, Dawes... However, this is a very winnable and a must win game. Not the time to take risks and donate games to debutante players for a taste of AFL or to senior players to prove they can still play AFL.

Would think that Hibberd would be a good get but I don't see him as the solution to our defence. He is relatively short at 1.86m. Same as Melksham and Hunt, shorter than Lumumba and M Jones. He may play tall but he is not the KPD that can take on the 1.95+m forwards now playing. We would still be relying on the McDonald lads to for that role. If we can get Hurley he would be great for the job. If not we need to keep searching for that KPD. TBH I see the tall KPD player as far more important than a another mid sized defender so prefer our trade 'currency' be used for the KPD. So not fussed if we don't get Hibberd.

I read it the same, Abe. My thinking is that they will bottom out for a couple of years, take their draft picks, rebuild and when they are ready to challenge for the flag again will go after Jesse big time. Fyfe and Neal at their peak. Will be very attractive. (It will be a travesty for us if that coincides with Jesse becoming an FA). In the meantime, he remains a Demon. Then que sera sera.

I know we don't have a good record at NT and have a 6 day break. But weather conditions will be fine. Our team is young. But all of last weeks 22 have had several preseasons so there is some reasonable conditioning there. And we did have a 2 week break. Bring in Oliver, Trengove and Wagner and there are some fresher players. And did anyone see Freo's last game vs Coll? Both teams were appalling. They don't have a ruckman and are playing a bunch of their reserves team. They don't have any effective forwards. And forget their backline! Shut down Neale is the major challenge. Worry about the week after Darwin but if we lose this week it will be as embarrassing a loss as that to Ess in Rnd 2.

Just to return the complement Jesse could be wearing this Maxy T: From the Demon Shop

Never too late - send him back to Casey to gain that form!

Wagner good chance to play: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-07-05/wagner-a-good-chance-to-return Btw the game is at night so it won't be 33 degrees. Overnight low f/cst is 21 so game conditions may not be too bad with no rain for some days and low humidity. Freo have only about 28 players fit to choose from. So even allowing for their extended break it will be a shock if we don't beat them.

Good news it seems! Latest injury report says he is 2 weeks away from playing. Great to see he is getting healthy again. Hope he gets a few games in, in the last month of the season.

Jack Watts received 7 well deserved votes from the Coaches this week for his career best game. Jeff selected for Team of the Week - repaid the faith to coaches after average VFL games and showed how much he wanted to play seniors...made sure he wasn't going to get dropped again any time soon. Nat Jones also got 2 votes from the Coaches - business as usual for our champ. Pretty good effort for 3 players in a losing team.

The first game I saw Hunt play was vs Hawks, maybe his 3rd or 4th game. Even tho he copped much criticism on D'land I posted that he had a terrific game: not many possessions (as if they count anyway) but he threw himself at everything, attacked the ball and played ferociously. It was a wet deck so he didn't get much chance to show his speed. Its good to see he is building on that super game and is now getting much deserved credit. What I now notice is that his play which is quite exciting, is inspiring other players and they are moving to positions for him when he is on the run. At his rate he has to get a Rising Star nomination soon. He already deserves one but no-one has noticed him until the last week or two.

As PJ has many good working years ahead of him I choose to interpret that as he will be at MFC for many a year! . Along with Mahoney PJ makes our club rock solid off the field.

I hesitate to ever rely on anything John Ralph says as he is often no more than a parrot. But he just said on SEN that the comments coming out of Melbourne is that they 'are certain' he will stay!. Truly hope Ralph is parroting correctly!

Well, I am glad we use talent as a criteria! Not the only criteria mind you but one of many. As for picking on draft position. Really? From yesterdays team I count 3 taken top 10 (incl Hogan) another 10+ that were taken pick 45+/rookies. Most of the rest are from other clubs. And still on draft position. How long did Petracca have to wait for a debut game? Where were Oliver, Brayshaw, Trengrove, Weideman? Where did Salem go when he wasn't performing? All top 10 picks. I think that last sentence is well off the mark!

I wasn't thinking he would have an active role during the men's season for game plan, weekly selection etc. I was thinking his greatest benefit would be list management, trading and recruiting. So he would be needed only occasionally in season and Sept/Oct which leads into the women's 'preseason' (they're playing season is Feb/March). This still gives him Apr to August for the time he wants in Hawaii/USA. Was also thinking it would be terrific for fans and sponsors to have him still involved.

Update on Roos plans. In a 3AW interiview, Roos has said: - he and Tammy will start a Leadership and Wellness company - thinks Simon will be a fantastic coach - looking forward to the Dees doing well and will be a Dees fan after he leaves - he and PJ have had chats about next year but decided to focus on the next 8 weeks - would enjoy coaching our women's team. - his prior role at Sydney Academy was discussed (...we have a Multicultural Academy waiting to be developed) - doesn't see him self going to another club - you become wedded to a club eg watching players like Watts and Jones develop Would love to see Roos still be involved with the club, somehow.

WOW! I was really upset last week to read Freo had poached our women's coach, Michelle Cowan. I wondered whether we would consider one of our other coaches taking on the job. I never dreamt it could be Roos. Lots of advantages: -premiership coach -knows the club -clearly and genuinely supportive of the women's game -will help attract other women players to the club -will still be at the club to input from time to time Would be over the moon if Roos was the women's team coach.

Totally agree, AW. Brian Lake and Chip Frawley known weakness was poor disposal but their strength was reading the ball in the air and taking intercept marks. They were both head hunted to the Hawkes for that skill and backline structures were built to minimise the impact of their weakness (poor disposal). We should not understimate Tom's strengths and how valuable they are in winning a premiership. If Sydney are chasing him it is for premiership reasons. Tom will not be a 'complete' defender (Rance, Talia or Hurley) but he may be a Frawley or Lake - a premiership player who has an individual weakness but strengthens the team. Lets hope that premiership is with the Demons!!

Bump. In an article: We'll be respectful of situation on MFC 'mobile' website it discussed the Roos/Goodwin changeover. (Can't find the article on club 'desktop' website) Roos said: "Mahoney and I discussed it (Goodwin staying in current senior coach position) with Goodwin last week and he's really comfortable with the role...and he is really looking forward to the next week and getting as much out of it". That seems different to the Roos/Longmire handover where he left the box to Longmire and retreated to the bench. Interpret that as you will: Protecting Goodwin from media if we don't win many more games? Not quite ready? Roos just loves coaching? I think the first. Goodwin touches on the handover (or lack of) in this article: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-07-01/building-consistency-the-focus-goodwin He seems to be accepting of the situation. “I’m looking forward to the role, but now my role is to help Roosy (Paul Roos) and generate a really strong footy team over a nine-week period.” While many on DL and media have speculated on Goodwin's influence it seems to me Roos has been firmly in control especially after the St kilda and Port games. I am very happy to see Roos coach from the box for the rest of the year. Maybe if we win a few more games he might give the box to Goodwin for the last few games. I will be very sad to see Roos go.

Roos on our better players yesterday: “I take joy because I’ve seen how much he (Watts) has got bashed in the three years I’ve been here,” Roos said of Melbourne’s much-maligned 2008 No.1 draft pick...I’m loving watching him play..." "...Jeff Garlett (four goals) had returned from a stint in the reserves to play a “cracking game” yesterday..." “He (Hunt) was just exceptional in the contest, exceptional getting across the ground, helping his teammates, creating scoring opportunities, kicked a goal himself,” Roos said. That sort of public praise must do wonders for their confidence. Last week Watts credited Roos with 'saving his career'. Jack is repaying the faith!

Suggesting they might go out was not because they had 'bad' games. It was in the context of the first sentence in the post: having 'fresh' players for the upcoming short breaks and long i/state trips and to rotate in Brayshaw and/or Oliver during that 3 weeks especially as Casey have a bye next week.

Rightly or wrongly, we need to show "measurable" improvement this year and a key measure will be more wins eg 8 to 10. So I think the club will wait till we have a few more wins before players like Weideman or Hullet get a 'taste of AFL'. We played Oscar, Hunt in the last few games of 2015 so would expect the same apply to this year's newbies (and maybe Grimes).

In the next 3 weeks we have trips to NT and WA both after 6 day breaks so need to pick 'fresh' players (which we didn't do for the Alice game under similar circumstances). In: Wagner (if fit will be fresh), Trengove (who didn't play yesterday should be fresh), Brayshaw, Oliver (statistics aside, the only 2 that looked sharp at Casey yesterday). Out: Vand (still looks troubled by injury), Dawes (must go), and 2 of Harmes/Kennedy/Kent. Unfortunately, it may be M Jones who makes way. Proviso: Casey have another bye next week which may affect selections as to who needs continuity eg we may see Lumumba in to get match fitness (yes I know it should happen at Casey but circumstances may not always allow that. Not saying H will get selected, just saying the Casey bye may affect selections).

Good news: Win, Loose or Draw our position on the ladder won't change! But how good would a win be to give us a win and % buffer on the other teams on 6/8!