Lucifers Hero

...that would be a nice comeuppence to the pies for the 'sting' they pulled off on Howe! Howe/Pies seem to have hatched their plan some time ago but 'forgot' to tell MFC! Aish would be a good get! And Brisbane could do with an extra early 1st rnd pick for their Academy players then swap other picks...beats pies 2016 2nd pick ie somewhere around 30-35... What a delight it would be if we swooped and pinched Aish out from under their noses!! Go MFC

I think you've nailed the reason why there is so much disappointment!. Speaking publicly about intentions creates expectations and when they don't happen we go negative, as is our want. At eos Roos said: -we would go after an A grade midfielder (we may still get one) - he also said we would trade aggressively On 1st trade day Mahoney said we had two goals: - 1 improve our list - 2 improve our trade order Last week Mahoney said Kennedy and Howe would not be in the same trade. We may achieve these by Thursday who knows but atmo I can't see that we can give any of those 5 statements a tick. When I hear other club's trade speakers they give very little away when interviewed. MFC can learn much from them. If nothing else learn to manage supporter expectations!

Well. Well. The HS is reporting: "Howe will play for around $350,000 a year on a three-season deal". That is even less than we were said to have offered him. Such a come down from the $600+ his manager was touting! So he will play for the AFL average salary (excluding rookies and draftees). He has been bedazzled by the pizzazz that Eddie and co talk up. Can't help but think Howie has made a big mistake going to the pies. Anyway, he is gone: an average salary for an average player.

I've been wondering about that 'Adam'. If we want Prestia next year we will have to give up our 1st rnd pick plus some. If he wants to come to us why don't we just do that deal now ie next year's 1st rnd pick plus whatever it takes. We get him now pay for him later, sort of. I have concluded either he isn't the one we are after or he hasn't decided to come to us. Otherwise we coould do the deal now.

I am going to give Jimmy the benefit of the doubt on that and say he didn't mean it as a slight on the Dees... Earlier on he had tweeted this: Jimmy Toumpas ‏@JToumpas 32m32 minutes ago Will always hold the MFC close to me! Gave me an opportunity to live my dream and I'll be forever in debt to them for every memory! I think he goes with a lot of goodwill and would it surprise me if he didn't feel the same towards MFC.

Jimmy deserves to be seen out with dignity and our good wishes. He wore the red and blue with pride and he gave his best every time he wore it. He hasn't met some people's standards and definitely not his own. But I hope he goes on to have a fabulous career at Port. Thanks Jimmy, always enjoyed watching you play.

Really sad to see you go Jimmy. You tried so hard sometimes too hard and gave everything you had for the red and blue. Will always be one of my favourite players. Hope you have a great career...will cheer for you. Good Luck, young man!

You sound quite authouritative 'bing' and I respect that. Looks like we lose Jake Melksham for 2 years then! Sad really, I was looking forward to seeing him play and helping us move up the ladder in the next few years.

You are right about CAS deciding the penalties...my bad. But CAS will hear submissions about penalties prior to imposing them. I understand where you are coming from on the rationale of 2 years. I still lean to the view that a lesser penalty will be negotiated/appllied. Will be interesting to see the final verdict/penalties.

This is being reported in the Age: "With St Kilda and Essendon in a similar impasse over Carlisle as the Power and Suns are over Dixon, the proposal was designed to break the deadlock in both negotiations. Under the deal raised at the weekend, Port would trade pick 10 and a future pick (probably a first-round pick) to St Kilda for pick 5. The Saints would give pick 10 to Essendon for Carlisle and Port would offer five to the Suns for Dixon. An exchange of other later draft picks may also be involved...The proposal could potentially break the stalemate in both the Dixon and Carlisle deals, but the obvious stumbling block is that either or both of Essendon or Gold Coast reject the proposition. It looks like we will be waiting a while to see the Toumpas and Howe trades happen. I just hope that after the Dixon/Carlisle/Treloar deals are done there is enough trading time left for us to get into the action to better our draft position. It will be awful if when the buzzer goes and the music stops on Thursday and we miss out on something we really want.

...and who reimburses the manager ! wonder? Eddie's media company perhaps, a coterie member? I smell a rat! AFL 'integrity' unit probably can't investigate if the manager is reimbursed by a third party. Even it could, it won't...don't want to upset Eddie!

It looks like there is no love lost between WADA and CAS! 'In an extraordinary retaliation in the countdown to a Court of Arbitration in Sport panel judging the most high-profile drugs case in Australian sports history, the secretary general of CAS has described the world's foremost anti-doping body as being "nervous"...Mattieu Reeb was responding to criticism of its functioning, tabled this week by World Anti-Doping Agency boss David Howman, saying his public critiques were unfounded and "unacceptable"... "The latest opinion of the WADA director general about CAS demonstrates once again that WADA is getting nervous when an important CAS hearing is approaching," Reeb said. "By doing this, WADA is trying to discharge it in advance of any negative outcome. This method is unacceptable, especially from an institution like this. "The question is why these unfounded criticisms are raised so close to an important hearing …WADA erroneously believes that complaining publicly against CAS now can help explain any potential negative outcome in the Essendon case later." http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/wada-said-to-be-nervous-about-essendon-case-20151017-gkbj8l.html The article says the result should be brought down within a few weeks of the case ending so around mid Dec. I'm in the camp believing players will get a short suspension if found guilty. My view is based on the principle of 'timely justice' coming into play in negotiating penalties between player reps and ASADA/WADA before going to the AFL Tribunal. Whatever the penalty I would be surprised if there was no 'game time lost' so maybe a 9mnth penalty (if they allow the ealier 'provisinal suspension', 6 months if they don't). There is every chance suspended players will be on the park after the 2016 bye if a 1yr penalty...earlier if its less. For those on here who argue for more than 1 year penalty I would like to see some reasons please. For those on DL hoping for some favourable hearing for WADA at CAS it looks like it won't happen. Pretty stupid of WADA to ruffle CAS feathers! The clear measure I take from that article is that CAS is in control not WADA. CAS will do its job: apply the law fairly and impartially without fear nor favour, which is as it should be.

From AFL website on Treloar's operation: 'The Giants are now seeking clarification from Treloar and his manager Peter Blucher, who said: "I’m not saying anything about anything until everything is done. I’m not saying a word about anything." ...Collingwood assured the Giants it had no involvement in the operation.' This is the same Blucher guy who was so 'honest' with mfc in his management of one TS several years ago. It sounds like he has a story to tell but isn't telling... ...If he is quoted correctly it seems a case of 'he who protests too much'!. Sorry to be cynical folks but I don't trust a word that guy says! I would expect the AFL to be asking a few questions and check who paid the medical bills!! Edit: Bulcher is also the guy who was suspended for a year over the Kurt Tippett fiasco.

Maybe should stop being so condescending whenever someone posts something you don't like or is expressing doubts! Its a free world!

The Age is reporting: Collingwood and Melbourne were also locked in negotiations over what could become a multi-club deal for Jeremy Howe to move to Collingwood, Jimmy Toumpas to move to Port Adelaide, Paul Seedsman to Adelaide and Ben Kennedy to the Demons. A complicated exchange of second and third round draft picks is also involved in the mega deal. Jack Nial and Emma Quayle have been spot on so far so no reason to doubt them. So much for Mahoney saying last night that Kennedy and Howe would be separate deals! No matter what the exchange of later picks is, losing both Toumpas and Howe for a kid who has barely played and some picks does not fill me with any joy... ...yes I know, your advice is to wait till officially announced...sure! Footnote: the article says Treloar and Aish to Pies deals almost done. I reckon that is where Pies good picks have gone...I guess we get the dregs...yes I know wait till the deal is done etc etc etc

Can we please do that with Howe, Pies and GCS...p l e a s e!

Have to agree 'Rocky'. Can't say there is much to disagree about what was said. The only thing keeping my chin up is the hope that we do something significant next week. Hoping, hoping...hoping it isn't forlorn... We will improve next year thru the increased experience of our young players and hopefully fewer injured players. But atmo I can't see it being much more than maintaining our position as others will also improve.

Josh sound really tired and flat on SEN last night. It made me wonder who does the negotiations. I assume Taylor/Viney do the trade negotiations with clubs and Mahoney does the contract negotiations with the players. Most other teams have their head recruiter/list manager (Wells, Dodoro, Llyod etc) do the media work. Mahoney is our media spokesperson during trade week. I like that we have only one spokesperson for the club - consistent public story and all that. Maybe he has too much work in trade week and someone else should be our chief spokesperson?

I was a Howe fan but don't like the way he has gone about the whole contract/trade process. That aside posters may be underestimating his value to GC and Pies beyond any marketing: - He was our leading goal kicker in 2013 (28 I goals I think). Both GC and Pies need goal kickers. - He can play in defense so makes him a bit of a swingman. - He has the ability to be an on-baller who rotates thru the middle/wing. So there is a lot more to him than his 'speckies'. I think he will do well in a new environment. Anyway, the more players from our 'dark days' we move on the better so lets get a fair deal and be done with him.

If GWS do swap pick 8 for 2 rnd rnd picks it is more likely to be with Carlton. Carlton are looking to do a package trade to take 4 GWS players: Plowman, Lamb,Tomlinson and another (whose name I have forgotten). GWS would deal with Carlton before Ess as they need to reduce overall player numbers and have a good relationship with SOS who will be easier to deal with. Carlton don't have an extra 2nd rnd (yet) but they do have the first pick of rnd 2 and 3. The (small) incentive for GWS is to reduce player numbers. If they do it good luck to them. Essentially, it is no different to us wanting a deal to get us pick 3 from GCS. No need for a lot of angst. That's the system.

For those who asked - BRAYDEN MAYNARD: From Pies website: Renowned for his powerful and polished left foot, Maynard’s skills from half back are an asset. He has excellent vision and great agility. He is a smart player and, despite not being blessed with superb endurance, runs to the right spots. Could press his claims for senior opportunities this year. His father Peter played eight games for Melbourne (1980-1981) and was a star with Glenelg in the SANFL. But we just got a half back flanker in Melksham. They will all be on-ballers anyway so I gues Maynard may well be good for us. Appears to not have made his AFL debut.

Mahoney said on SEN that '...+ pick 6 and Howe for GCS pick 3 and there were other things around that' were part of the GCS negotiations that had been worked thru'. MFC will now deal with Pies. Trade will happen this week. A 1st to 2nd rnd pick will get it done. Mahoney sounded incredibly flat. We have publicly declared our hand. I am incredibly deflated right now. We will never know what the GCS deal was and what Howe going to Pies will cost us. Why can't we play hard ball...just once!

Wise, do you really think we don't understand that!! We are outraged because that could have been done on Monday! It wasn't - strongly suggesting we were not prepared to give up 25 on its own. We have! We rolled over - to that crap lot near the airport. That is the issue.

Peanuts?

The Age reporting the deal is done for pick 25! Can't believe we rolled over. At some point we need to take a stand during Trade week and show some mettle and play hardball otherwise we will always be seen as suckers and wimps.