Lucifers Hero

Tyson sums it perfectly: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-03-13/we-achieved-what-we-wanted-tyson -The midfielder said Melbourne’s good form had come off the back of strong contributions across the board. -“We’re just getting a nice, even contribution,” he said -“We’re sharing the load and playing pretty well as a group of 22 on the field at the moment. -“I guess everywhere you look at the moment you’ve got confidence, which is a good feeling to have.” In a word: TEAMWORK

Hogan may be having problems with his back and if so should be taken off soon. If lack of rotations prevent that, park him in the goal square and tell him not to move!! Winning a NAB game isn't worth taking any risks with him.

Don't know ET, but whatever it is it will be about 70% Stk fans...sigh Our fans won't come back to watch games until we start winning in the season proper. Its mainly die hard fans who pay attention to off-season training and NAB games. And, its a long weekend...our non-diehard fans will be holidaying somewhere!

1) They are moving back to Moorabbin 2) They still have a large latent supporter base from when they were constantly a top 4/GF team 5-10 years ago. 3) Their young guns have been around a bit longer than ours so supporters can see earlier potential to rise up the ladder. 4) They beat bottom sides! TBH outside of diehard Demon fans and DL's I doubt the outside world knows much about us or follow what our team does outside of season proper (and may not even then) so most outsiders would say STk prospects are better than ours. Of course, all will learn otherwise during this season!

Interview with Tom Mc: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-03-11/were-attacking-it-right-way-mcdonald- At last the message is getting across on what on-field leadership is all about: “...need to be more vocal on the field with teammates, especially when it gets late in games and you’re tired. Sometimes you start thinking about where you need to be, but now in the leadership position, you need to be thinking about others and how they’re setting up.” Not having this cost us several games in 2015. The most notable one was the last 45 seconds of the St Kilda game. The Collingwood game also comes to mind. And all the games where our leaders go missing when we get behind and played as individuals not a team. 2016 will be different.

Is it entirely that NT is unhappy with mfc or is it, at least in part, because: '...three clubs have expressed an interest to play in the Territory — these clubs are Melbourne Demons, Essendon and Port Adelaide,” Barrett told NT News'? I would have thought the new Multicultural Zones (all 3 clubs have a zone in NT) are designed to deliver all the things the Minister is looking for. Call me cynical but I reckon the other clubs are piggy backing off the AFL funding they will get to sweeten a deal with NT and oust us in the process. Have we been slow off the mark to tap into the Multicultural Zone negotiations? We will be involved in NT zones whether they sponsor us or not so we may have some fences to mend. But if there is a God, please do not less us lose the sponsorship to the Windy Hill cheats!

The AFL is looking to close the 'draft loophole' that allows clubs to trade up picks by trading with Academy clubs who just want the points and are happy to take lower picks. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-03-08/draft-loophole-under-threat "The new father-son and academy bidding system drew the ire of some clubs last year when canny rivals downgraded earlier draft selections to accumulate more points with multiple back-end picks". It has Eddie all over it - motivated by smarting because his club was caught flat-footed and missed the 'trade-up' party altogether and by his hatred for Academy clubs especially the Swans. The stupid thing is that the proposed change penalises all the clubs who want to trade up! Like us! Its a knee-jerk reaction by the AFL to a squeaky wheel. They should leave the rule alone and stop trying to appease Eddie. Back to O'meara and Prestia. With no rnd 1 pick in 2016 if the 'loophole' changes happen and we can't trade up for one, it may makes us much more reluctant to trade away our 1st rnd 2017 pick for Prestia, O'meara or anyone else. What we now need is more outside speed and it will be interesting to see if either of them have that after extensive leg injuries. TBH, I don't see either of them getting to the Dees and I doubt we will go after either.

Apparently, Hardwick pulled players off the ground with nearly 10 minutes to play and played it out with only 15 players! Few rotations left at this point. Not good duty of care and player welfare management for the 15 left on the field. While it may be well intentioned, he threw a match! A match on which there was betting. Bringing the game into disrepute fine may be coming his way? Well, if not for throwing a match then for disobeying the AFL directive to play on, for being a poor sport and doing a hissy fit because he didn't get his way. He may have just watched his contract renewal go down the gurgler!

The benefit of a few wins,eh. We now might just beat our prior record of 32,451 before round 1. Need 1,433 in 2 weeks! Quite doable!! Especially if we win vs StK on Sunday.

Not at all satisfied with a loss od. Just saying there are other goals in NAB games. Obviously from NAB 1 and 2 there are parts of our game/team that are just not working. NAB 3 is a chance to try ideas out and wear the consequences. eg I wouldn't mind seeing different structures tried in our backline to protect against and minimise turnovers close to their goal. If we take a 'win at all costs' approach for a NAB game we miss the opportunity to fine tune our game/team.

This round gets closer to real season. Six player bench but only 90 i/changes. NAB 1 was about 120 i/c (on a hot day on a big oval). NAB 2 i/c were 'closer to match conditions' (Viney interview) but don't know how many. NAB 3 will be 90 rotations (in mild conditions). Whether we have a 4 or 6 bench, 90 will be a good guide to our stamina. I'm not fussed about the result - just hope for a good work out, that we play the game out, not run out of puff and no injuries on an surface that has never been kind to us. ps would be rapt if we also win...

If WADA (or whoever) had been able to charge her use over the last 10 years they would have. They must have decided the rules do not allow the to do it. An important thing is whether she declared it as a medication whenever she was tested by drug testers. Athletes are required to disclose everything. If she thought it to be legal she would have, no? If she has not she may be in real strife ala the 34 EFC players who chose to not disclose/conceal what was being taken to routine drug testers. I just heard on SEN that her lawyers are going to try to get her off on a 'technicality' - sound familiar The technicality is 'used for therapeutic reasons' and they will apply for a retrospective exemption. I assume they did not apply for one over the 10 years as the substance was not banned. So it comes back to whether it was disclosed at the time of testing. Looks like another round of appeals on the horizon! CAS will be busy!

Reading the tweets last night there is a sense of a strong, steely resolve at the club epitomised by these words from Bartlett: Bartlett said that “whilst progress is being made, we won’t rest for even a minute”. “Whilst there is still noise from time to time about our club, we’re not listening and we won’t be distracted. “I am personally more fiercely determined than ever to carry out our vision for the club. Bring on the season and go Melbourne.” I know it is preseason but I've not noticed such resolve before and the determination is significant as it is consistent and genuine from the top to the bottom of the MFC. Belief starts here! It will grow with every win, with every time we come back during a game. Losses won't send everyone into the pits. We are developing the mental fortitude of our club and our players. How far will it take us? I reckon if that resolve is carried onto the field and we play out every game with that fierce determination it might sneak us over the line to pinch a few extra wins! An interesting reference to 'noise' by Bartlett. I very much doubt we will hear the words 'mental scars' or 'veil of negativity' ever again! Already the word I am hearing in the media is 'fierce' eg for Gawn, Viney, Hogan, Vince, Jones. Soon they will talk about Petracca, Vandenberg, Oliver also being fierce! If we become the most fierce team to play against in 2016 I will be very, very happy! Yep, hungry and fierce for 2016!

Our leadership during games last year was exceptionally poor. The Collingwood and St Kilda games stand out as glaring examples. We just couldn't back the same group this year. I am surprised at the extent of the change but I don't believe any of the 'outs' earnt the right to be there again. That 4 of the 6 were replaced signals that we are serious about success. The club is willing to make difficult decisions. It would not have been easy to drop the 4 as each of the players dropped strike me as being very proud men. From your last few posts I take it you don't like the new LG. Your solution to our on-field leadership vacuum is...?

Like father, like son: The 21-year-old has also achieved a similar leadership achievement to what his father Todd did at the same age, when the Melbourne great was appointed deputy vice-captain in 1988. Jack said he was delighted to continue in his dad’s footsteps. Viney's interview: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-03-09/honoured-to-be-leader-viney A chip off the old block, in more ways than one!

From Club Twittter: Roos: We need a strong leadership group but we also need strong leaders in the team who aren't in that group.Leadership Group Roos: These six men lead the way in terms of how we want to be as a club. Captain: Jones LG: Colin Garland, Max Gawn, Tom McDonald, Bernie Vince and Jack Viney. Out: Cross, Grimes, Dawes, Lumumba, Dunn WOW! Glad to see my smokey tip (Big Maxy) got in. Nice balance of experience and Youth - 3 of each!. For mine we didn't get the on-field leadership when needed from the players that were in the LG. Very happy with this team. Very well deserved by the new guys. And great to see Garland back in!! This is a major overhaul. Only the Captain kept his spot. Quite a message by the club. I think it took some courage for the club to do this so cudos to them for that.

Peter Jackson at the 2016 Season Launch: From twitter: Jackson: We've finished the rebuilding and restructuring of this club. There's no more excuses. Jackson: We know from a football point of view the journey we're on. We're committed to it and it's going to be a great journey. Its up to the players now! As the boss says: no more excuses!

A week ago the AFL was prepared to allow Port, StK, WB, Melbourne, to get salary cap relief for their suspend ex EFC players. Some 'power' clubs vehemently objected. In true AFL style it is ready to do a back flip. But first it will 'wait and see', 'for a deal to be struck between Essendon and the suspended players over payment of their wages before ruling on whether the four non-Essendon clubs can receive a salary cap windfall for not having paid their former Bombers this year': http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/essendon-34-afl-to-rule-on-salary-cap-help-on-banned-bombers-20160309-gnepms.html#ixzz42OA13uhg This is despite the fact that: "The league's investigations officer Ken Wood and head of integrity Andrew Dillon have indicated to clubs a first reading of the rules and how they have been applied in the past would indicate the money should not be in the clubs' salary caps if they have not paid the players...The league has pointed to the fact Collingwood did not pay banned pair Lachlan Keeffe and Josh Thomas a portion of their contracts last year and that amount was also excluded from their salary cap". It is now perfectly set up for the AFL to say something like: now that we have all the facts and all positions have been considered the 4 clubs will have to include the salaries they do not pay in their salary caps! Or if it takes a few years for EFC to strike a deal it will all be forgotten. Oh for the day when the AFL has the b_lls to actually make a decision or stick to its own rules. The rule now is if you a favoured club and squeal loud enough we will bend our rubbery rules for you!

Surprised that Dawes said: "I'm out of contract at the end of the year, but I'm sure that'll take care of itself," He sounds confident! I truly hope the club is not thinking the same!!! I'm not sure I could handle having him on our list, even for a 1 year base pay contract. Even if he gets back on the park in a few months, he has a chronic injury and he keeps breaking down and I just think there are better options with our current list. We need to build a forward line that can become a consistent, cohesive unit and a player who regular breaks down doesn't fit into that.

Here is another article on our 2016 prospects. http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/03/08/2016-afl-preview-series-melbourne-demons/ Perhaps not as positive as that in the OP but a fair assessment of the team today: Extracts: Backline: The Melbourne backline is solid but lacking class. Midfield: The Melbourne midfield is wanting for pure ball-winning ability and class, but not for grunt. They struggle to win easy ball. Ruck: Max Gawn ...will add a dimension to Melbourne that few other clubs have. Athletic, great hands, fiery. Forward Lline: The Demon forward-line starts with Jesse Hogan and ends with Jeff Garlett. Overall: The Demons look fairly solid in all areas of the ground now, able to compete with most teams in the present, but finally with some stable building blocks for the future that suggests finals isn’t the pipe dream it’s been for the last decade. Their ladder prediction for 2016 is 12th but could be 10th to 15th. I think the article is a fair assessment based on what we have shown to date. But if a few players take the next step and a few things really click, for us to be knocking on the door of the 8 is a reasonable expectation.

My favourite line from the article: FEAR THE BEARD! and we all know who that is

Looks like he is going to get a soft tap on the wrist for his social media 'work': http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-confidential-demon-clayton-olivers-facebook-slam-kieran-collins-nickname-nab-challenge-ladder/news-story/a83c43d17b7a20c85d4d6fd8b4014e58 He has a good sense of humour! But "AFL Confidential hears the club may be putting a stop to his frequent comments in the near future. So enjoy them while they last." I guess the club has little choice...keep him out of the limelight and the headlines or it might backfire on him. No need to invite media criticisms of Dees players!

Launched last Friday: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-03-07/rob-flower-scholarship-launched Flower was one of SEDA’s founding directors and the Rob Flower Scholarship looks to recognise and celebrate the qualities that he strongly believed in: community, effort, leadership, equality and loyalty. The scholarship is awarded to young people who demonstrate these qualities and have been identified as students who would benefit from participation in a SEDA program. A worth tribute to a great, loyal champion and person of the highest integrity.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/03/07/just-can-afl-play-straight/ The article discusses the AFL's ducking the Watson and Brownlow issue and Caroline Wilson's related commentary. Some strong words in that article: -For the supposed “leaders” of the leaking organisation, it’s reprehensible weasel-work. Too afraid to take a strong stance publicly, they instead hide behind journalists to say things without really saying them. -The continued lack of leadership is incredible. That those holding supposedly the most prestigious positions – those charged with running the game – should continue to behave this way is mind-boggling. -Is being a Commissioner only about attending the odd meeting and shaking hands with politicians? Unfortunately, aren’t they sometimes required to make difficult decisions? To – wait for it – lead? -Is it too much to ask the AFL to play a straight bat, just for once? No manipulation, no managing of outcomes, no buck-passing? I had a second look at the writer and it is not someone I recognise. I was bemused at their description of his status: A Roar Rookie! After that article I doubt he will be invited to break bread with anyone at the AFL any time soon.

I know all the reasons why Jack (or any other player) might defer talks. My point was we need OOC players to sign up to encourage members to sign up! Reasons why Jack Watts might re-sign quickly: (1) because he believes in MFC and what he and what his teammates can achieve!