Lucifers Hero

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!!

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I feel the rule has merit for clubs like mfc. Before it we had to pay 100% of the cap meaning players were paid more than their value (I think Mahoney recently said the 'over' payment was 26%, now down to 4%). But the other big downside was we couldn't build a war chest to go after FA's or trade in players and fit them into the salary cap. All clubs have to work to the sal cap rules but the 'power' clubs have facilities, success, marquis games, big crowds etc to entice players but mfc can't (at least not yet) so we need the flexibility to have some chance of getting players we want. Also, we (as other clubs) can now stash some cap space away for when a good young player is coming out of contract and reward them. Hard to do if it has been 'spent'. So generally I am ok with the rule.

The AFL players' top 50: 50 to 41 No idea who wrote it but great that Bernie and Nathan get this recognition. Bernie ranked 48 and Nathan 42. (With a countdown there may be others but unlikely). Very well deserved by the guys. It is another public acknowledgement that we are improving. I even saw mfc and 'destination club' in the same sentence in The Age recently! Bit by bit we are earning back respect!

1. "The new rule allows clubs who have spent under 100 per cent of the cap in the past two seasons to spend up to a maximum of five per cent over it in 2016". http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-07/clubs-set-to-spend-up-big-under-new-tpp-system 2. I don't see any practical way clubs could 'front-end' contracts this year as the CAS decision was only made in Jan and the AFL is yet to determine what salary cap relief is given to the 4 affected clubs. Also, All contracts for this year will have already been signed before the start of the year. If the AFL doesn't incl the suspended plalyer's salary in each clubs cap the benefit is in future years, hence why the power clubs are 'incensed' about it being used for recruiting.

Its to do with unused sal cap being carried over to the next year or two as clubs do not have to pay 100% of cap each and every year. Edits: I think there are limits to how far a club can go (maybe 95%) and over how many years a club can miss the 100%, to avoid clubs building great war chests in their sal caps. As I understand it suspended efc player salaries are in their cap but salaries of top-up players are not.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/port-adelaide-melbourne-st-kilda-western-bulldogs-could-benefit-from-salary-cap-concession-on-exbombers/news-story/90698df596a7cfc7384cb9e76b679aa5 Quotes: "Leading AFL clubs are incensed that the salaries of five suspended former Essendon players are likely to sit outside the salary caps of their new homes". Sydney, Richmond, Hawthorn and Collingwood are among the clubs concerned that this salary cap exemption would create an opportunity for those four clubs to use the space for recruiting" "...The league has indicated that more than half the players’ salaries will fall outside the cap — an outcome that has riled rival clubs, which are hoping to overturn the AFL’s initial ruling". The AFL's initial ruling is based on the fact that the 5 clubs will not be paying the salary so should not be in the cap. Sound logic to me. While the salary cap concession doesn't benefit mfc much, in principle I feel it is poor sportsmanship by those clubs to take this heavy handed stand. This is especially so after (by all accounts vehement) opposition to allowing 'top up' players like EFC. It would be good to for the AFL to be decisive, show some leadership and not buckle to the pressure from powerful clubs.

I re read the articles re the injury on our web site and scans were not mentioned. In fact Goodwin said: "It's just a minor medial, so we'll just assess him as the week goes on," The scan seems something assumed by the media or fans. Also the quote from The Australian does not say scans will be cancelled it says they 'will not be required'. The club took him off the ground on Saturday to not risk Gus. They will not risk him now and will give him whatever treatment and rehab is required. Lets wait the next installment from the club.

All very sage comments and lets hope the club does everything to look after young Gus. (...and the club still needs to confirm the report in the Australian). On the positive side it means the injury is on the minor side, as reported by Goodwin and in all likelihood Gus will line up in round 1 rather than miss the first part of the season.

From The Australian: "However, in more promising news, Melbourne general manager of football operations Josh Mahoney said yesterday Brayshaw would not require scans scheduled for today". http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/victorious-demons-to-keep-form-going-against-bulldogs/news-story/410a1514bd17896aee0982c97dcbbd09 Hooray!!

Finally got to watch a replay. Four big things I noticed about our game plan/ball movement 1. We almost never went backwards! Our players didn't even look like going sideways let alone back. Eyes nearly always forward. 2. We didn't hug the boundary line nor did we play thru the middle. Our forward play was between the two - attacking but conservative. 3. When we went forward there were players running alongside the ball carrier. 4. We played with Intent! We relied on defensive aggression rather than defensive ball movement. It worked! It looked like we were practicing our new game plan as I would think during the real season we will revert to some defensive ball movement. Can't attack all day against the really good sides. Will be interesting to see the balance between attacking/defensive ball movement next week against the fast moving Bulldogs. To me those 4 things showed not only will we be a 'contested ball side' (Goodwin's words) we will be a much more attacking side. If we continue we will have a lot more i50's, many scoring shots and hopefully a lot more goals (and wins). We will also be infinitely more enjoyable to watch...a good way to get supporters come to games!

Ok I'll take the bait! - Many DL posters are pleased players found guilty of drug use are out of the game for a year, regardless who they play for. A victory for clean sport. - Many DL posters are unhappy with the AFL's kid gloves handling of EFC in the aftermath of the CAS decision. Its like rewarding cheats. - Very, very few DL posters are critical of the mfc decision to hire Goodwin. Those positions are not mutually exclusive. Nothing to reconcile. If is interesting to you there are other threads where you can read the discussion about Goodwin and EFC saga. Post your issues over there. Therefore, I'm signing out of the EFC/Godwin discussion on this thread.

Not sure where to put this article so here will have to do http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-season-2016-development-programs-becoming-the-best-route-to-an-afl-premiership-20160226-gn4x7c.html I think we all know that FA's and players look at facilities and development programs before moving clubs or going to so called 'destination clubs'. I doubt any of us think we are such a club (yet). So I take with a grain of salt this comment by the writer, Jon Pierik: The Demons, for instance, are a "destination" club again, due in part to their development system. Top 4 clubs will generally be the most attractive. Nonetheless, it is good that mfc is starting to be linked to the words 'destination club'. If our development is top notch it will help player retention as well as attract players. We are slowly getting off the bottom rungs of the ladder, in more ways than one!

From the young man himself: “We were down by five goals and then we really turned it on and then we just kept going,” he said. “I just loved it. I loved going in for the ball. I hunted it and loved the contest. It was my sort of game. “It was awesome.” Just have to love him, don't you.

Out today and didn't see the game so just caught up on 15 pages! Going on the posts I wondered if Viney went to sleep after running out as Captain. Then I read the Age game review and saw this: Jack Viney (28 touches, 11 clearances)!! Well done Captain: 1 from 1! The other thing I read is that we had 10 goal kickers. That will create a few headaches for opposition backs especially if our on-ballers continue to hustle in and around the stoppages. Keep Hogan down and others bob up! He won't mind that - he doesn't have to do all the heavy lifting! Should be a good atmosphere at the Family Fun Day at Luna Park tomorrow!