Lucifers Hero

Here is one from his twitter. Petracca's knees look in good shape! By all accounts he worked hard at his rehab ... deserves the reward and play the whole season!

Darren Jolly - 2 x premiership ruckman, rookie draft Shane Mumford - premiership ruckman, rookie draft Mark Jamar - rookie draft Stefan Martin - preseason draft Its quite common to not draft ruckman in the the main draft...

Dean Cox says hello: Rookie pick # 28 203cm 6 times AA Premiership Ruckman

This article is about how to make good use of the bye rnd at 2016 eos. http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/afl-2016-bye-round-five-ways-league-can-build-on-season-momentum-week-off-before-finals/story-e6frf3e3-1227590764701 Extract: 1. WOMEN’S EXHIBITION MATCH If the AFL is serious in its endeavour to launch a womens league by 2017, playing a stand-alone exhibition match is both commercially and morally sound. 2. NAB RISING STAR Moving the ceremony to the bye week would not only boost the profile of the winner, but shine the spotlight on all of the young talent nominated throughout the year. 3. TAC CUP MATCH Another way to showcase young talent, in what could be a Vic Metro v Vic Country game, either double-billed with the women’s match or played as a stand-alone fixture. 4. ALL-AUSTRALIAN AWARDS The end of Round 23 would also sound the end of the 2016 home and away fixture — so why not host the All-Australian awards then, too? 5. REP-GAME This could take many forms. Perhaps two teams comprised of players from teams out of finals contention, or an exhibition match played between retired greats and celebrities, or even a State of Origin match. Either way, there’s plenty to play with. Personally, I like all of the above. - A Rep Game Fri night from teams out of finals contention...a defacto State of Origin...some excellent players in non-finals teams - A TAC Cup match followed by a Women's on Sat night - Awards during the week after the 'bye'. After all, the AFL just can't 'free kick' that weekend to other codes....not to mention the tv networks being at a loss with those time slots!

Jack was adamant he wanted to remain a Demon and not be traded so it may have deterred clubs and if they did ask, Jack's manager probably said 'no thanks'. Yes, that is an hypothesis but it is just as plausible as posters who assumed there were no takers. To be successful (in any activity) it pays to play to one's strengths to neutralise weaknesses. For Jack this could mean a link-man role (like crow's Tom Lynch whom we chased) as it is acknowledged Jack reads the play and distributes the ball beautifully. We don't have a link-man which is why we tried to recruit Lynch and Jack's 'smarts' would make him very damaging in this role. He will be even more damaging when his team mates are smart enough to also read the play and get to the right position to receive the ball from him. Yes, he also has to improve his contested game and that is not negotiable. He knows it. It is up to him to show how desperately he wants to remain a Demon. He is in my starting 22 and if takes a leaf from Jesse's book who said: 'once in the team his goal was to not be dropped', Jack will be there every week I hope the coaches haven't given up on him, I haven't!

Some interviews with Alex on mfc website: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-10-30/nealbullen-relishes-first-year-with-dees http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-10-30/great-to-share-journey-with-billy-anb This comment caught my eye: “It’s a great bunch boys this year that came in and even the second and third year are all rippers in that we’ve all got our mind set on the one thing and that’s taking this club to the top.” A number of our young brigade have made similar comments at eos interviews. I have no sense they are platitudes and really sense passion and desire in the comments. Could it be that they have made their own pact to stay together and make it happen? Young players, young coach-in-waiting, the steady development of McCartney and the wisdom of Roos! All add up to the making of a new culture! Anyone else get the feeling that our young brigade will be pushing 'senior' players to show the right attitude and perform rather than the other way round? Bring it on!

Agree! A home game at Etihad should not be vs an Etihad tenant. It should be a neutral venue for both teams...

I would like to think if we were to delist someone we would tell him now, to maximise his chances of being picked up as a DFA. Just seems the fair thing to do in my mind.

Maybe we should wait and see who is the premiership player allegedly involved in the recent sexual assault allegations against 2 Hawthorn players.

Agree with the comments that the AFL has legal and moral standing in the player claims that may eventuate. It just annoys me that so much AFL money and time will go into those when it should be used better elsewhere. Let Essendon pay for the AFL lawyers!! Then AFL money and time can go where they belong!

Looks like the lawyers are dragging the AFL into it: "One of the Hunter camp arguments is that the AFL and Essendon have an obligation to provide a safe workplace for players. Hunter's legal team says the action is against Essendon and the AFL on the grounds that the player's contract is tripartite – involving not only the player and the club but the league." 23 of the 34 are no longer at Ess...if Hal Hunter succeeds there will be a lot of players come out of the woodwork and follow his path. The saga is set to drag on long after CAS case is decided and any penalties served. A most unfortunate part of this development is that by dragging the AFL into it a lot of good money is going down the drain to 'defend' the case(s)...money that should be going into the game and AFL clubs. Its just wrong that so much AFL time and money will be wasted because one rogue club went feral.

With the fixture coming out tomorrow thought we might need a separate thread. MFC's 'wish list' "The Demons remain hopeful their successful Anzac Day Eve clash against Richmond continues despite it being a Sunday night this year. The clash attracted 58,000 on a Friday night in 2015. The Demons want to play in Darwin and Alice Springs again and will be hopeful for an early Friday night game as they build momentum, and want to maintain the increasingly interesting Queen’s Birthday clash against Collingwood with Jeremy Howe’s defection to the Magpies adding interest. The Demons also copped seven Sunday games in the last eight rounds to finish 2015. They will be hoping for more variety in the fixture in 2016." http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-10-28/fixture-wish-list?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=RSS+feed%3A+AFL+Latest+News Fairly modest 'wish list' and it willl be disappointing not to get it especially when for Essendon..."After a bottom-four finish this year, the Bombers should be given a reasonably good fixture to climb up a little bit next season under new coach John Worsfold". Maybe they should win a few more games first like we have to!! Yes, equalisation at work here!! Lets see how much the fixture helps us get better crowds (and revenue)...a few home games at the 'G' vs bigger Vic clubs with good time slots should do the trick! Not holding my breath...

surplus a graders...what a wonderful day that will be

Agree...oodles of talent and started off playing with instinct. Then defensive coaching took the shine off that. An (obvious) on-field spray or two from Dawes in early games didn't help his instinctive play/confidence. Not sure whether the spray(s) were Dawes doing a hissy-fit or JKH not playing to team rules. Probably a bit of both. Clearly JKH needs to learn the defensive side and to play to 'team rules'. But hopefully these don't snuff out his instinct. I remember the story when leading into the 2014 season JKH kept asking (begging) Roos for games. That is serious enthusiasm which Roos rewarded. Atmo he is ironing out a few weaknesses at Casey. There will be more competition next year for a senior spot but I think we will see his flare on the 'G' again. Once back he will be difficult to dislodge.

Now that would be worth seeing!!. The last person to try something like that was Matt Randell when he was quoted as saying something about recruiting players with one non-indigenous parent and look what happened to him. I'm not sure whether the AFL Mngt/Commissioners have stepped out of leafy Toorak but the last time I looked in my equally leafy bayside area, schools are multicultural with children of 2nd/3rd generation immigrants. We need look no further than son on SOS in the draft this year. Again, it raises the question: would the Blues steer him down a 'multicultural academy' path or let him go into the national draft? I wish the AFL well trying to define what is a 'multicultural' or 'indigenous' player.

11 are left: David Myers 2 Tom Bellchambers 10 Ben Howlett 10 Travis Colyer 11 Jobe Watson 12 Michael Hurley 19 Heath Hocking 20 Michael Hibberd 21 Dyson Heppell 22 Cale Hooker 22 Brent Stanton 22Shows # of games in 2015. They will still be able to field a team if players get CAS bans albeit without some of there best players. At other clubs: Paddy Ryder Angus Monfries Stewart Crameri Jake Melksham Jake Carlisle

Love this comment from him: “For me to run out on the G and play for Melbourne would mean the world to me and I’d make the most of the opportunity,” he said. Hope he gets a run in the seniors this year (2016) and have that dream come true! Line him up next to Jesse!

Interesting article by Caroline Wilson: AFL plan to restructure development of young talent The idea is each Victorian club is given a region/zone to develop multicultural and indigenous talent. Carro says: "with draft numbers also dwindling in the Northern Territory it remained unclear which clubs would be aligned to Australia's northern region with Melbourne linked to an academy there in the early planning". I know it is early days but tbh it doesn't make sense to divide inner Melbourne up between clubs and leave us out and a NT academy will be very expensive to run from a few thousand miles away. Carro indicates, "Although clubs would not gain special access to recruit players developed in their specified regions, the AFL is considering incentives such as bonus rookie selections via the draft". As we know from this years 'draft points' trades clubs will quickly learn how to make the most of a system. Given there already are a lot of indigenous and multicultural players in Victoria it will be interesting to see how the AFL ensures those players still get to the draft. For example if St Kilda identified Christian Salem early could they steer him to their 'multicultural academy' path, take him as a rookie rather than the national draft path? I hope the AFL irons this stuff out early because Carro says it is "a move that has been viewed as a precursor to the return of club-branded development zones". If future draft zones do eventuate along the preliminary lines I would be worried for us if our zone was NT without a Vic zone as well. After all some 70% of draft players are from Victoria. Time will tell. I'm sure Peter Jackson would be in there batting for us. Maybe he can push for the Bayside area of Melbourne and inner/middle south/south east eg the area we have been targeting as our 'heartland' to be our Vic zones.

We dont get enough goals from our midfield! Hopefully, we get more when Petracca plays, Harmes, Salem and Brayshaw develop. Viney, Tyson, VanD will grow into replacements for Vince and Jones (30 and 28 at start of 2016 season) over the next few years Also, good clubs have 10-12 on-ballers in their starting 22 each week. Allowing for injuries and that some of our young brigade (those not listed above) won't make it we dont have anywhere near enough on-ballers to get deep into the finals. So for mine, mids-on-ballers-that-go-forward-and-kick-goals is the way to go at #3 and #7simply we need more (midfield) avenues to goal which will also take the goal kicking pressure off Jesse and Jeffery.

Thanks 'fork' Great advice ‘McQ’…a very worthy read. I can’t imagine how tough times were for working folk during the war years but this: “During the 1916 season, the club (Collingwood) disguised gifts to players and committeemen as presents to soldiers. But Collingwood was not alone. Carlton chose to pay off debt rather than contribute to the (war) Fund” is astounding! The article puts into a new perspective for me, the feats of our club heroes honoured by our B&F awards. I felt very, very proud of my football club reading that article.

What a cheek! Quote: 'However, the Magpies opposed the new fixture, describing the Anzac Day calendar as already over-subscribed . Club president Eddie McGuire likened the April 24 night game at the MCG to "having Christmas twice." ' On the whole Eddie is good for football but he sure is galling at times!! Glad the AFL backed the Dees and Tiges to deliver on the showcase game. Last year's Anzac Eve game was a highlight of the season: Great occassion, moving ceremony and we won.

Lets hope we get a bye after the Darwin game so we have time to freshen up because usually the bye is before Darwin...crazy stuff!

Browsing the club website I noticed membership to date is 19,026. Thought you might like some approximate comparisons so I have created this table from several sources. Past: Date/Members Final # Mbrs Year 2 Dec 2010 - 17,541 36,937 2011 2 Dec 2011 - 18,747 35,428 2012 3 Dec 2012 - 18,217 30,372 2013 11 Dec 2013 - 22,105 35,911 2014 10 Nov 2014 -19,124 35,953 2015 We are ahead of last years Nov 10 figure by 2 weeks. Our best year was 2011 with 36,937! 2015 could have been a lot better and hopefully, the fixture early next year is a bit kinder - playing Freo, Swans and Hawks in consecutive weeks was a membership killer. If we have to play all of them in the first half hopefully they are scattered so we can sneak in a few wins between them and keep supporters optimistic and enthusiastic. PJ's goal of 50,000 for 2017 isn't looking too flash. Lets hope we get 40,000+ for 2016. Of course, winning a few games early will work wonders!! Get the supporters back to the 'G'. Imagine the crowd if Trengove, Petracca and Hogan all line up for Rnd 1. Imagine the roar! Go Dees 2016!!!

...or he is starting an investment portfolio...well he has to spend the squillions we will pay him for the next 10 years, on something!

I'm not too worried about trading next year's 1st rnd pick. The club would know exactly who will be in the top 20. So for mine, it was more than a bargaining chip. It was a very considered decision knowing what is needed and who will be available. eg If we could fulfill our need this year why wait till next year, type thinking. Of course we can always trade up into rnd 1 as we so as astutely did this year. eg we may lose 1 or two FA's which gives 2nd/3rd rnd comp picks...exactly what academy, F/S clubs want. Effectivey, 2 FA's + another pick become a 1st rnd pick...probably equal to where we finish on the ladder in 2016. Even if FA comp picks are scrapped we can still trade pics for a 1st rnd but losing FA's eg Grimes, Spencer will make it easier. All teams will copy-cat our innovative 'trade up pick' strategy next year but that we have good rapport with GWS and GCS bodes well for us to do it again. .