Lucifers Hero

When Gus was recruited he said he was modelling his game on that of Joel Selwood. Earlier this week I heard/read several commentators compare his first season and style favourably to Selwood. I doubt there is a higher compliment that could be paid to Gus. The other comparison to Selwood's start is he had a few years of 'protection' by senior players getting the taggers, more bumps and thumps. Because we have Jones, Tyson, Van D and Vince the same start is being afforded Gus. It is really good that the club has got to the stage where we are 'not throwing new players to the wolves'. This 'protection' may well help Gus be as good as or an even better player than his poster-player, Selwood.

That just reminds me how quickly things can go pear shape - losing our talent to injury and defection! Just reminds me that while we may be at a turning point we need to wait a while to see if the NSC is dead! Sigh...

I have long been a critic of Dawes and don't think he is in our best 22 going forward. My biggest criticisms have been: - he can't mark, - doesn't kick enough goals - can't use his body to out-position opponents - doesn't lead to good places However, Roos in one simple play made those criticisms redundant and found a role to use him effectively! Roos must have told him to Not To Try to Mark...Not kick for goal...Just bring it to ground!! If that his role and he sticks to it I think he should stay in the team. Brilliant move by Roos.

I wasn't actually talking about Sunday's win. I was talking about the impact on the players of the St K loss. Go back and watch the players faces after the St K loss. Gutted in a way I have not seen after a loss before. Look at Jones laying flat, face down on the ground. Gutted. You could almost read his mind saying: 'that's it, I've had enough of this sh-t'. Like a steely resolve was born in that moment. You see the turning point in results, that is fine. I see the turning point as a change in attitude...I think that is the 'significant moment' Roos was referring to. The St K loss was the final catalyst to change the attitude. A loss, to misquote the words of an ex Prime Minister: 'it was the loss we had to have'.

I posted yesterday that the Stk loss may well be the turning point for us. The players knew they had let the game slip and were gutted. It was the final straw for the players - writ big over their faces at the siren. Finally, finally, losing hurt. So it was good to hear that our wonderful captain had approached Roos to take responsibility on behalf of the players. Big of him. Roos comment on this was: " the players taking ownership for the fatal last few seconds was a “significant moment” ...in how the team would ultimately respond a week later". (This may well explain Roos' wry smile a few seconds after the siren). Finally, the players had had enough! Had enough of losing. Had enough of hurting Had enough of ridicule. Had enough of media bashing. The 186 loss and Sunday's win, both at Kardinia Park may bookend the start and end of our worst years of misery. But, the StK game will go down in our history as the turning point.

Was thinking if having a winning ruckman is an essential part of our winning games then how does the rest of the season look? It would suggest wins against: Dons, Saints, Pies, Bulldogs, Blues, GWS (none of which have better rucks than us) It will be a good test for Gawn vs Eagles (Nic Nat), Lions (Martin), Roos Goldstein) Loss but good experience for Gawn vs Freo (Sandilands) Not saying ruck victories alone will win us those games but if the rest of the team plays with the grit and team ethic it did yesterday, we have a very good chance of winning about half those games.

I agree with you Barney...the penny has finally dropped and the players are listening to the coach. I put this in another thread and is relevant here: At the siren of last weeks St K game young and senior players were truly gutted. That loss hurt and cut deep. They knew they, collectively let it slip! That hurt stuck in their craw all week and they were out for redemption! Finally, finally, losing hurt! Could well be the StK loss was more of a turning point than yesterdays victory.

Think you are right there SWYL. At the siren of last weeks St K game young and senior players were truly gutted. That loss hurt and cut deep. They knew they, collectively let it slip! That hurt stuck in their craw all week and they were out for redemption! Finally, finally, losing hurt! Could well be the StK loss was more of a turning point than yesterdays victory.

Non-playing highlights: - players listened to coaches - the belief (in our systems) before the game from Stretch, Neal-Bullen, Gawn and Viney interviews - the not over-the-top celebrations on the final siren - Roos' wry grin a few seconds after the siren...a penny for his thoughts - all the pics of individual players at different times hugging Jones...they clearly adore the captain. - Roos setting the example and ran on the field and first went to Enright! Non-playing lowlights: - Scott, a poor loser saying: "we had no rucks, we let them get easy goals, they kicked straight" - Scott, a poor loser - not to give us credit as the better team on the day, nor acknowledge the respect of our guard of honour for Enright.

I wonder how many DL will fess up? Delighted Gawn and Spencer had excellent games yesterday. Firmly believe teams can't win finals without an excellent ruckman. Worth noting the games we have done well in/won have been vs teams without recognised ruckman playing: GCS, Richmond (don't rate Maric), Bulldogs, Pies, StK and Cats. Our biggest losses have been where we have been killed in the ruck: GWS (Mummy), Sydney (Pike), (Hawks, Mc Evoy), Port (Lobe), Freo (Sandilands). No coincidence these are grand final/prelim final ruckmen/teams. Recently, I was one suggesting we need a ruckman to grow into the role along side our growing young mid-field. Yesterday, showed Gawn could be that guy!

"Drug importer Shane Charter has described as “definitely wrong'' his previous claim to anti-doping investigators that he sourced only the banned substance ... taking Thymosin Beta-4, Charter calls into question the veracity of testimony he previously provided to the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority". From the Australian. Looks like he is setting the scene as being an 'unreliable witness' to help the players and to undermine the evidence WADA presents to the CAS hearing. I wonder how much money/how threatening the EFC 'coterie' member with shady connections has given Charter this time!

Yep, its true! From the HS: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-leaves-james-hird-out-of-furore/story-fni5f6kv-1227408683276 Giant thumb up from Hird to players, club and supporters! Quite despicable really. The sooner they dump him the better. On second thoughts best they keep him - there is a (perverse?) pleasure in watching this quiet wrecking ball create havoc and will leave a rabble and a rubble in his wake.

So, James Hird loves and cares about his players, eh? So much so that he went to Europe for his business studies during the bye round. Missed training last Friday - at a time his team is in the pits. Yep, shows he really, really cares - only about himself! He should write a case study for his business school: How to single handedly bring down a once mighty football club!

Loved seeing Geelong supporters leave their Temple of Worship aka Kardinia Park 5 min before the siren!

Take your pick: Yze, Bruce, Neitz One or all would love a Dees premiership to go with those from the Hawks!!

Really loved at the end when Roos ran out on the ground, rounded up the players and led them to form a guard of honour for Enright. Fabulous moment! He made sure we showed our respected to a great of the game. Great leadership from Roos. We showed humility in victory...it was an incredibly proud moment. Well done Roos and our 22 fabulous players on the victory and on the respect shown. At last the 186 voodoo is dead! Hooray!

Looks like it is not only our players that do not listen to coaches and 'play selfish': "...suggested Dangerfield was guilty of chasing the ball and ignoring his role at the two bounces, which both led directly to Hawthorn goals that effectively ended the contest midway through the last quarter. Dangerfield spent six minutes and 20 seconds on the bench after the bounces — two minutes longer than his interchange stints in any other quarter." Setting an example of Danger ie no one gets away with ignoring coaches! Nonetheless, a Gutsy call by coaches to bench him for 6min & 20 sec when they were still in the game.

On a side note, did anyone notice this story about swimmer Kylie Palmer yesterday: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/swimming/kylie-palmer-denies-doping-as-swim-bosses-lose-hope-of-quick-hearing-20150618-ghreul.html? The interesting part is that it happened in 2013 and FINA (swimming's global body) decided for a variety of reasons to let it go but: "But in February this year WADA requested files regarding Palmer's testing before compelling FINA to issue an anti-doping violation to the Australian." It highlights, again that sporting bodies adjudicating their own athletes will err on the lenient side. WADA action in February could be coincidence but: - In the aftermath of the EFC saga is WADA reviewing 'lenient anti-doping decisions' for other Australian athletes? Unlikely. - Does WADA have new testing techniques? Whatever the reason for WADA's delayed action the outcome isn't good for Australia's clean sport standing in the world.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/neil-clelland-to-defend-essendon-34-in-wada-appeal-at-court-of-arbitration-for-sport/story-e6frf3e3-1227404666386 The player rep is Neil Clelland who represented the Bulldog players at the AFL Tribunal. They have opted for 'local' knowledge rather than someone with international/sporting experience altho I am sure he will be well supported. Nonetheless, it seems a bit of 'David and Goliath' given that WADA have Richard Young who brought down Armstrong and a few other high profile stars. If I was to take a bet it would be on Richard Young and WADA!

On the brighter side, only a handful of players on Sunday were there for 186: Jones - much improved Dunn - improved Watts - much improved Howe - improved a little Gawn - improved a little Spencer - maybe improved Bail - maybe improved So if all the additions since perform their roles we should avoid a massacre. Geelong will be looking for %age to get into and stay in the 8 so they will come at us hard. The key will be the team 'holding it together' when they get a run on. If heads drop = massacre 10+ goals. If absorb pressure and keep going, a loss by 6 - 8 goals.

No surprises! Pretty much as DL's expected. Forced changes really.

Simple: send the runner to the captain. If the runner is busy send a trainer to give the captain some water (and a message from the bench ). Or make a rotation with the coaches message. Time of message varies in the last 5 minutes depending on state of play. It isn't just minutes left to be communicated but also any coaching directions/tactics. Telling them # minutes left isn't enough ie Cross knew on Sunday there were 41 sec left.

Best guess: $500+ Jones, Dawes, Hogan (from 2016) $300- $500 Grimes (ex capt salary), Trengove (ex capt salary), Watts, Lumumba, Vince, Dunn, Jamar, Garland, McDonald Not much change their in 2016 (excluding list changes) except include Howe on the list. In a few years I would Viney, Salem, Petracca, Tyson, Hogan, Brayshaw etc to be up there. In terms of the salary cap Mahoney said early this season that we at the max.

The problem is if he signs up for say 3 years he can then just walk away as UFA. (Yes, we can match a UFA offer). So it may be better to trade him now while and get a good pick/player? This doesn't mean I want him to go.

Gone to where? Why is he going? How do you know? What do we get back in return?