Lucifers Hero

ash could you put in a comma or fullstop...not being pedantic just trying to work out the deal. Is that a straight swap of Tomlinson for Howe or Tomlinson for our 2nd round pick...I would do this in a heartbeat, especially as it looks like Howe is staying!

Max Gawn aka 'Mr Invincible!! Gawn was introduced by Roos as 'Mr Invincible' on Friday as he announced his extension after telling a journalist earlier this season he had felt "invincible" during a contest against Geelong. Mr Invincible...has a nice ring to it!!

ie 2016- Essendon If true he would be getting buckets of $$ or he is very desperate to leave the Lions. Going from the 'frying pan to the fire'! EFC won't be climbing the ladder in a hurry!!

A further update: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-08-14/roos-rapt-with-gawn-resigning Quote: "Meanwhile, Roos is confident high-flying utility Jeremy Howe will re-sign with the club beyond this year". Some DL's will say "I'll believe it when I see it" but to me it looks like we can expect another announcement before EOS!

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-08-14/gawn-commits-until-the-end-of-2018 "A lot of the guys are in the same boat – we’ve been through a lot together and we don’t want to miss out on hopefully what’s at the other end. “We’ve got some good young players coming through – we’ve seen Angus Brayshaw this year and James Harmes and Alex Neal-Bullen and players like that – who are playing good footy and there’s Christian Petracca still to come, which is exciting.” Shown his loyalty and faith. Fabulous news! Go Dees!

No way should Brisbane get a priority pick! They already stand to have 5 maybe 6 of the first 25 picks. How so? Look at this extract from ‘Whispering Jack’s’ Draft Prospects post: Plough's TAC Cup Future Stars selections for this week:- Round 1 1. Brisbane - Jacob Weitering 12. Brisbane* - Ben Keays 19. Brisbane* - Eric Hipwood * Academy bid Then in Round 2 Brisbane have pick #22. They will probably get a round 1 pick for Aish. Stef Martin wants to leave so they will probably get a high pick in a trade. ie 5 maybe 6 picks in the top 25! Yes, they have to pay for the 2 Academy players with ‘draft points’ but there are ways of getting those without using pick 22, the Aish or Martin picks eg they can trade out C+ players for 2015 late round2/round 3 picks (points) or bring forward late 2016 draft pick (points). It is also an absolute joke for Brisbane to get an ‘upgraded’ comp pick for Leunberger to pick 2. They would have 6 maybe 7 picks in the top 25! The HS argue Frawley comp pick is a precedent. That is c-r-a-p as we did not have all the other top 25 picks for Academy players and Aish/Martin type trades! At least Frawley was a B/B+ player; Leunberger is nowhere near that. The press should focus on the favourable draft position Brisbane already have and stop this stupid talk of an ‘upgraded’ Leunberger comp pick or a priority pick! Club Presidents should start lobbying the AFL to do the same!

Interesting combo of dinner folk, dd. I would imagine Carey played with Goodwin at the Crows. Including Hogan (and maybe McCartney) at the dinner would suggest Carey may play a mentoring/coaching/development role teaching Jesse the 'art of FF/CHF play'. Leaning from the best! I like it!

Jack Watts has since his 100th played his best footy and become a key member of the side. 100th game is about the time players come into their prime. Jeremy is in the same boat and his best is in front of him. It is a shame that he apparently is offended/insulted about his treatment during last years trade period. Roos made it clear last year that everyone was on the trade table (if all parties agreed) and it isn't the club's fault that GWS made their offer with a few hours to go. I suspect JH would be more offended if the club didn't tell him of the GWS offer at all. Hope Jeremy is mature enough to make a decision for the right reasons. He is coming into his prime and we need 100 game players. For these reasons I hope he stays.

Quite right DubDee and D- Worshiper...it is a 7 day break Reminder to self: do not post on DL before 9.00am or learn to count! I have corrected my earlier post.

Our current team vs last time greatly improve our side and we have the inside nous of McCartney. Advantage to us. But its hard to be optimistic as our players are recovering from the flu making it difficult to play out 4 qtrs. Their form and two key changes for them vs last time give the advantage to WB: - they played no recognised ruckman. - their 'great white hope' did nothing and as our 'Great White Hope' so eloquently pointed out, was subbed off! (Will laugh if Jesse has another shot at Murphy about that)!

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-08-12/rule-changes-could-influence-recruiting Roos gives some clues on list changes: 1. In terms of how many list changes will occur at the end of the season, Roos said: “I wouldn’t have thought as many as the last couple, but having said that, I really haven’t sat down and had a close look at it.” 2. I am paraphasing but he also says that if rotations and the sub change There’s no point bringing guys in that can’t run. Those should help our DL predictions!

You called it early 'Scythe'! Goodwin is singing from your song book! http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-08-12/goodwin-says-vince-better-than-bf-year 'Goodwin...who played with Vince for five seasons at the Crows, including 2009, said he rated the 29-year-old’s 2015 even better than when he won the Malcolm Blight Medal six years ago'. He also gave Jack V a ripping endorsement: “He’s an exceptional player, Jack. He’s a little terrier in there and I think we’re a few goals better team when he’s in the team...” I'm guessing we all agree that 'terrier' is a perfect word!

Good get...it is worth spelling out the exchange: jamesmagner ‏@jamesmag23 5h5 hours ago @BMcLean_Ally @Robbo_heraldsun cheeky voicemail left by him yesterday sniffing around for a story on the dees! #writearealstory Mark Robinson ‏@Robbo_heraldsun 22m22 minutes ago @jamesmag23 cheeky? Why go to Twitter and not ring me back. All I was going to ask was: did you get injections in the stomach... What a low act by Robbo...Hirds 'ambulance chaser'? Is Robbo so dumb that he needs to ask Magna: 'Why go to Twitter and not ring me back' Well done for Magna for exposing this low act!

Not only has the tide turned there is a tsunami building against Hird: -On SEN with KB Waldron said Hird has lost all his coaches, including Harvey!! -Clearly he has lost the players! -As noted in my post #2618 yesterday Bomber, Tim Watson, Lloyd and the Essendonians have jumped off his band wagon. -He has no friends at AFL. -Little is hardly a fan. That leaves only EFC members and fans left to support Hird. I can see a tug-of- building for the hearts and minds of fans and members. All the recent leaks are probably Hird's way of shoring up their support. But the fans have to be won over before deposing the golden boy. So would expect a subtle anti Hird campaign from those club legends above (who are all in the media) to soften up supporters. This tug-of-war will be played out in the media! Yep, a tsunami is building!

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/powerful-coterie-group-backs-essendon-review-20150811-giwkt8.html This story that the Essendonians coterie group is backing the football department review seems unusual to be put in the public domain. The president, Dr Peter Hughes: "... would not divulge whether he believed Hird should be moved on". That Hughes did not make a statement of support of Hird would suggest the Essendonians are giving James the message: we don't back you anymore! So that Bomber, Tim Watson, Matthew Lloyd and the Essendonians are no longer part of the Hird fan club it can only be a matter of time before he is toppled (despite the CEO 'guarantee' of Hird's job). Maybe key sponsors are starting to make unhappy noises! Maybe they have all finally woken up to the damage he is still inflicting on their 'brand'. Who knows the Essendonians coterie members may just dip into their deep pockets to put up the coin to move Hird out! Cut their losses so to speak!

http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?app=forums&module=post&section=post&do=new_post&f=2 An article discussing recruits from other clubs with Higgins, Crisp and Garlett nominated as the top 3. It seems to be a foxtel thing so not sure how 'official' it is. Nonetheless, it is great for Jeff to be recognised for his efforts and he certainly seems to be enjoying his football and the club. He is on track to kick a career high number of goals. Along with Jesse and his Rising Star performance and Bernie in AA form it is really good to have our players recognised as being at the higher performance end of the comp.

And before too long the supporters will see their golden boy messiah as 'the Emperor who wears no clothes'!

You could have been a bit more gentle o d

Hird may find himself a very lonely fellow: -Tim Watson is said to be disenchanted with Hird's coaching -Bomber Thompson is being quite liberal with his anti EFC comments -Matthew Lloyd is 'reconsidering' his J. Daniher coaching role...ie won't be their in 2016. These are all the club captains for the last 20 years. All are club legends. They can't all be wrong! Yet the Board, CEO and supporters still blindly follow their 'messiah'. No promised land here tho...just a road to ruin!

The plot thickens! But the AFL has stopped the story in its tracks!

AFLCA votes 10 Higgins (NM) 7 Hogan (Melb) 6 Cunnington (NM) 5 Goldstein (NM) 2 Thomas (NM) Lots talking up of Dawes and DL votes for him but the coaches didn't share the view that he had a great game.

This may be true but the Board have a Corporate Governance role which they have failed in before and seem to be doing again. Part of that role is to ensure checks and balances are in place, not only for processes but also accountability of staff. If they are all Hird's buddies there cannot be such accountability...it just repeats the controlling environment Hird had before. This should be ringing alarm bells at the AFL!

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/essendon-shuffle-deckchairs-as-damage-from-drug-scandal-continues-20150810-givmd2.htmlis about the forthcoming Essendon review written by Carro. Some extracts: - Essendon chief executive, Xavier Campbell, only guaranteed one position in the review and that was Hird's. - ...the review...had little to no input from football department bosses Neil Craig and Rob Kerr. - The strong impression is that another legend Tim Watson, is losing faith in Hird. - Thompson nominated...those three men (Dank, Robinson, Hird) as the key architects and instigators of the program which was heavily punctuated with injections. He said that some board members knew what was happening also. - the move to install Craig and Kerr at the head of the football department has not sat well with Hird - appoint (Campbell) such a relatively young and inexperienced chief executive into a crisis management situation - particularly one so linked to the then suspended coach - was another misstep by Little. So Hird and his CEO mate, Campbell are having the review to get rid of the people Hird doesn't like! To entrench their own positions? It beggars belief but it seems, Hird is firmly in control! Where is the Board! They have abdicated their governance responsibility, again! Where is Little! Looks like he has put his head in the sand. What does Hird have on these guys!

That would present a real trade dilemma for us as Brisbane's 2nd, 3rd, 4th, picks are tied up for academy players. They will probably have the 1st pick in the PSD so will have a lot of bargaining power as Howe can go there for nothing. Which only leaves a player swap, or a 2016 draft pick. So we pray very hard that Howe desperately wants to go elsewhere.

I noticed that as well tu...it just shows how ordinary all but the top 4 teams are this year. I guess they can only beat who they play and they have done that very well. Such is the good fortune when a bottom 6 side has talent and hits form. Port were bottom 6 and had a 'soft' draw in Hinkley's first year. They also made the most of the opportunity. It is a fabulous time to build belief and confidence that comes from winning regularly. Of course the following year the draw is harder but some of that 'winning culture' carries over. Next year will be our opportunity to take advantage of a bottom 6 draw! Learn to win! Then, learn to 'put teams to the sword'!