Lucifers Hero

Our leadership group is failing us during games! No, I don’t mean their respective performance, effort or skill in games; most of them had good games last night. I mean their seeming inability to manage the team on the field. Surely at training, we have practiced and practiced and practiced what to do when the momentum starts to shift. But our leadership group go into ‘brain-freeze’ mode and by the time they snap out of it the game is all but gone. It happened vs WB and vs EFC. Our younger plays sense it then they freeze up. Then it looks like the whole team is mentally fragile. (It makes me wonder whether we have runners going out during games with ‘snap out of it’ words). Where was the encouragement to young guys when they made a mistake or looked uncertain? Tyson, Toumpas, Hogan, Viney, Bail looked like they needed some help last night and could have done with a pat on the back or a few confidence building words. I cannot criticise the games of these 19 to 21 year olds when our leaders are not mentally supporting them on the field. Where are the on-field ‘Line Generals’ who call their troops together or help them take correct positions when needed? Where is the ‘talk’? We have 6 players in the Leadership Group but no one seemed to call the shots out there last week or last night. We need them to find their ‘voice’, to support the young guys, to quickly recognise momentum shifts and then implement the practiced strategies. Leaders need to stay vigilant and alert to what is happening around them and harness their troops quickly. Until these happens, I fear that no matter how good or how skilled we are we won’t win many games.

The Very Good: Garlett's 4 goal haul - a feat no Dees player managed in 2014 The Good: Lumumba, Garlett, VanD and Watts had good games. The Bad: Not being able to recognise or stop the momentum swing. The Ugly: The Leadership Group didn't function.

Lets give him the benefit of the doubt - Maybe he still has a sore foot form the freo game.

This is f......g frightening because in rounds 5 - 9 we play mostly 2014 top 8 teams...we could be 0 to 11 at the half way mark. I desperately hope you are wrong.

No-one. Just Nasher showing some self deprecating humour!

If we were the Hawkes the view that this is a NAB cup would be fine. We aren't. I would like to know what things did we practice? Bottom line, yes it was horrible tonight. Even our practice was sh!t.

Yes, if Jack V wasn't the son of a club fave he would be the latest DL whipping boy! No mercy would be shown him. Not sure how many lives he has left before the fans turn on him too.

My silver lining: Lumumba, Garlett, Vandenberg and dare I say it Watts. New players are great value, Jack stood up when others around him fell away. My dark cloud: Nontheless we will be stuck in the bottom 4 of the ladder again. Back to the red wine!

Bump! May have seemed an early call when he was drafted but after tonight it is a no-brainer to promote V'Berg to seniors ASAP!! Would expect him to play rnd 1 (deservedly so) and if he stays injury free, play every game this season! Not only can he play and kick goals he brings the right aggressive and attacking attitude - something our more seasoned players are still lacking. Puts a number of our 'senior' players to shame.

Garlett has kicked 4. No Dee player kicked 4 goals in a game last year. He will be a great asset for us!

My point was that he didn't refute that EFC position. Quote from my post: He may be stating the inevitable but the Patrick Smith that had argued strenuously for what is right and good had backed off. Last year's Patrick Smith would have said something like 'EFC and AFL may want Hird to coach on but that just ain't on folks'! No way Jose!! And, this is why! By choosing to not continue with his Hird must go narrative, vehemently or otherwise, Smith seems to have considerably softened his public position and in my book it does not bode well for a balanced media discussion of the Tribunal outcome.

1. On p 115 of this thread post 2866 references an article written by him arguing James Hird will coach on regardless of the Tribunal's decision. This was the first sign that he had changed his extremely strong position that Hird had to go. For 2 years he had written articles arguing vehemently for Hird to resign or be sacked. 2. On his segment on KB's SEN program he has continued with the Hird is safe narrative. He may be stating the inevitable but the Patrick Smith that had argued strenuously for what is right and good had backed off. Last year's Patrick Smith would have said something like 'EFC and AFL may want Hird to coach on but that just ain't on folks'! No way Jose!! And, this is why! 3. Bearing in mind that Smith was an Essendon supporter until about 5 years ago when he was so disgusted with the cloak and dagger way EFC sacked Knights and appointed Hird, he refused to have anything to do with them thereafter. EFC club officials (CEO, I think) have been talking with him and he has said he is open to invitations to the club. So, in my book he has gone over to the other side. I try not to have personal opinions of journos so assess their articles on a case by case basis. Throughout the whole EFC thing he and Caro have stood out (Gerard Whately gave in at the half-way mark) IMO as the only journos who have maintained the rage against the morality of what happened. I have lost much respect for Patrick and Gerard on their altered positions. Why have their positions altered? I don't know. Political expediency/protecting their jobs comes to mind. Caro now appears to be the only hope of getting some rational discussion of the Tribunal outcome. But she has been very quiet so I'm not holding out hope of balanced journalism. BTW I believe EFC have also met with Caro to 'discuss her position'. I fear now that journos either write/say positive stuff or say/write nothing at all to not rock the EFC/HIrd boat. I hope my assessment is wrong because not only is freedom of the press important so is an independent press. I fear the latter is all but gone on the EFC doping saga. That may well turn out to be the 'darkest day in sport'.

Yes, even Patrick Smith has now capitulated. Leaves only Caro to tow the anti-doping, anti-Hird line. She has gone quiet, hasn't capitulated (yet) but seems to be keeping her powder dry. There may be a guilty verdict but the press will manage the narrative to be line with AFL's wishes ie play it down, let Hird do his job ra ra ra. After all, Smith and Wilson rely heavily on the AFL feed machine for their material. Every chance some 'negotiation' has happened between the AFL and journo's. The old you-scratch-my-back-I'll-scratch-yours routine comes to mind!

Leaving aside Essendon...that could easily be the 2015 end of H & A season ladder, in reverse! And we would still make the 8!

Totally agree, 2 Vic teams should go (altho don't know it would be North or Bulldogs). They won't while CEO of AFL remuneration is based on Total Revenue. They need 9 games a week (18 teams) for the next TV rights. If as mooted the next TV rights will be for 10 years there will be 18 teams for quite some time. Unfortunately, there will be very little change in the top 8 and bottom 8 in that time.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/essendon-top-up-players-kept-in-dark-on-game-plan/story-e6frf3e3-1227267503091 "ESSENDON is not revealing its game plan to top-up players to avoid secret strategies being leaked to other clubs.The Bombers are holding separate team meetings for its senior list and the 13 top-up players who have joined the club during the NAB Challenge." Hardly motivational for the 13 players that may be playing for EFC for some part of the season! EFC seems to find new high levels of arrogance and new low levels of integrity.

While I didn't always agree (did mostly) with Dees2014 posts I found his input very valuable and informative. I'm sure most and probably all DL's feel the same. So Dees2014 we want you back!

WOW! Fabulous news! Looks like our best 22 will be available for rnd 1!

Great! Thanks AzzKika!

It isn't quite as bad as it looks: "While half the total debt is regarded by the clubs as "good debt", such as money owed on profitable gaming venues, Nisbett said" ie there are tangible, profitable assets supporting that $50m Notwithstanding this, his basic point is very valid - that a lot of clubs are fooling themselves and aren't viable, spending money knowing the AFL will backroll them. I doubt the 'watered down' Equalisation package will really help the 'poorer' clubs very much. I don't know what the answer is. I do know that if the AFL signs 10 year TV rights, (predicated on 18 teams) to maximise AFL revenue (the basic KPI for Gil's bonus/remuneration) then the problem will continue.

Dees2014 (unfortunately) seems to have banned himself from posting on DL. His response to a similar question is on Post #678 on page 28 of this thread. Extract from the post: "That is exactly what I am saying, and Hird's relentless and expensive public campaign has been designed to position him as the innocent party supported by constant articles from tame journalists saying the players will get off. Judges will be highly influenced by this, as will be their existing prejudices about AFL football." We will know in two weeks. In the meantime I hope Dees2014 starts posting again.

Thnx. I will get my android tablet hooked into the 'smart tv' and see how that goes and/or find software that can connect the two. Bit difficult to watch a whole game on a tablet/phone.

Does anyone know if live stream (with or without app) is available for a 'smart TV'? Cheers Perhaps I should re-phrase that: Does the AFL live stream app work on a 'smart TV' or only on mobile devices?

Another question is how many players are still rolling the dice and getting away with it! The odds of getting away with it are in their favour as there aren't many tests made each year.

All that is true DA. However, we have a whole team who indulged that grey area and may not pay the price. EFC players are pleading being duped (simpletons?) and if they are found guilty and don't get 2 years then it becomes a farce.