Lucifers Hero

Jolly asked to be traded because he couldn't get a game with White in the team Martin was traded for non-football reasons. Max lacks a tank, in part because he smokes (or has recently given up). If Max's about to expire contract isn't renewed soon it would suggest he doesn't feature highly in clubs plans. The next month or two will tell.

We need a ruckman to match the class of our budding midfield ala GWS. So, we need to trade in a 'first choice' ruckman. Then keep one of Gawn, Spencer, (or Fitzy ?) as depth while King develops. Our ruckman have good currency: someone said WB interested in Fitzy, Ess only have a C grade. So can't vote for any of the 3 options.

Roos strategy was to keep Cross as our extra back. Crikey, he had to Cloke was tearing us apart! Then our mids and forwards had to work hard to get fwd, man up on Oxley and 'bring the ball to ground'. One might ask why wasn't Cross as effective as Oxley? Answer: Pies mids and fwds worked harder to get fwd, man up on Cross and 'bring the ball to ground'. Sound familiar. They did what our players didn't. They were also smarter on how they moved the ball fwd to nullify Cross. It wasn't poor coaching. Roos strategy was sound. The players didn't execute it. They didn't work hard enough. The 'players didn't listen comment' was possible the kindest thing he could say in public. Everyone learnt some lessons.

Interesting that when Daniher asked Garry Lyon to help with the MND fundraising the goal was $250k. At the start of the game the tally was $1.75m As of last night it was close to $2.2m That is nearly $.5 m from the game and $2.m higher than their target! Unbelievable result. What I really loved was Daniher wearing his Demons scarf all day (and all week). A great advertisement for our team and wonder if memberships go up on the back of it. Symbolically it says: 'Hang in there no matter how tough it gets'. Overall a fabulous day for our club. Edit: Just saw this article. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/neale-daniher-leads-big-freeze-at-the-g-ahead-of-queens-birthday-clash-20150608-ghisns.html Great pics of Daniher (and the walkers) in red and blue.

Agree with every word Weber! I don't get the DL Toumpas bashing yesterday. He played on Sidebottom, kept him quiet and was eventually subbed off. Toumpas also had a good attacking game. Some people just look for things to criticise.

To me it looked like our forwards were playing up the ground. Then when our ball carrier went forward they would bomb it in long hoping Hogan would mark it I suppose. They didn't give our forwards time to get back with shorter kicks. Hogan was double tagged by Frost and Oxley and when the ball came in high Oxley was able to float away. We were too focused on Hogan. So I agree with Roos comment. What I don't understand is why there wasn't a runner going out every five minutes until the players started doing what they were told. That was up to Roos. Someone should have stayed back. Firstly to stop the double tagging of Hogan and then to make Oxley more accountable. A few times I thought we left Hogan out to dry a bit. No one at all to help him.

It was great to see Watts get angry at Varcoe and having to be lifted off by team mates! Hope that aggression comes out more in future.

Good Watts angry, laying into Varcoe and had to be pulled off by 3 teammates, then kicking a goal. Watts angry, laying into Varcoe and had to be pulled off by 3 teammates, then kicking a goal. Watts angry, laying into Varcoe and had to be pulled off by 3 teammates, then kicking a goal. Bad We lost Injury to Vandenberg Possible injury to Viney Ugly Too many goals gifted by key backs Oxley Letting them get a 6 goal head start

Well done picket fence to acknowledge a player you have often criticised. Your heart beats true.

Yeay!! Brayshaw won this week! Well done Gus!

But no goals. Brayshaw contributed directly to 6 of our 13...that's nearly half the goals! Also, they owe him for last week. Brayshaw has been consistently good. Lang. Thurlow will get thier turn later

Brayshaw: 16 possessions 6 tackles 1.1 goals 5 goal assists equals = RS nominee. 1 week late but as deserved this week as it was last week!

I thought we played quite well last year. We were fairly close near 3/4 time when the umpire for some inexplicable reason denied Bernie's goal after marking and playing on. Then the pies kicked a goal just before the siren so it was a 2 goal swing. We couldn't get our mojo back. We have a better team this year so expecting a much closer result. Could go either way.

I didn't. He just hasn't been the same in the 8 games since. That was his 200th game and he really lifted for it. Just hope playing his old side gives him the extra motivation to lift again and continue for the season, not just a cameo game.

Finally, the players seem to have wisened up to who is truly responsible for their mess. They have stopped playing for their coach. Simple! It is only a matter of time before supporters will be baying for his blood. The irony is that Hird may finally go down not for the supplements saga...but for his inability to coach! His incompetence is playing out on the field for all to see. It will be an even sweeter downfall because at the bottom of the ladder he will have nowhere to hide, no-one to blame. Hardly a fine legacy: -destroy the family name (his grandfather was an inaugural inductee to the Hall of fame and given Legend status), -bring his club to its knees, -ruin the lives of many of his charges. Can't wait for his coaching downfall and have that smug smirk disappear forever.

Would like to think H will play his best game of the year against his old club! Hasn't looked motivated yet so this game might kick-start his season. I hope.

Interesting reading Rusty. Thanks. Shows up some of the comments (biases) on DL as being inaccurate or partially complete. What struck me is the performance of Cross: top 5 in contested poss, uncontested poss and effective disposals. If he keeps that up in the 2nd half he is still a required player IMO. Wouldn't be retiring him just yet!

I think 'The Reverend' nickname was given to him while coaching the Dees and I recall it was because he is quite religious. Given that he has such a strong history with our team, I wonder if the club would consider making this an annual MND fund raising game. Neale would be the face of the campaign as he is doing such a fantastic job. I can see it becoming the footy equivalent of the 'pink Jane McGrath day' at the SCG cricket test match. Would be a great cause and may attract a lot of non-footy supporters visitng Melbourne for the long weekend, especially when preceded by the walk to the G. Would be great to do it while he is still with us rather than later as a memorial. If we don't there is every chance Sheedy will take up the idea for EFC and they have another 'blockbuster' game.

A quote from that article: "Of all the inviolable institutions for which the AFL is responsible, the Hall of Fame must be protected from anything other than making objective choices. The alternative is the ruination brought by political correctness and trade-offs." The AFL has shown that it will manipulate whatever it needs to to protect/enhance its public image. If it can (supposedly) manipulate the composition of a Tribunal for doping of 34 Essendon players, it will manipulate the Hall of Fame. Like Lane I would prefer that it be objective and based on merit.

Good point...its like preaching to the converted!

Remember he and PJ made a pact preseason to not refer to the past again. So this was a very deliberate reference to the past by Roos. Why? To soften up players and supporters for the mother of all list culls. A cull not just of NQR's but also some fan favourites. This year trade/draft/list changes will be the last in which Roos is involved. He will be the 'bad cop' and clean up the list. Goodwin will have a big say but it will be Roos that swings the axe and takes the wrap. Goodwin can then be the 'good cop' when he takes over late 2016. We have some decent talent, albeit not enough. More will come. But it is the unselfish players with 120 min committment in each game that we need. Those that can't/won't with the wrong attitude will be the first to go. This fan is softened up enough and had enough that if my favourites go, so be it!

They are probably laying the ground work for priority/special picks. They (like Carlton and St Kilda) have sympathetic 'AFL insiders' who may re-interpret the pp rules in their favour. Great miscarriage of justice if EFC (CFC or StK for that matter) receive any draft assistance.

If posters are going to pot Roos for all the bad that still happens (usually by players he did not recruit) then he needs to be given credit for the good things, especially for the players he did recruit. Jesse said it so well: "Angus has taken straight to (AFL), he's got that competitive edge. Christian Petracca and all the rest of (Melbourne's young players) have a red-hot crack and all the talent, so it's a very exciting prospect over the next couple of years."

If Dunn does not have a license from coaches to use the torpedo for kick-ins he should be dropped for 'individual/selfish play'. If he does have a license he should get a talking to. It was a terrible decision at that stage of the game! Not because it didn't work and started the momentum swing but because it was a very high risk/very low reward choice. Showed no game smarts at all. The torpedo was either undisciplined or dumb. Either way it was poor leadership! Also, his form has been very ordinary all year. Tragically we have no-one fit enough to come in so he can go back to Casey for a few weeks. Alas, he will be selected.

Roos' thoughts on delistings: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-06-01/paul-roos-flags-delistings-at-melbourne-after-port-disappointment?utm_medium=RSS Pertinent comments: -"Roos told Fox Footy on Monday night he was using the most brutal of motivational techniques to try to lift his players' efforts. Perform - or find somewhere else to play...After years in the AFL's bottom half, Roos said he believed there are some players that cannot shake the mental demons of their past." "We know what's wrong...We're yet to convince the player group of some of the things we know that work." So who still have 'mental demons'? I'm reading Roos comments as those players who can't/won't change, can't/won't be coached, players who give up too easily or play as individuals. The 186 game 'mental demon' players: Not Safe Jordie McKenzie 2015 Rohan Bail 2015 Max Gawn 2015 Mark Jamar 2015 Jack Fitzpatrick 2015 Jeremy Howe 2015 Jack Watts 2016 Jack Grimes 2016 Jake Spencer 2016 Safe: Colin Garland 2015 Jack Trengove 2016 Tom McDonald 2017 Lynden Dunn 2017 Nathan Jones 2019 Of those the last 5 I think are safe. -Jones and McDonald have overcome their 'mental demons' -Garland plays his heart out but when the backs are bombarded it gets to him. If he wants to stay he would be safe -Dunn seems to have overcome his demons but seems to not care too much. But being VC and contract length keeps him sort of safe. -Trengove safe due to injury Grimes plays his heart out but seems heavily burdened by past demons; not safe. Some of the others may stay but only because they are needed for depth (eg Spencer if we can't trade in a ruckman). The Neeld era 'mental demons' players: - Terlich, M Jones, Dawes, Pedersen are contracted till 2016 and probably 'less scarred' than the 186 players. They will be needed as depth players so are probably safe till the end of their contracts. - Jimmy Toumpas 2015, Dean Kent 2016, Jack Viney 2017, Jesse Hogan 2017. They are all safe. Yes, even Jimmy! All other players have been recruited by Roos BTW the above does not reflect who I would like to see go or stay, it is my assessment of who carries the most 'mental demons' and therefore in the gun.