Lucifers Hero

...it pays to have a past champion captain, rhode scholar, influential man about town, as the AFL Commission Chairman...

Essendon haven't fared well with the 2015 fixture. They have only 4 night games about 1/2 of 2014. Is the AFL planning for them to not be very competitive? If players are suspended presumably coaches/sports science staff etc are prohibited from 'training' players at alternate premises...so can't see them being 'game fit' until mid-year. Just hope they don't 'tank' the season.

PJ's reaction had a 'no-comment' element feel to it. Disappointed? While we have a really difficult draw in rounds 4-7 it opens for us after that. So feeling optimistic for a much better year. I'm delighted we have the ANZAC Eve game and hope it becomes an annual event. This game is a big plus for us.

I would reluctantly add Jesse. All the talk is positive but he didn't finish the one game he played to manage his game time and he didn't play any part in the next Casey game. Have niggling doubt on how he finished up. Hope the medicos have learnt from their poor handling of him in the practice games early this year. Will sigh with relief when he has played out a few full games be it Casey or AFL.

Any wonder that we wanted to keep pick 23 so much...some highly rated players in top 10 or so will be sliding to 20+

So, he takes it easy last year, then gets the big coin and decides to put in some effort and get fit!! Shame he didn't care enough to do it with us...

I would be more comfortable with someone who has had forward line coaching experience. Dawes will be busy just getting his own game into shape and Miller wasn't such a stand-out forward. Ox would be good for nous and skills - talked glowingly of the work that Robbie Flower put into his kicking for goal. With Hogan coming in, good small forwards and some goal-kicking mid-fielders I feel it is time to seriously beef-up our forward coaching expertise, IMO.

Something new...who we will take with pick 2 and 3, perhaps!

Totally agree! In fact the only real interest for me in the draft is to see what 'rabbit we pull out of the hat' at 3. Will be surprised if it is not a surprise!

Unless of course, if Ess were stripped of their last flag, in the year 2000 it would magically become our flag!!!! So, the 13th is already done and dusted! Nope, when we win the 13th I want it to be fair-and-square so they can keep their last flag (even tho hey didn't win it fairly)

Joined up Redlegs again today! Discovered we now have a 'digital membership'. I only found it by accident so here is the link http://membership.melbournefc.com.au/packages/view/202/Digital+Armchair+Membership It can be purchased on its own or at a discount as an add-on to a game membership. You can watch all games live... ...2015, Go Dees

I reckon Toumpas, Fitzy and Pederson will make it thru with flying colours! Hunt will step up and Bail will get better. These plus aforementioned players by other posters are my 'most likely to succeed' list from the the 2015 OOC's

Saty! Is that really you? Welcome back...you have been missed...looking forward to your training reports already.

Had a look at our coaching panel and it is: What interested me there isn't someone with forward line play/coaching experience. (Our website said Mcpherson played in defence/midfield for the Swans). I think we recruited a part-time ruck coach but couldn't find him in the 'Staff' listing so the ruck part is covered, if he is still with us. No disrespect to our coaching team but I wonder whether we need another forward coach to work with McPherson as our coaching team looks a bit weak in that area. I for one would like to see another experienced, forward coach (but i don't want to see all the ex Geelong players follow McCartney to the Dees).

The Ess injection pattern matching TB4, players knowing TB4 on the premises etc no wonder Hird wants the ASADA/AFL investigation be declared unlawful! The players may get off lightly but if they are suspended at all and unless Hird wins the Fed court case he is gone and he knows it!! Isn't that what we all really want (even Ash 35 perhaps) to see Hird get his due and hopefully wipe that horrible smirk off his face...

This appears to be the 'Roos Trademark'. He includes families. The first thing he did when appointed coach was jumped on a plane to visit Jessie's family. Also Salem(?) before drafting. Stretch and Brayshaw more recently? He gets family comfortable with their son coming to the Dees (no we won't stuff his career Mr & Mrs ...) and understands the players home life etc... I think we will see very few 'want-to-go-home' and more 'committed to AFL level footy' players at the Dees. Over 3-4 drafts Roos will have selected about 30 new players. Therein lies the culture change!! Roos goes up in my estimation every day.

i must have dozed off! But I don't think he would show our hand so obviously. Reckon he was going with the flow and I wouldn't be surprised if they pull a surprise pick at 3.

Hmmm...that isn't what I heard. I thought he said we've narrowed it down to 3 or 4. Just said StK will do what is best for them and we will end up with 2 mids or a mid and and a tall but wouldn't be drawn on names...

Because a golden boy idol threw his mate, David Evans, under a big bus to try and save his own skin. Evans would have had it all wrapped up at end 2013 and would have accepted club ousted from the finals, coach suspended, club fined $$ and draft picks without much ado. Had it run its course players would have missed a few games in Aug/Sept 2013, preseason 2014 and (maybe a few in season 2014 games). Now ASADA/WADA will try and throw the book at them (we hope). Irony: James Hird did not save his own skin!!!! Fool!!!!

It works only when the club delists the player but if the player refuses to sign a contract and resigns from the club he isn't a DFA and therefore can't choose a club. Risky for a player to refuse to sign contract, hope he gets delisted so he can be a DFA and go to club of choice.

I cant remember where or much of the detail, felix as it was quite early in the piece. The gist was that ACC has far reaching powers and can collect info from any source (eg bikkie gangs) via unusual means (eg phone taps), seizing computers and records, raids, commanding phone records etc but apparently there are strict controls on how that info can be used and how/when it can be shared with other gov't agencies. Edit: forgot to mention-I think ACC interviewed Danks very early in the process so have collected more 'facts'. Other DL's may be able to confirm (or otherwise) via there general/professional knowledge etc. Dees2014 seems well informed on ASADA/Ess subject so he might also be able to add to the info sharing thing. ps big fan of felix the cat

Therein lies a problem ... from what I recall the ACC has the evidence to totally sink EFC and players. ASADA know what it is but they are not allowed to use it in court (can't recall why).I'm guessing Essendon also know what it is and it has spooked them ...

Bit of a surprise that we had so few players traded out and only 2 (3 if Tapscott goes) primary list spots. Guess we expected to trade out a few players which didn't happen. I suspect the lack of trade-outs wasn't for lack of trying. If contracted players get delisted we will know our list management hasn't gone to plan. BTW we can probably take an extra rookie as we are allowed 4 which I'm guessing we will do in case Jack Trengove goes onto the LTI list. So atmo we have 2/3 primary list spots plus 2 rookie spots.

GREAT NEWS! Looks like we will get the ANZAC Eve game vs Richmond: "Richmond and Melbourne also appear to have been successful in their joint push to play each other on the eve of Anzac Day, with the Tigers hosting what both clubs hope will become a regular fixture on the night of April 24. Next year that game falls on a Friday night". http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tigers-to-play-14-home-and-away-games-at-mcg-in-2015-20141023-11at1h.html Would love to see Eddie's face as he vigourously fought this suggestion!! Would expect us to host in alternate years. Really excited for our club on getting this fixture going!

Is this allowed? I thought if we delisted Jack (or any other contracted player eg Evans, McKenzie, Bail) we must payout their contract on delisting. At this point 'normal' AFL rules re DFA or draft nominations apply. Happy to be corrected.