Lucifers Hero

Interesting, yes but how many reps would there be from the Dees if the rules were not: '....one player from each club"! We may not rate a mention. Its not MFCSS syndrome nor am I being cynical its just that while we are now loaded with potential it will be a while (several years?) before we earn the respect of other teams' players or footy fans in general.

A Capt and 1 or 2 VC's is still a 'Leadership Group ' just fewer participants. The quantity is irrelevant...we need players that can manage the on-field game. With a single Capt like a Selwood, Hodge etc we probably wouldn't need an 'LG" but as we don't have that type of player, with the dna you speak of, the work needs to be shared around. Even Roos said last year he could do with more 'runners' because of the inexperience of his on-field leaders. The number of 4th qtr leads we surrendered last year would not have happened so often if our on-field leadership was stronger. '...leadership...emulate or perish, you say'!! Sounds like the plot from 'Lord of the Flies'! And we know the anarchy that ensued!

N- B reads like a Sam Mitchell type. Bring him on!

We have various players who are good at one or more: professionalism, good speaker, train the house down, play hard and tough. But we desperately need on-field leaders that can help: manage the game plan/positions during a game, control game tempo, motivate when the chips are down, etc. IMO, we don't have players with such skills. Next best bases for selection is experience and maturity, IMO. So for mine: Co-Capts: Jones, Lumumba. Leadership: Grimes, Dawes, Cross, maybe Dunne. Omissions: Garland - needs to focus on his game/fitness; yet to show leadership abilities. Vince - have doubts about maturity. Various younger players - let them enjoy the game, play as best they can, consolidate positions and learn leadership skills from the leaders. No need to burden them with such responsibility when barely out of their teens. Anyone know if the Club has 'Leadership' training. If so send Viney, Big Mac, Brayshaw, Tyson, Toumpas, Salem etc. They are our premiership leadershp team. If the Club doesn't have such training - maybe its time to get it.

Comparisons can be tricky as the Lions 12mill is 'Debt' not 'Operating Loss'. Our Debt at the end of 2013 looks about the same as the Lions. I suspect our Debt level in 2014 won't have changed much. While $161K Operating Profit is better than an Operating Loss it says we are just hanging in there. So agree with WJ, a fair way to go to get out of the woods. BTW, very impressed to read in yesterday's PR that home game attendances this year were up 28% on 2013. An incredible performances by Demon fans given that most home games were against i/state teams at unfriendly times and we weren't winning. Perhaps explains why memberships are now up vs this time last year. Bodes well for 2015 financial performance!! Your underlying point is very valid: win more games and things financial are greatly improved!!

The 'perfect storm' that Roos referred to yesterday has passed. But there is a way to go to say the storm clouds have entirely gone and that era has ended as there are still 14 players that were on our list for the '186' game and thru the Neeld years. Another 9 players have been coached by Neeld. 23 players who carry some scars from that 'perfect storm' who never learnt how to win. Still some healing to be done. One more year, of list changes, before the end of that era but its end is nigh. Nonetheless wish Strauss, Blease, and Tappy the best for their careers. It was not their fault to be caught up in that 'perfect storm'.

Club website: Brayshaw 10 Petracca 26 Mc D 28 Neal - Bullen 30 Vandenberg 37 White 41 As previously announced, Heritier Lumumba will wear No.8, with fellow recruits Billy Stretch (No.15), Sam Frost (No.17), Ben Newton (No.19) and Jeff Garlett (No.36) also given their new numbers.

In 2015, would like Jones to step up (hold your keyboards folks!!!) He is undoubtedly, our best player. Very professional. But believe he has much more potential. As an on-baller, would like him to kick more goals and impact the result more. As an example, Selwood focused on more goals in his preseason last year and it paid off handsomely. As our captain, would like him to do a bit more on-field 'coaching' by among other things, making sure players are following coaching orders and reminding them when not. And to become more vocal, especially when we go into our shells and go into what Roos called 'think we are going to lose' mode. Other leaders have a role in these but as captain would like to see Jones lead the charge, become our General. These will lift him into the ranks of one of the best players in the league, not just at the Dees. More importantly he will become a terrific leader for us.

From today's Australian: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/asada-court-hearing-over-reluctant-witnesses-delayed-for-week/story-fnca0u4y-1227143254363 "ASADA is seeking a subpoena to compel the Sydney-based Medical Rejuvenation Clinic and Institute of Cellular Bioenergetics, of which Mr Dank is a director, to produce: “....all documents in their custody, possession or control which relate to or reference the purchase and or receipt of the following substances during the period August 2011 to September 2012: GHRP-6, CJC-1295, SARM-22, AOD-9604, Hexarelin, Thymosin Alpha, Thymosin Beta-4, Thymomodulin and Melanotan II.’’ It is understood that ASADA has previously attempted, without success, to use its own coercive powers granted last year by the federal parliament to secure company record from Mr Dank…" Answers why ASADA haven't been able to get info from Dank before. Good to see subpoena requested to get it. If subpoena granted I for one am not confident his info won't go to the same place that EFC's did, so well possible not much will show up.

Agreed. My posts above referring to 'early in the season' or 'the season' mean the real playing season, not the preseason or practice match season. To me Vandenberg seemed the most likely and most valuable, if JT goes onto the LTI...if it happens - April at the very earliest.

Update on Vandenberg from MFC website: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-12-03/vandenbergs-form-hard-to-ignore-taylor Doesn't say when he had surgery but does say that "they weren't deterred by a shoulder injury that will see him begin the pre-season in rehabilitation, with expectations high he will be ready to go by March... ...His numbers stack up well when compared to Richmond revelation Anthony Miles who played in the NEAFL when at the Giants...Always talented, Vandenberg had knuckled down in recent seasons and proved himself capable of playing at a higher level than NEAFL.'' Wouldn't be surprised to see him play a practice game, a couple at Casey then promoted to Primary List for JacK T. Perhaps quite early in the season.

Agreed. But there will probably be an upgrade in the early part of the season as no benefit in not doing so. AV could play a role in the team sometime in 2015 so IMO, he seems the most likely to get the nod. Also. now that the drafts are over, we need some sort of guessing-game to keep us on DL amused/bemused/disagreeing

Next question: Who do you think will be upgraded to primary list if/when Trengove goes onto the LTI? Choices: King, Harmes, Vandenberg, White. The Ainslie club website shows: Aaron VANDENBERG 03/03/92 188 90 so he may turn 24 in March. "Reads play well, attacking playing who isnt afraid to have a go and shrug a tackle, South Coast product" So, I choose Vandenberg. IMO, we can do with a strong, tallish midfielder while Pretrecca, Brayshaw, Stretch and Neal Bullen learn the ropes at Casey. He is our tallest mid-fielder. Also, looks a handy type to 'protect' those kids once they come into the side ala the way Geelong nurtured/protected Selwood in his early years.

Pick 20: Mitchell White from dandy stingrays DOB: 10 Apr 1996 Height: 188cm Weight: 85kg Local Club: Seaford/St Peter's College "An on – field leader with the way he speaks, constructive feedback to teammates on where they should be positioning. A great spoiler, time after time again, he uses his leap to spoil effectively over the boundary. Used the ball really nicely to teammates. Played across the back line and through the midfield. Good as a third man up option. Looked a standard above today." http://madmondayshow.com/2014/06/02/rd-9-dandenong-stingrays-scouting-notes/ Like the bit as a 'third man up option'!!

This is laughable!! http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-12-02/premier-declares-holiday?utm_medium=RSS While we all want more holidays, all it does is increase the cost of business, especially small business who will have to pay staff penalty rates so a few thousand people can go to a parade!! Outside Swanston St it is business-as-usual but at much higher the cost. Andrews has no idea!! Unbellievable!!

1. Club website under the 'Membership' tab. Link: http://membership.melbournefc.com.au/ 2. Looks like dodgy website design - Home page not automatically updated from the 'Membership' page

Yesterday 21,118 today 22,055!! Post draft optimism starting to kick in!!

Agreed. There is a lot of off-field work: young players to support, team mates to motivate, sponsors/promotion, media meetings, coterie etc etc. While VC's can do some of it often the captain is the 'go to' person. A single cap works when there is a very strong, experienced leadership group which we do not have. If we overburden him we run the risk of his on-field performance dropping off especially if we start having poor games...we saw the toll of explaining/defending poor performance took on JT and JG. I hate to say it but Jones, didn't really show a lot of on-field leadership last year...not being critical, it was only is first year so he is learning the ropes. He needs time to develop in the role on and off the field. A co-cap would be the way to go IMO. Only problem is can't see who is ready to step up to co-cap tho'. Dunne, maybe. Dawes, maybe. No stand-out. Shows how far we have to go in developing our players.

Had a think about this OD. The article and Roos' words were only about Jimmy T becoming a very good AFL player. On DL we (mostly) all acknowledge he can be this, if he can get fit (which according to Saty he is) and can gain personal confidence and self belief (and stops being hard on himself). So, maybe 'talk is cheap' but what better way to build Jimmy's confidence than to publicly praise him to help build his self belief that he can excel in the AFL. I am sure Roos backs this up in the background by his support and encouragement. Remember Roos' is still undoing the damage of the harsh words he (and other) players (apparently) received from the previous coach. Yes, Jimmy's self belief will come from playing well...Roos is laying the foundations for that belief to grow. IMO Roos doesn't seem the type to give praise gratuitously. Roos seems to know what buttons to push for each player to get the best from them. Publishing that article would have been a well thought out plan to develop Jimmy. The audience for this Roos 'talk' was probably Jimmy, more so than the rest of us, IMO Well chosen words are a powerful thing.

Promise! (You led with your chin there H-H...couldn't resist!!)

I was referring to the work he did as captain, work for which he deserves acknowledgement from the club, IMO anyway.

Somewhat disappointed that there was no statement of appreciation for Jack's work as co-captain, by the Club. He couldn't have performed the role any better under very trying circumstances. Hope the Club issues something to say 'thanks and it looks forward to his contribution as a senior member of the team on and off the field.' or something like that. He deserves it!

Reported on sen - no reason given. It must be hard for him to take that step as he was so dedicated to the role and by all accounts did it admirably. Hope this allows him to improve his own game and fulfill his potential. Make himself a starter in the 22 each week. Wishing him the best for 2015.

We are very tracking well! As of today membership is 21,118...and this wouldn't include any impact from post draft optimism. We should beat the tally last Christmas Eve of 24,071. If we have a good run with injuries and go well in preseason games we may get close to the magical 40,000 for 2015!

Thanks for backing up my post Mega Watts, well sort of...I'm guessing when I did stats we learnt it was 2 out of 20 (with a commensurate lower probability)...or else my memory has faded and it always was 2 in 30 with the same birthday. Could never have explained why, like you have. Well done!