Lucifers Hero

I hope you are trolling because if not I will lose all hope of seeing a premiership in my lifetime!

We played the whole 2nd qtr like this but what was really disappointing was that when we had a kickout none of our players went back into our forward half so the kickout went toward the boundary then (if we got the ball) there was absolutely no-one to kick to. We start handballing back and side and of course Hawks pack-attack us and get ball back. Its hard to believe our game plan is for all to stay in our back half when we have a kickout. Its either our game plan to do this or our players weren't following our game plan. What was surprising is that that game plan was not working but we seemed incapable of changing. Scary if this continues...lost a fair bit of hope on Saurday.

...probably just after ANZAC day match! AFL would plead/negotiate to hold off till then and given ANZAC day standing would (appropriately) get a sympathetic hearing.

The story brought a few tears to the eyes...

...from MFC: 11am – FREE Dees FunZone * Face painting * Autographs * MFC Mascots and Entertainment * * Membership and Merchandise available * Practice your footy skills * Game starts at 1 pm and is free entry

On a side issue: Just don't get why AFL have this hybrid NAB Challenge/practice games thing happening...aren't they all just practice games? The former are televised and have entry fees, the latter do not. Weird! Wonder what happened to the prize money for winner of the old 'NAB Cup', this year.

Contacted the Club today re cost of entry. The very quick reply (cudos to Georgina) was that entry is free She also sent a pdf doc which I can't seem to load here and can't find on MFC website. So, overview is: 11am – FREE Dees FunZone * Face painting * Autographs * MFC Mascots and Entertainment * * Membership and Merchandise available * Practice your footy skills * Followed by the Hawthorn game at 1.00pm which is then followed by Casey Scorpions v Box Hill Hawkes game.

From MFC website "...Jackson argues that the conversation on revenue sharing should focus on identifying the total revenue earned from each match − gate, membership (discounted entry), catering, reserved seating – and how that might be shared among clubs, given each club plays a part in maximising the overall revenue. He suggested revenue earned through merchandising, fundraising and sponsorship should not be shared..." These are the most sensible comments I've heard from anyone in AFL or Clubs: Share 'match-day' revenue but let clubs keep what they have worked really hard to earn from their own initiatives/from their own members. Great way to get some equality but to not kill off creativity and motivation to maximise revenues out in clubland!

Quote by Lyon from today's Age: "What we think we can provide Col with is an opportunity with a really strong senior core and leadership around him, some really strong standards to be met, a strong game plan where he won't be guessing what's expected of him, and an environment to allow him to be the very best can be. ''I love hard workers who chase and pressure, but with [Hayden] Ballantyne and [Michael] Walters we get goalscoring power as well. So if we can train him up in that aspect, we're going to be a better team." Read more: Fremantle coach Ross Lyon returns hungrier and 'keen for success' Of course, the issue is whether Col is motivated enough to meet these requirements?

I recall hearing that Sumic was coach for the game

Delighted that Jack T is in LG...great way to show respect and keep him motivated not to mention that he really deserves it.

I recollect the AFL/MFC had a competition to nominate pick 9 and those who were correct went into a lottery to win a signed jumper form the eventual #9 who we now know to be Salem. Does anyone know if the results of the lottery were published somewhere?

I guess it is a gossip column which by definition no-one takes seriously... Gerard is one of the best sports journalist. If he is judged poorly it means the rest are so so far behind. ...BTW found the part about Caro's and Hird's dogs rapture for each other and their owners mutual disdain a great laugh! Oh, if only there had been a video camera near by...

I will go out on a limb to say Buckley will not win a premiership...regular top 8 team but not the big one!

IF Brad Scott succeeds it will be more a result of having spent many years with Lethal rather than a couple of years with MM. As for FIGJAM, well what can one say...

Teasing us again

It seems Neeld is also still homeless...very unhappy with his time at the Dees but hope he gets a gig somewhere else, even for the sake of his family. A public flogging by the press like he got must be pretty hard to take. Yes, I know he is paid for 2014 but can't help but feel for the guy at a personal level. Back to topic: The updated, MFC website shows Todd Viney as - Manager Player Personnel. Any ideas on what this means? Can't find any publications on Todd's 2013 role prior Roos but recall it was somehow related to player development. There is no List Manager so maybe the new role is similar... Viney's name is listed second to Roos so Viney's role looks like a senior spot (as he rightly deserves). Has there been a Club confirmination/announcement on Todd's role in the Roos world? Is it a change or just a new name...would really like it if someone in D'land (or maybe the Club?) would confirm Todd's role (rather than title).

Yesterday was unable to renew membership throught website. This morning received a call from MFC membership services as they noticed that the renewal attempt had failed. They quickly sorted out the problem. So would like to give lots of kudos to the membership team for a) having a computer program smart enough to detect on-line failure and b) taking the trouble to call...I actually upgraded my membership from a Redlegs 11 game to 15 games, bought a cap and considered a pet membership for the pet I don't have . Oh, BTW the person said they are all very excited, the players can't wait to get out there, memberships are up by several thousand on this time last year and staff are hopeful of the dees making the top 10.

Bad Call! Its pretty obvious that MFC has decided that Josh will be the spokesperson throughtout the draft/trade period. Notice we haven't heard from Viney (List Management) or Taylor (Recruiting) either. A Smart move by the Club to have just one person to front the media and give a consistent unified view on what is happening.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/demons-will-be-patient-in-search-for-roos-successor-20131014-2vinn.html Last paragraph

My guess is that Roos took the 2+1 option as an out if 1) PJ's successor is someone he can't work with or 2) some idiot (eg AS) starts to de-stablise the Board. Barring those two things my bet is Roos will take as long as it takes to find a successor ...and if those 2 things fall into place he may stay longer. Clearly they want someone who will continue the Roos way: "You can't afford to have someone who, when their turn comes, wants to turn things upside down..." said PJ. They both want to leave a serious legacy so hoping that PJ signs up for another term after next year.

This is the whole point of my original post. Nicely summarised PaulRB!

Do you really think that after all this time and media baying that they won't trump up some 'charge', albeit not 'tanking' just to save face? Nah, we won't be let off with an easy 'its all sweet folks' type of comment from the AFL. The President wouldn't be pushing (rightly) so hard on the 'we will defend our honour' if the AFL isn't up to something. What's more I don't trust the very self-serving AFL! Nonetheless, really hope you are right and the findings won't be referred to the AFL Commission.

Good to hear Gerard finally say something positive, especially as it was he who triggered the whole damn thing! Hard to see how we can avoid an AFL Commission hearing as the investigation will find something to accuse us of (even if not tanking) just to justify the amount of time they have spent on it. And because of the high profile they will let it go through to the Commission to determine 'penalties' so a hearing (open or otherwise) will follow.

Here we go again! Patrick Smith in the Australian today, wrote: It has become apparent to influential members of the AFL hierarchy that there is a greater need for transparency when the administration and the commission hold their hearings into results of investigations. The next hearing, though unlikely to happen before Christmas, will be into Melbourne's alleged tanking. That shapes as the perfect vehicle for the AFL's first open judgment day. Otherwise it will turn into another conspirators' convention. And the AFL needs that like Trigg does another radio interview. Why is it that the rules get changed when its Melbourne's 'turn' for something! eg AFL strengthened 3rd party agreement rules when we tried to keep Scully; we are getting hammered on so called 'tanking'. Now an open (public) hearing. (The hearing has to happen as the AFL findings will go to the Commission, after which legal action may/may not occour). An open hearing is a great set-up for another media frenzy and 'open-duck-season' on MFC by an already obsessed media. I don't like our chances of getting a fair hearing if the media is reporting (and pressuring the AFL) with their daily rants. The media frenzy worries me more than the investigation itself given the cavalier ramblings with facts by commentators (they no longer deserve the 'journalist' title). If there is an open hearing the media frenzy will become a major off-field distraction and we need that like a hole-in-the-head. If this is to be another 'drak cloud' hope it is all over before the season starts. We deserve a decent start to the year to let our new team shine without a media bashing of the Club.