Lucifers Hero

the 800K came from Mark Robinson...that alone may make it a work of fiction...true/false, he doesn't care... he gets the scoop headline

Working link: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/apr/09/mitch-clark-retirement-despression-melbourne

"Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened" -- Dr. Seuss. Thanks, Mitch. Your career at MFC was meteoric in all senses of the word. May you soon find peace.

Just read the article...am crying and smiling...

Can't underestimate what losing Mitch means. Roos had him earmarked to ruck for a fair part of the game, to mentor/protect Jessie when he starts to play, to be the general on the field, to motivate by sheer presence/ability, to be the focal point of the game plan.

He was such an integral part of Roos' planning. Dawes may be a good forward but he can't do the other roles (at Collingwood he and Cloke and Brown alongside). Jessie will be a champ but we can't afford to (again) send a new player to the wolves as we did Watts.

I wonder to what extent Mitch going has shattered the newfound, fragile confidence players had coming into the season. Maybe with Mitch going they have seen the new game plan go up in smoke and feel lost again. Is depression contagious. Yes, last comment a bit facetious but something has to explain their current lack of interest/attitude.

Roos was prepared for losses but reckon that he is gobsmacked at the very idea that a player doesn't try 100%.

This is a guy who played in the latter days of Fitzroy so has been here (losing to the point of talk of his club's extinction) but he, Pert, Quinlan, Lynch et al never gave up. If Roos looks shattered it is not for the loosing it is for the non-trying.

I just don't get how the players could not see that they have been given a golden opportunity to be coached by a champion of the game both as a player and coach, a guy who has been where they are, knows how they feel. It is the best (maybe only) opportunity to play their pb footy and they don't seem to give a damn. How could they not want to achieve their own pb?

I reckon Roos can accept all human failures but not trying isn't one of them. 'Non-trier' is a worse insult than the slur 'bruise-free'. Sadly, that is what most of our team are.

I reckon a merger with the Saints or Doggies would be very much on the cards, solves two problems for the AFL in one, and the other of the saints or Dogs that we don't Merge with might move to Tassie

You may be right Sassy but for me it will be bye, bye, AFL time.

If the club was ever relocated it would be bad for the game, but the club would learn to be fierce & would flourish. but with new supporters. it would become a footy club again away from here.

And learn to play hard footy.

The only way that would happen would be if we went to NT or Tassie both of which are most unlikely.

Otherwise it is a merger and the result is the Gold Coast Demons or Melbourne Kangaroos, or Mellbourne Bulldogs and we cease to exist. No! The only option to survive as a club is to learn to play football again.

I am a red and blue demon till the day I die. If the Melbourne Demons are to be no longer I am gone from AFL.

Don't worry they'll have Hogan soon enough.

Wrist-slashing pic

My concern with injuries is that we don't seem to be able to bring players back to best/good form after injury. Players that are no longer the same:

Frawley - shoulder

Strauss - leg

Trengrove - foot

Clarke - foot

Grimes - various

Dawes - ?

That is our spine right there!

I know we lost our long standing doctors 2.5 years ago after they fell out with Neeld. Whether it is medical expertise or the players lose motivation having to play in bottom side after all their rehab work who knows. Something isn't working and it is distressing to see proven/potential top players languishing as average players or not getting on the park at all.

Hard to have selection options when last years 5th placed B&F can't get a game for Freo (when a number of their best 22 are out of the team). Sylvia not in the 25 squad and not on injured list.

Roos must really wonder about the state of the team he inherited and how on earth he can make players earn their spots. Only works with depth. He is at least 2 years away from having that.

At some level players know that the coach doesn't have many options so the chances of being dropped are small. Not good for self-motivation.

Posted in another thread but also relevant here.

Our leadership goup didn't stand up: Leadership group:

Clarke - ?

Garland - back soon, so hope he sets good example

Frawley - playing without endeavour

Trengrove - struggling

Jones - Champion and quickly becoming the stand out leader

Grimes - tries hard but not effective

Are our leaders unified? Do they have their on-field leadership roles sorted? I didn't see many on field huddles/leaders talking on Sunday. I didn't see much encouragement (eg JKH 1st AFL goal). We don't have a leader on the forward half but none of our leaders took on the role on Sunday. I don't feel our leaders can galvanise the players when things aren't going well on the field. It can't be left only up to Jones to be the lone ranger. Even if leaders individually are having a bad game they can still stand up as leaders, can't they?

Our leaders need to stand up on the field!!!! As a leadership group not just as individuals. It is about behaviours guys, not titles!!! We need to see them lead on the field not at training, not at functions, not in the press. On the field!!!!

Until they do it will be very hard for the rest of the team to make the extra effort to be competative.

End rant.

When? When our leadership group stands up (on the field) would be a good start.

Leadership group:

Clarke - ?

Garland - back soon, so hope he sets good example

Frawley - playing without endeavour

Trengrove - struggling

Jones - Champion and quickly becoming the stand out leader

Grimes - tries hard but not effective

Are our leaders unified? Do they have their on-field leadership roles sorted? I didn't see many on field huddles/leaders talking on Sunday. I didn't see much encouragement (eg JKH 1st AFL goal). We don't have a leader on the forward half but none of our leaders took on the role on Sunday. I don't feel our leaders can galvanise the players when things aren't going well on the field. It can't be left only up to Jones to be the lone ranger. Even if leaders individually are having a bad game they can still stand up as leaders, can't they?

Our leaders need to stand up on the field!!!! As a leadership group not just as individuals. It is about behaviours guys, not titles!!! We need to see them lead on the field not at training, not at functions, not in the press. On the field!!!!

Until they do it will be very hard for the rest of the team to make the extra effort to be competative.

End rant.

Don't know if it's worth much, but Clark just drove right past me looking fairly relaxed. I'm not far from AAMI Park, and he might just live in the area.. coincidence? Probably.

At least we know he is still in Melb and not in Perth which I take as a good (hopeful) sign

Given that Barlow, Fyfe and Dawson are out this week, Lyon will have to juggle the team to play Hawthorn. Wonder if Sylvia will get a game? Big test for him if he does.

Picks 1 2 and 3.

1 (PP), 2 (Last on ladder) and 3 (Frawley compo) I would say.

More likely:

Pick 1 - bottom of ladder

Mid/late round 1 pick for Frawley (if he goes)

Mid round 1 pp (if other clubs don't kill the idea again)

Lets get real folks. Lets stop hoping the draft will save us even if we trade good picks for a few good players. It won't!

What is really sad is that the 'carrot' the Roos was holding, to improve %age, has been totally blown out of the water. %age is now 42.4. Makes it really tough to help players build belief and keep hope alive in us supporters. A very, very sad day to see this goal shattered so early in the season.

At this point in time we should be gracious enough to acknowledge the performance of the Essendon team against North Melbourne last night after the pasting their club's been receiving almost right across the football world. Whether or not you like what's been happening at their club, to do what they did against a well regarded opponent shows great character.

Sorry WJ. Usually love your posts but I just can't abide being gracious toward Essendon. I didn't notice any graciousness from them when our backs were against the wall re 'tanking'. Also, can't forgive them for their thuggery in 2000 Grand Final. I won't bag the players but I just can't bring myself to have nice thoughts about them.

EFC squibbed it. Just reported on SEN that Hird is safe...Booooooooooo!

Sacking James Hird would be outrageous says QC

Burnside now hopping into it.

Ho, ho! He can probably see that EFC will at the least cut the funding to the Hird camp and there goes his 'Golden Goose'.

Also this: And Im sure that Essendon and Paul Little are much more intelligent than to do something like that { sack Hird} because that would raise pretty obvious employment issues, apart from anything else." Rather ominous...see my earlier post on contract cancellation payouts!. As I said those Hird's are very cunning!

Could be.

Makes CEO Little look like an absolute buffoon if they pull it off.

Maybe The Golden Boy went to France to find a Bunker to live in. He may need it.

Little is in the classic 'catch-22' and am sure he rues the day he went to bat for Hird and EFC funded 'Team Hird'.

Little should have paid more attention to what Hird did to his so-called-good-friend, David Evans.

hey. Let them burn. But Mrs H. is a lawyer. She too would know the consequences surely.

WJ or Redleg why would the wife take this course. Surely it will put her cred at risk to?

Maybe its already fugged....

Great mini series coming up.

Maybe they are angling for Hird to be sacked and they can pocket another $2m and maybe get compensation for breach of contract (ie the coaching role for 2015/16). Let's face it he is close to being 'untouchable'. The Hirds aren't stupid but they sure are cunning and have proven they will burn all and sundry.

We can only hope the old adage about '...give them enough rope and....' applies.

Hirds are pathologically narcisstic! They should watch out for the reality bus coming their way!

SO they're clearly asking us about the big issues. Forget about how the team plays, what we think of the coaching situation, the board, whatever. We want a say in the club logo and what shade of red appears on the jumpers dammit!!!

It is a 'brand' survey, nothing more, nothing less. If you wish to comment about other issues just email/write to the club.

How many mates is Hird going to burn because of his ego: Has gone on bomber tv to state he will be back for round 23. He doesn't care what this does to Bomber Thompson (his coaching mentor for 3 yrs) or the team on the eve of their season start? I don't care; may they end up 22/zip, but the gall of the man!

Hard to understand why EFC is standing behind one club champion (Hird) while seemingly prepared to jettison another (Bomber). You have to wonder what Hird has over people – they can’t all be mesmerized by him. Will someone eventually turn on him?

Would love to see Hird and Dank fall out then it would really hit the fan and some truth would start to come out.

LH there is not a snow flake in hell's chance he would be traded to anyone in 2014 or perhaps ever.

Who would trade for a guy who has played 15 games in 2 and Half years who has on going soft tissue injury's to his legs and has his mind in another dimension.?

It is either keep him in the faint chance he comes good for 2015 or he agrees to a pay out of his contract.

I cannot see any other possibilities

Freemantle will if his issues are personal not phyisical - they are a patient lot. But my point was as much about the attractiveness of the west to Jessie. If Jessie goes west OD I will instantly join your 'no-hope' club

If it is personal reasons rather than mental health issues we need to brace ourselves that he is going to stay in the West. Roos said today his foot etc is fine. So there is a very high probability he will be traded - probably Freemantle. So be it and I wish him well. But please, please, please don't coax Jessie over to the West as well!

The West will be extra attractive to Jessie, if his 'mentor/sponsor' Clarke is at Feemantle. Think about it: Great Coach, an AI well-resourced Club, premiership window, and his mate Mitch. If there is a footy God, please don't let this nightmare happen. I can cope with loosing Mitch but not both of them.