Older demon

A bit late but some in sights I asked Ollie Sestan if he was ok and got the thumbs up. He was doing leading patterns and goal kicking at the southern goals. He finished off with some exhausting boundary runs. He doesn't miss many goals on the run either. Spargo told me his achilles problem is complex and he is still quite a few weeks away. I wonder why the club played him in round 1. Chandler had the full compression bandage on his left leg. He didn't do much and when signing autographs for kids I asked how he was going. He is hopeful but I wouldn't say optimistic. I believe MFC are now one of the most accessible clubs in the AFL. The players are so open and engaging with all supporters. I thought it was a great day and thank the Demon Army for the sausages, they were delicious

Sorry W-J but Tholstrup and Sestan are both MFC-listed players who along with Verrall were in the top 3 for rating points for the most possessions. Ollie was very good, Jefferson lead and marked well but kicked badly and Verrall got lots of possessions more like a mid. This will be a development year and spots will open up for Sestan, Jefferson, Fullarton & Tholstrup

He played at St Bedes and Bevo stole him late in the season for the Dogs VFL team. The kick can seriously play.

Ollie Sestan got a knock at training last Thursday and didn't play last weekend against Coburg. He will miss this weekend as well due to concussion protocols.

Wayne Carey to this day believes Neita was the best backmen he has ever played on. I can remember the trend years ago where promising forwards started in the back pocket and learnt forward craft from behind the ball. Walls and Maclure started down back before moving to centre half forward

I watched Caleb Lewis in the ammo's last year. The kid is a serious talent. Beveridge borrowed him for 5 games in the VFL which cost St Bedes a spot in the finals. That is such a good pick up

Rumours of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. Wonder if the experts still think we will fall down the ladder.

Trivia time. I went to Demon Wiki to see who besides Pig had worn 14 and there are some illustrious names but one caught my eye. Chris Aitken is a forward I remember who showed enormous potential but was always injured and I remember he wore number 5. A quick check showed he left Melbourne for the bush but returned 5 years later and at that time wore 14. The trivia is he has a younger brother Nicholas Aitken who is a well-known Melbourne supporter whose stage name is " Wilbur Wilde"

The future is a bit of an unknown but it was time to create spots for Woewodin, Laurie and Howes. Jordan left, he was offered a contract but expects more game time in Sydney. I am not entirely sold on him. Gus is a big loss but if he had been ok to play would he still be able to play at the same intensity? Multiple concussions may not have left him the same player. The list needed a refresh and players we have been developing in MFC game style for 2 years need to play. Billings is a very good addition and we have yet to see McAdam & Fullerton. The latter received high praise at the launch for his work ethic and athleticism. He before injury had been the standout in the group. In the match sim, Goodwin admitted we moved away from our defensive game in an attempt to be more attacking. It was a practice match take it for what it is. Maybe this is a pause/transition season where the team morphs and gets that bit better than the last 2 seasons, which compared to some years has been pretty damn good with successive top 4 placements. Hopefully, we don't get injuries at the wrong time

C'mon, all you legal eagle Demonlanders! Who can Gus and the club sue? Gus is now an invalid from being a player and should be compensated. This has ramifications long beyond his playing career and the retirement was premised on changes already developing in his brain since the big hit.

I share everybody's sentiments and wish Gus all the best in the future. Does anyone have the email address of the AFL, Laura Kane or Andrew Dillon so we can all write to them and let them know how we feel about Maynard, the tribunal and their negligence? Pick 1 & 3 from their draft now retired due to concussion On a different note, I find it disturbing that recent scans have detected microscopic changes in Gus' brain. This does not augur well and clearly wasn't how Gus thought it would pan out. A curse on Maynard!

I have no problem with that and hope it takes the pressure of Petty to try and hasten his return.

It is the media taking a punt after years of success that MFC will fall away. In the past this has been the case for many teams. Indeed the names that got us there are ageing and in some cases age has diminished them. Others have left. What, only track watchers would know is how the club have been quietly rebuilding and developing players to take the team forward. It takes time to develop players and toughen them up to the rigors of AFL. Bowey, Rivers, Picket, JVR, McVee, Chandler, Woewodin and Turner are the new core of the team who have taken time to make their mark. Laurie has taken 3 years, Howes could be anything and McAdam & Billings are ready made footballers. Schache was a top pick who is a big man still learning how to play and the other rucks are young. They take 5 years to develop. In Tholstrop, Windsor, Sestan and T. Brown there is another group of developing young guns. First year players rarely walk straight in and dominate. Long term success depends on future planning, player development , team structure and a lot of luck. The core structure is there, the leadership is still there and the list has lots of class. Footnote I still cannot believe Ginnivan, Frampton, Murphy, Lipinski, Markov and Hoskin-Elliot have a premiership medallion but their team play won them a flag.

Go Ollie a natural footballer

The face of Caulfield Racecourse has changed dramatically over the years. In the mid 70's many clubs used the back straight for pre-season running. Queens Ave had lots of parking, and markers let you know what was 100m, 200m and 400 m for those dreaded repeat sprints and you ran on lush grass. To get access to the commons was under a bridge of Glen Mira & Kambrook. It has always been a seriously underutilised access parkland. Where there were 2 major carparks there is now a massive high rise of so-called student housing. From this thread, I think it is obvious that this is the site to make our home base. There is so much infrastructure there, facilities and what will draw the funding is coupling it with a sports complex that welcomes other sporting tenants. From other articles, it is a reasonable assumption that AFLW and to a lesser extent AFL need a 25K seat stadium for certain games. Let someone else build them. Without knowing the club plans in detail I think Caulfield is fit for purpose for world-class training facilities, housing administration and being accessible to players staff and supporters. Get in before someone else gets in or someone decides we need wetlands for birds and fauna (like Glen Eira have done to the old Elsternwick golf course)