Older demon

Roos mentioned on the MFC website that Hogan trained yesterday. Hope he pulls up OK and is ready to don the boots

It was out of context and based on Dom Tyson's presser today where he said that some GWS mates running around in the 2's would like to come home

Just returned from a holiday in the N.T. and the game in Darwin. A week in Alice convinced me talking to locals that Liam's biggest challenge will be to keep off the grog and out of jail. His chances of playing footy again are zero. His court order on release are that he must not drink alcohol for 12 months and he is to keep out of Yuendumu and Alice. Not one local I spoke to had a good word for him and attitude to women.

No change IMO, the casey team has Terlich, Blease and Nicho named so unless someone pulls out late cannot see a change. Be interesting to see who will be the emergency and if they play half a game like Jordie did a few weeks ago.

The odds are against us unless there is a significant change in the FA deals. To date no club has matched the financial offer made to an FA. Clubs know that to move a player you have to pay overs and to ward off the players existing employer or the player is in the twilight of his career and wants success and a a contract longer than 1 year. As chip has stated this is his BIG contract, the question is will the club pay overs to keep him and maybe upset the Roos culture.

The only elite kicks are IMO Watts, Salem and Vince. Next level are Dunn (long but not always accurate), N. Jones when he kicks long, Kent (but need to see more of what he has) Tyson (when he gets it right but still makes too many clangers). Hmmm that is 7 the rest are iffy

The previous regime were obsessed with MFC fitness levels and the previous coach spent his first year getting them to a level of fitness comparable to the Woods. At the beginning of 2013 he reported to the board that they were ready go. He appeared to have spent so much time concentrating on fitness he forgot about playing football. What Roos has done is get some half decent players into the midfield, abandoned the money ball approach and made the players use that fitness to run both ways especially down back when we don't have the ball. He is right we were a long way off in that respect. Even today his presser declared that we still need some class in the midfield

As mentioned on a different post does this qualify the EFC for bringing the AFL into disrepute. Throw them out as they would rather take everyone down that cop their wack.

After reading all the posts I noted that Wade Lee's was done for 2 years for importing a banned substance. It never got to him and was snaffled by customs. So according to Nick McKenzie, ASADA have transcripts from Dank asking Chartres to source the raw material from China, it was reconstituted by the the compound pharmacist and Essendon got an invoice. Then all the records got conveniently lost so no-one knows what they got ... I can see why ASADA and their overseas WADA expert think they have a case because even if it wasn't administered then the players in the injection program will be guilty under the drug code. It is a different set of rules than we are used to in common law. Anecdotally the bombers were huge and all looked pumped at the start of the 2012 season and then inexplicably all succumbed to an extra ordinary number of soft tissue injuries. Cannot help but think they got juiced up and then had the juice cut off mid season.

According to SEN Fletcher is out today

Nick McKenzie does not get the credit he deserves at the Age. He is the terrier who caught out Dank admitting to using Thymosin beta 4 and as posted earlier the ASADA cases is all around the purchase of the raw material, the chemist making it up to spec and receipts for its purchase. Essendon have conveniently lost those records and Dank has said nothing. It would appear that Dank has made the error thinking himself smarter than ASADA and that he could influence them. In other words he was right and they weren't. I applaud Nick for his questioning of Dank, keeping the transcripts and publishing Dank's response in yesterdays AGE. I sincerely hope that the legal system doesn't allow Essendon to slip through and get away with its irresponsible behaviour.

It is easy to forget the hole left in the list with Mitch Clarke's retirement and I can see why McPherson would say we are looking for a ruck man. No one on the list had Mitch's forward attributes combined with the ability to do stints in the ruck (Pederson trying to fill that role). A running half back who kicks the ball long and a speedy ball carrier in the Hill style

Note McKenzie, Riley Kent & Salem NOT named in casey team all other emergencies are named. I imagine 1 player may play a half like Jordie did last week

How can you get 5 free kicks in 100 minutes of football.? Opening quarter Elliot goes for 2 hangers, hands on shoulders, pushes in back no free. Having said that our disposal today was appalling and we turned it over solo many times. So frustrating

Watts admits that he was swayed when Roos took over as coach and I have no doubt he was seriously considering leaving. Well Chip knows what is on the table at that Roos will most likely coach for the next 2 years. Judge people by what they do NOT by what they say. Dunn set the standard today by signing up now and that is real leadership. The ball is firmly in Chips court and the longer he delays the more inclined I am that he will go. PJ has said that the succession plan will not happen till post seasons as they consider the candidates. Chip will not know who the next coach will be when he makes his decision. Good on you Lyndon

Open training session Sat at 10.30 am and note Toump, Pig Dog and Jordie named in the casey team for saturday afternoon against the Pies

I would like him to stay but if it is a flag, finals or to play in a GF I think he will leave. Agree didn't like his body language on the vid and with Dunne signing on, Roos saying he will be around (not necessarily as coach) and a greatly improved on field performance all the things he wants to review happening, suggest he should sign on now. I feel he is stalling and will move on at seasons end as is his prerogative under free agency.

I liked the term used by Dunstall "On the Couch", clubs need distributors from the back line and this is an obvious deficiency in our back line. I suspect Salem will be earmarked for this role in seasons to come. I only hope Hawthorn get distracted by Fyfe as they cannot afford him and Frawley. We will find out just how good our recruiting team i.e. Taylor to identify excess talent at another club looking for a change.

Minmal change Dawes for Gawn and given casey haven't played for 2 weeks I doubt anyone could expect to come in. The weather may influence any other changes

What's needed is a little more composure, the addition of some class and another season into the young guys to toughen them up. Roos said against the Dogs we didm't play the full 100 minutes and the same today. We have to play out the whole game. The next step is to find some runners who are elite kicks running of half back who can deliver the ball longer into the forward line. Sydney with Shaw and Malceski or Hawks with Suckling, Gibson and Burchall. A Shannon Hurn or Brodie Smith to clear the ball out just shows what we lack down back. Terlich, Tommy mac and Grimes all worry me when they dispose of the ball as they are a turn over waiting to happen. Cannot question their courage, ball winning and endeavour but an elite kick is needed if we are to make the next step.

I can see the Kirk connection with Roos, Lyon etc but out of left field (and I declare myself as I am a massive fan) I ask you to consider Luke Beveridge. Luke is the back line coach at Hawthorn and has coached briefly at Collingwood and his junior coaching record is superb. He is out of contract at the end of the year and was personally sought out by Clarko when he left Collingwood and went back to his full time job. I love the way the Hawks defend and then move the ball forward and he is a former Melbourne player who is respected by all the players he coaches.

The HUN article describes the disease well and it vagaries. It can have treatment and rehab that runs into the months and longer. I wish Clarko all the best.

A couple of elite kicks. Still have good players who turn the ball over to easily, just look at the 2 back line turn overs where we actually hit the Richmond player on the chest.

Back on topic re his injury can I again remind everyone that a young Nick Riewoldt injured his knee pre season in his first year. He debuted in round 16 and played 6 games of the remaining 8 in his debut season. If his back comes good and he can get some games and experience under his belt I would hope that he is not put out to pasture this year. Oh and Riewoldt was constantly linked to a return to Qld which never happened so lets give the kid a chance

Not sure who will go in as from todays articles some players are hanging out for the bye. Imbalance in the draw has the Tiges fresh after a 2 week break and us with Terlich concussed, Frawley with Toe problems and groin & hamstring tightness. Roos also hinted after 3 goes as sunb that Salem may go back to VFL for a full game. If so cannot see Byrne being demoted. So a half back well Clisby was close, a key forward maybe Fitz and another running player take your pick