Older demon

Pruess definitely being held over for Thursday and Stretch and Hore stayed on the bench for the entire first quarter. Casey is playing worse than the seniors. Slow, cannot hit a target, badly beaten on the outside and very few who look like they will press for senior selection

Brayshaw Gawn Harmes ( he wan’t on Shiel in quarter 1 and did ok after that) Lockhart J Wagner

Casey plays at 11.40 on Sunday and it is ridiculous to suggest that anyone playing Sunday would front up in the seniors in Sydney Thursday night. I assume in early preseason planning that the club anticipated minimal changes for the Sydney game. Now with so many players out of form that the club is in a bind how to manage players I cannot see any changes unless Stretch, Garlett, Keilty, Harrison and Smith don't only play a half on Sunday. The Casey bench has no MFC listed players

For those who have missed the point of the banner, the players intend to smash through all the personally insulting tweets they have received in their time. It is an attempt to show cyberbullying is unacceptable and that MFC don't accept this. Just as the Eagles came out against the racist comments made about Liam Ryan and I expect another club to make a statement in the coming weeks as well. On the back of this the club is raising money for the Reach Foundation who for 25 years has nurtured and cared for kids who have been dealt harshly by society, don't fit in or have been bullied. MFC is proud of the role Jimmy played in this and our ongoing support. It is no wonder players are advised not to read social media. I to, go to the footy to see Melbourne win but I have never accused a player of not trying. They may lack ability at times, can be carrying an injury or having an off day and occasionally they get beaten by a better opponent. It is ok to be critical but there is a line that shouldn't be crossed by getting personal or bullying.

Good point I forgot about Watts wage coming off our cap.

I read the article differently. Not much substance on who we target but the key message is we have money in the bank to protect and re-sign our guns in Oliver etc who we know other clubs will come after with million dollar offers. An earlier post was spot on Shiel, Scully and Lobb going eased about 2 mill. of the GWS salary cap. With only Jones nearing the end age wise I doubt his retirement will free up a lot in our cap.

Some gent keeps pestering SEN asking Gary to read out his sms. He is adamant the other club is Sydney. Is this some who reads or contributes to Demonland? C'mon fess up if you are bombarding SEN

Consider a different scenario, Neale decides he doesn't want to go to Brisbane if Beams isn't going to be there. There goes Pick 5 to the Dockers and dare I say their bargaining power for Hogan. All deals off and we have to promise next years draft to get May

Back on the subject. I can see why the club would want to get Hogan to sign onto a longer contract BUT as we have seen this trade period contracts aren't worth the paper they are printed on. McGovern signs on for 3 years and wants out after 1, Hanneberry has 3 years left on a 5-year deal and good coin and Preuss has 2 years to run on a 3-year deal. All 3 will be at a new club next year and last year Watts had 2 years of his deal to go. I admire players that honour their contracts and clubs that do likewise. They are hardly adhered too and today news that Freo wont to get out of the Bennel contract.

Re Jessie's foot injury. I know one of the professional's at the club who were looking after his foot. Let me put to rest those who think he was faking, he very definitely had a crack in the Navicular bone. The club was grateful that it was early on and not a full fracture requiring surgery. Seriously some of the conjecture and conspiracy theories stated are way out of line.

It was mentioned that GWS get pick 5 and hand over Lobb and 14. Has anyone done the points calculation on this trade. I ask because is what is 6 and 14 worth to us especially if pick 14 isn't enough for May? Would GC want pick 6 for May ? What would Freemantle's first round pick next year be worth? Would that be more attractive to GC than pick 14. So pick 6 this year and next years first round for Hogan.

The last story I think in the Age was that Jessie had his medical and they were assessing his foot injury. Is this a deja vu moment like Trengrove and Richmond? And now Gaff has stunned everybody and stayed out west, the West Coast would not be able to afford Jessie.

Consider this option then. Freo I expect will not give up pick 5 & 6 (after GC compensation for Lynch) and I hope MFC say no deal, go away. Rightly so, no compromise and no deal and Jessie can be part of finals glory. Hogans manager cleverly requests a 1 year extension till 2020 which takes Jessie into restricted free agency and then he can accept the mega deal which MFC wont match and take compensation. Hogan will have done his 8 years of service is still only 25 and gets the contract of a lifetime. I don't think at this stage we will have a million dollar a year player yet, as we try to keep our list together and share the money . If we need another backman play Hogan at CHB where he made all Australian in the under 18's. GC will not let May go cheap and he is a free agent next year anyway and will be hunting dollars. We get Kolajazz for a third rounder

For those who believe it will all be fixed if Jessie signs on look no further than Mitch McGovern. Is at the end of the first year of a 3 year deal and wants out and will most likely get to his destination club. The only advantage is the club has currency and that is why MFC may well be best served now rather than at the end of 2019. All will be revealed eventually

Interesting timing with the changeover of CEO. I know Mahoney is doing the negotiating but the CEO crunches the numbers and who has the final say Peter or Gary?

This finals series has shown we are now in "Hunting Premierships" mode. We do not need to trade out our guns for speculative draft picks. Fremantle can come up with whatever they like but Hogan stays put and enjoys playing finals for the next few years, not travelling back and across the country every 2nd week and living through a rebuild.

You have to wonder where all the Norf money is coming from. They are a bit scattergun with their approach offering a fortune to anyone.kelly only signed on for 2 years at GWS and Norf were very confident that they would get him next time but cannot see that happening if Gaff goes there. If he is too pricey then move on as we don't want to disturb the pecking order at MFC. lewis has already spoken to the group about pay structure and keeping the group together just as they did at Hawthorn in the premiership years. I truly believe that if MFC offer was similar to GWS he would come home (as per Jane's info) but 1.2 for 7 years is crazy money. Target what we need to comlement our existing list do not get into a bidding war just to prove you can attract a player.

For years we have been looking for the Messiah. Roos often stated that the Messiah complex and expectation is what limts player development and in this case we cannot expect Weid to come in and emulate Hogan. Thinking about this I will be content for him to play his role as defined by the coaches. If he plays on McGovern then make every contest count. If he plays in the ruck, get the ball to ground to our mids and make a contest and drop back in defence. He has played 15 games and is still learning and cannot be expected to come in and clunk marks, kick a bag and dominate especially against such a well organised backline such as the Eagles. Will he however provide a better option in contested marks and rucking than Pederson? I believe he will and our goals will need to come from the mids and flankers. Last week pederson was on Heaney and one contest in particular he gave us nothing. The only alternative I would consider is Hannan as a key forward but then who backs up Max against Lycett and Vardy?

I can confirm Hoges is left handed. I asked him as he continually shot left handed at one of the MFC holiday programs at MSAC where he and Trac were shooting hoops. Both would not be out of place on a basketball court.

I have stated this before Hoges is left handed but right footed and that is why the weird ball drop. As a right handed left footer I can attest to the difficulty using you non dominant hand to drop the ball on your foot. Nick Riewoldt was the same and early in his career he had similar problems kicking for goal, but he got better with experience. I found that I could become pretty good on my right foot because I could control the ball drop better and maybe Hogan can kick in play on his left. He is a pretty good kick in field play.

Hogan has a lot of improvement still in him and every other club would offer a trade for him. Talk of trade is nonsense as we don't have enough A listers or key position players now. We need to replace Jones, Vince and Lewis in the next 2 years as well as a backup for Max. Trading Hogan out for their replacements will yield nothing. Gaff is a RFA and will come to us if the Eagles don't match his offer.

The proposed parkland is where the club held its family day this season. It is a great location and much better suited to being an open park and oval. The only drawback is it is on quite a slope so no jokes about downhill skiers plaease.

Jane02 wont kiss and tell but I will. Same source close to the Gaff family. If he returns to Melbourne MFC is preferred location. As RFA the Eagles can match whatever he is offered but historically very few if any clubs match offers made to RFA's. Sorry Jane

If Gaff returns to Melbourne it will only to play with MFC despite what others offer atm.

The throw away line in the news articles is that this has the approval of the AFL. Last week on radio one pundit stated that PJ favoured a succession plan as did some at MFC but the AFL did not like this idea, for whatever reason. Maybe they thought Mahoney was a risk or lacked experience. Pert's credentials are impeccable and far more advanced than any of the internal candidates. In some ways the AFL still owns MFC and dictates our fixture, where we play and who we appoint to senior positions. There is still a little way to go before we start dictating who we play and when and where. This has AFL all over it