Older demon

I read somewhere that all the list managers were meeting before Monday to have a mock draft. This adds to what you say that not deals are done on the night they are already in the can. makes sense when you think about it.

Without having access to it I suspect they take Reid at 1 and offer MFC their future first for our pick 6

This list is the best guest of where they think recruits will go including bids made on players IMO. That would equate to our pick 6 & 11 becoming 7 and 15 which equates to Saunders & Wilson which I don't think is a bad outcome. The only spanner in the works is if Curtin goes at 1 or GCS doesn't match a bid on some of their academy players.

I loved the event and marvelled at the site of some of the olde footballers. The Carlton crew with a hobbled and hunched Percy Jones, Bruce Doull unchanged, Syd Jackson. I saw Sam Kekovich interviewed before the gate opened and delighted in his apology to Ron if he could talk to him 1 last time. Brent Crosswell was magnificent he is an orator who spoke so well. All the speeches were perfect, which I suspect being a state funeral were all written or ghosted by professional speech writers. Steven Smith spoke of Barassi's return to Melbourne and how he changed the culture and Richard Colles detailed how important Ron was in saving Sydney and moving the Barassi line. There have been many legends in the history of the VFL/AFL but in my mind none match Ron. They may have better credentials in some areas but no one could match his playing, coaching, vision, or persona and I doubt anyone ever will. I was sorry that his manager of 40 years Rosemary Long didn't get a chance to speak, she has dealt with Ron for so long and I am sure he was not always the easiest person to manage. Vale Ron, you were my first real hero

I spoke with Sinead at the local coffee shop recently she is our only 23. She is a fantastic person and a great asset to the club. She is the number 1, number 23 in the club

I don't particularly like the Melbourne synopsis. In fact, I don't find it funny but bordering on libellous.

Up till now, Lamb has stated that we will go to the draft with 2 picks. However with the delisting today of Kye Turner one has to ask "Has there been a change in plan"? Under the 2-pick strategy we trade 2, 11 and something for 1 or 3 and use 42 for Brown giving 2 selections. Is this a signal that now we will go with 6, 11 and 42 adding 3 to the list?

It is curse time. The last instance of a Collingwood player decking a Melbourne player and winning a flag was 1958. It took them 32 years to win another with the development of the Colliwobbles. I hope the karma bus hits them again and it another 32 years before they win a flag and have lots of close misses and losses.

It was mentioned that luck and score reviews played a role and we did not get the rub of the green. The score review against Carlton shaped the flag. We win we hold top spot and I believe play Collingwood in the grand final and win.

The night was great. It was an awards night not a vote bore-a-thon. It's so great to see the surviving 64 flag players get life membership. May was epic and even more vocal post count; honestly, he only said what most were thinking. He thinks we are better than them and he doesn't like them. He did say if he thought they were better than us he would congratulate them but was annoyed that we missed an opportunity. I do hope they find a post-career role for Pig his speech was heartfelt and sincere and he has left nothing in the tank to complete his career. BBB was asked by a doctor mate about his knee and said it was ok and he would play on and TMac needed more time to find form post-op but will suit up next year. Goody has his detractors but I came away thinking he is a very good head coach, drives the standards, is loved and respected by the players and has got this team into the top 4 the last 3 years which no one else has done. Sure he has his weaknesses but that is up to the assistants to cover the gaps. Kate said don't believe any media [censored] only what the club publishes which after the last week has convinced me is correct. Too many journos not looking for the true story but getting the first story. Pert's letter was brilliantly timed and answered the critics and the media scribes. We are reminded it took Geelong a decade to win that last premiership despite making the finals every year. They are bloody hard to win and everything has to go right.

Hi Jane do you still have a spare ticket available in case any one is interested at the right price?

Already mentioned that Dunstan, JJ out and Harmes looking. I have serious worries that Gus will pull the pin or be rarely available next season, he is only one head knock away from serious trouble. There is a desperate need for more class midfielders. Rivers is the only one I can see stepping up or recruit a running outside mid as we have enough bulls.

Replacing Yze could be more complicated than we think. It was mentioned in an earlier post and confirmed by Yze that he was the match day coach in the coaches box and Goody was the counsellor down on the boundary. This suggests to me that Goody is aware of his tactical match day short comings and acknowledges that is Yze's strength. If so that is more than a line coach role but almost senior coach material. It also begs the question whether Goody has been vilified unfairly and the coach upstairs should be held more responsible for the match day gaff's. I believe Goody is a very good club coach, man manager game plan development. The replacement should complement these traits and have a skill set to complement and cover the deficiencies

I really like the look of Will Verral who missed the early season with a stress fracture. He would be my choice for the understudy he has more upside than Teakle imo. As the back up a more mature body who doesn't mind being 2nd fiddle. Tom campbell has filled this roll at 3 clubs now. Another rumour was the club considering whether they develop Roo as a forward ruck option not a key position, only a rumour though.

Plenty has been said about trading and deficiencies in our existing players. Every player has strengths and weaknesses and I wouldn't trade them just on that basis. Barrassi always said that each season you have to find at least 5 % improvement in yourself just to stay at the same level. Trading out isn't solving the problem in some instances it is bringing in an unknown problem. Remember that quote about known unknowns etc. As I see it we have lots of contested beasts who aren't really good kicks. Hawthorn stacked their premiership teams with left footers down back who could lower their eyes or kick long to position. We are deficient in that area. Buddy was never very good over head so they didn't bomb it to him but kicked it out in front or to space. We don't do that or when we do we look a million dollars. May is a great kick out of defence as is Bowey, Salem used to be. Lever isn't a great kick but is a superb interceptor. I hope Turner comes on as he looks like a great kick. The sort of player who would lift us is Kelly at GWS that is the prototype player we need to get. If we cannot trade for no 1 get 3 first round kids in and develop them. Don't forget this year Roo, McVee, Laurie & Woewodin all played their first game and Chandler was like a first year player

I wish JJ well, he is a very solid player. I know he has his critics and he rarely seems to run and gun preferring to stop and prop. But he may be playing to instructions, we don't know! I am sure he will have lots of interest. Note Harmes still has a year to go so he may explore options but I suspect he wants to stay local and with MFC

Petty has a fairly serious foot injury and his return is far from guaranteed. Tomlinson is an obvious choice for the backline just in case.

AS stated earlier the clubs are completely professionals with regular advice with KPI's. When given end of year assessment there should be no surprise sackings or exits. Organisations just don't do that. Most of the input should come from the player re their thoughts on their achievements and what they hope to address and improve. Out of contract players who haven't been made an offer would be concerned and injured players would have a fare idea if they can go on. For all we know Grund may have already left the building emotionally and that is why he wasn't selected. BBB may not physically be able to continue, heck we have no surety that Petty will overcome a serious foot injury. I hope that the players have self assessed themselves and know what they want moving forward.

Read what Robbo said! I never said I wanted him to blast players or make excuses nor did Robbo. He knows there is a presser and he says the same stuff every week. He is a well paid experienced coach and post match press conferences come with the territory and this was the 4th final in a row this experienced team has lost. Robbo put it beautifully when he said you need consistency and stability in finals and the facts of the matter are we had neither.

For those who haven't seen it please look up Russel Robertsons post on Facebook and Insta. He made me feel a whole lot better with a calm measured assessment of the season and the need to have team stability and continuity which we didn't have as well as the new blood injected into the team. He said everything I hope Goodwin would say but didn't. Well done Robbo, he is hurting and details how much it hurt losing finals in his day. Disappointed that all Goodwin could offer is one of his motherhood statements about dealing with adversity and learnings, I am so sick of hearing his corporate speak.

I remember that day and the multiple forums. I was there and RDB was moderator I could barely talk when he asked a question. He was good enough to sign one of the books on sale of the then "History of Melbourne" that day will forever stay in my memory

Reality & brutality We will build on adversity, where does Goody get these lines. Get real for 22 weeks this year the forward line has been ordinary and don't seem able to tackle. Brutality, get an external review because internally we are strong enough to identify our faults. Forward craft and coaching is a disaster. Develop a plan B if A isn't working. Also finally notice our contested ball is good but what we do with it is poor and at times laughable.

Let me tell you it is no better being in Europe I am so disappointed. Once again this club lifts you up promises the world and crushes your soul. Will the players be extra gutted pre season for going out in straight sets again? I hope the review is brutal and honest. None of Goody's corporate speak and learnings. Mate we just had our backsides handed to us on a plate for the second year in a row and this year both losses were self inflicted. Good team don't do that. Get in an external reviewer because internally the club clearly cannot self assess and see what it is doing wrong and how to fix it. We have had 22 weeks of learnings about connection to the forward line not to mention last year. The definition of stupidity is to repeatedly do the same thing. I f Goody is to stay his assistants need to go because we have not improved1 % Rant over just do something

Fear not WCW. Cripps was found guilty but the case was thrown out on a legal technicality in the the Chair didn't adequately brief and what options they had. Nothing to do with the guilty verdict which wasn't changed. The case was abandoned and Gil was furious and the rules changed to ensure it doesn't happen again. He is either guilty or not no downgrades lets wait and see

Sorry to hear that Jane. But no matter what he thinks Maynard jumped into a contest unable to control his trajectory which is careless and the impact and the head high content are indisputable. The rules are if you jump and bump irrespective of intent you get suspended.