manny100

GC is desperate to stagger the age profile of its list. One of the reasons they went for the last 2 mini drafts. I would offer just pick 2 for Swallow. They can replace him with a young star at pick 2. GC need to prune their list at seasons end. Adding more players will mean more pruning. As it is they probably will not use more than 3 picks in the draft anyway.

Hogan may have to play the high half forward towards wing role where the team plays through him. He seems to have the speed and agility to do this although KC who sees him week in and week out would be best to comment on whether Hogan could play further up the ground.

Craig seems to prefer medium/smalls and flankers with pace. If you are not quick you need to be a very good accumulator and user to get a game.

I think first priority is to pick up the best available mid through free agency and draft the best mid with our number one or 2 pick (although if we get number one put it on the market for Boyd). All other picks including the priority pick we should get can be put on the market for trade.

AFL 360 - Robinson said could not think of anyone from left field to coach the Demons. Cannot get much more left field than SHEEDY - last year at GWS - rejected by Dees a few years ago - now new Board. Certainly one from left field!!!!

Positives: Hogan to come in next season Hogan to come in next season, etc, Toumpas, Terlich, M Jones - 2nd preseason to come, Watts showed some aggression Trengove stepped up Clark, Grimes, Viney to come back in, Blease showed some pace, Fitzpatrick played his best game, Evans should improve, Hogan to come in next season, Pick 2 this coming draft should get us a star midfielder Free agency - FGS get someone good!!!!! Billy Stretch in 2014 draft

It would be idiocy to sack Neeld at this time of the season. I doubt whether any other coach in the AFL would do any better. Sheeds has shown how hard it is to win with a young under manned list. If Neeld was sacked and the new coach did not do much better (doubt anyone could) the board would be laughed (seen as proof of incompetence by the media) at and the club a further say $600K + down after the payout and remuneration to the interim coach. Coaches are usually sacked late in the season. This way the interim coach does not have enough time to completely stuff up and show that the board that it really was not the sacked coaches fault after all. This was all media driven.

Watts and Trengove would have been in our top ten today (Watts maybe top 6). We need to throw a bucket of money at an A grade midfielder at seasons end.

Out Blease - needs to build up his fitness. Out Pedersen. In: Dunn - Can play anywhere and has a go. In Strauss has some poise.

Watts was ok especially up forward. We need to throw a bucket of money at Daisy Thomas at seasons end!!!! Our midfield is way below par and we need someone on field to assist their development.

We need to get a gun mid at year end!!!!!

We should be 3 or 4 goals down but still in it. We need to chase a gun mid at seasons end!!!!!!

Oh, sheitt, lets hope Hogan's knee is just a tweak - nothing serious and staff not taking chances!!! OHHHHH GEES!!!!!

Another example of fessing up first up is always less painfull than covering up and then being caught out. Most of us have been there at some time. If there were no WADA, ASADA violations then there would not be much of an issue had the doc come clean during one of those 3 interviews!!

According to the MFC statement issued at 11.52 am today the club is in the clear in that all the correct processes were adhered to - if its all true and correct then all well. However there may very well be an issue with the earlier MFC response which appears to have omitted reference to emails between the club doctor and Dank. The MFC are saying that if was just the clubs doctor keeping up to date on the latest developments in this area as this would be part of his ongoing duties. The MFC obviously do not believe that this constitutes a relationship as per the tone of the AFL query.We may be in a little trouble for not disclosing the texts. I think AD would want to know of every comminication.

Whilst it probably would not have made any difference in any case McDonald, Trengove, Bail, Blease and Clark had interupted pre seasons. It will take a few more weeks before they get near their best football. McKenzie is a big out.

FWIW Jamar in the Hun ranking was equal third for the team with 92 points. He had a team high 6 tackles for the day. He had more hit outs than Cox but Cox was way more effective. This would be a reflection of the quality of our midfield. This is further highligthed by an underdone (for a mid) Clark having to go in as a mid at times. I doubt very much that Jamar will be dropped from the team at this stage. Gawn is athletic, competitive and can pinch hit up forward. It may be tempting to bring him in the coming weeks to play relief ruck and forward he would be hard to match up playing forward. Jamar showed yesterday that relief forward is no longer his go. Pederson is at risk of losing his place. Hopefully McKenzie returns if not perhaps Kent may get a game. Toumpass needs some time at Casey. I think we will only see 2 non compulsory changes for GWS. As Bail was able to come back on he should be right for nex week. He will improve as he gets more games.

I'm in for the long haul. Just have to tough this one out.

I agree that the club, players and memberts should stick tight and see this difficult time through together. Only the strong can stick tight. The inability to stick tight in difficult times is what sees work teams fall apart and relationship breakdowns. All the clubs at some time or other have been 'easybeats' and got through it. Its just that we get a lot more media exposure now. The reality is that our midfield at the moment is barely AFL standard. We should go all out for Daisy Thomas at year end. Also we do not have leaders in the mould of Nieta, Ox or Todd Viney. Leaders take some time to develop. Perhaps Jack Viney and Hogan can develop.

Looks like Tappy will get another go. It looks like the game may be about to pass Jamar by - and he is contracted for next year as well. If he digs deep we may see some improvement in his play from here on. Gawn will need a good 5 or 6 VFLgames before being ready. We would have to have the worst performing midfield ever? Pity we cannot bring Magner in. Toumpas needs some time in the VFL to develop. When Dawes comes in we should give Watts a go as third tall up forward as he would attract the third best defender. This would free HAiowe up for more midfield time. Not a real lot of midfield options at the moment!!

I attended training today and the highlights for me were: I did not realise how quick and athletic Dawes was when the ball hits the ground. Reads the play very well and was the equal and better of oppnents in simulation. Viney stood his ground when triple tackled and still got the handball out. Neil Graig said people will pay their money to see Jack play. Toumpas although in the rehab group looks AFL size as does does Hogan. The team looked very sharp - thanks to the coaching group. They were all involved in teaching and explaining what to do in various situations. Watts seems stronger in the core. Jetta looks stronger. Dunn looks like Tarzan - he has put on heaps of upper body muscle.

Rookie contracts are a minimum base. A club may pay extra if it deems fit if the Salary CAP allows. It may be that this is the case in relation to Magna.

Wilson discounts the AFL's role in all of this and says the only thing that the AFL is guilty of is incompetence of the CEO etc. Well you could say the same about the MFC, ie blame officials and not the club. The AFL knew or ought to have known that there were concerns over a number of years and yet they turned a blind eye. If i am in a team at work and my manager turns a blind eye to other team members coming to work late and one day i come in late and get the sack then i will see my employer in the AAT and i will be awarded compensation. The AFL are in a very difficult situation and would not want the embarrassment of evidence and cross examination. I may lead to job losses at the AFL as well. The AFL has taken measures to prevent this situation again and they would be best served if guilt is established to come to an agreement with the MFC regarding penalties to avoid wholesale carnage to the game it it goes to Court. Put it all behind.

The only game of football i have seen where the MFC looked like they were not trying to win was the Geelong game which got Bailey sacked. Sadly were were just very, very,very,very poor on the day - nothing more, nothing untoward. If it had been played out in the year in question it would have been put forward as a 100% watertight case and proof that we tanked!!! Funnily enough we were a much better side in 2011 than previous years. During that so called tanking season when we did win we were so poor as a team that there should have been game fixing investigations!!!!!

Great article. I hope the AFL invetigators interview the writer. If this goes to Court he may well be called up as an expert witness for the defence!!