Demon Head

Good luck to Ricky but I hope you have a working quality microwave ready to toss your membership into come late May after your team and mine cross paths.

The two new franchises should improve, especially GCS with their experienced players helping to kick things along nicely. However, I don't think either of them will improve to the point where they can overtake us. The Doggies and Port don't look like going forwards in 2013 and we did better that both on one cylinder in the last half of 2012. We also won more games than the Bombers did after round 9 last year. There are a group of clubs like St. Kilda, Richmond and Brisbane who won't be far ahead of us at all and there are always one or two others who we could overtake if their seasons go badly. I remain on the confident side and believe we will surprise many.

This is great stuff but what we need is a separate thread investigating Wilson and her bias against the club and putting all of the examples of her bias against our board, administration and officials in the one place. In this way, we might also uncover her sources. If any of them are internal or associated in some way past or present with the MFC they should be exposed.

Based on what I've been told, there are certain journos in town who were mates with members of the old board and they continue to shill for their old mates. Nuff said.

Reported in the Age that we're interested. "Meanwhile, Melbourne has expressed interest in Port Adelaide midfielder David Rodan, who is likely to be cut by the Power. Rodan is not a free agent." Goddard move to Windy Hill looks a Don deal An aging player with three knee reconstructions who struggles to get a game at Port Adelaide. Surely not?

Macrae has been BOG in both of Oakleigh's TAC Cup final wins to date and he gets a good write up in this article on Land - Preliminary I like the fact that he's a left footer and has excellent disposal. Although he's been consistent all year (played well in the U18 champs) he's really come to notice at the end of the season. Also, goes to school with the son of the head of our recruiting dept.

Pushed out to make salary cap room to retain Cloke?

OK. Is discussion about the old man allowed?

Playing on the wing for the Crows on Sunday so we'll see what he's like.

Rumour that he's going to trial with Collingwood under strict fitness and behaviour requirements and could be selected as a mature age rookie. Precaution against Cloke's imminent departure?

The moron is apparently tweeting again. His name was attached to this tweet from about an hour ago and while I don't have a clue what it means it contains a expletives which I have deleted. Could be someone using his name but I checked with a Carlton supporter who knows his social media and he thinks it's real. Point is that he's already been in trouble over tweets and is an idiot to get involved in this stuff.

Er, um ... why don't you start a pessimists thread then?

It could be a short retirement - Green light: Giants flag interest in Demon

Two great comebacks in consecutive weeks, Get the Casey fitness team up to Melbourne for heaven's sake!

OK. Everybody's shy so I'll try.... Melbourne and Richmond have an interesting recent history. Who could ever forget the "Jordan McMahon" game which was decided when that player goaled after the siren to secure victory for the Tigers and a priority draft pick for the Demons? In recent seasons Melbourne had the ascendency but all that has changed as Richmond continued their upward surge of improvement late last season to atone for the result when the teams met earlier in the season. This year, it was Richmond easily after an even first half and I can't see the result being overturned this week. It's a little unfortunate for the fans that injuries have hit Melbourne where it hurt the most at this stage of the season. You just can't afford to lose the likes of Mitch Clark, Aaron Davey, Mark Jamar and Nathan Jones in one week as happened against the Lions. Then to lose the most recent NAB Rising Star nominee in Tom McDonald five minutes into the next game is nothing short of frustrating. Some of those players might be back this week but the task of winning will be tough, such has been the disruption to the team's structure. Richmond has all the incentive to win. A loss to a team placed 16th would just about destroy their finals hopes. They can't afford to lose and they won't!

Geelong are not playing the way they have in past years. Some of their wins have been unconvincing and they have lost twice to teams that failed to make last year's top eight. On the other hand, while Melbourne hasn't been all that flash, it isn't quite plumbing the depths of last year's devastating result at the Cattery. If the Dees can maintain their steady rate of improvement of the last couple of games then they might surprise the football world. Not necessarily with a win but with their best performance at this venue since the drawn game in 2006.

Casey Player Review Committed Scorpions hold on to win thriller over Gulls Hey Jack, Watts that all about?

It was announced earlier in the year that Jack would play some games for Casey if permitted by the AFL/VFL but that his loads would be carefully monitored. He will also no doubt play school footy for Carey and possibly some Under 18s. On that basis I'm sure we're not going to see him line up for Casey every week.

I'm not really into selecting teams in position but I am interested in the 22 who will play in round 1. Any views?

I wrote: What part of this suggests that Tynan "beat his opponent and is pushing for a best 22 spot"?

That might well be so when he was on Blease but I was referring more to Tynan's commitment and endeavour and the way he just plugged away and got better as the day went on. I don't think you could expect much more in the circumstances. This is Blease's fourth season at the club and it's probably his first full preseason. IIRC he was really struggling early on in the piece when he was being worked hard in the endurance runs. Tynan is in his first preseason and looked a real goer. Blease was very good but he didn't run him ragged and he did his best to exert pressure on whoever was his opponent for 8/8s of the game and kept getting better.

Tynan was a bit of a revelation. He didn't star but he kept putting in and hitting hard even though it was his first practice match. It might not be in 2012 but he definitely has a future!

Why, oh, why are people still trying to stifle our enjoyment. If you object to Tom Scully threads, there are many places you can go to on this site without being confronted with discussion about the little [censored] and his dysfunctional family. This doesn't happen to be one of them. Now, is anyone looking forward to tonight's game?

The club wouldn't want to delve into these things but some want a public bloodletting and think that sort of thing would be in the interests of the club.

England beaten by Pakistan in three days. How many do they have to lose before South Africa gets to #1 in the world rankings?