Rolling Stone

Nice timing as always by the chief football writer at the sinking ship known as Fairfax.

Just when a club is on the up and up and ready to go on to big things, out comes another story rattling skeletons in the cupboard.

Well played Caro. Isn't it time for a story about Dustin Martin and his bikie dad who got deported or about men who take on females in Asian restuarants with chopsticks?

Is it true that St Kilda who were going neck and neck with us for memberships in recent years have passed 30k?

19 hours ago, george_on_the_outer said:

Confirmed in this article by John Pierik. 

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/greater-western-sydney-giants/greater-western-sydney-giants-fined-100000-for-lachie-whitfield-affair-20161222-gtgp81.html

" This means that if they were to finish fourth next season, as they had this year, their draft selection No.15, worth 1112 points, would slip to No.63 (112 points). "

Effectively they have had their first round pick taken away.

It would be an interesting exercise if someone could do an analysis of the effect the loss of 1,000 points would have had on GWS in the 2016 draft.

It's not as if we supporters haven't had any expectations in the past.

What could go wrong anyway?

Well, now that Mr. Lumumba has left us, do we allocate the number 8 to another player - perhaps Joel Smith if we upgrade him?

2 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Probably the harshest player reviews I've ever seen. And with that off field incident maybe they aren't wrong.

GACH NYUON

Do not touch him.

One thing I don't understand is why we would promote Wagner or Smith off the rookie list instead of using the choice in the draft when those two could stay on as 2nd year rookies anyway?

Aren't you entitled to lift one player automatically at the start of the season and then others if you have long term injuries? If you elevate one of these players, you would be dropping down in selection order and miss a late choice.

Is it a Dunn deal?

Panel beater mate had nothing to offer but said Essendon would finalise a deal this week for a Melbourne player. He's repairing a De Lorean so the recruiters at Bomberland can travel forward twelve months to help them decide whether next year's second round pick is going to be better than this year's.

Stay tuned. My wife and I are about to visit my panel beater friend who's barber has his shop over the road from Windy Hill (a few doors away from that clinic where the injecting went on). Anyway, my mate had a haircut yesterday so I reckon he'll have lots of good oil about the trades for me.

I will pass on any information I glean if you promise to keep it confidential.

Sooner or later it will filter through that Rockliff to Melbourne is simply not going to happen.

11 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Collingwood have really snookered themselves!  They will not get an AFL FA Compensation pick for N.Brown because they have brought in Wells as an FA so they offset.

They only have a 2nd and 3rd round pick of any value.  Hard to see them getting better unless they trade out a very good player next week.

And they are trying to bring in Will Hosken-Smith and recruit Father/Sons, C. Brown and Daicos.

Buckley may have cooked his own goose in this trade period!

2017: another bottom 8 year for them, along with Port, North, Lions, Richmond and probably 3 of Freo, Saints, Essendon, GCS, Geelong!

As has been alluded to elsewhere, the Pies might be interested in Lynden Dunn or Colin Garland to assist with their issues in defence. They might want Heritier back too!

However, by the look of it they have nothing to offer us. We've had enough of reject Collingwood players and they're not likely to give up third 2nd and 3rd round picks.

11 hours ago, stuie said:

3rd year on the list, yet to play a game and did zero in the NAB cup before being dropped to Casey where they got smashed by 10 goals.

Not sure I'd classify that as a "winner"....

 

The post didn't describe the kid as a "winner". He's just not a loser as some painted him because he got senior game time in practice matches and is showing improved form. I think the club has been the "winner".

This time last year I was feeling quite ill after we lost a NAB Challenge game to an Essendon full of top up players. That's losing.

Is anyone able to describe how Roos handled the transition to Longmire at the Swans in his final season? From all accounts it was a seamless changeover and it didn't take them long to win a flag under Longmire.

Lots of teams in the rebuilding phase use young players - doesn't mean their clubs aren't exercising a proper duty of care. 

Darcy Parish is a teenage Selwood ready to go

What role is Curnow being thought of?

I can't see him being in charge of the drinks if he comes to us.

Geez Carlton look very ordinary.

Roos uses the defensive style as a means to an end and has been successful in the past by utilising it to wear down the opposition. The result achieves wins that are often ugly in terms of aesthetics but from where we've been I'm happy to cop the ugly wins if it leads to success somewhere down the track.

Lees ingesting the drugs is irrelevant to the importation charge. And had he not been identified early in the importation phase then he could have sampled the produce.

And I thought it would have been clear that the Essendon players have not had the benefit of the education or information that is required at the AFL. Otherwise neither the Club nor players had been in this mess. And as you point out that is the reason why those in charge should be hung, drawn and quartered career wise for this systemic failure.

^ ^ ^

Actually, players from every AFL club get drug education programmes on a regular basis under the aegis of the AFL and these things are constantly drummed into them. The argument Lees made was that as a VFL player he was never informed of the dangers of buying supplements on line. That's still no excuse for getting on the supplements but Lees deserves a bit more sympathy than the Essendon players who are highly paid and better informed.

The fact that ASADA received a smashing from the media over the Herald Sun is consistent with one of the arguments that the names were leaked to embarrass or discredit ASADA's investigation.

Now, who on earth would want to do that?

I guess after making the epic journey down to Casey yesterday I should put in my 2 cents worth.

The obvious difference in the match to me was skill. Hawks players had the confidence that their team mate would be able to hit a target, be there for support, make good position or a good contest. I saw this a little in the Geelong match, but the Melbourne players would handall too much, break under pressure and turnover the ball. Delivery by foot was also a little haphazard. It seems to be a confidence issue manifested in poor skills, probably a noticeable observation for most. Again, in the Geelong match, frequently there'd be generally one player going up for the contest and a player waiting to crumb, yesterday I saw too many contests of old where 2 Dees would go for the same mark. Lack of confidence, lack of communication, just bad habits I guess.

Kennedy-Harris I believe was a sub (along with Georgio and Viney), and only came on in the second half. His efforts where noticeable and certainly added a lot of energy to our performance when he was on. I'd be very surprised if he didn't play in the 1st round. It's hard to knock Viney's performance, he was definitely giving it everything, just needs a bit more composure with his disposal.

As has been mentioned by previous posters, I also noticed Watts getting into good positions on numerous occasions, but was largely ignored for his efforts. Had a few clangers too. I was under the impression that Strauss and Watts were some of our better kicks, but it didn't seem to stop them from turning over the ball (although, who didn't!)

Michie, Vince, Tyson and Cross seemed to do reasonably well. I'd hate to think how we'd be without that influx of midfielders.

Not feeling particularly positive about the whole experience, 8 hours round trip, delayed in traffic and got there late, partway through the second quarter when the score was already starting to blow out. But then again, it's never been easy being a Melbourne supporter has it?

Random observations:

It's hard not to feel some admiration for Roughy, not only was he kicking a bag and generally making life miserable for the Dees, but he also found time to replace divets in the field and fetch the ball for the umpires.

Delta Goodrem made an appearance at the game. And no, I'm not proud that I noticed she was there.

Agree that Roughead was the dominant player but why on earth was he given so much latitude all day? Surely the coach is not going to allow the opposition's most dangerous forward get a free run at the footy for so long when the real thing starts?

Who's going to be the first to demand we reinstate Neeldy?

Was it Demetriou who ran him out of business for his constant criticism of the AFL or am I mistaken?

Max King could be the answer for Melbourne against Richmond in the NAB Challenge

Sounds like no Fitzy, Gawn or Jamar either.

Could be just Spencer and King in the ruck and Pedersen, Howe and presumably a bit of time for King forward.

Does anyone know if Max King is related to former Geelong ruckman Steven King who also came from the Murray Bushrangers?