rumpole

There's nothing for me to get over. I was simply making an observation, not commenting on whether Darling will be better than Cook. I don't suffer from the neuroses that seem to afflict some of the posters around here who take offence at every comment that's made.

Pure semantics really, isn't it? Those who are anti Cook and pro Darling are arguing that Cook was drafted too early and that someone taken much later should have been picked ahead of him. IMO that's being a detractor.

You make some very good points and I think this debate cries out for its own separate thread and with the use of discretion in the way the debate is conducted rather than here where there is an element of muckraking and bravado from posters with various agendas for and against the individuals involved. FWIW, I think it's fair to say that a dying man is still capable of making good and bad decisions and that whilst Jimmy didn't handle the football director post well, leading us to the disaster of late July, it was he who asked for and persuaded Garry to step in and that was a good decision for which most of us are now thankful. The decision has now been apparently made that Greg Healy is to come on board as Football Director with Neil Craig reporting to the board on football matters. Time will tell if that eventuates and whether it works out well for the club. In the meantime, and with thanks to Garry, Don McLardy, Cameron Schab and others, Jimmy can go back to being the chairman in a low key way and concentrate on his health issues at the same time. Most (good) club chairman are usually pretty anonymous in what they do and it's only a few of the more vocal ones that we ever get to hear from. Good clubs act together in the way a good team should. It's not just about one man and I reckon 99% of the football public wouldn't know the name of the chairman of Geelong or most of the other clubs. Give me an ill Jimmy with a supportive board, administration and functioning football department over an allegedly healthy in mind and body Jeff Kennett any time.

We drafted four players in the December rookie draft. If they and the two new boys drafted in the draft in late November didn't do the previous trial then Fan's proposition is quite possible. One's first run at a distance whilst technically a "personal best" isn't usually regarded as such.

Why do you say that? It's one of a number of explanations but I don't see it as anywhere near the most likely. Closer to the least likely in my opinion but what the hell, there's a lot of nit picking going on here lately about what people say and mean and what they don't say and mean.

I'm not usually a nitpicker but for you, I'll make an exception. We never had a Cam Johnstone. Sure it wasn't Cameron Johnston you were thinking of?

The worry warts concerned about Neeld naming a couple of players would have suffered nervous breakdowns on a daily basis when Norm Smith was coach! Once, when full back Bernie Massey turned up at training with a moustache, Smith sent him home and told him not to come back until he was clean shaven. Public humiliation? Didn't worry Bernie, the team or the supporters in those days. Maybe everyone at the club needs to harden up?

You learn something new every day. A mephitis is actually a striped skunk. From Wikipedia - The genus Mephitis is one of several genera of skunks, which has two species and a North American distribution. WJ, you might be onto something. That 17 y.o schoolgirl caused something of a stink with the Saints last year. The players don't like their new training ground and Ross Lyon couldn't get out of there quick enough. Watch out for any striped furry creatures when you head out to Seaford.

Until they do something that hurts your club and smells fishy and then it's too late because they know they can get away with it. The AFL's reason for giving the green light to the transaction despite the clear inconsistency of the statements from the Jack camp (lies?) was that other clubs had the chance but didn't draft him? The point is that he wasn't nominated for the national draft so the clubs couldn't pick him there and by the time the AFL sent out the memo that they could object to Sydney adding him as a rookie, most had finalised their lists. The AFL bent its rules in this case to the clear benefit of one club. The benefit was achieved as a result of an apparent irregularity in a statutory declaration and if you lie when making such a declaration, you are committing a crime. Ask Judge Marcus Einfeld what that means - he did time for making a false statutory declaration about who was driving his car when an offence was committed. The AFL's reasons for not taking further action in the matter constitute a whitewash and bear witness to its conflicted state. An independent body or perhaps a legal authority should be investigating this, not the AFL.

Bob's right. We need a process of education but not just about the nature of racism. A lesson in comprehension would do for a start.

GBH is a killer drug.

Come now. All you're doing is trying to use semantics to justify your pitiful views. What I'm discussing is those people who are so blind that they are in denial about the conduct Wilson and others are exposing.

Well ... to me it's your post that's sad and unfortunately, far too reflective of the views of many Melbourne people who are only too glad to bury their heads in the sand and walk away when their club has been screwed by the shonks in charge of the game because "there's nothing we can do about it so let's move on". That's usually a prelude to your club getting screwed over next time as well when the Chooks of this world will shake their heads and say, "let's move on". For the record, the Scully thing is over and I'm glad he's gone and taken his thirty pieces of silver with him. I'm grateful that Garry Lyon came along and installed a new coach who looks like he knows what he's doing and is setting us up for the future. Scully doesn't figure in those plans and is now redundant as far as our club is concerned. Good for him and his family and I trust he enjoys playing in front of empty stands at Skoda Stadium. The trouble is that Demetriou and his yes men in the media remain and the culture they've set up is going to do more damage to the fabric of our game. The only difference is that the next victim of this insidious system will be Essendon/St. Kilda/North Melbourne or perhaps Collingwood. Take your pick. Caroline Wilson nailed it and exposed the lies and the hypocrisy exactly for what they were. We shouldn't be shamed out of discussing this important issue.

I didn't know about Dad's offer: Scully Really?

I agree with Eddie's aggressive approach. At worst, he'll ensure that his club gets the best possible compensation. His comments about Melbourne are spot on. We silently take what's given to us and many of our supporters are prepared to cop the hits without fighting back. That has to change.

Choko, Are you suggesting that the only option available to Scully at his presser in March and then on several subsequent occasions to the media, his club and his teammates was to tell lies?

"I was a second-year player and I couldn't work out why everyone was constantly talking about me, instead of other players." This has to be the biggest insult or, if you like a lie. By what measure can this kid make the claim that he didn't understand what was going on? Did he not live through 2010 and all of the turmoil that hit Geelong with the constant speculation and disruption to that club throughout the year? If he wasn't aware, he is either naieve or stupid but for mine, I think he was aware and that comment condemns him more than anything else.

Is there anyone there who can give us a rundown of training. At Gosch's Paddock now.

I've reached the point where I don't believe anything that's said or written about this Scully person.

I stand by what I wrote. Bailey was a good bloke but everyone bangs on around here about how for two years we tanked and if that's the case then he wasn't a serious coach and certainly not as serious as what we have now. That's a fact and I think it's poor form for people to bag Jimmy for talking up our new coach. That's exactly what he should be doing IMO.

We usually find out a few hours after the session's over.

If we concede Melbourne tanked then Bailey was not a serious coach. Anyone who sees the new coaching regime in operation, even in these early days, knows that it's far more professional and serious than what we've had in the years when we were a failure on the field. Jim is rightfully entitled to talk up the current coaching department and I admire him for it. Those who want to think back in terms of those dark moments when we lost games by 186 points and celebrate that achievement are the ones who should harden up. What do you think of Denham's views on Wona? What would you do if you had to decide on who to keep on your list and a player was three weeks late keeping an appointment with surgeon who operated on his ankle? Even his manager accepted Melbourne made the right decision. Denham is ill-informed and fighting someone else's battle. He needs to try to understand all sides, not just the one he's being fed.

Good luck to the land and my wishes for a speedy recovery. Any medicos out there who know how long it will take him to get back on the track?

"The GWS family that lives together, spivs together." With thanks to Paul Keating, former Australian Prime Minister.

Saints seem to be in a bit of disarray with their delistings. There have been some leaks suggesting the club is struggling to do their delistings and control their salary cap issues.