Earl Hood

In this case it makes the reference to previous regime rather inaccurate.

I would love to know the backroom machinations that made us take Toumpas over Wines given what we probably knew on Wines (Well at least Viney Snr knew)

I think it was the Ox who said the thinking was that because we had secured Jack Viney as an inside "raging bull" mid we did not need Wines but rather we needed an outside runner with good kicking skills. Classic case of drafting for needs vs best available. But they may have thought Toump was the best. Who knows but I just don't see that the Toump has any weapons but he could develop into a handy player. Wines on the other hand has it in spades, size, strength, agression, gets the ball and kicks goals and he has done that since game 1.

Does that include Todd Viney?

Yes. He made the choice despite his intimate knowledge of just what Wines would bring to club. I find that hard to fathom.

Don't think so - if I remember rightly, when we delisted Meesen and Newton when they were contracted, we picked them up on the rookie list without the payout. The Saints taking him would presumably mean they'll also take on his contract, which I can't imagine them doing given the condition he is in.

Nasher funny you mention Meesen. He had a similar foot problem that did his career in with us just as he put a string of solid games together. If I remember correctly he got a run at first ruck because Jamar had a crook foot as well and some time later Garland had foot stress problems! And we all know of Mitch's lisfranc problem. What is going on down there at AAMI? The curse?

After speaking to a board member whom I cannot name, I have some very important information hidden in this riddle:

Which former man from the street of knox has grown tired of being a bird and is looking to join the red and blue?

Is the former man now a woman?

The elephant is quite simply "Will Trengove ever play another AFL game" ? I doubt it

The curse continues!

Thankyou Bernie Quinlan for your wonderful tribute to Robbie Flower.

Coming from a celebrated champion such as yourself means a great deal to to countless Demon supporters.

But I heard Dipper was there?? Really?

Sorry I hold some old grudges that Robbie, God Rest his Soul, never did!

Here is a novel thought lets just throw a big $ offer to Mitch Hallahan at the Hawks and would be happy to bid for one of their talls, say Loudan with a tempting draft pick perhaps and then stick with the draft picks we have left in the draft. And then we can all relax.

So ...

You don't need to be Einstein to realise that Roos and his crew have an ace up their sleeve in regarding to the recent discussion about trading Jack Trengove.

It is clear that they will be looking to on trade one or two of picks 12, 3, or 2 should this trade eventuate, given that Roos has said he doesn't want too many kids and is in need of midfield talent.

I believe they have someone already sorted. Yes, trading JT for a kid goes against what he has said in recent discussions.

So who is that player that they have targeted? Who is that Bernie Vince/Dom Tyson type import? I don't know but if I was a betting man I'd be putting money on the following:

1. D. Sheil (GWS) - trade ignited by GWS wanting to get back into the draft after losing picks for Griffen;

2. R. Sloane (AFC) - following heavy discussions with Adelaide over Danger, AFS may have offered Sloan instead knowing he is a risk to go next year as well;

3. T.Walker (AFC) - following heavy discussions with Adelaide over Danger, AFC may have offered Walker instead knowing he is a risk to go next year as well.

4. T. Mitchell (SFC) - Roos relationship.

5. Solid 2nd tier player from Port. Port may be looking for pick 12 to get Ryder.

If I was to pick one, its Sloane.

Thoughts? Anyone else on the horizon?

Cheers,

Craig

P.S First time poster, long time obsessor.

He's way off that at the moment and very overrated here on output to date. 2015 will be the make or break year for him.

Rjay you are probably right but I did like a couple of those hard running goals and the two boundary line square ups to Macca in the last game. He also has a good build and some speed and his cameos stood out this season because we have a list so full of vanilla flavoured NQR players. Fingers crossed he can make the jump up to the next level

most likely brunswick street earl

DC it could be Brunswick Street but I hang out with the trendies these days in Smith Street or Gertrude Street although I do stay on the Fitzroy side of course. What is the equivalent trendy spot in Burwood these days?

Anyway I'm off to bed. Hopefully the "Upstairs girl" put the hot water bottles in my bed and has my warm milk ready! I'll take the strap to her otherwise!

Goodnight BBO my advice whenever you are dealing with the underclasses is not to spare the rod if they fail to meet your requisites. You are after all doing it for their own good.

Obviously I defer to you on this subject M'Lord!

BBO it is good to see that there are still people like yourself who recognise and respect the natural hierarchy of our society. That there are those born by bloodlines to lead and those who are born to follow. Such is the natural order.

You understand this but what are we to make of the Ryan Griffin types? Where is the respect for their betters, the team, the club, and especially the Board!! Just stop and think of the embarrassment that some Of the Bulldog Board members may be feeling at this time. I feel for them.

And what of these upstarts like Ryder and Beams. I say this player power stuff puts us on a very slippery slope toward anarchy! Where will it all end?

If defecation is not out, you are in deep shite!

I think DC means defection. Give him some slack he often struggles with the detail.

Mate I have Beams and Dangerfield already inked in for 2015.

Beams for the 2015 Norm Smith.

Have we got enough picks, players for that to work?

I'm not that greedy, my lord. One elite player would be a really good bloody start.

Agree an elite is a good start but what's the cost 2,3 and 12? And what have we gone past in that sort of deal? Much rather we trade pick 3 for a Tyson like deal with pick downgrade but keep 2 for the best available myself. The Trengove deal I don't like.

I am getting worried we are going to throw everything we have at Danger! Please we need more than one elite player. I will take 3 or 4 B graders before one A grader. We need a quantity of competitive players not just one gun. I keep thinking Templeton, Moore and where that got us. And I keep thinking Mitch Clark who turned out for 10 weeks to be elite and then.....where did we end up long term? Short answer nowhere.

Whatever we do at least keep one pick for Brayshaw or equivalent please.

I will be interested to see Salems second year.

He had an interrupted pre season due to illness and then showed glimpses of real game sense and skill. I remember George Stone saying mid year that he expected Salem to stay in the side until end of season which was slightly in contrast to Roos strategy of easing them in to the ones. It never eventuates and Salem did go back to the Magoo's. Whether it was form or Roos decision from a load POV we'll never know.

My memory is Salem couldn't get a kick in the second half of the season. Some have commented elsewhere that the Toump was dropped after having games where got 18 or so disposals but Salem was being picked on the back 4 and 8 disposal games. He showed some x factor in some games and I saw him back into a pack and take one for the team so I have faith he can make it but he is no ball magnet.

GWS only getting pick 19 suggests they don't rate him much at all are happy to walk away with pick 19 from the Hawks.

No doubt the kid will be a star now!!

I agree that the pick 3 for Frawley was way over the top in terms of his worth but only when you consider it in isolation. We applied for special assistance for the second year in a row. Last year, one of the reasons we were knocked back was because of pressure from most of the other AFL clubs on the AFL Commission relating to the fact that we had been fined in relation to the "tanking" enquiry. We applied again. There was further unrest from the clubs and we were knocked back despite our record of 10 wins in three seasons which I believe would have been sufficient had the applicant not been tainted with the tanking brush as we were. So, for the fourth or fifth time we were punished by the AFL over the tanking issue.We deserved the Frawley compo at 3 and even better.

Along comes Essendon and without applying for special assistance, the AFL seems to be putting its imprimatur on a deal that, if nothing else, stinks of special assistance by stealth. It's nothing like the Dal Santo deal of last year because the proposal suggests that Port Adelaide gives Essendon its first round pick in addition to the compensation pick. That is what I call draft tampering and the AFL is being anything but transparent if it approves of such non-sense.

The scheme demonstrates an alarming decline in the level of integrity we are seeing from the AFL.

What will the "independent" AFL Commissioners make of all this I wonder?

SO MELBOURNE oops use the rules and dont win games (although we were found not guilty of tanking). In the process we receive a PP.

We get fined $500k and have officials suspended because CC made a bad joke. And even though many other clubs did the same we suffer to this day in that we are effectively denied a PP this year because of 'tanking'.....

Yet, they would allow this draft tampering to happen???

Wow...

If this goes ahead it will be the end of FA compo. Just as the priority pick was distorting behaviour as in tanking, now we have FA compo potentially distorting the behaviour of clubs and the AFL! Although the AFL has been distorted for years of course.

If St Kilda end up preferring Mccartin over Petracca, we would be completely foolish to trade either pick 2 or 3. Acquiring Petracca and Brayshaw would set up our midfield for the next 10 years, with one who is compared to a fast Dustin Martin (without the personality deficiencies) and another who is compared to Ollie Wines.

Unless we can get Dangerfield, there is no better result.

These boys are also ready made players, no waiting in the wings for these beasts.

Well given that analysis I am sure we will take another road. We have always taken another road to avoid the draft guns for the last 8 years, why change now? Are we going to trade out for a number of tried and true journeymen instead? Sorry just bitter and twisted at how we nearly always get it wrong.

Technically its not sewerage its sewage.Sewerage refers to the infrastructure that conveys sewage

Good pick up Toorak. I have tried to educate WYL about the benefits of the Werribee Sewage Farm for all of Melbourne but he insists on using it as a derogatory term!

Why do we even need free agency when kids who have two years in the system and have shown nothing can nominate the club he expects to be traded too.

Anyone who hasn't qualified for FA should be at the mercy of the club, who should be able to get maximum return by offering them up for best offer.

This current system is rubbish.

Totally agree T-34 I have mentioned this in past posts that FA is just not needed, at least not for the reasons it was brought in for. The AFLPA pushed on the grounds of restraint of trade etc. and that it would allow fringe players stuck at clubs the freedom to move to another club for better opportunities after 8 years service. Over the last few years we have had players just walking once they are out of contract, now they are walking after 2 years and nominating their clubs of choice. The last player to not get to go where he wanted easily was Luke Ball whom St Kilda dumped into the draft but he still got to the Pies anyway at pick 30. Basically Clubs now don't want players who don't want to be there, e.g. the exodus from Brisbane last year. Where's the restraint of trade issues? Where are the players trapped in clubs? The FA should be reviewed on the basis of what is now happening at trade time.

FA at present is a gift to the top ranked players who can bid up their contract income and years. Not long ago 4 and 5 year contracts were not on. Now its a minimum for a gun FA. All this comes at a cost to your average AFL player, there is only so much money to go around. The AFLPA should be looking after them more than your Buddy Franklins who can look after themselves.

Anyway I could go on but you get my drift.

Guide to writing like WYL...

Start off with one, two maximum, negative sentences with statements using hyperboles.

"Vlad was a very poor Leader of a very big and popular organization...Those who thought he was wonderful may now realize otherwise."

(who has thought he was wonderful??)

<Insert obvious statements>

We have picks 2-3 this year...They just have to be used correctly...We must draft in 2 or 3 absolute guns... We simply must get out of the bottom 4 clubs...Frawley was a bargain for Whorethorn, so was Lake."

(nar I think we are going to try and use pick 2 and 3 on Tambling)

<Insert personal opinion which doesn't really add value>

"i never rated Chip as highly as others on here"

(cool story Hansel)

Abruptly, and without segue, go straight into Cam Schwab, previous admin or 186 - sometimes all if it's a bad day.

"This situation is the fault of the previous CEO and his template the club worked from"

(I also heard Schwab is responsible for taxes, Myki and WWII)

Add another dig/irrelevant statement

"CS was just so far off the mark it is laughable."

(off the mark on what exactly about free agency WYL?)

Conclude with a completely off topic, obvious statement which doesn't add any value.

"The MFC can climb but if we keep blowing draft chances it will not happen...All of our high draft picks up to 2012 have been average at best and mostly VFL standard, which is appalling.

They all have a year to prove themselves in my opinion."

(I thought Tambling was supposed to save us?)

Well let's face it the club was run by over paid clowns with no idea of who to recruit, how to develop players or how to build a competitive team. Other than those deficiencies they were not that bad but then again we managed to pi55 off major sponsors and attract others who didn't pay and had to be jettisoned. I am looking for positives here but I haven't found one I am afraid. You could have picked 4 or 5 people randomly off the street, put them in MFC management positions, paid them peanuts and they would not have delivered less. I am not including Bailey in this who had his failings but tried his best only to be brought down by 186 and the Board.

Thank heavens for Free Agency, without it these kids can get trapped at a club for the length of their own contracts!