THE GAME - PS4

[Alf Stewart 73]

And i have noticed that you havn't stated where you live JW.

Dont just assume that someone that lives in cranbourne is a loute, where do you live ? umm

Kranburn. U?

[DustyDemon 0]

I agree with others, Bennell does look good and I was very happy with Buckley

I've watched footy & Melb. for 50 years, read my lips, Newton is not an AFL footballer. Heartstrings.

Speaking of ticker, Ricky Petterd's got plenty. From what I saw where I was standing he was fortunate to not have broken his neck after diving on the ball. He laid there making sure his legs were still working before attempting to get up.

I thought Meesen did the best I've seen him do today - still not good enough for firsts footy.

Spencer does look the goods though, 203cm/100kg/19 years old. Just what has his mum been feeding him!? Future looks very good for him - I hope.

Miller can slip off the list with Newton as far as I'm concerned. Just not a smart enough footballer for 2009.

For future potential Cale Morton was the stand out for me today. Silky moves, very clever touches and thoughtful disposals, HEAPS of courage. Obviously needs to stay at Jake Spencer's house for a while and chow down.

[stevenDEMON 0]

I agree with others, Bennell does look good and I was very happy with Buckley

I've watched footy & Melb. for 50 years, read my lips, Newton is not an AFL footballer. Heartstrings.

Speaking of ticker, Ricky Petterd's got plenty. From what I saw where I was standing he was fortunate to not have broken his neck after diving on the ball. He laid there making sure his legs were still working before attempting to get up.

I thought Meesen did the best I've seen him do today - still not good enough for firsts footy.

Spencer does look the goods though, 203cm/100kg/19 years old. Just what has his mum been feeding him!? Future looks very good for him - I hope.

Miller can slip off the list with Newton as far as I'm concerned. Just not a smart enough footballer for 2009.

For future potential Cale Morton was the stand out for me today. Silky moves, very clever touches and thoughtful disposals, HEAPS of courage. Obviously needs to stay at Jake Spencer's house for a while and chow down.

i thought his attack on the ball was soft on the scoreboard wings, he may have done more over the ground but this was right infront of me and what i mainly could see. Dont get me wrong though this bloke will be a gun, his skills are lovely and he has great footy smarts, just knows where to be

[drdrake 3,185]

On what I saw yesterday Bennell will play round 1, that's taking into consideration Cambell and Thomas play for the Roos. He is a good defender quick, goods skills, I was impressed with him against Sydney and he backed this up.

One think we need is a couple more quick high quality midfielders, we seem to be getting our hands on the footy at stopages with Mclean, Jones, Mcdonald but we have no one for these guys to get quick handballs to. A couple of time Mclean and Jones got caught in traffic because they had no support. Hopefully the two you guys we tok at picks 17/19 can slot into this role.

We looked good in patches but each quarter the dogs got a run on and made us panick, thas when the errors came in. To the boys credit in the first three quarters we regained composure and put the dogs under the same pressure. It would have been nice to do this for longer periods of the game but that wil come.

Petterd loves the contest, and his body work today was great. If he can stay fit he is going to be a very good player.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Petterd has just about the best balance and best poise since Jared Rivers.

[Jarka 767]

Miller can slip off the list with Newton as far as I'm concerned. Just not a smart enough footballer for 2009.

The only reason why Miller is still playing is because we literally don't have anyone else capable of playing CHF, once one of the lids mature he'll struggle to get a game. I'm expecting one of watts, Morton or Garland to take over his role.

[rpfc 28,733]

The only reason why Miller is still playing is because we literally don't have anyone else capable of playing CHF, once one of the lids mature he'll struggle to get a game. I'm expecting one of watts, Morton or Garland to take over his role.

Agree with that.

Preferably Watts at CHF, but if he becomes FF then Morton/Bate at CHF.

Garland is just so valuable in the backline. He was near faultless on Saturday.

[Dannyz 2,851]

Garland has one thing in bundles, and that's poise. You cant teach it and you normally have to be experienced to have it but young Colin is blessed with it in his game. He's looked comfortable the three times I've seen him this pre-season and I think he will hold our defence together this season.

Our young list is growing, and as much as we cant see it at this stage we're witnessing something pretty special for the Melbourne Football Club.

[45HG 1,559]

One large reason Miller is still around also IMO is that he works incredibly hard on the track and he carries with him a lot of respect from the playing group for it.

He shits on Newton and there is no one who can take the position of CHF from him at the moment.

He dobbed two from outside 50 against the Tigers, then the next week shirked at kicking at goal from 40 out. Perhaps he's confused between doing the team thing and doing what the team needs of him.

I don't see much of a future for him once Watts/Jurrah start to play if they're half as good as they appear to be.

[Guest JACKtheRIPPER]

Kranburn. U?

your are smartass as well, i like it.

[Gippy Dee 48]

I thought Meesen did the best I've seen him do today - still not good enough for firsts footy.

The Ironic cheers from the crowd after he finally marked the pill gave me a chuckle...

Totally agree. Not good enough.

[timD 994]

I thought meeson played better the longer the game went - he was awful at first but much better in the last. Spencer is a better tap ruckman now and our midfield looked good with him out there.

[casey scorp 2]

A couple of comments about Casey Fields:

They need to do something about the carpark. Getting out of the place is an ordeal!

The place needs a roof!

Is this fact or estimation, to me it looked like 1000 to 1500.

The ground looks great but they need to put some concrete down in the car park, it was a mud bath, luckily i had HANKOOK tyres on to get me out, anything else and i would still be there

1500,how many cars were in the carpark,5000 to 6500,thats my estimate,1500 i think your selling everyone short there.

That surface looks fantastic.

Surface looked great held up well considering, Casey feilds i must say was pretty good with exception to the mud park,

The ground needs another entrance amongst other things as well if MFC is thinking about future low support games to be played there.

I believe the Club/Casey Council are going to do some work on the outer side to improve watching conditions.

Certainly the parking situation wasn't good - would be awful in winter conditions.

A few themes:

• surface fantastic

• road access

• state of the carpark

• spectator facilities

• crowd size.

The surface is one of the best going around which is not an AFL venue.

The single road access has been that way for 3 years since the venue opened. It will probably be that way for another couple of years before a new road is built down the western side of the tennis courts and another entrance into Casey Fields is opened.

It took 25 minutes for the carpark to clear after the match, and I have been caught in longer jams at the MCG and Waverley Park than that.

The outer side works are starting within the next couple of weeks, and involve covered tiered spectator standing areas, toilets and a kiosk (and a scoreboard on the grandstand side).

In addition, when the extension of the pavilion occurs to accommodate MFC there will be additional covered spectator standing area on the grandstand side.

By next years NAB Challenge match these works should all be completed.

The carpark is actually quite firm – it was just the surface that was slippery yesterday because of rain on additionally laid but not compacted material. No-one would have got bogged.

I saw in the paper today that the crowd was approx 3,000, although I’m told by someone that did a reasonably careful around the ground check that the crowd was between 5,000 and 5,500. Last year’s crowd was around 6,000, and I think it was probably a bit less this year.

A crowd of approximately 5,000 this year is I think an excellent result given the conditions in the morning which would have put quite a few people off taking the risk in the afternoon.

[tez 6]

The carpark is actually quite firm – it was just the surface that was slippery yesterday because of rain on additionally laid but not compacted material. No-one would have got bogged.

Scorp i used to train my horses at Casey fields, the interesting thing i noticed that the paddocks around the old trotting track has not been filled in that well apart from that i feel Melbourne has made a very good decision in the move down that way and with all the works about to start next years one or two games there will be more enjoyable for all.

As for the traffic i feel that the need for another exit will not fix the issus at hand more so if a fair volume of the traffic is heading into cranbourne, remember the council would never have thought of 5000 plus ever being there at one given time maybe the rail could be the better option but cost versus minimal use i doubt tha would be a priority.

I for one look forward to seeing more good footy just like the old days hosted by the Casey Scorps fc, most enjoyable and good to see so many help from the club members.

[Guest JACKtheRIPPER]

A few themes:

• surface fantastic

• road access

• state of the carpark

• spectator facilities

• crowd size.

The surface is one of the best going around which is not an AFL venue.

The single road access has been that way for 3 years since the venue opened. It will probably be that way for another couple of years before a new road is built down the western side of the tennis courts and another entrance into Casey Fields is opened.

It took 25 minutes for the carpark to clear after the match, and I have been caught in longer jams at the MCG and Waverley Park than that.

The outer side works are starting within the next couple of weeks, and involve covered tiered spectator standing areas, toilets and a kiosk (and a scoreboard on the grandstand side).

In addition, when the extension of the pavilion occurs to accommodate MFC there will be additional covered spectator standing area on the grandstand side.

By next years NAB Challenge match these works should all be completed.

The carpark is actually quite firm – it was just the surface that was slippery yesterday because of rain on additionally laid but not compacted material. No-one would have got bogged.

I saw in the paper today that the crowd was approx 3,000, although I’m told by someone that did a reasonably careful around the ground check that the crowd was between 5,000 and 5,500. Last year’s crowd was around 6,000, and I think it was probably a bit less this year.

A crowd of approximately 5,000 this year is I think an excellent result given the conditions in the morning which would have put quite a few people off taking the risk in the afternoon.

the sun said 3000,i thought about 5500,as for sooks complaining about getting out of the carpark,iv been stuck at the MCG for up to an hour in the carpark,but you cant please everyone,they could still be at junction oval training on a ground with no goalposts,i think they no what they prefer.

[casey scorp 2]

Scorp i used to train my horses at Casey fields, the interesting thing i noticed that the paddocks around the old trotting track has not been filled in that well apart from that i feel Melbourne has made a very good decision in the move down that way and with all the works about to start next years one or two games there will be more enjoyable for all.

The in-filled land used for carparking is a temporary carpark only. Just screening and fill material dumped and levelled out (although there is a compacted base below). Ultimately, that temporary section of carpark will become a formal properly constructed carpark and, where the old trotting track is, will be a regional athletics complex.

As for the traffic i feel that the need for another exit will not fix the issus at hand more so if a fair volume of the traffic is heading into cranbourne, remember the council would never have thought of 5000 plus ever being there at one given time maybe the rail could be the better option but cost versus minimal use i doubt tha would be a priority.

The road network will change dramatically. Traffic lights at the current entrance, which will be a north-south arterial road crossing the current Berwick-Cranbourne Road, and entrances from that road into Casey Fields will help spread the load.

It is counter-intuitive, but most visitors from other suburbs to the north towards Melbourne should enter and leave Casey Fields from the direction opposite to Cranbourne (ie via the Berwick-Cranbourne Road exit from the Monash Freeway).

Rail may eventually come if the railway line is extended to accommodate the further urban growth into the Clyde area.

I for one look forward to seeing more good footy just like the old days hosted by the Casey Scorps fc, most enjoyable and good to see so many help from the club members.

And I can assure you that the Scorps members welcome the alignment with MFC – there is a great sense of partnership, co-operation and belonging.

[Redleg 41,405]

The in-filled land used for carparking is a temporary carpark only. Just screening and fill material dumped and levelled out (although there is a compacted base below). Ultimately, that temporary section of carpark will become a formal properly constructed carpark and, where the old trotting track is, will be a regional athletics complex.

The road network will change dramatically. Traffic lights at the current entrance, which will be a north-south arterial road crossing the current Berwick-Cranbourne Road, and entrances from that road into Casey Fields will help spread the load.

It is counter-intuitive, but most visitors from other suburbs to the north towards Melbourne should enter and leave Casey Fields from the direction opposite to Cranbourne (ie via the Berwick-Cranbourne Road exit from the Monash Freeway).

Rail may eventually come if the railway line is extended to accommodate the further urban growth into the Clyde area.

And I can assure you that the Scorps members welcome the alignment with MFC – there is a great sense of partnership, co-operation and belonging.

Great.

[Pepe Dee Pew 0]

We left 5 mins before the end of the game so straight out for us. It is a great venue and will be fantastic when complete. We will get plenty of additional supporters from locals over the next few years.

Also Morton said he has grown to 193 cms and will play wing this year and most likely go forward next year. With Watts and Bate we will have plenty of class up forward.

Frawley has grown to 195 cms

[Demon Tragic 0]

Petterd has just about the best balance and best poise since Jared Rivers.

Agreed - Ricky was excellent and his footy smarts would be amongst the top in our club. The kid has courage in spades and I'm loving seeing him out there again. Gotta say that Bartram, Meeson & Newton are just not upto AFL footy. Throw them in the same bag as Isaac Weetra & Jace Bode. Ph, can someone please tell Buckley that the run from the backline looks great, but the first option is quite often the best option! Give it and keep going. Definately good reason to take heart out of the game.

[Rogue 585]

I left the game half way through that last qtr as well, the rain coming in sideways seemingly underneath the umbrella no matter which angle it was on. Add to that the wind almost blowing us over, and the ball seemingly entrenched deep in the dogs forward line, we decided to leave (and try and negotiate the mud plains back to the car).

I stayed for the entire match and can confirm that the conditions were ridiculous at the end.

The wind was very strong and the rain was coming in at what was almost a horizontal angle - on the outer side people had their umbrellas pointing straight out in front of them and were trying to peer under the umbrella to watch the game. It was quite funny.

I didn't think getting out of the ground was a huge problem - I've waited around for just as long at other grounds.

[the_russian 17]

I left halfway through the last, the waterproof jacket I purchased on the way wasn't so waterproof, thank you 16 year old rays tent city attendant for the ill advice.

Anyways, just on the ruck, Spencer is a much better ruckman than Meeson, what I noticed was where they were when they weren't in a ruck contest, Meeson was lost, abotu half a kick away from a contest nowhere near a man - sometimes out on the wing when the ball was in the guts. What I like about Spencer is he doesnt seem to mind getting his knees dirty, he runs well, and makes the opposing ruckman compete.

I was standing out on the outer wing and his bullocking work around the stoppages was great too.

I was also standing about half a meter away from most of the North Melbourne squad who were all impressed with the ground at Casey, and was standing closest to Adam Simpson, who was talking to their opposition analyst who mentioned a few things of note

Firstly, the can't beleive Dunn is a footballer with the body shape he has, said its a body shape of a footy player of the 80's. Secondly, the noted that our midfield is looking a lot stronger this year and more competetive at the bounces, also said the Cheney looked the goods, and finally Simpson couldnt beleive how far out Casey was, and somehow thought the club had built a house for all the players to live in as it was far too far away to get to training everyday.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Simpson couldnt beleive how far out Casey was, and somehow thought the club had built a house for all the players to live in as it was far too far away to get to training everyday.

It's a hell of a lot closer than Ballarat and I bet that the surface is far better than at Arden Street. Besides, there is next to no traffic for the players so the actual travel time wouldn't be all that much greater.

North would be jealous, and so they should be that Melbourne now have access to a world-class sporting facility (for multiple sports) in a fast-growing area with a city council that extremely supportive and welcoming of the club. Melbourne now have a genuine chance to grow the supporter base and member base of the club and to position themselves amongst the local community.

EDIT: Simpson clearly has a short memory because it isn't the first time he has been to Casey Fields.

[John Dee 445]

It's a hell of a lot closer than Ballarat and I bet that the surface is far better than at Arden Street. Besides, there is next to no traffic for the players so the actual travel time wouldn't be all that much greater.

The freeway makes the distance a non issue. Bypassing Cranbourne would be nice. Casey Scorp has given me the clue; stay on the South-Eastern, eschewing the South Gippsland exit, and approach the ground from the other direction. Next time I go to Casey, I will hit the Melways and give that a go.

[45HG 1,559]

It's a hell of a lot closer than Ballarat and I bet that the surface is far better than at Arden Street. Besides, there is next to no traffic for the players so the actual travel time wouldn't be all that much greater.

North would be jealous, and so they should be that Melbourne now have access to a world-class sporting facility (for multiple sports) in a fast-growing area with a city council that extremely supportive and welcoming of the club. Melbourne now have a genuine chance to grow the supporter base and member base of the club and to position themselves amongst the local community.

EDIT: Simpson clearly has a short memory because it isn't the first time he has been to Casey Fields.

Clint, you've clearly doctored this photo. Brent Harvey isn't lying on the ground wailing for a free kick

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Clint, you've clearly doctored this photo. Brent Harvey isn't lying on the ground wailing for a free kick

Agree. Jeff White is winning a centre ruck contest too! B)