DEVILS ADVOCATES

by Whispering Jack

Last night, the Devils Advocates - members of the legal profession who support the Demons - met for a hearty meal and some lively discussion on an important contemporary issue, the progress and development of the Melbourne Football Club. More than 100 lawyers including judges, academics, senior counsel, barristers, solicitors and even a few law students (of which our own Stef Martin is one) were in attendance on a night in which several thousand dollars were raised for the club.

A few players other than Martin were there. Cameron Bruce, Brock McLean and Brad Miller (unfortunately without the wife) sat at various tables around the room. A couple of former players in Bob Miller (from the '60s) and Steve Smith (from the '70s and '0s) were among the legal eagles (or should I say legal demons) in attendance.

The MC was former board member and media personality Bev O'Connor who controlled proceedings magnificently. She showed her class from the outset in congratulating and thanking the current Board for the work they are doing in revitalising the club: not something that one might normally expect from a member of the outgoing board that was deposed when the Jim Stynes led group took over in mid 2008. This was very much the theme of the evening; that the club is now united and single-minded in the purpose of achieving success.

Club CEO Cameron Schwab was first speaker. He spoke of his vision for the club which involves:

• High performance & high integrity
• Relationships;
• Fielding champion teams; the club has a long term focus of building a champion team with all of its components and will not compromise in this aim. It would have been easy to throw a Jack Watts into the fray immediately, to get some crowds in but that would compromise his personal development. Schwab assured the group that Watts' entry to AFL will be totally uncompromised. We're looking long term and the focus is to build a team with all the right components in place;
• The need to grow; The club is not big enough – it needs to make its way out of the clubs normally considered at the bottom level of AFL clubs. We need to push our image in front of the clubs. The Norm Smith Medal is awarded to the winning coach on AFL grand final day. Schwab is looking forward to a medal honouring Ron Barassi Junior awarded to the winning captain and to the day when it's presented to the Melbourne captain.

Then it was Dean Bailey's turn. The club started training on 13 October last year. The idea was to take the players back and to strip them down to the basics. 

The club employed a Bulgarian specialist weights coach who started off teaching technique for weights. The result was excellent with several players putting on strength. James McDonald at 32 improved and strengthened. James Frawley put on 4kg and is improved, stronger and better able to hold his ground. Jack Watts has put on 6 kg gradually in a controlled programme. The process needs patience as progress takes place in small degrees with young players.

Bailey said that despite the club's disappointing results there are still things that excite him and it's not only the improving younger brigade but also the more senior players. Aaron Davey, for instance is just one of the club's senior players who have been important this season.

The move to Casey Fields has also been important. This year's pre season was so more efficient than last year. Instead of having to put up with four different venues and players shunting around between them, the players had one base where they could train for four hours on an excellent surface in the mornings. The facilities at Casey are modern and player friendly compared to the Junction Oval where the air conditioning was constantly blowing fuses in the heat and where the possums were in residence.

Bailey also mentioned the courage that Clint Bartram showed at the weekend. Clint's father passed away on Sunday morning after a long illness. Nearly all at the club – players, officials and staff, attended the funeral during the week. Bailey found out about the death by sms from Clint but ended up speaking with him for 5 to 6 minutes and ascertained that Clint was made of the right stuff. He wanted to play and felt relieved that his father was no longer in pain. Clint played well for a young man under so much pressure.

Question Cross examination time revealed some interesting information:

• In Kevin Ball, the club has a leading biomechanist and an outstanding kicking teacher;
• Colin Sylvia received some criticism for stating that he thought John Howard was still Australia's Prime Minister but at the recent television membership drive, he was the best "salesperson" selling 27 memberships. When it comes to visiting patients in hospital Colin is brilliant and is always happy to visit the Royal Childrens Hospital and the like;
• Bailey believes that the next few years are important for AFL clubs which need to take the right attitude with them because things will be hard for clubs wanting to build themselves. The next 4 or 5 drafts will all strongly favour Gold Coast AFL and then West Sydney AFL;
• Hawthorn got it right and won their flag last year a couple of years ahead of time. Clarkson not only got things right with drafting of young players but also, just as important was the drafting of players like Guerra, Dew and Gilham. He believes the Hawks could be up for quite a long time;
• Questioned about Michael Newton and his missed goals against Adelaide, Bailey said that Juice needs to get his mind right. He needs to practice his goal kicking routine;
• Bailey described Sunday's game as unusual and quite ordinary to not score a goal at all in the first half. However, at half time, they were only four goals behind and still in the game. In the end it was disappointing because the team worked its way into a winnable position despite missing some easy shots for goal. There was also a problem with overuse of handball. The first half total was 119 and it was 195 for the whole game. We also need to improve kicking efficiency to get through zones;
• The inevitable question came about whether it was in the club's interests to win and Bailey was adamant that he was there to win and not tank games. His job is to develop players who are going to win and doesn't want to accept mediocrity. His main aim is to develop a winning culture.

There was one more question and that was about Sunday's game against Geelong. Before I get onto that subject I want to congratulate the organising committee, particularly family lawyer Ralph Glezer who put in an enormous effort to put the evening together and auctioneer Phillip Kingston of Gary Peers whose auctioning technique was not only profitable for the club but also entertaining. If you qualify to be a Devils Advocate and weren't invited, please send me a PM with your details and I'll see to it that you're on the list for the next function.

And so onto …

THE GAME Melbourne v Geelong at the MCG - Sunday 3 May 2009 at 2.10pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 83 wins Geelong 119 wins 2 draws

At the MCG Melbourne 51 wins Geelong 50 wins

Since 2000 Melbourne 6 wins Geelong 9 wins 1 draw

The Coaches Bailey 0 Thompson 2

MEDIA

TV Channel 7 at 3pm (1 hour delay)

RADIO KRock MMM 3AW

THE BETTING Melbourne to win $14.50 Geelong to win $1.03

LAST TIME THEY MET Geelong 24.13.157 defeated Melbourne 5.11.41 at MCG in Round 19 2008

An undermanned and undersized Melbourne took on the AFL's giants at the MCG in front of a crowd of 34,610 at the MCG in their only Friday night game of the year and they suffered stage fright. The game was over by half time having scored 8.5.53 to nothing. Things didn't get any better after that and by the time the final siren rang and the scoreboard showed the Cats were 116 pints in front, many of the fans were home watching the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

Backs Brent Moloney Matthew Warnock Clint Bartram

Half backs James Frawley Stefan Martin Aaron Davey

Centreline Jared Rivers Ricky Petterd Brock McLean

Half forwards Addam Maric Lynden Dunn Russell Robertson

Forwards Brad Miller Colin Sylvia Matthew Bate

Followers John Meesen Cameron Bruce James McDonald

Interchange Jamie Bennell Paul Johnson Nathan Jones Cale Morton

Emergencies Kyle Cheney Neville Jetta Michael Newton

In Addam Maric Russell Robertson

Out Neville Jetta Michael Newton

GEELONG

Backs Andrew Mackie Matthew Scarlett Darren Milburn

Half backs Joel Corey Harry Taylor Max Rooke

Centreline Jimmy Bartel Corey Enright David Wojcinski

Half forwards James Kelly Cameron Mooney Mathew Stokes

Forwards Paul Chapman Tom Hawkins Steve Johnson

Followers Mark Blake Joel Selwood Gary Ablett

Interchange (from) Shannon Byrnes Nathan Djerrkura Ryan Gamble David Johnson Tom Lonergan Shane Mumford Travis Varcoe

In Nathan Djerrkura Ryan Gamble Tom Lonergan

THE LAST AND THE BIGGEST QUESTION ...

Dean Bailey was asked this week at the Devils Advocates meeting how does he prepare the team for a game against Geelong who are undefeated and flying at the moment. Bailey said that it would be easy for him to manufacture stuff about the game but the players would see through this and think "that's crap!"

His approach would be to go back a few weeks to when Richmond played against Geelong at Skilled Stadium. The Tigers at a low ebb after being crushed by Carlton in the opening round. They had a poor start and, early in the third quarter when Luke McGuane gave away that double goal, it could have become a real blow out. But Richmond worked hard, scored a goal, then another and another. Soon the team had a different attitude and by three quarter time they were in front. You need to be proactive and take the game right up to them.

After all, both teams start at 50:50 and that's where I'll leave this preview of Sunday's big game.